The Covid19 thread

[Falcon Horus]

Problem is, they're too effing stupid to make the connection.

Unforfunately yeah...

...this might work though...

Meet the pub landlord who installed an electric fence at his bar to ensure social distancing

[Annoyed]

Unforfunately yeah...

...this might work though...

Meet the pub landlord who installed an electric fence at his bar to ensure social distancing

I rather like that idea. However, I have a few concerns.

If that was in the U.S., I'd give him 3-4 hours before someone sues him for injury, emotional distress or some such nonsense.

Next.. I wonder how long before the thing has a button behind the bar to shock folks who don't tip the bartender enough....

[Falcon Horus]

Next.. I wonder how long before the thing has a button behind the bar to shock folks who don't tip the bartender enough....

[Annoyed]

And people wonder why we're seeing a resurgence in CV cases.

Florida residents organizing 'COVID-19 parties,' some led by gang members: sheriff

Florida gang members have supposedly been hosting massive parties at vacation rental homes with the hopes of spreading the coronavirus, according to officials.

Osceola County Sherriff Russ Gibson reported that the sheriff’s office has received more than 600 noise complaints, many related to what Gibson referred to as “COVID-19 parties.” Gibson advised that over the coming weekend, his deputies plan to step up patrols in areas where the parties have been known to happen.

“They’re being referred to, from what I’m being told, as COVID-19 parties where they’re actually getting together and they’re trying to mingle to potentially spread the virus amongst each other if they’re asymptomatic or whatever the case might be,” Gibson said.

And, down at the bottom of the article...

“We’re not going to issue citations when we go to these homes when we see these open house parties. We’re going to get them on their way. They’re not going to be permitted to stay.”

They're not even going to ticket them, let alone arrest them!

[Falcon Horus]

We have a resurgence of cases, in the age group of 20 to 59 which is basically the group which is back to work at the office. However, research into the rise of infections found that it's parties and indoor events which have more than the max amount of people and not holding to the social distance/facemask rules which are at fault.

Then again, as I was sitting having dinner outside a restaurant, where all the tables and most everyone held themselves to the 1.5m distance, with waiters wearing facemasks, a large group of friends entered the courtyard (it was a castle domain), planted themselves in the middle of our zone without taking the 1.5m into account. Then proceeded to greet eachother by kisses on the cheeks, hugs and shaking hands -- all of which are prohibited under current rules.

People around them, including me, my sister and my dad, gave them the stink eye. I even coughed loudly to make a point but nope... they simply didn't care. They were literally pretending like nothing was wrong or there wasn't a virus plaguing us into submission.

[Annoyed]

We have a resurgence of cases, in the age group of 20 to 59 which is basically the group which is back to work at the office. However, research into the rise of infections found that it's parties and indoor events which have more than the max amount of people and not holding to the social distance/facemask rules which are at fault.

And just how does the virus differentiate between people being stupid by going to parties and socializing and people going to cubicle farms?

Remember, research reinforces the conclusions that the people paying for it want it to, and just like the US, I'm sure you guys have well-funded interests pushing to get everyone back to work so they keep making their money. Whether or not political interests are also at work in your country, I don't know, but they are a strong factor here also.

Oh, and don't forget, we've decided that we're never letting you guys out again no matter what. You guys are just too weird.

Then again, as I was sitting having dinner outside a restaurant, where all the tables and most everyone held themselves to the 1.5m distance, with waiters wearing facemasks, a large group of friends entered the courtyard (it was a castle domain), planted themselves in the middle of our zone without taking the 1.5m into account. Then proceeded to greet eachother by kisses on the cheeks, hugs and shaking hands -- all of which are prohibited under current rules.

People around them, including me, my sister and my dad, gave them the stink eye. I even coughed loudly to make a point but nope... they simply didn't care. They were literally pretending like nothing was wrong or there wasn't a virus plaguing us into submission.

People are stupid. Give them the choice and they will dumb themselves down as far as they can, every time. The authorities didn't take that into consideration when they decided to re-open at the behest of the moneymen. Our leaders failed miserably by doing so.

How long have I been saying that we are re-opening far too early?

[Falcon Horus]

And just how does the virus differentiate between people being stupid by going to parties and socializing and people going to cubicle farms?

Most office buildings have ventilation, and the correct kind.

On top of that, we aren't allowed to have more than 50% of employees at the office at any given time. We have to plan our 2 days carefully, and preferably keep them on the same days (for me that's wednesday and friday), so that social distance can be maintained at all times.

We're also supplied with sanitizers, extra soap, cleaning products for individual use and facemasks.

Whether or not political interests are also at work in your country, I don't know, but they are a strong factor here also.

Not so much over here considering we still don't have a Federal government at the moment...
There's a temporary one to maintain activity during the crisis, with a temporary prime minister -- Sophie Wilmès, our version of Jacinda Ardren of New Zealand.

We have a Flemish, Walloon and German government, but not a federal one... so they have problems enough as it is without wanting to make corona political as well. (we have no Federal government since December 2018, and nothing has budged since the elections of May 2019 either)

Oh, and don't forget, we've decided that we're never letting you guys out again no matter what. You guys are just too weird.

Good plan.

[ScifigirlSG]

Not sure if it's within the US or worldwide, but I heard today that Marriott is closing over 3,000 hotels.

