Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for May 18, 2020

And the tsunami will wipe out all the gains we’ve made. I just hope that everyone continues to take precautions as much as possible. And that those being stupid don’t overwhelm the healthcare system or make the rest of us pay for their stupidity

Texas opens with little regard, dead wrong they were.

People don’t seem to have a problem with “no shirt, no shoes, no service” or TSA agents demanding that you take off your shoes, belt, empty your pockets and get an invasive search before boarding an airplane (because Bush failed to connect dots or heed clear, explicit PDB warnings, and allowed 9/11 to happen).

But all of a sudden, if someone says, “no mask, no service,” childish toddlers throw tantrums.

The same people who think they need to carry military-grade weapons (to compensate for their other insecurities and inadequacies) for protection to themselves think it is a huge deal to just put on a darn mask to protect others.

The same people who bragged that they could survive for years in their underground bunkers all of a sudden can’t survive two months without their grocery store or their local bar.

Boo hoo.

I heard that out of the last 14 epidemics, all of them had a second wave. And a lot of American states have people rushing out when the first wave hasn’t even peaked yet. Good luck “reopening the economy” when you keep the work force sick and the hospitals overwhelmed.

It might be possible to drink through a cloth face mask although it could leave an interesting stain. People will be able to guess that you’ve been drinking.

The guy who was about to take over as checker at the grocery yesterday had his mask pulled down to allow the straw of his drink. I told him he really ought to have the straw pushed in through a hole, which he thought was a great idea. Then he pulled up his mask, stepped two steps to assume the position and started in. No hand washing or treatment etc. On the other hand, the local U has done a careful and well considered random sample of our town and found that only about 1 in 1000 of us has been infected. I like that, but have severe doubts that it will continue now that we’re starting to open back up.

I wrote a song about the pandemic called “Stay Safe.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G2NHsWrcoY&t=10s

We’ve been asking the same question since the beginning.

You may sit and you may pay the billbut food will not be served.

It’s all about seeing & being seen. From the bridge of the nose up.

I’m thinking the real ironic humor regards how we will be learning how we will need to live, not the “curve” of the pandemic itself. After driving past my favorite (closed) pub the other day, the old saw “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” came to mind. Some may even get to where they would add “anyway” to that. After Tet in Vietnam, I can relate to that, but I certainly didn’t expect this mess in the last years of my life, or months, if that’s my number.FYI, you can’t get a real mask to seal over a beard…The balance…scratch that, the tipping point – between a life of fear and boredom and that of hedonistic abandon approaches. And there’s whiskey in the jar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsrvmNtWU4E

I was a little late in doing so, but in my investment portfolio I’ve gotten completely out of stocks. There’s going to be a second wave of COVID-19 infections that will tank the stock market even worst than the first wave. (Oh, and probably kill or permanently injure a few hundred thousand people in America. Bummer.)

Restaurants are supposed to semi reopen in our state on Wednesday. Outdoor dining (or takeout) only. Customers and servers alike to wear facemasks, but the customers can take their’s off once the food arrives at the table. I assume they have to give the server time to scamper off before they remove their masks.

What ever happened to flatting the curve ???

I don’t understand why anyone would go to a restaurant now, even if they’re open.

Party in Colorado…hump the curve.

Considering all the so called protests against any sort of social restrictions, the learning curve has gone negative.

My wife and I were doing a pick-up meal. We noticed that the parking lot in the adjacent sports bar had quite of number of cars. People were tailgating (and seemingly maintaining proper distance). Neat idea!

The mask you need for the restaurant reopenings:https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/coronavirus-china-doctors-zhongshan-hospital-nose-mask-health-workers-a9377856.html

One interesting result of all this seems to be the return of drive-in movies. They were great when I was a kid; I hope they do come back…

All of our favorite places do carry-out, so we aren’t missing much in that area of our lives. Getting our prior house sold? Not so much, had a few flippers look at it the first weekend and nothing since.

I want to support my favorite restaurants but they are dine in. It is taking me some time to figure out this new ‘mask’ thing. However, since it is a matter of live and death, I will adapt and over come. As must we all.

An example of the many conflicting statements that have been made, Buttercup being the source of most of them. The word for this particular period is ‘adaptation.’ Either one takes steps to manage his/her situation, or one ignores it. One way leads to possible safety, the other prolongs the problem. Ever been so. Ever will be.

as more and more people become exposed, even the most cautious will have to admit that avoiding this virus is like trying to walk through a rain shower between the drops. It is a force of nature against human nature. Shout at the air all you want but there is no easy way through this.

Many viruses remain in the system and reappear when the body is weakened. Those young healthy people who had minimal symptoms this time, and consequently see no problem may have a very unwelcome surprise the first time they are in an accident or get any type of disease that weakens them— The dirty little virus that is hiding in their cells just waiting to gang up with it’s new found ally.

No, I think most have learned rather quickly how to live in a police state.

They want liberty and freedom without responsibility to their neighbors…that’s called arrested adolescence…as the economic ideology/model they idolize has shown to enrich some and leave a large portion behind. Non Sequitur has always done such a bang up job pointing this out over the years.

The sign does not say WHERE the mask must be worn…

Care to give a (legitimate) medical science link that “outdoor transmission is nearly imposible in most situations”?

flat learning curve means no learning – steep curve means fast learning – I am a learning psychologist trying to stomp this misconception out of existence

What I want to know is how masks will work in restaurants and bars!? Your mouth is BENEATH the mask! Eye shots, anyone? Soup rectally? Yum-yum!

As we watch much of our upper management safely work from home, many essential workers are really feeling more like expendable workers.

If some workers are so “essential,” they should get higher wages. Right now, they should be getting ‘combat pay.’

I remember seeing a news photo from China during one of the previous epidemics… SARS, H1N1, bird flu, something. The man in the photo was wearing a mask with a hole punched in it and cigarette sticking out of the hole.

Flat learning curve means that either mastery has arrived or no learning has happened, depending on the y value.

since over 66% of those hospitalized recently in New York WERE sheltering in place… you may have a hard time picking out those that didn’t.

They are serving nothing but Clear Soups. And maybe a Martini.

Straws will be provided instead of knives, spoons and forks.

Just watch to be sure the Waiter keeps his Thumb Dry.

Almost missed the subtle touch of the “Openish” sign.

I’ve heard there are now face masks with a hole for a straw…no further comment.

And today we know that masking only made things worse…and they didn’t prevent COVID from spreading at all.