Syrah 3/24/2020 5:37:46 AM

1

...Mexican Cartels are now smuggling in rolls of toilet paper, hidden their shipments of cocaine....

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 6:13:21 AM

2

Reply to Syrah in 1:

My monthly shipment from Amazon includes toilet paper. The price went up by nearly 30% from two months ago. Paper towels held steady, but dishwasher tablets went up, too.

vxbush 3/24/2020 6:17:50 AM

3

In #1 Syrah said: ...Mexican Cartels are now smuggling in rolls of toilet paper, hidden their shipments of cocaine....

Heh. I was very proud of myself; last night at the store they had the cheap individual roles of 1-ply toilet paper available, and I only got 3 rolls—for each of us. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 6:42:08 AM

4

Thanks again to the people who explained "Zelle" to me yesterday.  

In a comedy-gold moment, the landlady just emailed that she's "having a problem setting up Zelle," and will get back to us regarding an alternative.

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 6:43:31 AM

5

In #3 vxbush said: Heh. I was very proud of myself; last night at the store they had the cheap individual roles of 1-ply toilet paper available, and I only got 3 rolls—for each of us. 

Sofitelle facial tissues without any sort of lotion adulterant are an excellent alternative---and they're Made in the USA.

vxbush 3/24/2020 6:51:47 AM

6

In #4 buzzsawmonkey said: In a comedy-gold moment, the landlady just emailed that she's "having a problem setting up Zelle," and will get back to us regarding an alternative.

Ah, real life imitates fiction. 

vxbush 3/24/2020 6:55:17 AM

7

In #5 buzzsawmonkey said: Sofitelle facial tissues without any sort of lotion adulterant are an excellent alternative---and they're Made in the USA.

Good tip. Thanks. 

I was actually looking for TP early Saturday morning (when I was up and no desire to be), and got on to Amazon to see what was available. Nothing of the main name brands, of course. Your choices were either novelty gags--TP with various presidents on them or declarations of how ancient you are--or very high-end TP that cost multiple dollars per roll. As expected, the latter had descriptions comparing the TP to "clouds woven from the finest vapor particles, with whispers of moisturizer and touched by the gods" or some such nonsense. 

It wasn't enough to put me back to sleep, but it was enough to make me decide to take my chances and wait. I'm glad I did. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 7:12:07 AM

8

Just dropped into a nearby CVS, and to my amazement, they were reasonably well stocked on TP: and the good stuff, too (Charmin)  

In other news, I saw a Delorean parked at a nearby gas station, so I think Doc Brown and Marty have come here from 1985 to help us. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 7:14:11 AM

9

I imagine most of you have seen this by now, but:  Idiot dies after eating fish tank cleaner; MSM blames Trump.

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 7:16:34 AM

10

Reply to Occasional Reader in 9:

Drumpf had blood on his hands!  Drumpf needs to be charged with manslaughter, no MURDER!!!!!eleventy!!!!!   

Same people:  Drumpf followers are so dumb they eat fish tank cleaner -- good.  I hope they all eat it and die.

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 7:18:04 AM

11

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 7:20:21 AM

12

Reply to lucius septimius in 10:

The thing is, it was the MEDIA that was saying that the drug Trump was suggesting could be a game changer was commonly used in fishtank cleaner.  But it's ok when they say it, I guess.

vxbush 3/24/2020 7:27:45 AM

13

In #12 lucius septimius said: The thing is, it was the MEDIA that was saying that the drug Trump was suggesting could be a game changer was commonly used in fishtank cleaner.  But it's ok when they say it, I guess.

Oh, I didn't realize they were the ones who had mentioned that. Silly humans. 

JCM 3/24/2020 7:35:52 AM

14

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 4:

You can also direct deposit, you just need HER routing number and account number!

;-P

vxbush 3/24/2020 7:38:12 AM

15

In #14 JCM said: You can also direct deposit, you just need HER routing number and account number!

