NON_POLITICAL China Coronavirus THREAD

[Kaido]

Longform article (paywall after 10 free articles per month) on how the COVID shutdown affected one restaurant in particular. This was from two years ago. Heartbreaking:

My Restaurant Was My Life for 20 Years. Does the World Need It Anymore? (Published 2020)

Forced to shutter Prune, I’ve been revisiting my original dreams for it — and wondering if there will still be a place for it in the New York of the future.

www.nytimes.com

 

[manly]

Seems like common sense to me, don't need to be an expert to realize that.

You've certainly demonstrated your ample common sense, with the most recent false claim being the Canadian provinces have EACH spent 2B dollars on vax passports.

 

[TheVrolok]

Seems like common sense to me, don't need to be an expert to realize that.

That's the point. As said before, it sounds like "common sense" because you don't actually understand what you're talking about.

Why do you suppose it hasn't happened if it's some obvious? Do you think that you figured it out, but everyone in positions of leadership/power in the entire developed world just.. hasn't? Really?

 

[TheVrolok]

Can't staff current hospitals, and you think the common sense solution is to build more hospitals? Hospitals that will, hopefully, be empty in a year?

Hospitals can surge the beds, and field hospitals can be set up, pretty easily. The issue is staffing, equipment, and consumables.

Just hire more people. Just make more equipment and consumables. Duh!

Next?

 

[sdifox]

I was off, thought it was 2B but it's 1B... either way still a lot of money that could have gone to better things.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-promises-1b-vaccine-passports-1.6155618

This will have an ongoing cost too, running the server infrastructure etc. Or if they are using AWS they still have to pay to maintain that service. This is an ongoing cost.

Either way, if the narrative behind that system was to keep things open well that fell pretty hard and proves the system should be abolished, but there are no plans for that.

So how did a 1B campaign promise to help provinces become 10B?

 

[Red Squirrel]

You've certainly demonstrated your ample common sense, with the most recent false claim being the Canadian provinces have EACH spent 2B dollars on vax passports.

So I was off on my number, it's still a lot regardless, my point still stands. 1B could have went towards healthcare system instead of some BS system that did not serve any real purpose. Pretty sure I had seen 2B originally so could be that number just changed. And like I said, there will be ongoing costs to that as well.

So how did a 1B campaign promise to help provinces become 10B?

There are 10 provinces, and 3 territories. 1x10 = 10. (not sure if territories have this system too but let's just assume not)

It may not be a lot but at least 11 people so far seem to agree with me in this poll that putting money towards health care would have been better. I'm not sure what's so crazy or absurd in that concept. What purpose do the vaccine passports serve at this point really? Remember, all the places that require them are closed. You cannot go to a restaurant or gym or any of those places. It's just extra red tape and bureaucracy to deal with for nothing.


As a side note, looks like schools are back on for now.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/back-to-class-learning-1st-step-in-moving-from-covid-fear-to-acceptance-1.6317187

 

[sdifox]

Dude, 1B of federal fund for all the provinces and territories. Healthcare is provincial matter.

 

[gill77]

A good buddy of mine with whom I have more contact these days than anyone except my wife asked me to shoot with him a couple of days ago. I politely declined.

Today he has covid. Headed to his house now to drop off supplies.

Be safe.

 

[Ajay]

Sorry, is bodily autonomy now a political topic only?

Contextually, yes. I retort with a post like this every month or so because I'd rather this thread stay as focused as it can.

 

[brianmanahan]

Longform article (paywall after 10 free articles per month) on how the COVID shutdown affected one restaurant in particular. This was from two years ago. Heartbreaking:

COVID has made me realize that restaurants are totally unnecessary

i used to spend way too much money (couple grand a year) eating out

but now i haven't set foot in one of those places in 22 months, and i save a bundle

many of them around me have gone bankrupt and closed, but it won't affect my life at all

 

[sdifox]

COVID has made me realize that restaurants are totally unnecessary

i used to spend way too much money (couple grand a year) eating out

but now i haven't set foot in one of those places in 22 months, and i save a bundle

many of them around me have gone bankrupt and closed, but it won't affect my life at all

Local economy is important. I just order takeout.

 

[dullard]

COVID has made me realize that restaurants are totally unnecessary

i used to spend way too much money (couple grand a year) eating out

but now i haven't set foot in one of those places in 22 months, and i save a bundle

many of them around me have gone bankrupt and closed, but it won't affect my life at all

Restaurants generally serve three purposes: to serve food, to be a social gathering place, and to be entertainment.

I would argue that the purpose of serving food is totally necessary. There are too many occasions where it is impractical to eat in any other form, especially when travelling.

