The Swamp

Mrs. Syb's company freaked out people in my town.

Overlook Medical Center recently stationed a temporary triage structure outside of its emergency department at the Overlook Medical Center Union Campus, to help more efficiently assess patients with concerns for COVID-19 while patients with other medical needs to be seen expeditiously. The 8-by-40-foot open container office, similar in structure to a shipping container, was stationed at the Union Campus on Wednesday and is operational. An additional, 20-by-40-foot tent-like structure will be erected at Overlook Medical Center's main campus, in Summit.

Positive side effect of a worldwide stoppage of people doing things:

Coronavirus: Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads

To halt global climate change we just need to have more plagues. It's almost like we're the problem.

(And it's kinda like that one disease you can cure by giving the patient another disease that raises your body temperature. I forget what those diseases are.)

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:47 am Positive side effect of a worldwide stoppage of people doing things:

Coronavirus: Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads

To halt global climate change we just need to have more plagues. It's almost like we're the problem.

(And it's kinda like that one disease you can cure by giving the patient another disease that raises your body temperature. I forget what those diseases are.)

Maybe this could be another thread but are there going to be long term societal changes? On NPR they were talking about how this is forcing insurance companies and state regulators to allow virtual doctor visits and once people see the benefit of this there won't be turning back. Will other industries and services get away from the need for in-person connections? On PMT, they were talking about how shaking hands may become a thing of the past. Economically, a lot of businesses and industries may go under or drastically change. There's also the idea that events like this lead to social revolutions, world wars, etc.

I mean, sure? Seems like a thought experiment for the anxiety thread.

Everyone told to work from home except staff deemed critical to be onsite .. so that 18 of my 20 teams are in the office (to some extent, some are home)
at least legal reviewed the shelter in place orders and said we could ignore.
in other news, the shingles has abated a bit - still itchy as hell but the pain (they're on the back of my head) is mostly gone. Only 60hrs more before i can have the Yards Ale i bought on saturday.
yay.

EdRomero wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:55 am

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:47 am Positive side effect of a worldwide stoppage of people doing things:

Coronavirus: Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads

To halt global climate change we just need to have more plagues. It's almost like we're the problem.

(And it's kinda like that one disease you can cure by giving the patient another disease that raises your body temperature. I forget what those diseases are.)

Maybe this could be another thread but are there going to be long term societal changes? On NPR they were talking about how this is forcing insurance companies and state regulators to allow virtual doctor visits and once people see the benefit of this there won't be turning back. Will other industries and services get away from the need for in-person connections? On PMT, they were talking about how shaking hands may become a thing of the past. Economically, a lot of businesses and industries may go under or drastically change. There's also the idea that events like this lead to social revolutions, world wars, etc.

My wife put helped put through a whole televisit system in place about a year ago. That's a huge help now that the CDC allows for televisit prescriptions for COVID tests. She started working with hospital systems around the country to start a movement for telehealth, so this was already starting to trend and I think the demand will take off after this.

Interesting aside, seeing a lot of people posting that they reluctantly had to go to emergent care places for non-Corona illnesses. Fearing huge lines and exposure, they all said the offices were almost empty. No wait, and staff was jovial. Plus, single use pens, so everyone walked away with a souvenir of their visit!

elflaco3 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:29 am Everyone told to work from home except staff deemed critical to be onsite .. so that 18 of my 20 teams are in the office (to some extent, some are home)
at least legal reviewed the shelter in place orders and said we could ignore.
in other news, the shingles has abated a bit - still itchy as hell but the pain (they're on the back of my head) is mostly gone. Only 60hrs more before i can have the Yards Ale i bought on saturday.
yay.

One of my employees had the a/c go off in her apartment yesterday and they haven't fixed it yet. Pretty annoyed they wouldn't grant an exception and let her go in.

