Don't read this if you are already worried and depressed. This is doleful Duff at his most pessimistic! Even so, it is obvious that the economic wreckage left from this pandemic and lockdown is going to be 'yuuuuuuuuuuuuge'! So perhaps it is the time to remind ourselves that we have, in my living memory, been through calamities of an even greater magnitude than this before. Aged between one and two, I was shipped out of London by my Mum to a truly safe haven in Surrey in order to avoid the blitz - about which, happily, I remember nothing!
Even so, the economic catastrophe produced by this emergency is going to be extremely painful and, unfortunately, will take considerable time to repair. I cannot pretend to have a detailed solution to offer Her Majesty's Government but I do have a guiding philosophy to offer. Boris and his team must - absolutely must! - take a scythe to the jungle of mostly useless rules and regulations that inhibit commercial activity. Not so much "Set the People Free!" as "Set Commerce and Business Free!".
Yes, mistakes will be made but the quicker money starts 'turning and churning' the better because long-term economic hardship across the population is something 'up with which the 'Peeps' will not put'!
Deregulate and stop this ritual of face masks and one fathom between people. Frequent hand washing is a good idea always. Ritual keeps people compliant and empowers the "social minders" who report to the authorities. Also, turn off most all media most of the time.
Posted by: Whitewall | Saturday, 23 May 2020 at 13:34
The Covid "Give me liberty, or give me death!" would-be Patrick Henrys are delusional. They aren't just possibly giving themselves death, they're passing it on to people who don't share their enthusiastic paranoia. And shutting down news outlets with which one disagrees is more than a bit National Socialistic. Joe Goebbels would be the first to agree.
Posted by: Bob | Saturday, 23 May 2020 at 16:13
Just imagine a centenarian having had a birth year of 1900:
WWI
Great Depression
WWII
&c
Y2K
Global Warming
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 23 May 2020 at 20:39
"They aren't just possibly giving themselves death, they're passing it on to people who don't share their enthusiastic paranoia."
You suggesting Bob that because it is "possibly" that we ought stay outta motor vehicles too? What is the fatality rate of Covid 19 worldwide - I think traffic deaths stands at near 8th worldwide (of course I expect more'n a few here in the US now is getting recorded as Lurgy deaths seeing as how:
""We currently do have some deaths that are being reported that are clearly from other causes. We have about 5 deaths less than 5 deaths that we know of that are related to obvious other causes. In this case, they are from gunshot wounds," Hutchison said." [Wonder how Chicago's homicide stats are being recorded?]
https://komonews.com/news/local/state-epidemiologists-covid-19-related-deaths-likely-being-undercounted-in-wa
Anyway Bob if we're gonna get into the 'We gotta shut the world down because of the possiblys' is bound to be viewed by hisorians of our era as plumb goofy.
Posted by: JK | Saturday, 23 May 2020 at 20:54
I'm with you on that one, Gaffer.
Unilateral zero tariff, no need for trade negotiations, make the whole of Blighty a Freeport.
Drop corp tax to 1% less than the Irish.
Suck in all the capital and labour. Yep, that includes the labour, these are desperate times, there's no time for some cretinous points based system BS.
Singapore-on-Thames.
If there's even an ounce of Libertarian remaining in BoJo from his Speccie days, by George and all the Saints, we need it now.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 00:17
Totally off topic but does anyone know what has happened to the Diplomad's website?
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 02:40
AussieD, I see he has been down for nearly 4 days. I hope he didn't fall out with the Wuhan flu gods. He has been a shut down critic from day one...and probably right about it.
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 03:06
Oh, btw, I put this at Malcolm's place a few days ago but he was already ahead of me:
“One Covid To Rule Them All,
One Covid To Find Them All
And In The Darkness Bind Them”
Prof. Rachel Fulton Brown, Univ. of Chicago
Posted by: Whitewall | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 03:13
AaussieD,
There is another, and mind you it is purely speculative on my part but there is the least little possibility Mr. Amselem's [Diplomad] got invited back into public service.
