Texas Re-Opening Announced

[VRHorn 718]

1 hour ago, workswithseed said:

I like when you say I'm lying about how you put your sentence together, you make the word "destroy," in my sentence to mean that the economy will never come back. Seems like you're no better then I.

All this started cause you didn't think I know what made an economy, and since I proved you wrong there, you're trying to throw shit at me hoping that I'll cower away. Well fuck that.

 

Take-out business soaring at Dallas restaurants in spite of reopened dining room

The article is behind a paywall, so I don’t expect everyone to read it, but that is the headline from the notoriously liberal Dallas Morning News. Would you like to hazard a guess as to why the “opening” isn’t blowing the doors off everywhere? The 25% (or 50%) threshold isn’t profitable and the OWNERS DON’T FEEL SAFE!

Now, what might make them feel safe? Maybe testing and contact tracing? Nah, that’s Orwell taking away muh freedoms. People are not going to dive back in (unless they have to) until that happens.

It’s anecdotal, but I was on a call with our local office this week (national consulting firm) and our GM put up a poll relating to when people want to come back to the office (or go to a client’s office.) it was  1-5 scale, with 1 being “Nope” and 5 being “Save me a seat.” There were around 150 people on the call - 66% selected 1 and 19% selected 2 - nobody with any options is going anywhere. Bunch of liberal IT consultants I guess.

As many have said, you are out of your element, so just stop.

 

[StassneyHorn 6,575]

55 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Well it depends on how you define depression. There isn't really a concrete definition for the term. Some use X quarters of consecutive contraction, usually four or eight. By that measure, the US was at its economic nadir right around when FDR got elected, and the economy started growing again after that point. GDP had recovered to pre-crash levels by 1937-38, though there was a smaller recession after that point. While unemployment declined significantly from its peak by the late 30s,it didn't come all the way down to full employment until the US entered the war.

I’ll put a sarcasm tag next time /s

[Grade of D as in David 13,253]

What shitty meal pic from @GRHorn can we expect tonight? 

Endless appetizers from Applebee's?

Dry chicken parm from Carrabba's?

California rolls from Sushi Zushi?

[GRHorn 105]

7 minutes ago, Grade of D as in David said:

What shitty meal pic from @GRHorn can we expect tonight? 

Endless appetizers from Applebee's?

Dry chicken parm from Carrabba's?

California rolls from Sushi Zushi?

But seriously. Might make shrimp and grits tonight. I’ll keep everyone posted. 

[GRHorn 105]

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Too much is made over the “shutdown”. For the limited businesses that the govt did actually shutdown, they had already lost most of their customers because the customers decided to stop going. 
 

If all of the restaurants and bars had remained open and staffed, they would have shut the doors permanently by now. The govt shutdown orders actually allowed them to plan and prepare for a covid-19 world.

the reverse will occur in the reopening. Abbott cannot make people go to restaurants or hair salons. Of course some will go. But ask any restaurant owner how it will be with demand dropping only 25% much less >50%.

From what I can tell, hair and nail salons are going crazy. 

[gmr548 16,576]

I’ll put a sarcasm tag next time /s

My b. Woosh.gif

[gmr548 16,576]

Take-out business soaring at Dallas restaurants in spite of reopened dining room

The article is behind a paywall, so I don’t expect everyone to read it, but that is the headline from the notoriously liberal Dallas Morning News. Would you like to hazard a guess as to why the “opening” isn’t blowing the doors off everywhere? The 25% (or 50%) threshold isn’t profitable and the OWNERS DON’T FEEL SAFE!
Now, what might make them feel safe? Maybe testing and contact tracing? Nah, that’s Orwell taking away muh freedoms. People are not going to dive back in (unless they have to) until that happens.
It’s anecdotal, but I was on a call with our local office this week (national consulting firm) and our GM put up a poll relating to when people want to come back to the office (or go to a client’s office.) it was  1-5 scale, with 1 being “Nope” and 5 being “Save me a seat.” There were around 150 people on the call - 66% selected 1 and 19% selected 2 - nobody with any options is going anywhere. Bunch of liberal IT consultants I guess.
As many have said, you are out of your element, so just stop.
 

