caulfield12

Well, as usual, they’ll get back to us on this. Will insurance companies that are waiving copays get reimbursed by the government? Will there be any (independently-verifiable) way of tracking $2 trillion in spending? Well, no, we don’t have time for witch hunts, hoaxes and negativity. What about the 30 million who aren’t part of ObamaCare and can’t buy in now (SEP)...even if they wanted to? Sounds great to say the government would LIKE to take care of everyone, but what will be the reality? One of his better quotes... 11. "One thing about the way I've conducted myself is not a lot of people know who I've been talking to and what I've been talking about and that protects people." Shorter (Jared) Kushner: I talk to people. Lots of people. You don't know them. But I talk to them. https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/03/politics/jared-kushner-axios/index.html

Captain of USS Theodore Roosevelt fired... https://www.businessinsider.com/navy-relieves-uss-theodore-roosevelt-captain-loss-of-confidence-2020-4 https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/brian-kemp-ron-desantis-donald-trump-coronavirus/index.html Now we have this unprecedented situation in Florida with the governor stating no local/municipal/county restriction is allowed to be stricter than his statewide rule. What happened to local officials on the ground being able to make those decisions more effectively? More confusion. Now it was reversed again. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that local governments can enact stricter measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus than what is outlined in his statewide stay-at-home order, seeking to clear up confusion over language that says his order “supersedes” all local actions. After he signed an executive order around 1 p.m. Wednesday telling everyone in the state to stay at home through the end of April, except for certain essential activities, DeSantis issued an amendment to the order hours later. The amendment said the governor’s order “shall supersede any conflicting action or order issued by local officials in response to COVID-19.” Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article241720381.html#storylink=cpy Finally, Trump announcing theorizing that the wearing of scarves because they are thicker will provide more protection than proper medical masks is borderline certifiable.

Having lived in the Quad Cities, Iowa, Augusta (GA), SE Asia and especially Wuhan...escaping extreme humidity is a significant consideration. Colombia...the finca/farm/coffee growing region between Cali and Medellin was the best overall weather in the world. Santa Fe, NM was another city I looked at, but too cold at night due to elevation.

Yeah, I can still vividly remember the sat call from one of the wives to her husband. As far as Texas goes, any thoughts on the best place to live (looking at five year old’s future educational needs) between San Antonio, Round Rock and Austin (might be too pricey by then.) Really have poignant impressions of Riverwalk still from years and years ago. Looking more at five years down the line from now...when we come back from China. Have family in Dallas/Plano. The other area under consideration is Albuquerque, because of the climate. Finally, my cousin wrote almost 75 books (aimed at middle schoolers) on Texas, Civil War and history of the West/Native Americans. Not sure how many are still in print, but worth checking out for young students. His name is Gary Clifton Wisler, he actually became pretty good friends with Carl Everett of all people in the last decade of his life.

I would rather hear from his brother and Karlie Kloss. They might even beat The Bachelor ratings and get their own spin-off.

Jared Kushner about to make his first public appearance...this should be interesting if he takes questions. Guess we’ll never get a 9/11 Commission Report to figure out what went actually wrong so as to be better prepared in the future...because “impeachment/media/hoax.“ Sighs again. Another aspect of the Treasury/monetary policy moves....the pressing needs in Europe. Investors are selling what they can to keep their money in dollars due to the unprecedented amount of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which threatens to paralyse the global economy. The U.S. Federal Reserve opened the taps for central banks in 9 new countries to access dollars in hopes of preventing the coronavirus outbreak from causing a global economic rout. The dollar pared gains just before the Fed announcement. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/forex-markets-european-central-bank-coronavirus-in-focus.html

I meant literally....from 3.5 to 10-10.5%. Should have clarified. Some states, like Texas, it’s up 1,600% in two weeks. In this case, it’s probably more accurate to go state by state, and also simply trying to intuit states that aren’t capable of reporting accurate numbers of claims due to online crashes and inability to get through via the phone numbers.

Yeah, the breathtaking (and heartbreaking) documentary is what really got me interested in the reading. Usually, it’s the other way around.

What do you know, two Trump states in Iowa and Nebraska are mostly following the rules (also, lesser population density) and still have lots of school districts open as of this week.

“So, the media is absolutely responsible for this. But, one should not think the media is the media, OK? 90% of them are working for the Democrats, they're working for the left. And you know, why you would pay so much attention to what I say, hey I'm flattered, great, you want to write about me? That's great. And as you know, Ray, and they know, if you defame me or slander me, you'll see me in court." https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/politics/devin-nunes-coronavirus/index.html Devin Nunes has to be one of the worst, now that IA Rep. Steve King is quiet. Check that, he’s actually taken to comparing the head of the Army Corps of Engineers to Stormin’ Norman Schwarzkopf. Going with all the wartime analogies...

