COVID-19 Megathread 5: The Trumps catch COVID-19

[jimrtex]

Mrs. Kravitz

Qu'est-ce que c'est? (what is this?)

Gladys Kravitz is a similar type of neighbor. You know ...

"Abner! Abner! The neighbors are standing with 6 feet of each other in their own backyard!"

The Canadian Government could issue these to Canadians to remember their duties.

Gladys Kravitz Nosy Neighbor Magnet

[jimrtex]

https://twitter.com/blakehounshell/status/1252220777115549699

I read this (quite long) article this morning and by the end of it, it was still unclear to me why Giroir was fired at his previous university.  It honestly made him sound like one of the more competent people in this administration (though that is not saying much).

Here are a couple of articles contemporary with his resignation.

A&M Health Science Center CEO "Heartbroken" Over Exit

Records reveal details behind departure of Texas A&M University Health Science Center CEO Brett Giroir

When A&M hired Michael K. Young as president for its College Station campus, John Sharp who is chancellor, required the 17 officials who reported to Young to complete an undated letter of resignation so as to give Young free reign in shaping his administration. This might have been a condition of hiring Young, who was hired away from the University of Washington.

It may be that Giroir refused to sign the blank letter of resignation, it is not clear. Giroir was called to a meeting with Young, and was met by Young and several lawyers, who told him he had 30 minutes to resign or be fired. He chose to resign.

Young has said that Giroir had not been successful in attracting enough NIH grants. Perhaps Young who had been at UW, thought he could get someone who could garner Gates Foundation money.

Since Giroir's forced resignation as CEO of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center in 2015, I can find no evidence of a permanent holder of the position. The person named as interim CEO was apparently still interim when in 2018 he was hired away by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, where he serves as provost and chief academic officer.

Ironically, Young has been placed on a one-year contract. When he was hired, he was given a five-year contract. The one-year contract is consistent with other presidents in the Texas A&M system.

[jimrtex]

Latest update to my firms efforts to get funding to get us through. We're doing reasonably well, amazingly enough, due to having laid off most of our staff. The amount of work I have I had assumed would run out by the end of the week for about 3 weeks now. However, I think this week might be it.

We were approved for a significant SBA loan, but the key word here is loan. This is not a PPP loan which can be forgiven and covers payroll, rent, health insurance, and one other major thing I can't remember. Our application for a PPP Grant was, I kid you not, lost by the SBA we discovered yesterday. It was all so infuriating to learn that apparently since the SBA was receiving 800 applications per hour, the bank's merely cherry-picked the biggest companies to Grant loans to. So small firms like mine got screwed, while taxpayer dollars went to places like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Small business support indeed!

Anyway, Congress apparently appropriated more money for the program yesterday so we are back in line for a grant ( or as Mister reactionary blithely refers to it "welfare checks". Awfully cheeky coming from a guy whose paycheck is entirely taxpayer-funded). In the meantime my wife and I may very well have to apply for unemployment this weekend. :

The busboys and waiters and cooks at Ruth's Chris are going to appreciate getting paid, and hopefully having a job in a few months.

[jimrtex]

Latest update to my firms efforts to get funding to get us through. We're doing reasonably well, amazingly enough, due to having laid off most of our staff. The amount of work I have I had assumed would run out by the end of the week for about 3 weeks now. However, I think this week might be it.

We were approved for a significant SBA loan, but the key word here is loan. This is not a PPP loan which can be forgiven and covers payroll, rent, health insurance, and one other major thing I can't remember. Our application for a PPP Grant was, I kid you not, lost by the SBA we discovered yesterday. It was all so infuriating to learn that apparently since the SBA was receiving 800 applications per hour, the bank's merely cherry-picked the biggest companies to Grant loans to. So small firms like mine got screwed, while taxpayer dollars went to places like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Small business support indeed!

Anyway, Congress apparently appropriated more money for the program yesterday so we are back in line for a grant ( or as Mister reactionary blithely refers to it "welfare checks". Awfully cheeky coming from a guy whose paycheck is entirely taxpayer-funded). In the meantime my wife and I may very well have to apply for unemployment this weekend. :

The busboys and waiters and cooks at Ruth's Chris are going to appreciate getting paid, and hopefully having a job in a few months.

