Conavirus......

[Teacher Terry]

We were at a big dinner last night with our Irish group who are very hands on. Probably 200 people there and had to remind a few we are now doing elbow bumps. They all laughed but complied. No one was offended.

[catherine]

We were at a big dinner last night with our Irish group who are very hands on. Probably 200 people there and had to remind a few we are now doing elbow bumps. They all laughed but complied. No one was offended.

Afer a few Guinnesses who cares about a little virus?

[Teacher Terry]

They are big on whiskey tasting at these events)

[ApatheticNoMore]

It does illustrate how much plane and cruise travel is unnecessary. That represents unnecessary carbon usage etc.. That we can do without it, do the same thing with the internet as we do by flying all over the place, and life goes on (yea life is crazy in say China or South Korea but that is obviously not what I'm referring to, I mean all this travel all over the world is unnecessary to our lives).

It's like the great recession and how carbon usage went down and yet life went on. These are models of what is possible. Now all that is left is to aim for them without an epidemic, without so much economic suffering as a severe recession. Yea I know the human race is more likely to continue on a suicidal path, hey uninhabitable planet in 50 years or something, I mean most of our choices seem for annihilation, but there are hints sometimes, another option is possible. The universe is gonna keep sending them until it doesn't.

[JaneV2.0]

It does illustrate how much plane and cruise travel is unnecessary. That represents unnecessary carbon usage etc.. That we can do without it, do the same thing with the internet as we do by flying all over the place, and life goes on (yea life is crazy in say China or South Korea but that is obviously not what I'm referring to, I mean all this travel all over the world is unnecessary to our lives).

It's like the great recession and how carbon usage went down and yet life went on. These are models of what is possible. Now all that is left is to aim for them without an epidemic, without so much economic suffering as a severe recession. Yea I know the human race is more likely to continue on a suicidal path, hey uninhabitable planet in 50 years or something, I mean most of our choices seem for annihilation, but there are hints sometimes, another option is possible. The universe is gonna keep sending them until it doesn't.

I agree. I'll never understand the need for countless face to face meetings. You'd think now that we have the technology, we'd just teleconference. And, as we know, most business meetings are pointless anyway.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I agree. I'll never understand the need for countless face to face meetings. You'd think now that we have the technology, we'd just teleconference. And, as we know, most business meetings are pointless anyway.

Agreed. I remember much talk of teleconferencing and cutting business travel expenses to the bone during the Great Recession but somehow this got swept aside as the DOW started to improve. It really does seem to me that much business travel is unnecessary given the technology available today - but then I'm talking myself out of a job, too. Rarely any easy answer(s).....Rob

[jp1]

As someone who works in an industry that values face to face meetings I agree that some meetings are unnecessary. But the reality is that human beings are social creatures. I don’t see myself cutting the amount of times I invite people to meet for coffee or drinks or a meal together anytime soon. The goodwill and trust that is built from getting to know people one does business was with definitely results in more business being transacted.

[SteveinMN]

As someone who works in an industry that values face to face meetings I agree that some meetings are unnecessary. But the reality is that human beings are social creatures. I don’t see myself cutting the amount of times I invite people to meet for coffee or drinks or a meal together anytime soon. The goodwill and trust that is built from getting to know people one does business was with definitely results in more business being transacted.

As much as I ride the technology bandwagon, I don't believe teleconferencing can suitably replace face-to-face contact. I don't even think it's a particularly good substitute for it in many cases.

The technology is highly variable, dependent on the budget and abilities of the participants; sometimes the contact is reduced to poor-quality voices on a speakerphone. Often the people hired to do the most customer-facing work are the ones who are weakest at using the technology that enables them. Teleconferencing tends to focus on the person speaking or on the Powerpoint or demo, but does not allow you to access other details around the meeting room -- seeing whether participants' overall focus is flagging, catching the look of confusion on faces. In addition, you often lose the human non-work-related connections made when chatting upon arriving at the meeting, or during the drinks or dinner after the meeting. Just as watching a sport live allows you to focus on what's going on beyond the current focus, a live meeting offers the same options. Teleconferencing just is not the same.

[dado potato]

Wisconsin is hoarding brandy (especially Korbel). Georgia and Texas are hoarding ammo.

To each, his own

[Yppej]

Water was up from 50 to 75 cents per gallon at the price gouging supermarket. They also had toilet paper at regular price prominently displayed. On the good side gas prices are falling.