Editing 2391: Life Before the Pandemic
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 | + | This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. |
[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes. | [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes. | ||
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===Free refills at gas stations=== | ===Free refills at gas stations=== | ||
| − | {{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. Many of these locations have a small convenience store attached, where customers can purchase snacks or drinks while having their car filled up. It's unknown whether Randall/Ponytail meant "free refill" of gasoline or of drinks from the convenience store, but either way it was not a business practice that was common.{{Citation needed}} Free refills of drinks are more associated with restaurants and diners, who allow free top-ups of relatively cheaper soft drinks, tea, or coffee, in the hopes that it will attract people to come in and buy more expensive meals to cover the cost. | + | {{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. Many of these locations have a small convenience store attached, where customers can purchase snacks or drinks while having their car filled up. It's unknown whether Randall/Ponytail meant "free refill" of gasoline or of drinks from the convenience store, but either way it was not a business practice that was common.{{Citation needed}} Free refills of drinks are more associated with restaurants and diners, who allow free top-ups of relatively cheaper soft drinks, tea, or coffee, in the hopes that it will attract people to come in and buy more expensive meals to cover the cost. COVID has curtailed the hospitality sector to various degrees and it's likely outlets that once offered free top-ups have ceased to do so, whether because of hygiene concerns, lack of staff, customers tending to not buy as expensive meals due to the associated economic recession, or even due to cancelling eat-in service. While gasoline stations (that we know of) don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills". |
===Grilling in the library=== | ===Grilling in the library=== | ||
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries, whose shelves full of flammable paper books present both an increased fire hazard (as the fire could spread more quickly with plenty of fuel, and the shelves could potentially hamper efforts to evacuate the library if the fire made that necessary) and a liability (because if the books burned, they would be destroyed/unusable, and it would likely cost a lot of money to replace them). In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this. | {{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries, whose shelves full of flammable paper books present both an increased fire hazard (as the fire could spread more quickly with plenty of fuel, and the shelves could potentially hamper efforts to evacuate the library if the fire made that necessary) and a liability (because if the books burned, they would be destroyed/unusable, and it would likely cost a lot of money to replace them). In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this. | ||
| − | Even if grilling were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. | + | In light of this Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling", meaning to hang out, or the other use of the verb grill that means to question intensely. Before the pandemic libraries would frequently host guest speakers, often authors, but sometimes speakers, academics, local community leaders or notable VIPs. This is because libraries serve as public event spaces in small towns across the United States and Megan is the type of person who might enjoy a lively Q&A with said speakers. |
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| + | Even if grilling (either kind) were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. Thus, two activities are described here as one, both of which are discouraged during a pandemic, but together discouraged regardless of COVID-19. | ||
===Tennis without a "safety" net=== | ===Tennis without a "safety" net=== | ||
| − | {{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. | + | {{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theater as part of their COVID re-opening plan. |
===Indoor fireworks=== | ===Indoor fireworks=== | ||
| − | Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Due to inherently being explosive, fireworks can be dangerous, i.e. cause injuries or even death. Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks. | + | Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Due to inherently being explosive, fireworks can be dangerous, i.e. cause injuries or even death. Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks. |
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| + | This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship. | ||
===Arcade claw machines=== | ===Arcade claw machines=== | ||
