Camus was noted for them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plague_(novel)
Once a humble, fun way to count down to Christmas, Advent calendars now disgorge expensive beauty products, gin, flavors of pork cracklings or $150,000 of Tiffany jewelry. Some Scrooges don’t approve.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/advent-calendars-have-become-luxury-vending-machines-is-that-ok-11637953200
South Africa: Hey guys, look what we discovered in our labs while researching Covid19 variants and mutations
World: What??
SA: It's a new variant of Covid19, seems to be different than others, lets work together and study it further.
World: What? You have a new variant of Covid19?!?!
SA: No, we just found a way to 'identify' a new variant, it seems it has also already been detected in Hong Kong, Israel and Botswana.
UK: Hey guys, no offence but we already have 45,000 cases a day, don't wear a mask everywhere, allow large gathering however we cannot risk getting a new variant.
SA: But we just identified it and showed you guys how to check for this variant, it did not originate here. We have advanced labs because we do research on AIDS, TB and other communicable diseases.
UK: Thank you for the research, however a complete travel ban to you and your 5 neighbors.
Netherlands: We heard UK banned flights to you because you have the new variant, we are also imposing a ban to you and your neighbors!
Namibia: WTF! What did we do? We have less than 20 new cases a day since a month now!
EU: Guys, we have a situation in our hands.
Namibia: The situation where Germany has had 76,000 cases a day and Other countries are breaking daily records for cases?
EU: No, not that situation.
Lesotho: Is it that UK still has 40,000+ cases a day and doesn't seem to have it under control?
EU: No, UK isn't a part of us anymore, not our concern.
Malawi: We hear Poland has some serious rise in cases and hospitalizations
EU: Really?! We have no idea, we must look into it. But not what we are talking about.
Eswatini: What situation then?
EU: We heard that South Africa has a new variant, their numbers are rising rapidly and since some of you are next to them, we need to close travel to the region with immediate effect!
SA: Dude, we just identified it! We only have a few cases in the region. Especially when compared to what you guys have. What's with the knee-jerk reaction?
Namibia: Knee-jerk, that's the word we were looking for.
UAE: We are closing flights to Southern Africa, we don't want to risk it. Sorry guys.
USA: We are looking into this and studying the variant, we wont ban flights yet.
SA: Thank you USA, finally a voice of reason!
Mauritius: Sorry SA and the variant group, I saw some other countries refer to you as that, we are friends and all but we are concerned about our tourism and economy, so we will also ban you guys for now until we know further.
SA: We thought you were family. Goes to show how money is more important!
Belgium: We already have 1 new case of the new variant, thanks a lot SA.
SA: We literally just showed you how to identify it.
UK: Thanks a lot SA, now we also have 2 cases of it.
SA: 🤦🏾🤦🏾🤦🏾What about our vaccinated people?
World: Nope, we need to run tests first and figure out what this virus can do and how effective the vaccination is against it.
WHO: Hey guys, a quick question. The next Greek alphabet is 'Xi'. What do we do? China? Are you here?
China: Don't you dare! Leave us and our president out of it. Call it something else. And we don't allow anyone in anyway, so the variant is not our concern.
WHO: We got it boss. It's now called Omicron.
WHO: Sorry we meant Sir. China isn't our boss.
SA: It's true what they say, no good deed goes unpunished. The next time we won't tell you guys about the next mutations or variants we find.
World: Sorry can't hear you, too busy dealing with the outbreak that you caused. How about we talk about this later?
Namibia: It's the weekend, lets braai & go camping and let the world figure this one out themselves, we are still open to everyone. And if you wish to travel here, ask your leaders to start thinking before making decisions.
https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-magical-binding-2561870
Go, soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless arrant;
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie.
Say to the court it glows
And shines like rotten wood,
Say to the church it shows
What's good, and doth no good:
If church and court reply,
Then give them both the lie.
Tell potentates, they live
Acting, by others' action;
Not lov'd unless they give;
Not strong, but by affection.
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.
Tell men of high condition,
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition;
Their practice only hate.
And if they once reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell them that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who in their greatest cost
Like nothing but commending.
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell zeal it wants devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it meets but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust:
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honour how it alters;
Tell beauty how she blasteth;
Tell favour how it falters:
And as they shall reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell wit how much it wrangles
In tickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in over-wiseness:
And when they do reply,
Straight give them both the lie.
Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is prevention;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And as they do reply,
So give them still the lie.
Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay:
And if they will reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell schools they want profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming.
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.
Tell faith it's fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood, shakes off pity;
Tell virtue, least preferreth.
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing;
Because to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing:
Stab at thee, he that will,
No stab thy soul can kill!
Sir Walter Raleigh Esse Quam Vieri.
A shill post with six triggered NPC/bot replies, is like finding the pot of gold. Filter ID +