More serious than I may have thought

Mike this article was quite startling and worrying but also feels grounded and sober. https://t.co/HlOY6wLxNY?amp=1 And for the weather, it hasn't stopped Covid-19 from spreading to warmer and a related bug, MERS, has no problems in and 115+ temps of the Arabian Peninsula. Think it would be misguided to plan for a weather related change.

When the first quarantines in China were announced we had a few container bookings delayed a month or two that have started again without significant price changes. So seems that they're expecting processing and manufacturing to pick up again soon-ish.

Given that freight is not an industry with a high worker density - social distancing is universally recommended right now - and is also critical infrastructure, any disruptions are likely to be only from sick workers unable to drive.

I do have some concern about the effect this all could have on our bottle recycling operation. Our RVM's ( reverse vending machines ) are really just an automated trash can. It gets pretty nasty out there sometimes.

On the upside: It's set a distance away from our grocery store. ( Nobody wants to go to the dump to get their food.)

On the downside: It's a potential vector for disease transmission in the community. It takes a lot of work to keep it clean and sanitary. I tore through it this week and got everything ship shape but i'm off for the next three days. I'm sure it will be a mess when i get back.

It depends on how far this thing goes. I'm hoping that the whole corona thing blows over in a couple of weeks and that everything gets back to normal. If not ... they may see our recycling operation for what it is and shut us down.

We're still stocked with TP at the store but they've all but emptied the shelves of cleaning products & disinfectants. (There must be a whole lotta spring cleaning going on !) Hopefully, we can re-stock soon.

It doesn't pertain to scrapping but the main drivers of our local economy are fishing & tourism. There's some concern that tourism could take a hit this year. That could really hurt our grocery business because so much of it's success hinges on that critical 10 week period of our summer season. It could be a hard winter for us next year if we don't get enough money set aside to carry us through the slow times.

Everything is going to be effected. Everything. I dont think the coronavirus is a big deal, but the fear and effects of the fear are wrecking everything.

All schools by me are shut down. Disneyland is shut down. All sports are canceled. Counties around me are going on lockdown (no one in or out recommend, but not enforced, yet).....

Think about it, just pick ONE example of something being shut down, and then extrapolate that out. For example.... schools being closed for example. Right off the bat, directly effected is people who work and have kids, no longer have somewhere they can send their kids while they work, so they may have to quit working. All bus drivers layed off. Teachers/staff layed off, etc.

Im not super old, but from what Ive heard from others who are older, theyve never seen anything like this or cause so much fear, so quickly. Its really something crazy we get to experience and live through, and hopefully come out stronger for.

Again ... this is a bit off topic. Just an update on what's happening here.

The local nursing home went into lockdown a few days ago. Nobody in or out except employees.

Wal-Mart & Hannaford's disinfecting products are out of stock w/ no set time for a re-stock. Our store has a pallet of cleaning products on order.

First confirmed case of Corona virus here in Maine today.

Apparently, there's some kind of quarantine at one of the nearby schools over on the mainland. ( unconfirmed )

University of Maine, Colby, and Bowdoin colleges have instructed all students not to return from spring break.

More on topic:

Metals shouldn't be a problem but it might be wise to refrain from curb shopping for awhile.

Originally Posted by hills

Again ... this is a bit off topic. Just an update on what's happening here.

The local nursing home went into lockdown a few days ago. Nobody in or out except employees.

Wal-Mart & Hannaford's disinfecting products are out of stock w/ no set time for a re-stock. Our store has a pallet of cleaning products on order.

First confirmed case of Corona virus here in Maine today.

Apparently, there's some kind of quarantine at one of the nearby schools over on the mainland. ( unconfirmed )

University of Maine, Colby, and Bowdoin colleges have instructed all students not to return from spring break.

More on topic:

Metals shouldn't be a problem but it might be wise to refrain from curb shopping for awhile.

I been curb shopping all week .... I figured, no people-to-people interaction.... so low risk... but I guess it can live on hard surfaces for a while so maybe I should reconsider for next week.... I got enough stuff to sort and take apart anyways

I brought my own pen from home to sign the receipt at the scrap yard today.

Originally Posted by hills

I dunno ... this whole corona virus thing seems to be taking on a life of it's own. As i was saying before in another thread ... it doesn't matter if it's really real or not.

If enough people believe it's real .... then it is real for all practical purposes. It could wreak just as much havoc as if ebola or the black plague was on the loose.

( True story ) I was talking with one guy last week and he was telling me all about the sharona virus and how it was black in color just like the one in WW1. I asked a few leading questions. As nearly as i could figure out, he might have been listening to conservative talk radio and gotten the black plague, the spanish flu, a song by The Knack, and the Corona virus all mixed up into one. (Sometimes the best thing to do is just smile and nod when you're serving the public.)

I'll tell ya man .... this would be funny if it weren't so scary. People get all kinds of crazy ideas in their heads. Then they act out in fear.

It's all a matter of perception. Reason has nothing to do with it. Many people have a low opinion of curb shoppers anyway. This whole pandemic fear won't help the image of the curb shopper at all.

Again ... more on topic as to how this all could affect business.

You got the Bear & Bull statues on Wall Street. They symbolize the two forces of fear & greed that drive the stock market. Traditionally .... investors have flocked to precious metals as a safe haven for their money during unsettled times. JMO ... this could very well signal more consumer demand for PM's and drive the prices up. That would help us out with ewaste.

As someone who listens to conservative talk radio all the time, they have been far more responsible than the alphabet news. ABC, CNN, MSNBC, et al have been all corona scare all the time. The conservative talk shows I have been hearing is trying to talk their listeners down, reminding them that there are huge numbers that are infected and hospitalized and killed by the flu every year. There are huge numbers killed by clogged arteries and KFC just released a sandwich bracketed by two glazed doughnuts

It's not really what i was talking about T.

