Traveling in a Covid World

[jaylw314]

4 hours ago, Hank said:

He's been doing this at least since COVID began, sorting everyone and everything into two groups:

1. Me, my ideas and all right-thinking people who agree with me
2. Everyone else, those poor, misguided souls

Just like the liberal establishment, there is no room for disagreement, therefore discussion is unnecessary. Agree or go away. 

The ad hominem is appreciated!  It reflects discomfort, and discomfort is always a part of discourse

[jaylw314]

14 minutes ago, ilovecornfields said:

I think @jaylw314and I are both guilty of not having the friendliest response to some of the comments here, but if you saw a bunch of people unnecessarily dying and false information being spread for political purposes that was getting them and other killed you might get frustrated, too. We’re still human, you know.

I just make it a matter of routine now to disagree with people I care about.  The ones I don't care about aren't worth the time

[jlunseth]

12 hours ago, Skates97 said:

What I have read is that if a kid is healthy, not obese, underlying conditions, etc... the chances of a kid having a mild case are better than 99.97%. Compare that to the 80-95% chance of having a mild case if you have had the vaccine. 

Skates, according to the CDC your numbers are just not accurate. The chances of getting Covid at all, if you are vaccinated, are 8 in 100,000. That is not even a tenth of a percentage point. It is 0.000773 of one percentage point. If you “beat” those odds and get the disease, the chances that it will NOT be mild are tinier still, they are about 7% - that is, of the .0000773 of a percentage point who get the disease, only 7% of those will be hospitalized. The chances of getting a non-mild case in the vaccinated population are less than 5 ten thousandths of one percentage point. That is according to the CDC’s press release on the success of the vaccine released in April. 

Since those statistics came out about two months into vaccinations, and only about a third of the population are vaccinated, those early statistics in essence, consider only the chances of isolated, vaccinated individuals getting the disease in a much larger population of people susceptible to having it. They do not account for the chances of getting the disease if a large percentage of those around you have also been vaccinated. 

So go to Hawaii and enjoy yourself.

[MooneyMitch]

Speaking of traveling during Covid, my hangar neighbor Vance, who has become a well known gyro plane “expert”, is helping a 92 year young couple fulfill a bucket list item. Vance is taking them flying this morning in his gyro plane!

These folks flew commercial down from Alaska! 

And me, proclaiming myself as an “expert” in having fun, I believe this is indeed fun!! 

[Marauder]

2 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

That is wrong.  Plain wrong.  The reason you and I didn't need to worry about polio or small pox is because I (and probably you) and overwhelmingly almost everyone is vaccinated as a condition to enter into public school.  That is not politics.  Its numbers.

But you are confounding two different things.  Shut down the economy and get the vaccine are not the same thing.  Just get the vaccine.  whether or not the economy is specifically shut down there will be an impact to the economy if the pandemic continues into the future, due to hesitancy.

Polio had a different transmission vector.  We shut down all the pools in the 1950s and children were literally not allowed out to play with each other.

Some of the other diseases resulted in massive death counts.  Look up small pox.  

Look up Black Plague and tell us if it had an impact on the economy.

Continuing to see a disease through a politics lens is like seeing gravity through a politics lens.  I don't care what your politics are.  I want the economy to return to normal asap.  Vaccines for as many as possible seems to be the route of least resistance - except for all the resistance.

If a building its burning and the fire department comes and orders everyone out, and some people of a certain political persuasion dig their heels in and says the mean government is infringing on their rights, that doesn't make the fire department politics.  They know that if you don't get out, then they will need to go in and save you because once you start to burn you will cry and expect to be saved.  Sick people who don't believe in the pandemic are still going to the hospital when they get ill, and demanding to be treated, and our doctors are being asked to work over time to save their poor buts.  Sick people who don't believe in the pandemic, who say things like, "veryone who was healthy (i.e., not currently sick) went on and lived their lives." are getting sick and then getting other people sick, and so this stupid game of denial, selfish me-me-me its all about me screw you my right - until they get sick and cry at the hospital....the game continues and will continue.  I don't care what your position on any political issue is, or what mine is.  I am just looking forward to the end of this thing and we have the technology and the means.  Only now a certain fraction of people think they are playing political games.

Unfortunately, a lot of people here were too young or just plain forgot the days of rampant polio, whooping cough, mumps & measles. Growing up, I still remember polio aftermath was still playing out. The kid in class in braces and hearing about someone's brother dying in an iron lung. Economic impact. Heck yes.

 

Now measles is another story. It was pretty much headed towards being eliminated had it not been for a failure in the worldwide vaccination plan. In 2019, there were over 200,000 deaths up from 136,000 in 2018. But heck, it ain't affecting me, so who cares? We should all care because that beast ain't dead and we starting to see increases in measles cases in the States. Am I the only one that remembers being sent home from school because Johnny got red dots all over him?