Yes, and I don't begrudge them that. But you utterly missed the point of my post. Is that being that the fast overwhelming majority of applicants being small and otherwise profitable businesses like myself, which cumulatively employ far more people then larger businesses like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, may not be able to keep our own staff having a job for the sole sin of not being a large business yet.

The grant was $3508 per each employee. How much per employee is the grant for your business?

Each restaurant is essentially a small business. I doubt that they are making that much on their takeout. With out-of-town business and oil being given away, their Houston location is going to be suffering.

[jimrtex]

Las Vegas Mayor Karen Carolyn Goodman's interview with the manager Anderson Cooper goes viral for suggesting that the people in her city be a "control group" to see if the curve will rise, among other really dumb statements

Why is Cooper touching his face?

[jimrtex]

That escalated quickly.

Because of this, those "protests" deserve to lose all the support they ever had.

Anti-freedom racism like that doesn't belong at a rally that claims to stand for freedom.

Montana and Colorado are trying to reopen responsibly after the ongoing disaster. Garbage like this really sets the effort back.

Montana is a State which has obviously seen its peak in new cases and since has seen sharp declines, is pretty rural, and has a higher testing per capita rate than Colorado. To compare the level-headed approach in Montana as opposed to the irrational, Libertarian-pandering approach in Colorado is laughable at best.

Most of the cases in Montana are associated with Big Sky (Gallatin County). People who were infected there are recorded in their place of residence in other states. Montana can close the road between Big Sky and Bozeman and contain the virus at the resort.

[jimrtex]

This should be done through the Treasury and not the the IRS.

The IRS is part of the Treasury.

 What's your point? The IRS is the arm of the treasury that collects taxes. It shouldn't be done through the IRS, the IRS's funding is used as a politcal club by anti-tax crowd and a reward for big dollar donors. Unexpected stimulus like this for disaster relief should be something we plan for going forward and the IRS is not the best government agency to do this. The Treasury itself would be better.

The income tax should be eliminated and replaced by the Fair Tax, one component of which is a dividend payment to each citizen and their family, to compensate for their spending on taxable sales. In a crisis, an exceptional payment would be made.

[jimrtex]

https://twitter.com/AnnaESanders/status/1253818333243355136

By same period, do they mean the 4th Thursday in April, or the 23rd of April?

If I were a serious reporter, I'd want the daily reports for the past 5 years.

[jimrtex]

According to the university of Maryland impact analysis platform you can see data on who is social distancing by state and county. http://data.covid.umd.edu

Pretty non-sensical.

Those in Manhattan travel relatively short distances packed into subways. Someone in Wyoming drives 50 miles to work in their truck by themselves.

[jimrtex]

It's funny how there is a lot of hate for DeSantis and lots of love for Whitmer, although Florida has less cases and deaths than Michigan even though it has more than double the population of the Wolverine State.

Death counts matter, but they still don't account for the fact that DeSantis is an idiot and Whitmer is not.

Correlation equals causation. Democratic governors cause death.

[jimrtex]

It's funny how there is a lot of hate for DeSantis and lots of love for Whitmer, although Florida has less cases and deaths than Michigan even though it has more than double the population of the Wolverine State.

Death counts matter, but they still don't account for the fact that DeSantis is an idiot and Whitmer is not.

Correlation equals causation. Democratic governors cause death.

If we divide the 50 states and DC into tertiles based on deaths per million:

Top 3rd D: (12) NY, NJ, NJ, CT, LA, MI, DC, RI, IL, PA, CO, DE, WA
Top 3rd R: (5) MA, IN, GA, MS, MD

Mid 3rd D: (9) NV, VA, KY, WI, NM, MN, CA, KS, ME
Mid 3rd R: (8) VT, OH, OK, FL, MO, NH, AL, AZ

Bottom 3rd D: (4) NC, OR, MT, HI
Bottom 3rd R: (13) IA, SC, ID, NE, TN, TX, ND, WV, AR, UT, AK, WY, SD

[jimrtex]

(Reuters) - Oklahoma's governor has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to declare the coronavirus pandemic an "act of God," a step to help oil-producing states contend with a crude glut that caused futures prices to close below $0 last week for the first time.

Source.

We gonna pray on this one y’all. Praise be to Christ.

Nothing to do with religion, Tim Bob.

