Look on the Bright Side

glend (Glen) · #1 23-03-2020, 10:12 AM

It is easy to become depressed about the current health situation the country finds itself in, added on top of the drought, extreme heat, bush fires, and floods, and now the economy crash, it's truly been a year to forget. As a child of parents that grew up in the Great Depression and fought in WWII, I guess maybe the lessons of their generation have been instilled in me. In the spirit of Eric Idle's song, I am choosing to look for the Bright Side of the situation. Since the Australian government is going to send me a bit of cash (twice), drop the deeming rate (twice), and encourage me to isolate myself in my observatory, I think it is a great time to support (through purchases) the local astronomy retailers. Hmm, what new scope will best support my astro itch?

Of course you don't actually have to buy anything, but purchasing vicariously is fun as well.
How about you?

Peter Ward · #2 23-03-2020, 10:26 AM

I admire your optimism.

Problem is with our $US 50 cent Pacific peso, anything from the USA now has a $AUD price tag around double that on listed $US denominated websites.

With layoff's and business closures many will be counting their pennies...and that's just to buy black-market toilet paper

Atmos (Colin) · #3 23-03-2020, 10:30 AM

3 days ago I decided to purchase a new camera, last night it was released on Twitter than the Vic government was going to stop all non-essential services so last night I decided against spending money expecting to be jobless by this afternoon.
This morning it seems that the Vic government has taken a step back from a near full lockdown, I still have a job and back to considering a purchase again

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

theodog (Jeff) · #4 23-03-2020, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glend

... In the spirit of Eric Idle's song, I am choosing to look for the Bright Side of the situation. Since the Australian government is going to send me a bit of cash (twice), drop the deeming rate (twice), and encourage me to isolate myself in my observatory, I think it is a great time to support (through purchases) the local astronomy retailers. Hmm, what new scope will best support my astro itch?

Of course you don't actually have to buy anything, but purchasing vicariously is fun as well.
How about you?

Life is good here, very occasional early morning trip into town to the local supermarket for minor supplies. Reworking the vegie garden. Rearranging the observatory. Mowing the lawn after the rain. Reconstructing the back paddock fence after it was washed away from the heavy rainfall. Work on the Arduino weather station and finally little cooking. All this with nobody interrupting my thoughts. No purchases needed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

I admire your optimism.

Problem is with our $US 50 cent Pacific peso, anything from the USA now has a $AUD price tag around double that on listed $US denominated websites.

With layoff's and business closures many will be counting their pennies...and that's just to buy black-market toilet paper

Oh Peter, If this country is no good for you, go to a better one. Good luck with that.

glend (Glen) · #5 23-03-2020, 11:24 AM

Peter, existing stock, held by local retailers may have been imported before the recent AUD crash. Look on the Bright Side, you can always enquire about that. I am sure pretty much everything is negotiable today.

multiweb (Marc) · #6 23-03-2020, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atmos

3 days ago I decided to purchase a new camera, last night it was released on Twitter than the Vic government was going to stop all non-essential services so last night I decided against spending money expecting to be jobless by this afternoon.
This morning it seems that the Vic government has taken a step back from a near full lockdown, I still have a job and back to considering a purchase again

Let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Sounds like the cloud cover in Sydney.

AndyG (Andy) · #7 23-03-2020, 12:52 PM

There's been many posts on news websites from people from all walks of life. The long term unemployed, retired, self employed, business owners, workers, and public servants. Many envy the job security of public servants. Being one myself, I am trying very hard to be as useful as possible, to justify this security, whilst others have little or none.

Our university has been forced into a 100% online teaching mode, as most (all?) have. My team have been training lecturers every day to meet this challenge. This is something that has been long resisted by many, and was always an uphill battle. Necessity is again the mother of invention.

A brief shutdown would be nice from the perspective of a possible "holiday". For our team, this will not be happening. Running lectures remotely, and end point support will bring more work than ever - possibly day and night. I don't dare complain, as I'm lucky to have work at all.

As an aside, I'm setting up live steaming at a friends' Church, though I'm not in the slightest bit religious myself. Only those without a computer/internet are allowed to the "live" show on site.

It's interesting to see this event bringing out the best, and worst in people - depending on situation, opportunity and temperament.

Peter Ward · #8 23-03-2020, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glend

Peter, existing stock, held by local retailers may have been imported before the recent AUD crash. Look on the Bright Side, you can always enquire about that. I am sure pretty much everything is negotiable today.

No doubt. They may well have container loads of Sky-watcher 'scopes...not sure I can get excited about that.

I doubt anyone has AP/Paramount/SBIG/QSI/FLI gear sitting on the shelf...and if they do. Grab it !

