Cooler and still wet.
Got up to the 80s yesterday but stayed mostly overcast all day.
I did get some stuff done, but slept in and lost the whole morning.
Today my plan is to leave the house. I’ve got to go to my secondary and pick stuff up. We might get locked down at any point and I’ve got stuff there I’d rather have here. Can’t get to it, then I don’t own it. Also worried about protecting it over there. It’s only about 10 miles, but it’s into town. Not the direction I want to go if things get bad. I might leave water jugs and Mountain House there as backup, because there isn’t more than a couple of weeks of MH, and staying there means we’re near the end anyway.
I’d also like to make one last run through the Home Depot and Lowes stores. I would like more garden. Call me paranoid, but I want to actually eat out of the garden this year. That means more soil, lots more. Also some stuff for the gennie, and a couple of things for security upgrades around the house.
If I’m risking it, I might try for some fresh milk and cream and veg while I’m at it. Not high on the list, but if possible maybe at a CVS or somewhere without crowds. Not sure if anywhere will be crowd free, if we’re gonna be locked down. No way I was going out on Sunday though.
If I’m out, it might be the last time for a while. I’m curious, but not enough to actually shop or just go looking, if I don’t have to. And I really don’t have to, truth be told. It will help the family though.
Speaking of family, kids are supposed to be getting back to school today. Well, learning anyway. ISD sent out what we were hoping would be a lesson plan, but it’s just a bunch of websites. F me, that’s what I hated about their NORMAL plan. Can’t pin them down on what to teach in what order. FFS, why would that be different this year from last? Or the last 10 years? Do they really not have anything? We can’t even ‘teach to the test’ because the test is a big mystery. Or the email could just be poorly designed and what I want is there somewhere that I’ll find with a better read through. I’m not betting on that though.
I’ll be carrying a new tool while out and about. I picked up a cheap stun gun disguised as a flashlight. I wanted a non-lethal alternative. I haven’t tried it on myself, but it makes impressive noise and arcs. Hopefully, like my pistol, I’ll never need it. Nice to have choices though.
Wish I could be sure I was making smart choices today….
Start settling in for the long term. Get your security posture straight. Get set for the new normal.
nick
Look at New Orleans. Freaking Mardi Gras is gonna be the death of a whole bunch of people….
I don’t think Mardi Gras was the problem in New Orleans as much as the convention trade that rolls in after Mardi Gras to take advantage of the cheap hotel rates following Fat Tuesday. My wife’s medical conference, for example. Orlando was pricey this year due to all the additions at the theme parks and the early Spring Break.
If Mardi Gras had been the issue, the cases would have ballooned sooner. I’m thinking a convention at the start of March brought in the right mix of people.
I see on the news that states are now battling to determine which state is most affected. CA and LA are competing, FL and NY are competing. It is all about getting the most federal funding. Since there is no NCAA tournament perhaps a bracket should be started using the states to see who wins the the title of “Most Affected”. Watch for Nancy Pelosi to try and cheat.
@ray, I think gallows humor might make a comeback, and put a nail in the coffin of political correctness once and for all…
n
LA has been ahead of TX from almost the beginning. And they’re tiny compared to TX… per capita there is a massive difference. I’m betting on Mardi Gras and community spread. I think a lot of those conferences were cancelled or sparsely attended.
n
It was highly anticipated that Massachusetts would impose a shut-down this weekend like other states. Didn’t happen. The official number in MA today is ~600. 3 days ago it was ~300. 3 days before that it was ~150. So I guess they want to out a couple more doublings.
Much of the state is already on self-imposed lockdown, anyway. The local malls voluntarily closed. The parking lots of restaurants are empty. Driving to work has been a breeze, no traffic. Half of my company is working from home. I work in a laboratory so that is hard for me to do. We live in interesting times.
First errand accomplished.
There was a line outside the Walgreens, so on a hunch I headed to the new big gas station on the corner, and grabbed a gallon of ice cream, and two gallons of whole milk. The last two in the cooler. Wore gloves, kept my distance. Only tradesmen out and about. It was 9am but felt like 600am based on trucks and who was out.
They are moving forward with construction projects in my neighborhood. We are getting an Aldi store on the corner, and they are doing site work. The natural gas company has been pushing pipe thru my area and that is continuing. Traffic was very light though, as noted.
n
Nick, why worry about a lockdown? CA has had one for those over 65 for a week. OK, advisory, but friends are seeing friends out a lot. I ask them why, and it is clear they are not taking this seriously. These people will be our downfall.
I admit, I might be borderline Asbergers. Bob described his habits, and it sure seemed familiar. Normally, I go out only about three times a week, plus a couple of monthly events. I do like socializing, meatspace, but I also like being home where I am comfortable.
Although we are not big preppers, living in a remote community, especially in the old days where 100 mile shopping trips were necessary, has taught us to keep a stock of various stuff on hand. We also have an LDS community, and have taken on some of their preparedness ways. ‘Nuff said.
Yuuup, my late spring or early summer weekend trip to Kernville is off for a while. Not going while Kernville Saloon is closed.
We are getting an Aldi store on the corner, and they are doing site work.
Papa Murphy’s too or just Aldi? Hopefully it isn’t the triple whammy with Dollar General around the corner.
To be fair, when I worked in Belton, the Aldi in Temple had decent meat deals almost every week, and I would go on the first day of the ad.
The bonus was Chick-fil-A in the parking lot.
we’re getting a car wash with the Aldi. I never liked Aldi. The mom’s club ladies are gushing over it though.
Aldi always felt like they were dropping a plate in front of you and saying, here- eat-you no like? Fine, I take.
In other words, brutal, take it or leave it, and F you on the way out. Just an impression from long ago and probably out of date.
n
Why worry about ineffective toothless lockdowns? Mainly because we’ve locked ourselves down. Without the kids, I’d be happy to never leave the house. Wife insists she’ll go stir crazy, but that’s a woman who played Elder Scrolls Oblivion completely thru twice, getting every quest, every membership, rising to the top spot in every in-game guild, etc. There are play testers who are less complete and less focused. (she did the same with Morrowind, and Skyrim) I know she’s more than capable of staying in….