Really? Does Zelle do push only? 

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 7:47:42 AM

16

Reply to vxbush in 7:

My Amazon subscription is for their own Presto brand of TP and paper towels. I've been very pleased with the quality. 

vxbush 3/24/2020 7:49:10 AM

17

In #16 doppelganglander said: My Amazon subscription is for their own Presto brand of TP and paper towels. I've been very pleased with the quality. 

Good to hear, but I did check that. No dice; they were sold out as of Saturday morning. And I have enough now that I'm good for a week, at least. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 7:49:13 AM

18

In #11 lucius septimius said: The last thing we need is more rain.

Well, in terms of coronavirus, maybe it's a good thing?  it raises the humidity level (which viruses don't like), and washes down surfaces outdoors.

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 7:49:27 AM

19

Reply to lucius septimius in 11:

It came down very hard here for about 10 minutes.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 7:59:00 AM

20

In #19 doppelganglander said: It came down very hard here for about 10 minutes.

Bob Dylan totally predicted that.

JCM 3/24/2020 8:06:01 AM

21

Reply to vxbush in 15:

Every payment system that is reliable is that why. You can set up auto payment.

But now I know of can the payee pull funds on their own. Unless it is court order then that is set up at the bank level.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 8:07:29 AM

22

In #21 JCM said: But now I know of can the payee pull funds on their own.

Have this sent to Bletchley Park immediately for decoding!

/ducks

JCM 3/24/2020 8:29:35 AM

23

Reply to Occasional Reader in 22:

But none I know of.....

*big sip of coffee*

vxbush 3/24/2020 8:37:13 AM

24

In #23 JCM said: *big sip of coffee*

Do we need to hook up the IV? Tough night? 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 8:45:05 AM

25

So on my morning supply run, I thought to check into the Yes! Organic Market that's down the street from me.  To their credit, they're quite well-stocked - even with TP.  (I'm definitely finding that the smallish grocery stores get hit less with panic-buying around here than do the big ones).

And to my astonishment, I saw that in their cleaning-supply aisle, the shelves were full of spray cleaners (for bathroom, kitchen, etc.)  Hooray!  Until I looked more closely... and they were all this organic "contains no bleach or other harsh chemicals!"  bullshit.  In other words, they don't actually, you know, clean.  

vxbush 3/24/2020 9:11:52 AM

26

In #25 Occasional Reader said: And to my astonishment, I saw that in their cleaning-supply aisle, the shelves were full of spray cleaners (for bathroom, kitchen, etc.)  Hooray!  Until I looked more closely... and they were all this organic "contains no bleach or other harsh chemicals!"  bullshit.  In other words, they don't actually, you know, clean.  

How dare you! Of course they clean! The move all the dirt to some other surface, rather than force it to die! 

///channeling Greta Thunberg

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:15:20 AM

27

In #26 vxbush said: channeling Greta Thunberg

Speaking of whom; I wonder if she's chimed in yet to the effect that the pandemic is wonderful thing, since it will eliminate lots of people carbon footprints and get rid of lots of that nasty "economic growth" that she so hates? 

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 9:28:00 AM

28

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:29:11 AM

29

JCM 3/24/2020 9:30:12 AM

30

Reply to lucius septimius in 28:

That's my main problem with all this. RATES!
In WA the known infection rate over 8 weeks since the first known case is 0.02%
In NYC the known infection rate is 0.06%.

They are giving us raw numbers but not rates. And most importantly nobody is doing a random sample test to see how widespread it really is. If it is wide spread and 50% of people test positive but only 0.02-0.06% show symptoms that is important information.

In Wuhan and Italy the known infection rate across the population is 0.1%

Normal flu infection rate in the population is around 13%.

The problem with all that is we don't know how many have been exposed, have the virus and had mild or no symptoms.