I'm in receipt of an email myself sent by a dot gov advising "certain specific departments may call on [former specialized] personnel" etc etc to 'fill in on what is expected to be a [brief] duration basis' - While I personally rather doubt *any department to call me (total and permanent disability rating) I can see where Mr. Amselem could be viewed as in another kettle of fish.
I repeat - purely speculative. Spitballing in Americanese.
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 03:46
Thanks Whitewall and JK
Posted by: AussieD | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 06:45
I hope he's ok.
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 09:48
Looks like Cummings made TWO lockdown breaking excursions and the Tory party is tearing itself apart again ...
Boris Johnson is facing a revolt among Tory MPs over his decision not to sack Dominic Cummings, as a growing number of backbenchers call for him to go.
Prominent member of the 1922 Committee Steve Baker warned that Boris Johnson’s advisor was “burning through Boris's political capital at a rate that we just can ill afford in the midst of this crisis”.
Mr Cummings is under renewed fire after reports surfaced that the 48-year-old made a second trip to County Durham, despite social restrictions.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-dominic-cummings-cases-deaths/
Hopefully BoJo will sack him. Then maybe, maybe, the Tory party will thrust a Singapore-on-Thameser into position as chief Spad.
Is it too much to hope for?
SoD
Posted by: Loz | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 11:39
JK,
I agree with your point. In practice it's up to individuals how much they're willing to expose themselves and others to covid. Where do you draw the line? Do you think a pool party is worth getting sick for?:
"Several people who attended a swim party in Arkansas have contracted coronavirus, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) confirmed Saturday.
"There were positive cases coming out of a high school swim party. A high school swim party that I'm sure everybody thought was harmless. They're young, they're swimming, they're just having activity and positive cases resulted from that," the governor told reporters Saturday."
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/499334-arkansas-governor-says-several-people-who-attended-pool-party
The virus hasn't gone away. Closures and social distancing are public health measures, not some insane conspiracy to take away our freedoms.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 15:07
No swim parties for me Bob. I'm found myself with several of the better known co-morbidities. Asthma, COPD, emphysema - severely pulmonary compromised in other words. That's why if you'll recall my little exegis after my absence from online (January 28th > early March) I explained having my will updated and put my affairs in order?
But then I am one of those whose been known - in an earlier age - to have run toward the sounds of guns? (And that's another thing - ain't been able to run since 0930 30 September 2002 owing to've been in the path of a great hunk of metal 'versing' gravity.) The best pace I can manage now is [provided I've my cane] is a quick hobble.
So for me Bob it's a question of balancing risk - but so too for me it's 'whose to do the balancing'? I've been 'at the whim and beck of Presidents' before and [finally] reached the conclusion none of 'em really have MY best interests at heart - but my captains did. But that's the thing Bob about 'becks and whims' - do I want to pay the most of my attention to a President sitting far far away or do I want to listen to a captain within (figuratively) earshot?
The latter it is for me Bob. I'd rather follow the lead of my local captains - and the 'localler' the better - than a bunch of bureaucrats whispering in a far off President's ear.
Basically Bob I'm put the virus in a category very similar to the guns of yesteryear - Cain't do much about 'em if you can't hear 'em but those you do hear it's those
youI choose to listen to, to pay strict attention to.Your mileage may vary.
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 16:00
JK,
I looked up infections per capita for Arkansas and Indiana. Indiana's are more than twice as high. That figures because we have more areas that are densely populated. But my point was that Indiana's are holding steady and Arkansas' are spiking.
Posted by: Bob | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 16:28
Bob,
Well I guess you're kinda more accustomed to a noisome perimeter.
"Arkansas' are spiking" Well that should be what we'd expect to be happening t'wouldn't it Bob - but then again from the get-go Arkansas ain't had truck with none of that more drastic stuff (against the grain of the 1st Amendment) like some of the other states have. Case in point, Cuomo's New York - true as you do more areas of dense.
I'll have to get back here a few hours from now - gotta haul some oldtimer vets around.
I'll keep 'em away from swimming parties Bob (as I can, there may be a bunch of nekkid ladies swingin' an' splashin' near this one low-water bridge we have to cross and if I don't at least slow down I worry with 'my crew' I'll have a mutiny on my hands!)
