respublica

What is the explanation?

I've been really puzzled over the sudden taking down of statues of Christopher Columbus. I've seen news reports with video of this being done in St. Louis and now Sacramento California. But I don't hear exactly why this is so important. What did he do that offends people today?

What's next? The removing of portraits of presidents in the halls of Washington DC?

And now this from St. Louis:

More name changes and monument removals might be forthcoming in our area, after a statue of Christopher Columbus was removed from Tower Grove Park

St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page says he has ordered staff to review all roads, parks and statues for potentially problematic names.

Just when we think we've seen it all

This campus has had its issues with outsiders (locals) over the years, but today takes the cake. I looked out the front door and saw two guys with metal detectors in our side yard. They would sweep the detectors around then stop periodically and stoop down to dig. I knew they were not our people and this was pretty bold to come onto private property and do this. I texted our facilities director with a photo and he sent security over. They then had to leave.

What the heck?

 

The no eye contact era

I've realized most of the employees of grocery stores and probably Walmart, Target etc, are not at all given to be friendly or even given to make eye contact. Shoppers are pretty much following the same practice. It's been something I've given some thought to without being overly obsessed and came to realize it musts be a nightmare to work in these places during the shutdown.

I passed by the Collinsville Schnucks on Sunday around 2 in the afternoon and saw that parking lot filled to the brim. The Schnucks near the seminary was the same if not more so on Monday afternoon around 2. Walmart the same. If this is a daily occurance, and I believe it has been, no wonder employees are stand-offish. In these times it must be rather unnerving to have to be in close quarters with so many people.

The only reason I passed by the seminary Schnucks at 2 on Monday was that I was hoping to get a long loaf of Italian or French bread to use for meatball sandwiches. When I saw the parking lot, I just turned around. No way I was going to be a part of that. I ended up at the nearby Parkers Table Wine shop which sells a number of terrific food items and long bread is one of them. All you do at Parkers is walk up to the front door and someone will take your order and bring it out. Very rarely are there many other people. Also they have great wine selections and beer and spirits. They are very friendly too.

I honestly believed that when Missouri "opened up" on Monday people would be headed to shops and stores beyond the grocery places. But no.

Another crank

In the post below I told of shopping cart putter backers cranks, here is another example of how cranky we're all getting these days.

"We need to stop worrying about runners and cyclists without a mask and instead be concerned about the loud talkers in crowded indoor spaces, according to Erin Bromage, a biology professor who started a blog about the ways in which the coronavirus spreads."

The photo with this CNN story show Bromage in what looks like running or cycling clothes. I'd guess someone yelled at him as he whizzed past them on his bike without letting them know he was coming up behind them.

The first CNN link is annoying with too many loud video ads and moving screens. If you have twitter, here is a better look.

Was this a dream or a Tweet?

I woke up this morning to see a tweet from Dan McLaughlin in which he shared someone's theory on shopping carts. The responses to this and the linked tweet were unending with people argumentatively taking both sides. Here is the Shopping Cart Theory: The shopping cart is the ultimate litmus test for whether a person is capable of self-governing.

I've never given too much thought to this, but I don't see too many carts sitting around parking lots. Most stores now have lots of cart corrals, you don't have to walk too far to put your cart away. But the responses to this are unreal. Many excusing themselves for not bothering to put the cart away, others taking them to task. Many in strong language. There must still be places where carts are loose on lots.

I'm more bothered by those who put their small cart in the large cart row and vice versa.

I'm guessing the strictures placed on us during the virus lockdown has begun to turn us into cranks over every little thing.

 

 

 

Trooth

We're getting angry and taking it out on others

KSDK's traffic and fitness reporter, Monica Adams who is married to a St. Louis policeman, mentioned this on Twitter today: "My husband has said heads are getting hot and the pandemic is really starting to show in mental health cases. Hearing so much on the scanners this morning. A shooting at 5:30 in the morning?? Now fighting before 6:30...It is really getting to people."

So then along comes this event on an interstate: "Report of a road rage incident involving women fighting on the southbound Mid Rivers overpass over Highway 70."

 

Who shops better?

During this Coronavirus time all kinds of opinions and recommendations (orders) have come down from officials. Here is an unexpected piece of advice from the mayor of Osaka, Japan. He said, "men are better suited to grocery shopping during the coronavirus pandemic, because women take too long and contribute to overcrowding at supermarkets."

There has been quite a backlash over this as you might imagine. However, is he wrong? By wrong I point to the phrase, "better suited" because doing grocery shopping faster doesn't always mean doing it better. This news report had lots of comments, most agreeing that women take longer than men in these stores. Women agree and have reasons ranging from, "Men miss things and have to go back a second time", to "yes, I like to take my time and look at things."

My experience with Dale is, he does not like to go to the grocery store and wants to get in and out and if something we needed isn't right in front of him, he'll leave without it. Also women will often spot something they do need but forgot to put on the list. Men normally will not.

As to the mayor of Osaka, I believe he just wants people home and the faster they shop the better.

What are we all buying now?

The reaction to the virus rules for staying home has led to a huge bump in people going out and buying things and it's beginning to get on my nerves. The latest business to be swamped is the garden center. People have gone to buy flowers, vegetable plants, dirt, herbs etc in such numbers that some of these places are already sold out of any number of plants. It's still April! One nursery told us that all of a sudden, in the past two weeks, they've seen 3 times the normal amount of sales. They had been concerned that their business would be hurt this year with the stay at home orders. It turned out to be possibly the best year ever.

It's good that many want to grown pretty things and edible things. However it also points out that way too many of us are not staying home. We're out shopping everywhere. What business will be the next to see a huge bump in popular buying?

The dabate over opening things up has begun

Yesterday a lot of news time was given over to how and when should we loosen up our stay home rules. When can we get out and where can we go. Some states have already begun doing this. Florida opened some of its beaches, others have allowed construction and garden supply stores to reopen.

The reality is that people have already been out in big numbers. We were amazed as we took a drive around this past weekend and saw parking lots of all kinds of stores full of cars. People were out in huge numbers in grocery stores, Walmart, Home Depot, Menards, Garden Centers. Its was unreal, or surreal.

We are not ready to get into big crowds of people, to handle or touch things they've all touched, but the notion that everyone is staying home is just not the case if parking lots are any indication.