Yep, it is a tough choice. And an emotionally charged one. I see the different sides and hope that I can continue onward with things as they are. I pray my job remains stable. If so I will weather this OK.
A good start would have been a bottom up bailout this time around. That would have made this argument moot. It isn't the world we live in now.
Will
I can't argue with what you're saying P-hole ... it just really hurts to agree with you.
I feel very lucky right now in that I paid my house off in August, my truck is paid for and I have Social Security, some VA disability payments as well as a little home-based side business going. Lynn is out of work, but at least has unemployment to fall back on. As a security blanket, she's also old enough to start drawing Social Security if worse comes to worse. We've busted our asses contributing to her 401K and IRA for many years, but that's pretty much fubar right now. I'd have to say we're in a comfortable position compared to many, so I can't complain.
BUT ... I had a thriving business in 2008 that i'd built from the ground up for 20 years and it flew out the window almost overnight when the economy tanked. I had a couple months of money saved, but not near enough to make up for the losses and actually pay my bills. In a panic, I started driving a frigging truck to earn a paycheck. After only 1-1/2 years of that, my health took a nose-dive and within short order, I was financially devastated and honestly didn't have a clue how we were going to survive the downturn. SOMEHOW it worked out and I was able to pull myself up by my bootstraps and return to a somewhat normal life, but it was a lot of work.
Now this. I look back and wonder how I'd be able to handle it if it had been an earlier time before I salvaged what I had left to salvage. I'm not sure I'd have had enough left in me to pull through this one. There are a LOT of people out there who are in much worse positions than I was in and I'm not sure how they're going to make it. I remember a few years back, a young dude who looked totally healthy (to me) tried to bum a buck off of me in front of Walmart. I was in a bad mood to begin with and told him to get a fucking job! It was really his approach that turned me off, it's like he thought I was "obligated" to help him out. His response? He's tried but there ARE no jobs! Sorry, that didn't fly with me and I told him he can ALWAYS get a job flipping burgers at MacD's, then I walked off. Today, one can't even fall back on a burger flipping job and if there were one open, there'd be elebenty-bazillion others standing in line for it. Although we're having a bit of a rough time, I'm VERY grateful to be in the position I'm in today and will have no problem riding this one out. But that's just me ... and you ... and a few others around here. Some aren't so fortunate.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
That’s the hard truth of it, Jim.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
Well, y'all don't like politics and if you did, I'd be on the wrong side. But a "reporter" today strongly suggested that a "Shadow Government" be formed. Rather than post a link to a site that y'all would denigrate, just Google "Stephanie Rhule Shadow Government". And before you pooh-pooh the idea as silly, and not worthy of discussion, I'd pray you think a bit harder. This is simply treason. If it is not, convince me why not. If I could, I would arrest her for Treason tomorrow. Now, that will never happen, because that would hasten the beginning of the Big Split, which will be really bad.
When you stop laughing at me for all that, consider the article Eddie posted above, just 3 days ago. Many probably thought it was silly........3 days ago. It is silly in one aspect. It wasn't a bio-weapon. It was a sloppy mistake in a Level 4 bio-research facility, and exacerbated by a stupid lady researcher. It had nothing to do with Horseshoe Bats, the closest one of which was, and is, 600 miles away.......and which are not now, nor have they ever, been sold at the local Wet Market. Speaking of which, it is now back open. If China thought it was the source, why reopen it?
I am so very glad that I am old. I am also glad that the drugs have freed me from my paranoia. Now, these crazy ideas are no longer paranoid ones. They're danged real. LOL
P.S.
The world according to us Piggies, is going to open back up by mid May. Look for us to lead y'all out of the darkness, and to the Light.
P.S.S.
Some risks are acceptable. Some are not. Trashing the Bill of Rights to ensure that citizens can't buy paint and furniture, is an unworthy goal.
By the way, I haven't studied it, but I DID see measurable goals to be met before we "open up", not just setting a date no matter what. Not sure what else anyone wants.
But I'm telling you that the folks in this state see this as being no worse than the flu, and maybe way WAY less, and we can talk all day but Bubba down here is not going to sit home much longer. That's not a suggestion, or do I necessarily agree, that's simply an observation.
Last edited by Buckrub; 04-16-2020 at 09:33 PM.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
My first and last. Then I'm outta here. Driving your truck into a crowd is not guaranteed, nay, ENSHRINED, into the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution. Assembling peaceably IN PUBLIC, is.Originally Posted by BarryBobPosthole
I'm gone.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
Didn’t you go to the store in the last week or so?
How many people did you run over on your way there?
Oh wait, THAT is different. Now I get it!
Carry on!
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I wore a mask and observed social distancing. Like I’m supposed to. And I wouldn’t want to scratch my truck. Its gotta last me through retirement.
Viva Renaldo!
It's a Toyota .... it will.
