All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[jetengine]

Its frankly disturbing that Americans trust their government so little that they willingly kill each other out of paranoia

[Gray Lensman]

As a retired Navy man, I found that video uplifting. Captain Crozier risked his career to protect his crew, you can’t help but respect that sense of loyalty. I’d sail with that man in a New York minute.

Slate was of the opinion that the admiral who dismissed Crozier is the one who needs to go, and replaced by him.

[Jim Kelly]

I was looking fro something else and I found this

The Constitution Isn’t Suspended Because of Coronavirus

To a lesser extent, I also find Washington governor Jay Inslee’s decision to “ban” gatherings of over 250 people in the Seattle area concerning. Of course, it makes sense for government officials to implore citizens to stay away from large groups. And the governor has wide-ranging powers — hard to believe how wide-ranging, to be honest — to enact restrictions in times of emergency. But what if 250 individuals want to get together to protest Inslee’s ban or the Trump administration’s handling of coronavirus? What if 250 individuals want to get together to pray? What constitutional right does a governor have to stop them?

Is this true that the state of Washington still allows 250 people to gather in groups? I'm shocked. How can they hope to contain the spread if people are still gathering in such large numbers?

Since I live just to the north of that state, in BC, I am as much worried about what is happening there as what's happening here--for totally selfish reasons. In one of her presentations, our chief provincial health officer said that early on she was studying the genomic sequence of patients with COVID-19 here and saw that it was the same strain as that in the state of Washington, which is when she put in greater measures to control the spread.

In Canada, all ten provinces and three territories have enacted states of emergency, which gives each government special powers to control the outbreak, including limiting the size of gatherings. In BC, the limit is 50 and in other places it's even as low as ten. If it came to it and the provinces needed federal intervention, the Emergency Measures Act would be invoked and the federal government could arrest and detain people at will. In an emergency, governments have emergency powers, duh.

One case in BC, before the current limits were imposed, was at a funeral where hundreds of people had gathered and were exposed to the virus and then the health authority had to trace each person from that gathering to make sure that they quarantined. Another situation in BC, was a conference of dentists, where 15,000 from all over had gathered and possibly contracted the disease--with one of them dying in Vancouver--and now all those people had to be contact traced.

We seem to be doing an okay job of flattening our curve here in BC, now that all these restrictions are in place and less people are defying the order to shelter in place. Yet, even if we do everything right and bring the number of active cases down to zero, we could still be screwed--because King county is just south of us and as long as they are in danger, we are still in danger. What happens in the USA directly affects what happens to us in Canada.

The sudden rise of cases in Ontario and Quebec is due to so many Canadians returning from Florida after spring break.

In Canada, despite the political divisions between them, all of our leaders are presenting a united front and they rightly understand that our common cause is to defeat the virus and come out of this whole.

Then we look to the south and see a total mess as statesmen and stateswomen are working against each other. I had some faith that the government in Olympia would do what's needed, but now I'm not so sure.

[Tami]

Is this true that the state of Washington still allows 250 people to gather in groups? I'm shocked. How can they hope to contain the spread if people are still gathering in such large numbers?

Since I live just to the north of that state, in BC, I am as much worried about what is happening there as what's happening here--for totally selfish reasons. In one of her presentations, our chief provincial health officer said that early on she was studying the genomic sequence of patients with COVID-19 here and saw that it was the same strain as that in the state of Washington, which is when she put in greater measures to control the spread.

In Canada, all ten provinces and three territories have enacted states of emergency, which gives each government special powers to control the outbreak, including limiting the size of gatherings. In BC, the limit is 50 and in other places it's even as low as ten. If it came to it and the provinces needed federal intervention, the Emergency Measures Act would be invoked and the federal government could arrest and detain people at will. In an emergency, governments have emergency powers, duh.

One case in BC, before the current limits were imposed, was at a funeral where hundreds of people had gathered and were exposed to the virus and then the health authority had to trace each person from that gathering to make sure that they quarantined. Another situation in BC, was a conference of dentists, where 15,000 from all over had gathered and possibly contracted the disease--with one of them dying in Vancouver--and now all those people had to be contact traced.

We seem to be doing an okay job of flattening our curve here in BC, now that all these restrictions are in place and less people are defying the order to shelter in place. Yet, even if we do everything right and bring the number of active cases down to zero, we could still be screwed--because King county is just south of us and as long as they are in danger, we are still in danger. What happens in the USA directly affects what happens to us in Canada.

The sudden rise of cases in Ontario and Quebec is due to so many Canadians returning from Florida after spring break.

In Canada, despite the political divisions between them, all of our leaders are presenting a united front and they rightly understand that our common cause is to defeat the virus and come out of this whole.

Then we look to the south and see a total mess as statesmen and stateswomen are working against each other. I had some faith that the government in Olympia would do what's needed, but now I'm not so sure.

That was at the beginning of March, I think the bans are far more strict now.

[Kal-El Summers]

Drunk puppet Kay Ivey finally issued the stay-at-home order for Alabama.

