OT - surviving pandemic from personal experience (no trolling, PLEASE)

[martinr]

Not yet, but I'm at Heathrow, waiting for my last leg to Zurich. Tired and exhausted, enjoying a Cappuccino and Dessert at one of the Cafe's, after watching the whole first series of The Mentalist from LAX to LHR.

Do you have a flight booked or are you stuck there hoping something will come up?

 

[thelonelycoder]

Do you have a flight booked or are you stuck there hoping something will come up?

Not much that can go wrong now, flight's booked, waiting for gate announcement which should be any minute now.
In the United flight from LAX we were stuck on the taxiway for almost an hour because one of the fuel pumps did not work. Captain said there are multiple pumps so we should be alright, and we went on our way. He was right, but the announcement did not sound so reassuring at the time. I have faith in failback systems but I'd rather test them myself before making such statements. Brave soul.

 

[martinr]

Not much that can go wrong now, flight's booked, waiting for gate announcement which should be any minute now.
In the United flight from LAX we were stuck on the taxiway for almost an hour because one of the fuel pumps did not work. Captain said there are multiple pumps so we should be alright, and we went on our way. He was right, but the announcement did not sound so reassuring at the time. I have faith in failback systems but I'd rather test them myself before making such statements. Brave soul.

There’s a world of difference between “we should be alright” and “we will be alright”. Were people double checking their life-vests under their seats? I’ll wager all you could hear on the way across was people praying and promising God all sorts of things so long as He keeps the other pumps working. Safe trip. Let us know when you’re back safely.

 

[^Tripper^]

Scary time to be travelling. Take all the necessary precautions and stay safe!

 

[thelonelycoder]

Scary time to be travelling. Take all the necessary precautions and stay safe!

That was a speedy service, operated by Swiss. After setback from the Terminal on the fastest route to the runway and direct takeoff. Nonstop. Landed 30 minutes early. No other planes were on the taxiway.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I enjoyed my two weeks vacation in the Southwestern US, with Moab being my main focus, once again. I did a lot of hiking, especially in the less populated Needles district. The Moab region is always on my mind, probably should move there at some point.
I had plans to look into the new Addons API while there. But these got pushed day by day as I enjoyed non-coding nights and reactivated my old hobby of reading physical books in a beautiful environment.
So, don't expect any major changes in that field from my scripts any time soon. I will get to it and have a go at it, just not now or in the near future.
After a planned three weeks absence, my employer eagerly looks forward having me back on the team this Monday. And I expect it to be busy, as usual. Our products and services are still used and in demand and need our attention.
Though we will not be able to offer on-location services for non Swiss-based systems, the majority are operated in our country.

 

[Asad Ali]

After a planned three weeks absence, my employer eagerly looks forward having me back on the team this Monday. And I expect it to be busy, as usual. Our products and services are still used and in demand and need our attention.
Though we will not be able to offer on-location services for non Swiss-based systems, the majority are operated in our country.

How's the COVID19 situation there? Here in Pakistan they've closed all Malls/restaurants and public offices in major cities for next two weeks at least.

 

[thelonelycoder]

How's the COVID19 situation there? Here in Pakistan they've closed all Malls/restaurants and public offices in major cities for next two weeks at least.

My country and much of Europe is on lock-down. Borders for non-Swiss or non-residents, non-food shops including barbers and hobby markets are closed until end of April. Streets, airports and railways are almost empty and operate on a reduced schedule as of today, schools are closed, any in-person group meetings are prohibited.
I caught one of the last flights that our national airline Swiss still operates. Most of their planes have been moved to an out-of-service military airport for non-use to free up the national airports.

I just went grocery shopping, while the toilet paper shelf is empty as everywhere, all supplies are still available and only a limited number of people are allowed in stores at any given time. This is strictly enforced with a ticketing system.
Our government reacts swiftly and updates on practically an hourly basis the situation and posts updated lists of changes, guidelines and help links for those in dire circumstances.
The most important rule is to stay at home unless you go to work, go shopping or seek medical services. And wash and disinfect your hands regularly.

