Sadly where I am, I am seeing a complete lack of common sense Batman.

Even if an organiser put some reassuring steps in place, I wouldn't trust those around me.

Here we're being told to stay indoors, but a flash of warm weather and you've got people nipping to the seaside and queuing up inches apart to buy ice cream as if everything is normal.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: X,

quote:

Originally posted by Batman:
I think smaller shows could make a return if conditions improve, probably not until after summer. If these events are allowed to be held I certainly would go, just would exercise a bit of caution and practice safe habits like reasonable distancing and hand washing. It’s too early to gauge at this point but if things improve I think people will attend. I understand people may have concerns and stay away and I completely understand that but with some common sense and due diligence I think most people would be up for a show, if things improve to that point.

I agree that the small shows have a better chance of happening.

In Chicago, we don't have more than 100 people in the room at any one time. That makes the exposure smaller. But, as a promoter, do I want to take the chance of a cluster of people getting sick because I had to have my show? I'm not yet ready to answer that question.

The Philly Show is another BIG concern. More people. More seniors, between the vendors and the guests. And the facilities aren't well ventilated and washrooms are sketchy. We will have to see where PA is in the game before we really can make that call.

And finally, will people have the disposable income to spend at a show? I know it's also about the experience, but if people aren't spending then the vendors are better off sitting at home.

WAY too early to make any calls about October and small shows. But I would venture that big shows are off for the year unless something drastic happens.

Ed

Governor Cuomo is not breaking down the Javits Center's temporary hospital until he decides if there is a second wave or the seasonal flu kicks in in September. You can forget about the NYCC in October if that is how the plan stays.

New York has had miserable weather so far. No Spring at all and lots of rain. The nights are still in the 40's. That has kept things in check and problems down. But regardless of how much common sense people have or don't have, and regardless of what Cuomo and de Blasio want if it's to extend the Pause into the Summer, they will not be able to keep unemployed, out of school, footloose people off the beaches in the Rockaways, Coney Island, Jones Beach, the Hamptons and every other place that isn't in their living room once it gets hot.

You can say it shouldn't happen, but you know it will. The only remedy is a drug cure or a vaccine or maybe it could peter out on it's own, if that's even possible. Perhaps Famotidine will prove effective in the trials. Here's hoping, because the way this re-imagined society is supposed to work is not going to last very long and everyone knows it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

Raven, our typically charming English weather has no consistency. Uncomfortably warm and sunny one day, pissing it down with rain the next.

Any spot of sunshine and people go crazy trying to make the most of it. Plenty are abiding by the rules but so many are not. I do not know how much of it is out of ignorance, confusion, frustration, stupidity or necessity but I don't see people sticking with it long term either.
I feel we live in a society that has such mistrust and lack of respect for any form of authority, that regardless of the importance of advice, we're now at a point where many just do what they want and can't be told otherwise.

X you are right about society. The people who care are so polarized within their own camps that they would rather see a disaster happen than admit that the other camp might be doing something right. The media sides with one or the other and doesn't report anything that doesn't fit into its own agenda. And there are a whole lot of people who claim they trust no one because no one tells them the truth, but also just don't want to hear the truth when it's not to their liking. Not counting the people who couldn't care less about anything or any one but themselves.

Having said that, many of the suggested mitigations coming from authorities are just so impractical and can't be sustained indefinitely. And real economic needs are developing solely because people can not go back to work and supply chains are suffering. Being in NYC, which got hit hardest in this country, many cracks are starting to show, from free food lines, to the homeless running rampant in the subways, to children who can't learn online, to spikes in domestic violence, to increased depression and drinking, to the unemployed that can't get their checks and are out of money, to people that have no idea what's happening to family in nursing homes. It's an absolute mess under the surface and still fairly empty streets on the surface.

So yes, anyone with sense would stay away from the beaches and crowds and stick with the restrictions for now. But I'm afraid it can't hold the way it is, even if it is the safest way, because most people can't do it over the long term, whether they want to or not. Every aspect of daily life has been touched, from simply things like getting a gallon of milk, or finding a teller at a Bank, to worse things like finding a dentist for a toothache. And God help you if you have to go to a hospital for anything, although the doctors and nurses are killing themselves to help patients. It's quite unbelievable really.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Raven,

I think things will get better once more stores re-open. Everyone will have to wear masks and gloves to go in a store (already happening at a local store chain and bank). People will feel better when they can move around.

