Covid-19 - The silver lining (Positives!)

[Nearholmer]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

It is if you’ve got money and power.

Well, I don’t have enough of the one to give me the other, and neither do 99.99 (probably recurring)% of othe people, although some delude themselves that they do on the basis of their relative prosperity, so it’s a funny old thing to bring-up in a thread about positives to be found in a difficult time.

It feels like a huge negative that existed well before Covid-19 to me.

[The Johnster]

Which is why I said we were drifting a bit.  You want positives; it's a sunny day and my pension comes in tomorrow.  Which means a bit of minor online retail therapy, and window shopping this evening. Yay...

[Nearholmer]

I like it.

 

The weather has been so good, and the air so crystal-clear, since the start of lockdown that I’m beginning g to think that the reduction in polluting activity must have something to do with it.

 

We live in an area where air quality is pretty good normally, but I’m at least half-convinced that it is genuinely better than normal.

[Reorte]

59 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

No problem; I’m not immune to the odd rant myself.  Economics, as a social science and one I once studied, has failed in it’s 300 year history to achieve what John Adams, it’s founder, stated to be it’s goal; to improve the lot of mankind.  Mankind’s lot has been improved, but by technology, not economics. 

Hah, I'm getting increasingly sceptical about technology too, although it's beyond doubt that it has brought very real benefits. But I'm of the view that an awful lot of our current problems are really social and that the solutions to such problems aren't technological (in the case of the developed world aren't economic either). Most of the technological benefits now seem to get couched in economic terms rather than in their own right, although there are exceptions, e.g. medical advances.

[great central]

2 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I like it.

 

The weather has been so good, and the air so crystal-clear, since the start of lockdown that I’m beginning g to think that the reduction in polluting activity must have something to do with it.

 

We live in an area where air quality is pretty good normally, but I’m at least half-convinced that it is genuinely better than normal.

 

Agreed, clear blue skies for several days apart from Sunday late on and yesterday (it was bl***y freezin!) 

Normally see a lot of vapour trails when it's clear like this, seen two in best part of two weeks.

Last week I even heard the plane at however many thousand feet cos it's so quiet! 

[jjb1970]

One of the things I find odd about this whole COVID thing is that people have happily accepted huge numbers of premature avoidable deaths every year, year on year, for many decades (pretty much since the inception of the coal economy then the oil economy) with very few giving the matter that much real thought and suffering little to no stress despite the figures being in millions annually even now after a huge amount of effort to clean emissions going back to the 1920's yet are genuinely terrified of COVID. Emissions would also appear to be a factor in COVID since it affects the respiratory system. 

[great central]

Ok, I tried to put in a couple of lightweight positive messages, guess people just wanna go down the doom and gloom route?

[Reorte]

8 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

One of the things I find odd about this whole COVID thing is that people have happily accepted huge numbers of premature avoidable deaths every year, year on year, for many decades (pretty much since the inception of the coal economy then the oil economy) with very few giving the matter that much real thought and suffering little to no stress despite the figures being in millions annually even now after a huge amount of effort to clean emissions going back to the 1920's yet are genuinely terrified of COVID. Emissions would also appear to be a factor in COVID since it affects the respiratory system. 

 

The fear of the new and unknown. Although for a very large proportion of that timescale how much did heavy smoking play a part, irrespective of what the rest of the atmosphere was like?

[jjb1970]

5 minutes ago, Reorte said:

 

The fear of the new and unknown. Although for a very large proportion of that timescale how much did heavy smoking play a part, irrespective of what the rest of the atmosphere was like?

 

Indeed, even without smoking I think lifestyle choices will be responsible for far more premature deaths and morbidities than COVID-19. Although, in cases where those choices don't affect the health of others then I think the choices are for individuals to make and I do think there are fair arguments that accepting a possible shorter life in exchange for certain pleasures is a valid choice. I eat a lot of food that health professionals don't approve of but I continue to indulge as I enjoy those foods. 

[Nick C]

To get this back to positive stuff, I don't think we've had this article here yet:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-52278746

 

99 year old man decided to walk 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, and in the process raise £1000 for the NHS charities. Yesterday it made the BBC as he'd got over £500k. As I write this he's on £2.2 million...

Edited April 14, 2020 by Nick C

[sem34090]

Gentlemen, please.

 

I have found the philosophical and political debate interesting, and can see how it developed. I would, however, like to sympathise with @great central as the intention of this thread was to focus on the positive outcomes that are resulting, or might yet result, from the current crisis. Nothing more, nothing less. I understand that some people are considering political outcomes, but I wish to re-state that we're after positives here.

 

Negatives and in-depth debate can go in another thread, but it's rather disheartening to come to a thread to look for light-hearted positivity in a dark time and be met with discussions about the collapse of the world! 

[jjb1970]

Is improved public health from lower air pollution not a positive? 

[The Johnster]

The air is perceptibly clearer, and the lack of contrails adds to the overall impression; it did when there was a cessation of air traffic because of that volcano in Iceland than nobody can pronounce or spell as well.  And it is perceptibly less foul smelling in my inner city urban jungle, because of the drop in diesel fumes.  This cannot be doing anyone any harm at all.  The relative peace and quiet is palapble as well if the bloody police helicopter gives us a break.  These may be benefits not easily quantifyable in an objective manner, but they are huge benefits nonetheless.  It's a bit cool for sitting on the patio but I'm going out there later to do a bit of general potching about.

 

Also, I have to deal with an issue with social phobia and agoraphobia; I'm not good at crowds or my personal space being compromised.  Guess how much I'm enjoying social distancing; it's brilliant!

