I had a panic attack today for the first time in forever, and it was because, unsurprisingly, I had convinced myself briefly that I somehow had contracted the virus and spread it accidentally to everyone I had interacted with the past few days. In all likelihood I do not have the virus, just a continuation of the cold I have had for two days, but I worked myself into a lather. I used to have these quit frequently before I quit drinking, now I think I have had one in the past six years. Longtime readers will remember about a decade or more ago when I was diagnosed with a GAA, but only after having every test run to man because I thought I was having a heart attack and then convinced myself, with the help of WebMD, that I had MS because my hands and feet were going numb- all of the above are symptoms of anxiety attacks.
At any rate, it’s no surprised I am having a panic attack, and it would not surprise me if a lot of you are as well. This is an anxious time, our President is a malignant nincompoop, a lot of people are going to die, and shit is just crazy. On top of all that, I am at a point in my life where it feels like literally everyone around me needs something. Other than Tammy, it seems like everyone I know or interact with is having a problem or needs something done or needs me to do something. I legitimately can not go an hour without an email or a phone call or knock on the door about something that needs to be done. You have to do this because we can’t do it, we need you to do this because x is happening, so and so is pissed and you need to do this. On top of everything else, it just overwhelming. Can’t everyone just fuck off and deal with their own fucking problems, and beyond that, stop turning everyday issues into life altering disasters. Get a fucking grip.
For my mental health, I am just locking shit down. I have to make a god damned trip to South Carolina on Friday to load up stuff from my parent’s winter place, and I am going to get in the car with food already prepared, stop at gas stations for gas and pull over and piss on the side of the highway, get there, load up the car and go to bed, and then drive back the same way the next day. Other than that, I am done. I’m not leaving the house, I am not interacting with people. You need me, email me or call me, or leave a note on the front door. I don’t need to leave the house, so I am not. I’m not going to be responsible for killing someone.
I am stressed out and going caveman.
Princess Leia
Amen.
Major Major Major Major
Sorta in the same boat. I haven’t had a full-fledged one though, but it’s early days.
Been watching a lot of Eureka and fiddling with my Minecraft server. (Anybody wants to join lmk). Got a cool new gaming computer and I just love what I can do with it.
Mike in NC
Stay out of South Carolina. The zombies will eat your brains.
Royston Vasey
Just announced by our PM, Jacinda Ardern, in New Zealand:
• Effective from midnight Sunday NZT, all travellers (Including all New Zealanders), except for those coming from the Pacific islands, will have to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival to New Zealand
• The PM says the rules are the strictest in the world
• She told New Zealanders not to travel overseas if they don’t have to and issued stark advice: no hugs, no hongi, no handshakes
• All cruise ships have been asked to not come to NZ until June 30
• There will also be further announcements on mass gatherings
The restrictions will be reviewed in 16 days and there will be more advice for self-isolation next week. There were already clear guidelines for employers on sick pay and working-from-home advice.
It will be the strictest border restriction rules in the world, Arden said.
“I make no apologies. This is an unprecedented time. If you don’t need to travel overseas, then don’t. Enjoy your own backyard for a time. “
NZ is effectively closing it’s borders to foreigners (unless you want to self-isolate for 14 days)
West of the Rockies
@Major Major Major Major: I loved Eureka. Problems arose and people fixed them with science and humanity.
Major Major Major Major
@West of the Rockies: it’s very Next Generation.
Mandarama
I feel you. My kid being sent home from college means shit feels real. We have to drive 400 miles and get all his stuff and I’m teetering on the panic ledge. I just want us to all be together and safe. I hate this failure of a so-called government. ?
MisterForkbeard
Yeah. I get the “I don’t want to kill anybody” thing. We’re basically locking down the house for the next few weeks – we have a ton of food. Keeping two kids under 5 entertained is going to be a blast, though >_<
It’s particularly hard on my parents and my kids. We’re one day in and the kids are already asking to visit grandma and grandpa. And my parents are visibly a little lonely, though they’ll be fine.
Never been into Minecraft, but I’m looking at setting up something else for my extended friend/family groups. Video games seem like a good way to stay connected.
CaseyL
@Royston Vasey: Ardern is showing, once again, that her priority is protecting NZ citizens. Good for her! Though I do hope the isolation facilities aren’t too spartan. 14 days in a hotel room isn’t too bad if you have unlimited internet, TV, and maybe a stationary bicycle :)
@West of the Rockies:
@Major Major Major Major:
Eureka fans! I loved that show, though I only started watching during the season they went time traveling. Apparently it was a lighter, floofier show before then. Somehow it managed to be silly, comical, and very very smart. Miss it lots.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Major Major Major Major:
I vaguely remember Eureka on Sci-Fi. I watched the first episode or two and then stopped.
So my clinical rotations have been cancelled until further notice. No face-to-face classes for the rest of the semester either. I’m relieved on the one hand to not be potentially exposed to high viral loads, but also worried about graduating on time in May. ?♂️
brettvk
The trouble with being a good person who’ll help out others is that there are many, many others who need lots of help. You are that good person, and I’m glad to know you exist.
My job has recently become shittier and I was planning on leaving next month and going on SS. But it’s a warehouse club retail thingy and the past couple of weeks have been…I can’t really describe it, but we kept running out of water and toilet paper and all my tolerance for my fellow red staters. Yesterday was my limit, and I’m in the bad age range for COVID-19, and my dear mother, who depends on me for transportation and supplies, is 88. Even if I were getting paid decently it’s not worth the risk, so I’m resigning tomorrow effective immediately.
Major Major Major Major
So I saw a tweet about this and was curious to hear people’s thoughts. Will this be the event most disruptive to everyday life since World War 2? Some people said the 70s oil crisis was worse but everybody agreed this is up there.
Major Major Major Major
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): it has a bumpy start.
West of the Rockies
@CaseyL:
Watch the whole thing! It is sort of problem-of-the week in the early seasons but does include some nice larger arcs.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Major Major Major Major:
So the characters never have any interpersonal conflicts and act self-righteous about how “evolved” they are? lol
That sounds like I dislike TNG, but it’s my favorite Trek. DS9 is a close second and Enterprise is after ST: Original series. It isn’t as bad as its critics say
Emma from FL
Bless you, John. I’m so deep in — not despair, that’s too active, numbness, maybe? — that I can’t seem to think about the future at all. It’s just one foot in front of the other each day and every day. My sister is having surgery and I can’t even sit in the waiting room because the hospital has decided on a policy of one relative per person. My father’s mental acuity is declining, though thankfully not rapidly; I am retiring in December basically in time to become a full-time caretaker. My dream European trip — probably the last chance I will have at travel for a while — is swirling down the drain. I sleep badly and cry for no reason.
Yes, I will survive it. We all will. But the damage we’ll be living with is enormous and possibly permanent.
CaseyL
Cole, let me send you many virtual {{hugs}}.
Your generosity with your time and attention, the way you adopt and “mother hen” entire groups of people (human and non-) has the downside of everyone thinking you’re always available to help, and your help will be meaningful. You definitely have to save some of that for yourself!
Rest up, recuperate and recharge.
And with “social distancing” being the rule for the next however long, you shouldn’t be dashing about fixing other people’s lives anyway :)
Leto
John: I’ve been sick since Monday and feel your anxiety. I know it’s just a bad cold, I usually get them this time of year as the temps start to fluctuate, but it’s still causing me to stress because I’d love to check on some of my elderly neighbors, to make sure they’re ok, but I’m not going to take the chance that I pass this shit to them.
I hope your trip goes smoothly so you can come back home and veg out on some Vanilla. Lok’tar ogar! :)
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Major Major Major Major:
Well, a minimum of like 2-300,000 Americans are projected to die over the next several months, so I’d say we’re in for a bumpy ride. My heart goes out to all of the healthcare professionals who are and will be on the frontlines, as well as the family and friends of those who die
Speaking of the 70s oil crisis, does anybody think there are going to be gasoline supply problems? I know much of the US gets it’s oil domestically now and we do have strategic reserves
West of the Rockies
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Will your classes all switch to online? Some schools seem well equipped to do that, others don’t seem to ponder such a switch. Stay strong. Are their forums you and you’re cohorts can visit to stay in touch, help each other with coursework?
HalfAssedHomesteader
@Royston Vasey: Well, amongst places to self-isolate, New Zealand would be top of the list.
MisterForkbeard
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Hoo boy. No, there’s a bunch of crazy interpersonal conflicts, especially in the later seasons.
The show did some really cool stuff later, having actual major changes in the show’s storyline and central setting. Surprising.
West of the Rockies
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Have you seen Picard yet? It is fabulous.
Major Major Major Major
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): we also allegedly had a strategic reserve of medical supplies, so I have no idea if the gas reserve is just vaporware too now.
Raoul
This is why we started buying extra food back on Feb 26th – not like locusts, but extra food on each trip, so the larder filled up over two weeks. I’m still a little anxious, we don’t really have enough frozen & canned fruit and veg for my preferences, but we have plenty of basic food calories and protein that will keep us fed, and I think once the initial “ah mah gherd were gonna die!” panic shopping subsides, some judicious trips to the grocery to re-load will be OK.
I may go a little stir-crazy. But we moved last summer, and the frightening pile of boxes under the stairs can be our shelter-in-place project. Fun times.
