Wuhan Coronavirus: Megathread - Got too big

[MediocreMilt]

Once again, I bring nothing new to the table but yet another thought. If this was a bioweapon, did the Chinese really expect people to just bend down to it? Everything they done on this was so blatantly obvious that I can't name a country that isn't hating China. If they wanted to make some kind of biological war, then this was probably the quickest war I ever seen, that ended before it even begun with everyone teamed up against China with weapons ready for the kill without hesitation.

China has used this virus as a bioweapon, in that they took actions to help seed it around the globe to hurt other economies when they knew their own was going to take a hit.

That doesn't require that the virus was specially engineered, just like pox blankets didn't require a specially engineered disease.

China didn't want to create a war. They wanted to fuck everyone else down to their level during the crisis in a manner that would give them plausible deniability.

 

[samuraicrack]

I have never seen a lefty protest any of the above shit

 

[Feline Supremacist]

Not really.
If everyone at the lab is scared of being shot along with their families, then destroy the records and shut the fuck up, how exactly would these "officials higher up" even know it happened?
Your theory here relies on the WuFlu being known in detail up the chain of command (filled with party connected semi-trained dopes), hold on a sec.

View attachment 1241392
I have a small doubt.

It's a Communist state with surveillance levels unheard of in the West (not for lack of trying though). I am certain the Politburo functionaries in charge of these things know what happened, their approval would be required or they get a bullet to the head.

Look at what people discovered when they when through their Stasi files in East Germany. And that was before cell phone data, internet and WiFi

 

[Not Really Here]

It's a Communist state with surveillance levels unheard of in the West (not for lack of trying though). I am certain the Politburo functionaries in charge of these things know what happened, their approval would be required or they get a bullet to the head.

Look at what people discovered when they when through their Stasi files in East Germany. And that was before cell phone data, internet and WiFi

That might help after the fact in an investigation to pinpoint just what happened, maybe, but why would they even look for the first few months?
This thinking is filled with 20/20 hindsight.

 

[moocow]

This kills the Democrat

https://apnews.com/8a3430dd37e7c44290c7621f5af96d6b

Interesting. They note here that blacks are just 14% of the population but comprise a full third of infections.

So they are able to recognize disproportionate situations after all. Now if only they'd look at the crime statistics and start asking the same kinds of questions. Wondy why they don't. Hmmm...

 

[Feline Supremacist]

That might help after the fact in an investigation to pinpoint just what happened, maybe, but why would they even look for the first few months?
This thinking is filled with 20/20 hindsight.

idk, people on Weibo vids mobbing hospitals and factory output rapidly declining would certainly set off alarm bells? Think about what the NSA knows about you and then multiply it by 10, then add real time data and that's what the ChiComs know about Chang working in their Wuhan BSL 4 bat soup lab, his boss and that guy's boss and so on. When PLA Commander Chong wants to know why his Swiss bank account is static he pulls up data. Of course Chong's boss PLA General Ching also gets notified when Chong accesses the Chink Citizen data base.

 

[Not Really Here]

idk, people on Weibo vids mobbing hospitals and factory output rapidly declining would certainly set off alarm bells? Think about what the NSA knows about you and then multiply it by 10, then add real time data and that's what the ChiComs know about Chang working in their Wuhan BSL 4 bat soup lab, his boss and that guy's boss and so on. When PLA Commander Chong wants to know why his Swiss bank account is static he pulls up data. Of course Chong's boss PLA General Ching also gets notified when Chong accesses the Chink Citizen data base.

The medical authorities in Wuhan were fired, in part because they did the whole 'nothing to see here' thing.
In a nation that didn't have a record of naturally generating plagues you would have more of a point, but why would anyone connect another SARS virus to a lab?
People here would, and have, but turn on the news and they still discount 'was ever in a lab' as absurd.
For the first few months China's version of the NSA was more worried with how to shut down the chatter making China look bad than 'lets explore crazy roundeye theories about why the Middle Kingdom is evil'.

