What not to do in a pandemic
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- Date published:
8:51 am, April 5th, 2020 - 100 comments
Categories: Donald Trump, health, health and safety, jacinda ardern, uncategorized, us politics -
Tags: covid-19, Covid19
The Trump Administration’s ability to astound and alienate appears to grow every day. I did not think that as time goes by I could think even worse of it. I mean where is rock bottom? How low can it go? But its recent Covid-19 measures are absolutely jaw dropping.
America is now the world epicentre of the outbreak. It had plenty of time to see it coming. You cannot help but think that a belligerent anti intellectualism is the cause of its problems.
It now has far more reported cases than any other countries and the avalanche of deaths is clearly on its way.
But now like a swaggering school yard bully it is engaged in of all things modern day piracy to get urgent supplies it should have been planning for months ago.
And the day to day response has been left to two people. Mike Pence is in overall control. His abilities are undermined by his handling of and AIDs outbreak in his home state of Indiana. His delay in allowing a needle exchange programme to be implemented caused needless infections. Obviously thoughts and prayers were preferred.
The other is Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner. He has been put in charge of the nation’s Strategic National Stockpile of urgent supplies of equipment and medicines. From Ryan Grenoble at Huffpost:
Jared Kushner was pilloried Thursday after telling reporters at the daily coronavirus briefing that the “federal” Strategic National Stockpile is “our stockpile,” and that, therefore, states shouldn’t rely on it for live-saving materials in the event of an emergency.
It’s a flawed statement at face value, one directly contradicted by language on the Strategic National Stockpile’s website at the time.
“The Strategic National Stockpile is the nation’s largest supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out,” the website read.
“When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts,” it continued, “the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency. Organized for scalable response to a variety of public health threats, this repository contains enough supplies to respond to multiple large-scale emergencies simultaneously.”
Caught in a lie, the Trump administration didn’t correct itself; instead, it changed the website.
And if you did not think you could think worse about Kushner reports that his real estate companies are aggressively seeking to evict tenants despite moratoriums being called for may change your mind.
Things are that bad that immigration detainees are begging to be allowed to go back to their homelands. From Sam Levin at the Guardian:
Detainees in a US immigration jail are begging to be released after potential Covid-19 exposure, saying the conditions are so brutal that they would rather suffer deportationthan remain locked up.
Three men incarcerated at the Winn correctional center in a remote part of Louisiana told the Guardian that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) has isolated 44 of them together after they were possibly exposed to coronavirus. Some of the detainees are so desperate to leave that they are seeking voluntary deportation. They say their cries for masks, hand sanitizer, gloves and cleaning supplies have gone ignored, including for elderly detainees and those with asthma.
In a series of phone calls, the men described a nightmare ordeal over the last two weeks, citing rampant mistreatment and a terrifying lack of information from Ice after they learned they were under some kind of quarantine. They also said that seven of their fellow detainees were deported on a flight to Colombia this week, four days into a 14-day quarantine period, which would appear to violate basic standards of coronavirus containment.
Of course the problem goes to the top and is about style as well as substance. Talking about personal distancing when being surrounded by acolytes and being beamed out on television is not a way to reinforce the message. And Trump announcing a FDA recommendation to wear facemasks and then immediately stating that he will not be wearing one really undermines the message the FDA was trying to get out.
The rot does not only occur at the top but it seems to pervade Republican ranks. Kerry Eleveld at Daily Kos has published this article noting that the twelve stated without proper stay at home orders are all managed by Republican Governors. The number may have since reduced but you get the drift. From the article:
As of Friday morning, the remaining 12 states that had failed to issue statewide stay-at-home orders were all run by Republican governors.Here’s the Republican governors putting an untold number of lives at risk in the name of so-called “freedom.”
- Alabama—GOP Gov. Kay Ivey
- Arkansas—GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson
- Iowa—GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds
- Missouri—GOP Gov. Mike Parson
- Nebraska—GOP Gov. Pete Ricketts
- North Dakota—GOP Gov. Doug Burgum
- Oklahoma—GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt
- South Carolina—GOP Gov. Henry McMaster
- South Dakota—GOP Gov. Kristi Noem
- Texas—GOP Gov. Greg Abbott
- Utah—GOP Gov. Gary Herbert
- Wyoming—GOP Gov. Mark Gordon
Some state residents are celebrating the lack of restrictions. “Let’s be honest, what country do we live in?” Brian Joens of Iowa City, Iowa, told USA Today. “It’s the USA, which is freedom, freedom to choose. When we get notes from the government saying do this or do that, it feels like that’s not what this country is built on.”Freedom to choose an increased likelihood of death for both you and your fellow citizens isn’t exactly on what the country was founded. Individual life, liberty, and happiness was never intended to trump the public good of an entire nation. But this is what you get when the chief executive of the country, Donald Trump, fails to exhibit anything resembling clear and consistent leadership.
