[Leica] the new normal

[John McMaster]

It takes at least 5 weeks for the new Universal Credit to cut in, and that is no help to people with mortgages.  People on zero-hours contracts get no statutory sick pay.  The assistance so far has been talking of loans, so more future debt with no foreseeable income.  

So the country will be in a very poor state, both retail and manufacturing, when we are able to function again for a pandemic that has quite a low fatality rate......

john

-----Original Message-----
From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+john=mcmaster.co.uk at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Nathan Wajsman
Sent: 18 March 2020 09:46
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: Re: [Leica] the new normal

The government is coming out with an assistance package for small businesses. And people who are laid off will get unemployment benefits and will continue to have health insurance of course, in contrast with my low-wage workers in the US. 

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman

> On 18 Mar 2020, at 09:35, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> Spoken as a true employed civil servant ;-)   All those 'restaurants, cafés, bars' still have overheads and probably staff to pay.  In the UK Johnson has said that we should not travel or go to bars / eateries, this means that only those with 'pandemic insurance' are covered, he has to force the bars etc to close to let them get their business continuity insurance payouts.   Around here many businesses are small and seasonal, we are all coming out after living for months on money made during the season and need Easter traffic to boost the bank accounts - that is not going to happen....
> 
> john
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: LUG [mailto:lug-bounces+john=mcmaster.co.uk at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Nathan Wajsman
> Sent: 18 March 2020 07:30
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] the new normal
> 
> Here in Spain we are effectively in house arrest. The situation is serious but I am glad that strong action is being taken. I am worried that US is too disorganised to take such action in time, and also the public health system has too many holes to be truly effective, and the lack of protection for workers means that many people will go to work even if they are not well, and…
> 
> I am working from home, as is everyone else who can. Supermarkets, pharmacies, post offices, SOME bank branches are open and there are no shortages. All basic services function normally. But no restaurants, cafés, bars, museums, concerts etc. No going for a walk or a bike ride unless going to buy food, medicines and for a few other permitted reasons. I have ordered an exercise bike online, should be here next week.
> 
> My wife went to the supermarket and got us some Guinness yesterday, I made an Irish stew and my daughter baked a loaf of soda bread, and we had a nice St Patrick’s Day dinner. 
> 
> Cheers,
> Nathan
> 
> Nathan Wajsman
> 
> Alicante, Spain
> 
> 
>> On 18 Mar 2020, at 03:49, Mark Kronquist via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> Happy St Patrick’s Day! There is no corned beef or cabbage to be found in the bare markets and the one Guinness came from my fridge. 
>> 
>> How long before it makes economic sense to import beer from Ireland again? Did it ever?
>> 
>> Portland and the suburbs, including Stayton, were built on Flavortainment. What flavor is in people’s mouths now?
>> 
>> I spent many years working as a City Councilor, Planning Commissioner, Parks Board Member, Vice Chair of the Parks Board and School Board Liaison doing what I could to serve brilliant, determined business people who wanted to pursue their now shuttered and perhaps shattered dreams. Tonight, I look out my door. Mick and Mom's is having a last call party. Snow Peak Brewery right next door is closed. The new high end pub that was scheduled to open today probably never will. The food carts are gone. The cafes and coffee shops shut, many for good. The curtain has come down on the promising little theater that opened to rave reviews in December. There are no stars on the silver screen of the Star theater. The Moose and Elk lodges are empty perhaps to return to pasture. As Alice Cooper said, School’s Out for the Summer…in mid March…the library, pool and city offices are closed. 
>> 
>> The street lights light empty streets and highlight the possible death of a downtown renascence.
>> 
>> How long will the lights stay on if there are, as the Imperial College study predicts, two million deaths in the US before August?
>> 
>> How many downtowns across America and the world are experiencing the same thing? Is this the new normal?
>> 
> 
> 
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