The sun came out today, so I walked 1.5 miles each way to a meeting with a banker, for the nonprofit where I volunteer. I decided that a closed door meeting with a grand total of four people in a low-traffic office was an acceptable choice. The banker suggested cocktails after, as the meeting ended at 5pm, and we three nonprofit folks were all, like – uh, no, sorry bye!
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@West of the Rockies:
They have. They’ll probably be conducted through Blackboard Learn and Collaborate Ultra. Tests will proctored online most likely. These online classes aren’t supposed to begin until the 16th. We have group texts to keep in touch.
Thanks for the support!
West of the Rockies
I’ve been fending off anxiety, too (or trying to). I have to limit my news time. Stephen Colbert had on Sanjay Gupta–that was informative and a little calming.
Unfortunately, I only play a couple really lame phone apps for diversion (sudoku and Wordscapes). Gonna watch a lot of Netflix.
sukabi
Take some time for yourself, take a breath and learn to say NO. You’ll be less stressed and the people that need help will find another helper or will tackle the job themselves.
Major Major Major Major
Just extrapolating from my random estimate a week ago, I now estimate 14,000-30,000 active cases in the US.
Here’s that now-Twitter-famous viral geneticist guy agreeing!
Kelly
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Gasoline should be cheap and plentiful. Saudi vs Russia oil price war just got started. Declining oil prices in the short term, returning to current prices when they return to thier senses.
Kent
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): No oil crisis, probably the opposite as demand is going to plummet with no one going to work or school. This isn’t a hurricane that is going to wipe out refineries or pipelines.
International trade and shipping jobs should be pretty secure as those are very self-isolating. Operating big container terminal cranes, trains, and trucks. No one need get within 50 ft of each other in those industries.
At least that’s my totally uneducated take. Companies will will want to continue making whatever profit they can as the economy slows down. That’s why they exist.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@MisterForkbeard:
To be fair, after Season 1 the show did really take off. I still enjoyed a bunch of season 1 episodes.
@West of the Rockies:
I don’t have a CBS All Access subscription. I think it’s bullshit that it’s not on broadcast TV
JaySinWA
@Major Major Major Major: If this plays out as expected with mass closings of schools and large venue events, either along with or causing a recession, in the short term this will be far worse than the oil shock. Stagflation after the oil shock dragged things out. We may well have the basis for something worse with declining production and demand.
The short term effects are kind of like a slow motion 9/11, then everything shut down at once and restarted slowly. Here the shutdowns are being phased in and who knows much impact they will have in the long run.
Mr. Kite
Two weeks from now in at least some parts of the country:
This is Italy now.
https://twitter.com/outfrontcnn/status/1238625423157866499?s=21
brettvk
@Major Major Major Major: Life has been pretty good for Muricans while i’ve been alive, and it remains to be seen how well we can take a real crisis that touches almost everyone at the same time — if that’s what this turns out to be.
HumboldtBlue
Yes, Eureka is awesome and I can’t recommend it enough. Colorful, weird, historical, oddball.
Youse ain’t talking about my city are you?
I’m fully stressed. Older sister called me earlier and we got to talking about our eldest sister and her and her husband’s decision to travel for an eight-week trip through Morocco and Spain. They left end of Feb. and I am still flabbergasted two people of their worldly experience decided it was a great time to travel during a rapidly burgeoning pandemic.
The call ended acrimoniously because it appears me thinking their decision was irresponsible was akin to me telling people who to live and what they should and shouldn’t do.
Raoul
@Major Major Major Major: I don’t think it’s been raided. A company I worked for in the late 80s sometimes did crude oil runs from (of all places, in hindsight) Venezuela to the salt domes of Louisiana to deliver some strategic crude.
What is interesting is, it can apparently only pump out 4.4 million barrels per day. That’s not all that much. OTOH much of our oil is frack-tastic domestic, now. But … that oil isn’t all that economic to pump at $30-some a barrel. So, uh, who the frunk knows.
prostratedragon
@Major Major Major Major: I’m too young for direct memory of WWII and was in NYC during the oil crisis, so that wasn’t too relevant to my everyday either, but this is probably going to pass the latter and, if supply disruptions and restricted movements continue for more than a few weeks, will be much closer to the former.
Major Major Major Major
The House passed the emergency relief bill.
ETA: Paid emergency leave, sick leave, and three months of medical/family leave. Medicaid stuff, some insurance stuff. Who knows what all’s in there, these sorts of bills are weird.
JaySinWA
@Major Major Major Major: The strategic oil reserve was always very limited. As others have noted we are in an oil glut and demand is likely to drop. If we had an administration with foresight this would be a good time to expand the reserve. Buy low and sell high.
Not gonna happen, unless someone can sell it as a stimulus and a Trump buddy can make a profit. ETA and give him a kickback.
Mary G
Everyone with a heart and a brain is freaking out. I can’t concentrate for shit and decide the simplest things so I end up reading news and Twitter way more than I should. Please tell people no as much as you can, John. Especially when it’s because they are fighting and want you to be peacemaker/problem solver.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Major Major Major Major:
Does it still have to go to the Senate? Or does it go to Trump’s desk? I know that R’s haven’t been happy with it
CaseyL
@Major Major Major Major: It’s interesting thinking about this.
When you look back on the 20th Century, there were world-shaking shocks every generation: WWI, Spanish Flu, Great (global) Depression, WWII, nuclear holocaust fears, Red Scare, enormous social uprisings … all of them having global effects and repercussions, all of them triggering backlashes and counter-reformations of some sort.
We’ve had shock after shock in the 21st Century, too.
Maybe what makes coronavirus panic so bad is that most people had some confidence that society had a handle on medical issues, if on nothing else. Medical progress seemed to be on an eternal upward swing.
Something else I’m pondering: for years, we’ve been hearing, and saying, the GCC will trigger new and horrible illnesses as dormant germs revive, new germs emerge, germs mutate faster, and “disease seasons” get longer. I’m not saying coronavirus is the opening gun in that; I’m saying it’s likely to be a kind of dress rehearsal for that.
joel hanes
@Major Major Major Major:
Will this be the event most disruptive to everyday life since World War 2?
In terms of total fatalities and rate of fatalities, this is going to be worse than WWII
Royston Vasey
@HalfAssedHomesteader: They just announced that another case is positive. That brings the total to 6 for all of New Zealand.
Apparantly, the guy picked it up when returning from overseas – from New Jersey, got sick a few days later, and then went and got tested.
I think a visitor to NZ would have to self-isolate in a hotel room, so no travelling around.
HumboldtBlue
@Mr. Kite:
I can only console myself by watching short snippets of videos of Italians gathering on their balconies to sing and play music together. There was the singing in Siena and since I have come across to more beautiful examples, one of a man singing Nessun Dorma on his balcony and another of about a dozen people in different apartments gathering on their respective balconies and playing music together.
If nothing else, for all of youse, have some love and a virtual hug from Humboldt.
Steeplejack (phone)
I just got up a little while ago from what turned out to be a deep, 4½-hour sleep. Had a stressful day with family, thought I would have a short lie-down about 5:00 to refresh myself and just conked the eff out. Slept so hard my wrist is still hurting; I had it folded under me like a cat.
My brother-in-law, an Arlington County (VA) teacher, found out his school is closed until April 13, so he was oddly euphoric for a while today. Sort of like not realizing why it’s being closed. But vacation!
He and Bro’ Man went to dinner with a couple that lives here in Las Vegas, and they’re going to see a RuPaul Drag Race live show at the Flamingo. I’ll be getting in a van with them and their two kids tomorrow for more family fun (including 90–year-old mother). ? There is a touch of surrealism in the air, to say the least.
Now to catch up on the news with mingled curiosity and dread.
JWR
It’s so weird watching people panic buying here, in SoCal, but when you ask these same people if they have their earthquake kits together, most don’t even have enough for that. (Count me in that last group, but my excuse is a financial one.)
Major Major Major Major
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): senate is next. My guess: Mitch will get his pound of flesh and then it will pass on a voice vote.
HumboldtBlue
@joel hanes:
So more than 80 million or so deaths?
Mary G
@Major Major Major Major: All the Democrats present voted aye – 140 Republicans aye, 40 Republicans no (Gohmert, Gym Jordan among them), Amash voted present. Self-quarantined Gaetz and Gosar among 27 not present for the vote.
West of the Rockies
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
A few F-bombs would have to be changed, but it does seem bogus.
Philbert
@Raoul major4: I was 22 and a gearhead for the first oil shock, this is way deeper. Once you had gas, pissed but OK. 9/11 affected everyone emotionally, but not in our daily activities. This will be a change in lifestyle and a huge economic depression. The layoffs in the next few months will be massive, mostly people who can”t afford it, 2007-9 again. Lots of occupations will change permanently. Hospitality and entertainment? Argh. And we will lose people, not just on TV, but people close to us.
Martin
Boy, this has been calming for me. I shifted from a job where I had tremendous authority for the things that made me anxious to one where I don’t. I haven’t been this productive in months. I have problems that need fixing that I can fix. I am in my calm place.
I don’t worry about catching this. That’s fine. I’m not even that worried about my parents. I can do the math, I know it’s not great for them, but I know they’re doing the right things to stay safe. If it gets them, it won’t be because they weren’t doing everything right.
