FWIW: Have you mentioned your president by name, though? If you have, I never caught it--and I do try to pay attention to and learn from your posts.
Just now, reading your post for the first time, I was initially confused: to me, his last name looked Indian, given the "Rama" at the start. I understand that some Indians have gone to S. Africa over the years. IIRC, Gandhi practiced law there, early on.
FWIW: Have you mentioned your president by name, though? If you have, I never caught it--and I do try to pay attention to and learn from your posts.
Just now, reading your post for the first time, I was initially confused: to me, his last name looked Indian, given the "Rama" at the start. I understand that some Indians have gone to S. Africa over the years. IIRC, Gandhi practiced law there, early on.
Ramaphosa is Venda, a black South African, not Indian, and I have mentioned him a few times. Perhaps I am just a little tetchy because we're going through very stressful times out here.
Gk, Indians didn't just 'go over to South Africa'. They were abducted or sold and arrived in the Cape as slaves until the abolition of slavery in 1838. Later, indentured Indians were brought out to work for the Natal colonial government on sugar plantations. Because of this, South Africa has the largest expatriate Indian community outside of India, more than 1,3-million. Gandhi arrived in South Africa is 1893 and was thrown off a train for being 'non-white' -- he would become a political activist in colonial South Africa (under the British not Afrikaners) and develop his strategy and philosophy of satyagraha or non-violent resistance here.
You'd have recognised Johnson, Macron, Merkel, Ardern, Trudeau, perhaps Bosanaro. But not the President of South Africa.
Now, now. No need to get testy. Actually I wouldn't have recognized Ardern or Bosanaro either. Call Miss Amanda a provincial ninny if you must, but she doesn't think she's alone.
Now, now. No need to get testy. Actually I wouldn't have recognized Ardern or Bosanaro either. Call Miss Amanda a provincial ninny if you must, but she doesn't think she's alone.
You surprise me. Both Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand PM) and Jair Bolsonaro (President of Brazil) have featured in the world news quite often this year for their response to the Coronavirus (Ms Ardern with approval, Mr Bolsonaro with disapproval). I would not have recognized Mr Ramaphosa by name, but with context (MaryLouise was the poster) and title, it wasn't hard to guess.
You'd have recognised Johnson, Macron, Merkel, Ardern, Trudeau, perhaps Bosanaro. But not the President of South Africa.
Now, now. No need to get testy. Actually I wouldn't have recognized Ardern or Bosanaro either. Call Miss Amanda a provincial ninny if you must, but she doesn't think she's alone.
Also Southern Hemisphere leaders. It's a thing I noticed in South Africa, how remote or obscure were the events and history of Europe and North America, how very much more important and present the links to India and Australia.
Though I think if you are British or Irish the hemispheric biasis balanced by the ties of emigration and empire.
According to 2016 data, Canada has a population of 1,963,330 south Asians (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives). I'm not certain of the breakdown.
Swinging down. Here in California the governor is now turning back openings. Down again are bars, inside dinning, large gathers, in parts of the state, down also are gyms, churches, and hair salons. He said from the start he would be watching cases and moving back and forth on what could continue to be open depending on the virus count. As I am already staying home for the most part it does not affect me, other then with my growing hair I am starting to look like an old Janis Joplin. I do feel for those who are trying to run a business and not knowing from week to week what to expect.
I always appreciate a reminder of where Shipmates are coming from, literally and in other ways too. As a relative newcomer of about two years I haven’t yet got everyone’s location at my fingertips. As for names of Presidents, my ignorance never fails to astound me.
Here in the UK the guidelines are forever changing. It is hard for businesses and hard for those of us who have choices about our level of risk.
Even us old timers don't read every post on every thread. Thus, if someone were to mention where they're from, there's no guarantee that it would be seen. And even if it is seen, there's no shame in admitting that we can't remember everything.
And it is indeed hard to keep world leaders' names straight, especially if they appear only infrequently in the news. OK, I admit I should have known the president of Brazil's name, but I wouldn't know the president of South Africa from the Man in the Moon.
Yeah, that's the thing. I still think U Thant is Secretary-General of the UN (or is Dag Hammarskjöld?), Indira Ghandi is prime minister of India, Vicente Fox is president of Mexico, etc. etc. And as for Brazil . . . well, Lula livre!
Well there's a game to while away the hours - of how many countries can you name the current president/prime minister/reigning monarch?
I do better the other way around - you tell me a name, and I recognize it. I'm pretty bad at remembering names.