However, I don't see how a restaurant survives with half the tables and that assumes it can stay alive up to that time they can open. Keeping a restaurant open can be tough during good times. Some places that were trying to stick it out, are closing their doors this week.

Most of the medium-big chains and some mom-and-pops will survive. I see a local pizza place copying what Panda Express is doing: a table is set up across the doorway so customers don't go inside. Orders are by phone and pick-up is at the table. I noticed Panda Express has reduced its menu (less ingredients to buy, fewer different tasks for the cook).

The NFL is still planning on a 2020 season. To do that every player, coach, trainer, assistant, cheerleader, referee, cameraman, sound guy, and groundskeeper is going to be tested. What happens if in Week 4 one starting player tests positive? Does the whole team not play for two weeks as well as the two teams it played against the previous two weeks?

Here in California, it looks like we're in for another month of shelter-in-place and then probably some gradual re-opening with maybe some restrictions lifted in between as long as the curve trends downhill for two weeks. I see people with no mask nor gloves. I'm afraid people are washing their hands only a little more than they did before. Before all this, it was common to see someone come out of a airport/food court men's room stall and go straight out the door. I was told it happened in the ladies' room too.

I was able to get a donut shop-type donut the other day after not having one for a month and a half. It was really good.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
X you are right about society. The people who care are so polarized within their own camps that they would rather see a disaster happen than admit that the other camp might be doing something right. The media sides with one or the other and doesn't report anything that doesn't fit into its own agenda. And there are a whole lot of people who claim they trust no one because no one tells them the truth, but also just don't want to hear the truth when it's not to their liking. Not counting the people who couldn't care less about anything or any one but themselves.

Having said that, many of the suggested mitigations coming from authorities are just so impractical and can't be sustained indefinitely. And real economic needs are developing solely because people can not go back to work and supply chains are suffering. Being in NYC, which got hit hardest in this country, many cracks are starting to show, from free food lines, to the homeless running rampant in the subways, to children who can't learn online, to spikes in domestic violence, to increased depression and drinking, to the unemployed that can't get their checks and are out of money, to people that have no idea what's happening to family in nursing homes. It's an absolute mess under the surface and still fairly empty streets on the surface.

So yes, anyone with sense would stay away from the beaches and crowds and stick with the restrictions for now. But I'm afraid it can't hold the way it is, even if it is the safest way, because most people can't do it over the long term, whether they want to or not. Every aspect of daily life has been touched, from simply things like getting a gallon of milk, or finding a teller at a Bank, to worse things like finding a dentist for a toothache. And God help you if you have to go to a hospital for anything, although the doctors and nurses are killing themselves to help patients. It's quite unbelievable really.

MegaCon is still going to do (if possible) a show on Halloween Weekend. It will be interesting:

Same weekend as an established horror con in the area

Limited to 25000 attendees (no details if that is per day or for the show)

There is some confusion about attendee's registration and if you're getting a smaller show for the same admission.

There is some confusion on dealer space and cost, so many vendors are questioning the event runners.

Not sure if the limited attendance is due to restrictions or if they are using a smaller space. And, there is always the option that events are still/again off the table in October.

____________________
Trading Page Now Online: http://www.scifi.cards/trading.html

Collecting Sketches of the Character Crystal

The National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City has been postponed with a new tentative date of December 12-16, 2020.

The NJ Governor has just announced that the Jersey shore will be opened, with some restrictions, for the Memorial Day weekend. NYC is still in total lockdown, while Upstate New York has selected businesses opening with strict regulations.

I was in my local deli today and a fist fight almost broke out because a guy didn't have or didn't want to have a mask. It's supposed to hit over 80 degrees tomorrow for the first time this year.

I think its going to get to the point where everyone will be policing themselves and deciding how much risk they want to take. I sure as heck wouldn't wander into any large gatherings any time soon, but society must open up because it can't stay closed tight. Not just for all the economic reasons, but also the mental health reasons and physical health reasons that involve other illnesses besides COVID-19.

It may be a procedural debate among dueling medical experts, but the fact is, people can't live like this and we haven't even seen many of the consequences yet. Wait till the Pause period is over and people find that their employer is not reopening and that the landlord wants 3 months back rent instead of the one they don't have now.

