COVID-19 / Coronavirus Discussion

[Donut]

  I found this at work today, maybe it will help lighten the mood

[junkrigger]

I hope every single American will learn a lesson or two or many from this. Lets start with. 

1. A for profit Insurance company based medical system only works well for the wealthy, medical workers and big pharma and Insurance corporations. And maybe not really well for medical workers.

2. The people put in charge of serious medical science problems should be actual medical scientists.

3. When corporate profits go up and productivity goes up, workers should share in those profits with better job security, better wages, better conditions, rather than nearly all gains going to the top stockholders and CEO's

4. Outsourcing of manufacturing and Industrial occupations everything from pharmaceuticals to metal fabrication will lead to the decline of a society and the pride workers have in the jobs they perform and the feeling of comradery between all citizens. Those were good, decent paying jobs people could be proud to have and have been replaced by service jobs no one really wants.  

5. Elections have consequences and who you elect will be who leads during the best and worst of times. 

Edited April 4, 2020 by junkrigger
additional info

[Ed Mack]

8 minutes ago, Donut said:

  I found this at work today, maybe it will help lighten the mood

As a Redskins fan, I can attest to that.

[Ed Mack]

20 minutes ago, crayxlp said:

quite frankly, I believe that is just you who mix the terms.

 

WHAT THE F/Ck.. H/LL has anyone's disagreement with people's behavior has to do with a political system / regime??? ARE YOU SANE?

and yes, believe it or not, every SINGLE American (perhaps not some small kids, longterm disabled ill individuals and such / who simply are not able to grasp the realiity] will  remember this for years to come. You can check against 2009 situation.

Enough with the negative rhetoric.  Plenty of mistakes to go around with this situation.  Being cocky about lack of cases in a country is silly and nearsighted.  At any time, your luck can run out.  One thing I am confident of though is that the US will survive and be stronger for it in the long run.  We will learn who our friends our and respond accordingly.  

[jeff_14]

1 hour ago, crayxlp said:

BTW.. technical question. since when are the United States of America (regarding the grammar) considered as "SHE"?.. I might be able to envision that in case of Canada and Her Majesty Queen.. 

- but US? 
 

Please do tell (just for my personal scholar use, thanks).

“Stand beside her, and guide her,” we sing in “God Bless America.” 

[SLL]

We will get through this, as one. NO doubt.

 

[jaisonline]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/us/politics/cia-coronavirus-china.html

 

C.I.A. Hunts for Authentic Virus Totals in China, Dismissing Government Tallies

Intelligence officials have told the White House for weeks that China has vastly understated the spread of the coronavirus and the damage the pandemic has done.

By Julian E. Barnes

April 2, 2020

[bigboy61]

23 minutes ago, jaisonline said:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/us/politics/cia-coronavirus-china.html

 

C.I.A. Hunts for Authentic Virus Totals in China, Dismissing Government Tallies

Intelligence officials have told the White House for weeks that China has vastly understated the spread of the coronavirus and the damage the pandemic has done.

By Julian E. Barnes

April 2, 2020

Not surprising. You can't trust China. Then again, you can't really trust our government either. 

[bigboy61]

I'm graduating in May and trying to find full-time work during this epidemic. Not a great time to be looking for work. 

Edited April 4, 2020 by bigboy61

[NIevo]

2 hours ago, Alpinemaps said:

The vitriol and hatred you have for the United States and her citizens are very very clear.

I would say more, but you’ve spoken very well for yourself.

And for any of you questioning his beliefs, please keep in mind he just painted everyone - conservative, liberal, and everyone in between with the same broad brush.

 

Hey, I've been saying that for days now.  Unfortunately we have several Americans here that I think feel the same way.

 

[NIevo]

1 hour ago, Donut said:

  I found this at work today, maybe it will help lighten the mood

 

Similar:

[Shortbus311]

I don't understand why so many people from outside of the USA feel the need to come onto this thread just to bash our president and the rest of our leaders without really knowing the first thing about our country. You don't see any Americans on here talking about how bad leaders of other nations are screwing it up for their people (except maybe China where it started and could have possibly been contained), so why constantly talk about ours? You guys are really starting to tread on my sense of national pride.

[NIevo]

6 minutes ago, Shortbus311 said:

I don't understand why so many people from outside of the USA feel the need to come onto this thread just to bash our president and the rest of our leaders without really knowing the first thing about our country. You don't see any Americans on here talking about how bad leaders of other nations are screwing it up for their people (except maybe China where it started and could have possibly been contained), so why constantly talk about ours? You guys are really starting to tread on my sense of national pride.