I happen to know that the current King of the Belgians is Philippe, but that's basically irrelevant. I don't think I could name any Belgian Prime Minister, ever. I'm actually struggling to name anyone at all that I know to be Belgian (unless Poirot counts).
I can name the current French president, but not the Prime Minister (the most recent French PM I remember is de Villepin.
<snip> I don't think I could name any Belgian Prime Minister, ever. I'm actually struggling to name anyone at all that I know to be Belgian (unless Poirot counts). <snip>
Dragging the thread back to the actual topic, I'll note that school districts in these parts seem to be settling their plans for the fall. Most places seem to be choosing a hybrid model (kids in school half the time, at home half the time) so classes run at half occupancy to allow distancing. Fully-virtual options are available in at least some places, for those with particular health concerns.
In terms of safely providing education to children, this seems like a reasonable choice. Of course, it completely breaks school-as-childcare for working parents.
Right, there are a pile of errands (bank cheques, replace watch battery, buy slippers) which cannot be met within my usual orbit of local shops. I will need *drumroll* to go to a shopping mall by *cymbals* BUS!
The mere prospect of so much excitement has come between me and sleep.
I went and had my hair cut yesterday. Last week it was the dental hygienist and the week before the opticians. Our local leisure centre company has emailed to say they'll be starting to re-open from the 25th. The centre five minutes walk from us has been closed due to roof problems since before Christmas. Given the financial problems councils are facing I doubt it will re-open which would be a shame. It was a real community focus.
I've mentioned elsewhere my visit to the optometrist today - all staff were masked and gowned, and wearing those Perspex visor thingies. All patients (bar one young lass, who may indeed be asthmatic or something) were also masked.
Faintly surreal...but, presumably, the new normal.
OTOH, lunch in the nearby Wimpy Bar was relatively normal, with the staff apparently obeying all the guidelines, and the tables set further apart than heretofore.
It was faintly surreal just to be eating in a café once more...but in the middle of the day (OK, it's a Wednesday, so probably not ever all that busy), I was the only customer, apart from two ladies who were just finishing their meal as I arrived, and a chap who came in for a take-away. It makes one wonder whether such businesses will be able to carry on for much longer.
The Big Sainsbury's was underlit - understandably, given there were nearly as many staff as customers. But given the over-ear traffic jam of hearing aids and mask, I decided against adding glasses, so had to peer through the relative gloom.
Also, if you don't have a cough, you can acquire one by trying to breathe through closely-fitted fabric for an hour or so.
Was it under-lit because you were there at an Early Hour?
Re cough - I wore a face-mask (neck gaiter thingy) today whilst in the optometrist's Den, also on the Bus, and in the Taxi. So, on and off, but it still made my throat feel rather dry. Hence the need for BEER on my return to the Ark.
I have my annual dermatologist appointment coming up soon, and my six-month dental visit a month after that. I've been studiously avoiding medical offices. I'm curious as to how they will handle things. Both appointments are first thing in the morning, so the waiting rooms should not be crowded. If they are, I'll wait out in the corridor, thank you very much.
I have my annual dermatologist appointment coming up soon, and my six-month dental visit a month after that. I've been studiously avoiding medical offices. I'm curious as to how they will handle things. Both appointments are first thing in the morning, so the waiting rooms should not be crowded. If they are, I'll wait out in the corridor, thank you very much.
I had to take one of the kids in recently. We drove to the office, to be greeted by a sign saying "wait in the car, phone this number". After a few minutes, someone came out to escort us in. The waiting room was not in use.
My optometrist was limiting the number of people in the shop at any one time, and the waiting area (not a separate room in this case) had just three chairs - all 2 metres apart - rather than the previous continuous row. Customers were requested to knock on the front door - kept locked - to gain admittance, and wait until let in. It's a High Street shop, with nowhere to park outside.
They are seeing people by appointment only - no casual dropping-in - so it's not too bad, as long as one doesn't arrive too early. I did, but there was enough room inside for them to allow me in.
Was it under-lit because you were there at an Early Hour?
Not really. Well gone 10 o'clock at least. But why turn all the lights on over several thousand square ft for maybe 50 people? All the fresh counters - fishmongering, butcher, deli, bakery - were empty and unstaffed. But I noticed - as against the last time I was in, a day or so before lockdown started - that the drinks section was fully stocked.
My recent doctor's visit was fine. My doctor is doing a lot of video consultations, but I needed to go in person because I had to have my blood pressure checked. Chairs were spaced out in the waiting room, the toilets were not usable, and there were no toys for children. Everyone masked and hands disinfected on arrival.