I’m much more worried about the larger societal impact. This only gets fixed if everyone does the right things, and we’re not there yet. Too much bad leadership. Too many people in denial. Too many people lured by cheap plane tickets thinking they’re invincible but not realizing they’re helping to kill others. People really need to stay the fuck home, go out for necessities, and wait on the optional shit. If we do this right, we can let up soon. If we do this wrong, well, it’s some apocalyptic shit.
Mary G
@CaseyL: I keep reading about all the ancient viruses waking up as the permafrost in the Arctic melts and it is scary.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Major Major Major Major:
This already feels worse than the ’70s to me. I remember waiting in gas lines for a while, but not much more disruption than that (at the personal level).
dp
Hang in there, man.
danielx
John, I hear you. We isolated day before yesterday and I hope to hell it was in time – my in-law is a radiologist, she diagnosed four cases today and expects it to go up daily from now on. (Note: bilateral interstitial pneumonia is the description for the emergent form with test.)
The thought of being shut in with spousal and daughter units (god love them) except for brief errands is…depressing. Was browsing through a Patrick O’Brian novel and an absolutely appalling phrase appeared to my wondering eye”…windbound for weeks, mewed up with these miserable brutes.” NOT equating my loved ones with miserable brutes, mind, but I get the sentiment. It’s an odd thing – I like being at home, I’m a homebody, but not being able to go out without planning it like a combat patrol all of a sudden makes me nervous. Plus I’m scared – my wife and I are both probably goners if either of us get this and our 27 year old special needs daughter lives with us. She has pitched several shit fits over the last couple of days over various things that have to be cancelled and sometimes the urge to tell her to just shut the fuck up is almost overwhelming, which causes me yet more conflict.
Plus the individual – “that living specimen of gall and hatred, that individual”, to quote an accomplished Southern hater – currently squatting in the Oval Office just flat makes my ass more tired by the day. About the only good thing I can think of about COVID-19 is that it makes that motherfucker a liar every day, in every way. As has been noted, a virus doesn’t give a shit about being sued, mean tweets, threats of funding cutoff, tariffs, nicknames a fourth grader would scorn or anything else in his repetoire.
All that being said, and illustrative of my point – John Cole, even if it gets wearying, you should be proud that people call you and talk to you about their problems: it means that they think you listen, you care and might be able to help them. That says things about you and how people feel about you, that you are someone upon whom they can depend, at least if you can. In my case you have provided a way for me and many others to occasionally unburden ourselves to others who listen. Plus a sounding board for everyone*, a source of help, a place to try and hear top shelf snark, top shelf analysis and…a lot. That being said, you got to take care of yourself. We depend on you too.
Thanks.
*Although that little asshole the other evening who said two million deaths would be a small price to pay for getting rid of Trump (implied boomer deaths, fuck you twice, pally) can kiss my pasty white ass.
Martin
@JWR: Well, you don’t get panic buying for earthquakes. They happen too fast. We don’t really have experience with slow moving disasters. Gotta go stand in front of a hurricane for that.
A lot of it too is just profiteering. Buy it all up, sell it for 2x on EBay. I’m glad stores are limiting purchases now. It’s not a hard problem to fix.
feebog
My family has been planning a memorial for my mom, dad and brother. We have chartered a boat and will have a burial at sea off the Santa Barbara coast. Obviously there has been a lot of conversation about postponing, but we decided to go ahead. We have put some protocols in place, hand sanitizer readily available and we are bringing wipes to clean every surface a person may touch on the boat. We will only be at about a third capacity so it will not be crowded. Some things are just too important to put off, virus or no. I have one day of work next week, but won’t be exposed to any crowds, just a few people and we won’t be particularly close. After that, not going to plan on doing much other than what work I can do at home and chill.
Major Major Major Major
It’s sad, but a good life hack is to just go to an Asian grocery store, they probably have most of the things you’re looking for still.
piratedan
just as a FYI, trying to clue people into the scope of things….
to those that read the threads, all the threads and all of the comments… you have an idea on what my job is in general. I’m on call for our group for the weekend, what we suspect will be the first of many stressful weeks to come…
got the call after dinner…. “were going to need to add some more beds into the system…” the reason why didn’t need to be explained. Was informed that these would be going into the CCU as the game plan is to group like patient’s together to prevent cross infection and make ease of care less of a burden for the nursing and clinical staff…so I went ahead and created the additional beds with the appropriate software accompaniment so they could be seen by all of the relevant software applications that would need to have that data…
I suspect that there will be more to come…
mrmoshpotato
@HumboldtBlue: I wish this was longer, but rock on.
frosty
@Major Major Major Major: This is worse than the gas lines in ’74. That was an inconvenience, but it wasn’t potentially life threatening.
Someone compared it to the 1918 flu combined with the Great Depression.
Mary G
Of course:
It’s his confidence in his perfect genetic material that’ll keep him from facing up to it. Where does the Navy find all these handsome incompetent doctors?
Major Major Major Major
West of the Rockies
I think about someone born around 1890-00. They’d experience as young people WW1, the Spanish Flu, The Great Depression, WW2, the Cold War… Must have been horrific. And yet they married, had babies, etc.
I guess Dr. Malcolm was right: life finds a way.
frosty
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): I’m guessing no gasoline supply problems. Think of all the commuting that’s not going to be done – that will add some slack to the system. Plus a lot less traveling.
Chetan Murthy
I’m 55. Prolly not gonna die if I get it. But more likely to need a hospital bed, maybe a respirator, and take that way from someone older (like my mom) who *will* die. Thank you for being so ….. clear about this. I’ve been IMing with a few younger friends here and there, impressing this upon them: that they have to isolate themselves for the sake of every older person around them.
Two sentences: (1) The year is 1918. (2) nobody is coming to save us, nothing will be done, we must save ourselves and each other.
Ruckus
I’d bet most people that aren’t deluded by today’s conservatism are having similar times right now.
I am. I don’t want to be around other people because I don’t want to die and I’m in a high risk group. There are a lot of us on this blog with a similar place in the health arena. There are a lot of people in this country in the same health arena. And given the political disaster that is the republican party it can only get worse before it calms down.
A question I have is what to do if you can’t eat almost any prepared food. I can’t keep a lot of food in the house for very long, I have to mostly fresh veg and fruit and fish. It can get bad if I’m not on a very low salt diet. Six months ago I had to be taken to the hospital – first ambulance ride in my life and it turns out salt is the basis of the issue. How do I manage, anyone got any idea?
Death Panel Truck
@Steeplejack (phone): My wife is a Washington state SPED teacher, and she wasn’t happy about the schools being closed until April 24. She thinks it’s a good idea, but she hates to be idle. She loves her kids and worries about them all the time. Her last day at work is Monday.
Here’s my problem: the med I take for psoriatic arthritis (Taltz), can lower my ability to fight infection. I guess I’m wondering how much should I worry (or do I even want to know.) I’ve been distancing for two weeks now, the freezers and pantry are stocked with food, prescriptions all caught up. I guess that’s all I can do.
Steeplejack (phone)
@danielx:
Plus the one, final thing that can’t be lied away or covered up is: body count. It’s grisly to contemplate, but that will be the end for Trump. He can’t bullshit away thousands of people dying.
joel hanes
@HumboldtBlue:
Worldwide ? Maybe. We’ll never know what happens in Russia, or in the back country of many southern-hemisphere nations.
But 518,000 Americans died in all of WWII.
We are currently on track for COVID-19 to surpass that in the US within the next 12 months.
Martin
@Major Major Major Major: Yeah, I’m under 50K.
My model is still flattening out for the US. The data is still pretty bumpy. I was forecasting 100 deaths by today or tomorrow and now it’s looking like Monday. The exponential pace is slowing slightly each day, which is good. We got off to a really odd start because we started with a nursing home, so I’m not too surprised to see it.
The good news is that our exponential rate is lower than Italy. So if we’re a week behind them, that will stretch out over time. Italy is around e^.33t where t is days from first fatality, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to drop further for a while. The US is at e^0.27t and still falling. Looks like we might bottom out at 0.25. That would push 100 fatalities out to Tuesday. That’s the difference between increasing by an order of magnitude every 8 days to about every 10.
My guess is its due to the US having a younger population than Italy and the US getting a slightly better start than Italy did.
Redshift
I wasn’t old enough to drive during the oil shock, but from what I experienced it wasn’t nearly as bad as this is going to be. There was a big psychological shock that a country we didn’t think much about could mess with us that much, and lots of inconvenience, but nobody died.
Be BernieAPOSTROPHEs Valentine
Voting for Biden over Bernie will kill people.
HumboldtBlue
@mrmoshpotato:
That’s the ticket, the Sicilian clip above was one I saw earlier and there is another I can’t seem to track down.
Mary G
Wow: armed forces ordered not to travel (WaPo)
Major Major Major Major
@Martin: we smoke a whole lot less too.
What was the deal with that Ohio surgeon general(?) saying 1% of the state was infected? Just an impossible number.
JWR
@Martin:
Yep, I saw on local news last night that Costco has limits per customer. And how best to prepare for an infectious disease than by packing people into a store?
