[Important] Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Ben_j]

On a lighter note, I made two Chemical Brothers playlist to help you know what to do and what not to do during the lockdown :

What not to do:

What to do:

[Bosco]

I don't know about y'all, but I'm starting to notice grocery stores removing sales ads and are starting to price gouge. I can understand the removal of store ads/sales because there really is no competition right now, and no reason to blow money on advertising when you're basically the epicenter of commerce. But the additional price gouging is something that needs to be addressed by our government. Especially since the public has been assured there is no food shortage, or essential needs shortage.

That being said, my family members who work at grocery stores are being paid an additional $2 an hour while we are in this Coronavirus bubble. Which is nice, but they are severely underpaid in the first place.

I'm not convinced this evens out. Restaurateurs have to be furious.

[whirlygirl]

Agreed, there should be no profiting in this situation. I've seen food prices go up when fuel prices rise, but gas is cheaper now than it has been in ages...

My son works for a small Italian grocery chain. Not a major store but still essential and still impacted. He's worked there nearly 2 years and makes barely above our county minimum wage.

This pandemic has brought to light things in the US that will need to be addressed once we make it through: M4A, increased minimum wages, paid sick leave, and sensible social nets to help those who've lost jobs.

It's so scary out there. US cases are skyrocketing just as we've been warned. I hope you all are staying safe ❤️

[MadPooter]

I really don't know how long it is going to take to recover from this--everything I've read points to a huge shift in our way of life for a significant period of time even after the virus has swept the world.

I keep crossing my fingers that this is all somehow intentional and there is a bright silver lining to all of this. Namely, I hope that we see some huge, constructive shifts in how we in the United States manage our healthcare system. And I also hope that we see some justice in those who hid information in order to profit off insider knowledge of this pandemic.

But really I just want us all to be okay. It feels bad to think about everyone separated and isolated. This can't be good for our psychological health. My trip to the weed store today was a weird one--everyone is panicked, even when they're calm. Everyone is suspect of the slightest cough. Everyone is intent on judging others for their actions or lack of actions.

But at least I get to get high. Sweet.

[Fine Time]

I really don't know how long it is going to take to recover from this--everything I've read points to a huge shift in our way of life for a significant period of time even after the virus has swept the world.

I keep crossing my fingers that this is all somehow intentional and there is a bright silver lining to all of this.

BC and AC , i've heard it said people will talk about this point in history as BC ( Before Coronavirus ) ,  and AC ( After Coronavirus ) ,  definately a huge shift and disruption to everybody's life  in every country all over the world. There will need to be a world summit meeting after this for leaders to discuss action plans to ensure this never happens again. I don't even think we're halfway through it yet.

If you want to read how , why , where this Pandemic started . .  https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/25/blame-china-and-xi-jinping-for-coronavirus-pandemic/

Take care , stay safe people.

[satur8]

Hi everyone. I haven't checked in since prior to this post's creation. I am sorry so many of you are going through hardships. I'm fortunate that as of now, my family is healthy, my wife and I are working from home, and my kids's schools have closed until mid-May with online learning starting next week. With the exception of an emergency vet visit, we have been self-quarantined a little ahead of the curve over the rest of America. We're temporarily having groceries delivered, tipping WELL, and going through an OCD-like cleaning process as they come in. We are scared and careful but privilaged and fortunate to not be hurting like some.

The stupidity and willfulness of my countrymen has yet again showed it's ugly face, and many continue to ignore science. I am suffering a bit of derpression but I imagine everyone is struggling right now, even those without hisotires of emotional challendges. I regret staying away from the forum but my priorities have been stretched. The support for each other here is overwhelming. This is a great international group, and based on this threat, an intellignet one, too. But we already knew this.

