Corona Virus

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pelmut
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by pelmut »

Shilo wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 10:17 am ... When you couple that with the government being slow off the mark ...
They had no option: the U.K. no longer had a manufacturing base for respirators or pharmaceuticals.  That's why there was a lag whilst our few remaining manufacturing industries got geared up for a new product and our research labs were converted into production lines.  There was a bit of politically-motivated stupidity in boasting that an impossible number of tests would be available by a certain date, which distracted the press from some of the minor incompetence shown by some politicians and 'leaders' (of all persuasions), but overall the Government did the best they could in the circumstances.

Control of the population (still the only thing standing between us and mass burials) is easy to impliment in a more totalitarian society but very much a tool of last resort in the U.K. It is amazing how readily people accepted it, possibly because they realised that there had to be something really serious going on for our Government to take a step like that.
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Shilo
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Shilo »

Now to get political.Q Who was it who decided that we no longer needed a manufacturing base?






Answer:- Margaret Thatcher
:roll:
Big and Bashful
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Big and Bashful »

Shilo wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 10:17 am There are a lot of factors governing he spread of the virus and as one of the most densely populated countries in Europe, with the busiest transport hubs it could be predicted that we would be more affected than others. When you couple that with the government being slow off the mark it is not surprising that we have been badly affected. By the time they started following scientific advice it was already too late. Boho and Co were distracted by other matters until the end of January.
On A bright note it’s nice to know we’re still number one in the world at something. Even if it is deaths per million.
From the start I was actually glad that the Government here was heeding what the scientists, i.e. SAGE were telling them instead of over-reacting. Now I am still not blaming the Government for the UK reacting late and letting the virus get such a foothold. SAGE have now basically admitted that they got it wrong. I am not going to blame the Government for doing what they should do and listening to the experts, the experts on the other hand... I hope they realise how many deaths they are responsible for! The lack of PPE, doesn't surprise me at all, finances have been cut to the bone for many years now, with every Government department being hammered by cuts. What is the priority? daily business and trying to meet the ongoing commitments of each department. Where can they achieve cuts? I can't talk about my own area, but lets think about, erm the Health service, that'll work: Their funds are limited, they have to make sure people leave hospitals on foot/wheels rather than in boxes. To do that they need materials, equipment, drugs and people who know how to work them, as well as people to keep these things clean, move people around, stick legs back on, pull little people out of big people etc. So they have to struggle to find ways to reduce expenditure (Yes I know and wish they would cut the waste of money on highly paid consultants, accountants, PFI deals etc. but that's not going to happen! some forms of criminal waste will never be stopped). When a department is strapped for cash, where are the priorities? saving lives, not having a big shed full of unused PPE. Even nitrile gloves have a use by date, same for facemasks and filters. If you have say 100,000 masks as an emergency stock that is a lot of capital tied up in a shed, to be thrown away and a fresh stock bought every 5 years, for something that hasn't happened what, since Spanish flu? How high a priority was that, before COVID? Even if they had realised what was coming when the first warnings started in January, how quickly can they build a stock up? Against that, apparently there were warnings about the disaster stockpile being in a bad way which were ignored. As someone who works for the Government, my guess would be that the Government probably never heard those warnings, someone a bit lower down the tree probably kept it quiet rather than incur the wrath from above, nothing I have heard but thirty odd years in the civil service leads me to that suspicion. What could be done to prevent this happening again?
Yes, listen to scientists, but have good scientists!, I do not know, but am guessing that the disaster stockpile of stuff is in the hands of some private cost cutting company, who only care about their shareholders, that sort of "war stock" is never going to make money, private hands who want to make a profit should not be involved, the Government should have full control and ownership of that sort of thing. If the Government want local councils to maintain their own stockpiles it should fund them to do it and oversee their arrangements. Damn it I been finking about fings again! I must be sober! enough alrighty!

