COVID-19: Liberty vs. Safety and Security
Day 48: Of the liberties you have known all of your life, how much of them are you willing to surrender for the promise of safety and security?
Note well, dear reader, I have said promise, while we are all living through the unfolding drama of the world's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the "reality check" of the gap between what was promised and what has already and will be delivered.
Is there any more important question than asking what the truth is about what COVID-19 represents? Isn't knowing the truth about any issue you face the first step to resolution and getting it behind you? If so, how on earth do you know what the truth is, in this crazy world of ours?
In this post, I will start there ...
Search for the Truth!
In @roleerob's typical "black and white" fashion, I will tackle this by stating what is obvious to me. There are two very distinctly different responses to whatever you believe about the following statement:
COVID-19 is an
apocalyptic scourge threatening
the globe with a catastrophic loss of life!
apocalyptic scourge threatening
the globe with a catastrophic loss of life!
Is it True? Or, is it False? In this post, whichever response "works best" for you, I will argue neither of them can justify what the global response has been!
False: It's a "___"!
Pick whatever noun you may wish, to fill in the blank, and focus on the first word. Given how COVID-19 has been portrayed to us (at least here in America), from the outset, how can anyone possibly question whether the statement above is false?
Well, dear reader, let's see ...
- March 13th: Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg asks some hard questions about COVID-19:
Source: YouTube video on "COVID-19"
- Related to the above, numerous reports, e.g. here, here, and here, suggest a far higher rate of COVID-19 infection than first reported.
In addition, there is a medically rigorous, well-established approach to determining cause of death. There have been questions raised whether COVID-19 death reporting is violating this standard. Based upon whether the mortality was due to COVID-19 or with COVID-19.
This information, as well as other similar reports, if there is any credibility in it, leads to the all-important mortality rate for COVID-19 being far lower than what was originally projected.
Which, in turn, was used to "stampede" everyone into the box in which we now find ourselves.
Stating the obvious, if the correct response is "False!," then the world "has been played" on a scale that is "unprecedented" (there is that "word of choice" again!) in human history. If so, how did we end up with this outcome? And why?
☠ True: It's War! ☠
There is no reason to document this, as it is the "approved" (see more on that below ...) message to which we have all been subjected from the beginning. We are at "war' with an "invisible enemy" and, therefore, war-time decision making is called for in response.
As I have already written about more extensively, in my previous COVID-19 posts, there is little which has greater power, in the "arsenal" of options of motivating people to "move," than fear. The ultimate fear being the fear of death.
Would anyone care to argue against that being the driving force behind the unprecedented response of the world to this pandemic? Assuming we can be in agreement on this critical point, dear reader, we have then before us the question of whether our collective national responses can be justified.
On the promise of ... What? At no time in history, faced with actual war, have men (collectively) been told to go home and not come out to meet the threat to themselves and their families. No, the "war is hell" reality was unavoidable and men got through it, in whatever way seemed best to them. As they have from the beginning of time ...
So ... Whether the statement above is true or false, is misleading. Based upon a potentially false question which I am arguing is built upon what is certainly a false premise. Succinctly stated, that premise being we have a viable alternative to working through the effects of this pandemic, to the best of our collective abilities.
No, we do not. The consequences on all of us, of believing otherwise, while some of us are dealing with actually being infected with COVID-19, are still in only the very early stages of arriving. And they are already being compared with some of the greatest modern calamities we (collectively) have experienced in relatively recent history, e.g. the Great Depression. And, in some reporting, already exceeding even those comparisons, as we head in to the unknown ...
Losses Continue to Mount
Whatever your perspective may be on the section above, dear reader, would anyone want to argue that the staggering losses continue to mount? While "high over our heads" the debate continues on what our future is to be?
Here is a brief update:
- Oil Prices Collapse to Less Than $0.00:
- Largest Pork Plant in the U.S. Closes Indefinitely:
- In an open letter, Tyson Foods Chairman of the Board, John Tyson, sounded the alarm - "The food supply chain is breaking."
The most sobering part? "Millions of animals – chickens, pigs and cattle – will be depopulated because of the closure of our processing facilities." How long would it take for us to recover from this consequence?
Spoken by a food industry "insider," you might consider reading what he has to say. - Unemployment Soars Past
20%23% - Now at26.530 Million Jobs Lost. We are approaching the peak of the Great Depression: - Trump Signs $484 Billion Measure to Aid Employers, Hospitals:
- What @roleerob's family sees, when checking on the status of the promised "
helicopter moneyFamilies First Coronavirus Response Act" funds, supposedly to arrive by April 6th ...
Source: IRS website for "Get My Payment" checks by American citizens.
Source: Houston Chronicle article on "U.S. oil price collapses to less than $0 as storage fills up in coronavirus pandemic"
Source: Bloomberg article on "Oil Plunges Below Zero for First Time in Unprecedented Wipeout"
The associated "geopolitics" of the impact to this vital industry have covered everything from facing down perceived threats from Russia and Saudi Arabia, to promises of trillions of $$ more in aid ...The details remind me of my years in the mining industry where I learned these massive enterprises can find themselves in the horrible position of losing less money, by continuing to operate at a loss, than by shutting down. How long can that go on?