But I can agree with you that the other aspects are not usually necessary. They are certainly nice, but I'd rather get great to-go food and eat in peace than experience the loud restaurantitis experience that so many restaurants have become inflicted with. Even before the pandemic, I much preferred grabbing restaurant food and eating in a local park than eating in the restaurant. Now that togo drinks have become legal in so many locations, togo food just keeps getting better.

 

[gill77]

Restaurants generally serve three purposes: to serve food, to be a social gathering place, and to be entertainment.

I would argue that the purpose of serving food is totally necessary. There are too many occasions where it is impractical to eat in any other form, especially when travelling.

But I can agree with you that the other aspects are not usually necessary. They are certainly nice, but I'd rather get great to-go food and eat in peace than experience the loud restaurantitis experience that so many restaurants have become inflicted with. Even before the pandemic, I much preferred grabbing restaurant food and eating in a local park than eating in the restaurant. Now that togo drinks have become legal in so many locations, togo food just keeps getting better.

Traveling can be a hassle. Trying to cook while traveling, major hassle. Absolutely will need restaurants. Hopefully it's not only the corporate joints left standing. Difficult to see how that is good on any level.

 

[brianmanahan]

I would argue that the purpose of serving food is totally necessary. There are too many occasions where it is impractical to eat in any other form, especially when travelling.

i used to eat at restaurants when traveling

but on my last couple of vacations, i bought all my food from grocery stores and ate that instead. saved hundreds of dollars that way.

not that i have to worry about that anymore, i don't plan on traveling ever again. the world is too dangerous after COVID and other things that happened recently.

 

[dullard]

i used to eat at restaurants when traveling

but on my last couple of vacations, i bought all my food from grocery stores and ate that instead. saved hundreds of dollars that way.

not that i have to worry about that anymore, i don't plan on traveling ever again. the world is too dangerous after COVID and other things that happened recently.

I too have purchased groceries when travelling, but it just isn't always an available option where I travel. Either there aren't grocery stores nearby within multiple hours of driving (southern Utah) or there aren't grocery stores open in the evening (much of the world outside the US once your plane lands). Local pubs and restaurants are necessary then. Heck, we can't just pretend that we can convert all hotel rooms to suites with kitchens.

Most of my travels right now are to destinations where I'm surprised to see another person. No need to stop travelling just due to Covid, instead travel intelligently. Just this weekend, I drove 3 hours away to find enough snow for cross country skiing. Not another soul at the park where my wife and I skied (no tire tracks in the snow other than our vehicle). I've done so much backpacking, camping, trail biking, and exploring new parks without ever needing to be in any danger of a disease. When we need a hotel, we just rent an entire cabin (often cheaper than a hotel room) where we never interact with people.

I especially like how some of our favorite restaurants have added take-out windows. Order online, go to the window, pick up a bag of food without ever stepping foot into the restaurant, and go eat somewhere beautiful.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Interestingly I noticed there is a lot more local take out places here now days. Lot of them are "stealth kitchens" where they actually operate out of another restaurant or otherwise don't have a business front. I think a lot of restaurants are going to start doing that as it's way cheaper to operate. Makes no sense to pay taxes and bills on a full size building when it's closed half the time and when it is operating it can only operate at half capacity, and you need to have a bouncer on top of it. Can downsize building and pay less taxes, heating, staffing costs etc and end up making more profit.

 

[Kaido]

COVID has made me realize that restaurants are totally unnecessary

i used to spend way too much money (couple grand a year) eating out

but now i haven't set foot in one of those places in 22 months, and i save a bundle

many of them around me have gone bankrupt and closed, but it won't affect my life at all

I have mixed feelings on this. I swore off restaurants in college (but not after that lol) because I was super broke (minimum wage job + paying for school blew chunks lol, but DEFINITELY motivated me to finish my degree haha!) & because eating out ate through SO MUCH money without me realizing it! On the flip side:

1. It gives culinary professionals a job
2. It gives local kids summer & part-time jobs
3. It stimulates the local economy
4. I cook a lot, but I'll still hit up McDonald's sometimes when I'm fried or just need some quick food
5. There are a LOT of people who don't like to cook & don't want to learn, which in turns gives people who DO like to cook a job!
6. Great place to go on date nights
7. Great place to hang out with people (well, pre-COVID)
8. Expand your culinary horizons with new foods, combinations, and ingredients

I have an IT customer that I talk food a lot with. He & his wife don't like to cook, their kids are long since moved out, and they spend $3,000+ a month on food...breakfast, lunch, and dinner is either takeout or dine-in, for people, for nearly every meal. Rule number one of finances is "you can buy anything you can responsibly afford", so if $40k/yr is within budget, more power to you haha!

