News Worldwide impact of the novel coronavirus (covid-19)

[Friday]

My understanding is that the half million dollar fines are to thump companies upside the head... who are sending out employees who are not adhering to social distancing.

For example? Our postal carrier is a moron. He not only uses the mail in his hand to cover his cough, but accosts people on the street, trying to shake their hand and strike up a conversation :banghead: My (70yo) dad almost hit him with his walking stick. One arms distance, motherf*cker.

Or another? The special needs bagger at the grocery store who keeps wiping her face on people’s groceries. Her employment is protected under normal circumstance, but breaking the law on multiple occasions, has allowed the grocery store to move her position to one that has no customer or product contact.

So, much like the ginormous fines for any bartender serving underage hits both the bartender AND the company? A company whose employee has racked up 2 fines, has solid reason to fire them before the 3rd. Because now they’re going to be held liable for 500k for knowingly sending out.

Again, just my understanding of the Holy Mary Mother Of f*ck sized 3rd strike fines.

 

[Freida]

Governors of WA/OR/CA all have said the same thing - they can't open up the states until they can test to make sure the virus isn't spreading.

Washington state is testing 4000 people a day. That's it. They should be testing 25,000 a day. But there are not enough supplies -no swabs, vials, test kits. So drive up? Not an option.

Because regardless of what people hear in the media or from the mouths of liars there are not enough test kits for everyone to be tested. So...I guess we stay in lockdown and let those who want to start a war keep yapping about saving the economy and not the people.

Guess when they or their loved ones die they might want to rethink that. But by then it will be far too late.

#anotheramericafail

 

[blackemerald1]

The whole thing started with the OPEC nations dumping on the market, in what I assumed was an attempt to lower the cost and shut down some US production. Was it just bad timing that COVID came along and all the cars got parked at the same time?

^It's a hard task shutting down oil production & it takes time. And of course they, the producers all over the world didn't know what the covid19 would do for consumption. So now all the places they usually keep it in storage are full. Miscalculated how much and when to slow or stop production. Our empty roads are a testament to the interruption of the cycle.

^lol Your post had just a little whiff of conspiracy theory in it @enough? You do know that the whole world has got covid19 and pretty much global enterprise for the users of oil in any manner have been somewhat stalled.

^Some things are not being consumed/used. Other's are the same and then other's are in high demand. :rolleyes: like t/p?? lol

I'm going to go and fill up my tank & rejuice my container for the lawn mower while prices are so low. Such a shame they cannot stay at these prices. :)

 

[Friday]

f*cking PacNW... (I know, I know, all y’all in the UK who pay twice what we do for half as much can snicker at me up your sleeves ;))... gas is still $3-$4 a gal here. Prices have only gone UP, recently, as the rest of the country plummets.

My sister just filled her tank in Idaho for $1 a gallon. I haven’t seen dollar gas since pre 2002

 

[user27357]

2.35 a gallon here, PacNW also. look around and use the right card and its 2.00
Gonna fill the boat and all of the little red cans-next week, I predict a lower cost everyday for awhile.

@blackemerald1 no conspiracy theory here, you just have to laugh at the way the best laid plans are falling to the margins every direction you look in. I have spent most of my life worried about car crashes and vindictive/dishonest/hurtful/violent people. preparing and being hypervigilant to the point of trusting no one. Now even nations and global cartels are falling victim to a virus. I guess I am just amazed at the incredible juxtaposition of the things we have feared and the things that are really going to hurt us.
No conspiracy theory, just observation and pragmatism.

 

[osiris]

No change in fuel prices here yet. Let’s hope.
Cases here are going crazy where foreign workers who have been packed together are finally being tested. Singapore is shifting loads of workers out of the country back to their own in other parts of Asia - I imagine all the rates here will end up going up massively as a result.

 

[Sideways]

Now even nations and global cartels are falling victim to a virus.

It's pretty hard to feel sorry for OPEC!

The stoush began with Saudi Arabia and Russia failing to agree on production amounts a few weeks back. They managed to strike a deal last week some time to cut production, but it seems as though that has either come too late, or not been enough of a cut. Storage facilities are now getting dangerously close to full in the US in particular.

So, while planes all over the world use airports as parking lots, we have one unexpected bonus from the global pandemic. Cheap oil. For a while.

