Politics

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 02 April 2020

Article by professionals linked at the end.

Idiots are still attempting to "quarantine" 3rd order contacts of anyone who has tested positive for COVID (Even if the test has an 85% failure rate). The myth is that this "flatterns a curve."  It doesn't.

This is not how herd immunity works.

No parallel is exact, but try this one to simplify it for state governors and other complete idiots:

We had cats, and we had a housemate. The housemate acquired a cat, but didn't want their precious kitten getting beaten up by the other three cats. So they came up with this brilliant idea of locking their cat in their bedroom for a month, under the idea that the other cats would SMELL the new cat, and accept the presence of the new cat, and eventually it would be all cool.

As anyone who's had cats can tell you, the other cats were pissed off when they smelled or heard the new cat, growled at the door for a month, and when the door was opened...

The cats fought anyway, and in about three spats and two days, status was established.

If you constantly try to quarantine healthy people who MIGHT have been exposed (but probably not), you "flatten the curve" to the point where the virus remains a virgin field infection for as long as you act like an idiot...and then will still run through the remaining population.

Coronavirii have existed for at least 8000 years. This strain is bad. But it's not going to magically go away, and no one has ever successfully cofferdammed around one.

The only way this works is for the people who are legitimately at risk, which all studies show to be the elderly and/or compromised and particularly both, to sequester (not "quarantine." You only "quarantine" infected) themselves, while the rest of us get on with life and spread that herd immunity so their odds of getting it are much less, and there's plenty of resources if they do.

This endless panic of, "ZOMG! My sister's coworker's husband was in the same room with someone who tested positive!" is not only stupid, it is insane. It's reminiscent of AIDS-phobia where people were terrified to shake hands with a gay man.

And shutting down all "non-essential" businesses and sales as a method is equally stupid for three reasons:

There are ZERO non-essential businesses. Every business supports the owner, employees, and families.  

Urbanites are utterly unqualified to know what constitutes "Essential" since they basically have finished goods delivered to them by a magic truck backing up to a store. "Gardening supplies" (Vermont) enable production of FOOD.  "Books" are not only constitutionally protected, they're EDUCATION, something every governor obviously needs, starting with Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics.

And crashing the economy is not a treatment for a virus.

The Founders were correct. Non-land owners have zero credibility exercising franchise or holding office.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/professors-push-back-on-pandemic-models-be-honest-about-what-happens-after-lockdowns-are-lifted/?fbclid=IwAR0gb9uOSusDsM7dcM8ktNZYnBubMIBKKQpLldpINGEEIOUT9x9gOaqPjIQ

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 01 April 2020

By week 2, unemployment went from 3% to 10%.

It really hasn't occurred to most of you that businesses fail from not engaging in business.  This just tells me the socialist indoctrination centers (schools) have utterly failed to explain how business works.

And let me stick in a note here that no matter what you think of the type of business, they have employees who suffer first.  Go ahead and get your hate-on about whomever, but the wage earners will be out of jobs.

Most businesses operate on tiny margins, especially stores and restaurants.  Now, restaurants that can do takeout are managing, mostly (at reduced capacity and with reduced employees). But fine dining establishments or sit-down-only ethnic restaurants aren't. They're closed. That means no income for any of the owners or employees, followed shortly by no income for the landlord, who is also probably a small business, so stow your socialist-indoctrinated hate.

Keep in mind that every one that fails means unemployed workers as well.  And just because YOU can find a workaround for their product, doesn't put money in THEIR pocket.

Here's a partial list I will expand: 

Theaters, who have managers, ushers, concessionaires, ticket takers.

Restaurants and bars who have managers, cooks, servers, cleaners.

Restaurants need food suppliers. If they're not selling food, they're not ordering food from the suppliers. (One corresepondent reports his factory produces sliced cheese.  80% drop in orders with so many restaurants closed or doing less business.)

Specialty retailers--bookstores, hobby stores.

Hotels--no one is renting rooms if they're not traveling for leisure or business. Hotels employ maintenance, housekeepers, clerks, often entertainers.

