Hi,
As some of you may know, I am bi-cultural French-Italian with family in both countries. (Most importantly a son in Italy)
To all my wargamers friends, brace yourselves, it is going to be a shitshow. I expect the situation is going to be worst than in China, due to that little thing called democracy that prevents to lock entire regions and people.
Italy had 3 cases 3 weeks ago. Now 4000 and 150 deaths with more than 350 in ICU.
I know the overall statistics may look "not that bad" for fatality rate BUT : 20% of the detected cases needs hospitalisation. I don't know the situation in the UK ad the US but I doubt there will be enough hospital beds.
Without panicking, I urge you to take this very seriously and wash your hands ALL THE TIME. Don't touch public surfaces (like in the tube, or door knobs) and then touch your face without washing your hands.
The level of arrogance of the French Gov (" The French health system is much better...Italians are old...several generation live in the same house...") is quite disgusting.
Today, 7 cases detected in Marseille.
Furthermore, kids seems to be mostly asymptomatic but can and will spread the virus.
All schools in Italy are closed.
If you are over 60-65 and with underlying conditions, please take measures to distance yourself socially : paint you unfinished armies !! If you are younger, think about your uncles, aunts, parents, grand-parents, be responsible, be careful.
Do not rely on gov communications and go have a look at the WHO (World Health Organisation) site for accurate numbers.
I wish you all good luck.
Yann
Quote from: barbarian on 05 March 2020, 09:46:28 PM
If you are over 60-65 and with underlying conditions, please take measures to distance yourself socially : paint you unfinished armies !!
Hi Yann
I have spent the last ten years distancing myself socially for lots of reasons. Mostly I'm a grumpy old man. It would probably take me another ten years to complete my unfinished armies if I didn't buy any more. Oops I just bought some more.
Keeping my head down and my hands washed.
Take care all.
Jim
And wash with something containing a lot of alcohol.
We now have a bottle of hand sanitizer in our car which we use every time we get in
Washing my hands more regularly, for at least 20 seconds, and making sure to thoroughly wash the thumbs as well (apparently people focus on the palms and fingers and neglect the thumbs)
I'll be avoiding large public gathering for a while, unless there is a really good reason to be there
Barbarian, I hope your son stays well
Hugs all.
They say you're unlikely to get it unless someone sneezes directly in your face, oh hell, I'm a teacher, that happens seventeen times a day... doomed.
You take very good care, Yann ! (And the rest of you, as well.)
I really don't know what I think about this virus....Whether it can realistically be 'contained' to any great level. (Fingers crossed it can...if everyone's sensible.)
The problem I 'see' in my part of the world (SW Wales)...Is that just about everybody and their dog has had some sort of cold for weeks and weeks now...(Von and I have some sort of bug for the best part of two months...Von far worse than me !)...So if/when someone does catch it around the locality, they won't notice until they get the 'flu like symptoms and the high temp.
Like folk say...keep washing your hands, and try and avoid too close a contact with people/crowds.
I often bump into the same person in Tesco's, when I do the 'Thursday shop', and we usually have a quick chat....."My son's coming back from Swansea Uni, this weekend, " she said....
"Oh good, I thought"..One of the two places in Wales where there's a confirmed case of this wretched virus. X_X. :)
Best of luck, Gang ! :-bd
Cheers - Phil
Well, I've had a cold for several weeks now - nothing more - and my employer is sending me to the USA tomorrow morning for a week of meetings. I can't wait :( :o :(
The most infuriating thing for me is the lack of reaction from authorities.
I attribute this to a form of racism toward Asian people. " These Chinese, they don't know what they're doing..."
China gave us several months to prepare and nothing was done.
I really hope I'm wrong but I think we will be in a world of hurt in one month.
I saw people wearing masks in the metro here.
The mother of my child (in Italy) is so chill about it.
Anyways, stay safe.
Yann
An increasing number of my clients/prospects (big insurers) are all banning non-essential travel and meetings face-to-face.
This is because they have big customer call centres, which (having previously run a 1,000 seat centre myself) are germ factories. And they cannot risk the situation of them being shut down.
We use a lot of Skype/Circuit/Zoom calls anyway at work - being a multi/international-national organisation - but my role is mostly face-to-face selling (which really doesn't work over a conf call not when you are selling multi million £ contracts) so I'm in for a tough few months.
However, it's worth putting it all into context a bit - in the USA in 2018 (a particularly bad year) the death and hospitalisation rates for flu were an estimated 959,000 hospitalisations and 61,099 deaths. However, thankfully there were only 186 paediatric deaths were reported, so children seemed to be much less vulnerable (as appears to be the case with the Covid-19 virus - so far).
Although general flu might not seem like a deadly illness, on average it kills around 17,000 people in England a year. The dessity of the population and climatic conditions mean a higher % infection rate than the US (for example). Public Health England stated: "The number of flu cases and deaths due to flu-related complications varies each flu season.
"The average number of deaths in England for the last five seasons, 2014/15 to 2018/19, was 17,000 deaths annually. "This ranged from 1,692 deaths last season, 2018/19, to 28,330 deaths in 2014/15." Since October 2019, more than 4,000 people with confirmed flu have been admitted to hospitals in England with at least 70 deaths.
None of the above should lead us to be complaisant however - all the hand-washing and sanitization measures outlined above, along with extra precautions around attending events - even small ones - especially where there is a widely travelled set of delegates/participants is a really wise move at present.
As stated in another post - I have recently cancelled a weekend wargaming event I had planned for end of March and I'm personally limiting my work and personal travel (due to an already compromised immune system). But it's the things you don't think about that can sneak under your guard. I had a parcel (of soldiers ... yes I know!) arrive at my door via a courier yesterday morning ... the courier handed me an electronic device to sign - which I took without thinking! I then quickly santized and washed my hands.
We all live such interconnected lives ....
Keep safe
Mark
I think comparing with the flu is a bad idea : 20% of the detected cases need a bed in hospital for the Covid-19.
If the infection is spread and the beds are "cycling" we'll be "okay".
If everybody gets it at the same time, and we run out of beds and respirators, the mortality rate could go up really badly.
The mentality of " Just like the flu " is bad for general public perception.
If/when public figures or celebrities will get it, the general population will react.
I am under 40 and in good general health so I am not panicking about my own safety. I think about the society as a whole.
PS : And masks absolutely reduce risks of contamination contrary to what is announced everywhere.
Of course more people died in the last major heat wave !
But it is a flu-virus - it transmits like flu - it is as contagious as flu and can be as deadly as flu (which is my point)
As a society we have just gotten used to very high death rates associated with flu ... we have 'normalised' the risks and danger - which is not a good thing.
I also agree about face masks - if you can get them (we have shortages already in parts of UK).
Big Insect : we agree then.
To all : I am not worried for my son who's under 10. Just the problem of next holidays (Easter) and potential flights shut-down.
I worry about my parents mostly.
Quote from: barbarian on 06 March 2020, 11:05:56 AM
Big Insect : we agree then.
To all : I am not worried for my son who's under 10. Just the problem of next holidays (Easter) and potential flights shut-down.
I worry about my parents mostly.
I think that is the thing, i'm 34 and don't worry to much. But i have a diabetic father and his mother is in her 90ies and also in poor health. My father in law is 70 and just got back from an emergency visit for his heart.
It's the people surrounding us that are in more danger than ourselves.
Went to a cafe today in a popular UK family branded establishment. A member of staff pinched the tip of her nose and pulled down .... obviously wiping it. Went to another local cafe, sat down, an older woman next to me sneezed into her hand and seconds later put her hand palm down onto the table. Went into the loo of a high street chain, as I walked in, one bloke left the urinal, the other came out of trap 2, neither washed their hands, they just left and obviously left a minging door handle, which I now need to touch to get out!
As a small sample of human behaviour in just one place in little over an hour, It strikes me that no matter what those of us who are careful do ....... the thoughtless dirty mingers, of which there are too many, will ensure that this thing spreads!
Just been out for a lunch break, noted how often I have to touch things.
The bannister on the six flights of stairs going down. The button to cross the road. Withdraw cash from the ATM, so buttons there. The touchscreen on the supermarket self-help tills, and the change that it gives you. The button on the lift to go back up to my office.
No idea how dirty these things are, but no real choice about touching them or not. Quite worrying really.
In a word: gloves.
Yeah, coming to that conclusion myself.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 06 March 2020, 02:22:44 PM
In a word: gloves.
Quote from: Raider4 on 06 March 2020, 02:29:32 PM
Yeah, coming to that conclusion myself.
Yep....A box full of 'surgical' gloves......I haven't gone that far......yet.... but I've just been down to my local pharmacy, to pick up my B/P pills.
I opened the door with my elbow....going in.....And completely forgot about that when I exited !...I HAVE washed my hands now.....before I put the next piece of chewing gum in my gob.
From Martyn's and Norm's posts....... Some folk really are...well....what can you say. =) X_X...Mingers is a good word to describe them, Norm....No wonder 'bugs' spread.
I'll just say that I'm
not convinced that the face masks you see most folk wearing are of much use.....Probably a BIT better than nothing...But only just.
Just my two pees worth. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Every responsible medic is shouting out about disinfecting hands, and not worrying about masks unless you're a known carrier or living with one.
I'm reminded of the one doing the rounds at the height of the BSE scare:
What did the one cow say to the other?
Miaow!
;D ;D ;D ;D
Reminds me of ...
Two cows in a field.
One says,"Are you worried about Mad Cow Disease?"
The other replies,"Nope!"
"How come?" asks the first.
"I'm a tractor!"
You twerp, Alexander ! ;D ;D ;D ;D
I totally agree about your point re the masks.
The basic masks you see, portrayed on the TV, aren't designed to stop anything like as small as a virus. Those are for cutting down relatively 'massive' chunks of dust...Or droplets of moisture that a surgeon might dribble into the patient he, or she, is operating on. (YUK !!)
They don't fit snugly around the face/cheeks, for a start.
They would give a small amount of protection to someone standing directly in front of you.....If you happened to have a sneezing fit....So in that respect, you'd be protecting people near you rather than protecting yourself....So that's not a bad thing.
When I worked for British Telecomm, I had a relatively sophisticated face mask, for use in certain environments. Much better than these pieces of 'tissue paper' masks.
Even that wouldn't have stopped a virus !.....It stopped me breathing in asbestos dust....But that was about its limit, on the one occasion I used it officially.
Unofficially, I used it to stop myself breathing in pollen spores when I helped bring in some hay from fields where we kept our first two gee-gees.....I hadn't used it the day before...and I had the first, and only, real asthma attack in my life.
Cheers - Phil
We've had a document sent through from the government today with some guidance on it. Basically what everyone's said already, wash hands regularly, catch any coughs/sneezes and avoid being within 2m of people for lengths of time. They also said not to wear face masks as well, unless you've already got it!
Does your guidance say what I'm supposed to do when sending the (greens) masters up to you ?
I'll probably need to boil them in Dettol first.
Cheers - Phil ;)
Just got back from local Tesco's. Lady going berserk and shouting at the shelves: "There's nothing anti-bacterial left!"
This might turn out to be good thing if stupidity contributes to vulnerability.
As Monty Python said. a lifetime ago......"Spot the brain-cell.....30 minutes of cheerful, ritual humiliation of the old and greedy.."
Just delete a couple of those words and replace them with something else. X_X.....(Hint...old and greedy need to be replaced.)........Feck me. X_X
Yours in despair - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 06 March 2020, 05:07:47 PM
Does your guidance say what I'm supposed to do when sending the (greens) masters up to you ?
Not really, hard surfaces are only an issue if they've been touched by a carrier, and the virus doesn't last too long without human contact. As long as you're not picking your nose with the sculpts, I think we're OK!
That's why they're green...
The bit about the masks is because there is a shortage.
Obviously a mask is better than nothing.
Obviously a mask badly worn ( constantly touching it to adjust it, not changing it often enough -or sterilizing, touching the outside of the mask and then touching your face when changing mask...) is not ideal. But still better than nothing.
Look at the numbers in Italy. This is just the beginning.
;(
Quote from: Leon on 06 March 2020, 06:05:34 PM
Not really, hard surfaces are only an issue if they've been touched by a carrier, and the virus doesn't last too long without human contact. As long as you're not picking your nose with the sculpts, I think we're OK!
I'll stop licking the wax five while I'm making the wee men, then. :D
(In truth, I use acetone to clean the 'tools'....That should upset any viruses)
Cheers - Phil ;)
Quote from: barbarian on 06 March 2020, 06:46:10 PM
The bit about the masks is because there is a shortage.
Obviously a mask is better than nothing.
The full government document is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-covid-19
The bit on facemasks says:
7. Guidance on facemasks
Employees are not recommended to wear facemasks (also known as surgical masks or respirators) to protect against the virus. Facemasks are only recommended to be worn by symptomatic individuals (advised by a healthcare worker) to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection to other people.
PHE recommends that the best way to reduce any risk of infection is good hygiene and avoiding direct or close contact (closer than 2 metres) with any potentially infected person.
Any member of staff who deals with members of the public from behind a full screen will be protected from airborne particles.
So far we have four confirmed cases in NZ and people are in full panic mode in Auckland. Hate to see what happens if it gets to double figures
Cheers
Ian
From October 2019, I'll just leave this here and make up your own minds. And let you do the maths.
https://futurism.com/neoscope/recent-simulation-coronavirus-killed-65-million-people
source:
http://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/scenario.html
Mark
No cases have been reported in Ohio, but here in Toledo all stocks of face masks have sold out and people are sharing recipes for home made hand sanitiser. @-)
Someone's getting rich ;) I find the panic buying quite funny, like the guy in Wanganui in full haz suit but no gloves :)
I will predict that when this has died down more people in UK & NZ will have died due to drink driving than Covid 19. I am not worried, my hygiene routine does not need changing, more common sense is needed by more people.
Cheers
Ian
Sadly, common sense isn't all that common...
Geoff
An interesting read
https://www.livescience.com/is-coronavirus-deadly.html
Cheers
Ian
Panic buying already started in our local supermarket, with all the pasta gone and hand wash etc flying off the shelves once it comes in. I was more at risk on my hour long cycle ride today than from Covid-19. A sense of perspective is called for.
A nasty side effect showing its ugly head
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12314709&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nzh_fb&fbclid=IwAR0iabNr6pYCRn5X4pBXsN02EdyLsCPeeAcOA9-_H7bPgBEJl3exWbycM-4
Cheers
Ian
There was a lady on the radio a few days ago who said she had just returned from Singapore. Whilst there, she was checked on arrival when departing by plane and also each day at the hotel. She was shocked and dismayed when returning to the UK there were no checks at the airport.
The battle for containment was probably lost several weeks ago, when something could have effectively worked, but incompetence and lack of decisiveness and vision have failed us. The high cost and inconvenience of doing something then will pale into insignificance against the very high cost and inconvenience that we are about to face.
If this thread was being started in a months time from now, it would likely have a different pulse.
More insanity
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2020/03/coronavirus-women-in-violent-australian-fight-over-single-toilet-paper-pack.html?fbclid=IwAR0gPICinHd6TpGPD2rj2_UDWxSm8FgYJLxnQNCK5PaWoqGw-o3hYia1uQk
Cheers
Ian
Quote from: Steve J on 06 March 2020, 10:15:38 PM
A sense of perspective is called for.
Totally agree, Steve !
Cheers - Phil
I was in my local Tesco at 6.30 am this morning (up since 4 am with back pain) - to get some Paracetamol ....... but they have sold out!!!!
How can you sell out of something that is so abundant that it only costs 25p.
I am guessing that a ton of people who don't need painkillers now have enough to last forever and those that do need it, can't get hold of it for love nor money.
A staff member said that yesterday saw a lot of what can only be described as panic buying.
Not wanting to be left out, I have decided to panic buy Vallejo Prussian Blue - I used 1/3 of a bottle last year, do you think 400 bottles will be enough!
Curiously enough, the Thais - not the most provident people - are being pretty good about public hand sanitisers. But I can't buy the alcohol I normally use for flocking...I wonder if Cointreau would do?
A tad expensive maybe....try very cheap gin !
Quote from: Norm on 07 March 2020, 08:29:59 AM
I was in my local Tesco at 6.30 am this morning (up since 4 am with back pain) - to get some Paracetamol ....... but they have sold out!!!!
X_X
When I did the Thursday shop.....That was one thing I noticed was 'out of stock'...(Well the tablets were...But not the capsules.)
If anyone wants any rice or pasta type food.....The garage in the local village has still got some ! =)
For goodness sake. =) With a bit of luck, all those who have had their 'panic buy' will have finished by now.....And we know 99% of those packets will get left in the cupboard until they get thrown away.....10 years from now. ;D ;D
Quote from: FierceKitty on 07 March 2020, 08:48:48 AM
Curiously enough, the Thais - not the most provident people - are being pretty good about public hand sanitisers. But I can't buy the alcohol I normally use for flocking...I wonder if Cointreau would do?
Alledgedly...Some Russians are using cheap vodka to make DIY sanitisers. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Still in denial for some here.
From a logical stand point : how this will be any different than what happened in China ?
Do you think Chinese are idiots and took a 17,5 % tank in their exportations because they felt like it ?
Do you think they quarantined 60 million people for giggles and fun ?
" But chinese men smoke, but chinese people have bad lungs due to pollution...Italians are old..."
Same causes will have same consequences.
In the next few days Frande will enter in " phase 3 " (media and politicians are preparing the general public to the idea) as some areas are already in " phase 2 reinforced " : this will mean closed schools, no public transportation... I let you imagine the economical consequences.
I am telling you this is not a drill, this is serious.
Frankly, buying a bag of 10 kilos of rice, some dry beans or lentils, food for your pets and your prescribed medecine is not a bad idea and not panic buying.
Best case scenario, this die down in summer and you have reserves of rice and beans...
I repeat that we need to limit the spread or at least slow down the infection : we can't afford to fill all the ICU at the same time.
As for myself, I am healthy, under 40, my son under 10, I am not thinking this is the end of the world, but I have parents and I think this virus will have effects on our society by stressing and challenging our already challenged NHS.
I expect most people don't think they're panic buying (apart from the morons who fill 2 shopping trolleys full with toilet rolls/bottled water/sanitizer/whatever).
They think they're just being 'prudent' by just getting an extra pack of toilet rolls/baked beans/cat food/whatever.
But then, everyone starts being 'prudent', and suddenly the shelves are being emptied faster than normal, and then idiots start buying everything under the sun 'just in case'.
Quote from: barbarian on 07 March 2020, 09:51:28 AM
Still in denial for some here.
No..Sorry, Yann...I don't think that's remotely true, at all.
Is this outbreak serious ?....Yes...Of
course it is....But having a panic doesn't help at all.
Quote from: Raider4 on 07 March 2020, 11:05:59 AM
But then, everyone starts being 'prudent', and suddenly the shelves are being emptied faster than normal, and then idiots start buying everything under the sun 'just in case'.
Idiots ?....Yep.
Fair enough to have a limited stock of essentials........10 kilos of rice ?......Gimme strength.....90%+ of that will end up in landfill.
Mankind managed to survive the devastating 'Spanish flu', after the first World War....I'm sure we can do the same (or
far better) now.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Norm on 07 March 2020, 08:29:59 AM
How can you sell out of something that is so abundant that it only costs 25p.
We are being ripped off with the cost of most drugs
I was involved with a charity taking medicines to Roumainia in 2001. We bought amoxicillin , Parcetamol and Asprin in tubs of 1000 tablets
Amoxcillin £5.50 per thousand
Paracetamol £165 per thousand
Aspirin £1.25 per thousand
They are making a fortune out of us- unfortunately you can only buy them as we did if you are a registered charity.
Just been to the local ASDA, and was in Lidel yesterday. Both seemed to have a full stock of most things. Only sparse shelf was the chilled near date reduced one.
IanS
Was reading there that some people have taken to stealing hand sanitiser from hospitals, either topping up their own bottles from it or even ripping the dispensers off the walls. I can understand some people wanting to take sensible precautions, especially is they're in vulnerable health, but that sort of behaviour is taking things too far. That's just selfish and puts the people most vulnerable to it at increased risk. Disgusting. Thankfully seems to be fairly isolated cases.
No doubt we'll see more such madness for a bit yet until this mass panic dies down and people start realising that that mountsin of toilet paper blocking up their hallway is going to take a year to knock down to size and for what...
A stupid driver pranged into a family member's car in SA some twenty years ago, killing two passengers. After the cops had arrived (on an inter-city highway), and all the reporting had been done, the survivors realised he'd also stolen one of their suitcases before leaving.
X_X X_X X_X
That was nice of him.
I misheard the news at 3 this morning. (Got woken up by the wind and rain.)
I "heard" sixty million folk in Italy were now under 'quarantine lock-down'. Stroll on....That must be approaching the whole population, I thought. (Though at that stage I was guessing the size population in Italy....I've looked it up now, and it IS just over 60 million.)
Second listen.....Sixteen million are 'quarantined'......That's still an awful lot of folk.
I wonder where Yann is, in relation to all this....Good luck, that man !!
Cheers - Phil
Italy has had more deaths than the UK has had reported cases, so not surprising they're doing things like this.
I am in Marseille (France).
I have friends in Milan.
My son is around Rome.
The news of the lock-down leaked yesterday before the effective lock-down.
People fleeing Milano with the last train (http://"https://www.fanpage.it/attualita/coronavirus-fuga-da-milano-la-stazione-ferroviaria-presa-dassalto-da-centinaia-di-persone/") People wanting to be with their families...this is how it spreads.
The Italian Health minister stated that they need 200 new beds per day, don't have them. He said it is spreading quicker than expected, quicker than the Chinese data led to believe.
I repeat : I don't fear dying from the virus, I fear having a car crash and needing a bed in ICU.
La Società italiana anestesisti e rianimatori (http://"https://www.avvenire.it/famiglia-e-vita/pagine/terapie-intensive-ricoveri-secondo-eta-e-speranza-di-vita") published a document stating their recommandations to the ER departments around Italy : triage using a lmit of age and "best survival hope ". I'll let you appreciate it.
I am really saying to you : this will have social consequences. I expect some turmoils in the streets.
Quote from: barbarian on 08 March 2020, 10:27:52 AM
I am really saying to you : this will have social consequences. I expect some turmoils in the streets.
Sadly...That may end up being true :(.....But I sincerely hope not....Fingers crossed.
Cheers - Phil
Orcs, most of the cost of anything is putting it on the shelf, not the cost of the goods.
27 Jails with riots in Italy (outside the red zone) as they blocked the family visits (therefore access to drugs)
20 prisoners still evading capture around Foggia.
Please have a look at Italy and France and take necessary precautions for yourself and your elders.
I'll stop commenting here, it makes me anxious, I'll paint and post some Pendraken minis, surely better. ;)
What's happening in the south of Italy, barbarian? France, Austria, the north of Italy are in our news but somehow 'miraculously' the south is not mentioned.
Personal interest (dilemma): we booked a week in Sorrento in April before all of this became news.
Don't go.
Cases around Rome, Naples, in Puglia...
This will be everywhere.
Don't go.
Thanks, barbarian. Current information for the remainder of Italy provided by the UK Government Foreign Travel Advice is
Across the whole of Italy, museums and cultural institutions are closed and all sporting fixtures must be played behind closed doors. Childcare facilities, schools and universities are closed until 15 March. Public and social gatherings should be avoided with cinemas, pubs and clubs closed. Restaurants and bars remain open with reduced seating.
Personally, I'd rather not go or, at least postpone our trip. Doesn't sound much of a fun holiday to me. But I'm only one of four in our party and the rest still seem to be up for it (or perhaps just 'head in the sand?'). I'll continue to monitor the situation.
I'd also say don't go, Davy....At least not at the moment.
A few days ago we only had two confirmed cases in Wales.....Now we've got 6.
Two today, two yesterday......All folk returning from Italy.
Apparently these last four had already put themselves into voluntary quarantine, which is something to commend them for.
Cheers - Phil
You may not get the chance to go anyway Davy, the lockdown in Lombardy has just been extended to the whole of Italy.
Yep, all Italy is now closed. Even to move inside, they need to fill some papers : only to work, buy groceries or getting medical cures. The police and Carabinieri will control everybody in the streets.
Don't be fooled, France will be next. Macron said it will be studied on a "case by case " bases.
But it will be everywhere.
f***.
I fear it will travel north into Europe.
You may have another month in Great-Britain, but I wouldn't count on it.
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/03/09/italy-confirms-national-lockdown-14-days-for-all-bar-essential-personnel/
Perhaps 2 weeks before England lockdown?
Mark
10 days according to Newsnight
Just occurred to me, a 2-week national shut-down 2 weeks from has Salute wargames show towards the end of it. Traders and organisers may need to confer.
Mark
They don't give masks to anybody in Italy. Basically, people will infect each other's at work.
The shutdown will not last two weeks. It will be at least a month. If not more.
I highly doubt Salute will happen.
I hope I am wrong but I don't see why I would be.
Quote from: sultanbev on 10 March 2020, 12:07:11 AM
Traders and organisers may need to confer.
Already happening behind the scenes, Hammerhead is going ahead as normal and Partizan have said that they'll cancel if things haven't improved by April 2nd I believe. Salute is a much larger beast and the Warlords wouldn't be able to make that decision themselves. It would need to be a government ban on large gatherings I'd think, with some guarantees that insurance companies will stump up for the financial implications.
"The shutdown will not last two weeks. It will be at least a month. If not more.
I highly doubt Salute will happen.
I hope I am wrong but I don't see why I would be."
Yes, I agree, the exponential function in full flow
https://consciousnessofsheep.co.uk/2020/03/01/our-second-greatest-shortcoming/
PS, see you at Hammerhead :)
Mark
Here's the 'league table' for Europe, as of yesterday. :(
www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea
I fear Yann may be right in it increasing in Northern Europe.....It looks like it's getting fairly 'iffy' already. :(
Can't say what I think is going to happen in the UK in the next couple of weeks.
Wouldn't be surprised if the top 5 in that table will start seeing 'lock-downs' within the next two to four weeks.
Some good news, in that China seems to be getting on top of its outbreak.
Davy.....The decision seems to have been taken out of your hands, for the time being.
Stay well, Gang.
Cheers - Phil
Why has Italy been the hardest hit so far?
Ian
I don't think we know, for certain, Ian.
I believe the theory is that it was circulating in parts of the population there for a good while before it was 'spotted'.
Cheers - Phil
That just rephrases the question....
Best guess, there was a transmission very early doors from Wuhan and the infection probably got to a key hub such as petrol pumps, supermarket, gym, factory dining room, rail station or some-such that allowed enough large scale contact that it was well and truly out there before detection became a thing. The hub must have been something to do with people who are highly communicable and relatively mobile in their day to day activities.
What do I know, I'm just a wargamer who can't roll a '6'.
It has to start somewhere is the answer.
My ex finally reached out asking for Hydroalcoholic gel and masks...We don't have any either here.
My sister is an " anesthésiste-réanimateur " in France : They have zero instructions except wash your hands and use a mask. (to be fair, she isn't working ICU now but some gut-cancer-related surgeries)
She reacted really calmly : " People will die " and " I'll do my job ". She is used to make hard decisions when she worked ICU or ER.
The infuriating thing is being talked to like 8 years old by the authorities. They are still maintaining the township elections here, business as usual. I have insider sources that know for sure at least 1/3 of the electoral presidents committees will not attend in my city. I don't even know how they expect to have the electoral boots attended for, or even people going to vote. I sure won't let anybody handle my ID. I don't really think I'll vote.
This is such an illustration of total disconnect of the representatives from reality.
We are adults, talk to us as adults. Say " we don't know " or " It's going to be bad ".
I mean it is not even remotely comparable to the kind of decision leaders had to deal with during the Wold Wars... The persons in position of power need to grow a pair.
That's democracy. Tell the truth or endorse policies beyond five years into the future in their consequences, and you're looking for a job after the next election.
To be fair I think the UK government et al seem to be managing this one well in a measured way (we are British after all ;)
Quote from: sultanbev on 09 March 2020, 10:11:20 PM
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/03/09/italy-confirms-national-lockdown-14-days-for-all-bar-essential-personnel/
Perhaps 2 weeks before England lockdown?
Mark
I thought I was the only ( occasional ) skawkbox reader on this site.
I have just sent an e-mail to my employer
,
Obviously I am not an expert on pandemics but I wonder if it a good idea to have a staff conference where we would have all the delivery staff in one place'
I vote.... "No." :)
Cheers - Phil
We may be slightly protected by British social norms.
I remember discussing the introduction of a new version of the communion service at our church with a recently arrived Episcopalian priest. On the matter of The Peace, the point at which the congregation are encouraged to greet each other "in the local manner," he opined that this was working perfectly, they ignored each other just as studiously in church as they did in the street!
Have a meeting tomorrow in work on coronovirus contingency. Half expecting something like this: https://donthitsave.com/comic/2020/03/06/coronavirus.
Authorities of Lombardia are considering a harsh lockdown (Martial law type) with only food and medicine jobs permitted to work. They say the soft lock down isn't helping enough. (yeah, nobody has masks !!!)
In the village of my son, a friend told me people were on top of each other in the supermarkets, buying 300€ of food (a lot for Italy) and leaving. The Carabinieri had to intervene to disperse people.
If you want to know how bad it will be in your country, search how many ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) you country owns. France has 180, and 5-10% of the infected need one to survive.
On another concerning note, 1% of the 0-9 years old still need hospitalisation. (The Chinese claim to have 0 deaths under 10 years old). In France, we have around 7.5 millions under 10 years old. So if 10% are infected, 1% of that is still 7500.
7500 beds of pediatric care that we don't have. Closing the schools is a necessity. The Chinese could pull ressources from their enormous country (both medical staff and equipment) : nobody is coming to help Europe.
We just don't have the capacity to handle this.
And still, people in France are saying " don't overreact, we are ready, it is not that bad..." I am not announcing the arrival of Aliens or some Divine punishment, I use numbers and consider our situation. I am extremely cold and cynical about it. And still, business as usual in France. People in Ajaccio (Corsica), a ducking MD on TV, " we shouldn't close the schools ! "
I feel like I am swimming inside a puddle of porridge.
I began coughing today.
I'm sure will all be fine... ;)
I really want to be wrong and look at my thought process in a few months and reflect on myself " I was stressed out, I over reacted..."
I really want to be.
South Italy will suffer, they have nothing compared to the North. I am just sad.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 10 March 2020, 05:04:14 PM
I'm sure will all be fine...
Ditto. :)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: barbarian on 10 March 2020, 05:38:45 PM
I really want to be wrong and look at my thought process in a few months and reflect on myself " I was stressed out, I over reacted..."
I really want to be.
South Italy will suffer, they have nothing compared to the North. I am just sad.
You are not alone in that sadness. Italy is the last country in the world I'd wish an epidemic on.
Our Health Minister has caught it...
Somewhat ironic.....
And a conference in The 'States about the virus has been cancelled due to the virus. :-\
I've decided to stop worrying about it. I shall remain concerned about it, and do my absolute utmost to avoid it (obviously).
It's going to run its course now, and there's not very much more anyone can do to keep us all 'safe'.
Cheers - Phil
#$%^ safety. I want my holiday in Spain!
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 March 2020, 08:16:32 AM
#$%^ safety. I want my holiday in Spain!
What a pity - never mind ! I'm not letting it restrict me !
Quote from: mad lemmey on 11 March 2020, 07:01:27 AM
Our Health Minister has caught it...
Funny. So has mine. Small world.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 11 March 2020, 08:19:33 AM
What a pity - never mind ! I'm not letting it restrict me !
If the things I want to see are closed....
Today back to Asda for my regular shop, been visited by Huns, Vandals, Goths, and Visigoths. The girl on checkout confirmed that panic buying had been going on. :'( :'( :'(
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 March 2020, 10:15:47 AM
If the things I want to see are closed....
I've three and a half weeks in Japan booked at the end of April... At this rate there way be no point if everything is shut.. hopefully things settle down by then.
Let us know if you end up in Bangkok. We'll be back from 7th of May.
www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea
I'll pop this in again, as a link.....I now see that they update it early every day....So it's 'just about' 24 hours behind.....certainly is for the UK. =)
Europe's 'table' is shown at the top of the page......Scroll down the page to 'Situation update worldwide' and click on that link to see Africa/Asia/etc.
Good luck to you both, in getting where you're hoping to visit. :)
(I see Yann hasn't posted since yesterday...So I hope he's not caught it.)
Cheers - Phil
I have a sore throat. I am not worried. Several friends told me " It's sunny, today, let's grab a drink ! "
Told them no. They reacted as if I was mad.
Talked to my son on Hangouts : He and his cousin asked if we have it in France and they explained to me that they can't see the old people, because they'll die otherwise.
Here, people in public transportation in Marseille threaten to go on strike if they don't receive protective equipment.
Still business as usual. We received instructions for the Sunday vote : stay 1 meter away of each others, bring your own pen to sign...
They told us to stop " doing la bise " and handshakes as a poll emerged yesterday stating 75% of French people are still shaking hands.
The communication began to shift slightly toward the " we must flatten the curve.
My sister talked to colleagues that warned her that she will be requisitioned, will have to ventilate a lot of people and do triage. (She is not at the current time) Looks like the warnings from the Italian doctors are having effect on the medical staff here. Several doctors on TV yesterday mostly agreeing with my position. (which feels nice in a way, not being alone and awful for the people)
BBC breaking news that WHO has now declared it a pandemic (well, it was looking that way, anyway).
Here's an interesting video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5H308HeuWc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5H308HeuWc). A 'wargame' of a Coronavirus outbreak played out as recently as October 2019. Wasn't there a German Army wargame about an Allied invasion of France in progress when the actual D-Day landings started?
Quote from: Westmarcher on 11 March 2020, 05:34:08 PM
BBC breaking news that WHO has now declared it a pandemic (well, it was looking that way, anyway).
Other Breaking News ... "Water wet!" .... "Elvis still dead!" ;)
I wonder how sales of the "Pandemic" board game are doing?
The players have never yet won any game of that I've been involved in. Lets hope that's not an omen.
Well, I did my bit in Michigan last night. I went for a Chinese meal and had a Corona to drink. the waitress suggested "without the virus" :P
Quote from: Westmarcher on 11 March 2020, 05:34:08 PM
...Wasn't there a German Army wargame about an Allied invasion of France in progress when the actual D-Day landings started?
Yes there was and so a lot of senior officers were not at their headquarters
The second battalion of von Luck's Panzergrenadier Regiment was also on exercise so initially engaged the British paras with only blank ammunition :o
Those numbers...800 dead and 12500 infected.
It is true things only resonate when you have an emotional attachement to them.
A bunch of Chinese dying over there...well.
Italians dying next door : I feel it.
Quote from: paulr on 11 March 2020, 06:17:13 PM
The second battalion of von Luck's Panzergrenadier Regiment was also on exercise so initially engaged the British paras with only blank ammunition :o
No worries if they were shooting back at the "Rupert" dummy paratroopers then. ;D
[btw, a comment on Facebook ..... "We thought there would be flying cars in 2020 and here we are, still trying to get people to wash their hands!" ;D ]
Quote from: Ithoriel on 11 March 2020, 05:50:14 PM
I wonder how sales of the "Pandemic" board game are doing?
The players have never yet won any game of that I've been involved in. Lets hope that's not an omen.
Up considerably, as well as Outbreak and Plague Inc and various others (so people who work in the games selling industry tell me!).
Hope everyone stays safe, and the added load on the health services is managed.
I've washed so much and so often my hands are cracking open, which is lovely :/
We've got elderly folks with underlying conditions of various sorts and a brand new wee one, so this is marvellous timing!
Just ordered "Eldrich Horror".
Good game. Don't sneeze on the pieces ;)
What I do to reduce my likeliness to spread it :
- Pest my relatives to not go out (My mother yelled at me telling me I was annoying, but she bought a lot of food)
- Pest my friends to pest their parents.
- I don't go out at all (I sculpt from home, so easy for me)
- I postponed my sons visits even before the lock-down. (technically, him being bi-national could come over using his french papers, but I chose having him no to)
- I try to convince people online.
- On a funny note, I modified my Tinder profile to help spread awareness, and killed my sexlife. I think there is a market for the major porn sites to have good "free" PR.
What do you do ?
Tell my students to wash their hands.
Wash my hands so much they're literally falling apart, minimise visits to places with people, make sure my asthma meds are up to date! Put off the family from visiting us as the new arrival is very wee. Work from home.
Ahahaha, Pornhub is free for Italians.
I knew it.
;D
We made a bunch of soup/stew for the freezer at the weekend so we've something nutritious to eat if we do end up getting sick. My wife has asked me to pick up a few bottles of wine on the way home....just in case!
Republic of Ireland has just closed all schools today. Still open up here in the North, though a few large businesses in the city centre have shut and making people work from home. Had a few meetings in work on how we'll deal with a breakout or shutdown, alas we're perfectly capable of working from home so business as usual for the most part if we do have to shut offices.
I live in the Southern part of the Netherlands and apparently we're doomed... so be it; it's not the bubonic plague; we'll live. Those that died here were people who had severe health issues already and had a low life expectancy. That doesnt make it easier for them but is what nature does...
On a lighter note; (and I really don't want to insult anybody here) I find it somewhat amusing that someone with the name 'Barbarian' is concerned with washing hands and wearing facemasks... I see visions of hordes of rough men with beards and facemasks, wearing furs and latex gloves descending upon towns and howling out that people should keep their distance and stock up on supplies and that they will definitely not r*pe and pillage anybody within two metres distance...
Sorry for that Barbarian; it's nothing personal and I appreciate your concern but it was too good to pass on... I hope you'll forgive me.
Cheers,
Rob
It is funny.
" Catch him and wash his hands ! "
;D
I'm currently visiting and working in Detroit, Michigan, and the governor has declared a state of emergency. The chaps here say that by doing this they can now access federal as well as state funds. As one of them said: "When a big decision is made - follow the money trail" :o
19th century colonialists playing 5-day cricket:
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/03/12/johnsons-herd-immunity-plan-would-mean-letting-90-of-uk-catch-covid-19-and-a-million-or-more-die/
If you have a god, now would be time to invoke it! FFS
Mark
Sweet jibbers Crabsticks - Johnson & his merry band of eugenic incompetents are the gift that keeps giving :/
On the plus side, for Barbarian at least it's likely Italy (& South Korea) are actually doing better at managing the virus than e.g. here or the States...
https://markmanson.net/coronavirus-risks-and-biases?utm_content=buffer3e1aa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=facebook-posts&fbclid=IwAR0c-w9ZZX_B_z4wpMo_Svs07n0B57eFTlFuT6_1ZofF89GSVIXu75aUDAY
"https://markmanson.net/coronavirus-risks-and-biases?utm_content=buffer3e1aa&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=facebook-posts&fbclid=IwAR0c-w9ZZX_B_z4wpMo_Svs07n0B57eFTlFuT6_1ZofF89GSVIXu75aUDAY"
"and believes eating fruits and vegetables is useful than wearing a face mask" Yep.