If you want to read on, I want to talk about my work situation: I work IT in a medium sized law firm with prominent clients. I don't talk about work much on socila media for the obvious reasons, and honestly, even on a bad day I don't like to complain too loudly. But this forum is private and I haven't said this shit anywhere and it's driving me insane. They were assholes and wholly unprepared. My buddy and I in IT started pressing our management team about proactive plans in early February because we saw this coming. We were first dismissed as paranoid, and later, as insitgating unenssary panic. We told them it was inevitable that schools would close in weeks, and once the schools closed, we were not coming in. This again was dismissed as our firm was "carefully monitoring the situation". That day my buddy and I started writing up emergency documentation and recommending plans to get the staff ready to work from home: only 60% of our Firm (225 or so employees) had work-at-home capabilities as per Firm policy. As a side note, I was not allowed to work my shift from home...EVER...even though I routinely support afterhours and weekend OT for one or two weeks a month froim home: I'm only allowed to do it when it benefitds them. But I digress.

Fast forward to Thursday the 12th. My Firm still planned on staying open and there was no word from the shools yet, either. Although we had proactively written up documetation and proactive action plans to get the staff working from home, we were clearly taking a reactive response. We were told the info had been passed to the top and was under consideration with everything else, but they literally had us doing roll-out type work, training people on new systems that late in the game. I decided I wasn't going back in the next day and the kids were staying home as well as I felt a "call" was going to be made that weekend anyway (as a side note, I convinced them to let me work from home as a 'test' and they decided this was better than a call-out). My wife did the same. Sure enough, my kid's schools closed and my wife's job allowed her work from home. For mine...they still wnated people to report on Monday so we could 'prep' for closing on Tuesday. Let's say that again: WE NEED TO CLOSE FOR THIS SERIOUS VIRUS, BUT YOU NEED TO COME IN ONCE MORE AROUND YOUR PEERS! As an IT person, this meant a mad scramble of attorneys and staff coming to my desk for me to handle their laptops and mobile devices. The shit I had been asking to do for a month was now going to be rushed in a day, and locals were already sick. No thank you. My buddy and I both offered home support becasue our kids were home and it was granted, but that first week of remote IT support was hell. And if we didn't corrdinate together, whichever one would have gone in would have gotten all the shit work.

Fast forward to now. My kids are out until 5/15 but work wants us back on 4/15...extended from the originally proposed 3/27! 1/3 of the people are still going in despite the Governer closing down our state until 5/15, and the messaging continues that IT may have to be present if our attorneys invite out of state guests. FUCK THAT! You don't need me to be in that room or touch that shit. We shouldn't have guests right now at all. I could go on and on bitching about what my employer has done wrong, but I recognize I am fortunate to be working AND away from people. I will say this. My buddy and I who thought ahead and called out? They let us handle 200+ calls and email by ourselves in the first 2 DAYS: the entire rest of the IT was needed for people rusing down to the office...just like I predicted.

So that's been my little slice of heaven. I know people are sick and having trouble with food, so again, I consider myself lucky. But just yesterday I got in a debate with someone that thinks businesses are doing the best for their employees. They're not. Most certainly do not, and this is while our Congresspeople withheld info so they could profit on stocks. And my trying to convince people that all the relief policies they are looking for is exactly what Bernie Sanders and Democratic Socoialism stand for is met with debate, as if wanting governement support for themselves but not for everyone always isn't fucking evil.

So anyway, that's been my last two months...being trated like chicken litte while also still being expected to take the fallout I warned about. Fighting the onset of depression for 2 months has been hard.I haven't had a crash since my son was born: he literally keeps me sane and is my daily motivation. But this is certainly the darkest I've been in over a decade. And oh yeah, my Bernese/Poodle mix got injured in a freak accident in my house. So now I'm carry that 95 pound / 43 kilo puppy up and down stairs and outside for potty breaks. So agian, lots of bullshit, but good with all things considered. Thanks for reading.

