Coronavirus COVID-19

[diatoms]

Herd that

[Nebraska]

Quote

A man died after ingesting an additive used to clean fish tanks — the pharmaceutical drug version of which has been touted by President Trump as a potential coronavirus cure.

https://nypost.com/2020/03/23/man-dies-after-self-medicating-with-chloroquine-phosphate-to-treat-coronavirus/

trump needs to start telling people how much to take. this guy probably just took too much

[luke viia]

At 5:30 Inslee gave a mandatory 2 week minimum stay-at-home order for all of Washington state. 

The streets are already pretty clear... it was surreal driving home listening to Pye Corner Audio. Fit the mood. 

[YEK]

22 minutes ago, Entorwellian said:

Here is something to cheer you up:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Land_Reform

"The Chinese Land Reform Movement , also known by the Chinese abbreviation Tǔgǎi (土改), was a campaign by the Communist Party leader Mao Zedong during the late phase of the Chinese Civil War and the early People's Republic of China.^[1] The campaign involved mass killings of landlords by tenants and land redistribution to the peasantry.^[2] The estimated death count of the movement ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions."

[diatoms]

Happy Happy Joy Joy

[Entorwellian]

[auxien]

10 minutes ago, Stickfigger said:

Hey , so for those people currently in communities that are currently in lock down , have you visited any pharmacies during lock down? If so , were they busy ? How are the supermarkets when you've visited in terms of business compared to pre COVID times ?

I don't go to pharmacies ever really (JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!!)

been to a Walmart and a Target in the past couple weeks once shit started getting crazy near me. lots of stuff pretty well wiped out, bread and milk and canned goods and toilet paper and meats and so forth which you would never ever see during normal conditions. 

general working from home update: goddamn working from home rules. some minor frustrations but overall, jesus it's great.

[joshuatxuk]

36 minutes ago, auxien said:

general working from home update: goddamn working from home rules. some minor frustrations but overall, jesus it's great.

my office had it's first online conference meeting using Microsoft Team and it went well

really fortunate my workplace had already encouraged working from home as needed in the past - they bought extra docking stations and monitors last week and rolled out new communication procedures. we've also been instructed to curtail OT and work at a moderate pace so we don't blow through current contracts and jobs, that way the inevitable slowdown in new work is mitigated.

[joshuatxuk]

1 hour ago, Stickfigger said:

How are the supermarkets when you've visited in terms of business compared to pre COVID times ?

I went to the HEB near my work a week ago and beyond paper products being out eggs were cleared out and pasta, canned foods, and greens were picked over. Everything else was fairly available and being restocked on the fly.

Yesterday my wife went to the Target nearby to re-stock - def more random stuff like PF Changs frozen meals and odd frozen pizzas. That said it was much more cleared out and scarce than the HEB I went to a week ago. She had gloves on and moved a lot of stuff far back in the aisles up front so shorter people could see and reach the. Really highlighted how much parts of Austin are food deserts. We live in SE Austin and most major grocery stores are miles and miles apart and most stores on our side of the highway are either smaller corner store or meat markets. The HEB I went to last week near my work, NW central Austin, is literally with a few miles of half a dozen major supermarkets. I can only imagine the sheer volume of more people going to fewer supermarkets in certain parts of town is part of the reason things are getting cleared out.

Most people are keeping healthy distances but there's always some oblivious older person totally fucking it up. My wife said this older woman kept standing to a woman in her late 20s / early 30s. When asked to stand back nicely the older woman, apparently near deaf, got really close and said "WHAAA DEAR I CANT HEAR YOU" Last time I shopped I mentioned seeing a boomer aged woman hug an old co-worker who was probably in his 70s. 

Thankfully we keep our pantry well-stocked. We put in a grocery curbside pickup for April 6th: literally the earliest date available. My brother got me some beer of the month club thing for my birthday so that delivery was a nice surprise. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by joshuatxuk

[diatoms]

45 minutes ago, auxien said:

JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!!

I Remember

that's where I learned about drugs

At school, Ha:)

 

D.A.R.E.