It goes more to a person's ability to listen and then comprehend what's being said.

People are dumb fearful animals. That's why they call em' sheeple.

Ohh my ... the things they've done out of fear & ignorance

Originally Posted by Patriot76

The last post was in the middle of March and the Coronavirus lives on affecting the economic, health and social lives throughout the nation. It has also become a political issue with conflicting views as to it's dangers. Living in two states that did not issue stay at home orders, our lives did not change drastically. Some businesses started curb side delivery, but no one was required to do anything beyond using common sense. Life went on as usual as other parts of the country were devastated.

Today I went to Menards and found out they instituted a required mask policy, which is their right. Strange thing was the majority of customers refused to enter the store because of the policy. I was using the KIOS to print receipts which was allowed without a mask and saw at least fifty people leave instead of buying a mask in less than 15 minutes. Some customers already had a mask and others did buy a mask, but this was by far the minority. Some of the individuals that bought masks immediately lowered them once they were beyond the entrance. This was the first day of the policy and they had not advertised their new policy very well.

To give you a perspective of our situation, our governor hosted an 4th of July celebration at Mt. Rushmore that did not require social distancing or masks that included the president of the Untied States. She then boarded Air Force One with the president even after being exposed to two individuals that week that tested positive for the Coronavirus. The next week she rode in a parade for a bull riders rodeo that did not require social distancing or masks. To my knowledge she still has not tested positive for the virus.

Bottom line is that there has not been a surge of positive tests after these two events although many individuals from surrounding states attended. Why have the protests not caused a surge, but attending college football games could be a game changer for spreading the virus. I am totally confused why Wyoming and South Dakota are immune to the impact it is having on other parts of the nation. I also know our time could come in the near future and if that happens the majority of our citizens will voluntarily do the right thing. Maybe it is because we do not count everyone that came into contact with a person that tests positive as also being positive.

We have had protests, but not the rioting and looting. Not one statue has been vandalized or destroyed even though we have a statue of every president in Rapid City. Is this because Wyoming has the highest gun ownership per capita ratio and South Dakota ranks high? Maybe it is because we could not find an impartial jury for those charged with such a crime. End of rant after one last question:

What are your plans after the November election and the pandemic is forgotten and another crisis takes over our daily lives?

https://www.blackhillsfox.com/2020/0...4dvtsjuosCKe9Q

There will never be an end to crisis. When Rahm Emanual said to never let a crisis go to waste, the light bulb went off. Never let an opportunity to create a crisis go to waste to let a crisis go to waste.

Wyoming and South Dakota have a different culture than other places that have rioting.

My friend’s mom died from health issues and she was tested positive for Covid. He doubts she had it and will not go and get tested. I am going tomorrow to be safe and get my Covid test. Our cultures make us believe in different views.

Originally Posted by Patriot76

The last post was in the middle of March and the Coronavirus lives on affecting the economic, health and social lives throughout the nation. It has also become a political issue with conflicting views as to it's dangers. Living in two states that did not issue stay at home orders, our lives did not change drastically. Some businesses started curb side delivery, but no one was required to do anything beyond using common sense. Life went on as usual as other parts of the country were devastated.

Today I went to Menards and found out they instituted a required mask policy, which is their right. Strange thing was the majority of customers refused to enter the store because of the policy. I was using the KIOS to print receipts which was allowed without a mask and saw at least fifty people leave instead of buying a mask in less than 15 minutes. Some customers already had a mask and others did buy a mask, but this was by far the minority. Some of the individuals that bought masks immediately lowered them once they were beyond the entrance. This was the first day of the policy and they had not advertised their new policy very well.

To give you a perspective of our situation, our governor hosted an 4th of July celebration at Mt. Rushmore that did not require social distancing or masks that included the president of the Untied States. She then boarded Air Force One with the president even after being exposed to two individuals that week that tested positive for the Coronavirus. The next week she rode in a parade for a bull riders rodeo that did not require social distancing or masks. To my knowledge she still has not tested positive for the virus.

Bottom line is that there has not been a surge of positive tests after these two events although many individuals from surrounding states attended. Why have the protests not caused a surge, but attending college football games could be a game changer for spreading the virus. I am totally confused why Wyoming and South Dakota are immune to the impact it is having on other parts of the nation. I also know our time could come in the near future and if that happens the majority of our citizens will voluntarily do the right thing. Maybe it is because we do not count everyone that came into contact with a person that tests positive as also being positive.

We have had protests, but not the rioting and looting. Not one statue has been vandalized or destroyed even though we have a statue of every president in Rapid City. Is this because Wyoming has the highest gun ownership per capita ratio and South Dakota ranks high? Maybe it is because we could not find an impartial jury for those charged with such a crime. End of rant after one last question:

What are your plans after the November election and the pandemic is forgotten and another crisis takes over our daily lives?

https://www.blackhillsfox.com/2020/0...4dvtsjuosCKe9Q

I think it would be wise to bear in mind that we're only about 1/4 the way through this. The story hasn't fully unfolded yet.

We get a lot of people from all over the globe coming to visit with us here in Maine during the summer. It's an annual thing that's been going on for years ... they bring their illnesses with them and those illnesses make the rounds among the natives here on the island. Southern Maine got hit with the Covid-19 thing early on but our part of the state has been largely spared. Not only that ... the colds and flu never made their summer debut this year either.

My wife and i count ourselves as blessed to live in the place that we do. We're also mindful that fortunes can and do sometimes change. One should never take their blessings for granted.

As for the politics of this on both sides .... all i can say is that pride comes before the fall. This thing is a force of nature and cares not a whit for the politics (or the foolishness) of man.