[Fine Time]

I can't comprehend how China's Prime minister and President now see this as a foreign problem and are seemingly refusing any liability for the emergence of the Covid19  virus in their city of  Wuhan 3 months ago. Worse still , yesterday , as Beijing celebrated its ' victory over Coronavirus ' ,  some of their filthy animal markets reopened with no attempt made to raise hygiene standards or change their way of working. The Daily Mail newspaper correspondent witnessed hundreds of people walking around a live/dead animal market in Guilin , south-west China , , terrified dogs , cats crammed into rusty cages , bats and scorpions offered for sale as traditional medicine , rabbits and ducks slaughtered and skinned side by side on a stone floor on top of filth , blood and other animal remains. This type of environment is the breeding ground for viruses , the type of virus that can mutate and jump from an animal , eg. bat , to a human , , and then we've got a Pandemic on our hands . . which is what we're all living through now. Surely world leaders are going to have to put pressure on China to change / re-structure / investigate its food supply methods , at the very least bring in strict hygiene standards at their animal markets.

[satur8]

some of their filthy animal markets reopened with no attempt made to raise hygiene standards or change their way of working.

I don't know if I'm thinking too heavily about Chinese politics or ownership of this virus at this moment, but yes, their markets continue to be a global issue and an immediate change is certainly appropriate.

[satur8]

BTW....Any fans of World War Z? The novel by Max Brooks, not the shit film that has nothing to do with the book. For starters, the Brad Pitt character is not even in the book. No, he is not the main narrator. Avoid the movie and read the book.

A lot of people think it is a zombie story, but it's actually a socioenomicoc pandemic story written in the aftermath with narration of the event by dozens of sources. It starts in Asia...I believe China...and they try to hide it. Israel walls itself off. The U.S. displays overconfidence and arrogance and suffers for it. People act stupidly while others try to survive. By the end, the world has gone on but changed forever. I always thought it was a well written novel that got a lot of it correct. I never thought I'd have the perspective to verify how realistic this book could be.

If you're an audiobook fan, it is one of the best with dozens of voice actor narrators...including  a surprise small but key part by Mark Hamill! Oops, spoiler. It's not obvious or billed...I heard it and looked it up.

If you're brave, give it a read. For me, I've never watched the film Contagion and don't think I can right now so I get it. I've thought about picking up WWZ again but may way for more perspective....

[satur8]

I'm just rereading the thread.

Bosco - I'm so sorry for your loss.

Inchem - Thanks for sharing your work story. That shit is both crazy and scary. People hoarding while others are waiting is bad enough, but a grown man getting into a fist fight KNOWING he cut the line is the low part of humanity we will continue to witness.

Sandelic - I was definitely thinking of you regarding the earthquake. As if there aren't enough worries.

Enjoyed - That's rough about the studio. Keep doing what's best for your family.

Conn6... - That sucks, I can't imagine.

Ben_j - Thanks for the positivity you are providing.

All of us have been affected so negatively. And for those of us watching the American President, there is little reason for hope. At least Canada, Germany, and France have some real leaders.

[Wolkenkrabber]

The Daily Mail newspaper correspondent witnessed hundreds of people walking around a live/dead animal market in Guilin , south-west China , , terrified dogs , cats crammed into rusty cages , bats and scorpions offered for sale as traditional medicine , rabbits and ducks slaughtered and skinned side by side on a stone floor on top of filth , blood and other animal remains.

No doubt China needs to take a long hard look at itself. Any country where such a virus originated should  be inclined/obliged to do so. However I am always a little wary when the right wing Daily Mail "newspaper" looks to blame non white British people for...well, just about anything.


https://twitter.com/Tom_Fowdy/status/1244249809361555456

https://twitter.com/Tom_Fowdy/status/1244250401488220161

For those outside the UK, unfamiliar with The Daily Fail:
2017: Wikipedia bans Daily Mail as 'unreliable' source

https://twitter.com/davemacladd/status/1244318924088512519
(This final tweet didn't embed because: emojis, but it kinda sums up what the paper is like. If you're not of a white, christian, British background, it's blame-game time!)