 

The layout is running well and I am girding up my lions for more progress after a week of very relaxing operating sessions.  The squeeze has been ill but is improving daily, responding well to her meds, and her guinea pig is thriving, loving the constant company of the isolated humans who want to play with him, and my fishes (South East Asian freshwater tropicals, and a couple goldfish in a planter on the patio) are all happy; in fact, my YoYo loaches have gone into breeding condition (I won't be able to raise fry successfully in a community tank, but it is a compliment to my water keeping and shows that they are really happy), dirty little sods.

 

And, let it be said, youse guys are helping to keep me cheerful as well.  Diolch yn fawr, a iechyd da pob un!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Neil]

16 hours ago, sem34090 said:

Gentlemen, please.

 

I have found the philosophical and political debate interesting, and can see how it developed. I would, however, like to sympathise with @great central as the intention of this thread was to focus on the positive outcomes that are resulting, or might yet result, from the current crisis. Nothing more, nothing less. I understand that some people are considering political outcomes, but I wish to re-state that we're after positives here.

 

Negatives and in-depth debate can go in another thread, but it's rather disheartening to come to a thread to look for light-hearted positivity in a dark time and be met with discussions about the collapse of the world! 

 

It seems to me that there are two sorts of silver lining, those which we have no control over, need for lockdown has massively diminished travel leading to better air quality, and those which we do have control over, volunteering for community groups or the NHS, a choice to do something to improve society. One of the silver linings for me is that what we do, what our government does and what happens on the international stage is under the spotlight like never before, because it affects us all. There would seem to be an opportunity when we have got on top of CV19 to do things differently and better, to fashion our own choice of silver lining. My view is that this is one of the more cheering aspects of our current situation; hope for a better future.

Edited April 15, 2020 by Neil

[Liam]

So, the positives I see:

 

1. I have as much chance of filling the O2 Arena as the Rolling Stones supported by The Beatles and Status Quo. 

 

2. Since the lockdown ‘started’, every Sunday league football club has scored the same number of goals as Barcelona and Real Madrid combined.

 

3. My social life is as exciting and varied as Leonardo DiCaprio’s. 

 

4. I can lap Silverstone in the same time Lewis Hamilton takes to do it. 

 

And that’s just four. 

[Bulleidboy100]

Captain Tom Moore hits £5m this morning - what can you say!

[Liam]

Around here, the skies are very noticeably clearer, due to the significant drop in road and air traffic as well as factory operations, and normally at night if I look north out of my house I can see the (rather heavy) light pollution of Birmingham but although a small amount of pollution is still there the level has certainly dropped, as the sky is a bit darker. 

 

Where possible, we support local businesses; the farm up the road from us has the monopoly on providing us with eggs, we tend to visit a farm shop for our shopping rather than Morrisons all the time (even though Morrisons is nearer), and I also like to support my local brewery, Purity, where possible now that the pubs are shut and they’re probably feeling the pinch. They do home delivery which is an added bonus. 

 

I’m also spending more time going for walks in the local area and seeing people (while maintaining social distancing) who live in my area but for whatever reason haven’t interacted with. Who knows, I might just have to give Joe Wicks’ exercise videos a try. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by SVRlad

[Reorte]

1 minute ago, SVRlad said:

But seriously, the skies are very noticeably clearer, and normally at night if I look north out of my house I can see the (rather heavy) light pollution of Birmingham but although a small amount of pollution is still there the level has certainly dropped, as the sky is a bit darker.

 

Wouldn't have thought lights had been turned off, or is it because there's less for them to reflect off?

[Liam]

1 minute ago, Reorte said:

 

Wouldn't have thought lights had been turned off, or is it because there's less for them to reflect off?

 

Yes, and as quite a lot of factories that produce consumer/non-essential goods will probably be shut there will be less light being emitted from their locations. In addition, with pubs and other night time amusements being shut local councils might have switched off street lights in late night and small hours to help cut down on expenditure. 

[Bulleidboy100]

11 minutes ago, SVRlad said:

Who knows, I might just have to give Joe Wicks’ exercise videos a try. 

 

Be careful - you don't want to overdo it! 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Bulleidboy100

[Liam]

2 minutes ago, Bulleidboy100 said:

 

Be careful - you don't want to overdo it! 

 

Do you speak from experience? 

[Bernard Lamb]

The fence to the neighbour, which is his responsibility, is made up of wood panels and a few are a bit the worse for wear, so while he is at home (self employed builder/carpenter) he decided to replace them. His daughter is also at home (retail shop worker) so she joined in. His side f the fence has several conifers which have grown rather large over the years, so we all joined in, keeping social distancing, and cut out masses of branches. The sunlight in that part of the garden this morning is amazing. Neighbour's wife and my wife are very happy with the new view. A few people might not have appreciated the massive bonfire though.

Keep safe folks and let's keep this thread respectful and free from wind up merchants.

Bernard 

[Nearholmer]

I've had a bash at Joe Wick's exercises with my family, and they are surprisingly 'hard core' ...... as an occasional cyclist, I get on OK with the aerobic side of it, and anything to do with legs and core, but found the upper-body strength stuff hard going!

[Nick C]

1 hour ago, Bulleidboy100 said:

Captain Tom Moore hits £5m this morning - what can you say!

Well on his way to 6m, though the just giving site is struggling to keep up!

[woodenhead]

As a diversion from the madness coming out of America this week......

 

Anyone remember the bomb detectors: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29459896

 

Well here I present the 2020 version, taken from the live feed https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-52289273