That's cool Chris! I wondered if I'd have to get one for surgery but apparently I didn't!

Lifting by 50% is super weird and cryptic.

The GOP asked that Wisconsin be allowed to open certain non-COVID hit areas but wI Supreme Court (carefully packed with conservatives) just said fuck it, and overturned the whole order. No plan, no rules.

It's a goddamn free-for all with Democrats struggling to protect people and Republicans struggling to protect profits.

Correction: they are giving the order until the 20th, so the GOVERNOR has time to come up with a plan to protect people that won't give Republicans a fit.

The assembly Speaker and the Senate leader should have to come up with a plan so they can explain the new dead people.

the new normal is no normal

truly the motto of our times.

It's nice to see you, Karl!

[VID] Baking with Vin Diesel

Thank you, SO MUCH, for this.

Portland is undergoing "Phase 1" of reopening Oregon, which is just -- what the fuck, what's the point of extending the order to July if this is the plan to get there?

[link]

Restaurants and bars for sit-down service: Requirements include 6 feet of social distancing; a limit of groups to parties of 10 or fewer; food and drink consumption must end by 10 p.m.; and workers are required to wear masks. See more details on the requirements

Barbers, salons and massage businesses: Requirements include social distancing; appointment-only; and personal protective equipment and customer list. See more details on the requirements

Gyms and fitness centers: Requirements include a maximum gathering limit; social distancing; and sanitation. See more details on the requirements

In-person gatherings: Up to 25 people, no travel

Even as restrictions are eased, Gov. Brown said social distancing will need to continue. All counties must meet the following prerequisites before they'll be approved for Phase 1: Show a decline in COVID-19 or have fewer than 5 hospitalizations (etc)

Like -- really? Sit down restaurants? Personal hygiene/health services? GYMS????

I mean, the tri-county area hasn't even applied to be considered for re-opening, so I am consoled by that, but every other county in Oregon has. And granted, the majority of the rest of the state is largely rural, but there are smaller cities than Portland Metro who could easily succumb to an infection vector with their populations participating in "Phase 1".

I am very concerned.

OK, HR sent out a clarification that anyone who wants to continue working from home for any reason whatsoever can, the schedule is more meant to be when we are allowed to work in the office if we want to (as some people do, like my one coworker whose pregnant daughter, son-in-law and two small grandchildren are quarantining with her and her husband. She is really looking forward to being in a larger space with very possibly fewer people during the week). While it doesn't change my particular circumstances at all, it does make me feel better about my company.

I can't really follow what's going on in Wisconsin, Cash, but that doesn't sound good.

Yikes, esse. That is concerning!

I'm just going to stay quarantined for the foreseeable future. I mean, at least Portland Metro's counties are being sensible enough. But I don't like this Phase One thing, I feel like it will make the Oregonians more restless than they already are. And for the rural Oregonians -- really, like they're not going to travel to Portland or Vancouver or the closest city? really? Come on.

SC is reopening gyms and salons on the 18th. I don't remember the particulars. One gym owner in a town near here has re opened twice and been shut down twice. He is claiming it's his 1st amendment right to run his business and the non essential business closures violate his rights.

I am half expecting people to start going after OSHA regulations and things like having fire exits and max capacity in buildings due to fire regulations bc they think those are a violation of their rights.

Some good news about work. My store is bad ass when it comes to fulfilling online orders.

Our manager said on Tuesday we've been #1 for fulfillment consistently and keep breaking records. Sat we shipped out ...I think it was 3500 units which is $150,000 in sales. And we did $70,000 in the store so we did about what we would have done in a typical day before Mother's Day.

When we started furlough our store was fifth in the company in sales volume and we we are now 3rd and by Monday (since he told us this The morning) we had a lead I've almost $480,000 over the 4th place store.

At the rate we are going there is no way another store can catch us. I don't think we can end in the #2 spot but we will end up in the #3 spot for the entire company.

And the exec in charge of the online stuff personally challenged our store to set a record of picking and shipping 4000 units on Sat.

There are stores bigger than us, with more staff, and that sell more expensive items that can't do as well as us in either sales or units picked and shipped.

Except things are going to get interesting because we get one more truck of inventory to the store next week and that's pre furlough products and a lot of the distribution centers are still closed and we aren't getting products in from overseas so we aren't sure what will happen when we sell down.

By now we should have been solidly in the summer clothes with that starting to wind down in June (they front load us each season and then just do replenishments) with fall stuff coming in around Julyish for back to school and by Aug we are getting early fall stuff.

Who knows when Christmas stuff will start showing up.

And we do a big charity event 3 times a year and we're supposed to have it first Sat in May but that was cancelled. And now they are doing some modified version of it in June and instead of benefiting local charities the procreeds will go to Covid 19 first responders/front line medical. Not sure exactly how we don't have the details.

So lots of stuff here is opening tomorrow at 50% capacity (however that is going to be determined). The only stores I have seen monitoring people entering are Trader Joe's and the local Ace. The other grocery stores I've seen have no lines and no one at the door - Lowes and Home Depot - the same. I mean maybe they are counting and they are no where near capacity, but I do not trust people.

Looks like my big big big boss the County Exec and the city mayor agree that it is too soon to re-open anything not already open "For the Baltimore region to safely move into all of Phase One, we need more access to personal protective equipment, as well as increased testing capacity and more robust contact tracing. We've seen some progress in each of these areas, but we have to do even more."