I must admit my primary reaction to John Oliver’s piece this week on One America News is thank goodness it’s not about Coronavirus.
Apr 07 2020
Essential Workers
Parents and other people with replacement humans in their lives (fortunately not me since I’ve no place for the leftovers) may rejoice as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand has declared the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny ‘Essential Workers’.
Easter Bunny and tooth fairy are ‘essential workers,’ New Zealand prime minister says
by N’dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today
April 6, 2020
Essential workers include doctors, nurses, grocery store clerks, ride-share drivers and police officers – and in New Zealand, the list just got longer. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was asked at a news briefing whether she had considered an exemption for the Easter Bunny, and Ardern confirmed she had.
“You will be pleased to know that we do consider both the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny to be essential workers,” Ardern said.
She noted that it may be more difficult for them to visit every home this year because they may be “potentially quite busy at home with their family.”
…
“So I say to the children of New Zealand, if the Easter Bunny doesn’t make it to your household, we have to understand that it’s a bit difficult at the moment for the bunny to perhaps be everywhere,” she continued.
Well I would hope so. For one thing the Tooth Fairy is a Fairy and even if she got sick we could clap her back to life like a Light Bulb (Clap On, Clap Off- too soon?).
And the Easter Bunny is, well, a Bunny. If he were a Tiger I suppose I would have to worry and that would be a really freaky childhood memory (A ferocious Tiger giving you candy? Why? To fatten you up?) that would require thousands of hours of very expensive Therapy to unpack. I can fit you in twice a week.
I can’t find in the article where they they discuss Santa Claus. Hopefully it won’t be an issue when the time comes. He’s a right jolly Old Elf so… not human, probably ok.
So how is New Zealand doing? 1,106 cases with one death so far. They also were very early with a very strict border control policy and quarantine and it ain’t a big place. If the Sheep don’t get it they’ll probably be alright.
And Jacinda was still shaking hands and hugging people March 17th. So was I except that’s something I never do because I’m not sociable and fit to be around.
Apr 07 2020
The Breakfast Club (Superheroes)
Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungover we’ve been bailed out we’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.
This Day in History
Civil war erupts in Rwanda; NY audience previews long-distance television; Auto pioneer Henry Ford dies in Dearborn, Mich.;Singer Billie Holiday, known as “Lady Day” is born in Philadelphia.
Breakfast Tunes
Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac
There is always the need to carry on.
Apr 06 2020
Pondering the Pundits
Pondering the Pundits” is an Open Thread. It is a selection of editorials and opinions from around the news media and the internet blogs. The intent is to provide a forum for your reactions and opinions, not just to the opinions presented, but to what ever you find important.
Thanks to ek hornbeck, click on the link and you can access all the past “Pondering the Pundits”.
Follow us on Twitter @StarsHollowGzt
Noah Bookbinder: Trump Is Gutting Our Democracy While We’re Dealing with Coronavirus
The president’s firing of the intelligence watchdog who validated the Ukraine whistle-blower complaint is his latest threat to the rule of law.
When President Trump announced late Friday that he would fire the government watchdog who told Congress about the Ukraine whistle-blower complaint, which ultimately led to his impeachment, it touched off one of the most acute threats yet to our democracy. But it didn’t even make the front page of most papers.
That’s understandable. Thousands of Americans are dying every day from the terrifying coronavirus pandemic. People are worried about their own safety and that of their families, as well as about their jobs and livelihood. Questions abound about how the crisis got to this point, whether the Trump administration took appropriate steps to address it, and what steps are needed to minimize the devastation going forward; there is little bandwidth for anything else.
But we can’t afford to ignore the anti-democratic steps the president is taking while the American people are appropriately preoccupied with this outbreak. If we don’t respond to these outrageous abuses now, the damage may be done by the time anyone is the wiser.
The worst of the president’s latest round of steps to undermine checks and balances came not just in this time of crisis, but on a Friday night, the classic black hole for sweeping problematic actions in Washington under the rug.
Jennifer Senior: This Is What Happens When a Narcissist Runs a Crisis
Trump’s catastrophic performance has as much to do with psychology as ideology.
Since the early days of the Trump administration, an impassioned group of mental health professionals have warned the public about the president’s cramped and disordered mind, a darkened attic of fluttering bats. Their assessments have been controversial. The American Psychiatric Association’s code of ethics expressly forbids its members from diagnosing a public figure from afar.