I worry because part of my plan involves my secondary location, which is 10 miles in toward town, and a large part of my bulk storage is there. If I lose access to it, it severely degrades my long term ability to stay isolated, likely just when I need those things the most (and they’re least available, or the risk is highest)
Texas is a weird place. As a state, we’ll put up with a lot, until we don’t. And then it’s not half measures. You’ve got a lot of freedom, but the limits are hard and fast.
I expect this to get a LOT worse, and draconian movement restrictions are part of that. I don’t want to be out and stopped at a checkpoint with the bed of my truck full of paper goods, masks, and food. That ain’t gonna look good.
Plus, there’s a lot of bad neighborhood between me and there, and a lot of bad neighborhood around there. Not where I want to be sneaking around after dark either.
we’ve probably got a week, maybe two, before it gets really bad here, and maybe it will go to three. I’m increasingly unwilling to take the chance though.
n
I never got a bad impression from Aldi. They look at every aspect of running the company to see where they can shave nickels. The result is better prices on most of their goods, not enough better to drive the 15 miles to the closest one but enough better to drive a few extra miles if I’m passing near.
So don’t stop! Have your wife drive the truck while you crouch in the back with firearms. If anyone tries to stop you, pop up and start blasting away.
It would help if your wife had played a lot of Grand Theft Auto, but you can’t have everything.
we’re getting a car wash with the Aldi. I never liked Aldi. The mom’s club ladies are gushing over it though.
Aldi and Trader Joes are distant corporate siblings. They sometimes use the same suppliers in the US, but the Aldi Sud running the stores in the US is not the same as the Aldi Nord that owns Trader Joes. Still, there is some cooperation, and I suspect a Walmart-Service Merchandise type handshake agreement about territory.
If Trader Joe’s isn’t already nearby, they usually follow new Aldi stores by a few years albeit in fancier neighborhoods.
Once the store is open, watch the weekly flier. We’ve never had disappointing meat from Aldi, but, lately, the deals have been about fish. Maybe for Lent.
The Aldi love around is here is all about their milk prices. Moms pushing carts through the store with 6 gallons of milk in them. Then there’s that crowd of people that will buy stuff they don’t even eat because it was such a great price.
I took a look at the LA SigAlert page this morning – wow. It looked like traffic on Christmas Day at 8am on a normal workday Monday!
https://www.sigalert.com/Map.asp?lat=33.984259&lon=-118.223015&z=2
You know, if people just stay home we might beat this thing.
Watching FNC on the ‘net, Cuomo press briefing is on, they play a video of a bunch of multi-millionaire Celbriturds telling us all to “just stay home.” Half the country lives paycheck to paycheck and a lot can’t even do that. I guess they think grocery stores are just going to give them food, landlords won’t collect, etc. I read the CV bill was about to pass, then Stretch shows up and convinces Chucky to not back it because the following aren’t included:
1) Unprecedented collective bargaining powers for unions
2) Increased fuel emissions standards for airlines
3) Expansion of wind and solar tax credits
People need to remember this in November. Redumblicans need to repeat this hourly on talk, video, commercials, etc.
MrsAtoz is employed by her C Corp. Hasn’t declared bankruptcy. We’re researching how to get unemployment, but she hasn’t let herself go from the company. I’m sure whatever bill is passed, we won’t get jackshit.
President tRump is already saying “the cure can’t be worse than the disease” and lifting everyone stay at home advice.
Oops, spoke too soon. The governor of MA just issued the stay at home order. Starting tomorrow at noon your not supposed to go out. Bunch of exemptions listed but basically it boils down to essential personnel for medical services, food production/distribution, infrastructure, and law enforcement.
Remember the good ol’ days when there was no COVID-19? Way back in December of 2019.
@Nick: You’ve gotta know your situation, but it sure sounds like you’re going out too much. Stay home, man. Kids and wife can stay home, too. If it’s inconvenient, well, life is like that sometimes.
We’re going to restrict ourselves to one shopping trip a week, at most. This week, on Friday. I hope to reduce that to one trip every 2-3 weeks. If we can do that, in our provisional location (two humans and three animals in about 350 square feet of living space), then anyone can do it. Granted, we can easily go for walks, etc., but indoor space is…limited.
When I owned businesses (in NYS, if it matters) I was not eligible to collect unemployment insurance. Which is fine, as I disapprove of that program in general.
But I had to pay unemployment insurance premiums on my earnings. The corporation’s gross earnings, according to the asshole auditors from the state labor (?) department, because it was a sole proprietorship with no employees* run out of my home so I didn’t have any legitimate expenses and claiming any expenses was just a tax scam. So I paid neighborhood of $6k per year for insurance benefits I was not allowed to receive. That I had a problem with.
* This was one of the cases of them talking out of both sides of their mouths. The audits started because a one-shot 1099 contractor claimed uninsurance benefits and listed me as an employer. The laber dept assmunch ignored their own guidelines on who is an employee to declare that she was, indeed, an employee and I owed $$$ in withholding and insurance and late fines and other fines for not filing correct paperwork regarding my employee. Then, after my lawyer and accountant beat that, they came back with the exact opposite claim. It’s all a money grab.
Remember the good ol’ days when there was no COVID-19? Way back in December of 2019.
Wasn’t the impeachment vote just six weeks ago?
I don’t plan to go anywhere (except walks or bike rides in the cul de sac or the forest) except grocery shopping. We don’t need anything, in that we have calories, carbs, fats, and proteins (and TP=toothpaste and TP=toilet paper) (Important: don’t get the two TPs mixed up) to carry us for a good while, but it would be good to get fresh milk and eggs and produce. I don’t think there’ll be a total lockdown — that would be a good way to both get cops shot and get “I’m locked in with no food!” sob stories flooding the internet — but I can’t rule it out so I don’t want to get down to no milk and eggs and vegetables.
I don’t even know how many times I’ve had to deal with that. Numerous. At the State and Federal level. Never lost on that, but I had to call States and the IRS to rat them out. Never NY, though, so maybe dodged a bullet.
I guess when the money is gone, MrsAtoz can layoff our two daughters so they can get unemployment (NV, TX). Can she lay herself off without filing bankruptcy? I have no idea.
Fcuk the Dumbocrats.
We are getting an Aldi store on the corner, and they are doing site work.