What the COVID-19 Pandemic Means for Force Majeure Provisions

As the Reuters article explains producers lose their leases if they stop producing. If they keep producing, they have to pay someone to take the oil.

[jimrtex]

It's funny how there is a lot of hate for DeSantis and lots of love for Whitmer, although Florida has less cases and deaths than Michigan even though it has more than double the population of the Wolverine State.

Death counts matter, but they still don't account for the fact that DeSantis is an idiot and Whitmer is not.

Correlation equals causation. Democratic governors cause death.

If we divide the 50 states and DC into tertiles based on deaths per million:

Top 3rd D: (12) NY, NJ, NJ, CT, LA, MI, DC, RI, IL, PA, CO, DE, WA
Top 3rd R: (5) MA, IN, GA, MS, MD

Mid 3rd D: (9) NV, VA, KY, WI, NM, MN, CA, KS, ME
Mid 3rd R: (8) VT, OH, OK, FL, MO, NH, AL, AZ

Bottom 3rd D: (4) NC, OR, MT, HI
Bottom 3rd R: (13) IA, SC, ID, NE, TN, TX, ND, WV, AR, UT, AK, WY, SD

But this is basically just a list of state population densities, broken up into tiers that suit your narrative.

Population density is a partial explanation.

Top 3rd D (12) DC, NJ, RI, CT, DE, NY, PA, CA-, IL, HI--, VA-, NC--
Top 3rd D (5) MD, MA, FL-, OH-, IN

CA, HI, VA, NC are better at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as are FL and OH.

Mid 3rd D (6) MI+, KY, LA+, WA+, WI, MN
Mid 3rd R (11) GA+, SC, TN-, TX-, AL, MO, WV-, VT, MS+, AZ, NH

MI, LA, WA are worse at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as are GA and MS. TN, TX, and WV are doing better than expected.

Bottom 3rd D(7) CO++, ME+, OR, NV+, NM+, MT, KS+
Bottom 3rd R(10) AR, OK+, IA, UT, NE, ID, SD, ND, WY, AK

CO, NE, NV, NM, KS are worse at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as is OK.

Governorships are nearly evenly split 25D:26R.

8 states led by Democrats do worse than expected based on density, 4 do better.

3 states led by Republicans do worse than expected based on density, 6 do better.

Florida is twice as densely populated as Michigan, yet Michigan has almost 7 times the death rate. Governor Whitmer tries to keep Michiganders indoors, won't let them travel to their summer cottages, and won't let them buy seeds for vegetables. We know UV sunlight promotes production of Vitamin D, which supports the immune system and bone health. Exposure to sunlight also reduces depression. Whitmer's pallor suggests a lack of sun exposure. Florida under DeSantis' leadership permits Floridians to enjoy the beaches.

[jimrtex]

It's funny how there is a lot of hate for DeSantis and lots of love for Whitmer, although Florida has less cases and deaths than Michigan even though it has more than double the population of the Wolverine State.

Death counts matter, but they still don't account for the fact that DeSantis is an idiot and Whitmer is not.

Correlation equals causation. Democratic governors cause death.

If we divide the 50 states and DC into tertiles based on deaths per million:

Top 3rd D: (12) NY, NJ, NJ, CT, LA, MI, DC, RI, IL, PA, CO, DE, WA
Top 3rd R: (5) MA, IN, GA, MS, MD

Mid 3rd D: (9) NV, VA, KY, WI, NM, MN, CA, KS, ME
Mid 3rd R: ( VT, OH, OK, FL, MO, NH, AL, AZ

Bottom 3rd D: (4) NC, OR, MT, HI
Bottom 3rd R: (13) IA, SC, ID, NE, TN, TX, ND, WV, AR, UT, AK, WY, SD

But this is basically just a list of state population densities, broken up into tiers that suit your narrative.

Population density is a partial explanation.

Top 3rd D (12) DC, NJ, RI, CT, DE, NY, PA, CA-, IL, HI--, VA-, NC--
Top 3rd D (5) MD, MA, FL-, OH-, IN

CA, HI, VA, NC are better at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as are FL and OH.

Mid 3rd D (6) MI+, KY, LA+, WA+, WI, MN
Mid 3rd R (11) GA+, SC, TN-, TX-, AL, MO, WV-, VT, MS+, AZ, NH

MI, LA, WA are worse at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as are GA and MS. TN, TX, and WV are doing better than expected.