Posted by: JK | Sunday, 24 May 2020 at 17:06
Loz, I have travelled by train into Glasgow centre every day except one since the so called lockdown to safely shop. My mrs WFH. She is much younger and looks after her 89 year old father. She was worried she would get the virus and kill us. So we made sensible decisions. I employ our army NBC training, you know use common sense. I am more concerned about the idiots who I observe every day who walk up towards you looking at their mobiles totally oblivious to anything around them. I have observed total complacency amongst some rail staff and transport police. Some standing in small groups. I witnessed a member of rail staff being called a jobs worth for requesting people to disperse. The attack on Cummings is purely political. Boris should stand by him.
Posted by: Glesga | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 01:13
I'm back Bob.
Shouldnae been concerned about nekkid ladies cavorting in the waters. Been too much rain, so much rain there's logs (snags) rolled off the hills into the creeks and rivers. You'll recall yesterday me mentioning 'balancing risk'?
http://malcolmpollack.com/2020/05/23/scary-vs-dangerous-and-the-madness-of-crowds/
I hadn't actually hit Malcolm's site the last couple days so hadn't seen that - but its a goodern - as goes with calculatin' risk of the lurgy same with swimmin' nekkid - gots to be keerful of the snags is all I'm saying.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 14:26
JK,
That no one would worry about getting sick during a pandemic without social media is a little strained, not that Facebook and the like aren't the work of Satan. And how does anyone compare unhappiness during the black plague or Spanish flu to current events?
I recon your assessment downright sensible, though. It is wise not to get snagged while nekkid, swimming or not.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 16:08
We just assess risk different Bob.
Reckon we'll just have to accept that, our difference.
Thing is though I'll bet we agree the road's gonna be rocky for a lot of folks for some considerable distance. We'll maybe disagree on whether the means will be seen as justified. Don't reckon that matters none to you 'n me though, seein' as how we'll be dead when the answer is agreed upon.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 16:43
JK,
I probably have some immunity at this point, but hope not to be dead by any means by the time there's a vaccine, which could be within a year if we're lucky. As for now, I'm not exactly sure what we disagree on re risk assessment. The difference seems to be more in my not resenting people using the best information available to try to get people from getting each other sick and/or dead. Social media are just bullshit. Researchers claim at least 40% of all accounts are phony and outlets for propaganda bots or trolls.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 19:11
Bob,
By any chance might you know many vaccines for any coronavirus has the FDA (or for that matter, any country's equivalent) approved for general use? And however many vaccines available have proven effective?
("Resent"? "Best information available"? "Try to get people from getting other people sick and/or dead"? ... Resent isn't the right word Bob. Information or just plain ol' guesswork? How come all motor vehicles aren't governed [there's that word again] down so those motor vehicles can't exceed say, 30 mph? How come we don't put lockdowns in place to keep Chicagoans' from making other people dead, not sick but dead? How's about locking down people outta supermarkets and abolishing forks to keep people from getting sick with diabetes, obesity, hypertension etc?
You ever see how many journalists/media-people are on Twitter Bob? Familiar with the term 'Twitter Mob'? [Might ask the young man Nicholas Sandmann if he's ever heard of such a thing.] You think a Twitter Mob can't be effective in driving a news cycle or two? [Google up results of Twitter mentions of Jussie Smollet and get back to me.)
Posted by: JK | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 19:50
JK,
There's no reason to lockdown all Chicagoans to prevent murders. There's no reason to make all cars' top speeds 30 mph - and so on. Covid is different. We haven't had anything like it since 1918.
Except for a sock puppet account I kept on Facebook for about a month years ago, when it was fairly easy to guard your privacy, I haven't bothered with social media. It's a lot about nothing. I don't look at anything from any of it unless it gets linked in the general news. People formed mobs long before Twitter existed. Come to think of it, before telegraph existed.
