[BabylonBee]The nation's nerds woke up in a utopia this morning, one where everyone stays inside, sporting events are being canceled, and all social interaction is forbidden.
All types of nerds, from social introverts to hardcore PC gamers, welcomed the dawn of this new era, privately from their own homes. "I have been waiting my whole life for this moment," said Ned Pendleton, 32 -- via text message, of course
#4
the nerds can even download movies and games now. Food can be delivered to the door. YOu can work from home. As close to perfect isolation as possible until something breaks.
[Barron's] The stock market’s latest selloff triggered by coronavirus fears looks eerily familiar. The S&P 500 has been tracking a very similar course to what it did in late September and early October 2008 at the beginning of the financial crisis, according to Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research.
March 2020 is so far "reliving 2008 in virtual lockstep," he wrote in a Thursday note to clients.
The S&P 500 dived 7.6% on Monday‐its first one-day drop of more than 5% since the end of the financial crisis‐and then registered a 4.9% gain Tuesday. That is about a 65% recovery. On Sept. 29, 2008, the index dove 8.8%, and then climbed 5.4% the next day, also a 61% recovery.
Then this week, the S&P 500 tumbled 4.9% again on Wednesday and dived more than 7% on Thursday afternoon. On Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 in 2008, the index fell (though less steeply), by a combined 4.5%.
"While we do not believe the S&P 500 will have a +50% drawdown this time around, the narrative around equities is similar enough to merit direct comparison," Colas wrote.
#1
Romney would be stealing the seat of some lefty person of color without bringing anything to the table. He can, maybe, bring Utah, and 12 Never Trumpers. That's not gonna put Hillary over the top. The idea is insane. So insane the left just might give it a try.
By Conrad Black Kind of a "Where did they all go?" wrap-up to the 2020 Dem primaries. Damn. I wish I could write like Black! [NYSUN] The hecatomb of unsuccessful Democratic candidates raises questions about the current viability of the Democrats that they will have to address in the next four years. It appears that the powers that be in that party were so fixated on the easy disposability of President Trump that they gave little thought to making a serious race of it this year. They mixed their own Russian-collusion Kool-Aid, posted it down, and now are discovering that it was hemlock.
The party elders apparently thought they had placated the Sanders faction by reserving superdelegates to a second ballot, which neither American political party has needed to hold at its convention for more than 80 years. They should have had a clue that taking back the White House could be more of a challenge than they suspected when some of the more promising Democrats, such as Senator Sherrod I absolutely trust Hillary Brown Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
03/13/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
PeachMint - forevuh!!
Wusskies!! Over heah, over theah, poisonin' our precious bodily fluids 'n' hackin' our paper-based balloting system!!
Migrant children-- God's chilluns, I tell ya, in CAGES!!
And now locusts 'n' frogs 'n' plagues!!!!
He's evil, he's Genghis Mussolini, he's worse than Romney
McCain
W
Bush Sr
Reagan
Nixon
the last or next Republican!!!! eViLLLL!!!!
[VoltaireNet] Events in the "Broader Middle East" since 2001 have followed a relentless logic. The current question is whether the time has come for a new war in Turkey or Saudi Arabia. The answer depends in particular on the resumption of hostilities in Libya. It is in this context that the Additional Protocol negotiated by Presidents Erdoğan and Putin to resolve the Idleb crisis must be interpreted.
President George W. Bush decided to radically transform the Pentagon’s missions, as Colonel Ralph Peters explained in the Army magazine Parameters on September 13, 2001. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld appointed Admiral Arthur Cebrowski to train future officers. Cebrowski spent three years touring military universities so that today all general officers have taken his courses. His thoughts were popularized for the general public by his deputy, Thomas Barnett.
The areas affected by the US war will be given over to "chaos". This concept is to be understood in the sense of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, i.e. as the absence of political structures capable of protecting citizens from their own violence ("Man is a wolf to man"). And not in the biblical sense of making a clean slate before the creation of a new order.
This war is an adaptation of the US Armed Forces to the era of globalization, to the transition from productive capitalism to financial capitalism. "War is a Racket," as Smedley Butler, America’s most decorated general, used to say before World War II. From now on, friends and enemies will no longer count; war will allow for the simple management of natural resources.
Posted by: Herb McCoy ||
03/13/2020 00:00 ||
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[11126 views]
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#1
Smedley Butler again? Lulz
Posted by: Frank G ||
03/13/2020 6:32 Comments ||
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#4
The following comment shows how bass-ackwards most of the quoted articles logic is: "... His thoughts were popularized for the general public by his deputy, Thomas Barnett.
The areas affected by the US war will be given over to "chaos". This concept is to be understood in the sense of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes, i.e. as the absence of political structures capable of protecting citizens from their own violence ("Man is a wolf to man"). And not in the biblical sense of making a clean slate before the creation of a new order."
