OT: Coronavirus

@"A1Janitor" said: How is it divisive?  It is true. 

Hey Jimmy - how's it going?  :p

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"minny65" said: This really annoys me about this Covid situation and people trying to take advantage.  So the Covid-19 stimulus allots 350 Billion to the SBA to help "small Business" meet it's payroll, pay utilities, mortgage etc. Low and behold and from the heavens above pastors, churches and non-paying tax entities are afforded all the benefits of a tax paying small business.  So are the Graham's, Baker's, TV evangelists a for profit business or tax exempt business.  I guess in the land of the free you can have your cake and eat it too.  If you have the clout you can pay no taxes but get tax breaks.  Wonderful, these carnival barkers should be ashamed of themselves if they take a dime away from a tax paying person or small business.  They are the new Welfare Kings.  Isn't their guise in collecting money supposed to be about redistributing to those in need?  Small businesses are in need of the money so don't take it from them from the get-go.  

http://www.bpnews.net/54550/qa-how-churches-pastors-are-eligible-for-relief-in-stimulus-package

Highlights:

As a pastor or an employee of a ministry, am I eligible for a recovery rebate? If you are a U.S. resident with adjusted gross income under $75,000 ($112,500 for head of household and $150,000 married), are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible Social Security Number ("SSN"), you are eligible for the full $1,200 ($2,400 married) rebate. If you have children, you are also eligible for an additional $500 per child.

As a pastor I opted out of Social Security years ago. Am I eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, as long as you are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible SSN.

If I have little to no income or receive federal benefits, such as SSI, am I still eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, there is no qualifying income requirement. Even individuals with $0 of income are eligible for a rebate if they are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible SSN.

I have heard that unemployment insurance may be available to pastors or ministry staff that lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic. Is this true? Yes, the COVID Phase III Stimulus Package provides specific provisions that will allow pastors or ministry staff who have lost their jobs to apply for unemployment benefits. The law creates a temporary program through December 31, 2020, to provide payment to those not traditionally eligible for unemployment benefits (self-employed, independent contractors, those with limited work history and others) who are unable to work as a direct result of the coronavirus public health emergency. 
I have heard there may be federal financial assistance available to churches and ministries. Is this true? Yes, you may consider several options made available to your church or ministry by the COVID Phase III Stimulus Package to help your church or ministry through this difficult time.

What options are available? The Stimulus package makes available several forms of relief potentially benefitting churches and ministries. These include payroll tax credits, tax deferrals, encouraging charitable contributions and small business loans.
How do the small business loans work for churches and ministries? Churches and ministry organizations that are exempt from tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Tax Code and that have fewer than 500 employees at one location and self-employed individuals, individuals operating as a sole proprietorship or individuals operating as an independent contractor, may apply for a Paycheck Protection Loan to cover payroll and related employee expenses for the period February 15 through June 30, 2020, to help them sustain their ministries.

How can the loan proceeds be used? The loan proceeds may be used to pay payroll costs, group health insurance benefits, paid sick leave, medical and insurance premiums, mortgage interest payments, rent payments, utilities or interest on other loans outstanding at the time of the pandemic.

What costs are considered payroll costs? Salary or wages, payments of a cash tip, vacation, parental, family, medical, or sick leave, health benefits, retirement benefits, state and local taxes. Note, however, that salary expenses above $100,000 per employee are not eligible for consideration as payroll costs and loan proceeds may not be used to pay salaries above $100,000 per employee.

How much can a church or ministry borrow? The amount that may be borrowed is the total average monthly payroll costs for the preceding 12 months (March 2019 through February 2020) multiplied by a factor of 2.5. For example, if the average payroll costs for the preceding twelve months were $20,000, the maximum amount of the loan would be $20,000 times 2.5 for a total of $50,000. The maximum amount available for a Payroll Protection Loan is $10,000,000.

Can a self-employed pastor apply for a Payroll Protection Loan? The Stimulus package allows self-employed individuals to apply for these loans. Under certain circumstances, pastors are considered self-employed and should be eligible to apply for a payroll protection loan under the same terms and conditions as other loan applicants. For example, if a pastor's average monthly salary for the preceding twelve months was $5,000 then the pastor should be able to apply for a loan in the amount of $12,500.

How soon must the church, ministry or pastor repay the loan? Payroll Protection Loans may include a term of up to 10 years from the date of application.

What interest rate will these Payroll Protection Loans bear? The maximum interest rate for these loans is 4 percent per year.

