Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Jaded-Fan]

Pop Quiz: What won't exist for the next 500 days?
A) Peanut Butter Parfaits
B) COVID19
C) A vaccine for COVID19

Think carefully!

I doubt any of them are doing much thinking.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I am watching the Amazon Prime series War of the Worlds.

Of course the subject matter is nothing like what we are experiencing. However the feel of it, the world wide attack by an enemy we barely understand, feeling under seige, fearful, the losses, is so evocative of how it feels in current events.

I am continually annoyed at the stupidity and uncaring nature of many of the central characters as well. Again evocative of current events and actions.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I doubt any of them are doing much thinking.

Your timeline is that we can stay at home until a vaccine shows up, because you think that date is close.

I've not read a single thing that indicates a vaccine is remotely imminent.

We're going to need to figure out a way to live while this virus spreads linearly. Remember: "exponential" was the whole problem we were trying to solve in the first place. We solved it. In fact we're going to make it logarithmic for now.

People can have peanut butter parfaits without it turning exponential.

And let's please stop wishing death on people who step outside. I'm a little worried about the totalitarianism creeping into our society in response to this invisible (and very real) enemy.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

We have been told by the doctors who are experts in this field that these next couple of weeks are the most dangerous and to be especially cautious. Not even grocery shopping if you can avoid it. Our generation's Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined we were told. I would choose the chances taken very carefully. If not for me then those close to me.

I wouldn't risk my father's life or my girlfriend's life for an ice cream cone. Or my child's life if I had one.

Especially this week and next week.

But that's just me.

 

[ChaosAgent]

We have been told by the doctors who are experts in this field that these next couple of weeks are the most dangerous and to be especially cautious. Not even grocery shopping if you can avoid it. Our generation's Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined we were told. I would choose the chances taken very carefully. If not for me then those close to me.

I wouldn't risk my father's life or my girlfriend's life for an ice cream cone. Or my child's life if I had one.

Especially this week and next week.

But that's just me.

The death tolls going to be highest this week because of spreading that already happened 2 weeks ago. The only reliable indicator of spreading at this point is in hindsight and it's by counting dead bodies sadly. The dead body daily count has peaked and is about to start gradually falling.

Regardless, it's our social covenant to continue to be isolated from each other to prove that we can get the death curve to go down. And that's fine. And I guess it would be better if these people didn't jump the gun. But there's a big bridge to cross between "I wouldn't do it if I were you" and "hah these idiots are going to take themselves out of the gene pool."

The amount of death wishing to people doing things that were considered normal a month ago is staggering and scary. Maybe it's because I downloaded that NIMBYist Nextdoor App which is just teeming with people like that.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

The death tolls going to be highest this week because of spreading that already happened 2 weeks ago. The only reliable indicator of spreading at this point is in hindsight and it's by counting dead bodies sadly. The dead body daily count has peaked and is about to start gradually falling.

Regardless, it's our social covenant to continue to be isolated from each other to prove that we can get the death curve to go down. And that's fine. And I guess it would be better if these people didn't jump the gun. But there's a big bridge to cross between "I wouldn't do it if I were you" and "hah these idiots are going to take themselves out of the gene pool."

The amount of death wishing to people doing things that were considered normal a month ago is staggering and scary. Maybe it's because I downloaded that NIMBYist Nextdoor App which is just teeming with people like that.

I am not wishing them dead.

I am wishing that they would make smarter decisions. The consequences are too great and the risk/reward quotient is ridiculously stupid.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I am not wishing them dead.

I am wishing that they would make smarter decisions. The consequences are too great and the risk/reward quotient is ridiculously stupid.

If you think the risk of transmission is that high. I guess we don't know if the people in that line were distancing or not. I'm skeptical that it's as transmissable as you think given that we've curbed exponential spread while everyone in the community still piles into grocery stores and picks up pizza.

But there are social and moral imperatives to be on our best behavior so we can prove we can get the graphs pointed downwards by the end of April. That is persuasive; you wish in that case they'd just close the ice cream shop down.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

If you think the risk of transmission is that high. I guess we don't know if the people in that line were distancing or not. I'm skeptical that it's as transmissable as you think given that we've curbed exponential spread while everyone in the community still piles into grocery stores and picks up pizza.

But there are social and moral imperatives to be on our best behavior so we can prove we can get the graphs pointed downwards by the end of April. That is persuasive; you wish in that case they'd just close the ice cream shop down.

I have no clue why a friggin' ice cream shop is even open these two weeks. The order is only essential stores open. Meaning basically groceries. Ice Cream is NOT essential and can be had if you simply have to go when you get your groceries, not a special extra trip.

Complete stupidity right now.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

it's not enough to have covid-19 running around, now we are going to alternate between 70 and sunny and a hard freeze warning tonight just to see who else can get sick..

the road completely cleared here today, almost entirely dry. cracked 60F. supposed to snow all day tomorrow, high of 20 by sunday

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

I have no clue why a friggin' ice cream shop is even open these two weeks. The order is only essential stores open. Meaning basically groceries. Ice Cream is NOT essential and can be had if you simply have to go when you get your groceries, not a special extra trip.