I had to see the nurse today as no-one has invented the remote vaccination yet! When I got to the surgery she checked I had a mask on, and if anyone was in the waiting room already. Currently there are two rows of 3 chairs on either side of the room, and one single one in the middle at the back (or at least as far back as it'll go with the rest of the seats pushed out of the way behind it.) The actual nurse's room had a seat over 2 metres from the desk for me to sit on, and she was in apron, mask and face shield.
I've actually seen a lot of the shields lately on shop cashiers locally.
I went to a store to send a failed item back to Amazon. The owner was on the phone and not wearing a mask. I stood back from her while she finished her conversation.. She then said, Oh I need to get my mask, she then reached toward the floor and came up with the mask saying, " He has been chewing on it." I turned and left the store and did not wait to find out who, "He," was. Dog perhaps, Baby? I contacted Amazon again about a printed mailing form. They said forget it just throw the item away. Happy to hear that. Then I went to the bank to make a deposit and I went inside because the sun glare was so bad on the outside I would not see the screen. One customer was wearing a mask off his nose, The tellers all had small plastic screens in front of them. One teller was wearing a mask the other was not. The unmasked teller was finished first and she motioned me to come up. I said I would wait for the other teller. She then walked away and put on her mask? I want to stay home.
You may well ask - although don't bother enquiring of the *government*...!
Although I do wonder if it's because only the customers have the 'common sense', referred to by our Leaders™, and can therefore be trusted to act responsibly.
AIUI, face-coverings will be mandatory for customers in shops in England from 24th July, but NOT for the retail staff themselves.
How can that possibly make any sense?
Well it’s probably partly cos some of them will be screened off - but more likely because wearing a mask for 8hrs is different challenge to wearing one for 30min while you pop to the shops.
I went to the GP earlier today and was told to arrive a few minutes before my 11am appointment. Rather to my surprise, I was called into the waiting room and sat at a suitable distance from the four or five others present. One elderly lady was wearing a disposable mask but took it off to cough, and then decided not to bother putting it back on so just propped it against the top of her glasses instead.
AIUI, face-coverings will be mandatory for customers in shops in England from 24th July, but NOT for the retail staff themselves.
How can that possibly make any sense?
Well it’s probably partly cos some of them will be screened off - but more likely because wearing a mask for 8hrs is different challenge to wearing one for 30min while you pop to the shops.
TBF, that may well be the reason(s). I think most shops have the tills screened off now.
Well it’s probably partly cos some of them will be screened off - but more likely because wearing a mask for 8hrs is different challenge to wearing one for 30min while you pop to the shops.
If I'm in a shop, it seems to me that I'm more at risk from virus clouds surrounding an infected employee who has been standing at a till building up the size of their cloud than I am from walking past an infected customer, because I don't spend much time in that customer's air.
Still, at least if I have a choice of shops, I can choose the ones where the staff are masked.
Yes, but I fear you may find your choice rather limited...
There is also, I gather, a fear among shopkeepers that people, with face-covering mandatory, will be even less likely to pop into their premises than before.
There is also, I gather, a fear among shopkeepers that people, with face-covering mandatory, will be even less likely to pop into their premises than before.
Where would the people be going such that they were out and about passing a shop, but didn't have a face cover with them? Everywhere I go expects me to wear a face cover. If I'm away from home, I've got one. I suppose the exception is if I was going for a walk/run for exercise - I wouldn't have to wear a mask for that, but do many people nip in to the shops in the middle of their morning run?
Where would the people be going such that they were out and about passing a shop, but didn't have a face cover with them? Everywhere I go expects me to wear a face cover. If I'm away from home, I've got one. I suppose the exception is if I was going for a walk/run for exercise - I wouldn't have to wear a mask for that, but do many people nip in to the shops in the middle of their morning run?
Well, you wouldn't catch me going for a run, but I would certainly have considered calingl into the local corner shop to pick up a pint of milk on the way home from a walk or on the way back from work (to which I sometimes walk) ... And I wouldn't be going out for a walk with a face covering, so I would need to be thinking about taking one with me anything from 1 -8hrs before it was needed.
That’s why I think collar style face coverings are a good idea (snood / buff / collar whateveryouwanttocallit). Because then you can just wear the collar like a neck scarf and pull it up over your face if you enter and indoor space outside the home.
