Costco is Face-Covered Only staring May 4th

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Spacehead

Lifer
Jun 2, 2002
13,067
9,858
136
All the stores around here require people to wear masks to enter. Not everyone does but most do from what i've seen. Been that way for several weeks.

I guess i'm surprised that places are just starting to do this, figured most/all States required that. Guess not.

In case you missed it, masks(non-N95 anyway) only help the wearer from spreading the virus to others. It's not keeping the wearer from getting the virus.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,208
28,910
136
Not going to renew my Costco membership unless this madness is over by renewal time. I don’t even have an opportunity to go on weekdays since they close so damn early.
If Costco extends everybody’s current memberships by a couple months, gratis, I’ll consider renewing otherwise I think I’m done with them.
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
31,441
9,343
136
Right but my main point is that it is NOT scarcity.

If you cant get something theres a scarcity to you. You can tell people that are starving that there is plenty of grain, it's just in the neighbouring country, but that's not going to fill their bellies.
Most famines (and I'm not suggesting that theres going to be a famine because people can't buy their meat of choice) aren't because theres a lack of food, its because theres a problem getting food to the people who need it
 

snoopy7548

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2005
8,126
5,151
146
I was at the grocery store Saturday morning and the (red) meat was slim pickings. No NY strips, no ribeyes, not even any of the more expensive pre-sealed cuts, just store cuts that were worse than usual. Chicken and pork were abundant, though.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
146
And who started this meat panic? Tyson foods chairman John Tyson with his meat supply chain is breaking advertisement letter in all the major newspapers. An ad he paid for and got published. Who's to benefit most from this meat panic buying? Tyson foods. Who got Trump to sign Defense Production Act so the meat processing plants could reopen and the liability of the covid-19 shifted away from the companies and to the US government? Tyson foods. Don't blame the public. Blame John Tyson. He knew exactly what he was doing.

I completely agree.

I'm just driving home the point that there isn't a scarcity of meat. We aren't lacking cows/chickens/pigs, and we aren't lacking in butchers.

It's just artificial demand.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
146
Not going to renew my Costco membership unless this madness is over by renewal time. I don’t even have an opportunity to go on weekdays since they close so damn early.

Completely agree here.

I've always hated the onslaught of morons everytime I ever went on a weekend, so I tried to do stuff like go during lunch hour of work in order to avoid the mass-crowd of idiots standing around blocking aisles all so they can get a 1-ounce sample of chicken noodle soup and cheese doodles.
 

OccamsToothbrush

Golden Member
Aug 21, 2005
1,389
825
136
I completely agree.

I'm just driving home the point that there isn't a scarcity of meat. We aren't lacking cows/chickens/pigs, and we aren't lacking in butchers.

It's just artificial demand.

What world are you living in? How is it possible that you have learned nothing so far despite the real-world effects of panic demand playing out in front of your eyes every day? There isn't a scarcity of toilet paper either, it's just "artifical demand". WTF difference does that make? Demand is demand whether it's based on fact or whether it's based on panic. We aren't lacking in trees to cut down and we aren't lacking in paper mills, but we're two months into this and you still can't buy TP. If people believe there's going to be a meat shortage the demand is 100% REAL. Get that through your head. Even with a plethora of cows and chickens and pigs, oh my, the demand is going to overwhelm supply and there will be a REAL meat shortage.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
4,777
146
What world are you living in? How is it possible that you have learned nothing so far despite the real-world effects of panic demand playing out in front of your eyes every day? There isn't a scarcity of toilet paper either, it's just "artifical demand". WTF difference does that make? Demand is demand whether it's based on fact or whether it's based on panic. We aren't lacking in trees to cut down and we aren't lacking in paper mills, but we're two months into this and you still can't buy TP. If people believe there's going to be a meat shortage the demand is 100% REAL. Get that through your head. Even with a plethora of cows and chickens and pigs, oh my, the demand is going to overwhelm supply and there will be a REAL meat shortage.

In my mind - scarcity is "we have run out of toilet paper, and are unable to manufacture enough sufficiently because the materials are scarce/too costly/<insert something else relevant to not being able to manufacture it>". THAT is scarcity. The product itself is scarce.