 

[Gustav Schuchardt]

We need to have a thread on coronavirus grifting. Here's a good example. Everyone's least favorite newspaper, The Guardian, has run an article on how the government needs to bail out newspapers as coronavirus has made them unprofitable. They neglect to mention that, unlike their hated right-wing rivals, the Guardian has never been profitable.

We must act before coronavirus sinks the press as we know it | Jane Martinson

The government, public and tech giants such as Google must find ways to support the news industry

www.theguardian.com

https://archive.vn/QziIp

However, as one of the comments points out

https://www.theguardian.com/media/c...ronavirus-press-google-news#comment-139910368

To be fair to them this comment is one of the Guardian Picks, i.e. highlighted comments. Normally I'd expect them to nuke it on the grounds it didn't meet their nebulous 'community standards' which normally preclude all criticism of Guardian staff of the Guardian echo chamber.

 

[Otterly]

The Press narrative is to ramp up the straw man of the virus being meticulously constructed base by base as an evil bio weapon and then say that that is paranoid and ridiculous. Numerous scientists have been wheeled out to say it’s not a bio weapon and that it’s probably natural, and they are IMO probably right about that. That argument then shuts down any talk of lab release.

The more banal scenario that it’s something someone sampled on a field trip and was having a look at in the lab then oooopsie however, is very much possible. We are just now seeing more mainstream coverage of that as a possibility - the mail had those pictures of the shitty freezer seals we had weeks back in the paper today, for example.

The thought on this thread from early in has been that it’s a natural virus, probably wild sampled, and accidentally released because Chinese safety standards are shit. I would imagine there’s been a quiet investigation behind the scenes to make sure it wasn’t a sample that any lab on US or Canadian soil also had access to. If not, then it’s safe to go ahead and put the narrative out that it’s a lab release. Of course even if that virus is in a freezer in Canada too, acknowledging that would mean the CCP has to acknowledge it was in their lab as well, which rather paints them into a corner.

Is the recent turn against China in the press just sabre rattling to scare Beijing or is it prepping the stage for real action against them?

 

[Feline Supremacist]

The medical authorities in Wuhan were fired, in part because they did the whole 'nothing to see here' thing.
In a nation that didn't have a record of naturally generating plagues, you would have more of a point, but why would anyone connect another SARS virus to a lab?
People here would, and have, but turn on the news and they still discount 'was ever in a lab' as absurd.
For the first few months China's version of the NSA was more worried with how to shut down the chatter making China look bad than 'lets explore crazy roundeye theories about why the Middle Kingdom is evil'.

I may have mentioned one of my relatives voluntarily went to a Communist country and became a member of that country's Politburo and her children explained to me what it was like living there with her (they all left to live in a not-communist country). Committed communists believe the People are child-like beings who must be led by a wise and informed vanguard of the proletariat. Western degeneracy and propaganda must not be allowed to poison their simple minds; therefore, the vanguard must have a system for identifying and correcting, if necessary, any thoughts or behavior that may endanger the well being of the State and its People. Thus, the necessity of the Communist surveillance state.

I am certain the Chinese learned what happened almost immediately but the problem arose when local and regional leaders were told to deal with it and instead tried covering it up, hoping to contain it so that Beijing wouldn't get involved further. Of course that didn't work so now China is trying to deal with the fallout and doing a poor job, to say the least.

Endangering the State and the Revolution is a capital crime against the People. Heads are rolling over this (the doctor that alerted his colleagues is one example).

 

[Otterly]

Everyone's least favorite newspaper, The Guardian, has run an article on how the government needs to bail out newspapers as coronavirus has made them unprofitable.

They made themselves unprofitable by being shite. I won’t be shedding any tears for the guardian, which as of a few years back had a BILLION QUID in a trust that was supposed to ensure it’s future forever. Insert joke about socialists and other people’s money here.
It’s a shame because they used to be a good paper, albeit left leaning, and they do have a few really good old school investigative journalists still on the books amidst the click bait.
Fuck knows what the interest is a year on a billion quid but I’m sure it’s more than enough To run a newspaper.

