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US Politics: Get Tested or Get Bested


Tywin Manderly

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9 minutes ago, Fragile Bird said:

You're all gonna die.

Trump sent letters to all governors, saying he wants areas in every state reopened for business.

They wll track the 'low risk counties'.

And each governor should send that letter back as confetti.

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1 hour ago, Maltaran said:

India went full lockdown yesterday, but Bolsonaro seems to be following the Trump path so Brazil has potential 

I said like a month ago that Brazil is one of the scenarios that scares me. I really don't know enough about India, but my understanding is they are better suited to handle their urban areas, and that the spread to more rural areas would be slower than other place. If that's wrong, I'd love to be corrected.

But Brazil man, it's a big country, but the people travel all over it and the large cities are relatively close together, and much of the country is uninhabitable by anything other than small communities. The poverty I experienced living in Buenos Aires was jarring in a way that completely changed the way I view the world. I would go into a small store near my hosts' home and there'd be like five kids there sitting outside, wearing rags and looking like they hadn't had a real meal in ages. I always made it a point to buy them each a bottle of water and some snacks. Not the healthiest thing they needed but bad calories beat no calories.  

Then we did our trip to boat down El Rio Tigre. Under the freeway for what seemed like ten miles was a giant shanty town. I had never seen anything like it. I asked one of the program directors "how many people live there?" Her response (paraphrasing) was "Could be tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe more than a million. They don't really count them and just guess." Later I spoke with my host parents about it. They were very wealthy by Argentine standards. They lamented the situation, always thought about them when going to church and made sure to donate heavily, but oddly they tried to reassure me by saying the favelas in Brazil were far worst. It doesn't matter if that is true or not, but if COVID-19 gets into either country's most impoverished areas, that shit will spread like wildfire.

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tried walking my conservative coworker through the basics of this the morning.

started with the infection rate: 1 person infects 3, those 3 each infect 3 more (up over a dozen total), then the 9 each infect 3 more (27 plus the others), then those 27 each infect three more, making for another eighty new cases, with well over a hundred total.  Then 300...and at that point (I could almost see the little light come on) he goes...'everybody would be infected in a month if that were true.'

 

Me: it is true (allowing for a bit of rounding and whatnot)

CC: but outside of a couple states, the numbers are nowhere near that bad.

Me: That is because our esteemed president has been playing his own numbers game.  He deliberately cut back on the number of test kits.  The states with the highest numbers are the ones where the governors went around Trumps back (ok, grossly oversimplified, but)

CC: but why?
 

Me:  Trump wants to make the plague seem less bad than it is.  Limit the number of test kits, he can claim low numbers.  Yesterday, he actually said widespread testing was a bad idea.

 

CC: He's right.  No way can we test millions of people.   Besides, it'll be over with in a couple of months and we can get the red hot economy pumping again.  

 

 

 

 

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14 minutes ago, ThinkerX said:

tried walking my conservative coworker through the basics of this the morning.

started with the infection rate: 1 person infects 3, those 3 each infect 3 more (up over a dozen total), then the 9 each infect 3 more (27 plus the others), then those 27 each infect three more, making for another eighty new cases, with well over a hundred total.  Then 300...and at that point (I could almost see the little light come on) he goes...'everybody would be infected in a month if that were true.'

 

Me: it is true (allowing for a bit of rounding and whatnot)

CC: but outside of a couple states, the numbers are nowhere near that bad.

Me: That is because our esteemed president has been playing his own numbers game.  He deliberately cut back on the number of test kits.  The states with the highest numbers are the ones where the governors went around Trumps back (ok, grossly oversimplified, but)

CC: but why?
 

Me:  Trump wants to make the plague seem less bad than it is.  Limit the number of test kits, he can claim low numbers.  Yesterday, he actually said widespread testing was a bad idea.

 

CC: He's right.  No way can we test millions of people.   Besides, it'll be over with in a couple of months and we can get the red hot economy pumping again.  

 

 

 

 

Beautiful, isn't it?