If they can't come up with a medical remedy, people are going to be willing to live with the risk level they can accept. I think that will ultimately happen in NY, NJ and CA as the 3 most impacted States. I can't see where there are any other options if the virus hangs around and spreads much longer, but that is just my opinion from the place where I live.

The NYC lockdown has just been extended thru June 15th. I think you are going to start to hear negative news in the media now, as reports have been kept quiet so far. There was little follow up even on the subway cleanup that is far from resolved. The nursing homes problems are a disaster waiting to be exposed. However with NJ allowing some public openings, there will be big issues if the Jersey shore can operate even in restricted mode starting on the holiday weekend and NYC and Long Island beaches can't.

It's a bad balancing act going on with no safe choices and time is running out on the Pause, as only so many things can be delayed for so long. I say that just to give people an idea of what is happening here for comparison to their own situation, which I hope is different and better.

We're still shelter-in-place in Santa Clara County but things are opening up in a limited way here and around the state. I see more cars on the road but traffic is still light even at the old commute times.

We had a warm February but then a cool March with warmer days since. It is uncomfortable to wear a mask when it gets into the 80's especially if you're wearing it for a couple of hours and yet I still wear it. I don't know how effective the kind of mask I have is but I do know it's better than a bandana at blocking my breath from getting out and somebody else's breath from getting in. I wear gloves too. All the stores I've been to have made it mandatory to wear a face covering of some type to enter. I haven't seen any arguments nor fights and I drive around more than I should in search of various things (various disinfectants, meat, etc. - have been able to find paper products often enough that I haven't run out).

The whole situation is going to get complicated especially with rent. Our governor has addressed it. No one can be evicted because if inability to pay during this time, but yeah, what happens in 2-3 months when the landlord says you owe the total back to March/April and you were able to work/get paid for just part of that time? It's complicated because landlords didn't get rent from nearly everybody (whether it's a matter of a house, duplex, or apartment building) and their property tax is going to be due and they can't pay that either because of the lack of sufficient income. Something needs to be worked out there.

Credit card companies aren't forgiving anything. They want what you owe every month plus the interest no matter what happens. Depending on how long this whole thing goes and what else happens, the government might have to step in with some kind of relief plan.

Car insurance companies are going to have to figure out something because many people are paying at a rate as if they were still driving normally (approx. 1000 per month). There's a break if you drive less than 4000 per year but with the shelter-in-place, I drive maybe 100 miles in a month. At least two companies are giving a 25% discount or something similar but many of us will have to look into switching to a company that charges by the mile because paying $800-1000 per year in car insurance and hardly using our cars does not make sense.

As for "dueling medical experts," I listen to epidemiologists. They focus on investigating the causes and effects of diseases on populations. Epidemics are their specialty. I have seen doctors who aren't epidemiologists give bad advice on this situation. The rest of us have to recognize that not all doctors are going to be sufficiently informed on the details nor on what has happened in previous epidemics. That's not their field. This whole thing could have been a lot worse but enough laymen in positions of power listened to those scientists and moved fast enough in various parts of the country that most of the population still hasn't been infected.

Jess

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
The NJ Governor has just announced that the Jersey shore will be opened, with some restrictions, for the Memorial Day weekend. NYC is still in total lockdown, while Upstate New York has selected businesses opening with strict regulations.

I was in my local deli today and a fist fight almost broke out because a guy didn't have or didn't want to have a mask. It's supposed to hit over 80 degrees tomorrow for the first time this year.

I think its going to get to the point where everyone will be policing themselves and deciding how much risk they want to take. I sure as heck wouldn't wander into any large gatherings any time soon, but society must open up because it can't stay closed tight. Not just for all the economic reasons, but also the mental health reasons and physical health reasons that involve other illnesses besides COVID-19.

It may be a procedural debate among dueling medical experts, but the fact is, people can't live like this and we haven't even seen many of the consequences yet. Wait till the Pause period is over and people find that their employer is not reopening and that the landlord wants 3 months back rent instead of the one they don't have now.

If they can't come up with a medical remedy, people are going to be willing to live with the risk level they can accept. I think that will ultimately happen in NY, NJ and CA as the 3 most impacted States. I can't see where there are any other options if the virus hangs around and spreads much longer, but that is just my opinion from the place where I live.

