SpaceSimCentral

Stay safe @Cody, hopefully you can get your operation before things are getting too bad. The situation is rapidly degrading this side of the Channel and the healthcare system is again on its way to be "covid only" soon

I know I been reading more and more in the European countries the populous is starting to protest the govt controls and lockdowns, I think I heard Italy wants out of the EU. Excuse my ignorance if I am totally wrong on this, but wasn't the EU generally created for the participating countries to work together and prosper? Because that was one of Italy's main complaints was lack of help during pandemic from EU countries... 
This virus has definitely opened up peoples eyes to govt operations and the way countries are prepared for things like this. People want a change and I can't really blame them. Here in the USA state/local govt's have started lifting a lot of the restrictions because the people are basically revolting. Not speaking to the other protests/riots about BLM issues, but like here in NH restrictions are minimal and most stores still would like you to wear a mask but its only mandatory on a case by case basis for stores.
They say 1/3rd of all adults have missed a mortgage or rent payment since the virus started and will probably get worse because companies are closing or reducing staff like crazy.... airlines are laying off 300k people, even disney annouced 28k lay-offs yesterday. Economies are gonna struggle this winter so try to prepare yourselves my fellow pilots 

Posted by: @sscadmin
but wasn't the EU generally created for the participating countries to work together and prosper?

It was... but convincing warring tribes of sapiens that they'd fare better working together takes time, especially considering that the process is fiercely resisted by local clan chiefs clinging to their precious power... /s
More seriously the EU is definitely not the "United States of Europe" as all countries remain distinct and all important decisions must be taken unanimously: needless to say that's very difficult. And so the EU's action is essentially limited to commerce, and it is only very slowly emerging as a transnational political entity.
You're right Italy was let down with the initial Covid-19 crisis, but also about immigrants together with Greece and Spain among other "North vs South" problems. However it should significantly benefit from the EU recovery plan (which will be a significant unifying step... provided it can go through).

Posted by: @d-c-elington
Italy was let down with the initial Covid-19 crisis, but also about immigrants together with Greece and Spain...

The migrant crisis really showed the cracks in the EU - the treatment of Greece and Italy was disgraceful!
I'll refrain from having a rant about the EU though, as even typing two lines is difficult. Damn my eyes!

Posted by: @cody
Damn my eyes!

Stop press! A light at the end of the tunnel!

Just had a call from the eye clinic: barring a sudden and complete lockdown, the second op is set for next Friday!

Excellent news!

@cody Well Done!!!!

@Cody, Oh I know you cannot wait. Hope all goes well and your vision can be a lot better than before, so I will be looking forward to next weeks update
Thanks @d-c-elington and @Cody on giving me the low down on what is going on in the EU, with being in the USA we don't always hear the accurate news heheh tons of fake news out there especially here in the USA. So its best to get the news from the people
I do truly hope the 'recovery' does actually happen, because its looking grim here regardless of what our press and leaders say. So many companies closing and lay-offs happening. I am just lucky I work for a company that supports essential employment. But that doesn't always mean I am safe. So I hope everyone is well and definitely keeps their employment, the toughest part of the year is coming the next 6mos will be key.
News update... President Trump and first lady have covid-19 and some other staff members.... I believe the president will be fine he has that best medical care money can buy. But the political parties and press are gonna blow this up big time... especially since the election is like in 1 month. 

Thanks for the good wishes, guys! Posted by: @sscadmin
President Trump and first lady have covid-19

Does he actually have it though? Trailing in the polls, didn't come across well in the live 'debate', Covid-19 spiralling out of control. Perhaps a desperate attempt to garner a sympathy vote, and a neat way to sidestep another live debate? There's not much the current POTUS wouldn't do to get another four years in the White House. The gravely ill president carries on working, keeping the country safe. If the election's won, a sudden return to good health. If you thought Nixon was tricky, this guy has him beat. It would only take a lying doctor, or a de-fanged variant of the virus. It was probably a lying doctor that kept him out of that ghastly mess in Vietnam - five call-up deferments, I believe. Just for balance, I think Biden had four deferments.
A conspiracy theory? No! Am I cynical? You bet!
Talking of Tricky Dicky...

Cody, are you suggesting that El Presidente is going for the "Boris Sympathy Effect"?
auryx

Posted by: @auryx
Cody, are you suggesting that El Presidente is going for the "Boris Sympathy Effect"?

You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment!

Haha! Good old Francis Urquhart

Posted by: @auryx
Good old Francis Urquhart

Aye! FU... a beautifully written character, brilliantly acted!