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Mass graves in Mississippi in the not so distant future? Seems to be a good way to go about it, anyhow...  (turned up in an internet newsletter I subscribe too).  

https://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2020/mar/24/gov-tate-reeves-orders-limited-gatherings-today-ex/?utm_source=nextdraft&utm_medium=email

Notably, Reeves' executive order supersedes any orders by local mayors or other governing body in Mississippi that conflict with the businesses and organizations he deems exempt as "essential" businesses.

#Reeves' order thus cancels "any order, rule, regulation or action by any governing body, agency or political subdivision of the state that imposes any additional freedom of movement or social distancing limitations on Essential Business or Operation, restricts scope of services or hours of operation of any Essential Business or Operation, or which will or might in any way conflict with or impede the purpose of this Executive Order is suspended and unenforceable during this COVID-19 State of Emergency. However, nothing in this Executive Order shall in any way alter or modify the authority of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety or of the State Department of Health and the State Health Officer."

#The exhaustive list of exempt "essential" businesses includes many industries and institutions both public and private.

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2 minutes ago, Triskele said:

Does anyone ever get the feeling that Jace was just many, many months ahead of the rest of us on the type of mindset that one would need to adopt in order to achieve psychological protection required for the times ahead?   

either that, or like me she is required to interact with significant numbers of Trump fans on a daily basis.

Then again, I have a long history of less than optimistic future predictions on this site and elsewhere.

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26 minutes ago, Triskele said:

Does anyone ever get the feeling that Jace was just many, many months ahead of the rest of us on the type of mindset that one would need to adopt in order to achieve psychological protection required for the times ahead?   

Nah, her post about leaving work just after Trump was announced the winner was the turning point. Well that and Peyton Manning becoming a noodle armed man.

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3 hours ago, Week said:

You are sending a hospital ship to the largest city in the country that is currently in crisis. The worst outbreak of a pandemic. How do you announce the dispatch of the ship?

/smfh

First he dry humps a flag now he’s kissing a naval ship goodbye? 

I’ve not been actually watching his announcements/press meetings, this is awful.

More substantive point though - “there may be a little ceremony.” Uh...isn’t Manhattan on lockdown now? 

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9 minutes ago, HelenaExMachina said:

First he dry humps a flag now he’s kissing a naval ship goodbye? 

I’ve not been actually watching his announcements/press meetings, this is awful.

More substantive point though - “there may be a little ceremony.” Uh...isn’t Manhattan on lockdown now? 

It was a lot easier to bear thinking it was just hugging the flag affectionately the way he wishes he could hug Ivanka. This is too much!

Also, read up thread. Donnie Dipshit wants to open up the economy. 

Or is it Dipshit Donnie? If Trump has taught us anything, it's that coordinated branding is effective. 

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this thread being nominally dedicated to politics and all, Biden's top three pics for Veep might be of minor interest...especially since if he wins the presidency, said Veep is likely to be running the country in a year or two...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/elections-2020/who-is-nevada-senator-catherine-cortez-masto-biden-reveals-top-3-vp-picks/ar-BB11KTIa?ocid=msnclassic

Biden reportedly told former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is in his "top three" picks for the role of his running mate, and according to Mediaite, Reid has expressed his support for her as the former vice president's vice presidential nominee.

....

Reid believes Cortez Masto, the first Latina Senator in the U.S., will help Biden garner support from members of the Latino community in the general election.

Cortez Masto's name has also been mentioned in other recent reports about Biden selecting his potential running mates. On Tuesday, the Democratic 2020 frontrunner said he is whittling his list and will soon begin a vetting process. Although Biden declined to name any candidates, unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the matter told CNBC that Senators Kamala Harris and Amy Klobuchar are also on the shortlist, as well as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Florida Rep. Val Demings.

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18 minutes ago, ThinkerX said:

this thread being nominally dedicated to politics and all, Biden's top three pics for Veep might be of minor interest...especially since if he wins the presidency, said Veep is likely to be running the country in a year or two...

