Old code never truly dies: Covid-19 has New Jersey scrambling for COBOL programmers to fix unemployment insurance systems.
Tag: covid
covid/animals
A tiger in the Bronx zoo has tested positive for covid-19
Which makes me wonder about what other animals can catch it.
Which, with my brain in the weird state its in these days, jumped straight to “You infected an *octopus* with Kellis-Amberlee???????”
Covid-adjacent/TP
Interesting point about toilet paper shortages: toilet paper sold for home use and toilet paper sold for businesses isn’t made or packaged the same way…and all those people who used to be spending some of their trips to the bathroom at work, at a restaurant, wherever, are doing all of them at home. Which means yes, we actually are using more home-grade TP (and less commercial-grade).
https://marker.medium.com/what-everyones-getting-wrong-about-the-toilet-paper-shortage-c812e1358fe0
covid-adjacent/groceries
In this time of minimizing grocery store trips, it’s even more annoying than usual to realize that yes, you really should have picked up that thing that you looked at and decided not to pick up.
covid-adjacent/passports
Still sorta kicking myself for not mailing my passport renewal as soon as I got over the flu (it’s been on my desk since literally the day the flu hit me), but it’s not like I’m going to be traveling internationally for a while anyway.
At least I got my driver’s license renewed before all this hit.
US stops processing passports except for emergencies
They’ve postponed the RealId deadline to October 2021, so that’s something at least.
Funny thing is I would’ve sent my passport renewal in sooner if I hadn’t been waiting for my driver’s license to show up first.
Lessons Learned by NYC Makers Producing Personal Protective Equipment for Medics
IEEE article: Lessons Learned by NYC Makers Producing Personal Protective Equipment for Medics: Focus on what health workers actually need, rather than what you think you can invent
covid-adjacent/weird headline
covid / funny (XKCD)
XKCD takes a look at things from the virus’ point of view: human immune systems are scary, but even scarier: humans are adapting! With pasta!
covid/infrastructure (+)
Companies that build temporary buildings, stages and tents for festivals and concert events like Coachella are pivoting to building triage tents and temporary hospital facilities.
“We have everything available: Wi-Fi, radios, generators, lighting, restrooms and wash stations. We can build a small city in a day or two, and that’s a need right now.”
speculation on long-term societal impacts of pandemic
34 people’s thoughts on how Covid-19 could impact society in the long term, both during and after the pandemic is eventually over. Some optimistic, some pessimistic, some neutral.
Link: “I’m Not An Epidemiologist But…”: The Rise Of The Coronavirus Influencers
Link: “I’m Not An Epidemiologist But…”: The Rise Of The Coronavirus Influencers
Perspective: Our modern obsession with efficiency in business has left us without buffers to deal with emergencies.
Perspective: Our modern obsession with efficiency in business has left us without buffers to deal with emergencies.
Covid19/pokemon, silly
9YO (looking at Rocket Radar in Pokemon Go): OK, Team Rocket is still scared of Covid.
covid discussion as experienced through mastodon vs birdsite (anxiety)
Mastodon: Here’s how we’re all dealing with quarantine and/or illness, who needs help and what you can do, what we know about how the pandemic is spreading, and what this shows needs to be fixed about society.
Twitter: OMG WERE ALL GONNA DIE BC OF THESE IDIOTS IN CHARGE WTFWTFWTF WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE
I’ve…found it helpful to avoid Twitter lately, just to keep the anxiety at bay.
covid19/japanese art
Atlas Obscura reports on a trend where artists are drawing Amabie (アマビエ), a sort of mer-bird-person spirit associated with protection from disease.
A Healing Spirit From 19th-Century Japan Is Back to Face COVID-19
Artists are bringing back Amabie, a ‘yōkai’ associated with protection from disease.
Image by Kaori Hamura Long. The article features several other examples from the current trend.
covid/photos of empty city spaces
Amazing (and eerie) photographs of normally-crowded city streets and public spaces left deserted while everyone’s staying home.
The coronavirus outbreak is keeping people home and cities empty
Got this ad in the mail last week.They had nooo idea.
Coronavirus: yes, Warren has a plan for that too.
Coronavirus: yes, Warren has a plan for that too.
covid/ca/flu
So, California has issued a statewide stay-at-home-unless-absofuckinglutely-necessary order.
https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/
The 9YO is already climbing the walls.
And I’m still recovering from the damn flu, so I’ve basically missed the window for any trips outside except for groceries (and maybe a chest xray if this very non-covid-like cough doesn’t clear up)
LA County order earlier today specifically said neighborhood walks were OK as long as you kept your distance. The statewide one doesn’t.
flu
Heard back by lunchtime. RN agreed it didn’t sound like covid19 & suggested continued home care unless I start experiencing shortness of breath, in which case I should go straight into urgent care.