I was thinking this morning that one blessing here is that for the next couple of months we won't need to run the heat or the A/C. It's a lot easier to get outside and walk around the neighborhood than it will be three months from now.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:13 am
Interesting aside, seeing a lot of people posting that they reluctantly had to go to emergent care places for non-Corona illnesses. Fearing huge lines and exposure, they all said the offices were almost empty. No wait, and staff was jovial. Plus, single use pens, so everyone walked away with a souvenir of their visit!

i went to the medimerge in greenbrook on sunday early afternoon -- it was empty - but fully staffed.

brian wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:21 am I was thinking this morning that one blessing here is that for the next couple of months we won't need to run the heat or the A/C. It's a lot easier to get outside and walk around the neighborhood than it will be three months from now.

It's supposed to be in the 60s by Saturday here. I'm hoping to open up the windows and air out the compound for a bit.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:37 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 5:26 pm So, the local grocery store sent an email announcing that they will be observing special hours for customers 60 years and older... from 6-7:30am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. How many people under the age of 60 will this change affect?

Of all the businesses inundating me with how they are handling coronavirus, my barbershop's email was so far and away the best, no one else may even qualify for fourth place.

Did I miss something? You reference your barbershop’s email, but did you tell us what it says?

I don't think I did share it, but they wrote a very thorough email, detailing their policies for cleaning throughout the day and when they close at night, including mentioning the specific products they use. It was just miles better than every generic boilerplate email I've gotten from stores, airlines, etc. about how much they care about their customers.

BSF21 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:45 am

brian wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:21 am I was thinking this morning that one blessing here is that for the next couple of months we won't need to run the heat or the A/C. It's a lot easier to get outside and walk around the neighborhood than it will be three months from now.

It's supposed to be in the 60s by Saturday here. I'm hoping to open up the windows and air out the compound for a bit.

That'll be great if the forecasted rain for tomorrow eases up. Supposed to be pushing 70 tomorrow, but likelihood of rain is projected at north of 60% when it is supposed to be above 65.

I've been going to the same barber now every four weeks for five years, and that was one of my first thoughts when this all started escalating. Is it safe to go have my 45 minutes of some beer, bourbon and great convo? Then I remembered I truly don't give a fuck what my hair looks like for the foreseeable future.

Not sure if you have Prince Albert in a can, but he does have the coronavirus.

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:52 am I've been going to the same barber now every four weeks for five years, and that was one of my first thoughts when this all started escalating. Is it safe to go have my 45 minutes of some beer, bourbon and great convo? Then I remembered I truly don't give a fuck what my hair looks like for the foreseeable future.

Yeah, my next appointment is on the books, but when I walk in, I'm going to be completely open about my recent travels and if anyone feels uncomfortable about me being there (I'll have been home for about 2 /12 weeks at that point, so I should pretty much know one way or the other), I'll happily re-schedule.

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:58 am

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:52 am I've been going to the same barber now every four weeks for five years, and that was one of my first thoughts when this all started escalating. Is it safe to go have my 45 minutes of some beer, bourbon and great convo? Then I remembered I truly don't give a fuck what my hair looks like for the foreseeable future.

Yeah, my next appointment is on the books, but when I walk in, I'm going to be completely open about my recent travels and if anyone feels uncomfortable about me being there (I'll have been home for about 2 /12 weeks at that point, so I should pretty much know one way or the other), I'll happily re-schedule.

Kentucky closed all those types of places.

I was cancelling my Tuesday (this week) but my person beat me to the punch. Its going to get wild up there.

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:12 am

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:58 am

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:52 am I've been going to the same barber now every four weeks for five years, and that was one of my first thoughts when this all started escalating. Is it safe to go have my 45 minutes of some beer, bourbon and great convo? Then I remembered I truly don't give a fuck what my hair looks like for the foreseeable future.

Yeah, my next appointment is on the books, but when I walk in, I'm going to be completely open about my recent travels and if anyone feels uncomfortable about me being there (I'll have been home for about 2 /12 weeks at that point, so I should pretty much know one way or the other), I'll happily re-schedule.

Kentucky closed all those types of places.