Posted by: Bob | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 21:31
A couple links for ya Bob, just fyi but this Paul Mirengoff feller writing on this first is a full-time & always has been, NeverTrumper so you might take that into consideration:
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/05/wuhan-coronavirus-numbers-in-the-u-s-as-compared-to-europe.php
Unlike *some other *modellers this guy's put it all out there for inspection:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/daily-coronavirus-covid-19-data-graph-page/
Yeppers Bob, Covid is different that I'll grant - never before in the history of the US have states been guaranteed a payment of fifteen thousand smackaroos for each and every death documented to specification - No wonder we're seeing gunshot victims (and heart attacks, aneurysms, probably choking[s] on a chicken bone) put down as "died as a result of Covid 19."
That alone would seem to make for some suspicious data.
Far as my social media activity goes I usta work for an agency having a rule that made any of its employees even thinking about opening an account, subject to immediate dismissal (skuttlebutt was we'd be taken out and shot).
Anyways I never had any social media accounts. I only mention Twitter from being exposed to the news media (The Covington Teens/Jussie Smollett) and bloggers postings.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 25 May 2020 at 22:47
Oh Bob this is too too,
"People formed mobs long before Twitter existed. Come to think of it, before telegraph existed."
True enough but you reckon when say, the very first mobs started up what was to become the French Revolution mere seconds passed before the Chirichua Apache skulking around Arizona was firing up to send smoke signals around the neighborhood?
Remember how quickly legacy media formed up the hanging posse to smite the evil Covington kids - I seem to recall even the broadcast news being tetchous at the gall of those kids insulting that "Viet Nam Veteran" Native American the very afternoon.
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 00:01
JK,
I read the linked articles. The first one is OK until the author gets to the end:
"... the comparison between this virus and the flu probably does not deserve the derision it has received from some epidemiologists and many mainstream media commentators."
There's no clear connection to the data, and technically covid is not flu any more than it's measels. It's a new virus. That's why no one is immune and there's no vaccine. Calling it flu is political language.
The second one is mostly a lot of second guessing and bitching about government. Shelter in place measures were the best known thing to do in some circumstances, especially in big cities like NYC. They're already discontinued in most places. We'll see how that works out.
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 13:43
Thanks Bob, I send an email to the author suggesting he edit the sentence to read "comparisons between the death rates of flu cases to Covid suggests the overall comparison" and get back to you.
On the second one I guess about all I can is to hope nothing awful happens around the world, especially in big cities, then come this time next week look back and see how it worked out.
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 16:09
JK,
My apologies for totally missing the point. Covid is just like flu because we always have refrigerated trucks full of bodies and impromptu graveyards during flu season. And I'm sure nothing bad could happen in the Ozarks anytime soon:
https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/partygoer-describes-lake-of-the-ozarks-pool-party-seen-by-millions
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 18:39
Bob,
You ever been onsite in the immediate aftermath of, say, a hurricane or perhaps a 7.5+ EQ where there's few to no building codes? (And for what it's worth Bob I've been to a couple states' medical examiners facilities where refrigerator trucks are 'just an everyday thing' - couple of times been places where I'd wish't to God there was refrigerated anything available.)
(One of those municipalities where [some of] the trucks you're mentioning was NYC no? Hadn't NY's Governor issued some sort of directive - contrary to the CDC guidelines incidentally - which necessitated bringing in said trucks?)
https://issuesinsights.com/2020/05/13/cuomos-covid-19-panic-condemned-thousands-of-vulnerable-seniors-to-death/
Far as the Ozarks is concerned - well reckon I ought clear up something of a misunderstanding: there's a Missouri lake named 'Lake of the Ozarks' which isn't located in the geographic region known as the Ozark Highlands/Mountains but rather its southernmost point is about 80 miles north - Just happened to catch CNN's Don Lemon last night indignantly/self-righteously interrogating the Camden county sheriff over a "pool party" that the media bigwigs conflate the lake into something it ain't - matter of fact 'a sizeable portion' of its summer-season population is composed of (but not only the city of) residents of St. Louis owning second homes.
Okay now as that's cleared up.
Anyway Bob as to your "I'm sure nothing bad could happen in the Ozarks" I suppose we shall see.
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 20:23
"Still, I have assumed that the virus will come to less-populated areas in time, and that eventually, case rates will be similar from one place to another."