I just don't know what is driving people from doing the right thing. Denial? Some stupid conspiracy theory that there are microchips in the vaccine? 

Don - I hope you are having a great vacation. Let us know if that microchip is making you spend more money than you planned.

 

[flyboy0681]

3 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

  But now we are afraid of needles?

There is a segment of our population that believes that it's not safe, and that it's a ploy by Bill Gates to inject microchips into hundreds of millions of Americans.

As for me, I'm all vaccinated and enjoying my third testicle.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, jlunseth said:

I feel bad for Don. He just wanted to talk about his great vacation in Hawaii.

He didn’t need the vaccine with the built in micro chip, he’s willingly told us where he was.

Clarence

[donkaye, MCFI]

3 hours ago, Greg Ellis said:

Hi Don.  Sorry this post has gotten off track a little.  I love Hawaii.  Been there about 6 times.  I think it is a beautiful place and I am jealous that you are there and I am here in my office listening to patients gripe about life.  Wish I were there.  Have a great time in Hawaii.  Post some photos please.  Let us live vicariously through you.

This is my 32nd trip out here.  Just a few photos to get back on track.

[ilovecornfields]

2 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

You know what - that is a great idea!  Maybe it would be cheaper that way.  Do you know a good proctologist who can do my annual for N314EB which comes due in June I would appreciate the referral.

Whenever I have my annual done I always feel like I’ve been to the proctologist...

[1964-M20E]

Don 

Wow 32 times!!!

Sweet hope you continue having fun out there.

 

 

[jaylw314]

15 minutes ago, donkaye said:

This is my 32nd trip out here.  Just a few photos to get back on track.

Holy smokes!  32 trips??  I want your life!  

[donkaye, MCFI]

13 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

Holy smokes!  32 trips??  I want your life!  

I do feel blessed, but it came with hard work and a little luck.

[jaylw314]

1 hour ago, donkaye said:

I do feel blessed, but it came with hard work and a little luck.

Ha!  What little I know about owning old Rolls Royces is that you're either fantastically wealthy, or no longer wealthy! 

Edited May 6, 2021 by jaylw314

[sekomel]

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[donkaye, MCFI]

1 hour ago, jaylw314 said:

Ha!  What little I know about owning old Rolls Royces is that you're either fantastically wealthy, or no longer wealthy! 

When selling Apartment houses you need to show success.  I've had it since almost new and for sentimental reasons haven't been able to part with it, although the year before last it asked for attention. ($$)

[Schinderhannes]

On 5/5/2021 at 8:33 PM, N201MKTurbo said:

The wife wanted to go to Palm Springs last week. I said I’m not wasting our money going to some COVID crazy place. I suggested the Parker strip. She agreed an$ we had a great time.

I will continue to boycott any place with stupid COVID restrictions.

 

Occupancies rates in PS are actually up compared to pre Covid levels. However I agree you made the right choice, with the high wind speeds we had in the last few weeks it would have been impossible to hold on to your tin hat.

[wiguy]

 I’d be checking 1st, then only going to places that are open.

[Stetson20]

On 5/5/2021 at 6:33 PM, donkaye said:

We're looking forward to doing more flying trips this year after most were cancelled last year due to Covid.

Our first one of the year (a non Mooney one) is our yearly trip out to the Big Island of Hawaii.  We delayed it by several months until we had been fully vaccinated.

Hawaii does not make it easy for you to travel there.  You have to go through a whole bunch of hoops, the last of which is a negative Covid test from an approved source within 72 hours of departure.  After spending a lot of money on both Airfare and Housing, we were kept on pins and needles waiting to see it the test results would come back before we were to leave.  If they didn't, it would not be worth going, since you would need to be quarantined for 10 days.  Full vaccination did not alleviated that requirement.  Thankfully our results came back near the end of the 72 hour time frame.

After doing some research, I decided to buy the Bose 700 headphones for the trip, since my A20's have been troublesome to carry on commercial flights.  Surprise!  No inflight movies, even in 1st Class.  I guess that makes sense, since the airlines don't want to spend the money to have to sanitize them after every use.  Also, no more inflight magazines.  Luckily, I had some music on the iPad to while away the hours.  BTW the Boses 700 were excellent and very comfortable to wear on at least a 5 ½ hour flight.

Having done all the above, the arrival procedure to clear the airport required a temperature check by National Guard personnel, and additional checks including another potential quick Covid test.  Alaska Airlines has a pre check procedure which we signed up for that was supposed to cut through the red tape.  Although we weren't told having your vaccination card would be useful, we had brought it along anyway.