The Aldi’s that I am close to in NJ has been out of essential items for about two weeks. That includes very limited choice of meats, no paper products, etc. Until that time, I had used them for meat a lot, especially pork chops, ham slices, and ground beef. Their hours normally keep me from shopping there, because of my working hours. So I used to go only on weekends, but now I will not.
Aldi’s is now very much like every other discounter in our area (COSTCO, Walmart, Whole Foods, etc.) with very limited or no stock for needed items.
The higher end stores (like King’s) have most items (except paper products) in stock.
@brad,
I’ve been home since the Dr visit however long ago that was, long enough that my meds all ran their courses yesterday. If I go to my secondary, I’ll be the only one there, and in my truck. That doesn’t worry me from a ‘caught it’ pov, only from a ‘need the stuff there’ pov.
The trip to lowes is a tradeoff between this all blows over, and we’re so F’d I need to eat from the garden… right now I’m leaning toward a very circumspect trip to the store now, vs. going out for food in a couple months…
I don’t want to be out at all, but also I feel like since I didn’t do it before locking myself down, I F’d up and need to make that right. I’m going to drive by the store and see what the garden center looks like…
I won’t be going out in two weeks for anything. Nor next week for anything more than going to my secondary.
Last chance and it might already be too late.
n
I put together a delivered-to-the-car order from Walmart. Was told they couldn’t fulfill it till Tuesday. This will be my first experience with this kind of thing. Last time I visited my brother he was bragging about Uuber Eats so we decided to order burgers and milkshake from 5-Guys. The Uber app couldn’t get our order right. It would either double everything or add spicy fries and delete the shakes. After 3 tries we ordered Pizzas.
Am I the only one or does dipping into the SHTF stores just seem wrong? Pulled a case of TP from storage and the hole it left in the neatly stacked supplies made me suddenly feel like I need twice what I have.
Harold, the obvious thing to do is to go out and by a hundred rolls of toilet paper. No, better make it 200. If you have to plow down some granny with a walker to get the last three bundles, that’s her problem. You might want to pick up four gallons of milk while you’re at it.
… Or so I judge from what I’ve been hearing.
Steve F – I am assuming satire not snark.
As preppers, and LDS members, we have always kept at least 6 months worth of supplies. In the past when I rotated items from storage I would quickly replace it. Not an option right now. After years of seeing the emergency storage at full levels it’s sobering to really be drawing it down.
From my niece:
If you are registered or licensed they know where to send the confiscation teams.
I was watching two old Mexican guys on my front door camera. In English: “one car, one guy, he’s in there. See if we can get some money from him.” I remembered my Korean War Vet neighbor saying he’s had a couple of 70 year old guy do his lawn for years. I guess they cut grass for the previous owner. $35 a pop which isn’t bad. But I’m doing my own. Also, I guess they didn’t get the memo about self quarantine. I get they need $$, but don’t come a coughing at my front door during the CV crisis. The doxies were out back, next time I’ll let them bark at the front door.
Am I the only one or does dipping into the SHTF stores just seem wrong? Pulled a case of TP from storage and the hole it left in the neatly stacked supplies made me suddenly feel like I need twice what I have.
Is TP getting resold on Craigslist yet?
My wife saw someone in the neighborhood soliciting for a thermometer on a message board for the community. Evidently, thermometers are in short supply. The fact that someone living nearby is asking is one of those “ruh roh” moments.
I’d be interested in hearing the sales figures for TP in general. A few months after Harvey and the San Antonio radio station’s fake “gas shortage” the following Labor Day weekend, the Texas Railroad Commissioner’s office released a report that gasoline sales figures in Central Texas were 50x normal sales volume for the week. In other words, a year’s worth of Labor Day Weekend demand for gas.
Gotta wonder how many person months of TP use are stashed in everyone’s homes?
(Yes, Railroad Commissioner is the right office in TX. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know.)
Here’s a link to something I heard from a doctor on the radio this morning.
It seems that loss of smell and taste is an early indicator of COVID 19 infection.
https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/lost-sense-of-smell-may-be-peculiar-clue-to-coronavirus-infection/articleshow/74767666.cms
This morning I bought unleaded for $1.10 at a rural OK gas station. Both stations in the town were selling at this price.
In the nearest county seat, on Interstate 40, prices are around $1.49
Don’t want to be out and about but wife’s dialysis is 3 days a week, like it or not.
But THIS is the reason we prep. I don’t expect the Zombie apocalypse, or CW2, or even Carrington 2. Hurricanes and Pandemics.
I brought three 9-packs with me. I’m using less than a roll a week. When I go to Sams, I buy the big “Member Mark” pack which is about the same. That lasts 4-5 people for a month. I have no idea why HEB had no TP, tissues, paper towels. Where the Hell is it all? Is someone building a house out of TP?
Texas is a weird place. As a state, we’ll put up with a lot, until we don’t. And then it’s not half measures. You’ve got a lot of freedom, but the limits are hard and fast.
I expect this to get a LOT worse, and draconian movement restrictions are part of that. I don’t want to be out and stopped at a checkpoint with the bed of my truck full of paper goods, masks, and food. That ain’t gonna look good.
I suspect that Harris County (the main county that Houston is in, there are nine counties for Houston) is going to lock down later this week. The dumbocrat county judge in training denied having plans for a shutdown this morning. I’ve noticed that when they deny it, the lockdown is coming soon.
Yup, you will look like a TP and mask runner. They come after you with all guns unholstered and call out the Guard.
Seriously, I would pack that stuff in bins (you probably have) and cover it with multiple tarps (you probably have).
Am I the only one or does dipping into the SHTF stores just seem wrong? Pulled a case of TP from storage and the hole it left in the neatly stacked supplies made me suddenly feel like I need twice what I have.
Me too, I pulled a TP case out of the stash last week and immediately went “oh no”. The wife told me I was an idiot, that we had plenty.
@harold,
Yes, despite previous hurricanes and storms, we never got into the “preps”. Just normal usage. Oh, we ran the gennie, but I don’t count that. Knowing that what we have could be all we get kinda makes me want more.
WRT to TP specifically, I have to do the math and know we’re good to not get nervous. We use a roll a day, plus a bit more, so call it 8 rolls a week. These are the MEGA rolls from Costco. I usually pay about $16 for the multipack and only buy when on sale. I remind myself that I may be down to only 4 or 5 multipacks but each one is good for a month or more, some a month and half.