Peter Ward · #9 23-03-2020, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theodog

Oh Peter, If this country is no good for you, go to a better one. Good luck with that.

Apart from our debased currency and bizarre toilet paper hoarding.......life in Oz is good.

I don't see why you'd imply I was saying otherwise

It was interesting to note that the rate of increase in number of new cases of this bug has gone down in the last few days....if this trend is real, this is very good news.

AndyG (Andy) · #10 23-03-2020, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casstony

Looking for silver linings:

- the current pandemic is a good test run for when a more deadly, highly contagious bug comes along. Apart from the lessons learned in population management countries might become more self sufficient regarding essential medical and food supplies.

Whilst not downplaying the current episode, this is the best point of all. Top to bottom, I hope we learn something from this which may serve us better in future..

alan meehan (Alan) · #11 23-03-2020, 02:53 PM

does not mean you have to spend your money on new gear we have a great used for sale on iceinspace also goes in someone else pocket here to buy more astro gear it just gets spread further

Exfso (Peter) · #12 23-03-2020, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

It was interesting to note that the rate of increase in number of new cases of this bug has gone down in the last few days....if this trend is real, this is very good news.

Where did you get that information from, certainly not in Australia...

DarkArts · #13 23-03-2020, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyG

Whilst not downplaying the current episode, this is the best point of all. Top to bottom, I hope we learn something from this which may serve us better in future..

Indeed. It may be a good opportunity to "reboot" society; be more flexible with working conditions and hours; strip away pointless activities that few liked anyway; change the working 'week' to optimise facility and resource use; and repatriate core (or essential) goods and services to Australia. Plus, given the tumult in the share market and economy as a whole, we could legislate to limit the damage that ruthless trading can do to our economy (albeit a slippery slope, that one) and, given many more on welfare, restructure the tax system for fairer outcomes.

Well, I can dream, I suppose.

multiweb (Marc) · #14 23-03-2020, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Where did you get that information from, certainly not in Australia...

Scomo said 1609 confirmed cases in Oz as of today at question time couple of hours ago. If you look at the stats from Italy and France we're at over 5000 in a week time based on both trends and that's with total lock down in effect. We'll see.

Exfso (Peter) · #15 23-03-2020, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

Scomo said 1609 confirmed cases in Oz as of today at question time couple of hours ago. If you look at the stats from Italy and France we're at over 5000 in a week time based on both trends and that's with total lock down in effect. We'll see.

Marc, that is a rise most definitely, it was only around 1100 2 days ago, so it is rising at a very rapid rate. I assume Peter was referring to Australian cases. definitely the stats show that we are on the rise alarmingly definitely not dropping.

multiweb (Marc) · #16 23-03-2020, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Marc, that is a rise most definitely, it was only around 1100 2 days ago, so it is rising at a very rapid rate. I assume Peter was referring to Australian cases. definitely the stats show that we are on the rise alarmingly definitely not dropping.

Yeah it's tracking upwards alright for sure. I think Peter was talking about the rate of increase. From day to day it oscillates. But they can't test everybody. So when the backlog kicks in you get a jump. But the overall trend so far is exponential. Played with a couple of graphs in Excel last week. I had today at 1040 not 1609. Call it Corona Tipping.

PS: My mum and dad are in lock down in south west near the spanish border, all my relos in south of France are also in lock down. Schools, everything's closed. If they move they have to fill in a form with start/end time where they go and what for. Haven't heard much from my cousins in north Italy. But there it's even worse. A whole generation of oldies wiped out. Some young ones too catching it in their 20s/30s.

Peter Ward · #17 23-03-2020, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Where did you get that information from, certainly not in Australia...

Australian Dept of Health website....they show new cases on 22nd were less than the day before.
(Despite subject and predicate, to clarify, I should have said cases in Australia...)

glend (Glen) · #18 23-03-2020, 04:39 PM

Sadly this thread looks to be heading in the same direction as previous ones that strayed anywhere near the health situation. I suggest reading the OP before you write a reply.

theodog (Jeff) · #19 23-03-2020, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

Apart from our debased currency and bizarre toilet paper hoarding.......life in Oz is good.

I don't see why you'd imply I was saying otherwise

It was interesting to note that the rate of increase in number of new cases of this bug has gone down in the last few days....if this trend is real, this is very good news.

I agree with this statement Peter. We all need to be careful, with what we say, when so many are now wondering whether they will have a house or a meal, or education in the near future. Most are not concerned with overseas "wish lists".

We wouldn't be Aussie if we didn't have a whinge about something though.

In the end I'm sure we're both on the same page.

Stay well.

Exfso (Peter) · #20 23-03-2020, 05:07 PM

I'm outa here...