See attached article which may be more useful than government policy.
Never forget the exponential function:
https://consciousnessofsheep.co.uk/2020/03/01/our-second-greatest-shortcoming/
Mark
All schools are closed indefinitely in France from Monday.
Quarantined Person in the house.
Dr Holmes came back from a medical conference in Barcelona and straight into 14 days isloation.
No symptoms yet, but if there are then the whole household become quarantined.
First casualty of the confinement has been my game of Rebels and Patriots with Westmarcher.
There will be no report in "Last set of rules" this weekend.
Postponed until a finer and better Saturday - if the lord spares us.
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 12 March 2020, 08:02:13 PM
Postponed until a finer and better Saturday - if the lord spares us.
Middle East WW1? Stay safe!
Did some panic buying today ..... suddenly realised I had run out of beer for the weekend .... panic over, now #:-S
p.s. As already stated, no worries, Steve. Can't be helped. The game can wait. Best wishes to all in the Holmes household
..... now where did I put that old army surplus Noddy suit ...?
Well, i got our house stocked for food for a week or 3, 4 if i need to stretch it. Wife is going to get some more essentials tomorrow after work before things get hectic.
Lots of events cancelled and retirement homes and hospitals are no longer open for visit here in Belgium. Any symptoms of cold or similar gets you an auto "7 days of work and not allowed to leave the house" note. Talking about shutting down schools and bars and rstaurants and the like.
Seems at least like we aren't waiting for it to get worse.
Stay safe Gents!
Paracetomal in short supply or non existant in the supermarkets here. Also a run on toilet rolls in Edinburgh as it took our daughter 5 days to be able to buy some! Did a small shop today in Lidl and all seemed fine. Will be interesting to see how ASDA compares tomorrow...
Was in Lidl this evening, they were well stocked in toilet roll (mountains of it!) yet still people were wandering around with armfuls of the stuff. Mad. Two days ago all was fine, yesterday the pasta and rice was starting to go, today it was packed all day long (I work opposite it) and the poor staff looked exhausted keeping up with the panic buying and shelf clearing. No bread or rice or pasta left. Frozen pizza and chips and the like all cleared out. It was worse than Christmas.
Of course the fruit and veg, you know the things that might actually help you fight off illness, were in good supply.
This Covid 19 panic buying is interrupting my Brexit stock piling.
Mark, getting your five a day is important ;)
I ran out of beer some time ago due to being on "may need to drive to the Maternity ward at three mins notice" so I feel your pain Westmarcher :D
Loo roll not a problem here unless you insist on buying it in Tescos or Asda. Everywhere else has it. Along with tinned tomato's and pasta - the pasta aisle was bare in Tescos except some sad looking artisanal whole wheat gnocchi
Strangely the panic buying hasn't affected us much at all up here, aside from hand sanitiser, which is now as rare as rocking horse poop.
For a minute, I thought panic buying of little metal soldiers...
In light of recent of panic buying UK supermarkets have introduced purchase limits.
Asda: 2 hand sanitisers, 24 toilet rolls max.
Tesco: 1 Hand sanitiser, 18 toilet rolls & 2kg rice.
Co-op: 12 rolls toilet paper, 1Kg rice.
Aldi: 2 Trumpets, 1 diving suit & a MIG welder.
Tesco's in Cardigan were out of paracetomol and cleaning sprays, and the tinned veg section looked a bit sparse, yesterday.
The loo roll section was about half empty...and that was early. =)
A few of the other shelves, that are usually full to the brim, were a little bit light of stock.
There did seem to be a lot more cars than usual in the car-park for that time of the morning, though.
Cheers - Phil
What about bandages and plasters, Phil?
I urge you to have a read :
https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-11/italy-doctors-coronavirus-covid-19-quarantine-milan-health/
Two doctors from Milan leaving messages on Whatsapp for their colleagues in Rome.
English version in the article.
They don't treat people over 60 in these hospitals, letting them die, to have ventilators for the people born in the 70's (so 40 to 50 years old).
Pull your kids out of schools if you have some.
If you are a grand parent, do not help your children to attend for your grand-child.
See your grand children over video calls.
Please be safe.
It is only a matter of time before demand outstrips availability of breathing equipment in hospitals. I don't know what the answer is to that, I doubt there are any good options, just some are better than others.
I think wargamers are probably a safe community with the concept of self-isolating not really being a problem ;-) :o
Quote from: Dave Fielder on 13 March 2020, 10:19:54 AM
I think wargamers are probably a safe community with the concept of self-isolating not really being a problem ;-) :o
Absolutely; I only play against people that I've won from in the past so that kinda limits my social circle. Plus if the ones that I did win from get infected there's not much lost really...
Cheers,
Rob
Quote from: barbarian on 13 March 2020, 09:14:42 AM
I urge you to have a read :
https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-11/italy-doctors-coronavirus-covid-19-quarantine-milan-health/
Two doctors from Milan leaving messages on Whatsapp for their colleagues in Rome.
English version in the article.
They don't treat people over 60 in these hospitals, letting them die, to have ventilators for the people born in the 70's (so 40 to 50 years old).
Pull your kids out of schools if you have some.
You mustn't believe everything in the media. they are generally wretched liars, and itv news is notoriously unreliable and sensationalist. Plus it seems to be an odd conversation. It's not for either parties benefit - there's no useful exchange of information that would benefit either.
It's as if it were made by two people for the sake of the recording. If that's the case then these people should be hunted down and thrashed for spreading panic and fear: two of the worst human attributes imaginable to my mind.
As for "Pull your kids out of schools if you have some." - well yes, we have lost of schools ( :D) but children are also the most robust and resistant to the extremes of covid-19, plus my lad is away at school - if I pulled him out he'd most likely be at
more risk of catching something that probably
wont really affect him anyway. So I regard that as a bit of an over-reaction.
I'm flying back to the UK tonight from Michigan (yesterday a state of emergency was declared here). I just left a Walmart where I saw a person laden down with toilet rolls. I so wanted to tell them it affects your respiratory system not your arse!
Quote from: Westmarcher on 13 March 2020, 09:00:05 AM
What about bandages and plasters, Phil?
That's a thought, Davy. :o
Sorry...I've not been keeping up with posts properly since yesterday evening....I'm sure I've missed posts that I would normally reply to.
My 'Narnia' was being a right barsteward, and hurting like you know what.
Better now.....Just cream crackered.
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 13 March 2020, 12:17:33 PM
I so wanted to tell them it affects your respiratory system not your arse!
People aren't worried about their digestive systems, they're worried about being stuck in their houses for days/ weeks/ months.
I tend to be fairly fatalistic about these things but as a 66 year old with a heart condition I felt it prudent to buy an extra bag of pasta, rice and lentils and a second pack of loo rolls when I last did a big shop.
I'm not having to self isolate but I am being advised to avoid human contact wherever possible. One or two fewer visits to the supermarket may, or may not, make a difference.
Tescos here was denuded of pasta barring some sad loooking artisanal wholewheat gnocchi.
So I went over the road to Marks & Sparks which was absolutely fine, loo roll and soap etc as normal.
Also made my own hand sanitizer, 70% surgical spirit, 30% aloe Vera gel. I may have erred on the side of booze. It's a bit thin (good for getting everywhere I guess) and now I want a whisky ;)
On a more serious note beds are a problem - there's very little slack in the NHS as it's been pared to the bone. There's only a couple of dozen acute breathing disaster beds in the whole country. Whilst most people who get Corona virus will likely just be miserable, a significantly larger number will need inpatient care. A significant number of them will need those specialist acute respiratory beds. Likely far more than a couple of dozen :(
That's very unlikely to be any given person, but someone will. Given how bad we are as a species at judging individual risk versus general populace risk I'm unsurprised at people panicking mildly to hugely!
These messages are audio messages that you leave on Whatsapp.
They are not talking to each other, they are leaving a message for the doctors in Rome.
They could be voice actors. They could be. I believe what they say, the tone and the words seem appropriate for their fonction.
Everybody does what they feel is best for their family.
I tell you France will go in full lock down soon.
Cheers.
How's the hysteria going?
Quote from: Ben Waterhouse on 13 March 2020, 04:49:48 PM
How's the hysteria going?
I would imagine it depends whether you have underlaying health problems or someone close to you does or whether you don't!
Most governments and the stock market seem to think this is a thing and that it is worth worrying about.
Our Prime minister told the Nation yesterday that we can expect to lose loved ones. Raised anxiety should be expected in its many manifestations - unchartered waters for many.
in our family we have two pregnant women and one is problematic, 1 starting a cancer treatment, 1 who's job is now on the line and two with elderly parents, both with health issues, but only in their mid 70's, so concerns are real enough.
Well here in Belgium bars,restaurants and clubs are closing at midnight. Today was last day of school, and non-food shops will close in the weekend.
Like true idiiots, people are organizing pre lockdown parties to empty the kegs before closing. Just pointlesss to lock down when you get everywhone toghtere first =) =) =)
Quote from: petercooman on 13 March 2020, 07:14:56 PM
Well here in Belgium bars,restaurants and clubs are closing at midnight. Today was last day of school, and non-food shops will close in the weekend.
Like true idiiots, people are organizing pre lockdown parties to empty the kegs before closing. Just pointlesss to lock down when you get everywhone toghtere first =) =) =)
When Belgium closes bars, you know the situation is serious.
Quote from: Ben Waterhouse on 13 March 2020, 04:49:48 PM
How's the hysteria going?
Oh God. Have I got that as well?
Quote from: Ben Waterhouse on 13 March 2020, 04:49:48 PM
How's the hysteria going?
It's a great album, can't believe See Leopard are still going.
Quote from: petercooman on 13 March 2020, 07:14:56 PM
Like true idiots, people are organizing pre lockdown parties to empty the kegs before closing. Just pointless to lock down when you get every one together first =) =) =)
Your reasoning is impeccable, Peter. Except, perhaps, they are Prince* fans? ;)
* thinking .....
Say say two thousand zero two zero party over, oops, out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's nineteen ninety-nine
[excuse the paraphrasing]
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 13 March 2020, 07:30:37 PM
When Belgium closes bars, you know the situation is serious.
;D ;D ;D
Quote from: Westmarcher on 13 March 2020, 08:29:39 PM
Your reasoning is impeccable, Peter. Except, perhaps, they are Prince* fans? ;)
* thinking .....
Say say two thousand zero two zero party over, oops, out of time
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's nineteen ninety-nine
[excuse the paraphrasing]
Maybe they think booze kills the virus ;D
Quote from: petercooman on 13 March 2020, 09:02:27 PM
Maybe they think booze kills the virus ;D
Don't blame them. I thought it was worth a try tonight .... 8-} ;D
Without picking sides it does look like Dominic Cummings has got the apocalypse he possibly wanted
As a relatively young and very healthy member of the 'herd' I'm ready to follow government advice and sacrifice myself to this contagion to save you old bulls.
I hope you appreciate it!
Seriously, if it helps my olds I'll take it on the chin now.
Was out doing the weekly shop this morning here in NZ today....somewhat to my surprise it was very quiet at the supermarket, (though I did go in fairly early) and they had reasonable stock of loo paper/hand sanitsers etc - all limited to one per customer though....
Can't get facemasks here for love or money, though I am not sure what the heck people are doing with them as I have yet to see one person actually wearing one in Wellington this week.....
My workplace moved entirely to laptop based workstations after the earthquakes we had here a couple of years ago so we are required to take them home with us each day in case we need to work from home.
NZ has been really fortunate only having 5 cases so far in total with no fatalities yet, but like the rest of the world we are taking the Covid 19 threat very seriously.
There are supposedly signs that Covid 19 things are stabilising in China. Hopefully the crisis will pass and the world will be able to get back to some degree of "normality" sooner than later.
No matter where you are I wish everyone "Bon chance" - stay safe, stay well and keep calm.
Quote from: Matt J on 13 March 2020, 11:13:59 PM
As a relatively young and very healthy member of the 'herd' I'm ready to follow government advice and sacrifice myself to this contagion to save you old bulls.
I hope you appreciate it!
Seriously, if it helps my olds I'll take it on the chin now.
Seems you can't predict how 'hard' you get it, so might not be the best idea.
Quote from: pierre the shy on 13 March 2020, 11:20:18 PM
No matter where you are I wish everyone "Bon chance" - stay safe, stay well and keep calm.
Same to you sir!
Quote from: Ace of Spades on 12 March 2020, 01:54:16 PM
I live in the Southern part of the Netherlands and apparently we're doomed..
Well, given my son has just stomped XXX through it, and dropped artillery and typhoon anti tank rockets on the rest, I'm not surprised
And I've blown up a load of bridges
Several cases in Ohio now. The Governor declared a state of emergency, banned gatherings over a hundred in number, with a few exceptions. Schools, colleges and churches closed. Toledo libraries closing from tomorrow. TP, hand sanitizer food flying off the shelves. A feeling of real fear beginning to settle in. Strange days.
Closing large ecclesiatical gatherings might be useful. Remember the pious fallout from AIDS?
Na - cant close down religion, God would get VERY annoyed ;) ;)
Quote from: ianrs54 on 14 March 2020, 08:23:33 AM
Na - cant close down religion, God would get VERY annoyed ;) ;)
And I lifted up mine eyes to the hills and espied the four horsemen of the apocalypse... .
Quote from: Norm on 13 March 2020, 04:58:05 PM
Most governments and the stock market seem to think this is a thing and that it is worth worrying about.
My pension fund's lost a quarter of its value over the last three weeks. First world problem I know, but it will have a real-world effect. Not to me - I have a long and tiresome wait until I'm old enough - but there will be people retiring now who've suddenly become a lot poorer in their old age.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 13 March 2020, 12:17:33 PM
As for "Pull your kids out of schools if you have some." - well yes, we have lost of schools ( :D) but children are also the most robust and resistant to the extremes of covid-19, plus my lad is away at school - if I pulled him out he'd most likely be at more risk of catching something that probably wont really affect him anyway. So I regard that as a bit of an over-reaction.
Yes, kids seem to the least vulnerable. That's not the point. Schools are excellent distribution systems for anything going. So although the kids may not get too sick, they could well introduce it into the household, and then everyone else is at risk.
Quote from: Raider4 on 14 March 2020, 10:06:40 AM
Yes, kids seem to the least vulnerable. That's not the point. Schools are excellent distribution systems for anything going. So although the kids may not get too sick, they could well introduce it into the household, and then everyone else is at risk.
Like I said though - my lad is
away at school. So he's not going to pass it on to us if he catches it. Plus his school are scrubbing all of their trips and camps and now we need to complete a form explaining where he'll be going over the Easter break.
Just been down to the local village, which really is quite/very big, for a village.)
Local pharmacy.....No face masks or hand sanitiser.....(Or paracetomol)....Limiting loo-roll sales to one pack per person.
Up to the Farmers' co-op to get bird seed, and also bisquits for the dogs.
Big stack of loo rolls by the till, "Do you need any loo rolls,"......" No we're fine for those".....
Two big bottles of hand sanitiser on the counter, " Are those for us to use ?"......."Yes...If you want to".....So they must have got oodles.....They'll also almost certainly have face masks, as well.
I'm waiting for some wit to post an 'advert' on eBay for a second hand loo roll "Used once only !"
(https://i1.wp.com/media.boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/toilet-paper-BBC.jpg?w=1417&ssl=1)
This chap won't need more than this single roll........He's so tiny.
On a more serious note...I feel really sorry for those who have been looking forward to a holiday.....and who look like they're going to miss out.....at least for the time being.....And the little shops who are already suffering, and who will probably 'finish' if we have a 'lock-down'.
Cheers - Phil (Who also thinks Hysteria is a damn fine 'album'.)
Yes Hysteria is an excellent album.
We were due Loo Rolls just before everyone went mad so I bough our usual pack of 24 and put half in the loft. OUr use of loo roll will halve in a fortnight anyway.
No we are not going to overdose on Immodium, the step daughter is moving out - HOORAY <:-P <:-P <:-P, and she seems to use more loo roll than the two of us together.
This should also have a positive impact on finances reducing water bill and electric bill. - More to spend on shiny toys :)
My wife's trip to Italy with a friend in June is looking in doubt. We had hoped to go away for our 25th wedding anniversary but have put any planning on hold until further notice. Daughter in Edinburgh may not be able to travel down for our sons birthday cum Easter break. Said daughter also due to go to Fiji in the Summer, via the US, which is again in doubt following a recent e-mail. So looks like it will be a holiday in Bristol sur Avon.
If you look at the regional numbers, the south of Italy is still mostly "okay" ( "Only" 11 deaths yesterday in the region of Rome).
I really hope it won't blow up as hard than in the north, but I have little faith.
The results of the lock-down will only be noticeable in 10-12 days.
Let's hope.
Meanwhile, in Toulouse France, my sister began to receive cases, some doctors of the hospital are confirmed cases, she even was working on one patient for the last week without a mask that is now suspected to be ill. She and her 15 months old are coughing.
People around me : " this person was in contact with a confirmed case, this one was..." Still her colleagues say "don't worry, it won't be like Italy " when she brings up articles. Denial and normalcy bias is everywhere.
For the moment, the families with one essential worker (fireman, police, health worker) can still send their kids to school. The teachers are supposed to do groups of max 8 children (that number was 10 yesterday) AND teach remotely to the rest of the kids. I let you appreciate how many kids this is. (Up to one third of some classes, so over the 8 limit...)
In big cities, they are organizing to group some kids into one school. In small cities, each school needs to organize on its own.
I forgot to say that single mothers teachers CAN'T bring their own kids to aggregate with the class. It is an organisational nightmare.
EDIT (JUST NOW) : Italy is closing parks, access to the sea, beaches.
In the UK, the advice as far as I can tell is that if you think you have the virus, then self isolate and if it is a mild attack, it will be gone within a week. But, if it goes on for more than a week or the symptoms are severe, then phone 111.
i can see why that was done, but it strikes me with so many infected people now not needing to automatically call 111, we have lost our only mechanic of counting the number of infected people in the UK.
Spain have said their cases have gone up by 1500 today (so it seems that measuring the climbing rate is still important for policy makers) and the number of deaths in the UK have double over the last 24 hours to just over 20. If one assumes that these deaths and infections occurred from transmission 7 - 14 days ago, then our 'big picture' and our 'feel'of how things are now, is always going to be behind the curve by that period and so what the 'big picture' will look like in 7 - 14 days is actually being formed today ...... if true, do our personal decisions on where we go and on relation to public gatherings (not banned in the UK yet) today need to be viewed not so much in terms of how things are, but more as what they will likely be in a fortnight?
Norm, this. This is what we need to hammer to people.
No wonder we can't do something about climate change when we aren't even able to tackle a problem 2 weeks from now.
The testing in France is as follow : Only if and when you have severe symptoms do you receive a test.
The number of cases doesn't mean anything by that standard, if you don't screen a large portion of the population of an area. The only significant numbers are Hospital admissions (both "normal" and ICU) and dead.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 14 March 2020, 06:39:47 AM
Closing large ecclesiatical gatherings might be useful. Remember the pious fallout from AIDS?
What a surprise... :-<
We (WV) are now the only state without a confirmed case. This is likely a meaningless piece of information, because:
Quote from: barbarian on 14 March 2020, 04:23:36 PM
The number of cases doesn't mean anything by that standard, if you don't screen a large portion of the population of an area. The only significant numbers are Hospital admissions (both "normal" and ICU) and dead.
There are still too many unknowns. The best assumption is the virus is already rampant in the generally population and only time will tell. What MAY be different is the acquired immunity might be lower than we think and the lasting damage to lung tissue might be greater.
I think the current UK Government is treating the whole thing as a "peasant cull" and will not order any kind of ban on travel, work, schools, events, etc so as to limit the loss of money to the bigwigs - and to hell with all the poor!
I am, thankfully, currently well but I am avoiding crowds, public transport etc. (not attending Hammerhead out of an "abundance of caution")
Quote from: Scorpio_Rocks on 14 March 2020, 06:45:12 PM
I think the current UK Government is treating the whole thing as a "peasant cull"
It would be entirely within character
My wife is currently in Melbourne, Australia having just attended a friend's wedding
Her flight back is scheduled to land at 11:55pm tonight, Sunday
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced, "From midnight Sunday, everyone arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days"
I'm assuming that she won't be through customs by midnight so will have to isolate for 14 days (will find out once she is through customs etc)
I'll probably be working from home for the next three days before starting a planned 'stay-cation' to reduce my leave balance before the end of the financial year
We'll have to "maintain social distancing" and I won't be going into the airport to collect her, she can come to the car
I did a large grocery shop this morning, plenty on the shelves, except for hand sanitizer, only two very small bottles in one of our three local supermarkets
We have two large bottle from my wife's work so I left them for someone else
France closes all non essential stores...
But doesn't use potential sanctions for trespassers like in Italy. French aren't going to respect that.
Idiots going out to have a drink before the closing at 00:00
Too little too late.
NZ is canceling major gatherings, unfortunately including the memorial service for the Mosque attacks last year :(
Quote from: Raider4 on 14 March 2020, 10:03:31 AM
My pension fund's lost a quarter of its value over the last three weeks. First world problem I know, but it will have a real-world effect. Not to me - I have a long and tiresome wait until I'm old enough - but there will be people retiring now who've suddenly become a lot poorer in their old age.
Don't panic. The markets will recover.
I like the idea of self-isolation. Already retired so don't go out unless I have to anyway. It means I have a legitimate excuse to ignore people who I'd otherwise talk to out of politeness. 14 days isn't long enough. Just as long as it is over by Colours.
Quote from: Scorpio_Rocks on 14 March 2020, 06:45:12 PM
I think the current UK Government is treating the whole thing as a "peasant cull" and will not order any kind of ban on travel, work, schools, events, etc so as to limit the loss of money to the bigwigs - and to hell with all the poor!
I am, thankfully, currently well but I am avoiding crowds, public transport etc. (not attending Hammerhead out of an "abundance of caution")
What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 14 March 2020, 10:21:16 PM
What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.
Yes the Virus doesn't care about your socio-economic group but not putting any kind of measures in place ensures the spread and it is, inevitably, those in lower paid jobs that are less capable of working from home / taking time off and are much more likely to live in closer proximity to others so far more likely to catch the virus. Also conditions such as Asthma, Diabetes, Lung issues, etc all of which contribute to the increased fatality rate are all MUCH more prevalent in low wage and "struggling" areas.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568 (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568)
This article does have some figures from professional bodies which support the idea that austerity and the governments lack of action WILL have a huge impact on who and how many die!
I was trying to be light-hearted in my initial post and didn't expect that level of vitriol in response... I have no desire to antagonise anyone - have a good day and stay safe.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 14 March 2020, 10:21:16 PM
What utter nonsense - is it mostly what you call "peasants" and "the poor" who have died? I've a strong suspicion you have no idea as to the socioeconomic make up of the, so far, 21 fatalities. The virus certainly has no idea.
The virus is obviously not an intelligent actor in this but it is recognised that it will impact more on some more than others.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-poor-and-marginalized-will-be-the-hardest-hit-by-coronavirus/
Having grown up watching 70;s sc-fi dystopias all this seems very familiar - hmmm
There's a thread here that does a decent job of assessing the direction (and inherent threats) in a herd-immunity strategy.
https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538 (https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538)
There's a serious concern whether the scientific civil service or the weirdos and misfits are driving.
Quote from: Scorpio_Rocks on 14 March 2020, 11:09:01 PM
Yes the Virus doesn't care about your socio-economic group but not putting any kind of measures in place ensures the spread and it is, inevitably, those in lower paid jobs that are less capable of working from home / taking time off and are much more likely to live in closer proximity to others so far more likely to catch the virus. Also conditions such as Asthma, Diabetes, Lung issues, etc all of which contribute to the increased fatality rate are all MUCH more prevalent in low wage and "struggling" areas.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568 (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/14/coronavirus-outbreak-inequality-austerity-pandemic?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584182568)
This article does have some figures from professional bodies which support the idea that austerity and the governments lack of action WILL have a huge impact on who and how many die!
I was trying to be light-hearted in my initial post and didn't expect that level of vitriol in response... I have no desire to antagonise anyone - have a good day and stay safe.
I meant no vitriol in my response. Just dismay.
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 14 March 2020, 11:58:45 PM
There's a thread here that does a decent job of assessing the direction (and inherent threats) in a herd-immunity strategy.
https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538 (https://twitter.com/iandonald_psych/status/1238518371651649538)
There's a serious concern whether the scientific civil service or the weirdos and misfits are driving.
That the government is using cyberpunk characters for a person specification does not fill me with confidence.
https://theconversation.com/ive-studied-the-weirdos-dominic-cummings-is-talking-about-im-not-sure-he-really-understands-who-they-are-129418 (https://theconversation.com/ive-studied-the-weirdos-dominic-cummings-is-talking-about-im-not-sure-he-really-understands-who-they-are-129418)
Quote from: paulr on 14 March 2020, 08:13:34 PM
My wife is currently in Melbourne, Australia having just attended a friend's wedding
Her flight back is scheduled to land at 11:55pm tonight, Sunday
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced, "From midnight Sunday, everyone arriving in New Zealand will have to isolate themselves for 14 days"
I'm assuming that she won't be through customs by midnight so will have to isolate for 14 days (will find out once she is through customs etc)
I'll probably be working from home for the next three days before starting a planned 'stay-cation' to reduce my leave balance before the end of the financial year
We'll have to "maintain social distancing" and I won't be going into the airport to collect her, she can come to the car
I did a large grocery shop this morning, plenty on the shelves, except for hand sanitizer, only two very small bottles in one of our three local supermarkets
We have two large bottle from my wife's work so I left them for someone else
The NZ government have now pushed back the deadline to 1am Monday and clarified that it is the touch down time that counts
I didn't realise the virus was that good at telling time :-/
My boss is still checking if I need to work from home and my wife is checking with her boss, particularly important as she works with support workers for the aged and ill
All of the extra groceries I bought will keep for weeks or months so no harm there
A couple of changes in "the area" of Techno Towers.
The care home where the Mother in law resides, has gone into 'lockdown'......ie NO visitors.
To a great extent that's finally made our minds up about not visiting for at least a good while. (Basically, until they tell us we CAN go over....When that will be, who knows ?)
Von and I have been discussing for a fair while now, whether it be 'right' to go over and see her....Just in case ! We were erring on the side of caution, anyway.
Don't think it will worry 'Mum', as her short term memory is almost non-existant...So she probably won't notice anyway.
Far better safe than sorry, so we both fully approve.
Not all the residents suffer from dementia as badly as Mum.....So I DO feel sorry for them......There are others at the home that are a good bit worse. So they won't notice, bless 'em.
Second 'closure' is our local surgery.....Only urgent appointments.
I'm not due to go down there again until the middle of May..and that's only for a B12 jab....So it shouldn't really affect us.
Again, have to approve of the 'safety' element of this decision.
I hear on the radio that 'older' people may soon be asked to self isolate, whether they've got symptoms, or not.....I wonder if I'm going to fall into that bracket ?....Hope not.
We're all but self isolating already, anyway.
Stay healthy, Gang.
Cheers - Phil.
I think the aim of the elderly self isolating is to keep them safer as it reduces their potential exposure
I got a text message from my doctor on Tuesday
"Hi Paul, This is the UH Health Centre, If you think you may have Coronavirus phone Healthline 0800... PLEASE DO NOT COME TO THE HEALTH CENTRE. Thank you, Plse do not reply."
Made me feel very appreciated ;)
Quote from: paulr on 15 March 2020, 09:02:58 AM
I think the aim of the elderly self isolating is to keep them safer as it reduces their potential exposure
I'm absolutely sure that that's the case, Paul. :)
Around here, there are a good number of farmers who are my age.....or a good bit older.
Practically, they wouldn't be able to self isolate....They have to keep checking their animals and collect feed and 'meds' for their animals from the local 'co-ops'......There wouldn't be enough 'young' farmers available to pick up the 'slack'.
If the Govt DO go down this route, it depends on where the 'cut off' for the age comes....and whether the relevant folk are '
asked' or '
told' to self isolate. ;)
Cheers - Phil.
Updating this from a quick gander from the Beeb's news site......
' Self isolation for the over 70's within weeks'.Yes....It's for their own good...But it could , and most likely would, go on for weeks and weeks and
weeks....And I can't see many folk being 'mentally able' to cope with that. It'd drive
me right 'round the bend.....(Alright...further 'round the bend than I already am.)
I could just about cope with two weeks, if I were unfortunate enough to catch the wretched thing.....or if there was a danger that I'd been 'exposed' to it...but beyond that, I personally, would find it really difficult to deal with.
Cheers, again - Phil.
Well being over 7000 Phil perhaps you should be isolated now !!
Seriously, catch Broadcasting House on Sounds, the Scots Chief Medical officer explained what they wanted. Itis not as bad as the headlines make it ! :'( :'(
Look, Ian......
I've survived umpteen frigging plagues, and goodness knows what else, in all that time. ;)
I'll try and listen to that, a bit later....Thanks, Matey ! :)
Cheers - Phil
Just been to my usual Sunday morning shop - 09:40 @ Tesco's, every Sunday, nice & leisurely (normally), can wander round in mostly empty aisles, nodding to a few regulars who do the same.
Today? Utter effing madness. You'd think it was Xmas week. People charging everywhere, obviously not used to this shopping lark. Everyone's got bog rolls - mostly 9 or 36 packs. I saw a couple of trolleys with 4 x 36 packs of bog rolls in them. No nappies, shortages of basic things like tins of beans & soup.
Obviously the "no panic buying" message is being completely ignored.
This is how we go, not with a bang but an orgy of over-buying stuff we don't need.
I despair of the human race at times. Maybe Adams was right, and we are all the descendants of marketing executives & telephone sanitisers . . .
Quote from: Raider4 on 15 March 2020, 10:55:26 AM
I despair of the human race at times. Maybe Adams was right, and we are all the descendants of marketing executives & telephone sanitisers . . .
Sadly......Amen to that, Martyn. :(
So far, it hasn't been
quite as bad in 'my' corner of Wales.
I've already said to Von, that I'll do the 'shop' tomorrow......(We usually do two medium sized 'shops' per week....Von on Monday....Me on a Thursday......As Von is a 'Night Owl'.....and me the ' Early Bird' I think It's better for me to go in early.... There's nothing we're anything like
remotely short of....and I need to 'panic' buy)....But because of certain folk getting in a
complete 'tizz', I'd rather Von didn't go in with the panic buyers. =) X_X
In six months time (
HOPEFULLY)....we'll be wondering what all the 'faff' was about.....I'm really sure we will. ;)
(And there will be oodles of people with shelves full of out of date stuff in the backs of their kitchen cupboards.......Which will go into landfill. X_X
Cheers - Phil
I'm hoping once all the panic buyers are done with buying their hordes of toilet roll, frozen pizza and dried pasta the shops will have a chance to restock and get levels back to normal. Then they'll all feel like numpties. Or maybe not as they'll just self justify their selfish behaviour.
In other news, looks like I just got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Drinks are on me lads.
Mine's a large one.
(studio reaction)
Quote from: FierceKitty on 15 March 2020, 11:38:07 AM
Mine's a large one.
(studio reaction)
Ooer, Matron. :o ;)
Quote from: mmcv on 15 March 2020, 11:21:56 AM
In other news, looks like I just got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Drinks are on me lads.
Many congrats, that man. :-bd
(I'll forgo the drinkypoo.....Can I have a large pack of ultra soft bog roll, instead. ;))......Gimme strength. X_X
Cheers - Phil :)
Pint of Creme'd'month please ! :D
Quote from: Raider4 on 15 March 2020, 10:55:26 AM
I despair of the human race at times. Maybe Adams was right, and we are all the descendants of marketing executives & telephone sanitisers . . .
Perhaps the telephone sanitisers will once again be proven right
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 15 March 2020, 12:24:20 PM
Perhaps the telephone sanitisers will once again be proven right
Yes, the Golgafrinchians were wiped out by a virulent disease caught from an un-sanitized telephone IIRC?
Now everyone's got a mobile, and this disease is spreading everywhere.
Coincidence . . . ?
Quote from: Techno on 15 March 2020, 09:34:11 AM
I'm absolutely sure that that's the case, Paul. :)
Around here, there are a good number of farmers who are my age.....or a good bit older.
Practically, they wouldn't be able to self isolate....They have to keep checking their animals and collect feed and 'meds' for their animals from the local 'co-ops'......There wouldn't be enough 'young' farmers available to pick up the 'slack'.
But surely if its only them in a field or barn miles from anyone else they are still "self Isolated" . I suppose the sheep might ask them to use hand sanitizer before touching them. :)
Mark. ;)
Sheep are probably (genuinely) the most stupid (thick) animals on this Earth.
Though it's a close call between sheep and chickens......(Trust me... I know of what I speak.) ;)
But from what I see of the 'so called' top tier of evolution.....Homo Sapiens ? =O =O =O =O
I despair, too.
Cheers - Phil.
Homo Sapiens (vocat ipsum) Sapiens :)
As a retiree living alone I'm not sure there's much difference between "self isolation," "sociial distancing" and "life as normal" :)
Congrats mmcv! Mine's a pint of alcohol based hand sanitiser, barman! ;)
Congrats, mmcv. I'll have a Corona with lime.
Quote from: d_Guy on 15 March 2020, 03:13:44 PM
Congrats, mmcv. I'll have a Corona with lime.
Sadly the beer doesn't appear to have been reduced in price
Keep an eye on the numbers in Italy, watch the curve, and when your country is taking action. Then forge your own opinion.
+368 deaths in Italy today, 1809 total.
Congratulations mmcv
Oh, Yann. :)
I think (here) we all know it's going to get a good deal worse before we start winning.
All we can do is be as sensible as possible in cutting down the risks for ourselves and those around us.
We will 'win' in the end, my friend.....It's going to be a right load of 'merde', for a while yet, though.
You take care.
Cheers - Phil
Daughters Uni in Edinburgh going to video lectures from Wednesday and already have plans for exams either online or in the post. Whether I can get her home is another matter entirely.
Quote from: Steve J on 15 March 2020, 07:56:00 PM
Daughters Uni in Edinburgh going to video lectures from Wednesday and already have plans for exams either online or in the post. Whether I can get her home is another matter entirely.
I believe we're going to rebuild Hadrian's Wall .... and make the English pay for it ;) :D
Quote from: Ithoriel on 15 March 2020, 08:29:30 PM
I believe we're going to rebuild Hadrian's Wall .... and make the English pay for it ;) :D
Good Luck with that, it's in England! So not sure it will do you much good. ;) :D
It may be in England NOW ... but only because they stole bits of the country. We'll start by taking back Berwick and work south from there! :D :D :D
Quote from: Ithoriel on 15 March 2020, 08:44:25 PM
It may be in England NOW ... but only because they stole bits of the country. We'll start by taking back Berwick and work south from there! :D :D :D
Bollocks to that.
Go by sea and take Yorkshire, the only bit worth having.
:)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 15 March 2020, 08:44:25 PM
It may be in England NOW ... but only because they stole bits of the country. We'll start by taking back Berwick and work south from there! :D :D :D
Come and have a go, if you think you're hard enough! Scots invasions have a pretty poor success rate. :D :D :D Does 'The Flowers of the Forest' mean anything?
A much better option would be an independent Confederation of northern states - Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scotland, and any others up here that want to join. Anything has got to be better than the abusive rule from the Westminster neoliberal village. Flogging the nuke boats back to them with back payment for the dockyard rent will more than pay for it all.
Latest update from Aussie goverment on Covid-19
https://youtu.be/Hks6Nq7g6P4
Quote from: mmcv on 15 March 2020, 11:21:56 AM
In other news, looks like I just got promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Drinks are on me lads.
Cheers sir.
Mines a beer
Quote from: sultanbev on 15 March 2020, 10:32:20 PM
A much better option would be an independent Confederation of northern states - Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scotland, and any others up here that want to join. Anything has got to be better than the abusive rule from the Westminster neoliberal village. Flogging the nuke boats back to them with back payment for the dockyard rent will more than pay for it all.
A new variant VBCW. Just remember to keep it as a Westminster bubble. For us Londoners it is also a strange and far away country whose inhabitants seem to live in a different world to the rest of us. :-/
I've just put up a quick bit of info regarding Covid and how we're adapting our business: http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,19551.0.html
A well written statement Leon, I wont clutter up that thread with this comment
Quote from: mad lemmey on 15 March 2020, 10:35:50 PM
Cheers sir.
Mines a beer
I've heard of mining a river, a harbour, a strait, but a beer?! Nanotechnology is really coming on!
Indeed very well written and full of sensible advice.
Well written Leon :). The Scottish 'ban' on gatherings of 500 or more is only a suggestion as currently they have no legislation allowing them to enforce it, but common sense would dictate that organisers of various events follow it.
Quote from: Steve J on 16 March 2020, 06:47:19 AM
... but common sense would dictate that ...
Like the Australian who decided to fly to New Zealand while waiting for his test results...
Yes he was positive >:(
Oh....FFS ! X_X..What a complete wonker. (Report this post to Moderator.....Oops ! :-[)
On a lighter note....Some wit on the radio, this morning, had done 'The shopping forecast', as opposed to the 'Shipping forecast.'.....And had done it very well.
It was along the lines of "Tesco's.... stormy, dropping to moderate, then calm.....Aldi....etc, etc".
Did a quick shop, myself, in Tesco's early this morning (to save Von going in later).....A few shelves a bit sparse....But nothing really missing.
Bit short on bread.....But I'm sure that was only because the delivery hadn't been put out...or arrived yet.....Ditto, dog food......Loo rolls...not empty....But rather short.
But they DID have paracetamol. :o :o
Take care chums ! ;)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: sultanbev on 15 March 2020, 10:32:20 PM
A much better option would be an independent Confederation of northern states - Yorkshire, Lancashire and Scotland, and any others up here that want to join. Anything has got to be better than the abusive rule from the Westminster neoliberal village. Flogging the nuke boats back to them with back payment for the dockyard rent will more than pay for it all.
Latest update from Aussie goverment on Covid-19
https://youtu.be/Hks6Nq7g6P4
Why are satire sites so much better than the sodding media at being useful?!