Source: Associated Press article on "Tyson Foods idles largest pork plant as virus slams industry"
Source: Fortune article on "The latest round of unemployment claims puts real jobless rate near Great Depression peak"
In the article, it is stated even these staggering numbers are likely low due to people maybe "... not showing up in initial claims because they haven't been processed yet because of state backlogs."
Source: Associated Press article on "Trump signs $484 billion measure to aid employers, hospitals"
Against the backdrop of increasingly louder and more urgent calls for "help," Congress is currently in recess, arguing about how "safe" it is for these elderly folks to even show up to do their jobs ...And, when they return to "work," then amongst all the cries for help, deciding whether states filing for bankruptcy is permissible and whether their financial straits are purely COVID-19 based vs. historically intransigent problems like systemically underfunded pension plans. And the inescapable "Red State" vs. "Blue State" comparisons ...
These are just from these last few days, dear reader. I could easily list more, from the COVID-19 "tsunami" of information in which we are all swimming. Like all of the references to the shrinking GDPs (think goods produced!) of nations all over the world.
But you get the idea ...
The foundational argument I have been making, since day one, is the madness of pretending like we can print endless amounts of ever more worthless money, is only the beginning. The supply chain disruptions, on a magnitude never before experienced, cannot be solved with simply printing more money!
Rationing of shrinking supplies of whatever it is you might need (food?) are already showing up. Along price "controls" being discussed on these shrinking supplies ... Reports of "heroism" and "villains," in the face of these consequences, are already here. Designed to ensure you are deceived informed on what you are expected to "think" about this, in the "right" way ...
Get ready for a steady diet of more of the same. With a growing emphasis on "sacrifice" (of the heroic variety, of course ...) while minimizing an inevitable related word. Suffering ...
In the face of these growing unintended (?) consequences, we can expect to be reintroduced to the reality of "desperate people in desperate situations do desperate things". All over the world, we will all find out what additional "unprecedented" measures are being prepared and will be implemented, in an attempt to contain this reality.
In the toxic brew of consequences we find ourselves in, as this "perfect storm" rolls along, there is little I despise more than the political environment we find ourselves in here in America.
Very sadly, since we (collectively) have repeatedly demonstrated we are not voluntarily going to do anything about it, we will suffer through the endless "back and forth" between both sides, aided and abetted by a "free press."
Heading into an election in November to "freely" determine our future "fearless leaders" ...
The "New Normal?"
In the midst of this "slow moving hurricane," there is a steady reference to a "new normal" in this "post-COVID" world. What will be some of its "gateway" features?
Well, how about, before returning to work, dealing with a new version of "guilty until proven innocent" (an inversion of the cornerstone of our justice system ...) all the way to "safe" entertainment:
- Documentation Papers! Certificates of Immunity ...
Source: Rolling Stone article on Could COVID-19 Immunity Certificates Help Reopen America — Or Create More Class Divide?"
Can we even begin to imagine all of the new layers of bureaucracy required, by this serious proposal under our "new normal" circumstances? Resulting in staggering new costs and an inevitable whole new layer of determining "winners" and "losers" ...
- We must ensure compliance, right? Contact tracing to the rescue!
Source: How-To Geek article on "What Is Contact Tracing, and How Can It Fight Pandemics?"
Yes, of course our privacy is an important right. Until it is overridden, by our "new normal" circumstances ...
- In the midst of far more serious issues, how important is our beloved entertainment? Well, the "show must go on," right? How does without fans sound?
Source: Forbes article on "MLB, Union Must Agree On Player Pay If Games Start Without Fans"
Yes, that is very seriously being discussed. Just as soon as it can be determined what those "services" will be worth, under our "new normal" circumstances ...
Early on, I noted how docilely "we the sheeple" were responding to being told to just go home and not come out, until the coast was clear, i.e. to being "locked down" ...
With the growing "reality check" of what the unintended (?) consequences of these "guidelines" are on people and their families, how about now?
- Consequences: In an effort to survive, but with the fear of what COVID-19 represents relentlessly driving us, what else do businesses face, which put their employees back to work? The risk of lawsuits!
Source: Law.com Daily Report article on "Lawsuits Loom Over COVID-19 Exposure As Businesses Reopen Around the U.S."
Yes, that's right. America has the dubious distinction of leading the world as the most litigious on earth. Wonderful. "Can't let a good crisis go to waste ..."
- Consequences: Political courage? Or suicide? Georgia's governor Kemp moves ahead - " Georgia businesses reopen cautiously amid coronavirus worry" - of the nation's "safe guidelines" ...
- Consequences: Response of a local police department - "Chesterfield agrees to cut police pay 10% to avoid furloughs".
- Disobedience: Anti-lockdown protests, some armed, grow about "overreach" of state directives - " Armed protesters demonstrate against Covid-19 lockdown at Michigan capitol".
- Disobedience: Refusal of a local sheriff - "'Constitutionalist sheriffs' won't enforce coronavirus restrictions" to enforce the "decree" of a Washington state's governor, saying it violates the U.S. Constitution.