Right now, I’m feeling low on meat, because there is room in the freezer. I was just thinking that I should try to pick up meat if I was in the store anyway. I really shouldn’t risk it. I may need to fill a prescription and I’ll have to go in in that case. I’m going to look at delivery options.
It was more fun prepping for it than living in it.
n
Idle thought – bets on life insurance companies finding a way (or already have a way) to avoid payment for death by WuFlu / pandemic?
What is it about nursing homes in WA State? A lot of the state’s cases seemed centered in these places.
When we lived in Vantucky, my wife was press ganged into rounding at several homes in the area where various bigwigs at her employer were registered as “Chief of Medicine”, but she didn’t see anything unusual on her visits. Well, beyond being shortchanged and/or never paid for the consultations.
https://www.columbian.com/news/2020/mar/23/bellingham-skilled-nursing-center-has-23-cases-of-covid-19/
This morning I bought unleaded for $1.10 at a rural OK gas station. Both stations in the town were selling at this price.
In the nearest county seat, on Interstate 40, prices are around $1.49
Don’t want to be out and about but wife’s dialysis is 3 days a week, like it or not.
Harold, I feel for your wife. Our new used house next door neighbor has had dialysis three days a week for over two years now. They are both in their 80s. His wife has to bundle them up in gloves and masks to take him to the dialysis center. He can barely get around as is.
We stopped by their house yesterday and did a wellness check. The wife came out and hugged my wife three times. My wife is hugger too even in these troubled times. It was obvious she is feeling the pressure and reading all the crazy internet stuff about old people dying. It was also her first time to meet my wife. And she knows that we have a disabled person (our daughter) living with us so she feels a camaraderie with my wife as a caretaker.
She also told us to bring the daughter over and use their pool this summer when it gets warm. We don’t have a money pit at the new used house but still own one that is for sale.
With 2 billion in stimulus coming, I’m wishing I had more gold. I looked at my normal local guy’s website, and he has ONE coin in stock.
The inflation of the currency will be the biggest destroyer of wealth we’ve ever seen.
n
(since we can’t use cash to buy gold, we’re looking at property. the timing is the trick as always, can’t wait for too much inflation, can’t wait too long for prices to bottom)
(Yes, Railroad Commissioner is the right office in TX. Don’t ask me why. I don’t know.)
All of the first oil pipelines paralleled the railroad tracks so the railroad commissioner regulated the pipelines as a part of that job. When the railroads were federalized back in 19xx ??? , the Texas railroad commissioner has nothing else to do so the legislature felt sorry for him / her and gave them regulatory control over the entire oil patch. It has worked well. I would like to see the rr commish cut the oil well production to 50%. Why not ?
And authority over propane fill stations. And other weird things that didn’t fit elsewhere. Possibly internet for the same reason as the pipelines, qwest’s fiber ran alongside their railroad right of ways.
n
What is it about nursing homes in WA State? A lot of the state’s cases seemed centered in these places.
It turns out that a lot of nursing home employees moonlight at other nursing homes. You know what happens next.
Today is a very somber day for us. One of our rescue cats, Sunny (handsome shorted-haired ginger), is in his final day of life.
Sunny started life as an extremely ill kitten with a slim chance of survival, but he is a fighter and he pulled through. He has had 6 good years, but his kidneys have been failing for some time now due to his systemic problems as a kitten. He has been on a special diet but that only postpones the inevitable. Now his kidneys have completely stopped functioning.
He now just wants to be held close so we are all taking turns. Our Veterinarian is unable to come out for euthanasia so we are dealing with the stages of dying and keeping Sunny as comfortable as possible. Fortunately, we have Pet Hospice experience. Sunny is not suffering and seems happy to be being held and loved by his people. The other cats know he is passing and they are being quiet and reverent.
The world seems to be at a standstill. Unsure what to do next. Foolishly looking for wisdom from Local, State, and Federal gooberments. There will be none. We are on our own. The quiet is disquieting.
Peace. Fair Winds and Following Seas.
The inflation of the currency will be the biggest destroyer of wealth we’ve ever seen.
n
(since we can’t use cash to buy gold, we’re looking at property. the timing is the trick as always, can’t wait for too much inflation, can’t wait too long for prices to bottom)
We had zero visits at our old house for sale over the weekend. I fixed a couple of items yesterday.
Oh well, I can always turn it into a rent house for a decade. When I did that before in Carrollton, I had to beat off the tenant prospects with a stick. And this one would be 4 miles away instead of 300.
I suspect that Harris County (the main county that Houston is in, there are nine counties for Houston) is going to lock down later this week. The dumbocrat county judge in training denied having plans for a shutdown this morning. I’ve noticed that when they deny it, the lockdown is coming soon.
If Travis (Austin) or Bexar (San Antonio) go for a lockdown without too much fuss, other counties might try it.
I doubt that we would see one in Williamson. Bell (Temple/Belton) would be even less likely.
The State of Texas, Belton, and Bell County required CGI employees to be in the office at least three days a week, preferably four, for the company to receive their tax breaks which made the center profitable. I wonder if those rules are suspended right now.
It wouldn’t surprise me either way, suspended or not.
And authority over propane fill stations. And other weird things that didn’t fit elsewhere. Possibly internet for the same reason as the pipelines, qwest’s fiber ran alongside their railroad right of ways.
Yup. Those 120 ft right-of-ways from state to state are incredibly hard to get without a federal judge standing behind you. That is why there are many oil companies called by railroad names (Burlington Northern Railroad, Burlington Northern Natural Resources).
Dallas County (Dallas, Texas) has just issued a shelter in place order for all residents until April 3. An order, not an advisory.
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/dallas-county-to-give-update-on-covid-19-restrictions/2336502/
Idle thought – bets on life insurance companies finding a way (or already have a way) to avoid payment for death by WuFlu / pandemic?
I know about the latest trick where they give you a checkbook instead of a check. Sneaky.
Just about the only exceptions that I know for life insurance are suicide and terrorism. And usually the suicide is only for the first X ??? years of the policy.
My wife’s BFF is getting checks for her husband who passed away a couple of weeks ago addressed to “the estate of XXX”. She has been calling his employer and saying no, you just made my life a disaster because a bank will not take that check without a judge’s signature. His employer has agreed to reissue the checks so far.