And the People's Republic of Greater Mercia agrees, Mark ;)
Phil, round here it's ludicrous. Little Spa over the road? Everything but handsanitizer, all in stock decent prices. Tesco/Asda? No pasta and little loo roll, no UHT milk, no fresh chicken. Went over the car park to M&S and... everything's there. Evidently one doesn't panic buy at M&S :D
Lidl - everything in reasonable quantity except for fresh chicken and pasta (steak & chips for dinner!), except... on their Easter display AS YOU WALK IN THE DOOR there's a load of dried pasta that everyone has evidently missed :D
Nice bit of comment from a child friendly POV here - annoyingly when flattening that curve gets really real we should be on hols (in sunny Pembroke, so at least it'll be nice to hide out for a week. Assuming we can go at all and aren't locked down etc etc).
https://www.storystorks.co.uk/post/coronavirus-can-i-take-the-kids-out-or-not?fbclid=IwAR1TjLAkFpyfJ9sE1uz3nkLDKPGzL3xHZ9fnx3DC12-gWcW6NtPr875CxT0
Ran out of loo paper today. Had to use lettuce. It was the tip of the iceberg ..
Seriously, take care all. (btw, good find, Sultan)
Dunno about the supermarkets, but my local veg shop was absolutely chocko full - so it looks like the things people should be buying the most (ie fresh food) are still on the shelves.
Jonathan Pie has worked out why so much bogroll has been acquired, you'll have to youtube that one yourself (posted 13th March) ;)
Self-isolating now for an hour down the allotment :)
Mark
Macron is speaking tonight.
70% of people didn't go to vote in Marseille yesterday.
I expect a curfew and a soft lockdown (alla italiana, people still going to work) announced.
My bet is 45 days to begin with.
Stay safe UK, watch us and learn what not to do.
Write to your MPs, pest your friends and family.
We need a full lockdown with only food and Healthcare across Europe but it won't happened.
Well, picked up a sore throat and a constant headache this weekend, so won't be going in for work.
Probably nothing, as one of the kids has been off school for 4 weeks now with a different virus, so guessing it's just that.
Still, better safe than sorry.
Quote from: Westmarcher on 16 March 2020, 10:20:54 AM
Ran out of loo paper today. Had to use lettuce. It was the tip of the iceberg ..
You're barred. ;)
Don't do that again, Davy ;D ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil :)
Quote from: Westmarcher on 16 March 2020, 10:20:54 AM
Ran out of loo paper today. Had to use lettuce. It was the tip of the iceberg ..
Seriously, take care all. (btw, good find, Sultan)
;D ;D ;D
On a serious note - three years ago I couldn't even spell beday and now we have two of 'em. Marvelous things in times like these.
Of course loading them with bottled water is a bit of a pain.
Indeed, take care and may the hand cleanser never run empty.
Quote from: d_Guy on 16 March 2020, 03:26:39 PM
;D ;D ;D
On a serious note - three years ago I couldn't even spell beday
I see what you did there.
Yes....But like most colonists he can't spell proper (sic). ;) ;).....Sorry, Bill. ;D
Quote from: petercooman on 16 March 2020, 12:26:33 PM
Well, picked up a sore throat and a constant headache this weekend, so won't be going in for work.
Probably nothing, as one of the kids has been off school for 4 weeks now with a different virus, so guessing it's just that.
Still, better safe than sorry.
Sorry, Peter.....Missed that, earlier.....You take care, Matey....Hope it's just a 'cold'.
All the best - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 16 March 2020, 04:27:23 PM
Yes....But like most colonists he can't spell proper (sic).
SORRY....I forgot the 'innit', once again. :D X_X =)
Cheers - Phil
Went in to our local 24hr Tesco at 7am this morning to find not a single sheet of loo roll, not a drop of hand sanitiser, not a slice of bread that wasn't made by the in-store bakery (which was working flat out), not a single paracetamol pill or capsule .... and a manageress standing in the denuded tinned goods aisle saying "Where the hell are people PUTTING all this stuff??"
Currently listening to Boris and the CSA giving today's update. I feel I should be huddled by a crystal radio set listening to,
"This morning the Chief Medical Advisor in London handed Coronavirus a final note stating that unless we heard from them by 11 o'clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw Covid-19 from Britain, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Coronavirus."
If you need me, I shall be in the Anderson Shelter.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Mike.....If you're desperate for hand sanitiser.......I can probably get you some. (This bit's genuine)
I don't know what the price is in the local Farmers' co-op....(I haven't asked).....and from the size of the bottle, it would probably be less than the frigging postage. X_X.....They've got loo roll, as well. :-bd :-bd
This really has become a farce.........I know this is really serious..... But Blank me.
(Any room in the shelter ?) ;).....I can send you a Red Cross package. X_X X_X
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: petercooman on 16 March 2020, 12:26:33 PM
Well, picked up a sore throat and a constant headache this weekend, so won't be going in for work.
Probably nothing, as one of the kids has been off school for 4 weeks now with a different virus, so guessing it's just that.
Still, better safe than sorry.
Good call Peter, hopefully a different virus as you say, get well soon
Well, given the recent Government update, I and my son are going to have to self isolate for around 12 weeks as we are in the 'at risk' groups. It will be hard for him due to his Autism, but at least he understands why, which is good.
So I hope these drastic but IMHO sensible measures can reduce the impact of this virus, to ultimately keep us all safe.
Quote from: Techno on 16 March 2020, 04:27:23 PM
Yes....But like most colonists he can't spell proper (sic). ;) ;).....Sorry, Bill. ;D
Sorry, Peter.....Missed that, earlier.....You take care, Matey....Hope it's just a 'cold'.
All the best - Phil
Quote from: paulr on 16 March 2020, 06:30:06 PM
Good call Peter, hopefully a different virus as you say, get well soon
Thanks guys.
Not feeling too bad, but when i went up top to the little ones room, i was strangely out of breath. Will keep an eye on that, doctor said i should call back when i spot something 'iffy'
Just seen that France went on lockdown as well, hope they recover after that!
There are people bidding on single loo rolls on eBay as I type this :o
Up in Berkeley and Stroud there are people filling sand-bags and singing The White Cliffs of Dover ...
Hmmm, so that is where all the toilet-rolls are going - along with:
eggs
tinned vegetables
tinned fish
dried pasta/rice etc (as long as its not gluten free stuff - there's a surplus of that)
any thing which has the word anti-bacterial printed on it
bars of chocolate
dishwasher tablets
peanut butter (why oh why)
white sliced loaves
(in fact if there was a real wartime emergency most of the population of Britain would die of scurvy rather than Covid-19)
I went to Sainsbury's* in Bedminster (Bristol) this morning early - as we'd run out of a Camden Terrace staple (cat fud - ideally fish in jelly or chicken in gravy) - and it looked like the super market was about to hit the zombie apocalypse.
I was confronted by empty shelves, aisles littered with discarded plastic wrappings and empty cardboard boxes, bemused store staff and, in the coffee aisle, a youngish bloke in a face-mask waving a stick telling everybody to keep away from him, as he filled his trolley with at least a dozen large jars of instant coffee, on top of a massive stock of nappies and multi-pack bags of Quavers. I think he was reassured when I slowly moved to lift the last bag of Taylors Lazy Sunday deCaffe ground coffee from the shelf nearby. Clearly I was not competition.
There was nobody in the fruit & vegetable section that was fully stocked.
When I asked about loo-rolls the assistant smiled and said that they were queuing outside before 07.00 when the store opened - as some 'wag' had put a note on face-book saying they'd seen an Andrex lorry pull up at the store after closing on Sunday afternoon - but it was 'false news' as they'd not had a delivery of loo-roll since last Wednesday.
Hey ho ... looks like the plan to be planting cabbages as an organic bi-degradable alternative loo-paper is sound - but I'm not sure we can wait for 6 months as they grow before we'll need them!
Lord knows what it is like in Waitrose** in Stroud! There's probably a policy there of asking customers (very politely of course) to leave their shotguns in the bins provided near the door (or at very least to take the cartridges out whilst shopping)!
All complete madness - but I can see a gaming opportunity here in the future maybe.
But seriously, I am now officially in defensive isolation, working at home, not signing for packages from the postman etc. due to my own health situation & that of my 89 year old mother-in-law.
NB: Have you all seen the 2011 movie - Contagion? Very good caste and also very much a precursor to the current pandemic. In fact the film starts with an ill bat dropping to the ground and being eaten by a piglet, that then gets eaten by Gwyneth Paltrow (her from Sliding Doors and the Avenger/Iron Man films) ... who ends up as patient No.1
Well worth watching if you can get a copy.
PS: I am off now to stick tape on the windows and put up a warning barrier at the end of the garden path.
[LEGEND: Sainsbury's* = mid-range grocery store/supermarket; Waitrose** up-market grocery store; Bedminster = not so posh bit of Bristol; Stroud = hippy bit of Gloucestershire with a Waitrose catering for all the big posh land-owning houses around Stroud]
Is it morbid that I just ordered Plague, Inc the board game? I also ordered Pandemic though so that probably balances out...
Quote from: Big Insect on 16 March 2020, 08:52:38 PM
[LEGEND: Sainsbury's* = mid-range grocery store/supermarket; Waitrose** up-market grocery store
LEGEND: Sainsbury's: a supermarket that exists to keep the riff-raff out of Waitrose
FIFY
:D :D :D
We managed to get a packet of loo-rolls from a local £1 shop ... they had stacks of the stuff.
Nice to support a small local trader :D
Quote from: Big Insect on 16 March 2020, 11:11:01 PM
We managed to get a packet of loo-rolls from a local £1 shop ... they had stacks of the stuff.
Nice to support a small local trader :D
Spoke to a source well placed in government.
The real crunch will come when the virus hits the HGV driver demographic. With demise the railways we depend on the big lorries for delivering 99% of retail commodities and fuel.
Now the HGV driver demographic are in general overweight and not at peak fitness.
At that point the MoD/Armed Forces will be ordered to commandeer and drive.
The Irish Government is even considering reverting to its NBW war plan from the 1980s and the Executive arm retreating to lock down in Dublin Castle.
However the fear from the data coming out of China is that there is a hint that humans can test positive twice for C19.
That could scupper the Herd immunity theory if confirmed.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 16 March 2020, 10:13:11 PM
LEGEND: Sainsbury's: a supermarket that exists to keep the riff-raff out of Waitrose
FIFY
:D :D :D
It's always a chuckle watching the Quasquai (sp?) ladies drive across to Aldi for their groceries (Waitrose bags of course) once they've finished their free coffee at the mothership.
Quote from: Steve J on 16 March 2020, 06:30:37 PM
Well, given the recent Government update, I and my son are going to have to self isolate for around 12 weeks as we are in the 'at risk' groups. It will be hard for him due to his Autism, but at least he understands why, which is good.
So I hope these drastic but IMHO sensible measures can reduce the impact of this virus, to ultimately keep us all safe.
Good luck, Steve. :)....Trust all goes well !
Quote from: Big Insect on 16 March 2020, 11:11:01 PM
We managed to get a packet of loo-rolls from a local £1 shop ... they had stacks of the stuff.
Nice to support a small local trader :D
I think the little independent 'corner' shops will be a good source of stuff, Mark.
Quote from: Sunray on 16 March 2020, 11:44:45 PM
The real crunch will come when the virus hits the HGV driver demographic. With demise the railways we depend on the big lorries for delivering 99% of retail commodities and fuel.
Now the HGV driver demographic are in general overweight and not at peak fitness. At that point the MoD/Armed Forces will be ordered to commandeer and drive.
However the fear from the data coming out of China is that there is a hint that humans can test positive twice for C19.
That could scupper the Herd immunity theory if confirmed.
Interesting points, James....I hadn't considered the army getting called on if there are distribution problems. Fingers firmly crossed it doesn't get anything like as bad as that !!
My only other thought at the moment is that this all seems a bit surreal.
As Von and I are fairly well isolated anyway...we don't see
many folk on the road (hah!) ...So we won't notice much in the way of "Where's everyone gone ?"...But it still feels weird !!
Cheers - Phil
On the local news last night they showed Bristol City Centre at 8.00am and it was deserted, with barely and traffic or pedestrians. Off to do a small shop for some standard items (no hoarding) ans it will be interesting to see what it's like...
Yep.....That'll be interesting, Steve. :)
And I forgot #-o......Happy St Patrick's day to all our chums in, and from, the Emerald Isle......That I imagine IS going to feel strange this year.
Cheers - Phil.
Thanks Phil. My RBL Club has cancelled Ranger Day with the shamrocks, Irish Stew, Bushmills whiskey et al. I am making a few welfare calls today with old and bold comrades who live alone. I miss the comradeship and the "criac".
I was due to go to Fort Bragg this April for the Special Forces Spring Fling. Its off, and a SKYPE last night with old mate (ex- Green Beret) in Tennessee tells me that the Americans are queuing up to buy ...........Guns!
I am at the hospital getting bloods test (not Corvid related). I arrived first ...... how come I am number 8!
Thank you fellow users! The same people no doubt who empty shop shelves.
The good news is that everyone is looking at their phones because we stopped talking to each other years ago
On a brighter note everyone is using the hospital hand gel pump,
On the flip side, same people are then rubbing eyes and playing with their ears!
The staff as always are amazing - thank you.
Norm the answer to that is complain - same thing was happening to me till the patient relations group stepped in.
IanS
Well just got back and ASDA was chaos and had been since 7.00am (I got there just after 8.00am). I only needed a birthday card as I can't travel to see my Dad. Lidl the same and they were queueing out of the car park before it opened and apparently had a 70% increase on footfall. Iceland busy as well. I only really had to go out to get food for our son who has a very regimented eating regime and his stock items had run out. If you wanted fresh fruit and veg there was loads all pretty much untouched. Sheer madness.
Word of caution on this.
I wasn't taking the whole thing that seriously until a conversation with my brother yesterday (Biology student and had a career in computer modelling for an offshore US betting company in Curacao - I think he worked for the CIA really). I said it was just a nasty form of flu and this whole thing was hysteria. He said 'just look at the stats, I have and this thing is really bad'. So I looked at the stats. Its really bad....
As of yesterday 175,000 cases, 6700 deaths, mortality rate 3.8%, so bad enough but mostly China, poor health care blah, blah. Look at resolved cases ie the person recovered or they died the mortality rate is 8%!
Of the 175,000 cases so far half are unresolved with many thousands in intensive care and critical and these are mostly EU cases.
Then look at the demographic. As we all know the over 70's are at greatest risk. Take this country, 13% of the population are over 70. A rather simplistic way at looking at it, but say you have 1,000 cases and the virus isn't picky about the age of those it infects, 130 are going to be over 70. Then you have mortality rate of 8%, 80 deaths predominantly in the 130 over 70's.......
This thing is the grim reaper come early.
My mother and mother-in-law are both on lock down as of now. If you are over 70 or have an underlying compromising condition please heed government advise and go to ground.
Take care all.
At risk of sounding like a scratched record (see earlier Covid-19 posts)
In the 18/19 Flu season - in the UK - there were 17,000 deaths associated with Flu. In the USA that was 69,000 deaths in the same flu season.
TBF I have not researched the % deaths or the numbers who actually contracted Flu (in 18/19) and what % they were of the overall populations, but it would be really interesting to see some official stats on that.
I am not trying to belittle the issues - every death is a tragedy - but putting things in context might just help easy public anxieties.
The thing is, that we have 'normalised' Flu deaths - just like a herd of wildebeest - we watch lions take down the weaker herd members and rationalise it as "not being us, so its ok" and carry on with our ordinary life (grazing).
The issue with Covid-19 is that as yet we do not know if it is the same as 'ordinary' flu or as bad as the H1N1 1918 - Spanish flu) that killed c.50 million people worldwide (that we know about). But H1N1 is still about. It is still just as contagious, still just as deadly - but we are now much more aware about it and have processes to deal with it. If you know your enemy you can defeat it.
The big issue/danger here is the unknown or the ignorance factors - such as "can you re-catch Covid-19"? If so are you going to get just as ill as you did 1st time around or less or more ill.
Why do some people only get really mild symptoms (so hardly notice they have it) and some people (even relatively healthy people) get severe symptoms.
Our diet is mainly fresh fruit and vegetable these days - so as long as the supply chains hold up we'll be ok. If it goes on a while we've got our allotment - and this year our planting plan is a lot more intensive and planned than last season ... in response to the CV-19 challenge. We can probably keep my mum-in-law, both daughters & their families, my sister in law and us going with fresh fruit & vegetables if necessary. Especially as it looks like I wont be working at full capacity for some time to come.
"we'll meet again ... don't know where ... don't know when ... etc. etc. etc fades away into background music"
Quote from: Matt J on 17 March 2020, 09:59:20 AM
Word of caution on this.
I wasn't taking the whole thing that seriously until a conversation with my brother yesterday
There must be some real anxiety about the potential of this disease at government level if pretty much all nations are putting themselves into serious economic pain / peril to halt / slow down the spread.
On top of everything else, there may be a concern of the virus mutating as Corvid penetrates ever bigger numbers of the population and outpaces our ability to vaccine against it.
Quote from: Norm on 17 March 2020, 12:26:29 PM
There must be some real anxiety about the potential of this disease at government level ...
Maybe that it's not so picky who gets infected ...
Just chatting with a neighbour and ASDA continues to be chaos, but also they have increased prices over night on the same items. Profiteering or what?
Quote from: Big Insect on 17 March 2020, 11:00:50 AM
In the 18/19 Flu season - in the UK - there were 17,000 deaths associated with Flu. In the USA that was 69,000 deaths in the same flu season.
TBF I have not researched the % deaths or the numbers who actually contracted Flu (in 18/19) and what % they were of the overall populations, but it would be really interesting to see some official stats on that.
I think the query with the 'it's just like flu' debate is how much higher the flu impact would be each year without our individual residual immunity from prior bouts of flu, and without the annual flu jabs available to large portions of the population? Those 17,000 deaths are what's left after all of those precautions have been taken, so with something like Covid-19 where we don't have any previous infections to produce antibodies, no vaccines developed, the number could be massively higher.
Personally I'm still stuck on the fence with the whole thing and it just seems very surreal. There's a part of me that sees this all as a big over-reaction and it'll blow over in a couple of months. But then I look at the stats in other parts of the world and consider the potential impact. Social media isn't helping anyone at this stage and it's getting harder to sift through the nonsense and get a true idea of what's going on.
We've got elderly relatives who are firmly in the 'at risk' bracket and we need to safeguard them as best we can. But then we've got half a dozen people working for us who need that wage to keep themselves afloat so it's important that we carry on as long as possible.
Interesting times ahead...
Been pout to Tescos this morning, and the car park was as packed as a nomal Saturday. I got a pack of 9 loo rolls
They have notices up stating certain items are limited per customer, but customers are taling these down and kicking them under the shelves and they saying "there was no sign so you have to sell it to me! . The Staff are also getting loads of grief and abuse enforcing the limits.
I sad to her they need to put a big sign up at the entrance stating the limits and also saying if you give our staff abuse we will refuse to sell you anything.
Took some shopping to almost in-laws. (86 and 79). left it by the door and stepped back a bit, when they answered I asked if they had enough loo roll? They laughed and said did I want any...... They store them for the Parish Church so have Dozens and dozens. They said you will have to pay for them and they are "Fair Trade" so quite expensive compared to normal loo rolls.
Still as I have a loo roll hanging by my painting table I am very relieved ( no pun intended) that I will not run out of loo roll for painting when I am in 3 months lock down.
As I said to Mrs Orcs "You don't want to be in a 3 month lockdown with an Orcs who can't paint cos of no loo roll" To which she fully agreed :)
Damnation - main school is closed for a fortnight. Not welcome for those on hourly wages.
I work for a multi national telecoms company, they are being very slow about taking any action on Corvid 19.
The reason is I believe is that many of our contracts have stringent Service Level agreements written into the contract . eg One account with the NHS has a condition that ALL phone calls have to be answered within 15 seconds. If we fail to meet this on a single call they get a pay back (as free service) of £3 million (no that's not a typo 3 Million).
Consequently The company are not going to take precautionary measures before the Government makes them compulsory.(not advised but compulsory). If the Government makes us all work from home and they fail to meet a Service level agreement they can claim "Force Majourer" , which voids the need for compensation.
So Until the government makes it compulsory we will all work as normal.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 17 March 2020, 02:04:54 PM
Damnation - main school is closed for a fortnight. Not welcome for those on hourly wages.
Step daughters school has just closed until after Easter. Due to not enough staff in. they have 60 pupils self isolating at the moment.
27,980 cases in Italy
4,907 of these cases now have an outcome - 44% mortality....
Quote from: Matt J on 17 March 2020, 02:09:05 PM
27,980 cases in Italy
4,907 of these cases now have an outcome - 44% mortality....
Yes, but there is a bigger picture here, in that those are 27,980 recorded/known cases - the problem with the statistics is that most countries have no real idea what the actual infection rate is as they are not able to mass test. So they are actually only measuring the 'presented' cases. And by default these are the more severe. So the outcome for these presented cases will be much higher than the population as a whole.
Also if you look at the profile of who's catching it, and then who's surviving and who's not, you come back to the same conclusion.
If you are reasonably fit and healthy and you catch it, you are (based on current probability) going to be unwell for 7 - 10 days and then make a full recovery.
If you have an underlying medical condition - almost regardless of your age - you will be more unwell and there is a % chance that you potentially might die. But not from the disease, but from its impact upon your already weakened system.
I think the critical thing here is that a very high % of the population in most countries is actually fit and healthy. So the prognosis for that high % of population is good.
We should be focused on those in our societies who are vulnerable - have weak immune systems, other health issues (especially respiratory ones) and those who cannot keep themselves fed or adequately warm.
There is no doubt this is a crisis - a huge medical and social emergency - but I hope that with some sensible planning and adjusted social behaviours we can all pull through this.
It isnt the 1st and wont be the last pandemic emergency in human history.
How many have died today, Matt ? :o :o :o :o :o :o.......Stroll on !
When I looked this morning it was 27,980 cases and 'only' 2158 deaths. ...which is still higher than the "3%" we're being told......I make that something over 7.5% NOT GOOD.
On 4,907 out of 27,980 ?.......That's not 44%, surely ? (17% and a bit, I reckon.) :-\
Cheers - Phil
On the BBC news now;
'Meanwhile, the government's chief scientific adviser said it would be a "good outcome" if 20,000 or fewer people died of the virus in the UK'.
(refers to UK)
Is that best case scenario?
Yesterday, they (BBC) said without intervention, modelling shows 81% infected with 500, 000 deaths by August, but with mitigation it could reduce to 260,000 (refers to UK), but that would still overwhelm intensive care capacity.
How did we sleepwalk into this, there was a fair bit of notice coming out of China, even by January.
My wife and I have been talking about this over a few weeks and the general reaction to it. Having lived in Nigeria where there are on average 54,000 deaths a year from malaria (mainly in children under 5), which would equate to roughly 27,000 in the UK. Then there are the deaths from typhoid, cholera, meningitis etc on top of that. Yet society carries on as normal as they are so used to it.
Now this is not to belittle what is going on, but as Mark has already highlighted, the deaths from flu each year are much higher than the current deaths from Covid-19. Yes it is wise to take precautions, but the panic buying that is going on is a massive over reaction IMHO.
Oh and the schools have started partial closures here due to staff shortages. My wife expects them to be closed by the end of the week.
Quote from: Techno on 17 March 2020, 03:17:01 PM
How many have died today, Matt ? :o :o :o :o :o :o.......Stroll on !
When I looked this morning it was 27,980 cases and 'only' 2158 deaths. ...which is still higher than the "3%" we're being told......I make that something over 7.5% NOT GOOD.
On 4,907 out of 27,980 ?.......That's not 44%, surely ? (17% and a bit, I reckon.) :-
Cheers - Phil
Hi Phil,
I think the latest number of deaths in Italy is 2,150. I think the point that is being made is that of those cases that have been resolved, then 44% have died.
Yes that correct this is just cases that have been resolved, unfortunately death has a way of resolving issues quite promptly.... :(.
Of the unresolved cases most are mild conditions with only about 2000 or so being serious or critical. If there were no more recorded cases in Italy and the outstanding cases were resolved then the mortality rate would be better about 16%, which is still bad enough!
Yep, of the 27980 people treated, only 4907 have either recovered or died. That's 17.54% of those treated. Of that 4907, 2158 people have died. That's 43.98%.
Which suggests that if you are sick enough to need hospitalisation it's a coin toss if you survive or not.
What we don't know is if the 23000-odd people still being treated will largely survive, because the really sick have died already or if an increasingly overwhelmed health service will be able to save fewer patients than before. Or perhaps the roughly 45/55 is an accurate reflection of survival rates to be expected.
And NONE of this tells us about death rates in the general population.
So I suggest we be sensible, take care and look out for each other.
Stats don't give you answers, they just tell you where you have problems :)
Ah.....Right.....OK....Got it !
Thought that sounded a bit odd ! (The way I read it, anyway. X_X)
Cheers - Phil :)
Well, quoted stats can be interesting indicators of who's lying (I'm not pointing a finger at anyone here). "Don't stay away from church on Sunday! 98.76% of non-churchgoers in history have died, and most of the rest have an average of under 30 years to go globally. Repent - the facts say it's time to get onto your knees, sinners!" No, I'm not exaggerating. I recall an anti-drugs tract in my schooldays warning us that a monitored 95% of heroin addicts started on marijuana. It paid little attention to the fact that they also started on water, and that fewer than 1% of marijuana smokers moved from reefers to narcotics.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 17 March 2020, 02:04:54 PM
Damnation - main school is closed for a fortnight. Not welcome for those on hourly wages.
No, bugger. And if you're a lowly worker in the cinema, pub, restaurant, sports or retail (except supermarkets) industries you're pretty much shafted economically at the moment.
My wife's an estate agent, and she's started to worry about all the people she's supposed to meet & greet when viewing houses, and also viewing some houses where elderly people live.
Quote from: Steve J on 17 March 2020, 01:13:33 PM
Profiteering or what?
Nope, that's the way capitalism works. Lots of demand vs. low supply --> higher prices.
Everything just seems a tad surreal to me, a the moment......And NO, I haven't taken any mind altering drugs. :P
Cheers - Phil
Yeah, what happened to all those "Keep Calm & Carry On" mugs/t-shirts/whatever from a few years back? Think we need a bit more of that.
I'll dig out the coffee mug, Von bought me for my birthday a few years ago.
"Keep Calm, You Grumpy Old Git."
Cheers - Phil :)
Quote from: Techno on 17 March 2020, 05:37:56 PM
Everything just seems a tad surreal to me, a the moment......And NO, I haven't taken any mind altering drugs. :P
Cheers - Phil
Let me know when you do Phil ... a) we might not notice the difference and b) I might want you to send me some to keep me insane during this period ;D
So, just to put the latest statement from the UK Chief Medical Officer into perspective, that c.20,000 people 'might' die from this outbreak of Covid-19 in the UK.
That is approximately 0.03% of the UK population. (c.66.7 million inhabitants) ... I rest my case m'lud. The panic buying is unnecessary.
Mark
Perhaps the Corona virus will reconsider its tactics when confronted by the Bulldog Britain approach.
If we talk very loudly and slowly at it you mean John :-[
'Pandemic' series on Netflix is quite an interesting & topical watch - its a documentary mini-series. I am about half-way through it.
At risk of repeating myself : do not look at the number of cases, it means nothing.
My sister works in an hospital with declared cases amongst the doctors. She can't be tested.
The only metrics are the people in hospital, and death.
Quote from: barbarian on 17 March 2020, 06:46:11 PM
At risk of repeating myself : do not look at the number of cases, it means nothing.
My sister works in an hospital with declared cases amongst the doctors. She can't be tested.
The only metrics are the people in hospital, and death.
Barbarian, I have to ask: Do you work as a morale officer? You seem to determined to scare everyone.
Belgium just joined in (soft) lockdown, only stores for food and medicine can stay open, and only essential travel (for work for example) can be made. I call it soft lockdown because you can still go on a stroll for example, provided it's alone or with someone you live with.
We are at 'only' at approximately 1200 confirmed cases and 10 deaths at the moment. (wich is low compared to other countries)
Let's hope we are in a better state on april 5!
Good Luck everyone! Real wargamers are a dying breed, so make that stupid virus work hard to get to us!
Quote from: Dr Dave on 17 March 2020, 08:20:29 PM
Barbarian, I have to ask: Do you work as a morale officer? You seem to determined to scare everyone.
If you aren't scared by CV, especially if you have family in Italy right now like Barbarian does, then you're an idiot, to be blunt.
I fear Barbarian is right. As long as we limit testing in the way we do, the number of 'confirmed cases' Is meaningless. All we can be sure of is the number of cases deemed serious enough to merit hospital treatment, and the number of those who succumb to the disease.
Tip of the iceberg and the exponential grow curve means that iceberg will emerge...
20k EXTRA deaths, if really well managed is pretty bloody horrendous, and that's direct. How many more due to the knock on effects?
It's better than the crazies who suggested we "get it done" after wilfully confusing "rampaging epidemic" with "herd immunity" where we'd likely be topping half a million and probably reaching a couple of million, but it's still horrific. And predicated on taking more extreme measures than we're "doing" now :/
As soon as I'll see the curve change and the situation brighten, I'll be the first to say it here.
My post here was first intended to warn the english speaking wargaming community to have a look at Italy, then France. And to take this seriously enough. Learn from the mistakes of your latin friends.
I was mocked in my country too.
But I have family who are healthcare worker in France and I can bring a direct testimony of how little we are prepared.
On a much much lesser scale, I feel like people at the time when Germans entered France. The reaction of our elected, my fellow countrymen too : so much surprise and incredulity. I don't think everybody realize the scale of this event.
Macron said a lot in his speech : " Nous sommes en guerre. " (we are at war) While he and his predecessors murdered the public hospitals.
I feel we can keep the anxiety quarantined in this topic and not spill it into the other sections of the forum.
I do appreciate people making jokes about the panic buying.
And I'll apologize in a few months if I was wrong. Frankly I hope I am wrong.
On a comic note : I wrote to my representative urging for a lockdown a few days ago. Turns out he is sick with the virus...
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 17 March 2020, 08:48:51 PM
If you aren't scared by CV, especially if you have family in Italy right now like Barbarian does, then you're an idiot, to be blunt.
Wow! Yes, that was pretty blunt.
I'm sorry you think me an idiot. I'm also sorry that I'm not as scared as some of you want me to be.
I'm off the forum now. Too much useless fear-mongering for a Wargames forum. Good luck to you all and stay well.
Dr Dave
I am on leave today as it is my birthday (my 11th fifth birthday :D ) I have just been notified that my boss is unwell (with a migraine) and as a precaution anyone that been in close proximity to her should work from home for at least the rest of this week. Trying to find out what that means as my laptop is still in my office.
My boss was on her 40th birthday holiday in Fiji, returning on Sunday night. Personally I think she is just suffering from over-partying and lack of sleep ;)
Cheers
Ian
Sandinista <:-P <:-P <:-P
Hopefully it means some spare time until at least next week ;)
I'm working from home today and then have just over two weeks leave :)
Before this all kicked off I've was told I need to reduce my leave balance before the end of the financial year
We've been shifted to a rotational system, alternating weeks half team in office half work from home.
Though some will be going to full time wfh for various reasons. Heading into work was like a ghost town. Obviously a lot of businesses have shut, gone to reduced staff or remote working. The number of confirmed cases here is only 62 from the 1500 odd tested so might help slow the rate at this stage, though I'm sure a spike will come soon. It's good that people are taking precautions, but do wonder how sustainable it will be if we have to keep this up. As an introvert, I'm not overly concerned at being moved into a lockdown situation and having to stay home, but some of the more extroverted people I know are freaking out a bit at the idea of being stuck at home for any extended length of time.
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 17 March 2020, 08:48:51 PM
If you aren't scared by CV, especially if you have family in Italy right now like Barbarian does, then you're an idiot, to be blunt.
Quote from: Dr Dave on 17 March 2020, 10:04:16 PM
Wow! Yes, that was pretty blunt.
I'm off the forum now. Too much useless fear-mongering for a Wargames forum. Good luck to you all and stay well.
Let's keep things civil folks, there's a lot of differing opinions on how we're all going to deal with this, but no need to start taking digs at each other.
Quote from: Sandinista on 17 March 2020, 10:17:37 PM
I am on leave today as it is my birthday (my 11th fifth birthday :D )
Happy birthday, you're looking well for ... 16?!
Apparently Salute has been cancelled, or so the interweb claims
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 17 March 2020, 11:25:58 PM
Apparently Salute has been cancelled, or so the interweb claims
The real question is: Who by?
The Irish Taioseach spoke to the Nation tonight. You can watch on https://sluggerotoole.com - follow the links.
Very interesting compare and contrast with Boris Johnston.
Leo did not sugar coat it. The island of Ireland will have 15,000 cases by the end of the month.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 17 March 2020, 11:25:58 PM
Apparently Salute has been cancelled, or so the interweb claims
Yep, Salute has officially been cancelled ('postponed' in their words!) and will be back again next year.
Day 1 of quarantine here: Indians vs Sakae.
Advice for returning travelers has changed in NZ, if you got back before the 1am Monday deadline it is now recommended that you self isolate for the remainder of your 14 days
So my wife & I will be in the house for the next couple of weeks but we will have to maintain social distance etc
This means I should still get plenty of painting done :D
Quote from: Leon on 17 March 2020, 11:02:33 PM
Let's keep things civil folks, there's a lot of differing opinions on how we're all going to deal with this, but no need to start taking digs at each other.
With you 100% 0n that Leon.
I realise that some folk are going to get a
lot more stressed than others....(With very good good reason).... It's not just the virus itself, but the 'knock on effects' that are turning peoples' lives
completely upside down. :(
I imagine a large number of people aren't so worried about catching it
themselves....But rather what it could do to loved ones & friends, who could be a lot more vulnerable to the effects....
and fretting like crazy as to whether their work is going to lay them off...."What will I do to pay the bills ?"......That sort of worry would be gut churningly
awful.For myself....I'm doing just about everything I can to avoid the risk of catching the damn thing......To the point that I won't call anyone out to fix/replace the oven in the 'house' kitchen.
(We're
very fortunate here, in that the kitchen in the annexe is still fully functional......Bit of a pain to use that....But heck....That's a
really trivial inconvenience.
Hope this comes over in the spirit that's intended. :)
Take care.
Cheers - Phil
I'm pretty sure the knock-on effects are going to hurt far more people than the direct ones, with no intention of belittling the experience of direct victims.
My old company has just notified the staff that they will be taking a 25% pay cut, a reduced working week and around 25% redundancies :(. I'm glad I got out when I did but really feel for them as they have a week or two of terrible uncertainty.
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 17 March 2020, 08:48:51 PM
If you aren't scared by CV, especially if you have family in Italy right now like Barbarian does, then you're an idiot, to be blunt.
To be clear ... all the current evidence currently suggests that if you are fit and healthy (which the vast majority of the population is) - if you catch CV-19 you will get ill for 7 - 10/14 days and then you will get well. It will be unpleasant yes - and for some it will be a lot more unpleasant than for others - but
you will not die.
This is not Ebola. This is not typhoid. This is not Bubonic plague - it is a flu-like virus.
Being scared, being anxious, panicking over food supplies wont help anybody short or long term. It is more idiotic to bulk buy loo-paper than to be rational and calm, help our neighbours and the local elderly and try to carry on as normal.
I have a suppressed immune system. I have a daughter with a 6 month old baby who's very allergic to dairy and eggs, I have a very frail 89 year old mum-in-law - any one of us would be in danger if we caught it - but watching a bloke in a mask waving a stick at people in a supermarket whilst he stocked up on instant coffee is beyond the pale TBF.
I am glad to see that some of the UK Supermarkets are starting to act responsibly and control buying and offer special slots for over 70's to shop safely. I'd welcome stronger, clearer action by our politicians in all countries.
Mark
So I've cancelled gaming with Sunjester tomorrow. There is a reason why I'm on the internet today...
Its a mild case of 'A' virus. Going to look bloody stupid if I have to take more time off work next month...
I fully agree on panic buying being idiocy. So much for the Dunkirk Spirit and Stiff Upper Lip and "taking it on the chin", what it actually shows is the real stampeding panic of the Blitz Spirit which saw more people injured in stampedes than by the bombs >_<
The most idiotic thing for that is that by just going to a different shop you can pick up all the loo roll and pasta and tinned tomatoes you want!
Also tomato soup, there be none in Asda at 13.15 today...
A gin distillery is switching to making hand sanitiser.
Should I panic buy gin?
Quote from: Last Hussar on 18 March 2020, 02:51:12 PM
A gin distillery is switching to making hand sanitiser.
Should I panic buy gin?
Only if you drink it, fowl stuff.
The hand sanitizer may prove to be better.
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 18 March 2020, 02:53:46 PM
Only if you drink it, fowl stuff.
And if you mix it with tonic, should you panic buy tonic?
And those little paper umbrellas!
I was in a small Tesco express this morning, the staff are always quite bubbly, but today the manager just looked fed up - no doubt burned out by fellow mankind!
I added some posh chocs to my shop and then on the way out asked him to put them in the staff room, just as a token gesture to help balance out the experiences of dealing with selfish morons. He looked a bit taken aback, which tells it's own tale!. Is it just us! (The Brits!). I don't do international travel so can't really gauge home grown behaviour v the rest of the world.
In other news! In my bubble, six vehicles are getting some love and attention, as are some Russian village buildings.
I was speaking with one of the check out people at Asda yesterday, she'd said she had a women through the lane earlier with three kids, who had taken them out of school & was self-isolating as they'd all got something cough-ish related.
So she'd taken them shopping...
Beggars belief!
Norm.....What a really lovely gesture ! :-bd
Hats off to you !! =D> =D> =D>
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 18 March 2020, 03:25:57 PM
Norm.....What a really lovely gesture ! :-bd
Hats off to you !! =D> =D> =D>
Cheers - Phil
Agreed
What colour should I paint Austrian houses for 1809? I know this is a Virus thread, but I'm going to stuck at home with them for the next few days...
(They are Hobbycraft Christmas houses)
Good bloke that Norm.
Norm,
Nice one.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 18 March 2020, 03:11:55 PM
I was speaking with one of the check out people at Asda yesterday, she'd said she had a women through the lane earlier with three kids, who had taken them out of school & was self-isolating as they'd all got something cough-ish related.
So she'd taken them shopping...
Beggars belief!
You couldn't make it up ! X_X
I really
am starting to believe that I've been shifted into a parallel universe. :'( :'( :'(
Cheers - Phil ;)
Well done Norm!
Had info from our daughter who as tried 4 supermarkets in Edinburgh and cannot find toilet rolls anywhere :o :(
Here we have a little hose next to the loo to clean ourselves up. Saves a lot of loo roll, though a bit still gets used.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 18 March 2020, 05:16:25 PM
Here we have a little hose next to the loo to clean ourselves up. Saves a lot of loo roll, though a bit still gets used.