2004 presentation by Thomas Barnett which is the opposite of the previous quote: the world has civilized places and chaotic places and he proposes that "if we want to fix it we should reorganize the US military accordingly". Barnett may be a "Neocon's neocon" dreaming that we can fix the world, but a nefarious plotter.... *snicker* [The Pentagon's New Map]: Presentation & Call-In | C-SPAN.org
[DAILYSABAH] U.S. President Donald Trump ...dictatorial for repealing some (but not all) of the diktats of his predecessor, misogynistic because he likes pretty girls, homophobic because he doesn't think gender bending should be mandatory, truly a man for all seasons...... rallied the crowd in October last year when he offered varying descriptions of the U.S. military's role in eastern Syria. "We've secured the oil and, therefore, a small number of U.S. troops will remain in the area where they have the oil," he said.
Three days later, during his speech in reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown ...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel... , he went further, declaring the oil to be America's. "I've always said: 'Keep the oil.' We want to keep the oil. $445 million a month? Keep the oil," he said.
The humanitarian and economic burden for the reconstruction of Syria is getting heavier by the day. A large part of the country is full of empty cities and villages left by Syrians fleeing from the Bashir al-Assad regime’s oppression. Around 7 million Syrians are trying to survive amid the hardest conditions of forced displacement, some in countries with good conditions such as The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... , and others in conditions contrary to humanitarian standards, such as at the Greek border.
On the other side, for the construction of a new Syria ‐ the territorial integration of which has been ensured and the political solution of which cannot be postponed any longer ‐ the actions of countries like Russia and the U.S. on the field, despite their many words, show that their intentions are not realistic.
Maybe this was the reason President His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First ...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important... made a call the previous day to test to what extent Russia and the U.S. were supportive of the reconstruction of Syria.
Turkey and Russia could use the oil reserves
“Don’t let the U.S. give the oil to the Kurds, give it to Turkey and Russia, who are all that is benevolent and unselfish!”
in Syria’s Qamishli and Deir el-Zour to rebuild war-torn Syria with the help of financial support from Moscow, President Erdogan said Monday. The president said Putin did not respond negatively to this idea and that a similar proposal could be made to President Trump.
"Terrorists are exploiting the oil reserves. The oil they drill out is not processed oil; it has no quality, but if it is taken and processed, we would have a chance of reconstructing Syria. This would reveal who wants to preserve the unity and integrity of Syria and who wants to take control of it," Erdogan stated.
After President Erdogan’s call, let’s remember the facts. Syria had 2.5 billion barrels of crude oil as of 2011, before the conflict erupted and Syria was producing around 385,000 barrels per day.
Compared to world standards, these numbers might not seem big, yet we have to remember that Syria’s oil fields are not under its control today, but rather under the control of Russia and the U.S.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/13/2020 00:00 ||
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#1
wikipedia Daily Sabah describes itself as "committed to the democracy, the rule of law, human rights and liberty". Despite this official description, Daily Sabah is a mouthpiece of the AKP, and more so a cheerleader for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the current president of Turkey, and an advocate of Islamism.
Posted by: b ||
03/13/2020 11:20 Comments ||
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[American Thinker] - I have always been fascinated by numbers, so looking at data on the coronavirus spread and its lethality is revealing and also raises lots of questions I cannot answer, since I am not a virologist, nor am I on top of what each country is doing to contain the spread of the virus. There are several good sources of information on the numbers if this interests you.
A 17-year-old prodigy from Seattle has created an excellent database [https://ncov2019.live/data], which updates every minute. Here is an article on the young software designer. Johns Hopkins University, recipient of the largest gift ever made by one person to a university (Michael Bloomberg's gift of $1.8 billion), also has good data.
The country-by-country information, especially when examined over time, suggests that there are some disparities. First: the incidence rate ‐ that is, the number of cases compared to a country's population. This virus began in China and grew rapidly there, particularly in one area of the country, but case volume now has leveled off with very small growth in the caseload, and well over half recovered. This is encouraging, or should be; it suggests that containment is possible.
Continued on Page 49
23 are linked to one ground zero event at Life Care Center of Kirkland, WA.
Nov/Dec '19 flu stats: 23K hospitalizations and ~2K deaths.
The difference is media.
Before someone counters and says this virus is more deadly more contagious. Who is doing the counting, who is paying the counters, and who is reporting the counts. Tells you most you need to know. Will end: What did Mark Twain famously say about the three types of lies -- "lies, damned lies, and statistics."
#5
Leme see....Naval Base Kitsap is a U.S. Navy base located on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington state. Virus surfaces early in Washington State, not Missouri, Wisconsin, or Kansas. Interesting, or coincidental? You decide.
#6
Excerpt from secret report to Chairman Pooh from General Hu:
"An American submarine force
Has steered too aggressive a course,
Infecting our coast
Like a galloping ghost.
Thus, the virus is traced to its source!"
Posted by: Albert Untervehr4295 ||
03/13/2020 22:33 Comments ||
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#7
And re #4,
Confucius say, "Communist magic trick
Make sick disappear if impolitic,
So counting this fodder
Both softer, and harder,
Than usual Chinese arithmetic."
