SpaceSimCentral

Posted by: @gaius-konstantine
great for raising kids and just chilling as you get on in years

If you keep Bhutan's "Gross National Happiness" index in mind this sounds quite nice actually! Incidentally I'm afraid our 4X game is missing "moral alignment" ratings depending on the choices related to events. For instance:
"An outbreak is threatening your population, will you offer paid leave for the sick?"...
"No they would become lazy"...
Great you've just killed 1 million more, +10 points towards Evil.

Posted by: @d-c-elington
"moral alignment" ratings depending on the choices related to events. For instance:
"An outbreak is threatening your population, will you offer paid leave for the sick?"...
"No they would become lazy"...
Great you've just killed 1 million more, +10 points towards Evil.

Hahaha.... I think every choice you make will give you negative alignment... like the USA they are talking about giving the people money... Oh great, lets inflate our currency so its worthless, free money = lazy people...
People don't really get it, this shit sometimes happens and it sucks for a lot of people. You may go hungry, you may go without, you may loose a job, you may even loose your life.... people have forgotten what its like to struggle or to go through bad times. If we were all going through a world war I am sure it would be a lot worse than this, the govt wouldn't be giving everyone money etc... 
I am not heartless, but the majority of people in the USA have never struggled through anything in their life.... shit a few years back the power went out in NY city for like 48-72hrs and you thought the apocalypse had started. We actually need something like this to happen every so often to wake people up from their bubble life that life can be cruel and hard sometimes and you have to change and adapt.
I am sure a lot of people are worried, i am worried about some aspects of all of this and of course worried about all the SSC members all over the world. But we will get through this and be stronger and hopefully change our thinking so this cluster is better run next time.
Little rant.... I like the how all of our countries love having open borders but the moment something like this happens they have no problems shutting them hehe this is why we have country borders so we can scrutinize the people coming into our countries maybe if we all were doing this from the beginning this virus would have been less impactful for everyone

Posted by: @sscadmin
people have forgotten what its like to struggle or to go through bad times

Hum isn't that what we call "civilization" and "progress"?

Finding fresh meat (and even tinned meat) was difficult this morning.
If that continues, I'll be eating a lot of rice over the next few weeks.

<sips sour apple schnapps and contemplates a return to the simple life>

On the closure of Stonehenge at the Equinox, due to Covid-19...

Stuart Hannington, a druid, also stayed behind the fence, accepting it was fair to restrict access. “They’re closing the churches so it seems OK that they are not allowing us to get to the stones. It’s disappointing but we have to make sacrifices.”

Posted by: @cody
On the closure of Stonehenge at the Equinox, due to Covid-19...

Doesn't make sense why they would restrict access to Stonehenge...? They could limit the amount of people there at a time. I can see why churches would need to limit activity because of the close proximity people are when at church. This makes no sense.... Posted by: @cody
Finding fresh meat (and even tinned meat) was difficult this morning.
If that continues, I'll be eating a lot of rice over the next few weeks.

It's still been okay at the grocery store if your not really looking for canned or dried goods. Yeah the grocery bill was a bit higher because the cuts of meat that were there were the more higher priced options. So I picked up a large ham and looks like I will be eating on that for a few days. How is fresh fruits and vegetables there @Cody are they wiped out as well?
I see that Italy, Spain, Germany and the USA are increasing daily with the amount infected I saw this article title today and made my heart drop a bit for all of those older people that are infected in Italy... 

Israeli doctor in Italy: We no longer help those over 60
Israeli medical doctor Gai Peleg told Israeli television that in northern Italy the orders are not to allow those over 60 access to respiratory machines.


Remind me not to retire to Italy!

<nods> Yeah, this was bound to start at some point. Who do you try and save? When the numbers increase beyond available resources, those with the better chance of surviving will get preferential treatment. I guess it has to be that way!
As for fruit and veg, D1, I'm still finding that on the shelves. Doubled-up on raspberries this morning!
The big test will come on my next major foraging expedition - the 'elderly hour' Tuesday morning.

Confirmed: eye surgery cancelled. They'll be in touch, probably after the zombie apocalypse!