[BeastieRunner]

Drunk puppet Kay Ivey finally issued the stay-at-home order for Alabama.

The death rate in the South is going to be really, really bad.

[godisawesome]

Slate was of the opinion that the admiral who dismissed Crozier is the one who needs to go, and replaced by him.

I believe that Crozier almost certainly knew for a fact he was acting an unconventional and risky way that would be construed as disrespectful to the chain of command, though not as outright insubordination, and knowingly exposed himself to discipline.

It’s a bit tricky because it basically comes down to the captain’s responsibility for his crew and his duty to his fellow officers and the overall Navy.

I think I’d say that Crozeir was likely overall in the right here, and shouldn’t have been removed, but I don’t know if I’d want the admiral removed either.

[kidfresh512]

Drunk puppet Kay Ivey finally issued the stay-at-home order for Alabama.

The Alabama numbers will be very misleading as well. My co worker went back home 2 weeks ago there and felt sick. The doctors said they are 90 percent sure he had Covid but they only had like 5 tests locally then and wanted to save it. hes been recovering at home and from the symptoms we are absolutely certain it was covid but he basically braved it out at home. He said twice he almost went to the emergency because of the shortness of breath he thought he was going to have too.

The limited testing and slow response to taking it seriously as a threat. On top of people that are asymptomatic and still walking around spreading maybe unknowingly is a deadly combo if not forced to comply with physical distancing.

[Jackalope89]

The Alabama numbers will be very misleading as well. My co worker went back home 2 weeks ago there and felt sick. The doctors said they are 90 percent sure he had Covid but they only had like 5 tests locally then and wanted to save it. hes been recovering at home and from the symptoms we are absolutely certain it was covid but he basically braved it out at home. He said twice he almost went to the emergency because of the shortness of breath he thought he was going to have too.

The limited testing and slow response to taking it seriously as a threat. On top of people that are asymptomatic and still walking around spreading maybe unknowingly is a deadly combo if not forced to comply with physical distancing.

Last month, my uncle in Kansas most likely had it as well (before it really got big). Doctors weren't too sure what he had, and he was sick as a dog for about 3 weeks. Short of breath, bad cough, etc.

[Tami]

Last month, my uncle in Kansas most likely had it as well (before it really got big). Doctors weren't too sure what he had, and he was sick as a dog for about 3 weeks. Short of breath, bad cough, etc.

It's like being in denial. If southern states don't test, they can't know how widespread Covid-19 is. That's going to be hell for people getting sick, but the Republicans governors can say "we have no cases, it's not a problem here".

[Kal-El Summers]

The death rate in the South is going to be really, really bad.

Oh, I have no doubt about that. There's still huge pockets of rural areas here that aren't taking this seriously at all and with how Ivey dragged her feet on *everything*, the number of cases/deaths has been frighteningly under-reported. Expect both the number of cases and deaths here to skyrocket either next week or the week after. They've been trying to keep the numbers down, but a lot of the hospitals are seriously getting fed up with the severe lack of equipment and tests and somebody is definitely going to spill the beans.

EDIT: We are so goddamn screwed.

[Kal-El Summers]

The Alabama numbers will be very misleading as well. My co worker went back home 2 weeks ago there and felt sick. The doctors said they are 90 percent sure he had Covid but they only had like 5 tests locally then and wanted to save it. hes been recovering at home and from the symptoms we are absolutely certain it was covid but he basically braved it out at home. He said twice he almost went to the emergency because of the shortness of breath he thought he was going to have too.

The limited testing and slow response to taking it seriously as a threat. On top of people that are asymptomatic and still walking around spreading maybe unknowingly is a deadly combo if not forced to comply with physical distancing.

We still have folks down here not washing their hands after using the bathroom(seen it five times) and not even bothering with social distancing while panic-buying at the grocery stores and Wal-Mart. I just had to file for unemployment, so thankfully I won't be mingling too much however long this lasts, so there's a small silver lining there.

[shooshoomanjoe]

The vile immorality of this administration continues among the pandemic they let get out of control :no

After Kushner says 'it's our stockpile,' HHS website changed to echo his comments on federal crisis role

Earlier Thursday, President Donald Trump had tweeted, "Some have insatiable appetites & are never satisfied (politics?) Remember, we are a backup for them. The complainers should… have been stocked up and ready long before this crisis hit."

But the national stockpile actually is intended for states' use, which was clearly explained on the government's own website -- until the language was changed, without explanation, hours after Kushner provided his inaccurate description.

Until Friday morning, the website of the Department of Health and Human Services, which maintains the stockpile, read, "When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency."

[InformationGeek]

By all means, infect and destroy your cabinet. Whatever floats your boat. :|

REPORTER: Why are you opposed to wearing a mask?

TRUMP: "I just don't want to wear one myself ... I'm feeling good. I just don't want to be doing-- somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk. The great Resolute Desk ... I don't see it for myself."

[Jack Dracula]

By all means, infect and destroy your cabinet. Whatever floats your boat. :|

He learned a new word.
Good for him.