;)
Major Major Major Major
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but: The pie filter is your friend.
joel hanes
@Death Panel Truck:
My sister is an Iowa special-ed teacher. She’s in her mid-sixties and is mildly diabetic. Iowa’s governor said today that she won’t close the schools until they see evidence of community transmission. Iowa has effectively zero testing available, so they’ll “detect” community transmission when critically-ill people start showing up in the ERs, by which time it will have been circulating in the schools for ten days.
I don’t expect ever to see my sister again.
joel hanes
@Major Major Major Major:
If you think what I’ve been saying is too brutal, I can just stifle.
I guess I will anyway.
ETA: Ah. Just looked under the bridge and spied the troll. Trip-trap trip-trap trip-trap
Martin
@joel hanes: Uh, we’re on track for the US to surpass that in 4-5 weeks. Italy by the end of the month.
If we don’t get on top of this, we’ll start slowing down by end of April because we’ll be running out of people for it to kill.
If we can smooth out the curve and not overwhelm hospitals then 6-12 months to hit that number.
Chetan Murthy
@Ruckus: I have high BP. So I basically cut all salt out of my diet. I have “lite salt” that I use every now and then when I cook, but very, very rarely. And “salt substitute” (KCl, not NaCl) that I use for at the table. IIUC, KCl doesn’t induce higher BP. I’ve stopped almost all prepared food too, b/c … fuuuuck so much NaCl. So much.
All I can say is: get used to boring food (aside from spicy peppers, I guess). I used to make stuff with fish sauce, and I got Worcestershire sauce (same thing, it transpires, only no salt), but otherwise, I try to avoid putting -any- salt in. Re: fresh veg/fruit/meat …. well, it sucks, doesn’t it? I’m gonna be eating thru my cupboard’s canned beans, then the dried beans, etc.
Sorry, no answers. Just …. yeah, I feel you. And the biggest thing I can suggest is: just don’t use any salt ever. Ever.
P.S. KCl doesn’t taste quite like salt. Ah, well. Ah, well.
joel hanes
@Martin:
Lotta uncertainty. I’m deliberately pulling my punches.
Robmassing
Sounds like co-dependency. Everyone needs something from you because you have conditioned everyone to believe that you are available to provide any help any time. And you did that because at some level you fear that if you aren’t there for everyone they will no longer love you.
Even if you go caveman, this will be an especially difficult time to resist everyone’s needs, because we are going through a major catastrophe. Take care of yourself first.
Chetan Murthy
@Be BernieAPOSTROPHEs Valentine: Pie, asshole.
Ruckus
@Major Major Major Major:
Done.
Major Major Major Major
@joel hanes: oh no, do carry on!
joel hanes
@Ruckus:
Oatmeal keeps very damned well, although it’s boring.
Dried fruit; you can order it bulk from Casa De Fruta. They’ll have raw walnuts too, and unsalted pistachios, etc, for your protein, and a handful thrown into oatmeal livens it up considerably. I’ll bet they have a pretty good trail mix.
Chocolate is good for calories if you can eat it. We used to use it as part of our hard rations on canoe trips.
ETA: you might be able to get rolled oats in 50 lb bags at the feed store if you’re in an agricultural area.
Chetan Murthy
@joel hanes:
Honestly, we all have to grieve. It’s OK. And also, maybe your words will convince one more young invincible to stay isolated — that would be sufficient to make it worth reading. And y’know, you’re not alone in thinking these things. I also think about what I’ll do if [not even gonna write it] — will I visit her in the hospital? I think I will, b/c I don’t think I could stay away. This is what happens when Mother Nature reminds us we’re sacks of meat, ready for the butcher, is all.
Martin
@Major Major Major Major: So, 1% is the generally accepted number for community spread. So you see community spread and you just do 1% of the population. But she doesn’t have community spread across the state. She has it in a town, or a school, or a fucking NBA team, she extrapolated to her political boundary which the virus cares fuck-all about.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Death Panel Truck:
My BIL is a SPED teacher too.
Good luck with your meds.
John Cole
@Chetan Murthy: Why on earth do you need to get used to boring food? Curry, chiles, turmeric, ginger, asian mustard, coriander, saffron- all that stuff stays forever.
West of the Rockies
@joel hanes:
Hemp hearts are kinda tasty.
joel hanes
@Martin:
Overreacting by isolating too soon is the best thing that can be done right now.
Iowa Gov. Reynolds is waiting for someone else to make the decision for her. I always knew she was mean, but I hadn’t known that she lacked courage. Now I know.
NotMax
Once again, advice to seriously consider. Stay off Twitter for a while. Say, make a personal pact that weekends will be Twitter-free.
@Major Major Major Major
Actor who played Fargo in Eureka didn’t have a major role but worked what he was given to play to the hilt in Wonderfalls. Dy-no-mite ensemble cast.
Martin
@joel hanes: Oh, yes, tons.
The problem with modeling social systems is that we’re self-aware. We observe whats happening and we change. So whatever trendline you set on something the public is aware of is guidance at best.
We’re not doing nothing. But we don’t know how effective the stuff we’re doing is. If none of it is effective, that’s where we’ll end up. But I think it’s working – I just don’t know how much. We need to cut the rate of spread by a factor of 3 at least.
People should be scared. We need them to act. But people shouldn’t panic. The problem with this stuff is that it takes a relatively long time to see results. It wasn’t until 10 days after China’s outbreak peaked that they could actually see that. They didn’t know if they were headed for 1000 fatalities or 10000. They did much better than a 3x reduction in transmission but had no way of actually knowing that.
Chetan Murthy
@John Cole:
As my friend Raj used to say: “salt really pulls a dish together”. But you’re right — there are a ton of other spices and herbs that one can use.
joel hanes
Less expensive (before shipping) dried fruit :
http://shop.mariani.com/Mixed-Fruit/p/MAR-1210000&c=Mariani@OrchardFruit
Dates keep nearly forever, and are also damned good in oatmeal.
Martin
@John Cole: Fuck it. It’s the apocalypse, Oreos and hot cheetos and all the gin I can fit in my car.
My last meal isn’t going to be fucking lentils.
Ruckus
@JWR:
I saw somewhere a woman who bought 3 pallets of whatever at Costco. There is no reason for that, she was hoarding far more than she could use, she was selfish, like we aren’t all in this together, that it’s us against them. The want to exclude us, they don’t care if we were all to die tomorrow and we want to make life better for all of us. And now we have a massive health disaster that doesn’t differentiate between left and right and their leaders have their heads up each other’s asses in the hope that they will find whatever the hell it is they are looking for and all they’ve found is shit.
Martin
@Ruckus: Bet she was reselling it for a profit.
joel hanes
@NotMax:
Stay off Twitter for a while.
I have a big pile of unread books already on the shelves (and spilling out). Looks as if I’ll get some time to read them.
danielx
@Major Major Major Major:
Indiana state health commissioner threw out an estimate of 60,000 infected in Indiana today/yesterday, which would be a little less than one percent of the state’s population.
NotMax
@Chetan Murthy
Before I began regularly making bread, used so little salt (plain have never cared for the taste of it) a canister of Morton’s would last me a minimum of 10 years. And prepared scads of super tasty meals.
HumboldtBlue
China’s wealthiest man donates 500K testing kits and a million masks to the U.S.
Where the fuck is Tom Cotton and what the fuck has that simpering dickwhistle done to help our nation?
(Grammarly doesn’t like the word dickwhistle)
Major Major Major Major
@Martin: interesting, thanks!
Major Major Major Major
@danielx: it’s impossible, we’d see clear effects in the healthcare system. We might have that many nationally, seems a little high still.
Steeplejack (phone)
@JaySinWA:
Trump specifically said in his speech today that he had ordered the oil reserve to be topped up.
Kelly
I’ve spent much of free time out in nature all my life. Nature never bullshits me. I’ve made plans for adventures and projects taking into account weather, geography and my abilities. It isn’t that my plans always work or even account for everything. But I’m as ready as I’m going to get and that is always a calm, peaceful feeling.
Ruckus
@Chetan Murthy:
Well I have one advantage. I have no sense of smell at all and that affects the sense of taste fairly drastically. However that doesn’t do much to sour, sweet, bitter, salty. Without salt everything tastes bland. Surprisingly after a while it doesn’t seem so bad. But the first week…..
joel hanes
@Ruckus:
There is no reason for that, she was hoarding far more than she could use, she was selfish
You’re probably right.
But consider an alternative, more generous explanation: she was frightened, and buying that stuff was the only action she could take to make herself feel that she could do something about it, to say to Death, “Not today.”
Sixty years of TV advertising have inculcated in Americans the conviction that all problems are best met by buying products. This is a big problem, so she was buying a lot of product.
Martin
@danielx: Yeah, there’s no way. Working backward, if she had 60K infected in the state right now, she’d have ~70 fatalities today. Unless all 60K were piled up at Purdue or something with a wildly uncharacteristically young population.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
I live in Ohio. I assume it’s widespread in the state. How many would you estimate we have?
JaySinWA
@Ruckus: Frozen fruits, vegetables and fish would be my best guess. Delivery subscriptions from a local farm may be available in your area (Community supported agriculture, or CSA). Local delivery from supermarkets are coming back to compete with Amazon Fresh.
HumboldtBlue
@John Cole:
Considering every sport in the world has been canceled now probably isn’t the best time to offer my services as sports-guy poster. If needed just holler.