Meanwhile in Aotearoa New Zealand we all anxiously wait for the new infections figures each day. So far the increase has been linear, not exponential. In about a week’s time we will have a good idea if the current measures are working.
Keep safe, keep your distance, and look after each other. It is going to be an unforgettable week.
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- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...5 days ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...5 days ago
- Ferris – Three Strikes targets those ‘too brown to be white’The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...5 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts doctors and nurses in hiring freezeCuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...1 week ago
- Fast-track submissions period must be extendedThe Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...1 week ago
- Release: Progress on climate will be undone by GovtNew Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...1 week ago
- Release: Dark day for Kiwi kids as a third of Govt cuts affect themNews that 1000 jobs at the Ministry of Education and Oranga Tamariki could go is devastating for future generations of New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Release: Alarm as Government signals further blow to school lunchesMore essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...1 week ago
- Oranga Tamariki cuts commit tamariki to state abuseTe Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...1 week ago
- Release: Quick, submit – stop Govt’s dodgy approvals billThe Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...2 weeks ago
- Government throws coal on the climate crisis fireThe Government’s policy announced today to ease consenting for coal mining will have a lasting impact across generations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Public transport costs to double as National looks at unaffordable roading project insteadCancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Cost of living in Auckland still not a priorityA laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori to visit Queensland to strengthen ties with Māori in AustraliaTe Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...2 weeks ago
- Greens look to fast-track submissions on harmful lawThe Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt should stop making people’s lives harder and build more homesThe National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Melissa Lee missing in action on mediaThe action Melissa Lee promised to protect democracy and the media sector is missing, Media and Communications spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...2 weeks ago
- Landlord Government leaves little hope for rentersThe Government’s announcement on tenancy rules prove that it does not care about renters. ...2 weeks ago
- Opportunity to build a more sustainable economyGreen Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...2 weeks ago
- Significant step forward in fixing cruel and unjust pastA significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...2 weeks ago
- Missed opportunity but NZ will surely one day recognise the right to a sustainable environmentNew Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Don’t cut our lunches – clear message sent to GovernmentTens of thousands of people are demanding the Government commits to fully funding free and healthy school lunches. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt makes U-turn on Suicide Prevention OfficeLabour welcomes the Government’s U-turn on the closure of the Suicide Prevention Office, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...3 weeks ago
- CCC issues warning over further climate delayToday’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...3 weeks ago
- Luxon targets are lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...3 weeks ago
- Luxon targets lame and lousy example of leadershipIf talk is cheap, Chris Luxon’s “targets” are bankrupt. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Commitment to disability communities missing from Govt prioritiesMinister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...3 weeks ago
- Taking action on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...1 hour ago - New sports complex opens in KaikoheRegional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...3 hours ago
- Diplomacy needed more than everForeign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...7 hours ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address, Buttes New British Cemetery BelgiumAmbassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...22 hours ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address – NZ National Service, Chunuk BairDistinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...2 days ago
- Anzac Commemorative Address – Dawn Service, Gallipoli, TürkiyeMai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...2 days ago
- PM announces changes to portfoliosPaul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...3 days ago
- New catch limits for unique fishery areasRecreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...3 days ago
- Minister welcomes hydrogen milestoneEnergy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...4 days ago
- Urgent changes to system through first RMA Amendment BillThe coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...4 days ago
- Overseas decommissioning models consideredOverseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...4 days ago
- Release of North Island Severe Weather Event InquiryEmergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...4 days ago
- Justice Minister to attend Human Rights CouncilJustice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...5 days ago
- Patterson reopens world’s largest wool scouring facilityAssociate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...5 days ago
- Speech to the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective Summit, 18 April 2024Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...5 days ago
- Government to introduce revised Three Strikes lawThe Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...5 days ago
- New diplomatic appointmentsForeign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...5 days ago
- Humanitarian support for Ethiopia and SomaliaNew Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...5 days ago