The divide on our team (also professional service firm) is pretty much whether or not you have kids. If you have them, you want to escape them. If you don't, fuck the office.

[Brisketexan 105,114]

24 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

The divide on our team (also professional service firm) is pretty much whether or not you have kids. If you have them, you want to escape them. If you don't, fuck the office.

Seeing some of that for sure.

But here's an interesting thing -- for all of the griping about government (it's not doing enough! vs. it's taking all mah freedoms!), simple social choice is a huge driver of behavior -- both social and economic.  People aren't rushing to fill restaurants....because they don't want to, and don't feel safe.

We've sold a solid and persuasive message of "stay home, stay safe."  And it worked when it needed to  And we still need to, to some degree.  But that's not the ONLY message.  It needs to modify, to one of "be safe and smart, especially if you are vulnerable, but the rest of us should start reentering society."  An absolutist message of "STAY HOME!" was necessary, and effective.  But if we don't modify that social drumbeat, it will end up inflicting significant unintended harm.  And again, this is aside and apart from any government edict.

The drivers of human behavior, particularly in different societies, are fascinating.  Oh, and the fact that we've utterly destroyed any trust in government (and that has been a quite purposeful strategy of the GOP for 40 years at least) is a killer for us.  The government can and should be an arm of the people, and it should lead not just by gov't authority but by message and tone.  In NZ, people listen to Jacinda Ardern not just because she has the weight of gov't authority behind her, but because people trust the gov't as an institution, and her as a person.  She could get similar compliance by ASKING people to do something as she would by ordering it as a gov't official.  We desperately need that here.  And no, we aren't going to get it.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,511]

53 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

From what I can tell, hair and nail salons are going crazy. 

I'm sure they are, and I'm sure some restaurants are maxing out their allowed capacities. In January or February, 100% of salon/barber customers were going. I doubt it's close to that number now. Sure, many raced back this past week or so, but they won't need a haircut next week.

But it's a good point that people may need haircuts more than a sit-down meal.  You can always eat at home but not everyone can cut their own hair or trust those around them. I assume that some people are avoiding stores and restaurants but go to the barber.

[VRHorn 718]

30 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Seeing some of that for sure.

But here's an interesting thing -- for all of the griping about government (it's not doing enough! vs. it's taking all mah freedoms!), simple social choice is a huge driver of behavior -- both social and economic.  People aren't rushing to fill restaurants....because they don't want to, and don't feel safe.

We've sold a solid and persuasive message of "stay home, stay safe."  And it worked when it needed to  And we still need to, to some degree.  But that's not the ONLY message.  It needs to modify, to one of "be safe and smart, especially if you are vulnerable, but the rest of us should start reentering society."  An absolutist message of "STAY HOME!" was necessary, and effective.  But if we don't modify that social drumbeat, it will end up inflicting significant unintended harm.  And again, this is aside and apart from any government edict.

The drivers of human behavior, particularly in different societies, are fascinating.  Oh, and the fact that we've utterly destroyed any trust in government (and that has been a quite purposeful strategy of the GOP for 40 years at least) is a killer for us.  The government can and should be an arm of the people, and it should lead not just by gov't authority but by message and tone.  In NZ, people listen to Jacinda Ardern not just because she has the weight of gov't authority behind her, but because people trust the gov't as an institution, and her as a person.  She could get similar compliance by ASKING people to do something as she would by ordering it as a gov't official.  We desperately need that here.  And no, we aren't going to get it.

I agree with all of this and I am by no means a STAY HOME absolutist, but a large driver of the behavioral change will be/should be addressing the factors that are causing the concerns. Our meeting discussing reopening our office also included specific details about closing the communal kitchen, blocking off most conference rooms, sign in sheets for employees to do tracing, and a capacity restriction that would limit us to *10* people in the office at a time. With all of that, 85% of the staff still essentially said nope.

If we are serious about getting back to something close to normal, it’s vital that we as a country focus on every possible mitigation tool, for both practical and psychological reasons. The people protesting now are having the exact opposite impact, but our leadership is too dumb or scared to lay all of the cards on the table. Countries like NZ played it right from the beginning and it’s paying off for them. Then again, look at SK...they also did great from the start, but one guy got all of the bars closed again. This is going to be a slog.