Oh, and your wearing a mask is a blessing to all who look at you ... in more ways than one!
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Hey. I am swave and deboner.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
Interesting data from last week for states without shutdown orders:
The bump in coronavirus cases is most pronounced in states without stay at home orders. Oklahoma saw a 53% increase in cases over the past week, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Over same time, cases jumped 60% in Arkansas, 74% in Nebraska, and 82% in Iowa. South Dakota saw a whopping 205% spike.
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"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Raoul Duke
And yet our governor is saying we are flat in our numbers. We’ll be opened for business soon despite what science says. The new science is Dr Oz and Foxnews. The ‘liberate Oklahoma’ idiots are already out in force.
Meanwhile, many of the ones calling for liberations are hiding in their homes peeking through their blinds. Its fine for everyone else to go back to work, just not them.
27% of Oklahomans have underlying health conditions that make the virus much more deadly. We’re one of the unhealthiest states in Anerica.
We love our bacon and we love our freedom and lord jesus yes we love our insulin!
Get to work! We need the gene pool cleansed.
BKb
Viva Renaldo!
This is another interesting development. A homeless shelter in Boston had a “small cluster of cases” so they tested all 397 occupants and 146 tested positive. Strange thing is, not a single one of them had shown any symptoms.
So how many of the “essential” workers that are out stocking your food among other things are positive for this and are asymptomatic?
https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/t...outputType=amp
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"Never try to fight an Old Dude. If you win, there's no glory; if you lose, your reputation is shot."
Maybe the trick is drugs and booze. 😉
Keith Richards agreed Jim.
And that’s the rub isn’t it? At a minimum every cop, fireman, emt, doctor nurse,healthcare worker, school employee, anyone who prepares or serves food and drink, preacher, city employee, and so on has to be tested. And like WV, every nursing home resident and employee needsto be tested. And all those people need followup tests every so often too.
This policy of only testing people with symptoms creates misleading data.
And the states must do this and they need help. Which is what the Dems are holding out for in this PPP bill. We need to fund what we have to do to get back to business safely before we pass another payday loan bill.
If you have a leak in your gas tank how many times do you refill it before you fix the damn leak? Same deal here. its no big mysterious deal.
If you are against that, you’re against people going back to work.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
Speaking of Keith Richards, it looks like The Stones have just joined the line-up for the One World: Together At Home Concert Special tomorrow night.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness" - Mark Twain
Another interesting point is all the “assumed” deaths.... not tested, just died of respiratory or other covid related symptom(s).
Perhaps not a big deal, but if you look on the CDC website, the estimated number of deaths for the FLU are anywhere between 4000, and 10,000 per month (their estimate is a wide range)
Who’s to say up to 10,000 of the “covid” deaths aren’t the flu?
Or pneumonia for that matter.
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Because they have tests for the flu, Daryl.
BKb
Viva Renaldo!
Weak.
You know exactly what I’m talking about.
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I understand what you mean, but what I think we don’t see eye to eye on is the reason the CDC has started revising their covid death numbers. From the way you’ve framed it, I take it that you think they are inflating the numbers for some (unexplained) purpose other than trying to improve accuracy. Really, those numbers are massaged pretty often for all diseases. Prolly sometimes to make it look like they were more accurate predicters than the numbers initially showed. I don’t know that I could argue with that.
And this in no way can be compared with the flu, swimming pool deaths, car fatalities, albanian clap, your pick. Listen to Fauci. This spreads like wildfire and is a killer. I think the flu comparison will go away after we’ve seen more than just the tip of the iceberg. And that’s where my feelers are twitching. I think supressing testing suppresses the real reach of the disease. And intentional suppression of testing is the only reason I can think of that we don’t have what we were promised: anybody who wants a test. an get one.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
politicians aren't above using a good killer virus to further their agenda (either party). several celebrities have died of covid related symptoms. You could probably be just as accurate to say flu like symptoms. We don't have a vaccine or natural immunity against covid yet so naturally it's going to spread faster than the flu, kinda like smallpox thru the Aztec nation. Trump is going to blame the democrats and the democrats are gonna blame Trump. Bottom line, it's just one of those things we have to deal with and not worry about woulda coulda shoulda. Take reasonable precautions and do what you have to do, sooner or later it'll pass or we'll all die. Either way it will end
personally, I blame Bush
I don’t see a thing wrong with the president’s plan/guide for reopening business. The degree that the states comply might range pretty widely. According to the president’s plan, Oklahoma wouldn’t be eligible to go to phase one until around July 1 and that’s if our current number trends stay the way they are. Our governor plans to start reopening May 6. And Trump is encouraging states to ‘liberate’ their citizens without providing their side of the bargain to even implement the plan that was rolled out yesterday.
So there’s that.
Is any of that political?
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
Some governors are bat snot crazy. Some are not. Same with citizens. Really REALLY same with Congress. Blame is easy.
