We have some close friends who have been pretty risk averse (wife is tiny but has very high-controlled with meds-blood pressure, husband is very heavy). They are members of a professional club that has a very large restaurant/bar/ballroom setup. Last week they went to eat at the restaurant and told my DH that it was the safest place to eat in Dallas.
They invited us to dine with them there tonight, and we agreed. I was less enthusiastic than DH. If it turns out my idea of “safe dining” is vastly different from theirs, I will not agree to go again.
This will be the first time we have been in the company of friends since early March.
Regarding restaurants with patio/outdoor seating…are they providing restroom facilities for their customers?
I ask because while picking up our to-go order last night I noticed a sign on the window saying ‘for everyones safety we do not have restrooms available, thank you for understanding’. I saw that their patio was set up with tables - but no customers when I came for the pick-up. So, is it possible one can now eat outside but not be able to use the loo?
According to your previous posts, Palm Beach County has always been a bustling hub of activity. Surprised to hear that that activity just keeps going up and up!
What I find disingenuous is that some on here are always talking about Stay At Home Orders being the cause of the wrecked economy. You must know very well (since you are clearly an intelligent person) that the economy would have been wrecked in March and April even if every single business was open. As you mentioned, people make their own choices and economic activity took a big hit early on, even in states that had no SAH order. Exponential growth would have given us huge death rates and even more massive fear - which would keep most at home (or waiting to get into a hospital, or dead) and not spending money. So why keep going with the false political narrative? You also seem to have disdain for the “party line scientists” but give the federal government politicians a pass “how would they know?” when they clearly downplayed the risks of this back in Jan/Feb AND totally screwed up the testing situation.
As an independent, I like facts, and really try not to be colored by political tendencies. I will change my behavior based on facts as the come out. SAH was necessary in March/April, and not necessary now because we now have testing and tracing, are following social distancing and wearing masks (I haven’t read the cloth masks studies, so for now, I stick with surgical since those are effective at reducing spread). Information on surfaces says that very little spread comes from that, so I’m not obsessive about it - just slightly higher than normal on cleanliness. I think all outdoor activities should open without restrictions since outdoor spread seems to be minimal, and since local authorities allowed protests - all outdoor activities should be allowed.
I like this thread for the most part, I just wish people would be less political and more fact focused. Some come back here in glee talking about how many places are rising in cases, just as they predicted! Just as frustrating as the gleeful flaunting of Covid avoidance activities like SD, mask wearing, etc…
Historically, Americans have come together in tough times, when it mattered. I don’t see that happening during this crisis. The decisiveness that has leaked into every single part of our lives and is at extremes. Hope we can come back from this to a better place.
I do not blame anyone who is staying home and getting Unemployment + $600 a week. Economically, it’s a no brainer unless that’s job has something else to offer And it had better be good if there are health risks to the job.
But it’s not going to help a lot of businesses on the brink.
Many of the well to do did as those well to do in the past way back past the days of the plague when disease hit the cities. They fled to their country homes where the population density was in their favor to avoid infection. They didn’t know the science behind it, but they sure knew what worked. So it is still today.
So, yes, those who worked through the pandemic because they had to do so, or pretty much be in very bad financial shape and lose a lot, that’s another burden of poverty. There are some who worked because they felt they should keep essential devices going, did not believe the risks were so great in their jobs, and various other reason too.
Some rents, mortgages and other payments that have been deferred are going to come due July 15, are they not, and could be in full amounts too. Kind of dumb not having some payment plan options start at that time. Not like those who couldn’t afford to pay these last months are suddenly getting Pennys from Heaven on due day. Where on earth did lawmakers think those who couldn’t pay these last several months are going to have the accumulated debt ready to pay off like that? I know it’s an issue here. And on the other Side of the coin, landlords who depended on that income have been looking for replacements for deadbeat tenants they can finally evict soon, write off those months as bad debt and maybe it will be included in those tenants income. This is going to be a tough year.
