Coronavirus and TSGA Jamboree

[Bill Miller]

The biggest obstacle to slowing the spread of the virus is willful ignorance. As long as we have the 'Flat Earth Society' types who don't have sense enough to inform themselves and heed the warnings from the experts in charge of protecting us, it's going to be a hard thing to contain.
Anyone who is aware of the carnage in Italy and yet insists it's all hype is about as sharp as a sock full of soup.

[Bill McCloskey]

The sad truth is that based on the average age of this forum, many of us right here on the steelguitar forum are going to die from the coronavirus.


Lets stop trying to down play what is coming.

[Doug Beaumier]

Dave and Paul, very well said! People need to wake up and see what's happening in many other countries around the world. We are at the beginning of an upward curve, the same curve that has happened in other countries. They've had to shut down everything... bars, restaurants, schools, workplaces to fight this thing. A total lockdown. We're headed in that direction.

I too am stunned by the denial I see here. We're in the early stages of a pandemic, much of the world is on lockdown, the images are on television and online 24/7... and some people think they can just ignore the whole thing?

[Joey Ace]

[Don R Brown]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.


(I'm between contracts and just had a great trip to Europe and got back on Wednesday). Now I'm just sitting around for a couple weeks practicing.

This thread is like a bad traffic accident - I have every intention of just driving by and ignoring it, but can't resist taking a quick look!

I'm interested that you would travel to Europe in the midst of such an apparent catastrophe over there. I presume you are now quarantined for a couple weeks upon your return?

[Ken Pippus]

Nobody mentions that 96% of the population survived at Pearl Harbor in 1941. The birth of fake news.

[Bill McCloskey]

Don, ignorance and stupidity will make every thing much much worse

[Paul McEvoy]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.


(I'm between contracts and just had a great trip to Europe and got back on Wednesday). Now I'm just sitting around for a couple weeks practicing.

This thread is like a bad traffic accident - I have every intention of just driving by and ignoring it, but can't resist taking a quick look!

I'm interested that you would travel to Europe in the midst of such an apparent catastrophe over there. I presume you are now quarantined for a couple weeks upon your return?

It's a good question. It definitely existed when I left and I had a bit of trepidation about it, but to my knowledge was isolated more or less at that time. There were no travel advisories.

I guess what's more is that at that time there was not much information about how contagious and awful it was. At that time it was somewhat acceptable to think of it as "a bad flu". Which I know was bad enough. But yeah I chose to go. I was afraid that the things that I wanted to do would be cancelled, but also prepared that that would be the appropriate thing.

I am also relatively poor and had spent a lot of money on the trip already so I guess there's that.

Ultimately there were a million people out on the street in Paris every night. Bars and clubs were jammed. Shows were sold out.

I think there was an element of delusion on my part, an element where the danger was not really clear at all, and just the feeling that I was stuck there, couldn't really afford to pay for a ticket to rush home etc.

And really the truth has really spread in the last 5 or so days and the picture looks really, really grim. And I can say with honesty that I had no idea about that. I got out just in time.

I can say also that despite what's been said by the government, coming into Newark, customs and security did not ask me a single question. Literally did not speak to me. I just showed my passport and moved on. No testing, no questions, nothing. At the time I still didn't realize how serious this was and is. Now I'm dumbfounded.

Currently I'm at home, and yes, not really going out. I hang out with my one ex gf probably to be GF. She picked me up from the train and at this point is probably exposed to anything I have. That's it. I don't think that I'm infected but it's 100% possible. I actually feel quite excellent right now. I'm not meeting with any other people.

I won't be starting a new job probably for another two weeks. It's sort of assured that I will be infected at some point if I haven't been already, so it's somewhat meaningless. It appears that people who are asymptomatic but positive will probably have to work because everyone is going to get infected at some point.

Anyway, long answer to your question. I'm glad I went on the trip, I don't think I really harmed anyone or myself, but in retrospect it seems a bit insane.

[Darrell Criswell]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.


(I'm between contracts and just had a great trip to Europe and got back on Wednesday). Now I'm just sitting around for a couple weeks practicing.

This thread is like a bad traffic accident - I have every intention of just driving by and ignoring it, but can't resist taking a quick look!

I'm interested that you would travel to Europe in the midst of such an apparent catastrophe over there. I presume you are now quarantined for a couple weeks upon your return?

