Tuesday Open Thread

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170 comments to Tuesday Open Thread

  • #

    The CMO Murphy is turning out to be a dill – should be fired pronto.

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    • #
      TedM

      A worn out old Doctor just resting on his laurels, and clinging to double blind trials in the middle of a pandemic.

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      • #
        Ted O'Brien.

        As saw it NSW and esp. Victoria rejected the Federal policies. Pretty soon there should be statistics to show who got the best results.

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  • #
    farmerbraun

    Anyone wanting a glimpse of an economic future in the Socialist Workers Paradise, aka Godzone, where all social experiments are given a bench-top testing, can have a read of what the NZ Treasury has to say:-

    https://treasury.govt.nz/publications/mei/monthly-economic-indicators-march-2020-html

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    • #

      Have you seen the Bloomberg forecast for Australia which looks even worse as the cost of the wildfires needs to be added to the CV cost. Sorry cant link as my ancient iPad is too slow to open the full site.

      The uk is set to lose 35 percent of its GDP and overall 6.5 percent over the year so that assumes a huge bounce back.

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    • #
      sophocles

      Just remember: it’s all filtered by the resident World Bank Controllers Professors.
      Adjust your `Rose-tinted’ eye-pieces accordingly.
      Engage your `Critical Faculties’ and `Scepticism’ carefully.
      And seek evidence else-where.

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      • #
        farmerbraun

        I think about that all the time. I wonder why we have a Reserve Bank “governor” if we have all these other “experts” running it.

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    • #
      Ross

      A guy rang a talkback program in NZ an hour or so ago saying we, in NZ, need to get things into perspective.
      He had looked at the death notices in two of the major newspapers for yesterday. There were 52 deaths reported.
      This is only 2 papers and my guess is putting death notices in the paper is not as common as it once was was.

      NZ has 9 Covid19 deaths (several were in a rest home from a dementia ward and they had non intervention notices in place).

      For this the Government has spent the equivalent of the total education budget for 1.5 years in 21 days !! Or more than the entire health budget for one year.

      Obviously any death is tragic for the families and friends of those concerned but someone has to step back from MSM hysteria and think for a few minutes.

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  • #
    dinn, rob

    new developments in cov
    research underlies treatment of novel virus–2 new views

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  • #
    Another Ian

    Another virus casualty?

    “Nolte: What Terrible Coronavirus Models Tell Us About Global Warming Models”

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/14/nolte-what-terrible-coronavirus-models-tell-us-about-global-warming-models/

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  • #
    macha

    Anyone read the magna carta…1215?
    Warming up Tyranny via covid19.

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  • #
    Enoch Root

    Jo,

    I was reading your article about immune tests in Germany that might have detected antibodies against the most benign, common cold like coronaviruses (I am guessing 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1) and one wild thought crossed my mind: Dengue fever is quite a benign disease the first time one catches it. The second time, if it’s a different strain, because of the antibodies, it can lead to the more severe form of haemorrhagic fever.

    Are you aware of any research about cross reactivity? The percentage of Germans that might have had contact with the more benign viruses (circa 15%) matches with the widely known share of Covid19 patients that end up with more severe forms of the disease.

    I’ve tried some very rudimentary searches in PubMed, but I have to admit my skills are far from good…

    70

  • #
    Another Ian

    “Exclusive – Adm. Brett Giroir Details Public Health Infrastructure to Reopen America: ‘Surveillance, Testing, Contact Tracing’ ”

    https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/04/14/exclusive-adm-brett-giroir-details-public-health-infrastructure-to-reopen-america-surveillance-testing-contact-tracing/

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    • #
      PeterS

      If proponents of the New Green Deal think they can continue on with their rubbish they have another thing coming. Bring it on. They will become the most hated mob in town. I prefer we avoid such a violent confrontation and see PM Morrison step up to the plate and denounce the New Green Deal forthwith and call it one of the greatest threats to our very survival as a civilisation that goes beyond just the economic destructive aspects of the New Green Deal.

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    • #
      sophocles

      Yeah — more support that CO2 does not create Climate Change.

      The bird’s nest is huge and definitely a wild fire risk.

      20

    • #
      sophocles

      A German Climate Scientist Werner Kirstein has just retired. We know that, because he has hit out at the Climate Fakery. Hard.

      Wow, it’s a great rant: read all about it at https://notrickszone.com/2019/09/17/german-climatologist-werner-kirstein-unloads-ipcc-report-is-to-deceive-people-calls-michael-manns-chart-a-fake/
      – the IPCC is there to deceive people (well, we sort of knew that but it’s nice to have it confirmed)
      – the HokeyStick graph by You-Know-Who is a fake
      – AlGore is profiteering, but we knew that too.

      It’s a good read so I won’t spoil it any further. 😀

      Watch for another law-suit from The Mickey, but only if he hasn’t learnt from the last one.

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    • #
      Bill In Oz

      Great discussion by E M Smith !
      Well worth reading and doing.
      Preventative action is important !

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  • #
    Peter Fitzroy

    Cuba records hottest day on record, Havana to investigate sister city relationship with Perth. We share so much said Havana’s mayor, we are both isolated, and both have very warm weather.
    /…

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    • #
      farmerbraun

      Could it be something to do with the sun? Just wondering?

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    • #
      Graeme#4

      The recent Perth report on “the hottest March day since 1910” was a farce. The March 1910 temperature was recorded on Mt Eliza, a high hill west of Perth CBD, which was so different to Perth CBD temps that in the 60s Perth TV used to quote two temps – the official and much cooler one up on the hill, and the much hotter one in Perth.
      The new Mt Lawley measurement site is north of Perth CBD and is a much warmer location, suspected to be around two degrees warmer than Mt Eliza. ( It’s possible to compare the sites because the Perth airport site hasn’t changed.)
      The BOM’s stated policy is to keep measuring at previous sites for two years so that the effects of site changes can be noted, but they have never followed their own policy.
      Clearly the BOM will say anything to promote the AGW meme, rather than indicate the possible error in a “record” due to not comparing apples to apples.