And the surgeon who worked on his esophageal cancer called her the other day and said the the post op analysis on his four inches of esophagus that they removed was very bad. Cancer cells all over the place, it had already come back and came back hard. If he had not had the surgery then he would be dealing with a very bad situation now with just months to live at most.
Pre-existing condition. Even if there were underlying health issues the death is CV related.
Condolences on your feline friend. Amazing that animals know it is time.
I would still like to know under what law and authority a county, or city, can impose such restrictions. I think many of them think they can, so they do. If a person gets arrested under what law are they charged? Or is there a catch all of failure to obey? That would seem a little dictatorial.
I would still like to know under what law and authority a county, or city, can impose such restrictions. I think many of them think they can, so they do. If a person gets arrested under what law are they charged? Or is there a catch all of failure to obey? That would seem a little dictatorial.
People will comply and worry about the legality later. Have you seen the new Marvel superheroes, Snowflake and Safespace?
I’m not kidding.
Isn’t Dallas County where Lupe “I Lost My Gun” Valdez was Sheriff?
Snowflake and Safespace? My daughter told me that this morning and I thought she was joking or was relaying a joke she read online.
Ventured out in ‘the world’. Had to get a simple repair of my glasses. At my eye doctor, I had to stay in the parking lot; staff came out and got my glasses while I waited in the parking lot (which was empty except for me).
Then to the local Safeway to get some basics. Milk was stocked, bread about 70%. Meat stocked by limit two packages per cut. Nothing on the paper aisle. Some rice/noodles. Cheeses/lunchmeat OK, yogurt supply at about 50%. Fresh produce at normal levels.
Store was not busy; maybe 20-25 people in there. Can’t use your bring-from-home bags, but single use plastic bags were free.
Did not go to WalMart, so don’t know the status there compared to last visit.
Stopped by Sonic drive-in, not busy for a lunchtime visit. Did go to the Arco gas station next door, which usually has prices near what Costco (down the road another 15 miles) has – $2.55. About 40 cents lower than two weeks ago.
My Brother lives in Port Orchard, WA. He worked for years doing sanitary inspections for the State (20 years in the Navy before as a Corpsman). His contacts say Nursing Homes broke protocol. No gloves, masks, sanitize hands in/out, posting signs on infectious patients rooms, etc. They apparently don’t give a shit because of overload: one RN with other nurses getting too many patients on their shift.
We stayed at that Marriott once. He must have been desperate to steal their toilet paper.
https://www.fox5ny.com/news/man-accused-of-stealing-66-rolls-of-toilet-paper-from-orlando-hotel
BTW, if you want to calculate your TP requirements, this place is interesting:
https://howmuchtoiletpaper.com/
There’s been some minor grumblings about it violating your 1st Amendment right to assembled.
I would still like to know under what law and authority a county, or city, can impose such restrictions. I think many of them think they can, so they do. If a person gets arrested under what law are they charged? Or is there a catch all of failure to obey? That would seem a little dictatorial.
There’s been some minor grumblings about it violating your 1st Amendment right to assembled.
Public health laws. They are fairly open and draconian.
I don’t normally refer people to Reason.com, but https://reason.com/2020/03/16/can-the-government-just-close-my-favorite-bar/
Well, the swamp is politics as usual, “Dems demanding new union bargaining powers, solar tax credits in new coronavirus aid package”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/mar/23/dems-demanding-new-union-bargaining-powers-solar-t/
“Congressional Democrats are demanding an “ideological wish list” including new collective bargaining powers for unions as they hold up a nearly $2 trillion economic package of coronavirus relief, Republicans said Monday.”
“The Democrats’ belated list of demands includes new, tighter fuel emission standards for airlines and an expansion of wind and solar tax credits, a senior Republican aide said.”
From BH today at the Fort Bend Herald:
“I heard that border agents seized a shipment of cocaine today and found toilet paper inside”.
“We Will Regret Not Taking the Economic Effects of Mass Quarantine More Seriously”
https://reason.com/2020/03/23/we-will-regret-not-taking-the-economic-effects-of-mass-quarantine-more-seriously/
“On March 19, the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal argued that “no society can safeguard public health for long at the cost of its overall economic health.” Just a few days ago, it seemed plausible to argue for a more measured response to the pandemic, one that balanced several areas of concern, including the economy, civil liberties, and the psychological effects of quarantines:”
Well, the swamp is politics as usual, “Dems demanding new union bargaining powers, solar tax credits in new coronavirus aid package”
Never let a crisis go to waste. The House has a bill for $30,000 of student loan forgiveness courtesy of two members of The Squad.
https://news.yahoo.com/house-democrats-cancel-student-debt-coronavirus-153039320.html
Since the student loan program was nationalized to fund Obamacare in order to make the bill revenue neutral and pass via reconciliation, any forgiveness is a backdoor monetization of the program’s debt.
Lots of hugs and pets for Sunny. Been there, hated it.
Huh, so do I. A half ounce $25 coin… that I paid face for. Heck, it’s pretty and while I do think it is real after looking up the weight in grams, what the heck. I have paid more for postage stamps and PEZ dispensers.
The unemployment stuff? I hated paying that. I had one claim. The guy just quit showing for work. Never called or answered his phone. After three weeks I replaced him. A month later the state wanted “stuff” because he filed a claim. I told them what happened and as far as I know, he didn’t collect. My rates stayed the same, anyway. Long time ago.
Pet Sunny. Keep him warm.
“Biden: Trump’s ‘failure of planning and preparation’ worsened coronavirus crisis”
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/489014-biden-trumps-failure-of-planning-and-preparation-worsened-coronavirus
Bite me Biden !
I know there was some alarm at the fact that the strict quarantine in Italy has had so little affect. They really expected to see things leveling off days ago, but they haven’t. If the quarantine does no good then they’re going to have a hard time justifying destroying the economy for a quarantine that doesn’t work for a virus that’s not really that deadly (it’s COVID-19 not Ebola) and is now probably endemic.