[Longhorn_Fan68 33,869]

1 hour ago, GRHorn said:

But seriously. Might make shrimp and grits tonight. I’ll keep everyone posted. 

Wait, is that you? Lol

[Mo Horn 8,833]

I was in the grocery store today, here in the KC area, and Mrs. MO and I are wearing our masks as are 80% of shoppers. Old guy with a Trump cap just starts spouting off to anyone who would listen about how wearing masks is actually more dangerous to your health than going without. I chose just to walk on as it wasn't worth doing anything else. I'm about as close to a pacifist that one can be, but i really did want to just punch him in the face. You don't want to wear a mask, that's your right, but just shut the fuck up. 

[GRHorn 105]

Small detail here on retail reopening. My wife had to do an in store return at a furniture store in Austin. They were letting an exceedingly small amount of customers in at one time. When they finally heard she just wanted to return something they told her (my son) to bring it around back and he set the things down. They were in their original boxes. One barely opened. They acted like they had been dipped in corona, keeping their distance from them and told her the boxes will be quarantined there for 3 days before anything is done with them.

Pretty excessive imo. Especially since they just needed to tape the boxes shut and send them back. I hadn’t thought of those types of precautions being taken. 

Edited May 16, 2020 by GRHorn

[triplehorn 2,664]

46 minutes ago, Mo Horn said:

I was in the grocery store today, here in the KC area, and Mrs. MO and I are wearing our masks as are 80% of shoppers. Old guy with a Trump cap just starts spouting off to anyone who would listen about how wearing masks is actually more dangerous to your health than going without. I chose just to walk on as it wasn't worth doing anything else. I'm about as close to a pacifist that one can be, but i really did want to just punch him in the face. You don't want to wear a mask, that's your right, but just shut the fuck up. 

Yeah, if people aren't going to wear a mask in public, the least they could do is shut the fuck up around others.  Like don't talk, at all.  

[Foosters 17,855]

4 hours ago, gmr548 said:

The divide on our team (also professional service firm) is pretty much whether or not you have kids. If you have them, you want to escape them. If you don't, fuck the office.

In response to an article about the end of working offices, someone hit the nail on the head:

As long as men continue to have and raise children, there will be offices away from home.

[Nivek 16,925]

1 hour ago, Mo Horn said:

I was in the grocery store today, here in the KC area, and Mrs. MO and I are wearing our masks as are 80% of shoppers. Old guy with a Trump cap just starts spouting off to anyone who would listen about how wearing masks is actually more dangerous to your health than going without. I chose just to walk on as it wasn't worth doing anything else. I'm about as close to a pacifist that one can be, but i really did want to just punch him in the face. You don't want to wear a mask, that's your right, but just shut the fuck up. 

Something something about opening your mouth and removing all doubt.  

[wildcat09 29,353]

1 hour ago, Mo Horn said:

I was in the grocery store today, here in the KC area, and Mrs. MO and I are wearing our masks as are 80% of shoppers. Old guy with a Trump cap just starts spouting off to anyone who would listen about how wearing masks is actually more dangerous to your health than going without. I chose just to walk on as it wasn't worth doing anything else. I'm about as close to a pacifist that one can be, but i really did want to just punch him in the face. You don't want to wear a mask, that's your right, but just shut the fuck up. 

It should be legal to punch guys like that in the face. If they want to risk exposing me to a deadly disease to own the libs, they should have to risk a broken nose or jaw to do so.

[UTCzech III 2,907]

4 hours ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

Wait, is that you? Lol

Watch it, you're 'bout to get on the fightin' side of him...

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,584]

1 hour ago, GRHorn said:

Small detail here on retail reopening. My wife had to do an in store return at a furniture store in Austin. They were letting an exceedingly small amount of customers in at one time. When they finally heard she just wanted to return something they told her (my son) to bring it around back and he set the things down. They were in their original boxes. One barely opened. They acted like they had been dipped in corona, keeping their distance from them and told her the boxes will be quarantined there for 3 days before anything is done with them.

