The Virus Outbreak Thread

@DarkObsidian  
That’s harsh  
Is her website still up?

I am keeping an eye on my temperature now because Friday night at work, halfway through the shift a guy from Topeka suddenly got sick and had to go home (he puked somewhere). Needless to say the place went into disinfect mode. I wasn’t anywhere near him since I drive a forklift, but that still leaves door handles, etc. Hopefully since it did involve puking it wasn’t Corona related.

@Typhoon2000
 
The website of her office is back online, but probably only because nobody followed her call for a massive demonstration on Easter Saturday.
 
Nevertheless, I stand by my statement that we are currently experiencing a worrying development in Germany, which could ultimately lead to this country turning into a dreaded police state due to the Corona virus. But let me be clear, it could happen that way. I still have faith that this will not happen. Many well-known politicians have already spoken out against this. There is a correspondingly large liberal front against this.
 
But let us be honest, the fact that it could have come to this at all is still worrying. The fear of not so moderate government representatives, citizens and representatives of the judicial system, all of whom are completely overwhelmed by the threat, only shows, in my view, how ill-prepared we are for a crisis such as Corona. The virus has hit us in a way that goes beyond the economic damage.
 
Or, to put it more simply, in a crisis, everyone is next to themselves. I have already observed this behaviour among my fellow citizens. It is currently a 50/50 ratio. Some people are very relaxed about the whole thing. They go for a walk, ride their bikes, do sports and generally there is still a lot of smiling. But you cannot go to a supermarket these days without carrying a shopping cart with you. Why? Because only in this way can have the 1.5 metre distance rule be observed. In front of every supermarket there is at least one security guard who checks how many people are in the store. It makes absolutely no difference whether you only need one or two things. Even for a pack of cigarettes you have to carry a shopping cart. On the floor are markings indicating how close you may be to other people. Actually, I think that this is generally reasonable, but it also shows how exaggerated some security measures are.
 
The other half of the population lapse into a panic mode, which quasi allows the return of a police state like in the GDR (German Democratic Republic aka the Soviet East Germany). I compare it with the GDR , because I don’t have the impression that fascist methods are used here as for example in Hungary. But many people (especially in the East) are in favour of a general surveillance of all people, as is currently customary in China. With surveillance cameras and apps that show if someone suspected of being infected with the Corona virus is in your area. Thank God, however, we also have a very strong front of data protectionists who would not allow such a thing without further ado. Our conservative health minister Jens Spahn, however, speaks out in favour of this app every week.
 
What I am getting at is that, for the first time since the reunification of Germany, we are facing a threat that is, on the one hand, very insidious and subtle, and, on the other hand, absolutely unacceptable for a democratic country. I have always been an opponent of surveillance methods, I respect the right and the sense of responsibility of each individual. But when the state takes action against lawyers (to defend its own political and administrative methods), and it depends only on the mercy of a policeman whether one is punished severely or simply warned, then we are treading really dangerous paths here. And it should be in the interest of the whole world that Germany remains liberal. People have died for this in the past.
 
Edit: Of course I do not want to spread panic. And with you, Tyhoon, I know you have a tendency to such behavior. No offense. But nevertheless, you must also speak out uncomfortable truths. It is the duty of every good democratic citizen not to take everything for granted. Simply accepting things just like that has caused great suffering in Germany in the past
 
So I would like everyone who reads this to please remember the following: Yes, the Corona virus is a serious threat. No, it won’t all be over as quickly as we’d like. And please take care that people, who tend to be radical anyway, take advantage of the situation to influence us in our democratic principles. Dealing with this threat sensibly is just as important as keeping a cool head and being careful not to infect yourself. In terms of the virus and certain political views. Because the road to hell is still paved with good intentions.

@DarkObsidian  
And Germany is not the only one guilty of this for sure

@DarkObsidian
 
*sighs*
 
How many times do I have to say this? You live in Germany, which means it shouldn’t be too difficult to hope across the border into Czechia to get ammunition, so you’ve got less of an excuse than most other non-Americans here.

@Ebalosus  
I somehow doubt it’s very easy to get ammo or weapons across a national border. If that’s what you’re saying.

@MagpulPony  
If I’m not mistaken, the EU highly discourages strong national border controls between member nation-states.

@Lord Goku  
Interesting. Still not sure about bringing arms across the border, though. But I wouldn’t know.