I have to say, being somewhat familiar with Cortez Masto, I've never been too impressed with her at the communication level - which is why I've never mentioned her a possibility, despite the fact she checks a lot of boxes.  Anyway, that article reads like it was leaked by Reid's camp to get her some press.  Here's Cillizza's top ten he posted today.  Pretty much the names mentioned around here, although I disagree that Klobuchar should be ranked second, seems way too high for me.  

Another thing I was just reminded of while being bored and re-watching West Wing:  Whitmer's approval was dragged down last year mostly because of a protracted budget fight, but she also fought for tripling the gas tax.  As the Governor of Michigan.  That takes balls, she's quickly getting to the top of my list.

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1 hour ago, DMC said:

I have to say, being somewhat familiar with Cortez Masto, I've never been too impressed with her at the communication level - which is why I've never mentioned her a possibility, despite the fact she checks a lot of boxes.  Anyway, that article reads like it was leaked by Reid's camp to get her some press.  Here's Cillizza's top ten he posted today.  Pretty much the names mentioned around here, although I disagree that Klobuchar should be ranked second, seems way too high for me.  

Another thing I was just reminded of while being bored and re-watching West Wing:  Whitmer's approval was dragged down last year mostly because of a protracted budget fight, but she also fought for tripling the gas tax.  As the Governor of Michigan.  That takes balls, she's quickly getting to the top of my list.

I can say firmly as an Amy loyalist that I do not want her on the ticket. She provides so much more value in the Senate than she would as a VP. And while I was also an early supporter of Harris, I actually like her where she is too. Same with Warren. As we discussed before, we're both very high on Whitmer, but I've got to say, @ThinkerX's post has me thinking about someone I overlooked: Val Demings. She was excellent throughout all of the House's work and felt like she belonged in the Senate when she spoke during Trump's trial. I'd be more than happy to support her as the pick, and it would be damn funny if a black female cop took down a bunch of corrupt rich white men. 

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2 minutes ago, DMC said:

As someone who lived in Orlando from summer 2007 to summer 2014, I don't see it.

Why would you subject yourself to living in Orlando for seven years?

Like I thought you were a fair bit smarter than me, or at the very least, applied one's intelligence. Now going back to a Netflix movie about a weird lowering table of food that is fucking awful.

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Just now, Tywin et al. said:

Why would you subject yourself to living in Orlando for seven years?

If I could handle the heat I would love to move back to Orlando.  More ideally Tampa, because that's where my sister is and there's at least a modicum of culture there.  But Orlando was fun as shit.  I particularly miss the, uh, quality of women.

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30 minutes ago, DMC said:

If I could handle the heat I would love to move back to Orlando.  More ideally Tampa, because that's where my sister is and there's at least a modicum of culture there.  But Orlando was fun as shit.  I particularly miss the, uh, quality of women.

Tampa is the strip club capital of the country, even out pacing Las "Begas."

Don't self-snitch so hard next time, bruh.

ETA:

Also, Miami is the correct answer, jackass. Back to watching weird dubbed film of a prison with a lowering table that's even more disgusting than TIGER KING!!!! 

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27 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Tampa is the strip club capital of the country, even out pacing Las "Begas."

Don't self-snitch so hard next time, bruh.

ETA:

Also, Miami is the correct answer, jackass. Back to watching weird dubbed film of a prison with a lowering table that's even more disgusting than TIGER KING!!!! 

Ya don't say?  Fortunately haven't been dragged to a strip club in quite some time, although the last time was indeed in the area - St. Pete.  I never understood the appeal, but then I hated frat boys and enjoyed ripping them off.

And I've still never been to Miami.  Never want to go.  People from Orlando - who've lived in Miami - look down on Miami.  Also, I don't know what the hell movie you're watching but you keep mentioning "a lowering table of food."  Maybe I'm just high and being stupid, but I have no idea what the fuck that means?

 

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4 hours ago, Triskele said:

Does anyone ever get the feeling that Jace was just many, many months ahead of the rest of us on the type of mindset that one would need to adopt in order to achieve psychological protection required for the times ahead?   

 

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