Corona - what does help you? Your fears, thoughts, everything

[serious crayons]

A friend at work had plans to travel to Italy. When the virus started getting bad there, she realized she'd have to cancel her plans. So she consoled herself with a spur-of-the-moment long weekend in New Orleans. This was right around Mardi Gras.

Louisiana now has almost 30,000 cases and almost 2,000 deaths, the majority in New Orleans -- partly just because it's the biggest city, but also because the crowds at Mardi Gras helped spread it.

The mayor of NOLA has been criticized for not canceling Mardi Gras, But it was on Feb. 25, before anyone was talking about closing public places or canceling big events. It also draws well over a million visitors and billions of dollars.

My coworker is fine, though.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I've been thinking, we are hearing that beef and chicken are getting scarce and more expensive because processing plants are closing because of Covid-19 infections among the workers. But I have not yet heard anything about what effect these scarcities will have on manufacturers of prepared foods. I'm not joking. For example, if chicken becomes expensive, will Campbell's still be making chicken noodle soup--or, what effect will that have on prices to consumers? Or, what will happen with frozen entrees that include beef or chicken? Or things like canned chili or beef stew?

To be sure, diets are healthier without these things, and that could be part of the answer, but that's really not what I'm getting at here. I simply wonder what effect these scarcities will have on other consumer products besides fresh beef and chicken.

[Jeff Wrangler]

BTW, have any of you folks on Facebook heard anything from Meryl?

[serious crayons]

BTW, have any of you folks on Facebook heard anything from Meryl?

Yup. As recently as 10 hours ago, she posted a photo of herself -- with a group of Brokies, in fact!

[southendmd]

Here we are!  Madrid, 2014, back stage after the BBM opera.  The very tall fellow in the back is Daniel Okulitch, who played Ennis.

[Sason]

Here we are!  Madrid, 2014, back stage after the BBM opera.  The very tall fellow in the back is Daniel Okulitch, who played Ennis.

I can't believe it's already 6 fucking years ago!

[brianr]

We're scheduled to travel to Scotland mid-July, but now I doubt it. Everything is already booked since last December, sigh.

Monika and I had plans to travel to Canada mid-August. We were just about to book our flights when Corona hit big time, so nothing is booked yet. If we can't travel in August, we hope for later in the year, maybe end of October/November.... But who knows.

If the family vacation in summer gets cancelled, I'm hoping for early October because my son has another period of school holidays at the time.

So basically, I think July might be too early but I'm still holding on to our bookings.
Our German government says international travel might not be possible for the whole year…  But I'm stubborn and refuse to give up hope for a fall vacation.

The UK company who arranged my Albania/Kosovo trip gave me a credit note to decide by July 31 but I told them I could not make any decision about next year by then so they have just sent me a form to apply for a full refund. I have vouchers for use on Emirates, Air New Zealand, Qatar Air and Aegean Air but do not have to make decisions about rebooking until March next year. I have applied for a full refund with Qatar (I had splurged on a business class fare coming home from Athens to Sydney in June).
As you know, I liked to take one big tour each year for as long as my health holds up. In 2017 when I met you and Monika in Jasper was Canada and Alaska then 2018 was mainly in London and nearby but I did take 7 days on the West Coast of Scotland. In 2019 I decided to pay for a hernia op (it had given me grief while hiking in the UK) so just went to Sydney for 10 days and some short trips here in NZ.  Then I planned this big trip to the Balkans and Greece this year but I am feeling my age hence the business class flight on the way home (I was quite ill after flying back from Dubai to Sydney in 2018).  Now back to the drawing board for 2021 but it will not be the 10 weeks away planned for this year.

[brianr]

I've been thinking, we are hearing that beef and chicken are getting scarce and more expensive because processing plants are closing because of Covid-19 infections among the workers. But I have not yet heard anything about what effect these scarcities will have on manufacturers of prepared foods. I'm not joking. For example, if chicken becomes expensive, will Campbell's still be making chicken noodle soup--or, what effect will that have on prices to consumers? Or, what will happen with frozen entrees that include beef or chicken? Or things like canned chili or beef stew?

To be sure, diets are healthier without these things, and that could be part of the answer, but that's really not what I'm getting at here. I simply wonder what effect these scarcities will have on other consumer products besides fresh beef and chicken.

On our news last night, we were told that there is no problem with meat production as we are a large exporter to the rest of the world but, because of overseas demand, we can expect our local prices to go up. The value of exports actually increased in April despite lockdown. There was a decline in March as China stopped importing our timber but that is now starting up again. Our big loss is in tourism income.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Yup. As recently as 10 hours ago, she posted a photo of herself -- with a group of Brokies, in fact!

Thanks! Really glad to know she's OK.

[Penthesilea]

The UK company who arranged my Albania/Kosovo trip gave me a credit note to decide by July 31 but I told them I could not make any decision about next year by then so they have just sent me a form to apply for a full refund. I have vouchers for use on Emirates, Air New Zealand, Qatar Air and Aegean Air but do not have to make decisions about rebooking until March next year. I have applied for a full refund with Qatar (I had splurged on a business class fare coming home from Athens to Sydney in June).
As you know, I liked to take one big tour each year for as long as my health holds up. In 2017 when I met you and Monika in Jasper was Canada and Alaska then 2018 was mainly in London and nearby but I did take 7 days on the West Coast of Scotland. In 2019 I decided to pay for a hernia op (it had given me grief while hiking in the UK) so just went to Sydney for 10 days and some short trips here in NZ.  Then I planned this big trip to the Balkans and Greece this year but I am feeling my age hence the business class flight on the way home (I was quite ill after flying back from Dubai to Sydney in 2018).  Now back to the drawing board for 2021 but it will not be the 10 weeks away planned for this year.

What a hassle to deal with all those companies.

In 2017 when I met you and Monika in Jasper was Canada and Alaska

I remember that. Great memories! 


I hope you'll stay in good health and can make up trip-wise next year!