 

[heysoundude]

Not much that can go wrong now, flight's booked, waiting for gate announcement which should be any minute now.
In the United flight from LAX we were stuck on the taxiway for almost an hour because one of the fuel pumps did not work. Captain said there are multiple pumps so we should be alright, and we went on our way. He was right, but the announcement did not sound so reassuring at the time. I have faith in failback systems but I'd rather test them myself before making such statements. Brave soul.

I’d not argue with a 4-striper with 20 or 30 thousand hours logged myself, but you do you. Seriously, even if the backups had failed and they had to shut that engine down, the other could more than compensate...and you wouldn’t have noticed, more likely than not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Asad Ali]

My country and much of Europe is on lock-down. Borders for non-Swiss or non-residents, non-food shops including barbers and hobby markets are closed until end of April. Streets, airports and railways are almost empty and operate on a reduced schedule as of today, schools are closed, any in-person group meetings are prohibited.
I caught one of the last flights that our national airline Swiss still operates. Most of their planes have been moved to an out-of-service military airport for non-use to free up the national airports.

I just went grocery shopping, while the toilet paper shelf is empty as everywhere, all supplies are still available and only a limited number of people are allowed in stores at any given time. This is strictly enforced with a ticketing system.
Our government reacts swiftly and updates on practically an hourly basis the situation and posts updated lists of changes, guidelines and help links for those in dire circumstances.
The most important rule is to stay at home unless you go to work, go shopping or seek medical services. And wash and disinfect your hands regularly.

Ahan nice that's a pretty good system. Honestly, right now the best thing we as people can do is self-quarantine as much as possible to contain the spread of Virus thus helping the health care system overcome the extra load and give all the attention to the critical and needy patients.

 

[Butterfly Bones]

The Moab region is always on my mind, probably should move there at some point.

Just keep your Swiss citizenship, though you know that, I'm in the USA, (coastal central California) but my country (over six decades) it going horribly backward, and seems to get no better into the future, depending on November elections (I do NOT want to get political).

Having been an outdoor lover all my life and spent as many days outside as possible, though I love granite and coniferous forests, more than slick rock, I understand your passion for it, having visited there a few times there is a unique fantastic feel to that environment, as you know better than I do.

 

[Butterfly Bones]

My country and much of Europe is on lock-down. Borders for non-Swiss or non-residents, non-food shops including barbers and hobby markets are closed until end of April. Streets, airports and railways are almost empty and operate on a reduced schedule as of today, schools are closed, any in-person group meetings are prohibited.
I caught one of the last flights that our national airline Swiss still operates. Most of their planes have been moved to an out-of-service military airport for non-use to free up the national airports.

I just went grocery shopping, while the toilet paper shelf is empty as everywhere, all supplies are still available and only a limited number of people are allowed in stores at any given time. This is strictly enforced with a ticketing system.
Our government reacts swiftly and updates on practically an hourly basis the situation and posts updated lists of changes, guidelines and help links for those in dire circumstances.
The most important rule is to stay at home unless you go to work, go shopping or seek medical services. And wash and disinfect your hands regularly.

This is almost exactly what is happening in California now. Only essential services open, limited grocery and essential retail stores, Walmart. Costco, Target. All bars, restaurants closed - those with full kitchen service can offer pick up or delivery. Retail shops all closed.

Tonight begins a "shelter at home" guideline, outdoor use, hiking, biking, is OK, just maintain "social distancing". Liquor stores and cannabis stored seeing brisk business, with "social distancing" tactics, like limiting a few customers at a time or delivery / or a pickup window.

 

[thelonelycoder]

I’d not argue with a 4-striper with 20 or 30 thousand hours logged myself, but you do you. Seriously, even if the backups had failed and they had to shut that engine down, the other could more than compensate...and you wouldn’t have noticed, more likely than not.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I test backup and redundant safety systems on a regular basis in my job. I trust it if I or another member of our small team has done the tests. But the pilot sits in his cockpit and has to trust the ground team, an army of people he never sees or knows on a personal level. That is trust one has to have on an entirely different level. But I'm glad he had it.