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      • #
        Peter Fitzroy

        But it wasn’t just Perth, and it went on for a week.

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        • #
          Graeme#4

          Yes it did, but it NOT a record. We are now back to typical Autumn weather, nothing unusual.

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          • #
            Graeme#4

            What is more interesting in Perth is that for the last 3-4 summers, we have had a high incidence of increased cloud cover, with cooler morning breezes coming up from easterlies from the hot inland. And the humidity has been higher overall, to the extent that I wouldn’t now install an evaporative cooler in Perth. We are still having warm summers, but the increased cloud cover has been very noticeable.

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    • #
      AndyG55

      Did you know that Boulder , Colorado has had its longest and coldest winter EVER !!

      Its WEATHER.

      and as you well know,….

      .. there is NO EVIDENCE of any human cause in this NATURAL CLIMATE VARIABILITY.

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  • #
    Another Ian

    You could be in Canada

    Millions of newly unemployed Canadians desperate for work.

    So Trudeau unveils a $50,000,000 scheme to fly in 30,000+ cheap foreign farm labourers. He will pay them each $1,500 to quarantine in hotels for 14 days, instead of hiring Canadians.https://t.co/ertqDdygJk

    — Ezra Levant

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  • #
    Ian Hill

    The Easter Road Toll for Australia was 6, less than half the average of 15 over the previous five years. The toll in 2019 was 19.

    State/territory breakdown:

    NSW 3
    ACT 0
    Qld 1
    Tas 0
    WA 1
    SA 1
    VIC 0
    NT 0

    AUS 6

    NZ 0

    More details at https://www.caradvice.com.au/842537/easter-road-toll-2020/

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  • #
    Another Ian

    How to handle corona virus

    https://www.redpowermagazine.com/forums/topic/127871-new-joke-thread-30/page/92/?tab=comments#comment-1414458

    You may have to right click on the link and then “view image”

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  • #
    OriginalSteve

    This is a big fat red flashing light warning on freedoms.

    Freedom should not be effectively dependent on increased State intrusion in your life, otherwise its not freedom is it – more a slightly long leash, but a leash non the less.

    It starts out as voluntary. Its voluntary to not hand over your tax file number too.

    All you need to do is make sure your phone a pre-April 2020 operating system version ( likely stops the “snitch”-capable OS patch from being installed ), keep bluetooth turned off and location services turned off.

    “We will never have martial law in this country…” Yep…and you’re basically living it now. Stuff can change fast.

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/07/02/chinas-latest-xinjiang-spying-smartphone-app-targets-tourists-instead-of-locals/#307170d42f90

    “In May, Human Rights Watch (HRW) exposed details of a smartphone app used by the police in Xinjiang to tightly monitor its oppressed citizens. App usage—including prohibited technologies such as WhatsApp and Viber—were flagged, and the technology was designed to draw automated inferences as to which citizens should be detained or investigated.

    “Now, a joint investigation by Motherboard, Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Guardian, the New York Times, and Germany’s NDR has found that the use of smartphone surveillance is not limited to the local population, with foreigners crossing into Xinjiang “forced to install a piece of malware on their phones that gives all of their text messages as well as other pieces of data to the authorities.”

    “This smartphone app doesn’t dive as deeply as the local-targeting IJOP (Integrated Joint Operations Platform) app, through which the Xinjiang authorities can identify and label “many forms of lawful, every day, non-violent behavior—such as ‘not socializing with neighbors, often avoiding using the front door’—as suspicious.”

    – How do they know you avoid the front door?

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-14/coronavirus-app-government-wants-australians-to-download/12148210

    “Coronavirus lockdowns could end in months if Australians are willing to have their movements monitored

    “The battle against coronavirus is going hi-tech, with Australians to be asked to download a phone app that will monitor their movements — but only with their express permission.

    “The Federal Government believes restrictions on the community could be eased in the months ahead if there’s more testing, greater surveillance of those infected by the coronavirus and much faster tracing of those they’ve had contact with.

    “It is developing a mobile phone app with the private sector to help monitor Australians’ daily interactions.

    “The ABC understands the app will be ready in a fortnight but the Government believes it would need at least 40 per cent of Australians to voluntarily sign up for it to be effective.

    “The app would be opt-in only and not mandatory.

    >> yep..initially…..later on, “Citizen – where is your app?” How is it any different to China at that point? This appears to have been the game all along. I said stuff like this would happen under the cover of “war”.

    “It is understood the app would plot who had spent 15 minutes or more in close proximity with a person who proves to be COVID-19 positive.

    “The challenge facing the Government will be encouraging enough Australians to sign up.

    “Singapore, which is considered a more compliant society, has developed a similar app but only 20 per cent of its citizens have agreed to share their mobile phone data with the Government.

    >> Yep…and I wonder why 80% of Singaporeans would refuse it?

    “That app, called TraceTogether, uses bluetooth technology to record contact with other people, even if you do not know them.

    “”We’re very keen to use it and use it perhaps even more extensively than Singapore,” Dr Murphy said.

    “”Obviously there’s a conversation to be had with the community on the acceptability of it.

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    • #
      Robber

      Google already collects data on your location. Maps on phones use GPS and are typically accurate to about 5 metres.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Yeah I never have location services or bluetooth turned on, so I have some form of privacy.
        I had a Blackphone until it died…now you cant buy them any more.
        I run basic functionality on a phone so it functions as a phone only.

        60

        • #
          Yonniestone

          Our scanners at work are basically phones, we are tracked all the time and its deadly accurate on position I’ve seen it done, it gives a travel history and what parcel you scanned a what time at what location.