Said it before and I'll say it again, jealousy😃

I think it says more about us as a people and country that we aren't on here bashing other places and leaders and shows others for their true colors and hypocrisy.  Good luck trying to get many of us to take anything you say seriously and treat you like an adult when you act like a tool and resort to calling our President names like a little child.

Edited April 4, 2020 by NIevo

[keymomachine]

2 hours ago, Alpinemaps said:

The vitriol and hatred you have for the United States and her citizens are very very clear.

I would say more, but you’ve spoken very well for yourself.

And for any of you questioning his beliefs, please keep in mind he just painted everyone - conservative, liberal, and everyone in between with the same broad brush.

I think you read a lot into what out Czech friend wrote. I don't really buy the lie of American Exceptionalism. Will the United States get through this? Yes. Will thousands of people needlessly die because of bad decisions all over the place? Yes. I think Americans have become complacent that our government has functioning systems in place to help us in a crisis like this and those systems can't work when you don't staff them or think about them for years and years. I certainly grew up with a notion that the US was untouchable, 9/11 was a big wake up call for people in that regard, I think this also is/will be a wake-up call for people. Our government downplayed the role that face masks could play in containing/slowing the virus, seemingly because they realized we didn't have enough PPE to protect critical healthcare workers and wanted to avoid hoarding and shortages. I honestly took Crayxlp's post a week ago about everyone masks to heart and started wearing one to stores and it seems like more and more people are wearing masks out to shop, I'd say about 50% at Costco today.

I just don't think Crayxlp hates America or Americans. It's literally just fine to be critical of the USA, it's policies, it's actions and even it's people, it doesn't mean you hate it or them.

On another note, I can only hope that 30-40% unemployment is what it takes to realize employer provided healthcare coverage is a pretty dumb way to approach paying for medical care. I think I'd rather just have the extra $20k in income and pay an extra $15-20k in taxes for a different bureaucracy (lets not pretend Blue Cross/Aetna/etc are really cutting the red tape) to cover health expenses.

[NIevo]

[NIevo]

3 minutes ago, keymomachine said:

I think you read a lot into what out Czech friend wrote. I don't really buy the lie of American Exceptionalism. Will the United States get through this? Yes. Will thousands of people needlessly die because of bad decisions all over the place? Yes. I think Americans have become complacent that our government has functioning systems in place to help us in a crisis like this and those systems can't work when you don't staff them or think about them for years and years. I certainly grew up with a notion that the US was untouchable, 9/11 was a big wake up call for people in that regard, I think this also is/will be a wake-up call for people. Our government downplayed the role that face masks could play in containing/slowing the virus, seemingly because they realized we didn't have enough PPE to protect critical healthcare workers and wanted to avoid hoarding and shortages. I honestly took Crayxlp's post a week ago about everyone masks to heart and started wearing one to stores and it seems like more and more people are wearing masks out to shop, I'd say about 50% at Costco today.

I just don't think Crayxlp hates America or Americans. It's literally just fine to be critical of the USA, it's policies, it's actions and even it's people, it doesn't mean you hate it or them.

On another note, I can only hope that 30-40% unemployment is what it takes to realize employer provided healthcare coverage is a pretty dumb way to approach paying for medical care. I think I'd rather just have the extra $20k in income and pay an extra $15-20k in taxes for a different bureaucracy (lets not pretend Blue Cross/Aetna/etc are really cutting the red tape) to cover health expenses.

No, he goes beyond that and while maybe not hating American's per se he isn't fond of our country and spew's childish hatred toward our President every post he makes which I do take personally.

Really hard to be critical or criticize something you know little or nothing about without it sounding like drivel. 

I agree our Healthcare needs some work and "ObamaCare" was complete trash, but employer healthcare is great for a lot of us with good employers so honestly getting rid of it and paying anything remotely close to $10k a year more in taxes or any other form of Gov. option would be devastating and not the way to go. 

[jbacunn]

1 hour ago, bigboy61 said:

Not surprising. You can't trust China. Then again, you can't really trust our government either. 

Of course China is lying about the number of cases. No free press to keep the government in check. They can say whatever they want and no one internally can question it. How many cases have there been in North Korea? According to them zero, which is literally impossible considering who they share borders with. We'll never know how many cases they have had although they probably were able to keep it in check after the initial outbreak consider that the citizens would literally be put to death if they violated quarantine.  The one time a totalitarian regime is actually useful.  

[House Schubert]

 

Quote

"ObamaCare" was complete trash,

Obamacare made it possible for my family to de-couple from employer based health care. Since then, we have significantly increased our annual April contribution to the US Treasury.

You are wrong that it was complete trash. 