Sounds like eastern Long Island...Manhattanites fleeing the city and hoarding all the goods/groceries (through an army of assistants and line-waiters) the year-round population (much more middle class) needs to survive. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/politics/kansas-coronavirus/index.html Topeka, KS residents struggling to follow mayoral requests...reminiscent of conversations from a week ago.

One of the most striking statistics of the last few days is Germany hitting 500,000 tests per day in a much smaller country when we’re touting that we ramped up to 100,000 per day...that’s not counting the 160,0000 backlogged at Quest and 500,000 that aren’t being used because they’re in the wrong places to meet current needs, private hospitals and testing centers, etc. Pretty jarring that the UK and US need to learn so much from other countries about how to get this right. Germany’s still under 1000 deaths and they’re still extremely critical of their own response so far and looking to make continuous improvements. And Florida is still exempting religious services from the stay-at-home order. Sigh.

https://news.yahoo.com/behind-scenes-kushner-takes-charge-235545283.html You know you’re in serious trouble when a secret government cabal behind the scenes led by Jared Kushner offers the greatest promise. The senseless death threats to Dr. Fauci are just the icing on the cake.

6.648 million UNE claims Converting into a percentage, that’s roughly 10.5% right now. Rise of 7% in less than one month. Seems 15% bottom is going to end up on the conservative side.

Gov. Cuomo just pushed the timeline for apex or peak to the end of April, with deaths extending in a straight line in June/July/August. First time the possibility of no baseball this season really hit home.

Here’s the answer, take it as you will. 10,000—40,000, the facts around the world on the ground are no different, except for a higher mortality rate than originally projected (3-4% is where we sat here for about two months.) https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3078120/china-rejects-claims-inaccurate-coronavirus-death-tally-wuhan https://www.newsweek.com/georgia-governor-didnt-know-asymptomatic-people-transmit-coronavirus-1495695 A stunning admission of deadly ignorance from Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who says he only just learned that asymptomatic people can transmit #Covid19. “ndividuals could have been infecting people before they ever felt bad, but we didn’t know that until the last 24 hours.” pic.twitter.com/T7NZWk2GDR — Andisheh Nouraee (@andishehnouraee) April 2, 2020 In a bizarre turn of events, information the rest of the nation had in January didn’t reach Georgia Governor Brian Kemp until April: “Individuals could have been infecting people before they ever felt bad, but we didn’t know that until the last 24 hours. https://t.co/v1nGdzTy5y

16 min ago Only some medical supplies from overseas going directly to coronavirus hotspots From CNN's Leyla Santiago, Priscilla Alvarez and Kristen Holmes Only a portion of the medical supplies being flown in by the Federal Emergency Management Agency from overseas are being allotted to critical hotspots -- the rest are going onto the private market. Competition between states and the federal government has been a source of frustration for governors trying to shore up equipment to treat patients with coronavirus, according to multiple officials. The Trump administration has touted the incoming flights, billing them and the equipment they're bringing in as a reprieve to states desperate for supplies. But states are not the sole recipients of the equipment, according to a FEMA spokesperson. Supplies will also be sent to the private market, where states have been in fierce competition with each other to get hold of hard-to-come-by supplies. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/austin-spring-breakers-coronavirus-trnd/index.html About 70 people in their 20s chartered a plane from Austin, Texas, to Mexico for spring break two weeks ago. They went against the advice of White House officials who asked that people avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 and nonessential air travel. Now 44 of those people have tested positive for coronavirus -- all of them University of Texas at Austin students, a university spokesman told CNN on Wednesday. Finally, if Covid-19 overtakes the Dharavi and Kibera slums in Mumbai...well, it’s like those supposedly watertight compartments on the Titanic.

Here’s the problem. Robert O’Brien (fourth National Security Advisor now) isn’t even qualified for his position. He, Pompeo, Navarro...are out there blasting China on conservative media outlets. Fine. But what happens when he’s part of a briefing with the President? He quickly remembers how Trump keeps circling back to the trade agreement, tariffs rolling billions in, President Xi and I had a great call, Heartland is being saved by agricultural purchases (that still haven’t come close to replacing lost markets). Poof. Dude (O’Brien) then says absolutely nothing at all about China in the briefing. Can someone in the administration be consistent, for once? Last week or so, it was Wuhan and China/Chinese virus every other sentence. Then he’s suddenly coming to the aid of stigmatized Asian communities (“lots of great people, I know many personally...great deal makers”) and protecting them from racist attacks he practically cheered on himself. The whiplash back and forth is just incredible. https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/coronavirus-biden-and-other-democrats-blast-trumps-health-care-rejection-212619771.html Then he’s somehow saving many millions more by....drumroll, cutting off healthcare enrollment/participation. The Trump administration’s decision to not open a special enrollment period for the health care marketplace because of the coronavirus pandemic has garnered strong criticism from the Democratic Party. A White House official told POLITICO that the Trump administration would be foregoing an SEP, and instead “exploring other options.”