These workers now getting the +$600 and choosing not to come back to work are making lifestyle choices in the same way that the 1% does when it got its nice tax cut. I know what you’re saying, Bunsen. A friend of mine owns a popular, well-established coffee shop in Denver. She couldn’t rehire any of her laid off staffers because they were making more on unemployment. The only people she could hire were people who for whatever reason didn’t qualify for unemployment earlier in the year.
The difference is, she’s honest enough to say, “I don’t blame them. In their spot I’d do the same.”
As long as the 1% doesn’t feel embarrassed by its tax cuts, I see no reason why waiters should feel embarrassed - much less give up their unemployment benefits +$600.
“This week have proven to be a record week for case counts and hospitalizations in the Houston and Texas region. On Wednesday, Texas reported the largest single-day increase in confirmed cases. This week also marks when the COVID-19 general hospital population in Harris County was the highest it has ever been, Harris County Lina Hidalgo said during a Thursday press conference when she announced a new COVID-19 new public health threat level system.
The Houston region is currently at Code Orange, or Level 2, which translates to an uncontrolled level of ongoing transmission and spread. If hospitalizations and ICU populations continue to rise, Hidalgo said the region may be “approaching the precipice of a disaster” and county and city leaders may recommend residents stay home again, only to leave for groceries, medications or to care for a loved one.”
I got a free Covid-19 virus test today. I have no symptoms, but I’ve been following a local data analyst who strongly recommends that everyone get tested, and do it regularly, so I did.
The city has free mobile testing sites and one was close to me this week. It was a 10 minute wait to be processed and the test was just a few seconds. They swabbed both nostrils to about the top of my nose, but not back beyond that.
I left with a cloth mask, a bag of resource info and another bag of food. I’ll find out the results in a day or two. It’s great when things work this seamlessly! This made me more hopeful about a competent future, living with this virus.
You’re giving me a headache. If I delete some posts, which I probably should, I will inevitably miss some and then I will get a flood of complaints about how biased I am. So I am not deleting any posts before this one, but I will start now. Can you please behave like adults?
With respect to restaurants and bathrooms I’ve always been the family champ of going in and out very quickly. I have always touched as little as possible and relied on my own hand sanitizer rather than the often trickle of ice cold water and the often empty soap dispenser in public bathrooms. Given that time appears to be a significant factor in transmission if I go to an outdoor restaurant I’d be sure to keep to my prior practices and even forgo the quicklook in the mirror I used to indulge in.
I did a big marketing at Walmart over the last few days with pickup this morning. Stocked up on a lot of pantry items. Only a few substitutions but they were instead of 2 large Hellman’s Mayo they gave me 4 of the smaller size for same price. The only thing they didn’t have was fresh pineapple chunks.
They also did away with all plastic bags so shopper just put them in truck individually.
I liked this better because I can easily see what need to be put away(after wiping down) immediately without rummaging through all the bags. I put the rest of the stuff in my reusable bags where they can sit on floor of laundry room “aging.”
I’ve been super happy with Walmart pickup. Last I checked (maybe a week ago) still no times available at my regular market - due to high demand.
I had a new car delivered to my home yesterday, from a dealership in Detroit. It worked really well, but he wanted a certified check, which meant a trip to the bank. None of the tellers were wearing masks and I was motioned up to the only teller that did not have plexiglass. When I refused to move forward, she went to another station and got the plexiglass shield and moved it to her register. We can’t be afraid to speak up.
@taverngirl - Re: too much screentime for your son… Have you expanded your kid’s social bubble yet? I have - and my D has been having a very good 2 weeks. High School is over, so she sleeps late. Then gets together with friends outdoors - at their house, our house, out for take out coffee/lunch. She works 4 nights a week at a restaurant, which also helps. She’s also been going to the beach with friends - once a week - which is absolutely fantastic. I recommend your kid expand his circle for outdoor activities, since its low risk.
One mask I saw at the zoo yesterday said “This was preventable”. This was on a dad who gives me hope for the future in how he was interacting with his kids. (What’s unusual about this animal? How do you think he uses that? Lots of questions, comments, listening.)
How do you stay on unemployment if your job comes back? Do you and your boss just agree not to tell anyone you were called back?