 

[Overly Serious]

I may have mentioned one of my relatives voluntarily went to a Communist country and became a member of that country's Politburo and her children explained to me what it was like living there with her (they all left to live in a not-communist country). Committed communists believe the People are child-like beings who must be led by a wise and informed vanguard of the proletariat. Western degeneracy and propaganda must not be allowed to poison their simple minds; therefore, the vanguard must have a system for identifying and correcting, if necessary, any thoughts or behavior that may endanger the well being of the State and its People. Thus, the necessity of the Communist surveillance state.

I am certain the Chinese learned what happened almost immediately but the problem arose when local and regional leaders were told to deal with it and instead tried covering it up, hoping to contain it so that Beijing wouldn't get involved further. Of course that didn't work so now China is trying to deal with the fallout and doing a poor job, to say the least.

Endangering the State and the Revolution is a capital crime against the People. Heads are rolling over this (the doctor that alerted his colleagues is one example).

Any hierarchy is inevitable a disinformation matrix. Those below lie and misrepresent to those above because they fear punishment. Those above do the same to those below because they fear diminishing of their authority if they're thought unaware or poor decision makers. And the more unequal the distribution of power and the greater the stakes, the more disinformation occurs.

Yes, the CCP's surveillance state is frightening (so is ours). But I bet people in it are masters at deflection, dissembling and passing the buck. There might be scapegoats for this if it did come from a lab. They wont necessarily be those most responsible.

 

[EmuWarsVeteran]

News roundup. Today with a lotta memes! If I remember to add them anyway. So. Originally directive claimed no ICU docs used the defective burgerland masks. Our ICU patient colleague has informed us that was bullshit and the ICU doctors were just sent orders to get tested. I don't even know why they bother trying to hide this shit. I'll copypaste the orders here as proof, because yeah he got his hands on them and passed them on. Seriously things would go so much smoother if they didn't try to hide shit from us all the time. Also, the ICU colleague is still doing fine, says he's better, I'm still worried but it seems he'll soon get sent to non-ICU hospitalization. So that's cautiously nice.

Spoiler: transcript

Buenas tardes. La realización de las pruebas de manera preventiva por tema mascarilla se está haciendo de manera programada. Llaman al profesional para darle cita. Quien no aparece en la lista de las citas no se le puede tramitar la petición para la realizacion de la prueba. Es la manera de tener a todos registrados y hacer la historia regladamente. Tienen todos los nombres del personal de UCI y las carteleras de los turnos junto a los teléfonos. Las personas que por otro motivo diferente al de las mascarillas se han realizado la prueba tienen un seguimiento paralelo por preventiva se debe seguir. Ruego vuestra colaboracion. Gracias.

Summary: if you're on the list get sodding tested. Rest is just adminspeak and protocol. Other than that we're stilldealing with the mess in the laundry. So I guess I'll explain it.

Spoiler: everyone's an asshole

So, little things you gotta know first. Laundry in cadiz hospital's isn't done in our hospitals. The hospitals grab the clothes, put them in proper containment and send them to a giant ass laundry complex in the Zona Franca. Little aside. Again, our naming conventions are amazing, "zona franca" means "frank zone", it is an industrial complex stuck to the other side of the carranzas bridge (which connects cadiz with the peninsula), it is called that way because it's where the napoleonic army (the "franks") made their main base during the siege of cadiz. If you're wondering why the carranzas bridge was called that way, it was the name of the builder. Fucks given about names=less than 0!