Posted by: Albert Untervehr4295 ||
03/13/2020 22:37 Comments ||
Top||
#8
Yesterday, Germany's Angela Merkel predicted that 60‐70% of that country's population of roughly 85 million would come down with the virus. Really? Based on what? One in 17,000 in China but 7 in 10 in Germany?
Merkel has a doctor in physics. And she understands exponential growth. The numbers are based on the assumption that the virus can't be stopped by social distancing and is calculated over 2 years.
All the measures taken now are meant to flatten the exponential rise in order not to overwhelm the hospitals. This of course also brings down the death rate.
China may have brought down the numbers with its rigid measures, but they will rise again because people will need to work.
Herd immunity will ultimately defeat the virus. Nobody can tell what the real death rate of the virus is because it defends on many factors. Germany currently has one of the lowest death rates. We have about 25,000 beds to treat the most severe cases with patients needing ventilation.
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/13/2020 22:53 Comments ||
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#9
depends rather...
Posted by: European Conservative ||
03/13/2020 22:54 Comments ||
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Whew! Didn't want it on my conscience that I may've helped deprive folks of info and entertainment during what stand to be dark days for the Burger demo. Boxers and Lederhosen, betcha.
Posted by: Albert Untervehr4295 ||
03/13/2020 23:22 Comments ||
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COVID-19 background: worst case, best case.
[TownHall]...It may one day be said that the coronavirus delivered the deathblow to the New World Order, to a half-century of globalization, and to the era of interdependence of the world's great nations.
Tourism, air travel, vacation cruises, international gatherings and festivals are already shutting down. Travel bans between countries and continents are being imposed. Conventions, concerts and sporting events are being canceled. Will the Tokyo Olympics go forward? If they do, will all the anticipated visitors from abroad come to Japan to enjoy the games?
...The ideological roots of our free trade era can be traced to the mid-19th century when its great evangelist, Richard Cobden, rose at Free Trade Hall in Manchester on Jan. 15, 1846, and rhapsodized:
"I see in the Free Trade principle that which shall act on the moral world as the principle of gravitation in the universe -- drawing men together, thrusting aside the antagonism of race, and creed, and language, and uniting us in the bonds of eternal peace."
In the pre-Trump era, Republicans held hands with liberal Democrats in embracing NAFTA, GATT, the WTO and most-favored-nation trade privileges for China.
In retrospect, was it wise to have relied on China to produce essential parts for the supply chains of goods vital to our national security? Does it appear wise to have moved the production of pharmaceuticals and lifesaving drugs for heart disease, strokes and diabetes to China? Does it appear wise to have allowed China to develop a virtual monopoly on rare earth minerals crucial to the development of weapons for our defense?
In this coronavirus pandemic, people now seem to be looking for authoritative leaders and nations seem to be looking out for their own peoples first. Would Merkel, today, invite a million Syrian refugees into Germany no matter the conditions under which they were living in Syria and Turkey?
Is not the case now conclusive that we made a historic mistake when we outsourced our economic independence to rely for vital necessities upon nations that have never had America's best interests at heart?
Which rings truer today? We are all part of mankind, all citizens of the world. Or that it's time to put America and Americans first!
Yep the "elites" (of narcissism) maximised the amount of rent-seeking in the west so they thought they could be even greedier if they got trade and migration subsidised.
#6
We have never really had free trade. it's an ideal, a goal, but politicians being what they are someone always tries to game the system.
Having said that is sort of common sense to not put all your eggs in one basket and that's what far too many did regarding China as a manufacturing source.
And global plane travel and borders and such, well we've been in denial about a lot of things since Sept 11. That's what happens when you listen to people that actually hate everything about your culture.
#11
Some adjustments need to be made. If coronavirus is the catalyst for change then maybe it's a good thing.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
03/13/2020 11:36 Comments ||
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#12
Why should only the left benefit from crises?
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
03/13/2020 12:00 Comments ||
Top||
#13
Whatever happens with this administration, Trump has a place in history as the first president to call bullshit on, and put an end to, our insane 30-year policy of building up a global rival and creating an existential threat out of a corrupt Communist Party-led shithole.
#14
Agreed. And happening. Blew my mind when I learned almost all our vaccines are made in china. Makes me happy to see the shifting of supply chains and trade routes. That's a positive.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Barron's] The stock market’s latest selloff triggered by coronavirus fears looks eerily familiar. The S&P 500 has been tracking a very similar course to what it did in late September and early October 2008 at the beginning of the financial crisis, according to Nicholas Colas, co-founder of DataTrek Research.
[NYSUN] The hecatomb of unsuccessful Democratic candidates raises questions about the current viability of the Democrats that they will have to address in the next four years. It appears that the powers that be in that party were so fixated on the easy disposability of President Trump that they gave little thought to making a serious race of it this year. They mixed their own Russian-collusion Kool-Aid, posted it down, and now are discovering that it was hemlock.
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