Is the church, ministry or pastor required to pledge collateral for the loan, or will another party have to guarantee repayment? No. Further, the loans are non-recourse to the borrower with the exception that if loan proceeds are used for an unauthorized purpose, the then loan may be collected from the borrower.

May payments under the loan be deferred? Yes, for a period not less than six months but not to exceed more than one year from the date of the loan.

May all or part of the Payroll Protection Loan be forgiven? Yes, the program is designed to encourage employers to retain employees and loan forgiveness is a key feature of these loans. A ministry under a covered loan can have all or a portion of the principal of the loan forgiven in an amount equal to payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, or utility costs during the eight-week period following the origination of the loan. The forgiven amount, however, may be reduced based on a formula that compares the ministry's employment in prior pre-COVID periods with the number of employees and each employee's wage or salary in the eight-week period following the origination of the loan.

This doesnt belong here either.....  you know damn well that this will be viewed as an attack on religion and has its own board.

@"purplefaithful" said: Hey Jimmy - how's it going?  :p

Most of the time people are being very good at self policing and self correcting.

Fans who want nothing to do with Covid (I dont blame em) dont have to open it. 

Besides, this Covid thing is just about over, it'll get back to normal soon  :#

@"purplefaithful" said: Most of the time people are being very good at self policing and self correcting.

Fans who want nothing to do with Covid (I dont blame em) dont have to open it. 

Besides, this Covid thing is just about over, it'll get back to normal soon  :#

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"purplefaithful" said: Hey Jimmy - how's it going?  :p

How do you vote?  Move the thread or ban the offenders?  or say fuck it and just let shit fly?

@"BarrNone55" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"purplefaithful" said: Hey Jimmy - how's it going?  :p

How do you vote?  Move the thread or ban the offenders?  or say fuck it and just let shit fly?

Since you asked, lock out the offenders. 

lock them out!

Any future offense ... lock them out.

But in this country, we don’t allow ex post facto laws.

@"A1Janitor" said: lock them out!

Any future offense ... lock them out.

But in this country, we don’t allow ex post facto laws.

A quite polarizing aspect of people still going out, to me, is that it transcends my basic understanding and definition of politics. It leaves todays left/right stereotypes behind.

Its not just dumb people who dont believe in it going out. Its overly smart folks who think they are experts on not getting sick - "its just one trip." (for the 5th time this week) "Ive got a mask on" "ive got hand sanitizer and lysol wipes in the glove box..."

I went to Menards today for some washers and drill bits. I couldnt help but notice how busy the lot was. Im sure everyone shopping has their own opinion on the virus and im sure a majority of people there were exercising their makeshift coronavirus prevention measures trying to not spread or catch this shit (Menards has signs everywhere to assist). Id say a quarter of the folks i saw or crossed had masks on. But im sure not everyone there is a non believing Trump supporter... than again it was Menards, if were keeping track of stereotypes. 

- Side note... has anyone started appreciating automatic doors more lately? I did a little Napoleon Dynamite "yesssss" inside when those suckers opened today. -

It's was the first time ive gone out in about a week and a half. Only went because I started a project last week, broke a tool and found out some hardware i ordered didnt come with washers. Was tired of the room being a useless mess, and i've heard of the virus making its way up here. Feeling its now or never, i ran quick. I was initially shocked to see how many folks were there. Subsided when i realize, 'well, guess im a person that's here right now for a bullshit reason too.' ... lol...

Kids are frightning because of the asymptomatic risk; but adults certainly run the same risk. Rand Paul was asymptomatic. Adults in thay sense can be even more "dangerous" in that an asymptomatic adult probably is running more errands on average. You can take the kids out of the adult stores amd close the places teens like to hang; how do you stop the asymptomatic adults from making "emergency" trips to every place that happens to be open still? Or someone like me today, feeling pretty good, confident im not spreading it and crossing my fingers I stay lucky as i pull into Menards for some stupid shit I "need," or the 200 other people who "needed" something the same time I did?

I think articles talking directly about the virus, treatment, etc. are fine.  If they are articles with an obvious political slant, those shouldn't be posted in this thread.  Personally, I'm fine with letting this be a stream of conscious thread where it has daily updates, funny quarantine vids, etc.

I've been on a big positivity kick with my kids lately.  I think the same applies here...  let's face it... these are stressful times with quarantine and shelter in place orders, businesses shut down, toilet paper shortages, etc.  It's important to remember that you are the one who is responsible for how you respond to someone else and what type of tone you use. 

