A couple of thoughts of the day.

After 45 years of the cold war, a bug panics the world.

When this is all over, how many officials will still insist on open borders.

For those who are interested in keeping an eye on the statistics for covid here are some sites:


Center for Systems Science and Engineering. (Johns Hopkins.) Current Worldwide Data. (Nice Dashboard.)

(Mobile Version Of Above.)

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CDC (Centre For Disease Control. USA.) Current USA Data.

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European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (EU.) Has current downloadable Excel data.

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Anyone fancying putting together an app or script to download, collate and display data for covid in a simple format I would love to join in. PM me.

A couple of thoughts of the day.

After 45 years of the cold war, a bug panics the world.

When this is all over, how many officials will still insist on open borders.

Some after the cold war have been looking for new enemies. It could have been anything.

Perhaps what it suggests is a need for more open co-operation and resource sharing.

If not a move towards borderless ideals then perhaps we can take from the way an organism works with cells supporting and functioning alongside other cells as if in one human societal host.

A bug has no politics and is something we should all be able to come together on...

In theory ;)

....
Lots and lots of open borders, and globalization stuff will change after this. China will no longer be the great manufacturer of the world.
We're going into a new world order, and I fear that this will also lead to nationalism of the worst kind.

It won't work.

Look at the UK. It's manufacturing days are over. Little oil, little coal and no real mineral deposits except for chalk.

We need China and other countries. We need Afghanistan for example for its copper deposits.

Globalisation keeps capitalism rolling and capitalism keeps uber nationalism at bay.

Only when the resources run low or government or managed economies fail will we see a recedence of globalisation.

Though we will have a more cautious and troubled period for a short while for sure.

No doubt various vacuous politicians will try to capitalise on the tragedy of covid :(

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. (EU.) Has current downloadable Excel data.

Hmm. Are they really trustworthy? I mean they are located in Stockholm, Sweden.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Centre_for_Disease_Prevention_and_Control
Hehe:) Anyway they have actually a "war room" there just like in the movies from the good old Cold War.
They do monitor the world situation 24/7 in that room (and elsewhere of course) and also give you all data you want.
And their website is as good as anyone that also use the same data from the WHO.

Well the U.S. has now passed 1000 Coronavirus deaths while it has also leapt into 3rd spot for the number of cases per country and its trajectory is on course to pass both Italy and China in the coming days.

It looks like I should've said "hours" instead of "days" as the U.S. has just passed China according to latest figures. :-O

Well, one just has to love the numbers game.
523,163 confirmed cases
23,639 deaths
So the mortality rate decreasing from 4.55% to 4.5185%
How many will say that it is stabilising?

The problem as I see it is at ground level.
Regardless on whether it was done as a stunt or for laughs, it just shows how many DF's in the world.
Social media is showing 3 clips.
1: Guy on tube wearing a face mask & holding a can (beer?} Removes mask, licks his fingers & then rubs his hand up & down the pole.
2: Guy gets on tube & immediately starts licking the pole for some time, every time he moves around the pole, guy sitting & wearing a face mask moves further away from him.
3: BBC interviews a guy who states that nothing will stop him from going where he wants to go (did the BBC REALLY need to go out & do interviews?).

I know I've often stated that it takes all sorts to make a world, but sheesh!

I'm pretty sure that during the past week or so, if not on this thread, then elsewhere, I saw that the cost of a test in the US is $9,700.
WTF?
From a link posted in the Profits 1st Safety 2nd thread:

Australian firm Rapidward said that five days ago it began supplying Covid-19 blood tests direct from China to Switzerland, Italy and Iran at a cost of $12 each, including shipping.

SocialDistancingNOPE

I Go to FoodStore 'bout every 10 days.

I'm in line 'bout 6 feet behind person in front, with no one behind me. It's busy and two women and a child get behind me.

Younger woman is 'bout 9 months pregnant and she had her belly a quarter inch from me, and fO about 10 minutes she is within inches from me. She stays close, real close as stated. Makes no sense. She is not being 'pushed' closer to me. She can be 6 feet behind if she cared to.

