there's just one kind favor I'll ask of you, you can see that my grave is kept clean

The conversation was about toilet paper...

[20:41] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i bought my normal supply people can be stupid
[20:41] Nxxxxx Lxxxxxxxx: Limit one per customer!

Now, there are limits in most places, yes. Precisely because of this behavior.

[20:41] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: worldwide scarcity
[20:42] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: sighs
[20:42] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: only think i bought more than n9ormal was cat treat

Not that surprising, actually. Just as overbuying things can make scared people feel like they're in control of something, ANYTHING, overtreating pets can also help. The whole "I can't do anything for me, but I can make sure the furkid knows they're loved".

[20:42] Exxxxx Sxxxx: Stores have plenty actually,.... let the first days pass and there will be plenty.. because... it doesnt get discontinued
[20:42] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: they rumor being discontinued the flavor and type
[20:42] Exxxx Sxxxx: no basics have been discontinued

Right. Think of it this way--anything produced in the states, and still capable of being driven around, we'll have. Anything internationally produced, that is unloaded on the docks and then driven around, we'll have. Anything we can't get through careful trade or produce on our own, we won't have, but that doesn't mean people will necessarily starve. (Who...weren't already starving due to income or lack thereof.)

[20:43] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: right warehouses are full just getting out to stores
[20:43] Sxxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: It's been out of stock here for a couple of weeks.
[20:43] lxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: my rl sister hasnt had any for over 4 days
[20:43] lxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: she is so pissed

Not surprising. Honestly, when all this first hit, the shelves were empty of paper goods in less than 24 hours where I live. We didn't want to stock up; we just wanted household things we needed. It took four days to finally find a store that got some in, and we had been contemplating ordering a case from Amazon. (Not because we wanted a case, but because all the listings we found were for one or more cases. Of course, the irony there is people emptied Amazon's supplies in about a day, too.)

[20:43] Exxxxx Sxxxx: nah, not out stock, its juts people went nuts first thing in the day
[20:43] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i bought normal replacement supply week before people went nut
[20:43] Txxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxx: The only issue is that with states closing down (again, the USA) is that some truckers are being sent back. They aren't allowing them in.

Unless I'm wrong, no state has completely closed their borders to other states. Now, this may happen, we just don't know. But right now? I think all the roads are still open, just heavily discouraged to be on unless there's serious cause--ambulances, fire trucks, shipping of basic goods or medical supplies.

[20:43] Sxxxxxxx Zxxxxxx: (No pun intended, [Exxxxx]?)
[20:44] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: that is stupid now
[20:44] mxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: there was no ramen. RAMEN *dies*
[20:45] jxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i went to buy flour and sugar and the shelves were empty
[20:45] Exxxxx Sxxxx: i talk from experience in other country,.. people freak out bc is the only thing they can do to have a false feeling of control

As I mentioned above. But my, goodness. That would be unnerving, a store not having dehydrated noodles. I mean, it's the absolute bottom of the barrel for nutrition, but...it's cheap, it stores well, and it's ubiquitous. Not finding any would make me panic a little.

[20:45] jxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: no bread
[20:45] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: most places have limits on the essentials now, thank god
[20:45] Txxxxxxxx Mxxxxxxx: We were completely out of milk, veggies, toilet paper, diaper wipes, meat..most of the pasta. But lots and lots of cheese.

Which is also confusing. Why was the cheese left alone? In my neck of the woods the cheese left too, along with all paper goods, canned everything, and every scrap of fresh meat. But all the tasty veggies were heaped in bins!

[20:45] jxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the places here didn't put up limits til they couldn't keep up with demand
[20:45] Exxxxx Sxxxx: we never had lack of any basic,.. you wont have Oreo, but we always had bread, milk, fruits, fish...
[20:45] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: went to local walmart got everythnng but hambergutr meat
[20:45] Pxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: the media drove a lot of that by reporting the shelves were bare so people got worried so grabbed some when they saw it and soon enough the shelves actually were empty and the shortage is self perpetuating
[20:46] Pxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: that will change once panic buyers fill their basement with tp
[20:46] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: *shrugs* a lot of places are doing the 2 per person on essentials now
[20:47] Exxxxx Sxxxx: yeah... give it a week
[20:47] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: ANNNDDDDD a lot of places are putting up "no returns on sanitiser, TP, etc., etc."
[20:47] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: so stop panic buying, y'all
[20:47] Exxxxx Sxxxx: well there are no returns on anything atm

I'm seeing that, too. I think it's largely because they just don't have the resources to process returns. Every hour of manpower for the most part is going into unpacking truck deliveries and restocking shelves. At least in the states.

[20:48] Exxxxx Sxxxx: they dont even sell clothes so you donthave to return sizes, for healh reasons
[20:48] Pxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: imagines someopne returning TYP claiming its the wrong size

Some of these prohibitions against returns are still in place. I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea, but it does mean that when we make a purchase, we'd better really need whatever it is, because we most likely cannot return it.