- Limit of Power: The top law enforcement official in America weighs in - "'Constitution Isn’t Suspended' for COVID-19, Attorney General Barr Warns Public Officials" - on the Constitutional rights of every American citizen. Following his memo titled - " Balancing Public Safety with the Preservation of Civil Rights".
Again, many, many other examples could be provided. And this is just what is happening here in America. Since most nations in the world have chosen to follow a similar "plan of attack" against this "invisible enemy," they each have their own version of the growing "reality check" of how that is working for their people.
If we (collectively) were allowed to all go back to our "normal" lives tomorrow, I am not wise enough to know what the final costs of all we have been subjected to would total up to be. However, we are not being allowed to go back. The original two-week projection is now ending on week 7.
Current projections are out into early June. Unlike previous projections, these will surely hold up, right?
Does a little humor help to make all / any of this more palatable?
For me, dear reader, while I typically try to provide a few bits of lighter content in my posts, it is very challenging at the moment. This cartoon pokes a little light-hearted fun at the truth of this time in our collective history.
"Not to worry," the "Almighty" State and its "fearless leaders" are promising they will take care of you. All while slowly unveiling the "new normal" living in our "post COVID-19" world.
What will it be like in this wonderful "new" world, in which we will all be living? Okay, maybe we will have experienced a considerable loss of the freedoms we once enjoyed. But ... "It will be worth it" since we will at least be "safe and secure," right?
After all, to justify what has been done, is that not what we have been promised?
In the midst of this nightmare, dear reader, have you ever wondered “behind the curtain” who / what has the power to determine what is on the “approved” list? Then delegated to “approved” groups to disseminate to the masses, of what is “acceptable?”
If "we the people" then “walk, talk, and act” in alignment with what is "acceptable?" “Good!” And “safe” … But conduct yourself otherwise? “Bad!” And “not safe” …
Which category do think @roleerob falls into? In his search for the truth ...
Closing
Coming to the end of Day 48 / Week 7 (anyone remembering this was initially going to be for 2 weeks?) of the "lock down" of America, with current calls for this "unprecedented" response to COVID-19 to extend in to early June, how am I feeling? With a growing sense of foreboding about what is coming. Which I deeply suspect will have a lot of "surprises" for us all, when we compare what has been delivered with what was promised.
With alarming speed, we were "stampeded over a cliff" all over the world, in response to COVID-19. In "free fall," we can now perhaps see a little more clearly the impact awaiting us at the bottom. Before hitting it, do you still see the promised "social safety net?" If so, what has it cost you and everyone around you?
When the fateful day of impact arrives, dear reader, and we have a much clearer picture on how this has "played out," what will be left of the freedoms we once took for granted? Whatever the answer, do not let this simple truth evade you. We are not suffering at the hands of some formidable adversary who has imposed their malign will on us by force.
No ...
We voluntarily did this
to ourselves!
to ourselves!
I have been saying more or less the same thing since day one. For a number of reasons, the simplest being never in history has what we've all experienced been the reaction to threats of this type. Why now? To what end?
For my family and our future, I have very sobering concerns about the answers ...
As I often say, I would love to be proven wrong. We will all find out soon enough. While we wait, I’d love to hear any feedback you may be inspired to provide.
Respectfully,
Hivian @roleerob
🐝 🍯 🐝
P.S. I have removed the "Personal Impact" section found in my previous COVID-19 posts. I no longer care to have those details "immutably enshrined" on this or any blockchain. Just at a high level, I will say we are fine health-wise. Our financial losses, both personally and as a family, however, are considerable. And growing ...
How many of you would say more or less the same thing?
P.P.S. Not having a Twitter account, I would be grateful to anyone who does creating a Twitter link to this post, per the requirements of the Challenge.
Posted using PeakD and “immutably enshrined” in the Hive blockchain on Friday, 1 May 2020!
Interested in reading more of my related posts?
| Lead Image | Title, Link, & Summary |
|---|---|
 |
Day 1: COVID-19: Out of the News, Into our Lives at Home ...
Summary: With alarming speed, COVID-19, went from the news in China to a pandemic here at home. What are the implications of our response to it? ● Impact at Home ● Question of "Proportionality" |
 |
Day 6: COVID-19: Pandemic Defense and "Helicopter Money"
Summary: How many times can a writer use the word unprecedented? Covers trillions of $$$s promised, up to and including "helicopter money!" ● Manna from Heaven ● Off to War! ● "Too big too fail!" Right? |
 |
Day 9: COVID-19: Gathering Storm of Looming Financial "Armageddon"
Summary: On Day 9, under a scenario described as a Perfect Storm, covers "unprecedented" consequences of the actions of the "Almighty" State. ● War and "Collateral Damage" ● Personal Impact |
 |
Day 34: COVID-19: "Post-COVID World," Losses Mount, and now "Phase Four?" Summary: With the growing references to a ""new normal" in a "post-COVID" world, looked at the growing consequences of "what we did to ourselves." ● Financial Consequences ● Supply Chain Consequences |
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Thank you sir, @bluemoon. I really appreciate it! 👍
With pleasure!