- Arts Minister congratulates Mataaho CollectiveMinister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...6 days ago
- Supporting better financial outcomes for KiwisThe Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...6 days ago
- Trade relationship with China remains strong“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...6 days ago
- PM’s South East Asia mission does the businessPrime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...1 week ago
- $41m to support clean energy in South East AsiaNew Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...1 week ago
- Minister releases Fast-track stakeholder listThe Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...1 week ago
- Judicial appointments announcedAttorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...1 week ago
- Education Minister heads to major teaching summit in SingaporeEducation Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...1 week ago
- Value of stopbank project proven during cycloneA stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...1 week ago
- Anzac commemorations, Türkiye relationship focus of visitForeign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...1 week ago
- Minister to Europe for OECD meeting, Anzac DayScience, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...1 week ago
- Comprehensive Partnership the goal for NZ and the PhilippinesPrime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...1 week ago
- Government commits $20m to Westport flood protectionThe Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...1 week ago
- Taupō takes pole positionThe Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...1 week ago
- Cost of living support for low-income homeownersLocal Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...1 week ago
- Government backing mussel spat projectThe Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...1 week ago
- Government focused on getting people into workBenefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...1 week ago
- Clean energy key driver to reducing emissionsThe Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...1 week ago
- Earthquake-prone buildings review brought forwardThe Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...1 week ago
- Thailand and NZ to agree to Strategic PartnershipPrime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...1 week ago
- Government consults on extending coastal permits for portsRMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...1 week ago
- Inflation coming down, but more work to doToday’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...1 week ago
- NZ and Türkiye pledge cooperation during natural disasters
The two countries have "a long history of coming to each other's aid", including after the 2023 Turkish earthquakes, Winston Peters says. ...2 hours ago - Waste not, want not: New series Food Waste Kitchen turns food trash into treasure
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...2 hours ago - Vaping regulations fight 'immeasurably harder' under coalition – campaignerFocus on Politics - Successive governments have claimed crack downs on youth vaping, but the bending and breaking of rules seems pervasive. ...3 hours ago
- Dog of the month: Scout, who is so independent she could be a catScout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...4 hours ago
- ‘I don’t know if we were brave or stupid’: Megan Alatini on changing reality TVMegan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...4 hours ago
- Behind the counter: Wellington shopkeepersA new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...6 hours ago
- Iranian Solidarity Group New Zealand Condemns Toomaj Salehi's Death Sentence And The New Aggres...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...7 hours ago - Short story: Calf Creek, by Anna Scaife
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...7 hours ago - Newsroom welcomes the Secret DiaryNewsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...7 hours ago
- I saw ‘The Sign’, and it opened up my eyes: All the fuss around Bluey, explainedTara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...8 hours ago
- Jessica Tater has ambition without bordersWorking as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...8 hours ago
- The island where people’s stories are paramountThere’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...8 hours ago
- Australian author leads silence protest over ‘blood debt’ owed to Papuans
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...8 hours ago - Israel delays Gaza Freedom Flotilla departure with bureaucratic ‘block’Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...9 hours ago
- Have New Zealanders really been ‘misled’ about AUKUS, or is involvement now a foregone conclusio...ANALYSIS: By Marco de Jong, Auckland University of Technology and Robert G. Patman, University of Otago When former prime minister Helen Clark spoke out against New Zealand potentially compromising its independent foreign policy by joining pillar two of the AUKUS security pact, Foreign Minister Winston Peters responded bluntly: On ...13 hours ago
- Palestine protesters challenge TVNZ over Israeli ambassador’s ‘propaganda’Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...14 hours ago
- Lynley Hood Opinion – Senator Fulbright must be spinning in his grave16 hours ago
- Fast-track bill could affect NZ's reputation – Transparency InternationalThe ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...17 hours ago
- We’re all feeling the collective grief and trauma of violence against women – but this is the pr...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...18 hours ago
- Species living closely together in symbiosis is far older and way more common than you might thinkSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis. AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...18 hours ago
- What is childhood dementia? And how could new research help?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...19 hours ago
- Jobseekers get about $345 less than pensioners each fortnight. This gap is hurting, and is set to wi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...19 hours ago
- Does fighting inflation always lead to recession? What NZ data tellsHere is what 60 years of New Zealand data shows us. ...20 hours ago
- The government's 20 trips abroad in AprilThe government appears committed to overseas visits with 14 ministers and MPs in 18 countries this month. ...21 hours ago
