Quiet times

[BookCat]

Originally Posted by theducks

Isn't the reason for 'Shelter in Place' (We don't have a LOCK DOWN here) maintaining distance from others?
How is 1 person PAINTING an empty house a problem?

I did notice there are a number of construction sites around here with 1 person working in an area away from other work.
Where are these folk, many work minimum wage jobs, going to get money to buy FOOD if they don't work? Not everyone has CREDIT. Unfortunately, they also have little saved.

And while the President stopped foreclosures, did they think to prevent late fees? No. Most folk around here will never be able to dig themselves out if this goes on for a few months. Late fees, accrued interest leave nothing for food or utilities in the future months.

1/3 of my retirement has gone Poof. If I am lucky, I will not outlast it.

It isn't 1 person painting an empty house, but several men - I used the word "crew" - gutting it. They are constantly outside and have a skip and portable loo in the FRONT garden! Even back when I lived in an area where the houses were constantly bought and gutted by developers, the workmen didn't bring their own loos!

If, for example, it was just the owner's son popping round to slap a little paint on the walls, I wouldn't flinch. I think this is a crew sent by the insurers to repair the house following the fire, which apparently gutted the kitchen and some other parts of the house. At the time of the fire the firemen made me leave my house, fearing it was going to spread - my house is attached to the one which had the fire. The house didn't become just charred remains, no one was killed, which is why I described it as "minor".

I don't know where you got the idea that I was bothered by a man with a paintbrush.

The UK is in lockdown, the police are stopping people in the street and asking them what they're doing. They have the power to impose hefty fines if you don't have a legit (under the terms of the lockdown) reason to be there. We are not allowed to go out in groups of more than two, unless we're members of the same household. Everything is closed, other than food shops and pharmacies. Even the GP and vet surgery are running a restricted service.

Basically, we're not supposed to leave our homes. It's like being under virtual house arrest.

I gather from news broadcasts that the US hasn't quite taken the threat seriously, despite what's happening in New York.
Sorry, this is turning into a political rant. I was just incensed by the "1 person painting an empty house" misrepresentation.

[BookCat]

Originally Posted by taosaur

Small contractors seem to be a gray area. We have plumbers doing some work while we're closed and no one else is in the space.

I took a stroll around a nearby cemetery (nicest park in easy walking distance), and they had at least six or eight groundskeepers going just that I saw. Obviously some work in a cemetery has to carry on, but some of the hedges could probably go without trimming.

We're no longer allowed to attend funerals, not even of our nearest and dearest. So I imagine the only people working are gravediggers. I also heard that crematoriums are closed.
I think the UK is trying hard to prevent the kind of situation which occurred in Italy.

[BookCat]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

My position is that I'm not going to be drawn into debates or worry about justifying my feelings to anyone in this thread. In other threads, I will be happy to discuss my philosophy on governance.

Point me to this thread. I'm in a fighting mood.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

You pick apart someone who says they don't watch TV, they watch Netflix, but then you criticize when someone else who does the same with cord cutting?

That's what you chose to lock in on? You must really be bored. Sorry you were unable to see the consistency with which I scoffed at what I perceived to be pointless distinctions in both instances. No skin off my nose.

[CWatkinsNash]

Originally Posted by taosaur

Small contractors seem to be a gray area. We have plumbers doing some work while we're closed and no one else is in the space.

Here in TN (and in several other states I've looked at) there's no gray area - trades are specifically listed as essential businesses. Which is good, because we've still got customers getting things back together after the tornado. Plus regular repairs like breaker replacements. John works by himself and the customers all seem to be keeping a sensible distance.

We're starting to see more recovery work being done in the neighborhood. Much smaller crews than would normally be working, of course. But it needs to be done. The homes that aren't total losses have temporary repairs that aren't meant to last for very long. The ones that will be torn down haven't been touched, as those can wait. Makes for a depressing neighborhood, though, which is why I haven't taken a walk even though I really could use the exercise.

[4691mls]

The point of a shutdown is to keep people from being in close contact with other people.
If a cemetery groundsperson spends his/her day outdoors trimming hedges far away from other people, or if a painter or plumber is the only one working in a room, it doesn't seem like they'd be endangering either themselves or anyone else by working.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

That's what you chose to lock in on? You must really be bored.

Hey man, I've gotta do something besides my job.

Sorry you were unable to see the consistency with which I scoffed at what I perceived to be pointless distinctions in both instances. No skin off my nose.

Yeah, I guess my mistake was in reading the words you wrote and taking them to mean what you said.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

Yeah, I guess my mistake was in reading the words you wrote and taking them to mean what you said.

No. Your mistake was thinking my words meant what you seem to have wanted me to say. Again.... I was completely consistent. It's not my fault you can't seem to see that.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by BookCat

Point me to this thread. I'm in a fighting mood.

Looks like you have been pointed in the right direction.

[JSWolf]

If you have someone come into the home to do some painting, sure you can stay apart. But the virus get on surfaces and then transmitted to others from there. The virus can last for up to 9 days it's said. If that's true, then no you don't want someone coming to your home to do any work. You don't want anyone doing work where they could leave the virus on some surface where someone else could then get it.

[cromag]

My son works at an essential business and I'm his driver, so I'm on the road every day. We drive past a home that's being rebuilt after it was destroyed in a fire. While they are still working on it, the work has been very noticeably scaled back -- at any given time there are only one or two vehicles on the premises. They do have a Porta Pottie on the grounds, but it shouldn't be too difficult to disinfect what is essentially a toilet inside a big plastic box.

We had a bit of a scare last night when it looked like our refrigerator might be breaking down -- a serious problem when you're trying to limit yourself to one shopping trip per week. Fortunately, it looks like it just chose the worst possible time to let me know the coils needed cleaning.

I would consider appliance repair businesses, plumbers, electricians, etc., to be essential services in most cases.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The virus can last for up to 9 days it's said.

I've not heard longer than 72 hours.

Here's an actual study

"Scientists discovered the virus is detectable for up to three hours in aerosols, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel."

[mlewis78]

My building's intercom system broke Tuesday or Wednesday. Building management has messed up badly. They put in a new intercom months ago so that when someone rings your apartment they get your phone, you answer, talk and press 99 to let them in. There is no video. The old system rang your apartment and you buzzed them in from the intercom.

Got a memo from the building today that it is a Verizon problem with wire under the sidewalk and will be fixed in 60 days.

Another memo was to tell us no deliveries inside of the building! If we get a delivery, I don't know how we would know they are down there with the intercom broken, but I would have to go dow

n there and accept the delivery outside. This is crazy if I was ordering groceries online. Even ordering take-out online. I'm on the top floor, would have to walk quickly down the 4 flights, go outside and bring my things back up.

Going to look into this tomorrow; maybe call 311 and see if this is allowed. The city (New York City) might be in favor about the delivery rule. Of course we cannot have guests (fine with me), but deliveries can be essential. I've been going to food markets and pharmacy, but I think I've been doing too much of that. It's hard to get a delivery slot now with online orders.

I missed UPS twice today. Amazon had sent things in 4 separate packages. I did receive the US Post Office delivery. They managed to get in, perhaps as a resident was coming or going.

I hope you are all staying well.

[Quoth]

A cord with address at the end out the window. Your end to a bell.
Let down a basket on a rope using a pulley.
It's a system that's worked ever since multistorey was invented thousands of years ago. The rope is also useful as an escape route.

Obviously no use if your window doesn't overlook the main access street.

[Incanus]

Originally Posted by Quoth

A cord with address at the end out the window. Your end to a bell.

Tried and true.

[INCANUS]