I forget

it was a nice policeman

who opened the case with labeled & identified drugs

of every kind

to show us at elementary school

what to stay away from

but this sheltered mormon kid

learned

Always Remember:)

 

 

Say Yes to Cannabis:)

[Brisbot]

1 hour ago, auxien said:

I don't go to pharmacies ever really (JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!!)

so you're saying that as long as I say "NO" to drugs I can still take drugs?

[joshuatxuk]

TLDW:

 

 

[Roo]

5 hours ago, yekker said:

One of two job sites shutdown. My boss is giving me a few hours today.. I can see it all my work being done in a week.

I'm feeling the loneliness of this self isolation. I mean I'm usually alone and like it but I feel more lonely because I recognize that other people are lonely... Hmm.

Yep, I typically love the lockdowny quarantine lifestyle, but the idea of all those extrovert sad faces out there right now does have a killjoy effect on me. You feel lonely for them.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Roo

[YEK]

Definitely.

[Roo]

56 minutes ago, Mesh Gear Fox said:

^ that weed looks shite

also weren't half the people in WWF / WWE coked up

 

also also just waiting for the announcement that russia has mobilised their army to "bring stability to the world" or some shit. now is the perfect time for someone to start some shit.

I've been nervous for Hong Kong and Taiwan for a few weeks now. China will quietly gobble them up whilst the rest of the world can't do anything about it.

[zlemflolia]

Citations Needed Podcast

News Brief: As a Social Democracy Response to Covid19 Falters, Likelihood of Martial Response Rises

 

 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Zeffolia

[Roo]

17 minutes ago, Zeffolia said:

Citations Needed Podcast

News Brief: As a Social Democracy Response to Covid19 Falters, Likelihood of Martial Response Rises

 

 

Yeah it seems to be the tone of recent days. If you can't do what you're told, we'll intervene more forcefully.

But given the manner in which the likes of Trump and "I'm going to the football" ScoMo have talked about this crisis not long ago, it is hard for them to claim the high road immediately. And our societies are built around individualism and self-interest and relatively sheltered, ignorant lifestyles. If there is a new boogeyman, we just send young soldiers overseas to put a stop to that evil. It isn't something we have to worry about internally, but a simple cartoon of moral certainty. We are privileged and safe from the rest of the world and any complexity therein.

Edited March 24, 2020 by Roo

[iococoi]

we have been in official lockdown for 10 days..all shops closed except basic infrastructure, no gathering, no outdoor sports, just walks...food, med, energy...one of the first in the eu..status: no slowed growth or anything..prepare yourself people, this will gonna last...very low mortality rate though..

[manmower]

8 hours ago, QQQ said:

how are people living on their own going to cope with this lockdown? i need genuine advice, im already going fucking mental. actually insane, not figuratively.

My first advice would be to wait a couple of days to see how you adapt. I'm one of those people who were practically made for this, but the first days were stressful and I slept terribly nevertheless. Homeworking productivity was very low even though I've been 'telecommuting' a couple of days a week for years now.

But it is a pandemic the likes of which we haven't seen in a century after all. It's presumably okay to be rattled by this. All of those journalists, experts and politicians who are constantly on live tv here look(ed) like nervous wrecks too. Speaking of tv, most people on there do somehow look nicer and more like a real person now that they don't have makeup artists anymore. I'd vote to keep it that way in the future.

Don't be afraid to go for a walk, run or bike ride, as long as you're allowed to and have a quiet place to do it close to home. I had a pretty good solo running habit going already that I haven't really had to change under the lock-down, that probably helps. If you need the company you could try to designate one buddy from your neighborhood to do this, I think most governments are only considering it a 'gathering' from 3 people or more. By the way, seeing the police drones spot and break up these gatherings is some proper sci-fi shit.

Since I can't cause any harm at home alone, going to the supermarket is the worst part. If I'm going to infect someone or be infected it's there... The aisles here aren't quite wide enough for comfort so it becomes a bit like playing Pac-Man. There's barely any talking because everyone's so afraid of spitting on one another, just a few polite whispers. I'm half holding my breath the whole time, almost want to apologize for being there, and I wash myself pretty rigorously before and after. It feels like going for a spacewalk or a deep sea dive every time.

