There are those who are technically competent; there are those who are technically incompetent, and then there are those who just don’t give a…
I almost fell out of my car laughing at this one. Enjoy.
Free E-Books & Stories
Starting tomorrow, all of my e-books and stories will be on sale for FREE. That’s right, free. Figured people might want some reading material for the lockdowns, shutdowns, etc. Starting the 26th, you can go to my author page on Amazon and download them for free. If there are any problems, let me know and I will fix it. Please spread the word.
Remembering The 50
Today, I take the time to remember the 50. On this night, in 1944, prisoners of war staged a daring large-scale escape from Stalag Luft III. The movie is good, but isn’t accurate since it was a Royal Air Force show. All but three of the prisoners who escaped were recaptured, and of those, Adolph Hitler personally ordered the deaths of 50 of them. Today, I raise a glass to them, and to all who dared and risked all to do so.
COVID-19 24Mar20
Please, please, please ignore the mainstream media right now. No, the President did not tell the idiots to take fish tank cleaner. It’s not even the same compound. We are not all going to die because OrangeManBad, or anything else (except maybe cabin fever). What is going on in Washington with the stimulus package is beyond disgusting. It is beyond despicable. It is flat out Evil, with an out-of-touch political class that is more than willing to put your health, safety, civil liberties, and fortune(s) at risk in order to enrich themselves and obtain what they can’t get any other way. To risk the lives of the people they swore to serve shows that they hold our lives, safety, and fortunes in contempt simply because they have no honor, much less Sacred Honor.
Yes, the numbers are jumping. It is both a function of spread, and a function of increased testing. As more and faster tests come into play, it is guaranteed we are going to find cases that were missed before, particularly with those who are or were asymptomatic. That is going to make the numbers jump.
Why the delays in testing? I’ve written about it before, linking to a number of articles. If you want to see why bureaucracies can’t handle something like this, read this detailed account of how the FDA mishandled things from the start. Just as with the CDC screwups, it all worked to make things far worse than they should have been. Both agencies need a major overhaul, and to be forced to return to what they were created to do, rather than the mission creep they prefer to do.
There’s more, but frankly I’m dealing with both literal and figurative pain right now. I’ve lived with the literal for a while now, some days are better than others. The figurative comes from the absolutely amazing levels of Stupid and Evil I awoke to this morning. Between the media, politicians when we need statesmen, and people doing stupid things (and having the media blame every one of them on the President), I’m tired already. Will try to do better later or tomorrow.
If you know of a local business that needs business, drop me a line and I will add it to the list.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated, especially as I’m now off for two weeks without pay.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Good Sources Of Information On COVID-19
Instapundit (no longer doing roundups, but great articles from Glenn and his team)
South China Morning Post (decent, some salt may be needed)
Business Insider (decent, even if they did fall for some lies about Trump)
New England Journal of Medicine
More to come
Local Independent Businesses That Need Your Support
Oaken Barrel (Twitter at @OakenBarrel)
Pipe Puffer (cigar and pipe) regular hours for now
More to come
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
COVID-19 23Mar20
This one will be short, as the current breathtaking abrogation of their sworn oaths by one particular group of politicians has me beyond livid. I will #RememberInNovember who put their own venal self-interest ahead of the Republic and the lives and well-being of its Citizens. At least Clyborn was honest about seizing the opportunity (or can a Democrat pounce?) to “restructure things to fit our vision” A pox on them all.
Second, I remain agnostic about whether this is a natural or man-made virus. That said, I am taking the latest study being trumpeted in the media with a tun of salt. The Chinese have bought far too many academic institutions, and academics, for me to trust anything that comes out right now that exonerates them. Wait and watch on this one, and remember that there are at least two academic papers out there (hopefully now in peer review) that say it is man-made.
