h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

How are we all managing? Are we still sane? Have we gone batshit crazy yet.Whatever the case I hope everyone is still healthy?

Lots of Love from Coggy.

Heh, my social anxiety as never been lower.

I'm not sure I'm healthy, but I'm still alive, and that's about it.

Thanks Coggy I hope you're doing as well as possible

My anxiety is settling down a bit this week, which is good - I had a successful food-gathering trip at the weekend (unlike previous weeks) and I'm managing to cut down on how much I worry about trying to understand all the information that is flying around.

I'm very lucky to be able to work from home using online technology so that has kept me busy - the first couple of weeks were exhausting, learning the tech and doing the day job, but things have settled down to a manageable level at the moment

I had to go mad to save my sanity, but it's fine

Sanity is overrated. Madness is, too.

Not wearing my baggy trousers just yet.

The twins have just recently decided to embrace puberty though, so I don't know how long sanity is going to last around here, especially since our youngest is using the twins as his role models. (so times 3)

Erma Bombeck used to say that insanity is hereditary: you can get it form your children.

Loved that lady, paulh.

Not much change here, grocery shopping takes longer and such things. We do miss decent dinner out.

Are you shamed into wearing a mask or other face covering while in the aisles?

Finding any such protective gear is impossible without going to a lot of effort around here..social distancing is what we are mostly relying on. I'm impressed by how much our supermarkets have done to protect us and their staff.Anyway I'd rather the masks were for the front line key workers who are facing huge shortages of PPE.


to all of them.

I bought some bandannas. Those will have to do. The mayor of Boston wants every Bostonian to wear cloth face coverings when out in public.

Everyone's sewing their own masks. I have taken one with me but not put it in when shopping.

I've managed to get everything and been shopping only every 8-10 days. I go to the largest supermarket which is a bit more expensive but they have everything so I avoid going to another shop that way and get it all done in one.

Here, there is no such thing as supermarkets that deliver.

Otherwise it's not really much different than any other time. Miss being able to go out for dinner occasionally though, like Nick says.

Still have shortages in the UK but it is getting better. Occasionally I see or have a little dance of amazement when a sought after product is on the shelves. Self scanning means I don't have to join the ridiculous queue to ring up at the till.

Keep calm and carry on..just do your best to self socialise and to social distance if you have to go out.this place has become almost as empty as the streets.

here's a social distancing

Just had to phone my Mum to wish her Happy 97th instead of taking her out to lunch.

We're walking far more often than usual - I initiated that as otherwise I could see Mr T not doing any exercise at all. Actually I enjoy getting out in the fresh air with my iphone music playing through my hearing aids - can still hear all the nature sounds too. Getting lots of gardening done too. We have enough separate activities that we're still mostly on civil terms!

I do miss my usual social activities & can't see how they could resume while there are still any social distancing measures in place. I'm planning to make some masks ready for them being mandatory - can't see any way the gov't would provide proper ones for us plebs. Got laid off work, but just about to retire anyway.

Overall feeling extremely fortunate to be in a very pleasant location, plenty of food stocks, fit & well (excellent hosp nearby if needed) with adequate finances & able to go to supermarket about fortnightly.

to all

I have many blessings too.

Trouble is, this time of the year usually makes up for the disadvantages of the cold season. I'd love to stroll through the nearest mall, admiring the plantings, looking in shop windows, and enjoying coffee or pastries or lunch. But most of the shops are closed (nonessential! ), and the food is takeout only. I would need to eat it while walking around, or take it back to the car and eat it there

I suppose everyone here is on social media and has already seen this. I'm not, but it has been forwarded to me. It's supposed to come from Australia but applies everywhere.

Here goes:




This should clear up a few things for you.

In case you're still not sure what's going on with COVID 19 in Australia, here are the official Coronavirus guidelines:

1. Basically, you can't leave the house for any reason, but if you have to, then you can, but it depends on where you live, and what you do.

2. Some beaches are closed but others remain open, you can meet in groups of two to 10 depending on where you live, but fishing or hunting on your own is dangerous.

3. Masks are useless, but maybe you should wear one, it can save you, it is useless, but maybe it is mandatory as well, but you cannot find them for sale.

4. Stores are closed, except those that are open. Some that are open can let less in than others, in any case depends on how regulations are policed, or not policed.

5. Some stores can sell non essentials, other than stores who cannot.

6. You should not go to hospitals unless you really must go there. Same applies to doctors, you should only go there in case of emergency, provided you are not too sick, if you are too sick, please stay home, if you were already sick, your operations have been stopped, until some time later.

7. This virus is deadly but still not too scary, except that some die, but only if they were already sick, but now the old flu is no longer being reported, unless it is the new version, but we are not sure our tests know which, so until we know, or don’t know, any flu is coronavirus, unless its not.

7. Gloves won't help, but they can still help, if you can find them for sale, but please sanitize them on a regular basis.

8. Everyone needs to stay HOME, but it's important to GO OUT, unless you are going out with out a good reason, but when you get there and what you wanted is not available, you can go back out looking for it, and yes you can stop for a hair cut or to shop at Bunnings (like B&Q) as long as it is essential, unless you are going out for a non-essential reason.

8a All markets are closed unless they are markets that can remain open and or the police policing the regulations decide the market is an essential service where they will decide if non essential items can be sold or not sold

9. There is no shortage of toilet paper or groceries in the supermarket, unless they have run out, and if there is a lot of what you want, you are limited to only 2 of that item, so you have to shop again tomorrow.

10. The virus has no effect on children except those it affects and those affected may show no signs of the illness, but can give it to you, but can all go to school unless the school they go to is closed.

11. Animals are not affected, but there is still a cat that tested positive in Belgium in February when no one had been tested, plus a few tigers here and there……..but be careful if your diet includes bats who cannot transfer it to you unless you eat one that can.

12. You will have many symptoms when you are sick, but you can also get sick without symptoms, have symptoms without being sick, or be contagious without having symptoms, but even if you have the right symptoms, unless you have been overseas, please stay home and do not get tested.

13. Police will issue updates on the regulations, but the officers empowered to uphold the regulations may not understand what they mean, but those that do will be advised by another, just in case they are unsure.

14. The Virus came from either a Bat, in China or from the US, then transported to a Bat who was subject to animal welfare abuse, which means the world has shut down, because of animal abuse unless the bat flew from the US got tired and died so was eaten appropriately.

15. Anything you are told is not correct unless Facebook tells you it is, as long as a UN department tells Facebook it is correct, which may not be correct if the UN advisor is not quite sure.

16. If you are unemployed, you will get much more money, if you had a job you will get less, if you have a disability you get nothing more, same if you are a pensioner, but if you are an employer, you can have money to pay your staff even if you are still operating, unless you are self employed then you must apply for support after paying your accountant to show your sales are down, but so far we are not sure when any of this will happen.

I was going to write an entry along similar lines, but I accidentally erased it and hadn't backed up the text .

But your version is much better than mine was, so I will adopt yours instead. The rules and guidelines are bewildering and contradictory.. They richly deserve the ridicule that we see here.

I don't think we've progressed much from the 14th Century, when peasants panicked because of the plagues.

I don't think bats were actually involved.

""The closest known relative of SARS-CoV-2 is a bat virus named RaTG13, which was kept at the WIV. There is some unfounded speculation that this virus was the origin of SARS-CoV-2," explains University of Sydney evolutionary virologist, Edward Holmes."

http://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-what-scientists-think-of-the-coronavirus-was-made-in-a-lab-rumour