OT Coronavirus: America in chaos, News and Updates. One million Americans dead and counting (1 Viewer)

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Mariners won’t play in Seattle in March. 7 games were scheduled
 
Some of the stuff coming out of Italy is brutal to read/watch. They aren't allowing funerals or any public gathering, so people are just sitting there with dead family members in their houses. This is a dire situation, and we need a far better response in the US. We are literally only a week behind Italy in this country with the numbers.
 
Virology 101

Viruses consist of genetic material (DNA or RNA) in a protein coat. The related viroids contain only genetic material, no coat. All viruses are obligatory parasites; they cannot metabolize or reproduce on their own. Viruses infect all types of cells, animal, plant, bacteria; different species affect different cells. (Buried in a very old folder I still have the electron micrograph I took during my University of Washington days of Phage T4 virus infecting an E. coli, the kind of thing science nerds consider way cool.)

Viruses attach to the service of a cell, generally specific to the virus type, and inject their genetic material. The genetic material inserts into the cell’s genome and takes it over, using the cell to make copies of itself. In acute infection, the cell bursts, releasing the new virus particles, each of which can infect a new cell, and so on. Eventually, hopefully, the immune system recognizes the virus as “not-self”. Immune response is a cascade of reactions but basically one cell type recognizes a “not-self” while another destroys it. HIV was so deadly because the virus infected and destroyed the immune cells that recognized “invaders”, so people with AIDS were left defenseless and died of opportunistic infections.

Some viruses become chronic, remaining in the cell’s DNA and reproducing along with each cell generation. Viruses can be dormant for years, even decades, before activating; Human Papilloma Virus is one of these.

Because of their very rapid reproduction and incorporation of cell DNA into their own genome, viruses mutate and evolve very quickly. That’s why we need a new flu shot every year as new strains appear.

Antibiotics work by blocking or disrupting steps in bacterial cell metabolism. Since viruses are not cells, antibiotics are useless against them. Don’t pester your doctor for antibiotics when you catch a cold; they do no good. Overuse of antibiotics has been associated with negative health and environmental effects but does not impact viruses since they are unaffected by antibiotics.

Evidence is viruses have been around for billions of years. They do not directly fossilize but fossils of animals and plants as well as old human burial grounds show evidence of viral diseases.

Vaccines do NOT cause “super-viruses”’ someone with very limited knowledge is mixing up antibiotic resistance, which is a thing, with vaccine resistance. Vaccines cause longer lives. Get vaccinated.

Covid-19 has been so virulent because it is a new strain and the entire global population is what is called immunologically naïve. That is not a state of mind; it refers to the fact that no one has developed resistance. Perhaps the most famous/infamous historical example of an immunologically naïve population coming into contact with a virus is the spread of smallpox from European colonizers to the Americas and Australia, where indigenous populations had no resistance. Smallpox had been endemic in Europe and Asia for centuries, and large numbers of people died, but rural populations who developed the much milder cowpox developed immunity and over the centuries the overall population became somewhat resistant as the most susceptible died and left fewer children. Native populations had never been exposed; no one knows how many millions died. Christian churches proclaimed this divine plan to clear out the heathens so Christians could settle the “new” world.

Viruses are not Democrats or Republicans. They do not respond to tweets, threats, insults, or ridicule. They are not stopped by boasting about one’s great genes or scientific acumen. Anyone who thinks building a wall stops viruses should read The Masque of the Red Death, IMHO Edgar Allen Poe’s best short story. Viruses are not racist, they are not divine plan to get rid of infidels or punish gays, they are not a plot to destroy Christians or bring down a president. They simply are.

To prevent spread of viruses, wash your hands, cover your cough, avoid dense crowds, and use condoms. If you have a virus, stay home, eat chicken soup, and read a good book.