It's a good question. It definitely existed when I left and I had a bit of trepidation about it, but to my knowledge was isolated more or less at that time. There were no travel advisories.

I guess what's more is that at that time there was not much information about how contagious and awful it was. At that time it was somewhat acceptable to think of it as "a bad flu". Which I know was bad enough. But yeah I chose to go. I was afraid that the things that I wanted to do would be cancelled, but also prepared that that would be the appropriate thing.

I am also relatively poor and had spent a lot of money on the trip already so I guess there's that.

Ultimately there were a million people out on the street in Paris every night. Bars and clubs were jammed. Shows were sold out.

I think there was an element of delusion on my part, an element where the danger was not really clear at all, and just the feeling that I was stuck there, couldn't really afford to pay for a ticket to rush home etc.

And really the truth has really spread in the last 5 or so days and the picture looks really, really grim. And I can say with honesty that I had no idea about that. I got out just in time.

I can say also that despite what's been said by the government, coming into Newark, customs and security did not ask me a single question. Literally did not speak to me. I just showed my passport and moved on. No testing, no questions, nothing. At the time I still didn't realize how serious this was and is. Now I'm dumbfounded.

Currently I'm at home, and yes, not really going out. I hang out with my one ex gf probably to be GF. She picked me up from the train and at this point is probably exposed to anything I have. That's it. I don't think that I'm infected but it's 100% possible. I actually feel quite excellent right now. I'm not meeting with any other people.

I won't be starting a new job probably for another two weeks. It's sort of assured that I will be infected at some point if I haven't been already, so it's somewhat meaningless. It appears that people who are asymptomatic but positive will probably have to work because everyone is going to get infected at some point.

Anyway, long answer to your question. I'm glad I went on the trip, I don't think I really harmed anyone or myself, but in retrospect it seems a bit insane.

Everybody is in a quandary about the right thing to do, on the one hand we want to halt the spread of this virus and not get it, but on the other we have to live our lives. A lot of people are dependent on their jobs and if we stop everything some people just will not be able to have a normal life. People at restaurants, stores etc are dependent on their tips or hourly wages, they don't have any reserve of money. The tourist industry is a big supporter of many low income people, particularly in poorer countries. However, we have to remember although the USA is incredibly rich, there are many people here that are very poor.

[Doug Beaumier]

Well, a couple of cases have shown up in the public schools in my area. The schools have all shut down. There are 24 presumptive cases in a hospital 20 minutes away from me. The city is like a ghost town today.
I teach guitar lessons at a local music store two days a week... to people of all ages, and I'm canceling all lessons immediately. I'll be 70 in a couple of months and I recently had some surgery and I'm not feeling 100% yet, so I'm gonna lay low for a while. Not taking any chances!

[Paul McEvoy]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.


(I'm between contracts and just had a great trip to Europe and got back on Wednesday). Now I'm just sitting around for a couple weeks practicing.

This thread is like a bad traffic accident - I have every intention of just driving by and ignoring it, but can't resist taking a quick look!

I'm interested that you would travel to Europe in the midst of such an apparent catastrophe over there. I presume you are now quarantined for a couple weeks upon your return?

It's a good question. It definitely existed when I left and I had a bit of trepidation about it, but to my knowledge was isolated more or less at that time. There were no travel advisories.

I guess what's more is that at that time there was not much information about how contagious and awful it was. At that time it was somewhat acceptable to think of it as "a bad flu". Which I know was bad enough. But yeah I chose to go. I was afraid that the things that I wanted to do would be cancelled, but also prepared that that would be the appropriate thing.

I am also relatively poor and had spent a lot of money on the trip already so I guess there's that.

Ultimately there were a million people out on the street in Paris every night. Bars and clubs were jammed. Shows were sold out.

I think there was an element of delusion on my part, an element where the danger was not really clear at all, and just the feeling that I was stuck there, couldn't really afford to pay for a ticket to rush home etc.

And really the truth has really spread in the last 5 or so days and the picture looks really, really grim. And I can say with honesty that I had no idea about that. I got out just in time.

I can say also that despite what's been said by the government, coming into Newark, customs and security did not ask me a single question. Literally did not speak to me. I just showed my passport and moved on. No testing, no questions, nothing. At the time I still didn't realize how serious this was and is. Now I'm dumbfounded.