My daughter had an eyelash extension appointment yesterday, a follow-up from her getting the extensions a couple weeks ago. She *says* they already were using masks and gloves before the outbreak, so we let her go. But now I'm not so sure it was a great idea.

brian wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 9:21 am I was thinking this morning that one blessing here is that for the next couple of months we won't need to run the heat or the A/C.

I guess this is one silver lining. Folks who lose their incomes will have less trouble with utility bills.

Our office finally gave in for the full office working from home. Honestly think it is mostly to do with them running out of cleaning supplies, but whatever it takes. They are generally good people running the place, but they have paranoia about people being productive from home. Among other things.

Wait...you guys go to barber shops that provide you alcohol? That's pretty awesome. I need to get on that level.

They have a couple chains here, but the place I go to is independent. They're typically streaming something good on a big screen too. Let me watch my favorite Simpsons episodes the day Disney + came out.

Johnnie wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:23 am Wait...you guys go to barber shops that provide you alcohol? That's pretty awesome. I need to get on that level.

Fuck yeah, dude. I get about 4 fingers of bourbon every cut. Esposito's wife does not fuck around.

Is this what I miss out on going to a place with 90% female clients? All I get there is "try this cold brew in a can, its so bad". And it was.

Bridget has probably only 30-40% male clients, but she digs the sauce, so there's always handles of Basil Hayden on hand.

I'm having a hard time understanding this one.

Most Grand Princess passengers in quarantine refused coronavirus tests —often at federal officials’ urging

“These folks know they are in a 14-day quarantine, if they test positive they are further delayed until they test negative,” said the official, who The Chronicle agreed not to name because they were not authorized to speak to the media, in accordance with the paper’s ethics policy. “They don’t want to stay. They want to be released.”

If they're being responsible and will quarantine at home either way, I totally get it.

mister d wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 12:44 pm If they're being responsible and will quarantine at home either way, I totally get it.

Yeah, I'm sure they are going to self-quarantine. Suuuuuuuure they are. That's the ticket. They are going to go home and infect their home communities.

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:29 am They have a couple chains here, but the place I go to is independent. They're typically streaming something good on a big screen too. Let me watch my favorite Simpsons episodes the day Disney + came out.

Serious question about something not serious: Do you use a straw? I'm just picturing dudes tipping their head back constantly while the barber has to rapidly pull back the shears.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:19 pm

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:29 am They have a couple chains here, but the place I go to is independent. They're typically streaming something good on a big screen too. Let me watch my favorite Simpsons episodes the day Disney + came out.

Serious question about something not serious: Do you use a straw? I'm just picturing dudes tipping their head back constantly while the barber has to rapidly pull back the shears.

Nope, typically not an issue. There are enough breaks to get a sip in here and there.

I've been going to the same woman at a barbershop for at least ten years. I'm in and out of there in about 15 minutes, tops. I love the briskness.




Jesus, that is a goldmine for some of you enterprising word deleting lads.


Shit, double trouble.

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:28 pm

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:19 pm

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 10:29 am They have a couple chains here, but the place I go to is independent. They're typically streaming something good on a big screen too. Let me watch my favorite Simpsons episodes the day Disney + came out.

Serious question about something not serious: Do you use a straw? I'm just picturing dudes tipping their head back constantly while the barber has to rapidly pull back the shears.

Nope, typically not an issue. There are enough breaks to get a sip in here and there.

And, how much hair ends up in the glass?

(While I understand "free drink", it seems there is a price to pay.)

Spoke too soon. My barbershop is now closed.

Um, none?

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:43 pmUm, none?

I was just curious, as it seems like something that kind of drifts and floats down after it's cut (or whisked or blown away) and the drink would be within arm's reach.

It's never been an issue. I'm normally holding it under the apron or set on a table to the side. The "uh" was more because I'm actually surprised it wasn't an issue now that I think about it.

Gotta say, David Frum is killing it lately.

brian wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:21 pm Gotta say, David Frum is killing it lately.

When I read columns like that, I am happy to call him a Canadian.

(Also, we grew up in the same neighbourhood. He lived on the richer side of York Mills Road.)