Suggested good books (fiction):

The Masque of the Red Death (Edgar Allen Poe)

Bleak House (Charles Dickens)

Love in the Time of the Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)

The Plague (Albert Camus)

The Stand (Stephen King)

Suggested good books (nonfiction):

Rats, Lice and History (Hans Zinser)

Guns, Germs, and Steel (Jared Diamond)

Plagues and People (William McNeill)

The Great Influenza (John Barry)
 
Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Lie About Coronavirus

Cruise ships have long been called floating petri dishes. And COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, means rough seas ahead for the cruise industry.

The State Department over the weekend warned all U.S. citizens, especially those with underlying health conditions, against cruise travel. Such warnings, combined with travelers' fears, are harming one of South Florida's largest industries.

In the wake of the epidemic, a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) employee in South Florida tells New Times some managers have asked sales staff to lie to customers about COVID-19 to protect the company's bookings.

"These discussions take place every day. And even during our department meetings, managers tell us that it isn't a big deal, that more people die from other things," says the employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. "[They're] constantly underestimating it."

Emails leaked to New Times show that a senior sales manager at NCL's Miami office came up with canned responses for the sales team to use if potential customers expressed concerns about COVID-19.

"Team," the email reads in part, "these are one liner's [sic] to help you close your guests that are on the fence. DO NOT USE THESE unless the coronavirus is brought up."

Some of the lines in the script pressure a fictitious customer to book a cruise immediately to avoid paying more later.

"Mr Becker," the line reads, "due to the Coronavirus we have cancelled all of our Asia cruises on the Norwegian Spirit. This has caused a huge surge in demand for all of our other itineraries. I suggest we secure your reservation today to avoid you paying more tomorrow." (News reports, on the other hand, suggest cruise lines are suffering from a spate of canceled trips rather than experiencing high demand. NCL's stock price has fallen more than 35 percent in recent days.)

Other script lines simply reassure customers not to be afraid.

"The only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen?" one of the suggested talking points reads.

Some of the recommended responses are blatantly false. For instance, cruise bookers were instructed to tell potential customers that coronavirus is not a concern in warm Caribbean climates.

"The Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise," one talking point reads.

"Scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus," reads a second.

Another line says coronavirus "cannot live in the amazingly warm and tropical temperatures that your cruise will be sailing to."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seasonal flu viruses exist year-round in the United States but are most prevalent in the fall and winter. The common cold is more widespread in winter and spring, although it can also be diagnosed at any time.

Spring typically marks the end of flu season in the States, reportedly because of increasing temperatures and humidity. But scientists and medical experts have said they don't know enough about the new coronavirus to say how it will react to warmer temperatures.

"Hardly anyone in this country has been exposed to the new virus, so there's been no chance to develop immunity," the Los Angeles Times reports. "That means the coronavirus has plenty of opportunity to infect people and get passed along."

Norwegian didn't respond to multiple requests for comment. But after New Times sent those requests, a manager emailed some employees to say this publication was "working on a nasty story" and that the company "won't be responding as agreed" to the request. An employee leaked the email to New Times. The same manager emailed staff saying "the Media is trying to trick employees at cruise lines to say stuff about corona" and warning them to be careful.

Other communications leaked to New Times show the cruise line's managers are trying to find the employee who "ratted and lied" about the company.

It's too soon to know much about COVID-19, such as exact death and survival rates and whether people can develop immunity after recovering from the virus. The vast majority of people who've tested positive for the virus have survived.

Given the uncertainty, the NCL employee who spoke with New Times has concerns about managers spreading misinformation internally. For example, one sales manager sent an article from the website Education Magazine that pushes anti-vaxxer theories and claims that media coverage of pandemics is full of "hidden motives." The article further states the media "often practices Hypodermic Needle Theory to inject messages directly into the brains of a passive audience."

"It's straight-up hoaxes," the employee tells New Times.

The worker also says NCL seems more concerned about its profits than the health and safety of travelers — and some sales staffers now feel pressured to persuade customers not to cancel their trips. Some customers, despite their worries, have caved and kept their reservations. Many others are canceling cruises even if it means losing thousands of dollars.

The employee who spoke with New Times says they have not personally used any of the "one-liners" with clients because they feel uncomfortable doing so. They spent most of a recent workday taking calls from customers wanting to cancel.

