Coronavirus

[SciFiFisher]

Yes, the trolls, including Russia have been stoking the coronavirus uncertainty. On a positive note, the NRA is having serious financial problems. They are having to lay people off and top officials are taking at least a 20% pay cut. Well, everyone except La Pierre.

So, silver linings do have dark clouds.

[Rommie]

I thought it was common knowledge that a ton of this protest movement is due to astroturfing- for example, most of the domain URLs direct to shady right wing groups (link.

I think anyone who thinks Russian money is involved in that is really naive, even if we don't know the details until a bit into the future.

[lady_*nix]

"Tea Party II: This time we're going to curb-stomp the entire country!"

[Rommie]

I just got back from the library!!! They "opened" today to curbside pickup, where you call ahead what you want and they'll put it outside for you on a table in a bag with your name on it. File that under "things you'd never get away with in a city, but works in a small town." Even funnier: they opened for calling in at 10am, and I legit couldn't get in the first several times I called, so guess I'm not the only one excited to be able to get books/media again. There was a lady who came while I waited for my order in the parking lot, and picked up two big bags full- this community serves a lot of older people, so I don't think they ever went to ebooks and the like during all this, and of course right now is the safest time to get any books you want as they've been sitting inside for months. (I have obviously read a lot of ebooks, but still love paper library books, and many ebooks have long waiting lists now. Plus holy crap, do I read a lot of random stuff I just want a paper book to flip through.)

So yeah, it's interesting how darn happy something a little "normal" makes me feel, like getting library books. Even though there's nothing particularly normal about how I got them if you told me just six months ago.

Also! Massachusetts has just announced their reopening plans. TL;DR is I'm not going back to work for a looooong time- labs are allowed to reopen next week, but offices (which my branch counts as) is from June 1 and capped at <25% capacity. They already said for my workspace that they'll be basically keeping us out until end of summer if we have a good work space at home- lots of people are working at the kitchen table on wooden chairs and the like, but I'm all good, so I'll defer my space to someone else.

Final interesting thing, I've noticed that now that everyone's realized we are having no physical conferences this year, everyone's now scheduling virtual ones. I now have like three virtual conferences on my summer docket, which is gonna be interesting I think.

[lady_*nix]

I'm scared as hell TBH. Reopening safely hinges on people taking this seriously, and from the number I see futzing around with no masks and getting in each other's faces, too many are not. All just "Warm weather woo back to normal wooooo party party party!!!"

But IDK I'm also feeling bitter and biased right now, since I just had to spend 2 weeks in quarantine due to a douchebag without a mask (a CVS worker!) coughing on me. Really sick and tired of how many people don't seem to care.

This can be done safely. But like with literally everything that matters here, people have to give a damn.

[Rommie]

Did you report the CVS worker? I think corporate would have taken that news of one of their employees doing that very seriously.

[pumpkinpi]

MN's "Stay at Home" was loosened to "Stay Safe MN" as of today. The major differences are that non-essential businesses that don't provide in-person services can open if they limit to 50% capacity (so no hair/beauty salons, etc. or dine-in restaurants yet) and people may have gatherings up to 10 people as long as they maintain proper social distancing. The latter is mainly to allow for funerals, weddings, and other such family gatherings.

So what does that mean for the Pi family? Absolutely no change! There aren't any stores I want to go to. And we really don't have a need for a small gathering, if the kids still can't play together.

But that's fine. We are doing ok here. We get a bit of cabin fever every now and then, but nothing we can't get over.

The next big change may come for us June 15. That's when the kids' school year is done, and their summer care is set to open. We have to make the decision this week whether we send them, and if we do, for how many days per week. MrPi already knows he's going to be working from home all summer. I still have no idea when we will be let back in, but when we are we will be encouraged to work from home whenever possible. I'll probably be at least 50% time at home. So what do we do with the kids? Do we keep them home and save some money (like, in the thousands of dollars) and keep them safer for longer, but with no structure and not be able to work at all? Not sure yet. Still, we're so much better off than most. I have to keep reminding myself that.

If we do send them, we'll definitely have to ease in to it. They will have been home for 3 months, seeing no one but us, and being out of the house no longer than to go to the park or to drive for some take out. So, sending them to their summer care for even a few hours will be quite a shock.

[lady_*nix]

Did you report the CVS worker? I think corporate would have taken that news of one of their employees doing that very seriously.

Tried to, their website for that purpose was broken. Didn't try phone, and should have, but was exhausted and dealing with a lot of other stuff.

[geonuc]

An Oregon state judge just invalidated the governor's emergency orders finding that under the applicable Oregon law, such orders have a 28 day time limit. I read the court ruling - it appears to be correct. The guv is appealing to the state supreme court.