Edited April 4, 2020 by House Schubert
forgot to quote

[keymomachine]

9 minutes ago, NIevo said:

Said it before and I'll say it again, jealousy😃

I think it says more about us as a people and country that we aren't on here bashing other places and leaders and shows others for their true colors and hypocrisy.  Good luck trying to get many of us to take anything you say seriously and treat you like an adult when you act like a tool and resort to calling our President names like a little child.

This is a joke, right? "Us as a people"?? My friend, you and I have very little in common, but we're both as American as the day is long. Maybe stop assuming that other Americans share your particular values and opinions. Millions of Americans call Trump names everyday, myself included, he's a liar and egomaniac, did you know he's #1 on Facebook? What difference does it make if a Canadian and a Czech do the same? Have a little backbone and stop calling the PC police.

[exracer327]

I work for a church (4-15 employees).  Pre-Obama care, employer insurance costs increased avg +7% each year.  Post-Obama care, employer insurance costs increased avg +12% each year.  All my deductibles and co-pays increased Post-Obama care too.  And we had the mediocre insurance plan.  I can't imagine what the top plans cost.

There are some positives which came from it, but it has a heavy price tag.

[jeff_14]

32 minutes ago, Shortbus311 said:

I don't understand why so many people from outside of the USA feel the need to come onto this thread just to bash our president and the rest of our leaders without really knowing the first thing about our country. You don't see any Americans on here talking about how bad leaders of other nations are screwing it up for their people (except maybe China where it started and could have possibly been contained), so why constantly talk about ours? You guys are really starting to tread on my sense of national pride.

I don’t understand why you assume we don’t know anything about your country. Assume some basic literacy and world knowledge about the “leader of the free world” from those he leads. There’s no special privilege about being within the US that prevents others from discussing it. 

[Shortbus311]

This is a joke, right? "Us as a people"?? My friend, you and I have very little in common, but we're both as American as the day is long. Maybe stop assuming that other Americans share your particular values and opinions. Millions of Americans call Trump names everyday, myself included, he's a liar and egomaniac, did you know he's #1 on Facebook? What difference does it make if a Canadian and a Czech do the same? Have a little backbone and stop calling the PC police.

All people are liars... every single person in the world has lied at least once, and if you tell me you haven't I'll call you a liar.

And I haven't seen one single politician who isn't egocentric.

[Shortbus311]

I don’t understand why you assume we don’t know anything about your country. Assume some basic literacy and world knowledge about the “leader of the free world” from those he leads. There’s no special privilege about being within the US that prevents others from discussing it. 

Reading about a place does not give you a true sense of what it is like to live in that place. I have personally been to many countries around the world and read about them, but that doesn't mean that I know what it is like to live and work in that country.

[NIevo]

19 minutes ago, keymomachine said:

This is a joke, right? "Us as a people"?? My friend, you and I have very little in common, but we're both as American as the day is long. Maybe stop assuming that other Americans share your particular values and opinions. Millions of Americans call Trump names everyday, myself included, he's a liar and egomaniac, did you know he's #1 on Facebook? What difference does it make if a Canadian and a Czech do the same? Have a little backbone and stop calling the PC police.

First of all I'm not entirely sure you comprehended what I wrote.  Second I realize other Americans don't share my values, beliefs and opinions and are free to voice them as Americans which is what makes this country great.  I have plenty of names I would love to call past Presidents in every post I make but I try not to out of respect for the office and this great country. 

As far as a liar goes he is far less of one then most if not any other politician, just seems to go with the territory.  As far as being an egomaniac it partially comes with wanting to be the leader of the free world and partially just the fact he loves to stir **** up especially with the media and libs as he knows most are batshit crazy and will take anything he says out of context and freak out.

Telling me to have a backbone and throwing anything PC related at me is showing your ignorance and how little you know about me but hey, your entitled to your opinion.  Now if your ok with foreigners trashing our country that is your problem and maybe your not so proud of our country after all.

[jeff_14]

10 minutes ago, Shortbus311 said:

19 minutes ago, jeff_14 said:

I don’t understand why you assume we don’t know anything about your country. Assume some basic literacy and world knowledge about the “leader of the free world” from those he leads. There’s no special privilege about being within the US that prevents others from discussing it. 

Reading about a place does not give you a true sense of what it is like to live in that place. I have personally been to many countries around the world and read about them, but that doesn't mean that I know what it is like to live and work in that country.

Why do you assume I haven’t been there? Canadians go there all the time. And I’m sorry but reading about and researching things is how knowledge is gained and spread. Or are you ignoring what foreign doctors say about COVID because they haven’t lived in the US? I guarantee the plague doesnt care.