Toilet Paper is not scarce.
Cows are not scarce.
Chickens are not scarce. We have fucktons.

What simply happened (as I explained in an earlier post) is that supply chain 101 teaches you that you do NOT overburden your stores with an overabundance of supply. You supply them with an estimate of what they will sell. Thats it.

The "scarcity" that you guys keep referencing is as simple as a manager saying "Hey - yeah, supply chain? Yeah we had a bunch of douche morons that overbought our TP, so we need you to send some more sooner".

That's it
 
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ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,134
2,446
126
It keeps people from blowing droplets all over the place. Marginal benefit for disease prevention, but non zero imo.

Honestly, I think that there is a physiological element to it as well. When you see everyone around you wearing masks like a hospital ER department, it kinda serves as a reminder that shit got real and that you should get your shopping done quickly and get the hell out of there. Now is NOT to time to gawk at the 80" 4K TV's in the Electronics section.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,358
8,447
126
I think it is meat panic buying. My parents had a huge line during the senior hours a couple days ago. They said everyone was going after meat
God forbid someone doesn't get their 5 pounds of meat a week.
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,358
8,447
126
In my mind - scarcity is "we have run out of toilet paper, and are unable to manufacture enough sufficiently because the materials are scarce/too costly/". THAT is scarcity. The product itself is scarce.

Toilet Paper is not scarce.
Cows are not scarce.
Chickens are not scarce. We have fucktons.

What simply happened (as I explained in an earlier post) is that supply chain 101 teaches you that you do NOT overburden your stores with an overabundance of supply. You supply them with an estimate of what they will sell. Thats it.

The "scarcity" that you guys keep referencing is as simple as a manager saying "Hey - yeah, supply chain? Yeah we had a bunch of douche morons that overbought our TP, so we need you to send some more sooner".

That's it
Re: TP

part of the issue was that people went from using toilet paper (I don't know I'm just going to pull a number out of my ass) 60% of the time at home to now nearly 100% of the time at home whereas previously you'd be using toilet paper on the job. The supply chain is not set up to handle nearly all toilet paper being consumed at home. And the lines that make sandpaper quality single ply toilet paper for your office restroom and airports are not suddenly going to be making triple ply velvet soft double quilted you'd almost rather sleep on it high quality home toilet paper. That stuff is in short supply.
 
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sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
96,949
16,208
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Re: TP

part of the issue was that people went from using toilet paper (I don't know I'm just going to pull a number out of my ass) 60% of the time at home to now nearly 100% of the time at home whereas previously you'd be using toilet paper on the job. The supply chain is not set up to handle nearly all toilet paper being consumed at home. And the lines that make sandpaper quality single ply toilet paper for your office restroom and airports are not suddenly going to be making triple ply velvet soft double quilted you'd almost rather sleep on it high quality home toilet paper. That stuff is in short supply.


I see toilet paper in our supermarkets now, albeit with less choices.
 

BarkingGhostar

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2009
8,409
1,617
136
I'm not questioning covering your face with an honest to God mask of the likes N95, but that isn't what Costco is requiring. They want you to cover your face, with anything. It can be your boyfriend's fishnet stockings and they would be OK with it. I presumed they chose not to require N95 because all of retail has donated them to hospitals. But this means that using bandannas, scarfs, etc., are going to be used with much less ability to ward off droplets.

So, let's get together with a hundred others wearing Stormtrooper helmets to cover our faces and the lay siege to Costco..
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,704
5,456
136
Step 1: Require masks

Step 2: Be Costco & sell masks in bulk

Step 3: Profit!
 

ondma

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2018
2,999
1,520
136
Right but my main point is that it is NOT scarcity.

It's artificial demand - as stupid hoarders fill up their garage and freezer with TP And meat. Then once they have no more room to store it, the supply chain catches back up.

One of the things you will learn about in business world is how important supply chain is. You have to keep products moving. Thats why when it comes to distribution they simply send to stores what they PERCEIVE will be used with maybe a LITTLE extra.... and for meat, that's for obvious reasons right? They have expiration dates, etc...

So if all of a sudden moronic reporters that are mentally incompetent start reporting that there MIGHT be a scarcity from such and such - this causes the artificial demand that makes morons freak out.