But yeah, that's also one of the reasons I cook at home...food is such a massive budget sink, which is why I try to turn everyone onto the Instant Pot & Anova Precision Oven...they're both up-front investments of money & effort to learn them & figure them out, but the long-term cost savings is staggering for most people, once they really get the data from their personal budget numbers & see how much money can be saved (not to mention how much better they can eat!).

 

[MrSquished]

I really enjoy going out to eat at restaurants. From holes in the wall to places with a full bar and nice cocktails and cool decor. Obviously money is a factor as to how often I go to the nicer places, but I really enjoy the ambience of trying new restaurants, sitting with friends or family or an SO and enjoying it all together. I can't freaking wait until everything is back to normal. In the meantime, I pick and choose battles. Tried a Longhorn Steakhouse for the first time last week to meet my two friends for dinner who moved to the burbs. Lots more chain restaurants out in the burbs. But tt was great. Got to hang with the guys, their babies were home with their girls so we had some quality time together.

I also absolulely love cooking a meal at home and sharing it with someone. And also like getting takeout and throwing on a movie or a show while eating some pizza or pho or tacos. They all have a time and place.

 

[Kaido]

I really enjoy going out to eat at restaurants. From holes in the wall to places with a full bar and nice cocktails and cool decor. Obviously money is a factor as to how often I go to the nicer places, but I really enjoy the ambience of trying new restaurants, sitting with friends or family or an SO and enjoying it all together. I can't freaking wait until everything is back to normal. In the meantime, I pick and choose battles. Tried a Longhorn Steakhouse for the first time last week to meet my two friends for dinner who moved to the burbs. Lots more chain restaurants out in the burbs. But tt was great. Got to hang with the guys, their babies were home with their girls so we had some quality time together.

I also absolulely love cooking a meal at home and sharing it with someone. And also like getting takeout and throwing on a movie or a show while eating some pizza or pho or tacos. They all have a time and place.

That's exactly it, there's a balance! Like my favorite local sushi restaurant...I know everyone who works there, it's comfortable to go, they always get my order right, etc. I understand the show "Cheers" a lot more after that haha

 

[Captante]

That's exactly it, there's a balance! Like my favorite local sushi restaurant...I know everyone who works there, it's comfortable to go, they always get my order right, etc. I understand the show "Cheers" a lot more after that haha

Now I'm craving sushi thanks a lot!

 

[JM Aggie08]

Welp, we made it 2 years but it finally hit our house -- thanks daycare!

2.5 y/o is doing great -- only a runny nose and one evening with a low-grade fever. Completely himself other than that. Wife and I have not had any symptoms thus far, several days past our son testing positive. We've got rapid PCR tests scheduled this afternoon. It'll be interesting to see if we somehow avoided it, even with our kid all up in our face, or if we are just asymptomatic.

Honestly, his having such minor symptoms while having it is a relief. We're obviously vaxxed and boosted, but he's been the primary concern this whole time.

 

[dullard]

Welp, we made it 2 years but it finally hit our house -- thanks daycare!

2.5 y/o is doing great -- only a runny nose and one evening with a low-grade fever. Completely himself other than that. Wife and I have not had any symptoms thus far, several days past our son testing positive. We've got rapid PCR tests scheduled this afternoon. It'll be interesting to see if we somehow avoided it, even with our kid all up in our face, or if we are just asymptomatic.

Honestly, his having such minor symptoms while having it is a relief. We're obviously vaxxed and boosted, but he's been the primary concern this whole time.

Best of luck to you all! I'm cautious myself around Covid due to a 2 year old niece. When they can't be vaccinated yet, they are much more susceptible. Luckily the biggest problem with Covid is often an over-reacting immune system--and the littlest ones don't have a strong immune system yet. So, they tend to get through it well.

 

[manly]

So I was off on my number, it's still a lot regardless, my point still stands. 1B could have went towards healthcare system instead of some BS system that did not serve any real purpose. Pretty sure I had seen 2B originally so could be that number just changed. And like I said, there will be ongoing costs to that as well.

When you're caught lying for the umpteenth time, and your only response is "the facts don't really matter."

 

[nakedfrog]

When you're caught lying for the umpteenth time, and your only response is "the facts don't really matter."

Same as it ever was.

 

[Red Squirrel]

When you're caught lying for the umpteenth time, and your only response is "the facts don't really matter."

The fact did not change. Just because I got the number wrong does not change the fact that they spend an insane amount of money on something that has been proven useless. I was just going from memory and I remember 2B, but it's 1B, either way, it's a shit ton of money that could have gone towards health care. My point still stands. 1B is still an unfathomable amount of money to waste on something that is useless.