[Csar]

Ok, this is funny...

https://twitter.com/Johnnyd23/status/1241904181775986689
https://twitter.com/Johnnyd23/status/1244822813560561665

Need a good laugh after my self-inflicted car accident yesterday. Rrr, the streets are almost empty and of all days yesterday I pull out of a parking lot rear-first and get struck by another car. I checked the street diligently three times and when I decided to finally get going a damn car comes up. Damn. Fortunately, no one was hurt, the driver was really laid back (it was a leasing car he had driven for only 2 hours that day) and the car is still operational because his speed was rather slow.
In these times, it's certainly not the most important thing to deal with, but, man, is this annoying. Never caused such a thing in my almost 20 years of driving. I'm really mad at myself.

[Bosco]

Csar, it sounds like you did your part in practicing safe driving. It's amazing how a one-second lapse and a blind spot, can alter circumstances on the road or even in a parking lot.

I know situationally it's hard not to dwell on something like this, but don't let it drag you down.

[ThePumisher]

#dontleavehome

[Csar]

Thanks, Bosco. Yeah, it's pretty sobering to know that sometimes things just happen no matter what you do. Let's see what the (in Germany mandatory) biannual car inspection, which is due next week, will turn up... Fingers crossed.

[Wolkenkrabber]

I can't call him any names now. He better get better.
Sad news about Pep Guardiola's mum today too.

https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/1247241845387735043

[Bosco]

An active leading world official succumbing from Covid-19 would be game changing.

If he passes, I fear a massive cover-up could be in order to prevent the world economy from fully collapsing then it already has. No doubt we'll see he had such and such "preexisting condition", "he was stressed", he "didn't practice proper social distancing" or my favorite, he secretly enjoyed his monthly indulgence of "Bat Soup".

[mc_marsh]

didn't practice proper social distancing

I think this one would be correct given the Houses of Parliament were still operating normally until a fortnight after the government advised everyone else to work from home where possible. It seems the building has proved to be one of the hotbeds of the virus in the UK!

[Wolkenkrabber]

I think this one would be correct given the Houses of Parliament were still operating normally until a fortnight after the government advised everyone else to work from home where possible. It seems the building has proved to be one of the hotbeds of the virus in the UK!

Indeed. And furthermore...

[MadPooter]

Looks like the Guardian is reporting the U.S. at 41,000 deaths. And it's likely that there are more deaths that could be attributed to our hospitals being at or beyond capacity in urban centers.

Thankfully it looks like things are slowing in places like New York, and California, where I am, has managed its shit pretty well.

Unfortunately, South Carolina is slated to "re-open" everything next week, and there are small, albeit very, very vocal protest groups in the U.S. trying to call for the immediate re-opening of all states.

After many years of sitting back and simply observing my fellow countrypersons, I can tell you that I predict that the U.S. is going to reach full herd-immunity. This means that likely we're going to see waves of outbreaks, and large numbers of people dying as hospitals keep reaching full capacity.

People in this country are, unfortunately, dumb. I wish I could say my country is being led by a responsible, informed, considerate leader, but nothing could be further from the truth.

The truth is that there was no plan. There was no response. Our leader has not responded. There was some orange-haired guy that thought he heard--somewhere--that hydroxychloroquine could possibly be effective in treating this thing, and without fully considering whether that was true he gambled that it was going to work and told people to munch away on pills.

It's very clear the economy of the United States is going to falter.

It's becoming unfortunately clear that the people who live in this country are going to help usher in a wave of deaths related to the coronavirus.

So things are going to get worse before they fully get better. It's only just started to get ugly.

I hope everyone out there is hanging in there. I don't want to be the harbinger of bad tidings, and honestly, above all else--I hope I am wrong.

But regardless of what happens, at the end of all this, there will be a light. The end of a tunnel always has light.