Very long; well worth the read. (Come on: you’re shut up indoors with fuck-all else to do; read the damn thing.)
If just about all the diseased are old-timers and/or people set with preexisting diseases, the entire response to the pandemic, by individual countries as well as by the global community, may very well be one huge overreaction.
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According to the video of a Frenchman who claims to have lived 25 years in Hong Kong, one part of the world (and of China!) that is experiencing a low number of deaths in spite of all, or most of, its businesses remaining open. What is the secret? Every single person in the street is wearing a mask.
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A nationwide scandal erupted in France a week or two ago when a Nice Matin journalist interviewed a woman on the town’s rocky beach. Christiane was tanning in a bikini, and declared that she wasn’t about to give up the sun rays. The next day, the written press picked up the story. They would quote her remarks, only to mention with disgust to what extent she was irresponsible, and selfish, and a shame to her community.
Truth to tell, Christiane may have come across as a bit snobbish and self-centered, but there was just one problem. Christiane was almost entirely alone on Nice’s long rocky beach near la Promenade des Anglais. The beach was virtually empty of people. There were perhaps 3 or 4 sunbathers or sunbathing couples in the background, perhaps 50 to 100 meters away, but otherwise it was deserted. (Indeed, the only time that Christiane was in potential danger or that she was a danger to others was when the Nice Matin journalist showed up!)
Makes sense to me. Instead of our local KrimPo (Kriminal-Polizei) arresting people for sunbathing on a deserted beach, or buying “non-essential” products to take home, why don’t they just arrest, detain or fine people for not wearing a mask in public?
Oh, but that would be too simple, you see; not enough incentive to bully and/or fine people or look into their shopping bags.
Fuck ’em. At some point, the history of this sad era will be written dispassionately, and the overarching conclusion is going to be that we overreacted, massively, our economy was shut down for no good reason, and governments needed to print trillions of non-existent dollars to “bail” people and businesses out of trouble — when all we needed was several hundred million cheap paper facemasks, and a temporary public order for everyone to wear the damn things outdoors.
“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”
I pity the Donald; he got euchred into this position by some of his advisors, the Democratic leadership, and the media all seeking to make him look foolish and to destroy his economic successes.
OK, I am old, in my mid 70’s cancer survivor working on part of one kidney, and by the way doing quite fine overall. I am careful with my health so today when the pet store carp for fleas was not working on my dog I saddled up and went to the local Tractor Supply to buy some flea medication with actual poison in it for my dog. I was careful and wore my mask, one of a decent pack I use when I run my belt sander. I made it in, looked at the baby chickens and thought about buying a few and then my brains started working and I said no, just get flea poison, and I did.
Then I remembered we were down on eggs so I pulled into our incredible large HEB grocery store to pick up a few eggs and the place was well stocked, they were having people stand six fee apart to pick up a fresh disinfected cart and I pulled my mask down and went in. About half of the people were masked up and everyone was keeping a decent safe distance, I got my 3 dozen eggs and a few fresh vegetables including fresh basil for my herb garden and got out and I am still alive.
Our Texas county had not had a single case or Chi-com virus based in the community, the ten cases we have were brought in and they went into self isolation so we should be good for the future. It is about time to re-start the world as we know it since our national death toll for the month has decreased.
A word of wisdom, let your large ammo orders set in the garage for a day or two before you open them, just saying.
Unfortunately the cretins, I mean “experts”, running the show loudly proclaimed “masks don’t help” right off the bat. It’s probably going to go down in history as the dumbest health advice ever given after “fAt BaD, EaT mOaR sUgAr”.
Gaaaahhh.
In a sane world (not fair, just sane), half the heads of the alphabet soup would be serving lengthy terms in the salt mines by now.
I’m pretty sure the whole “masks don’t work” thing was to keep the general public from buying them up and allowing the powers that be to scoop them up for health care workers. It never had anything to do with the effectiveness of masks.
Now, if those same powers that be had replenished the N95 stockpile that was expended during the Swine Flu episode in 2009…
I an very fearful for our Country right now and have been since the “Lockdown” started. This is a very dangerous time and NOT due to the Covid-19 pandemic. By and large, we are a people that have allowed the government (esp State and local) to sequester us without debate or true authority. The speed and effectiveness with which we have allowed ourselves to be herded like feckless sheep into isolation is astounding. When you hear cries of “It’s for our own good”, it is proof positive that we are well down that “slippery slope” towards full on socialism if not more.
I’m damned angry.