Length of Shutdown - Crystal ball stuff, but just wondered what people thought?

Bossypants

Davesnave said:

Bossypants said:

Curls2208 said:

Crashy_Time said:

greatcrested said:

Went to the supermarket today and they were controlling how many people could go in at a time, so while we waited a bunch of us got together, shared a fag, and discussed how long the infringements to our human rights would last. Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around - most people seemed to thing if it lasted more than a week there'd be a march organised like the one against the war a few years back, so you should be able to move soon after that!

Your human right to spread around a virus that can kill people? I am hoping you are joking on the second one, or had alcohol wipes handy?

You guys all realise this guy is joking right? 

I know it's not a laughing matter, but the lack of humour on this forum staggers me sometimes. 

  I concluded it was a joke based on the inclusion of the shared fag, but it was a near thing.

It's a long time since most people shared fags, except those with additional ingredients!

A little dark humour in the forum does no harm; it's a very British response to adversity.

As for what will change in future, I doubt it will be human nature, but with the need to claw back losses and in the light of experiences, I wouldn't be surprised to see working from home and video conferencing becoming more common.

Possibly I gave away more than I had intended to about my social circle there...

MoneySeeker1

Davesnave said:

Bossypants said:

Curls2208 said:

Crashy_Time said:

greatcrested said:

Went to the supermarket today and they were controlling how many people could go in at a time, so while we waited a bunch of us got together, shared a fag, and discussed how long the infringements to our human rights would last. Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around - most people seemed to thing if it lasted more than a week there'd be a march organised like the one against the war a few years back, so you should be able to move soon after that!

Your human right to spread around a virus that can kill people? I am hoping you are joking on the second one, or had alcohol wipes handy?

You guys all realise this guy is joking right? 

I know it's not a laughing matter, but the lack of humour on this forum staggers me sometimes. 

  I concluded it was a joke based on the inclusion of the shared fag, but it was a near thing.

It's a long time since most people shared fags, except those with additional ingredients!

A little dark humour in the forum does no harm; it's a very British response to adversity.

As for what will change in future, I doubt it will be human nature, but with the need to claw back losses and in the light of experiences, I wouldn't be surprised to see working from home and video conferencing becoming more common.

Absolutely - I've certainly been coming out with a lot of "black humour" in comments to people recently - total strangers that I've shouted (from a safe distance) humorous comment to whilst out for my daily walk. As they can see the expression on my face - the reaction has normally been to burst out laughing in response.

Re work in the future - I think it's pretty obvious there will be a lot more "working from home" as the new norm once this is over. This will rather show up societal divisions though. The new underclass definition being those who literally can't work from home (or at least not at all comfortably). The division between those with "his and hers" desks for working from home in their 10 bedroom house in the country with acres of garden their 3 children are enjoying playing in (ie yesterday's big-time error by William/Kate's PR person aka "how to rub everyone else's nose right in it") and those who have just one room to call their own (eg single people sharing a house with strangers) or who are families crammed into tower blocks and driven into fits of anger by William/Kate article yesterday.

The other thing I see happening is the Treasury gets in more tax than it thinks it's going to in the aftermath of all this - as the Black Economy is currently (well it was some weeks ago....) "alive and well" in some parts of the country. But people are going to be way less inclined to use cash in future and Mr Unmarked White Van Man will have to be paid his income legitimately and pay the tax he should be on it (yes...I know there will Ms Unmarked White Van Woman too - but I've not met any of them personally).

SouthLondonUser

greatcrested said:

 Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around 

Are you telling me you shared a can of beer with a group of strangers? All drinking from the same can, sharing saliva and potential infections among all of you???
If it's a joke, it ain't funny

homeless9

I think people won't be able to cope indoors for too long. I am an introvert and stay in a lot anyway, but like to watch sport, but nothing is on, so I am already hating being indoors, so what it's like for the extroverts that like to be out the house and keeping busy - I imagine it's extremely difficult.

Maybe after this there will be less crimes committed as people will realise what jail time is like.

hazyjo

SouthLondonUser said:

greatcrested said:

 Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around 

Are you telling me you shared a can of beer with a group of strangers? All drinking from the same can, sharing saliva and potential infections among all of you???
If it's a joke, it ain't funny

Humour is subjective. I thought it was rather amusing and found it hard to believe so many have taken it seriously. Each to their own. The world would be a very boring place if we all had the same sense of humour.

Davesnave

MoneySeeker1 said:

Davesnave said:

Bossypants said:

Curls2208 said:

Crashy_Time said:

greatcrested said:

Went to the supermarket today and they were controlling how many people could go in at a time, so while we waited a bunch of us got together, shared a fag, and discussed how long the infringements to our human rights would last. Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around - most people seemed to thing if it lasted more than a week there'd be a march organised like the one against the war a few years back, so you should be able to move soon after that!

Your human right to spread around a virus that can kill people? I am hoping you are joking on the second one, or had alcohol wipes handy?

You guys all realise this guy is joking right? 

I know it's not a laughing matter, but the lack of humour on this forum staggers me sometimes. 

  I concluded it was a joke based on the inclusion of the shared fag, but it was a near thing.