- Government unveils fetal alcohol guidelines, plan for diagnosis trainingThe government is promising to step up the response to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, promising to boost diagnoses and raise awareness. ...21 hours ago
- Labor facing heavy defeat in Queensland, but faring better in federal pollsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...21 hours ago
- Why the potential for another Donald Trump presidency is making Iran very nervousSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...21 hours ago
- ‘The worst piece of law proposed since 1979’: Reactions to the Fast-track Approvals BillA brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...23 hours ago
- The Friday Poem: ‘Cereal giving’ by Robin PeaceA poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...23 hours ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending April 26The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38) A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...23 hours ago
- Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua Welcomes Commissioner's Decision Regarding Awataha MaraeThe Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...24 hours ago
- We reconstructed landscapes that greeted the first humans in Australia around 65,000 years agoSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes. Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...24 hours ago
- What do we lose when our old suburbs disappear?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, Parramatta Photo: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...24 hours ago
- Does fighting inflation always lead to recession? What 60 years of NZ data can tell usSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImages fatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...24 hours ago
- After spending $700,000 on pins for Covid-19 workers, department now cutting costsA government office that set aside millions for lapel pins for pandemic workers is now looking to cut back on spending. ...1 day ago
- ‘A hell of a lot of fun’: Our reviews of Chris Isaak’s dazzling Auckland showThe ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...1 day ago
- The Week in Politics: Days of drama and demotionsAnalysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...1 day ago
- Hear me out: All I want is a TrueBliss T-shirtTara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...1 day ago
- Solemn ANZAC dawn service at PNG’s Isurava battle memorialPNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...1 day ago
- Political editors panel: A reshuffle and the fast trackListen - RNZ's Jo Moir and NZ Herald's Claire Trevett dissect the demotion of two ministers and the PM's response on Morning Report. ...1 day ago
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'At least there was one person who always believed in Jared Kushner, and fortunately for him, that person was the president’s son-in-law, who through a strange coincidence was also himself.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/04/04/how-lucky-we-are-have-jared-kushner/#comments-wrapper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDBQzcDQiII
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/120806164/nz-spies-getting-significant-intel-from-allies-elsewhere-around-the-world-about-coronavirus-case-numbers
How about US intelligence community concentrate on the mischievous lies and deceitful practices emanating from their own Federal Government instead of rabbiting on about a foreign government. If China is concealing information – and it probably is – we already know the US Trump administration is doing the same and to the same degree.
Sheesh!
Because they know what happens if they dare to squeak out about misconduct in Covfefe-19's administration: they get fired.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-firing-michael-atkinson-whistleblower-ukraine_n_5e87f022c5b6cbaf28294de6
Never though I would say this, but I think it is time for the US military to start making plans to remove this presidential cretin from office. It's only going to get worse not better and the longer it goes on for, the greater the damage not only to themselves but most of the rest of the world.
No.
It has to happen at the ballots. And it has to happen hard enough to ram home the message that some things are simply unacceptable and that vote-suppression, gerrymandering etc etc aren't enough to overcome population-wide disgust.
I'm very worried that won't happen.
Turns out I was wrong to call Team Tr*mp fascists.
https://twitter.com/sarahkendzior/status/1246417889638449152?s=21
“Some call them fascists; I avoid thid term because being a fascist requires an allegiance to the state. To these operatives, the state is just something to sell.”
Could someone please explain to me why Trump's approval ratings are increasing throughout this crisis?
I have a bunch of Reckons, but no actual analysis.
Is it likely that even with the economy tanking and the death toll rising, Trump now has a better chance at a second term than ever?
The country has a population of about 330 million. It is being run by people like Donald Trump and Jared Kushner with mouthpieces like Kellyanne Conway.
It is absolutely no surprise that a country which comes up with an arrangement like that would have Trump's approval ratings increasing throughout this crisis.
Even in his conference yesterday Trump, who has been on a crusade for more than 5 years to create division and mistrust, referred to 'us' and 'unity.' In recent weeks he has consistently talked about working together.
Explain why his popularity is going up? It is because the majority of population is thick and self-centred.
And for the most part poorly educated.
America has been practicing a dumbing down of their over-all educational systems for decades now and they’re now reaping the reward.
Check out his conference from this morning. He's an idiot.
The Time magazine Person of the Year? Chicken feed. The Nobel committee will be struggling over whether it's the literature, physics, chemistry, peace or economics one for him.
Maybe the job lot.
Similar to New Zealand.
The majority of the population are only getting information from their version of Hoskings.
Depressing hearing a neighbour repeating absolute bollocks, from him.
It's a simple rally around the flag and the leader in time of crisis impulse.