I really wanted one of those when we had our bathroom redone but wouldn't fit without a lot of expensive replumming. :(
I mean if things get really bad there's always a rag and a shower... X_X
Quote from: FierceKitty on 18 March 2020, 05:16:25 PM
Here we have a little hose next to the loo to clean ourselves up. Saves a lot of loo roll, though a bit still gets used.
Also recommend the bidet attachments - very simple installation. I like having a control panel on the John - I pretend I'm riding a jet ski.
We (WV) were the last valley (so to speak). Have now joined the other 49 states.
What did the Romans ever do for us?
A sponge on a stick and a bowl of vinegar :o X_X :-& ;D
Quote from: mad lemmey on 18 March 2020, 04:37:45 PM
Norm,
Nice one.
This!
An epidemic of thoughtfulness would do us all good.
Outstanding Norm.
Great idea - let's fight the selfish ignorance with kindness and thoughtfulness - start Chocolate Bombing Supermarket Staff now! :D :D :D :D :D
Quote from: Norm on 18 March 2020, 03:08:41 PM
I don't do international travel so can't really gauge home grown behaviour v the rest of the world.
Apparently the Americans are stocking up on guns & ammo, rather than bog rolls & pasta. Obviously they have different priorities . . .
Quote from: Norm on 18 March 2020, 03:08:41 PM
I was in a small Tesco express this morning, the staff are always quite bubbly, but today the manager just looked fed up - no doubt burned out by fellow mankind!
I added some posh chocs to my shop and then on the way out asked him to put them in the staff room, just as a token gesture to help balance out the experiences of dealing with selfish morons. He looked a bit taken aback, which tells it's own tale!. Is it just us! (The Brits!). I don't do international travel so can't really gauge home grown behaviour v the rest of the world.
In other news! In my bubble, six vehicles are getting some love and attention, as are some Russian village buildings.
There should be a like button just for you
Quote from: Raider4 on 18 March 2020, 07:14:59 PM
Apparently the Americans are stocking up on guns & ammo, rather than bog rolls & pasta. Obviously they have different priorities . . .
Yep. with Gunns and ammo, you solve your shortages as anyone without a gun and ammo has to give you their loo roll and pasta....or anything else they have , that you are short of.
Not that I agree with this, but that seems to be "The American Way"
Just back from a visit to our butchers and Lidl. Neither have any chicken (but butchers plenty of other meat) and the latter completely out of bread and most tinned foods. Fresh fruit and veg in abundance. Why are people still panic buying? God only knows!
just seen this (also put on another THread)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toilet-rolls/133364953278?_trkparms=aid%3D1110001%26algo%3DSPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225113%26meid%3D0f820b1a42744f1780049b54e1b5ca89%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D353011115379%26itm%3D133364953278%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
18 loo roll for £500, but you do get free postage !!!!!!!!!
And what's more amazing is that it has 2 bids .
Well......
I followed Norm's wonderful example......I couldn't find what I'd consider a 'nice' box of choccys in Cardigan's Tesco's...(it's almost all Easter eggs).....Best I could do was big 'box' of Cadbury's 'Roses'....That's gone into the 'staff restroom'....I got a lovely smile for doing that.....Thanks for thinking of that, Norm !! :-bd
Sooooo......Before I did our second 'shop' of the week (We always do two small 'shops' per week)...I had a chat with one of the staff that was collecting the trolleys.
"What's it like in there ?"......."Fairly frantic."
Normally, when I get to the car park, there are probably only 12 (at the most !) cars belonging to folk who are having a 'shop'......Today when I drove in, at first I was thinking, "Blank me.....Are there any parking spaces ?"...........Yes....There were plenty...But there were a good 10 times the number of cars parked for the time I usually arrive.
The 'trolley collector' was having a dig at...."The number of the same folk that I see coming in EVERY DAY......And leaving with a overfilled trolley." =)
The shop itself was not quite as bad as near Christmas (customer wise).....But it was pretty chock-full..... They usually have one...or maybe two checkouts open at this time of the morning when I usually go in.
Today, there were about a dozen or more checkouts open...each with a good sized queue. =)
Got everything I wanted...near as dammit....(Poop...I forgot to get some coffee ~X( X_X)...There were loo-rolls...(Not a lot....and we don't need any......Bet they've all gone by now, though =))
Shelves were again.....A bit sparse for a few certain items....but nothing to get into a tizz about.......Paracetamol (nil points)..and that was about it
Got to checkout..served by one of the staff who I've chatted to umpteen times...She got embarrassed 'cos I'd picked up four 'trays' of cheapo mince.....(This is the dogs' weekend treat, which we usually do as......buy two on Monday, two on Thursday..I was only allowed to buy three !!
Into Cardigan....For a nose around.
What got me was that all the pharmacies were on 'short time'...and not going to be open until 10:30...11:00 :o :o :o
Cheers - Phil.
Well NZ is now closed, except for returning citizens who have to go into isolation for two weeks. 28 cases so far, all returnees I believe.
Seems they are trying to catch it before it spreads, not sure if it will work. But at least it is taking action.
Take care all
Ian
Quote from: Sandinista on 19 March 2020, 11:39:30 AM
Well NZ is now closed
A bit like over Christmas then!
My brother is returning from Oz, and will have to spend 2 weeks on his tod. Luckily they have a downstairs flat he can stay in.
Quote from: Techno on 19 March 2020, 11:34:17 AM
Got to checkout..served by one of the staff who I've chatted to umpteen times...She got embarrassed 'cos I'd picked up four 'trays' of cheapo mince.....(This is the dogs' weekend treat, which we usually do as......buy two on Monday, two on Thursday..I was only allowed to buy three !!
Crazy stuff right. I always do one shop a week. I eat a particular brand of yoghurt wich come 2 in a pack. I eat one everyday, so i always buy 4 packs a week. I wonder if i'll get them, or if i will need to go in two times =) =)
And just because some people want to decorate their house with loo roll ;D ;D
In other news, feeling slightly better and never had fever. still a bit weezy when i do too much. Yesterday i mopped the floors and had to catch my breath afterwards. Crazy thing is, since they don't test when it's not serious enough, you don't know what you had.
Was just on with our travel agent regarding our honeymoon trip to Japan at the end of April. So far the flights are still on but likely to change. We can reschedule, though I'd prefer if they cancelled and refunded us so we had a chance to wait out the crisis before rebooking. Thankfully all the hotels are free cancellation at this point so the only thing we'll lose out on is the insurance which is likely not to be transferrable. It's a shame given we've spent so long saving for and planning it and looking forward to going, but it's small potatoes in the light of all that's going on!
I really have got to the point where i think......Let 'it' run its course. X_X
Then we can get on with life.....Please !!
If I'm destined to 'fail'.....So what ?
Every single atom in my body is umpteen billions of years old........As are yours. ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Phil
Quote from: Techno on 19 March 2020, 12:59:10 PM
Every single atom in my body is umpteen billions of years old........As are yours. ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Phil
But yours are in the origianal one
Quote from: ianrs54 on 19 March 2020, 04:04:50 PM
But yours are in the original one
Fair enough, Ian. ;) ;D ;D
Just had a horse/dog/wild bird/chickens' feed delivery.....Our
ordinary weekly one.
'Stewart' does gas cylinders and oodles of other stuff. (
Mostly pet food).
He's been basically telling some complete tw*ts......"No...you can't order 4 times what you need, because there' will be nothing left for those who actually need something
now.
Gimme strength....I despair of these totally selfish ......erm.....idiots. X_X......Good for him !
Cheers - Phil
Good news from Ireland ! The land that gave you Guinness may well also serve up the Covid 19 jab.
Yes, Ireland used to be an economy of "beer and biscuits", but now leads in pharmaceutical and elements of IT.
Regenron (Limerick) have a SARS COV-2 developed which targets the spike protons on the virus (that's those like sucker arms like spikes on a naval mine) The antidote blocks the interaction with the host cell.
Anyway the company shares are heading to Pluto and the jab should be mass produced by late May - tests pending :)
Irish eyes are smiling .
That is good news, well done to all the scientists working around the clock for this sort of thing.
Will you be able to trade in large collections of loo rolls or Paracetamol to be first in the queue for the new jab?
Quote from: Norm on 19 March 2020, 05:20:26 PM
That is good news, well done to all the scientists working around the clock for this sort of thing.
Will you be able to trade in large collections of loo rolls or Paracetamol to be first in the queue for the new jab?
+ 1 ! ;D
Quote from: Norm on 19 March 2020, 05:20:26 PM
That is good news, well done to all the scientists working around the clock for this sort of thing.
Will you be able to trade in large collections of loo rolls or Paracetamol to be first in the queue for the new jab?
No your position in the queue is found by following equation. the number of loo rolls x Packets of pasta,xp ackets of rice x paracetamol tablets Squared. that you have purchased in the previous 2 weeks. That way hopefully the idiots who panic bought will catch the virus and remove themselves from the gene pool.
Our daughter has just found out that she (and all the others on the course) have automatically passed their second year at Uni. She's finding it quite surreal having studied hard for her assessments that were due in in less than 3 weeks.
Quote from: Orcs on 19 March 2020, 05:59:57 PM
No your position in the queue is found by following equation. the number of loo rolls x Packets of pasta,xp ackets of rice x paracetamol tablets Squared. that you have purchased in the previous 2 weeks. That way hopefully the idiots who panic bought will catch the virus and remove themselves from the gene pool.
So that makes me the first one to receive it, good news ;D ;D
Quote from: Steve J on 19 March 2020, 07:08:51 PM
Our daughter has just found out that she (and all the others on the course) have automatically passed their second year at Uni. She's finding it quite surreal having studied hard for her assessments that were due in in less than 3 weeks.
Good news Steve - one thing less on the worry list :-)
I have just contacted the BBC proposing a new game show based on the Running Man where contestants can win loo rolls
Quote from: Steve J on 19 March 2020, 07:08:51 PM
Our daughter has just found out that she (and all the others on the course) have automatically passed their second year at Uni. She's finding it quite surreal having studied hard for her assessments that were due in in less than 3 weeks.
Sounds like a very sensible approach as having the assessments would have been extremely challenging
Congratulations to your daughter, she is not allowed out to celebrate unfortunately
The scale on our thermometer has become detached inside the glass meaning you have no idea of your actual temperature ~X(
For some reason there appear to be none in stock in at least two of our local Chemists ;)
No one seems to be running a temperature so its not urgent
Quote from: Steve J on 19 March 2020, 07:08:51 PM
Our daughter has just found out that she (and all the others on the course) have automatically passed their second year at Uni. She's finding it quite surreal having studied hard for her assessments that were due in in less than 3 weeks.
We've got similar with our eldest who was about to do his GCSE's. They've cancelled all of the exams and his grades will now be decided on a combination of the coursework already done, mock exams sat last month and teacher assessments of their ability. He's a little put out by it, as he'd put a lot of work into fixing areas that had been highlighted in his mocks, so he might not get the reward for the work he's put in.
We're hoping that it works out OK as he's really focussed on his schoolwork over the past couple of years and was expecting good grades.
Well, my sanguineness has returned some schadenfreude for the hoarders and panic buyers I've been sneering at; turns out the vast amounts of size 1 newborn nappies we had have just run out. And as the big supermarkets have shut at 10pm and the smaller shops have only size 2/3+ we're buggered.
Annoyingly we have a load of reusable nappies but wee Alice is so wee even their smallest size will dwarf her.
Skating on thin ice till 6am when I have to hope I beat the profiteering bastards to a hopefully recently refilled nappy aisle...
Self Isolation
Day 2
I am now out of gin.
May need to open the Scotch tomorrow.
A near by Gin Distillery is converting to making Hand Sanitizer :o
https://www.reidandreid.co.nz/products (https://www.reidandreid.co.nz/products)
One of the owners didn't sound too happy about on the radio this morning
Just got a email from my mum's care provider basically saying don't bother coming to visit as the village she is in up in Auckland is going into complete lockdown for a yet to be determined period.....hope she has a spare bottle of her favourite gin tucked away X_X
IF you can get there now seems like Florida is the place to be if you want to party like its 2019.....https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-51955362/us-students-party-on-spring-break-despite-coronavirus =)
Went to do our normal weekly shop last night, a lot of people around the supermarket, managed to get all we needed thankfully, but shelves are pretty bare of the same basic items mentioned in other peoples eariler emails. You could really feel the "edge of uncertainly" in the air while we waited at the checkout though (they only had 2 lanes open.....).
Take care wherever you are.
Actually quote from school the other day:
"All the eggs are completely sold out, even the quail's eggs!"
St Albans, still posh...
Have recovered the nappie situation, hurrah! 6am doors open visit to the 24hr Asda, easy in, easy out. No bloody social distancing going on there I tell thee, tho not helped by putting the nappies and loo roll down the same aisle. In other news, wtf are people eating that they need so much still?!
Yep, I did the weekly shop early today and just saw so many people leaving with toilet rolls and nappies. Fair play to ASDA that are limiting purchases to one pack of toilet roll per person, ditto pasta rice etc. They also has 3 tills dedicated to the elderly and vulnerable with assistance if required until 9.00am. Plenty of stock but looking at how quickly if was flying off the shelves, they would be bare in an hour or two. As to what people are going to do with all of this stuff, God only knows.
Quote from: Steve J on 20 March 2020, 07:23:30 AM
As to what people are going to do with all of this stuff, God only knows.
I've heard (says he, lying through his teeth) that folk are using loo rolls as an alternative form of loft insulation. :^o :^o
But as Steve says.....What
are folk doing with all this extra stuff ?
I keep thinking/hoping that the hoarders
must have enough stuff by now, and things will get back to some level of normality.....(at least as far as
shopping is concerned.)...But....
Very strange times.
Cheers - Phil
I think the panic buyers have bought Kitchen roll as they could not get Loo rol. Let hope they use the Kitchen roll as loo roll. It will block their toilets very quickly ;D ;D ;D
We had panic buying in the floods a few years ago. This time it's much more restrained; people may be remembering how much superfluous stuff they had left over last time, when the disruption was worse.
Quote from: Orcs on 20 March 2020, 07:40:02 AM
I think the panic buyers have bought Kitchen roll as they could not get Loo rol. Let hope they use the Kitchen roll as loo roll. It will block their toilets very quickly ;D ;D ;D
I imagine a lot of them don't realise that, Mark. ;)
With Will mentioning eggs......That's the one advantage of keeping a few chickens.
The ones we've got haven't stopped laying throughout the 'shorter days' of Winter.
We have two fried, or poached, eggs each, (almost everyday) for brunch....Just to try and not waste them.
I don't think I'd cope too well if we ended up eating eggs for every meal, though. X_X
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Orcs on 20 March 2020, 07:40:02 AM
I think the panic buyers have bought Kitchen roll as they could not get Loo rol. Let hope they use the Kitchen roll as loo roll. It will block their toilets very quickly ;D ;D ;D
Nasty, very nasty. No large fresh loaves, and the wine was running low yesterday !
I have a steep unusable back garden. Maybe it's time to consider getting a goat.
Least you got a garden !
Quote from: Techno on 20 March 2020, 07:58:37 AM
I imagine a lot of them don't realise that, Mark. ;)
With Will mentioning eggs......That's the one advantage of keeping a few chickens.
The ones we've got haven't stopped laying throughout the 'shorter days' of Winter.
We have two fried, or poached, eggs each, (almost everyday) for brunch....Just to try and not waste them.
I don't think I'd cope too well if we ended up eating eggs for every meal, though. X_X
Cheers - Phil
Fresh eggs - you really can tell the difference when you crack them in the pan compared to a supermarket bought egg
Quote from: mmcv on 20 March 2020, 08:38:19 AM
I have a steep unusable back garden. Maybe it's time to consider getting a goat.
Terraced rice cultivation, the way they do it in Vietnam.
I'd love a goat, or maybe half a dozen pygmy goats. Not sure I want goat milk in my coffee but it's nice otherwise.
We've chickens as well, Phil - eight in an Egloo Cube and run, soooo easy to keep! Aside from being "attrition pets" and mostly ex-industrial ladies who've been very roughly handled by our arsehole food production systems :(
I've six packs of eggs laid up as we can't eat 'em fast enough - usually sell the excess at my wargames club but that's off the table now!
Quote from: Orcs on 20 March 2020, 09:07:04 AM
Fresh eggs - you really can tell the difference when you crack them in the pan compared to a supermarket bought egg
You're right there, Mark....There's no comparison.
Von told me there's an ad on the TV at the mo'......The yolks on those are a pale, anaemic yellow....And I'll bet they taste bland,as well.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 20 March 2020, 09:38:30 AM
We've chickens as well, Phil - eight in an Egloo Cube and run, soooo easy to keep! Aside from being "attrition pets" and mostly ex-industrial ladies who've been very roughly handled by our arsehole food production systems :(
I've six packs of eggs laid up as we can't eat 'em fast enough - usually sell the excess at my wargames club but that's off the table now!
They soon build up, don't they, Nathan !! ;D......I'm afraid that some our 'excess' go down the dogs' necks.....or out in the fields, for the corvids and raptors to snack on.
Ours are 'rescues' from a 'free range farm'....(free range is a fairly loose term as far as I understand)......They didn't know what to do when we let them run free. Haven't had any problems with any foxes recently...and long may that continue !!
Their worst habit is getting under your feet when you're outside......"Gimme a peanut !.....Gimme a meal worm !"......... They don't seem to know what "SOD OFF !" means. ;)
Cheers - Phil.
Hahaha, yeah, that's chickens - we tried to use them one year to weed and de-slug the garden. Wing clip, let 'em loose, punt them off the kale, punt them off the chard, punt them off the other veg round and round in a circle. End result, the garden pests didn't have any of our veg to eat as it all went in the bloody birds :D
Shop bought eggs - yeah. So anaemic! And the girls that came out the battery farms were horrific, which was all supposed to stop when bat farms were stopped, and tbh it's improved, but...
Our local farm sell its own eggs, we know they are free range , you can see them running about, and more then once I have had to shoo one back into the yard off the main road.
Every pack of eggs comes with a free chicken?
Shattered nurse .... :(
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-51966337/coronavirus-nurse-s-despair-as-panic-buyers-clear-shelves (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-51966337/coronavirus-nurse-s-despair-as-panic-buyers-clear-shelves)
Quote from: Orcs on 20 March 2020, 11:21:27 AM
Our local farm sell its own eggs, you can see them running about, and more then once I have had to shoo one back into the yard off the main road.
Eggs running about, that why ASDA had none yesterday. :o :o
Lidl today - one woman filled the complete 3m conveyor 3 deep, ridiculous :'( :'(
Quote from: Westmarcher on 20 March 2020, 12:01:32 PM
Shattered nurse .... :(
Heard that on the radio, this morning.....Poor lass. :(
Cheers - Phil
Apparently as an egg producer you can choose the colour of your yolks, based upon 'colourants' in the bird feed. Heard this on Farming Today or the Food Programme on Radio 4 years ago, so not sure if still holds true today...
Quote from: ianrs54 on 20 March 2020, 08:39:08 AM
Least you got a garden !
Luxury!!! All we 'ad wuz a spike.
Quote from: mmcv on 20 March 2020, 08:38:19 AM
I have a steep unusable back garden. Maybe it's time to consider getting a goat.
I wouldn't advise eating the goat eggs though.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 20 March 2020, 09:10:50 AM
Terraced rice cultivation, the way they do it in Vietnam.
Did try getting it terraced at one point but most wouldn't tackle it without charging extortionate amounts due to the difficulty of accessing it with a digger (shared drive, other side has theirs fenced off). But may have to resort to doing it by hand if this continues and we're facing starvation...
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 20 March 2020, 01:15:41 PM
Luxury!!! All we 'ad wuz a spike.
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 20 March 2020, 02:33:18 PM
I wouldn't advise eating the goat eggs though.
;D
Currently terracing my allotment, by hand, as when I inherited it from the council, it was a forest. The previous (now evicted tenant) had planted loads of trees all down the slope. In pots. All next to each other. Then left them for 15 years :o
50 or so of the trees I salvaged have been replanted in the nearby park, and the rest have been saved for dead hedging around the allotment.
Mark
I've knocking on for an acre of gardens and park(ish) land, which if this continues may become home to several chickens and possibly pigs (have an old pig sty that looks like it was built around the time of Saruman).
Although plenty of squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and pigeons to shoot and pot first :D
Hmmm......I'm thinking of shooting some of the flying rats, as well.
(Not to eat......Just can't stand the wretched things....There's so many of them... they need culling......They scoff 90% of the food I put out for the little garden birds.....The swine !! >:()
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 20 March 2020, 05:34:18 PM
Hmmm......I'm thinking of shooting some of the flying rats, as well.
(Not to eat......Just can't stand the wretched things....There's so many of them... they need culling......They scoff 90% of the food I put out for the little garden birds.....The swine !! >:()
Cheers - Phil
They taste quite nice. Bit like liver. Don't bother with the full carcase, just pluck the breast, run a knife down the breast bone and take each side of the breast off. If you don't fancy it, just cook them up for the dogs.
Liver ?......I thought everything tasted of chicken. :-\
(The things you learn on our esteemed forum.) :)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 20 March 2020, 05:42:05 PM
Liver ?......I thought everything tasted of chicken. :-
(The things you learn on our esteemed forum.) :)
Cheers - Phil
No, coffee tastes like..... Paint water?
Not again...
;D ;D ;D
Quote from: sultanbev on 20 March 2020, 02:53:48 PM
50 or so of the trees I salvaged have been replanted in the nearby park, and the rest have been saved for dead hedging around the allotment.
Something else I've learnt about through our esteemed forum :)
All those Zombie games are going to have to publish updates where the players scavenge for toilet rolls, aren't they?
I do like a nice pigeon breast, marinated in red wine and a little herbs, then flash fried. Need half a dozen for anything even snack sized tho!
Quote from: Last Hussar on 20 March 2020, 07:48:57 PM
All those Zombie games are going to have to publish updates where the players scavenge for toilet rolls, aren't they?
was a chap yesterday on facebook who had made objective marers. 5 bases with stacks of loo rolls ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: toxicpixie on 20 March 2020, 09:38:30 AM
Aside from being "attrition pets" and mostly ex-industrial ladies who've been very roughly handled by our arsehole food production systems :(
Yeah, I don't think the great British public really knows - or wants to know - exactly how "industrial" real-world food production is.
There's a reason there are no webcams in abbatoirs . . .
The one's that really piss me off are the adverts for "luxury" expensive chocolates, that show a kindly old man in a white chef's hat hand-churning your chocolate, while a message written in white on a light-grey background proclaims "product development kitchen".
Well, you now what, dearie? There is no kindly old man. Your "luxury" chocolates were produced in a factory/warehouse the size of Paddington station, that employs 7 people, 3 of whom are security guards.
And this (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51976484) is exactly the sort of thing that will cause real trouble.
The "We're all in this together" thing starts to fall apart when the general public thinks that the rich 'n powerful are not only suffering as much as the rest of us, but actually making money out of the problem.
We've just been out in the car to see how many people were taking notice of today's announcements. Answer = not a lot... A lot of the pubs and restaurants are still open, some of them almost crammed full. I don't think these people understand that the longer they ignore the advice, the longer we have to keep these measures in place. It's not fun for any of us, but it needs to be done.
Quote from: Raider4 on 20 March 2020, 10:48:02 PM
Yeah, I don't think the great British public really knows - or wants to know - exactly how "industrial" real-world food production is.
Have to agree with that...I worked the night shift at a biscuit factory in Broxburn (West of Edinburgh) in the 90's when I was back in the UK for a while.
H&S requirements were generally quite rigidly observed but was still somewhat of an eye-opener to see how the lines worked (and what ingredients goes into some of the stuff they made).
NZ governments reaction to cases reaching 53
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA2003/S00154/nation-steps-up-to-covid-19-alert-level-2.htm?fbclid=IwAR3sIDm1l6SUkB-7AfTeHA8WiZrt1myYFIY06SMBg3lPFsEx-Laro9gizxI
Cheers
Ian
Quote from: Leon on 20 March 2020, 11:07:18 PM
We've just been out in the car to see how many people were taking notice of today's announcements. Answer = not a lot... A lot of the pubs and restaurants are still open, some of them almost crammed full. I don't think these people understand that the longer they ignore the advice, the longer we have to keep these measures in place. It's not fun for any of us, but it needs to be done.
I note that the ever tiresome Brendan O'Neil has just denounced the Gov't for shutting down pubs; apparently a North Korean style measure.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-s-pub-ban-makes-this-a-dark-day-for-britain
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 21 March 2020, 06:50:58 AM
I note that the ever tiresome Brendan O'Neil has just denounced the Gov't for shutting down pubs; apparently a North Korean style measure.
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/boris-s-pub-ban-makes-this-a-dark-day-for-britain
Interestingly contradicting his previous article where he declared the youth were too fragile to survive this due to being too coddled, now they'll be fine because they have TikTok and Google Hangouts...
If he's so concerned about this why not write an article telling those lonely older people how to set up video chats with their mates from the pub or sourcing them second hand tablets that could be used for such... Rather than "naval gazing" on the institution of the grand old British pub of bygone days.
Did you know......?
If you store loo-rolls for more than three months, they go all soggy and fall apart. :o
Neither did I until I made that up.
I'm trying to think of a feasible rumour to give the hoarders some pause for thought.
Spontaneous combustion ?
Any bright ideas that we can put on facebook ?
(Well.....You really...... as I don't do faceache)
Cheers - Phil ;) (Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap.) :D
Could they be infested with weevils ?
And no they don't go soggy if your store them properly ! I keep mine for 18 months, bought a 12 pack roughly 2 months ago. And before you ask I always do it that way.
Report on retail front - ASDA Birkenhead opened 2 hours late, meat aisle, burger aisle (including the vegie stuff), not much on the ood shelf, and tissues of any type. Al;so they was only lettin peps in 10 at a time.
MASSIVE OVER REACTION AGAIN !!!! :'( :'( :'( :'(
Actually, I'd be happy to see loo rolls made with unbleached paper - release fewer halogens into the environment. Ditto tampons. I'm surprised the feminists have missed that one - heard of toxic shock syndrome, sisters?
There's quite a buzz about toxic shock and tampons, Kitty. It's just people want what the people get, and we have had bright white associate d with clean so tampons are bleached (in general), and the manufacturers have zero interest in hitting profits by moving from that.
You should get a moon cup instead ;)
Quote from: ianrs54 on 21 March 2020, 09:04:02 AM
Could they be infested with weevils ?
Not bad. :-\
Quote from: ianrs54 on 21 March 2020, 09:04:02 AM
And no they don't go soggy if your store them properly !
Some would believe that they DO go soggy.........I
did say I'd made that up. ;)
Just been down to the village to get a paper....I want my money back ! ;).....There was no Sports section. ;D ;D ;D
It was a bit bizarre......I only
really only needed to go to the pharmacy, to get Von's next month's worth of pills.
Note on the door......Only three customers in the shop at any one time....No unaccompanied children......I think that's
totally fair...Folk who are ill are the ones most likely be going to visit the 'chemists', so the staff really need to protect themselves.
Thought I'd have a 'nose' in the mini-supermarket......They had some very strange loo 'rolls' (Only one pack per person.).....Looked more like someone had been into MacDonalds and half-inched/pinched/stolen a load of their 'serviettes', and then bundled them up.
We
are going through 'strange' times.
Take care, Gang.
Cheers - Phil :)
Saturday morning in Burnley - was in town at 8.30am to get odd ingredients.
Aldi - very busy
Asda - insane! Seemed like all of Burnley was in there.
Sainsburys - quiet, and the actually had sugar
M&S, B&M Bargains - about normal activity, one person whering mask but only over his mouth....
Home Bargains - one panic buyer filling basket with toothpaste (!)
I did get everything I went out for except plain flour and paracetomol. Everyone must be making headache cookies...
Mark
Just seen a headline - "WHO: Young people are not invincible."
That's not what they said in "My Generation".
I prefer "Won't get fooled again." ;)
Cheers - Phil :)
An interesting side effect of the lockdowns is reported on Wargames Atlantic website -
https://wargamesatlantic.com/blogs/news/updates-on-pre-orders-and-shipping
Air freight has now quadrupled in price and also become rarer, so surface shipping is back in the game.
At the moment at Lurkio we're still sending overseas packages with no price change, wonder how long that will last?
Mark
The German are panic buying sausages and cheese, but it's only for a wurst käse scenario.
You're barred. ;)
Now....Go and get your coat. ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: John Cook on 21 March 2020, 12:38:36 PM
The German are panic buying sausages and cheese, but it's only for a wurst käse scenario.
OUCH!
Quote from: John Cook on 21 March 2020, 12:38:36 PM
The German are panic buying sausages and cheese, but it's only for a wurst käse scenario.
Bravo John, absolutely the best one on the thread so far, even if I did hear it yesterday first!
My worries about starving to death (I am disabled - getting to a supermarket is impossible and my "weekly" delivery isn't available for 2 weeks...) and other "irrelevancies" were alleviated by a smashing little box of Pendraken 10mm loveliness being delivered today!
After failing at solo gaming (my opponent cheated!) am attempting to organise a PBEM campaign of the 1690 Williamite war in Ireland - any suggestions for rules?
Twilight of the Sun King, great set for lace wars!
I'd be up for a role in that if you have a space ;)
Quote from: Scorpio_Rocks on 21 March 2020, 01:57:42 PM
My worries about starving to death (I am disabled - getting to a supermarket is impossible and my "weekly" delivery isn't available for 2 weeks...) and other "irrelevancies" were alleviated by a smashing little box of Pendraken 10mm loveliness being delivered today!
After failing at solo gaming (my opponent cheated!) am attempting to organise a PBEM campaign of the 1690 Williamite war in Ireland - any suggestions for rules?
Try:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/64142/lilliburlero-battle-boyne-july-1690
The battles, sieges and skirmishes / raids I think we have sorted - it's more the overall campaign framework (by email) I was hoping for help with.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 21 March 2020, 02:24:10 PM
I'd be up for a role in that if you have a space ;)
Will let you know Toxic, I think we have 4 or 5 players currently so may have room for another Jacobite commander
Splendid! I really enjoyed Sandinista's PBEM Alt-Lace Wars game last year, even without live pushing of lead :)
Count me in chaps
Quote from: toxicpixie on 21 March 2020, 07:14:41 PM
Splendid! I really enjoyed Sandinista's PBEM Alt-Lace Wars game last year, even without live pushing of lead :)
Seconded :)
Quote from: Scorpio_Rocks on 21 March 2020, 01:57:42 PM
After failing at solo gaming (my opponent cheated!) am attempting to organise a PBEM campaign of the 1690 Williamite war in Ireland - any suggestions for rules?
I would be interested to play this
Cheers
Ian
Quote from: toxicpixie on 21 March 2020, 07:14:41 PM
Splendid! I really enjoyed Sandinista's PBEM Alt-Lace Wars game last year, even without live pushing of lead :)
Cheers, it was fun to play the battles that developed from it.
Ian
Quote from: mollinary on 21 March 2020, 01:37:42 PM
Bravo John, absolutely the best one on the thread so far, even if I did hear it yesterday first!
I heard it yesterday too, from No1 son in Australia. Amazing how the jokes get around - faster than Corona Virus.
Perhaps a 'COVID 19' humour thread is needed to lighten the mood.
On the BBC news, the Chinese have been getting back into their parks after being cooped up for 3 months as they have 3 consecutive days of no further internal person to person infections - there is light at the end of the tunnel.
In other news, I am hopefully getting a game to the table this afternoon to compare two different sets and styles of rules. Having a whole Sunday in and it having that 'slow please yourself pace' is very reminiscent of my younger years, when everywhere was closed on a Sunday and it put an emphasis on family unity, something I doubt we properly appreciated or properly understood what we had until we lost it. A difference at the moment is that we can't have the family around.
The mental health of those frazzled by long hours of unrelenting work could only be helped by having a day in the week for us to just stand still and be immune to the demands of bosses and targets.
I met my daughter and one of my grand daughters on a car park yesterday, we spaced the cars and had a chat and left a gift in her boot that will obviously have to be sanitised before handling and she left her Mother's Day gift for us. I have one of those mini fold out chair supports which I placed between the cars, so we could all speak without twisting and had a lot of fun telling the granddaughter 'Oh no it isn't' - Oh yes it is. It was an unusual meet-up, but certainly good for the spirits.
I then went to my son's works, he put the Mother's Day gift in the boot and we left him a small bag of goodies from Mark's .... which included a four pack of loo roll - strange times!
Happy Mother's Day to all mum's who are having to do this in a different way this year.
Quote from: Norm on 22 March 2020, 07:08:57 AM
On the BBC news, the Chinese have been getting back into their parks after being cooped up for 3 months as they have 3 consecutive days of no further internal person to person infections - there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Yes.....The news from China IS encouraging :) Though there's obviously a
long way to go for a
number of countries at the moment. :(...Including ourselves, I suppose.
Quote from: Norm on 22 March 2020, 07:08:57 AM
Happy Mother's Day to all mum's who are having to do this in a different way this year.
I'll second that ! :)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Sandinista on 21 March 2020, 10:37:24 PM
Cheers, it was fun to play the battles that developed from it.
Ian
Never fight a battle where you haven't nobbled your opponent first ;) As a pseudo-Stuart that's my motto!
Norm, that sounds excellent - I'll be calling my Mom on the phone, closest we can get!
Quote from: Raider4 on 15 March 2020, 10:55:26 AM
Just been to my usual Sunday morning shop - 09:40 @ Tesco's, every Sunday, nice & leisurely (normally), can wander round in mostly empty aisles, nodding to a few regulars who do the same.
Today? Utter effing madness. You'd think it was Xmas week. People charging everywhere, obviously not used to this shopping lark. Everyone's got bog rolls - mostly 9 or 36 packs. I saw a couple of trolleys with 4 x 36 packs of bog rolls in them. No nappies, shortages of basic things like tins of beans & soup.
And today I couldn't even get in the car park . . .
Surely this madness has to stop soon? Hopefully people will realise that they now have 3 years worth of
everything and that there's nothing left to buy?
Quote from: Raider4 on 22 March 2020, 09:57:25 AM
And today I couldn't even get in the car park . . .
Surely this madness has to stop soon? Hopefully people will realise that they now have 3 years worth of everything and that there's nothing left to buy?
Good grief. X_X
Without giving your location away, Martyn.......Are you shopping (or trying to) in a large town, or even a city ?
I
imagine those 'locations' would be the
absolute worst. :(
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 22 March 2020, 10:16:45 AM
Are you shopping (or trying to) in a large town, or even a city ?
The big Tesco Extra at Eastville, Bristol. Nightmare. Just wandered around to the local Morrison's, much more like a normal busy Sunday. Car park half full, plenty of everything I wanted to get except meat (next to nothing) and cat food (none at all). Didn't check on the bog rolls or pasta though. Plenty of fresh fruit & veg, plenty of booze (though I was walking and can't carry the heavy stuff back :().
Quote from: Techno on 22 March 2020, 10:16:45 AM
I imagine those 'locations' would be the absolute worst. :(
Yeah, looks like they are.
Quote from: John Cook on 22 March 2020, 12:44:18 AM
I heard it yesterday too, from No1 son in Australia. Amazing how the jokes get around - faster than Corona Virus.
Aye, saw it an email newsletter I'm subscribed to on Wednesday.
They followed it up with:
"Panic buyers have cleared the shelves of hummus and guacamole. It's a double dip recession."
and today's is:
"Panic buyers in Paris have left the supermarkets looking like bomb sites. De brie is everywhere."
They are bad !
Was out walking the dog there (keeping sensible distances from others). From the amount of cars on the roads and kids with presents being packed into cars it's clear people aren't taking things seriously. Lockdown will be inevitable at this rate.
Wife was out for a socially distanced walk with her 75 year old sister. High street was reasonable but Porty promenade was heaving.
Some folks just don't listen.
I couldn't believe the number of folk visiting Snowdonia, yesterday :o....(That's nowhere near us, fortunately.)
As Jim says, some folks just don't listen. :(
Cheers - Phil
From Reddit
(https://preview.redd.it/hu25l44ii6o41.jpg?width=556&auto=webp&s=ca38e043987811196e8da76b32643b2b317e282f)
There has been a constant stream of traffic on the ring road here on the Eastern side of Bristol. So as others have said, a lot of people are not listening to the advice :(.
Our local parks and coastline were packed yesterday as well, and the Tescos had a 300 yard queue circling around the inside of the shop ready for the tills to open. We also heard that the local Farm Foods delivery truck was descended upon in their car park, with people jumping into the back of the truck and opening the delivery before it could even get taken into the store.
Is there a version of Covid that can purely target morons? Something to force them into a locked room for a couple of weeks would be nice for the rest of us.
Found the last two bags of plain flour in Burnley on Saturday, bought one and left the last for anyone else who bothers to look at the back of the bottom shelf in that Spa shop.
Stayed in today, painting Austrian Hussars and packing Lurkio orders :)
Mark
Quote from: Leon on 22 March 2020, 04:43:58 PM
Is there a version of Covid that can purely target morons? Something to force them into a locked room for a couple of weeks would be nice for the rest of us.
Oh come
on, Leon ;)........They're the ones who would go and and do a shopping trip....."Because I feel fine." ..."So it doesn't apply to me" =)
I
hope that's not true about the delivery van, and it's just a rumour....But I wouldn't be
so surprised if..................... X_X X_X X_X
Well done on the flour, Mark !! :)
(Wish me luck on my trip to Tesco's tomorrow.)
Cheers - Phil
Now awaiting to hear whether our son will be on the list who has to stay indoors and keep social distancing in the home for 12 weeks. Hard enough for us but as he has autism and learning difficulties and is very touchy feely, this could be a real challenge for him. As my wife has to go into work in school, she will have to sleep on her own etc so as to minimise any risk to us who have to stay in :(.
I'm sure I speak for all of us - best wishes, there, Steve.
Yes indeed Steve - good luck.
My wife is currently packing - she's opting to go into 12 weeks semi-isolation with my 89 year old mum-in-law who's got dementia, from tomorrow afternoon.
Her sister will drop off food & medicines in the garage for them, as they will be in a no-visitors lock-down.
I will be left to fend for myself at home - bothered by 2 demented cats and 10,000 unpainted lead soldiers - all needing painting!
If I start gibbering more than usual on this forum, please send me fresh fruit :'(
PS: at least I appear to be able to still order more paint on-line/mail-order.
Quote from: Leon on 22 March 2020, 04:43:58 PM
Our local parks and coastline were packed yesterday as well, and the Tescos had a 300 yard queue circling around the inside of the shop ready for the tills to open. We also heard that the local Farm Foods delivery truck was descended upon in their car park, with people jumping into the back of the truck and opening the delivery before it could even get taken into the store.