Anyway. The laundryguys are about as rowdy as the kitchen staff. I haven't talked about them much because they're at the other side of the bridge, which is like a half hour travel, which in cadiz is considered way too fucking far, so we don't deal with them much. There are 2 characters you need to know. Ferdinand (that's a code name) is basically their unnoficial union contact. He's an affiliate and is the one who comes to us when they want shit. Basically their NCO of sorts. Then we have the engineer. That's not a codename, I don't even know his real name, he's their asshole CO. Guy got an engineering degree on whatever and is so fucking proud of that shit that he can't shut up about it and uses it to lord over everyobe else. Hence why everyone calls him "the engineer", I seriously never even learned his real name. He's the official supervisor of that shit and the one in charge, he's also an ass-licking, autistic, antisocial, elitistic, anti-negotiation, "my way or the high way", fucking cunt. I have not heard anything positive about the guy, and having dealt with him... He's not too bad a person really. He clearly hates his fucking job and I swear he has to be actually autistic on a biological level but when he talks about topics he likes he's quite personable. If he actually got a job in engineering he'd probably be great at it and much nicer to work with. Pity he's stuck on that dead end job and takes it on his employees.

So anyway. The engineer made the timetables for the extra turns, because corona. And they were awful. He did not take into account things like what employees had beefs, or who needed to go do something else at a specific time, he didn't bother negotiating or correcting them, and just basically tried pushing his employees into submission military style. Knowing that crowd I don't even know why he tries that shit, it literally always backfires, they hate it and they hate him for it. The only time I met him I tried explaining this to him nicely. I only got him to rant about duty and discipline and unions being so evil for breaking the chain of command. Let's remember this is a fucking glorified laundromat we're talking about. I make military analogies but we're not an actual army. Also, he is a leftie and an union affiliate too, so... there's that bit of ideological nonesense. He never comes to the union asking for help so I don't even know why he signed up and keeps paying the monthly fee. He's just fucking weird.

So anyway. Ferdinand got everyone else to agree on a better timeline and sign on the proposal along some critiques of the engineer's treatment, and wanted the union to push for it. Usually we would've told him to push it to direction himself and unofficially talked with them over some beer. Usual shit. Sadly we weren't there when he came, instead 1 of the 2 bimbos that substituted us was, and she clearly doesn't know rule 1 of unions is "when the kitchen/laundry/cleaners/celadores get roudy be nonecommital and go research what is actually going down this time." So of course she told him there was no problem... fucking dolt.

See, here's the issue, everyone knows the engineer's being an asshole, but technically the only one that can correct him is his direct superiors. At best we could try negotiating with him, but at this point it's a matter of pride so it's not gonna work. Even during good days lobbying publicly for a fucking timetable shift would be seen as petty, during a fucking alarm state though? It's downright insane. Unions are there to stop abuse, the engineer broke no codes or regulations, he was just a dick, we can't really do anything about it other than explain the situation and hope the directive realices he's being stupid.

So anyway. This morning when my union contact went to the hospital the engineer entered the union enraged as all hell and unloaded the most epic autistic rant proclaiming he would sue them, and the union, and ferdinand, and everyone for this. My union contact had no fucking clue the bimbo had even done anything, literally didn't know anything about any issue with laundry, so you can imagine the combo of offense and laughter at display when they tried explaining this to the rest of the union to gather intel when the engineer stopped. So yeah now we're explaining to the bimbos than indeed much like they can't trust the directives, they also can't blindly trust the other workers, because bias is a thing. We'll see how this develops but for now it's just been some top tier kek. I just lament I didn't get to see the tardrage live.

For the rest, morale's higher than ever. People are celebrating the 400 deaths. Also, here's a video of the dolphins that have taken a liking to Cadiz. Birds are also just as noisy as before the economy reopened, so I'm glad to say for now we're still on our paths to become tree elfs here in spain.

So let's get into the memes.

First up a video. Since they're letting kids out...

Secondly, just this guy's feet.

Thirdly "what I can see from my window since there stopped being so much pollution"

Forthly, a joke about social distancing, showing a turns machine reading "now number 64 can bathe"

Fifthly, one of the guys that sends crap for turists on the beach, selling masks.