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 9:30:58 AM

31

Reply to Occasional Reader in 25:

There hasn't been any TP or paper towels at my local Publix for over a week.  No flour or any kind of baking supplies (yeast, baking powder, etc.).  Eggs and cheese are scarce.  The only meat were the expensive cuts.

H-Mart only ever sells TP and paper towels in bulk, and then only occasionally.  The meat section was pretty well stocked this morning but there were no eggs.  I did get a bag of flour there in addition to the other couple of things I was out of.

vxbush 3/24/2020 9:41:24 AM

32

In #27 Occasional Reader said: Speaking of whom; I wonder if she's chimed in yet to the effect that the pandemic is wonderful thing, since it will eliminate lots of people carbon footprints and get rid of lots of that nasty "economic growth" that she so hates? 

I haven't seen any articles or quote from her, but others are praising the reduction in pollution and CO2 from the economic slowdown. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:42:28 AM

33

In #28 lucius septimius said: At last check, the infection rate in my county is .0012%

IMHO nobody knows what the infection rate is.

JCM 3/24/2020 9:44:28 AM

34

Reply to Occasional Reader in 33:

I took the only available number population.

That's why a random sample is important.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:46:16 AM

35

Reply to lucius septimius in 31:

It's all so random (as the kids say today).  In my little corner of NW DC, I can find everything you mentioned, no problem.  (I don't know about eggs, since I don't really buy them anyway.)  And while yesterday evening I saw police guarding a CVS delivery that seemed to be mostly paper towels, OTOH I strolled into another CVS today plus two small grocery stores, and... paper towels galore.  Go figure. 

Syrah 3/24/2020 9:48:34 AM

36

Reply to JCM in 30:

This is a major problem with all of this. 

People are responding without real data. 

The good news is that I think we can see widespread and cheap testing become available fairly quickly.

my guess is that we are going to see a fatality rate that is dramatically less than what the media has hyped. 

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 9:52:00 AM

37

Reply to Occasional Reader in 33:

Reply to JCM in 34:

No, we don't, but so long as the rates are determined in the same way, they provide points of comparison. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:53:05 AM

38

Odd conversations.  I spoke with a friend yesterday who - in most respects - is quite intelligent.  He mentioned having gone out to do something he felt was relatively contagion-risky the day before - grocery store, maybe? - but added, "I wore my heavy work gloves."

Uh, okay.  And when you got home, what did you do with your gloves?

"Well, I put them away, I'll use them again when I go back out to [buy groceries, whatever]".

Um, did you disinfect the gloves in any way?

"Uh, no... gee, I guess that's something I should do, huh?"

And he genuinely seemed to think the fact that these were heavy work gloves was important; as if the coronavirus is the Andromeda Strain, and will chew its way through rubber or plastic gloves.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:54:10 AM

39

In #30 JCM said: In Wuhan and Italy the known infection rate across the population is 0.1%

What's your source for that, if you don't mind my asking?

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 9:56:26 AM

40

In #36 Syrah said: my guess is that we are going to see a fatality rate that is dramatically less than what the media has hyped. 

Exactly, especially if it turns out (and according to a report on Hannity last night it seems true) that this new treatment works out, deaths will drop off quickly.

Of course the media and the left don't want that to happen.  I think the whole tank-cleaner death story has been spread so widely because they don't want a cure.  They want the virus to rage, the economy to tank, and Trump take the blame.  Their TDS is so strong and their hatred of "deplorables" so great that they would rather see people not get treated and 30% unemployment than have a cure become available on Trump's watch.

The fish tank cleaner story is the current, much more insidious "hands up, don't shoot."

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:56:42 AM

41

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:58:27 AM

42

In #40 lucius septimius said: his new treatment works out

You mean the aquarium-cleaner?

/

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 9:59:37 AM

43

In #41 Occasional Reader said: turns out to me be

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 10:01:48 AM

44

In #41 Occasional Reader said: if Earl Grey Tea turns out to me the miracle cure and/or vaccine for COVID-19

Ah, the magic of bergamot...