Anyway, now barely a week into this lock-down I am already noticeably getting used to it. Don't underestimate your ability to adapt. It's starting to feel weird when the tv shows people still shaking hands, hugging and kissing on pretaped shows. It's going to be just as big of a trip when they lift the lock-down I think, seeing my family and friends in the flesh again, not having to stay away from everyone etcetera. And also going back to 9-10 hours of commuting a week, ugh.

[ambermonk]

Four more cases in my city today, now putting us at 17. Latest ones were all travel-related. Our Trump-wannabe governor needs to get his head out of his ass and order a travel ban stat.

[iococoi]

cant stop thinkin' about that wizards' duel in The Sword in the Stone...,metaphor galore

l

Edited March 24, 2020 by iococoi

[goDel]

2 hours ago, Roo said:

I've been nervous for Hong Kong and Taiwan for a few weeks now. China will quietly gobble them up whilst the rest of the world can't do anything about it.

Think I'm on the opposite in this discussion.

Given the current context I think it's less likely the scenario you sketch will happen. Less likely than before the virus, that is. Reason is that all countries, including China are coping and dealing with something much bigger than those Honk Kong/Taiwan issues. Even China needs to do everything to keep their own situation under control. In terms of health and safety. But also in terms of economy and implications for the society. Making a move on either Hong Kong or Taiwan would seriously threaten their own efforts to manage the impact of this pandemic.

Only the foolish would start some conflict under the given conditions. Not even North Korea would try to take over South Korea, I believe. Although there was this US attack in Iraq a week ago, I guess. So yeah, that's Trump. Trump makes a good example of how to do foolish stuff.

[Soloman Tump]

So the UK is locked down.

I'm at work now but I'm in a warehouse with 3 other people. I avoid them at the best of times and we usually stagger breaks.

No customer contact apart from occasional delivery drivers (and even then its forklift offload)

I feel pretty safe here (and can carry on for the time being)

[Roo]

35 minutes ago, goDel said:

Think I'm on the opposite in this discussion.

Given the current context I think it's less likely the scenario you sketch will happen. Less likely than before the virus, that is. Reason is that all countries, including China are coping and dealing with something much bigger than those Honk Kong/Taiwan issues. Even China needs to do everything to keep their own situation under control. In terms of health and safety. But also in terms of economy and implications for the society. Making a move on either Hong Kong or Taiwan would seriously threaten their own efforts to manage the impact of this pandemic.

Only the foolish would start some conflict under the given conditions. Not even North Korea would try to take over South Korea, I believe. Although there was this US attack in Iraq a week ago, I guess. So yeah, that's Trump. Trump makes a good example of how to do foolish stuff.

It wouldn't be a "conflict" necessarily, just a decisive encroachment, and I think you underestimate the scale of the challenge that is China's typical domestic governance issues. They are constantly dealing with a variety of things like this all the time. I think some western leaders would lose their mind if faced with the same predicaments (although the exercise and control of power may be contextually different). In other words, if anyone can still do neighbourhood things whilst this is going on, it is China.

[goDel]

35 minutes ago, Roo said:

It wouldn't be a "conflict" necessarily, just a decisive encroachment

That doesn't sound sympathetic to the pov of Honk Kong and Taiwan, imo. You expect they simply let China run over them?

Even if the governments don't formally go into some conflict with China, you'd also have the people. So yeah, you'd most likely end up with a conflict no matter what, I'd argue. People simply wouldn't put up with it. As they'd consider this as much an existential threat as this virus. Some even moreso, perhaps. (as their livelihood is at stake. some would rather be dead than to be locked in some china regime, i'm guessing. and i'm not suggesting this would be a rational kind of reasoning. generally speaking, i'm not expecting people to be behaving rational. i mean, remember those beaches in bondi? that's people reasoning from their own personal livelihoods. in short: yeah conflict.) O, and I'd argue China knows this very well. This wouldn't be the time to push extra millions of people in internment camps to learn about their place in that new chinese society. In the meantime, the resulting situation would greatly increase the risk of this epidemic getting out of control again. I'm not well versed in Chinese governments reasoning, but I suspect they can think of this themselves as well.