Pretty excessive imo. Especially since they just needed to tape the boxes shut and send them back. I hadn’t thought of those types of precautions being taken. 

Oh! All the retail workers had to do was handle a box from one of a parade of  strangers whom they have pre-verified are not one of the teeming masses going out to essential dine at the earliest opportunity, cuz even if you were, it's almost certain they have cash reserves to weather a hospitalization and certainly in a worst case scenario, their employer and possible insurance coverage can tidy up any unsightly health or financial burdens. 

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,584]

Shit. Forgot about the death part in the Sacrifice The Weak country we live in. That part too.

[GRHorn 105]

7 minutes ago, Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand said:

Oh! All the retail workers had to do was handle a box from one of a parade of  strangers whom they have pre-verified are not one of the teeming masses going out to essential dine at the earliest opportunity, cuz even if you were, it's almost certain they have cash reserves to weather a hospitalization and certainly in a worst case scenario, their employer and possible insurance coverage can tidy up any unsightly health or financial burdens. 

They’re wearing gloves and masks. You put packing tape on box. You ship box. You don’t lick the box. You don’t smell the contents of the box. Kind of like at FedEx. Or Ups. Or the Post Office.

Do grocery stores accept deliveries and then set them aside for 3 days before opening and putting on shelves? 

No big deal, just seemed a little over the top.  

[conVINCEd 21,469]

4 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

They’re wearing gloves and masks. You put packing tape on box. You ship box. You don’t lick the box. You don’t smell the contents of the box. Kind of like at FedEx. Or Ups. Or the Post Office.

Do grocery stores accept deliveries and then set them aside for 3 days before opening and putting on shelves? 

No big deal, just seemed a little over the top.  

I’m putting you on ignore so I don’t have to look at your avatar every time you post.

[Francisco 2.0 32,389]

9 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

They’re wearing gloves and masks. You put packing tape on box. You ship box. You don’t lick the box. You don’t smell the contents of the box. Kind of like at FedEx. Or Ups. Or the Post Office.

Do grocery stores accept deliveries and then set them aside for 3 days before opening and putting on shelves? 

No big deal, just seemed a little over the top.  

No big deal, except you felt the need to explain it, and then tell everyone in your opinion it was unnecessary.

 

 

[GRHorn 105]

4 minutes ago, longhornmatt said:

Why do you even care?  “Muh feelings are hurt by the furniture store taking safety precautions with packages.  It was very upsetting for my wife to have to see that in her rear view mirror as she drove away in her car!”

I was sharing an anecdote on retail reopening. That’s it. 
 

 

7 minutes ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

No big deal, except you felt the need to explain it, and then tell everyone in your opinion it was unnecessary.

 

 

What are we arguing about exactly? 
 

[GRHorn 105]

14 minutes ago, conVINCEd said:

I’m putting you on ignore so I don’t have to look at your avatar every time you post.

 

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

If a business is going to err, I’d rather it be on the side of caution, as consumers and employees will get along better if they have similar goals for community health. 
 

Good to know some folks are working on it. 
 

 

[BradInATX 9,208]

@GRHorn with the new avatar pic is implementing the strategy that Nowthis should have rolled with. 

[Continental Op 3,934]

Stop fucking quoting GR Horn.  

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,584]

1 hour ago, GRHorn said:

They’re wearing gloves and masks. You put packing tape on box. You ship box. You don’t lick the box. You don’t smell the contents of the box. Kind of like at FedEx. Or Ups. Or the Post Office.

Do grocery stores accept deliveries and then set them aside for 3 days before opening and putting on shelves? 

No big deal, just seemed a little over the top.  

You're projecting the circumstances of your one interaction onto others who live under different circumstances and whose interactions are multiplied beyond a scale you enjoy.

[formermav43 4,606]

1 hour ago, GRHorn said:

They’re wearing gloves and masks. You put packing tape on box. You ship box. You don’t lick the box. You don’t smell the contents of the box. Kind of like at FedEx. Or Ups. Or the Post Office.

Do grocery stores accept deliveries and then set them aside for 3 days before opening and putting on shelves? 

