The "Boogey Man" Virus

The only way to develop "herd immunity" is for enough of the "herd" to GET EXPOSED. And we're going to actually slow the process (and give this thing the opportunity to MUTATE - since there appear to already be TWO DOCUMENTED STRAINS).

There also hasn't been ENOUGH TIME (and enough documented cases) of people who have been EXPOSED AND RECOVERED - than have been RE-EXPOSED AND NOT GOTTEN SICK, to determine whether exposure/recovery (and the immune systems production of antibodies) ACTUALLY CREATES IMMUNITY. If it DOESN'T - than there will BE NO VACCINE (as the very mechanism of the vaccine is BENIGN EXPOSURE and the immune systems creation of anti-bodies/immunity).

While I'm not going to walk into a COVID Isolation Ward and start making out with people - I live a fairly risky life (riding a motorcycle without a helmet, driving my slingshot at insanely/illegal/dangerous speeds, carrying/playing with/shooting guns), that I've presented the Good Lord with many opportunities to call me to his side. Apparently he isn't quite ready for me yet - but if this virus is His ringing the dinner bell to sit at his table with Him - SO BE IT.

Until that time - I am going to live my life without fear of little bugs. The thing I fear the most - is DEMONCRATS.

Rick

Pretty much everywhere I go now we are not allowed in the receiving offices and need to fill out a questionnaire at the quarries. The customer I have been delivering to daily for the past 2 months is making us call and they will meet us at the door.

Yesterday I called and nobody answered. I opened the door and looked in to see if they were out of the office where they put the bagged ingredients in and saw someone sitting at the desk IN THE OFFICE. (This isn't the person I usually deal with and he hasnt always seemed standoffish). I walked up to the door and knocked and he didnt even look up. Opened the door a little just to get his attention and he starts freaking out about how I cant just walk in there. I explained that I called and nobody answered but he didnt care. So I went back outside and after about 5-10 minutes my normal guy came out to do something else and got everything for me, never saw the original guy again. He wouldve had me standing out there all day.

Here's the kicker. The pipes are locked so they need to give me a key or pair of keys and I give them back. They handle the paperwork and have me sign in and sign the bol and receipt. So even with all the office barring there is still 3 chances of transfer. Keys, paperwork and pen(that everyone uses). In the end it doesnt really matter.

Pretty much everywhere I go now we are not allowed in the receiving offices and need to fill out a questionnaire at the quarries. The customer I have been delivering to daily for the past 2 months is making us call and they will meet us at the door.

Yesterday I called and nobody answered. I opened the door and looked in to see if they were out of the office where they put the bagged ingredients in and saw someone sitting at the desk IN THE OFFICE. (This isn't the person I usually deal with and he hasnt always seemed standoffish). I walked up to the door and knocked and he didnt even look up. Opened the door a little just to get his attention and he starts freaking out about how I cant just walk in there. I explained that I called and nobody answered but he didnt care. So I went back outside and after about 5-10 minutes my normal guy came out to do something else and got everything for me, never saw the original guy again. He wouldve had me standing out there all day.

Here's the kicker. The pipes are locked so they need to give me a key or pair of keys and I give them back. They handle the paperwork and have me sign in and sign the bol and receipt. So even with all the office barring there is still 3 chances of transfer. Keys, paperwork and pen(that everyone uses). In the end it doesnt really matter.

Exactly the point I was about to make. They have to take the BOL, so all the rest is BS

Is anybody honestly that surprised that we are being subjected to these measures during a time when basic hygiene is probably as important as its ever been? I'm not. Its still business as usual for most drivers I've seen. Picking their nose, picking their face, walking out of a bathroom stall without washing their hands but making sure the 3 hairs left on their head look good. Drivers do it too themselves once again as I was reminded by the sign below that was posted everywhere in the paperwork shack. Drivers tossing their dirty rubber gloves on the ground in the drop yard.

People that are pigs are going to remain pigs no matter the situation.

I don't know another way to write this observation of mine. I've been people watching for over 50 years, and the above is something I've observed all over the world.

inside a NYC ER now

My niece sent me this link. She's a night RN in this emergency room. She says, quite simply, they're overwhelmed.

If she's in NYC, then yea.. they're overwhelmed! Its a fast spreading virus. When it first came out, I was thinking ~10 million in this country could die from it (thinking ~ 5% mortality).. Right now, Italy has ~ 10%, but Germany ~ .6%, so perhaps many who aren't being tested are carriers and not showing symptoms. Germany is testing everyone, I think.. . that being said, if half of Americans catch it, using Germany's numbers, ~500,000-1,000,000 of us could die from this. I hope I'm wrong, but so far, it doesn't seem that way. ... Hopefully, all this craziness with quarentines and social distancing at least slows this thing down long enough for treatments or vaccinces to help. Back a month or so ago, I thought that we would have total areas of the country blocked off, nothing in or out, but that ain't happened, so this thing is gonna be with us for a while. Take care, y'all. Glad you feel better, Pack Rat!

I feel like its already widespread, and isn't as bad as first thought.

I definitely agree that it is probably far more widespread than we have accounted for. We are just now getting a better picture with more testing....however only those that are having symptoms are being tested, which means that there is probably a large population of those that this ran through with no or possibly light symptoms. That could bring the CFR down considerably and possibly into flu or less than flu lethality. This thing has been running alongside the flu since late November but hasn't put up anywhere near the flu numbers as Brett pointed out. Here is a link to a research paper done in China that focuses on how heat and humidity affect transmission: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3551767 that I found that pertinent as we are moving into spring.

I’m running into the craziness as well. Our tank washes now have tables setup outside and drivers are not allowed in the office. I’m out in Ca now. Waiting to load monday so I rented a car and am visiting my kids/grandkids. The hotel I’m staying at has a locked lobby, taking payment over the phone, and has a window they operate out of with 2 layers of plexiglass and a small sliding window.

I delivered at a refinery yesterday and it seemed business as usual to them. No extra precautions at all.

The government is doing the same with this as they do with fuel prices. Seeing how far they can go, before people have had enough.

Yes I agree this bug is a bad thing, but I agree with Brett and several others. It is just another bad bug. Be cautious and clean and use good ole fashion common sense can go along way.

Results SHOUT.

I don't have a link at my fingertips but when I read yesterday of a CA official pointing to the example of New Rochelle, NY, as "a shining ray of hope" - it caught my attention.

I searched and found stories about the "flattened curve" in this city just north of NYC, where the first cluster of covid cases in the region appeared and which implemented a mile-radius quarantine / isolation area. Within approx. 2 weeks, graphics eye-poppingly demonstrate an incredible drop in new cases in New Ro while cases in the surrounding towns and in NYC exploded.

Aside from press reports I get boots on the ground reports. I lived there for many years and some of my kids still do.

If anyone is passing through Charlotte with a load of TP, I could use 4 rolls. The PSAs on the TV are something out of an "End of The World" movie. The hysteria is laughable. Respect the problem, don't fear it. My friend jokingly says he hopes this goes on forever. He's getting great miles and empty roads. It's hard to be more isolated in a truck.

Why people have to ransack the supermarkets is beyond me. My drive to work is easier. I enjoy no school buses and less crazy people on the roads.

Stay well.