Bottom 3rd D(7) CO++, ME+, OR, NV+, NM+, MT, KS+
Bottom 3rd R(10) AR, OK+, IA, UT, NE, ID, SD, ND, WY, AK

CO, NE, NV, NM, KS are worse at preventing COVID-19 deaths than expected based on density, as is OK.

Governorships are nearly evenly split 25D:26R.

8 states led by Democrats do worse than expected based on density, 4 do better.

3 states led by Republicans do worse than expected based on density, 6 do better.

Florida is twice as densely populated as Michigan, yet Michigan has almost 7 times the death rate. Governor Whitmer tries to keep Michiganders indoors, won't let them travel to their summer cottages, and won't let them buy seeds for vegetables. We know UV sunlight promotes production of Vitamin D, which supports the immune system and bone health. Exposure to sunlight also reduces depression. Whitmer's pallor suggests a lack of sun exposure. Florida under DeSantis' leadership permits Floridians to enjoy the beaches.

If I saw real evidence Whitmer did this and thinks this, I'd agree with you regarding her response. But do you have any news items to that effect?
I did a comprehensive look at the news and I couldn't find any actual evidence she was pushing particularly harsh policies. I came off with the impression that the news cycle was distorting how she was actually acting, policy-wise.

Legal Battle to Reach Vacation Homes Kicks Off Amid Travel Bans

The bizarre part was that the ban did not apply to residents of other states. Lots of Chicagoans have cottages along Lake Michigan.

[jimrtex]

https://twitter.com/_cingraham/status/1254792999080349697
Of course, not all the excess deaths are necessarily due to COVID-19.  It's likely that there are some due to other medical conditions where people sought help too late due to fear of going to the hospital.  In the other direction, there's probably also a decline in deaths due to auto accidents.  But regardless of the exact numbers, it seems clear that "official" COVID-19 deaths are an underestimate (which is not really a surprise).

I would just like to add that this probably isn't as scary as it looks because almost all of the excess mortality from COVID-19 is occurring in the oldest age cohorts, and a lot of these people would have probably died in the next 24 months anyway.  The pandemic has just hastened their demise.  If anything, we should expect to see reduced all cause mortality for several months after the pandemic ends (as a lot of folks who would have died in that future time period ending up dying early from COVID).   

The article is behind a paywall (most news outlets are not blocking coronavirus news).

But it shows 6300 excess deaths in NYC, 2200 in NJ, 700 in MI. It is possible that even more than 40% of deaths have occurred in NY.

[jimrtex]

https://twitter.com/JesseFFerguson/status/1254886896376872960?s=20

If Obama or Hillary did this, Chapter 3497

They would trot Susan Rice out to the weekend talk shows and have her blame it on a Youtube video.

[jimrtex]

Now they’re estimating that 36 ppl got COVID at the WI primaries

Given that the projections estimate about 42,000 people in Wisconsin have been infected in total, this seems awfully low.

There was an increase in testing which coincided with the increase in detected cases.

One might as easily conclude that shoving a probe up one's nostril towards the crown of the head stimulates the corona gland causing release of coronavirus.

[jimrtex]

This is certainly true. For example, as I'm sure you're aware, this has arisen in your home state of Texas. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued an order last week mandating that all residents there wear masks in public, or face a $1,000 fine for not doing so. Governor Abbott, however, in issuing his executive order today outlining Texas's gradual reopening process, explicitly overruled the fine requirement, stating that local jurisdictions in Texas cannot fine or penalize people who don't want to wear masks. In addition to Harris County, Bexar, Travis, and Dallas Counties, and the city of Laredo had also issued mandatory mask orders. Any penalties from those orders are overridden as well.

[...] I'm not responding to anything Badger wrote

Say what you will about it, but the local Police Union in Harris County, in addition (of course) to the local GOP, protested vigorously when Hidalgo issued her order, as dd many of that county's more conservative-leaning residents. Neighboring Montgomery County, to the north of Houston, which is a very Republican suburban county, explicitly announced around the same time that it would not mandate its residents to wear masks in public. And the vast majority of rural counties in Texas aren't doing so, either.

