Coronavirus

[Padraig]

Iran Petition: 10,530, 17.05

[Serial_Apologist]

Just back from a few cycle rides round the block (no dog here, either, though we have a water bowl for them out front); no kids in the play area and very few people out at all, some just feeding the birds on the lake. A couple of neighbours were clearing out their garages; one is quite worried for his wife, a pharmacist, who says that nothing has been done to limit the number of customers in the shop at a time. He has advised her to go in tomorrow with masking tape to lay out a grid behind the counter, and ask people to keep their distance and others to wait outside. It surprised me that this was not advice from head office anyway.

This was being done yesterday afternoon in the local Sainsbury's - white crossed rectangles laid out at the entrance to all the staffed checkouts to prevent customers loading the revolving belt until the paying customer had departed.

My experience just now, from taking a 12-mile circular cycle trip, was of the usual quite numerous groups of people out on a pleasant Sunday afternoon - couples, families, people with dogs - all taking nonchalantly to the pathways across Streatham Common as if there was no tomorrow [sic]. It's quite breezy today, which makes me wonder if they think that fact makes it safer, despite London being the nation's hot spot! With that in mind, I honestly can't believe the government is likely to ban people from taking outside exercise, unless they actually have the virus. I popped into the biggish Brixton Tescos for a few items that have been unavailable locally since Friday, and the place was almost empty, making it easy to keep one's distance. There were no eggs, margarine or frozen veg to be had, so it was a question of making do with items I would not normally buy. That said, I might just make Brixton Tescos my regular groceries purchasing spot as the atmosphere there is always welcoming in that laid-back way so characteristic of the district, man, whatever the conditions pertaining outside. The strangest thing of all to report was that the usual outside Sunday market held in the Herne Hill railway (train) station precinct had been allowed to go ahead; stalls were being dismantled at 4pm as I started to make my way through the still quite large numbers of people hanging around: I quickly raised my scarf over my face and mentally crossed fingers as I passed through.

[MrGongGong]

[LHC]

Iran Petition: 10,530, 17.05

It appears the Iranians might refuse any help regardless of the petition:

Iran's supreme leader refused American assistance to fight the new coronavirus citing a conspiracy theory claiming it could be man-made by the United States government.

He also alleged the virus "is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians, which they have obtained through different means".

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/iran-leader-refuses-cites-coronavirus-conspiracy-theory-200322145122752.html

[LHC]

This was being done yesterday afternoon in the local Sainsbury's - white crossed rectangles laid out at the entrance to all the staffed checkouts to prevent customers loading the revolving belt until the paying customer had departed.

My experience just now, from taking a 12-mile circular cycle trip, was of the usual quite numerous groups of people out on a pleasant Sunday afternoon - couples, families, people with dogs - all taking nonchalantly to the pathways across Streatham Common as if there was no tomorrow [sic]. It's quite breezy today, which makes me wonder if they think that fact makes it safer, despite London being the nation's hot spot! With that in mind, I honestly can't believe the government is likely to ban people from taking outside exercise, unless they actually have the virus. I popped into the biggish Brixton Tescos for a few items that have been unavailable locally since Friday, and the place was almost empty, making it easy to keep one's distance. There were no eggs, margarine or frozen veg to be had, so it was a question of making do with items I would not normally buy. That said, I might just make Brixton Tescos my regular groceries purchasing spot as the atmosphere there is always welcoming in that laid-back way so characteristic of the district, man, whatever the conditions pertaining outside. The strangest thing of all to report was that the usual outside Sunday market held in the Herne Hill railway (train) station precinct had been allowed to go ahead; stalls were being dismantled at 4pm as I started to make my way through the still quite large numbers of people hanging around: I quickly raised my scarf over my face and mentally crossed fingers as I passed through.

I've seen photos today of Victoria Park in Bethnal Green and Columbia Road Flower Market showing both to be packed with people mingling cheek by jowl. Madness.

[Serial_Apologist]

In the USA lots of younger people are still going to Miami for their ‘Spring Break’ so they can party, get drunk and fornicate. The reported attitude seems to be, well if I get it, so what; I still want to party and get drunk, and many of them are complaining that the bars are now closing.

One thing being suggested is that people strictly observing the 2 metre gap requirement will lead to a sudden drop in the birth rate nine months from now.

"2 Metre Extension offer: 3/6 at 1970 prices at B&Q. Double offer: 5/- - twins guaranteed or your money back".