Third, glad to add another business to the local businesses to support section. If you know of other businesses that should be added, drop me a line here or on Twitter to share info.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated, especially as I’m now off for two weeks without pay.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Good Sources Of Information On COVID-19
Instapundit (no longer doing roundups, but great articles from Glenn and his team)
South China Morning Post (decent, some salt may be needed)
Business Insider (decent, even if they did fall for some lies about Trump)
New England Journal of Medicine
More to come
Local Independent Businesses That Need Your Support
Oaken Barrel (Twitter at @OakenBarrel)
Pipe Puffer (cigar and pipe) regular hours for now
More to come
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
COVID-19 22Mar20
For what I am sadly sure will not be the last time, please stop the panic. This is not Captain Tripps though it is also not the flu. Food will be there, the system is catching up, slowly, to the idiotic panic buying of the last week or so. Just stop it. Sit back, chill, and THINK.
For what I am also sadly sure will not be the last time, THE NUMBER OF CASES AND DEATHS IS NOT WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT! These numbers are being used, knowingly and willingly, to incite panic and overreaction. Don’t be a chump! While I feel for, and pray for, those who have it and those who will die, the death numbers in the U.S. are going to remain well below that of the flu and any number of other things. If we are smart, and I’m beginning to question that…
The numbers that count are: 1. The number of cases requiring ICU support, and the percentage for that appears to be well above the normal flu; 2. The number of cases that require ventilator support, and again, that number appears to be well above that of the normal flu. And, yes, COVID-19/CCP virus is not a flu, that’s part of the problem (and a reason those comparing it to the flu are stupid). These are the numbers that have overwhelmed health care systems in multiple countries. These are the numbers that concern doctors and others associated with maintaining our healthcare.
And, yes, our numbers are spiking. Why? Testing. Testing that is becoming (far later than it should thanks to the bureaucrats) not only more widely available, but even faster (and hopefully more accurate) tests are starting to ship. Do we have enough? No. But, since the red tape got cut, the numbers have been ramping up even faster than first projected. Don’t believe me? Look it up, the numbers are there for those who will look and think. The spike we are seeing is a good thing. Don’t believe me? Read this. It allows us to isolate people and locations as needed, not via mass shut down of society, a move that is dangerous. It will enable a better and more effective response.
For those focused on age, a side note that you may want to look at this story. Interesting.
If you are still getting your information from the mass/old media, please stop it. They are deliberately inciting panic for both revenue (readers/viewers/listeners) and for partisan political objectives. Don’t believe me, then go read this, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this. The sad thing is, I could probably link to three times this number of posts and fact checks. If I were still a member of any journalism organization, I would be resigned from them in protest and disgust. The even sadder thing is that far too many either don’t care or don’t believe that the media is lying even when confronted with facts. Emotions trump facts for far too many. It’s almost enough to make me wish that this story was true.
For anyone who believes anything the Chinese say, or are joining in on the whole idiotic raaaaacccciiiiiissssst bullshit, read this. One of the reasons we had to react strongly is because we could depend on any information from China being wrong, in fact, a lie. If you want to have some fun, look at the number of mainstream media outlets who are pushing Chinese propaganda and the racism bull who have also taken money, large sums of money in fact, to print/broadcast Chinese propaganda. That’s an interesting (and scary) bit of homework for the students. Want something interesting if a bit scary, read this on how what the media is trumpeting is a lie.
While I haven’t gone through all the numbers, this report is interesting. As we start to get real and accurate numbers, expect to see a lot of revisions to models, reports, and such. Also keep in mind that, as I and others have told you, no matter what our death rate is going to be far lower than China’s (and Italy, Iran, etc.) per capita for a variety of reasons. There are differences in public and private health and sanitation systems, industrial and personal hygiene, air pollution, cigarette smoking rates, population age and health, and a few other factors.
There is a lot more I could get into, but I feel like dreck this morning and would much rather go cook on my two weeks off without pay from my part-time gig. Yes, we had someone stupid come to work sick, insist on getting up close and personal (and shaking hands) with almost everyone (not me, I tended to keep away from them for other reasons), and then deciding they had the flu. Allegedly they were tested, but I don’t think the results could have returned in the time frame where they announced this person had the stomach flu.