          I went for a motorcycle ride on Monday but didn’t take the phone as police have been tracking people travelling outside their locality, if caught out I was going to say its exercise as its a muscle bike, I won’t pay any fines anyway.

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      • #
        Graeme#4

        A few months ago Chris Griffiths, the tech guy writing for The Oz, borrowed a modified mobile that recorded data being transmitted and wandered around while not using the mobile in any way. When the data was analysed, the mobile was sending specific data about fixed WiFi sites that came into range, and other Bluetooth systems in range. As Chris remarked, this data could be used to determine a person’s location.

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        • #
          sophocles

          Every time you leave one cell and enter another, your phone registers its presence with the new cell. You have been able to be tracked ever since cell-phones were first introduced over thirty years ago. Location has (through triangulation) been available to about a hundred metres. GPS narrowed that down even further.

          Your phone sends data about each app on it back to the manufacturer of that app. Many apps have had that little trojan built in for a long time, too. How do you think your habits are so well known?

          So now your govt wants to tap into and make use of all that surveillance data? What’s the surprise? … talk about slow, Trev.

          Those are some of the reasons I still use a `dumb’ phone … but it’s comforting to know that my govt will always know where my phone is, … esp. when I don’t. But I do foresee a little difficulty in getting them to tell me where it is — I can’t just call in and ask 😀

          If they call it in time, it might help me find it before its battery dies …. and that just might be useful, perhaps.

          30

          • #
            RickWill

            If you are prepared to pay, there are quite a number of sites willing to locate your phone providing it is active. If it is a dumbphone the position accuracy won’t be particularly good.

            10

          • #
            OriginalSteve

            This is a step up though, to the point eventually with 5G being able to be able to tell who is with you in a room somewhere. Now imagine if a group of people who are doing something innocent ( like having a peaceful religious meeting) have the door kicked in by the State . How is it any different to how oppressive it is in China? This is where it is going. I doubt our society will ever fully return to normal because the globalists are messing with us right now

            It bothers me people haven’t dropped down to how bad this is.

            I think at some point we have to draw the line and say stop.

            Maybe slavery is the cost of ignorance and/or apathy.

            “A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.”
            ( Prov 2:23 )

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    • #
      David-of-Cooyal-in-Oz

      And even that won’t cover the real problem, the existence of people without symptoms who are carrier and spreaders of the virus.
      Cheers
      Dave B

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      • #
        Bobl

        Not true, assuming the asymptomatic person creates a subsequent symptomatic one the asymptomatic person can be found by tracing back the movements of the symptomatic one.

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        • #

          and at the very least if the identity of the asymptomatic person is unknown the existence of people with symptoms tells you that such a person exist wthin a region and local lockdowns will contain the outbreak.

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          • #

            Yeah, but imagine how much easier it now becomes to send armed police to that location to, umm, ‘defuse’ the situation, and (at the least) hopefully raise some more money for the Government.

            Tony.

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            • #
              farmerbraun

              Tony , I fear that the House Un-Australian Activities Committee will become very interested in you.
              Not that a freedom and democracy fighter like you will be greatly concerned, but you should be on your guard.

              01

            • #

              That would not be easy at all. No one would order that and no trained officer would carry out such an illegal action.

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              • #
                el gordo

                Australia is not China yet, but we’ll still need to hunt down the asymptomatic carriers and neutralise them.

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    • #
      PeterS

      As I keep saying if we ever fall under some form of complete draconian rue, whether it be under some phoney democracy or some totalitarian regime change, many people will welcome it under the false notion it’s for the common good to save us from some diabolical crisis. Whether this is it or not only time will tell.

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      • #
        OriginalSteve

        if true…..jackboots at funerals?

        So are we in some tin pot dictatorship, or democratic Australia?

        https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/daughter-shares-heartbreak-as-armed-police-storm-funeral/ar-BB12AGpi?ocid=mailsignout

        “A heartbroken daughter has been left distraught after armed police officers stormed her father’s funeral in Victoria to enforce the 10-person limit as part of the state’s coronavirus restrictions.

        “Helen Kolovos told 9News the two police officers showed “no respect” when they disrupted the service on Saturday, walking into the church as his his coffin was being carried out towards the end of the service.

        “Ms Kolovos said they had complied with the 10-person attendance rule, with family members even sitting in separate pews to adbide by social distancing regulations.

        “”It was heartbreaking to have to sit separately to members of my household, including my husband and two children, but we understand why this has to happen.

        “”What I can’t understand is the presence of two armed police officers inside the church. They arrived towards the end of the funeral and showed no respect for my dad as his coffin was carried out of the church.

        “”They didn’t stop talking, taking notes as we walked by. It interrupted the funeral, rushed us as we left and some couldn’t follow the hearse as we made our way to the cemetery. It was deeply distressing.”

        “The Federal Government imposed the 10-person limit at funerals last month in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19.

        “Ms Kolovos said police should have operated in a more respectful manner given the unprecedented difficult circumstances.

        “”It is hard enough planning a funeral, let alone during a global pandemic, and we made sure we followed all social distancing rules,” she said.

        “”I understand police have a job to do but we felt it could’ve been done in a more respectful and sensitive manner.”

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        • #
          PeterS

          So are we in some tin pot dictatorship, or democratic Australia?

          It’s still a democracy but it’s up to the people to use their democratic right to elect the appropriate party to lead the nation. We don’t have much choice unfortunately but we should do the next best thing and send a protest vote by refusing to allow either major party to form a majority rule. Then the problem becomes choosing the most appropriate minor party(ies) to negotiate on our behalf to force one of the majors to implement the right policies and allow them to form government. If we had the vast majority of voters awake we might have some hope. I doubt that’s the case so it’s business as usual I’m afraid. IMHO, we have a democracy that’s been in a coma for a long time, and most likely still is. The next elections (state as well as federal) will be very telling.

          30

      • #
        OriginalSteve

        Here’s a thought … “Bhamphomet” Bill is a fan of injecting nano microchips into people inside vaccines.