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Thank you very much @trendthis! I am very grateful for the support. I really do hope the topic covered in this post will generate some engagement, as it affects us all over the world.
Nothing even remotely close to being this consequential and long-term in nature has ever appeared in my lifetime.
Rob; Crude Oil closed this week at $19.69. That negative price, although touted and sensationalized in the media quite a bit, has little meaning in the "real world". Not trying to diminish the fact that we are going to be in a low oil price environment for an extended time, but we know how to handle it. This is not our first rodeo.
/CLM20 is the current active crude oil future contract. Closed at $19.69 for the weekend.
Excellent post. Just wanted to give it a positive spin. :)
Yes, understood @azircon. Along with food, the dramatic reduction in oil prices seemed a good "stand out" example of the unintended (?) consequences of what nations all over the world have done in response to COVID-19.
That said, I am aware you know far more about the oil industry than I do. I would be interested in your thoughts on the geopolitical consequences of this low price, e.g. on Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. And on our own endless promises to print more money to bail everyone out, including the oil industry.
After all, as "everybody knows," the oil industry is "too big too fail" ...
Thank you kindly for commenting and adding value to this post! 👍
It is now well documented that it was the University of Washington and IHME modelling forecasts which got the world leaders' panties in a knot leading to the world's lock down. It is also fairly well documented that the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation is the main sponsor of the two reports. Was it with evil intent or tea leaves read badly? We will likely never know with 100% certainty.
My personal feeling is that the economies of the capitalist world were on the ropes. The massive money printing which had continued since 2008 had run its course. The rest of the world was getting wise to the fact the Empire was crumbling. Perhaps it was a handy angle to be able to blame the flu for the collapse of the economy instead of excepting it as an inevitable occurrence which was predicted by Marx over 100 years ago. An opportune scapegoat for those trying to retain power?
Are the Gates involved in some kind of world wide deception or have they simply paid for bad science? Short of waterboarding it will be hard to know for sure. It's said that even information obtained from waterboarding cannot be depended upon. All the same you would have me volunteering to perform the task if only for Bill's monopolizing of operating systems and dumbing down peoples' computer skills since the advent of the Information Age.
My advice is to take on my practise of ignoring the lock down and getting out and bicycling each day. We bicyclists have been practising social distancing for over a century. With so few cars on the road it is a biker's paradise. ✌️😎
Thank you for commenting and adding value to this post @novacadian. You are sharing some details with which I am unfamiliar. I have heard only vaguely of some of what the Gates Foundation is alleged to be doing. Amongst them is reportedly their keen interest in a smaller global population ...
The ugly reality, whatever the source of its origins, the global response seems to have taken on an inevitable "life of its own," as leaders the world over are very, very unlikely to acknowledge that a mistake has been made. If, indeed, it ever was a mistake ...
As you say, short of the opportunity to "waterboard" / inject with truth serum / ?...? those responsible for this madness, all we can do is speculate. For me, the saddest part of it is how docilely all of this was entered into at the beginning. If this was some sort of "drill," then I would imagine we "passed the test" ...
As for this ...
... sounds like good advice to me. Burn off stress, as much as that is possible under the circumstances, and forget any notion that we have any influence over the outcome.
We'll find out soon enough what is coming ...
You may be interested in a wonderful deep dive, on the Gates Foundation involvement in all of this, just posted by @krnel. The link is included below for your reading pleasure.
https://hive.blog/hive-122315/@krnel/fauci-and-gates-agenda-to-vaccinate-everyone
"Back in" a bit this evening @novacadian and made some time to read the post to which you have provided a link. Thank you for providing it.
That post underscores for me, the first section of this post. What is the truth? And how on earth, in this crazy, messed up world today, do we know the truth, when there seems to be a 24/7/365 effort to manipulate / deceive / suppress etc.
P.S. Glad to see you are "still around." 🙂 Only part-time active myself, I had some impression from something I had read awhile back that you were "hanging it up." All the "back and forth" between Steem and Hive has done that to a lot of people ...
Yep, powering down on both chains, yet will probably stay at minnow HP on HIVE just to stay in touch with all the great folk, present company included, that have crossed my path over the last four-ish years until something that can better handle DPoS Governance comes along.
Up well before 🌄 (here) @novacadian and reading this first. I certainly understand your reservations about DPoS Governance. Obviously a lot of room for improvement.
While not a developer, I am not totally without some grasp of coding, etc., as I used to actually support my family doing it. So ... While the concept of blockchains is an impressive application of it, it is software. Open source software no less. So what prevents anyone who thinks they can pull it off make their own "continuous improvement" tweaks to it and create their own "virtual world?"
I honestly have never understood the confidence the "big boys" seem to have in theirs, as - 1) Competition is inevitable, and 2) If you doubt #1, then what did Dan do when he left Steem early on? The only possible explanation is they think they have a "critical mass" of user support, a "mountain" others will be unwilling to climb.
Really? See #2 ...
Amen. That's the primary reason I keep pecking away on my keyboard! 🙃
Seriously, I appreciate your sentiments. You and I both know we have differences of opinion, but yet can have a civil and respectful exchange of thoughts / opinions / ideas, and still maintain a relationship (as much as I understand what that means in a "virtual" sense ...).
