We Are So Screwed

[hoosierpipeguy]

I went to a nearby Publix today in Venice, FL near where we're staying. Got plenty of food, there were steaks and hamburger, got a 9 pack of paper towels and a 6 pack of TP. Also bought 2 large packages of napkins. Perhaps no hand soap but there's plenty of squirt bottles of body wash that will work just as well. I could easily make the food I purchased last a week to 10 days and had I thought it was necessary, could have walked out with enough food to last 3 to 6 months.

Hopefully, coming out of this, people will learn the value of maintaining at least 6 months of living expenses in their savings. And living within their means. If you had as little as $5,000, you could easily survive 6 to 12 weeks even.

 

[brian64]

Hopefully, coming out of this, people will learn the value of maintaining at least 6 months of living expenses in their savings. And living within their means. If you had as little as $5,000, you could easily survive 6 to 12 weeks even.

I couldn't agree more. But I don't think most people will ever do that. Time will tell I guess...IF things return to "normal".

Financial markets paused their slide Thursday, but no one should think this rolling economic calamity is over. If this government-ordered shutdown continues for much more than another week or two, the human cost of job losses and bankruptcies will exceed what most Americans imagine. This won’t be popular to read in some quarters, but federal and state officials need to start adjusting their anti-virus strategy now to avoid an economic recession that will dwarf the harm from 2008-2009.

Opinion | Rethinking the Coronavirus Shutdown

No society can safeguard public health for long at the cost of its economic health.

www.wsj.com

Layoffs Are Just Starting, and the Forecasts Are Bleak (Published 2020)

Shutdowns in the U.S. retail and hospitality businesses may be an early sign of the job losses that the coronavirus outbreak will inflict on the economy.

www.nytimes.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/19/unemployment-insurance-today-coronavirus/

Coronavirus layoffs surge across America, overwhelming unemployment offices

Job-loss projections range up to 4.6 million.

www.politico.com

 

[gervais]

I couldn't agree more. But I don't think most people will ever do that. Time will tell I guess...IF things return to "normal".

Layoffs Are Just Starting, and the Forecasts Are Bleak (Published 2020)

Shutdowns in the U.S. retail and hospitality businesses may be an early sign of the job losses that the coronavirus outbreak will inflict on the economy.

www.nytimes.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/19/unemployment-insurance-today-coronavirus/

Coronavirus layoffs surge across America, overwhelming unemployment offices

Job-loss projections range up to 4.6 million.

www.politico.com

Are Americans getting some form of unemployment insurance coverage for the layoffs?

 

[brian64]

Are Americans getting some form of unemployment insurance coverage for the layoffs?

My understanding is it typically covers around 45% of the lost income.

But I really don't think the "unemployment insurance" system as currently configured is going to be able to deal with a sudden surge of applicants this large. Something else will likely have to be attempted.

Not to worry though...competent intelligent people are in charge everywhere...who have unlimited resources.

 

[olkofri]

At this point there is no doubt the cure is worse than the disease.

For now I'm still optimistic enough that this will all be forgotten in a year or two, things seem crazy because we're dealing with some new factors of social media enhancing the chaos (fear mongering), but people should learn from this event and next time we'll be both more prepared and less willing to destroy everything in the reaction.

I'd like to be optimistic, but I've seen people have very short memory; plus, anything they might remember quickly goes poof when the MSM and 'trustworthy' scientists detonate the next big scare narrative: then all they think about is stockpiling toilet paper—hardly surprising when they're being scared shitless.

 

[jeff540]

As long as the water remains running when toilet paper goes extinct, at least we'll all be quarantined at home so we can take a shower after using the toilet.

Failing that, my back yard abuts (no pun intended) the national forest.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I'd like to be optimistic, but I've seen people have very short memory; plus, anything they might remember quickly goes poof when the MSM and 'trustworthy' scientists detonate the next big scare narrative: then all they think about is stockpiling toilet paper—hardly surprising when they're being scared shitless.

If the Japanese toilet manufacturers really capitalize on the situation we might not even have TP shortages next time either.
Tell everyone to get one of these: https://washlet.totousa.com/
and western civilization might just manage to be irreversibly improved because of this catastrophe.

Heck, at this point one of the smartest things the U.S. Government could do is subsidize the installation of Washlets.

 

[olkofri]

If the Japanese toilet manufacturers really capitalize on the situation we might not even have TP shortages next time either.
Tell everyone to get one of these: https://washlet.totousa.com/
and western civilization might just manage to be irreversibly improved because of this catastrophe.

Heck, at this point one of the smartest things the U.S. Government could do is subsidize the installation of Washlets.

Ooooo! If I can only convince the Landlady.

And as long as they're not made in China: I don't want rotavirus up my exhaust.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Thank you, brian. Arizona, you said. There are significant regional discrepancies, viz. Hoosier and my experiences.

 

[jeff540]

If the Japanese toilet manufacturers really capitalize on the situation we might not even have TP shortages next time either.
Tell everyone to get one of these: https://washlet.totousa.com/
and western civilization might just manage to be irreversibly improved because of this catastrophe.

Heck, at this point one of the smartest things the U.S. Government could do is subsidize the installation of Washlets.

