Coronavirus - What Happened?

Not to engage in hyperbole, but South Africa may well end up as the biggest disaster here. A huge population immunocompromised due to HIV and insane population density in Jo-burg.

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So, this is where we’d agree, haha. We laid off a couple guys that were complete and total shitbags, and everyone was only pissed because this is what it took to get rid of them, and then we find out they were still paid 3 months severance and can collect unemployment for 3 months. C’mon, dude. We do not need to tack months onto the rebuilding process at it’s most critical point, do we? People need to be encouraged to get back to work as SOON as restrictions are lifted. They do not need to drag their feet because times are hard. That doesn’t mean no money, but it means, you get enough to take care of necessities, and niceties come with work.

I think this is a good layperson article on how to approach thinking about and using models. It’s not written by an epidemiologist, but it does represent the general strategy we need to use.

Also, it explains (very briefly and tangentially) why I get so pissed about things this administration has done/not done lol.

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I’m not particularly pleased to be building up my layperson knowledge base on this subject. Computer models of pandemic deaths are so depressing. Can we talk about Mongol Horse Archers instead?

I would like to see an honest nationwide debriefing on the entire response.

Safety Issues First, then…

What Went Well?
What Didn’t Go Well?
What To Do Differently?

Finally, simply out of curiosity, I would like to see a model of what would happen if everyone in the USA took up BJJ as a hobby in January and continued with no social distancing measures in place.

It’s kinda hard to imagine a sport more likely to transmit this terrible virus. I have to give credit to my area gyms for being way ahead of the curve in closing down shop.

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Good for them. I wouldn’t trust us. We threw Coronavirus parties and are willfully defiant of pleas to do this on our own. We have governors who are just now not acting like billy badasses and ignoring doctors and nurses pleading with them to take it seriously. Most of us want to stay inside on our fat asses. But tell us we should stay inside on our fat asses? Fuck that shit. No one suggests to us to do something healthy or unselfish without us doing the exact opposite. Suck on this freedom. I’ll go back inside to play video games like I was doing the moment you tell me everyone can be outside in large groups. For now I’ll just go be outside in large groups!

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Just cause we have Coronavirus doesn’t mean we don’t have first world problems. My Netflix seems to be running a touch slower to load lately. Great Depression!

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My nightly Office episode paused to load TWICE tonight, no joke. FML

Man how can you consider mere background checks bad… You don’t realise how lucky (or unlucky depending on you’re stance on firearms) you are… Australia has outright banned applying for a gun license for the time being, you can’t buy ammunition either…

Call us idiots, but we won’t have any surge in gun violence in response to this pandemic.

I’m particuarly irritated by this law because certain people legitimately require firearms. Farmers with livestock prone to being eaten by predators won’t be able to protect said livestock. Whilst extreme measures are warranted to contain the spread, we should do what little we can to protect the economy… These farmers will make a huge loss if they lose livestock due to lack of access to ammunition.

I’m all for generally barring civilian access to firearms at this point aside for those with valid reason. Within dangerous neighborhoods I can see justification being made for owning a firearm on the pretence of self defence, just as one could rationalise someone in SA owning a gun.

If you’re in an upper class neighborhood with negligible crime rates you probably don’t need a gun at this point.

This is just my opinion, though about 99% of Australians would agree with me whereas only a small portion of Americans would agree with me (I found myself engrained within many heated arguments over this when I lived the USA…) Differing opinions are certainly warranted, I just can’t think of a rational argument as to why owning a gun should be a fundental right everyone ought to have… aside from prior times when tyrannical government’s came into power and civilians were powerless to stop it (Nazi Germany, Stalin etc), but it’s highly, highly unlikely the American government would become tyrannical like that.

I do believe over the next few decades gun reform will occur, massive overhauls will be made regarding gun legislation.

Do you support background checks? If not, do you believe a convicted felon should be able to possess a firearm?

Back to Covid-19… My brothers gf’s cousin died from it…

I could be wrong though, other opinions are most certainly valid (more valid than mine if said person is better educated on the issue… Which equates to many, many people… Gun reform/the politics regarding said issue certainly isn’t my specialty.)

Of course.

We can start with how general Subutai deliberately left a gap in his lines during the battle of Sajo river in 1241 - a signature tactic in which he created a situation seemingly to the enemy’s advantage and then used the horse archers to massacre over 10 000 Hungarians once the charge of their knights failed.

I’m not being facetious, I can talk about this all day…

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They create a registry.

Do you think some of that crime might travel out to the upper class neighborhoods if those upper class folks are disarmed while the residents of dangerous neighborhoods are permitted to arm themselves?

I support individuals and businesses placing any restrictions they wish upon transactions. Don’t want to sell to convicted felons? Run a background check. Don’t want to sell to white people? Don’t sell to white people. Don’t want to sell to people with an “A” in their names? Don’t.

Yes, if they can acquire one without violating the rights of another. I think anyone too dangerous to legally possess a weapon is too dangerous to be free in society. Of course, felons acquire firearms regardless of laws against their doing so…because…they’re felons.