        Now what if the govts of the world decide this is a *great* idea ( because that was the plan all along), and say unless you get vaxxed / chipped like a pet dog and thus show you are “immune”, you can’t travel or do much?

        40

    • #
      sophocles

      So you don’t recommend ever using the smart phone’s built in camera, then Steve?

      Hmm, it gives a whole new meaning to `pillow talk.’

      10

      • #
        OriginalSteve

        It may add geolocation info to photos, so, not unless that meta data is removed first no.

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  • #
    Springdam

    OS,
    Agree totally. We have a PM who displays publically at least a Christian faith but allowing this form of tracking really shows where his heart is. Australia and other countries suffer from two other more sinister diseases, gradualism and apathyism.

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  • #
    Crakar24

    Our ABC just claimed Trump is using the WHO as a scapegoat by pulling thier funding.

    I am disgusted with the ABC

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    • #
      PeterS

      In other words, the ABC is on the side of WHO and the Communist Party of China who rigth from the start tried to cover up the epidemic in China before it was allowed to spread all over the world. Now we know for certain the ABC is our real enemy. PM Morrison you better pull you finger out and stop funding them.

      140

      • #
        Crakar24

        Not just the abc, the president of the port adelaide football club who for some reason has been able to keep his job on a well known morning tv show after harrassing another club president out of his tv gig was looking quite smug when he attempted to smear trump on national tv.

        I did not work too well he looked like the fool he is.

        40

    • #
      PeterS

      Has anyone thought of the possibility that the ABC has turned into a front for the Communist Party of China? Just wondering.

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      • #
        toorightmate

        The Greens aren’t a front for the Communist Party.
        They ARE the Communist Party.
        AND the ABC is Green.

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        • #
          PeterS

          Well if there is any truth in that why isn’t the Federal Police conducting a full investigation into the Greens and the ABC?

          21

      • #
        Crakar24

        Pete,

        Chinese spies are everywhere, so are a lot from other countries but china more so.

        I have lost count of how many times china tried to buy land adjacent to the woomera test range or mining companies on the range, there are always lots of chinese tourists up there coinciding with special events.

        Thats why if you work for the government you are not allowed to accept gifts from other nations like sam dastyardi (spelling)

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    • #
      clivehoskin

      Here is the relevant ministers address https://www.paulfletcher.com.au/
      Let him know what you think of the ABC and ALL those who work there.

      40

  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    As Pete Townshend said snottily (but I repeat myself) about the Fab Four, “They were more a pop group.”

    Revealingly, Townshend warmed to his musical rivals only after they released “Day Tripper” and “Paperback Writer” two years into Beatlemania:

    “I just thought, ‘Wow, these two songs are really, really great.’ They weren’t about falling in love, they weren’t about, ‘Girl. Girl. Girlgirlgirlgirlgirl.’

    They were about jobs, creativity.”

    https://www.steynonline.com/10188/the-kids-are-alright

    Check out the live video of them playing (Entwhistle’s bass is awesome)

    And the lyrics …

    There’s nothing in the streets
    Looks any different to me
    And the slogans are replaced, by-the-bye
    And the parting on the left
    Is now parting on the right
    And the beards have all grown longer overnight

    Meet the new boss
    Same as the old boss

    I tip my hat to the new constitution
    take a bow for the new revolution
    smile and grin at the change all around
    pick up my guitar and play
    just like yesterday
    get on my knees and pray
    we won’t get fooled again.

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      Chad

      Those remastered videos are incredible quality ( sound excepted ?)
      The Who at their best, and Townsends lyrics so cutting.
      …to say nothing of his physical moves on stage !

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  • #
    Richard Ilfeld

    I do think a lot of the world’s businesses will go through a Darwinian (probably the wrong word) revitalization here. We’ll end up differently, but almost assuredly
    better off than before in the private sector.

    The key question will be whether we can revitalize our politics as well, or see them go back to the same old same old, and be even more out of touch than they
    were before.

    My candidate for farthest out of touch is the governor of Michigan who opened some stores but then selectively declared certain products off limits…..rivaled by the
    Governor of Kentucky who took down license numbers at a drive-in church service. It’s tight race to the bottom, I imagine there are local candidates the world over.

    Lets call it the “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry” awards.

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    • #
      Howie from Indiana

      The church service wasn’t drive in. Two ladies that attended were from New Jersey. One guy who attended said he did so solely to defy the governor’s order. That type of attitude is what we are up against. The license numbers were taken in order to notify the persons involved that they must be quarantined for two weeks.

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      sophocles

      You could call them The Electric Brain Awards — it’s all about the (mis)use of power …

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  • #
    TdeF

    In the Australian, there’s always one..

    Coronavirus: ‘We’re winning but we might never get rid of it’, say experts.

    And of course experts are always right? Under 50 infections a day and heading to zero. Hospitals emptying. By the end of the month, hopefully no reported cases, but there is always someone who says

    ““It’d be nice if we had no cases, but unfortunately I don’t think that’s likely,”
    “No country in the world has eradicated it completely so far.”

    So the arguments are that he doen’t think so and besides, no one else has done it, so far. Now that’s real science.

    This nasty piece of RNA cannot exist without a living host. Deny it new victims and the old one will kill it, so it vanishes as it came.

    But this fatalism is rife in the medical community, no more than Sweden where they are going to going to k*ll thousands of people to prove one man’s theory of herd immunity.

    Australia should be a beacon to the world. Not only 6,500 infected people, 0.025% infected but only 61 deaths for the country, 0.1%. Now we slam the doors on these viral epidemics.

    And congratulate ourselves, because we have also saved 200 flu deaths and perhaps hundreds more, many car accident deaths and learned a great deal about video conferencing at a family level. We may even start getting Australian families to holiday at home, which would help our rural economies and airlines a great deal during this year.

