Coronavirus/COVID in the U. S. & Elsewhere

[Randy W]

from the US Department of State: Consular Affairs on Facebook

 

https://www.facebook.com/9229303148/posts/10158128234783149/?substory_index=0

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/9229303148/posts/10158128234783149/

 

International commercial flight options remain in:

#Malaysia

#Bulgaria

#Phillipines

#Japan

Book directly with the airlines. None or limited repatriation flights are currently planned in these countries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I now believe it simply has to do with available commercial and/or repatriation flights for those who WANT to return, rather than telling people they need to leave.

[Allon]

Randy, hang in there. It must be a difficult time for you and I know you love China and your life there. And you have had a tough time lately. We are keeping an eye out. I am glad you keep us posted.

 

It is tough here too. Can't go anywhere. Parks are empty and shopping is not the joy it was. But it will be over. Probably for you, before it ever is here. I have lost some friends. I feel I am back in surgery every time we go to get food. I keep checking my gloves for holes, just like the old days.

 

Glad you are keeping your perspective.

[Randy W]

from Al Jazerra and the New York Times

 

NY Times link - Coronavirus Invades Saudi Inner Sanctum

 

 

Al Jazeera

 

Coronavirus widespread among Saudi royal family: Report

 

At least one high-ranking royal, as well as dozens of lower-level officials, have COVID-19, The New York Times reports.

 

Dozens of members of the ruling Saudi royal family, as many as 150, have been infected with coronavirus in recent weeks, a news report said.

 

Saudi Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud - the governor of the capital Riyadh who is in his 70s - is in intensive care after contracting the virus, according to The New York Times, which cited hospital communications, doctors in the country and sources familiar with the family.

 

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) have retreated into isolation to avoid the outbreak.

 

 

[Randy W]

Some East vs. West thoughts from the SCMP

 

Why East Asia is managing Covid-19 better than the West

 

In the battle against the coronavirus, East Asian societies and cultures have the edge

In real numbers, East Asian economies like China and South Korea are handling the crisis better than Western countries, in large part, it would seem, because of their strong traditions of Confucianism and Buddhism and sense of shared responsibility

. . .

These may be well-chosen examples, but results can speak for themselves. If we consider mortality rates for March 28-29 in four Western countries (the US, Spain, Italy and Britain) versus six East Asian economies (China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan), the Western average is 6.3 per cent and the East Asian average, 3.7 per cent – in comparison with the global average of 4.7 per cent.

In other words, East Asia has quite simply outclassed the West. It is also fair to suggest this ratio of deaths to total infections serves as a proxy for the efficiency with which a society or government is managing the diffusion and permeation of the virus.

In contrast, despite the conflicts between, say, the governments of China, Japan and Taiwan, and their vast political differences, their basically successful responses to Covid-19 have been strikingly similar.

What has come through in each of the East Asian societies is a moral economy compounded of ancient traditions of Confucianism and Buddhism, and moderation of individualism by deep values of benevolence, shared responsibilities and obligations that might well be at the heart of East Asia’s success.

Cultures that are sturdy in a world of change do not have to rely on expensive policies or promises of rapid economic recovery, for cultural suasion can go a very long way. It can save lives.

Ian Inkster, PhD, is professorial research associate at the Centre of Taiwan Studies, SOAS, University of London, and a senior fellow at the Taiwan Studies Programme, China Policy Institute, University of Nottingham

 

The way back home: A Taiwanese student returns home from the US

[Greg.D.]

Okay, so SCMP is a propaganda arm of the Chinese communist party, so I am surprised to see their commentary in the “Stateside” section of this website.

There is no reason to lump Taiwan and China together as one style of culture and governance: seriously? China will come out of this uniquely tainted and seen with fresh eyes as a reprehensible system of governance. And their numbers can’t be averaged in with free countries’ numbers. China’s are totally cooked.

S Korea has done better than anyone due to their greater use of testing, reporting and isolating. Taiwan can’t even be included with China as they blocked the exported cases and had a more manageable (numbers wise) population than China. Singapore and Japan actually have a resurgence of infections

 

A better comparison would be American state or city against other American states or cities. NYC is devastated while Boston, not far away, is not overwhelmed. Ohio - already renown for early shelter at home practices - is not overwhelmed but Michigan, with a dense urban center, is.

Enough of this F’ing Chinese state propaganda. Watch Winston’s video:

https://youtu.be/KQaNdTKQyLY

 

for a brief and to the point analysis of what the worst and most despicable regime since Mao has wrought and continues to perpetrate on the world.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by Randy W
embed video (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Okay, so SCMP is a propaganda arm of the Chinese communist party, so I am surprised to see their commentary in the “Stateside” section of this website.

 

As a comparison of East vs. West, I thought it was more pertinent here.

 

There is no reason to lump Taiwan and China together as one style of culture and governance: seriously? China will come out of this uniquely tainted and seen with fresh eyes as a reprehensible system of governance. And their numbers can’t be averaged in with free countries’ numbers. China’s are totally cooked.

 

S Korea has done better than anyone due to their greater use of testing, reporting and isolating. Taiwan can’t even be included with China as they blocked the exported cases and had a more manageable (numbers wise) population than China. Singapore and Japan actually have a resurgence of infections

 

A better comparison would be American state or city against other American states or cities. NYC is devastated while Boston, not far away, is not overwhelmed. Ohio - already renown for early shelter at home practices - is not overwhelmed but Michigan, with a dense urban center, is.