Does she come with it?

 

[sablebrush52]

Are Americans getting some form of unemployment insurance coverage for the layoffs?

That is what is being debated in Congress. Some want to give a flat $1200 to $2000 and others want to provide up to 4 weeks of income equivalent to a person's net pay after taxes. And there are other proposals.

 

[irishearl]

I went to a nearby Publix today in Venice, FL near where we're staying. Got plenty of food, there were steaks and hamburger, got a 9 pack of paper towels and a 6 pack of TP. Also bought 2 large packages of napkins. Perhaps no hand soap but there's plenty of squirt bottles of body wash that will work just as well. I could easily make the food I purchased last a week to 10 days and had I thought it was necessary, could have walked out with enough food to last 3 to 6 months.

Hopefully, coming out of this, people will learn the value of maintaining at least 6 months of living expenses in their savings. And living within their means. If you had as little as $5,000, you could easily survive 6 to 12 weeks even.

Can see how far I need to go to get TP. Still none to be had in our town.

 

[sablebrush52]

If the Japanese toilet manufacturers really capitalize on the situation we might not even have TP shortages next time either.
Tell everyone to get one of these: https://washlet.totousa.com/
and western civilization might just manage to be irreversibly improved because of this catastrophe.

Heck, at this point one of the smartest things the U.S. Government could do is subsidize the installation of Washlets.

Those washlets are terrific! I bought one for my mother during her final years and it was a godsend for her and her caregiver.

 

[Apipeinthewoods]

Dublin Ireland is like one big holiday camp. Parks and beaches are packed, queues by coffee Van's and chip shops .
Pubs having lock ins for regulars despite closure orders.

It's at the point where they may as well get everyone back to work if they are not going to have a lockdown.

I have to say pipe smoke is a great way to enforce social distancing around you =P

Hope everyone is staying safe out there.

 

[briarbuck]

I am reading where small businesses can get government-backed loans for payroll in order to keep employees working full-time. If they do that that will be a huge help for those of us that run small businesses.

I hate to point out the obvious, but can you imagine if we had open borders?

 

[dmcmtk]

The state of New York, at 16,900 48% of US total, now has more confirmed cases than France. Unsurprisingly the Metro NY area accounts for the majority. The numbers as of 3/22,

New York City 9,045
Nassau 1,900
Westchester 1,873
Suffolk 1,034

Very sobering, as I expect the numbers to only increase. I live in Westchester, I'm on full lockdown.

 

[docrameous]

I think while we all need to take stock in how serious this could become (study the Spanish flu of 1918) and each do our part(s), there are a heck of a lot of people working on this all over the world. It could even be discovered any day now that existing protocols, drugs and treatments could be used to fight this. Things that used to take years ago to develop aren't that way anymore. I am hopeful.

 

[mau1]

Here's the latest for my city.

Ottawa’s top doctor says there is community transmission of COVID-19 in Ottawa, and people should treat all "interactions with others as a potential source of transmission of COVID-19."

Speaking with reporters on Sunday afternoon, Dr. Etches said there are 27 confirmed and indeterminate cases (awaiting final test results) of novel coronavirus in Ottawa.
Dr. Etches estimates there are now 4,000 cases of COVID-19 in Ottawa, based on modelling data and the rate of transmission.
“Because most cases are mild and undetected, I want to emphasize the importance that everyone needs to treat all interactions with others as a potential source of transmission of COVID-19,” said Dr. Etches.
“At this time, I’m asking that all people ensure they are practicing social-distancing, to the greatest extent they can.”

What shocked me on Sunday when I went out was the casual attitude of other shoppers, not keeping their distance, handling items bare-handed and putting them back on the shelves. This kind of selfishness, and stupidity will result in the death of others.

And on the numbers, 27 confirmed/likely cases and 4000 estimated cases in the city. Think on that ratio long and hard.

 

[timt]

The question is how proactive?

Everything from sensible daily reminders about hand washing to burning down the barn to kill the rats falls under the proactive umbrella.

Lot's of good comments. I understand the anxiety, especially if you're glued to the television with the ongoing score of the number of sick or dead. I have to agree with the concern georged has, that burning down the barn to kill the rats is going to cause it's own special set of problems that I'm not totally convinced are going to be any better.

Interesting times indeed. I plan on just buckling in and enjoying the ride with lots of tobacco, little toilet paper, cheap gasoline and nowhere to go.

 

[docrameous]

and internationally:

This is encouraging that 3M had the ability to scale up that way and I think we are going to see this across the board.

Two key metrics to keep an eye on is ICU beds and ventilators. In the UK they have about 8,000 ventilators, which are already largely in use. If the UK follows anything like Italy, it is not enough.

I am not as familiar with US stats at the moment, but I have seen articles that say the same thing about the US, particularly places like New York.

An advantage of being a bigger country like the US is that hotspots like New York might be absorbed easier. That said, I read a research paper yesterday that said that some counties in the US already don't have ICU bed capacity as it sits now.

There's no good in people stressing and worrying. We need to rise to the challenge while facing the facts. There are a ton of people working on this now and a lot being done like this news from 3M shows what we can do and how creative we can be.