Complete stupidity right now.

overheard on fox "news" this evening, some huffing and puffing that if liquor stores can be open why can't everything else.

it's a painful truth, but a lot of people are alcoholics, and there are very real medical consequences for some in cutting off the supply cold turkey. and unlike, say, heroin,
alcohol is legal. ice cream...i could be wrong, but i don't know that an abrupt lack of access to ice cream *shops* would cause anything other than a p*ssy mood, which, i'm sorry, but get over it and make do with blue bunny and hershey's or whatever. to the owners, things really suck, i get it, but please get your heads examined.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

overheard on fox "news" this evening, some huffing and puffing that if liquor stores can be open why can't everything else.

it's a painful truth, but a lot of people are alcoholics, and there are very real medical consequences for some in cutting off the supply cold turkey. and unlike, say, heroin,
alcohol is legal. ice cream...i could be wrong, but i don't know that an abrupt lack of access to ice cream *shops* would cause anything other than a p*ssy mood, which, i'm sorry, but get over it and make do with blue bunny and hershey's or whatever. to the owners, things really suck, i get it, but please get your heads examined.

Pennsylvania relaxed the rules for online alcohol orders and deliveries weeks ago.

And not just from state stores, but I am fairly sure that they allowed orders from out of state as well.

So there is that.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

Pennsylvania relaxed the rules for online alcohol orders and deliveries weeks ago.

And not just from state stores, but I am fairly sure that they allowed orders from out of state as well.

So there is that.

i fully understand people looking at that and going "reeeeeally?" but...yeah, really

 

[billybudd]

overheard on fox "news" this evening, some huffing and puffing that if liquor stores can be open why can't everything else.

it's a painful truth, but a lot of people are alcoholics, and there are very real medical consequences for some in cutting off the supply cold turkey. and unlike, say, heroin,
alcohol is legal. ice cream...i could be wrong, but i don't know that an abrupt lack of access to ice cream *shops* would cause anything other than a p*ssy mood, which, i'm sorry, but get over it and make do with blue bunny and hershey's or whatever. to the owners, things really suck, i get it, but please get your heads examined.

To play Devil's Advocate, that's not why they're open. They're open (where they're open) because the state gets a bigger cut of alcohol than it does of other things.

I doubt anyone in power or who has control of narratives has really considered the impact of quarantine on those who would experience recreational drug withdrawal, legal or illegal. Shortly after China was first brought to its knees, I read one story in some local paper saying hospitals were seeing a lot of opioid patients experiencing withdrawal due to supply disruption in Mexico of the component chemicals for mass producing fentanyl (the cartels ordinarily got these chemicals from Wuhan, China). Presumably this has continued (and the numbers experiencing withdrawal significantly increased), but no news agency or politician I know took note, other than the one paper, the one time.

Edit: thinking about this, I wonder if this quarantine business will have the unintended consequence of breaking a lot of people of various addictions due to supply issues. I'd be interested in seeing drug addiction rates before and after.

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrots]

To play Devil's Advocate, that's not why they're open. They're open (where they're open) because the state gets a bigger cut of alcohol than it does of other things.

I doubt anyone in power or who has control of narratives has really considered the impact of quarantine on those who would experience recreational drug withdrawal, legal or illegal. Shortly after China was first brought to its knees, I read one story in some local paper saying hospitals were seeing a lot of opioid patients experiencing withdrawal due to supply disruption in Mexico of the component chemicals for mass producing fentanyl (the cartels ordinarily got these chemicals from Wuhan, China). Presumably this has continued (and the numbers experiencing withdrawal significantly increased), but no news agency or politician I know took note, other than the one paper, the one time.

Edit: thinking about this, I wonder if this quarantine business will have the unintended consequence of breaking a lot of people of various addictions due to supply issues. I'd be interested in seeing drug addiction rates before and after.

oh, i'm sure the state's cut factors in much more heavily, but again, alcohol is also generally the most easily obtained of the self-medications. both can be true.

and those numbers would be interesting to see, definitely.

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Ive been sleeping or in bed for 3/4 of the day. I usually have enough energy to spend breakfast, lunch and dinner and some hang out time on the couch with my wife between 7-11, but around 10:30 I’m getting tired. I’m writing this right before I head to bed.

I’m taking cues from a friend and taking NyQuil through most of the day. I just feel bad for my wife. The dog is spending time with me so she’s all alone. At least now we know I’m non-COVID maybe she can go see her parents? I don’t know.

Either way I’m very glad I have a one story place.