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 10:03:11 AM

45

In #33 Occasional Reader said: IMHO nobody knows what the infection rate is.

Nobody knows the infection rate is

Nobody knows the extent of contagion...

---Spirituals for the Age of Coronavirus

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 10:07:46 AM

46

In #40 lucius septimius said: I think the whole tank-cleaner death story has been spread so widely because they don't want a cure. 

I actually heard someone say grudgingly that, while it wasn't really "Trump's fault" that someone drank aquarium cleaner, it actually really was because he "won't shut up" and keeps saying things like "Yes, we think chloroquine will work" even though it hasn't yet been tested.

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 10:37:28 AM

47

JCM 3/24/2020 10:38:03 AM

48

Reply to Occasional Reader in 39:

Wuhan province cases 400,000

Wuhan province population 58,000,000

400,000 / 58,000,000 = 0.006895.

Round up, 0.1% of the population

vxbush 3/24/2020 10:44:21 AM

49

In #41 Occasional Reader said: if Earl Grey Tea turns out to me the miracle cure and/or vaccine for COVID-19, boy am I ever in good shape.  Somehow, I way over-ordered on Amazon.  Not quite sure to do with all of it... I'm giving some to my ex (Little OR's mom), who's a tea-drinker. 

I wish I liked Earl Grey, given the connection to Patrick Stewart, but I really don't like the stuff. I like black tea in general, but that stuff is kind of nasty. 

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 11:05:38 AM

50

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 46:

The media is doing everything they can to get Trump to shut up because he is an effective communicator but he's not conveying the "right" message. Rachel Maddow and others are demanding the news channels stop carrying his daily press conference.  AFAIK only Fox is carrying it in its entirety every night. Trying to muzzle POTUS - it's despicable. 

vxbush 3/24/2020 11:17:37 AM

51

In #46 buzzsawmonkey said: I actually heard someone say grudgingly that, while it wasn't really "Trump's fault" that someone drank aquarium cleaner, it actually really was because he "won't shut up" and keeps saying things like "Yes, we think chloroquine will work" even though it hasn't yet been tested.

It would be one thing if all we had were word-of-mouth reports about chloroquine, but as everyone knows we have actual papers (some preprint quality, not peer-reviewed, but still from medical professionals) who have shared their experience. While the CDC might want a proper double-blind study, it would result in many more deaths. Why not let medical professionals try it? It's insane. 

Alice in Dairyland 3/24/2020 11:25:15 AM

52

Reply to doppelganglander in 50:

Our local Fox station dropped coverage as soon as Barr started talking.  We had to watch C-Span online to see the whole thing.

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 11:47:59 AM

53

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 11:56:17 AM

54

In #53 doppelganglander said: why did the guy that took aquarium cleaner die while his wife survived?

Sounds fishy...

JCM 3/24/2020 11:57:16 AM

55

Reply to doppelganglander in 53:

To many variables.

Dose, weight and health of individuals, additives that are in fish tank cleaner and their pharmacology.

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 12:07:32 PM

56

Reply to JCM in 55:

Or maybe he didn't take it willingly at all. Just saying, this appeals to my true crime interests. I'm sure there will be an autopsy and a thorough investigation if warranted.

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 12:08:16 PM

57

Reply to Occasional Reader in 54:

And here come the fish puns!

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 12:12:14 PM

58

In #54 Occasional Reader said: Sounds fishy...

I bet you said that just for the halibut. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 12:15:18 PM

59

In #57 doppelganglander said: And here come the fish puns!

For now I'm just Betta-testing my aquarium fish puns.  We can Discus it later if you like.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 12:20:48 PM

60

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 12:29:34 PM

61

JCM 3/24/2020 1:03:06 PM

62

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 61:

Six foot cone of shame, doubles as sneeze and cough guard!

revobob 3/24/2020 1:04:34 PM

63

revobob 3/24/2020 1:06:01 PM

64

In #62 JCM said: Six foot cone of shame, doubles as sneeze and cough guard!