Given the scale of the crisis, and that it genuinely came from somewhere "other", what's surprising is how little CovidCamacho's approval has actually risen. And there are signs the bump is already going back down.
So no, I don't think it's going to help Drongo Unbrained in November. There's plenty of time for the scale of the fuckup and utter ineptitude and venal personal advantage taking to come out before November.
I'll be really interested to see how Trump supporters handle having people they know die.
They'll blame the Chinese as trump has.
Or Obama. Everything is Obama's fault, even when it's not.
Earlier this week my dad had a heart problem that put him in hospital up in Rawene. If it were New York or Italy or many other places right now, there wouldn't have been resources available and due to his age and medical history he would have been triaged out to fend for himself.
It prompted a flurry of e-mails around extended worldwide family. In France, my sister-in-law and nephew have COVID (presumably he got it from his medical work). In Utah, my cousin and her husband are juggling extended shifts, she in respiratory intensive care and he in emergency department, at a time when they had scheduled leave to be with their recent baby. No deaths yet, but it's definitely hitting home.
So I hope mods will cut me some slack if I get a little reactive if anyone starts minimising COVID here.
I understand Andre.
I think NZers are still in a process of waking up. We're very well insulated despite mass media. And it is a very complex emerging set of dynamics. I got it instinctively when I first read about people dying in hospital corridors in Italy, but I've been thinking about and exploring societal/systems collapse for a long time so I had a whole set of tools for this one (including how to see the creative ways out). Lots of people don't. In the US I'm guessing that it's way worse as people seem to not be getting even the basics around hand/face contact or physical distancing. This speaks to me about a culture that isn't equipped to go online and figure things out for themselves, as well as a huge amount of cognitive dissonance.
One of the things that relaxed me a bit was the day before lockdown I talked to a neighbour I don't know very well. He was still thinking that he was going to get to build his house in a month's time (they just laid the slab), which I think is extremely optimistic. But, he totally got the need for the lock down, it just wasn't even an issue. The only people I've seen really not getting it are tourists and the Queenstown partying backpacker types, which can be explained in other ways (although thinking about it now, that might well be cultural too).
The US cultures boggle my mind. All the best for your family, I'm hoping that being aware and smart gives a better advantage.
I wish to echo weka's sentiments above entirely Andre – all the best for you and your family here and abroad.
Ummm have you read my most recent post? I’m not exactly shy of getting reactive with the ignorant either.
Yeah. But you can dish out consequences. I'm not a mod. I can only be on the receiving end of consequences.
But I have to be self-moderating as well. I can’t run this site on my own.
I like a system that carries implicit checks and balances.
Rawene is such a cool place, but it would be a tough place to be stuck in. I've got uncles in hospital at the moment as well.
I'm really thankful that so many of your family are putting themselves right out there to help people medically at this time. What a great bunch of family to be proud of.
I wish you well.
Sorry to hear that Andre. I wish your family well for their complete recovery.
The deadly seriousness of CV19 should not be ignored.
Kia Kaha, stay safe and take good care of yourself.
Thanks for the thoughts everybody.
Getting reports from family on how rough COVID-19 really is just reinforces how we are doing the right thing here to absolutely minimise the number of us affected here. Good thing that's also the best way economically to handle it.
Andre, I hope all works out for you and yours. We have lost a family member in Sydney, and the hardest thing is not being able to visit and hug and be there for family. This is a cruel virus.
I'm very sorry to hear that, patricia. Look after yourself and yours.
There are a few Republicans who are now speaking up against Trump.
I think as the pandemic begins to hit the Redneck states they may begin to see they have been worshiping a false god. And in the meantime I see that the Murdoch's are being sued over false reporting leading to death.
This ad was played n Faux News.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=s2QLxGAlu18&feature=emb_logo
Link to the Law suits following False Reporting on Fox News
The Fivethirtyeight tracking is still making me nervous.
Pretty sick to even have to think about needing a global disaster to unseat such a corrupt world leader.
Stuff like this Ad. Oh. And a brain dead fart who wanted people to go out and vote in person this Tuesday is the alternative being made available to US voters.
Carlo Gaytan 5 hours ago
Bernie: Medicare for all.
Dems: No!
Trump: Medicare for Covid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAoaMaFvh-E
Dems: *Surprised pikachu face
I've been thinking the same even though I've never warmed to Sanders.
How much more effective the U.S. health system would be now if they had a single national purchaser – like Pharmac. Or a federal public health system at all.