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/05/revisiting-the-ihme-model-still-useless.php
Remember Bob just a short while back the "best information available" was saying by April 21st we'd have two point two million deaths on our hands - reckon ordering up them trucks (actually trailers) was the right call and, since the trailers was already on site by the time 'the peak hit' since the funeral homes were locked down storing bodies in the trailers was a good thing?
Hell Bob you being Anti-Religion (for purely scientific reasons I'm confident) surely agree that, after the light goes out, the earthly remains don't give a shit whether they is in a big refrigerator or just doing the dirt nap?
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 21:14
Or, being in a "impromptu graveyard."
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 21:18
Well, we're talking about the US, and I'm pretty sure you get the point. I figured Lake of the Ozarks was close enough, even though it's in Missouri.
I've never been able to watch Don Lemon, Anderson Cooper or Wolf Blitzer. I watch Erin Burnett sometimes. If I want video news I usually watch the Haystack news app lately. I have it set to automatically skip stories about the president. I've got a really bad case of Trump fatigue.
Posted by: Bob | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 21:35
Actually I am too Bob. Not exactly fatigued by the guy himself so much as the two competing narratives (which necessarily means FOX' too). However I will include anything to do with electioneering - and bipartisanly - going so far as to change my phone number but, regretfully, cain't do much about my email registered with OMB/OPM.
Didn't intend to be misleading Bob - actually "The Ozark Mountains" extend ... well I'm right atop the Salem Plateau nine miles south of Missouri:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWg5kZ1dKps
Since Bob you're actually enjoying being locked down but by now are probably tired of re-running whatever it is you're re-running you might enjoy larnin' something useful.
Posted by: JK | Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 22:32
I'll find the video on my TV's YouTube app, JK. I'm not re-running anything yet. Mostly been reading, watching music videos and surfing the WWW. Since you like video news so much, you might try Haystack. If you don't have a smart TV you can watch it on your computer:
https://www.haystack.tv/
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at 01:24
Thanks. I'll check it out.
Posted by: JK | Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at 02:32
Figuring which folder I wanted that in Bob I noticed something I pay quite a bit of attention to myself. You maybe would enjoy it too:
https://govmatters.tv/
Posted by: JK | Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at 02:37
Looks interesting. I think I can add it to my Haystack feed. Btw, it might take a few weeks of watching to add or delete feeds to get what you want.
Posted by: Bob | Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at 15:36
Roger. Acknowledged.
Posted by: JK | Wednesday, 27 May 2020 at 16:09
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/05/no-lockdown-on-murder.php
Well David I suppose some things never change. Maybe though the twin cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul will be coming through with lower numbers but then again ... my suspicion is there the numbers won't unless there's a sufficient number of Korean heritage people running businesses in Minnesota.
https://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/2020/05/roof-koreans-good-to-have-few-around.html
Probably not however if only because Koreans seem to tend to learning the English language over the Somali.
Posted by: JK | Friday, 29 May 2020 at 00:35
Perchance Bob were you and I to meet on the street ...
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2020/05/mask-vs-no-mask.php
Thank God the 'Pink Guy' (Whitewall?) comes in settling we two down.
Then we three arrive at some thing we all can do for one another: Bob recommends to me to stay the hell in Arkansas, Whitewall suggests Bob an' me stay the hell off his street, I suggest to Whitewall I will and to Bob, in the spirit of amicability suggest he get on Amazon and buy hisself one of *these:
https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a32493222/christophe-gernigon-plastic-shields-restaurants-coronavirus/
You're an engineer right Bob?
So I can depend on you when you patent the design for a version of that to fit in a car allowing one such accoutered to ferry people [passengers/Uberers/schoolbus patrons] in full compliance to blue state diktats that I get a royalty payment?
We'll make a fortune Bob!
Y'all read it here first!
Posted by: JK | Friday, 29 May 2020 at 01:43
JK,
I like the shields' jokey 1950's Futuristic styling. If they have a future it'll be in high-end restaurants with customers who love kitch. The kind of restaurants I usually go to would probably just use shower curtains between tables.
We're out of luck. I was an electrical engineer and don't know the first thing about making plastic stuff. Maybe I'll design a control module for a robot that runs around stores tazing people not wearing masks.
Posted by: Bob | Friday, 29 May 2020 at 13:41