"We are hardly selling anything," the employee says. "Sales are at serious lows."

Members of the sales team lose any commission on a booking if the cruise is canceled, according to the employee. They are required to meet daily quotas — about 150 calls to potential customers, five hours on the phone, and three to five bookings.

"If you don't hit quota, you will absolutely be fired," the employee says. "No exceptions for [the] current virus situation. You may be put on a personal improvement plan for 30 days, but [that] basically means you're done."

The employee says managers are trying to downplay the disruption in sales "at all costs."

Jim Walker, a Miami maritime attorney who writes about the cruise industry, says cruise lines regularly issue talking points to the media, travel agents, and sometimes employees to "put a happy face" on stories during crisis situations. After the Costa Concordia's fatal capsizing in 2012, Walker detailed some of the talking points — and reported misinformation — spread by the cruise industry and travel publications.

Walker says what Norwegian is reportedly asking employees to tell customers about COVID-19 is unethical at best.

"There's a lot of funny business like this that's going on," Walker says. "It's kind of shocking to hear but doesn't particularly surprise me."

President Donald Trump this past Monday said his administration plans to help the cruise and airline industries struggling amid the coronavirus outbreak. But yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence remained mum on the potential bailouts and instead said the administration would review cruise industry proposals about how to improve health and safety plans on ships.

Walker says the cruise industry wants people to believe that now is the best time to go on a cruise and that the industry is taking their concerns seriously. But he doesn't believe that's the case.

"The reality is they've never had good protocols," he says. "They're telling people what they want to hear."

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/...-leaked-emails-show-booking-strategy-11590056
 
Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Lie About Coronavirus

Cruise ships have long been called floating petri dishes. And COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, means rough seas ahead for the cruise industry.

The State Department over the weekend warned all U.S. citizens, especially those with underlying health conditions, against cruise travel. Such warnings, combined with travelers' fears, are harming one of South Florida's largest industries.

In the wake of the epidemic, a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) employee in South Florida tells New Times some managers have asked sales staff to lie to customers about COVID-19 to protect the company's bookings.

"These discussions take place every day. And even during our department meetings, managers tell us that it isn't a big deal, that more people die from other things," says the employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. "[They're] constantly underestimating it."

Emails leaked to New Times show that a senior sales manager at NCL's Miami office came up with canned responses for the sales team to use if potential customers expressed concerns about COVID-19.

"Team," the email reads in part, "these are one liner's [sic] to help you close your guests that are on the fence. DO NOT USE THESE unless the coronavirus is brought up."

Some of the lines in the script pressure a fictitious customer to book a cruise immediately to avoid paying more later.

"Mr Becker," the line reads, "due to the Coronavirus we have cancelled all of our Asia cruises on the Norwegian Spirit. This has caused a huge surge in demand for all of our other itineraries. I suggest we secure your reservation today to avoid you paying more tomorrow." (News reports, on the other hand, suggest cruise lines are suffering from a spate of canceled trips rather than experiencing high demand. NCL's stock price has fallen more than 35 percent in recent days.)

Other script lines simply reassure customers not to be afraid.

"The only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen?" one of the suggested talking points reads.

Some of the recommended responses are blatantly false. For instance, cruise bookers were instructed to tell potential customers that coronavirus is not a concern in warm Caribbean climates.

"The Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise," one talking point reads.

"Scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus," reads a second.

Another line says coronavirus "cannot live in the amazingly warm and tropical temperatures that your cruise will be sailing to."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seasonal flu viruses exist year-round in the United States but are most prevalent in the fall and winter. The common cold is more widespread in winter and spring, although it can also be diagnosed at any time.

Spring typically marks the end of flu season in the States, reportedly because of increasing temperatures and humidity. But scientists and medical experts have said they don't know enough about the new coronavirus to say how it will react to warmer temperatures.

"Hardly anyone in this country has been exposed to the new virus, so there's been no chance to develop immunity," the Los Angeles Times reports. "That means the coronavirus has plenty of opportunity to infect people and get passed along."