Citizens all over are doing just what I said they'd do. Rebelling. Revolting. Because the right to assemble is an absolute. It's not arguable, or changeable. Requirements that you can shop but not buy paint, are just suggestions. Every court will bear that out someday.........should they ever decide to come back into session!!! LOL
Freedom always trumps Safety. Period. Yak yak yak. Jibber Jabber. nothing will change that fact. I didn't do much, but I wore a uniform to protect Freedom. Not once did I swear to uphold Safety.
That said, I'm compromised and not stupid, so I'm hiding under the bed. That's just me though.
California just announced that the infection rate is about 85 times higher than what was reported. WOW! That means many have gotten it and never knew it. That lowers the death "rate" a lot. Still, those who do get it, this thing is nasty. Bad nasty. But not for everyone.
We can't hunker down in place till it's over. Sorry, but that won't fly. The only people suggesting that have a billion or two in an IRA and/or a nice fixed pension. So we are GOING to get out (we are here, I am guaranteeing you....Bubba here thinks this is a big government hoax), and then it's going to grab whoever it grabs, and the rest are gonna go back to serving biscuits and swinging hammers.
That is what is GOING to happen. What SHOULD happen will fly like the wind into oblivion.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
There are several instance in US history where basic human rights were curtailed and even inalienable rights taken away for the sake of safety of the rest of the nation. They’re easy enough to find. The actions we took around WWII were very invasive on personal liberty. The difference between now and then is everybody wasn’t an amateur epidemiologist because they saw something on the internet.
We have people like Dr Fauci. I believe I’ll take his advice and so should everyone else. If its overkill, we can crucify him later.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
I was painting with a broad brush Barry. Been a whole lot of politics since this thing started
I’d think that “padding the numbers” by what cannot be argued is a huge huge percentage, would actually encourage more testing. Yet you say “they” are suppressing testing?
If half of what’s reported had actually been confirmed as covid, wouldn’t you think LESS people would want testing? And if your theory is correct (we didn’t get what was promised) wouldn’t it be the OTHER way around?
And who promised it? Oh wait, I know, Trump!
That sucker has us all by the balls. What a big conspiracy!
“Leave it to the state governors to decide”.... what a moron!
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Lol you’re the one claiming there was a conspiracy.
Riddle me this Batman. If testing is ubiquitous and available why are we only still testing people with symptoms? Why haven’t we started testing asymptomatic essential workers? Why is WV the first state to wade in and test all nursing home workers and residents? FFS why hasn’t that been done in Florida?
I’m not sayong its a conspiracy. I’m saying that the responsibility has been neatly shifted to the states without any of the support they need to do it. And tests. Our governor said today Oklahoma can test anyone that needs a test. As long as they have covid symptoms.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
If testing is ubiquitous that just started. Friend's wife got it and they never did get tested till most of her bible study got it, and the news people started sniffing around. They were told by doc originally to go home and take tylenol. No test. That was weeks ago, admittedly.
Free tests? Friend told of situation of his boss's granddaughter getting sick and had no insurance. She went to get tested and they wanted $490.00. Second hand info, yeah, I get it. Might be bogus, but still.
And which test? There are 70 companies vying to become "THE test". Do they all work? I dunno. I know FDA's procedures are ignorant and take too long in this situation. I also know tests have to be proven to work. SO..........6 of one, half dozen of other. Who knows. Not me.
Two sides, same coin. Side A.......we need to test almost everybody to know if they HAVE it.......or if they HAD it..........or not. If not, I guess we test them every week?????????????????????????? Makes no sense. But not sure what else to do IF we MUST test everyone before Team Apocalypse feels safe enough to emerge from cocoon. Side B......Screw it, folks will die, let's go. The deaths will be way less than flu and we don't hunker down in place for that. The deaths will be less than cancer or heart attacks or car wrecks. In other words, Life has Risks. Death from poverty is just as dead. Death from despair is just as dead.
Lastly, "We have to listen the Experts" is just a ruse to really mean "Our leaders suck so let's not listen to them". Trouble with that is three fold. One, I didn't elect the experts to lead me. Two, the leaders HAVE been listening to the experts. Saying they haven't is contradicting what the experts assert. And three, the danged Experts have been bad wrong from Day one!!!
Come September or so.........folks are going to look back on this and say "Can you believe we did all that?"...............but those affected are not. It's a bad disease. Truly.
WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.
I am not the one saying testing is ubitquitous. Your fearless lying bastard president is the one saying it.
BKB
Viva Renaldo!
It seems that if everyone was tested a lot of people that are not showing any symptoms would test positive according to multiple reports of asymptomatic people testing positive.
If so, that would make the lethality of this a lot a lot lower than what people think and has been reported.
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"Never try to fight an Old Dude. If you win, there's no glory; if you lose, your reputation is shot."
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