In da NonCOVID World, my Old Age and Ugly looks keep EVERYONE Back. So, I don't know WdaF went on.

By da By. Livin' in RUBEWorld you would think Diversity is Sparse. However.

Woman in line in front is Black; Lady Cashier is Chinese; bagger is Black Man; I'm a WASP; and PregnantWoman and Companions are Hispanic.

Store was packed and SocialDistancing Did Not seem to be Noticeable. MO people are wearing masks. 'bout 1/2 percent of people in this store today. Basically No One amongst da Hundreds in there.

RUBEWorld is a Wonder

Yep

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May we All have a METAMORPHOSIS. REASON. GOoD JUDGEMENT and LOVE and ORDER!!!!!

I'm pretty sure that during the past week or so, if not on this thread, then elsewhere, I saw that the cost of a test in the US is $9,700.
WTF?
From a link posted in the Profits 1st Safety 2nd thread:

Australian firm Rapidward said that five days ago it began supplying Covid-19 blood tests direct from China to Switzerland, Italy and Iran at a cost of $12 each, including shipping.

What are we talking about here? The cost of the swabs used to collect samples, or the end-to-end process including laboratory development, analysis, and certification?

$9,700 is still too much.

It's not just the US. :-(

A private healthcare clinic in London has defended its decision to charge £375 ($434) for a coronavirus test.
The Private Harley Street Clinic said the price reflected "the costs of these logistic and clinical services that we provide" and added that it was offering free tests for NHS staff.
It followed newspaper reports that the clinic had sold several thousand at full price.
Chief executive Dr Mark Ali did not respond to the BBC's request for comment.

Sorry BBC, he's self isolating counting his silver. :-)

Well, one just has to love the numbers game.
523,163 confirmed cases
23,639 deaths
So the mortality rate decreasing from 4.55% to 4.5185%
How many will say that it is stabilising?

I saw a press conference here this afternoon. A German journalist asked the Swedish State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell about why Sweden has such higher mortality rate then in Germany. Germany 0.49% and Sweden 1.74%. Needless to say, Tegnell said it's because that in Germany they test a lot more people then we do. If we would do as much testing as Germany do, our mortality rate will lower just like in Germany. Duh:)

Probably all 4.
Swab $12
Certificate - template on a computer, fill in details & print approx. $10 say.
Leaves $9,678 for development & analysis per test. Hmm...

One thing that a pandemic in modern times has done is to increase rather than decrease, bovine excrement.

For those who like to compare numbers for Flu and Coronavirus, here's some numbers to get your head round.

Here’s a comparison of the first 65 days of the 2009 swine flu in the United States and first 65 days of the 2020 covid-19 outbreak.

Swine flu
April 15, 2009 — first infection detected
June 19, 2009 — 21,449 cases, 87 deaths

Covid-19
Jan. 20, 2020 — first infection detected
March 25, 2020 — 69,344 cases, 1,050 deaths

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/27/those-covid-19-death-toll-figures-are-incomplete/

BBC broadcast news (not online yet) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for corona virus, mild symptoms. So has at least one civil servant in his office.

BBC broadcast news (not online yet) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for corona virus, mild symptoms. So has at least one civil servant in his office.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52060791

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus, Downing Street has said.

Mr Johnson has mild symptoms and will self-isolate in Downing Street.

"He was tested for coronavirus on the personal advice of England's chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty," a statement said.

He will still be in charge of the government's handling of the crisis, the statement added.

The civil servant named on air was David Frost, the head of the Brexit negotiating team. We know that Michel Barnier has already tested positive. 'nuf said.

Edit - correcting name. He, and others, tested earlier, not today.

BBC broadcast news (not online yet) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for corona virus, mild symptoms. So has at least one civil servant in his office.

Here is Boris from home addressing the UK public.
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/utrikes/boris-johnson-smittad-av-coronaviruset