To cut it short, I asked my doctor if I should continue to work the part-time gig and was immediately asked if I needed a note. I’m still getting used to being considered “at risk” for a number of things, and don’t really fully agree I am (then again, my mind still tends to think of me as being 20, though the body just laughs), but decided I really didn’t want to do true COVID-19 first-hand reporting. If you care to help me out, hit the tip jar please.
What I may start spending more time on are the good stories coming out of this. Of people pulling together to do something constructive and positive. One such story is about Hotel Tango and Cardinal Spirits (Bloomington) making hand sanitizer. Hotel Tango is a place I recommend you go when they can reopen: outstanding and interesting drink menu and veteran owned. Or this story, one of several, on companies and people stepping up to the ventilator shortage. Shortage? Pah. Get the bureaucrats out of the way, stand back, and watch it disappear as American ingenuity and exceptionalism get unleashed. Holds true for other areas as well. Hope to see more stories like this, where a landlord waived rent so a restaurant could pay its employees.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated, especially as I’m now off for two weeks without pay.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Good Sources Of Information On COVID-19
Instapundit (no longer doing roundups, but great articles from Glenn and his team)
South China Morning Post (decent, some salt may be needed)
Business Insider (decent, even if they did fall for some lies about Trump)
New England Journal of Medicine
More to come
Local Independent Businesses That Need Your Support
Oaken Barrel (Twitter at @OakenBarrel)
Pipe Puffer (cigar and pipe) regular hours for now
More to come
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
Some Quick Thoughts On Coronavirus 2019-nCoV
Coronavirus And Practical Preparedness
COVID-19 21Mar20
I’m not going to do much today, both because I’m busy and because I’m likely to lapse into language that is very family unfriendly at the idiocy. I will just say this: if you are depending on old/mainstream media for news, you are doing yourself and those you love a grave disservice. Turn it off. All they want to do is create fear and panic.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated, especially as I’m now off for two weeks without pay.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Good Sources Of Information On COVID-19
Instapundit (no longer doing roundups, but great articles from Glenn and his team)
South China Morning Post (decent, some salt may be needed)
Business Insider (decent, even if they did fall for some lies about Trump)
New England Journal of Medicine
More to come
Local Independent Businesses That Need Your Support
Oaken Barrel (Twitter at @OakenBarrel)
More to come
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
COVID-19 20Mar20
Today starts my first day of being home from work, without pay. I made the decision to do this after talking with my doctor, and after a stupid person at work came in knowing they were sick. We are told that they have the stomach flu, but that came before any test results could have come back (based on what I’ve seen elsewhere). So, thank you stupid person.
On a more positive note, we are seeing an unprecedented response to the virus on multiple levels. The one I want to focus on is the easing of regulatory burdens to get things done fast and well. One good example is a distillery being approved to make hand sanitizer in hours, rather than weeks. There are many such stories, and I will try to list more in a future post.
This also shows that we have far too much regulation, and that such over-regulation is hurting us. That it can be safely done away with shows that we can, should, and NEED to get rid of it. This article in the New Yorker (hat tip, Instapundit) gets into a lot of what went wrong when bureaucracy ran amok.
There is a lot more I could get into this morning, but I’m going to skip it to begin two other sections for these updates. First, I’m going to put up a list of good sources for information on COVID-19. Second, I’m going to start a list of independent local (Indianapolis) restaurants, pubs, etc. that are doing carryout or otherwise trying hard to stay in business. I may expand it beyond that, but that is a start. We all need to support each other as best we can in this time of trial.