[Falcon Horus]

New rules, now that infections have been rising again:

* our social contact bubble may contain a maximum of 5 people which have to remain the same 5 people for the coming 4 weeks at least

* facemasks are mandatory pretty much everywhere, inside and outside (except in your own home, unless you have other people over not part of your social bubble, like repair-people)

* Antwerp -- a corona hotspot -- has a curfew between 11:30pm and 6am & made working from home mandatory again (my office is in a suburb of that city)

* 1 person to go shopping and one can remain a maximum of 30 minutes inside the store

* reduction of people attending receptions (like weddings) to 10, and to 100 for the festivities afterwards (maintaining social distance at all times and wearing facemasks)

* people coming back from an orange or red zone in Europe have to stay home for 14 days, and those from a red zone have to take a corona test (mandatory) -- sidenote: as of the weekend Belgium has been marked as an orange zone by the European Center for Disease Control

* mandatory have to fill in a tracing form if you've been abroad for more than 24h -- no matter where or what transportation you used

[Falcon Horus]

My company has taken action too, in compliance with the new rules:

* people who live in the province of Antwerp have to work from home no matter which office they work at
* everyone else working at an office located in the province is working from home for the next 4 weeks (I live in a different province -- Flemish-Brabant -- but work in Antwerp)
* if you have to be at the office because you need to get something or have no other choice, facemasks are mandatory wear

***

While I'm disappointed we weren't able to keep the curve down, I'm fairly excited about not having to drive to work and can continue working from home. I like my desk at home way better than at the office.

I admit, I'm rejoicing the work-at-home period.

[Annoyed]

My company has taken action too, in compliance with the new rules:

* people who live in the province of Antwerp have to work from home no matter which office they work at
* everyone else working at an office located in the province is working from home for the next 4 weeks (I live in a different province -- Flemish-Brabant -- but work in Antwerp)
* if you have to be at the office because you need to get something or have no other choice, facemasks are mandatory wear

***

While I'm disappointed we weren't able to keep the curve down, I'm fairly excited about not having to drive to work and can continue working from home. I like my desk at home way better than at the office.

I admit, I'm rejoicing the work-at-home period.

We can't keep the curve down unless we do keep things closed. All you have to do is look at what has happened already. If you give people a chance to be stupid, they will take you up on it every time. That basic fact ought to be obvious to anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together, and should have been assumed by the powers that be when making decisions to re-open or not.

That's exactly how CV has surged again; the moneymen pushed to re-open everything, supposedly under restrictions that were supposed to have been "safe". But those restrictions were immediately ignored and people flocked to bars, restaurants, in-person shopping for non-essentials and other highly risky activities, including the return to cubicle farms & large numbers of people engaging in protesting in this country.

Is it any surprise CV came back with a vengeance?

Just look at your own company's position:

* if you have to be at the office because you need to get something or have no other choice, facemasks are mandatory wear

They don't say "stay home, be safe" they say "well, stay safe unless it's inconvenient." Kinda shows their priorities.

I'm a confirmed WAH type too. From 2012 to last year, when the company I worked for closed (they're in bankruptcy now) I was a WAH. The fact that it was WAH was the only thing that kept me working there for several years, 'cause I saw the collapse coming years ago, but being a peon, there was nothing I could do about it. I had not intended to retire quite yet, but I'm old enough to do so, and in today's job market, that is likely the way it will play out. I've got a resume out, but it's clearly marked "WAH" only; by my age alone I am at risk of serious complications if I catch CV, and I have several other high risk factors too just for good measure. I will not risk my life to go back into a cubicle farm.

But even assuming there is a vaccine tomorrow morning, this is going to be a sea change event on urban environments.

For many years. many people have worked in large urban cities, and have had to live there, despite the absurd costs of living due to high demand for real estate, taxes and many other things that make urban living hell on earth.

Many of those workers were sent to work at home during the CV crisis(s?) and now realize that there is no real need for them to live close to the office and put up all the aggravation urban settings inflict. And they won't be going back to the office, or living close to it. This is going to devastate the real estate markets and values in urban areas, as well as the tax base.

I count this as a benefit of the CV crisis.

[Annoyed]

Oh, and another word on masks....

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...e-contact.html

Women across the country are reporting a rise in 'aggressive eye contact' since the introduction of face coverings in some public places.

New laws introduced over the weekend force customers to wear face masks in all shops, stations, banks and post offices, while it is also mandatory to wear coverings on public transport.

But many women have been sharing stories online of 'aggressive eye contact' and 'hard staring' from men wearing masks, with one tweeting: 'Grown men staring at you with a mask on is worse than when they don't have a mask.'

In our misandrist society, I'll give this a few months and women will be taking men to courts, both civil and criminal based on their imaginations.

[Falcon Horus]

Who knows what they're doing behind that mask now...

...Or soon we'll hear of a pandemic of black eyes.

****

In reference to my company's policies about working at the office... They don't actually have the authority to make working at the office mandatory, but nobody knows about it unless you know the law on those things (which I happen to do by chance). However, right now they have to comply with Provincial rules and regulations.

Also, we are a human resource company and since any and all self-employed people are currently under great stress and loosing money by the dozens, we don't get paid for our services so that's also bad for us. They haven't come right out and said it yet, but I'm fairly certain they're gonna have to let people go by the end of the year.

On that notion, I am somewhat lucky... I signed up as a candidate for the social elections this year (union representation) which gives me protection from getting fired, and if I get elected to represent the employees in the staff council, I'm even protected until the next election cycle two years from now.

[Who Knows]

Oh good. If you are staying home FH you have more chance and time to continue your Stargate watch & put up more jigsaws to amuse the rest of us 'stay-at-home' people.

[Falcon Horus]

Oh good. If you are staying home FH you have more chance and time to continue your Stargate watch & put up more jigsaws to amuse the rest of us 'stay-at-home' people.

Indeed...

Was distracted by the formalities for our new house but those are behind us now too, so it's back to Stargate business.

I do have to catch up on 3 episodes of S.H.I.E.L.D. so should do that first before going back to the rewatch. But you can expect another jigsaw puzzle round this week -- possibly near the weekend.