Were in a total lock down, here in Greece. Not many fatalities (20 after the latest official briefing), but the government, had moved swiftly before the situation got out of hand!! These last two days CONVID case are in decline, although its far from over. We are still looking at least two weeks lock down period, and we will be grateful if this crisis will be over in May, when temperatures will rise.
Our economy will take a hit, since tourism contributes a large percentage of our GDP and we were just recovering from a 10 year long debt crisis. 
On the fun side, 135 tones of contraband moonshine was released by the police to pharmaceutical companies, in order to produce disinfectants!!!!

Posted by: @captainkal
Were in a total lock down, here in Greece.

Kουραγιο αδερφε. Same here in Cyprus now, and I got to tell you, I'm resentful. Feeling out the population on a few blogs tells me I'm not alone. I feel that this place could have shut the borders quickly and at least lessened the economic damage by doing so. But here it's all about money, so they waited too long. Should have followed the Russian example. 
At least I'm glad I got my fix of Greece this past summer, it was nice to be home for a while...

Posted by: @captainkal
Were in a total lock down, here in Greece. Not many fatalities (20 after the latest official briefing), but the government, had moved swiftly before the situation got out of hand!!

Kudos to your government. And just as well, as you have a problem on your border with Turkey, yes? That seems to have dropped out of the news here in the UK. We have near-total lockdown here now, provisionally for 12 weeks. Posted by: @gaius-konstantine
Same here in Cyprus now

My sister got the last plane out of Cyprus to England. Her late husband was a Greek Cypriot, and a real gent!

Posted by: @cody
My sister got the last plane out of Cyprus to England. Her late husband was a Greek Cypriot, and a real gent!

I'm glad your sister got out Cody... and sorry about her late husband. The people here are pretty cool, especially in Larnaca where I'm at these days. I can't figure out if it's a small city or a large town, a bit of both I suppose. I've been here for a while now, my rather peculiar life has allowed me to live in many countries over the years, with the exception of my own homeland which I seem to only visit, lol.

Alas, I never got to Cyprus, but as a young man I recall island-hopping around the Aegean on rust-bucket ferries (deck class). Very few islands had airports back then. 'Twas a long time ago, but such sweet memories remain!

Posted by: @cody
Alas, I never got to Cyprus, but as a young man I recall island-hopping around the Aegean on rust-bucket ferries (deck class). Very few islands had airports back then. 'Twas a long time ago, but such sweet memories remain!

You made me smile Cody. I served in the Aegean and loved travelling around by slow boat every chance I got. Back then most of the larger Islands had air strips... but that was like a bus ride. So every time I was on leave, I'd get on a slow ship instead, it was like a mini cruise. I particularly remember one dark rainy night with a four hour pass, not enough time to do anything really. So I walked about a klik to the nearest town. I saw a light and headed towards it, turned out to be a tiny little tavern with four tables and a Yiayia (that's grandmother to my non-Greek friends), running it. She had some of the best home made Kebobs I've ever eaten and delicious local wine. The hospitality from the few locals that were hanging out there that night almost brought me to tears. I felt so alive, it was a magic moment in time...

Posted by: @gaius-konstantine
I particularly remember one dark rainy night

I remember an overnight ferry voyage from Chania to Piraeus. There was one mother of a storm that night.
On topic, from the news I see here, New York seems to have it real bad. How's NH looking, D1?

Kudos to your government. And just as well, as you have a problem on your border with Turkey, yes? That seems to have dropped out of the news here in the UK.

Yes. Nearly 20.000 illegal immigrants were transferred to our land borders and forcefully tried to enter the country. With the help and support of Turkish authorities (They even supported immigrants, with non lethal weapons fire, across the border). Now things have calmed down somewhat, but they still probe our borders. Thankfully, there are also European reinforcements deployed in the region, and I believe that eventually they will back down. But it was a nasty "hybrid" operation against E.U., by Erdogan!!

Kουραγιο αδερφε. Same here in Cyprus now, and I got to tell you, I'm resentful.