Is there a version of Covid that can purely target morons? Something to force them into a locked room for a couple of weeks would be nice for the rest of us.
How's about a 1800mm scale PIAT ;)
Quote from: Techno on 22 March 2020, 06:04:45 PM
I hope that's not true about the delivery van, and it's just a rumour....But I wouldn't be so surprised if..................... X_X X_X X_X
I heard it from the chap over the compound from us who builds wardrobes, he was popping to the shop in question to pick up some stuff. It's not a surprise round here, although he said that people were taking their ransacked products into the shop to pay, whch doesn't sound right at all...
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 22 March 2020, 10:00:17 PM
How's about a 1800mm scale PIAT ;)
That'd do it! I wouldn't be surprised at all on Mon/Tues for the government to put a full lockdown in place. We've seen pubs full of people, the local play park was crammed with families yesterday and I saw on the news that Snowdon had the busiest day in its history. The irony is that when the government take it our of our hands, it'll be these dipsticks who complain the loudest...
Quote from: Leon on 22 March 2020, 10:05:08 PM
The irony is that when the government take it our of our hands, it'll be these dipsticks who complain the loudest...
Yeah it's mad how little regard people have for it. The police here had to break up "end of school parties" at the weekend, obviously the kids and parents oblivious to why the schools are closed. Then people on the news "Nah we're not taking this seriously, how could you take it seriously? Ha ha ha." and continuing to congregate.
Will be serious enough when the police and army are on the streets enforcing it because people can't use their common sense and have a bit of consideration for their communities and others.
Quote from: Big Insect on 22 March 2020, 09:55:47 PM
.
I will be left to fend for myself at home - bothered by 2 demented cats and 10,000 unpainted lead soldiers - all needing painting!
If I start gibbering more than usual on this forum, please send me fresh fruit :'(
PS: at least I appear to be able to still order more paint on-line/mail-order.
You can gibber as much as you like as long as you work on a new edition of FWC ;)
Well things are getting serious here - NZ is going into lockdown for a month from 11.59pm Wednesday.
this is going to be a real challenge for everyone, but one that we will get through.....
I am going to be working from home during the shutdown so its not a licence to watch netflix for a month, but at least I (should) still have a job at the other side when at least some normality resumes.
Got the essentials that we need and my last minute gaming reinforcement thankfully arrived in time today....COMSUBPAC can commence operations (but only from 5pm to 9am ;) ).
Stay well, take care and don't despair wherever you are......Kia Kaha!
So pleased that we have a PM that is decisive, 102 cases confirmed and decides on full lock down for at least four weeks. Compare that to the UK where dopey Dom was happy to let people die to protect the financial markets.
Cheers
Ian
Quote from: Sandinista on 23 March 2020, 04:59:43 AM
So pleased that we have a PM that is decisive, 102 cases confirmed and decides on full lock down for at least four weeks. Compare that to the UK where dopey Dom was happy to let people die to protect the financial markets.
Cheers
Ian
https://twitter.com/i/status/1237127349356953600 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1237127349356953600)
https://skwawkbox.org/2020/03/12/johnsons-herd-immunity-plan-would-mean-letting-90-of-uk-catch-covid-19-and-a-million-or-more-die/
Went into our relatively small Tescos, they had most things except Hand gel and Rice.
Only allowing you two of anything, apart from loo roll which was more than sufficient for what I wanted. they did have a strange way of implementing this though. I bought some soup and you were allowed two tins of every flavour, so I could have bout nearly 20 tin of soup. Surely it should be two of a type of product, ie Two tins of any type of soup, two tins of any type of tinned fish etc. You were only allowed one pack of Loo Roll regardless of size they had packs of 4, 9, 8 18,24.
Some things seem to be getting cheaper - 24 non branded loo rolls £4 (Might have been like sandpaper though and I have a delicate bottom ;D) 4 tin pack of tuna £2.33
Confused but satisfied I could get what I wanted
Quote from: Orcs on 23 March 2020, 10:20:55 AM
Went into our relatively small Tescos, they had most things except Hand gel and Rice.
Only allowing you two of anything, apart from loo roll which was more than sufficient for what I wanted. they did have a strange way of implementing this though. I bought some soup and you were allowed two tins of every flavour, so I could have bout nearly 20 tin of soup. Surely it should be two of a type of product, ie Two tins of any type of soup, two tins of any type of tinned fish etc. You were only allowed one pack of Loo Roll regardless of size they had packs of 4, 9, 8 18,24.
Some things seem to be getting cheaper - 24 non branded loo rolls £4 (Might have been like sandpaper though and I have a delicate bottom ;D) 4 tin pack of tuna £2.33
Confused but satisfied I could get what I wanted
When I went into the local Sainsburys I found every can of soup had gone with the exception of the type I habitually eat (drink!)-
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 23 March 2020, 10:34:51 AM
When I went into the local Sainsburys I found every can of soup had gone with the exception of the type I habitually eat (drink!)-
This trend is emerging across the retail sector. The small corner shop and the isolated rural store are have a boom. Up until now their niche has been what we call "run outs" -things people have run out off . Now to (a) avoid crowds and (b) get supplies, people are abandoning the big supermarkets where they did their bulk shopping.
If the small retailers get their supplies - usually once a week from the wholesaler they will have a low volume stock and ....will favour
regular customers with priority. Hard to get items will be "under the counter"
Its time to cultivate good "first name" relations with your local grocer. Give him a list of what you will be ordering. Buy small like your granny used to do - I remember walking home with my mum with a little shopping bag on wheels- and shop often.
Who knows, Arkwright in his corner shop and Grenville on his bike may make a return to our culture - and be open all hours .
Popped into Lidl around 9.00am and not too bad at all. Quite busy but no where near as bad as last week and plenty of stock to be had. I only needed a few things but some people were either still stocking up by the look of it.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 22 March 2020, 11:54:27 PM
You can gibber as much as you like as long as you work on a new edition of FWC ;)
It's on the list flamingpig :D do not hesitate to drop me suggestions on a direct message basis.
I will check with Leon about releasing the current 'rules production plan' ... but I can safely disclose that we are well advanced on the Spanish Civil War (BKCIV Supplement) and also CWCII.
But there are a couple of other projects on the way as well.
FWC is close to my heart - it is how I originally got into the whole Commander series of rules ... so fear not it will not be forgotten.
Quote from: Sunray on 23 March 2020, 11:42:13 AM
This trend is emerging across the retail sector. The small corner shop and the isolated rural store are have a boom. Up until now their niche has been what we call "run outs" -things people have run out off . Now to (a) avoid crowds and (b) get supplies, people are abandoning the big supermarkets where they did their bulk shopping.
If the small retailers get their supplies - usually once a week from the wholesaler they will have a low volume stock and ....will favour regular customers with priority. Hard to get items will be "under the counter"
Its time to cultivate good "first name" relations with your local grocer. Give him a list of what you will be ordering. Buy small like your granny used to do - I remember walking home with my mum with a little shopping bag on wheels- and shop often.
Who knows, Arkwright in his corner shop and Grenville on his bike may make a return to our culture - and be open all hours .
We get a lot of our meat, fish and veg through delivery services from local suppliers and distributers (farm shops and the like). So far they're still going so ended up with a decent amount of stuff, e.g. a crate if seasonal veg every other week. Always good to support local produce and business when you can. Alas not many "corner shops" left around me these days, not sure Spar and Lidl count!
Quote from: toxicpixie on 21 March 2020, 09:30:18 AM
There's quite a buzz about toxic shock and tampons, Kitty. It's just people want what the people get, and we have had bright white associate d with clean so tampons are bleached (in general), and the manufacturers have zero interest in hitting profits by moving from that.
You should get a moon cup instead ;)
Same defence could be used for Thalydomide (had a narrow escape there myself). It wouldn't be hard for a new law to get through....
Quote from: mmcv on 23 March 2020, 02:36:47 PM
We get a lot of our meat, fish and veg through delivery services from local suppliers and distributers (farm shops and the like). So far they're still going so ended up with a decent amount of stuff, e.g. a crate if seasonal veg every other week. Always good to support local produce and business when you can. Alas not many "corner shops" left around me these days, not sure Spar and Lidl count!
The Spar group is a franchise collective that a lot of small independent traders joined in the 1970s. Many are still "family owned" . It gives the small shop bigger buying power.
Was mildly amused to see in Waitrose the other day: empty shelves where the packaged pasta used to be, but their pack-it-yourself pasta/grains section full to the brim!
People are weird...
Went into a local department store yesterday, no isopropyl alcohol, fairly quiet and easy to keep a distance from other shoppers until I went to the counter to pay. I left a reasonable space between myself and the customer at the till, them a woman turned up with three kids she couldn't keep under control, one of the kids walked into the space I'd left to distance myself. He was shouted out by his mother and promptly wandered off, then the woman moved so close to me I could feel her breath on the back of my neck while her kids ran around whilst being shouted out. Obviously the concept of social distancing was far above her understanding.
I'm staying in from now on, because there are too many idiots about, until I have to collect my groceries from "Click and collect" as there are no home delivery slots available.
Regards,
Martin
Quote from: FierceKitty on 23 March 2020, 03:11:15 PM
Same defence could be used for Thalydomide (had a narrow escape there myself). It wouldn't be hard for a new law to get through....
That reminds me.
Back in secondary school I had a teacher who constantly go on about how people should emphasis all the could the vaccine had done and not harp on about the bad side of it!!!
Her other great obsession as belief a convoy should go at the speed of the fastest ship not the slowest- even as an 11 year old based upon my reading of commando war comics I knew she was talking crap
Have just seen the Government' s impressive Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, on the latest 'dreaded lurgi'' announcement.. Is he the Covid generation's Ian McDonald?
Quote from: Steve J on 22 March 2020, 06:24:30 PM
Now awaiting to hear whether our son will be on the list who has to stay indoors and keep social distancing in the home for 12 weeks. Hard enough for us but as he has autism and learning difficulties and is very touchy feely, this could be a real challenge for him. As my wife has to go into work in school, she will have to sleep on her own etc so as to minimise any risk to us who have to stay in :(.
Best of luck!
It is official - the UK Government has told us to stay at home .... and paint lead!
Non-essential shops to close .... so only food outlets and wargame and hobby shops are open
Only travel to work if absolutely necessary ..... i.e. to open up the wargame shop.
Gyms are to close ...... thank goodness!
You can go for one walk a day for exercise ....... make it a short walk, there is wargaming to get back to!
gatherings of no more than 2 ...... a special measure, so you don't have to solo wargame!
Quote from: Norm on 23 March 2020, 10:12:11 PM
It is official - the UK Government has told us to stay at home .... and paint lead!
Non-essential shops to close .... so only food outlets and wargame and hobby shops are open
Only travel to work if absolutely necessary ..... i.e. to open up the wargame shop.
Gyms are to close ...... thank goodness!
You can go for one walk a day for exercise ....... make it a short walk, there is wargaming to get back to!
gatherings of no more than 2 ...... a special measure, so you don't have to solo wargame!
;D
Quote from: Norm on 23 March 2020, 10:12:11 PM
It is official - the UK Government has told us to stay at home .... and paint lead!
Non-essential shops to close .... so only food outlets and wargame and hobby shops are open
Only travel to work if absolutely necessary ..... i.e. to open up the wargame shop.
Gyms are to close ...... thank goodness!
You can go for one walk a day for exercise ....... make it a short walk, there is wargaming to get back to!
gatherings of no more than 2 ...... a special measure, so you don't have to solo wargame!
That's the spirit Norm!!
They have still not suspended trading on the London Stock Exchange - so all of Boris' old trader mates can make a quick buck out of short-selling perfectly good stocks, knackering the longer-term value of gilts and all our hard earned pension money just spirals down the plug-hole - crazy!
(Sorry ... rant over ... I'll get my coat!) :'( :'( :'(
Quote from: Norm on 23 March 2020, 10:12:11 PM
It is official - the UK Government has told us to stay at home .... and paint lead!
Non-essential shops to close .... so only food outlets and wargame and hobby shops are open
Only travel to work if absolutely necessary ..... i.e. to open up the wargame shop.
Gyms are to close ...... thank goodness!
You can go for one walk a day for exercise ....... make it a short walk, there is wargaming to get back to!
gatherings of no more than 2 ...... a special measure, so you don’t have to solo wargame!
Absolutely. Pendraken is an essential service.
Quote from: Big Insect on 23 March 2020, 10:40:33 PM
They have still not suspended trading on the London Stock Exchange - so all of Boris' old trader mates can make a quick buck out of short-selling perfectly good stocks, knackering the longer-term value of gilts and all our hard earned pension money just spirals down the plug-hole - crazy!
(Sorry ... rant over ... I'll get my coat!) :'( :'( :'(
No joke; I am in the process of getting my pension crystallised so this could readily cripple my income for my pensionable years.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 23 March 2020, 08:20:27 PM
That reminds me.
Back in secondary school I had a teacher who constantly go on about how people should emphasis all the could the vaccine had done and not harp on about the bad side of it!!!
Her other great obsession as belief a convoy should go at the speed of the fastest ship not the slowest- even as an 11 year old based upon my reading of commando war comics I knew she was talking crap
Hmmm, I encountered a senior teacher - I think the cretin's a headmaster now - at a Bangkok private school who assured a class that the rotation of the earth was the cause of gravity (itself an iffy concept by now).
Quote from: Orcs on 23 March 2020, 10:20:55 AM
Went into our relatively small Tescos, they had most things except Hand gel and Rice.
Only allowing you two of anything, apart from loo roll which was more than sufficient for what I wanted. they did have a strange way of implementing this though. I bought some soup and you were allowed two tins of every flavour, so I could have bout nearly 20 tin of soup.
Some things seem to be getting cheaper - 24 non branded loo rolls £4 (Might have been like sandpaper though and I have a delicate bottom ;D) 4 tin pack of tuna £2.33
I noticed that about the soups yesterday, too, Mark.....They were even on special offer "3 for £1".
You're going to really struggle when the only brand of loo-roll left is "Kleenex Wet & Dry". ;)
Quote from: Norm on 23 March 2020, 10:12:11 PM
It is official - the UK Government has told us to stay at home .... and paint lead!
Non-essential shops to close .... so only food outlets and wargame and hobby shops are open
Only travel to work if absolutely necessary ..... i.e. to open up the wargame shop.
That's a thought.....Will GW have to close all their shops for a while ?
Cheers - Phil
Now working at home, from where I'm currently sat I can see the small industrial unit across the road, and the 5 guys huddled together just outside the gate enjoying their morning cigarette.
Good to see the message about social distancing is getting through . . .
My daughter-in-law from the safety of her car while waiting for work to open, sent us a photo of around 10 staff 'huddled' in 3 groups around the front door! she of course then has to go in and work with them!
In my local small community store, there is a line on the floor in front of the till. You stand behind it to protect the staff. You place your goods on a platform and the staff then pick it up and scan etc. Leaning forwards from the line to place goods, pay the cash and collect the bag was tough on my sore back (serves me right for buying 2 years supply of potatoes and 16,000 eggs), but at least the store are looking after their people, who are remarkably cheery.
A local fresh fruit and veg outlet are still licking their fingers before opening the carrier bag! I of course left the food at the counter in the belief that there are far more exciting ways for me to catch infection.
as of yesterday WH Smith (major UK high street news stand outlet and stationers are no longer taking cash.
In other news, I now have a platoon of Sd kfz 251/s's prepped up and ready to paint and am reading through the boardgame rules of Red Typhoon.
Quote from: Norm on 24 March 2020, 09:52:21 AM
WH Smith (major UK high street news stand outlet and stationers are no longer taking cash.
Never been a fan of contact-less payment cards before, but now they seem like a really good idea.
We may come out of this crisis a step closer to being a cash-less society. I probably won't notice as I am cash-less going into it!
Before the pubs shut, I certainly found myself leaving a bigger tip rather than accept any coins whatsoever in change. :D
I hear that the refuse collectors.....or rather the recycling bods, are reporting a 30% increase in the amount of food waste they're collecting from homes, in certain areas.
Mostly fruit and veg, that's gone a bit/way past it.....Sometimes simply being put in the bin, without removing the packing.
Any theories why folk are throwing away so much food ? ;) X_X
Cheers - Phil
Panic buying ? :'( :'(
Give that man a coconut ! ;)
(Leave it at the back of the cupboard, and then throw it away in six months.)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 24 March 2020, 01:02:37 PM
Give that man a coconut ! ;)
(Leave it at the back of the cupboard, and then throw it away in six months.)
Cheers - Phil
Ridiculous. If they were sensible they'd have prepped or cooked them and just frozen it. But then if they were sensible they wouldn't have panic bought more than they could ever eat...
They could have composted it - philistines! >:(
I don't know about you folk......But I can't believe how restricted I feel when, in truth, there's really very little difference to 'normal life', as far as I'm concerned.
(There ARE an awful lot of folk who are having their world turned totally upside down, at the mo'. :(...Perhaps I'm picking up that 'vibe' from a distance.)
Very strange.
All the 'shops' that I'd normally visit are still open.
I suppose it's because it would seem wrong to pop into the village 'on a whim', and just pick up some odds and sods that I can pick up on the second 'main shop' on Thursday.
(I do need to go out tomorrow to pick up some meds.....I won't feel guilty about doing that.....So I'll probably use that as an excuse to get a paper and some sweets.)
Anyone else feel the same ?
Cheers - Phil
I'm on holiday at the moment and the plan was to do a few bits and pieces around the house and paint some models
Also I normally work from home 2 days a week so am used to being at home
As expected I haven't quite got round to the 'few bits and pieces' yet ;)
But I definitely am aware that I can't go out when I want, strange feeling :-\
I'm about to head out to do our 'weekly' shop, strangely it feels rather 'intrepid' :-/
Quote from: Techno on 24 March 2020, 05:53:54 PM
I don't know about you folk......But I can't believe how restricted I feel when, in truth, there's really very little difference to 'normal life', as far as I'm concerned.
(There ARE an awful lot of folk who are having their world turned totally upside down, at the mo'. :(...Perhaps I'm picking up that 'vibe' from a distance.)
Very strange.
All the 'shops' that I'd normally visit are still open.
I suppose it's because it would seem wrong to pop into the village 'on a whim', and just pick up some odds and sods that I can pick up on the second 'main shop' on Thursday.
(I do need to go out tomorrow to pick up some meds.....I won't feel guilty about doing that.....So I'll probably use that as an excuse to get a paper and some sweets.)
Anyone else feel the same ?
Cheers - Phil
Yes Phil, I totally get it. Like domestic animals we sense the dark clouds forming. Its a bit like the calm before the storm. We are social animals who need contact and interaction to feel alive. Now we are warned that such contact can endanger lives. I recall my late mother talking about the flu of 1957 . 100,000 died worldwide.
Lambing has started, and it gave me a lift to bring 5 new born into the world in the last 24 hours.
Keep safe old friend- and indeed may I express best wishes to all my mates on the Forum. Keep the threads open.
James
We've been 'shielding' for a week now as my wife is in the extremely vulnerable category - this is back from when it was confusing called self-isolating, but this is also what you called it when you have CV19.
So the announcements last night have really just caught everyone else up with us.
I've been so busy with work, I haven't really worked out what the impact is on me, and the family yet. Probably the biggest impact is on my eldest daughter who is a very keen athlete whose season has just disappeared in-front of her. I am spending virtually all day everyday on various work calls, both audio and video so having huge amounts of contact with people - just not in person.
I know what you mean about it feeling odd to go out - last Friday I went to Tesco to pick up prescription as various bits - and it was a very weird feeling.
We did virtual gaming last week.
I think the strangest thing, is how quickly all this becomes the new normal.
The 'intrepid' shopper has returned ;D
The Supermarkets are open slightly reduced hours and I deliberately went a bit after they first opened but still busy
They were opening the last staffed check out while I was there, queues about 3 deep for each checkout (all at least a trolley length apart)
Most people seemed to have got the message about distancing, but not all
Shelves mainly full; no disinfectant, Lemsip (a popular cold & flu remedy), some of the more popular loo rolls had sold out (I have slightly more than my normal supply at home)
I thanked the checkout staff for being there
As I left 4 trucks, 2 with trailers were being unloaded
Passed another Supermarket that hadn't opened yet, a widely spread group of people patiently waiting for it to open
Passed a petrol station, the shop was closed and you had to pay for your fuel through the night time window
Our neighbour was gardening on my return so had a quick catch up, from a suitable distance, and checked they were looking after shopping for the elderly neighbour across the road
Quote from: Techno on 24 March 2020, 05:53:54 PM
I don't know about you folk......But I can't believe how restricted I feel when, in truth, there's really very little difference to 'normal life', as far as I'm concerned.
Anyone else feel the same ?
Cheers - Phil
Yes Life in the Orcs house is almost exactly the same as normal. Mrs Orcs works from home, so only change is external meetings are cancelled and her SKype conference calls are a bit slower due to heavier internet use.
I am working normal shifts at the office with the possibility of being aske to work extra ones to cover. Lots of the team are working from home though.
Lazy step daughter was told not to go in today although she leave the job on Thursday as hope fully moving into rented flat with boyfriend on Friday. Not sure how that will shape up though. As she effectively spends all the time at home in her room this again has not changed anything
However like Phill it does feel restricted. Again cos you are not supposed to "Pop in" anywhere.
Filled car up with fuel this morning to be asked by cashier if I had used the plastic gloves when touching Pump nozzle ( I had) and advised to wash hands as I had used the pad on the card machine.
What will be really strange is when I have my 10 days off after nights (assuming no extra shifts required) I will have no clubs to go to are be able to go round to Sunjester to game. I think I will use the extra time to clear some jobs round the house that nee doing, and perhaps 2 or three complete days painting figures. - Bliss
I had been running low on both undercoat and varnish :-SS
My 'local' gaming store didn't have any in stock last week so ordered some in for me
I got an email this morning that they had a arrived in store :)
Fortunately for me my 'local' gaming store is run as part of a Chemists so was still open :D
So after nearly 60km (35 miles) each way, the local was in ' ', I now have enough undercoat and varnish to keep me going for a while :) #:-S
I did feel a little guilty driving past the "essential travel only" signs but full lock down starts at midnight
The store was well set up, hand sanitizer as you enter, feet signs on the floor where to queue and be served, plastic sheet between customers and staff and more hand sanitizer for after you've used the EFT-POS machine to pay
Quote from: Techno on 24 March 2020, 05:53:54 PM
I don't know about you folk......But I can't believe how restricted I feel when, in truth, there's really very little difference to 'normal life', as far as I'm concerned.
(There ARE an awful lot of folk who are having their world turned totally upside down, at the mo'. :(...Perhaps I'm picking up that 'vibe' from a distance.)
Very strange.
All the 'shops' that I'd normally visit are still open.
I suppose it's because it would seem wrong to pop into the village 'on a whim', and just pick up some odds and sods that I can pick up on the second 'main shop' on Thursday.
(I do need to go out tomorrow to pick up some meds.....I won't feel guilty about doing that.....So I'll probably use that as an excuse to get a paper and some sweets.)
Anyone else feel the same ?
Cheers - Phil
I think the thing that I have found most noticeable is that your senses as to who is around you and their exact position is are heightened, must be something like old brain kicking in for wariness and protection. If someone has the slightest cough, however 'muffled' there are instant alarm bells and psychological discomfort and I look for the red dot on them to indicate a sniper is about to take them out!
It was interesting that the chap on the news last night was saying that even if current rules allow you to go somewhere, the question still remains is it necessary and if the answer is no, then don't do it, so I suppose it those areas in life where you 'fancy' doing something because you can, that feel the strangest and our own internal discipline or feel of threat will be the most likely thing that we have those strange moments of struggle with.
Saw a youngish woman (compared to me!) on the telly last night, she had an oxygen mask, but the tube was 1" wide, so it may have been a ventilator set-up, but she was making a plea for everyone to stay in, while seriously labouring for her breath - it was a good image to put on the telly, I don't want to be that person and so am more inclined to take every opportunity to avoid as many human contact / exposure moments as possible.
It is interesting to see world responses, India have gone straight to TOTAL lockdown after relatively few deaths, Spain and Italy have become increasingly locked down over a steady period and what is happening there gives us insight into the enormity of what the world faces - in contrast, our response (UK), I see two or more weeks of wasted opportunity and a lack of cohesive support by the general population and I am just left shaking my head in dismay, anticipating a rather bad 2 - 4 weeks ahead because of that and again, I don't want to be part of that, so minimum contact it is, we are really lucky to have a rich and polite internet community in these times of isolation.
I am in a privileged position in which I can self isolate without too much consequence, I have family who can't and I'm sure there are plenty who would wish to be in my position and if offered it, I imagine they would take it and respect it, so it seems a stupid thing to me if I go out and abuse that privileged situation.
I am guessing in the coming days as the situation starts to look visibly worse as those bigger groups of undetected infections currently circulating become ill and the hospitals visibly become overwhelmed, our behaviours will tighten - a sort of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted unfortunately.
In other news, I will spray Confederate ACW infantry today in what looks to be a warm sunny day.
The lock-down in India ! :o :o :o
Stroll on.....I hope I've misunderstood some of the reports coming from there.
Some (many) of the poorer individuals, and families, appear to believe that starvation is likely to kill them before the virus.
A truly dreadful situation. (And there's me feeling slightly restricted. :-[ :-[ :-[)
Cheers - Phil :(
If I were religious, I'd be praying that creditors would go easy on small businesses over the next few months.
Just been down to the pharmacy, in the local village, to pick up (some of) my pills.
Very weird, to see markings on the floor with, 1.....2....and 3 marked for folk to stand at an acceptable distance from each other....(Damn good idea, though...fully approve.)
When I reached P1, I turned and spoke to the lady on P2........."Strange World now, isn't it ?"......"Frightening," she said. "I've just heard of a death in Cardigan". (Where we do our normal food shops....Hey Ho !)
Returned home, to see if I could find out more...Nope....But I see Prince Charles has now been infected.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Norm on 25 March 2020, 06:36:55 AM
If someone has the slightest cough, however 'muffled' there are instant alarm bells and psychological discomfort and I look for the red dot on them to indicate a sniper is about to take them out!
Bit drastic, I'd expect something like the haz-mat teams in
Monsters, Inc.
I saw a girl I didn't recognise outside one of my neighbours house, in full gas mask style respirator. She was loading/unloading (not sure which) a car with apparently household items.
Wonder if she was moving in or moving out?
No doubt you'll find out Jim
Quote from: Norm on 25 March 2020, 06:36:55 AM
In other news, I will spray Confederate ACW infantry today in what looks to be a warm sunny day.
Couldn't agree more Norm - I sprayed a whole bunch of 28mm Early Carthaginians yesterday and got a great finish in the warmth & sunshine.
You need to be thankful for small mercies 8)
Republical Roman bases are sprouting fronds.
Quote from: jimduncanuk on 25 March 2020, 12:50:37 PM
I saw a girl I didn't recognise outside one of my neighbours house, in full gas mask style respirator. She was loading/unloading (not sure which) a car with apparently household items.
Wonder if she was moving in or moving out?
Or about to do a supply run to the elderly and/or infirm?
A friend is doing shopping for some neighbours who are in the "at risk" group. One asked if she could pick up milk, bread, sausages, a sink plunger and a three-step step ladder!!
Quote from: ianrs54 on 25 March 2020, 01:09:09 PM
No doubt you'll find out Jim
Hard to tell from my socially distanced viewing spot.
Just had my daughter and grandson wave at us while driving by the house. He's happy enough to do that just now as its novel. It'll wear off at some point.
Back to work tomorrow - should have been today, but manager miscalculated the 7 days (I did point it out to her!) Doesn't matter because we are on half time. One colleague and I will be doing Thursday Friday this week, and then 3 days (I'm guessing Monday to Wednesday) next week, with other two doing the days we aren't in. This allows us an office each.
Take aradio with you - it gets awful creepy in an office by yourself !
Know what you mean, Ian.
Can't stand 'silence' when I'm pushing putty around....Either listen to a talking book.....(H2G2, at the mo'.....For the umpteenth time).....A bit of rock, prog rock, or sometimes classical.
Can't really listen to the radio, down here, at the mo'.....It's 'stuck' on 5 Live...and that's just too depressing. X_X
Had an unexpected visitor (delivery man) this afto'......"Do you know where 'X' is ?".......Yes, half a mile thataway....(Bugger off !) ..UGH ! He touched our gate...and the latch...and the back door handle !
I mean...We don't know where he's been ! :o ;)
Out with the 'disinfectant' spray, after he'd gone. :)
Cheers - Mr Paranoid.
So Prince Charles and I presume the rest of the Royal Family get Covid 19 Tests on the NHS, when the NHS workers we need back at work can't get them
Bloody Typical. >:( >:( >:( >:(
New Zealand is in lock down for the next 4 weeks and it is eerily quiet
We live near a 'busy' highway and normally there is background traffic noise that you just ignore
Not today, quiet except for the occasional vehcile
(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/z/s/f/4/u/image.related.StuffDefcon.620x360.1zsdps.11ys6n.png/1585167499220.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/z/s/e/p/l/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1240x700.1zsdps.png/1585166526604.jpg)
Motorways at what would have been rush hour in Auckland, our largest city
Good to see people taking it seriously. Wife was walking the dog earlier and still a lot of cars on the roads round here. :-q
Quote from: Orcs on 25 March 2020, 08:24:08 PM
So Prince Charles and I presume the rest of the Royal Family get Covid 19 Tests on the NHS, when the NHS workers we need back at work can't get them
Well, I expect it's like the entrance exams to the top universities - Q1) Is the current Queen of England your direct ancestor? If "Y", you win!
Quote from: paulr on 25 March 2020, 08:36:39 PM
New Zealand is in lock down for the next 4 weeks and it is eerily quiet
We live near a 'busy' highway and normally there is background traffic noise that you just ignore
Not today, quiet except for the occasional vehcile
(https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/z/s/f/4/u/image.related.StuffDefcon.620x360.1zsdps.11ys6n.png/1585167499220.jpg) (https://resources.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/images/1/z/s/e/p/l/image.related.StuffLandscapeSixteenByNine.1240x700.1zsdps.png/1585166526604.jpg)
Motorways at what would have been rush hour in Auckland, our largest city
Ooh, gosh! Don't recognise it at all. I guess it has changed a bit since I lived there in 1989!
Quote from: hammurabi70 on 25 March 2020, 11:36:41 PM
Ooh, gosh! Don't recognise it at all. I guess it has changed a bit since I lived there in 1989!
It sure has...the left hand side pic shows Symonds St/Upper Queen St going over the big SH 1 junction while the right hand one is the main approach to the southern end of the harbour bridge with Westhaven marina in the left background.
Amazing to see them totally deserted. So far NZ seems to be very compliant with the Level 4 stay at home order.
Quote from: Techno on 25 March 2020, 04:15:09 PM
Know what you mean, Ian.
Can't stand 'silence' when I'm pushing putty around....Either listen to a talking book.....(H2G2, at the mo'.....For the umpteenth time).....A bit of rock, prog rock, or sometimes classical.
Can't really listen to the radio, down here, at the mo'.....It's 'stuck' on 5 Live...and that's just too depressing. X_X
Had an unexpected visitor (delivery man) this afto'......"Do you know where 'X' is ?".......Yes, half a mile thataway....(Bugger off !) ..UGH ! He touched our gate...and the latch...and the back door handle !
I mean...We don't know where he's been ! :o ;)
Out with the 'disinfectant' spray, after he'd gone. :)
Cheers - Mr Paranoid.
No Phil, just being sensible.
If you have to go the shop- wear waterproofs/cap spayed with a disinfectant - gloves and (tip from a dentist) a good paper dust mask that has been sprayed on the outside. Recommend Dettol spray if going near the face/skin. It is effective against flu virus -
might just lessen infection odds against COVID 19 - who knows?
Spray footwear- its were a lot of the droplets fall.
When home - disinfect "outdoor shopping clothing"and leave to dry in a warm room. A bit like NBC survival drills!
Secondly - turn up the heat. More logs on the fire. Hot showers. The virus does not survive long outside a host body if exposed to a very warm dry environment
All these measures add a +1 to survival chances.
Keep safe and pray for a Spring/Summer that has high temperatures, dry days and clear skies. Global warming might just save us.
James
Quote from: Sunray on 26 March 2020, 01:25:47 AM
Keep safe and pray for a Spring/Summer that has high temperatures, dry days and clear skies. Global warming might just save us.
James
Australia are on lockdown and the weather there was 21C today rising to 26C at the weekend, It looks unlikely that a normal British Spring/Summer will have much effect against it.
The UK Government has just ordered 10,000 ventilators from Dyson, plus the 1000 they are donating for free. Apparently these should come on line some time in April - I imagine this will be the line in the sand (or at least the start of it) of keeping deaths to around 1 to 1.5% and for the country to get into a stronger position to manage critical care.
It is amazing what can be done when under a 'national emergency' environment and minds and resources are committed to a single purpose. Well done all those involved in putting that together.
Quote from: Sunray on 26 March 2020, 01:25:47 AM
Recommend Dettol spray if going near the face/skin. It is effective against flu virus - might just lessen infection odds against COVID 19 - who knows?
Hi James....I was only thinking last night,"I wonder if 'ordinary' Dettol disinfectant would kill a virus".......for use when the 'proper' surface cleanser runs out.
(Just put some in the sprayer and top it up.) Got a huge bottle of that (left in the MIL's kitchen.)
According to Dettol, there's a 99.9% chance that it will !
We'll just have to put up with the rather overpowering smell. ;)
Von can't STAND the smell of ordinary Dettol....Never mind. ;) :)
I still wish I'd gone and got my half yearly haircut done before 'lockdown'......I'll just have to give myself a Claudia Winkleman fringe !! ;D ;D ;D
Take care, all. :)
Cheers - Phil.
Detol have been know to say that it's 99.9 because they don't know all of the germs, note NOT viruses.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 26 March 2020, 08:07:10 AM
Detol have been know to say that it's 99.9 because they don't know all of the germs, note NOT viruses.
"Germs" is a catch all term that includes bacteria, helminth and viruses. Virus are capsules that contain generic material. They hi-jack cells in the body and destroy them in the process.
Dettol products have demonstrated effective against the Coronavirus strains from the same family as the Covid 19. Good enough for me. :)
Quote from: Techno on 26 March 2020, 07:48:33 AM
According to Dettol, there's a 99.9% chance that it will !
We'll just have to put up with the rather overpowering smell. ;)
Von can't STAND the smell of ordinary Dettol....Never mind. ;) :)
Around here you can get dettol with lavender scent, maybe try that?
seeems to be available there as well
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/261187177
Quote from: Techno on 26 March 2020, 07:48:33 AM
I still wish I'd gone and got my half yearly haircut done before 'lockdown'......I'll just have to give myself a Claudia Winkleman fringe !! ;D ;D ;D
I thought about your haircutting habits after I went for a panic haircut before the lockdown, Phil (my first choice barbers was shut and so I went to my second choice one but it was needing cut, anyway). The hairdresser and I talked so long about Coronavirus that I think she forgot she was cutting my hair. It was so short that I don't think I'll need another for the next 3 months! Moral of the story - if you want a good haircut, never engage the hairdresser in conversation.
Signed - Baldy Bane ;D
Quote from: petercooman on 26 March 2020, 09:27:17 AM
Around here you can get dettol with lavender scent, maybe try that?
seeems to be available there as well
https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/261187177
Peter
Dettol added the lavender to attract a dandy customer like.....Techno.
If the product has Chloroxylenol as the "active hitman substance" and isopropyl alcohol - GRAB IT. Most Reckitt Benckiser products list the bacteria and viruses they kill on the label.
stay safe
James
Quote from: Westmarcher on 26 March 2020, 09:46:25 AM
I thought about your haircutting habits after I went for a panic haircut before the lockdown, Phil (my first choice barbers was shut and so I went to my second choice one but it was needing cut, anyway). The hairdresser and I talked so long about Coronavirus that I think she forgot she was cutting my hair. It was so short that I don't think I'll need another for the next 3 months! Moral of the story - if you want a good haircut, never engage the hairdresser in conversation. Signed - Baldy Bane ;D
I'll get your address, Davy......Next time (whenever that's going to be =)) I'll get Chris(tine)... she's genuinely an absolute sweetie....and I genuinely worry about her business, at the mo'...poor lass....to give me a 'doggie bag' of my hair, to send up to you.
Mine's now a sort of faded brown, with an
awful lot of gray....Would this work, for you, with the application of 'super-glue ?' ;D ;D
Anyway...Now back from the new 'lock-down' Tesco's in Cardigan.
Have to say, that it was the best shopping experience for a good few weeks.
Only 50 people allowed into the store at one time.........Made the experience a WHOLE lot less stressful.
Still a number of gaps on some of the shelves.....But nothing
I needed to be really concerned about.
What couldn't I find ?
Frozen Sprouts......Not important, in the slightest.......Errrr.....What else ?
No paracetamol....(Heck, we're alright for those....I only looked, just to check.)
Disinfectant....Sanitisers....Nil points.
The fresh meat isle was VERY sparse....But I did get the boys (dogs) their treat for the weekend....and that was about it for 'shortages'.
They even had a
decent number of packs of loo-roll....Again, didn't need that...so basically ignored that isle.
I DID find some proper packets of Twiglets.....So life is on the up. :-bd
(I know it was the right thing to do......But I didn't half feel a twerp going around the store with 'creepy' (don't leave any fingerprints on anything) latex gloves on.....But Von had left me a note
commanding me to do that !...
And James's post was watching out for me.....Thanks, Matey.. :))
Dammit....I meant to pop into the local farmer's co-op, to check whether they'd still got face masks and big bottles of hand sanitisers....I'll pop in on Saturday.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Westmarcher on 26 March 2020, 09:46:25 AM
I thought about your haircutting habits after I went for a panic haircut before the lockdown, Phil (my first choice barbers was shut and so I went to my second choice one but it was needing cut, anyway). The hairdresser and I talked so long about Coronavirus that I think she forgot she was cutting my hair. It was so short that I don't think I'll need another for the next 3 months! Moral of the story - if you want a good haircut, never engage the hairdresser in conversation.
Signed - Baldy Bane ;D
As the old joke goes (from 5th century AD at least):
Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the king replied: "In silence".
Wise words.
Quote from: Techno on 26 March 2020, 11:29:22 AM
I'll get your address, Davy......Next time (whenever that's going to be =)) I'll get Chris(tine)... she's genuinely an absolute sweetie....and I genuinely worry about her business, at the mo'...poor lass....to give me a 'doggie bag' of my hair, to send up to you.