It's a long time since most people shared fags, except those with additional ingredients!

A little dark humour in the forum does no harm; it's a very British response to adversity.

As for what will change in future, I doubt it will be human nature, but with the need to claw back losses and in the light of experiences, I wouldn't be surprised to see working from home and video conferencing becoming more common.

Re work in the future - I think it's pretty obvious there will be a lot more "working from home" as the new norm once this is over. This will rather show up societal divisions though. The new underclass definition being those who literally can't work from home (or at least not at all comfortably). T
The other thing I see happening is the Treasury gets in more tax than it thinks it's going to in the aftermath of all this - as the Black Economy is currently (well it was some weeks ago....) "alive and well" in some parts of the country. But people are going to be way less inclined to use cash in future and Mr Unmarked White Van Man will have to be paid his income legitimately and pay the tax he should be on it (yes...I know there will Ms Unmarked White Van Woman too - but I've not met any of them personally).

I saw nothing of the William & Kate thing yesterday, as I was out all day, maintaining my small 'estate.' The confinement hasn't impacted me at all; I'm just plodding-on as usual. The road was very quiet again, but through the week  it was very busy with tractors rushing back and forth with massive loads of manure or set up for ploughing. Who knows, they may even use some of the crop for food or feed this year, instead of driving it 10 miles to the anerobic digestor, where it's turned into biogas thanks to government subsidies! 

The black economy won't change, especially where it's not based on money. Here, I receive meat, logs and skilled labour, but as I have a hand in producing the meat and the logs too, it's a very grey area.....far too murky to trouble HMRC. This year, thanks to Covid19, I've also received £250 worth of fishing since no one has rented it. That almost evens-up the money I've spent on licences over the past 2 years, which were never used thanks to very dry summers.

White van woman? I have a light blue van woman here. She'll do!

Davesnave

homeless9 said:

I think people won't be able to cope indoors for too long. I am an introvert and stay in a lot anyway, but like to watch sport, but nothing is on, so I am already hating being indoors, so what it's like for the extroverts that like to be out the house and keeping busy - I imagine it's extremely difficult.

Maybe after this there will be less crimes committed as people will realise what jail time is like.

I think the opposite. Because it's so hard for some people to stay indoors, away from their social circle and casual amusements, a tipping point will come and there will be incidences of mass disobedience regarding lockdown.

Last Friday, on my one trip to buy fresh veg, milk etc I passed a lone police motorcyclist hidden in a side road. I knew he wasn't after me, a local with a mud-caked 4x4, but I guessed he was looking out for families heading to the West Country for the predicted sunny weekend.

I was right:

Link removed by MSE, apparently.

Try this:https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-tourist-drives-devon-motorhome-17999540?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

Much was made of this incident in the media, but the reality is that most police are far too busy to be out, tracking-down  the lockdown violators.

MoneySeeker1

Davesnave said:

MoneySeeker1 said:

Davesnave said:

Bossypants said:

Curls2208 said:

Crashy_Time said:

greatcrested said:

Went to the supermarket today and they were controlling how many people could go in at a time, so while we waited a bunch of us got together, shared a fag, and discussed how long the infringements to our human rights would last. Luckily one chap had a can of beer which we passed around - most people seemed to thing if it lasted more than a week there'd be a march organised like the one against the war a few years back, so you should be able to move soon after that!

Your human right to spread around a virus that can kill people? I am hoping you are joking on the second one, or had alcohol wipes handy?

You guys all realise this guy is joking right? 

I know it's not a laughing matter, but the lack of humour on this forum staggers me sometimes. 

  I concluded it was a joke based on the inclusion of the shared fag, but it was a near thing.

It's a long time since most people shared fags, except those with additional ingredients!

A little dark humour in the forum does no harm; it's a very British response to adversity.

As for what will change in future, I doubt it will be human nature, but with the need to claw back losses and in the light of experiences, I wouldn't be surprised to see working from home and video conferencing becoming more common.

Re work in the future - I think it's pretty obvious there will be a lot more "working from home" as the new norm once this is over. This will rather show up societal divisions though. The new underclass definition being those who literally can't work from home (or at least not at all comfortably). T
The other thing I see happening is the Treasury gets in more tax than it thinks it's going to in the aftermath of all this - as the Black Economy is currently (well it was some weeks ago....) "alive and well" in some parts of the country. But people are going to be way less inclined to use cash in future and Mr Unmarked White Van Man will have to be paid his income legitimately and pay the tax he should be on it (yes...I know there will Ms Unmarked White Van Woman too - but I've not met any of them personally).

I saw nothing of the William & Kate thing yesterday, as I was out all day, maintaining my small 'estate.' The confinement hasn't impacted me at all; I'm just plodding-on as usual. The road was very quiet again, but through the week  it was very busy with tractors rushing back and forth with massive loads of manure or set up for ploughing. Who knows, they may even use some of the crop for food or feed this year, instead of driving it 10 miles to the anerobic digestor, where it's turned into biogas thanks to government subsidies! 