A quick eye update: the second op went well. Now it's a matter of waiting a couple of months for things to settle down, then I can get new glasses made. I hope to be plying the 'lanes of the Ooniverse again by Winterfest. At the moment, the only way I can read or write messages is by using a word processor in 36 point and C&Ping. Even this is difficult, and rather tedious!
As for Covid-19, the way I think it's heading in England is an enforced lockdown for the elderly and vulnerable, while allowing the rest of the population to get on with their lives, and perhaps develop a herd immunity. I see the sense of it, but I don't like it.
Another lockdown? I'll go stir-crazy!

Posted by: @cody
the second op went well

Great news, take good care of yourself and your "optical sensors"!

Posted by: @d-c-elington
optical sensors

<grins> My Mk 1.5 eyeballs! To borrow a line from Heller's Catch-22... "I see everything twice!"

Happy for you @Cody, hope the recovery and re-configuration of your optics go well over the next few weeks. I hope in the next 20yrs or so they can really make some advances in medical and life extension tech... I am slowing starting to feel my age Maybe healthcare system can help me stay younger and able-bodied into my old years. I wonder if Cody's procedures are early Cyberpunk 2077 enhancements
On another note, hmmm Covid-19 may start going up this winter.... what is the populous of the world supposed to do? We cannot stay locked up, I dont want to come over as heartless (its that military thinking in me) but in the Army we do risk assessment in almost everything we do that can involve casualties or equipment destruction.... now if we have a 1-5% casualty/equipment loss rate as a possibility that is a damn good risk for any sort of operation. So if this virus has been proven to only have a 1-5% possibility to cause death then why are we acting like it has a 50% possible death rate?
The way our govts are dealing with this virus is causing mass hunger, poverty and unemployment. We cannot keep going down this road or this affect will be worse than the virus itself. I look at it this way, we are all grown adults. We make daily risk assessments of our own lives everyday, let us decide whether we go outside or to the store or be in populated environments. I am not a huge conspiracy person, but to me this is a big power and money grab for elites in our govts... the normal people are struggling.
A nice little stat came out yesterday, 70% of all restaurants in NYC didn't pay their rent in Aug and its getting worse. Some food banks in some USA cities are processing over 10000+ people a day. You really don't see that stuff on the nightly news, but its happening.
So I hope all SSC members are doing well and continue to stay that way.  

@cody Well done Cody!!!! Get well soon!!

Posted by: @sscadmin
On another note, hmmm Covid-19 may start going up this winter.... what is the populous of the world supposed to do? We cannot stay locked up, I dont want to come over as heartless (its that military thinking in me) but in the Army we do risk assessment in almost everything we do that can involve casualties or equipment destruction.... now if we have a 1-5% casualty/equipment loss rate as a possibility that is a damn good risk for any sort of operation. So if this virus has been proven to only have a 1-5% possibility to cause death then why are we acting like it has a 50% possible death rate?

This is craziness to me. Comparing Civilian Daily Life to a Military Operation should not be normal thinking.

Posted by: @blah64
This is craziness to me. Comparing Civilian Daily Life to a Military Operation should not be normal thinking.

Maybe so, but what I am trying to do in my example is to show why are the govts/press over-reacting to the detriment of all our societies. Its already been reported that crime all over is up, child abuse is up, spouse abuse is up, divorce is up, unemployment is up, people are using too much credit or simply not paying bills.... we cannot stay locked up.
Govts have created a much bigger danger to our society than the virus, people are not seeing it because its not really reported or people are not putting the pieces together.
Is the practice of risk assessment really a bad thing? All your doing in essence is weighing the pros/cons of a particular situation and making the logical decision. We do it everyday without even thinking twice because the majority of us do have common sense. Just because the situation may be sensitive doesn't mean we still don't make a choice.
I will use Cody's situation as a simple example.... Cody had to perform a risk assessment of his health on whether the pros/cons of the procedure he was thinking about doing was worth the risk. Because in any medical procedure there is always some risk, that's why your usually signing forms to waive liability to the hospital/doctor before the procedure happens. So if all of the specialists told Cody that he had a 1-5% chance of making it worse, but they feel he has a 95%+ chance of success.... you need to make a choice or do nothing and let time settle it.
Yes my comments may seem rash/crazy to some.... but we have elected leaders of all of our countries to make these tough decisions. Some are making them and some are not. But in the end the people suffer when either inaction or the wrong decisions are made. There is a risk in every single decision we make, it could have a expected or unexpected consequence.... that's why gathering data to perform the risk assessment is vital to lowering the risk.