The Loss of Normality

[outwoodclaret]

Well here I am on Day 5 of self-isolation. For some it will have been much longer and perhaps they will have faced it alone. I have Mrs Outwood of course and free access to the World via my iPad and iPhone and TV. I am not being asked to do anything too onerous. My parents and grandparents were called to service in two great global conflicts and all we are being asked to do is stay at home. Yet for the first time in my life since I left home at 18 to come up to Manchester and began adult life I am no longer free to come and go as I please. No trips to the shops or to a football match or the pub though I no longer drink alcohol but it is the fellowship that has gone. The sense of being normal and independent. If I need anything now whether medicines or food I must rely on others to bring me them. I am gaining a different perspective of life as I sit on the sidelines waiting for the referee to blow the whistle and start the game again. When this crisis has passed and the restrictions are lifted will my normal ever be the same again?

[alfinyalcabo]

Ktf..

[The Bedlington Terrier]

WHO, UN, Cobra, EU etc. etc have hit the global RESET, I think we are going to see a seminal change in how "globalisation" is reduced.

I think we will see all sorts of changes, a few examples:
Cashless society.
Loss of cheap and frequent air travel.
Greatly enhanced border controls.
End of mass human migration.
Forced vaccinations.
More coercion and enforced control of domestic populations.
Greater surveillance and restriction of movement.
Loss of freedom to protest.
Introduction of a universal income.

In other words, we are all phooked!

[blueheeler1]

WHO, UN, Cobra, EU etc. etc have hit the global RESET, I think we are going to see a seminal change in how "globalisation" is reduced.

I think we will see all sorts of changes, a few examples:
Cashless society.
Loss of cheap and frequent air travel.
Greatly enhanced border controls.
End of mass human migration.
Forced vaccinations.
More coercion and enforced control of domestic populations.
Greater surveillance and restriction of movement.
Loss of freedom to protest.
Introduction of a universal income.

In other words, we are all phooked!

My take, BT, is a little different.

Small business is the greatest employer of people.

Many businesses were doing it tough before the "Coronation Virus" and wont reopen their doors.

Result is higher unemployment.

Governments have borrowed trillions to starve of the effects of the virus and that money has to be paid back.

Less employed people throw more financial demands on the Government whilst severely reducing the tax income they would normally receive.

Result? A "temporary tax on those employed called the coronavirus tax. Which will further empty pockets.

Even those at work will hold onto their money and there will be a lessening of demand for goods.

Recession is absolutely inevitable.

Back to the Great Depression.

Loss of freedom is way down the list of priorities.

Survival is the only objective.

[1959_60]

My take, BT, is a little different.

Small business is the greatest employer of people.

Many businesses were doing it tough before the "Coronation Virus" and wont reopen their doors.

Result is higher unemployment.

Governments have borrowed trillions to starve of the effects of the virus and that money has to be paid back.

Less employed people throw more financial demands on the Government whilst severely reducing the tax income they would normally receive.

Result? A "temporary tax on those employed called the coronavirus tax. Which will further empty pockets.

Even those at work will hold onto their money and there will be a lessening of demand for goods.

Recession is absolutely inevitable.

Back to the Great Depression.

Loss of freedom is way down the list of priorities.

Survival is the only objective.

A bit of a doomsday scenario there blueheeler?

Practically every country will be in the same boat, and it looks like the vast majority of our decent companies will be ready to get going again as soon as they are able.

I reckon things will return to normal a lot quicker than you think.

[blueheeler1]

A bit of a doomsday scenario there blueheeler?

Practically every country will be in the same boat, and it looks like the vast majority of our decent companies will be ready to get going again as soon as they are able.

I reckon things will return to normal a lot quicker than you think.

I'd like to think so.

The great issue is the timing if getting back to normality.

If we are in this virus epidemic for no longer than another 6-8 weeks, it seems a reasonable guess that recovery will be hard but possible.

Longer than that and we have the accumulated effect of Banks and Utilities not getting paid; Store leases not being paid; etc,etc.

There has, anyway, been a massive shift to online purchasing over the last few years and in this scenario its likely to increase (assuming parcel delivery continues).

That's why I feel for all those shops with massive overheads and reducing turnover.

They would have closed anyway.

This situation just hurries it along.

And with it the unemployment continues upwards.

[Norder]

.

we went out (now yesterday) .....essential nutrients only of course, it was a sad affair, for myself, much sadder than normal even, as to be stood in a queue, separated by some unseen force, was most creepy indeed....but stocked up and back in the car, up high went the music, as if to wash ourselves of that most unhealthy of events - We were glad to get away..."wow, that was some severe fruitcakery" I said, then thought, to cheer up Mrs Norder with a question ( the answer she knew)...."why was it that folk were having a fit buying Toilet Rolls"...."thats easy" she said " if one sneezes then a hundred Shlit themselves"

....Not far from home, and without deviating from our necessary route- there is a small independent garden centre, now we all need some prettiness around us dont we, and as what flowers etc we had at home already, need essential nutrients too - stop we did and in we went.....though, not very far did we go, as just after entering, another couple, must've been late seventies , were on their way out - " we can't have any flowers" they said...."but why" we replied, "they've been told they cant sell them"...but what was most shocking to us...was the look they had, the feeling conveyd - it beyond any upset, any irritation or anger - more an outright confusion, they were lost, disorientated, it was as if they'd been transported to some other time and place, detached from anything they knew, somewhere unreal, absent of all rationality - " Flowers, Flowers" he said...." she replied "we only wanted some flowers"
Incredulous we naturally were, though still attempted to console, but off they went, I dont think they heard us.
We continued in, and other than a few staff, were alone...."whats this we hear, no plants or flowers allowed now, is it ? " "yes thats right, said a girl "we've been told by the Police we cant sell them, though we can sell hardware, so this areas open for now".....then along came the manager, "i'm sorry, there's nothing we can do" "what was their reasoning" I said...."didn't say, other than that the Government had told them, so that was it, we have to comply ".
The conversation continued, what will happen to the flowers the veg etc, and the many acres of it growing elsewhere... "its everything crossed".... he said. "Well at least we can get some more seeds" I said...."sorry again" they told us to close that area too" "but how could that be, it's in this area, the open area" as we walked toward it and noticed it shuttered off and barred of entry" Seeds ?.....for a short second, there was that feeling the old couple were stuck in, "what is going on ?" - "I know" he replied, " but we can sell grass seed, and bird seed, and if you want flowers, Tesco can sell them, as can the other big chains".....there it was, that word, "Chains"...I thought, says it all.


Cheers.

[Balanbam00]

Aretha Franklin Chain of Fools

https://youtu.be/hrcUNChhOP0


.....''Its not over until the fat lady ............?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Norder there is an agenda, I just have not figured it out yet. Our local hardware store is dong whopping business, yet B & Q is closed.

Just WTF is going on? However...

I've just read BJ has been on the 'phone cross Atlantic and him and the Trumpster have said China can expect "retributions" and they can go and fooook themselves if we are going to let them anywhere near our 5G.

[1959_60]

."why was it that folk were having a fit buying Toilet Rolls"...."thats easy" she said " if one sneezes then a hundred Shlit themselves"



Nice one Norder!