PLAYPEN: Covid-19 Everything Political

[Alan Klein]

They failed initially, but they have it under control now... unlike other states;
The amounts of death in carehomes is a world wide lesson.
In the Netherlands we now have more protective clothing incase of a next time; it all went to the hospitals and intensive care units- there just was not enough.
In Sweden they even refused to give oxygen to old patients in carehomes...  probably also because of a shortage.

Would you give President Trump the same latitude as you give NY Governor Cuomo? I doubt it.

[Paulo Bizarro]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/03/orange-vests-protests-in-rome-leader-says-coronavirus-doesnt-exist.html?fbclid=IwAR0fO21EzLZqe9GJETZeEZzCVa4bTcWrBsosBTerIR5V3YWE4n90txdYcPs

Italy is seeing an ‘Orange Vests’ movement that says coronavirus pandemic doesn’t exist

Sure, whatever... another clown.

[faberryman]

The damage to Trump was done.

Lunacy. Trump did not gain or lose a single vote because of the Lancet article. There was no "damage" done. The only people who believe Trump are his base. They believe anything he says, no matter how preposterous.  If it turns out that the statement is not true, they characterize it as aspirational or an exaggeration. If neither, they say he was only joking. If they saw the Lancet article, which is quite unlikely as they don't spend much time reading scientific journals, assuming they understood it, which is dubious at best, they did not believe it.  Really, how many old white men without a college degree read Lancet? Or the retraction from Lancet?  For them, the retraction is only proof that the article was false to begin with, that Trump was right, and that everyone else is just out to get him. Somehow all of this increases their feelings of self-worth, and gives them a reason to live. I pity them. What are they going to do when Trump is gone? Their whole world will have been pulled out from under them.

[Paulo Bizarro]

Don't you mean 1.5 trillion Euros not billion?  Also 650 billion not .650.  Your currency won't be worth anything pretty soon like ours.  I read somewhere that the Euro will be down to 80 cents on the dollar.  I told my wife it will be really cheap to go on vacation in Europe.  That's if you can fly and rent a hotel room.  Unemployment of 10% maybe be too generous. I think here in America we're up to 20%.  It's going to be a long grind to get back to normal.  My wife and I are retired so it doesn't affect us much. Of course, risk wise if we get sick is where we're in trouble.   I really feel sorry for younger families who have to support families and don't have a job.  What's the situation in Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Great Britain, etc?

1,000 - 1 thousand euros
1,000,000 - 1 million euros
1,000,000,000 - 1 thousand million (billion) euros

[Alan Klein]

Employment in US went up 2 1/2 million in May after dropping 20 million in April.  Stock market DOW up 700 points. (2.6%) Democrats will probably drop their idea of giving more to the people as it will only help Trump win re-election when they realize that they shot themselves in the foot. 

Trump declares victory as US unemployment drops to 13.3%

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/politics/trump-unemployment-numbers-protests/index.html

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

1,000 - 1 thousand euros
1,000,000 - 1 million euros
1,000,000,000 - 1 thousand million (billion) euros

Yes, and that's on a population of 446,824,564 people (as of Januari 2020), in 27 countries (excluding the United Kingdom due to Brexit).

[dreed]

Employment in US went up 2 1/2 million in May after dropping 20 million in April.  Stock market DOW up 700 points. (2.6%) Democrats will probably drop their idea of giving more to the people as it will only help Trump win re-election when they realize that they shot themselves in the foot. 

Now you know why Donald wanted everyone to end lockdowns: so he could get his face on TV and shout about how he had created jobs. People's health be damned.

Don't worry, nobody from outside the USA is going to enter it and nobody outside the USA is going to let Americans in for a long time yet. The country is still a seething mass of coronavirus infection and everyone else in the world is going to avoid it like a nasty cold sore on a lip.

[kers]

Employment in US went up 2 1/2 million in May after dropping 20 million in April.  Stock market DOW up 700 points. (2.6%) Democrats will probably drop their idea of giving more to the people as it will only help Trump win re-election when they realize that they shot themselves in the foot. 

Trump declares victory as US unemployment drops to 13.3%

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/politics/trump-unemployment-numbers-protests/index.html

if you stat llinkin CNN news: link also this.

