D&D and the rising pandemic

[UngainlyTitan]

Extemporising haikus is a field. Do not discount arts. Some of our most revered (high-reputation) people today are artists, and there's no reason for that to stop in such a system.

yes, ok, you got me there but my point is that it most likely will be a thing that everyone will be expected to have some skill at, dancing, playing the violin, or haikus that one will have to be good at along with what ever you do.
Excelling in Physics or whatever may not have the same cachet.

 

[Deset Gled]

That is monstrous.

Yeah, I can't even begin to understand the logic behind that.

The US (or one unnamed individual) disabled our pandemic response team in 2018 as a budget cut. Countless FEMA positions have been left unfulfilled. Now the US is basically holding WHO funding hostage.

I can't really say too much more without breaking the politics rule, but holy moley we are doing some terrible long term planning.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Anyone here watch, The Orville? It is Seth McFarlane's Star Trek, and is awesome, and possibly the most... Trekky Trek since TNG. In it, Earth has become a largely utopian, post-scarcity society. And, a couple times they reference that, with the invention of matter synthesis and nigh-infinite energy supplies, the concept of normal money for goods produced ceased to make any sense.

But they also note that, "...human ambition didn't vanish. The only thing that changed is how we quantify wealth. People still want to be rich, but now being rich means being the best at what you do."

Oh, here's a clip of one discussion of it...

I loved that show.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeah, I can't even begin to understand the logic behind that.

The US (or one unnamed individual) disabled our pandemic response team in 2018 as a budget cut. Countless FEMA positions have been left unfulfilled. Now the US is basically holding WHO funding hostage.

I can't really say too much more without breaking the politics rule, but holy moley we are doing some terrible long term planning.

I will say that- much like what we found out with Hurricane Katrina- the blame game in the US Covid-19 response is like a large onion with many layers. The good & bad of it go back many years, and (freely mixing my metaphors) the ball was dropped multiple times...by people across the political spectrum. A prior leader, having used our reserves of masks, etc. as intended nonetheless left office without replenishing that reserve, even though he had ample opportunity. For all the good he did, that was boneheaded.

But just like the problem is bipartisan, I really think the solutions will be too. or more accurately, I hope it will.

 

[abirdcall]

...

 

[Deset Gled]

I will say that- much like what we found out with Hurricane Katrina- the blame game in the US Covid-19 response is like a large onion with many layers. The good & bad of it go back many years, and (freely mixing my metaphors) the ball was dropped multiple times...by people across the political spectrum. A prior leader, having used our reserves of masks, etc. as intended nonetheless left office without replenishing that reserve, even though he had ample opportunity. For all the good he did, that was boneheaded.

But just like the problem is bipartisan, I really think the solutions will be too. or more accurately, I hope it will.

Obviously, no political party is responsible for COVID19. The disease doesn't have a political affiliation, no one can predict the future, and things like long term emergency stocking are much more complicated discussions than we can go into here.

But there is absolutely nothing bipartisan about the things I mentioned above. No amount of whataboutism justifies cutting WHO funding during a pandemic.

 

[tomBitonti]

Back in mid-March when the UK restrictions were first introduced, I was already overdue for a haircut and knew I wasn't likely to get one in the next few months, so I picked up a cordless hair clipper when I did my first essentials shopping run.

Finally plucked up the nerve to use it over Easter weekend, and the results weren't terrible. A bit uneven at the back, but I wouldn't be ashamed to go out in public with it, not that that's likely anytime soon.

Yeah, haircuts were perhaps not the best example. I was given hair cuts at home when I was young, and know at least one set of friends which are cutting their own hair for now.
But generally, personal services of this sort will be difficult to provide while maintaining social distancing. Anyone providing such a service has a would be strong vector for transmitting the virus.
Be Safe, Be Well,
Tom Bitonti

 

[Deset Gled]

Yeah, haircuts were perhaps not the best example. I was given hair cuts at home when I was young, and know at least one set of friends which are cutting their own hair for now.
But generally, personal services of this sort will be difficult to provide while maintaining social distancing. Anyone providing such a service has a "high interaction cross section" for transmitting the virus.

Dental care is the example that I'm personally living right now. I had a procedure scheduled that was cancelled because of the outbreak. My dentist is currently shut down and is only doing work for dental "emergencies". I don't have an emergency right now, but I certainly will in the future if I don't get it taken care of eventually.

 

[Mallus]

But they also note that, "...human ambition didn't vanish. The only thing that changed is how we quantify wealth. People still want to be rich, but now being rich means being the best at what you do."

I kinda love the fact that it's Seth McFarlane who gives the clearest explanation of Star Trek economics (TNG-era and beyond, at least).

 

[Istbor]

Yeah, haircuts were perhaps not the best example. I was given hair cuts at home when I was young, and know at least one set of friends which are cutting their own hair for now.
But generally, personal services of this sort will be difficult to provide while maintaining social distancing. Anyone providing such a service has a would be strong vector for transmitting the virus.
Be Safe, Be Well,
Tom Bitonti

On the note of the hair cut. What are the people who give them supposed to do? The person who does mine had just started doing so out of her new home. Reworked her basement into a licensed salon. Now, it serves no one. And her fiance, a co-owner of a couple of bars/breweries in town is likely facing similar issues. As even if they can do take out food and drink, no doubt the business is not the same. That is then a dual income household basically making nothing, or next to.

With some unemployment sprinkled in with a grant or handout from the FED, that can keep them going for a little, but off and on for as long as 2022? I can't imagine having to do that. You would need different jobs that are deemed more essential and less likely to close down. It would not be a fun time in life.