bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on May 13, 2020 15:42:08 GMT
Further to what I posted above (because apparently there’s a bee in my bonnet right now) I just want to recognize that I’m as flippity floppity as the rest, just look at me swing back and forth on my opinions of one politician in particular. I want to get out of the house and for the economy to get going again just as much as anyone else, just not at the expense of public health and safety.
Obviously, a line needs to be drawn as to where those two objectives meet and overlap, but with regard to this particular politician’s sudden shift away from following the advice of health officials when initially he was adamant about following their advice to the letter is less about him doing the “right” thing and more about him being worried about voter support and his own personal interests.
Temporarily, and during the most critical period, his interests aligned with those of public health and safety, and for that I’m grateful. Has the critical period passed yet? I’m siding with the health officials on that one.
The lack of clarity in this transitional period is a big risk and that to me is a telltale symptom that there is still too much unknown to move forward.
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Post by Kapitan on May 13, 2020 15:47:53 GMT
One thing that has surprised me (which might say more about my previous cluelessness than anything else) is the degree to which people seem to be looking for--and expecting that there is--"the answer."
Tell me the thing to do. Is it correct to stay inside? Is it correct to wear a mask? Is it correct to go to work? Etc. Which thing makes me safe? And maybe most surprising, which thing makes the bad things all go away?
In other words, I think people expect that some thing will just fix everything. That there is a correct answer that might be slightly onerous, but is more or less something that we ought to be able to do to get back to normal asap.
There is no such thing, of course. Competing priorities, degrees along a scale, choice, and uncertainty are the reality. There isn't a right answer, and there isn't an omniscient authority to give it to us. All of it is messy, conflicting, scary, dangerous. All of it.
Have a nice day, everybody!
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Post by jk on May 13, 2020 21:37:13 GMT
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Post by Kapitan on May 14, 2020 11:58:21 GMT
That said, our governor is doing a 6 pm address today rather than his typical 2 pm media session. That is leading to speculation it will be a big announcement. With our positive tests and deaths both still going up, the assumption is he is going to announce that his restrictions will not be lifted, as scheduled for the 18th, but rather extended. And I have mixed feelings about it. In a moderate surprise, the governor actually announced a loosening of restrictions. I say surprising because, for example, our confirmed case count doubled (from about 5k to about 10k) in the first week of May. The second week wasn't quite as bad, but with about 3k new confirmed cases, it's still hardly a "flattened curve."
More businesses--basically everything except bars, restaurants, and salons--can reopen Monday, although they need to follow certain protocols. Those aforementioned, high-touch businesses can open as early as June 1 with an assortment of protocols TBD, in development by the state government. Small gatherings and religious services are also permitted, though they are supposed to be fewer than 10 people and to practice appropriate precautions.
I don't think my life will change much from it. I'm already working from home indefinitely and that won't change. Most of the stores I need to visit, I already have been visiting, and I don't plan to go more often than I need to. The one thing I need to do--get a haircut--still isn't available until at least June 1.
So life goes on--which is a lot better than the alternative.
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Post by Kapitan on May 14, 2020 12:14:24 GMT
Armed militias acting as security to violate state orders during a pandemic ... insanity. I've read plenty about Michigan's order that I don't agree with, and all have the right to voice their opinions whether they're pro or con (or hopefully, for most thoughtful people, somewhat mixed). But vigilante justice is rarely if ever a good idea. It's not going to be funny if somebody starts shooting. This life isn't a video game or an action movie.
Naturally, Texas won't be outdone when it comes to armed lunacy. I would note to Mr. Archibald that what he thinks should be a right is irrelevant. If police come to enforce the law, is he going to shoot police? Is that the plan? I'll say it again: life isn't a video game or an action movie. Calm down, people.
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Post by kds on May 14, 2020 12:21:07 GMT
Maryland's Governor, Larry Hogan, announced yesterday that Maryland will go into Phase 1 of reopening effective Friday at 5pm.
The shelter in place order will be lifted, and retail establishments will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. Masks will still be required for patrons.
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Post by Kapitan on May 14, 2020 12:34:36 GMT
Maryland's Governor, Larry Hogan, announced yesterday that Maryland will go into Phase 1 of reopening effective Friday at 5pm. The shelter in place order will be lifted, and retail establishments will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. Masks will still be required for patrons. How are you feeling about the changes?
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Post by kds on May 14, 2020 12:41:07 GMT
Maryland's Governor, Larry Hogan, announced yesterday that Maryland will go into Phase 1 of reopening effective Friday at 5pm. The shelter in place order will be lifted, and retail establishments will be allowed to reopen at 50% capacity. Masks will still be required for patrons. How are you feeling about the changes? I'm pretty happy with them to be honest. We're still getting new cases, as expected with testing ramping up. But, I'm also of the mind that we can't just hunker down and keep businesses closed forever.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on May 14, 2020 13:14:42 GMT
Retail in Ohio opened up a couple days ago and outdoor dining will be allowed starting tomorrow. As of next Friday, indoor dining will be allowed with restrictions. I drive by the local antique mall everyday and the parking lot has been absolutely packed each time. I've been in there a few times and judging from the clientele, it's going to be a good test to see if new cases start going way up again. I just hope we won't have to shut down again because people had to have their "freedom" right NOW. I feel like the US has done the worst job of shutting down because people just aren't willing to sacrifice for any period of time. Not to mention now it's been completely politicized.