A quick reminder however: If you are sick, think you may be sick, STAY THE FRACK HOME!! CALL your doctor, then do what they say. Repeat, CALL them so as to avoid infecting others, particularly those at real risk, needlessly. One wonders what will turn up in a few weeks in regards liability of individuals and businesses… Meantime, I’m going to have no sympathy when I read of that person (we’ve all worked with one) who is so proud of never taking a sick day who comes in sick and gets a physical response from their co-workers… It’s coming, bet on it, given the panic right now. No, the stupid person at work has nothing to fear from me. Want that on the record — I’m just going to point out that they are stupid, and a liability under any circumstances. I really am more into mockery than physical.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated, especially as I’m now off without pay.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Good Sources Of Information On COVID-19
Instapundit (no longer doing roundups, but great articles from Glenn and his team)
South China Morning Post (decent, some salt may be needed)
Business Insider (decent, even if they did fall for some lies about Trump)
New England Journal of Medicine
More to come
Local Independent Businesses That Need Your Support
Oaken Barrel (Twitter at @OakenBarrel)
More to come
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
COVID-19 19Mar20
Not sure how to title this morning’s brief, as it will cover conspiracy theories, odd and interesting, and start new sections on sources of information and local businesses that can use some help.
First, let’s start with some facts. First, it is not racist to call it the Wuhan, China, or Chinese coronavirus/flu/etc. That is absolute bullshit being peddled by bought and paid for whores. No, strike that: that is an insult to hard working professionals who actually give value for the money unlike most media and far too many academics. Yes, echoing Heinlein a bit there. Anyone pushing that tripe needs to be told hard and fast to sod off.
One of the reasons we are where we are is China. China lied, obfuscated, and much more. As a result, they guaranteed the spread to other countries, and it must be noted that if not for the travel ban by President Trump (to the tune of screams, tantrums, shouts of racism, and trips to the fainting couch by the unserious) we would be in far worse shape.
One the largest problems, outside of the spread, to come from the willful and deliberate actions of the Chinese government under Xi, is the fact that we can trust no data out of China. Period. We can, and should, note it and where it checks out in comparison to data gathered in open countries and cultures, make use of it. Net result is that we truly won’t have good, solid, useful data for another six months or so. We are gathering data fast about the virus itself, as scientists are starting to literally study it atom by atom; but, that takes a while to process and we are just starting to truly learn it’s vectors, load data, and other essential information for the Game Of Loads And Vectors. We are learning, and learning fast, but it also means we are making decisions on very incomplete information.
So, what do you do in that case? Do you make decisions based on best-case or worst-case scenarios? Go for a middle approach? Truly smart people base off the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes. Does this mean we may overreact to the virus? Yes. In fact, I will go so far as to say it’s guaranteed to some extent. Does this mean the end of the Republic and all it stands for? Only if we let it, either by letting bad bills go through that enact bad laws (which go unchallenged) or by reacting with words and actions on par with Antifa.
The latter is why I’ve lost patience with the chest thumpers. I’ve backed away from some people I formerly respected, and am fast losing respect for far too many others. I’m torn between amusement and disgust at a number of them for the conspiracy theories being put forth. Are the Democrats/Deep State/Republicans/Etc taking advantage of this crisis for their own purposes? Yes. Next question. Is the media deliberately stoking a crisis for fun and profit? Yes. Next question.
Where I have a problem with those taking advantage of the situation boils down to: is what they are doing putting an agenda/politics/their own gain ahead of the Republic and the life and health of its Citizens? If so, I am making notes as that group does not care one iota for anyone but themselves, and would be just as happy if I or my loved ones die so long as it advances them and their cause. Such people are a cancer in the civic body, and need to be excised as fast as possible. In some cases, I advocate immediately (Champaign, IL mayor and council) via recall or other valid means. In others, vote them out and if you can’t vote directly, you can support any opponents they may have running against them that fit your perspectives. Make notes, make informed decisions, then vote. Oh, and I fully agree with Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit: “Concede nothing to the left. They bring nothing to the table.” I would add they bring nothing, but will steal anything and everything not nailed down to the table.
What we don’t need is panic, and there is far too much of it. Yes, the media has encouraged this even before it left China. ‘If it bleeds, it leads’ is an almost ancient mantra within the media. Mysterious disease, mass deaths, huge infection rate, lies and omissions by the Chinese government: it’s like crack for an addict when it comes to the mass media. In an era of declining viewership/readership and revenues, hell yes they jumped in and spun it up. The fact that the arrival of COVID-19/China Virus offered up partisan political advantages (tanking the economy before the election, multiple means to attack the bad orange man, advantages for the DNC primaries, etc.) was just icing on the cake. It is why you should not listen/read/watch them, and take nothing they say as anything but a lie. Lot’s of lies to choose from, may list them all another day. Well, wait, someone else has already done so.