    This is while the suffering grows world wide, unfortunately. As people like Boris Johnson learn that herd immunity is a st*pid idea for a k*ller virus and the world learns containment and elimination of a virus is possible, as with Smallpox and Ebola.

    No more imported diseases. Innoculation records at the point of entry. Mandatory quarantine for sick people, including children. No more European flu season for Australia. No more measles. We quarantine cows and horses and dogs. We check for illegal apples and wood and farm visits. We are an island with crops and unique flora and then fauna we are trying to protect. Us.

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    • #
      sophocles

      We’ve been there before:
      The 1919 influenza (H1N1) killed a lot of people. It’s learned and over the decades since, it has lost some of its virulence. Epidemics have not been as bad. There’s no reason the Wuflu will not go down the same path. Corona viruses mutate at a fast rate and the current Wuflu virus will be no exception to that rule.

      30

      • #
        TdeF

        Yes but why should we let it? Not as bad?

        Australia now has only 61 people dead and by April 30th, no people in hospital and no new infections. Surely that’s far better?

        4 weeks of holiday at home and no dead people. Half of those were on the Ruby Princess.

        In fact we have probably saved 200 people from the flu and 50 people from fatal car crashes.

        Consider the 80,000 cases and 12,000 dead in Britain has a cost too.

        If we followed Boris’ original herd immunity path, like Holland and Sweden, we would 6,000 dead by now.

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        • #
          TdeF

          And we will test for Corona viruses at every point of entry, or demand innoculation in the books everyone used to carry. The world has forgotten about the innoculation books which were mandatory at every point of entry. I still keep mine up to date. Soon it will have the latest flu and the Wu Flu innoculation too. I would not let me in anywhere without it. It not only protects the country, it protects you.

          As I have written, these days we are asked if we have any b*mbs, hand gren*des, rockets, have been on a farm, been in England during the Mad Cow epidemic, been on a farm, carrying any wood or fruit or food of any sort. We are not asked if we are carrying live corona virus. Why not?

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    MP

    Whuflu tests “what are they good for”

    https://youtu.be/BzRbq9XJ7mA

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  • #
    TdeF

    And what do Climate Change and Wuhan Flu have in common? They have both cost the world trillions because they are political organizations run by the United Nations. Where every tin pot dictator has his day. Muammar Gaddafi as head of the Human Rights organization? Robert Mugabe as goodwill ambassador for WHO? Al Gore as the world’s leading Climate Scientist with a Nobel Prize? Does anyone see the pattern?

    The world had a World Meteorological Organization. The WMO had to find a political angle to join the UN, so they in 1988 invented ‘Climate Change’ and the Inter Governmental Panel of Climate Change was born. And then they had to find it, its cause and raise money from it. Man Mad Climate Change was an invention of the UN.

    The WHO is not necessary either. Now with a third world General appointed by the Chinese, it has become a hindrance which as Donald Trump said, made the problem 20x worse.

    And the EU is right behind them in self justifying massive and eternally money and power hungry organization, responsible to no one. Despite the usual pretend elections. Three houses of parliament and three cities for the Common Market, European Community and now European Union with delegates running from one city to another. It needs no borders and needs control but viruses need to be contained geographically with hard borders, so the EU tried to stop it. And each country is doing its own thing anyway.

    It all has to go. The world needs a medical organization run exclusively by seconded medical professionals and with a clear brief to coordinate, inform and prevent pandemics.

    And the IPCC is as appalling as ever.

    The good thing about Wu Flu and WHO is that it is all out in the open, along with the EU, UN, WHO, IPCC and IMF. These organizations have failed everyone except the fat cats who run them. They live in luxury like the princes of old, answerable to no one. Except Donald Trump who just defunded the WHO and the Paris Agreement.

    Maybe Boris could emulate Churchill and act in the interest of the British at last? If your own government will not look after you, who will? Because WHO won’t.

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  • #

    I wonder if this might prove to be the death knell for rooftop solar panels.

    People would have just nodded their heads as the installing technician told them all about them, and gave them the literature with the panels that, well, let’s face it, no one would have read closely enough to try and understand it anyway.

    Dad wakes up and goes to work, the children then shuffle off to school, and in most cases Mum then also might go off to work as well. So, there’s no power consumption in the home, just a small trickle of power. So, everything generated by the panels is fed back into the local area between the home and the sub station, because, well, it doesn’t go beyond that sub station. The home, (with the panels) well, figuratively speaking, it’s meter winds slowly backwards as that power goes back the other way, and for every KWH fed back, the panel owner gets paid the FIT. (way more than power being consumed FROM the grid costs) The power bill comes in and what small amount was fed back is deducted from what is consumed and the consumer then pays his much smaller power bill than before ….. and everyone’s happy.

    Now, Mum and Dad are either out of work, or working from home, or isolated as we all now are. The children are also being home schooled. There is a very solid ramping up of household power consumption across the whole day, the home using more power (and even more than on weekends now) instead of feeding the trickle back beyond the meter. Those people with small installations, that gave them a comfortable reduction in their power bills, are now consuming all that rooftop power by being at home, and because most installations are the smaller ones, then not only are they consuming all their own generated rooftop power during daylight hours, they are now consuming extra from the grid. From 4PM onwards, power consumption is the usual it normally is, but during the time when the panels are generating, that power is now being consumed and not being fed back at the exorbitant rate. So, instead of getting three times the feed in tariff, they’re not getting that at all, and on top, are consuming more from the grid.

    Just you wait till that first power bill comes in. You’ll hear the collective howls coming from everywhere, wanting the Government, sorry, the taxpayer to pay their power bills as well. The grumbling about those rooftop panels will start, because now, the situation is back to what it was. There’ll be no relief at it being smaller because of the amount being delivered from the roof instead of from the grid, but the big thing will be that loss of the feed in tariff.

    Those with larger installations will lose even more.