Currently I'm at home, and yes, not really going out. I hang out with my one ex gf probably to be GF. She picked me up from the train and at this point is probably exposed to anything I have. That's it. I don't think that I'm infected but it's 100% possible. I actually feel quite excellent right now. I'm not meeting with any other people.

I won't be starting a new job probably for another two weeks. It's sort of assured that I will be infected at some point if I haven't been already, so it's somewhat meaningless. It appears that people who are asymptomatic but positive will probably have to work because everyone is going to get infected at some point.

Anyway, long answer to your question. I'm glad I went on the trip, I don't think I really harmed anyone or myself, but in retrospect it seems a bit insane.

Everybody is in a quandary about the right thing to do, on the one hand we want to halt the spread of this virus and not get it, but on the other we have to live our lives. A lot of people are dependent on their jobs and if we stop everything some people just will not be able to have a normal life. People at restaurants, stores etc are dependent on their tips or hourly wages, they don't have any reserve of money. The tourist industry is a big supporter of many low income people, particularly in poorer countries. However, we have to remember although the USA is incredibly rich, there are many people here that are very poor.

Respectfully, if living your life means you and others die, it's sort of not really living.

Regardless, normal life will be ending for a while regardless. Poor people are going to have a very hard time. Hopefully we really make efforts to care for people and make sure everyone has food and shelter. Regardless though, it's time to understand that we are deeply deeply screwed.

[HowardR]

Here are the very basic facts that are undeniable....(no statistics are needed and opinions do not apply)

This virus is real.....

It's highly contagious....easily passed on to others...

It can be fatal...more so for those older and with underlying conditions.....

At present there is no cure or preventative medicine...

At present we do not have adequate testing...

Our hospitals and medical personnel would be highly overtaxed should a tsunami of people become infected.....

That being said, I want to state my opinion.....

Attending the TSGA show is a gamble.....a gamble with huge stakes.....I have no issue with choices of personal freedom....if somebody wants to jump off a bridge tethered to an oversize rubber band, fine....if somebody wants to jump out of a plane (if at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you) by all means go for it and exercise your rights.....this is personal to you and does not put others in danger.....and that's the difference here....your right to gamble and to expose yourself to a contagious disease affects somebody else's right to remain healthy and to live.....

If nothing becomes of this, then great....some had a blast, some got cool picks, some saw Lloyd Green, some heard a new amp....but if not, the consequence(s) are overwhelmingly out of proportion....

It's unbelievable to me that the TSGA allowed this event to take place in lieu of warnings and recommendations from the experts...apparently the health and welfare of people were a secondary or even tertiary consideration compared to the (I'm assuming) financial aspects...

I'm wondering how many of the people who attended and who they interact with when they return home won't be around in a few months......I certainly truly hope that I'm wrong....

[Doug Beaumier]

basic facts that are undeniable... opinions do not apply

Oh, how I wish that were true, Howard! We seem to be living in an era of alternate realities!

[Paul McEvoy]

Totally Howard.

[Sonny Jenkins]

Can the government or health community REALLY afford to tell us the full extent of the truth??? This is a society that is LOOKING for something to panic over,,,that is what is sad. I personally believe it could be even worse than what we are hearing. I noticed that here locally none of the churches closed this morning,,,the worse "cough in your face, grab a germ infested hand, how about a hug" place there is.

What I know for sure,,,,I didn't catch coronavirus at TSGA, I didn't catch it at Church, and I didn't bring it home to anyone else,,,why?,,because I didn't expose myself to it. If everyone could say that we might could beat this thing!

[Paul Sutherland]

I see lots of FB posts of local musicians complaining of their gigs being cancelled. Part of me wants to scream ARE YOU CRAZY? But then I have a very secure pension and I play gigs mostly because it's a fun diversion in retirement. I don't depend on the meager income I derive from gigs. It's a little inappropriate for me to tell people they shouldn't work when their livelihood depends on it.

I expect this thing is going to progress to the point that various local governments will temporarily shut down bars and restaurants. I don't expect to see the federal government make such an order. This is not a good time to be a bartender or musician.

This pandemic is going to hurt a lot of people in a lot of different industries before things get better. I hope I'm wrong.

[tom anderson]

I had intended to go and decided to drop out on Wednesday. I’m sure it was a great convention and I look forward to attending next year. In the meantime I changed my strings, wood shedded on my steel, did a social distancing jam session with my band and watched some Utube videos from other steel conventions. I had a steel guitar weekend!