Enough is enough. As I’ve argued before, an in-person analysis of Donald J. Trump would not reveal any hidden depths — his internal sonar could barely fathom the bottom of a sink — and these are exceptional, urgent times. Back in October, George T. Conway III, the conservative lawyer and husband of Kellyanne, wrote a long, devastating essay for The Atlantic, noting that Trump has all the hallmarks of narcissistic personality disorder. That disorder was dangerous enough during times of prosperity, jeopardizing the moral and institutional foundations of our country.
But now we’re in the midst of a global pandemic. The president’s pathology is endangering not just institutions, but lives.
Ross Barkin: The vacant Comfort hospital ship is a symbol of our coronavirus failure
The hospital ship docked in New York City is a sad representation of the federal and local response to coronavirus: too little and far too late
The USNS comfort, the navy hospital ship deployed to New York City this week, was supposed to house 1,000 patients. Instead, it’s taken in only 20, refusing to accept New Yorkers suffering with coronavirus.
Sitting on idle on the Hudson River, the ship is quickly becoming a symbol of all that has gone horrifically wrong with both the federal and local response to the Covid-19 outbreak. There are about 50,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in New York City alone, with more than a thousand dead. Many, with the right course of action, could have been prevented.
Donald Trump, who has bumbled through every conceivable facet of preparation for this once-in-a-century pandemic, saw off the ship in Virginia to much fanfare. Bill de Blasio, the mayor of New York City, and Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, greeted it upon arrival. But military and bureaucratic hurdles have prevented the Comfort from accepting most patients. [..]
Cuomo, perceived as a hero because Trump is so ill-fit for a crisis, has not performed much better. Though New York had more coronavirus cases, the state government closed public schools and implemented a shelter-in-place order after states like California, Ohio and Michigan, even though New York was the center of the outbreak. The curve was not flattened enough. New York, like northern Italy before it, is in a state of catastrophe.
Meanwhile, a vacant hospital ship floats uselessly on the river. For now, it’s sadly representative of the federal and local response to coronavirus: too little and far too late.
Charles M. Blow: Social Distancing Is a Privilege
The idea that this virus is an equal-opportunity killer must itself be killed.
People like to say that the coronavirus is no respecter of race, class or country, that the disease Covid-19 is mindless and will infect anybody it can.
In theory, that is true. But, in practice, in the real world, this virus behaves like others, screeching like a heat-seeking missile toward the most vulnerable in society. And this happens not because it prefers them, but because they are more exposed, more fragile and more ill.
What the vulnerable portion of society looks like varies from country to country, but in America, that vulnerability is highly intersected with race and poverty. [..]
Partly for this reason, we are left with deceptive and deadly misinformation. The perception that this is a jet-setters’ disease, or a spring breakers’ disease, or a “Chinese virus” as President Trump likes to say, must be laid to rest. The idea that this virus is an equal-opportunity killer must itself be killed.
And, we must dispense with the callous message that the best defense we have against the disease is something that each of us can control: We can all just stay home and keep social distance.
As a report last month by the Economic Policy Institute pointed out, “less than one in five black workers and roughly one in six Hispanic workers are able to work from home.”
Robert Reich: To Donald Trump, coronavirus is just one more chance for a power grab
Chaos in response to Covid-19 is no surprise. Nor is the unscrupulous operators’ pursuit of profit and political advantage
he utter chaos in America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic – shortages of equipment to protect hospital workers, dwindling supplies of ventilators and critical medications, jaw-dropping confusion over how $2.2tn of aid in the recent coronavirus law will be distributed – was perhaps predictable in a nation that prides itself on competitive individualism and hates centralized power.
But it is also tailor-made for Donald Trump, who has spent a lifetime exploiting chaos for personal gain and blaming others for losses. [..]
Donald Trump calls allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election a “hoax”. He called his impeachment a “hoax”. He initially called the coronavirus a “hoax”.
But the real hoax is Trump’s commitment to America. In reality he will do anything – anything – to hold on to power. In his mind, the coronavirus crisis is just another opportunity.
Apr 06 2020
Let’s Do Some Maths, Shall We?
Even the most conservative estimates suggest that eventual exposure to Coronavirus is inevitable for 90% of the population here in the United States.
Now, it’s not Pancreatic Cancer and Doctors can help but you’ll probably be very, very sick and you could die. What we are doing now with the Social Distancing is attempting to slow the rate of exposure so we don’t run out of beds and Ventilators because if you’re so sick you need them-
You do.
Other things are Medium and Long term solutions. It’s possible that shortly more test kits, some of which are reputed to detect previous exposure and thus presumed immunity, may be available. There might be some more N95s if we can keep Unindicted Co-conspirator Bottomless Pinocchio’s sticky and tiny hands off.
Literally, don’t hold your breath waiting for more Ventilators. They’re not the kind of thing you assemble out of spare parts in your garage. Best case 3 Months for any measurable increase.