Its got to be one of the cruelest twists of political fate that Sanders rose and stalled out of synch with the rise of Covid-19. If Covid-19's rise had been 2 months earlier, I'm sure Sanders would have had a better shot at the nomination.
Here's as piece explaining the rally around the flag effect.
https://www.wired.com/story/political-science-behind-trump-approval-ratings/
If you want info on how the poll bounce is already starting to fade, just google something like trump covid poll bounce.
Appreciate the article Andre.
It's not a great comfort that Bush got a higher peak during the height of the GFC.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/04/02/approval_ratings_amid_crises_comparing_trump_obama_bush_142838.html
Sometimes I wonder if it's too late for Andrew Cuomo to do what his dad Mario couldn't do.
That will only happen if Biden becomes incapacitated and the Dems need to draft someone in.
It has occurred to me numerous times that if Rachel Bitecofer is on the right track and negative partisanship is more important than partisanship, then disapproval ratings might matter more than approval ratings.
On disapproval ratings, things look even worse for Jabba the Drumpf's re-election than they do if you just look at approval ratings.
Bill Maher has a view
https://www.facebook.com/Maher/videos/232702024476540/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARAy4d0FnyO7gQX-d2_xV3l2Tg-7MgjHXHIt-Yox487U-ttNGU5RcolieB9Tv7R2rk0ZWymai9tPn7Dl
Because
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1mlCPMYtPk
Because the US is swamped in highly partisan 'news' but is actually an information desert – unless you are already a sceptic of mainstream sources and seek out alternatives, (i.e. chicken and egg).
Because Biden is actually the least electable of the alternatives to Sanders – but the Dems had to coalesce around someone at the point where Sanders was looking most dangerous. They must be crapping themselves now, and Biden is clearly unable to say anything that shows he comprehends, let alone has any solutions for, the problems of the times. He's simply an empty vessel into which anti-Sanders panic has been poured.
Because the C-19 death toll is in 4-figures still. What if it gets to 6-figures? Or 7? If Trump is widely perceived to have blood on his hands, then Biden has a chance. This is a real ''lesser of two evils' dilemma. It will be a rich irony if Fauci (and the despised world of rationality, ethics and collective responsibility he represents) saves the sociopath Trump's electoral bacon.
Mind boggling to say the least. It could only happen in the US. I have family there and I pray for their health and safety every day. The man is certifiable and its going to have to take somebody brave enough to either finish him off and suffer the consequences or have him removed quietly and sectioned under the mental health laws they have.
An assassination? Not really the preserve of the Left.
When the Covid 19 pandemic ends Trump will be the president who led Americans to victory over the Chinese Virus.
but her fucking emails.
Heh.
lol.
An another recent firing from the current Administration – More on this later. But it appears that tRump and his cronies are about running a marfia like operation similar to that which he ran before IMPOTUS selling crap cement.
https://talk.whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e21435c58b5d5c83415216374c953f0c5669409f.jpeg
[removed the embed as the image was way too big, people can click through – weka]
https://twitter.com/NoahBookbinder/status/1246444523900801027
So who are the persons to be responsible for overseeing the $2T bailout spend?
https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/trump-names-white-house-lawyer-be-watchdog-over-coronavirus-bailout#.Xofu6fbukcI.twitter
Note that the analysis that follows is by John Solomon, the asshole who created the false Ukraine meddling story. Just the News is his new venture, so you can take the opinion piece with a huge grain of salt.
But very convenient to have a lapdog lawyer as your watchdog.
Look, Trumps a plonker, but lines like " It now has far more reported cases than any other countries…" are just plain misleading, becasue they fail to take account of population. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ contains up to date per person data, and the US is not as bad off as you are trying to make out. In the total cases per 1000 and total deaths per 1000 they don't even rank in the top 20 nations.
Have a look at the graphic entitled Total Coronavirus Deaths in the United States on a logarithmic scale.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/us/
Your comment is equally misleading.
My comment takes the same time stamp as ther authors (here and now), and applies mathematical logic to that to provide perspective. The authors takes a laregly meaningless piece of data as a whip to beat Trump. It's misleading.
In other words, you object to criticism of Trump, but you fail to take the trajectory up to this point in time into account? That’s not misleading, that’s denial at its best. How Trumpian of you.
Geez I most certainly don’t object to criticism of Trump. I object to comments that are blatantly misleading.
Your objection has been noted.
The trajectory of the US is one of the worst but you keep ignoring that inconvenient fact.