 

Enough of this F’ing Chinese state propaganda. Watch Winston’s video:

https://youtu.be/KQaNdTKQyLY

 

for a brief and to the point analysis of what the worst and most despicable regime since Mao has wrought and continues to perpetrate on the world.

 

I thought the SCMP article did a good job of considering the two (Taiwan and China) separately, except as described in this paragraph :

 

. . . as a moral economy compounded of ancient traditions of Confucianism and Buddhism, and moderation of individualism by deep values of benevolence, shared responsibilities and obligations that might well be at the heart of East Asia’s success.

 

where they are lumped in with Korea and Japan as 'Eastern'.

 

In any event, even if you take China out of their discussion, the points are still there.

 

Winston has a VERY heavy axe to grind, and continues to do so. His interview with Chris Chapell pretty well explained why, but I think he'd do better to move along to other topics now that he's so far out of touch.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

from a (American) Facebook friend

 

 

Posted today by my brilliant daughter. She is correct.

"One more time: you can only be counted if you have been tested for COVID 19. All over the world, all over our country, when i read reports from hospitals and medical staff all over the world, all over our country the numbers are not adding up. Im sure the powers that be feel this keeps people from panic but I promise you people are definitely dying (and recovering which is awesome) and not getting counted, all over the world, all over our country...right in your state...right in your city...right in your zipcode. Stay vigilant."

[Greg.D.]

Winston May have an ax to grind but his above video is very, very good. He does not need to move along to other topics and he is still very much in touch with modern China.

Anything published in SCMP must fulfill the obligation of all state media (and there no longer is any media other than state media):

 

 

“The media run by the party and the government are the propaganda fronts and must have the party as their family name,” Xi told propaganda workers at the meeting, during which he demanded absolute loyalty from state media.

Would not expect the party count everybody anyway.

[Randy W]

The SCMP is published in Hong Kong, and will often deviate from that absolute loyalty. They do seem to tread on tippy-toes, though, to avoid arousing the ire of the CPC.

[Bert]

Did anybody see this Epoch Times video about the search for the origin of the virus?

 

https://youtu.be/Gdd7dtDaYmM

 

It pretty much excludes the possibility that the virus starting at the wet market. The most interesting aspect to me is the connection to Jiang Zemin. Could he have had the virus leaked to weaken Xi Jinping? Or was he trying to corner the market on a vaccine?

 

[Randy W]

Did anybody see this Epoch Times video about the search for the origin of the virus?

 

https://youtu.be/Gdd7dtDaYmM

 

It pretty much excludes the possibility that the virus starting at the wet market. The most interesting aspect to me is the connection to Jiang Zemin. Could he have had the virus leaked to weaken Xi Jinping? Or was he trying to corner the market on a vaccine?

 

 

Leave it to the scientists, not the propagandists and conspiracy theorists.

 

 

The Epoch Times is a multi-language newspaper. It was founded in 2000 by John Tang and a group of Chinese Americans associated with the Falun Gong spiritual movement. Though the newspaper is known for general interest topics with a focus on news about China and its human rights issues, it has become known for its support of U.S. President Donald Trump and favorable coverage of far-right politicians in Europe; a 2019 report showed it to be the second-largest funder of pro-Trump Facebook advertising after the Trump campaign. The newspaper is part of the Epoch Media Group, which also operates New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD). The group's news sites and YouTube channels have spread conspiracy theories such as QAnon and anti-vaccination propaganda.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Martin B]

The liquor in our house has hit a critically low point, so my wife suggested I go to replenish our stockpile (wearing a KN95 mask, of course). I went to our local liquor store, about 3 blocks from our house. The store only lets in 10 people at a time, so there was a short wait outside. Fortunately, everyone was well over 6 feet apart in the waiting line and in good spirits.

 

I wanted to spend as little time as possible inside the store. I bought a total of 48 bottles of TsingTao beer (their entire stock), 16 tall boys of Guinness, 16 tall boys of a locally brewed coffee ale, and 10 bottles of wine. When I got back my wife was unhappy, since she thinks what I bought will last us a month. She was hoping for a 3+ month supply .

[eseum]

Barfus, ever since you brought up the subject of liquor I've noticed an increase in the number of ads for same. Maybe I wasn't noticing before and I became influenced by the power of suggestion. Ad: "Our $5 wine is better than....." I also saw some comment boards here in Las Vegas lamenting the closure of liquor stores, and asking how they were not considered to be essential.

 

I don't drink very much, but do use liquor when cooking certain dishes. I have one bottle of Belgian Wheat left for use in a soup that I make. So, sometime this week I will probably have to pick up a six pack while getting some other groceries.

[eseum]

Expect a spate of these types of articles, like the one in Epoch Times, in the run up to the election. Somebody needs their base to think the worst and be riled up, so that they will vote. Anything printed by these types needs to be taken with way more than a grain of salt (more like a block of salt). Same goes for the SCMP. There may be kernels of truth on both sides but those are usually not what they want you to take away from them.

[Greg.D.]

Did anybody see this Epoch Times video about the search for the origin of the virus?

 

https://youtu.be/Gdd7dtDaYmM

 

It pretty much excludes the possibility that the virus starting at the wet market. The most interesting aspect to me is the connection to Jiang Zemin. Could he have had the virus leaked to weaken Xi Jinping? Or was he trying to corner the market on a vaccine?

 

 

To me, the most Interesting part was reviewing the three papers by the bat virus expert written in the last six or seven years in which she describes building human infective bat coronavirus. So much so, that Obama blocked any virus engineering in the US that included gain of function, and it turns out she had a collaborator in North Carolina.