Mine's now a sort of faded brown, with an awful lot of gray....Would this work, for you, with the application of 'super-glue ?' ;D ;D
No need, Phil. ;D I've found an old mop which I've cunningly fashioned into a wig, 'Techno style.' B)
Quote from: mmcv on 26 March 2020, 12:28:44 PM
As the old joke goes (from 5th century AD at least):
Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the king replied: "In silence".
Wise words.
Didn't know that - so true! ;D
Quote from: Westmarcher on 26 March 2020, 12:44:07 PM
No need, Phil. ;D I've found an old mop which I've cunningly fashioned into a wig, 'Techno style.' B)
An old mop would probably be a vast improvement on what's sitting atop my 'bonce', at this time, Davy.....(Now, where
are those scissors that aren't completely blunt......I know, I'll use a new scalpel blade :-bd......No....Maybe not.) :P
Cheers - Phil.
X_X ;D
It took more than 2 generations for Great Britain to pay off its war debt from WW2. As well as the human cost, we're going to be paying for this for a long time to come.
Quote from: mmcv on 26 March 2020, 12:28:44 PM
Asked by the court barber how he wanted his hair cut, the king replied: "In silence".
Oh $DEITY please, yes please.
Of course, I'm never brave enough to say that myself :(
Quote from: Orcs on 26 March 2020, 03:47:52 AM
Australia are on lockdown and the weather there was 21C today rising to 26C at the weekend, It looks unlikely that a normal British Spring/Summer will have much effect against it.
The first Australian case appeared in Melbourne in January. That is the height of the Australian summer. Seasons don't seem relevant.
Quote from: John Cook on 26 March 2020, 01:47:26 PM
The first Australian case appeared in Melbourne in January. That is the height of the Australian summer. Seasons don't seem relevant.
No. This not my opinion - there is some medical evidence. (Yat Sen study etc)
To be clear -
The heat on exposed surfaces lowers the transmission. The virus cannot survive long on a hot dry surface once it leaves a host body. The droplets dry up. Damp cool surfaces prolong its survival.
Hence the lower transmission risk from buses, trains, car door handles in warmer climates.
Note - This has no bearing on person to person infection! Say 6ft apart or you will end up 6ft under! Dr James Wilson aka Sunray.
Yup...The warmth helps.....But Shirley (sic)....isn't it the ultraviolet light that viruses don't like ?
(So why are our friends in the 'anti-podes' (sic) still having problems...After all...It's their Summer.)
Wish I still had all the 'black lights' from the discos I had a hand in running......Mind you, from memory....all those used to show was how much dandruff 'the oiks' had around their collars....YUK !
Cheers - Disco Duck ;)
Quote from: Techno on 26 March 2020, 02:37:21 PM
Yup...The warmth helps.....But Shirley (sic)....isn't it the ultraviolet light that viruses don't like ?
(So why are our friends in the 'anti-podes' (sic) still having problems...After all...It's their Summer.)
Wish I still had all the 'black lights' from the discos I had a hand in running......Mind you, from memory....all those used to show was how much dandruff 'the oiks' had around their collars....YUK !
Cheers - Disco Duck ;)
A lot of HS assumption is based on the character and personality traits of the Coronavirus family and their performance with the seasons.
Two mediums of transmission:
1. Person to person - does not depend on temperature or weather.
2. "neutral surfaces " the Urban street furniture threat from - desks, office tops, stair rails, cash point buttons, escalator hand rails, tube train hard surfaces , car doors , phones, credit card machines (keep it contactless! ). You get the picture - which is why you wash hands !!!!!
In general the C strain declines transmission in the summer as the micro droplets on sweaty feverish hands, sneeze or cough saliva evaporate before the virus finds a new host. HM Government are banking on it. COVID 19 is a bastard.
I don't want to encounter its mutated successor , COVID 20 any time soon.
James....Don't go there. ;)
I want to stop worrying about this sod....Before anything else.
Take care, Matey.
Cheers - Phil :)
Quote from: Sunray on 26 March 2020, 04:29:32 PM
I don't want to encounter its mutated successor , COVID 20 any time soon.
I'm still waiting for Zombies...lets hope the lockdown keeps them all isolated to their homes at least.
With the amount of people mindlessly watching netflix and playing videogames, they are actually zombies, they just don't know it yet ;D
Well off to watch series on my laptop while i paint, wearing headphones so i don't hear my environment..... wait, what?
Actually, i'm watching picard, quite entertaining.
Quote from: petercooman on 26 March 2020, 07:08:25 PM
Actually, i'm watching picard, quite entertaining.
I've watched a few episodes, but it's yet to grip me fully. Not bad though.
Too busy piloting an interstellar battlecruiser to watch "Picard" at the mo. :)
Need to finish "Justified" before launching in to "Picard" in any case.
What you playing?
Astrox Imperium - touted as "EVE Offline" :)
Single player with much of the flavour of EVE Online (which I played for almost a decade :o ) but somewhat simplified. It's "early access" ... or Beta, as it used to be known, but shows promise.
An analogy, for those not in to computer games, would be of an "early access" holiday hotel. Reception and your room would look beautiful and be everything you hoped for but the top floor would still be under construction, the plush restaurant would have a superb menu but the only thing actually available would be beans on toast and the hot water feed wouldn't be fitted to the en suite shower yet. :)
Fun to be had for those who'd rather be a spaceship than a zombie!
Nipped out to Tesco this evening just before they closed to avoid the obscene crowds in the morning.
Tesco had barriers up to form Queue lines outside the shop. Fairly full shelves, no pasta, rice or parcetamol, but most other things even in if the variety of any one thing was limited.
One lady in Full gas mask. Most people including staff keeping distance, apart from one typical lowlife woman who barged past anyone with no thought for distancing herself, ironically she was Itallian !!!
I got all I wanted including several bottles of wine for Mrs Orcs.
We are having a hard time trying to stop her 79 year old Mum go to the shops. We had managed to stop her until Boris said you were allowed to go out for essential supplies. She took this as "I can go Shopping". We told her in no uncertain terms she could not. Then Tesco brought in the over 70'S hour she took this as "I can go Shopping". Again we have all strongly told her she is not to go out. She is just looking for an excuse. Her Husband is 86 so we have told her that they are in lockdown for 12 weeks
She has no need to go out. She has a son living with them who can go out, we are 5 mins away by car and I pass near thier house to and from work so can drop stuff off. Her other son is a Senior manager in Ocado's robotics development and is getting stuff delivered to them each week. Perhaps is would be easier to shoot her now >:( >:(
Mr Exasperated. .
Aldii in LB had almost eveything except paracetamol and bog roll.
Many people in queue and a lots of good humour in the sunshine, same for Boots. 8)
Quite enjoyed it. :D
Do remember than any country-dweller in the Mediterranean knows how to make pasta with a rolling pin, eggs, and flour. The internet will give you all the information you could need.
But - no eggs in some stores...
Flour hard to come by too, Amazon is cleaned out of it
Eggs AND flour !- the Great British Bakeoff has kicked in. !
Quote from: Sunray on 27 March 2020, 08:48:29 AM
Eggs AND flour !- the Great British Bakeoff has kicked in. !
OOH Yes another Cr*p program that might get cancelled <:-P <:-P
Well, moment of EXTREME PANIC this morning, as my bank cancelled my payment for the Tesco's delivery due it looking fraudulent/unlike previous behaviour. Sudden VERY QUICK unlocking, and then... no, we won't represent the transaction, you'll have to speak to the retailer.
Fortunately Tescos customer services weren't overly busy at seven AM and I got thru quick, they represented the payment straight off and all is well and out for this morning. And once that's done the start for another free slot starts again!
Quote from: ianrs54 on 27 March 2020, 07:15:26 AM
But - no eggs in some stores...
You can also use olive oil in place of eggs.
BBC radion News @ 12.00 - Our much loved idiot in Downing st is positive for Corvid 19.
Quote from: Nick the Lemming on 27 March 2020, 11:32:35 AM
You can also use olive oil in place of eggs.
Would you care for poached Olive oil on toast, or soft boiled olive oil with soldiers for your breakfast, sir?
Quote from: mollinary on 27 March 2020, 12:14:04 PM
Would you care for poached Olive oil on toast, or soft boiled olive oil with soldiers for your breakfast, sir?
Get out.....
Quote from: mollinary on 27 March 2020, 12:14:04 PM
Would you care for poached Olive oil on toast, or soft boiled olive oil with soldiers for your breakfast, sir?
The conversation was abut making pasta.
BoJo leading the Herd.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 27 March 2020, 12:02:28 PM
BBC radion News @ 12.00 - Our much loved idiot in Downing st is positive for Corvid 19.
*tiny kazoo of schadenfreude waaa waaa waaaaaaa
I wonder if that's what's made him disappear the last few days (well, that's normal for him to be fair but I don't know if No.10 has a fridge large enough for him to hide in?), and appear to start taking this semi-seriously?
Boris Johnson (UK Prime Minister) tests positive for Covid-19 and is self isolating in Downing Street with mild symptons.
Wishing him, his pregnant girlfriend and all those currently with the virus and the worry that surrounds it a speedy recovery.
And our health minister... :o
Each time it hits one of them the malice drops and the competence rises within the Cabinet ;)
If you like that johnson chap or not, i don't care, still a human being though so not very nice to laugh about it.
Quote from: petercooman on 27 March 2020, 02:25:09 PM
If you like that johnson chap or not, i don't care, still a human being
I remain to be convinced there's a scrap of humanity in him.
Many of my best friends are human beings. I hope I'm still aware how ghastly human behaviour can be.
Gang.....
Let's keep politics/political opinion away from the forum.....Please. :)
It only starts rows & bad feeling.
Cheers - Phil
I turn my back for a minute and when I come back, all I see is bitching and back-biting. Listen to Phil, guys. Jeez! Sometimes I think I'm the only one who's sane here.
No wonder these aliens who kidnapped me don't want anything to do with us humans.
Quote from: Westmarcher on 27 March 2020, 03:21:25 PM
Sometimes I think I'm the only one who's sane here.
No One - but noone is Sane around here ;) ;D
Quote from: Techno on 27 March 2020, 02:56:24 PM
Gang.....
Let's keep politics/political opinion away from the forum.....Please. :)
It only starts rows & bad feeling.
Cheers - Phil
Well said Phil - leave politics at the door when you enter the forum.
Agreed
Quote from: mmcv on 27 March 2020, 07:38:21 AM
Flour hard to come by too, Amazon is cleaned out of it
Same in our local Tesco - all flour, strong, plain and self raising. It really ticks me off that the knobs who panic buy have now caused shortages where none existed.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 27 March 2020, 03:57:42 PM
No One - but noone is Sane around here ;) ;D
I'm Sane. It's the rest of the world that is not.
Quote from: John Cook on 27 March 2020, 04:17:07 PM
Same in our local Tesco - all flour, strong, plain and self raising. It really ticks me off that the knobs who panic buy have now caused shortages where none existed.
Interestingly there seems to be plenty of yeast still available, so unless they've spent the past week or two culturing their own sourdough starters they won't be making any bread with it!
Plus, as discussed previously, they're going to have some fun with weevils in a few weeks ;D
Yeast had vanished off the shelves here by last week - B'ham evidently has people who know how to bake!
Delivered without comment, but Matt Hancock has also tested positive for Coronavirus.
And the chief medical officer. :'(
Johnson should probably have NOT shaken hands with sufferers and instead kept to the medical advice.
Still, I suppose they're demonstrating the herd immunity even if Cummings is fleeing!
https://www.indy100.com/article/coronavirus-dominic-cummings-boris-johnson-downing-street-video-9430021?fbclid=IwAR3l8ZHwT3lSyuanirCPZZj9XeCodruuOjT-tY9jhU08ZSDZDRgfbQi58K4 (https://www.indy100.com/article/coronavirus-dominic-cummings-boris-johnson-downing-street-video-9430021?fbclid=IwAR3l8ZHwT3lSyuanirCPZZj9XeCodruuOjT-tY9jhU08ZSDZDRgfbQi58K4)
I have "Yakketty Sax" in my head now!
The CMO is not good, here's hoping it's a mild dose :S
Quote from: toxicpixie on 27 March 2020, 08:20:21 PM
Johnson should probably have NOT shaken hands with sufferers and instead kept to the medical advice.
Apparently he was simply lying about doing that - quelle surprise
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 27 March 2020, 09:58:16 PM
Apparently he was simply lying about doing that - quelle surprise
Well you could knock me down with an apolitical non-comment spoon!
Quote from: toxicpixie on 27 March 2020, 08:20:21 PM
Still, I suppose they're demonstrating the herd immunity even if Cummings is fleeing!
My Dungeons and Dragons Goblin Necromancer character is based on Dominic Cummings
I've seen the lyrics for the Queen variant, but not heard it and they've done a good job.
They have, Steve. :)
Just been hunter-gathering in the local village. :D
Was only going down there once this weekend.....(I'll forego the Sunday paper....That would be extracting the urine, at this time.)
The one trip got knocked on the head, when I was about to drive into the Farmers' Co-op's yard.....To get some (basically) essential bits and bobs.... 'cos of this bug'.
"Aw pants !".....Big notice at the gate....."Shop is closed to customers......Please phone in your requirements..arrange a time slot to collect....Your order will be left outside on a pallet for you to pick up."
Drive home...phone up...place order..pay
Hey - Ho ! ;)......At least I know the score now ;D ;D ;D.....And I easily got hand sanitiser.....and the gloop that James (Sunray) was suggesting.....They were even trying to sell me surface cleanser...."Thanks, Gonk (yes really)...We're fine for that at the mo' "
What a very strange World we're having to deal with, just now.
Take care, Chums - Phil
Thought your world wuz alus strange Phil......
Restriction on wine now removed..got 6 from Lidl today (and 6 min pork pies)
IanS
Ha, that Queen video is ace. And my air guitar still works a treat :D
Quote from: sultanbev on 28 March 2020, 01:59:40 PM
And my air guitar still works a treat :D
I put mine down a few years ago, have never found the thing since :(
/sigh
Well, there's an isolation project for you - build a new one ;D
Bit like riding a bike I'm told, once learn't never forgotten :-
We'll have plenty of time to plug it in and practice alongside youtube videos....
My air Fender Strat is still in fine condition !
So is the Gibson Flying V !
Cheers - Phil
;D ;D ;D
I can provide air drums ;)
Perhaps you can do that Dexy's Midnight Runners song Covid-nineteen
COAT !! ;D
Cheers - Phil
Just a thought.
Has anyone heard from barbarian, he started this(subject) and has gone very quiet.
Hope alls well (as it can be.)
He posted a couple of days ago, H.
So.....I assume he's OK.
Cheers - Phil
Kids these days
https://twitter.com/i/status/1243329253288169473 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1243329253288169473)
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 29 March 2020, 11:22:22 AM
Kids these days
https://twitter.com/i/status/1243329253288169473 (https://twitter.com/i/status/1243329253288169473)
It's their nannies I blame!
Apparently in Boulder, Colorado, mountain lions have taken to roaming the deserted streets.
If only we could get them to roam a little farther afield we could solve the goat problem.
Of course there would then be a mountain lion problem but, hey, one thing at a time ... right?
:) :) :)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 29 March 2020, 03:23:32 PM
Of course there would then be a mountain lion problem but, hey, one thing at a time ... right?
:) :) :)
There once was a lady who swallows a fly...
Anyone out there reckon they've had or have the disease?
I've been coughing all week, stiff joints, headaches, slight temperature. Not horrendous by any means but enough to feel a bit unpleasant. It has thankfully mostly cleared, now that I'm resting rather than working, though my wife is currently feeling it a bit, fatigue, headache and sore body.
No way to know for sure if it is the dreaded lurgy until testing is more available, but certainly similar to what they've been saying. Hopefully it is it as means we got away with a fairly light dose of it so far, but may have just been another seasonal illness.
Advice seems to be that we are past the main flu and related illness window so flu-like symptoms are likely to be Covid-19.
If so, I'm glad the symptoms were no worse, mmcv.
Seconded. Sadly without a proper testing regime you just can't know :/
Yeah hard to know. Hope it is though as means we'll be free to help out parents and grandparents if they get it or have difficulty getting supplies.
I picked up something horrible mid Feb. Flu type symptoms, not as bad as flu. Spent a few sleepless night and a couple of days sitting on the sofa. Cough went from Chesty to dry and still has not fully gone. So no idea what it was.
Ex boss who sits by me at work possibly has it, but she went into self isolation when one of her kids got ill 2.5 weeks ok. So Hoping I am ok
Fingers crossed for you Orcs.
Seconded
Thank you all. I am perfectly fine so would have been expecting to be showing some symptoms by now.
Of course the boss could just have a dose of something else. with no testing we have no idea. She is a bit self centred so could well be over dramatizing it.
Great news to start off the week.
F1 etc have developed a breathing aid that can be produced at the rate of 1000 per day,
This is the line that we have need to cross to really reduced the potential death toll
Well done all of those who do this sort of thing (developed in just a week apparently).
BBC link
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52087002
Quote from: Ithoriel on 29 March 2020, 04:30:36 PM
Advice seems to be that we are past the main flu and related illness window so flu-like symptoms are likely to be Covid-19.
If so, I'm glad the symptoms were no worse, mmcv.
Same here, mmcv.....Really not sure what to think, re Mark....(Was it THE virus, in Feb ?)......Sounds
very similar to what Von & I caught in January, which we picked up visiting Von's Mum.....Dragged on for
well over a couple of months.
Can't really believe that that WAS the dreaded one, and the only place we really
could have caught it was the care home.
As far as the limited contact we've got with the care-home...there have been no 'dramas' with 'bugs'.
In reality, if it got into the care home, that would be the death sentence for......goodness knows, how many. X_X
Take care - All.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Norm on 30 March 2020, 05:24:55 AM
Great news to start off the week.
F1 etc have developed a breathing aid that can be produced at the rate of 1000 per day,
This is the line that we have need to cross to really reduced the potential death toll
Well done all of those who do this sort of thing (developed in just a week apparently).
BBC link
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52087002
Ooo, CPAP machines! What a good lateral thought. Plus afterwards all of us with sleep apnoea might be able to get hold of one :)
Just a quick update on 'shopping'. (From your correspondent in Wales.) :D
Just back from the hunter-gatherer role. :D
Tesco's is really getting back to some reasonable semblance of normality....at least in a small/small-medium town.
Nothing missing......Ooodles of loo-roll....Paracetomol....Yep, the shelf was full.....'Meat' aisle.....That's the fullest I've seen for about six weeks.
Got my frozen 'sprouts'......and my Twiglets.....HUZZAH !!!
O.K.....we're still going to have to put up with 'social distancing' for probably months, at this point.
Folk in the store...Pretty relaxed, and calm.
Only 'iffy' bit I 'had to put up with' was someone in front of me at 'the hole in the wall', having a massive coughing fit.
UUURGH !.... When she turned around, she DID have a face mask on....and I was wearing surgeons' gloves anyway, for when I touched the keys.
Having removed gloves, and put them in a bin.....It was hand sanitation time.
Take care, All (Once again).
Cheers - Phil :)
Went to the local "24-hr" Tesco at 7am this morning only to find that, as of this morning, they aren't opening until 8am!
Spent a chilly hour watching a glorious sun rise and acting as a human notice board on opening times to a steady stream of punters who couldn't find a note of the opening hours for "ordinary" people.
Huge, glossy, corporate colour signs about times set aside for those at risk/ NHS staff/ Tesco staff prominently displayed and a scruffy handwritten sign on a sheet of brown cardboard for general opening hours.
No paracetamol or hand sanitiser and stocks of the other high profile items much reduced but at least they had some.
After visiting the local supermarket and encountering people who have no idea of social distancing, I now understand what these people hear when government guidance is broadcast ...
Mike....You live in/near a big city ! X_X
The one thing I still haven't noticed in/near the Cardigan Tesco's is the hand sanitisers, that we're supposed to use.....Or clean the handle on the trolley. :-\
Seeing as I use 'surgical gloves' until I've completely finished 'the shop', that doesn't bother me.
Repeating myself.......
(I don't half feel a complete dork wearing gloves....But, hey....they'll hopefully help.....and once I've thrown those gloves in a bin, I go back to the car and use my own hand sanitiser.....So.. what have I missed ?)
Davy....Did you notice the handwriting on the letters in that clip ?.....They looked like the same person had written them !!! :o :o :o
Were they fake !! .....I think we need to be told. ;)
Cheers - Phil
A Virus response we can all get behind.
Especially Orcs.*
Thai king self-isolates in Alpine hotel with harem of 20 women amid pandemic
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-grand-hotel-sonnebichl-germany-a9431936.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-grand-hotel-sonnebichl-germany-a9431936.html)
*They'd have someone to talk to 5 minutes later. And they might paint some figures.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 30 March 2020, 04:15:56 PM
A Virus response we can all get behind.
Especially Orcs.*
Thai king self-isolates in Alpine hotel with harem of 20 women amid pandemic
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-grand-hotel-sonnebichl-germany-a9431936.html (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-thailand-king-maha-vajiralongkorn-grand-hotel-sonnebichl-germany-a9431936.html)
*They'd have someone to talk to 5 minutes later. And they might paint some figures.
Sounds like the most sensible approach so far. :) :)
And it would be 10 minutes. They get 30 seconds each :D
Quote from: Techno on 30 March 2020, 02:36:53 PM
(I don't half feel a complete dork wearing gloves....But, hey....they'll hopefully help.....and once I've thrown those gloves in a bin, I go back to the car and use my own hand sanitiser.....So.. what have I missed ?)
Having watched my wife's training on PPE the key with gloves is to touch the outside of the first glove and turn it inside out when taking it off. Then touch what was the inside with your bare hand to taken the other glove off. This way your bare skin doesn't touch the potentially contaminated outside of the glove
Hand sanitise as well
Quote from: paulr on 30 March 2020, 07:59:13 PM
Having watched my wife's training on PPE the key with gloves is to touch the outside of the first glove and turn it inside out when taking it off. Then touch what was the inside with your bare hand to taken the other glove off. This way your bare skin doesn't touch the potentially contaminated outside of the glove
Hand sanitise as well
There's a bit more to it than that. Once you have the glove(s) off they have to be binned in a plastic bag then eventually the whole bag has to be double bagged before safe disposal.
Further guidance on removing disposable gloves here:-
https://www.globus.co.uk/assets/files/How-To-Safely-Remove-Your-Disposable-Gloves-A3-0615.pdf (https://www.globus.co.uk/assets/files/How-To-Safely-Remove-Your-Disposable-Gloves-A3-0615.pdf)
Quote from: toxicpixie on 30 March 2020, 08:19:16 AM
Ooo, CPAP machines! What a good lateral thought. Plus afterwards all of us with sleep apnoea might be able to get hold of one :)
I was issued one due to having severe sleep apnoea- they are very difficult to sleep with
If that's a working 'face mask', above.......I WANT one. :-bd ;D
(Probably rather expensive, so that might be rather of a waste of dosh.....Mind you, I reckon everyone would give you a VERY wide berth if you wore it in Tesco's !)
Talking, again, of shopping.....Has anyone noticed the prices going up in the supermarkets ?
I don't normally bother to check all the individual items......It's simply a case of ....."Yep....need some of this....Yep...need some of that"...and just bung the items in the trolley.
So I don't know how much I've spent until I get to the checkout.
I'm fairly consistent with what I buy each week...and usually can do a quick guess with what it's going to be.....It should be close to the 'last shop'
I'll swear that it's been something between £5 and £10 more the last couple of times.
Might just be my imagination :-\....But anyone else finding the same ?
Cheers - Phil
Nah.....Hey, Ho
Just looked up how much those are...... :(
I suppose you could wear a proper 'protect yourself' mask underneath it....That is.....If you could get hold of any.
I'll have to keep asking at the Farmers' Co-op....That's about the only bit of 'kit'/useful supplies that they're out of.
(Time for the morning walk.) :D
Cheers - Phil
But can you really, truly put a price on fashionable elegance, Phil? True style never goes out of fashion, ages well and wears for any occasion!
Although as my fashion sense these days channels Arthur Dent 90% of the time I'm not sure I'm the man to follow for advice.
Gone are the days of brocade and tail coats, lace cuffs and back combed hair, pointy boots and toight trousers, hello home office uniform of dressing gown and "did I put on trousers on today?".
Quote from: toxicpixie on 31 March 2020, 08:43:00 AM
But can you really, truly put a price on fashionable elegance, Phil? True style never goes out of fashion, ages well and wears for any occasion!
Although as my fashion sense these days channels Arthur Dent 90% of the time I'm not sure I'm the man to follow for advice.
Don't worry, Nathan.....I use Catweazle as
my fashion icon.
(That reminds me...It's about time I got my retainer from both Armani and Versache for NOT wearing any of their clobber.)
Cheers - Phil
Isn't Catweazle a bit modern for you Phil ?
On similar note did anyone see the recent redo of "Worzel Gummidge", with Mackenzie Crook as the eponymous hero? Took me a bit to warm to it but really enjoyed it!
Nice bit of olde Englishe folk lore in it.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 31 March 2020, 10:13:04 AM
Isn't Catweazle a bit modern for you Phil ?
What ?......Nah....They used me as the template, for his wardrobe. ;D ;D
James......I've seen TWO bumblebees today......Huzzah ! :)
Cheers - Phil
We've had bees, bumblebess and hover flies for a few weeks now. Only one butterfly though.
Only ever see 'wild' bees out here, Steve.....Usually a swarm, once a year....and a load of the silly sods come down the chimney.
Last three years that's happened. =)
(You're suddenly aware of a rather loud buzzing noise in the living room ! :o) ;D ;D
Fortunately...The queen has always remained outside, so it's a case of opening the windows, and let the 'swarm' out to go and find her.....(When I say swarm, it's usually one or two dozen of the workers that have taken a wrong turning....Twits ! ;D ;D)
Not seen any hover flies yet.....Nor butterflies, though they'll arrive at some stage.
Saw a queen wasp a few weeks ago.....But nothing since.
The worst insects that we get around here are the biting midges.....You'd never believe that something so small could cause such massive itchy lumps.
I'm lucky...They like Von more than me ! ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil.
Quote from: Raider4 on 22 March 2020, 11:06:08 AM
"Panic buyers have cleared the shelves of hummus and guacamole. It's a double dip recession."
"Panic buyers in Paris have left the supermarkets looking like bomb sites. De brie is everywhere."
"If you get an email from the Department of Health warning you not to eat tinned pork because it contains Covid-19, ignore it - It's spam."
"Went to the supermarket this morning and watched a guy purchase a piñata, some paella and a sombrero. I thought to myself... Hispanic buying."
Oh dear me ... ;D
The view of the crisis from xkcd
(https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/pathogen_resistance.png)
Love the mouse over/alt text :)
Reminds me of "Humans are Terrifying".
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HumansAreWarriors
https://cheezburger.com/8278903296/after-reading-this-youll-believe-humans-are-the-scariest-creatures-in-all-of-sci-fi
& the other "Humans are..."
Because, well, we are.
Holy Tamoly! :o
Ignore most of this video. Skip to about 8:45
That chap looks even thinner than I do ! :o....Well almost. :D
(Nobby.....Admit it...You're bored ! ;))
Cheers - Phil
An awful way to treat someone for standing up for the lives of the people in his charge
https://theintercept.com/2020/04/02/navy-fires-captain-coronavirus-memo/ (https://theintercept.com/2020/04/02/navy-fires-captain-coronavirus-memo/)
We never make mistakes.
Whistleblowers are always victimised :/
Based only on the story linked above (which leaves some questions unanswered):
The captain appears to have gone ex-chain-of-command, apparently leaving his immediate superior (Carrier strike group commander) out of his decision loop.
The memo was distributed with such loose security that it ended up being published in a news paper.
Welfare of the crew is of major importance but so is operational security. At this point we would seem to have at least one carrier group that is combat ineffective. Nice to know. :(
Volumes can be written about the motivation of whistleblowers.
300+ yard queue outside ASDA yesterday and even without the social distancing gaps, it would have been over 100 yards. ALDI was bad most of the day yet our local small Lidl was absolutely fine. Off to shop at ASDA this morning (I turned round when I saw the queue length) as it is open for the vulnerable groups, which our son is in, so can do his weekly shop for him. Wish me luck!
With the barbers closed, how long before DIY haircuts make an appearance? There have been images on the BBC already and some of the chaps around here are looking rather unkempt on the coiffure front. I'm sure the Ladies will be fine. Luckily I found we still had some clippers so with our daughters help managed to do a reasonable short back and sides. Not quite Peaky Blinders which she wanted to do (I was tempted but would look stupid and SWMBO would not have been happy) but not bad and nice to have had a trim :).
Our barbers closed the day before my appointment (which was already three weeks late). I've decided to ultimately put my hair in a ponytail (I did it once when the world was young) and then put braids in my beard. If I end up liking the look, when we get the all-clear I may shave my head and get rune tattoos.
Lee's been cutting my hair for years, so that's an easy one. But she's wearing her own in a clip, wisely not trusting me as a barber.
For me cutting hair is like trying to level a table by successively trimming the legs.
An interesting chart:
(https://cdn.statcdn.com/Infographic/images/normal/21327.jpeg)
Quote from: Steve J on 03 April 2020, 05:56:22 AM
300+ yard queue outside ASDA yesterday and even without the social distancing gaps, it would have been over 100 yards. ALDI was bad most of the day yet our local small Lidl was absolutely fine. Off to shop at ASDA this morning (I turned round when I saw the queue length) as it is open for the vulnerable groups, which our son is in, so can do his weekly shop for him. Wish me luck!
Good luck, Steve ! :)
It was pretty good in Tesco' in Cardigan yesterday......(I didn't go in
mega early....around my normal time I guess).....Car park was busier than 'the norm' for that time of the morning, but still
oodles of space.
No problems about the number of folk in the store.....I'd guess somewhere between 20 & 30 while I was bimbling around.....(The limit is 50 in the store at one time.)
Shelves all pretty good.....Couldn't get our usual bread (Plenty of of other loaves though.).....Only noticed that they hadn't got paracetamol....Which I didn't need, anyway......Ermm......No Rich tea biccies for Von....None of our usual de-caf coffee....But I'll get some of that next week, when they should have some.
The one thing they hadn't done yet, is put arrows around the floor of the aisles, so everyone follows the same route, so you don't have people coming back down the aisle that you're going up....Those are the times it's nigh on impossible to avoid getting closer than the recommended distance .....I heard them talking about sorting the arrows 'toot sweet'....and said that that would be a really good idea....
But....They rejected my idea of having chicanes, and 5 red lights at the checkouts' waiting areas, which go out when it's time to move forward, so it was more like F1 racing. ;)
'Meat' aisle now seems to be fine, and virtually back to normal.
Quote from: Steve J on 03 April 2020, 06:01:07 AM
With the barbers closed, how long before DIY haircuts make an appearance? There have been images on the BBC already and some of the chaps around here are looking rather unkempt on the coiffure front. I'm sure the Ladies will be fine. Luckily I found we still had some clippers so with our daughters help managed to do a reasonable short back and sides. Not quite Peaky Blinders which she wanted to do (I was tempted but would look stupid and SWMBO would not have been happy) but not bad and nice to have had a trim :).
Funny you should mention that, Steve. There were a few clips from social media that the TV showed a couple of days ago.
Mostly fathers being very brave and allowing their offspring to have a go.
One looked a very good attempt......Another.. X_X
I
have trimmed Von's hair...but only at the back...and only when necessary, when she can't get an appointment for longer than she's prepared to wait.....So obviously NOW I'm sure my
lack of skills are likely to be called upon. X_X
I'm sort of surprised at Bill's chart to see the UK not nearer the top ! ;D ;D
I think we can assume that the chart for April will show a lot LESS loo roll being bought, as compared to last year.
Cheers - Phil (I got some bicccies for Von from the mini-supermarket in the village, on the way back...Don't do 'big' shops there....they're too expensive ! :D)
;D ;D
No major queues in Birkenhead, but the tumble weed was knee deep.
Tip for all - paving stones are normally 2'x3' or 2'x2', so you can judge your 2m separation easily
Cheers all
IanS
I spent an hour out of the house to do a 10 minute shop. The queue for the NHS, Vulnerable and over '70's was again a couple of 100 yeards long. They were slowly letting people in and once inside I was done in 10 minutes! Chatting to the lady on the till, she was with me in not understanding why everyone appears to still be panicking as the shelves were full, apart from the pasta which was a bit sparse. If everyone just shopped as normal we'd be OK.
Bill, definitely plat the beard, shave the head and have runes tattoed on it! I would but SWMBO might not agree...
I've started wearing my wife's Alice band, as I was overdue a trim anyway...
My problem is (when I was younger, I could sit on my hair) my hair goes into sausage curls.
I might need my wife's straighteners...
Quote from: d_Guy on 03 April 2020, 06:14:12 AM
Our barbers closed the day before my appointment (which was already three weeks late). I've decided to ultimately put my hair in a ponytail (I did it once when the world was young) and then put braids in my beard. If I end up liking the look, when we get the all-clear I may shave my head and get rune tattoos.
Do it Bill! Also grab a large 2m staff to enforce social isolation and practise growling "Odin says, you shall not pass!" ;)
Quote from: d_Guy on 03 April 2020, 05:29:38 AM
Based only on the story linked above (which leaves some questions unanswered):
The captain appears to have gone ex-chain-of-command, apparently leaving his immediate superior (Carrier strike group commander) out of his decision loop.
The memo was distributed with such loose security that it ended up being published in a news paper.
Welfare of the crew is of major importance but so is operational security. At this point we would seem to have at least one carrier group that is combat ineffective. Nice to know. :(
Volumes can be written about the motivation of whistleblowers.
I am pretty sure that the would have made his concerns evident to the strike group commander and the loose security gambit is a classic way of shooing the messenger.
I have no reason to doubt his motivation as it would be hard to see what he would gain from putting his career on the line
Quote from: Steve J on 03 April 2020, 06:01:07 AM
. . . I'm sure the Ladies will be fine.
Hah! My wife's roots are starting to show and she is Not Happy.
I forgot about the roots showing issue, so some DIY colouring at home could be interesting, assuming you can get to buy the dye. With 50% arctic blonde in my hair it's not something I worry about; keeping my hair is more of an issue!
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 03 April 2020, 09:32:49 AM
I have no reason to doubt his motivation as it would be hard to see what he would gain from putting his career on the line
In this specific case I tend to agree with you. Hopefully his crew will benefit.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 03 April 2020, 09:13:35 AM
Do it Bill! Also grab a large 2m staff to enforce social isolation and practise growling "Odin says, you shall not pass!" ;)
;D
Quote from: Steve J on 03 April 2020, 08:56:19 AM
Bill, definitely plat the beard, shave the head and have runes tattoed on it! I would but SWMBO might not agree...
I will attempt to convince her that I will look exactly like Ragnar (in the series) of whom she has a keen (and possibly carnal) interest.
Quote from: Raider4 on 03 April 2020, 12:17:21 PM
Hah! My wife's roots are starting to show and she is Not Happy.
Amen to that, brother!
Quote from: mad lemmey on 03 April 2020, 08:58:01 AM
I've started wearing my wife's Alice band, as I was overdue a trim anyway...
That's a good idea, Will....I'm sure Von's got (what I'd call) a sweatband, rather than an Alice band...I might nick that for the time being. :D
Cheers - Phil
I wonder if we can start selling the Vallejo paints as 'alternative hair dyes'... I can pop them in a different pot with a fancy label on them...
Von pointed out a facebook video post this morning, of a couple of very young boys who might well have been using the Vallejo paints......They appeared to have had a damn good go at face-painting each other.
They were COVERED. ;D ;D ;D.....Faces especially, but also their shirts.
Their Dad obviously was managing to take it in very good part, as they kept asking, "Why are you laughing, Daddy ?"
(They'd also managed to do a lot of 'damage' to 'downstairs'.....From the statements their father was making.)
On a somewhat different note.....I'm sure most, if not virtually all of you in the UK have seen the Corona virus 'Advert', featuring Prof. Chris Whitty.
Each time I see that, to start with I think it's not a real person, but a CGI image.
It must be the way the lighting's been done. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Nah, he's a CGI potato ;)
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 03 April 2020, 09:32:49 AM
I am pretty sure that the would have made his concerns evident to the strike group commander and the loose security gambit is a classic way of shooing the messenger.
I have no reason to doubt his motivation as it would be hard to see what he would gain from putting his career on the line
https://youtu.be/uxDkffIKzCs (https://youtu.be/uxDkffIKzCs)
The crew seem to appreciate him
He's gone to the wall for them, I think they know.
With this wretched virus....
The one very minor problem living where we do, is that we still seem to be the default setting for a lot of delivery drivers' SatNavs...
They keep knocking on the door.....Touching the gate latch....The door handle.....Ugh....I don't know where they've been.
"Do you know where such and such is ?"........Yes, it's blah blah, blah.....Now please b*gger off...(under my breath)
(I keep going out and cleaning anything that they might have come into contact with.)
I don't really blame them.....Those drivers are doing a particularly useful, and potentially 'dangerous' job at the mo....To a great extent they need applauding, as well.
Cheers - Mr Paranoid. ;)
Its that problem with rural post codes. A lot of homes - often up to a mile apart,- sharing the same code. The Sat Nav gets confused.
Could you put a sign on the gate with directions?
Too many places, 'stretched' too far apart, Forbes.
If I had the time......
But then, I know folk wouldn't look at it and still come and knock on the door. ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil ;)
You could put a big plague sign on the gate...
I've already thought of that, Forbes ! ;)
Cheers - Phil :)
How about a sign that says "Beware of the Bull!" Phil?
My bad luck resurfaces.
To help with distancing at work we are working Wednesday to Tuesday, then Wednesday to Tuesday "stand by" at home (can be called in if needed).
I'm off from next Thursday . this means my colleagues on the other rota are only working 1 day next week, because of Easter. >:(
Quote from: Ithoriel on 04 April 2020, 10:02:40 AM
How about a sign that says "Beware of the Bull!" Phil?
We need something a bit stronger, Mike......
Not aimed at delivery drivers.
I kid you not (
truly)..(Feck me... X_X)...Just been out to help Von bring the three 'cobs' in.....There's not a
huge amount of grass in the 5 acres that they've got access to, at the mo'..So they can do with a little bit of extra grub, to keep them happy (rather than healthy.....they're absolutely FINE.)
Me....Standing by the gate, head-collar in hand...Car pulls up.....Window down...."Ooooo....Can we say hello to your horses "...."Best not....they're not very friendly" (That
WAS a complete lie.)....I really wanted to say something different.
I thought the whole idea at the mo' was for folk not to go out.....If it wasn't for 'the virus'....I'd have almost certainly said...."Yeah...Pull up there and I'll keep an eye on them."