Meanwhile the UN is concerned that in the third world, across the globe, people are going to start dying of starvation in very unsettling numbers.

Special thanks to my sister who insists on watching SBS News each night, which always manages to paint such a dismal picture of global affairs that I now refer to it as "Happy Hour".

Yay that I filled up my car cheaply today. But OPEC has a way of looking after itself long term. And the world will need oil again at some point, and we can only hope that OPEC decide to increase production again at the appropriate time.

The cost, like so many aspects of this virus, will be borne by the most vulnerable. Places that can't import the food they're already desperate for.

In happier news, we had no new cases in our state today?. So either social distancing rules are working, or pathology testing isn't. Either way, it's a nice change to hear "zero" new cases on the news for once:)

 

[blackemerald1]

So either social distancing rules are working, or pathology testing isn't.

^So since they've (health departments & testing clinics) have widened the scope for eligibility for testing to include just about anyone who wants to rock up & ask... and I think the actual tests themselves, if done by a qualified person rarely show a false negative - it would seem to suggest that we are not far from eradication in terms of community transmission.

Doing so whilst on our way to flattening the curve? Bonus! It's not what was aimed for but it's great news I think and maybe we'll see our way clear to lifting domestic border bans soon? And other restrictions can slowly be lifted? Maybe in a few weeks if we keep getting no new cases. So yeah yay!

You're right though the news is so bad I can't watch it much.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Florida's chart of cases show a huge peak on 4/18 then a huge down turn and we have about the same number as we had on 3/27 but we had that same thing happen several times and on 4/7 we had lower numbers then on 3/27. So peak, down turn. Peak, down turn. Etc. [ETA: I think the down turns was when Florida ran out of tests]. So, hopefully that down peaks stays down. Florida seems to be testing a lot. I don't know how many total but drive up testing sites are everywhere now. Even in these small outside towns around Orlando instead of just in Orlando and the one in Altamonte Springs is no symptoms needed, test anyone that wants to be tested, all you need is an ID. They are trying to test a large number. Or it seems to me. Probably because of the large number of retired folks in Florida. I hope the one in the Villiages reopened. They close due to running out of tests (which is why all that closed, closed) but The Villages is the largest group of retired and elderly in Florida. They are a town of retired. They have their own bank in there, their own police station in there. Its a gated town of retired folks. So, that one is important. In my opinion.

Hopefully tourism makes a come back after this. That area has taken one of the largest hit of any other thing in Florida.

ETA: And affordable housing is being talked about A LOT. Cause its expensive to live in Orlando and the surrounding areas. My rent is now over $1,100 a month and those that work at Disney get less then $15 an hour. Its a struggle to just pay rent. But, $1,200 doesn't go far and now there is a record number of those without homes. They cant pay off any rent that is being put off. Two months is over 2 grand. And the news is reporting a record number of homeless so there are people being evicted. Florida is trying to use HUD and other affordable housing things but the news is reporting that they need to be creative to figure this out. They got over 3 thousand applications for affordable housing and so, yeah, a problem.

The Sunrail is still running. The train I live by that goes to Orlando and I am not sure how far the other side goes. The train goes one way and the buses the other. But it runs by every hour. So, thats gas being used. The buses are still running too. Its not as much as if people were driving themselves but its something.

When I got gas a few weeks ago it was $2.25 but I am sure its much less now. Lowest gas prices since the early 2000s.

ETA: Oh, the maintance guys for the apartment complex is working in groups, no masks, going into multiple apartments. Come on! At least have a mask!

 

[lostforgottensoul]

The news just said Florida caution that our highest peak os expected in May. Sigh!

 

[Deanna]

This says high peak is in August and December.Dead Link Removed

Posted wrong link I'll repost

 

[whiteraven]

f*cking PacNW... (I know, I know, all y’all in the UK who pay twice what we do for half as much can snicker at me up your sleeves ;))... gas is still $3-$4 a gal here. Prices have only gone UP, recently, as the rest of the country plummets.

My sister just filled her tank in Idaho for $1 a gallon. I haven’t seen dollar gas since pre 2002

1.23 here today. Hasn't been too much different than that for a couple of weeks. I'm in KY.