FWIW my eldest sister has lived in WV for more than 30 years.
Martin
@joel hanes: I take that explanation, but societally we’re about to get a really hard lesson on making sacrifices. Someone needed to intervene in that case and talk her down from that fear, because that kind of stuff will soon be killing people.
Mary G
@mrmoshpotato:
@HumboldtBlue:
This thread has singing from several Italian towns:
danielx
@Major Major Major Major:
What can I tell you? She said that in an interview with the (R) governor sitting next to her.
That being said – my sister in law diagnosed four cases today, none yesterday or the day before. She expects it to go up every day from here on out.
ETA: my own feeling is that we are going to get fucking hammered in the next two weeks.
piratedan
@HumboldtBlue: thing is, we’ve known that the virus has been out there for a couple of months now, local US systems have been trying to prep for this for weeks, if this guy is sitting on 500k worth of testing kits, where the fuck are they and why hasn’t anyone else been able to procure them? Unless its simply more rich dude posturing (which may be a common trait among those that swim in those waters)
I know in Italy that medical items are in short supply, same thing is happening at the hospitals that I support, what is being done to get the supplies into the hands that need them?
These are the kinds of issues that are front and center for those attempting to diagnose and treat the patients and as of yet, its every facility for themselves, no one can coordinate because no one is in charge…
Its not going to get better any time soon
Steeplejack (phone)
@JWR:
My friend’s daughter who lives in San Francisco went to Costco this week to pick up dog food and thought she would get toilet paper while she was there. She had to stand in a special line, which was long, just to get to the strategic TP reserve.
Martin
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Less than 1000. But yeah, they’re probably spread around a fair bit.
Ruckus
@joel hanes:
Thanks. Hadn’t thought about oatmeal and I already do unsalted nuts for snacks and usually don’t have any trouble finding them. Everyone likes salted nuts.
Genine Tyson
My anxiety started spiking today. Now my nose is stuffy and my throat is a little itchy. I had plans for tomorrow, but I need to cancel them. I may work from home the next two weeks if I am not better by Monday, just to be safe.
Major Major Major Major
@piratedan: the FDA has been foot-dragging on issuing (trivial) emergency approval to non-CDC tests. Everybody is having to improvise since CDC tests might as well not exist. There’s no big federal budget to buy them with.
@Genine Tyson: I take my temperature when I get anxious that I’m sick.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Martin:
Yeah. A local metro hospital has already set up a screening tent outside it’s ER and hospitals have issued visitor restrictions. There have been at least two cases of apparent community spread an hour or less from where I live. Not looking forward to work tomorrow
HumboldtBlue
@piratedan:
China has also dispatched veteran medical teams and tons of supplies to Italy because Italy was one of the first nations to assist China during the initial outbreak.
Whether or not he’s a douchebag or a saint, he has done what we expected our government to have been prepared to do. It’s not like we can be choosy beggars in this case.
NotMax
@Ruckus
Not guilty. Unsalted or skip ’em altogether. Why deliberately ruin the taste of a perfectly good nut?
JWR
@Ruckus:
That’s my biggest fear: mass hysteria.
Ruckus
@Martin:
I like your style.
I hate lentils.
@Martin:
I’m not taking that bet.
piratedan
@Ruckus: two suggestions…
many communities are popping up with organizations that sell fruit and vegetables by bulk (say 60lbs for 12.00) of items that are remainders off of local grocers, produce from local farmers and other items that are deemed “too ugly” for the american consumer. In Arizona there are multiple services that offer this up on a weekly basis, depending upon the season determines what is available.
Our local programs are based on reducing waste and hunger, so perhaps some googling around may put you in touch with folks who offer similar fare.
Also, local farmers markets and co-ops are a great source of finding something fresh, tap into the book of faces to see if any are operating in your area.
Ruckus
@NotMax:
I said everyone, not, NotMax.
Martin
@piratedan: This is Jack Ma – the founder of Alibaba. So, these are kits being made in China right now as they’re steadily getting back to work (though Wuhan is still in lockdown after 51 days).
Alibaba is basically business to business Amazon. In effect, all supply chains go through him in one way or another. It’s no exaggeration that if you need 500K of anything other than bombs, you talk to him and not to the US Govt, because he can get them.
China clearly ramped kit production in anticipation of their epidemic not slowing down. That’s what you’re supposed to do. Jack is tapping into that excess supply.
Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)
@Major Major Major Major:
Understandable. I did myself a few days ago. Started feeling hot but I was normal and it went away.
Gotta be careful not to waste thermometer probe covers
Martin
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka): Thankfully I’ve been working from home for 3 weeks. Gotta walk the walk.
piratedan
@HumboldtBlue: sorry, didn’t mean to come off that I was angry over his generosity, not the case at all, after all this is global. The frustration naturally resides with those that are keeping the roadblocks in place and preventing those in need, the opportunity to even help themselves.
prostratedragon
@Ruckus:
Just suggestions: Frozen vegetables and fruits –no added salt or preservatives. Do you cook? If so, make things from fresh ingredients that can be frozen for a while, like your own soups, spaghetti sauces, even cakes, bread pudding, or cookies. Quiches and frittatas should freeze well also, though I haven’t tried them. Homemade relishes and chutneys last much longer in the fridge than the fresh things they’re made of. I’ve had caponata last a couple of weeks, and it works as a vegetable side dish or pasta sauce (no sugar, and kalamata instead of green olives for me, thanks).
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
High Aniety, it’s always the same….
High Anxiety, it’s you that I blame.
It’s very clear to me….I’ve got to give in.
High Anxiety.
YOUUUUU
WIN!
NotMax
Well, John, TCM right now is running one of those Pam Grier in shirts are optional women’s prison flicks.
Just sayin’.
:)
joel hanes
@Martin:
Have you read Defoe’s _A_Journal_Of_The_Plague_Year_ ?
Defoe observed exactly the same folly in 1665. People haven’t changed.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/mar/13/plague-coronavirus-british-panic-buying
Chetan Murthy
@prostratedragon:
Uh, maybe this isn’t so great — I see it has some salt. And …. I always have trouble not snacking when I’m cooking with ’em. So I’ll get a lot of salt. Sadly b/c they sure are delish.
joel hanes
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Unless you’re sharing a thermometer, I can’t see why you’d need a probe cover at all.
Wash with soap and water between uses and don’t share.
Rusty
I am losing my job and starting my new one two states away in two weeks. Two kids in college (both have gone virtual) and two at home. The local school school is closed Monday for a superintendent day while they figure out how to go virtual for the older kids. The third kid is a high school sophomore, which complicates the when we move question. Also have a parent in a local nursing home (now on full lockdown from visitors) and the other parents local, both with long term health issues that would make contracting coronavirus life threatening (all the parents are in their 80’s). We are also very uncertain how this all effects the housing market here and in the new state. For us made worse by here being cheap and there being expensive and us being barely able to buy into a town with a decent school system. So my stress level is off the charts. Will my new job actually be there? If not we are beyond screwed. When do we move? At this point the spouse and kids stay to get the high school one to graduation, spouse can help the various older generation. Do we sell now, rent and buy there later? Sell here later and buy there? Trying to decide in complete uncertainty. The pay is less (welcome to job changes in your 50’s), so how do we afford me living there. How do I work out being a dad and spouse from 6 plus hours away? I will miss a lot. Going from 4 weeks of vacation for decades to two, so not a lot of flexibility. Every day I don’t totally unravel is a victory (and the same for my better half).
JWR
@Steeplejack (phone):
My strategic reserve consists of buying a 12 roll brick whenever it’s on sale. Also, I just wanted to repeat the phrase “strategic TP reserve”.
;)
joel hanes
@Genine Tyson:
This is a spectacular allergy season in many areas of the country. I’m feeling it here.
Washing hands and then washing face feels really good. So does peppermint tea.
But I’m taking my temperature twice a day.
HumboldtBlue
@piratedan:
Never fret, I understood your point completely.
I just got a text from my eldest sister that she and her husband have come to the realization it’s time to come home. How that happens is anyone’s guess. They’re in Morocco.
NotMax
@joel hanes
The chapters devoted to the plague in Alessandro Manzoni’s sweeping The Bethrothed are supposed to be excellent depictions. Ditto the opening of Boccaccio’s Decameron.
Ruckus
@prostratedragon:
Because of what I have to eat I have to cook. However I learned to cook a long time ago and am pretty good. It’s much more difficult when you can’t smell whatever it is you are cooking. Still cooking is cooking so I’m fixed on that part.
Morzer
Seoul seems to be convincing itself that the coronavirus is.. sort of.. over. People are filling up the subway trains again. Coffee shops are surprisingly full. There’s the usual outraged screeching from older, crazier, cult-following conservatives (pretty much the entirety of the conservative population in Korea) about how Moon Jae-In has perversely refused to impeach himself for some reason or other.
I’ve been using my extra time as a plague shut-in to do some reorganization, sorting out papers, planning the next few months in terms of writing and adding a bit of linguistic capacity. I might try some games that I bought a while back and have failed miserably to explore further.
Steeplejack (phone)
@Rusty:
Jeez, that sounds rough. Hang in there!