Some folks are pushing for the return of hoop skirts. In this world there would probably be enough guys who'd wear them too.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 1:07:21 PM

65

In #61 buzzsawmonkey said: I think it would be amusing to walk around with someone, each of us holding one end of a tape measure.

I'm cheered by the fact that in Europe, they have to maintain two meters of distance, while here in America, we only have to stay six feet apart.  MAGA!

/

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 1:09:13 PM

66

In #64 revobob said: the return of hoop skirts

/OR calls his broker, tells him to buy whaling company stock

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 1:12:56 PM

67

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 1:14:48 PM

68

The Managers

—WH Auden, 1948

In the bad old days it was not so bad:

The top of the ladder
Was an amusing place to sit; success

Meant quite a lot—leisure

And huge meals, more palaces filled with more

Objects, books, girls, horses

Than one would ever get round to, and to be

Carried uphill while seeing

Others walk.  To rule was a pleasure when

One wrote a death-sentence 

On the back of the Ace of Spades and played on

With a new deck.  Honors

Are not so physical or jolly now,

For the species of Powers

We are used to are not like that. Could one of them

Be said to resemble
The Tragic Hero, the Platonic Saint,

Or would any painter

Portray one arising triumphant from a lake

On a dolphin, naked,

Protected by an umbrella of cherubs? Can

They so much as manage

To behave like genuine Caesars when alone

Or drinking with cronies,

To let their hair down and be frank about 

The world? It is doubtful.

The last word on how we may live or die

Rests today with such quiet

Men, working too hard in rooms that are too big,

Reducing to figures

What is the matter, what is to be done.

A neat little luncheon 

Of sandwiches is brought to each on a tray,
Nourishment they are able

To take with one hand without looking up

From papers a couple 

Of secretaries are needed to file, 

From problems no smiling

Can dismiss.  The typewriters never stop

But whirr like grasshoppers 

In the silent siesta heat as, frivolous

Across their discussions,

From woods unaltered by our wars and our vows

There drift the scents of flowers

And the songs of birds who will never vote
Or bother to notice

Those distinguishing marks a lover sees

By instinct and policemen

Can be trained to observe.  Far into the night

Their windows burn brightly

And, behind their backs bent over some report,

On every quarter,

For ever like a god or a disease

There on earth the reason

In all its aspects why they are tired, the weak,

The inattentive, seeking

Someone to blame.  If, to recuperate

They go a-playing, their greatness

Encounters the bow of the chef or the glance

Of the ballet-dancer

Who cannot be ruined by any master's fall.

To rule must be a calling, 

It seems, like surgery or sculpture; the fun

Neither love nor money

But taking necessary risks, the test

Of one's own skill, the questions,

If difficult, their own reward.  But then

Perhaps one should mention

Also what must be a comfort as they guess

In times like the present
When guesses can prove so fatally wrong,

The fact of belonging

To the very select indeed, to those

For whom, just supposing 

They do, there will be places on the last

Plane out of disaster.

No; no one is really sorry for their

Heavy gait and careworn

Look, nor would they thank you if you said you were.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 1:20:14 PM

69

In #68 buzzsawmonkey said: And the songs of birds who will never vote

What?!  That's outrageous!  COUNT EVERY VOTE!

lucius septimius 3/24/2020 1:25:24 PM

70

With the dem/media blitz lately, this passage from a lecture given during the Prague Spring seems apposite.

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 1:34:14 PM

71

In #69 Occasional Reader said: What?!  That's outrageous!  COUNT EVERY VOTE!

Heh.  Speaking of which, the Democrats' current urging to possibly make the entire November election, or as much of it as possible, a matter of mail-in ballots should be enough to strike terror into every patriotic heart.