Summary: viruses are bad, Governments aren't much better!
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skirtyscot
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by skirtyscot »

pelmut wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 11:26 am
Shilo wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 10:17 am ... When you couple that with the government being slow off the mark ...
They had no option: the U.K. no longer had a manufacturing base for respirators or pharmaceuticals.  That's why there was a lag whilst our few remaining manufacturing industries got geared up for a new product and our research labs were converted into production lines.  
If the Government had acted sooner, we wouldn't have needed so many respirators or pharmaceuticals or PPE. Every government everywhere had the choice to act early or not. Look at the stats across Asia, or in other countries where the leaders said "this is not happening in my patch" - Greece or New Zealand, for example.
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Faldaguy »

If you have say 100,000 masks as an emergency stock that is a lot of capital tied up in a shed, to be thrown away and a fresh stock bought every 5 years,
Stock can easily be rotated; it need not be fully replaced or tossed; but can fulfill various on-going needs being supplied anyway from the public coffers.

And if you want to get political, how about a little priority? For the US the cost of such stock does not even rise to the level of of noticeable .ooX% on a budget line compared to annual expenditures on weapons and military boondoggles. But cheer us up with a few patriotic fly-overs from the Angels, now that is great benefit to our health.
pelmut wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 5:26 am
Shilo wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 4:17 am
... When you couple that with the government being slow off the mark ...
They had no option: the U.K. no longer had a manufacturing base for respirators or pharmaceuticals. That's why there was a lag whilst our few remaining manufacturing industries got geared up for a new product and our research labs were converted into production lines.
If the Government had acted sooner, we wouldn't have needed so many respirators or pharmaceuticals or PPE. Every government everywhere had the choice to act early or not. Look at the stats across Asia, or in other countries where the leaders said "this is not happening in my patch" - Greece or New Zealand, for example.
Yes, I do wish we were back in NZ; but I've got to put the blame more to the "people" than the governments -- ultimately we are responsible for the screwed up systems and governments we've allowed to fester -- and frequently still support mostly from naivety and being duped by folks with an agenda of self-aggrandizement, and pockets of 'stolen' resources to promote the merits of their greed cloaked in the name of prosperity for all regardless of the name --'trickle-down', capitalism, individualism, ... and a few other isms. We'd need to check the mirror once in a while.
Faldaguy
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Faldaguy »

Further to Shilo's comment about government responses; here is a link to an article now a couple weeks old, but still essentially accurate as to the Costa Rican response. It gives credit to Government, and some to the population -- which is where I see the key difference from what I observed in the US. Even in our little village where unemployment is said to be 80% because this area is almost exclusively devoted to eco-tourism, people are getting along, helping one another, and continuing to bring the numbers down. Our border closure was extended to mid-June some while back and I won't be surprised if that gets extended again given practices in other countries that seem destined to create a resurgence.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/ ... -covid-19/
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denimini
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by denimini »

I had a consulting job which took me up near the Queensland border. Obviously there is no chance of sneaking through these outback gates ........... they really are gates so I would imagine they are now padlocked.
The roads are usually closed due to rain but not so this time.
warri-gate_P6037775.jpg
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geron
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by geron »

Freedomforall wrote: Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:02 am I just spoke to the owner of Purple Rain skirts the other day. Her business is taking a serious hit and she may not recover. I am sure she would appreciate support from us if any of you feel inclined to do so.

http://www.purplerainskirts.com/
A skirt and an Adventure Kilt from Purple Rain reached me in the UK last week after 25 days and an epic tour of regional airports around the USA in the hands of USPS. And I'm delighted with both items -- neat and well made with very light fabrics which are pleasant next to the skin, and they're cool for long walks in hot weather. You can buy skirts cheaper, but I'd say the quality is worth paying for.
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moonshadow
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Re: Corona Virus

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Round two is in full swing...

Kentucky has shut down.

Virginia is limited to 25 people per building, though I expect them to hard shut down in the next week or two as we see a probable spike next week as Thanksgiving holiday cases start to come in.

Tennessee basically said "Jesus take the wheel!"... :roll:

... steer clear if Tennessee if possible. They've completely lost control of the situation.... Gov. Lee sends "thoughts and prayers"...

...aaaaaaand Walmart is completely out of toilet paper and paper towels again...

They said "dis covid thing gonna go away after the election!"

Well... guess not! Seems like it just got worse and our fearless leader in Washington seems to have a bad case of the "f--k its".
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The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
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crfriend
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Re: Corona Virus

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The scientists and doctors have been telling is that this was coming. Flu season is now upon us, and the darkening days and chillier temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are stressing people's immune systems and leaving them susceptible to opportune infections -- like SARS-CoV-2. Massachusetts has seen a steady increase of new daily infections for the past few weeks now, and the number of presumed active cases in the Bay State now number over 41 thousand (on a population of roughly 7 million).