For instance...  my kids have been fighting more and talking negatively to each other because we've been largely cooped up in the house and they haven't been able to have friends over or get a break from each other...  then I find my wife and I getting short with them because it's constant redirection, breaking up arguments, etc. 

I've asked my kids to become "Champions of Positivity" (don't laugh, it's working) and said my wife and I were going to do the same.  Add in the fact that we also lost one of our best friends a month ago (she was way too damn young) and it has really reinforced this mindset for me.   Life is too short to spend part of it being angry at people.

So can we keep this thread loose and fun, but informative and avoid posting stuff that gets people's undies in a bunch?  Seems simple, right?  We can all do that, right?

I was able to find toilet paper today...but I also loaded up on cheese too...

@"purplefaithful" said: Hey Jimmy - how's it going?  :p

Sorry Jimmy, couldn't resist! ;)

But on the larger issue, I prefer keeping politics off our site.  Seems like any world events threads devolves that way.  While I'm a right-winger I get enough red-meat on other sites and Facebook that I don't necessarily want here.  I do love the posts on how everyone else is dealing with the quarantine or breaking stories on hopeful treatments.  As many know, I post too many memes but I am a man of sophmoric humor.

So if I have to vote, keep the politics where it belongs...family gatherings and bars! ;)

(In Barrs case, they're one in the same!)

@"Wetlander" said: I think articles talking directly about the virus, treatment, etc. are fine.  If they are articles with an obvious political slant, those shouldn't be posted in this thread.  Personally, I'm fine with letting this be a stream of conscious thread where it has daily updates, funny quarantine vids, etc.

I've been on a big positivity kick with my kids lately.  I think the same applies here...  let's face it... these are stressful times with quarantine and shelter in place orders, businesses shut down, toilet paper shortages, etc.  It's important to remember that you are the one who is responsible for how you respond to someone else and what type of tone you use. 

For instance...  my kids have been fighting more and talking negatively to each other because we've been largely cooped up in the house and they haven't been able to have friends over or get a break from each other...  then I find my wife and I getting short with them because it's constant redirection, breaking up arguments, etc. 

I've asked my kids to become "Champions of Positivity" (don't laugh, it's working) and said my wife and I were going to do the same.  Add in the fact that we also lost one of our best friends a month ago (she was way too damn young) and it has really reinforced this mindset for me.   Life is too short to spend part of it being angry at people.

So can we keep this thread loose and fun, but informative and avoid posting stuff that gets people's undies in a bunch?  Seems simple, right?  We can all do that, right?

1-for F-it
2-for Lock em out
1-for "why cant we all just get along?"    ( when did Wisconsin legalize pot? )   B)  

I agree with Wet here, this is how its supposed to be.  I have tried to let it go, maybe with a reminder, but its equally on those that choose (yes its a choice) to get pissed off and try to come back over the top.

@"BarrNone55" said: I was able to find toilet paper today...but I also loaded up on cheese too...

This is surely to make our global neighbors happy with uncle sam...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-to-seize-exports-of-masks-and-gloves-amid-coronavirus-crisis/ar-BB12kWru?

on one hand its our Govts job to use its power to help the people of the US first and foremost,  but this could certainly bite us in the ass if we are denying something to a country that is in a position to help us with something else virus related.... wait and see I guess.

I hope this cant be made political... I really really hope-  I actually like this move on a number of fronts.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/some-walmart-costco-target-stores-barred-from-selling-nonessential-items/ar-BB12k907?li=BBnb7Kz
  
1.  It will make it easier for those stores to keep the areas shopped more clean by allowing them to concentrate their sanitizing efforts to less square footage.

2. It will cut down on the number of people in those stores because you can only look at produce and the meat aisle for so long.

3. It will encourage shoppers to just hit the local store instead of going across town to the big box since they cant really get much more than the necessities at either location.

@"JimmyinSD" said: I hope this cant be made political... I really really hope-  I actually like this move on a number of fronts.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/some-walmart-costco-target-stores-barred-from-selling-nonessential-items/ar-BB12k907?li=BBnb7Kz
  
1.  It will make it easier for those stores to keep the areas shopped more clean by allowing them to concentrate their sanitizing efforts to less square footage.

2. It will cut down on the number of people in those stores because you can only look at produce and the meat aisle for so long.

3. It will encourage shoppers to just hit the local store instead of going across town to the big box since they cant really get much more than the necessities at either location.

I went to walmart yesterday and they were counting the customers. 

I asked the guy in the way out and he said they are basing it on square footage.  The store has 200 customers at the time - it was being allowed 980.  

Nice to have a bigger store.