So many private restaurants and bars run close to break-even in the best of times because the owners run them out of passion to run them and not to get rich. They can’t whether this kind of crap.
back from my store run. Empty. A few people, but essentially empty. And wouldn’t you know, the one item that drove the whole “break my isolation” wasn’t in stock after all. Every freaking door in the world, except the one I need. Not loose, not prehung, not LH or RH. just empty spaces where they should be.
I got all the other stuff, since I was there any way.
Wore gloves, changed them in between, stayed away from people. Held my breath when passing. Sprayed my shoes with lysol and left them on the porch. took off my outer shirt inside out.
Lots of masks on people. Lots of gloves. No coughing.
Drove past costco where it looked a bit slow judging by the lot. They’ve barricaded the entry and formed a funnel with carts and pallets.
Rotated 10 gallons into the wife’s minivan. Refilled that at costco. No wait at all on more than one pump. SUPER slow.
Didn’t need my taser. But then, I wasn’t buying TP. I did get three more gallons of bleach at Lowes. Still had 2 pallets in the pool section.
Home for the day. I’ll hit my secondary tomorrow.
n
@chad, have they actually had the quarantine? I thought people were breaking it left and right until the army arrived just a day or so ago.
n
That may be as close to a quarantine as any western nation is likely to achieve.
I do wonder how much of this is cultural. That is, how do the numbers compare between the hug-and-kiss-each-other-on-the-cheek cultures versus the don’t-touch-me cultures.
That may be as close to a quarantine as any western nation is likely to achieve.
I do wonder how much of this is cultural. That is, how do the numbers compare between the hug-and-kiss-each-other-on-the-cheek cultures versus the don’t-touch-me cultures.
Italy has one of the oldest populations in Europe. Plus, the economies of the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) have been on the edge for at least a decade.
Still ~10% fatalities. What is Germany doing differently?
This will backfire on Plugs. Independents won’t vote for him. Blatantly bashing the President, who’s doing a good job, will cost Plugs at the ballot box. I hope the same with the Dumbocrats delaying the CV bill.
Interesting detail that probably applies to a lot of companies…
My new employer has a VPN capability, mostly used by IT people and staff travelling for work. The problem is that it’s only configured for about 10% of the staff count, because of course, why would everyone need to work remotely at the same time?
Interesting that even after SARS, Ebola, etc, no-one ever thought through the consequences (including me).
Biden is a #metoo disaster, senile, and everyone knows he’s corrupt, except for the TDS people but they won’t care about the other factors so long as he’s NOT TRUMP.
UK Prime Minister announces UK lockdown. Limited reasons for leaving your home, including food purchase and isolated exercise and necessary employment. Police enforced.
My new employer has a VPN capability, mostly used by IT people and staff travelling for work. The problem is that it’s only configured for about 10% of the staff count, because of course, why would everyone need to work remotely at the same time?
The server only has enough licenses for 10% of the staff count or that’s the maximum load the server is capable of handling?
Citrix isn’t a real VPN. I half joke that Cisco AnyConnect isn’t either, but it does the job.
In the end, all of us are on our own, no matter how many are in attendance. Sunny enjoyed a good family, who cared for him. That is everything.
Good idea. As you said, save that one for a noncritical use. I have seen some of the many ways batteries can fail and leave us in trouble. I also had one that was dead (zero volts, caused by a bad glove box light switch) for at least a week and came back to live a few years in service. It was less than a year old at the time, but, still, batteries treated like that aren’t supposed come back to life.
Suggestion: consider relocating that battery to a cool place, if the wiring can be short. Even though modern lead acid batteries can take high temperatures, they still last longer in cooler temps. Maybe put it in the adjacent building, especially if it is the house and conditioned space? OTOH, buying a new one every couple years and rotating to less critical uses is simpler. I would also consider adding some convenient extension terminals for jumper cables if vehicle access is easy. Just some thoughts.
Speech recognition better at recognizing speech from white people No surprise. Not a racial bias. Simply the way they speak. That applies to not only computers but also to myself trying to listen to some people. Yeh, call me “ray”cist. I have heard many interviews of sports players that provided basically unintelligible words. No wonder computers have problems if we as humans have problems.
Other people, in the south, can at least speak recognizable words. The context and use is somewhat questionable and confusing. “Ain’t got no toilet paper”, a double negative, which they simply do not understand. Shortcut words “jeet” for “did you eat”. The inability to recognize the difference between “past” and “passed”; “their”, “there” and “they’re”; “accept” and “except”; “your” and “you’re”. The real kicker is the difference between “sale” and “sell”. Something along the lines of “I want to sale my car”. Really?
The use of shortcuts when texting and then using those same shortcuts when typing a paper. Complete loss of spelling and language skills. But at least one can understand the word as opposed to most of the athletes when they mumble.
The first time I heard this was around car dealers. I’ve heard it used consistently amongst them. Maybe it’s a southern/redneck/hillbilly/sales scum thing?
I do wonder how much of this is cultural.
I’m curious as h3ll to see how this plays out in India.
https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/covid-19-interactive-map-confirmed-cases-in-india/article31041690.ece?utm_source=thehindu
There’s a very realistic movie about the Nipah outbreak in Kerala a few years ago called _Virus_. 2019, I think. Subtitled. Pretty good, too.
Anyone seen _Contagion_?
@Ray
If you’re wont to peruse the personals column, a surprising number of people are “educated and discrete”.
@greg, as a remote employee for years, I’m sure it’s the number of licenses. Even when I would visit corp HQ in canadia, I’d use the public wifi in the building and VPN in. It was WAY easier than requesting the everchanging secure wifi officially and waiting for approved access.
One day the IT guy tracked me down and explained why they didn’t want me on the VPN unless really necessary, not enough licenses. Their IT staff was actually pretty good and accommodating on most issues, so I bet it’s similar at most other workplaces. Especially if there is a culture against remote workers…
n
I’ve had the lawnmower and tractor batteries go dead. The 6 amp battery charger does nothing. I have a 1 amp motorcycle battery charger. Hook that up overnight and /then/ the other charger can take over.
Chemistry, I suppose. The low and slow charger pushes stuff back into place. Yeah, I know, bull hockey. But if it didn’t work I’d be buying a battery for the mower and each tractor every year. The Mahindra battery is original. At least six years old. The Yanmar battery is who the heck knows old. 🙂
“I want to sale my car”
The movie “Risky Business” tried the “I want to sail my car” with a Porsche 928 but it did not.
