I try to keep this blog apolitical but the edicts of the wolf administration are screwing Pennsylvania businesses. 

My Girlfriend and I decided to go to New Hope and get dinner at the Ferry Market. We parked in the lot by the train station. The parking rates have increased drastically. I paid for four hours figuring we’d get something to eat and and then enjoy a drink by the river. 

When we got to the Ferry Market, the first thing we noticed was that about a third of the stalls were vacated. That is almost certainly due to the covid restrictions. It was a sad sight to say the least. 

We had our meal and wanted to take advantage of the beautiful weather. Our thought was to go to the new promenade, get a drink and enjoy the view of the river. 

We discovered that was impossible. Emperor wolf and his minister of health, who by the way, had no experience with epidemiology or economics, issued a royal decree that:

“No serf shall be served any beverages to slake their thirst unless said serf orders a complete meal.”

King Thomas Wolf I – Royal Emperor of Pennsylvania

Wow, maybe being a specialist in child eating disorders has given health minister Levine knowledge that the presence of food will prevent the nasty little covid virus from spreading.  Mere snacks won’t do. If you just order a plate of fries, Covid will infect you faster than you can say “Send Covid patients to the Nursing Homes.” If you order a complete meal, you are impervious to the ravages of the Covid virus. 

I can understand health restrictions that are based on facts and science. I defy anyone to make a case that food makes having a drink safer. 

As I look back, the restriction seems to be on alcoholic beverages. Once again, that nasty little Covid virus particle show it’s devious, tricky nature. Therefore we are left with the following absurd matrix:

• Drink a Guinness with a plate of pasta = Safe
• Drink a Margarita without a sandwich = YOU ARE GONNA DIE
• Drink a Coca Cola with a steak = Safe
• Drink a Pepsi with fries = Safe. 

Oh, and it seems that you need to wear a mask while eating.. Even Homer Simpson couldn’t come up with something that stupid. 

Let me point out that the virus dies quickly at temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit and in the presence of UV light. It was well over 80 degrees and that bright hot thing in the sky was sending loads of UV light.

The sad part about this is that the restaurant and bar business has no chance. I have not seen any scientific evidence that the edicts issues by wolf and levine will make us one bit safer. 

What I do see is people who spent the last 20 years of their lives building a modest business losing everything. The employees who work for them will lose their livelihood. The people who supply services will lose income and possibly their business. 

Mental health services are already seeing the effects of the economic devastation. How many people will commit suicide when they lose everything? How many people will lose their health care?

While is is a microcosm, the Ferry Market lost about 30 percent of it’s vendors since March. In other words, in four months, a third of the vendors folded.