>as part of the regulations they banned all alcohol sales
For my curiosity, would you mind sharing where this is? It contrasts with my experience in the US, where I know a few states made it easier to sell alcohol.
I can't imagine trying to get through this quarantine without at least some booze, and I rarely drink. How are they handling all the bonafide alcoholics that would go into DTs with this?
Having lived in Africa for 2 years (not SA though), I guarantee that the reason for the ban is for the government to profit off of bribes. Whenever something doesn't make any sense in Africa, the answer is always the same: bribes.
Wow that's crazy. In Seattle liquor stores, breweries (take-away only), beer bottle shops, and marijuana stores are all included under the "essential" exemption. I can't imagine the upheaval we'd have if the government had shut them.
The northern counties of West Virginia have also issued a prohibition order for all non-residents, so that only West Virginians can purchase alcohol because apparently there have been hundreds of cases of Pennsylvanians crossing the border just to buy alcohol.
Some find this order reasonable, but most in WV find this irresponsible of both WV and PA since alcoholics cutting cold turkey can be hospitalized for their withdrawal symptoms.
>Except for lifting...for whatever reason I've been obsessed with that for almost a decade now.
My hypothesis is that exercise, especially weight training, is one of the few activities where the growth curve is front-loaded with improvement. The phenomenon of "noob gains" provides positive feedback much quicker than other activities, and that feedback is much easier to get--just look at how much you lifted this week compared to two weeks ago, or how fast you ran that last mile.
By the time your gains start to slow down--whether that's six months or a year from now--you've already developed a habit.
Based on one very quick reading of the case, my understanding is:
1. Defendant ("D") purchased a $42,000 Land Rover using funds from a life estate policy covering the life of his now-deceased father.
2. D sells $225 worth of heroin to undercover cops. Ends up paying ~$1200 in fines, one year on house arrest, 5 years probation
3. Max penalty in Indiana for his crimes is $10,000
4. Cops seize his Land Rover, arguing it was used in the performance of selling heroin.
5. He sues the State of Indiana, arguing that the seizure is an excessive fine.
6. Trial Court and Appellate Court rule in D's favor. Indiana Supreme Court reverses. D appeals to US Supreme Court.
7. Supreme Court rules that the 8th amendment protects against excessive fines, and that because the rule against excessive fines is part of our national history and tradition, the 14th Amendment makes that part of the 8th amendment apply to the states. Further, excessive fines can be used for silencing political enemies and income generation, rather than being a legitimate part of the process of "retribution and rehabilitation" that we want the justice system to provide. When a State's actions benefit the State, the Court will carefully scrutinize those actions.
8. State of Indiana tried to argue that while "excessive fines" are part of the 8th amendment, it does not apply specifically to civil in rem forfeitures (aka property seizure).
Supreme Court cites a case clarifying the way the analysis is done--only the broad category of "excessive fines" is reviewed, rather than picking out very specific instances of fines, like property seizure.
9. This was a unanimous decision. Technically it was 7-0 with 2 concurring opinions. The two concurrences were Gorsuch and Thomas, who both agreed with the outcome, but said that a different part of the 14th amendment (privileges and immunities) is what should be used, rather than what the other 7 relied on (the due process clause).
10. The case was remanded to Indiana Courts for rulings consistent with this opinion. The Supreme Court answered only whether excessive fines, barred to the US government by the 8th amendment, also applied to the States through the 14th amendment. It did not answer whether the seizure of the Land Rover was actually excessive. Indiana will (get a chance) to decide that.
Based on my reading, it appears that the avenue for property seizure is based upon fines defined by statute. To perform a civil asset seizure, a person must be convicted of a crime. If they are convicted of a crime, the seizure must not constitute an excessive fine. Is this how others interpreted the ruling?
Here's some conjecture: The people that were driven to be healthy in the past were about as healthy as the health-obsessed people today. And the people in the past who didn't care defaulted into a lifestyle and eating habits that, based on what was marketed and available to them, left them looking and being average from a weight and health context.
Now, they've similarly "defaulted" into the lifestyle and eating habits that are available to them, but those are worse for their health.
For my curiosity, would you mind sharing where this is? It contrasts with my experience in the US, where I know a few states made it easier to sell alcohol.