PLAYPEN: Covid-19 Everything Political

[John Camp]

Trump can't doing anything right.  First you castigated him for wanting to decide for the whole country when to reopen it calling him a dictator.  Then, when he backs off and gives it to the governors as you demanded, you complain he's a coward.  As usual with you guys, Trump is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.  We get it.  You don't like him.

Finally, we get to the core of the problem.

[Alan Klein]

Well, pardon the semantics, but I consider that still private, as opposed to Social Security. Private in the sense that Democrats were buying votes by showering teacher unions, etc. with lavish pension promises. As opposed to the federal Social Security which is totally ignorant to your political affiliation or anything else but your earnings record.

So, if you insist on technicality, you are right, it is a government pension. Buth chances that a city like NY or Chicago could go bankrupt are indeed much higher than of the federal government.

Well, only the federal government can print money when they're short.  States have to rely on taxes, bonds, (borrowing) and largess from the Congress.  Meanwhile, Congress is looking to spend another $500 billion just for the states.  Because of the virus, everyone is using it as an excuse to spend like drunken sailors, my apologies to the Navy.  It's insanely destructive but human greed for free stuff has no limits. It's insidious. The politicians, the public.  We're all in it together. 

[Alan Klein]

He charges a lot and sells exclusively to the idiots who spend their whole day watching The Shopping Channel on cable TV.

Well, lately, what else is there to do?

[elliot_n]

China is running a dry run for world domination. They released the virus and sat back to watch just how fast the great Western democracies, beacons of freedom, will fall for tyrannical measures; testing how quickly the western population will clamour for fascism (90+% of Brits support forced house arrests???). How fast the sheeple will accept ankle bracelets, tracing, monitoring, forced extraction from homes, to "save lives." All good info for the Chinese. When the time comes. Soon in living rooms near you and inside your home.

Ok, I'll indulge you

Our boys in blue telling a journalist, 'You're killing people, go home'.

https://twitter.com/simonchilds13/status/1250718305889013760

[faberryman]

Well, lately, what else is there to do?

Oh, I don't know. You have been stuck inside for going on five weeks.  Have you mastered tilts and swings on your new 4x5 camera?

[elliot_n]

Attaboy!

[Craig Lamson]

He charges a lot and sells exclusively to the idiots who spend their whole day watching The Shopping Channel on cable TV.

Except for the "idiots" who shop Kohl's, J.C.Pennys, CVS, Home Depot, Walgreens, Bd Bath and Beyond, Walmart...etc

[Alan Klein]

Oh, I don't know. You have been stuck inside for going on five weeks.  Have you mastered tilts and swings on your new 4x5 camera?

No I haven't.  I should practice more.  But I have mailed out my first ten shots of Tmax 100 to North Coast processing. Problem is my V600 scanner only takes medium format and I need to upgrade to an expensive v800 or v850. But I'm not sure if LF is for me.  It's very fidgety.  In any case, I'm reloaded with Tmax 400.  Trouble is I went to parks and they're all locked down.  It's kinda silly. After all, landscape photography is one of those great hobbies where you can be by yourself.

[Craig Lamson]

Attaboy!

Thank you President Trump!

[Craig Lamson]

No I haven't.  I should practice more.  But I have mailed out my first ten shots of Tmax 100 to North Coast processing. Problem is my V600 scanner only takes medium format and I need to upgrade to an expensive v800 or v850. But I'm not sure if LF is for me.  It's very fidgety.  In any case, I'm reloaded with Tmax 400.  Trouble is I went to parks and they're all locked down.  It's kinda silly. After all, landscape photography is one of those great hobbies where you can be by yourself.

Let me tell you from vast experience, five weeks is not going to do it. Fidgety, to describe LF cameras...perfect!

[William Walker]

Alan & Joe, I need your assistance, please help me to understand this chart....

[faberryman]

Except for the "idiots" who shop Kohl's, J.C.Pennys, CVS, Home Depot, Walgreens, Bd Bath and Beyond, Walmart...etc

I had no idea he was selling his pillows at retail stores. i don't do much shopping. I wouldn't even begin to know which aisle in Home Depot has pillows.

[Alan Klein]

I live in New Jersey. Here's an email I got today from from my periodontist.  My regular dentist is telling me the same thing.  Pretty soon I won't have any teeth in my head to worry about.

April 17, 2020
      Hello Friends and Family,
      As COVID-19 diagnoses continue to prevalent, we are committed to providing a safe and hygienic environment for our patients and our team.
As per Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 109 on April 9th, all elective medical and dental procedures are to be postponed indefinitely.     
The safety and well-being of our patients continue to be our primary concern.  We will continue to monitor the status of COVID-19 nationally, and especially in the New Jersey & Metropolitan New York City area.  We will keep you up-for date regarding our plans to reopen for business as usual.
 Rest assured that we will not begin scheduling appointments until it is safe to do so.
 If you have a routine question or concern, please email the office at xxxxx@gmail.com or call at 123-456-7890.  We will be in periodically to check messages.
      If you have a true dental emergency, please contact Dr. xxxxxx at 123-456-7890.
      Our thoughts and well wishes are with you and your loved ones during these challenging times.
      Be safe,
      xxxyyy zzzz and staff

[LesPalenik]

Yes, dentists, physiotherapists and many doctors. Some of the postponed appointments will lead to injuries, ailments, and deaths.

[Alan Klein]

Alan & Joe, I need your assistance, please help me to understand this chart....

The experts say that until we know how many people actually got the disease, the rates might look higher.  So, if the number of cases go up, which is expected, the death rate with go down.

[JoeKitchen]

Just recently, Trump retweeted vengefully a call to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci after the nation’s top infectious disease expert said lives could have been saved if the country had shut down sooner. Not exactly professional or presidential.

I don't keep track of all the people Trump fired, starting with Rex Tillerson, and ending with Marie Yovanovitch who commented unfavourably on Trump, but there must be a long list of all his firings.

And your point? 

It was a retweet, not his words.  He also, last I checked, did not fire him. 

Care to try again, private company too?

[LesPalenik]

The experts say that until we know how many people actually got the disease, the rates might look higher.  So, if the number of cases go up, which is expected, the death rate with go down.

Assuming, there will be autopsies and correct diagnosis for all deaths.

[LesPalenik]

And your point? 

It was a retweet, not his words.  He also, last I checked, did not fire him. 

Care to try again, private company too?

Yes, it was a re-tweet (as I stated). Totally needless and stupid re-tweet.

[Alan Klein]

Assuming, there will be autopsies and correct diagnosis for all deaths.

I think once they have tests and time for general testing, they're going to see a lot of people had the disease who aren't dead either.  My friend who's just getting over a bad two week bout of Covid, stayed home, never went to the hospital, and was never tested. 

[chez]

So you'd rather partner with China than the USA?  Sure.

Did I say anything about partnering? I'm just pointing out the US is far from squeaky clean and you seem to love taking shots at China...maybe look inwards to see how your government acted throughout the world these past 50 years.