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  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

How are things where you are?

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here in Southern California we are up to 140 cases proven positive so that means about 3 to 10 times that infected. We have no idea as hardly anyone can get tested even if sick!

Folk are trying to work at home.

The building trade workers are happy to be able to work outside in the fresh air.

One building supervisor claimed to my son that, “The whole virus thing is a hoax!”

Meanwhile my wife got a request from her work, (the major most prestigious UCLA University Hospital), asking for “used goggles they could wash, to protect nurses”!

All restaurants and bars are closed but students are flaunting advice and crowding beaches in Florida as they feel they are immune and immortal!

So how is it with you?

Asher
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Here in Cali, Colombia a curfew has been declared for people over seventy beginning tomorrow (includes me) we are allowed to leave home to purchase food and medicine. Beginning Friday at 10pm a full curfew is in place for everybody until Tuesday morning at 4am. Anyone caught outside can receive a year in jail as well as a hefty fine. It may not be long before that full curfew is extended. Probably none of this will have much effect on the narcotrafikers.
 

Andy brown

Well-known member
Asher,
Things are just so weird right now,
Restaurants, clubs, businesses, everything just shutting down.
Qantas, our major airline has just announced its going to be working with a third of normal staff and hardly any flights at all.
Schools are still open at this stage but I don’t think for long.

The streets are emptying.

I can’t see how there won’t be massive repercussions as work just keeps drying up.

My hopes at the moment are that this is a chance for the whole world to have some kind of massive reboot in terms of our habits, our collective thinking, that kind of thing.

The cynical side of my nature is kind of enjoying the fact that capitalism and consumerism is having to wake up to itself and realise it’s not infallible. As I say that, I’m also well aware that I’m being hit financially just like everyone.
Easy for me, I’ve lived most of my life as a pauper and it never dampened my spirits at all.

I’m particularly heartened to see things like clear water running through the canals of Venice and the massive reduction in pollution as industry, air travel, cruise ships etc. all just grind to halt.

Stay safe out there people, I know we have large percentage of older folks on here. Play it smart, lay low and stay well.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
My hopes at the moment are that this is a chance for the whole world to have some kind of massive reboot in terms of our habits, our collective thinking, that kind of thing.

The cynical side of my nature is kind of enjoying the fact that capitalism and consumerism is having to wake up to itself and realise it’s not infallible.
It’s said that the Great European Plague brought about the renaissance!
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
In Munich, shops are closed, except food and essentials, but no curfew yet. I suppose curfew will be announced soon, there are simply too many people crowding parks. I am trying to arrange something with my beekeeping association, many people do not keep their hives at home and will still need to tend them in the next months.

There is a lot less traffic than usual, as many people work from home.

My mother in France informed me that curfew is in operation and police checks passerby regularly.

The weather in most parts of western Europe would be normal for Mai, expected temperature in Munich today is 18°C. Price of fuel is down 15%.

Taking photographs of the situation now is not easy, but I took this one last monday: the local Apple store is closed. Picture taken with an iPhone, what else? 😇

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Peter Dexter

Well-known member
For your security and that of others we ask you to leave this table empty and maintain a distance of one and a half meters/

49677612106_8ff22cf755_b.jpg
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Signs of the times!

Here restaurants are closed for dining in and inspectors arrive if anyone serves folk at a table.

Good that there is plenty of fresh produce and my wife is a fabulous cook!

The pizza companies are very busy and hiring with a thousand vacancies from one chain!

Asher
 

Antonio Correia

Well-known member
Here - Portugal - things are getting worst and cases will be increasing quickly. As usual and happening in many countries, this country is not prepared fro such emergency. However, some measures have been taken and now it is even forbidden to drive except to buy food or medicine.

For those who are older than 70 it is advisable to stay home. 😢

My sun made a quick study which I share with you.

My wife and myself we arrived from India 3 or 4 days before the airline - Emirates - stopped travelling to Portugal. We were lucky or we would be stuck there...
When we departed to India there was no corona in Portugal and while being there all visas were cancelled. While in India, we have all the time been in natural parks with very few foreign tourists but many trees, some wild animals like tigers, leopards and deers. Will this be our last ? :unsure:

 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Please stay home now.

Order good in and wear gloves to delivered groceries.

This is the damn pkague!

Asher
 

nicolas claris

OPF Co-founder/Administrator
For your security and that of others we ask you to leave this table empty and maintain a distance of one and a half meters/

49677612106_8ff22cf755_b.jpg
Isn't it said 1 (one) meter and not 1 and 1/2 meter?
1 meter is the distance between each persons recommended in France…
As for me I try to stay at least 2meters away if I have no choice…
We just go out every 2 or 3 days to fill the fridge…
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
This is a "festivo"weekend meaning three day weekend in Colombia. A curfew begins tonight at 10pm and extends through Tuesday morning 4am. A friend who lives in a village said the road to it is blocked. No one in or out.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
My wife went to the doctor in the hospital here for a detached ligament in a finger. She was told that the administration has instructed physicians like hand surgeons not to wear masks as they don’t have enough!

