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In 40 minutes, at midday, I'll be going into government enforced lockdown.
I went out this morning to fetch the bins and bumped into the council litter picker.
He said that "they" aren't telling us everything and that really a country has exploded a nuclear bomb and the radiation is now all around us and falling out of the sky.
My god, it's going to be a boring couple of weeks.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
I'm with the Alien Invasion theory. You'll wake up one day and see ET munching on your legs 👽
Follow advice (not from the nutters down the pub, or weirdos online) and stay safe.
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
The elderly lady that I have become *friendly* with turned into an eight foot lizard at the height of our intimacy this morning.
It nearly put me off.
Was told yesterday that the police were helping in clearing out hotels in Blackpool which were being requisitioned to be used as temporary hospitals...
Was told yesterday that the police were helping in clearing out hotels in Blackpool which were being requisitioned to be used as temporary hospitals...
The Corona League -
The UK is in 11th place in the table.
France is 7th.
It's usually updated at around 8 o'clockish every evening.
Keep your chin up Spell. We are in for a treat when you unleash all your frustrations on Sunday night methinks
I'm going out for a bike ride to take some exercise. That's allowed under the rules but the lockdown is being enforced by law. There's currently a fine for flouting it. Roadblocks are going up today.
You're allowed out under the following 5 circumstances:
- Go to work but only if you can't work from home.
- Make essential purchases.
- Health reasons
- For urgent family matters / helping old and vulnerable
- Brief movements near where you live for individual exercise and dog walking
As well as that everywhere (shops, schools, bars, and restaurants etc) is shut.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
I'm going out for a bike ride to take some exercise. That's allowed under the rules but the lockdown is being enforced by law. There's currently a fine for flouting it. Roadblocks are going up today.
You're allowed out under the following 5 circumstances:
- Go to work but only if you can't work from home.
- Make essential purchases.
- Health reasons
- For urgent family matters / helping old and vulnerable
- Brief movements near where you live for individual exercise and dog walking
As well as that everywhere (shops, schools, bars, and restaurants etc) is shut.
I'll be here to keep you spirits up this week Spell. Stopped coughing last night
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Back from my daily exercise outing and activity isn't down to zero.
It's like a quiet Sunday afternoon put there with about a quarter or a third of the usual comings and goings.
I managed to simulated a cough a few times as I sped past pedestrians on my bike.
Who's actually policing the lockdown Spell? Can't be anywhere near enough police officers to do the job 24/7.
[Post edited 18 Mar 2020 10:34]
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Who's actually policing the lockdown Spell? Can't be anywhere near enough police officers to do the job 24/7.
[Post edited 18 Mar 2020 10:34]
It's the police at the moment.
The army are knocking about on standby but only to start taking sick people to hospital if it gets bad.
Being on lockdown for a week or two should be OK and generally accepted. Anything longer term, or if there's a change of circumstances, might lead to problems.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
The army are knocking about on standby but only to start taking sick people to hospital if it gets bad.
Being on lockdown for a week or two should be OK and generally accepted. Anything longer term, or if there's a change of circumstances, might lead to problems.
The chemist's shop was open.
People had to wait outside and only go in 1 at a time.
If a family was waiting, only 1 of them could go in.
Learning to read clusters is not something your eyes do naturally. It takes constant practice.
People had to wait outside and only go in 1 at a time.
If a family was waiting, only 1 of them could go in.
So you don't think the fabric of French society will hold together if this lockdown stretches for 4 - 5 months?
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Also, the weather will soon start to get very nice and people will want to go out and live a little.
Found sometime in the future.......
The Lockdown Diaries: Day 177
Finally got the old lady down the road to come around, just finished packing her limbs into the freezer. No idea where her false teeth went. Need some decent cheese and a wine to wash her down with, wonder if the local farmer is still around......
[Post edited 18 Mar 2020 11:30]
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’
Finally got the old lady down the road to come around, just finished packing her limbs into the freezer. No idea where her false teeth went. Need some decent cheese and a wine to wash her down with, wonder if the local farmer is still around......
[Post edited 18 Mar 2020 11:30]
Hope this isn`t the same `old lady` that is Robbie`s, ahem, `friend`.
Hope this isn`t the same `old lady` that is Robbie`s, ahem, `friend`.
Let`s hope she was sedated on both occasions...