(I am sure someone will create one as a mock cravat, for the more beau Brummell amongst us.)
If someone was feeling very swish, you ought to be able to design a clerical collar that stores the mask like an anorak hood - and you just pull the white bit out over your face as required
I wore a neck gaiter whilst out yesterday, and yes, it's handy for pulling up over mouth and nose as required. Bit uncomfy, though, as it tends to bunch itself up...
I think that’s partly getting used to them, partly exact size & fabric - but you could pull the fabric through a hair tie or scarf ring at the back if you wanted it to sit higher at the back of the head.
I got into them because of the heat waves the last few years - my office building is not air conditioned and it was making my asthma difficult to manage. I bought a set so I had a clean work appropriate design for each day of the week. When v hot I would soak it in cold water, wring it out, and wear it during the working day to help me stay cool.
I have a plain white keffiyeh from a years-ago visit to Egypt. I’m planning to use that as a face covering when required. I can drop it around my neck, but pull it up over mouth and nose as necessary.
@BroJames - that sounds rather dashing, if not elegant!
I wore a proper face-mask today whilst tottering around Tesco. It was OK as far as 'feel and fit' are concerned, but I did find my specs steaming up now and then. It's rather a humid, muggy day here, so maybe that didn't help. Still, for the 20 minutes or so I was in the shop, it wasn't too uncomfortable, and I'm sure I'll get accustomed to wearing one.
Alas, pulling fabric through a hair tie is not really feasible, given that I am somewhat follically challenged (and what's left is trimmed down to a Number 0).
BTW, the majority of people in the store were also wearing masks of various kinds, so maybe the message is beginning to take effect...
Comments
FWIW: Have you mentioned your president by name, though? If you have, I never caught it--and I do try to pay attention to and learn from your posts.
Just now, reading your post for the first time, I was initially confused: to me, his last name looked Indian, given the "Rama" at the start. I understand that some Indians have gone to S. Africa over the years. IIRC, Gandhi practiced law there, early on.
Ramaphosa is Venda, a black South African, not Indian, and I have mentioned him a few times. Perhaps I am just a little tetchy because we're going through very stressful times out here.
Gk, Indians didn't just 'go over to South Africa'. They were abducted or sold and arrived in the Cape as slaves until the abolition of slavery in 1838. Later, indentured Indians were brought out to work for the Natal colonial government on sugar plantations. Because of this, South Africa has the largest expatriate Indian community outside of India, more than 1,3-million. Gandhi arrived in South Africa is 1893 and was thrown off a train for being 'non-white' -- he would become a political activist in colonial South Africa (under the British not Afrikaners) and develop his strategy and philosophy of satyagraha or non-violent resistance here.
Now, now. No need to get testy. Actually I wouldn't have recognized Ardern or Bosanaro either. Call Miss Amanda a provincial ninny if you must, but she doesn't think she's alone.
You surprise me. Both Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand PM) and Jair Bolsonaro (President of Brazil) have featured in the world news quite often this year for their response to the Coronavirus (Ms Ardern with approval, Mr Bolsonaro with disapproval). I would not have recognized Mr Ramaphosa by name, but with context (MaryLouise was the poster) and title, it wasn't hard to guess.
Also Southern Hemisphere leaders. It's a thing I noticed in South Africa, how remote or obscure were the events and history of Europe and North America, how very much more important and present the links to India and Australia.
Though I think if you are British or Irish the hemispheric biasis balanced by the ties of emigration and empire.
Here in the UK the guidelines are forever changing. It is hard for businesses and hard for those of us who have choices about our level of risk.
And it is indeed hard to keep world leaders' names straight, especially if they appear only infrequently in the news. OK, I admit I should have known the president of Brazil's name, but I wouldn't know the president of South Africa from the Man in the Moon.
Some countries are stuck in the amber of memory - I look at Cyrus and think Archbishop Makarios? Canada I have managed to move past Mr Diefenbaker.
Not so, of course - she abdicated back in 2013 in favour of her son, (now HM) Willem-Alexander.
Maybe all this Covid-19 stuff is playing tricks with our memories...?
(Note what I did there, if you please).
I do better the other way around - you tell me a name, and I recognize it. I'm pretty bad at remembering names.
I happen to know that the current King of the Belgians is Philippe, but that's basically irrelevant. I don't think I could name any Belgian Prime Minister, ever. I'm actually struggling to name anyone at all that I know to be Belgian (unless Poirot counts).
I can name the current French president, but not the Prime Minister (the most recent French PM I remember is de Villepin.