    Also, those people who had private businesses, now all forced to shut up, and go home. All those business sites will still be getting power bills as well. Empty places of work still getting power bills.

    Now, also, imagine you are a power retailer. Your power sale split is Residential/Commerce/Industry a third each. Commerce (on average) consumes Residential X 10 and Industry (on average) Residential X 100. (Note again I said average) Commerce and Industry have all gone home now, so all they get is line cost, and a trickle. Residential won’t go up all that much, what with the loss of them paying out the FIT now not happening, so even though they will only purchase what they sell to consumers, that total will now be considerably reduced as well, so nowhere near the income they usually receive.

    So now, there will also be grumbling from power retailers also wanting relief from the Government.

    Oh, and actual power consumption. After three weeks of (yep, I’m still doing it) watching power generation data on a daily basis, what a surprise eh!

    Coal fired power, so little change as to be hardly noticeable. This is the benign Season (Autumn) between the high consuming Summer and Winter, so those coal fired Units, as is totally normal for this time of year, are rotationally closing down units for their usual maintenance. Coal fired power is around the same as it always has been for this time of year.

    The real reductions are in the Natural gas fired power generating sector, and the hydro sector. Wind is up and down as it always has been, and always will be, so no change in that or solar, but hey, who cares anyway, as it’s barely 10% of all power generation combined.

    Bill shock coming.

    It will also be higher for non rooftop panel owners, but not so much, because of the loss of that FIT for those panel owners.

    Tony.

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    • #
      toorightmate

      One can only hope.

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    • #
      Kalm Keith

      🙂

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    • #
      Graeme#4

      Moved into a townhouse recently, waited a year, noted my power costs, then installed solar panels in January. The massive change to the last summer bill was, ummm, $80. Will know the total cost savings by November, but doubt that I’ll recover my planned savings of $680/year.

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      • #
        toorightmate

        I accept your gratitude towards me for funding your solar panel purchase, installation and operating cost.

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  • #
    cedarhill

    Just a very interesting podcast by Ivor Cummings (bio engineer) and Dr. Paul Mason (MD, honors. Univ. of Sydney) of how metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance) appears to a key risk factor for patients having poor outcomes. Youtube here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkUdD8odrdc

    First eight minutes covers some aspects of the virus and metabolic syndrome; the next 20 minutes includes how cholesterol, cytokines, etc., react while under virus attack; the last parts discuss various aspects of diets and studies, many of which have been simply ignored. Oh, and there’s lots of references to pathways, etc., for the bio trained folks.

    One item that stood out to me was the rapid decline in cholesterol as the virus progresses to severe outcomes. Seems cholesterol feess the immune system including white blood cells. Another was that only 12% of the US population would pass the five factors used as markers of metabolic syndrome meaning 88% of the US population are metabolically damaged.

    It struck me that metabolic syndrome presents only after years and years of the disease being present primarily in elevated blood glucose levels resulting in diagnoses of type 2 diabetes. Meaning it surfaces as one ages. The profile of the virus is that severe outcomes predominately are in the older cohorts. Now add what they didn’t discuss – the widespread use of statins that, in some patients, drop cholesterol to amazingly low levels. Toss in a virus and watch the immune system go simply haywire. Medically induced abnormally low cholesterol, metabolic syndrome what crushes the immune system and then a virus that dramatically drops cholesterol while attacking damaged immune systems. Not very mysterious?

    But Dr.Mason pointed out several times that one can effect a dramatic change in glucose in just a day. Repairs of the damages (visceral fat, etc.) takes longer.

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      Kalm Keith

      Sounds worth checking out.

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      TdeF

      “abnormally low cholesterol”. Normal to low cholesterol is the usual aim of statins. I have friends who have abnormally low cholesterol who are told to eat cheese. Cholesterol is essential and there for a reason, manufactured in the liver because you need it. Statins shut down this manufacture, relying on ingested cholesterol. Young people with normal cholesterol seem to cope with this virus without things going haywire, so I would be surprised if normal cholesterol levels were a problem.

      40

      • #
        cedarhill

        Just some things to consider.

        “Abnormal” in the sense that the body produces what the body needs is it’s signaling systems are working.
        Normal levels are a fiction.

        Labs take their test results and use math formulas to ranges.
        Various groups pick values they claim lower risk; for example, if diagnosed with CVD, lower the LDL to 70 or less.
        The only lipids which are useful for diagnosis are (a) HDL the higher bette and (b) triglycerides the lower the better. LDL can simply be ignored.

        There is an abundance of books on cholesterol. Imho, the best ones are the two written by English Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, “A Statin Nation” Damaging Millions in a Post-Health World” and “The Great Cholesterol Con: The Truth About What Really Causes Heart Disease and How to Avoid It” because they cite dozens of clinical trials and the bio pathways, etc. And you can also page through the hundreds of publications on PubMed.
        And then statins have been shown not to even decrease the growth of plague in the arteries – it progresses at the same rate. Statins minor positive effects is from other impacts not related to it’s cholesterol effect. All detailed as stated.

        Mostly, if you have a good metabolic system then you will have “normal for you” lipid levels. Your range will likely not be “ideal” because, for example, 88% of the population of the US are have metabolic disease.
        And, note all the studies (see PubMed) which report, for elders, the higher their cholesterol the longer they live (as Dr. Mason also noted).

        Young people are simple better able to fight off infections because the disease takes a long time to become critical. And that’s why type 2 diabetes diagnoses increase in number with age. However, we’re seeing, in the US, children being diagnoses with type 2 diabetes which may be indicative of what Dr. Catherine Shanahan author of “Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food” discusses regarding fetal development, epigenetics, etc. I.E. We May find that the metabolic state of the mothers body dramatically effects the generation she’s producing which, in turn, their metabolic state has the same effect. Call it a cascading of sick people beginning before birth.