Trump shares letter that calls peaceful protesters 'terrorists'
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/04/politics/trump-letter-protesters/index.html

[James Clark]

That Fuji looks like it is a nice camera, and Im sure you will like it.  Congrats on a new camera.  Me, on the other had have not bought a new camera since 2015.   I can't find a business reason to spend the money.  I'm using the technolgically challenged, poor DR, old sensored, Canon 5Ds.  I only bouhgt it because my 5d's and 1DsIII were getting long in the tooth.  and to be franly not a single client noticed the increase in image quality.  I can't remember a recent time when an image I made for a client was ever used beyond a 8.5" x 22" spread and that was rare.  Lots of banners and billboards but those are low res anyway.  Just no incentive for me to spend money on a camera.  Maybe I'm just old school and remember using film camera for 10-20 years . 

I read a lot of good things about the small Fuji cameras, people seem to really like them.  Looks like you have found a good reason to shoot them

BTW, its nice to talk about something besides the political and medical upheaval in the world for a change.

Yes it is

I shot the 5dsr for several years and loved it.  I never found the "bad" dynamic range to be an issue, and the color, noise and other stuff, for all practical purposes, was never any problem at all.  Only reason I switched (added, really) the Fuji system was a trip to Paris that I needed a really small setup for.  (limited to intl. carry ons).  Turns out I really liked it, and the video capabilities have turned out to be fantastic.  The actual resolution isn't there compared to the 5ds, but compared to an Eos r, for example, in real-world applications I didn't see much of a difference.

[faberryman]

Employment in US went up 2 1/2 million in May after dropping 20 million in April.  Stock market DOW up 700 points. (2.6%) Democrats will probably drop their idea of giving more to the people as it will only help Trump win re-election when they realize that they shot themselves in the foot. 

Trump declares victory as US unemployment drops to 13.3%

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/05/politics/trump-unemployment-numbers-protests/index.html

Duh. Now that the country is opening up, some people went back to work. Who knew? In related news, the sun rose in the east this morning. Victory!

Here is what else Trump had to say about the employment numbers:

"Hopefully George [Floyd] is looking down right now and saying this is a great thing that’s happening for our country," Trump said, adding: "This is a great day for him. It’s a great day for everybody."

Honestly, you just can't make this stuff up.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/06/05/george-floyd-protests-minneapolis-memorial-kanye-west-buffalo/3149809001/

[Craig Lamson]

s

In Show Of Solidarity, COVID-19 Vows Not To Infect Anyone Protesting Inequality

U.S.—In a powerful show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19 has vowed not to infect anyone protesting inequality.


The official COVID-19 account tweeted out, "In solidarity with those protesting inequality, I hereby vow not to infect anyone at BLM rallies."

"We need to take a moment to pause and hear what these people are saying," the virus said in a statement. "All infectious activities will be put on hiatus until Republicans start protesting lockdowns or second amendment issues -- then we will resume."

"It wouldn't be fair for us to continue business as usual when liberals want to protest."

The virus vowed to stay put in infected individuals, lying dormant until the pandemic became convenient for the media to cover once again.

It also posted a black square on its Instagram account.

https://babylonbee.com/news/in-powerful-statement-covid-19-vows-not-to-infect-anyone-protesting-inequality?utm_content=buffer6ef1a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

/s

[faberryman]

At last something photography related.

Philosopher Kellyanne "Alternate Facts" Conway had this to say about Trump tear gassing peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park to clear the way for him and his entourage to make their way to St. John's Church to have their picture taken with Trump holding a bible:

"Is it a 'photo-op' because a photo was taken?"

https://www.salon.com/2020/06/05/kellyanne-conway-gets-photo-sophical-is-it-a-photo-op-because-a-photo-was-taken/

Surprisingly, Ivanka Trump's large, white $1,540 Max Mara handbag, in which Trump's bible was secreted over, did not come up.

[Robert Roaldi]

"Is it a 'photo-op' because a photo was taken?"

That's some heavy cosmic shit, man.

[Alan Klein]

1,000 - 1 thousand euros
1,000,000 - 1 million euros
1,000,000,000 - 1 thousand million (billion) euros

You said 1.5 billion Euros in your original post.    I just found an article. It's €1.35 trillion


"Europe is throwing money at the region's deepest downturn since the Great Depression. It still may not be enough to spur a strong recovery in the second half of the year.
The European Central Bank on Thursday said it would expand its massive bond-buying program to combat the shock from the coronavirus pandemic. The central bank has now committed to buy €1.35 trillion ($1.5 trillion) of bonds, an increase of €600 billion ($675 billion)."
https://www.wlfi.com/content/national/571027002.html?ref=002

[Alan Klein]

s

In Show Of Solidarity, COVID-19 Vows Not To Infect Anyone Protesting Inequality

U.S.—In a powerful show of solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, COVID-19 has vowed not to infect anyone protesting inequality.


