Rule 303

One of the people I follow on line is Beau of the Fifth Column.  He is an independent journalist, retired military, trained in intelligence and communications.

He frequently posts to You Tube and I listen to try and understand what is happening south of my border. 

He explained Rule 303 and in February did an update.

The short form is:  If you have the means at hand, you have the responsibility to act.

Right now we all need to act to flatten the curve of the pandemic currently raging round the globe.

Some people are providing essential services and cannot stay at home.  For those of us who can?  We need to stay put.  Press Pause on life. 

Yes, it is frustrating.  We all have plans that are being cancelled or postponed.  We don't know what the future is going to hold as we watch our portfolios (if we have them) crash.  Our income dry up because people are not going out or spending money.  Some people have lost their jobs and don't know where the next months rent is going to come from.  Will we run out of food?  (No, there is food, truckers and railroaders are delivering it and if people would stop hoarding, there would be enough for everyone.)  Will we run out of medications?  (See bracketed comment above.)

We ARE running out of medical equipment, which is why it is imperative that people stay home.  Stop spreading the virus. 

If you must go out - for whatever reason - keep a good distance from others.

If you have the means, buy gift cards from local small businesses to help tide them over this current economic squeeze.  As one bookseller pointed out, buying a gift certificate gives them money while not requiring them to spend it right away.  I'm sure this works for other service/product providers as well.

Self employed people are particularly feeling the pinch right now.  Most of them do not qualify for things like Employment Insurance.  Many of them are in professions that rely on gatherings of people - teachers, musicians, etc.  Now is the time to help support them - if you can - by donating to their Patreon (or other) accounts, buying their products (books, CDs, t-shirts).

So far the post office is remaining open, although branches may shut.  Mail order still works.

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the morning messaging with friends, checking in with them to make sure they were ok.  They in turn checked that I was ok.  I worked in the studio.  I stayed in.  We both did.

I was invited to play Scrabble on line and suddenly found myself playing a bunch of games with people - some of whom I know, some of whom I don't in real life.  But we are all in this together.

If you have the means to stay home and isolate yourself?  Do it.