After we deplaned, we were led to the temperature check.  At that point people were separated into various lines: the pre check line and the non precheck line.  Then there was an additional separation: those who could present their vaccination cards could immediately leave the airport and those that did not needed further screening.  Luckily, we had our cards and were allowed to go.  For us the whole process was simple, as easy as pre Covid.  For those who didn't take the time to understand what was to be required, it was a long delay in getting out of the airport.

Why have the above discussion?  We went into Kona, to buy Sunglasses that Shirley forgot to bring and eat at one of our favorite restaurants.  It had closed.  We went to our second favorite restaurant and it, too, had closed.  The whole town reminded me of a trip we took during the downturn of 2008.  Many vacant stores.  With all the store closing it was not surprising, Costo had plenty of traffic.

We drove up to the place we were saying and went to a little center where there had previously been a number of restaurants.  They were all closed.  There were lots of empty store fronts.

So, it looks like Hawaii isn't doing so well under Covid.  On the plus side for us there aren't many people around, the Island is one of our most favorite places in the world, and we intend to have a great time for the week that we'll be here.

“At that point people were separated in to various lines…”

”Then there was an additional separation…”

Sounds familiar somehow.

[Tony Starke]

30 minutes ago, Stetson20 said:

“At that point people were separated in to various lines…”

”Then there was an additional separation…”

Sounds familiar somehow.

covid passports will fulfill stages 2 and 3

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Tony Starke said:

covid passports will fulfill stages 2 and 3

Yes, Genocide, this is a horrible thing and a terrible slippery slope!  Thank you for raising this important, relevant and thought provoking chart.  So does education!   There is discrimination on the basis of education.  Apparently they won't let anyone be a doctor, or lawyer, or an engineer.  The horrible big brother allows these things called diplomas to be the basis of discrimination against people who have every right not to get educated in engineering but then they cannot get engineering jobs. This is a crisis and an infringement upon my rights.  Stage 2 and 3 on your chart on the basis of education certificates.  We must eliminate all distinguishing features of all kinds from all people lest we end up with genocide. 

[ilovecornfields]

1 hour ago, Tony Starke said:

covid passports will fulfill stages 2 and 3

The world must be a really scary place for you. In all seriousness, you might want to talk to a mental health provider.

[Nick Pilotte]

Back to travel, I was in Junkman’s back yard a month ago (KGKT) and we found the trip depressing.  Unfortunately the area was basically open but everything including the simplest places were so understaffed that the wait times were insane for everything.  Even picking up online orders from Dunkin for coffee were an hour ordeal.  We gave up on sit down restaurants because the waits were 3 hours and they closed at 8pm.  Even the two grocery stores were insane wait times to check out.  I spoke to someone that owned a business and they couldn’t get anyone to even apply and he was offering starting pay of $15.  For sitting in a gift shop ringing up souvenirs. I can see businesses shuttering because they can’t get staffing to meet the customer base.  

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Nick Pilotte said:

Back to travel, I was in Junkman’s back yard a month ago (KGKT) and we found the trip depressing.  Unfortunately the area was basically open but everything including the simplest places were so understaffed that the wait times were insane for everything.  Even picking up online orders from Dunkin for coffee were an hour ordeal.  We gave up on sit down restaurants because the waits were 3 hours and they closed at 8pm.  Even the two grocery stores were insane wait times to check out.  I spoke to someone that owned a business and they couldn’t get anyone to even apply and he was offering starting pay of $15.  For sitting in a gift shop ringing up souvenirs. I can see businesses shuttering because they can’t get staffing to meet the customer base.  

That's travel?

Interesting - it seems that its very different in various places.  Here in small town rural upstate NY, except for seeing everyone in stores with masks, everything seems absolutely back to normal in every way.

[Nick Pilotte]

I guess it was in reference to what we saw when traveling.  I’ll agree there is such a disparity across the country as to levels of “normalcy”. I guess I was just surprised at the volume of closed businesses and lack of workforce.  I understand that this is a different dynamic but I’m still surprised.  
 

And it pretty much is back to normal here in northern IL too. 

[jaylw314]

5 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Yes, Genocide, this is a horrible thing and a terrible slippery slope!  Thank you for raising this important, relevant and thought provoking chart.  So does education!   There is discrimination on the basis of education.  Apparently they won't let anyone be a doctor, or lawyer, or an engineer.  The horrible big brother allows these things called diplomas to be the basis of discrimination against people who have every right not to get educated in engineering but then they cannot get engineering jobs. This is a crisis and an infringement upon my rights.  Stage 2 and 3 on your chart on the basis of education certificates.  We must eliminate all distinguishing features of all kinds from all people lest we end up with genocide. 

Interestingly, reading Don's description of flying to Hawaii for vacation somehow did NOT happen to make me think of "Sophie's Choice."  Coincidence?  I think not! 

All it did was make me think of Mai Tai's and warm breezes <sigh>

Edited May 7, 2021 by jaylw314