Convention facilities--who have lots of overhead, and lots of staff and/or contractors for support, displays, decorations, etc.

Venues for music or live theater.

Gyms aren't getting anything without guests and attendees.

MUSICIANS, ACTORS AND OTHER PERFORMERS for whom you've cancelled literally every gig in the next quarter. I know a couple of bona-fide rock stars, who don't earn nearly as much as you think they do, who have to hold out until JUNE hoping for potential shows. Their entire tours have been cancelled.

Event planners for weddings and other events. There's no venues to hold them in.

Anything tourism related--retailers, guides, other activities.

Transportation related to those--airlines (already taking massive hits), tour buses.

Since I write SF, I assume a number of readers do. At least two SF literary conventions have already quit for good.  They can't afford to hold everything over another year. They're done permanently.  That's more hotel room-nights and concessions not being used next year.

With all those closed, beverage and food concessionaires and distributors are out of work.

Within days, trucking and delivery companies for anything other than the essentials.

Oh, yes--by this point the state is missing out on millions or billions of sales tax revenues that never happened.

There are already lawsuits against insurers. If they have to pay out enough, they close. That will be the smaller insurers, leaving only a few big ones to negotiate with. Who will also lay off people when there are fewer businesses needing insurance.

Now, any single one of these is manageable by the whole, it only sucks rocks for the families in question. But ALL of them are in the process of failing right now. Fortunately, my convention retail business is my part time fun job, but I'm out at least $20,000 in sales for the first half of the year. So far. For people for whom this is their livelihood, I know of several with literally nothing, no income at all, and a $1200 check isn't going to fix it. There's been at least one suicide in my circle, and hotlines report increasing numbers all over. I guess if you don't care how many people you kill to save people, you have a really confusing thought process.

Accountants and payroll companies won't be doing well soon, either. A good number of their clients are going out of business and won't need their services.

In a few weeks:

Lots of car payments have been missed, and there's less of a market for new cars for certain, and probably a glut of used cars. Buyer's market. So car dealers are suffering. I know, a good number of them suck, but it still means their families are short of food and money. Mechanics may do well, maintaining cars for those who can afford them.  Dealers and manufacturers are going to take a bite. That's more layoffs.

The restaurants that did stay open are going to struggle at this point. Who has money to spend out? So they're going to lay off even more people.

The food demand drop is going to affect farms and ranches.

And once the economy is on a slide like that, it just keeps going. Experts are predicting worse than the Great Depression.  
https://www.newsweek.com/covid-19-could-cost-us-7-trillion-cause-worst-job-losses-since-depression-professor-estimates-1493673

Doctors are knowledgeable about medicine. Do you know who the most famous doctor put in charge of an economy was?
Che Guevara, in Cuba. Okay, so a racist, homophobic, hypocritical murderous thug isn't really a valid comparison. But he knew nothing of economics and it showed. The CDC should not be making economic policy.

The point is there are ZERO non-essential jobs in even our nominally free (though massively government controlled) market.  If a job doesn't generate income, it goes away.

The question comes down to: How many people are you willing to starve and murder over a virus that the experts agree won't be significantly worse than the four previous major viruses, in the last half century?  And if you can't name them without looking, then your opinion is irrelevant.

EVERY business is essential to the owner, the employees, and the families.

Any politician speaking of a "non-essential" business is an idiot and should be removed from office. Because lamppost decorators need work, too.

ADDENDUM:

https://www.451alliance.com/ 
"VAST DISRUPTIONS AHEAD IN EMPLOYMENT DISTRIBUTION

The US economic outlook depends largely on the degree that businesses respond to the pandemic crisis by laying off workers. Until recently, they have largely avoided the tactic. But as so much demand has vanished almost instantaneously, the pressure on companies to reduce costs is urgent.

The five sectors experiencing the most direct and immediate collapse in demand or facing government-mandated shutdowns because of coronavirus are air transportation; performing arts and sports; gambling and recreation; hotels and other lodging; and restaurants and bars. Together, they accounted for $574 billion in total employee compensation in 2018, about 10% of the total, and spread among 13.8 million full-time equivalent workers. Unemployment claims are expected to skyrocket in the coming weeks."