I've been waiting for Lockdown Two for weeks now, and dreading it. Folks' patience has been stretched way farther than before in living memory, and there's no hope on the horizon. So, some are taking chances that they might not otherwise take. And the outcome is entirely predictable. I remain astonished that nobody's talking about the suicide rate, because by now I suspect a whole lot of folks are simply spent by the ordeal, be it financially, a matter of living conditions, or simply emotionally.

I am one of the "fortunate ones" in that I still have a job, but I've been "voluntold" to sacrifice my supposed 4-day holiday weekend to be on-call 24x7 for the whole thing for a newly discovered bug in some software. So there go my hopes for a few days of peace and quiet and a respite from the eternal madness of "everything more important than everything else". I've programmed some of my machines to try to stand in for me and take action if things get st00pid, but will still have a leash with a choke-collar on for the whole time. A long time ago, when I first started working, carrying the pager guaranteed you several hours of overtime per week (paid at 1.5x normal pay), and if on holidays you got called in, it was double pay. Not so any longer. Four decades of voodoo economics and downward class warfare has done away with anything like that. I get 1x pay for the whole stint -- and get to work three shifts for a reasonable single-shift salary.
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moonshadow
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Re: Corona Virus

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Damm Carl, hoping you're not an "exempt" (salaried) worker...

When I started my current job, they gave us 4 hours OT (1.5X) per week to carry call. Then around midsummer of 2020 they slashed Monday (gave it to us off) and reduced our on-call pay to 2 hours.

If no [after hours] calls came in you basically wasted an entire week (24/7) and had the luxury of a 35 hour check as opposed to a full 40. But... it was pandemic time, millions were being laid off weekly and we were just grateful to have a job...

Then in September, they put us on a new timesheet system, we now get one hour of OT per DAY, (7 hours total). I was shocked....and wondered if the powers that be found a hidden money tree.... We still get the prior Monday off, but it's a reasonable trade off now... the weekend prior to on call is now a three day weekend, and the OT pay for carrying call means will be to the good about an hour or so (41.5...ish) plus whatever calls may come in... so right now... life is good reasonable (knock on wood).

It's all still better than my last job, the pay period went from Saturday Morning to Friday night, and we took call Saturday Morning... so anything that came in over the weekend, they expected us to cut the time later during the week... though many of us (myself included) always found a way to make sure machines were "contrary enough" to justify keeping our OT...

Whoops.... yeah uh... "the bolt stripped off... that's why this call took 4 extra hours... uh-huh...." :wink: One of the nice things about working in "in house" maintenance was you could pull stunts like that and not feel like you're screwing anyone... you're just keeping what's rightfully yours! (The OT)

Oh... and the last gig didn't pay anything for carrying call....

Anyway, about a month ago, we had an "incident" that ultimately had me working the entire department solo for about half a week, and during the other half, my only help was a new hire...

That's right, yours truly, Moon Shadow, held down the fort... I worked my ass off that week, averaging 12-14 hour days. But damn... I pulled in almost $1,000 extra in OT that pay period (cleared)... first real OT of the year.... and it was a real financial shot in the arm....

Sure came in handy since those politicians never came through on another stim....

All the better anyway... that money felt better in my pocket, knowing I earned it the right way and that it wasn't some political carrot...

As much as I rant about having to work, I sure am grateful to be employed during this mess. So far, they've really went the extra mile for us employees. It's not what I expected from a major global employer. It's nice to know there are still good companies out there.

I could stay here until retirement... but make no mistake... I STILL WANT TO RETIRE SOMEDAY...! :lol: 8)
-Andrea
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moonshadow
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Re: Corona Virus

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In other news, the fine citizens of Bristol Virginia voted overwhelmingly to allow a new Hard Rock Casino to be constructed at the old Bristol Mall location...

It's still a few years out, but if we can hang on long enough... there will be bright times ahead. That casino is expected to bring millions into the local economy. We can't wait! :D

They'll be restaurants and hotels everywhere... more OT than I can shake a stick at! Bring it! I ain't no slouch!
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
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crfriend
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Re: Corona Virus

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moonshadow wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 1:19 amDamm Carl, hoping you're not an "exempt" (salaried) worker...
Yep, I'm a salary-man now, so no OT no matter how many hours I work.