Anyone seen _Contagion_?
“OutBreak” with Dustin Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Renee Russo, and Morgan Freeman scared the pants off me.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114069/
Wait, I saw “Contagion”. Pretty good movie. And that is why this nightmare seems so familiar.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1598778/
The movie “Risky Business” tried the “I want to sail my car” with a Porsche 928 but it did not.
“Who’s the U-boat commander?”
I didn’t remember how many of the money lines in “Risky Business” belonged to Curtis Armstrong (well, other than the U-boat line) until we ran the movie for my son last year.
“Risky Business” was Armstrong’s first movie.
That is likely a microprocessor controlled “smart” charger. These need a few (8 or 10?) volts before they turn ON. It is a safety feature, but not very smart. That 1 amp motorcycle charger just raised the battery enough that the other one could turn ON.
Especially if there is a culture against remote workers…
It isn’t so much a culture as management trying to break the Work From Home Mafia because a lot of the made men and women of my generation were not that productive over the last 20 years.
If WireGuard survives peer review, I expect that will take a big chunk of the VPN market. In theory, it offers the speed and security of IPSec with much easier configuration, and the price is right. Even if it doesn’t survive, their *signed* Wintun driver will enable a lot of cross-platform experimentation by others.
Neither, the way it was configured does’t allow for many users. Think block size. Noone wants to risk changing it in case it breaks.
I know people who work in “sells”.
The server only has enough licenses for 10% of the staff count or that’s the maximum load the server is capable of handling?
Neither, the way it was configured does’t allow for many users. Think block size. Noone wants to risk changing it in case it breaks.
And the internet pipe between it and the intertubes. That pipe is probably not big enough to double the users much less quintuple them.
Damned right,.
I was really looking forward to zombie target practice. This pandemic stinks.
I remember reading an article a couple of years ago about the TP shortage in Venezuela. Businesses removed TP from the toilets because it was being stolen.
We aren’t there yet, I hope.
Seriously, there is no actual shortage of TP, it’s just the distribution pipeline wasn’t prepared for the panic buying. We should see pallets of TP everywhere soon.
Hope so. What will be in short supply next?
I keep paper products in good supply, mainly because they are relatively cheap and keep a long time. I would miss fresh fruit a lot, but so far it is OK, I guess. Just before going into hiding, we bought some tangerines and apples, both of which keep quite a while. Also have a good stock of beer and wine, which also keep, and have the obvious advantage of dulling the senses if things get really bad.
Common sense?
Someone asked me yesterday why people are buying so many guns. It will be no surprise that she had a Beto sign in her yard during the last election.
Hope so. What will be in short supply next?
Food that will last 18 months ???
People are truly stoopid:
Man dies, wife in ICU after ingesting anti-malarial that President Trump touted; But wait, there’s more; Updated: Wife blames Trump, says don’t believe anything
They took chloroquine phosphate (a fish tank cleaning additive) as a prophylactic. Twenty minutes later they were in the ICU where the husband died. The MSM “doctor”, Dr. Dena Grayson, tweeted this, but forgot to mention it was fish tank cleaner, not Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine, the prescription drug. ORANGE MAN BAD!
Hey! No fair, saying what I was going to say but a couple minutes before I was going to say it!
Yah, common sense is perpetually in short supply, so that’s a safe bet.
You know, global warming is causing a longer incubation season in which viruses can mutate, and that’s why we’re seeing more and more deadly spreads of viruses. And Donald Trump is partly to blame for global warming because the US is not in the Paris Accords.
I heard that on a science podcast today. True, it was just one watermelon nutcase riding her hobbyhorse on the current topic of interest, but the fact that the science program brought in a global warming activist to fill up a good chunk of an episode devoted to Wuhan Whooping Cough was enough for me to unsubscribe.
“Grocers Stopped Stockpiling Food. Then Came Coronavirus.”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/grocers-stopped-stockpiling-food-then-came-coronavirus/ar-BB11ADdU
“In the past two decades, producers and grocery stores such as Kroger Co. have gone from keeping months of inventory on hand to holding only a four to six weeks’ supply.”
Yup, those darling young men and ladies with their oh so complicated spreadsheets screwed us all. After all, mba school said JIT (just in time) was much more efficient than keeping lots of inventory around.
“Hoping to escape coronavirus, city dwellers are fleeing to California’s deserts and mountains”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hoping-to-escape-coronavirus-city-dwellers-are-fleeing-to-californias-deserts-and-mountains/ar-BB11zHSz
Dadgumit, nobody told me it was time to bug out !
Hat tip to:
http://drudgereport.com/
They took chloroquine phosphate (a fish tank cleaning additive) as a prophylactic. Twenty minutes later they were in the ICU where the husband died. The MSM “doctor”, Dr. Dena Grayson, tweeted this, but forgot to mention it was fish tank cleaner, not Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine, the prescription drug. ORANGE MAN BAD!
Holy Cr*p — that’s Alan Grayson’s wife.
Grayson was FL’s version of the Shot Girl more than a decade ago. Google around for the story.
Nothing that comes out of either Grayson’s mouth should be taken seriously.
Chloroquine is FDA approved for malaria but has some side effects which anyone taking it *under a doctor’s supervision* should be aware of before ingesting.
I imagine that a lot of Chloroquine has crossed the border from Mexico over the last week for self medication.
“I imagine that a lot of Chloroquine has crossed the border from Mexico over the last week for self medication.”
–I’ve heard there is at least a 3 week wait if you are already in line….everyone late to the party will be waiting longer.
That stuff has a lot of serious side effects. Enough so that people will risk malaria rather than take it.
n
Huh, aside from selling out of disinfectant, I’ve sold my second POE injector in as many days. That’s weird. None for months, then two in two days.
n
Clear indication that people are not thinking this situation thru–
https://www.zerohedge.com/personal-finance/costco-hoarders-discover-they-cant-return-toilet-paper
ha ha, all the hoarders aren’t gonna be able to return it when this is all a nothing burger in a week or so…….
Notzofast buddy…. gloating feels soooo goooddd. But, you’re still living in a world where the wuflu is no big deal. I think we’re past that. So what’s a “hoarder” gonna do with 10 bags of rice? Eat them. And then wipe his azz with TP instead of leaves.
