Corona Virus

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Shilo
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Shilo »

Here in the UK we’ve seen the first signs that people are getting fed up with lockdown. On my daily excursion I noticed several groups sunbathing and generally lounging around. There were reports of people playing football on tv. (Can’t understand why authorities cut the grass in the first place). And police in Cumbria stopping vehicles travelling from London. Maybe that’s why they have the highest rate of infection outside the Capital.
These individuals will undoubtedly prove the least receptive to following sensible rules to follow.
:roll:
Big and Bashful
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Big and Bashful »

Short of complete marshall law, curfews etc. I don't think there is any way of preventing the great unwashed from exercising their right to be thick and share the plague amongst themselves. I am just staying at home as much as possible, only been out a few times to shop. I suppose if I was trapped in a small flat with a collection of small screaming children and frustrated wife/husband I might also be desperate to go and enjoy some of this wonderful weather with a spot of COVID, however, being a miserable loner with hayfever living in a decaying hovel in the country it is easy for me to isolate! I have always thought that people who choose to live in an urban sprawl like Londinium deserves everything they complain about, traffic, crowds, pollution. Although I suppose living in a city has it's compensations, pubs, clubs, theatres, restaurants, food deliveries, decent public transport, oh wait, no they haven't, not just now!

(Engage smug mode, smug mode engaged)
Here in the country, with the best spell of weather I can remember, looking out across the loch, working from home in the first time in my life, the crisis seems a long way away, [disengage smug mode, smug mode disengaged] the only time it jumps out is when I try to book an on line delivery and cannot get one (the freezer contents are dwindling), then try to go shopping and see the precautions, which still freak me out. Also although nobody I know has had it, there are regular reminders on the News of musicians I like who have succumbed to the virus, although many of them were in an age group were death wouldn't have been such a surprise I suppose.

What has surprised me about myself is that I am now a bit concerned about my state of mind, more emotional than I have ever been, sleep patterns disrupted, probably a combination of the total lack of interaction with people apart from Facebook and on line work, combined with suddenly not having things I relied on like the monthly on line shop, the blanket bad news on the radio about COVID and no idea about if our canal holiday this year will happen, all adding to a generally stressed feeling. Still my little problems are nothing, not when you see the number of people furloughed (how do you spell that? (ah! Thanks Word!)) or losing their businesses, or fighting the plague off, or who have lost loved ones. I have a job, a wage, a hovel and some cats, I shouldn't be stressed, it isn't even raining! on the West coast of Scotland, it is still nice! Maybe even loners need a bit of company once in a while that does more than purr!

Sorry, needed a brain dump I think!
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crfriend
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Re: Corona Virus

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Big and Bashful wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 9:47 amWhat has surprised me about myself is that I am now a bit concerned about my state of mind, more emotional than I have ever been, sleep patterns disrupted, probably a combination of the total lack of interaction with people apart from Facebook and on line work [...]
I started noticing the same thing less than a week into this insanity, but then again I am very sensitive in this regard and it helps to know what's going on from an intellectual point of view, because if I was approaching this emotionally I would have completely lost my marbles by now.

I was able to "keep up appearances" for two months, but that's slipping. Time has lost any real meaning; days are blurring into one another and I'm usually unaware what day of the week it is and have my computers to remind me. The standing joke, when I'm in a jovial mood, is that I've taken all the minute hands off the clocks in my apartment because they don't mean anything any more. The lack of the senses of time and hope are extremely reminiscent of the night I spent in jail in 2015 -- where both vanished completely.

I was "sent home to die" on a late winter day (March is the new February here) which coincided with what would have been my dad's 81st birthday (he's been gone since the naughties, and it's good he's not here to see what's going on) and there was much gallows humour at my local that evening when most of us sensed that it was going to be ages -- if ever -- that we saw each other again. The scuttling charges were fired on the "Little Economy" the next day instantly putting some 40% of the workforce that had jobs out of them. It's a bloody mess, and the imbeciles in charge seem to have no plans for what to do, so they play games, dress-up, and ramp up police power.
[...] all adding to a generally stressed feeling.
The mental health problems that this is going to cause -- and likely already has -- is going to be a cultural nightmare. And restarting the Little Economy isn't likely to happen because it's already on the bottom and the businesses and those that they once employed are long since out of business forever.

Nobody thought about that at the outset, and it was all denial and claims that injecting disinfectant would solve all problems. Fsckwits.
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Big and Bashful
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Big and Bashful »

Aye it is a bit worrying, I don't know what is worse, the virus or the leader of the free World! At least the virus is consistent and fairly predictable!

I don't think we are ever going to see things get back to what used to be called "normal", but I would love to see some places to eat and drink re-open for normal business, without having one masked person every 12 feet and a lot of empty space! oh well, I will go back to publishing my video recordings on YouTube, now I have my High Fibre Broadbean I can upload stuff without a 5 minute video taking hours. I am gradually reclaiming my hard disc space by dumping my old canal and cat footage on line. It passes the time and is bringing back memories of when good things used to happen.
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Faldaguy
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Faldaguy »

B & B wrote; "I have always thought that people who choose to live in an urban sprawl like Londinium deserves everything they complain about, traffic, crowds, pollution. Although I suppose living in a city has it's compensations, pubs, clubs, theatres, restaurants, food deliveries, decent public transport, oh wait, no they haven't, not just now!"

We too live out in 'bush' and have by choice most of our lives; and my take on urbanites takes a bit more positive spin: I am overjoyed by all of those folks who live in cities -- they leave so much more country for me!