But how could you forget Tintin
Umm. Well, I never actually read Tintin, so I didn't know he was Belgian rather than French.
In terms of safely providing education to children, this seems like a reasonable choice. Of course, it completely breaks school-as-childcare for working parents.
Which is doubtless what Miss Amanda used to look it up. A lot of snark on this thread, with little justification.
The mere prospect of so much excitement has come between me and sleep.
Faintly surreal...but, presumably, the new normal.
OTOH, lunch in the nearby Wimpy Bar was relatively normal, with the staff apparently obeying all the guidelines, and the tables set further apart than heretofore.
It was faintly surreal just to be eating in a café once more...but in the middle of the day (OK, it's a Wednesday, so probably not ever all that busy), I was the only customer, apart from two ladies who were just finishing their meal as I arrived, and a chap who came in for a take-away. It makes one wonder whether such businesses will be able to carry on for much longer.
Also, if you don't have a cough, you can acquire one by trying to breathe through closely-fitted fabric for an hour or so.
Re cough - I wore a face-mask (neck gaiter thingy) today whilst in the optometrist's Den, also on the Bus, and in the Taxi. So, on and off, but it still made my throat feel rather dry. Hence the need for BEER on my return to the Ark.
I had to take one of the kids in recently. We drove to the office, to be greeted by a sign saying "wait in the car, phone this number". After a few minutes, someone came out to escort us in. The waiting room was not in use.
They are seeing people by appointment only - no casual dropping-in - so it's not too bad, as long as one doesn't arrive too early. I did, but there was enough room inside for them to allow me in.
Not really. Well gone 10 o'clock at least. But why turn all the lights on over several thousand square ft for maybe 50 people? All the fresh counters - fishmongering, butcher, deli, bakery - were empty and unstaffed. But I noticed - as against the last time I was in, a day or so before lockdown started - that the drinks section was fully stocked.
I've actually seen a lot of the shields lately on shop cashiers locally.
How can that possibly make any sense?
Although I do wonder if it's because only the customers have the 'common sense', referred to by our Leaders™, and can therefore be trusted to act responsibly.
Well it’s probably partly cos some of them will be screened off - but more likely because wearing a mask for 8hrs is different challenge to wearing one for 30min while you pop to the shops.
TBF, that may well be the reason(s). I think most shops have the tills screened off now.
If I'm in a shop, it seems to me that I'm more at risk from virus clouds surrounding an infected employee who has been standing at a till building up the size of their cloud than I am from walking past an infected customer, because I don't spend much time in that customer's air.
Still, at least if I have a choice of shops, I can choose the ones where the staff are masked.
There is also, I gather, a fear among shopkeepers that people, with face-covering mandatory, will be even less likely to pop into their premises than before.
Where would the people be going such that they were out and about passing a shop, but didn't have a face cover with them? Everywhere I go expects me to wear a face cover. If I'm away from home, I've got one. I suppose the exception is if I was going for a walk/run for exercise - I wouldn't have to wear a mask for that, but do many people nip in to the shops in the middle of their morning run?
Well, you wouldn't catch me going for a run, but I would certainly have considered calingl into the local corner shop to pick up a pint of milk on the way home from a walk or on the way back from work (to which I sometimes walk) ... And I wouldn't be going out for a walk with a face covering, so I would need to be thinking about taking one with me anything from 1 -8hrs before it was needed.
(I am sure someone will create one as a mock cravat, for the more beau Brummell amongst us.)
If someone was feeling very swish, you ought to be able to design a clerical collar that stores the mask like an anorak hood - and you just pull the white bit out over your face as required
Somewhat like a rosary...
I got into them because of the heat waves the last few years - my office building is not air conditioned and it was making my asthma difficult to manage. I bought a set so I had a clean work appropriate design for each day of the week. When v hot I would soak it in cold water, wring it out, and wear it during the working day to help me stay cool.
I wore a proper face-mask today whilst tottering around Tesco. It was OK as far as 'feel and fit' are concerned, but I did find my specs steaming up now and then. It's rather a humid, muggy day here, so maybe that didn't help. Still, for the 20 minutes or so I was in the shop, it wasn't too uncomfortable, and I'm sure I'll get accustomed to wearing one.
Alas, pulling fabric through a hair tie is not really feasible, given that I am somewhat follically challenged (and what's left is trimmed down to a Number 0).
BTW, the majority of people in the store were also wearing masks of various kinds, so maybe the message is beginning to take effect...