Norwegian didn't respond to multiple requests for comment. But after New Times sent those requests, a manager emailed some employees to say this publication was "working on a nasty story" and that the company "won't be responding as agreed" to the request. An employee leaked the email to New Times. The same manager emailed staff saying "the Media is trying to trick employees at cruise lines to say stuff about corona" and warning them to be careful.

Other communications leaked to New Times show the cruise line's managers are trying to find the employee who "ratted and lied" about the company.

It's too soon to know much about COVID-19, such as exact death and survival rates and whether people can develop immunity after recovering from the virus. The vast majority of people who've tested positive for the virus have survived.

Given the uncertainty, the NCL employee who spoke with New Times has concerns about managers spreading misinformation internally. For example, one sales manager sent an article from the website Education Magazine that pushes anti-vaxxer theories and claims that media coverage of pandemics is full of "hidden motives." The article further states the media "often practices Hypodermic Needle Theory to inject messages directly into the brains of a passive audience."

"It's straight-up hoaxes," the employee tells New Times.

The worker also says NCL seems more concerned about its profits than the health and safety of travelers — and some sales staffers now feel pressured to persuade customers not to cancel their trips. Some customers, despite their worries, have caved and kept their reservations. Many others are canceling cruises even if it means losing thousands of dollars.

The employee who spoke with New Times says they have not personally used any of the "one-liners" with clients because they feel uncomfortable doing so. They spent most of a recent workday taking calls from customers wanting to cancel.

"We are hardly selling anything," the employee says. "Sales are at serious lows."

Members of the sales team lose any commission on a booking if the cruise is canceled, according to the employee. They are required to meet daily quotas — about 150 calls to potential customers, five hours on the phone, and three to five bookings.

"If you don't hit quota, you will absolutely be fired," the employee says. "No exceptions for [the] current virus situation. You may be put on a personal improvement plan for 30 days, but [that] basically means you're done."

The employee says managers are trying to downplay the disruption in sales "at all costs."

Jim Walker, a Miami maritime attorney who writes about the cruise industry, says cruise lines regularly issue talking points to the media, travel agents, and sometimes employees to "put a happy face" on stories during crisis situations. After the Costa Concordia's fatal capsizing in 2012, Walker detailed some of the talking points — and reported misinformation — spread by the cruise industry and travel publications.

Walker says what Norwegian is reportedly asking employees to tell customers about COVID-19 is unethical at best.

"There's a lot of funny business like this that's going on," Walker says. "It's kind of shocking to hear but doesn't particularly surprise me."

President Donald Trump this past Monday said his administration plans to help the cruise and airline industries struggling amid the coronavirus outbreak. But yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence remained mum on the potential bailouts and instead said the administration would review cruise industry proposals about how to improve health and safety plans on ships.

Walker says the cruise industry wants people to believe that now is the best time to go on a cruise and that the industry is taking their concerns seriously. But he doesn't believe that's the case.

"The reality is they've never had good protocols," he says. "They're telling people what they want to hear."

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/...-leaked-emails-show-booking-strategy-11590056

These fucks better not get any sort of bailout or help from the feds and I hope people sue them into bankruptcy.
 
Breaking: All Seattle schools closing for at least next two weeks.
 
Leaked Emails: Norwegian Pressures Sales Team to Lie About Coronavirus

Cruise ships have long been called floating petri dishes. And COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, means rough seas ahead for the cruise industry.

The State Department over the weekend warned all U.S. citizens, especially those with underlying health conditions, against cruise travel. Such warnings, combined with travelers' fears, are harming one of South Florida's largest industries.

In the wake of the epidemic, a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) employee in South Florida tells New Times some managers have asked sales staff to lie to customers about COVID-19 to protect the company's bookings.

"These discussions take place every day. And even during our department meetings, managers tell us that it isn't a big deal, that more people die from other things," says the employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. "[They're] constantly underestimating it."