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          TdeF

          My father in law, Irish German ancestry had a cholesterol level of 2.3 for his lifetime, LDL+HDL. Still needed a five way bypass. So the generalities do not work all the time.

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          Climate Heretic

          “The only lipids which are useful for diagnosis are (a) HDL the higher bette and (b) triglycerides the lower the better. LDL can simply be ignored.”

          This, absolutely this. You are not wrong on this. There are two types of ‘LDL’ and sLDL. It’s the sLDL that is the bad cholesterol it can be tested for. However the easiest indication you have sLDL is by triglycerides level. The lower the better.

          Again experts advising governmental bodies and getting it [ SNIP] wrong .

          Regards
          Climate Heretic

          [ No idea how you managed to get that word through the filter but please don’t use it again . ] AD

          00

        • #
          Kalm Keith

          The ratio of hdl to ldl is important.

          Good book; The Queen of Fats.

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      Climate Heretic

      Sorry for swearing. Fix?

      Regards
      Climate Heretic

      10

      • #
        farmerbraun

        Here’s some fixes that don’t dilute the meaning, should that be required .

        Far King
        Far Canal
        Far Queue
        Far Cough

        All useful in the right places.

        [ Just not here preferably . ] AD

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      Eddie

      Would that be virus stealing cholesterol to construct its lipid (fat) layer that we hear about? The reason too why plain old soap can be so good at killing it.

      10

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    Dipole

    Just a thought on sterilisation of cloth face masks.

    They can be washed normally of course, and hung to dry in the sun, this takes time and you will need spares to carry you through.

    A quick way is to hand wash the mask in a sink, wring out excess water and pop it into the microwave oven (no metal !) for one minute. Hang to dry.

    This has not been tested for efficacy, but it is quick and produces a lot of steam. Take care when you remove from the oven, use tongs.

    50

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    Slithers

    A Novel Medication for a Novel Virus Infection.
    I have an Auto-immune System genetically transmitted disorder called Hashimoto’s. This had virtually destroyed my Thyroid gland, it no longer produces anywhere near enough of the three hormones which are needed in cell division, they are the zippers that unzips the DNA and re-combines it. With Hashimoto’s if un-diagnosed your bodies cells age a lot before they can replicate and if left untreated coma and death are inevitable.
    Early medical treatment of this disorder involved the use of Chicken or Pig thyroid glands ground up and ingested. Since 1933 there has been an effective treatment (Oroxin) which is a simple to manufacture organic chemical that provides the required hormones T3 & T4. In my case of advanced Hashimoto’s it took around 2 YEARS to recover from the several years of insufficient T3/T4.

    The COVID-19 disease requires your immune system to respond VERY quickly!

    Now I am a logician not a medical person so am only speculating but, immune response requires material with which to build all those extra white cells, to me this implies a heavy requirement for T3/T4 to replicate cells or create new ones that secreet those extra white cells.
    In the early stages of the disease there should be sufficient reserves of T3/T4 but, your Thyroid is tiny and cannot produce vast amounts of T3/T4 as it also requires chemicals, Iodine being the major requirement, this is why common salt has to have iodine added, BY LAW!

    Would some enterprising Doctor with a patient with COVID-19 early symptoms please test that patients TSH levels, TSH is a hormone that tells the Thyroid to produce more T3/T4.

    Extra T3/T4 wont do harm in sensible doses although it is possible to overdose, so care administering Oroxyn is needed.
    Prevention is better than cure.
    Early treatment and isolation from other sufferers is key to an early recovery rather than a risky stay in hospital and time on a ventilator!

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    David Maddison

    Here is a 55 min video on the origins of COVID-19.

    I’d be interested to know what you think.

    https://youtu.be/Gdd7dtDaYmM

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      PeterS

      Very interesting and detailed . All we can be certain of is the Communist Party of China is not the be trusted simply because of how they behaved to the world once they realised they had an epidemic of disastrous proportions within their own country. They have virtually thumbed their noses to the rest of the world, and still do, and ignored all common sense and decency for the common good of the world. They could rectify the situation by coming out and apologising for their mistakes and promise never to do it again, assuming that’s all they were; mistakes. Of course, that’s unlikely to happen simply due to their great dislike of losing face, but I think it goes beyond that. They have little trust in their own people let alone in others so they have an in-built “defence” mechanism that won’t allow them to be real partners with other nations for a peaceful coexistence. It’s a class of cultures similar to that of the past clash between Soviet Russia and US that almost lead to a nuclear war on at least two occasions. Things are starting to become precarious on the economic front so what happens from here is critical. Yes, the real disease is communism, but that’s always been the case. It fell in Russia and it’s time for the same to happen in China for the sake of world peace. Problem though this time it’s different. China will not relinquish its power as easily as the old Communist Party of the Soviet Union that imploded some time ago.

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      • #
        TdeF

        True, but Russia has not relinquished power at all. They are simply not confrontationalist as they were under Stalin/Kruschev/Breznev/Andryevich. Nor have they stopped their nuclear submarine program, their space program or their weapons research. However they want to be part of the world, not outside.

        In total contrast, President Xi is a true all conquering Communist with designs on the world. That includes Taiwan, the South China Sea, Africa and Venezuela. They are buying influence in every country and planting spies. Nothing new there but it is on an unprecedented scale.

        So it would be great if this enormous scandal meant China found itself with a new President. The sort who would tell the world what really happened so that millions did not die. Is that asking too much?

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        • #
          PeterS

          Yes it’s asking too much. The Communist Party of China extends beyond just Xi. The whole party needs to go. As for Russia at least they have been Westernised to some extent and Churches are flourishing again. It might be a front by Putin but at least he goes to Church and many people there are allowed to take Christianity as seriously and openly as in the West. In China it’s not so appreciated although there is a ground swell of Christians. The leaders don’t like it though and still want to put a stop to it to avoid Christianity from becoming too much of a hindrance to the communist regime.