Or their already sold, and he’s buying steaks…
Or I’ll buy them from him, half price.
Normalcy bias. It’s a thing.
n
Even weirder, just sold ANOTHER POE injector. Damned strange.
n
I could use a POE injector if I have to run more CAT 6 for my security cameras. The POE supply in the NVR is rated for 100 ft for each of 16 cameras but after putting in 11 I see the power brick getting warm. I’d still like a couple more cameras.
ohhhh, electronics. I was thinking that a Poe Injector stuck a “nevermore” into conversations at the most awkward possible spot or else injected you with rabies. Either way I wanted nothing to do with it.
Wanted to take tomorrow off and get caught up on paperwork. But I have to make the Tuesday morning cash run to the bank to see what they have for me. I’m not expecting much as the lock-down has badly hit our ATM transactions. Bars and restaurants shuttered leaving only a handful of active locations and those not doing well. Then I have to swing by the storage facility office to swap out office chairs. The wife coveted the one from the office till I brought it home and she discovered that looks don’t translate into comfort. So I’m swapping them back. Then swing by the neatest (15 miles) Walmart to pick up my delver-to-the-car order. First time trying this. Masks and gloves of course. No verified cases in our county but its just a matter of time.
Had a conference call with my attorney this afternoon. We had a meeting scheduled but both agreed that a call was the best idea. We agreed on setting up a trust against the day we shuffle off this mortal coil. He’s doing all the paperwork and we just have to sign a few papers. My parents had a trust and handling their estate was simple.
Harris County (main county for Houston, Texas) is going to lockdown Tuesday night at 1159pm.
https://www.chron.com/coronavirus/article/Coronavirus-Houston-What-you-need-to-know-15127315.php
“Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday morning is expected to order most residents to stay home except for groceries and errands, or if they work in essential industries, in order to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, county officials with direct knowledge of the plan said.”
“The directive, which would take effect at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday and apply to unincorporated Harris County as well the city of Houston and other municipalities, would restrict businesses deemed non-essential through April 3.”
“County officials on Monday evening were working to complete a list of exempt businesses, which will include markets, pharmacies and other stores necessary for daily life to function.”
It is nice to know that some bureaucrat is deciding which businesses are essential. We are going to try to get ourselves in the essential realm since we support so many engineering and operating energy infrastructure companies. We are in Fort Bend County which I suspect will follow Harris County immediately (all dumbocrats).
Galveston County is sheltering in place, whatever that means. “Galveston County will issue a shelter-in-place order. San Antonio and Bexar County officials are expected to offer details on their own stay-at-home orders.”
I had fun at the Walgreens today. Stopped in to get a pneumonia vaccine. I am not *quite* 65 and although I’ve lived in this state for near 40 years have not been a customer of doctors. This caused confusion at a very busy pharmacy. I am not in the statewide vaccine database, go figure, so there was an initial refusal to provide the shot when I specified my willingness to pay cash.
Having done some web research at Walgreens.com and the CDC.gov before heading out, I thought to display the cigarette pack trash from the time my neighbor needed a car ride awhile back stuffed in my coat pocket. That did it, although I’m sure my fib will bite me sometime in the future. Anyhow, the car looks better with the litter patrol completed, too.
Statewide order to stay home goes into effect tomorrow here. OTOH, drive thru restaurants and delivery are still on the approved list, so I expect there will still be substantial albeit reduced traffic.
“Mortgage Rate Madness: They’re Up, They’re Down, Where Will They Land?”
https://www.chron.com/realestate/article/Mortgage-Rate-Madness-They-re-Up-They-re-Down-15150166.php
“With the economy in shambles amid the coronavirus pandemic, mortgage interest rates should be low. But they’re not—and they’re fluctuating wildly.”
“Both homeowners seeking refinances and home buyers will likely be disappointed by rates that have fluctuated wildly in recent days—by the hour in some instances. That kind of volatility is unprecedented, and makes it more difficult for borrowers to lock in a low rate, say experts. And mortgage rates have surged upward despite the Federal Reserve slashing short-term interest rates.”
So this is what it is like to live in an unstable society.
Holy shite. Dozen or more gunshots, sounded like they came from my neighbor’s house. Mixed calibers. HEAVY and then pistol.
No flashes, no smells so not that close after all. Neighbor says it was not him, was further away. Constables getting multiple calls about it.
Usually I don’t make it to the door in time to get my head out and hear truly which direction it was from but I thought my wife was sitting on the front porch swing. Moved a bit quicker than normal and heard the last shots clearly.
I’ve got to get a mic on my cams…
n
Looks like Trump found a way to get all the negatives of a national lockdown off of himself. He says he might like to end it, and hundreds insist it continue.
BAM! You just gave him his Get out of Jail FREE card.
I don’t know if it’s cunning, intelligence, black magic, or luck. I wonder if he knows?
n
Looks like Trump found a way to get all the negatives of a national lockdown off of himself. He says he might like to end it, and hundreds insist it continue.
BAM! You just gave him his Get out of Jail FREE card.
I don’t know if it’s cunning, intelligence, black magic, or luck. I wonder if he knows?
I assume that you are talking about this:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/governors-clamp-down-as-trump-considers-easing-virus-plans/ar-BB11Bi1V
““WE CANNOT LET THE CURE BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM ITSELF. AT THE END OF THE 15 DAY PERIOD, WE WILL MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHICH WAY WE WANT TO GO!” Trump tweeted late Sunday.”
Donald Trump is an incredibly talented and cunning individual. I suspect that he plays a mean game of chess.
He did the same thing with the tariffs, “I hate tariffs, let’s get rid of them all.” which forced his opponents and all of european leaders into the position of defending tariffs. News coverage, which had been non-stop and negative ceased shortly thereafter.
I’m off to bed, I’ve got sleeping to do.
n
From http://people.brunel.ac.uk/~mastjjb/jeb/or/jit.html
I remember a time when we Yanks admired everything Japanese, mostly because, backed by their government, their industry was eating our lunch. What a difference a few decades makes.
My FIL lives on an acreage in Oklahoma southeast of OKC (though, they plan to move to KC this summer). He likes to go outside about once a month and empty a magazine into the dirt. He says it reminds the neighbors he owns a gun. 🙂