Now, far too many are panicking in the other direction. The it’s not legal/this is stupid/it’s just the flu crowd are indeed panicking and are as bad in their own way as the media. That’s how you get things like this focusing on a novel written a decade or three ago and other coincidences; or, how you get this speculating on the Diamond Princess as if it weren’t a total fiasco. Just as our CDC royally fucked up the initial response here in the U.S. (see previous posts for links and discussion), the Japanese bureaucracy kicked off the epidemiologist there because he warned them they were doing all the wrong things. He was right. What should have been a textbook laboratory experiment and exercise in how to do it right turned into a blinding beacon of how to do it wrong. Which also means numbers from the Diamond Princess can’t be taken at face value. They are skewed because of the fuck-up. Doesn’t mean we can’t learn from them, but they can’t be used as a straight data set. That said, there is a somewhat more reasoned and interesting take on the data (as well as S. Korean data) here. Thanks to Sarah Hoyt at Instapundit for the link.
Well, I’m out of time and nowhere near getting everything in or done I wanted to do this morning. So, let me say the following:
STOP THE FUCKING PANIC! ALL OF YOU!! YES, YOU!!!
Don’t be sheep for the media or anyone else. If it is from the mainstream media, discount. If it is from someone saying this is just the flu, or not as bad as the flu, discount. Strike those two ends off and you have a far better chance of getting good and accurate data and/or analysis. Yes, you may lose an outlier, but it balances. Go for the data and do your own analysis is (always) the best option.
And, yes, I do recommend preparing for further lockdown. The legalities of such I will deal with another day, and yes I do think some politicians are making full use of the crisis and will need to be dealt with. The reality is that regardless of legality/liberty/etc. it is quite likely to happen. Food, drink, OTC’s, etc. get in stock and keep in stock. If it doesn’t happen, you’ve got them and can still use them.
Hope to have more to say later, including on this interesting study from ammo.com. Hoping to get a chance to review it fully later today.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness
COVID-19 18Mar20
Okay, now I’m pissed. We need to finish this, and COVID-19 needs to go be dealt with permanently. Not quite the movie quote, but close enough. Honduras has shut down all cigar factories. If you thought that the U.S. was the only country shutting things down, well, you must be watching the major networks or reading the paper with a record. Stop it. The best thing you can do for yourself, outside of washing your hands, is to cut off or cut out the mainstream media.
Yes, the number of cases and number of deaths have gone up. Woo. You’ve been told this would happen no matter what, at least by responsible outlets. What matters now is the rate of increase and if we can flatten it out. We will not know that for several weeks, as Dr. Fauci has repeatedly said.
Meantime, an incident here prompts me to remind you that if you think you have COVID-19 or have been exposed to it, please don’t go to the ER or anywhere else unannounced, and if you have to call first responders — TELL THEM YOU MAY HAVE IT/HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO IT! Call your state COVID-19 line, call your provider, but for the love of Pete don’t be stupid and just go without calling to warn them you are coming. We don’t need any more first responders having to be quarantined because they didn’t know they needed full protocols.
Also, don’t give a false name, address, and phone number to the ER if you get tested. If you do that, and go back out in public, you are not just a jackass, but should face charges for willful spread and manslaughter charges if someone you cause to be infected dies. Also, if there is violence inflicted on you by those around you, you deserve it.
Facebook did some good shutting down factual articles on COVID-19 as spam (what do you expect from FB?), as the article I read on it led me to this interesting site courtesy of this article. Plan to add that link to the resources section below.