@MagpulPony
 
You really think they check that thoroughly when someone is driving between Czechia and Germany? Think of it like The ATF smuggling guns to Mexico for the cartels, but even easier.

@Ebalosus  
I do indeed hate the ATF. Even more-so after what they did to FPS Russia.

@Ebalosus
 
 
Ach, darüber mache ich mir keine Gedanken. Als Veteran und ehemaliger Sanitäter der Streitkräfte mehr Interesse daran habe, Leben zu erhalten, als es zu nehmen, bin ich doch entsprechend vorbereitet. Ich bin schließlich noch immer der Erbe einer alten Adelsfamilie. Das Jagen liegt uns im Blut. Alleine mein Großvater, welcher Gebirgsjäger (alpine troops) gewesen ist, hat mir mehr Waffen und Munition hinterlassen, als ich je für einen bewaffneten Konflikt brauchen würde. Aber trotzdem. Größer als mein Arsenal sind Zuhause meine medizinischen Vorräte. In der Krise bin ich eher derjenige, der die Leute wieder zusammenflickt. Das liegt mir persönlich sehr am Herzen.  
681 / 2048  
Oh, I’m not worried about that. As a veteran and former paramedic in the armed forces, I am more interested in preserving life than taking it, so I am prepared. After all, I am still the heir of an old noble family. Hunting is in our blood. My grandfather alone, who was a Gebirgsjäger (German alpine tropps), left me more weapons and ammunition than I would ever need for an armed conflict. But still. Bigger than my arsenal are my medical supplies at home. In a crisis, I’m more the one who patches people back together. This is very important to me personally. :-)

@Background Pony #5320
 
I don’t know why, but somehow I only stay logged on to this site for a few minutes. When I have finished writing, I will be marked as anonymous. That sucks.

I just realized that we have the highest number of cases in all of Southeast Asia.

@Background Pony #5320  
I didn’t even know you could have weapons like that there. People here panic bought all the guns and ammo right along with the toilet paper. Stores are cleared out.

@MagpulPony
 
Well, I have both a gun license and a hunting license. And of course I do not own any weapons such as bazookas, grenades or heavy machine guns. But as far as carbines, pistols, stabbing and slashing weapons are concerned, I am amply supplied. In German law, a strong distinction is made between possession and the right to carry weapons. I am allowed to possess these weapons. I’m just not allowed to carry weapons around with me without permission. I am allowed to go hunting with a single rifle and little ammunition. I’m allowed to keep a gun in my house for self-defense. I may carry a knife, baton or gas pistol outside public events and places for reasons of self-defence. But I not allowed tp start my personal war with it. ;-)
 
If course I have to hide some of my old weapons, because they should have been returned to the authorities after the death of their owner (in this case my grandfather and my grand-grandfather). But in Germany almost no one does that. As long as there is no danger, no one is interested. I can only assure you that these weapons and especially the ammunition are heavily secured and nobody could get to them without my knowledge. Nor could I be imprisoned by the law, but only sentenced to a heavy fine. I have, of course, secured myself legally in this case. ;-D
 
Oh, and I got a box of toilet paper and paper towels yesterday! So I will survive the Corona virus for at least another three weeks. Woohoo! At this point I should mention that since yesterday I am finally home again. I was allowed to leave the hospital, but I am still under observation.

@DarkObsidian  
I have 2 packs of toilet paper which is more than enough. And I have quite a few guns already. So had no reason to go out buying more.

3 more cases in my neighborhood while the other night when I saw someone robbing an empty house’s mountain bicycle and has a backpack full of stuff he stole. I blottered the incident while at the same time I wished I could’ve hired someone to shoot him dead.

China reports 99 new cases, 98% of them imported  
Hey Winnie The Pooh, 99 is still a bullshit low number

@Typhoon2000  
We will never know their actual totals unless someone from their government leaks it.
 
Kansas is now up to 1337 (seriously) and 56 deaths (just 1 from yesterday).

I am really scared the economy will reopen May 1

@Typhoon2000  
For the last time, it will have to reopen sooner or later, virus or no.

@Typhoon2000  
Are you willing to risk another Global Recession?

@Typhoon2000  
You really want to see Great Depression 2.0?
 
BABScon will be online only this year.
 
PonyFest online will be happening again in about 2 weeks also.
 
And I just found this on another pony forum. Someone got it in an email from the US embassy in Beijing:  

 
And here’s the story.

@SombrLiz  
For the health of the people

@Typhoon2000  
That means a lot more people will lose their jobs.