CaseyL
@Ruckus: Do you have difficulties with frozen veg? Birdseye has an excellent line of steam-in-bag microwave veggies. I’ve stocked my freezer with a bunch, just checked the ingredients, and there is no added salt. It’s just the veggies.
Martin
@joel hanes: No, but I’m not surprised.
The thing here is that this is either going to work or it’s not. If it doesn’t we end up burning through the population in about 2 months. Things get bad enough that you might as well keep the factories running because staying home doesn’t do anything. If it does work, then in 2 weeks we have a structure that keeps people working in this halted state that we need to maintain for a year – but toilet paper is still being made.
Either way, we’ll be back at things pretty soon.
jl
Good luck to Cole. Cole, don’t panic. Relax. You got a back yard where you can get some exercise with the critters when the sun is out. Count your blessings.
BJ needs to raise up one of those thermometer fund raising things, to buy Cole a thermometer.
Get one of those instant readout things so Cole doesn’t stroke out while waiting to see what it is.
Sab
I have internationally active/travelling relatives. Mostly to China. These health scares/issues. flare up periodically. My relatives are used to them. They have dealt with SARS, MERS and swine/bird flu as an actual threat, not just bad news.
These health scares are real and scary when they happen. Other cultures seem much better than the USA in dealing with them, because they realize there is a big health issue.
I have been gobsmacked by the Trump administrations denial.
Frankly also about my employer response. He is beavering away while his wife is visiting their kids in Seattle, one a nurse, other a fishmonger in Seattle.
Turns out he had no phucking idea that everyone in his immediate family and in his office is and has been at risk. Works 18 hours aday, watches sports on the 60 minutes he gets home before he goes to sleep.
We had this intense conference today, they wanted it in the conference room , we wanted it in the hall, everyone six feet apart. That’s how intense this is. I have been concerned for six weeks, doing my prevention stuff. Everyone has been acting like I am nuts. Then all of a sudden management thinks I am not nuts but prescient. I have wanted to retire for a couple of years. Time now. You geniuses just plug on.
Not working there next year. Indiffetence to health issues is disqualifying.
HumboldtBlue
@Mary G:
Thanks for that, can’t get enough
prostratedragon
@joel hanes: Ah yes, their dried plums (not prunes!;p) are very good.
CaseyL
@Ruckus: Oh, and maybe someone’s mentioned this already: lemon. Lemon (juice) is wonderful as a seasoning; it has sort of the same zing as salt. Lemon pepper is great stuff.
NotMax
@jl
He’ll put his eye out.
;)
HumboldtBlue
@Rusty:
I have nothing to offer other than my best wishes and most sincere desire it works out for you and your family.
If nothing else, Yo-yo Ma shared his comfort music with us, so I’ll share it with you.
joel hanes
@Martin:
Yes, I’m expecting the panic buying to exhaust itself in a couple weeks. Doubt I’ll ever again have the opportunity to buy Purelle, but soap works better anyway. I expect to see TP on store shelves again in two weeks, after everyone’s closet is full.
prostratedragon
@Chetan Murthy: Yeah, thought about that after I posted, but I think they’re both less salty than that green ones, and have to me a more interesting flavor, so one uses fewer. I’d use less than a small handful for a large eggplant. However, a bit more basil or other experimenting with herbs, or even a spice or two, should work instead.
joel hanes
@prostratedragon:
For a century, the people who grew those fruits in the Santa Clara Valley, and dried them called both the fresh and the dried fruit “prunes”. I’m about a mile from Pruneridge Drive.
Do you remember these commercials for Sunsweet Pitted Prunes ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh9e0ZGp5d4
Chetan Murthy
@prostratedragon: My “goto” sin was spicy Indian pickle. Like, mango pickle. That shit is -incredibly- salty. But I’d use like 2tsp for a single meal — b/c I really like the heat. Yeah, recipe for instant high BP. I have a buncha jars I bought, that I’ll never get to open, and I give ’em away bit-by-bit to to people I know who can eat it safely.
joel hanes
@Ruckus:
I hate lentils.
It doesn’t sound as if it’s in your cooking style, but dal is very good indeed. schrodinger’s cat might be able to point you to a good dal recipe.
I like to brown up a small beef chuck or top round, put it in a dutch oven, dump in a bag of lentils and a chopped up onion and some spices, cover with water, and braise like pot-roast. Add some carrots and potatoes later.
NotMax
@joel hanes
Because why the hell not, The Electric Prunes.
:)
CaseyL
@Rusty: Good lord, that’s a lot going on. Have you contacted your new employer to make sure the job will still be there? You don’t have to mention your concern, maybe just call to confirm your starting date.
Unless you’ve been able to scout the real estate market in the new place, it’s a rule of thumb to rent for the first year, so you can learn more about the new area, figure out which neighborhoods you prefer, traffic patterns, and so on. I very highly recommend using real estate websites; Redfin is very good because it gives you a lot of details about each property.
If all the schools have “gone virtual,” that might make moving easier on your kids: they can attend by computer from anywhere, I should think.
Good luck!
Mary G
@Rusty: Wow. That is a lot. So much uncertainty.
joel hanes
@NotMax:
Haven’t clicked on that link yet, but it _has_ to be “I Had Too Much To Dream” — a psychedelic-era hit in the same cohort as Strawberry Alarm Clock’s “Incense and Peppermints”. Or, as I think of it, it could be “Get Me To The World On Time”.
NotMax
@joel hanes
Bingo. Give the man a kewpie doll.
;)
Mary G
Even the terrorists:
Kent
In case you all have forgotten, they are still counting votes out here in WA and Biden is slowly widening his lead as the same-day votes are the last counted. Count should finish early next week. Biggest turnout (as a percentage of registered voters) in any WA primary with 46% of the state’s registered voters participating in the primary. Most surprising to me is that Biden is leading in King County (Seattle) but nearly identical percentages to his state-wide vote. King County is about as close as it gets to Bernie-county. I mean we all knew this race was essentially over. But that pretty much seals it. If Bernie can’t win King County there is probably nowhere he can win.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/joe-biden-maintains-lead-over-bernie-sanders-in-friday-ballot-counts-in-washington-primary/
NotMax
@Mary G
Meanwhile Dolt 45 keeps building up his frequent liar miles.
PJ
@NotMax: The Horseman on the Roof by Jean Giono (also a pretty good movie with Juliette Binoche) has some great descriptions of how terrible cholera is. And the chapter(s) on the plague in Athens in Thucydides are amazing, particularly on how society breaks down.
Jay
@piratedan:
He’s Chinese, not a ‘Murican, and some of his factories in China switched to manufacturing medical supplies and test kits two weeks ago, rather than Apple, Tesla components and Amazon bric a brac. They (Alibaba) have already distributed over a million free test kits to countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and African.
Given that the US is only testing Politicians, Sports Figures and the 1% for the virus, they have very kindly offered to pitch in and help out a shit hole country.
Jay Noble
empty shelves caused by paniced hoarding . . . meanwhile the Mormon’s are laughing their asses off.
prostratedragon
@joel hanes: You know, I don’t think I do, and I can’t deny that I was around then. I’d have remembered him clearly, very funny.
Edit: Now you have me trying to remember who it was I knew who called plums prunes, because I have heard that. This person in fact was confused by the word plums. Were they from California? Hmmm.
Jay Noble
No one seems to be mentioning the one thing that is really gonna bite us bad – what happens when the truck drivers get quarrantined? They are already in short supply – look up Class A CDL drivers wanted. They have to travel everywhere to bring all those Amazon goodies from the warehouses. They have to stop at the Walmarts and truckstops. and so on
Kent
Not really worried about that. You can self-quarantine on the road in a big rig pretty easily.
Kent
This is what the Mormon’s do. A 1 years supply of food, which for a big Mormon family is a shitload of food. Like over a ton. Here’s a Mormon prepper manual. They have this stuff down a lot better than most crazed youtube preppers who obsess over knives and weapons.
https://thesurvivalmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/LDS-Preparedness-Manual.pdf
opiejeanne
@West of the Rockies: We watched a Netflix movie today. “Spenser Confidential” has Marky Mark and Alan Arkin, and I’d watch Alan Arkin do just about anything. Mark’s an ex-cop from Boston who just did 5 years for beating up his Chief of Police, Arkin picks him up from prison, his roommate at Arkin’s place is Winston Duke who played Mbaku in “Black Panther” and he’s just about the best thing in the movie.
Post Malone and Marc Maron also make appearances.
Noskilz
Take care and best of luck with the trip.
opiejeanne
@Major Major Major Major: The info regarding known cases was already out of date by this afternoon. There were 560 cases in WA earlier today, and the last time I looked it was at least 570. It’s gaining momentum and the reporting can’t keep up
King County, where I live and where Seattle is located had 328 cases alone according to the latest numbers I can find.
prostratedragon
@joel hanes:
Had braised beef with lentils years ago at Gratzi in Ann Arbor. Got me into lentils.
JaySinWA
@Kent: If you look at the map from the Secretary of State webpage Bernie is winning (usually narrowly) in central and parts of eastern Washington. In most of them the majority vote was Republican. Kind of a strange outcome.’
