[Leica] the new normal

Wed Mar 18 12:48:43 PDT 2020

FYI, foolish, I know and not helping amass Leica gear, but the positions cited are all volunteer.  I can’t even accept a free cup of coffee or a beer…. be safe be well and what is going on the the rest of the world thanks…I was supposed to fly to Spokane yesterday for a conference…alas  Mark

> On Mar 18, 2020, at 12:30 PM, Aram Langhans via LUG <lug at leica-users.org> wrote:
> 
> Here in Yakima, Washington state, there are not many cases reported, but just over the hill is Seattle, where it all started in this country. And the week before we had the small schools state basketball tournament here in town.  I am sure many new cases are just brewing because of that.  I have not been out for a few days, but my wife went shopping yesterday and had to go to 5 places before she could find eggs.  Stocked up on flour and a few other things.  She said the shelves were bare of laundry detergent, paper products, and many other things like eggs and produce.  When I was out about 5 days ago, everything seemed normal, but not now.  She said the checkout line at Costco extended almost to the back of the store yesterday.  We heard from a few places that the shortages here are from people driving over the mountain pass to us from Seattle because they are wiped out over there.  Now so are we.
> 
> The last few days we have been dealing with a barely scratchy throat.  No fever and not getting any worse.  Not sure if it is from all the construction dust and now the new carpet fumes or if we are getting something.  If we are getting something it is most likely a cold or flu as there are way more cases of that around than COVID-19.  Of course, most of the C-19 cases are unknown since most will never get tested as for most the symptoms are mild to not-existent.  We'll see over the next few days and we will stay at home for a bit.  Schools all over the state are closed and restaurants and other places are closed.  Feel sorry for the small business people who will bare the brunt of this.  I have mixed feelings about the schools.  As a retired teacher, I feel for them.  But where will the kids go?  The small ones need day care, but the day cares are closing, too.  So parents will have to stay home.  The older ones will wander and gather anyway, so I am not sure what is to be gained by closing the schools except maybe protect the staff.  Some of the districts are closing schools for instruction but opening them for the students to gather and study.  That does not make any sense to me.
> 
> I am hoping that the one paper published predicting 2.2 million deaths here is not very accurate.  I never put my faith in one study.  But if shock is want is needed to get action, then this is indeed shocking.  Not enough is known about this variant yet.  Will it drop off as it warms up?  The world maps show it concentrated in the northern hemisphere, there are substantial cases south, too.  Population?  Travel paths?  Or will climate have an effect?  Who knows.
> 
> If I were the flu I would be looking for a different publicist.  The flu has already killed over 20K in this country and infected over a quarter million, but it is now on the back burner.  The flu should ask how is that fair publicity?  But who knows.  I imagine that with this increase in hygiene we will probably see the flu die down much more quickly than in past years. The silver lining in all of this????
> 
> Well, stay healthy.
> 
> Aram
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: Philippe
> Sent: Wednesday, March 18, 2020 1:45 AM
> To: Leica Users Group
> Subject: Re: [Leica] the new normal
> 
> Well, the dead no longer need money.
> 
> Better alive poor than …
> 
> 
> Amities
> 
> Philippe
> 
> 
> 
>> Le 18 mars 2020 à 09:35, John McMaster <john at mcmaster.co.uk <mailto:john at mcmaster.co.uk>> a écrit :
>> 
>> 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 <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?
>>> 
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug <http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug> for more information