Illinois is in a 5 phase program that the Governor has put forward. We are in phase 2 which is pretty much no public meetings and if you have to be in public you need to wear a mask and social distance. We expect to be in phase 3 in about a week. In Phase 3 some non essential places like hair salons can open and meetings can have no more than 10 people. In phase 4 meetings can be up to 50 people and everything is open except large pubic events like concerts, religious holiday services, etc. In phase 5 things are back to normal and a vaccine is being given to residents. I am not sure where schools fall in this scenario, but as of now they are physically closed.

There is a lot of pressure on the state government to open up more. So the timeline for this program may get moved to phase 4 quickly. Many small businesses have failed or cut back services and staff. The recovery will not be easy whenever it happens.

Some of the good things for me:
- My son got a new job and is working from home.
- I now know more of my neighbors.
- Great videos by my favorite singers
- The pooch gets 3 or 4 walks a day instead of 2 or 3. The exercise is great.

So COVID-19 has now been pushed to the backburner in NYC, even though we are only scheduled to begin Phase I this Monday. The public protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd have taken over everyone's attention. We have an 8PM curfew here that few are following. Large crowds without social distancing are roaming throughout the City. I couldn't believe they came down my block the other night as there really is nothing here in this area to attract anybody. It was a peaceful march of around 200 or so, just very noisy. The big groups are in the thousands, but there is little organization, they just break off and head all over. The looters however seem quite well organized. They are just seizing the opportunity and are not part of the protests.

When we had the Wall Street protests people stayed in the parks for months, but it was confined to Manhattan. Only the winter stopped the campouts. This is dangerous for other reasons and especially because we could have a spike in COVID cases with all this unprotected personal contact. Now no officials are talking about testing or tracing because so many protocols are being ignored.

Last night there was increased violence. You have to understand that the legitimate protests are pulling in all different kinds of people for all different kind of reasons. Some valid, some good, some bad, some just plain nuts and some criminal. A lot of it is also pent up frustration from the whole lockdown and high unemployment situation not going away. Its all getting balled up together now.

I predicted public unrest would come from not easing up on the restrictions, but no one could have seen this one coming on top of the other. I'm beginning to think that 2020 is just going to be a lost year.

Two show updates from this week:

Denver Pop Culture Con is officially cancelled for 2020. They were rescheduled for Thanksgiving weekend but the state decided they will be using the convention center for a COVID hospital through the end of the year. No space / No Convention.

Las Vegas Star Trek: Moved from August to December. They also changed locations from the RIO to the Caesar's Forum Convention Center on the strip. No official word on why the move was necessary, but moving to the strip will be interesting.

Ed

Fanboy Expo in Knoxville cancelled for August

Huntsville Comic and Pop Culture for July is still on. More guest being added to the list.

I'm going. Already been out to the local comedy club.

Cases are rising here (quadruple what they were a few weeks ago), likely due to the large gatherings of people who were not generally masked or socially distancing.

Hopefully new cases level off again or I think we're going to see more closures.

Sucks, we were just starting to open up.

We are starting the second day of only Phase I in NYC, but you can tell that the same politicians who couldn't go slow enough for reopening are now covering up their eyes trying to rush through the stages despite all the uncertainties of the continuing protests. De Blasio even cancelled his last night of curfew because no one was paying any attention to it and it couldn't be enforced by the police without problems. He says it was because the curfew worked to stop crime. Yeah, right. Crime has tripled in NYC in the last month.

I think COVID-19 cases will go up here too in a few days as a result of the crowds, but I'm pretty sure it will all be downplayed now. Locations are going to have to open up because isolation has been thrown out the window and its just that simple. They can't put it back in the bottle.

They opened up here quite a while ago. I think we've been in Phase 1 for about 5 weeks.

Cases rose a little after they opened up (so 4 weeks ago), but about a week after the protests started the numbers tripled.

With parts of California opening at differing speeds, I have had the general impression that the coronavirus situation is improving but when I look at the actual numbers, I see that the state has added at least 2000 cases each of the last 12 days, which is more per day than a month ago.

In Santa Clara County stores opened to customers last Friday. I went to a Barnes & Noble yesterday for the first time since early March. There weren't a lot of customers and there seemed to be fewer employees (no one at one set of registers and no one in the DVD section).

I also went to a sports card store to pick up a pack of sleeves. They were in the process of reorganizing the store so customers couldn't go inside but we could ask for something simple like supplies and pick up phone orders. Another customer was there opening packs.

Traffic is returning to normal. We're still technically shelter-in-place but I'm not sure what that really means now.

Jess