What is there to say about Trump – the great ditherer…
He couldn't project a trajectory to clasp his arse… He’d keep doing u-turns.
Perhaps you should look at the advertisement that his own party partisans have made about his performance on Covid-19.
https://youtu.be/s2QLxGAlu18
That kind of dithering will cause the US to get the highest death rate per capita over the next couple of weeks.
But I guess this other GOP supporters ad won’t convince you because clearly you have your head stuck up your arse as well.
https://youtu.be/7gJgmkWJ6es
I wonder what they’ll produce after these scenes from New York start to impact. The US is currently at more than 1000 deaths per day and increasing exponentially – probably for at least 2-4 weeks.
https://youtu.be/Xxqq8nLYqdY
Oh I agree with all that. Doesn't make the claim MS made any less misleading.
I’d call it prescient because it’s about a train wreck in slow motion and everyone can see it except you, it seems. You’re being misled by your own pedantry.
You don't seem to be following. I agree about Trump, ok? He's a dick. Can't you honestly see that it is possible to agree with you but still call out a misleading comment?
Except it wasn't actually misleading.
USA does have more cases than any other nation, including the two nations with much greater populations. An avalanche of dead is indeed on its way. And the responsibility for that sits in the white house.
I don’t care whether you agree about Trump (with me??), never have, and never will. I’ve never said anything about Trump, have I? You raised a strawman.
Micky’s comment was not misleading but you are and were misled, but not by Micky’s comment.
Let’s at least agree on that.
"I’ve never said anything about Trump, have I? You raised a strawman. "
Ah, wrong. https://thestandard.org.nz/what-not-to-do-in-a-pandemic/#comment-1698415
FFS! Did I say anything for or against Trump and/or did I express an opinion about Trump per se? You said that you agreed on Trump, but there was and still isn’t anything to agree on in this regard!? You made it up. I’m pretty sure I’ve noted this before but you seem to have an issue with reading comprehension.
" I’ve never said anything about Trump, have I? "
That's what you claimed. Nothing about "expressing an opinion". It’s not me that has a comprehension problem. You’re following me around this thread making yourself look worse than Trump.
Without getting into a semantic debate about what territories in that list don't count as "nations", just leave it a while. 34k new cases a day (and climbing), it won't take too long for the US to be "number one" in every covid19 metric you care to select.
You're most likely right. Unfortunately. I have good friends who live in NYC, and an employee in NJ. Interestingly, all are Trump supporters. I'm not sure if it's their actual political view or just the entertainment value!
Comparable to the worst hit region.
https://twitter.com/MedCramVideos/status/1246098615447080960
1. Europe is NOT a country.
2. The US has less cases per 100 people than countries such as Luxembourg, Iceland, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, France Austria, Germany, Portugal, Norway and more. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.
BTW – I am not, I repeat NOT defending Trump. He's a donkey. I'm simply pointing out that claiming the US has the highest number of cases in the world is misleading.
Ok then, which country has more cases than the US?
Answer: none.
Verdict: case closed.
There are several, if you use the common comparison of per capita. But you seem fine with meaningless data, so who cares?
Edit – this will appeal to you. The US spends $36m on scotch each year. The Spanish spend $20m. The US has a population of 327m. Spain has a population of 47m. By your loigc, it would be reasonbale to claim that the yanks drink more scotch than their spanish counterparts. But that would be misleading, right?
It is “meaningless” to look at one data point and one time point in isolation, trajectories and trends are much more informative.
Paddington's usual tactic is to cherry-pick stats that suit him, and deflect or deny those that don't. Joe90 clearly stated – ' the CONTINENT of Europe' (my capitals) as comparable in size to the US. Paddington then tries to score by pointing out the obvious as a big, single paragraph:
"1. Europe is NOT a country." Relevance, when Joe90 never said it was ??
Paddington then cherry-picks European countries…
I have been around a while, and Paddington's language patterns vaguely remind me of an earlier pest. Strange…
This discussion is about MS's comments about the US. Not the America's. My subsequent response was about countries, not continents. Perhaps if you kept up with the thread you might understand.
"Paddington then cherry-picks European countries… "
There it is again – you're not keeping up. I havn't cherry picked anything. The European countries I quoted were from the dataset at worldometers. They were selected from the countries above the US in #'s per 1000 becasue that was my point. I could list them all, if you like. I apologise if I'm movng too fast for you.
Ironically and tragically at the same time, you’re not moving at all; you’re stuck in a single groove.