No big deal, just seemed a little over the top.  

You’re right in this instance. But you’ve reached the point where people won’t actually read and respond to your posts, they’re just responding to you as a poster. It’s probably time to just cut your losses.

[GRHorn 105]

1 minute ago, formermav43 said:

You’re right in this instance. But you’ve reached the point where people won’t actually read and respond to your posts, they’re just responding to you as a poster. It’s probably time to just cut your losses.

Fuckin GRHornDS. oh well.
 

One pic sums it up best. 
 

 

 

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,584]

16 minutes ago, formermav43 said:

You’re right in this instance. But you’ve reached the point where people won’t actually read and respond to your posts, they’re just responding to you as a poster. It’s probably time to just cut your losses.

I'm responding specifically to his anecdote. 

[gmr548 16,576]

@GRHorn with the new avatar pic is implementing the strategy that Nowthis should have rolled with. 

You ever seen them in the same thread?

[Bama Chick 28,596]

[tx 3 putt 76,928]

fuck those mother fuckers

there's a huge homeless camp about 8 mins away. hopefully they all walk over to shake hands 

Edited May 17, 2020 by tx 3 putt

[Gap03 3,304]

Here's your chance, Danny Boy!

[Brisketexan 105,114]

That...is genuinely fucking insane. Seriously, they’re a goddamned clinically insane death cult. And they run our country.
This can’t be allowed to continue.

[tx 3 putt 76,928]

I would expect hildago and turner to make some sort of opening greeting to the group ?

[bernorange 8,361]

13 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

I would expect hildago and turner to make some sort of opening greeting to the group ?

They are both Democrats.  They won't be invited into the building, much less to address the crowd from the stage.  Attendance to the State convention requires jumping through some hoops at precinct and district conventions.

[Loch Ness Monster 3,533]

Just found out my bosses wife died. Damn.

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

5 minutes ago, Loch Ness Monster said:

Just found out my bosses wife died. Damn.

Sorry man. Covid?

[Patrick Bateman 3,913]

Mexico may pay for that wall soon...

 

[elfenix 34,238]

On 5/15/2020 at 9:29 PM, Mrs Whiggins said:

@bernorange knows more about the economy in his little pinkie nail than most people do in their brain so before he weighs in, I am going to hedge my bets and say it's complicated.

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13,584]

If this loveseat isn't out of this house tomorrow....

[Guest Lobo]

I don't trust Evan, he's a vegetarian.  

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

9 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

fuck those mother fuckers

there's a huge homeless camp about 8 mins away. hopefully they all walk over to shake hands 

Maybe someone can pay them to cough into the ventilation system.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,190]

16 hours ago, Mo Horn said:

I was in the grocery store today, here in the KC area, and Mrs. MO and I are wearing our masks as are 80% of shoppers. Old guy with a Trump cap just starts spouting off to anyone who would listen about how wearing masks is actually more dangerous to your health than going without. I chose just to walk on as it wasn't worth doing anything else. I'm about as close to a pacifist that one can be, but i really did want to just punch him in the face. You don't want to wear a mask, that's your right, but just shut the fuck up. 

I had a similar experience in HEB the other day.  The MAGAt in question in my case had his tacky red hat and an infowars shirt.  While he was spouting his shit I muttered through my mask, “Shut the fuck up, traitor.”. He started looking around to see who said it, but couldn’t figure it out because everyone else had a mask.

[TornACL 7,698]

9 hours ago, Bama Chick said:

 

Why do people blindly retweet shit like this? The convention was announced that it would be delayed to July. That announcement was two fucking months ago. 

[babysdaddy 2,721]

Why do people blindly retweet shit like this? The convention was announced that it would be delayed to July. That announcement was two fucking months ago. 

Well see, you can’t rage post about how dumb the Texas Republicans if you actually check facts.

[Bojack 2,081]

20 hours ago, GRHorn said:

But seriously. Might make shrimp and grits tonight. I’ll keep everyone posted. 

These are the shrimp and grits I made last week.  I use carrots and Vienna sausage so every bite is a surprise.  I'm happy to share the recipe.