[pumpkinpi]

Fisher just posted on facebook: Churchgoer potentially exposed 180 others to COVID-19
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health ... o?ocid=sf2

I didn't think that was the appropriate place for me to respond thusly: One step to herd immunity is thinning the heard.

[SciFiFisher]

Fisher just posted on facebook: Churchgoer potentially exposed 180 others to COVID-19
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health ... o?ocid=sf2

I didn't think that was the appropriate place for me to respond thusly: One step to herd immunity is thinning the heard.

One way or another we will get there. I would prefer that it be with the least amount of lives lost. Mostly because coronavirus is not very discriminating. It won't selectively take just the stupid, the cruel, or the deserving. More likely than not it will take the ones who deserve it the least.

[SciFiFisher]

An Oregon state judge just invalidated the governor's emergency orders finding that under the applicable Oregon law, such orders have a 28 day time limit. I read the court ruling - it appears to be correct. The guv is appealing to the state supreme court.

I really wish the judge had the option to give the governor a few days to work out something with the legislature before ordering it null and void. Unless the State Supreme Court issues an emergency injunction and agrees to hear this case post-haste the damage will be done by the time it gets through the process.

[SciFiFisher]

I just got back from the library!!! They "opened" today to curbside pickup.

I live in a fair-sized city. IIRC Sacramento is about 400,000 give or take. Our library announced that at least two of the locations that serve Sacramento are open for curbside pickup and drop off of books.

[Rommie]

Cool! I mean, for me it's a nice perk, but there are a lot of old people around these parts who I'm sure don't do ebooks, and I'm pretty sure a lot of Netflix subscriptions got canceled once people got fired and they have a great DVD collection. An older lady picked up two bulging bags worth of stuff while I was waiting for mine. There might be a risk, but I think that's a minimal risk compared to people being out and about because they don't have anything to keep them occupied at home (and that risk goes down even further if you set the book in the garage for a week before reading it).

Speaking of, does anyone have some super random library books from over two months ago still in the house? I had two (even better, I had a hold at the library when it shut down that still taunts me in my account) and one I finished long ago, one I've finally gotten into because I might actually have to return it someday. They're not due until June 30 and not like you can anyway (they also said please don't use book drops, as no one will clear them) but I just find it a strange anachronism from the past.

[pumpkinpi]

Our library has actually been open for curbisde pickup from just about the very beginning! The library was one of the last places we went before shutdown. We have a lot of books to return and are eager to get more. For the kids, browsing online isn't as fun as in person. They usually don't really know what they want.

[Rommie]

That's awesome! But yes, the card catalog makes things complicated. I guess for kids probably the best is to pick out a few books at a time, so there's a book to get "into."

Also interesting development here, a postdoc friend down in MA told me they were buying a car, in large part because they want to do more hikes this summer, and a lot of those hikes that are day trip distance for them are not far from us. So once black fly season is over, it sounds like we are going to be doing some social distance social hikes, ie meet up at a trailhead and hike up six feet apart. Gonna be an interesting summer if I can actually see someone I'm friends with in the flesh.

[Rommie]

Well kids, the local brewery reopened yesterday so we went to check it out. Basically half the parking lot outside is now outdoor seating, with many picnic tables and chairs etc, all spaced well apart. A staff member at the ready with disinfectant to wipe down a table/chairs whenever a group gets up to leave. Plastic glasses, paper plates etc... but they still gave me a beer taster out of a little glass when I asked to try a beer before ordering it. Oh, and definitely fairly full, but most people were wearing masks unless sitting at the table- interestingly I'd say younger people are better about it than older ones. Also worked well because you ordered beer and food at the bar, from staff six feet away from you, then they put the beer/food out with gloved hands and while wearing masks.

Two down sides: had to run back to the car for our hand sanitizer, and really had to pee by the time we got home because there's no way I want to use a public restroom in the foreseeable future.

So yeah, we agreed that we are definitely not going to make a habit of it (funny thing, we don't actually really like the beer at this brewery very much, we more like the fact that there is one so nearby). But I think after two months we were excited to go somewhere, and see what the new normal was like. And I guess time will tell, but what struck me was how I really don't think you could have stayed open a few months ago... but now that everyone's had time to learn the rules of pandemic life, it's definitely much more minimized.

But then while I have such a rosy thought, we hear on NPR on the way back how a high school in Alabama is having a graduation ceremony (WHAT), and my brother tells me he and his wife are planning a road trip to Yellowstone this August from PA (another WHAT). To be clear it's really not the Yellowstone part I'd be worried about as much as the "have you seen the states you have to drive through" part... and just think of all those people on the I-90 corridor going to the same gas stations and bathrooms as you. I mean sure, we thought about a road trip for a hot two seconds too, but then I realized that's pretty crazy during a pandemic even if it'd be fun... and realistically for me, I like road trips for the "stop at random places" angle, and there is 0% chance of us doing that (plus not like you can hit up pretty much any of the attractions right now you'd come across).