I can't speak for your views on this, but it truly saddens me to see the continuing "evolution" (do the evolutionists among us allow for going backwards, as well as "forward?") of our political discourse here in America. Civil discourse, certainly in the "public arena," has almost ceased to exist. Instead, we have replaced it with some "toxic brew" which IMHO has no positive, constructive future. Only an accelerating decline ... God only knows to what end, but it is going to be ugly ...
Well, gotta get going into my day. Thank you again for investing your time in our exchange here on this post and, thereby, increasing the value of it for future readers. Be well!
It'll be interesting to see, at least in the US, how much more can it get fractured before violence ensues.
Yes @enforcer48, it will. And, if and when that day comes, who is willing to "obey orders" in dealing with their fellow citizens in whatever way they have been commanded.
Sad and sobering "reality checks" are increasing. Even then, I personally believe we are in only the very early stages of whatever is coming ...
I think each state will be different as well. Some are more relaxed than the others.
100% agree @enforcer48. "More relaxed" indeed ... 😉 Having been there many times and never experiencing any part of it I could not easily live without, nonetheless "don't mess with" Texas might be a good state to live in ...
It makes me angry how some of them are using the "smokescreen" of all that is happening with COVID-19 to try and get their poor money management issues resolved, e.g. unfunded pensions for their political allies ...
Think New York and Illinois, to name a couple ...
When framers of the Constitution and similar documents were codifying the natural rights of citizens for various countries, they never added any 'except for virus' clause to them that I am aware of.
Amen @joshman! 👍 As one of the few politically active (formerly a District Leader over 43 precincts ...) Americans you might engage with and a student of the early days of America, I can assure you that exception does not exist.
"Dormant" for a number of years, I have "dusted off" one of my favorite hard-cover reference books and begun to read through it again - "The Patriot's Reference", by Joel J. Miller and Kristen Parrish. Reminds me once again of thoughts I had a long time ago. If we have any men "out there" today like our Founding Fathers, I am unaware of them ...
Wow. Great article @roleerob. Congrats!
I just started writing about COVID-19 here on the Hive blockchain. I feel that the more we understand the "socio-political-psycho-spiritual-economic" aspects of it, the more we will be able to make informed decisions for our family and the bigger community. The "threat" is real and we need to have "sober" conversations taking place to check fake news and rumor mongering, which I believe will become more prevalent as the pandemic trudges along its path. In the Philippines, where I currently live, the statistics are lower for many reasons. It might shoot up as the testing capacity increases. Hopefully, the official numbers mirror the actual numbers, if not just be a little higher, but that is my wishful thinking.
I agree with you, it was also very difficult for me to find a "lighter side" to writing about the COVID-19 topic, but I did manage to put in some in my post. Hope you can check it out and give some pointers to a newbie. :)
Thanks for the well written post. Keep safe and be well, my friend!
I appreciate you investing some time into providing some perspective from the Philippines @juanvegetarian.
Yes, well spoken. From the experience of my long life, "... to make informed decisions ..." begins with knowing what is true. I cannot speak for what you experience in your country, but here in America many of us are far short of the confidence we would like to have that our news is "giving it to us straight."
Instead, we are subject to a constant stream of manipulation, at best, and outright deception, at worst. To what end? Well, I don't pretend to know, but I am certainly asking the question that I believe we should all (no matter where in the world we live ...) be asking.
Nothing even remotely close to being this consequential to me and my family has happened in my lifetime. While I cannot say with any certainty, I would imagine that is likely true for many others all over the world.
As I say in closing my post, we will all find out soon enough what is coming ...
Thank you for stopping by and adding value to this post!
P.S. As requested, I will try to carve out some time to read what you have written, as time permits. If I have anything to say, I will comment on your posts.
P.P.S. Assuming English is not your native language, you communicate very well in writing it nonetheless! 👍
The pandemic is really a catastrophe of ginormous impact. All of us should be able to decide for ourselves and our family on matters that will affect us. Governments will do its thing, same here in our country, but the effects are the same-death and suffering, especially for the poor families without much social and economic protection.
English is not my native language, but it is taught in school and I do love to read and watch English movies, so I feel very much at home speaking and writing in this language.
By the way, thanks for reading my post about COVID-19 and leaving a comment. I will take time to absorb and act on it.
So, keep safe and be well @roleerob.
We need to look after ourselves in these trying times.
Yes @kashmirz. Any notion the "Almighty" State can "save" you is nonsense. Pretending otherwise has already caused great economic damage. We have only begun to experience the consequences ...
Thank you for your comment!
Wow! You've really covered a lot of ground with this post. I totally agree that the response to this issue is way overboard.
That's why I suspect that the world's political powers are not doing all of this to contain a virus... but to place us all under a state of total surveillance all the time.
It's sad that, somewhere along the line, true and independent journalism has been killed by propaganda, opinions and fake news. Now, we simply don't know what and who to trust. 🙄
Yes @trincowski ...
