Irregular migrants? In fact, that doesn't even surprise me. 'Identifies as female' in California means you are, to all intents and purposes, a female, even if you look like pre-bandana Paddy Kennedy.

In the USA, illegal alien is now a form of hate speech. 'Undocumented' is the mot du jour. A bit of Tucker (Carlson) porn is an excellent antidote to this changing of speech norms, if one were so inclined.

I had understood at least part of that particular shift in language usage was due to certain groups indiscriminately referring to anyone not yet processed as "illegal", which is erroneous. Hence, if people aren't arsed learning how the legal immigration system of their own country works, then at least try to tone down the language. A pointless exercise to be sure, but only because you can't fight dumb by dumbing down.

Where's the middle ground between legal and illegal though?


Anyone here getting to go back to work after this evening's announcement? Anyone secretly a bit disappointed that the enforced break is about to end?

It's strange for me how quickly the new normal starts to feel normal. I've said it already, but depending on how one wants to look at it this is a unique opportunity to take the focus off the bigger picture and enjoy having fuck all to do or to plan for. Of course it's only in the moment and there is surely worse to come but still.. I never knew how many little places there were within 5km of my gaff because I was always heading off out to places seemingly better in my free time, for example. I've been getting on the bicycle instead of getting into the car and sometimes even actually walking to the shop. I don't want this to go on forever or anything like that but I have determined to make the most of what I'm presented with. I wonder is this the same feeling lads get when they are fermenting the hooch in prison? Am I becoming institutionalised?

Quote from: astfgyl on May 15, 2020, 08:08:13 PM
Anyone here getting to go back to work after this evening's announcement? Anyone secretly a bit disappointed that the enforced break is about to end?

It's strange for me how quickly the new normal starts to feel normal. I've said it already, but depending on how one wants to look at it this is a unique opportunity to take the focus off the bigger picture and enjoy having fuck all to do or to plan for. Of course it's only in the moment and there is surely worse to come but still.. I never knew how many little places there were within 5km of my gaff because I was always heading off out to places seemingly better in my free time, for example. I've been getting on the bicycle instead of getting into the car and sometimes even actually walking to the shop. I don't want this to go on forever or anything like that but I have determined to make the most of what I'm presented with. I wonder is this the same feeling lads get when they are fermenting the hooch in prison? Am I becoming institutionalised?
I've been working one day a week all along. The whole company is back full time on Monday.
My colleagues are going to be shocked at how much their work place has changed..  :laugh:

I'm not back until September, and I'll be crushed! No exams, 1/3 of the classes and barely any contact from parents, result!

I have this niggling feeling that I should be making better use of all the time I have on my hands. I have Uni exams in June and I've done Scottish Football Association for them. For all my home workout aspirations, the 7 kilos I lost in the 6 weeks before the lockdown have been regained with a little extra on top. Saw myself in profile in a shop window whilst out running earlier, titties and belly jiggling where there were none before!

On the plus side, I'm on level 1150 on gardenscapes, and I'm slaughtering Duolingo instead of using the expensive textbook I have for my French exam which is in 5 weeks. Ya!

I'm back in on Monday, mornings only for two weeks to get some lab stuff done. For the foreseeable future, absolutely everything that can be done from home has to be done like that; offices should be empty at all times they've said, no more than 30% of total personnel from each team in at any given time. Gonna be pretty strange.

Working from home now 2 months, my company set its new date from aug to sep 1st. And even at that they are most likely going to do a rotation based return.

A group in that can sit and social distance within the office within reason for say a month.
Next group come in while group 1 go home, and so on and over time increasing the number of people until its 110% ok for everyone. I'd say Dec maybe even Jan 1 before everyone is back in full gear.

I was back out on Tuesday.  Wasn't expecting to be back until next week so no complaints. 

Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on May 15, 2020, 05:55:26 PM
I had understood at least part of that particular shift in language usage was due to certain groups indiscriminately referring to anyone not yet processed as "illegal", which is erroneous. Hence, if people aren't arsed learning how the legal immigration system of their own country works, then at least try to tone down the language. A pointless exercise to be sure, but only because you can't fight dumb by dumbing down.

I haven't heard of any other country referring to anyone who enters a country illegally as irregular. The irregular is referring to the thousands of people who crossed illegally from the US into Quebec not someone who just landed on a flight and is trying to get a visa sorted through official channels. 

Regardless of a persons personal situation entering the country illegally is illegal. If someone robs a bank because they need to feed their family we can't say they just withdrew money from the bank in an irregular fashion.


No sign of me going back yet which I am perfectly happy with no interest in going back to an office. I have to get the subway to work. The subway system were I am would make bus eireann look good they struggled greatly to handle things during rush hour before all this started now with the distancing and people only being allowed to sit on every second seat I have no idea how they are going to be able to handle things once everyone is forced back to work.

I have actually been at work more than usual since this buzz kicked in but it has been oddly peaceful compared to the usual and a good few of the staff are excused and I much prefer it without them even though I actually like them. It's a weird and conflicting buzz

#943 May 15, 2020, 11:46:25 PM Last Edit: May 15, 2020, 11:48:56 PM by Black Shepherd Carnage
Quote from: mickO))) on May 15, 2020, 09:12:24 PM
I haven't heard of any other country referring to anyone who enters a country illegally as irregular. The irregular is referring to the thousands of people who crossed illegally from the US into Quebec not someone who just landed on a flight and is trying to get a visa sorted through official channels. 

Regardless of a persons personal situation entering the country illegally is illegal. If someone robs a bank because they need to feed their family we can't say they just withdrew money from the bank in an irregular fashion.

Whether it be the US, Canada or most other western countries where such a thing exists, refugee/asylum claimants cross the border "irregularly". It is not illegal to claim asylum in Canada, far from it. However, most asylum seekers will fall under your garden variety xenophobe's term "illegal immigrant". In all of these cases, it's an erroneous term. 

You can disagree with and even protest against Canadian/whereverian law on immigration til you're blue in the face, that won't change the obvious fact that the law, and only the law, is what makes something illegal or legal, so as long as you have specific laws governing border interceptions and processing of asylum claims, "illegal" is an erroneous term in a large proportion of cases. Which is not to say that illegal immigration doesn't exist, it just doesn't cover as many people as is thought.

Edit: And to bring it all back to coronavirus, those concerned about immigration are getting themselves an additional silver lining from it at the moment, what with borders shutting hard. Enjoy!

You are suppose to seek asylum in the 1st country you land in and the entire system has been completely taken advantage of many of the people crossing the border into Canada are not fleeing any sort of persecution they just want the easy way out. All they have to say is I am being persecuted because of my religious beliefs or sexual orientation and they are welcomed with open arms nobody has any idea if it's true or not.

These people land in the US the US is not a war torn country they are not fleeing persecution in New York. It's like the refugees that were landing in places like Hungry then demanding they be brought to countries like Germany or Italy instead because the benefits in Hungry were not good enough for them.

I know a girl here personally who is from Cameroon was on a 2 year visa it ran out so she applied for asylum on the basis of a civil war going on back home her entire family and extended family are back in Cameroon nowhere near the conflict with not a bother on them and she was granted asylum now she's been set up with an apartment and gets cheque's each month she is also working for cash on the side. Thats only a very small and mild example of how people are taking advantage of this.

I don't doubt there are genuine cases for asylum out there but what are places like Canada suppose to do take in entire populations while it's own people are struggling just because of a small percentage of genuine cases.

Yes they say borders have been closed but people who live in the crossing areas are saying different.