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Post by Kapitan on May 21, 2020 11:45:22 GMT
As I was thinking might happen, our restrictions are dissolving. The governor is giving in to pressure, with new guidance now for restaurants, bars, salons, etc. to reopen June 1 as long as they follow some (pretty extreme) distancing rules.
But as rules have been already loosening in some sectors and national media rhetoric is increasingly dividing people, many business owners and individuals are publicly defying the rules that do still exist. We had some bar owners say they were going to open regardless, and now both our regional Catholic and Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod have announced open defiance as well.
Whether the rules themselves are good or bad, open flouting of the government's rules is not good.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on May 21, 2020 19:09:28 GMT
Ontario reported case numbers and deaths have begun to trend in the wrong direction again, with the numbers increasing for the 5th day in a row after a near-2 week steady decline. Not a definite spike (yet?) but enough to be a bit worrisome. Just in time for the good weather and the reopening of business
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Post by Kapitan on May 21, 2020 19:19:02 GMT
The governor here announced some loosening, as I noted above, and in response our mayor announced that masks are required for customers and employees in businesses and public buildings. (They were previously just recommended, although some stores required them on their own.)
Meanwhile the state just reported its new high for daily deaths (32), and while the daily cases have been lower each day over the past week or so, they are all comparable to the previous week and higher than anytime before around May 5. There are also more people hospitalized (566) and in intensive care (229) than have been in those situations since the pandemic began.
So any loosenings are obviously not based on the health situation. They are clearly based on public and political pressure that "it's time."
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Post by B.E. on May 22, 2020 15:09:36 GMT
I'm getting much the same sense here in NJ (which should frighten the entirety of North America): it's time. I'm not commenting on policy whatsoever or what's right or wrong, I'm simply predicting that the virus is going to explode this summer if/when the quarantine is lifted. I have very little faith that people are going to adhere to restrictions or recommendations once we've more or less "reopened". Between an increased spread of the virus and increased testing, the numbers are going to skyrocket. Like I said, this is just my doomsday prediction of the moment. Carry on.
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Post by Kapitan on May 24, 2020 19:28:40 GMT
I'm simply predicting that the virus is going to explode this summer if/when the quarantine is lifted. I have very little faith that people are going to adhere to restrictions or recommendations once we've more or less "reopened". As I said the other day, we've had some restrictions loosened recently, and thanks to the public pressure surrounding president inserting himself into the "rights" of churches to reopen, we're suddenly seeing more.
Today I walked the path along a nearby lake. I've been doing this as long as the weather has allowed, at least weekly now for months. Today was the first day that nobody--nobody--I crossed paths with moved so much as an inch to distance. While early on I found it almost insulting when people walked an arc around me, I've gotten used to it and done it out of respect for others.
But "it's time to open it up" has apparently, exactly as I feared, played out as "we did this long enough; things are fine now. I'm done with that nonsense." I don't think I'm going to catch it by crossing within 4 feet instead of 6-10 feet of someone else in the open air of a lake and park. But I do think the "respect" component is dissolving quickly, the cautionary component is dissolving quickly. I wonder how people will react when the next spike occurs. (We probably haven't hit our initial one yet here; it was predicted for June or July already BEFORE any restrictions were lifted.)
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on May 25, 2020 14:38:10 GMT
We had a bit of a scandal in Toronto over the weekend. After a shitty spring (it was snowing two weeks ago, for Pete's sake) we finally started getting warm, sunny weather. It just happened to coincide with restrictions being relaxed, and parks and amenities opening up again. As a result, on Saturday, Trinity Bellwoods Park (the trendiest park in town, where people go to "be seen") saw an abnormally large number of people - over 10,000 - crammed into it, with no space for distancing.
Now on one hand it's hard to be mad at people for wanting to get out and enjoy the weather. A lot of people live in apartment buildings and condos with no balcony or greenspace, so it makes sense they'd go to the parks, now that they're open again. But the thing is... there are other friggin' parks. You'd think Trinity Bellwoods was the only park in town, or something. People went there in throngs because it's the place to be.
What's worse is that they were also really brazen about it, drinking in the park like it was some kind of massive backyard party (it's not exactly legal to bring booze to a public park here). What's even worse still, is that while the park was open, the bathrooms weren't. So people, I shit you not, started relieving themselves in the yards of nearby homes! What the hell is wrong with these people?
Police issued a few tickets to the public poopers, but pretty much stayed out of the park and did little else. The mayor showed up to, according to him, talk to park visitors to find out why they were there, pulling his mask down to talk to people. Now he's issuing apologies for setting a bad example.
On Sunday, police got to the park early to get a jump on the situation and prevent the same thing from happening again. I guarantee the Premier is going to have some message today about rolling back to restrictive measures. But I don't think it'll work. Trying to convince people to stay home now is going to be like trying to get toothpaste back in the tube.
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