[Larry Dering]

Illinois Governor is now considering going on lockdown of all bars and restaurants. He has already closed schools. Press conference at 3pm today.

[Larry Bressington]

Fantastic show indeed, I’m glad I made the quick 1300 mile round trip again this year, Herb played elegantly as usual as well as Lloyd of course and all the other super greats of this instrument wow wow wow....Everyone handled themselves professionally using hand sanitizer all the time I witnessed, everyone there picker and non picker a real troubadour!

Back to the real world now, cold weather, wide open spaces and horse trading for marmite!

[Darrell Criswell]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.



Respectfully, if living your life means you and others die, it's sort of not really living.

Regardless, normal life will be ending for a while regardless. Poor people are going to have a very hard time. Hopefully we really make efforts to care for people and make sure everyone has food and shelter. Regardless though, it's time to understand that we are deeply deeply screwed.

Resoectfully, society has to function. Do you believe the grocery stores, gas stations etc. should be closed for the next month?. The people working at those places are at risk. And medical workers require stores to be open so they can buy food, soap, gas, etc.

We have no assurance the measures we are taking will really be beneficial, at best these measures are designed to slow the growth of the infection so we do not totally overwhelm support for society, and our medical care system does not become overwhelmed which it already is. We need to support the measure recommended by the CDC and local governments with the realization we are in for a long war, not just a few weeks of sacrifice.

[Paul McEvoy]

I'm an ER nurse.

It's time to stop pretending that this is other than A BIG ONE. It's absolutely going to kill a lot of people.



Respectfully, if living your life means you and others die, it's sort of not really living.

Regardless, normal life will be ending for a while regardless. Poor people are going to have a very hard time. Hopefully we really make efforts to care for people and make sure everyone has food and shelter. Regardless though, it's time to understand that we are deeply deeply screwed.

Resoectfully, society has to function. Do you believe the grocery stores, gas stations etc. should be closed for the next month?. The people working at those places are at risk. And medical workers require stores to be open so they can buy food, soap, gas, etc.

We have no assurance the measures we are taking will really be beneficial, at best these measures are designed to slow the growth of the infection so we do not totally overwhelm support for society and our medical care system does not become overwhelmed which it already is.

Sorry but as someone who is likely to be confronted by death at staggering numbers working in the ER telling me about how society needs to function is a little misplaced. Over the next months I will attempt to help society to function. Yes grocery stores pharmacies and gas stations and other limited essential businesses should remain open. But please just pay the slightest attention to the amount of dying that's happening in Italy at the moment. It's absurd and unpresedented.

You absolutely can survive in your comfortable house with food you bought and practice music and survive so that other people can live. Or so that you can live. And that's what it's coming down to. This situation has evolved so rapidly and we are so totally unprepared for it. I'm not really up for arguing the point. Every public health oerson, even the doubters from a week ago (myself included) are on the same page.

We have no assurances of anything but if you are not exposed to the virus you can't get it. If you have it and don't expose it to someone else, they can't get it. It's simple. You need to stay in your house, go out for a walk in the sun when theirs no people outside and pay attention to every doctor and Publix health person who is putting their lives on the line to save you and everyone else.

When I think of all the elderly dedicated nurses and doctors our there who are putting themselves at legitimate risk of dying (these being friends of mine) it's sort of hard for me to process the selfishness of arguing about people having to stay home and watch TV.

[Bill McCloskey]

this is a really interesting article. It has a chart showing the increase each day in the US.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... simulator/

[Paul McEvoy]

Btw thinking somehow using hand sanitizer is going to save you in an event space is not smart. This is clearly ridiculously contagious. It appears to linger in the air for days.

If I was to tell you that there was an airborne aids virus right now would that freak you out? Because it's pretty much that.

[HowardR]

Paul, I agree and I'm at a loss as to how it would be known that EVERYONE washed their hands (and properly)....but the main point is,....Herb and Lloyd played elegantly.....

[Larry Bressington]

Lot of cry babies on here, you got three options as I see it:
1) Go live in an oxygen bubble and pretend your safe as houses
2) Roll out the meat wagons and condemn everyone you know or meet a threat
3) Cowboy up and get a hold of yourselves.
You choose!