What are some non-essential or atypical items you bring anyway for long-term travel?
I’ll start: I have some suction cup hooks (so useful), rose water facial spray (very refreshing, especially on long dry flights), and a small fabric bag with Velcro that I fill with rice on arrival and can either freeze or microwave for sore muscles, sinus headaches, hot nights, and so on.
My husband and kids carry baseball mitts and a ball or two, because there is something about taking a break to play catch (especially for my baseball obsessed kiddo) that makes a huge difference.
I've seen a number of comments on the recent stories surrounding the tightening of travel restrictions ( Reddit Post #1 , Reddit Post #2 ) and some commenters state that they need to travel whether it's to visit family, for a vacation, or otherwise.
The government seems to be saying non-essential travel should be curtailed or, at the very least, "do a risk assessment" (I believe Dr. Moore suggested that yesterday) on whether you really need to travel.
So I was curious what this sub considers "essential" travel? What would you say is "non-essential" travel?
As you reflect upon your spending in 2021 are there any non-essential purchases that you regret or absolutely do not regret? Here's two of mine:
Regret: Several vintage mugs I bought off Ebay that turned out to be smaller than contemporary mugs. The mugs are cool-looking but just too small for a satisfying cup of coffee. I put them out on the sidewalk as a street-scores.
No regrets: A four-pack of led lightbulbs that screw into regular sockets. They have 12 color options and have a setting where they change gradually colors. I bought these in anticipation of hosting a New Year's Eve soiree. When Omicron hit my region I cancelled the party, but I love my new mood-enhancing light bulbs. No regrets.
Sometimes I hear from comments online and even YouTube videos dedicated to the subject, that it is offensive for non-disabled actors (example: Daniel Day Lewis, Tom Hanks) to play disabled characters. Instead we should have disabled actors play these roles because they truly know what it is like- that is the argument.
And yes, there are performances by actors that are straight up offensive and lack depth (John Travolta in The Fanatic) but there’s nothing wrong with a sincere performance played by an actor who cares, and a story that respects the disabled community.
Yes, movies like “Peanut Butter Falcon” are wonderful for the exact reason that Zack Gottsagen gets to shine in the story. But not every film production is able to bank on someone that’s not a big name star. Also, for certain performances it can be an extra challenge for directors to give disabled actors playable direction on set.
I am an actor myself and three years ago I acted in a short film alongside a teenager with autism. He was a super sweet kid but the director had a difficult time giving him direction. Unfortunately it was very difficult to act alongside him, since he was so unresponsive at times. My point in sharing this story is that there are sometimes extra challenges for film sets that involve individuals within the disabled community.
Sometimes it is essential to have a big name actor play a disabled character in a sincere way. It’s not offensive at all if done in an authentic and respectful manner.
I guess that’s why I don’t pay her any attention.
We passed an open McDonald’s today with a line around the building around 1pm. It was just as busy on our way home at 6pm. These poor people are having to work because you can’t just make yourself dinner. If customers are spending, they will force their employees to work. This was literally the only open business in our entire town minus gas stations.
Edit: I’m not Christian. This is a federal USA holiday I think everyone should have off regardless of religion (if they so choose). We get so few days off as it is.
Edit 2: This is obviously not against anyone practicing a different religion. Obviously America is full of many religions and nationalities. Ffs I just hate mega corps exploiting minimum wage workers. And let me be clear, on all days…not just this one.
Here we go, folks. Winter term starts remotely. Title taken directly from the email from the UM President. Message in its entirety below.
"As we look ahead to the start of Winter Term, our University of Manitoba community is seeking clarity in a time of great uncertainty. I respect the growing concerns and I want to assure you that we take the ever-evolving situation very seriously.
From now until the end of the Winter Term break on February 26, 2022, all non-essential activity will continue remotely. Effective immediately, we are asking staff to work remotely and for course activity to be moved to remote delivery wherever possible. Limited in-person activity may continue if required and there is no reasonable remote alternative. Further information will be provided to students by their faculties and to staff by their supervisors.
Our decision to require all those attending campus to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, except those few with an approved exemption, was taken to significantly enhance the safety in our community of learning, discovery and engagement. This requirement will remain in effect for all those attending campus beginning January 24, 2022 when rapid testing will no longer be an approved alternative to vaccination.