In my first gig, I worked four days on and four days off, 11.5 hours a day -- which works out in the long term to 40 hours a week. This was great when I was working days, but sucked big-time when I was on nights, and it almost killed me one morning when I was heading home and woke up on Mass Route 128 doing 60 and aimed straight at a roadside guard-rail. (Fortunately, I recovered the incident before it got any worse.) That was the gig where we got double-time for working holidays and being on-site.

The second gig was a hybrid, and I drew a salary, but also got overtime if it was billable to customers. Since I was in field service at the time, that was usually the case -- and I didn't mind working it! Interestingly, much of that was not for the money, but for the happiness it brought to my clientele. One cannot really put a price on that; the money was gravy. (And some of the stories...)

Through the '90s, I didn't carry a pager -- a welcome relief. That changed in 2001, and I've been tied to The Boss by an electronic leash that he can yank and any time, and frequently does, sometimes out of spite or ignorance. No overtime, no compensation, not even any thanks of any kind. Welcome to the modern world.

The overall point of the narrative is that things are only getting worse for the working man in the USA.

Once in a great while one may find a benevolent employer. Cherish those, for they are few and far between.

Retirement? Not for this old soul. I've already seen two fully-vested pensions go *poof* into thin air as the backing "investments" failed. I'll be working until the day I drop dead. Am I a bit bitter? You bet! I look at my elder aunt who has but a decade on me, and she has a full pension and health care for life. Me? I've got my wits and hopefully a bit of luck left. Ten lousy years and the landscape changed that much.
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moonshadow
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Re: Corona Virus

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crfriend wrote: Thu Nov 26, 2020 1:49 am Retirement? Not for this old soul. I've already seen two fully-vested pensions go *poof* into thin air as the backing "investments" failed. I'll be working until the day I drop dead. Am I a bit bitter? You bet! I look at my elder aunt who has but a decade on me, and she has a full pension and health care for life. Me? I've got my wits and hopefully a bit of luck left. Ten lousy years and the landscape changed that much.
As for me, for everything that makes Appalachia lousy, it includes a prize in equal measure. Yes, economic opportunity is lacking, but if you can find a way to scratch out $40k per year or better, you can live a reasonably comfortable life.

Most people live under the poverty line, income statistics quoted thusly:

The median income for a household in the county was $26,834, and the median income for a family was $31,491. Males had a median income of $26,950 versus $20,108 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,863. About 13.00% of families and 16.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 16.90% of those age 65 or over

-Source: Wikipedia, Russell County Virginia.


I make a bit more than that, and provided nothing changes, I am poised to enjoy the lower cost of living that comes with living in such an economicly recessed area, while making an income more average with larger metropolitan locations... and since the area is so rural, crime is minimal, unlike certain inner city neighborhoods.

It really is the best of both worlds...

As for retirement, Appalachia is perfect for retirement, in fact, many people locate to these type of places just for that reason.

My plan is as follows,

The house I paid $63,000 for in 2017 will pay off in 2032 (15 year note), I will be 52 years old then, leaving me with well over a decade to make other improvements, and other investments to secure a comfortable retirement. The house will remain paid off, along with the cars.

At 65, I should have a few hundred grand in 401k that I can withdraw, and I'll also be eligible for Medicare. Additionally, there will be social security which I imagine will be inflation equivalent to what it is today.

The combination of social security, 401k savings, and 100% paid for assets (no debt, rent, or mortgages) is my overall strategy.

Additionally, once the house is paid off, Jenn and I have kicked around the idea of purchasing a few fix-er-upper houses, or trailers to rent out. Currently single wide trailers are renting for $500-$600 per month around here.... Just two mobile homes could easily match our social security income.

My goal is not to have a lavish retirement, I'm fine to take a few small trips per year and clip coupons in between. I'll likely get involved with local politics, a soup kitchen, or perhaps just sitting on park benches reading books and feeding ducks.

I'm a simple man. Don't need much, just a roof over my head, and a little food to eat.
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
Gusto10
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Re: Corona Virus

Post by Gusto10 »

Bearing in mind freedom of speech, I would like to bring to the attention of intersted persosn an article on the website of the BBC:
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-58270098

Furthermore the minority committe of the US Senate published recently a revised report on the origin of the virus. The essence is the same as amongst others of the conclusion by former science editor of the NYTimes.
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