Emails leaked to New Times show that a senior sales manager at NCL's Miami office came up with canned responses for the sales team to use if potential customers expressed concerns about COVID-19.

"Team," the email reads in part, "these are one liner's [sic] to help you close your guests that are on the fence. DO NOT USE THESE unless the coronavirus is brought up."

Some of the lines in the script pressure a fictitious customer to book a cruise immediately to avoid paying more later.

"Mr Becker," the line reads, "due to the Coronavirus we have cancelled all of our Asia cruises on the Norwegian Spirit. This has caused a huge surge in demand for all of our other itineraries. I suggest we secure your reservation today to avoid you paying more tomorrow." (News reports, on the other hand, suggest cruise lines are suffering from a spate of canceled trips rather than experiencing high demand. NCL's stock price has fallen more than 35 percent in recent days.)

Other script lines simply reassure customers not to be afraid.

"The only thing you need to worry about for your cruise is do you have enough sunscreen?" one of the suggested talking points reads.

Some of the recommended responses are blatantly false. For instance, cruise bookers were instructed to tell potential customers that coronavirus is not a concern in warm Caribbean climates.

"The Coronavirus can only survive in cold temperatures, so the Caribbean is a fantastic choice for your next cruise," one talking point reads.

"Scientists and medical professionals have confirmed that the warm weather of the spring will be the end of the Coronavirus," reads a second.

Another line says coronavirus "cannot live in the amazingly warm and tropical temperatures that your cruise will be sailing to."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), seasonal flu viruses exist year-round in the United States but are most prevalent in the fall and winter. The common cold is more widespread in winter and spring, although it can also be diagnosed at any time.

Spring typically marks the end of flu season in the States, reportedly because of increasing temperatures and humidity. But scientists and medical experts have said they don't know enough about the new coronavirus to say how it will react to warmer temperatures.

"Hardly anyone in this country has been exposed to the new virus, so there's been no chance to develop immunity," the Los Angeles Times reports. "That means the coronavirus has plenty of opportunity to infect people and get passed along."

Norwegian didn't respond to multiple requests for comment. But after New Times sent those requests, a manager emailed some employees to say this publication was "working on a nasty story" and that the company "won't be responding as agreed" to the request. An employee leaked the email to New Times. The same manager emailed staff saying "the Media is trying to trick employees at cruise lines to say stuff about corona" and warning them to be careful.

Other communications leaked to New Times show the cruise line's managers are trying to find the employee who "ratted and lied" about the company.

It's too soon to know much about COVID-19, such as exact death and survival rates and whether people can develop immunity after recovering from the virus. The vast majority of people who've tested positive for the virus have survived.

Given the uncertainty, the NCL employee who spoke with New Times has concerns about managers spreading misinformation internally. For example, one sales manager sent an article from the website Education Magazine that pushes anti-vaxxer theories and claims that media coverage of pandemics is full of "hidden motives." The article further states the media "often practices Hypodermic Needle Theory to inject messages directly into the brains of a passive audience."

"It's straight-up hoaxes," the employee tells New Times.

The worker also says NCL seems more concerned about its profits than the health and safety of travelers — and some sales staffers now feel pressured to persuade customers not to cancel their trips. Some customers, despite their worries, have caved and kept their reservations. Many others are canceling cruises even if it means losing thousands of dollars.

The employee who spoke with New Times says they have not personally used any of the "one-liners" with clients because they feel uncomfortable doing so. They spent most of a recent workday taking calls from customers wanting to cancel.

"We are hardly selling anything," the employee says. "Sales are at serious lows."

Members of the sales team lose any commission on a booking if the cruise is canceled, according to the employee. They are required to meet daily quotas — about 150 calls to potential customers, five hours on the phone, and three to five bookings.

"If you don't hit quota, you will absolutely be fired," the employee says. "No exceptions for [the] current virus situation. You may be put on a personal improvement plan for 30 days, but [that] basically means you're done."

The employee says managers are trying to downplay the disruption in sales "at all costs."