[20:48] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: [Exxxxx], are in the USA?
[20:48] Exxxxx Sxxxx: nop
[20:48] axxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: People just went nuts what are they going to do when the TP runs out.... maybe omg use a wash cloth and rinse it out...what do you think they did in other centuries before Toilet paper lol
[20:48] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: then totally diff over here
[20:48] Exxxxx Sxxxx: if you say so....
[20:49] Exxxxx Sxxxx: i speak from the future
[20:49] Cxxxxx Sxxxxx: it's a lil different over here on some aspects
[20:49] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i bought washclothes looks inncoent
[20:49] Exxxxx Sxxxx: we were there before
[20:49] Sxxxxxxx Sxxxxxxxx: thankfully I wont run out of anything, tp is made in the state I live in, plently of milk farms, got a bread factory here, meat farms, etc

You're placed really well, then. Most of us, me included, live in places far from farms. Though I do know that in my area, vegetables will remain fairly plentiful (even if we're cut off for whatever reason), plus certain types of flour, and we can make our own bread if we need to. There are chickens, and I believe there's a couple of small hobby-level rabbit farms.

[20:49] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i was in needs of them
[20:49] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: what's funny to me is that anyone hoarding toilet paper because they think it's the end of the world is not going to survive the actual end of the world. lol
[20:49] txxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: a bidet!
[20:50] Exxxxx Sxxxx: its fear purchase, lack of control purchase

Absolutely. When people took the time to step back, and breathe a bit, they realized they didn't have to overbuy. It wasn't the apocalypse, it was just unprecedented.

[20:50] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: it's like people were going crazy when stores ran out of water just before a hurricane.....erm....how about tap water?
[20:50] axxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxxx: mmm
[20:50] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: people can drown in a glass of water ya know
[20:50] Exxxxx Sxxxx: they see the neighbor do it, and they feel better doing it
[20:51] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: I read today that tampons were being hoarded

That's...irritating, if true.

[20:51] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i love our water and during natural dissaters may not have taps
[20:51] Txxxxxxxx Fxxxxxxxx: i would say use some rolled up tp but sighs
[20:51] axxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: well how ever things turn out in our world I do hope they can find a cure or a way to stop the spread of this horrible virus.

Even if we are extremely lucky, and there are miraculous breakthroughs, we're still a year out from a working cure. And considering what we know about coronaviruses, because of what they latch onto in the body, there will probably never be a cure.

[20:52] jxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: Water won't stop flowing because of a virus. Now, if someone bombs your water treatment facility, that's another matter.
[20:52] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: newspapers too
[20:52] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: i heard the Aussie authorities were worried about water and electric power because....what if the workers get sick?

It's a concern, yes. However, it's a chill sort of comfort to know that the breakdown of basic functions in any country--water, power, heat or cooling, garbage pickup, street lights--will only happen when there are so few healthy workers left to operate the power, water and waste treatment plants. Trust me, we want to stop that before there are fewer than a dozen people left in every state.

[20:53] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: I read on reddit the other day that they have workers that go on lockdown for 30 days
[20:53] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: and they are paid 24/7 for the 30 days
[20:54] jxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: <---marked aids="" airborne="" from="" i="" safe="">

AIDS...is not...airborne. What?

[20:54] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: and the ppl that have trucks park at home then go on calls from home
[20:54] Exxxxx Sxxxx: there are several countries in lock down, predicted longer than 20 days
[20:54] axxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: anyone in the usa whose local cvs doesn't have toilet paper should just buy a snickers. the 25 mile long receipt they give you will work in a pinch.
[20:54] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: haha
[20:54] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: here they are taking turns
[20:54] sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: lol
[20:54] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: minimal personnel...1 team out to work at a time, not all the workers
[20:55] txxxxxxxxx Rxxxxxxx: doing only essential repairs if something fails, but no updating or upgrades like they were doing
[20:55] Exxxxx Sxxxx: well of course, here we keep the basics going, the rest have to work from home if they can
[20:55] Exxxxx Sxxxx: and still there are people that got fines for going on holiday to their beach house

Sure. Non-essential traveling. Now, I don't know what other countries are doing as specifically as I do locally, but I do know that some states, including mine, have now instituted fines for moving around if:

• they are closer than six feet to another person;
• they are shopping in a store in a time earmarked for senior citizens (if they aren't elderly) or for care workers (if they aren't medical workers);
• they are the owner of a bar, restaurant, fast-food franchise, outdoor or indoor market or mall, or church, and they keep that business open so people can congregate;
• and in some cities, attempt to leave the city without having an approved reason.

[20:55] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: today I saw workers working on traffic lighes in several locations
[20:55] Exxxxx Sxxxx: idiots
[20:56] Gxxxx Axxxxxxxx: maybe cause there's less traffic? Maybe. It's a decent working theory, at least--get to repairs now, because road, light, power line repairs generally space people away from each other anyway, and with less traffic, it's easier just to get the repairs done. Makes a lot of sense, actually.

Hang in there. It's only going to go downhill from here.