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

[Front-Ranger]

Off on a tangent. As you know, I put in a security system a year ago. I keep track of all the door and window statuses on my phone. Last night I checked it as I went to bed and noticed that it said my car was parked 50 feet away.

During the night, I woke up and checked my phone. It now said my car was parked 60 feet away. My car must have been trying to creep away under cover of darkness!! 

[Sason]

I wondered that when I took the ferry from Wales to Ireland. They had a lane in Dublin for Irish and UK citizens to walk straight through while I had to take the lane for other citizens and show my passport. As my great grandparents come from the North of England, I wondered how they would tell if I did not open my mouth. My accent would give me away.
However, when I took the ferry from Denmark to England, everyone just waved their passports. Leaving Denmark (Esbjerg), the guy noticed mine, smiled and said "Ah Australian, Princess Mary." Now that I have a NZ passport, I always say I will only use my Australian passport for Australia (that is the law) and Denmark.

 

They might give you VIP treatment because they think you're one of her closest friends!

[Sason]

My, life is complicated these days! I'm so glad you can visit your Mum, Sonja. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks Lee. I sure will.

It will take some time still, there's only a limited number of time slots in the tent in the garden.

[Jeff Wrangler]

About the tracing, it's done through your cell phone. Smart phones work by contacting the nearest tower or satellite and so movements of the population can easily be tracked. Even if you turn off your location in Settings, it can still be determined how far and how much people are moving about. I'm not sure about flip phones, but they can be roughly tracked also. Since 99% of the population carries a mobile phone, this is an accurate determinator of movement.

I've heard that, about tracking by tracking your cell phone. (In fact, we see this all the time as a plot point in scripted TV "procedurals.") This is not reassuring. Once we begin doing this with cell phones, the government will see this as a opportunity to use it for far more purposes than just tracing people who have been exposed to a disease.

As far as "returning to normal", what is normal? After cataclysms like this in the past, some whole industries collapsed, while others surged. My fear is that if we try to return to the normal of the past, we'll just fall into a Depression, because the past ways of doing things don't work anymore. This was evident way before the pandemic but now we have the perfect opportunity to sweep the old ways away. In some cases, technology will help us build whole new industries and networks. In other cases, we'll be wise to return to heirloom approaches.

Sure enough, we do have "the perfect opportunity to sweep the old ways away," but don't forget, when we do this, people get swept away along with them.

[brianr]

Brian, what is the government tracing app? Is that something that shows the government where everyone has been so they can keep track of their movements?

The Australian and the NZ seem to be different. From what I read the Australian uses blue tooth and records any other phones you have been close to for more than a certain period of time. The NZ one I hold up to the QR code which is appearing at front doors of shops and cafes everywhere and my phone keeps a record of where I have been. It is suppose to disappear from your phone after 30 days.

[brianr]

That's the sort of thing that worries me. A lot. About Big Brother being able to trace all of us, using the excuse that they need to trace contacts.

This does not worry me in the least. I am amazed at the detail about their lives people put on social media.  I should be in Greece now. In Greece everyone, not just tourists, must carry ID and show it to any police person who requests it. They can be arrested if not. It would not worry me as I never go much beyond my front gate without my wallet and drivers licence.

[serious crayons]

With their GPS systems, smart phones show where you are within about 10 feet. If you're coming up to an intersection, it says "turn left" at pretty much the moment you arrive at the intersection. If you ask your phone something like, where's the nearest Target store? It doesn't show you a random assortment of Targets in your city. It shows you the one that's 1.2 miles from your current location, then one that's 3.6 miles and so on.

So since they have that underlying ability, there's no reason to think it couldn't be used or accessed by others.

As far as "returning to normal", what is normal?

Exactly. I think most people would start with something like, "being able to see my friends and family in person from fewer than 6 feet away and hug loved ones." And of course, people who are out of work or whose businesses are failing will want those industries to go back to normal. And most people would like to go to restaurants and theaters and sports events.

With a vaccine or medical cure, that kind of normal could come back fairly quickly, although by then many individual businesses, if not whole industries, will have been destroyed.

After cataclysms like this in the past, some whole industries collapsed, while others surged.

That's already underway. Restaurants, travel and hospitality: collapsing. Zoom and apps like that, delivery systems like Amazon: surging.

(New theory: the pandemic is a hoax by the Washington Post to boost Jeff Bezos' business.  I have met people in recent weeks who would believe that the minute they heard it.)

My fear is that if we try to return to the normal of the past, we'll just fall into a Depression, because the past ways of doing things don't work anymore. This was evident way before the pandemic but now we have the perfect opportunity to sweep the old ways away. In some cases, technology will help us build whole new industries and networks. In other cases, we'll be wise to return to heirloom approaches.

Sure enough. Now all we have to do is figure out what old ways should be swept away, what whole new industries we should build, and what heirloom approaches are worth preserving.

Considering we've only been dealing with this for a few months yet are having to make decisions on the fly while trying to minimize human deaths and economic collapse, that will be the tough part.

[Jeff Wrangler]

(New theory: the pandemic is a hoax by the Washington Post to boost Jeff Bezos' business.  I have met people in recent weeks who would believe that the minute they heard it.)

I thought it was a Democratic plot to defeat the Great Orange Satan?     

Seriously, here's something I've been wondering about the past day or two:

I'm hearing that, around here, anyway, restaurants, when they open at all, will be required to use disposable menus. So, I'm thinking, that's a lot of paper, even at 50% capacity. Why can't they just use laminated menus that can be wiped down or otherwise disinfected between use? 

I haven't heard anything yet about paper plates and plastic utensils.

[brianr]

We are allowed to meet in groups up to 100 from midday today but must keep records.
My walking group will meet again next Tuesday. We have 67 on the roll but many have not walked for a long while. I tend to cull the roll in July every year. The maximum has been 36, usually in the mid 20's. 
We usually meet at the same spot and car share but I have told people to organise their sharing with friends or drive themselves to the start point. It is only 15 km this time.
I always just mark the roll during morning tea and most would not notice I am doing it. I have announced that there will be a formal roll call before we start walking so I have a proper list. It is the start of winter so we will finish by lunch and I have suggested many may want to go to a local tavern but to email me and I will let them know approx how many are coming, many will go straight home. The Tavern will have to take names or use the QR code for those of us who have the app. I went to a cafe in the nursery/hardware store yesterday and used the app, saved writing my details in the book. I was served with proper cup, saucer and plate, no menus, they are on the wall. I often go to 'Muffin Break' in the city mall food court and last week they gave me my muffin in a paper bag and my coffee in a paper cup which I do not like. 
We have now had 6 days without any new cases and there are no active cases  in the South Island but i we have to remain vigilant. There is a lot of unemployment.

[serious crayons]

It’s funny, QR codes were big here for a short period maybe 5 years ago but I don’t know how much they’re used now.