For all the brainless twits out there, while the worst hit are 60+, you are not immune and it can be bad for you too. For example, in France there are some 300 people in ICU, and more than half of them are under 60. Another doctor is reporting patients in ICU as young as 40, and that none of them had underlying health conditions. There are reports of others in the U.S. and elsewhere that are showing up in ICU without underlying health conditions. In Texas, new patients are showing a spread from 20s to 70s, with around half being 40 or below. In short, you too can be hit and hit hard, so if you are not willing to consider others, here’s a selfish reason to follow the precautions.
As for precautions, washing your hands frequently seems an even better idea based on the data in this paper in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) on how long COVID-19 lasts in the air and on surfaces. Short take: on surfaces it can last more than 72 hours, and remains viable as an aerosol for more than 3 hours. Remember what I said about hitting most used surfaces in bathrooms every hour or two? There was and is a reason… Another resource for those collecting them is this NEJM section on COVID-19
Another reason to take part in quarantine/social distancing/whateveryoucallit is that according to this paper, up to 80 percent of the spread is from people who are either asymptomatic or otherwise not aware they have COVID-19. This article puts it closer to American. Hat tip to Instapundit for this one. Also, got these two links on quarantine and the law from Insty, so go read this and then go read this to learn more about the legality and precedents for what is going on. Would that more of the chest thumpers would read it, as a good solid debate on the Constitutionality and legality is needed and timely. That would take a degree of rationality that is all too rare in this pandemic.
There is more, much more, but I’m out of time this morning.
If my posts are enjoyable, helpful, or otherwise a benefit, please consider hitting the tip jar. Any help is very much appreciated.
•My Amazon Wishlist
As always:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have been exposed: call your state health department and work with them so that you can be dealt with in a way that minimizes the chance of spreading the virus to those helping you and to the general public. Can’t get them? Call your local department or see if your health service has online/telemedicine screening set up; or see if one who has will let you use it even if you are not in their network. Do not go out in public, and don’t go to an ER or other facility without calling ahead. Be smart.
Use the interactive graphic to keep track of things. Is COVID19 an epidemic? Yes. Is it a Pandemic? Yes. Is there need for panic? NO. HELL NO. Should you be paying attention? Yes. Hell yes. Should you be preparing? Yes, better late than never. And good luck finding/getting stuff.
Want to avoid catching COVID19 here in the U.S.? Wash your flippin hands frequently, wash them thoroughly every time you use the bathroom, then follow with hand sanitizer after every washing, use hand sanitizer liberally when you can’t wash on a regular basis. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and stay away from those who don’t. Also, keep your bugger hooks out of/away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Do NOT shake hands with anyone, and avoid touching or being touched by strangers. Or your strange friends.
Avoid travel if at all possible. Right now, there is no way I’m going to a trade show, major convention, etc. If you can telecommute, get that set up now. If you have to travel, use lots of hand sanitizer and go to full flu protocols. If you have to use a public restroom, take full precautions including using paper towels and such to handle faucets, doors,etc. Believe it or not, this was highly recommended before now, and major grocery chains have long told employees to use those practices to avoid getting or spreading colds, flu, etc. Not many actually do it, but…
If you own a business, make sure your employees know the above protocols. Have someone who refuses to wash their hands or otherwise follow the protocols? Talk to them, write them up, and if necessary fire them as they now pose a risk of infection to you and your customers. Extreme? Yes, but while the CDC and others are working to slow it down, odds are it is already here and could hit hard and fast. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
I want to reiterate that there is no need for panic, but there is a strong need to be alert, be informed, and be prepared.
Other COVID19/COVID-19/2019-nCoV articles:
COVID-19 13Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors Gets Real For America
COVID-19 9Mar20 The Game Of Loads And Vectors
COVID-19 7Mar20 How To Do It Right If You Have/Have Been Exposed To COVID-19
Quick Additional Thoughts On The Bureaucracy
COVID-19 28Feb20 Reasons To Hope, Reasons To Fear
COVID-19 A Plea To The Politicians (And Media)
COVID19 The Situation In China Gets Even Weirder
COVID19 24Feb20 Raising DEFCON
COVID19 21Feb20: Just Look At The Blooms Dear
Update & Quick Thoughts On Preparedness