... I agree, as I state in this post, that without knowing the truth, how do we even begin to tackle whatever problem we are facing? That is why I started this post with "Search for the Truth" ...
As it is, all my experience in life indicates to me we are being manipulated, at best, and deceived, at worst. Neither are favorable ...
From my system of belief, I view the end result of this being an opportunity for us all to decide what is truly of value. And then act accordingly ...
Thank you for stopping by and adding value to this post!
It seems mostly like a natural outcome of political game theory:
If the government take strong action and everything turns out just fine, then it gets credit for having prevented further outbreak and harm.
If they take strong action and still plenty of people die, it can still point to the fact that it did take action when idd the threat was real.
It is only by doing little that it really takes on risk of criticism if things then turn out bad.
Interesting perspective @fredrikaa! I appreciate you investing your time to jot it down here.
I can say nothing about Norwegian history, but there was a time in America when our "fearless leaders" would have acknowledged the limitation of their power. But today? Even the pretense that they will "save" us is nonsense at best.
Nonetheless, failing to acknowledge that and forging ahead, the actions being taken will result in economic destruction the likes of which none of us living have ever experienced. Which will have damaging consequences for all of us, not just the people who unfortunately have also contracted COVID-19 ...
No theory in the statement above. It is already happening. The only question is how bad it will get and the actions the State is prepared to take to both justify itself in the face of it and continue to pretend that it will "save" us ...
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It is the eternal problem @roleerob: security or economy.
It is true that if the economy for each country suffers terrible damage.
People do not earn to live. But it is no less true that activating the economy and letting people die on the streets is not at all sensible. As always the solution is in the middle.
Cheers.
Something of a student of history @hugo1954, I liken our present situation to arguably the most difficult time for any people group. Times of war. While I myself have open questions about how deadly this pandemic actually is, I say this on the basis of taking our "fearless leaders" at their word.
In times of war, can you cite any examples in history of men's response being to hide in their homes and not come out? I do not myself know of any. People through these "war is hell" tragic periods of history do the best they can under hellacious circumstances. Being prudent about their safety, caring for their loved ones as much as possible, continuing to work, etc.
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P.S. That is a beautiful picture. Is that from somewhere there in Argentina? It appears to show mosques in the background.
I have seen some coverage of what is happening in the US and for the most part the other people in the UK I have spoken to about it are alarmed at the lack of clear and coordinated leadership, the President seems to be at odds with State Governors along predictable party lines. It seems unfortunate, if the dirty tricks of a bi-polar political system are being excercised even now. However, Im aware its all too easy to mis-understand a system from afar.
For our own part, in the UK, our constitution isnt formally written anywhere, its more of a collective conciousness, which governments have ignored to their peril in the past. We have only one aim through our lockdown; stop the deathrate becoming unmanageable. Whether people die from cancer or COVID-19, you should care for them in their final days and treat their remains with dignity. An excess deathrate with medical and mortuary staff off sick in droves, would cause chaos and that is all thats trying to be avoided here. Ultimately a majority of the population going to have to contract novel coronavirus, either in its full blown form or by vaccine, before we can be certain our civic systems will not collapse. Once we get there, things can go back to normal, but obviously societies are adaptable, and there will be the usual winners and losers. Tomorrows normal wont be yesterdays normal.
Very nice @scalextrix, to receive some input from a representative of "Mother England!" 😉 Hard to say ...
... what you are hearing over there, but there can be no question our political environment is more toxic than at any point in my lifetime. As I state in this post, there is little I despise more. In amongst it all, we no longer have a press upon which we can count for objective fact finding and reporting ...
While we all wait for the full impact of the unprecedented actions taken by our respective governments, what are you and your loved ones experiencing from disruptions to supply chains?
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Thanks for the reply. Supply chains are generally OK from a consumer perspective, there was a phase of retail panic buying on non-perishables which meant there were strains on non-retail channels too (I work in Procurement), and we have seen the inevitable bull-whip effect causing problems of inventory gluts and shortages as expected. But as time goes on things are improving, supply and demand are matching better and things are largely stabilized; NHS gets top priority, critical businesses like my employer fend for ourselves, but we have the experts to manage.
Fuel (petrol/diesel/gasoline) has been effected by the oversupply situation because of curtailment in travel and prices are significantly lower I saw £0.99/L the other week (roughly $4.80/Gal) though again thats a little up now, I was paying that 20 years ago.
Online retailers have long delays on items like webcams as many people try to get online, and some ISPs have been having issues due to video calling and furloughed employees and school-kids streaming content.
Clearly restaurants and pubs closing has a massive impact on the hospitality industry, it will be interesting to see how that restarts, as well as bricks & mortar retail, I think this could have accelerated the decline of the High Street as many people will have become familiar with online retail.
The other big effect that I only notice because of my interest in renewable energy is the significant increase in the renewable energy mix on our grid. Effectively that has given us a view into a future of increased green energy supply, and the outlook is positive, the grid is fine with reduced traditional means of generation.
Personally we have not been significantly effected, we have a nice house in the countryside, with open spaces. The story is different for those stuck in the city apartments, and that is where infection rate is high, they have my sympathy for being shut-in.
