If ever you feel unhappy about your regional leadership in the United States—if your governor is a little heavy-handed with the COVID restrictions, if your state legislators seem far too eager to defer to "public health experts" in shutting down your multigenerational family business—then just think, it could be worse: you could live literally anywhere in New Zealand:

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a nationwide lockdown after the country confirmed one coronavirus case -- the first locally transmitted Covid-19 case in the community since February...

New Zealand will be under the strictest level lockdown level for the next three days starting from 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, local time, Ardern said. Under level four lockdown, everyone must stay home and businesses are closed aside for essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies.

All of this for one COVID case? Think how bad it would be if they'd found two.

Being forced to stay home is certainly unpleasant, no arguments there. But at least you can, you know, maybe have a chat with your neighbors over the back fence, just to keep up a little meaningful human contact? Oh wait:

Ah. Well, maybe New Zealanders can communicate from their windows via flashlight morse code. Be sure to pick up some lightbulbs before the hardware stores close up!