(Yes...I
truly know....That Von and I are very lucky with what we've got access to, as far as bimbling about is concerned.)
A lot of folk still aren't taking this 'poop' seriously. :(
Cheers - Phil.
having got tothis level of seriousness, it feels a strange thing that the Government are really having to stress that people should stay in ..... or at least not travel around the country, this weekend as the weather gets hotter. It is a sad indictment at this point in time that they have basis for this genuine concern and really need to stress it in almost a pleading way!
I know someone who is working in a hardware store and he is maddened by the amount of people who are 'floating around', when the message is stay in. They have put pallets at the door to stop entry and to act as a deep counter, from where they serve people on card only payment.
Quote from: Last Hussar on 04 April 2020, 10:07:29 AM
My bad luck resurfaces.
To help with distancing at work we are working Wednesday to Tuesday, then Wednesday to Tuesday "stand by" at home (can be called in if needed).
I'm off from next Thursday . this means my colleagues on the other rota are only working 1 day next week, because of Easter. >:(
At least your getting time off. I am still working more than contracted hours actually at work. Those of my colleagues working from home are expected to do full hours as well. none of this "stand by" malarkey
I've a friend who is a store manager at an opticians which is open for critical issues only, yet a fair number of looky loos were still dropping by for eye tests etc, he reckoned because they were just bored and looking something to do. He turned them away with strong words of course.
I'm not sure how the message could be any clearer, yet so many willfully ignoring it. I can only assume stupidity over mailice. At least the vast majority seem to be taking things seriously, just a minority screwing things up for the rest.
A noticeable increase in traffic on the ring road today compared to this week. Not sure where they're going as the advice is to stay at home.
Quote from: Steve J on 04 April 2020, 04:58:26 PM
A noticeable increase in traffic on the ring road today compared to this week. Not sure where they're going as the advice is to stay at home.
Yeah, I've noticed this, both yesterday & today.
And looking at the cars in our street, basically nothing moved for a week up until Wednesday, then a couple on Thursday, a few more Friday & today. Whether it's the good weather, or cabin-fever setting in, or people now thinking they're now safe I don't know.
Quote from: Steve J on 04 April 2020, 04:58:26 PM
A noticeable increase in traffic on the ring road today compared to this week. Not sure where they're going as the advice is to stay at home.
Yep we have had quite a few cars go past today, the only place they could legitimately be going using our road is the little Budgens for food, or possibly getting petrol, but far to many to be this.
Definitely a few more cars on the roads in the last few days.
Just enough to be noticeable. =)
I'm planning on being outside for a fair bit of today.....So I'll see how many go past.
I'd guess that the few 'white vans' that have traveling recently, will be having a 'day off'.
We'll see.
Cheers - Phil
I went for my daily exercise walk this morning and way more cars on the ring road than normal for 7.15 on a Sunday :(. Generally I'll barely hear a car at that time, other then the odd one off to church.
I am being furloughed from next week - according to HR they will need us back for 'Post Covid-19 'society???!!
Best of luck with the furlough flamingpig, I hope HR are right about needing you back
Quote from: paulr on 05 April 2020, 08:08:21 AM
Best of luck with the furlough flamingpig, I hope HR are right about needing you back
Same from me !!
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: paulr on 05 April 2020, 08:08:21 AM
Best of luck with the furlough flamingpig, I hope HR are right about needing you back
Cheers
My hope is they will as I work in careers and I think we might be needed to help with post Covid reconstruction; even if it is helping prospective hunter gatherers and tribal militiamen with retraining
Might improve standards of UK food.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 05 April 2020, 08:40:51 AM
Cheers
... even if it is helping prospective hunter gatherers and tribal militiamen with retraining
I like your optimism here! Reintroducing agriculture and distributing seeds should provide many full time jobs alone. ;)
Indeed, hope your furlough is short.
Quote from: d_Guy on 05 April 2020, 05:28:11 PM
I like your optimism here! Reintroducing agriculture and distributing seeds should provide many full time jobs alone. ;)
Indeed, hope your furlough is short.
This is how I imagine post COVID-19 society
https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo (https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo)
Quote from: d_Guy on 05 April 2020, 05:28:11 PM
Indeed, hope your furlough is short.
I keep reading that as 'furlong', in which case it should be exactly the same length as everyone else's . . .
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 05 April 2020, 06:05:49 PM
This is how I imagine post COVID-19 society
https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo (https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo)
So, pretty much a typical day at Walmart.
Technical question: why did the arrow-head lady's head fall off?
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 05 April 2020, 06:05:49 PM
This is how I imagine post COVID-19 society
https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo (https://youtu.be/LOVgONphbJo)
I was thinking more "I am Legend" :)
Quote from: d_Guy on 05 April 2020, 06:43:10 PM
So, pretty much a typical day at Walmart.
Technical question: why did the arrow-head lady's head fall off?
IRC correctly it had been glued on after she had been decapitated- its a class movie
What was the 'widget' that decapitated her ?
Looked like Matey, who was the 'cause', was firing some sort of crossbow. Was it firing some sort of sharpened frisbee ? :-\
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 06 April 2020, 06:20:26 AM
What was the 'widget' that decapitated her ?
Looked like Matey, who was the 'cause', was firing some sort of crossbow. Was it firing some sort of sharpened frisbee ? :-
Cheers - Phil
It is probably best to see the film in its entirety, it is widely panned but I love its overall lunacy - its sort of a homage to eighties scif/horror films but set in London and Scotland
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0483607/ (ftp://https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0483607/)
Oh, and here's a quote from one of the characters:
'Like so many epidemics before, the loss of so many lives began with a single microscopic organism. It's human nature to seek even the smallest comfort in reason, or logic for events as catastrophic as these. But a virus doesn't choose a time or place. It doesn't hate or even care. It just happens.'
I must admit, I thought it was a 'Mad Max' that had passed me by. :)
Tesco's was fun this morning.....No panic buying and empty shelves...Just a far more regimented way of 'doing the shop'.....Seemed to take forever...BUT..if it's designed to keep everybody safe...A very good thing.
I'm sure they were letting fewer people in at one time, because there were folk with trolleys queuing to be allowed in, when I arrived....And there definitely fewer cars in the car park.
At one point, I asked one of the supervisors if he'd be kind, and get me a couple of items that I'd missed...Good lad...He did (You mustn't do U-turns anymore..which is quite fair enough.)
Got to checkout...Paid..."Oh Bum"....Didn't get Von a paper....She doesn't read them...Just does the puzzles.
Looked back....."Oh no, I'm not going around, again, just for a paper"..There was already another queue waiting to get in. X_X... (Got the paper in the village on the way back.)
Felt really sorry for a young lass who was exiting the store, as I was returning my trolley....There was a 'smash' of a bottle breaking, after it fell off her trolley.....And the plaintive cry of, " OH B*LLOCKS !"...I wonder if she did a second circuit.
Cheers - Phil
Tesco's used to replace anything that broke by accident in the car park
Should have used Soda the wine delivery dog..... ;)
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/wine-delivering-dog-soda-stone-house-urban-winery/32040567#
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, has just been reported as being moved to intensive care.
If it wasn't so serious it would be tempting to crack a joke ... but despite the fact that I cannot stand the blaggard - I wish him well and a safe recovery.
Quote from: Raider4 on 06 April 2020, 07:25:14 PM
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, has just been reported as being moved to intensive care.
A poignant moment - I wish him and everyone else currently in IC the very best.
Bless the NZ PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-52189013/jacinda-ardern-tooth-fairy-and-easter-bunny-are-essential-workers
Quote from: Big Insect on 06 April 2020, 07:34:04 PM
If it wasn't so serious it would be tempting to crack a joke ... but despite the fact that I cannot stand the blaggard - I wish him well and a safe recovery.
Ditto, re: the man & his politics. Not my choice at all.
But . . . this is the PM. Presumably he's getting the very best care available, but if it can affect him like this . . .
Also, as far as I can tell, the last PM to die in office was Palmerston in 1865!
Churchill came close in 43 and also in the 50's, but I think you are right...Are we looking at another General Election ?
I wouldn't have thought so, Ian :-\.....I don't think the powers that be would want us all to be 'gathering' at polling stations, in the current situation.
I wish anyone with this vile 'bug', all the best.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: ianrs54 on 07 April 2020, 06:28:15 AM
Churchill came close in 43 and also in the 50's, but I think you are right...Are we looking at another General Election ?
No, it is just a change of leadership, this will be done by the party faithful in the same way Boris was elected.
Yet *another* appointed PM, most likely, as Orcs says.
After all, it's actually the common way to become PM now! It'll be voted thru on the few thousand Tory party members again.
The question is... Rees-Mog and his "we're buying all your failing businesses and repossessing your houses" platform, Raab on "well, I haven't killed too many of you yet by preventing PPE and ventilators reaching the front line" or Sunak on the "I'm very affable and polished looking whilst I blow the skids out the magic tree and give it all to the banks" platform?!
And I suspect despite seemingly having clipped a bad dose and helping build our herd immunity, Johnson will receive superlative care and at worst end up tranked out on a ventilator for a couple weeks whilst someone else runs the country in his stead. Presumably NOT Lebedev or Chernukhin, if Johnson's out the running for a bit :D
The Fall Back position is the old Cold War protocols. Trident does not have the PAL (Permissive Active Link) or launch codes- the chain of command goes to .....Mr Rabb.
In terms of Government decision making - it is a collective affair. The Speaker will have to decide how Parliament reconvenes. There may be calls for a recall if things worsen- but it would have to be virtual
Select Committees are still working by conference link.
Iain Duncan Smith's comment on Johnson's illness was unbelievable.
'It doesn't necessarily mean he isn't going to pull through'
Great support from his own team there, really rooting for him.
"When asked for comment, Mr Gove said "Meh" and waggled his shoulders with a little grin" is up next :D
Quote from: Raider4 on 06 April 2020, 07:25:14 PM
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, has just been reported as being moved to intensive care.
This is worrying. I've just received a letter from him.
Seriously, I wish him a speedy recovery, just as I do with any victim of this plague.
Yeah, I have mine too. Well, actually from Hancock and Jenrick, which isn't greatly better as Hancock had it but I assume he doesn't personally lick them, he'll have a minion to do that...
Mine today as well, looked at and filed !
Quote from: ianrs54 on 07 April 2020, 06:28:15 AM
Churchill came close in 43 and also in the 50's, but I think you are right...Are we looking at another General Election ?
A General Election is unnecessary. We have never elected PMs in this country, we elect parties on the basis of their manifesto. The PM is the leader of the elected party and can, and does, change mid-term. It doesn't matter who it is as long as they has the confidence of the House of Commons, and with the present Tory majority that is hardly a challenge, I'd say.
I looked it up out of interest and was surprised to find that since 1900, only 11 of the 28 changes of PM have been the result of General Elections. The other 17 changes of PM resulted from changes of party leader mid-term. So, remarkably, it is actually the most common way to become PM. Brown replaced Blair, May replaced Cameron and Johnson replaced May for the most recent examples.
In the event of their incapacitation, the PM has the power to delegate responsibility to any of his ministers, and Johnson has nominated Raab, as First Secretary of State, to deputise for him in the interim. So, Raab will continue to head the government for the foreseeable future.
In the event of Johnson's demise, I wonder what the Tory party would do. Would they go through a contested leadership election in the midst of the COVID crisis? It seems an unlikely distraction. Perhaps they'd elect Raab party leader unopposed. Let's hope none of this will be necessary and that Johnson recovers.
Whatever happens, I'm just thankful we haven't got Steptoe and his bunch of misfits in charge.
Ahem.....
Gentlemen.....This has been starting to get political again... =)
....and not just from John's post above.
Can we please (Pretty please !) try and keep politics and political opinion away from the forum....I seem to have been saying this too many times recently.
It'll only end up in a row....and I'll end up having to use 'the buttons'..which I really don't like having to do.
Cheers - Phil :)
Sorry, but I feel obliged to use every available platform to denounce the expansionist policies of Babur the Mogul, political or not. Dawghouse me if you must.
Sadly the pandemic is implicitly political, Phil. Politics and it's handling are deeply intertwined, and you can't ignore that (unless you take the "only obeying order" / we just kept quiet approach, which seldom ends well).
I too denounce Babur, except he's got a great hat and fantastic pajama robe there, which would be *ideal* for current quarantine restrictions. I'm not even allowed to wear my harem pants!
Quote from: toxicpixie on 07 April 2020, 12:32:21 PM
I'm not even allowed to wear my harem pants!
not even in the house!!! :o :o :o
Especially not as the other half is also confined to the house and therefore would have to witness my magnificent couture all day!
Are you insane! Barbar has brought joy to countless millions of children worldwide and ...oh! Wait! Never mind.
Quote from: d_Guy on 07 April 2020, 03:45:36 PM
Are you insane! Barbar has brought joy to countless millions of children worldwide and ...oh! Wait! Never mind.
This is babar
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/29/Babar-_King_of_the_Elephants_VideoCover.png/220px-Babar-_King_of_the_Elephants_VideoCover.png)
This is a barbar (yes it's a Belgian beer)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Barbar_Blond.JPG/266px-Barbar_Blond.JPG)
I guess one brings joy to small children and the other on to bigger children. Would advise not to confuse them while handing them out! ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: petercooman on 07 April 2020, 03:51:05 PM
This is babar
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/29/Babar-_King_of_the_Elephants_VideoCover.png/220px-Babar-_King_of_the_Elephants_VideoCover.png)
Never liked Babar. Always found something . . . unsettling about the book. Don't know why, just felt wrong, somehow.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 07 April 2020, 12:32:21 PM
Sadly the pandemic is implicitly political, Phil. Politics and it's handling are deeply intertwined, and you can't ignore that (unless you take the "only obeying order" / we just kept quiet approach, which seldom ends well).
Though What goes on in the greater world and the conduct of this forum / post, happily, do not have to be intertwined, unless we choose to make it so and otherwise spoil a special meeting place. With the death toll rising and some of this forum audience (i'm thinking of the silent majority) inevitably and sadly increasingly having a connection with that aspect, then a certain reverence and self discipline here becomes increasingly paramount.
Babar is colonial. I grew up reading it at my grandparents house (ex colons).
But yeah, it is a really old vision of Africa.
Quote from: Techno on 07 April 2020, 11:51:20 AM
Ahem.....
Gentlemen.....This has been starting to get political again... =)
....and not just from John's post above.
Can we please (Pretty please !) try and keep politics and political opinion away from the forum....I seem to have been saying this too many times recently.
It'll only end up in a row....and I'll end up having to use 'the buttons'..which I really don't like having to do.
Cheers - Phil :)
OK, it's your ball and your game, but I suggest you rename this area "For anything at all (except politics) non-wargaming related!", or remove it entirely.
Quote from: John Cook on 07 April 2020, 10:27:41 PM
OK, it's your ball and your game, but I suggest you rename this area "For anything at all (except politics) non-wargaming related!", or remove it entirely.
We just need to avoid getting into any Johnson/Corbyn/Sturgeon/A.N.Other bashing because of personal political views, as that'll cause friction and endless debates that can quickly turn into arguments. I think we can discuss the current situation and the government response to it around the world, but we need to be mindful that other people may have different (and potentially strong) opinions.
Quote from: Leon on 07 April 2020, 10:39:27 PM
We just need to avoid getting into any Johnson/Corbyn/Sturgeon/A.N.Other bashing because of personal political views, as that'll cause friction and endless debates that can quickly turn into arguments. I think we can discuss the current situation and the government response to it around the world, but we need to be mindful that other people may have different (and potentially strong) opinions.
I second that.
Yes indeed
Thirded
I really don't want to see folk falling out. :(
Fourthed.
Cheers - Phil
Johnson is PM, and it's his government dealing with it. Sturgeon is running Scotland, and their response.
They're intrinsic to the issue, as is their response and character.
Though yes, personal attacks (e.g. the countless & unnecessary "Jimmy Cranky" cracks and random "Steptoe" sideswipe at one of the few honest people in Westminster etc) don't help, but examination of, and criticism of, their responses to and actions on the issue are part and parcel of the whole shebang.
In other news, I see according to the rags, Johnson is now the "face" of taking it on the chin as a plucky blitz spirit but he's likely to be out for some time so it's off to Raab and Hancock to duke it out over policy.
Gentlemen,
Since this forum, and this virus, are both international orientated I suggest you keep British politics out of it indeed.
Brexit was already bad enough but at least had something to do with the other Europeans... ;)
Cheers,
Rob
Rob, the pandemic is international ;)
We can happily add in other countries responses to compare & contrast - South Korea's "test > isolate > track" on those infected has worked amazingly well, China's rather more draconian approach has also worked (albeit less well), Sweden seems to be something like SK and managing well also. The quicker you quarantine and the more you test > track > isolate the better you can hammer the spread down.
There's two outliers to that approach who have rather fumbled and look like they're going to be bad. One's us, and the other's the US :/
Even the bloody Iranians seem to be on track!
Quote from: Leon on 07 April 2020, 10:39:27 PM
We just need to avoid getting into any Johnson/Corbyn/Sturgeon/A.N.Other bashing because of personal political views, as that'll cause friction and endless debates that can quickly turn into arguments.
Some 30 odd years ago I was a member of the local Round Table. From their rule book:-
Rule 17. Party politics and sectarian religion shall not be discussed at any meeting.We seemed to manage that quite well so I propose that this rule be added to the
General Rules in the
New Member Information topic (see
Forum Info section of this forum).
btw, this is my 3000th post.
Quote from: toxicpixie on 08 April 2020, 09:10:44 AM
Even the bloody Iranians seem to be on track!
I thought Iran, like northern Italy was one the first real big hot-spots outside of China?
Actually can't remember hearing any news coming out of Iran recently, so maybe they've sorted it.
Numerous reports coming out that the death toll in Wuhan is nearer the 40,000 mark than the official figures. This has been calculated by the number of urns of ashes being returned to relatives.
So Iran maybe doing a similar cover up ?
Quote from: Leon on 07 April 2020, 10:39:27 PM
We just need to avoid getting into any Johnson/Corbyn/Sturgeon/A.N.Other bashing because of personal political views
Aye, no problem with that.
But there is a difference between Boris Johnson the <insert opinion here>, and the Prime Minister of the UK.
I know they're the same bloke, and it'll be difficult to talk about one without the other, but having the PM in intensive care is actually a massive thing to happen.
I'm not convinced the Iranians are able to cover up quite so well as the Chinese; and whilst both seem to have misreported to some extent (how much is malice, how much lack of ability is anyone's guess - I'd guess the former in China's case and the latter for Iran tbh), that was earlier in the infection cycle and they're both now much more on top of it - their new cases and deaths were brought under control and are now tapering off.
The curve on both should probably be a notch further up the chart, BUT the actual curve seems accurate even with a bit of padding removed.
Also, we're... seemingly doing a little creative accounting as lots of deaths are not being logged as "official", numerous health care workers and people dying outside the emergency wards proper seem to be very heavily under reported.
We needed to lock down a month before we did, and with hard official legislation (not "ahh, well, maybe, take it on the chin, it'll be fine, we're British y'know!"), and test > track > isolate. As it is, we've been very wishy washy and let it rampage pretty much unchecked and had to overreact with less actual effect for more cost :/
Quote from: Westmarcher on 08 April 2020, 09:13:50 AM
btw, this is my 3000th post.
Congrats, Davy !
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 08 April 2020, 09:44:25 AM
Congrats, Davy !
Cheers - Phil
Indeed, hurrah for any small victory in these times ;)
Aaaaand now I want to listen to Faith No More; I blame Leon actually since he mentioned the other day they had them on in the workshop :D
Quote from: Westmarcher on 08 April 2020, 09:13:50 AM
btw, this is my 3000th post.
Congratulations on the promotion <:-P
Likewise
Congratulations Sir
I have been impressed at the number of wargame traders that have kept product flowing and for Royal Mail and various carrier services to get them to my door in what I have thought has been in prompt fashion.
Thank you and well done to all of those people from start to finish who have been involved in all of that. ....... now comes the slow bit, me painting and stuff! :-)
And I've been impressed by the number of people like bus drivers who are keeping things going.
I can't think of anywhere worse to be at the moment than a crowded bus or train, but some people still need to get to work.
I've so far resisted ordering anything, as with a newborn in the house and being full time on work still I can't get thru what I've got already...
My resolve is cracking tho, sister & B-i-L asked me what I wanted for birthday then told me to order it so I've some P51's & Fw190's on the way :D
In digging thru my lead pile I also found the lovely Pendraken Aztec's I never quite finished so I must sort those, then maybe a small game in the back bedroom I can drop in and out of... ofc I promptly dropped a strip and ran them over with my office chair, so I'll have to rescue them first and hope their ankles don't snap >_<
Edit: P51's just arrived, they'll go in quarantine for a day then I might get 'em sorted FOR my birthday, hohoho.
Also, yes, this has shown who the real valuable members of society are - the nurses, the bus drivers, the supermarket staff etc.
Quote from: Leon on 07 April 2020, 10:39:27 PM
We just need to avoid getting into any Johnson/Corbyn/Sturgeon/A.N.Other bashing because of personal political views, as that'll cause friction and endless debates that can quickly turn into arguments. I think we can discuss the current situation and the government response to it around the world, but we need to be mindful that other people may have different (and potentially strong) opinions.
Other people's opinions are WRONG! >:(
Quote from: toxicpixie on 08 April 2020, 10:28:14 AM
My resolve is cracking tho, sister & B-i-L asked me what I wanted for birthday then told me to order it so I've some P51's & Fw190's on the way :D
Currently have no interest in anything wargaming - don't know if it's related to current situation or not, just no interest - but I do have the feeling I ought to be doing 'something'.
Stumbled across a Youtube video from the Budget Model Railways team - now I'm planning a small train layout, and bidding low on Hornby wagons from the 70's that I remember on eBay - won a couple so far for basically nothing but postage! Still have a couple (or seven . . .) locomotives that I've accumulated over the years, but next to no track. Planning's fun mind.
First TESCO shop since lockdown. One-way system operating with social distancing. First ignored by about one-third of shoppers and the second by two-thirds. Given the general level of conforming I thought this disappointing in a key public meeting area. I gather that public behaviour in the World Wars was not as honourable as the public myths so perhaps no change after all.
So, is it:
World War One - the Great Imperialist War
World War Two - the Great Patriotic War
World War Three - the Cold War
World War Four - the Pandemic War
Quote from: Raider4 on 08 April 2020, 01:02:24 PM
Currently have no interest in anything wargaming - don't know if it's related to current situation or not, just no interest - but I do have the feeling I ought to be doing 'something'.
Stumbled across a Youtube video from the Budget Model Railways team - now I'm planning a small train layout, and bidding low on Hornby wagons from the 70's that I remember on eBay - won a couple so far for basically nothing but postage! Still have a couple (or seven . . .) locomotives that I've accumulated over the years, but next to no track. Planning's fun mind.
Have a look at the website for transport models (Preston UK), they are mainly a rail model outlet and they have a 25% sale at the moment, might be the time to buy some track. They posted to me within 2 days.
I bought 6 lengths of straight track from Hattons (Liverpool UK) the other day, at £2 at around 13" a section (is that good?) for a 20mm game. It arrived well packaged after just two days of the order going in.
Quote from: Raider4 on 08 April 2020, 01:02:24 PM
Currently have no interest in anything wargaming - don't know if it's related to current situation or not, just no interest - but I do have the feeling I ought to be doing 'something'.
Stumbled across a Youtube video from the Budget Model Railways team - now I'm planning a small train layout, and bidding low on Hornby wagons from the 70's that I remember on eBay - won a couple so far for basically nothing but postage! Still have a couple (or seven . . .) locomotives that I've accumulated over the years, but next to no track. Planning's fun mind.
Y'know, the model railway stores I've occasionally ordered scenery etc from over the years have started up sending me emails and offers - I guess it's a common thing atm :D
Hammurabi - IIRC the crime stats the '40s were the most lawless decade last century, closely followed by the '50s. And most casualties in the Blitz were from panic stampedes etc, so yeah.We've done an excellent job propagandising ourselves, right up to being a plucky tiny island standing alone, and conveniently forgetting the entire European merchant marine joined us, the Dutch Empire funnelled vast amounts of raw materiel straight into our factories, we reshaped the financial markets to rob South America blind and then make them buy UK goods in recompense afterwards. And that's before you hit the "official" Empire and Dominions!
Quote from: toxicpixie on 08 April 2020, 02:16:43 PM
We've done an excellent job propagandising ourselves, right up to being a plucky tiny island standing alone,
l
During the last few I was shocked at the number of people I met who believed that WW2 was more or less won prior to the Unites States joining the war.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 08 April 2020, 03:42:46 PM
l
During the last few I was shocked at the number of people I met who believed that WW2 was more or less won prior to the Unites States joining the war.
Makes a change to the American view, that they made up the whole of the allied army.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 08 April 2020, 03:42:46 PM
l
During the last few I was shocked at the number of people I met who believed that WW2 was more or less won prior to the Unites States joining the war.
It was. By the Russians.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 08 April 2020, 03:42:46 PM
l
During the last few I was shocked at the number of people I met who believed that WW2 was more or less won prior to the Unites States joining the war.
Given the vast amounts of war materiel they provided even from well before their actual fighting arrival, they pretty much joined off the bat. They just wanted cold hard cash to do so :D
I was interested to read a bit ago about their "Neutrality Patrols" in the North Sea circa 1940-41. The US Navy was seemingly quite aware that they'd be fighting the Germans at some point and happy to do their bit to relieve pressure on the Royal Navy by tootling their capital units and escorts up and down the North Sea and Channel and daring the Germans to have a go!
Probably the only likely scenario where the major USN and Kriegsmarine surface units might actively have gotten into a fight...
Even later, Normandy and NWE was what, about 60-75% Commonwealth in numbers of men on the ground?
And yes, I'd agree FK :)
Quote from: Orcs on 08 April 2020, 03:46:08 PM
Makes a change to the American view, that they made up the whole of the allied army.
They have their own issues with a propagandised past.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 08 April 2020, 03:51:44 PM
It was. By the Russians.
And they paid the most horrific price for it.
Quote from: flamingpig0 on 08 April 2020, 04:09:05 PM
They have their own issues with a propagandists past.
With the possible exception of Tuvalu I think we all suffer from a propagandist past, present and future.
Bottom line - it was John Wayne.
I've read about "Neutrality Patrols" in the Atlantic and Caribbean, including around Greenland and Iceland
I haven't heard of any in the North Sea or Channel, I'd be interested in having a read if you can point me at any links
Well there was a USN liaison officer "observing" on-board HMS illustrious during the Taranto raid in November 1940....overa year before the US officially entered the conflict.
Interesting 10mm Video.
A chap called Stephen Smith has been painting up some 10mm Pendraken napoleonic armies and now he is doing a simple game with them in a small space. He has several videos that cover the painting / basing of the figures and so far three videos covering his AAR of Bavarian v Prussian. All intended to give some wargaming entertainment during these unusual times.
Here is a link to the start of his battle, from that you can reach his other videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajp1B-yjqjc
Sorry if I've been in a 'funny mood' all day.
We had a rather 'heavy' call from the MIL's care home, this morning....Asking us what they should do if (in the worst case scenario) Covid 19 starts running rampant through the residents.
Apparently they're having to ask all the next of kin of the folk in the home, (In this case, Von) if it's a case of, 'Do not resuscitate'.
Urk ! X_X......Just have to hope it doesn't come to that.
Cheers - Phil
Not easy, Phil. Fingers crossed.
Thankfully, before their Alzheimers / dementia kicked in, both of my parents had Wills drawn up that included a note that they both wanted the 'Do not resuscitate' option if it came to that.
Relieved to have that burden, at least, lifted from me.
When my Mum was in a home (she always wanted DNR) we had to get two Doctor's to sign the form before it could go on here records. It was also one of the first things they asked before she was admitted.
>:< Phil
Another 'Study' shows that joggers/cyclists etc need a much bigger 'Distancing'...although it is meant to advise those tormented souls not to 'slipstream' but to echelon...avoiding the leader's emissions. :o
IMHO...heavy breathing and sweat will give out more potentially contagious moisture...and deep breathing will suck more in. Exercise is SO Healthy for All !!! =)
At least, being a 'toxic' smoker, MY breath/smoke-plume is visible and so can be evaded with ease ! ;)
That's why I go out on my bike before 7.00am when the roads are very quiet and I avoid the popular cycle paths that I know will be busy.
Quote from: Heedless Horseman on 10 April 2020, 01:18:23 AM
At least, being a 'toxic' smoker, MY breath/smoke-plume is visible and so can be evaded with ease ! ;)
What a good point ! ;D
Quote from: Steve J on 10 April 2020, 05:40:13 AM
That's why I go out on my bike before 7.00am when the roads are very quiet and I avoid the popular cycle paths that I know will be busy.
That's a very good idea, Steve. :-bd
I think I forgot to say that yesterday's shop was a case of "Stroll on !" :o :o :o.....I was about 15minutes later than usual, 'cos of faffing around, looking for my watch.
When I got to the cark park...."Urk "......"Good grief....look at the queue to get into the store ! "
Looked like it was about 200 people. (It wasn't...it was fifty....I got bored standing there, so I counted them. ;D....It was the 'social distancing' that made the queue look so much longer)
Didn't take anything like as long as I feared to get in, and everybody seemed to be in a good mood. Round the 'one way system' in
fairly good time...Just forgot one item...But yet again, a very helpful member of staff saved me from either being naughty, in doing a U-turn, or going back in again. X_X
Good idea at the checkout. They asked everyone going through, NOT to pack the shopping into bags, there & then, but just put everything back in the trolley as it was scanned....and pack everything into the bags in the car-park.
Worked well, as the flow of customers 'in and out' was speedier.
Guess who had forgotten it was Easter weekend, and there would be more folk around. :-[
Mind you...the store's only totally shut on Sunday.....So it's only a single day out of the whole week missing for 'a shop'.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 10 April 2020, 06:58:32 AM
. . . Round the 'one way system' in fairly good time...
Yeah, my Tesco's has got one of those. I struggle with it. 20+ years of going the same route
1 means my autopilot just takes me around the way I'm accustomed to going.
Went yesterday evening - looks like no one's heard of social distancing around here, or at least doesn't think it applies to them. Sigh.
1 I really, really struggle when they have their occasional game of moving things around
Have to say, Martyn....That I too have my own route around the aisles. :).....I think most people do, to be honest. ;)
For the most part the 'new system' is almost identical to my normal loops around (up and down) the aisles. except I struggle to find where they've hidden the papers, and for some reason there's no route down the aisle with the stationary/cards/Easter eggs/odds and sods etc.....So I get confused with the final two aisles.....Cos I'm going up one and down the other, instead of vice versa.
That really throws me ! ;D ;D ;D
Know exactly what you mean when they shift things around ! X_X....Lots of industrial language when that happens. ;)
I'm HOPING that they don't shift things around while we're obeying the 'one way system'.......That'll mess everyone up......Fingers crossed that they realise that ! ;)
Cheers - Phil
Of course you know the reason that things get rearranged is to stimulate impulse buys...cause you have to walk all through the store to find what you is alookin for !
Quote from: Heedless Horseman on 10 April 2020, 01:18:23 AM
Another 'Study' shows that joggers/cyclists etc need a much bigger 'Distancing'...although it is meant to advise those tormented souls not to 'slipstream' but to echelon...avoiding the leader's emissions. :o
IMHO...heavy breathing and sweat will give out more potentially contagious moisture...and deep breathing will suck more in. Exercise is SO Healthy for All !!! =)
At least, being a 'toxic' smoker, MY breath/smoke-plume is visible and so can be evaded with ease ! ;)
I always knew exercise was bad for you ;)
Quote from: John Cook on 10 April 2020, 11:30:24 AM
I always knew exercise was bad for you ;)
I agree, the so called "fit" blokes at work have more time off sick than any one else, colds, Coughs, headaches to say nothing of sports injuries that cause them to go sick.
Quote from: Orcs on 10 April 2020, 12:49:56 PM
I agree, the so called "fit" blokes at work have more time off sick than any one else, colds, Coughs, headaches to say nothing of sports injuries that cause them to go sick.
I went our for a run today and forgot something. I'm old, fat and can't run!
As far as I'm concerned, two out of three ain't bad.
What were 'they' reckoning ?.....We should be doing 10,000 steps, a day ?
I must be WAY short of that. :-[
(Do I get any bonuses for climbing over '5 bar' gates, 'cos I'm too lazy to go and get the padlock's key ?)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 11 April 2020, 07:02:40 AM
Do I get any bonuses for climbing over '5 bar' gates, 'cos I'm too lazy to go and get the padlock's key ?
Only if you don't fall off....
Sumat on Beeb2? couple of months ago reckoned that 1/2 hr intense walking is superior to 10000 steps..
The "10000 steps a day" thing has no basis in science as a target, invented in 1960's Japan. BBC link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42864061).
Although obviously walking for 10K steps is probably much better for you than only walking (e.g.) 3000.
A wake up call in today's Telegraph 15 hours ago from Roziz Sebur that the South Korean Health Authority (KCDC) have reported that of 91 Covid patients in the city of Daegu who have "recovered" , some 51 have tested positive again.
This undermines what medical opinion presumed about the virus, in that once a patient recovers from a "normal" virus, the human body has evolved the capacity to generate the appropriate antibodies to nullify new attacks.
Has it already mutated to a new strain that compromises the human body's immune system? Already the range of virus infection has been demonstrated in that Hancock was up and about in days, whilst Boris went to intensive care, and thousands died.
What of the 40 who are unscathed ? Do they have the antibodies ? What degree of infection did they suffer in the first outbreak? What does this mean to the concept of herd immunity ? Are we about see a second surge as China eases up on lockdown?
Quote from: ianrs54 on 11 April 2020, 07:51:55 AM
Sumat on Beeb2? couple of months ago reckoned that 1/2 hr intense walking is superior to 10000 steps..
There was also a public information advert some years back featuring former Scotland rugby player, Gavin Hastings, in which a brisk 20 minute walk was advocated.
Quote from: Sunray on 11 April 2020, 08:56:45 AM
A wake up call in today's Telegraph 15 hours ago from Roziz Sebur that the South Korean Health Authority (KCDC) have reported that of 91 Covid patients in the city of Daegu who have "recovered" , some 51 have tested positive again.
That doesn't sound good.
BUT....I'm assuming (trust me, I'm not a Doctor)....That even if you have
had the virus...there would be nothing to stop you picking it up again....And being dangerous, in the respect of being able to pass the wretched thing on again.
Who knows, though......Simplest form of 'life'* can 'evolve' far quicker than everything else, as it has 'generations' that only take minutes/hours (?) to come into being.
Cheers - Phil
*I'm still not sure whether a virus is supposedly classed as 'life'....Or just a self replicating strand of RNA.
Quote from: Sunray on 11 April 2020, 08:56:45 AM
A wake up call in today's Telegraph 15 hours ago from Roziz Sebur that the South Korean Health Authority (KCDC) have reported that of 91 Covid patients in the city of Daegu who have "recovered" , some 51 have tested positive again.
Is it possible the issue lies in the validity of the testing? If the tests aren't entirely accurate it could result in misreporting.
Or they caught a secondary illness but still have the genetic markers from coronovirus in their system.
Or even a weakened immune response could potentially arise from the body struggling to beat it first time round that it's not had enough time to recover the immune system to produce the required antibodies again in high enough volume?
There's still a lot of unknowns in that regard, and the tests aren't 100% accurate.
I'm not even sure if the tests would indicate a mutated strain, as it would potentially present different markers...
Quote from: mmcv on 11 April 2020, 09:46:25 AM
Is it possible the issue lies in the validity of the testing? If the tests aren't entirely accurate it could result in misreporting.
Or they caught a secondary illness but still have the genetic markers from coronovirus in their system.
Or even a weakened immune response could potentially arise from the body struggling to beat it first time round that it's not had enough time to recover the immune system to produce the required antibodies again in high enough volume?
There's still a lot of unknowns in that regard, and the tests aren't 100% accurate.
I'm not even sure if the tests would indicate a mutated strain, as it would potentially present different markers...
Its a breaking story, but due to its implications, it will run.
Not my area of expertise, but I understand there are two tests :
1. the test to identify infection is a simple swab to the tonsils - or even nasal snot. The point of facial entry (with the eyes) to the host.
2. The antibody test - which usually indicates the presence of abundant Covid 19 antibodies, is a pin prick blood test.
The KCDC is well respected and transparent. Their management of the current outbreak is textbook in terms of testing and containment. But then they had the experience of MERS in 2015.
There has been some concern about the pinprick test, I think the Guardian had a story about it the other day that I'll look for when I get a chance.
The other test varies quite a bit - when I had a covid test recently (in Toronto), it was both nostrils and a rectal sample. The rectal sample was the least offensive, given that they ram the test sticks right up your nasal passages (pretty much up to the brain, it seemed).
Quote from: Raider4 on 11 April 2020, 08:27:40 AM
The "10000 steps a day" thing has no basis in science as a target, invented in 1960's Japan. BBC link (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42864061).
Although obviously walking for 10K steps is probably much better for you than only walking (e.g.) 3000.
Let's be fair: There's a whole tonne of things "with no basis in science, invented in 1960s Japan", and are now swallowed hook-line and sinker by captains of industry (or maybe just industry) as panaceas to all their ills.
I think this is the part of the dream where the Austrian doctor says: "Lie down on the couch - tell me bout your former employer".
Quote from: Techno on 11 April 2020, 09:28:11 AM
That doesn't sound good.
BUT....I'm assuming (trust me, I'm not a Doctor)....That even if you have had the virus...there would be nothing to stop you picking it up again....And being dangerous, in the respect of being able to pass the wretched thing on again.
Who knows, though......Simplest form of 'life'* can 'evolve' far quicker than everything else, as it has 'generations' that only take minutes/hours (?) to come into being.
Cheers - Phil
*I'm still not sure whether a virus is supposedly classed as 'life'....Or just a self replicating strand of RNA.
Let me pile in:
You're quite correct, Viruses (Viri?) are not considered alive, they're a very nasty biohazarrd that invades and hijacks your body by messing with the normal cell production process.
As for the Covid-19, it already had 2 of the "Big three" charcteristics of a truly lethal pandemic.
1. Asymptomatic transmission - You can pass it on before you know you have it.
2. Viral Co-infection - Most virual illnesses are exclusive, having one means you cannot catch another, exceptions HIV, Hepatitis and Covid-19 are nasty (Very nasty).
The third one, which had not been observed in Covid-19 until now:
3. No long-term immunity - Many viral illnesses are one-off things (Measles, chickenpox), but some can infect a person again (Influenza).
If the suspicions of the Korean scientists are borne out (I doubt they have sufficient evidence of primary and secondary infections to be 100% positive at this point).