Stairs suck for someone in your situation. Keep this in mind, though you probably already know this- NyQuil has Acetaminophen. A lot, especially if you are an idiot like I am and drink from the bottle instead of taking measured dosages. AND, if it is NyQuil PM, the "sleepy" agent is just as tough for the liver to metabolize as the acetaminophen. So don't take this stuff if you're taking Tylenol. Or switch out the Tylenol for ibuprofen. Ok, I'll quit pretending to know what the f*** I'm talking about. Get better asap, we got at least one more Stanley Cup to virtually hoist!

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

We had toys when I was young. Not many though, my family was ironically rather poor for quite a while despite my father becoming a doctor. He actually was born in this area behind a beer garden and weighed on a meat scale. I always thought that background would have made for a great writer background for one in the vein of a Hemmingway. He got a full scholarship to college, but had to work in the cafeteria for his room and board, and partial scholarship to medical school and my mother paid for the rest of his medical school as a medical secretary.

In the 60's they made residents work long hours and paid them so little that one filed for, and got, welfare. The hospital in Miami raised the residents to $5 a month over welfare level in response. He did not really get paid until his training was finished in his upper 20's.

I remember my three main toys was a tricycle, a dog that was pulled behind me and the legs went around as if walking, and a push toy that had a dome and the balls inside were sent into the air in the dome as you pushed it. We had no clue that we did not have much, we just played outside and were fine, Eventually of course he opened his practice and things changed dramatically.

That is beautiful, man! A great story and crazy connection. I had those toys as well and would never have remembered the dome/bouncy balls thing or the dog with the wheel legs had you not mentioned. I don't remember feeling like I missed out as I played in the woods growing up in WV, in fact, compared to today's kids, like mine, I think I was lucky.

 

[Jacob]

People can have a little peanut butter parfait, as a treat.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Peanut BUSTER Parfait... buster.

 

[lmfl123]

We have been told by the doctors who are experts in this field that these next couple of weeks are the most dangerous and to be especially cautious. Not even grocery shopping if you can avoid it. Our generation's Pearl Harbor and 9/11 combined we were told. I would choose the chances taken very carefully. If not for me then those close to me.

I wouldn't risk my father's life or my girlfriend's life for an ice cream cone. Or my child's life if I had one.

Especially this week and next week.

But that's just me.

The ice cream line is certainly over the top, but the point where difficult decisions will have to be made is rapidly approaching.

The risks to anybody under 50 are almost negligible. It’s 70 and up where the real risk is. Am I concerned about my parents? Of course. My father is at particular risk due to blood type and other health issues. But I will tell you this - having kids my bigger concern right now is what we are leaving them to clean up. I can tell you for sure that my parents feel the same way. Even for myself, I will gladly take the risk of getting the virus if it means a better life for my kid and his generation. I get that people are scared right now but I really don’t think people have any idea what is coming after. It is a worldwide bubble of massive proportions that will be beyond ugly when it breaks.

I think the time is rapidly coming when people who are youngish and healthy (~<60) are going to have to get back to something approaching normal. It’s quite possible to do it with the best aspects of social distancing still intact and some of the overreaching BS out the window. Kids will need to be in real schools this fall. They need to interact with each other and they need their parents to have livelihoods so they have food in their stomachs and a roof over their head.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I think that's a perfectly valid concern and well articulated but honestly from where I'm standing, at least... we were already well down the road of leaving a pretty f***ed up world for our young ones.

Not that we should endeavour to make things even worse. Only that most young people already have resigned themselves to a pretty bleak outcome long before The Rona struck. There's the whole "making the world potentially inhospitable" thing, after all.

 

[ChaosAgent]

\There's the whole "making the world potentially inhospitable" thing, after all.

These two months have probably rolled back a couple of years of damage on that front. Not that environmentalists want to be publicly celebrating at a time like this, but still.

 

[Ogrezilla]

I have no clue why a friggin' ice cream shop is even open these two weeks. The order is only essential stores open. Meaning basically groceries. Ice Cream is NOT essential and can be had if you simply have to go when you get your groceries, not a special extra trip.

Complete stupidity right now.

I would assume they are just classified as restaurants. Especially since a lot of them do sell some amount of food, even if it's just frozen chicken tenders and fries.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

These two months have probably rolled back a couple of years of damage on that front. Not that environmentalists want to be publicly celebrating at a time like this, but still.

No you're absolutely right. And it actually gives me some measure of hope... assuming that we start acting like... now.

 

[ChaosAgent]

No you're absolutely right. And it actually gives me some measure of hope... assuming that we start acting like... now.

I think the Work From Home revolution (and I was skeptical at first, but it's definitely happening) is going to reduce physical travel a lot. Plus plane travel's going to be down BIGLY until a vaccine shows up which is 1-2 years away.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I would assume they are just classified as restaurants. Especially since a lot of them do sell some amount of food, even if it's just frozen chicken tenders and fries.

But then restaurants should be closed as well if we're really trying to have groceries-and-nothing-else. I think it's overkill, but it's strange to see how people compartmentalize these things.