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 2:22:15 PM

72

JCM 3/24/2020 2:32:27 PM

73

Reply to buzzsawmonkey in 71:

Mail in ballots with CA style harvesting I wager.

doppelganglander 3/24/2020 2:37:04 PM

74

Reply to Occasional Reader in 67:
I think it's safe. Another option is what my daughter did. She told the cleaner not to come and paid her anyway. Her income is unaffected and she had already budgeted for it. The lady just about cried - she's lost so much income lately.

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 2:40:10 PM

75

In #73 JCM said: Mail in ballots with CA style harvesting I wager.

AND same-day registration.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 2:40:21 PM

76

In #74 doppelganglander said: She told the cleaner not to come and paid her anyway.

Oh, I've already suggested to other people I know who use her service that if and when it becomes untenable for her to actually show up, we offer to pay her in advance (at least) for the first, say, 3 sessions after she can resume service.  I think that should hopefully smooth out her cashflow (and of course one could always later opt to just go back to paying her weekly, and ignore the prepayment aspect). 

Syrah 3/24/2020 3:02:59 PM

77

...includes funding for the John F. Kennedy Center.  

See page 76

https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=6817883-FINAL-HOUSE-BIll

Nancy has her priorities. 

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 3:09:50 PM

78

Reply to Syrah in 77:

The day before yesterday I tuned into NPR (masochist that I am) just in time to hear of the end of what was seemingly a piece about how the pandemic is affecting.... sommeliers.   Hilarious, unwitting self-parody.

Syrah 3/24/2020 3:16:40 PM

79

Reply to Occasional Reader in 78:

imagine the editorial meeting.

”Somalians? I thought you said I should do a story on how this a affecting sommeliers.”

Syrah 3/24/2020 3:21:40 PM

80

Leftist worms in the media start saying that the networks should stop covering Trump’s once a day pandemic pressers.

Trump ups the game by doing three press events today. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 3:34:28 PM

81

In #78 Occasional Reader said: The day before yesterday I tuned into NPR (masochist that I am) just in time to hear of the end of what was seemingly a piece about how the pandemic is affecting.... sommeliers.   Hilarious, unwitting self-parody.

Well, after all---NPR does like to whine...

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 3:35:15 PM

82

Reply to Occasional Reader in 78:

Did they mention that coronavirus was sommelier to the flu?

Kosh's Shadow 3/24/2020 3:47:32 PM

83

Iranian officials have stolen more than $1 billion in European assistance to combat the coronavirus pandemic, pocketing the funds for themselves, alleges U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.Regime officials stole over a billion euros intended for medical supplies, and continue to hoard desperately needed masks, gloves and other medical equipment for sale on the black market.”

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 3:48:52 PM

84

Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 83:

The "black market?"  I thought that was "the market of color" now...

JCM 3/24/2020 3:55:19 PM

85

Reply to Kosh's Shadow in 83:

Elites must be protected!

Screw the peons!

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 3:59:15 PM

86

In #82 buzzsawmonkey said: Did they mention that coronavirus was sommelier to the flu?

Except that it induces much more terroir. 

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 4:04:26 PM

87

Reply to Occasional Reader in 86:

BTW, this morning they had a young-girl sommelier on NPR, telling us all about her difficulties in crashing the old-boy sommelier club, and how she was sexually harassed and even abused in the course of trying to make her way as the "wine girl."  

I didn't realize that NPR was on a sommelier kick.

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 4:04:35 PM

88

buzzsawmonkey 3/24/2020 4:15:32 PM

89

A hymn for our times, to the tune of "Amazing Grace":

Amazon Prime, by air and ground

Effects delivery

Order online, and they'll come round

With lots of things for me

Occasional Reader 3/24/2020 4:49:28 PM

91

In #87 buzzsawmonkey said: they had a young-girl sommelier on NPR

In fairness, that may have been the episode I was hearing. I came in toward the end, and was driving so not quite paying attention, so I got the idea that it was somehow related coronavirus. My mistake. And my sincere, profound apologies to national public radio, whom I shall never defame again!!!