And like a couple of you have mentioned, our little community, many of whom do live in quite rural spots as there are only about 5 or 6 thousand of us spread across what is probably 30+ square miles of mountain side in what we call 'the zone' we do band together in support, especially in troubled times. Insurance is a relatively unused, and expensive option for little return in Costa Rica, so even extreme situations where one loses a home to fire, or in the case of Hurricane Nate and land slips, often the community gets together and does enough fund raising and pitching in, almost barn-raising style, to get folks back under a roof. One such recipient says she did not pay for her house, it was built from love. It is one of the reasons we elect to live in a place where relationships and integrity are still valued.

Thanks Moon for the simple chart, and the examples of positive and community sharing from several of you -- they do help lift spirits and help us look to positive side.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Fred in Skirts »

I live in the country side I have about 8 people who live on my road. The road is about 4 miles long. We are very spread out. My little parcel of land (about 50 acres) is pretty isolated and I live in the middle of it. Surrounded by lots of trees and brush so am invisible to those who might drive down the road. I have lived here for close to 38 years now and do enjoy the isolation. But during this incarceration period I have felt even more isolated than ever. I did not realize just how many times I went to the next town during the week. So I began to treasure the times I had to take the rubbish to the dump or get groceries. Just to see a live human being is a thrill now. I have been off the air since Friday when the phone company accidentally cut my service while doing a repair job else where. They came out today and fixed it. I nearly went crazy this week end with out the ability to connect to and read this forum and others.

So yes little things do matter in this horrid time!!!!

Today I am once again happy!!!!

Fred or whats left of my sanity......
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
Gusto10
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Gusto10 »

Earlier today a newspaper article dating back to 1989 was brought to my attention. It concerned research by the than Agricultural College at Wageningen (now university), the Netherlands. They had found a life virus in amongst others chickens referred to as corona and were really prudent with it because it was mutating all the time. That would abolish the idea that the virus would be man made. It also supports my thoughts that we still don't know suffice of this virus as how the live with it and how to stop it … if we can.

As to the mental effects, now we are experiencing cabin fever on macro level. People living in the country side will be effected less than those in cities.
pelmut
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by pelmut »

I recently lost a contact lens and had to go into Bath this morning to collect a replacement.  I took the camera with me:

http://www.poppyrecords.co.uk/bath/AnEmptyBath.htm

At this time of year those streets would normally be heaving with tourists and shoppers, I would try to avoid some of them because of the crowds.
Last edited by pelmut on Wed May 13, 2020 6:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Fred in Skirts »

I have seen empty but this is a GHOST TOWN!!

I thought the city of Augusta Ga. was empty but Bath has it beat by a long shot!!
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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crfriend
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by crfriend »

pelmut wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 4:53 pmI recently lost a contact lens and had to go into Bath this morning to collect a replacement.  I took the camera with me: [...]
Wow! That is a ghost town. In all the shots I counted perhaps 25 individuals.

From a pal of mine who lives in Providence, RI, that's about what the place looks like now -- deserted. He mentioned that it was entirely reminiscent of the movie Omega Man with Charlton Heston.

I especially liked the play on words with the page title and the "Reflections" shot.
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beachlion
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by beachlion »

That is really empty. Don't get used to it. When you lose your reflexes to watch out for the traffic as a pedestrian, it will hit you when everything goes back to (more or less) normal.

It looked like what I remember from the old days on very early (6AM) Sunday mornings in the Summer in the Hague. Sunday used to be a day of rest.
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pelmut
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by pelmut »

crfriend wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 6:13 pm ...I especially liked the play on words with the page title and the "Reflections" shot.
It shows that I wear skirts all the time.
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pelmut
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by pelmut »

beachlion wrote: Wed May 13, 2020 6:23 pm ..It looked like what I remember from the old days on very early (6AM) Sunday mornings in the Summer in the Hague. Sunday used to be a day of rest.
That's exactly how I described it: "Perpetual Sunday"  (for those of us old enough to remember the 1950s).
There is no such thing as a normal person, only someone you don't know very well yet.
K_Highlander
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by K_Highlander »

Nice picture of the Abbey without the crowds typically milling about.
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Faldaguy
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Re: Corona Virus

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Re: Corona Virus

Post by pelmut » Wed May 13, 2020 10:53 am
I recently lost a contact lens and had to go into Bath this morning to collect a replacement. I took the camera with me:

http://www.poppyrecords.co.uk/bath/AnEmptyBath.htm

At this time of year those streets would normally be heaving with tourists and shoppers, I would try to avoid some of them because of the crowds.
I find this an incredibly heart-warming photo; people actually doing what they need to stay safe and keep their friends and community safe and healthy. I received pictures like this of our little community (usually full of people and cars) and took it as a great sign that returning home to the 'backward little 2nd world Latin American nation' was a good choice despite much more limited resources, hospitals, etc. compared to the 'enlightened overly endowed USA'. Take a picture today of any US city and it hardly looks different than it did pre-Covid. Any wonder this grand enlightened country has more cases and more deaths than any other country -- regardless of population? Armed protesters entering the halls of justice and health; attacking the very health care professionals who have their lives on the line ---the insanity in the US is appalling. Sorry guys, no apology. Differences of opinion are useful in developing policy but armed insurrection and deliberate attempts to thwart community well being are beyond the pale. It is long past time for all the proclamations of "I am an independent and free to do my own thing regardless" attitude to recognize we are also social critters highly dependent upon one another. Maybe even take it another step -- we are all part of an inter-connected global organism and our actions have consequences?

Thanks for sharing the picture Pelmut.
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