I was fairly sure King county would be close (and realistically it still is close statewide). While there may be more Burners here numerically than elsewhere history was not on his side. Clinton won King county in the 2016 primary
https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20200310/President-Democratic-Party_ByCounty.html
JaySinWA
@JaySinWA: The 2016 map shows a somewhat different Bernie country map. https://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20160524/President-Democratic-Party_ByCounty.html
Kent
@JaySinWA: Yes, if you look at the vote totals, most of those Bernie counties have between a couple hundred and a few thousand votes. So highly possible they are old GOP ranchers gleefully meddling in the primary. That’s hard-core wingnut country so lots are probably tuned into wingnut media sources that pushed that idea.
The only sizeable counties that went Bernie are Whatcomb (Bellingham and WWU) and Yakima (heavily Hispanic).
opiejeanne
@Kent:
Not entirely true. My youngest works for Alaska ****** Lines in the offices at the docks. They have paid sick leave but they have to come in to work when they’ve used it up or Alaska will starve. She had a nasty cold, took a couple of days off when it was at the worst, and went back to work. A co-worker has terrible bronchitis, used up all of her sick leave and is sitting at the next desk, hacking and wheezing away. My daughter says she deals with at least 100 people a day over the front counter, and who knows what they have.
She’s going to do some shopping for us when we run out of fresh produce so we can stay at home. She won’t come inside, she will wear gloves and a mask when she drops off supplies. Her mil sent her a big box of masks, nitrile gloves, and a case of Purell, unasked for. The woman married a Trumper two years ago, and she’s become sort of one even though she used to be a liberal Democrat; she doesn’t think the virus is a hoax.
TS (the original)
I do not believe that anyone who has this virus is responsible for killing someone else. many people who have/will get coronavirus have no idea as to when/where they got it – they can but follow guidlines (sadly lacking until recently in the US). I am incredibly stressed & frightened about it – but I will not blame myself or anyone else for what happens in the future
joel hanes
@prostratedragon:
As I understand it, the prune is specific cultivar — they don’t dry Santa Rosa plums to make prunes, they dry prunes.
Casa De Fruta has dried plums and calls them dried plums. They’re considerably more tart.
Steeplejack (phone)
Reviewing Friday’s Twitter gems . . .
Steeplejack (phone)
?BillinGlendaleCA
@HumboldtBlue: Madame said the kid was saying that they’re having to reuse surgical mask in the OR she works in.
Damien
I have to pose a question that I haven’t seen even remotely discussed anywhere else, and I need someone else’s input on it:
How is this going to intersect with the obesity epidemic? Given that obesity lowers your ability to fight disease, and research indicating that the obese shed influenza virus for longer, do we think this is going to come back and even more severely bite us in the substantial ass?
pat
@Ruckus:
Look for soup broths with low or no salt, cook them up with pasta, add some frozen vegs without salt.
Crushed tomatoes are also available with low or no salt.
I check labels on everything and it is astonishing how much salt is in most prepared foods, but as I said, there are lots with little salt.
WereBear
Waiting in line for gas/people dying in hospital hallways.
Panic selling of land yachts/seeing Dear Leader and company violating every rule of not spreading the virus.
Worrying about long road trips/bunkering in the house with a year’s worth of toilet paper.
Naw. Don’t think it comes close.
J R in WV
@Be BernieAPOSTROPHEs Valentine:
This is the most stupid comment posted on any web site in the past month on any subject. The exact opposite is true, voting for Bernie in primaries will kill people because if elected in the general election, Bernie is not more competent to manage this crisis than Trump, who would actually be more likely to win the general election running against a guy stupid enough to praise Fidel Castro and other authoritarian communists.
You are now living in the Balloon Juice Pie Safe for the rest of your commenting life, until you get SARS-Covid-19 and become unable to type for a lack of oxygen in your brain… which thinking about it as probably already happened from the stupidity of your remark. Also, fuck you for being so stupid as to vote for a Russian Tool who hates the Democratic party with a passion, but is still willing ot use that same Democratic party for his own power aggrandizement. Yes, and do that a second time.
And now: INTO THE PIE SAFE WITH YOU RUSSIAN TROLL!!!
Martin
@Damien: Diabetics are in the at-risk group.
Martin
Well, that tells you something. Apple has reopened all of their mainland China stores and is closing all stores not in mainland China.
opiejeanne
@prostratedragon: I can assure you that Californians know what a plum is. They were a popular backyard fruit tree in most of the state, although a mature Santa Rosa plum tree will produce more than six families can eat.
opiejeanne
@Jay Noble: This is why a lot of people are buying toilet paper: a disruption in the supply chain. Also, a friend mentioned that she just realized that her favorite toilet paper is made in China and she wondered if that would still be available in the near future. I had no idea we imported the stuff from China.
opiejeanne
@joel hanes: I’ve seen Italian prune trees for sale at nurseries. I had no idea that prunes weren’t dried plums.
J R in WV
@Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):
Oddly, one of the first things I thought of to buy from Amazon, got two orders in, no problem, now I have 200 in hand and once more of that amount still in shipping. Last night I was really snotty like a head cold, only to find I had been squirting an empty nasal spray for my allergies up my nose. New nasal spray helped with that, so now I don’t suspect I’m coming down with something. Except for the insomnia I’ve had off and on since giant orange turd was elected.
Seems like every new thread leads me to a troll who needs to be locked into the pie safe. Thanks Watergirl, M^4 and cleek for that invention, every web site with comments needs that tool for sure!
MomSense
My kid and his SO got a puppy yesterday. I feel like a grandparent hearing about the housebreaking and getting adorable photos.
I’m worried about him because he has asthma and I hate this helpless feeling. I’ve had a cold as well and I worry that it’s not really a cold and I’m going to kill my mom. Ugh. This whole thing is very stressful.
I keep thinking about the videos of Italians playing music on their balconies and how wonderful that is- embracing their humanity and beauty at a really dark time.
206inKY
@West of the Rockies: That’s a beautiful thought. I’m trying so hard to be positive, but like John, my anxiety disorder is totally out of control. Tonight I had a panic attack that shoes were a weak spot in my lockdown and so i sanitized the whole floor with lysol. At 3am. It’s putting my stress at unmanageable levels, and I have to wake up to take care of my 4 year old tomorrow. It feels like there are so many people with bad coping skills, like me, who are experiencing more anxiety than can possibly be healthy for the body and mind.
Martin
Very cool tool showing how the virus has mutated and spread.
Damien
@Martin: As a T2D, even though I’m young I’m already buckling down to be inside until things settle. I’ve got over 90 days of all my meds and supplies on lock.
But obesity doesn’t always equal diabetic, but it does still affect the body’s ability to deal with infections, even leaving aside diabetes. So since even our young are obese, I’m really wondering if it’s going to do an additional number on us ?
rikyrah
Want to hibernate too, Cole??
JPL
My power just went off. bah humbug.
JPL
@rikyrah: We’re going to hibernate together right here on Balloon Juice.
WereBear
My job is in tourism. So we’ll see how this all shakes down. I looked like a crazed person last week; now is different.
Mr WereBear and I both have complicating health conditions.
Ran a couple of quick errands at a time we knew town would be deserted. I will see what the situation is on Monday.
Because this thing is moving fast.
satby
@feebog: I’m so sorry.
Noname
@MomSense: I saw your comment yesterday about working around the corner from an outpatient clinic…I work down the street from that clinic! That news really set me on edge. I’m right there with John and a lot of others, trying to hold it together, my OCD is in overdrive from all this which makes things even more difficult. Also there is not a roll of tp to be found anywhere in York county. Even paper towels are scarce.
MomSense
@Noname:
Hey neighbor, we probably walk by each other all the time and don’t know it! I got a big bag of TP Wednesday night in Sagadahoc County but there is no more to be found in York Cumberland or Sagadahoc. I’m hoping our office closes but who knows.
Msb
Everyone is right to feel scared and anxious. Nevertheless, getting paralyzed by anxiety doesn’t help me do any of the things I need to do to get myself, my family and friends, and my society through this.
so I’m taking one step, and one day, at a time. Trying to do what I need to do in a socially responsible way.
sending good thoughts and good energy to all.
Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ
I’m starting to Panera c because I’m surrounded by people who have bought the BS from Cheetolini and Fox News that this is all no big deal. One of these idiots is my ex, with whom I share custody of my son. I keep trying to make him understand that he needs to protect our child and avoid crowds but he simply won’t listen. It’s making me anxious AF. Plus I didn’t stick up on supplies a week or two ago like I wanted to and now the stores are out of basic stuff like TP. AND my older kid has severe asthma and just got over a sinus infection that really kicked his butt. I’m playing “what ifs” in my head and it’s scaring me.
satby
I’m up and getting ready for my last market day for the next few weeks. I wouldn’t go but it isn’t too hard to keep a reasonable distance as a vendor, I expect it not to be busy, and need to pack up my booth to bring home. Then I am ready to hunker down. Everything around here is cancelled, so staying home will be pretty easy.
I’ve been fighting some sinus thing too, but no fever and no other symptoms so not worrying too much. But not taking chances for the next few weeks. Hopefully we can flatten this curve working together.
WereBear
I’m seeing articles on Twitter about Millenials trying to get elderly relatives to see sense and getting Fox News talking points back while the olds merrily do whatever they want.
mrmoshpotato
@satby: If you end the last day by smacking that woman who was stealing part of your space, make sure to wear gloves. :)
Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ
Panera C? Panic, is what I actually meant to say.
mrmoshpotato
@Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ:
Mmmmm broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl!
