Dow down 1900 in two days; Corona virus prediction?

[Robert Roaldi]

Here is one example, though a bit older than the virus scare:

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/456942-bill-maher-roots-for-recession-so-that-trump-loses-in-2020

"Bill Maher roots for recession so that Trump loses in 2020"

For this to be relevant and not just a rather obvious culture war dog at a public figure you don't like, wouldn't you have to show that Bill Maher has influence over the financial markets? Otherwise, it's just hot air, isn't it?

I haven't been following this thread very carefully, but isn't anyone bothered by the fact that Trump tried to politicize a disease? Doesn't that cross a line with anyone?

I hear that Rush Limbaugh was telling folks on his podcast/broadcast that it was all a hoax, that it was just a "cold"?

I'm glad Pence is in charge though. Nice handoff from the Pres, I thought. Maybe Pence will pray again, like he did with the HIV infection issue in his state way back when.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... wouldn't you have to show that Bill Maher has influence over the financial markets?...

Huh!?

Why would I need to show that?

[Craig Lamson]

For this to be relevant and not just a rather obvious culture war dog at a public figure you don't like, wouldn't you have to show that Bill Maher has influence over the financial markets? Otherwise, it's just hot air, isn't it?

I haven't been following this thread very carefully, but isn't anyone bothered by the fact that Trump tried to politicize a disease? Doesn't that cross a line with anyone?

Every politician and his brother is politicizing it. 

I hear that the perennial idiot Rush Limbaugh was telling folks on his podcast/broadcast that it was all a hoax, that it was just a "cold"?

Aside from the fact that the common cold IS a Coronavirus, I’ve not listened to Rush’s actual words, have you?  I would think that perhaps actually knowing what was said would be preferable to “hearing”.  Just a thought.

I'm glad Pence is in charge though. Nice handoff from the Pres, I thought. Maybe Pence will pray again, like he did with the HIV infection issue in his state way back when.

I’ll assume you are being sarcastic, because if you are not it’s shows a real lack of knowledge on your part.

[Robert Roaldi]

Every politician and his brother is politicizing it. 

Aside from the fact that the common cold IS a Coronavirus, I’ve not listened to Rush’s actual words, have you?  I would think that perhaps actually knowing what was said would be preferable to “hearing”.  Just a thought.


I’ll assume you are being sarcastic, because if you are not it’s shows a real lack of knowledge on your part.

I read Paul Klugman's opinion piece in the New York Times. Sorry, I don't have a link, I read it on someone else's machine, I'm not a subscriber. The references I made were based on his piece.


But I managed to find the quote from the Klugman piece about Limbaugh's statement,

" Rush Limbaugh weighed in: “It looks like the coronavirus is being weaponized as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump. Now, I want to tell you the truth about the coronavirus. ... The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.” "

So, do you really think Rush was trying to educate us about virus families?

[Craig Lamson]

I read Paul Klugman's opinion piece in the New York Times. Sorry, I don't have a link, I read it on someone else's machine, I'm not a subscriber. The references I made were based on his piece.

Mistake number 1

But I managed to find the quote from the Klugman piece about Limbaugh's statement,

" Rush Limbaugh weighed in: “It looks like the coronavirus is being weaponized as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump. Now, I want to tell you the truth about the coronavirus. ... The coronavirus is the common cold, folks.” "



So, do you really think Rush was trying to educate us about virus families?

So I went and read the actual transcript from Rush as well as his follow up.

His point was that this virus has not caused a single death at this point in the USA...not a lot different than the common cold.

Now, was it inartfully stated?  Absolutely. Was he suggesting that it was not possible for it to get worse?  Actually he said the opposite.   

Is he correct that the Dems are weaponizing the potential crisis?  In my opinion, yes.

[Rob C]

To be fair, no party cares about the whole country. Parties represent their constituents, and the constituents' interests. They all want power so that they can advance their constituents' interests. If there were a country or society in the world where people wouldn't have competing and differing interests and views, there would be only one party.

You have partaken of the same kool aid as did I - for decades.

That is the innocents' view of politics. The freshly displayed truth, unvarnished and visibly red of claw, is that they don't give a stuff for the "constituents' interests"  because the constituents are simply the numbers, and you offer them whatever you think will garner their vote, and when you get into power, you line your pockets and do your utmost to make sure that it is ever more difficult for any other party to replace yours; your motivation become opposition destruction, 100% of the time.

Truth is, any politician is just as capable of shouting for any party under the Sun: he/she just picks the one where the competition for top job seems weakest and then he/she goes for it.

If you believe otherwise, you have simply blinded yourself with dogma and party fidelty. Stand aside for a while, and the scales will fall from your eyes. But, if you do that, be warned: things will never feel the same again. Just like photography.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Rob, the mistake you are making is assuming “constituents” is meant to mean people, or voters, or the whole population of the country. Not at all. Better to think of it as “special interest groups.” It is often said that Republicans are the party of the 1%, ie, of the rich.

(Bush speaking at a campaign dinner to a group of his wealthy donors;  bold mine)

George W. Bush:
What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.

Democratic base is supposed to be workers and middle class, but it warped lately into “victims” in general (all kind of “victimized” minorities). If you are not a victim, or don’t feel like one, they’ll make sure you understand you are. That’s where the PC indoctrination and terror come into play.

Your view of politicians is utterly cynical. Yes, some enter the game for personal monetary gain. But that’s a side effect of how and why parties were formed. A group of people decide to defend their interests, get together, form a party and select some among themselves to represent them. That’s how even Magna Carta was born.