The black economy won't change, especially where it's not based on money. Here, I receive meat, logs and skilled labour, but as I have a hand in producing the meat and the logs too, it's a very grey area.....far too murky to trouble HMRC. This year, thanks to Covid19, I've also received £250 worth of fishing since no one has rented it. That almost evens-up the money I've spent on licences over the past 2 years, which were never used thanks to very dry summers.

White van woman? I have a light blue van woman here. She'll do!

Oh yes - their PR person had seen fit to send out photos of them sitting there all dressed up smartly apparently working from home at their respective desks in their spacious home with spacious garden. The duff PR person had also said how much their children were enjoying playing in their acres big garden. Cue for a huge amount of angry comments from families being driven mad trying to keep their children indoors in tower blocks and some comments by single people (probably even more angry - as, at least, families have chosen the company they keep - but single people often havent). 

This morning's (totally unrelated article obviously - not LOL) was that the Queen has now just taken on a PR person that Me-Egan (ie Megan) had recently employed. Coincidence of course I'm sure - but I'd love to have been a fly on the wheel when someone-or-other gave a right royal telling-off for crass insensitivity/big c*ck-up the previous PR person made there LOL.

There's black economy (as in paying in cash) and there's bartering and I regard them as two totally different creatures and so (normally) does HMRC. HMRC is interested in Black Economy cash payments and basically isn't interested in bartering (I'll do your DIY if you give me some food you've grown).

MoneySeeker1

Davesnave said:

homeless9 said:

I think people won't be able to cope indoors for too long. I am an introvert and stay in a lot anyway, but like to watch sport, but nothing is on, so I am already hating being indoors, so what it's like for the extroverts that like to be out the house and keeping busy - I imagine it's extremely difficult.

Maybe after this there will be less crimes committed as people will realise what jail time is like.

I think the opposite. Because it's so hard for some people to stay indoors, away from their social circle and casual amusements, a tipping point will come and there will be incidences of mass disobedience regarding lockdown.

Last Friday, on my one trip to buy fresh veg, milk etc I passed a lone police motorcyclist hidden in a side road. I knew he wasn't after me, a local with a mud-caked 4x4, but I guessed he was looking out for families heading to the West Country for the predicted sunny weekend.

I was right:

https://twitter.com/Sgt_BJ_DCPolice/status/1243530062978318338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1243530062978318338&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressandstar.com%2Fnews%2Fuk-news%2F2020%2F03%2F28%2Fnot-essential-police-crack-down-on-motorbikes-swimmers-and-driving-lessons%2F

Much was made of this incident in the media, but the reality is that most police are far too busy to be out, tracking-down  the lockdown violators.

Davesnave said:

homeless9 said:

I think people won't be able to cope indoors for too long. I am an introvert and stay in a lot anyway, but like to watch sport, but nothing is on, so I am already hating being indoors, so what it's like for the extroverts that like to be out the house and keeping busy - I imagine it's extremely difficult.

Maybe after this there will be less crimes committed as people will realise what jail time is like.

I think the opposite. Because it's so hard for some people to stay indoors, away from their social circle and casual amusements, a tipping point will come and there will be incidences of mass disobedience regarding lockdown.

Last Friday, on my one trip to buy fresh veg, milk etc I passed a lone police motorcyclist hidden in a side road. I knew he wasn't after me, a local with a mud-caked 4x4, but I guessed he was looking out for families heading to the West Country for the predicted sunny weekend.

I was right:

https://twitter.com/Sgt_BJ_DCPolice/status/1243530062978318338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1243530062978318338&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressandstar.com%2Fnews%2Fuk-news%2F2020%2F03%2F28%2Fnot-essential-police-crack-down-on-motorbikes-swimmers-and-driving-lessons%2F

Much was made of this incident in the media, but the reality is that most police are far too busy to be out, tracking-down  the lockdown violators.

Two points on this:

1. The Chinese apparently have (sorta half) lifted the virtual barriers round one of their cities (Wuhan?) and had the odd position of people being allowed in but not out. Cue for mass riot and overturning of police vehicle/s. Well - if a riot about confinement can even happen in a country with a tradition of unquestioning obedience to the State - then just think what the response is likely to be in our modern liberal "democracies" if the PTB try and keep us all confined to barracks for that long....

2. Don't suppose you saw the "lynch mob is alive and well and out applying tar and feathers" article? Two local vehicles (ahem....vehicles - they were out driving then themselves) blocked in a perceived outsiders vehicle in a location in Wales. Cue for the bullied driver photographing them on his phone and the bullies photographing him in return on their phones and also calling the police. So both sides calling for the Police and the police duly came and I'd have liked to be a fly on the wall there at the telling off that BOTH culprits (the non-local driver and the two locals with their own vehicles) got from the police (assuming said police were being totally fair and impartial).

Thrugelmir

homeless9 said:

I think people won't be able to cope indoors for too long. I am an introvert and stay in a lot anyway, but like to watch sport, but nothing is on, so I am already hating being indoors, so what it's like for the extroverts that like to be out the house and keeping busy - I imagine it's extremely difficult.

Maybe after this there will be less crimes committed as people will realise what jail time is like.

People will appreciate what having freedom and democracy means living in the UK. Rather than the authoritarian Chinese approach.