This all feeds back to a point I've made before: that wearing masks are more likely to be mandated in Democratic-controlled areas than in Republican-controlled ones. Democrats (and rightly so) see masks as a necessary measure to contain the pandemic, while Republicans are concerned about the inconveniences that they pose, as well as more legitimate concerns about personal freedom. One other thing. I saw an article that in your home state, Governor DeWine was originally going to mandate mask-wearing in public, but he walked back on that. Probably due to those same concerns I've noted.

The Police Union was upset after Hidalgo ordered the county jail to release inmates charged with violent crimes, including murder. Now she is in essence ordering the police to enforce her edict. They will likely be required to use racial quotas in enforcement.

Hidalgo is likely upset that Mayor Turner has pushed back on closing businesses such as construction and big box stores dealing in contraband such as cucumber seeds.

Democrats likely see imposition of masks as controlling the populace, a mark of submission. Republicans are more concerned about liberty and economic freedom.

[jimrtex]

https://twitter.com/funder/status/1255960473989677061?s=20

If they are live, they can't run commercials.

[jimrtex]

France



France 1 May - Active Cases
Predicted peak of Active Cases: 59,955 – April 11
Recoveries added to curve – 77,000

France on it's way down the curve.

Is France testing anyone who isn't showing up at a hospital in respiratory distress?

Their death to case ratio is up to 15% and creeping upward.

Of course, that wouldn't make your curves invalid since new cases would be recorded on a consistent basis.

If a country with increased testing is reporting asymptomatic individuals, they are essentially reporting cases that have recovered as soon as the individual recovers from the pain of having a swab crammed up their nostril, and don't have to run the three weeks before they walk out of the hospital or their body is carried out.

[jimrtex]

More assaults by people who love freedom. Two teenage employees of McDonald’s were shot by people upset the restaurant was take-out only.

https://www.koco.com/article/suspects-in-custody-after-2-employees-shot-at-mcdonalds-in-southwest-okc-police-say/32395365#

The Founding Fathers would be so proud of this use of the Second Amendment.

An update on the story including a picture of the alleged shooter.

Police Identify Woman Accused In SW OKC McDonald's Shooting

Since she was arrested a few blocks away, it sounds like she was on foot. If she were in a car she would have gone through the drive-through. So she likely entered the store, ordered at the counter, and then sat down at a table. The initial altercation was when the employees forced her out of the restaurant.

[jimrtex]

Western Australia easing restrictions on 18 May 2020.



Swimming pools open with max 20 people.

What is a "home open"?

[jimrtex]

What is a "home open"?

It is when you sell your house and have a 1-2 hour inspection period for potential buyers.

Oh, like an "open house"

If it it were spelled upside down, it would be "esnoy uedo" ua

[jimrtex]

The government should allow people to break stay at home and social distancing orders if they're willing to get MUH CONSTITUTION tattooed on their foreheads in black ink. The rest of us will be able to visually identify high risk potential spreaders and the anti-lockdown nuts can have their freedom. Everybody wins. Problem solved.

EDIT - Businesses will also be able to refuse service to MUH CONSTITUTION forehead people, on the grounds that they are displaying official government documentation that they are a high risk potential spreader during a pandemic.

Why not have compliant individuals have SLAVE tattooed on their forehead?

[jimrtex]

The government should allow people to break stay at home and social distancing orders if they're willing to get MUH CONSTITUTION tattooed on their foreheads in black ink. The rest of us will be able to visually identify high risk potential spreaders and the anti-lockdown nuts can have their freedom. Everybody wins. Problem solved.

EDIT - Businesses will also be able to refuse service to MUH CONSTITUTION forehead people, on the grounds that they are displaying official government documentation that they are a high risk potential spreader during a pandemic.

Why not have compliant individuals have SLAVE tattooed on their forehead?

LMFAO, I just pictured some white middle aged public servant with PPE explaining to some Harlem black guys that the government will leave them alone if they will just agree to get SLAVE tattooed on their foreheads. That's gonna end well.

Seriously though, if you want special privileges, you get "special privileges" identification.  This is how concerts and sporting events work with VIP individuals. You don't make the huge crowd of the non-VIPs all carry "non-VIP" identification.

Non-compliant "persons" are not important, let along very important, and it is questionable whether they are even persons.

Those with the SLAVE tattoo will know they are children of the State, and the governor loves them just as much as her own children.