And finally, people have been making jokes about awful kids passing, because usually 12% of spanish kids repeat (our schools are adding counselors and shit like that, but they're ruled by the "if you don't know the lesson you don't deserve to pass" principle that has sadly been lost to certain other countries... I already talked about how much harsher our education is. Pity is not ok their menu. Passing isn't a participation award.) But now we gotta do special ways to measure shit due to lockdown, and some were asking for general pass for the small kids while others just generally a laxer year. Hence, this graffity proclaims "we passed", except that the correct way to write it would be "Hemos sido aprovados.", as you can see... they passed this year.

 

[It's HK-47]

Guys, is that really necessary?

 

[CeleryStalks]

Michigan, USA

No major developments today. We're still waiting for the official re-opening plan.

Spoiler: Michigan Recap

SHUTDOWNS
Shelter-in-place order and shutdown of everything non-essential from Tuesday March 24 to Monday April 13. Friday, May 1. (archive) (executive order saved on KF) Travel between primary homes and secondary homes is banned. Gardening sections of stores are closed. (archive - extension). Marijuana shops are open. Tobacco shops are closed (archive). K-12 schools suspended for remainder of year, but alternate learning plans will be implemented (archive) (archive).
Lawsuits against the shutdown order are multiplying (archive). Major protest in Lansing April 15 (A&N thread).
The Big Three Auto manufacturers (Ford, GM, Chrysler) are closing all factories in the USA, putting well over 150,000 workers out of work. This figure does not include workers at supplier factories, which will also be obliged to close. (archive) (archive) (archive). They will be making a small number of parts for emergency vehicles, and production of ventilators, etc. has begun (archive- GM's ventilators, April 17).

ECONOMY AND MISCELLANY
Over 1 million unemployment claims filed = 10% of the total population of the state, nearly 25% of the workforce (Archive - April 16).
Big Brother is watching, and he approves. Massive phone-tracking project reveals Michigan travel down by 45%, compared to 40% nation-wide (website) (news article archive).
Car crashes are down, fatal car crashes are down, and overall death is actually down. (archive - April 12)

FREE STUFF!
Evictions suspended while the state of emergency lasts (archive)
Water will be turned back on for all households while the crisis lasts (archive)

HEALTH CARE
Hydroxychloroquine banned by governor's order (archive). Nevermind LOL! Now she's asking the federal government for it and claiming the ban was a typo in the first place. (archive). Detroit-area hospitals are testing the drug's effectiveness as a preventative on first responders and health-care workers (archive).
Up-to-date count of available hospital beds, etc. in the State (the Detroit area is "Section 2, North and South.")(government website)
Detroit field hospital admits first 8 Corona patients. It will only be taking the less-serious cases. No one on ventilators.(archive - April 14)
Another field hospital in Detroit scaled back after drop in cases. Original plan was to open with 1,100 beds. Now they are only going to open with 250, planned to open April 20. (archive - April 11)

LAW AND ORDER
All localities given more discretion to release prisoners early (archive). The State prison system is not currently releasing inmates early.
Lansing (the capitol) police are not physically responding to minor crimes such as larceny, property damage, and break-ins to unoccupied buildings, including garages. Other police are adopting similar policies (archive) (archive).
Detroit crime still down (archive - April 12); Muskegon police report crime is up (archive).
Breaking the lockdown is a misdemeanor, punishable by $1500 fines and 90 days jail time. Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) has stated there will not be a "ramp up" of police enforcement (archive). The attorney general has left it to local law enforcement to close businesses, as her hands are full with price-gougers and con artists (archive).
The police cannot, at present, pull drivers over simply for being out during the shutdown (archive). Local police in the rural north and in Detroit suburbs have alike stated they will not be enforcing parts of the order (archive).