Κρατάμε γερά, αδέρφι!! Μόνο που θα βγούμε τετράπαχοι στην παραλία φέτος!!!! (Translation: We are holding on!! But we will not be the fittest in the beach, next summer )

Kaliméra! Erdogan is a coño, and a dangerous one at that!

Posted by: @cody
On topic, from the news I see here, New York seems to have it real bad. How's NH looking, D1?

Well NY State seems to think this is a video game and they were determined to get the highest score... well, as everyone probably knows now the USA has the most cases in the world with about 86000 and its climbing by the thousands everyday. Still not bad in NH where I live with maybe 300 cases, but it doesn't help that NYC is the most population dense area in the USA. They say hospitals are already maxed out and 911 service had 6000+ calls in one day which is the highest on record even exceeding 9-11 attacks. So its getting pretty serious over here, I will be going grocery shopping tonight so I will see the status of the stores. I been inside all week at home, came into work today (only one person on my floor) but its like a ghost town for the most part even in NH.
But our higher populated cities need to quit being stupid and mandate people stay in their homes unless you are performing a service that is needed by the people or infrastructure. People are still traveling everywhere, there is no restrictions. Yeah govt's are trying to put things in place and make punishments... but there is only so many things a govt can do without instituting marshal law, because the citizens do have the right to do what they want and a big portion of the usa citizens have guns so if someone is determined they will just do what they want.
Do I like self isolating myself... no really, its not a big deal because I live out in a small town so I guess I choose to live in isolation. But people need to think a little and do limit their human interactions to a minimum to hopefully slow this down. Yes, I understand the whole 1-2% death rate chance and people are like who cares that is a small amount. But if millions get infected you are looking at many thousands of people dying when maybe they didn't have too if people just thought about others instead of themselves.
Of course I am worried about the economy and jobs for all. And this stupid stimulus to the people is a mistake for a country that has the highest debt load in the world lets just create more debt and print money from nothing... the world as a whole is in trouble. And if the world don't start working together to solve it we will sink together. Yeah I am sure countries and/or people might take advantage of this crisis throughout the world but hopefully that can be contained. But inflating all of our currencies will make it even worst for the person without a job or money. So on one aspect I agree with Trump to just be cautious but tell everyone to go to work and that we need to accept the risk you could get sick. But if our societies don't get back to work they are going to fall apart and their will be more crime and poverty for all countries.
Shit, with have dumbass kids on youtube coughing and licking stuff in the grocery store and stating that have covid-19 and then the grocery has to throw away all that food because they cannot take the risk... just stupid idiot kids... we should jail them immediately. And they do it for laughs on social media. Our youth are not ready to make any sort of life changing decisions for themselves or us.
USA jumping in infections by the thousands everyday, luckily there hasn't been a huge amount of deaths yet... but NYC did have 100+ in one day. Its true we shouldn't panic and we need to still be civil to everyone... but how long will that last when people are hungry or can't find food. Shit its still cold where I am there will be no gardens still for another 2mos.
Will be a interesting April... I will quit ranting... but I have noticed that a lot of the countries their infection rates have been slowing... thats good

Nothing is going to be the same after this. Every country around the world will have to take a hard look at how their societies work, their culture and politics. How did it all contribute to the spreading of this terrible virus. Will there be strife, a recession or even a full on depression following this? Yes, all that and more could happen and it could cost even more lives in the long run than the virus itself if we don't change.
It's in that aftermath that we all have to realise we have to find a better way to organise ourselves, to live, to really make the world a better, fairer and safer place for all. The use of the dictates of the market to drive policies effecting every aspect of life just wont cut it in this new post Covid 19 world. A country isn't, as some would have you believe, a business, it's a country with needs far beyond what any business would consider necessary. It's undeniable this virus is a terrible thing that will take many more lives before it is done but, when it is over, we have to learn all the hard lessons it taught us, recognise all the mistakes we made and do better.
Following World War II many thought along similar lines and for a time everyone had the same goal to remake the world into a better place to make the sacrifice of all those who gave their lives in that war have meaning, but over the years since then that goal was cast aside, people barely concerned themselves with what was happening in the wider world anymore. We need to pick that goal up again and give a meaning to all those who have, and are yet to lose, their lives during this crisis. History will be our judge.