Stiff upper lip. Things are going to get worse. Then they're going to get better. There's little we can do to control the big picture other than do our best to self police and prevent being a vector.

One of the great things about America is that we've accomplished much through the belief in achieving the impossible. From the revolution onward, we've pulled things out through sheer gumption. Sadly, that's made some of us a bit cocky. We think we can turn black into white, up into down, or... two plus two equals five. You can't beat community spread of virus leading to an overload of the for profit health system's capacity by thumping your chest and declaring that you ain't scurred. Slowly but surely more Americans are coming around to that realization. Let's just hope they aren't fooled back the other way.

Anecdotally, I went to Costco this morning to grab a few things we were short on and some things that we just wanted. The one thing everyone (except for me) had in their cart was toilet paper. I do not understand this fear of running out of toilet paper. Of all the things. Odds are high that there is a shower 10 feet or less from where you ordinarily wipe.

They also no longer had Guinness. Worst. March. Ever.

The virus is horrible, but the economic downturn that we're experiencing was coming one way or another. The shortsighted nature of the relief efforts is emblematic of the shortsighted nature of our economic principles of the last few years. The US was like Andy Bernard buying Dunder Mifflin paper to keep his sales numbers up. Sooner or later, you're left with an inventory you can't move and no remaining capital. It would have been a lot better if it came as a gradual downturn. Many retirees have lost wealth they'll never see again. If we do the right things, it'll be back for real in 10 years. If we do the wrong things it could be back as soon as 2, and then disappear again just as quickly.

Driving without speed limits is fun!

I watched a woman at the dollar store buy $89 worth of toilet paper. I was dumbstruck by it. There is plenty of this particular commodity to go around and the panic buying and hoarding is creating a shortage.

What was more concerning was the fact that I had to drive around to five different stores to get 3lbs of ground beef, 2lbs of chicken and 4 pork chops. The dry pasta is all gone from the shelves. Ditto the bread. There's plenty of veggies, though. No one wants the healthy stuff, it seems.

If people would just buy normal amounts, there would be plenty of all of it to go around but the hoarding is going to kill us.

It's a snowball effect, but it's breaking up. There's the first wave of panic buying that sets the table, and then the fear of missing out kicks in.

I think your area should be seeing improved inventory very soon based on what I'm seeing up here. Costco is a bit different as it's a warehouse club (and they're limiting to 50 people in the store at a time), but my neighborhood Target has had just about everything but bread and lunch meat the last couple times I was there.

I did get a couple loaves of bread at Costco today. That was a mighty good sandwich.