And Elon Musk is a fabulist.
Vaccines are not going to be here until May 2021. Hydroxychloroquine is not just ineffective garbage (unless you have Malaria, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, or Porphyria Cutanea Tarda) but is dangerous! Lots of people have died from the Side Effects and Overdosing. A treatment option that might be effective since many Fatalities are the result of a Cytokine Storm (basically an Immune System run amok) would be an Immune System suppressant. We have a bunch of them that are used for everything from Transplant Rejection to Eczema (mine is under control at the moment and I’m not in Treatment). Well, they’re testing them. Some are pretty harsh, many have fewer bad reactions than Hydroxychloroquine (like, not as easy to Overdose- have I told you about Tylanol?).
So it’s not like there’s entirely no hope, but now we crunch the numbers.
Maths
I’ve seen estimates of Mortality in the 4% range which is probably excessive but data on the General Population is thin because we don’t have enough Tests nor any that show previous exposure. We might find it substantially lower and what we’re measuring now is people who feel sick enough to go to the Hospital (and one that has Tests).
For this exercise I will assume a Mortality Rate (how likely you are to die despite the best Doctors can do) of 2%.
Yay! 98% of you will 100% die, though from something else like getting hit by a Bus. If you don’t like that I’ll be happy to talk about Entropy and the Heat Death of the Universe in about 14 Billion Years some time.
How many are there of you? Well in round numbers (they call them that because of the Zeros) 330 Million here in the U.S.A. and that’s all we care about isn’t it because we’re so damn exceptional.
Even there I’ll be charitable and assume only 50% of the Population is exposed. Well, that’s 165 Million.
2% of 165 Million is 3.3 Million. Try it on your Calculator.
Per a Kiev Court’s finding Stalin’s Holodomor (the Famine Genocide of the Ukraine) starved 3.9 Million people to death. Hitler’s Holocaust killed about 6 Million Jews and 11 Million others.
But it’s not like the difference is an order of magnitude or anything.
And in a widely reported development, a Tiger at the Bronx Zoo has been diagnosed with Coronavirus.
Apr 06 2020
Cartnoon
So lindybeige is a YouTuber I encountered because of my interest in Medieval Warfare. Among other things he makes a compelling case that Spears are better than Swords (you can make them as long as you like, they don’t take much metal or time to produce, and you can throw them) but I can’t imagine most of you are interested in arcana like that.
Evidently he married someone and moved to the States and his new channel, Lost in the Pond is about the cultural differences between the UK and the US. He’s a funny guy and perhaps Conservative in the British Way (slightly to the Left of Corporatist Democrats). I’ve screened a lot of his stuff and haven’t heard him make any really reprehensible statements, though I don’t always agree.
It’s pretty safe to watch these with the exception that you could get some weird YouTube recommendations since War Gaming and Re-Enacting tend to skew a little Right. You might get some Prepper and Gun stuff and you’ll probably get a bunch of History too. The thing about History guys is that some of them have an agenda. Masons are not going to take over the World which by the way- isn’t flat. Yes Mr. Bucksbaum, how many Units has it been?
That’s my Agenda.
lindybeige on the other hand is a straight up Geek. Mostly harmless.
Apr 06 2020
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Queen
Still kinda thinking that Acela thing is a good idea.
With BoJo Hospitalized does that mean she’s a reigning Queen? Thought Cromwell settled that.
And it’s not quite-
I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.
At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government- every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.
Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.
We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.
But you know, what is? When they do it in movies normally the actor playing Churchill gets all excited at that “never surrender” but it’s much better delivered as- “Do you have any Grey Poupon?”, “Of course, that’s kind of a dumb question.”
Apr 06 2020
The Breakfast Club (Straight Through Hell With A Smile)
Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungover we’ve been bailed out we’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:00am (ET) (or whenever we get around to it) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.
This Day in History
The United States enters World War One; First modern Olympic Games open in Athens, Greece; Harry Houdini is born.
Breakfast Tunes
Something to Think about over Coffee Prozac
If you’re going through hell, keep going.
Apr 05 2020
Rant of the Week: Bill Maher – Worst Responder
Bill Maher’s New Rule: I’m all for rallying around the flag but let’s no rally around the guy who mssed all the red flags.
Apr 05 2020
No Sports?
Stanford vs. Wisconsin: 2019 NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Championship from January 21st.
Don’t bother pretending you watched it live.
Apr 05 2020
Virtual Tourism
Been watching a lot of Gold Rush.
Not enough Open Prairie?
Over Wyoming? I don’t think I’ll ever get over Wyoming.