The argument about beeing powerless against a regime change is, in my opinion, such a fucked up idea. This kind of regime change would not work without a huge part of the police/military working with “the bad guys”. Lets look at the US, how would you fight with a pistol against a tank? Do you really think citizens would stand a fighting chance against an organized military?
It is just nonsense. In a civilized country there is no need for private people to own a gun. Maybe the US will someday become a developed country and will no longer need them.

There are now reports about US government organizations tanking over mask deliveries destined for countries in the EU. Like Germany. I hope we won´t forget this kind of behaviour after this ends. Like we wont forget the attempt to buy a vaccine manifacturer here to get exclusive access to a vaccine.

No… Otherwise we would’ve probably seen this uptick in SA (South Africa) but the vast majority of violent crime is centred around poor neighborhoods/shantytowns

Those with schizophrenia probably shouldn’t be in possession of a firearm, neither should those with a recent history of self harm… Those diagnosed with psychopathy, sociopathy, narcissistic personality disorder etc (so… probably President Trump regarding the latter)

Those with a record of domestic violence/spousal abuse should certainly be barred (there are many demographics of whom I think ought to be barred).

Theoretically one could argue the situation shouldn’t have gotten so out of control wherein felons could acquire high calibre, fully automatic weapons easily on the black market. In Aus most felons if they wish to acquire firearms are looking at a beaten up, .22 calibre rifle. It isn’t particuarly easy to source either, you have to know the right people or take a huge risk with an online dealer (advertised, meet in person… Potentially get arrested as cops conduct sting operations regarding illicit sales of firearms).

Furthermore, in my opinion comparing guns to drugs (incase this argument is made) isn’t a good analogy. Drugs harm the user, and for highly destructive substances those around the user. However someone on meth can’t mow down a movie theatre full of people in five minutes. A harder stance ought to be taken on firearms than (in my opinion) drugs.

Police in many organised counties largely manage to control the trade of illicit firearms, this hasn’t been the case with narcotics. Firearms aren’t exactly easy to smuggle unless you’re individually smuggling the parts of which make up said firearms.

When I lived in the US I actually made this argument. The populace can fight back, but anyone fighting back against an organised millitia will probably be wiped out.

The USA is a developed country… But according to current rankings it does categorically fit under “flawed democracies”.

Understood… This body of thought is reasonable, however I disagree with it. Businesses should not be permitted to discriminate on the basis of race, sexual orientation or religion… There’s no feasible excuse as to why such discrimination should be accepted.

You seem to be against restrictive measures placed upon ones ability to make a decision so… What’s you’re opinion on same-sex marriage, drug possession (for personal use), abortion and religious extremism. Whilst consequences stemming from each aforementioned variable differ extensively… The same concept of personal choice/rights absent of government interference is applicable (aside from abortion wherein you could argue one shouldn’t be able to speak for an unborn child, but I disagree with this argument).

The argument is you wouldn’t win, but would make it damn difficult for the new regime to create peace and stability. Look at what the Taliban did, or the Vietcong. A large militia fully blended into the general populace is tough to deal with.

That said, this means their best case is that they are a huge annoyance for the new regime. They aren’t preventing the new regime from taking power, nor are they overthrowing this new regime. They are just making life difficult for the new regime.

With the Taliban you have experienced fighters very willing to risk their life. I dont really know if your population is up for that.
Also you actually seem to like Trump and Trump likes dictators and, if you listen closely, is not opposed to beeing in power like that.
So I would say if regime change comes, you will probably vote for it.

The regime just has to cut electricity, Internet, cell phones, water, and deliveries of fuel and food. All of which can be done without firing a shot. It’s like siege warfare. You bring up the taliban; how many Americans are willing to live like Afghanis?

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The notion of a “right to bear arms” refers to owning a gun for the off chance the government becomes tyrannical… But this was hundreds of years ago during an era wherein this was within the realm of possibility… Or within a realm wherein owning a firearm could actually fend off a tyrannical government.

We have a lot of vets in our general population, and a populace armed to the teeth. Additionally, like a true guerila force, we’d be fighting on home turf, for our Homeland. there would be no way to tell a militia member from general population and the new regime would want the population on their side so couldn’t just squeeze communities indiscriminately. Additionally, people adapt quick and lifestyle is relative. It’s easy and quick to adapt to different standard of living when forced to.

Hey, I’m not arguing for this. Just playing a lil devil’s advocate and explaining this POV (as I understand it).

People adapt quick? Two days of a not so locked down lock down and they were crying about the horrors of life from their couches.

I don’t recognize it as being a marriage, but I think it should be legal for two persons to call themselves “married,” to have a ceremony recognizing them as such, etc. I don’t think anyone should be forced to participate in such a ceremony in any way. I also don’t think any marriage should be recognized by government.

I think people should be permitted to possess any substance they wish. I also think people should be permitted to buy and sell substances they lawfully possess.

I like the concept of “evictionism,” here. Personally, I am disgusted by the practice(abortion).

I’m not sure what you’re talking about, here. What does the term mean to you?

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Just speaking from experience. The new normal becomes your baseline in about a week. My living situation has changed a few times (from super bougious to dirt floor) and each time you learn to accept your situation and it normalizes fast.

But then again, Im not really around the people you’re speaking about, so I could be way off.