Jim Walker, a Miami maritime attorney who writes about the cruise industry, says cruise lines regularly issue talking points to the media, travel agents, and sometimes employees to "put a happy face" on stories during crisis situations. After the Costa Concordia's fatal capsizing in 2012, Walker detailed some of the talking points — and reported misinformation — spread by the cruise industry and travel publications.

Walker says what Norwegian is reportedly asking employees to tell customers about COVID-19 is unethical at best.

"There's a lot of funny business like this that's going on," Walker says. "It's kind of shocking to hear but doesn't particularly surprise me."

President Donald Trump this past Monday said his administration plans to help the cruise and airline industries struggling amid the coronavirus outbreak. But yesterday, Vice President Mike Pence remained mum on the potential bailouts and instead said the administration would review cruise industry proposals about how to improve health and safety plans on ships.

Walker says the cruise industry wants people to believe that now is the best time to go on a cruise and that the industry is taking their concerns seriously. But he doesn't believe that's the case.

"The reality is they've never had good protocols," he says. "They're telling people what they want to hear."

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/...-leaked-emails-show-booking-strategy-11590056
If you are young, healthy, single, and up for an adventure, cruise packages are dirt cheap right now!
 
If you are young, healthy, single, and up for an adventure, cruise packages are dirt cheap right now!
I am half tempted, because I am all of the above (except single). My only concern is that I would get stuck in a quarantine situation and I really don't want to be fighting other passengers for moldy food for two weeks.
 
If you are young, healthy, single, and up for an adventure, cruise packages are dirt cheap right now!

Also if you are old, sick, and looking forward to death.

barfo
 
Liverpool looks like it has a jam packed stadium for this big CL match....would you attend a gathering of 55,000 people right now?
 
It's becoming very apparent that this virus is going to greatly affect all of us directly or indirectly, MUCH more than most originally thought.

It has the same feeling as before the banks/financial/housing collapse. Total uncertainty for the future.
 
It has the same feeling as before the banks/financial/housing collapse. Total uncertainty for the future.

Yeah, it doesn't seem like that was 12 years ago. And like we were discussing a couple of days ago, we have not seem the bottom yet in the stock market...looks like a world wide recession is in our future. Hopefully, it won't last very long.
 
https://www.pennlive.com/sports/202...e-played-without-fans-due-to-coronavirus.html

NCAA March Madness tournament to be played without fans due to coronavirus

OZXD7APRG5CAFHBZTCSNRKYROI.jpg
 
Yeah, it doesn't seem like that was 12 years ago. And like we were discussing a couple of days ago, we have not seem the bottom yet in the stock market...looks like a world wide recession is in our future. Hopefully, it won't last very long.

I have a friend who made generational wealth shorting the housing market. I wonder what opportunities are there right now.

I know people will look back and think "Why didn't I think of doing that?"
 
I have a friend who made generational wealth shorting the housing market. I wonder what opportunities are there right now.

I know people will look back and think "Why didn't I think of doing that?"

Shorting?...Are you speaking of selling of real estate or financing, or both?...just curious.
 
Shorting?...Are you speaking of selling of real estate or financing, or both?...just curious.

I'm not sure exactly what he did, but I am pretty sure it was similar to what happened in the Big Short (movie). Basically made bets that housing stocks, bank stocks, would get fucked and when it did, he did well.
 
I have a friend who made generational wealth shorting the housing market. I wonder what opportunities are there right now.

I know people will look back and think "Why didn't I think of doing that?"

Filling bottles with jello and labeling it "Hand Sanitizer"?
 
I'm not sure exactly what he did, but I am pretty sure it was similar to what happened in the Big Short (movie). Basically made bets that housing stocks, bank stocks, would get fucked and when it did, he did well.


I toyed with the idea of shorting but never got the nerve to actually mess with it...same with commodities.
 
I toyed with the idea of shorting but never got the nerve to actually mess with it...same with commodities.

Its not for everyone, that's for sure. This guy was a lot smarter than me, worked in a hedge fund but a lot of this was on his own I believe.
 

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