Also my wife was received a letter pleading to bring in eye goggles that could be washed to protect nurses!


Then the amazing thing!

In the “Town Hall” conference call to the University leaders, they were assured that they have definitely enough masks and goggles!

It reminds me that my uncle in the British Army World War I, was issued a wooden rifle as they didn’t have enough real ones for all the men in the trenches. They were instructed to swop our for a real one when the fellow next to them was shot!

[His trench was attacked with nitrogen-mustard gas and hex was assumed dead and buried alive with scores of corpses and it took days to crawl out!]

What liars leaders can be!
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
Curfew in effect in Bavaria. In Munich, cars with loudspeakers are running around to inform people to stay at home.

I went to the historical centre pedestrian streets today, and the streets are empty:



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Of course the rainy weather helps to control the crowds. We have had splendid weather until today, which let people swarm to the local parks. In turn this conducted the authorities to decide for a curfew.
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Here everyone in the State of California, some 40 million people, are ordered to stay home!

But one can walk the dog or jog alone if one separates from others.

My son was by San Francisco Bay and it is clear for the first time in memory!

Asher
 

Doug Kerr

Well-known member
So far, here in southern New Mexico, there have been no cases of COVID-19 reported in our county (Otero). But in the adjacent county (Doña Ana), which includes New Mexico's second largest city (Las Cruces), there has now been one case reported. The overall count of recognized cases in New Mexico is now at 76.

All restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and so forth are shut down (except for take out food, etc.).

Stocks of food, paper goods, etc. in the major supermarkets are very thin.

Best wishes to all the members as this catastrophe may impact you and yours.

Best regards,

Doug
 

Jerome Marot

Well-known member
So far, here in southern New Mexico, there have been no cases of COVID-19 reported in our county (Otero).

Which does not mean that there aren't contagious people around. One of the reason the virus spreads so well is that there is a proportion of people with little or no symptoms, yet they are contagious.
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
I am currently working on a military base for the department of national defence. I am staying in a very nice accommodation on a small farm near the base. I have everything that I need. My life style is not disrupted in any way and nothing out of the ordinary and no real changes in behaviour. Stores are limiting goods to customers and changing operating hours for some. Some products are difficult to acquire.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
You cannot get sick walking in the wild fresh air! No mask ever needed!

....... even clothes are not needed, except for stinging nettles and bugs that jump from the bushes!

Asher
 

Peter Dexter

Well-known member
Asher no clothes? Do you remember Jack Stephenson the great creator of ultra light "Stephensons Warmlite" tents and sleeping bags? He was a dedicated nudist hiker.
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
Curfew in effect in Bavaria. In Munich, cars with loudspeakers are running around to inform people to stay at home.

I went to the historical centre pedestrian streets today, and the streets are empty:


Of course the rainy weather helps to control the crowds. We have had splendid weather until today, which let people swarm to the local parks. In turn this conducted the authorities to decide for a curfew.

Logic tells me that I would be better off outdoors than confined in buildings with others ?
 

James Lemon

Well-known member
Which does not mean that there aren't contagious people around. One of the reason the virus spreads so well is that there is a proportion of people with little or no symptoms, yet they are contagious.
Symptoms do not show up for about 5 days on average after being infected. That’s the problem people who feel perfectly fine are out infecting others. Best for people to treat themselves and others as being infected symptoms or no symptoms.
 
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Dr Klaus Schmitt

Well-known member
In Germany now every third day shows a doubling in the number of infected.
Yesterday our Chancelor Merkel announced with immediate effect much stricter rules.
Just hope that this will have an effect of the growth rate. We needed stricter rules
much earlier or we end up with conditions like in Italy (however we have the 2nd
most ER beds worldwide per 100.000 people, we are about 83 million btw.)

One good thing, mortality overall is just 0.4% currently (deaths per infected)

The followingchart is time-normalized to reaching the 100th infected person:
source:
https://mackuba.eu/corona/#top_in_europe

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Dr Klaus Schmitt

Well-known member
Who is doing REALLY well handling the situation is SOUTH-KOREA (violet line in graph)!!

Oh and btw. congratulations err condulations to the US gov, soon it "beats" China.... :-(

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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Less and quite distributed people, huge land, healthy life, trillions of (North-Sea oil-)money well invested (infrastructure, healthcare, education - all free...)
Well, add them to South Korea and the Chinese for showing how the epidemic might be tamed, harshly or by a gentler less connected life.

The circles of life WITHIN a small village do not effect virus transmission until it arrives!

Asher
 
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