We are carefully monitoring the emerging Omicron variant, and we will use the leadup to the Winter Term break to re-evaluate our approach and respond to any changes in public health orders. We do hope that we will be in a position to resume face-to-face operations for the remainder of the Winter Term, but this will be guided by what the public health experts deem to be both prudent and safe.
Thank you for your engagement in this important discussion. We hear you, and in this unprecedented situation, we will continue to be guided by science and not our best-laid plans."
See title. I'm fully vaccinated and have always listened to the previous measures, but this is ridiculous. It takes them weeks of debating and they come with useless measures that aren't going to make the infections go down. They are already to late and it's going to be a full winter of lockdowns I can already bet.
Taking the vaccine should have kept everything open and normal this year, or AT LEAST kept infections at a low level causing most places to stay open. Instead infections are at all time highs and code black is lurking for hospitals.
I'm out of school at around 16:00 every day except on tuesday. Am I supposed to just stay home every day after school do nothing with having no where to go because everything is already close? As if that is going to help anything with my mental health (you guys care so much about that, right OMT?)
My high chool shortened other classes on one day to provide classes to catch up with my backlogs (which I don't have because I actually paid attention in online classes last year). Half of these lessons haven't happened yet due to teachers sitting at home because of the virus.
The government is to slow and to soft with everything. They have completely failed to lead is through this, due to their own incapability and due to the stubbornness of the Dutch people.
It's all or nothing now: everything closed and hope to save what can be saved. Anything less is a fail and means hospitals will have to choose who to save, people, elderly are going to die, and people are going to go crazy when Cristmas and New Year are probably going to be spend in lockdown again...
All bullshit extortion, rules and lockdowns will stop immediately.
I would also add media personnel and bureaucrats in this category.
BMC offices run at 50% capacity, then 50% of bureaucrats should be on unpaid leave until the rule ends. Same as any other business
In Germany, almost every place is closed on Sunday, and it works just fine. Didn't get your grocery shopping done throughout the week like a responsible person? Oh well, that's your problem, not all of society's problem. Here in the USA, we do it backwards. White collar work is Monday to Friday, blue collar Monday through Saturday and rarely ever Sunday. Some locations, not all, have already begun to shift towards clothing on Sundays or even opening later than usual, and closing down earlier in the evening.
DriveTime, a car dealership, is a really good example. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sundays for employees benefit. it's absurd to have places open 7 days a week. It's a massive human rights violation. You expect these people to go to work literally 7 days a week, never having a break. It's crazy unsustainable. We need to normalize doing what Chick-fil-A and honestly a lot of other businesses have done, and close down on Sundays. Even car dealerships have started to do it too! You won't be able to go into a car dealership maintenance center or the sales area on a Sunday on most of them
Can anyone recommend any items that are definitely not essential , but you can't go without and would recommend everyone buy? I have heard
Silver nipple shields Hand muffs for buggy/pram Water bottle with a straw built in (for labour)
Thanks!
Edit- thank you everyone who is commenting, I don't wanna reply to every comment because I don't wanna spam the comments but I hugely appreciate all the advice and recommendations!
Note: Please see update at the bottom as this is now resolved.
Hello, first time poster in this sub, and I apologize if this post goes against the rules. I'm posting this to assist one of my relatives who volunteers to operate a small food bank.
It's a tenant run food bank at a City Housing Hamilton (community housing) building that has been shut down due to COVID restrictions imposed by the Emergency Operations Committee.
The specific regulation is regarding communal spaces in the building. Which would generally apply to non-essential communal spaces. E.g. party rooms. As this tenant run food bank is not city run it has been deemed non-essential.
The food bank has been operating for many years and also throughout all previous COVID restrictions. The food bank is restricted access to only tenants of the building. And protocols are in place to limit contact, and only volunteers are inside handing food to residents outside of the room.
Presently donated food is now locked away inaccessible to many food insecure residents. The building management is advising residents seek food at far away food banks and/or grocery stores. Both of which would increase potential COVID risk and is not feasible for many residents who are food insecure.
This policy being enforced did not take into consideration this situation and will result in a poorer outcomes against the spirit of the intention of rule.