Conclusion: you're probably ok if everyone's just hitting up a local brewery in a parking lot in really controlled situations, but it's the people pretending we're still in a normal situation who are going to send us in another lockdown huh...

[pumpkinpi]

So much yes to your post.

We're trying to think of a way to get out over Memorial Day. There are some really nice state parks open, but all are well over an hour away. I hate using state park restrooms under normal circumstances. I can't imagine how we would get through a trip like that finding somewhere safe to pee.

[geonuc]

I went to my favorite brewpub two days ago to get a fresh supply of to-go beer. Deschutes Couty has entered Phase 1 of the governor's reopening plan, which means bars and restaurants can open for inside seating with distancing (but not at the bar itself). As I said, I was there for to-go beer, expecting to use their takeout window as I've done the past couple of months. Well, now that they've opened, the window is not being used anymore. I had to go into the pub and place an order at the bar.

OK, that's not too bad although it was a bit depressing being there given I couldn't belly up to the bar. But the biggest disappointment was that the brewery apparently is scaling back it's canning and crowler operation to pre-pandemic levels. When it was closed, the only way they could survive was to offer their beer in cans. Now that the full array of taps is operating, they don't need to do that. This pub has never been big on canning. So they had none of my favorite beers available in cans for me to take home. None. All of them were available on tap however.

Deschutes County is not ready for Phase 1. While the numbers may be relatively low as compared to big metro areas, they're climbing rather rapidly of late. The county failed to meet all of the governor's criteria for Phase 1 but somehow convinced her to grant their request to open anyway. The locals (and restaurateurs) seem to think that if the staff are wearing masks and keeping their distance, all is good, ignoring virtually all of the non-masked customers who, in terms of numbers, dominate any particular space. With there still being no treatment for the virus and a vaccine many months away (if ever), I actually think Phase 1 of reopening is worse than the full-on stay at home regimen we had before.

I'm not happy.

[SciFiFisher]

If you thought the beginning of this ride was rough...buckle up buttercup. The real fun is about to reveal itself.

[lady_*nix]

@Fisher

No kidding.

One of my local friends already seems to have caught the 'rona from having to spend time in a venue where masks and physical distance weren't well enforced - so of course there were dozens of dudebros wearing masks incorrectly and getting in everyone's personal space. I don't think anywhere in the US is going to be ready until people really internalize that they have to stop fucking around and being stupid.

@Rommie

Yeah that pattern with older people being less compliant about masks and stuff, I've seen that too. The worst offenders IME seem to be middle aged men. Which... doesn't really surprise me, seeing all the stuff about mask noncompliance as a machismo thing.

[lady_*nix]

Oh unrelated thing: everyone's out of rubbing alcohol and hand sanitizer, so to continue mixing the DIY stuff I had to go to a liquor store and buy Everclear.

Me going to a liquor store. To buy actual alcohol. With my ID and money. Because of this pandemic. Let the gravity of that sink in.

If you weren't already convinced the world was ending...

[geonuc]

Around these parts, I'd say it's more the younger folks who refuse to wear masks. It's like they think they're invulnerable, and also like they don't care if they're asymptomatic carriers. Older people are wearing masks and maintaining distances. Just my observation, which is surely burdened by several biases.

[Rommie]

We officially have a new wedding date: August 7, 2021. I framed the email as "while we are sad to delay, we are also looking forward to celebrating our marriage and having this chapter of history behind us," and that kind of perked me up. Because there is 0% chance I'm going to have a wedding all the people I love aren't going to be safe at, so it can also be a "we survived a pandemic" party, and that's gonna be WAY MORE AWESOME.

(Like, to be clear, I don't think we can get married unless there's some sort of vaccine. But, famous last words, I don't see a reason to be pessimistic on that front yet knowing how much medical science is trying to solve that problem.)

Anyway, anyone want to hear what a haircut is like in the modern world? The hairdresser and client are the only ones in the store, both wearing masks, but she also had a full face mask, gloves, and hand sanitizer. She did wash my hair, but can't blow dry, and was done in like 15min because I only really wanted her to make my hair chin length for the summer. Then after me, she did F, who really needed one (way more obvious on guys), and for all this we tipped generously.

I asked, and she is currently booked solid until June 2, despite working to 8pm most nights. She said she was worried at first to miss the big money items like dying and styling, but at that clip I don't think she has a problem.

[lady_*nix]

@geonuc

Interesting. I bet that like a lot of things in the US it varies a lot by state and geographic region.

@Rommie

Yeah, absolutely the right decision. Best of luck with the wedding once this has blown over!

Re haircuts, I'm just sticking with a mohawk and letting the top grow out. Easy to cut and maintain, looks good on me, and I'm pretty sure it helps keep the bros out of my face...