Another suggestion on this morning's Sunday programme on Radio 4 was that in cocking a snook at government edicts not to socialise in groups, young people were heaping blame and shifting consequences onto those in the more at-risk category in order to get their own back on the likes of us for causing the wider problems in part responsible for this situation. In effect, the young are taking over, brushing aside the risks to themselves, and we've been declared "surplus to requirements".

Southwark Council have just emailed me a message of assurance that they are and will be doing all they can to minimise the effects of Coronavirus on their rate payers. This would appear to be sent out to everyone - there's nothing to suggest I've been targetted, being in the high risk category. I shall wait to see if my local health centre deems me sufficiently endangered to be sent a personalised communiqué of warning, as we are told is going to happen.

[eighthobstruction]

One thing being suggested is that people strictly observing the 2 metre gap requirement will lead to a sudden drop in the birth rate nine months from now.

"2 Metre Extension offer: 3/6 at 1970 prices at B&Q. Double offer: 5/- - twins guaranteed or your money back".

Another suggestion on this morning's Sunday programme on Radio 4 was that in cocking a snook at government edicts not to socialise in groups, young people were heaping blame and shifting consequences onto those in the more at-risk category in order to get their own back on the likes of us for causing the wider problems in part responsible for this situation. In effect, the young are taking over, brushing aside the risks to themselves, and we've been declared "surplus to requirements".

...good for them for showing the initiative we so regularly say they haven't got.....yes cutting the pension £ mnark, need for more adult Social Care etc etc....Did you ever see that Neville Shute film of book "On the Beach" where with no life forcast folk started doing reckless acts....

....how will BJ get through tomorrows TV updates without using the word "idiots"....

[eighthobstruction]

....Surely everyone will be wanting to go to B&Q etc to get compost and seeds etc...

[Serial_Apologist]

....Surely everyone will be wanting to go to B&Q etc to get compost and seeds etc...

Then we could be making some money out of our wonderful home-made compost, whose qualities are clearly evidenced in our having the best garden in the street!

There's that story John Cage told in his book "Silence". A gardener improves his garden each year by throwing out commoner varieties. Then one day he comes across an even more spectacular garden in the vicinity. Jealously, he enquires to whom this garden belongs. It's the refuse collector's, the neighbours tell him!

[LeMartinPecheur]

One of the reasons given why the authoritarian regimes seem to be getting a grip on the situation? In the democracies of the West people rebel against being told what to do.

The best argument is: "It's not for the benefit of you and your family, it's for the benefit of others, especially essential workers and their families, who will have to interact with you in some way." It seems that in the USA there are people who are holding 'denier' parties, and there are the Bondi beach crowds in Australia.

Count Boso, cloughie et al: for the avoidance of doubt, let me say that when I said "I think all we've got is his polite but firm request, which we are 'entitled' to ignore" I was NOT signalling my own intention to disobey advice, just attempting to indicate that without laws and penalties plenty of people will carry on because they still think that there's no significant risk to them, and/ or without understanding that they're significantly increasing the risk to others, especially the vulnerable.

As far as intra-UK tourism/ escape migrations is concerned, yesterday's legislation doesn't seem to have changed much, except perhaps that closures of restaurants, pubs, cafes and (some) indoor tourist attractions will make getting away from home turf slightly less attractive in prospect.

[oddoneout]

It appears the Iranians might refuse any help regardless of the petition:

Iran's supreme leader refused American assistance to fight the new coronavirus citing a conspiracy theory claiming it could be man-made by the United States government.

He also alleged the virus "is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians, which they have obtained through different means".

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...145122752.html

I think I heard something this morning to the effect that help from the USA wasn't welcome as the Americans didn't seem to be doing much of a job dealing with it in their own country.

[Andrew]

As an ex-Devonian I just LOVE this!

[ardcarp]

...as a current Devonian, I don't. It's the sentiment I object to. I couldn't give a tinker's **** about the language.

[Andrew]

...as a current Devonian, I don't. It's the sentiment I object to. I couldn't give a tinker's **** about the language.

I ought to clarify my earlier remark: I LOVE the humour of it, not necessarily the content thereof.....

[cloughie]

Then we could be making some money out of our wonderful home-made compost, whose qualities are clearly evidenced in our having the best garden in the street!

There's that story John Cage told in his book "Silence". A gardener improves his garden each year by throwing out commoner varieties. Then one day he comes across an even more spectacular garden in the vicinity. Jealously, he enquires to whom this garden belongs. It's the refuse collector's, the neighbours tell him!

He obviously did the same thing with his music and threw out all the notes when ‘writing’ 4’33”.