It's not a lack of meat, it's an over-abundance of complete morons. Just like the TP debacle, their freezers will fill up, and the supply will return once distribution catches up. Again - that's not a scarcity, that's simply a distribution model that doesn't account for random spikes.
Whatever the reason, when you want to buy something and cant find it, even trying multiple stores over multiple days, I consider that a "shortage". Part of the initial lack of supply was also due to more use of household TP and less of commercial (work) usage, due to people working from home or being laid off/furloughed.
 

kn51

Senior member
Aug 16, 2012
700
120
106
There is quite a bit of difference of storing TP vs storing meat.

One is perishable (or not, but requires a ton more energy for that to happen) versus TP.
 

DrunkenSano

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2008
3,892
490
126
I'm not questioning covering your face with an honest to God mask of the likes N95, but that isn't what Costco is requiring. They want you to cover your face, with anything. It can be your boyfriend's fishnet stockings and they would be OK with it. I presumed they chose not to require N95 because all of retail has donated them to hospitals. But this means that using bandannas, scarfs, etc., are going to be used with much less ability to ward off droplets.

So, let's get together with a hundred others wearing Stormtrooper helmets to cover our faces and the lay siege to Costco..

I'm not sure why you are still questioning face covers? You don't need N95 masks to prevent droplets from spraying out when you talk, cough, or sneeze. Surgical masks, scarves, bandannas are just as effective to prevent an open spray out into the air. N95s are for medical professionals as once they are professionally fitted and worn properly, they do filter out the harmful particles in the dangerous environment they are forced to stay in. It would be stupid for anyone to force the general public to wear N95s. You don't see a big hubbub in the Asian countries because they already do this on a daily basis not just for COVID-19 but flu, colds, and general safety for those around them.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
I'm not questioning covering your face with an honest to God mask of the likes N95, but that isn't what Costco is requiring. They want you to cover your face, with anything. It can be your boyfriend's fishnet stockings and they would be OK with it. I presumed they chose not to require N95 because all of retail has donated them to hospitals. But this means that using bandannas, scarfs, etc., are going to be used with much less ability to ward off droplets.

So, let's get together with a hundred others wearing Stormtrooper helmets to cover our faces and the lay siege to Costco..
You need to study up on how masks work.

An N95 protects the wearer, a N95 with valve (the kind Home Depot typically sells) protect ONLY the wearer, another type of mask that covers the mount AND nose, protects everyone else.
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
I'm not sure why you are still questioning face covers? You don't need N95 masks to prevent droplets from spraying out when you talk, cough, or sneeze. Surgical masks, scarves, bandannas are just as effective to prevent an open spray out into the air. N95s are for medical professionals as once they are professionally fitted and worn properly, they do filter out the harmful particles in the dangerous environment they are forced to stay in. It would be stupid for anyone to force the general public to wear N95s. You don't see a big hubbub in the Asian countries because they already do this on a daily basis not just for COVID-19 but flu, colds, and general safety for those around them.
An N95 with an exhalation valve, typically what Home Depot sold, does NOT protect anyone but the person wearing it.

Of course it is becoming much easier to identify the stupid that walk amongst us, they don't wear a mask, they keep the mask under their chin, or their nose isn't covered, but are following their idol's example, that orange shit stain.
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
57,981
8,219
126
Honestly, I think that there is a physiological element to it as well. When you see everyone around you wearing masks like a hospital ER department, it kinda serves as a reminder that shit got real and that you should get your shopping done quickly and get the hell out of there. Now is NOT to time to gawk at the 80" 4K TV's in the Electronics section.
I could think of a few psychological pushes wearing masks could cause. It would be interesting to know exactly what they had in mind. Could be as simple as "We want to look like we're doing *something*".
 

MtnMan

Diamond Member
Jul 27, 2004
8,960
8,191
136
Honestly, I think that there is a physiological element to it as well. When you see everyone around you wearing masks like a hospital ER department, it kinda serves as a reminder that shit got real and that you should get your shopping done quickly and get the hell out of there. Now is NOT to time to gawk at the 80" 4K TV's in the Electronics section.
Reminder? Really, people need a reminder? This shut down human activity on the whole fucking planet.