Trump’s new coronavirus argument: 2 million people are being saved Even as Trump adopts a somber, get-ready-for-the-worst tone, he has still sought to portray himself as a hero for his actions thus far. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/01/trump-coronavirus-millions-saved-160814

Shouldn’t they fire Dr. Redfield, then? Or Azar? NIH is a completely different entity...and Fauci cannot be connected in any way, shape or form to the rejection of WHO kits in Jan/Feb, decision to manufacture in the US and the debacle than ensued with those initial kits that set the timetable back by two weeks at such a critical time. Dr. Fauci and Cuomo are pretty much doubling his approval numbers. If he does push Dr. Fauci, a 78 year old by the way, out...and leaves Dr. Birx as the only competent face remaining in a country of the best and brightest scientific minds in the world, God help us all. She’s just not capable of separating herself politically from the administration, and this has been evident from the very beginning. If anything, he popped the bubble on overly optimistic projections, on weather cures, on untested drugs providing quick solutions, on the country going back to business in early April and then Easter weekend. He got the nickname Dr. Doom, but now many are managing to outpace his perceived negativity (the projection model with 82 or 84,000 total deaths was the one he most frequently cited.) Now, that’s considered WAY too optimistic compared to that 100-240k range, not to mention many are citing the 12-18 month timeframe as WAY too optimistic on a vaccine as well.

It’s not unlike the New Testament...many refuse to believe until they see or experience firsthand proof or evidence in their own families. The Doubting Thomas Effect, which was multiplied by the skepticism echoed/reinforced by both the President and the conservative media. I think a large part of this was coming right on the heels of the impeachment debacle...so it SEEMED in line with yet another conspiracy or hoax. In that sense, the Democrats also bear SOME responsibility for entering that process with no viable end game...which soaked up months of Congressional focus. Of course, the other obvious side of this is that empathy, compassion and non-transactional leadership are exactly what is called for to unify the country. As long as these briefings remain so politicized that networks are debating whether to carry them as they devolve consistently into partisan talking points from politicians...the country will continue to be divided or polarized. On the state and local levels, governors can evoke that sense of we're all in this together as Governor Cuomo has consistently done for weeks now...or DeWine, or Hogan, or Baker. On a national basis, though...we’re suddenly (at least for today) fixated on controlling the border with Mexico. It’s like an alternate reality t.v. show created to distract from reality and intentionally shift the focus back to campaign issues. “Warmer weather will slow or kill the virus.” That’s not a national suppression/mitigation strategy!

With the cloud over Chinese, US, Russia, Indonesia, Iran, India and Malaysian numbers...maybe even Japan protecting the Olympics, we still don’t really know as much as we need to. The most dangerous aspect of this is 33% of those testing positive being asymptomatic carriers or super spreaders. Btw, National stockpile of PPE wiped out today. We’re starting off press conferences worried about illegal drug interdiction moreso than PPE and ventilators? Sigh...interestingly, the hospitals are running low on Fentanyl supplies for intubation. And Maduro in Venezuela is now Public Enemy #1 because we’re still trying to do regime change. Fine. Just seems like we need to have our priorities straight.

Mortality rate for the entire world running at close to 5%, or roughly 1/2 of SARs with magnitudes greater transmissibility. That’s about 3x higher than the earliest anticipatory US projections in January and February. Or 50x the rate of the common flu. Even with under-testing or denied testing, arguably 20-30x more deadly. And we have a backlog of 160,000 tests currently waiting to be processed just at Quest Diagnostics alone. Ten day delays, 1/2 of total order backlogged. Same exact issues with LabCorp. That particular only handle 30,000 per day, max. 100,000 is our current daily NATIONAL capacity...and these next two months we’re going to need to be processing 5-10x that on a daily basis.

In fact, they just announced high school seniors can’t return any earlier than 5/11, Grade 10/11 no earlier than 5/18...kindergarten completely gone from January until August/September. They’re not even letting workers turn on individual heating and air conditioning units (attached to wall or standing)...for an indeterminate future for fear of a recurrence in public buildings. Centralized heating and air con is rare. Everyone outside is mandated to wear a mask even four months after this whole thing really took off. And the Gao Kao, Chinese version of the SAT, in an unprecedented move, has been moved back one full month to July 7/8, perhaps the hottest time of the year here (Beijing and Hubei Province are setting their own timelines for the first time ever, as well.)

Italy and Spain? Germany hit this hard with surveillance testing right from the start...considering they had some of the first cases in Europe, like WA and CA in the US. Having the optimal ratio of dedicated nursing care to patients has been yet another positive factor in their success, at least so far.