Food Bank: Golden Hearts Food Cupboard Building: 226 Rebecca Hamilton
If you would like to help please reach out to Ward 2 Councillor, Jason Farr Jason.Farr@hamilton.ca
Update: Jason Farr has reached out to us. It sounds promising and we are hoping for a solution soon. Thank you so much every one. Please keep reaching out to him to keep this moving.
Final Update: The management at City Housing Hamilton has now verified that the food bank can reopen. Some details are still being worked out. But it's looking like a success! Thank you everyone who helped by reaching out! And thank you to Jason Farr for helping rectify this.
Toothpaste, soaps, supply chain is going to cripple in the coming weeks.
My spouse is in her third trimester. Her place of employment (in a very non-essential sector) has used every loophole over the course of the pandemic to ensure that all employees have come to work in person. My spouse has previously had no problem with this, but in light of Omicron and her pregnancy, her attitude has understandably changed, especially given the fact that other employees at other locations of this establishment, are becoming ill with covid at a rapid rate, and management is being completely opaque about who is testing positive, and where. Many people aren't finding out until it's too late and they end up sick as well. It's gotten so bad that the owner of the company sits in his car, outside, and does daily checkups through the windows. He won't even enter, presumably for fear of covid.
As with anything pandemic-related, there doesn't seem to be a clear answer in terms of my spouse's rights. She CAN do her job from home and her coworkers have suggested she do so, but her boss and HR are dragging their heels in terms of responding. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what she can do, or has anyone been in a similar situation that had some sort of resolution? She doesn't want to start her maternity leave, just yet, and she wants to stay busy, but she also doesn't want to get sick at such a physically vulnerable time.
Thanks much, Ontarians.
like a friend is already in credit card debt he buys a new PC games. He could pirate the game, play a different free game such as Halo Infinite, or one of the many he already owns. Yet its worth it to go into credit card debt to buy this item. Same with going out to eat instead of grocery store/food at home. I could never understand this mindset, help me.
Due to mental health concerns of staff, Meridian Township in Michigan proposed closing the Township office on Friday through the end of February. The intent was to give these employees a much needed break during the bleakest of winter months.
Residents (in actuality it was only 30-40 people) had concerns about paying people not to work and something about someone trudging through the snow to drop off a bill only to find the office closed. Install a drop box like everyone else, problem solved. No doubt that was their next best argument they could make. I have serious doubts that anyone is walking very far to this Township office.
Needless to say, they now get the potential to work from home instead for the day if their manager approved it.
Dan Andrews no-where to be seen. I think he's on holidays....
Non essential = basically anything other than a top or legwear.
For example, I feel kinda nakey w/o socks.
Assume that someone would like to read MBotF for the first time and that they'd like to read more than the main series, however, they don't want to read all 30+ books (maybe because the total number is too high or because they think that not all of them can be that good or relevant).
If that's the case, what is your "Essential Malazan List of the Fallen"? Which non-main books are absolutely essential and which are easily skippable? Please, explain why (while avoiding spoilers).
This has been my question since the beginning of the pandemic. Why are non-essential workers still having to report to on site work, just to sit at their computers and share common areas and spread disease?
I’ve worked from home periodically and have had to fight tooth and nail for the right, despite being high risk (asthma). Employers feel that they are doing a huge favour and take away the “privilege” whenever the mood strikes them. I’m shocked that there isn’t any occupational health and safety legislation regarding this and no mandates requiring it this entire pandemic.
Why isn’t work from home being mandated for all those who are not essential to be on site? This would greatly reduce the amount of spread and hospitalization, both directly and indirectly. This would allow for less people spreading infection on public transit, less people driving their cars and having MVA’s requiring hospitalization and countless other preventable scenarios.
Why do lockdowns not apply to corporations who are knowingly endangering employees and burdening our strained systems?
Another example of how we never were “in this together”: https://portail-portal.otc-cta.gc.ca/en/fifth-seventh-freedom-charter-flights-approved-by-agency/418250?fbclid=IwAR1WQuKrtjZ_Q4uSsWxbohbvFQTjb9YLJkeh5TKC6Opax12_c-kqUJljIAM
Do they question you or are they letting anyone cross as of now please let me know you experience ( going by foot)