~

As far as the socialist bleating about "2 million deaths" and "companies with sketchy priorities," feeding our families IS our priority. Feel free to start writing checks.

To prove my first point, some idiot in comments claims "this is capitalism" and I "should be down with it."

It is not capitalism when socialists order your business closed at gunpoint.

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 22 March 2020

Greetings, fellow citizens.

You may have noticed most of the country losing their collective minds. Relax.  I'm here to put things right.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Coronavirus is contagious, but presents with no symptoms in the majority of those infected.  Of those presenting, most only experience a cold. At the extreme end, it can cause pneumonia and death.  Complicating factors are: Age, heart conditions, breathing issues (COPD, Asthma), immunocompromise, diabetes.  Basically, if you're old and/or frail, this crap can kill you.

Got that? Good. So, if you are one of those, you should try to sequester yourself as much as possible. Get friends or family to drop off supplies for you. Minimize contact with other people.

WHAT THE STATE IS DOING FOR YOU: For the duration, your employer will not be able to fire you for quarantining yourself. We are encouraging them to pay you if they can afford it, and reducing their tax burden by the amount of your compensation.  If they can't, our agencies stand ready with help for utilities, food, etc. I have appointed a special task force, and if you have no local friends or family, the National Guard will drop off food and supplies to you.

IF YOU ARE NOT AT SIGNIFICANT RISK: Wash your damned hands. Don't shake hands. Don't breathe or sneeze on people. Seriously, didn't you learn all this in kindergarten?  Try to keep some distance.

DON'T PANIC:  If you see a bunch of people having fun at a park, relax.  There is no way you can get infected at a distance based on their cheerfulness. Just avoid them and you'll be fine.

EVENTS: We will do our damndest not to cancel any public events, because the hospitality industry runs on narrow margins and employs a lot of people. We'll use a lot of bleach and scrubbing between events, with extras borrowed, if necessary, from the National Guard.  It may surprise you, but military people are really freaking good at detail oriented cleaning. It's almost as if they get specific training in it. 

IF CLOSURES BECOMES NECESSARY, WE WILL STAGE ACCORDINGLY: Three weeks ahead, events will be advised of potential shutdowns so they can either cancel preparations by choice, or tell their attendees to stand by.  Two weeks ahead, the event will be cancelled so travel, transport, and other preparations are not wasted. We're not shutting down months of events based on a vague, undefined threat.

SOME OTHER STATES ARE COMPLETELY FLIPPING THEIR LIDS and trying to end civilization with complete lockdowns. This isn't 1346 and this isn't the Black Plague.  Take a deep breath and wash your hands again.

SUPPLIES:  You do not need 50 extra rolls of bogwipe, nor a pallet of water--the water from your faucet is perfectly safe, can be settled or boiled, and plenty of filters exist.  You don't need 400 lbs of meat, either.  God gave you a brain. Use it. Make a list of consumables, try to get two weeks' worth (Why didn't you already?) and stand by. This will all be over soon.

VIRUSES ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, but we experience literally thousands of them in our lifetimes. Be cautious, be careful, and remain calm.

 

Signed: The gov

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Written by Michael Z Williamson

Created: 19 March 2020

What about a top-rated expert in allergy and asthma?

What about my doctor, Dr Garrick Hubbard, who has brought my lung function back to almost 100% of what it was before I deployed, and reduced my acquired environmental allergies by about 90%?

Sounds like he's pretty knowledgeable about these things, right?

So today, when Jess and I went for our recurring treatment, rather than a waiting area for people who are absolutely "At risk," we went straight into a treatment room and waited there for the standard 30 minutes after our shots.

And then we left through the lobby and doors as we always do.

Non-treatment patients (those just being tested) waited in the waiting area, the way they normally do.

No freakouts, no shutdowns, no "only one person can enter at a time" like some alleged doctors are doing. No "rescheduling" of immunizations at pediatricians.  Just a slight bit more social distancing, for ACTUAL AT RISK PATIENTS.

Be like Dr Hubbard.