Covid-19 lockdown check-in

[Admiral Yi]

It reminds me of Tony Judt opening Postwar with a two-footed challenge on Austria:
"After Germany was defeated Austria fell into the Western camp and was assigned the status of Hitler's 'first victim'. This stroke of doubly unmerited good fortune authorised Vienna to exorcise its past. Its Nazi allegiance conveniently forgotten, the Austrian capital - a 'Western' city surrounded by Soviet 'eastern' Europe - acquired a new identity as outrider and exemplar of the free world."

He also goes on to observe that Austria supplied more SS men and camp guards than Germany per capita.  Austria sucks in that way.

[Syt]

Yes, it refers to Austrian independence from Germany. Needless to say, Austria's relationship with the period is complicated. For a long time they liked to style themselves as "Hitler's first victim", and only since the 70s/80s has that view changed. But whether there should be a monument to honor Wehrmacht deserters was still a big controversy a few years ago.

[Josquius]

Why was that controversial?
I hope they made it in the end.

[Syt]

Yeah, they erected it. Looks like an X-Files fansite, though.



Officially, it's "Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_for_the_Victims_of_Nazi_Military_Justice

Criticism came mostly from (unsurprisingly) the right and especially conservative military circles arguing that desertion is a crime in every military of the world and is not just a dereliction of duty against the country, but also against one's brothers in arms and should therefore not be honored.

[derspiess]

Gov. DeWine changed course and said customers will not be required to wear masks in stores, just employees.  I will probably wear one if I can find something that doesn't look too dorky.

[DGuller]

Gov. DeWine changed course and said customers will not be required to wear masks in stores, just employees.  I will probably wear one if I can find something that doesn't look too dorky.

Seems like a dumb decision.  If people really want to exit lockdown as fast as possible, mandatory mask wearing for everyone is the way to go.  Starting a second wave is not an effective way to return to business as usual.

[Valmy]

Gov. DeWine changed course and said customers will not be required to wear masks in stores, just employees.  I will probably wear one if I can find something that doesn't look too dorky.

So you can get them sick but then they are less likely to get the other customers sick. Makes sense.

[Syt]

Went shopping and took the subway for the first time in almost 7 weeks (two stops, though I have to change trains). For it being 8:20 am on a weekday both trains were deserted like on an early Sunday morning.

The supermarket I went to is in the basement of a (currently closed) department store on Vienna's main shopping street. It connects directly to the subway and you pass it when you go from subway to the store. It has a street level entrance but it's not well marked. Alternatively, you can access it by driving into the parking garage.

That said, while it was far from empty, it was nowhere near as busy as it normally is. I like going there because of the range of products on offer, but I dislike how busy it normally is. I presume their somewhat unique location hits them harder than supermarkets that you can access directly from the street and which are frequented at near normal levels AFAICT.

[KRonn]

Ohio is going to start to open back up.  Medical procedures not requiring an overnight stay can start May 1.  Manufacturing, distribution & construction can open May 4 (I thought construction was already allowed).  On May 12 all retail can open, but we all have to wear those dumb masks. 

Restaurants, gyms, and salons are to remain closed.  So I can't get my hair did

Massachusetts Governor just extended the shutdown to at least May 18. This state is about in the middle of the curve of virus cases.

[KRonn]

I did some grocery shopping this morning at 6am, during my local Stop and Shop senior hours. Last week meat and chicken were scarce, no burger and little chicken. Just some pork and not much of that. This week it was full up with everything, a bit to my surprise. I've been wanting to make a meat loaf or hamburgers so I bought two one pound packages of burger. Limit on fresh meat was two but I wouldn't have bought anything else anyway.

No hand sanitizer. Milk case was stocked pretty well. Paper aisle was low as usual but I bought a small pack of toilet paper, as I was getting a bit low on that.

The strap on my mask broke as I was checking out in the self service line. I have some new and some old face masks that I had for doing household and outside work, such as mowing lawn during allergy season. Some masks are just old, elastic straps getting weak, so I discarded those. Also bought some other type masks on Amazon and waiting for those to arrive. I looked for made in the US on those.

[mongers]

Went shopping and took the subway for the first time in almost 7 weeks (two stops, though I have to change trains). For it being 8:20 am on a weekday both trains were deserted like on an early Sunday morning.

The supermarket I went to is in the basement of a (currently closed) department store on Vienna's main shopping street. It connects directly to the subway and you pass it when you go from subway to the store. It has a street level entrance but it's not well marked. Alternatively, you can access it by driving into the parking garage.

....

Syt, that was brave of you, I think I'm going to swear off public transport for the duration.

[mongers]

I did some grocery shopping this morning at 6am, during my local Stop and Shop senior hours. Last week meat and chicken were scarce, no burger and little chicken. Just some pork and not much of that. This week it was full up with everything, a bit to my surprise. I've been wanting to make a meat loaf or hamburgers so I bought two one pound packages of burger. Limit on fresh meat was two but I wouldn't have bought anything else anyway.

No hand sanitizer. Milk case was stocked pretty well. Paper aisle was low as usual but I bought a small pack of toilet paper, as I was getting a bit low on that.

The strap on my mask broke as I was checking out in the self service line. I have some new and some old face masks that I had for doing household and outside work, such as mowing lawn during allergy season. Some masks are just old, elastic straps getting weak, so I discarded those. Also bought some other type masks on Amazon and waiting for those to arrive. I looked for made in the US on those.

So someone's keeping those meat packing plants going. 

Here it's still certain categories that are in short supply, like most things to do with home baking. Though last night I popped out to a nearby supermarket 10mins before close and it had no end of eggs, something that's been like hens teeth for the last month or more. 

Yes I should follow you example and start wearing a mask whilst shopping, if only for others sake.

[KRonn]

I've been wearing a mask, for my own good and especially out of consideration of others.

We are expecting shortages of meat and pork as some facilities have shut down due to workers with Covid.

[fromtia]

I've been wearing a mask, for my own good and especially out of consideration of others.

We are expecting shortages of meat and pork as some facilities have shut down due to workers with Covid.

I felt really awkward wearing a mask at first, I go to the grocery store about once every ten days for potatoes and rice (lols) but once I grasped the mask isn't for me, it's for the people who work in the store I felt bolder.

[KRonn]

I felt pretty much the same way, felt odd wearing a mask. I have some newer ones to wear, and ordered some more on line. Most people that I encounter are wearing them but not everyone. But in some parts of Boston, namely Cambridge and Somerville, there are hefty fines for not wearing one. Also required in a few other towns/cities, like Lawrence.