 

[thelonelycoder]

This is almost exactly what is happening in California now. Only essential services open, limited grocery and essential retail stores, Walmart. Costco, Target. All bars, restaurants closed - those with full kitchen service can offer pick up or delivery. Retail shops all closed.

Tonight begins a "shelter at home" guideline, outdoor use, hiking, biking, is OK, just maintain "social distancing". Liquor stores and cannabis stored seeing brisk business, with "social distancing" tactics, like limiting a few customers at a time or delivery / or a pickup window.

Remember, I was in LA and LV two days ago. The situation changed overnight. People want to survive, we all do. Things will settle down eventually and that virus will blow over, but before that it will get worse.

 

[heysoundude]

I test backup and redundant safety systems on a regular basis in my job. I trust it if I or another member of our small team has done the tests. But the pilot sits in his cockpit and has to trust the ground team, an army of people he never sees or knows on a personal level. That is trust one has to have on an entirely different level. But I'm glad he had it.

Commercial air travel is safe because a large number of small things would have to coincide in a rigidly regulated industry to bring an aircraft down today. it would be an avalanche of failures, but because standards, training and maintenance are so rigorous, it doesn't happen. IF it does, all issues/deficiencies are evaluated, readjusted and rectified to reflect it. He has trust trust and confidence in the entire team, from designers/engineers to his own skills/abilities, because of those high standards across the board. He does have the ability to decline to fly an aircraft he deems unfit; some may say (and I'm one of them) that it's his principal responsibility. It's a "trust but verify" situation - they do a walk-around to eyeball things for every flight, and have procedural checklists to follow. That was a computer issue, a sensor making him aware of the fault/malfunction on one of the components, but there is plenty of backup/tertiary redundancy built-in for safety...and he's been trained how to use it when necessary, and has to prove competency semi-annually at least.
Glad you're home safely, and enjoyed your trip. You so richly deserved the break.

 

[Butterfly Bones]

Remember, I was in LA and LV two days ago. The situation changed overnight. People want to survive, we all do. Things will settle down eventually and that virus will blow over, but before that it will get worse.

That is why I mentioned it. You were about 200 mi / 320 km south of me at LAX. Things have changed overnight, two or three times this week where I am and almost all of California, and the rest of the USA, thought I know there are more places not following Federal guidelines, whereas California has implemented more strict guidelines that Federal government has not issued (yet?).

My last OT, thanks for allowing these, it is nice to know about your journey and more personal experiences in the face of this pandemic, other than media reports.

 

[thelonelycoder]

Commercial air travel is safe because a large number of small things would have to coincide in a rigidly regulated industry to bring an aircraft down today. it would be an avalanche of failures, but because standards, training and maintenance are so rigorous, it doesn't happen. IF it does, all issues/deficiencies are evaluated, readjusted and rectified to reflect it. He has trust trust and confidence in the entire team, from designers/engineers to his own skills/abilities, because of those high standards across the board. He does have the ability to decline to fly an aircraft he deems unfit; some may say (and I'm one of them) that it's his principal responsibility. It's a "trust but verify" situation - they do a walk-around to eyeball things for every flight, and have procedural checklists to follow. That was a computer issue, a sensor making him aware of the fault/malfunction on one of the components, but there is plenty of backup/tertiary redundancy built-in for safety...and he's been trained how to use it when necessary, and has to prove competency semi-annually at least.
Glad you're home safely, and enjoyed your trip. You so richly deserved the break.

It was a Boeing airplane. People, companies and regulators make mistakes. Glad we and they all learned from the past. Thanks to those that went though fatal or non-fatal accidents, flying is a save way to travel.
But this gets off topic.

 

[thelonelycoder]

That is why I mentioned it. You were about 200 mi / 320 km south of me at LAX. Things have changed overnight, two or three times this week where I am and almost all of California, and the rest of the USA, thought I know there are more places not following Federal guidelines, whereas California has implemented more strict guidelines that Federal government has not issued (yet?).