Thank you for the categorization of some of your key supply chains there @scalextrix. In the limited time I have, some quick comments on our situation here:
Nice to "hear" you are in a more secure location. We once had a family farm, but sold it, so that opportunity for a rural getaway is no longer available ...
Thanks again for your responses and helping add some value to this post. All the best to you and yours, in the weeks and months to come!
wao friend, there are so many things. I think many things here in Venezuela, despite not having many cases of covid-19. Sometimes I think it was something created by humans, a bacteriological war, I also think it has to do with the apocalypse.
As for the future. Here many people think that they should remove the quarantine, but I think it should be extended for a longer time. I have even talked to my husband that if they remove the quarantine, I will not leave until I know that there is no longer a single case of covid or that at least it is already well controlled, and much less would I take my daughters to the streets.
Sadly @blessed-girl it is very difficult, if not impossible (intentional?) to know what the truth is. For example, what are the origins of this threat to us all? "Buried" (literally perhaps?) somewhere in China ...
Certainly understandable with all of the fear that has been stoked by reporting all over the world. Whether that will be a viable option, as the devastating consequences to all of our supply chains begins to show up, remains to be seen.
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It's sad the situation we find ourselves in. I've been "blessed" to have been labeled essential. Yet all it means is that I've been working even harder just to continue to stay afloat. The worst part of this situation is how they were able to cause choas in acquiring trustworthy sources of information. Even the usual sources of reliable info were confused, and conflicting. The saddest part is as usual they've managed to turn everyone against each other. People posting on FB stay home, so this can end. The police reports of people calling to rat out their neighbors for daring to BBQ in their back yards. The fear that was unleashed has never been so clear.
Sounds like we have a similar perspective @dreamingirwin. What type of essential services are you being asked to provide?
My beloved lifemate is also classified as "essential," as she works for an elderly care provider. In that role, she is requested to do a lot of shopping, since her clients don't want to or can't leave the house ..
So ...
The statistical likelihood of experiencing COVID-19 "up close and personal" for us are higher than for many. And we are supposedly in the "high risk" group, due to our age. Nonetheless, we are not fearful. We will deal with whatever happens, at that time, but choose not to fret about it.
You highlight the most aggravating part of all of this to us. If we do not know the truth about what we are up against, that how do we properly address it?
Whatever the truth is though, as I have made my case in this post, we do not believe "shutting down" America, let alone the rest of the world, can be justified.
Nobody asked for our opinion, however, so we will all find out soon enough what the "new normal" plans are for us in the "post COVID" world ...
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I deliver pizza lol. That what makes me essential. Haha. But honestly those of us that can't stay home, and collect are immunes are stronger. The danger lies in shutting yourself from the world. They using fear to make everyone fall in line. Did you see Canada just banned guns. I really hope they stand up to him. It's sickening how clear it is that health is not their agenda.
Well, I dunno @dreamingirwin ...
... in this day and age, probably few of our fellow citizens would argue with the 'essential" nature of having pizza delivered on demand! 😉
Agreed on your point about immunity. There are a number of reports about how much of our population already has this immunity, indicating the spread of this is far greater than has been reported. Suppressed / ignored because that would drive the mortality rate down (into the range of a typical "flu season" ...), with a resulting reduction in fear and anxiety?
No, I was unaware of what is going on with guns in Canada. A strong supporter of our Second Amendment rights, I honestly didn't know Canada still allowed them, as so many countries have harsh restrictions on gun ownership.
This virus allows cover for this massive push towards tyranny. It's sad. Most people want to live and let live. Yet there's a small percentage that feel it's their blood rite to control everyone.
Also there's been a few studies that are shown that the amount of pneumonia deaths have dropped significantly. The numbers just don't add up. And the doctors that have come out showing their dad and showing what they've seen. They were deleted from Facebook and YouTube. It's sickening. I just signed on to hive for the first time since it split. It's like coming back to old job where everything's changed. Still in the process of seeing if my old communities are still running arid I used to run a contest that I really enjoy doing. Add to check to see if that contest would still be applicable with the new style. So my goal is to set some time aside and just kind of get back into the community and see how things work and what can and can't be done. But I'm kinda excited. Now I just have to make the time. I was missing my blog life. The nagging wouldn't go away so. Here's to disciplining myself back into my old habits. :)
Yes @dreamingirwin it is a sad state of affairs, so we are like-minded on that. How often in life do we take something for granted, until it is gone? Which, by that time, it's too late ...
Somewhat a student of history, our heritage as Americans IMHO is poorly understood and, as a direct result, little appreciated. Here in the last few weeks, I've dusted off an "old friend," a book I had not looked into for years - The Patriot's Reference. It is an excellent resource for a much better understanding of who and what shaped the founding of America. Not God, so of course I don't know, but if we have men in America today like they were then, I am unaware of them (I include myself in that statement ...).
It is inconceivable to me people in that era would have handled this anything like what our "fearless leaders" have chosen for us ...
Nice to hear you are back in action! 👍 I wish you well in your endeavors. If I can do anything to help you with questions, please feel free to ask. I'll do what I can. Originally investing into STEEM in Aug 2017, I have been active "in here" since May 2018. Rapidly approaching my 2nd anniversary and deciding what I am going to do about it ...