But the comment I was referring to was " It now has far more reported cases than any other countries…". “Now”. No trajectories or trends in that comment. Maybe you've lost track of that?
Ah, yes, I got sucked into a rabbit hole by a bear called Paddington.
That comment is correct because the US has the most cases of any country “Now”. Ergo it is not misleading.
A comment can be both correct and misleading.
Micky’s comment was factually correct.
It was not intentionally misleading but you interpreted it as such. In other words, you misled yourself AKA you made it up.
Your comprehension skills are lacking for you to make useful contributions to debate here. That’s my observation and my conclusion over a period of time. Consequently, we’re wasting our time reading and responding to your pedantic comments. Please change your ways here, thanks.
"It was not intentionally misleading "
I didn't say it was. You show a definite lack of reading comprehension skills.
"Your comprehension skills are lacking for you to make useful contributions to debate here. "
Mmm. Sounds like "I don't like it when you criticise an author so I'm going to threaten you". You've made a mountain out of a molehill. That says far more about you than me.
Again, you’re making up things. Where’s the “threat”? Do you want to be treated like Climaction?
"Where’s the “threat”? "
"Consequently, we’re wasting our time reading and responding to your pedantic comments. Please change your ways here, thanks. "
Or what? You see, there's the threat. You're effectively saying "tow the line or your out". As it happens you don't have to spend any time responding to me. You could simply ignore me. I'm not being offensive. You really are obsessed with this, and its pretty clear from some of your comments sincve that you've lost any sense of objectivity.
Please, stop being so defensive, thanks. If there had been a consequence to my Q asked in a polite manner – did you notice I said “please” and “thanks”? – I would have spelled it out, especially for you. If it were serious enough, I would have given you a clear and instructive Moderator warning, with a consequence. Did you notice any of this? No, you didn’t, and you keep on seeing things that are not there, e.g. imaginary threats – I believe you are more likely to catch COVID-19 than meet the ban-hammer here. Again, are you asking for that kind of treatment or are you just trying to provoke me? My alleged obsession hasn’t quite reached those lofty heights yet, I’m afraid. So, why don’t you just let it go?
BTW – who is Climaction, what did he/she do and what happened to him/her? And wtf does it even matter to me?
Don’t you read the comments on this site or are you just very selective?
Nothing has happened with that aforementioned commenter, it was merely an illustration that was lost on you (AKA woosh!). It obviously doesn’t matter to you – I like your strong language there. My sincerest apology for the confusion. I shall not bother myself with you anymore in this thread.
"Don’t you read the comments on this site or are you just very selective?"
I'm selective. I've never heard of Climaction. I assumed, based on your comment "Do you want to be treated like Climaction?" that he/she was a commenter.
No shit!
Meanwhile, not a country NY state has twice the number of cases /capita than Italy and is closing in on the same number of deaths /capita.
/
they lose just as many folks to the normal flu each year…something somewhere is amiss
Wen your CIC is a gangster.
https://twitter.com/JesseAPaul/status/1246276504599711744
Of course...
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D)…..74,242
Donald J. Trump (R)…..55,638
Gary Johnson (L)…..3,174
https://twitter.com/Burrite/status/1246539634122899456
Also today, three services (in Somerset, Derbyshire and East Sussex) where GPs have contacted the teams to say that they have deemed the people we support should ALL be DNR. No consultation with families, no best interests. Mostly working age adults. We will fight this.
That's a tweet from Andrew Cannon who is the CE at Voyage Care – supporting adults with physical and learning disabilities, brain injuries and autism.
https://twitter.com/VoyageCEO/status/1245415024396587008
Q.“Are you confident that the federal government is doing everything that needs to be done right now to contain this?”
Most respected US man on coronavirus who has worked under 6 presidents,
A. "Yes".
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Democrats: Hoping this might be 4th time lucky for impeachment.
but her fucking emailsbut impeachment/
https://twitter.com/stevesilberman/status/860595784424620034
That may have been Dr Fauci's honest belief three weeks ago ("right now").
In the light of recent events, some scientists and clinicians could be 'recalculating'.
No doubt Dr.Fauci is keen to keep his head.
Ardern is really going after the ‘don’t let the cure be worse than the disease’ gang right now.
Rightly so if the information posted by Poisson is anything to go by:
As for the conditions in the "detention centers": what sort of concentration camp system doesn't encourage infectious diseases? A badly-designed one.
Very good point, and historically true.