My last OT, thanks for allowing these, it is nice to know about your journey and more personal experiences in the face of this pandemic, other than media reports.

I have been at a Chili's the night before all restaurants closed for in-house dining. I knew this was my last chance to enjoy that unrestricted pleasure and experience and I was painfully aware of the situation that will present itself in the next days. Next morning breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express was take away only, I waved the cook a thank you and ate it in my room. The McD next door had long lines at the drive through, traffic on the I-405 nearby thinned out to never seen low numbers at this time of day.

We will remember it just like 9/11 for those that were around at the time.
I have been to the US just before (Boston) and a week or so after (Houston) for business purposes at that time.
I got stranded in Europe in between because of the Swissair grounding. That flight was rebooked to a Balair flight. Swissair and Balair are now known as Swiss, with the SR code gone and replaced with LX for the old Balair, and now owned by the German Lufthansa. Unthinkable at the time before the grounding. Swissair was an institution and the pride of the collective Swiss minds.

Things are different now, we no longer trust our banks to do the right thing, they have lost their trust and are now just another business. They used to be untouchable. USB UBS, Credit Suisse and even the small banks, mine is Raiffeisen, are now downsized and put in their place, with scandals one would not have thought possible before the crisis after 9/11.

We As the people had to sober up, but the government has always been a trusting factor. Our forefathers did it right to form the political system we largely still run on since 1848. We have no president, it's a team of 7, with one having the title for a year for ceremonial purposes only. The motto is One for All, All for One. That has worked well and will continue to work into the future.

But I'm just one of 8.4 million citizens, with one vote of the 4 million registered voters or so at a time when regular elections, referendums or ballots come up four times a year.
The upcoming May ballot has been postponed to September. But nothing urgent is on at the moment, the political system and with it the changes to our law and constitution have always run at a glacial pace. It has served us well so far.

 

[Butterfly Bones]

We have had a nice discussion in the Diversion thread, about personal experiences in our, home state / county / country. See from here down.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/diversion-the-router-ad-blocker.48538/page-284#post-561522

I like this discussion, and want to continue here, if possible. Please be civil, no political anger / hate, no trolling of who / what is "responsible". Please just what it happening to your life, work at home, issues with work at home, family, lock-downs, limitations on shops / stores / restaurants, pubs, etc.

 

[OzarkEdge]

We have had a nice discussion in the Diversion thread, about personal experiences in our, home state / county / country. See from here down.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/diversion-the-router-ad-blocker.48538/page-284#post-561522

I like this discussion, and want to continue here, if possible. Please be civil, no political anger / hate, no trolling of who / what is "responsible". Please just what it happening to your life, work at home, issues with work at home, family, lock-downs, limitations on shops / stores / restaurants, pubs, etc.

I find that [some] people (my family and community) are generally slow to realize what is happening and coming until it smacks them in the face, much like what has trickled down to them.

In this Internet age, I am struck by the absence of public advisories over the historical media of radio and TV. So, if you don't tune in to some news channel domestic or foreign, it's business as usual over the airwaves.

It's a good time to convert IRAs to ROTH IRAs!

The public shutdown response is reluctant, incremental, and too short in duration for what is coming, imo. My dentist called to reschedule a cleaning for 4 weeks later... I pushed it out 6 months and I have doubts about keeping that appointment.

A 70 year old outside the hardware store said he was too old to let some virus control him... a blissfully er... simple view.

My 98 year old mother is in lock down. She called to say 'I love you' and 'goodbye'.

My brother's family in NE Ohio is waiting for a test result.

Everyone should act as if they have the virus. This crisis is just beginning in the US. Everyone in the house should stay home except to go get food. You are not trying to avoid getting sick; you are trying to avoid getting sick at the same time everybody else is getting sick and overwhelming your health care system... especially if you are medically vulnerable. You might be able to survive getting sick, but not if you need health care that is not able to serve you. Warn your loved ones. Everyone is at risk including young people. No one has immunity to this virus.

Not much else to say if we can't comment on our government's moronic response.

OE