DEATH TOLL

Detroit Metro (pop. 3,860,000 total; 1,796/sq. mi.; 694/sq km):*

24,161 confirmed / 1,981 dead
23,743 confirmed / 1,912 dead yesterday
(i.e. 69 new deaths, up 16 from previous day)
Normal Detroit Metro Death Rate: 104 per day.**

Other Michigan (6,120,000; 65/sq. mi.; 25/sq km):

7,263 confirmed / 410 dead
7,048 confirmed / 396 dead yesterday
(i.e. 14 new deaths, down 14 from previous day)
Normal not-Detroit Death Rate: 167 per day**

All Michigan (9,990,000; 103/sq. mi.; 40/sq km):

31,424 confirmed / 2,391 dead
30,791 confirmed / 2,308 dead yesterday
(i.e. 83 new deaths, up 2 from previous day.)
Normal Michigan Death Rate: 271 per day.**

Death toll doubled since: April 9.
We have been locked down since: March 24.

Detroit Metro Daily Deaths Last Seven Days:
97 / 130 / 129 / 149*** / 104 / 53 / 69 = 731***

State Government site, daily - today's archive;
State Gov site, total, includes breakdowns by sex, age, race and ethnicity - today's archive.
*Here defined as the City of Detroit, and Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne Counties, minus state prisoners, who are not counted towards any county's cases, but are kept in a category of their own.
** As of 2018.
*** 65 statewide deaths were added on this day because of an adjustment in reporting standards. Presumably most were in Detroit, but I don't know exactly how many.
Also one Ann Arbor man allegedly killed by his roommate in a Corona-related dispute (archive). The suspect has been released from custody while the investigation continues (archive).

 

[737 MAX Stan Account]

Got an interesting development out of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh funeral attracts 100,000 people, shattering coronavirus social distancing rules

Attendees of mass funeral completely ignored social distance protocols to pay their respects.

www.foxnews.com

EDIT: Another interesting bit of info

https://www.dhakatribune.com/health/coronavirus/2020/04/18/coronavirus-bangladesh-hits-2-000-cases-faster-than-many-worst-hit-countries

 

[MediocreMilt]

View attachment 1241524

Guys, is that really necessary?

Sure! It creates a (bullshit) job during a downturn. It also creates another (bullshit) job whenever they decide it's time to take the sand back out.

 

[JosephStalin]

View attachment 1241524

Guys, is that really necessary?

Yeah, just one park so far but watch more places do it. Typical CA.

Here we have another violation of First Amendment rights, this time in Wisconsin. Sounds like time to report this sheriff's department to the DOJ.

Teen Ordered to Delete Instagram Post About Virus Or Face Arrest

It's not just our 2A rights that are being threatened during the coronavirus chaos.

bearingarms.com

Teen Ordered to Delete Instagram Post About Virus Or Face Arrest

archived 19 Apr 2020 19:41:34 UTC

archive.vn

A lawsuit has been filed. Report to DOJ submitted.

https://www.will-law.org/will-sues-marquette-county-sheriff-for-free-speech-violation/

WILL Sues Marquette County Sheriff for Free Speech Violation - Wiscon…

archived 19 Apr 2020 19:45:14 UTC

archive.vn

 

[EmuWarsVeteran]

View attachment 1241524

Guys, is that really necessary?

Of course the democrats would go after skaters. God it's like they get a hardon being petty tyrants but don't actually know how to be authoritarians so instead they copy the playbook from 80s movies villains and nazi parodies. Just censor the protests and fill skater parks with sand, that won't look awful.

 

[Barnard]

545 new cases today, the highest number so far. A combination of new hospital/social care home infections and probably family visits on Easter. Easter was the one weak link in the plan. For some people visiting family on Christian holidays simply takes precedence over almost everything else.

On the other hand if that tuberculosis shot really helps, then that's splendid. We're all branded by the scar. I know WHO is saying there's no evidence, but I came to expect that if an organization like them says "no evidence", they really mean "the evidence is inconclusive and it's going to take us a decade to make up our minds". Well joke's on you, I got it anyway.