The official COVID-19 account tweeted out, "In solidarity with those protesting inequality, I hereby vow not to infect anyone at BLM rallies."

"We need to take a moment to pause and hear what these people are saying," the virus said in a statement. "All infectious activities will be put on hiatus until Republicans start protesting lockdowns or second amendment issues -- then we will resume."

"It wouldn't be fair for us to continue business as usual when liberals want to protest."

The virus vowed to stay put in infected individuals, lying dormant until the pandemic became convenient for the media to cover once again.

It also posted a black square on its Instagram account.

https://babylonbee.com/news/in-powerful-statement-covid-19-vows-not-to-infect-anyone-protesting-inequality?utm_content=buffer6ef1a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

/s

It also vowed not to infect any degenerate gamblers in sin city Las Vegas.  "Anyone stupid enough to think they're going to beat the black jack dealers has our sympathy.  We don't want to pile on.  In any case, they'll have enough problems with disease in the cat houses there."

[Alan Klein]

At last something photography related.

Philosopher Kellyanne "Alternate Facts" Conway had this to say about Trump tear gassing peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park to clear the way for him and his entourage to make their way to St. John's Church to have their picture taken with Trump holding a bible:

"Is it a 'photo-op' because a photo was taken?"

https://www.salon.com/2020/06/05/kellyanne-conway-gets-photo-sophical-is-it-a-photo-op-because-a-photo-was-taken/

Surprisingly, Ivanka Trump's large, white $1,540 Max Mara handbag, in which Trump's bible was secreted over,  did not come up. Kellyanne never has had much fashion sense.

You want millonairess Ivanka to walk around with a Macy's bag?  How gauche.

[faberryman]

Here is some good news for Craig from Trump's speech today:

"I think I'm going to buy an RV and travel from now on in an RV with our first lady. I don't think anybody would mind that."

Maybe Craig will be the one to do the definitive portrait of Donald Trump in his new RV. You know, the presidential portrait. It would hang in the White House. I mean we already have photos of him driving fire trucks, but those were more candids that portraits.

[Chris Kern]

You said 1.5 billion Euros in your original post.    I just found an article. It's €1.35 trillion

Here in the United States we use a different numeric scale than the countries in Europe and many others.  An American billion is one thousand million.  A European billion is one million million.

[BobShaw]

<Quote> Your currency won't be worth anything pretty soon like ours.  I read somewhere that the Euro will be down to 80 cents on the dollar.  I told my wife it will be really cheap to go on vacation in Europe.  That's if you can fly and rent a hotel room.  Unemployment of 10% maybe be too generous. I think here in America we're up to 20%.  It's going to be a long grind to get back to normal.  My wife and I are retired so it doesn't affect us much. Of course, risk wise if we get sick is where we're in trouble.   I really feel sorry for younger families who have to support families and don't have a job.  What's the situation in Australia, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada, Great Britain, etc? </quote>

Here in Australia the Treasurer announced we were in a Recession for the March quarter, the first recession in over thirty years. In the next breathe he announced that we would in a recession for the June quarter without even waiting for it. The response was that the share market went up and the dollar went up. It broke through 70cents US for the first time in a long while this morning. Basically the market regarded the news as not as bad as it could be, as restrictions are all being relaxed now.

[John Camp]

The Lancet and NEJM of medicine were not part of a conspiracy against Trump. To believe that, frankly, is stupid. To think the articles did any harm to Trump is equally stupid. And to think that the journals did harm to their reputations is not very smart. Articles get retracted all the time, by Nature, by Science, by other extremely reputable journals, and their reputations are not harmed, and may, in fact, be enhanced -- if they make a mistake, they correct it. Otherwise, you must think that that scientific papers are always perfect. They're not. This is not a huge revelation to anyone who is paying the slightest bit of attention.

In this particular case, three very reputable scientists were duped by of fraudulent company. It happens. Get over it.

As far as Trump goes, they certainly didn't have to harm his reputation, he's doing that well enough by himself. There's a story going around that the reason that Biden isn't seen more, is that he doesn't have to be -- Trump is trashing himself quite effectively. He is unquestionably the biggest f*ckin' moron in American presidential history, and I include James Buchanan in that assessment. He is also the most corrupt, and I include Warren G. Harding in *that* assessment.

The day after the election, I will be doing the chicken dance, I now can guarantee it.