That's cool. I'll have to look that book up. Whenever I hear a good book, or I listen to a good speaker that wrote a book. Try to make it a point to buy the book. Though most of the books that I tend to finish are usually through audio lately. Mainly because I'm always working.
It is insane how fast time flies though. When the market crashed few years back. It threw me for a loop. I took a step back from everything. Next thing I know 2 years have gone by. Seems that unwanted acquaintance regret, is always ready to show up. Yet I find myself not so willing to hang out with it as much as I use to. And honestly I appreciate the offer to answer questions. I definitely have a few. At first glance things don't seem to work the same way they used to.
Not sure here @dreamingirwin ...
... what you are saying, but if it is about your experience with the "bad actors" in this "virtual world," then I can relate to that frustration. I've certainly experienced my share over my nearly 2 year long "journey." And, like may be the case with you, I do not spend as much time "in here" as I once did.
There is, for me though, an undeniable fascination with engaging with others all over the world. And engaging with good people who I would never otherwise know anything about. Prior to creating this account, I had said I would never have an online presence, e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc. I still don't have any online presence but here ...
Well, please ask away and I'll be happy to do what I can to help you. We can't have too many good people doing what they feel comfortable with working to add value to this blockchain.
P.S. One thing about reading the thoughts of our Founders, I personally count myself as having a pretty respectable command of the "King's English." I still have to have a dictionary, though, as their command is on "another level" ... Tremendous character, intellect, and wisdom ...
Dear senior @roleerob, I can write a draft at https://peakd.com/, but I can't publish it.
I don' t know why. I' m sorry for many questions!
@silvergrifin007 the only explanation I know for that is you must have at least one tag in this portion of the posting window:
You find this down at the bottom of the editing window where you are writing your post. Without at least one tag, the Publish button will be grayed out, i.e. not available. Once you put at least one tag in there, then the Publish button will be available to click on, when you are ready.
Hope this helps!
I understand. Rewriting the tag makes it a posting. Thank you very much. I'm not good at English so please understand.
No problem @silvergrifin007. And no need to apologize. You need to find a good translation tool to English that is reliable. I cannot communicate with you in Korean.
As the red-letter message indicates, you need to remove the # symbol from your tags. Reenter them all in lowercase letters.
I can read English, but I made a mistake because I didn't know how to use the blockchain. Sorry to ask you a lot of questions.
I can't post because I put a # in front of the tag. Thanks for your kind advice. Senior.
Very good article and well documented. It is sad to watch all of this panic being induced in people. I think that once you put fear into people, they will most likely give up anything for a "promise" of safety.
I am glad to "hear" you enjoyed it @creativemary. And letting me know you found it well documented. I put a lot of time and effort into creating a post like this, so it is encouraging when people notice.
Yes, fear is a very powerful motivator of people. Rarely do we perform at our best when "stampeded" by it. How intentionally this is being done to us, particularly if there are ulterior motives, is an open question. We will all have our opinion / perspective on it.
In this post, all of those choosing to read it have mine.
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Welcome!
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STOPDo not miss the last post from @hivebuzz:
Thank you for the encouraging notification of having reached another milestone @hivebuzz. Would you be so kind as to share with me a link to your multi-colored version of the Hive logo? I really like the color scheme you have put together! 👍
Hey @roleerob, thank you for your feedback.
While badges can be reused into posts made on the Hive blockchain, our logo is reserved for our own usage.
Hmmm. Okay @hivebuzz. I thought this was the Hive blockchain logo!?
Yes, "... our logo ...". It's just a way to say that, while the Hive logo has been explicitly shared as public, we paid a professional graphic designer to create a graphic chart for all of our communication. and the recolored Hive logo is part of this. Apparently it was worth paying for it since you appreciate his work.
This said, we would like to keep it associated with our activity ("brand") and I truly believe you can understand that one wishes to preserve his efforts and investment, at least at the beginning.
Yes, I respect what you have done. And your reason for doing so @hivebuzz.
As you say, it is your "brand" and I would imagine, an investment in your efforts to distinguish yourself(ves) from the other Witnesses. While not my world, I can appreciate it is competitive.
Thank you for providing the additional input.
P.S. Not particularly a fan of the red & black Hive colors, I went so far as to foolishly waste my time writing a post about it. So, yes I appreciate your professional's effort. It implies to me perhaps I am not alone (no need to either confirm or deny ... 😉).
Thank you for your reply @roleerob
There were many (endless) proposals and debates for the new Hive graphic chart too.
Tastes and colors. And, as you learned from the comments on your post, colors are perceived differently according to cultures.
Our lock-down is also being extended on a continuous basis.
Thank for letting me know @rynow. States all over the world are now in a "box" of their own creation, dealing with their people's perception of what I have referred to in this post as the "reality gap."
That being the gap between the "promise" and the ever growing disillusionment with the "delivery." Surprise, surprise ...
And yet, in the face of it, continuing on toward whatever end awaits us in the "new normal" of the "post COVID" world.