[armand]

You guys should leave politics out of this. The current administration is not and the price will be paid. As I said were earlier, it's not just about the actual mortality but overwhelming the medical system with too many people; ERs will be full with people having the virus but not being that sick while people who really need to be seen (for serious cases or other conditions) will be out of reach.
I don't know if you noticed the buying frenzy and the out of stock foods, the panic that is starting will be as bad as the virus itself.

[Rob C]

Rob, the mistake you are making is assuming “constituents” is meant to mean people, or voters, or the whole population of the country. Not at all. Better to think of it as “special interest groups.” It is often said that Republicans are the party of the 1%, ie, of the rich.

(Bush speaking at a campaign dinner to a group of his wealthy donors;  bold mine)

Democratic base is supposed to be workers and middle class, but it warped lately into “victims” in general (all kind of “victimized” minorities). If you are not a victim, or don’t feel like one, they’ll make sure you understand you are. That’s where the PC indoctrination and terror come into play.

Your view of politicians is utterly cynical. Yes, some enter the game for personal monetary gain. But that’s a side effect of how and why parties were formed. A group of people decide to defend their interests, get together, form a party and select some among themselves to represent them. That’s how even Magna Carta was born.

Cynicism = experience; shattering of illusions - or of sunglasses in rose...

The Magna Carta was born out of duress!

;-)

[LesPalenik]

George W. Bush:
What an impressive crowd: the haves, and the have-mores. Some people call you the elite, I call you my base.

Or the less-ons and the more-ons.

[William Walker]

I don't know if you noticed the buying frenzy and the out of stock foods, the panic that is starting will be as bad as the virus itself.

Some advice from a shithole country...

[armand]

I'm not panicking, I know better, but if everybody else does it will make no difference what I do.

[John Camp]

My wife isn't panicking, but she's a former (very good) reporter and she notices. She came home from the CVS drug store yesterday and reported a note on the door that apologized for being out of stock of face masks and hand sanitizers. It hasn't gotten to the point of people stocking up on food, but there's a tipping point...

Many years ago, Johnny Carson famously made a joke about a shortage of toilet paper, and it started a run on toilet paper that turned into a real shortage (because excess toilet paper was then being stored in people's homes rather than in stores.) If we get to a tipping point in our computer-operated, just-in-time economy, there could be a real problem.

https://paleymatters.org/johnny-carson-and-the-toilet-paper-scare-of-73-44dbb95eb580 

[Alan Klein]

GE just told me the warehouse is delayed with some part, the handle,  I ordered for my microwave.  I wonder if it really has to do with slow shipments from China?

[Alan Klein]

My wife isn't panicking, but she's a former (very good) reporter and she notices. She came home from the CVS drug store yesterday and reported a note on the door that apologized for being out of stock of face masks and hand sanitizers. It hasn't gotten to the point of people stocking up on food, but there's a tipping point...

Many years ago, Johnny Carson famously made a joke about a shortage of toilet paper, and it started a run on toilet paper that turned into a real shortage (because excess toilet paper was then being stored in people's homes rather than in stores.) If we get to a tipping point in our computer-operated, just-in-time economy, there could be a real problem.

https://paleymatters.org/johnny-carson-and-the-toilet-paper-scare-of-73-44dbb95eb580 

My wife bought masks at Walgreens.  They're not the N95's.  But I doubt if I'll walk around with anything on anyway. 

[Craig Lamson]

My wife bought masks at Walgreens.  They're not the N95's.  But I doubt if I'll walk around with anything on anyway.

The medical experts I have seen recently said that masks do very little to protect you from the virus and people who are not infected should not wear them.  They do the most good when worn by those who are infected and help prevent speading the virus. 

We were shopping the last few day at Sams and Costco.  Not a lot of seemingly panic buying but we did lay in some extra can goods, meat for the freezer and of course toilet paper. We tend to stay pretty well stocked in normal times anyways.   I've also refilled all my perscription drugs if possible.  Panic is one thing, not taking some effort to be somewhat prepared is silly. 

As a side note we now have a confirmed death in Washinghton...

[Rob C]

The medical experts I have seen recently said that masks do very little to protect you from the virus and people who are not infected should not wear them.  They do the most good when worn by those who are infected and help prevent speading the virus. 

We were shopping the last few day at Sams and Costco.  Not a lot of seemingly panic buying but we did lay in some extra can goods, meat for the freezer and of course toilet paper. We tend to stay pretty well stocked in normal times anyways.   I've also refilled all my perscription drugs if possible.  Panic is one thing, not taking some effort to be somewhat prepared is silly. 

As a side note we now have a confirmed death in Washinghton...

Just watched Britain's Rick Stein doing a weekend's gastronomic cruise of the eateries in Bologna. He suggests more of us visit that northern Italian university town. Ironic timing indeed!   

I love to hate that guy: I can't resist watching his shows, and his French canal series made me despair at my absolute inability to try cooking and get anything right. He also had a more recent series on France where he taunted both my appetite and interest in things Porsche. Grrrr..... !

[faberryman]

As a side note we now have a confirmed death in Washinghton...

Must be a Democrat hoax.  Trump said yesterday everyone was doing better.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Must be a Democrat hoax.  Trump said yesterday everyone was doing better.

That needs to be put into perspective: annual death toll for the regular flu in 2018/2019 season (October through May) was 60K

[faberryman]

That needs to be put into perspective: annual death toll for the regular flu in 2018/2019 season (October through May) was 60K

One death in 15 cases is a 6.6% mortality rate. Let's hope that no more cases are reported. I am optimistic. Trump said that in a couple of days the number of cases would be close to zero.