Only available after 10AM?! What about my breakfast soup?!
mrmoshpotato
@WereBear: Just came across this tweet.
mrmoshpotato
@Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ:
No. You know what you were saying. The random ‘C’ was a bit weird, but it’s ok.
Aziz, light!
I hit six crowded stores on Friday, all of them in the throes of panic buying here in Portland.
While we blithely chat about staying home and catching up on our reading, what about all those low-paid drivers and shelf stockers and cashiers standing behind registers to sell us stuff we want (the latter forced to expose themselves to contact with thousands of customers, some who might be shedding virus, as long as this goes on)? They don’t have the luxury of staying home without a paycheck.
I’ve started wearing nitrile gloves whenever I shop, and note that today among all the shoppers I saw not a soul doing the same as they push carts and enter PINs on keypads. Wouldn’t gloves be the first line of defense?
Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ
@mrmoshpotato: While I am panicky I’m not to the point of gibbering……yet. ;-)
satby
@mrmoshpotato: ?? actually have a box of nitrile gloves packed along with Lysol cleaner to share as well as wear. I need my stock out of the booth and home to fill online orders, plus a couple of customers are coming in today even though I told them I could ship. My local FB page is updated that I can ship orders, plus I’ll have a sign out while I’m gone.
The crazy essential oils lady who’s a competitor in the market is 78, a cancer survivor, and wears a pillbox with nitroglycerin pills around her neck for her heart condition. I told her Thursday that today was going to be my last time for at least two weeks, and see said she made the most money ever last Saturday. And “she has Thieves Blend essential oils, so she’s going to be just fine”. OMIFG.
WereBear
Yes, and someone got there first.
However, regular gloves are on sale for 75% off right now, and I grabbed some of them, which can be washed at home.
WereBear
@mrmoshpotato: That would certainly be a fine class-action suit.
Starfish
@Major Major Major Major: At this point, the fans of a certain presidential candidate just look pathetic. No one wants to “shake things up” while inside a global pandemic. Some of the progressive changes that people have wanted may be upon us with a quickness. A week of paid sick leave is going to look reasonable next to the pandemic package.
WereBear
@satby:
The world’s finest dramatist could not have come up with a more perfect Bond Villain vector to target Fox News viewers.
It’s downright eerie to see all this counting down.
mrmoshpotato
@Mrs. D. Ranged in AZ: Breakfast. soup. :)
mrmoshpotato
@satby:
Cancer survivor, heart condition. Now I’m just shocked she’d encroach on your stall. How’d she not think you might jump out one morning with a hearty “Booga booga booga!”
I know you wouldn’t, but still…
mrmoshpotato
@WereBear: Yes. Suing the shit outta the Murdochs for taking a dump in (grand)dad’s skull.
Starfish
@Morzer: I just read about Patient 31 in South Korea exposing 1000 people.
mrmoshpotato
@Starfish: Oh? Well, do you know of a better time to burn all of our institutions to the ground in a glorious Revolution! with no plans for rebuilding?
Everyone knows the unicorns will fart us a new utopia.
Starfish
@Mary G: It took me a minute to realize that was not someone in this administration being very Islamaphobic.
Chris Johnson
@John Cole: Yeah, I actually put ginger in my breakfast oatmeal. Ginger and stevia. It can get kinda spicy at times if I overdo it, but it’s far from boring :)
Noname
@MomSense: Good for you, hope you and yours stay safe and well. Happy to hear about the new puppy.
Rusty
@HumboldtBlue: thank you for sharing, it’s beautiful.
HeartlandLiberal
Here in South Central Indiana, we did our last run to stock up yesterday. Shelves at Sams Club stripped empty of toilet tissue, been that way for several days. Grocery stores have been stripped of hand sanitizer and alcohol for days. Our final stop was our local Kroger, and even the canned vegetable shelves had been stripped of 90% of stock. I had shown my wife an article a video a week ago with an interview of an old Italian guy in northern Italy, marveling over the grocery shelves stripped clean of pasta. Said he had not since that since WWII. I saw it yesterday at our Kroger. Probably 15 feet of shelf space, six levels high, 95% stripped of dry pasta stock.
Good thing we started stocking 10 days ago, and beat the panic rush. We are staying in now for next few weeks, and watching what happens. My 54 year old son has COPD, ephysema, and an enlarged heart. Very high risk for this virus.
Our neighbor, a 71 year old semi-retired doctor, who still works a weekly shift at an urgent care center (he is a good man, and loves helping others, used to go to Africa and Bangladesh to work week long non-stop shifts providing services, including general surgery), has gotten leave for four weeks. He is very high risk, leg circulation issues almost dropped him a few years ago. And his wife’s 95 year old mom lives with them. The virus would kill her. So I was really glad when we talked yesterday to learn they were also hunkering down. I had emailed him asking what they were going to do, I was so worried.
Uncle Cosmo
@Chetan Murthy: Sheldon, my cardiologist, wants me to keep my salt intake down. When I told him that though I rarely have sugar cravings (he & I are both Type 2 diabetics) I do get salt cravings, he said, The problem is that while we have stuff that tastes like sugar but doesn’t metabolize like it, there is just no good substitute for salt.
A lot of folks get fed up with no-salt seasonings like Mrs Dash because they have so little flavor. Gel Spice Co. of Bayonne NY makes two versions (Original, Garlic & Herb) of Flavor-Mate Salt-Free seasonings (no MSG either) that retail go for about $8/lb & have a pretty good kick. I use it on everything short of ice cream & am very happy with it. I gave Shel a bottle a couple of years ago & he liked it so much he ordered more on-line. (ETA: Not sure where – here’s Gel’s home page but I don’t see any way to order from there. You could ask them.) You might need a spice grinder (or repurposed coffee grinder) for shaker use – it’s kinda coarse. Good luck!
henqiguai
@joel hanes #114:
Or an even more generous interpretation – she was buying with the intention to redistribute to extended family and/or friends and/or community, or she’s a property owner and was buying to distribute to her tenants. Just throwing that out, because I freely admit I am not that (generous) guy seeing the humanity in everyone.
Uncle Cosmo
@joel hanes: Consider an even more generous explanation: She lives in a community with a high percentage of older folks & intended to distribute her purchases among them.
I live alone but when I make a run to the H&S Bakery outlet store (cheap barstid that I am) I usually buy a few extra loaves for the widow across the street (who was here when I moved in >32 years ago) & some of the other health-challenged folks on the block. And that was well before the Current Uneasiness.
ETA: I see henqiguai immediately above beat me to it. Grayed minds, same gutters, usw.
HeartlandLiberal
@Uncle Cosmo: “Grayed minds, same gutters, usw.”: Und so weiter?? Sprechen Sie Deutsch. One of my prime pleasures in retirement is access to German TV movies on zdf.de and ard.de Mediathek web sites. Keeps my German alive. I even have favorite series, z.B. (e.g.) Nord bei Nordwest, in latest episode of which they killed off one of the three main characters. Sigh.
Uncle Cosmo
@NotMax: Consider “frequent liar miles” thefted.
Uncle Cosmo
@HeartlandLiberal: Jawohl! I can even sing a passable version of Die Moritat von Mackie Messer. But only the first verse – not gonna commit to memory the other ‘lebenty-seven.
Next time instead of usw. maybe I’ll use atd. Figure out what tongue that comes from, du Lausbube…
Mandarama
@Uncle Cosmo: I would also recommend Penzey’s Mural of Flavor seasoning. We put it on so much stuff! Esp good on potatoes. No salt.
Mandarama
@Rusty: Oh, Rusty! That’s so much to process. No wonder you are overwhelmed. Sending good thoughts your way. Better days ahead.
Josie
@Martin:
I hope you keep posting this sort of message. The numerical facts are helpful in understanding what is coming and oddly calming. Also, please explain to a neophyte what this means: e^.33t.
joel hanes
@opiejeanne:
a mature Santa Rosa plum tree will produce more than six families can eat.
At least they don’t all ripen in the same week, and go bad on the shelf in a matter of days, like apricots.
A friend used to have three apricot trees in his backyard. When they bore well, there would be ten days on which I ate six or eight perfect fresh apricots a day — and then they were mostly gone.
This is why dried apricots were a big thing.
joel hanes
@opiejeanne:
Botanically, the “prune” is a particular variety of plum, bred over centuries to produce the dried fruit.
joel hanes
@Noname:
there is not a roll of tp to be found anywhere in York county.
This is probably temporary.
The solution is simple: immediate shower. Another opportunity to let soap do its magic.
joel hanes
@Uncle Cosmo:
I can even sing a passable version of Die Moritat von Mackie Messer
I have only gasthaus-pidgin German, but I can sing The Kufsteiner Lied, with credible yodeling, and considerable gusto. It was very useful while backpacking up through dense huckleberry brush in the grizzly-bear territory of Glacier National Park. Saw a still-warm grizzly scat on the trail, but never saw a bear, which was just what I wanted.
Glidwrith
@Josie: Not a mathematician, apologies if I get it wrong: e is natural log, you can see the symbol on your calculator. The ^ is probably symbol for exponent, t is time. So, take 10 days x 0.33 = 3.3. Push e^x button on calculator, get 27.11 days.
Josie
@Glidwrith:
Thanks