[Post edited 18 Mar 2020 12:12]
If this article is anywhere near accurate in the NYT then we're in for the long haul.
U.S. Virus Plan Anticipates 18-Month Pandemic and Widespread Shortages
The 100-page federal plan laid out a grim prognosis and outlined a response that would activate agencies across the government.
WASHINGTON – A federal government plan to combat the coronavirus warned policymakers last week that a pandemic “will last 18 months or longer” and could include “multiple waves,” resulting in widespread shortages that would strain consumers and the nation’s health care system.
The 100-page plan, dated Friday, the same day President Trump declared a national emergency, laid out a grim prognosis for the spread of the virus and outlined a response that would activate agencies across the government and potentially employ special presidential powers to mobilize the private sector.
Among the “additional key federal decisions” listed among the options for Mr. Trump was invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950, a Korean War-era law that authorizes a president to take extraordinary action to force American industry to ramp up production of critical equipment and supplies such as ventilators, respirators and protective gear for health care workers.
“Shortages of products may occur, impacting health care, emergency services, and other elements of critical infrastructure,” the plan warned. “This includes potentially critical shortages of diagnostics, medical supplies (including PPE and pharmaceuticals), and staffing in some locations.” P.P.E. refers to personal protective equipment.
The plan continued: “State and local governments, as well as critical infrastructure and communications channels, will be stressed and potentially less reliable. These stresses may also increase the challenges of getting updated messages and coordinating guidance to these jurisdictions directly.”
The plan, which was unclassified but marked “For Official Use Only // Not For Public Distribution or Release,” was shared with The New York Times as Mr. Trump escalated his efforts to curb the spread of the virus. After weeks of playing down the seriousness of the pandemic, saying it would miraculously disappear, Mr. Trump began shifting to a more sober tone during a news conference on Friday announcing the national emergency.
Much of the plan is bureaucratic in nature, describing coordination among agencies and actions that in some cases have already been taken, like urging schools to close and large events to be canceled. But its discussion of the Defense Production Act came as lawmakers and others urged Mr. Trump to invoke its powers.
“While the administration’s response has so far lacked the urgency this crisis has called for, there are still steps you can take to mitigate the damage,” Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, wrote in a letter to Mr. Trump on Tuesday. “Invoking the powers vested in the DPA will enable the federal government to step up and take the type of aggressive steps needed in this time of uncertainty.”
Another letter sent last week by 57 House Democrats led by Representative Andy Levin of Michigan made similar points: “During World War II, our country adapted to the demands of the time to produce mass quantities of bombers, tanks, and many smaller items needed to save democracy and freedom in the world. We know what the demands of this time are, and we must act now to meet these demands.”
Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, said that Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper told him on Tuesday that the Pentagon would provide federal health workers with five million respirator masks and 2,000 specialized ventilators. “The American public is on wartime footing in terms of battling the spread of this disease, and the Pentagon has to be part of the effort to help protect the health and safety of the American people,” Mr. Reed said.
But Mr. Trump said on Tuesday that he was not ready to invoke the Defense Production Act. “We’re able to do that if we have to,” he told reporters. “Right now, we haven’t had to, but it’s certainly ready. If I want it, we can do it very quickly. We’ve studied it very closely over two weeks ago, actually. We’ll make that decision pretty quickly if we need it. We hope we don’t need it. It’s a big step.”
Passed in 1950 shortly after American troops went to war defending South Korea against an invasion from North Korea, the Defense Production Act was based on powers used during World War II and authorized the president to require businesses to prioritize and accept contracts necessary for national defense.
Over the years, its scope has been expanded to include domestic preparedness and national emergencies. A president can make direct loans or loan guarantees and purchase commitments, subsidies or other incentives to influence industry to help in times of crisis.
Other key decisions outlined as options for the president include distributing medical supplies and equipment from the Strategic National Stockpile, providing money to states to help them meet demands caused by the coronavirus outbreak and prioritizing the distribution of essential resources to focus on areas most in need.
“The spread and severity of Covid-19 will be difficult to forecast and characterize,” the government plan said. It warned of “significant shortages for government, private sector, and individual U.S. consumers.”
‘Where there is harmony, may we bring discord. Where there is truth, may we bring error. Where there is faith, may we bring doubt. And where there is hope, may we bring despair’