This blows a hole in the side of any herd immunity (or any other type of acquired immunity) strategy for gradually mitigating the virus.
Hate to be so gloomy.
Happy Easter all.
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 11 April 2020, 09:26:49 PM
Let me pile in:
This blows a hole in the side of any herd immunity (or any other type of acquired immunity) strategy for gradually mitigating the virus.
Steve, what are the implications of this for vaccine?
Pandora's Box springs to mind!
Watching BBC news last night. They keep sending reporters and cameramen out to Parks etc. to report on those there not social distancing and sunbathing etc. The Guy last night was blocking the path forcing people to come to close as they walked by.
Surely sending a crew there is a non essential journey? By being there they increase the congestion and more importantly give the impression that its ok to go to the park when you don't need to
Its time they shut all the parks, as people do not seem to be being sensible.
Norm - the flu vaccine is altered each year, but you can still get it. I assume same will happen with Corvid-19 - we will always be 1 step behind but the vaccine will mitigate the worst effects.
IanS
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 11 April 2020, 09:26:49 PM
3. No long-term immunity - Many viral illnesses are one-off things (Measles, chickenpox), but some can infect a person again (Influenza).
Hate to be so gloomy.
Happy Easter all.
#3........Well that's
not good news, Steve. :(
That is rather gloomy information :(
I've been trying to check whether Covid 19 is a 'type' of influenza virus...But apparently, it isn't....Is this correct ?
Cheers - Phil
Happy Easter, anyway. :)
I know the lockdown is a bit of a pain, but looking in the bright side:
- The air quality is noticeably better, with at least a 30% drop in emissions in Bristol. Here in Hanham you can really smell the difference and it is a pleasure to go out for a bike ride.
- The sky is so much clearer without the vapour trails from the planes. The last time it was like this was during the Icelandic volcanic eruption that closed down air travel over the UK.
- It is sooooo tranquil without the constant sound of traffic in the background. Sitting in the garden last evening with our daughter, even she noticed the difference and I remarked that it must have been more like this when I was young. You can here the birdsong so clearly as well as the buzz of the insects and even the sound of the birds in flight as they drop into the shrubs etc. Utter bliss!
- I see so many more people out for walks, on their bikes as well as families playing with children in their gardens.
It would be nice to think that when this crisis is over, that we might have learnt some lessons and some of the above might carry on, but sadly I very much doubt it.
Steve is unfortunately correct. If the human body can't do its usual business of generating antibodies to combat the virus- be it naturally or with the boost of a vaccine - we are up the creek without a paddle.
But in terms of getting a handle on Covid 19, its early days. So much we don't know.
Sir Jeremy Farrar nailed it on the Marr Show this morning. The key question - has the virus gone dormant in the host and then somehow reactivated - or - is it infection by a separate virus ?
When my daughter was reading zoology at the Glasgow uni School of Life Sciences, I was fascinated by the research into immunity in animal DNA. Some rare breeds have resistance to animal diseases. It has not been politically correct to carry this premise into homo sapiens. Yet we now know that many of our illnesses are to some extent "inherited " - cancer, heart & stroke etc. It is now accepted to probe family history in terms of diagnosis.
It may well emerge that the ravages of this virus is not all down to lifestyle or poverty. Can it be that different racial groups have inherited different levels of resistance to Covid 19? Already possible trend that women tend to be more resistant. I would not run too far with the ethnic theory based on the USA model and current data. Too many other underlying lifestyle, illness and age factors to shoot from the hip.
Interesting article on the use of public space at this time.
We're lucky to have a garden. Unlucky to have one set of loud neighbours.
Dogs got very bored on the same circuit round the road everyday.
https://www.redpepper.org.uk/the-politics-of-covid-19-busy-parks-and-public-blame/?fbclid=IwAR2FfH_6ZWMbLaYEOJMFJJPL6kW4u8ROUPaqiG0P34i1rjWlJR71SbCI4VE (https://www.redpepper.org.uk/the-politics-of-covid-19-busy-parks-and-public-blame/?fbclid=IwAR2FfH_6ZWMbLaYEOJMFJJPL6kW4u8ROUPaqiG0P34i1rjWlJR71SbCI4VE)
Quote from: Sunray on 12 April 2020, 08:17:29 AM
It may well emerge that the ravages of this virus is not all down to lifestyle or poverty. Can it be that different racial groups have inherited different levels of resistance to Covid 19? Already possible trend that women tend to be more resistant
We also need to monitor where this virus is going in terms of mutation.
The first seems quite likely.
Probably the best known example of racial groups having different genetic resistance to a disease is the gene that causes sickle cell anaemia. If you inherit one copy from your parents it boosts your resistance to malaria but get a copy from both and you get sickle cell disease.
The fact that women inherit two complete sets of genes and men only one, plus a truncated second set, makes it more likely they will have a genetic answer to a medical condition. A downside to us men being mutants :)
As to the latter .... oh yes! I'm sure it's being researched as I type.
Just seen on one of the local paper's site, some 18 year old has been arrested, after previously incurring 5 FPNs, and STILL just feeling it's OK to just drive around as he pleases. =)
Also, Pembrokeshire police have told a London resident to go back home, after they caught him on the A40......You really couldn't make it up. X_X....I trust they gave him a FPN, too.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 12 April 2020, 12:11:11 PM
Just seen on one of the local paper's site, some 18 year old has been arrested, after previously incurring 5 FPNs, and STILL just feeling it's OK to just drive around as he pleases. =)
Also, Pembrokeshire police have told a London resident to go back home, after they caught him on the A40......You really couldn't make it up. X_X....I trust they gave him a FPN, too.
Cheers - Phil
They should impound his car
Quote from: Techno on 12 April 2020, 07:26:13 AM
#3........Well that's not good news, Steve. :(
That is rather gloomy information :(
I've been trying to check whether Covid 19 is a 'type' of influenza virus...But apparently, it isn't....Is this correct ?
Cheers - Phil
Happy Easter, anyway. :)
I agree, it's a gloomy outlook - but let's look on the bright side.
We only have headlines at present, little hard science.
Those who caught it a second time could simply be people who self-isolated due to "symptoms" but had something else.
We will learn more in due course.
There's a good chance that Covid-19 will become yet another persistent, low level threat that we learn to manage, just like Hepatitis, Measles, MERS ...
Even if we cannot find a vaccine to immunize the world and eliminate it, we will devise tests to detect it early, and medicines to reduce the symptoms.
Like those other conditions, it will take a few of us each year, but we will outlast it.
I'll do my best to answer about whether it's a type of influenza, but the question is well above my pay-grade.
(Disclaimer: I don't even have an O'level in Biology, but I am close to 3 senior doctors - 2 medical ones working frontline in hotspots - and one Microbiologist who is leading "next stage" initiatives for NHS Scotland and Wales).
I'm therefore gaining some very direct insights.
The Coronavirus family is a different virus to the Influenza family.
This means that a simple tweak of the 'flku vaccine is unlikely to help.
Coronavirus has 4 human affecting strains - and another for alpacas.
Covid-19, SARS and MERS are of the Beta strain (Also found in mice, bats and hedgehogs).
The other 3 strains have been found in bats, pigs, birds, mice, and the beluga whale.
The fascinating element - and it is still early days, based on Chinese experience - is the level of resistance shown by children.
Do kids respond with antibodies sooner? Or does the virus attack children in a different way?
So much we don't know. That is the frightening aspect. I know its hindsight 2020, but too many government advisors counselled that this was just another flu type virus. Only Farrar was the voice crying in the wilderness . the WHO however listened - hence their mantra "test test test".
As I understand it Covid-19 doesn't kill you. What kills you is your own bodies reaction to it - your immune response goes into WTF! OMG! OMG! OMG! mode and it's overreaction overwhelms your ability to breathe.
I've seen it suggested that kid's immune systems aren't developed enough to go into panic mode.
Absolutely no idea if that's true, but it makes a sort of sense.
It may be an example of Cohen and Stewart's "Lies to Children" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lie-to-children) as popularised in Terry Pratchett's "Science of Discworld" .... or it may just be lies :)
Quote from: Orcs on 12 April 2020, 12:30:50 PM
They should impound his car
They should, Mark....But whether that's the case we'll have to wait and see......If the car (or he) was uninsured, they'd have taken it off him, in a flash.
Cheers - Phil
Here's one ....
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-52227363 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-52227363)
Two men arrested for licking their hands and wiping them over supermarket food. L-) L-)
Beggars belief! If this was during a Medieval plague ... cut their tongues out?
Yes.....Did hear (or read) about that one, Davy....
Beggars belief ? =) =) =).....You're not wrong, Matey. X_X
Now..is it my imagination, or did someone here predict a rise in DIY accidents ?
Item on the news...(unfortunately I can't remember from which hospital.)......Stating that they'd seen 6 serious eye injuries in the past week, caused by DIY.....whereas under 'normal circumstances' they'd only see a single one in a fortnight...People forgetting to use safety goggles....apparently.
I imagine A&E departments are having to deal with fewer RTAs......But then, in one of the bigger hospitals in Wales, almost half of the A&E staff...Consultants & nurses, have tested positive for Covid 19. :o
Cheers - Phil.
My wife and I enjoyed a ZOOM conference with my adult kids last night- Two had just finished long shifts in the NHS. I was reminded of the WW1 saying "Lions led by donkeys"
This is not a party political statement but our political leaders need to up their game. It is appalling that Hancock should adopt a hectoring style and accuse NHS staff of misusing PPE.
That's a bit like blaming the soldiers for misusing bullets during a battle.
And then we have Petel stating there was a "perception" that PPE was not getting through. It is simply not there in the quantity or quality required. NHS staff fear they are infected and may be infecting non Covid 19 patients and their own familes.
By next week we face a crisis not of ventilators or beds. But doctors and nurses many of whom are infected, denied a test or adequate PPE and at the end of their tether.
First time out shopping today since this all began, bit nerve wrecking, queuing outside wasn't so bad but probably a few too many people in the shop and while most were sensible, there were a few bustling past too close or standing oblivious in the middle of an aisle blocking everyone, made distancing difficult.
Quote from: Sunray on 13 April 2020, 09:26:51 AM
My wife and I enjoyed a ZOOM conference with my adult kids last night.
My family have had an Easter tradition of an egg hunt in my parents garden since we were little. Even though we're all grown up now we still do it, including the new additions to the family. Last year I have a particular memory of my wife and grandpa play wrestling over getting to one of the eggs first, and the dog helping find the one we'd all missed. ;D
Obviously this year it was a bit more difficult, but not to be deterred, my parents managed to do one via video conferencing, with three sets of grown ups in three different countries telling my mother where to go to find them while my dad followed her around the garden (he'd hidden them) with the camera!
Quote
By next week we face a crisis not of ventilators or beds. But doctors and nurses many of whom are infected, denied a test or adequate PPE and at the end of their tether.
My sister in law is a doctor and was saying they've only paper masks still, and only on the wards. She's not in ICU or anything but is still visiting patients on wards and may be required to do resuscitation, so fairly high risk still. She says they are due to get fitted masks but no sign yet. And working extra long shifts on top of her normal duties. Mad.
Found out this morning that the virus has effectively killed one of our good friends (over the road).....'By proxy.'
Sue was a real sweetie, and someone with as strong a personality as Von...But even more highly strung than yours truly.
She'd definitely been getting particularly stressed tryng to make sure that everyone else around here was coping alright.
She'd phoned twice over the last couple of weeks to make sure that WE were alright.
Last night, I went out to check that no-one was trying to play silly sods, and trying to nick the cobs, in one of our fields over the road....There were some strange lights, just opposite us, which we could see from the kitchen window.
"That looks like an ambulance"...(No blues...but an awful lot of red LEDs....)..Can't go out there....Social distancing, and not being a nosy b*gger....and all that.
When I DID go out to make sure the horses were alright, there was a police car...with no sign of any occupants.....The track opposite is around 600 yards to the nearest neighbour...so...fair enough...They must be down the track.
Our thought was that our other neighbours over the road had had to call for an ambulance.....They're both a lot older than me and Von....and have heart conditions.
This morning...fielded a call from our young friends 800 yards up the road to tell us that Sue had had a heart attack and died.
Her partner is completely distraught....He blames himself, for not finding Sue quicker.
What can you say to the chap ?
Cheers - Phil :(
That's really awful Phil, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. Not sure there is much you can say. although its quite probable that had he been standing next to her when it happened the outcome would have sadly been the same.
I would suggest just keeping an eye on him and let him talk it out with you as much as he wants. reinforce that none of it was his fault and he is not to blame in any way. Sue would not have wanted that,
Take the dogs out specially for a walk to give you an excuse to drop in, and the dogs will have a therapeutic effect I am sure.
Sorry to hear that Phil, what can anyone say at such times. :(
Condolence mate.
Sorry to hear that mate.
I am so sorry Phil. The real pain is there is no sense of closure. You can't go and console, share the grief. I had the same pain last week when an old comrade I had known for 45 years passed away.
I was unable to be at his "funeral". No honour guard of green berets and jackets. No elegy and the recall of old acquaintance. Just left with an empty feeling.
Condolences Phil and Sunray
Condolences to all concerned :(.
And condolences from me, as well, James.
Yesterday......As well as Sue, we saw, via Von's facebook page, that one of the ladies in the local garage had died......This time it WAS covid-19.
It was either her.....or her identical twin sister. :(
Cheers - Phil
These are tough times. My sympathy goes out to all of you.
.
All you can do is empathise. Assure him that it wasn't his fault, that there was nothing he, or you, could have done differently that could have altered what happened. It might help.
Quote from: Techno on 14 April 2020, 07:00:51 AM
Yesterday......As well as Sue, we saw, via Von's facebook page, that one of the ladies in the local garage had died......This time it WAS covid-19.
It was either her.....or her identical twin sister. :(
Bloody hell that's getting close to home, condolences to all impacted
Green berets? So, that would be either AG Corps, Int Corps, WRAC or RM.
Condolences to both, and all affected :(
And maximum agreement on Sunray's comments on PPE and "apologies" for people objecting to it not being available as well :(
Quote from: Techno on 14 April 2020, 07:00:51 AM
It was either her.....or her identical twin sister. :(
It was definitely her.
Apparently, her husband caught it first, in his job as a bus/coach driver.....He got better...She didn't. :(
As well as that, the young lass working in the garage has got it now. =).....I
think it was over a fortnight ago, I bought petrol there.
Quote from: paulr on 14 April 2020, 10:05:48 AM
Bloody hell that's getting close to home
It really IS too close to home now.
On a
slightly lighter note, I tried to find out if a different one of the agricultural outlets that are in our area,had (by any chance) got any face/dust masks......No chance.....So I've ordered some of those huge, spotty handkerchiefs, that I'll use as a mask the next time I'm doing the shopping.
I'm going to look like a Mexican outlaw the next time I'm out. X_X
Cheers - Phil
Allegedly the masks work better for stopping the USER transmitting the virus than for preventing you catching it.
Much like the panic buying of loo roll, it doesn't matter much if you're replete with masks, you actually want the opposite and EVERYONE ELSE to have them :D
Quote from: Techno on 14 April 2020, 03:16:30 PM
It was definitely her.
Apparently, her husband caught it first, in his job as a bus/coach driver.....He got better...She didn't. :(
As well as that, the young lass working in the garage has got it now. =).....I think it was over a fortnight ago, I bought petrol there.
It really IS too close to home now.
On a slightly lighter note, I tried to find out if a different one of the agricultural outlets that are in our area,had (by any chance) got any face/dust masks......No chance.....So I've ordered some of those huge, spotty handkerchiefs, that I'll use as a mask the next time I'm doing the shopping.
I'm going to look like a Mexican outlaw the next time I'm out. X_X
Cheers - Phil
Condolences to all those affected by the loss of friends or family and my best wishes to those concerned about self and others suffering from the effects of the virus.
As to masks, I have some medical masks should they become necessary but am also awaiting the arrival of these .... I was thinking more biker but Mexican outlaw works too :)
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51h5D8ZJLQL._AC_.jpg)
Quote from: toxicpixie on 14 April 2020, 03:30:41 PM
Allegedly the masks work better for stopping the USER transmitting the virus than for preventing you catching it.
That's always been my own thought, Nathan......They protect folk from YOU, (if you're wearing one) better than you from other folk, if the roles are reversed.
I think they ARE better than bog all, but I did a bit of 'googling' when they first came to prominence....and my take on it was......The real
Big Daddy of viruses is around the same size as the smallest smoke particle......And you'd hardly expect to go into a smoke filled room, with one of those on, and expect it to filter out all the smoke particles, so you could breath 'fresh air'
(Well, I certainly wouldn't ! I may be daft.....but not
that daft.)
Quote from: Ithoriel on 14 April 2020, 03:44:36 PM
As to masks, I have some medical masks should they become necessary but am also awaiting the arrival of these .... I was thinking more biker but Mexican outlaw works too :)
I like your thinking, Mike ! :)....Interesting you should say about waiting....I had a quick look on Amazon, this morning....Quite a few folk appear to have ordered some.....But are getting a wee bit tetchy about the delays......"Where are my masks !....etc"
Cheers - Phil
They had a good report on the radio last night, where they confirmed the mask is to stop you transmitting the virus. Apparently when the droplets leave your mouth they almost instantaneously 'dry up' and then become too small for a mask to stop them. So even a simple cloth around the mouth will stop nearly all of the droplets escaping, so well worth doing.
one of the biggest problems with the use of PPE by the wider population, is that they have no idea how to use it, or what it is protecting them from.
A lot of the problems with general use of masks is that the wearer touches the mask, and their face a lot more with the mask on. Thereby increasing the chance of transfer. The mask can also remain damp (from moisture in the breath) which is a better environment for the virus to live on. Which is why masks are not recommended for the population in general. I saw a chap last week wearing a mask for a hospital visit, then get in his car, and pull the mask halfway down his face, so the top edge of the mask was now across his mouth and just below his nose - exposing the contaminated surface of the mask exactly where you don't want it to be.
Similarly with gloves - they can give a surface that the virus can live on better than skin. Protecting the skin of your hands isn't particularly useful - which is the most common reason people wear gloves. But then people forget that the outer surface of the gloves are contaminated so do things with their gloved hands. If you wear gloves, do stuff, then use your phone or touch your face, then you are wasting your time. You need to remove the gloves before you use the phone - but you need to remove the gloves without contaminating your hands. Then you need to put gloves back on (not really the same gloves). Hand gel is probably much more useful in this kind of scenario. But you still need to think about what you are doing, and gel your hands before using your phone. None of this is instinctive - and requires people to think and think about the contamination scenarios.
A friend in the military recounted when they conducted a multi-day NBC drill - using a UV visible contaminant to assess their clean protocols. He said that even through they had an 'air lock' and changing areas on entry to the clean zone, that after a day or so the whole clean zone was contaminated. And this was with people who had been trained on what to do.
This is why the advice is to wash your hands and not touch your face. It's simple so people can do it, and it is effective for the levels of exposure the general population is exposed to. Obviously if you are a medical professional or a carer then the exposure situation is very different and different levels of PPE are appropriate.
A mask worn in public may probably also become a visual reminder for people to be socially responsible once things relax a little. It sends out a message of 'respect my space'. The flip side is it may give a false sense of security.
For me, wearing gloves is to remind me not to touch my face rather than as protection. Thin vinyl gloves underneath and fingerless leather ones on top. Enough to keep me aware of my hands and where they shouldn't go :)
Quote from: Norm on 14 April 2020, 06:46:57 PM
A mask worn in public may probably also become a visual reminder for people to be socially responsible once things relax a little. It sends out a message of 'respect my space'. The flip side is it may give a false sense of security.
Here at least it's certainly been a distraction. In the pre-lockdown days I say great numbers of people wearing useless masks walking right past the spray sanitisers which were at the entrances to most places of assembly.
That's about the only thing at our local Tesco's that I think they've 'got slightly wrong'.....Maybe ?
You have to go and fetch a trolley...and then push it to where the sanitisers are.....Which somehow doesn't seem right. :-\....I would have thought it would be better to have the sanitisers bang next door to the trolleys, at the beginning.
Fair enough....I put on a pair of disposable gloves as soon as I get out of the car....so touching the handle of the trolley doesn't bother me.
Go to the spray sanitisers...spray the trolley's handle....wipe that, and the gloves, with the supplied paper towels..bin towel...join queue.
Go in, 'do' the shop... return to car..put bags in car....return trolley...Bin gloves....get in car....Use personal hand sanitiser, left in the car...wipe hands dry with fresh piece of tissue....Then and only then do I put another piece of gum in my mouth.
Have I missed anything ?
Cheers - Phil
If gloves work as a reminder not to touch your face, then great. I've found the general paranoia about everything works quite well for me! Also found that putting my hands in my pockets worked quite well (this was back in the early days when we were still in work).
Sounds a sensible approach Phil. Other things to remember:
Once you have gloves on don't touch your face
Don't use your phone when you have gloves on
How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands
I tend to have a hand sanitiser in my pocket, so I can 'clean' my hands if I do need to use my phone etc
After a quiet weekend, traffic seems to have picked up over the last couple of days. Lots of people driving around with their windows open.
I have a soft-top car, and this is the perfect weather for it, but when I have to go out it's roof up, windows closed.
Quote from: Techno on 15 April 2020, 06:37:09 AM
You have to go and fetch a trolley...and then push it to where the sanitisers are.....Which somehow doesn't seem right. :-....I would have thought it would be better to have the sanitisers bang next door to the trolleys, at the beginning.
Because if you leave the stuff outside the store, people being people, it will all disappear in about 7 seconds flat :(
Quote from: fred. on 15 April 2020, 06:59:04 AM
How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands
AHA !! I think that's the only thing I'm missing, Forbes.....I touch the wallet/cards with a potentially dirty glove...Good thought !
Quote from: Raider4 on 15 April 2020, 07:37:02 AM
After a quiet weekend, traffic seems to have picked up over the last couple of days. Lots of people driving around with their windows open.
because if you leave the stuff outside the store, people being people, it will all disappear in about 7 seconds flat :(
Odd you should say that, Martyn...Just been outside to check on the 'field' animals.....And I saw the first 'early morning' cars that I've seen for days and days. (Don't count tractors..they're allowed to be out and about.)
The trolleys ?.........No nothing in them.....I mean the empty ones, outside the store, before you go in......Then, having put 'the shop' in the car.....(and locked it ;))....returning the empty trolley 'from whence it came'.
Cheers - Phil :)
Quote from: Techno on 15 April 2020, 07:55:03 AM
The trolleys ?.........No nothing in them.....I mean the empty ones, outside the store, before you go in......Then, having put 'the shop' in the car.....(and locked it ;))....returning the empty trolley 'from whence it came'.
I meant the sanitising equipment. Leave it outside and POOF!, watch it disappear. No one will even have to say 'Abracadabra' . . .
Alcohol hand gel you say? Well, I have been jonesing for a pint... tastes like stomach pump!
Quote from: fred. on 15 April 2020, 06:59:04 AM
Once you have gloves on don't touch your face
Don't use your phone when you have gloves on
How are you paying - best to have that readily accessible and separate from your wallet, as you will need to touch this with gloved hands
I tend to have a hand sanitiser in my pocket, so I can 'clean' my hands if I do need to use my phone etc
And consider avoiding the self-service tills - I found that the touch screen wouldn't work with my gloves on so had to take one glove off. I then had to sterilise my hands, wallet and debit card.
Yeah, I've ended up trying to enter stuff on similar using by wrist, a knuckle, and elbow - anything to try and break the chain of contact back to "whoops I scratched my face without thinking about it" before I can clean off!
On a similar note, NOT touching my face until home and cleaned up makes me realise just how often you do it without thinking, an by the time I'm back it's some kind of mental wrestling match to keep my hands down as my face seems drawn towards them :D
Quote from: Raider4 on 15 April 2020, 08:23:19 AM
I meant the sanitising equipment. Leave it outside and POOF!, watch it disappear. No one will even have to say 'Abracadabra' . . .
I think they've got too many 'monitors' outside the store, Martyn..(Making sure we all behave, and queue properly)..I'm sure they're keeping their eyes on it.....But I take your point. ;)
Quote from: Westmarcher on 15 April 2020, 08:50:45 AM
And consider avoiding the self-service tills - I found that the touch screen wouldn't work with my gloves on so had to take one glove off. I then had to sterilise my hands, wallet and debit card.
Another good point, Davy.....I VERY rarely use those, though.
There was one thing that I heard on the radio, a few weeks ago that made me go, "YEEEUGH !...You're kidding me !"
The touch screens in MacDonalds were tested for bacteria etc.(somewhere in the UK) and found to have traces of a revolting substance on them......If I say "That shows certain folk, don't wash their hands after being to the loo,"......I'm sure you can guess what it was. :-&
Cheers - Phil
As well as the team at Pendraken Towers doing such a brilliant job producing the face shields.....One other thing that has really lifted my spirits recently, has been the public's response to the 99 year old veteran, Capt Tom Moore....
(For those outside the UK)
Having started out to raise £1,000...by doing a hundred 'laps' of his garden......(raising funds for NHS Charities together).....I hear he's now raised something between eight and a half million and eleven million. (Depending on who you hear it from.).....His garden actually looks pretty long, and he's using wheeled walking frame to aid him in his efforts !
Absolutely astonishing ! :o :o:-bd =D> :-bd
Hat's off to Captain Tom !
Cheers - Phil :)
Quote from: toxicpixie on 15 April 2020, 08:54:49 AM
On a similar note, NOT touching my face until home and cleaned up makes me realise just how often you do it without thinking, an by the time I'm back it's some kind of mental wrestling match to keep my hands down as my face seems drawn towards them :D
Yes (strokes beard), it's surprising (rub forehead) how often I (itches ear) touch my (strokes beard) face (scratches cheek) . . .
Quote from: Techno on 16 April 2020, 06:40:43 AM
As well as the team at Pendraken Towers doing such a brilliant job producing the face shields.....One other thing that has really lifted my spirits recently, has been the public's response to the 99 year old veteran, Capt Tom Moore....
(For those outside the UK)
Having started out to raise £1,000...by doing a hundred 'laps' of his garden......(raising funds for NHS Charities together).....I hear he's now raised something between eight and a half million and eleven million. (Depending on who you hear it from.).....His garden actually looks pretty long, and he's using wheeled walking frame to aid him in his efforts !
Absolutely astonishing ! :o :o:-bd =D> :-bd
Hat's off to Captain Tom !
Cheers - Phil :)
Does that mean he's done over a million laps of his garden :-/
But seriously, well done Captain Tom Moore =D> =D> =D>
Latest on the BBC news website is that he's finished his 100 laps and has raised £12m. IIRC he intends to carry on, again based upon the BBC.
Quote from: Raider4 on 16 April 2020, 07:28:48 AM
Yes (strokes beard), it's surprising (rub forehead) how often I (itches ear) touch my (strokes beard) face (scratches cheek) . . .
Bang on :D
Quote from: Steve J on 16 April 2020, 10:50:38 AM
Latest on the BBC news website is that he's finished his 100 laps and has raised £12m. IIRC he intends to carry on, again based upon the BBC.
Brilliant, well done that man =D> =D> =D>
Latest total is £16m according to the BBC.
:o :o :o :o
Absolutely brilliant !!!....And I believe it all came about when his family challenged him to do the 100 'laps', before he reached his century.
Smashing bit of news. :)
Forgot to mention, yesterday.....Tesco's seemed ridiculously busy for what was 'an almost' normal Thursday. Couldn't believe how many cars were in the car park at that time !....Fair do's, I was only number six in the queue to get into the shop....and it didn't take long for me to get to pole position on the grid.
I couldn't decide whether it was that busy because (I guess) folk are still on an Easter break, or we had had a load of invaders who had sneaked into Pembrokeshire. :-\
Could have been extra folk who should have been on their hols abroad....But are now stuck here.....Hmmm.
A lot of people were being a bit 'off' and ignoring the social distancing instructions.....simply whizzing down the aisles, and past everyone else without even trying to leave a wide berth.
For the first time for quite a while there was a bit of a 'tense atmosphere' in the store....Nothing along the lines of panic buying..But it was slightly unpleasant.
Because I go in at almost the same time every visit, I usually recognise something around 90% of the shoppers.....Yesterday was nothing like that. Only person I know I've seen before was a young lass who was moaning to me about the people barging past her.....She had a damn good glare at them...But I don't think they noticed.
I'll see what it's like next week. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Still big queues at ASDA again this morning, but managed to get position number 4 as I arrived 40 minutes early and they were still queueing when I left. Atmosphere normal or weary acceptance and only a few familiar faces. At Lidl a queue again but allowed straight in due to son being on NHS at risk register. Still ASDA had pretty much everything except in the baking aisle, which was somewhat bare. Lidl OK.
Went down early this morning. Short queue for ASDA, but loads of cars on Grange Road, which is pedestrianised. One thing puzzling me - Iceland were not opening til 11.30 hrs. ASDA is on normal hours - and seemed well stocked as well.
ASDA back on normal hours? I think our local megamarts are on 8am-8pm still, but then it's a while since I left the house!
Ours still 8.00am to 8.00pm.
I went to the local Tesco Extra (which is still 8am-10pm rather than 24hr) at eight this morning. Arrived minutes after eight , grabbed a trolley and was straight in.
Shelves were pretty well stocked, just odd gaps - tinned tomatoes were in limited supply for example.
Huge walls of cut price Easter eggs! I can resist anything ... except temptation :D
Only a handful of people were wearing masks and not many practising strict social distancing.
At one point I stood back to let an elderly lady decide what she wanted and as I stepped forward a middle-aged woman literally barged me aside to take something from the shelf. I said,"That's rude at the best of times." She said,"Don't be ridiculous, I'm in a hurry!" and flounced off.
That apart, most people seemed pretty relaxed and the store didn't feel crowded.
The guy on the checkout was friendly and chatty and had been asked to quiz shoppers on anything they hadn't been able to get so the store could prioritise filling shortages if necessary.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 17 April 2020, 08:34:24 PM
." She said,"Don't be ridiculous, I'm in a hurry!" and flounced off.
I am always reminded of some wise words from someone who was talking about getting wound up by the behaviour of individuals (it was in a motoring context), along the lines of .... these sort of people are typically in your life for seconds, but some poor sod has them in their life constantly!
A Buddhist story: Two monks come to a river crossing where a pretty girl is weeping because there's no boatman to ferry her over. One of the monks picks her up and carries her over. She thanks him and they go their ways. Two hours later the other monk exclaims, after a long silence, "Brother, I can't believe you broke the sacred rules of our order against touching even a woman's clothes. And you held that one in your arms for ten minutes while carrying her over the river!" To which the other replies "I left her at the river. You're still carrying her."
My Royal British Legion local branch has just bailed out our local foodbank with £1,000 to restock
The Food Foundation reports that up to 1.5 million Brits did not eat for a whole day last week. Three million of our nation live in households where someone (usually a parent) skipped some meals to feed children.
Meanwhile Jacob Rees- Mogg's investment firim Somerset Capital Management is advising clients of profits of 500% in snapping up hospitality businesses which will "bounce back".
In the hedge fund business millions are being made by short selling. AQR made £48 million on the Eastjet difficulties alone and with Citadel and Capeview are looking at profits of £2.4 billion by betting on a global shutdown.
[b That would buy a hell of a lot of PPE. [/b]
In her speech the Queen said we shall meet again. She did not mention opening her 775 rooms in Buck house for patients or NHS heroes - an action which would facilitate more of us seeing that reunion.
In 1945/48 the British Government revolutionised British society by introducing the Welfare State, by addressing housing, education, health, national insurance and national health.
What better way to mark the end of the pandemic than by re-booting the welfare state, and use the profits of the carpetbaggers and hedge funds? In the recent past H M Treasury confiscated the bank "profits" of LIBOR (£970 million) and funded veteran charitries :)
Too bloody right, James.
I suspect my agreement with that sentiment will come as little surprise to most :D
I don't want to stop posting in this folder, but if it continues to be politicised, I will stop visiting.
Ahem, gentlemen.
Polite reminder:
Politics to be left (or right) at the door please.
Rude reminder:
Oi you ********* ******** ******** ******* it ********** ******* **** and shove ***** *******!
Thank you.
Thanks for the reminder Will as I was in the same camp as Norm.
+1
Quote from: mad lemmey on 18 April 2020, 08:36:14 PM
Ahem, gentlemen.
Polite reminder:
Politics to be left (or right) at the door please.
Rude reminder:
Oi you ********* ******** ******** ******* it ********** ******* **** and shove ***** *******!
Thank you.
***** is spelled with five asterisks, unless one is swearing in American. A moderator should get these things right!
;D ;D ;D
Quote from: FierceKitty on 19 April 2020, 03:03:22 AM
***** is spelled with five asterisks, unless one is swearing in American. A moderator should get these things right!
Thah ******* Webster should have been hung ! ;)
His girlfriend says he was.
Quote from: mad lemmey on 18 April 2020, 08:36:14 PM
Ahem, gentlemen.
Polite reminder:
Politics to be left (or right) at the door please.
Rude reminder:
Oi you ********* ******** ******** ******* it ********** ******* **** and shove ***** *******!
Thank you.
Well said, Will.
We'll have to lock this thread, soon, if this keeps happening. =)
Phil.
Quote from: Techno on 19 April 2020, 07:39:55 AM
Well said, Will.
We'll have to lock this thread, soon, if this keeps happening. =)
Phil.
Can we avoid any mention of Locking. FSN becomes uncontrollably excited if you mention any form of restraint. ;D
Quote from: Techno on 19 April 2020, 07:39:55 AM
Well said, Will.
We'll have to lock this thread, soon, if this keeps happening. =)
Phil.
My youngest daughter (she graduated with a 1st Class Hons in Nursing from QUB last December) has gone down with four other colleagues from her ward in a Belfast hospital - They have all the symptoms and have endured prolonged exposure tending Covid 19 patients with inadequate PPE. She is also drained and exhausted They were tested on Saturday but won't have test results until Monday.
The lockdown will not stop Covid 19 - it only buys time. We will not eliminate this virus. The Government failed to take this seriously. They gambled on the myth of herd immunity. They failed to prepare. They failed to test, trace, isolate.
Don't panic moderators. This will be my last post. Good luck to you all.
Sunray out.
Oh....James.
I'll bung you a mail.
I think it goes without saying that the whole forum sends you and your daughter the absolute ultimate in best wishes.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 19 April 2020, 10:40:07 AM
Oh....James.
I'll bung you a mail.
I think it goes without saying that the whole forum sends you and your daughter the absolute ultimate in best wishes.
Cheers - Phil
Indeed, and thoughts are with all who are enduring being put in harms way on a daily basis, we owe a great deal to them and those of us who do need to are indeed fortunate.
Lib Dems are saying NHS staff should be getting SErvices Combat pay
Bit political there Ian ;) But they should have had the pay rise in 2017 and that was blocked & laughed at by certain MPs so bugger all chance of a decent extra bung for them. Hell, they are quibbling about overtime!
And yes, I'll leave it there at the risk of getting politics involved in our political "representatives" response to the pandemic :D
Yes, good luck to your daughter James and her colleagues and the rest of our exposed personal.
I was not going to post again- but my wife felt I should share this - It is NOT political.
The Belfast Trust contacted my daughter by mobile 1 hour ago. She tested positive for Covid 19.
The instruction was, and I quote " you had symptoms on Thursday - stay in self isolation until next Thursday (23rd inst) - and if feeling better, report for duty" No update on PPE shortfall.
She says she doesn't want to "let her mates down". I fully recognise these bonds and obligations of comradeship - its been in our family DNA since at least 1 July 1916, Thiepval Ridge.
But do these young 20 something lions and lionesses not need better leadership than the current crop of donkeys ? Our doctors and nursing staff should not be treated as expendable.
Finally - My sincere thanks to all my friends on the forum for their kindness and best wishes. I will keep Phil in the loop.
James
Quote from: Norm on 19 April 2020, 11:34:15 AM
Indeed, and thoughts are with all who are enduring being put in harms way on a daily basis, we owe a great deal to them and those of us who do need to are indeed fortunate.
Well said Norm
Our thoughts are with you and your family Sunray.
James, my best wishes go out to your daughter and all those in her position and my heart goes out to you and the rest of your family and to all those who's loved ones are sick or in the firing line.
Blimey, that's rough, they must be pushed (as if we didn't know!) if they're telling her to come back in so quick :/
Good luck, on recovery and leadership.
With emotions naturally running high, I feel we should lock this thread. There are so many, many things I want to say, but it is not appropriate for a wargames forum. Enough said and I will not be visiting this topic again as it's not why I joined this forum :(.
I would disagree - it is one place where we can offer each other support.
Quote from: ianrs54 on 19 April 2020, 03:12:42 PM
I would disagree - it is one place where we can offer each other support.
This
Sunray,
Wish her well from all of us.
Hugs
As others have said we all wish your daughter and all that are at risk daily
>:< >:< >:<
Quote from: Norm on 18 April 2020, 07:37:49 PM
I don't want to stop posting in this folder, but if it continues to be politicised, I will stop visiting.
Me too, I sick of seeing other peoples' politics being paraded here.
Quote from: John Cook on 19 April 2020, 08:43:12 PM
Me too, I sick of seeing other peoples' politics being paraded here.
But happy to post your own earlier. =)
And honestly, pointing out that NHS frontline staff aren't getting the PPE they need to do their job or simply to help keep them stay alive is a statement of fact, it shouldn't be dismissed as being "political."
Hope that your daughter and her workmates recover quickly and don't suffer much, James.
Quote from: Sunray on 19 April 2020, 09:28:42 AM
My youngest daughter (she graduated with a 1st Class Hons in Nursing from QUB last December) has gone down with four other colleagues from her ward in a Belfast hospital - They have all the symptoms and have endured prolonged exposure tending Covid 19 patients with inadequate PPE. She is also drained and exhausted They were tested on Saturday but won't have test results until Monday.
The lockdown will not stop Covid 19 - it only buys time. We will not eliminate this virus. The Government failed to take this seriously. They gambled on the myth of herd immunity. They failed to prepare. They failed to test, trace, isolate.
Don't panic moderators. This will be my last post. Good luck to you all.
Sunray out.
The PPE issue is not unique to the UK. The WHO reports that it is a global issue brought about by stockpiling, panic buying, misuse and supply simply not being able to keep up with demand. It has nothing to do with the UK government.
Right then folks, this one's now locked. We've been getting various reported posts for a while now and it's just not worth any of us falling out right now. We all know that things are difficult right now, frustrations are coming to the fore and our collective patience is being tested. Let's all take a step back and take a breath.
It might be nice to spend some time focussing on the positives instead, so how about we switch tack and ask each other what we're doing while we're in lockdown: http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,19655.0.html