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        • #
          el gordo

          ‘President Xi is a true all conquering Communist with designs on the world.’

          The Belt and Road is number ten on Xi’s wish list, they have more immediate concerns.

          Socialism with Chinese characteristics is not Communist, they have four economic classes and a mixed economy. The state owned enterprises are being closed down in favour of the free market model, which works best. The SOE was a safety net to help bring the Chinese masses into the modern world and that has been successful.

          Now we are at a pivotal moment in history, the US is virtually bankrupt, but there won’t be a depression because China is a counterweight. This is really novel.

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      Yonniestone

      Very well researched and presented, its a shame most people won’t see this let alone believe it.

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      RickWill

      China does some great medical research. I am surprised by how much of that research is freely available in English.

      I would not be surprised if it was eventually known with great certainty that SARS2 was engineered. I believe China has the capacity to do that. I doubt someone doing research on a bioweapon would be delivering research papers internationally.

      If engineered, I would put accidental release above any other cause. I doubt any country would test such a virus on its population.

      I have no doubt that the information coming out of China was censored. Worse, the WHO did not act in the best interests of humanity.

      It would be nice to see the CCP and their useful idiots at the WHO face an international court with regard to reparations but I doubt that will happen.

      It would be great to see the WHO defunded. That may bring into question all UN funding and, more specifically, complete defunding of the IPCC, which is a propaganda machine aimed at embedding UN authority over sovereign nations.

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    PeterS

    It’s fascinating to watch how the left are reacting to the news that Trump has halted funding of the WHO because he has accused the WHO of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus. It’s going to polarise our society so much it won’t be so easy any longer to hide which side a person is sitting on; US Democracy or the Communist Party of China. No longer can one straddle both.

    On a related topic, it’s unfortunate the two leaders can’t agree to disagree and maintain some semblance of a peaceful coexistence but it doesn’t appear we can pretend it’s possible any longer. Perhaps Trump can pull a rabbit out of the hat and manage to get China to “cool their jets” and come to their sense. Let’s hope so since the alternative won’t be nice.

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    • #
      TdeF

      The left have been apologists for all the communist parties and those who call themselves socialist. However they now hate the Russians, who used to be the ideal. So it’s down to China, Cuba and Venezuela as the perfect societies. So they accuse Trump of collusion with Russia. Times change.

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  • #
    TdeF

    Australia is starting to look amazing by world standards. I hope you have all enjoyed the break, because the results are astounding. Only 6,500 reported infections. Half the people are cured. 61 deaths, 19 from the Ruby Princess directly and others connected. And that was avoidable.

    France, Germany, Spain, Italy, UK all countries with twice our population but 150,000 infected and 12,000 dead each.

    How do you celebrate that we do not have 6,000 dead people with more to come?

    We have escaped a truly massive disaster. Cost? Who cares? We survive the Christmas/New Year holidays when everyone closes.

    And to those people who say it was all going to be fine anyway, I say, please explain why we are not like these major first world countries? Forget herd immunity. Isolate and exterminate this nasty self replicating bit of inanimate chemistry. It will vanish from our lives as quickly as it came. And that has turned out to be correct. Wonderful.

    Now bolt the doors. Please.

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    • #
      TdeF

      And we are setting records with our iron ore exports. The people in the Pilbara are flat out. And our exchange rate means we are being paid top dollar.
      It’s an ill wind. I know the Greens are out of work, but they are mainly public servants so who cares? The real workers on the farms and the mines are doing a sterling job with food, gas, coal and iron. So the Greens can afford to buy cheap bicycles and we can afford to buy the cars and trucks we need to go to work.

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      • #
        TdeF

        Except that we have to spend $80Bn building the world’s slowest French Green diesel submarines when we have to import our diesel by sea. All to keep people busy in Adelaide.

        Surely we could build something we need that makes sense? Like dams or coal power plants or irrigation systems or better roads? We haven’t built a new power plant or dam in how long? And windmills and solar don’t count because they are so predictably unreliable that you have to have the same amount of coal power available anyway.

        It’s a wonder the Green’s don’t have a ‘save the corona virus’ campaign going by now.

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      • #
        Graeme No.3

        TdeF:

        What makes you think that the Greens are out of work? They are either working (as essential) or being paid to stay home.

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    • #
      TdeF

      To put the 61 in perspective, 1500 Australians a year die from accidental falls.

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  • #

    TdeF mentions this:
    Now bolt the doors. Please.
    Huh! But those Universities need those TWO MILLION fee paying Chinese students.

    And QANTAS needs to pay their shareholders.

    And those floating germ factories need suckers paying tourists they can dump at any old port and tell them to make their own way home if they can, sorry mate, no refunds here. Either you take the boat or lose your money.

    And …..

    And …..

    And …..

    And on it goes.

    Tony.

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    • #
      TdeF

      I mean everyone gets tested or presents immunization certificiates. For everything we do not want in our country and bolt the door to every virus. To this day we care more about fruit fly than killer viruses.

      The coming European Flu season is utterly preventable too. We lose 2,000 people a year to the latest fashion European, American or Asian corona viruses. Enough is enough. No more rhino viruses, corona viruses, MERS, SARS, Hendra, Aids. You name it. All bat crossovers from China and there are many more. We do not want them and we should be able to test for them.

      About ten years ago I was leaving Beijing. Every had to get a temperature certificate in departure to say you did not have fever. That was to leave the country. Why can’t we do the same for entry. It’s simple enough. No one with a fever walks straight to a taxi. We don’t care what it is.

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    kevin a

    Arnold Schwarzenegger Shows His Gym & Fridge | Gym & Fridge | Men’s Health

    @1:20 to boost the immune system Arnold after touching all the gym equipment would use his dirty hands to prepare his protein shake? OMG!
    To give his immune system kick!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFk-L7Wcg0g&feature=emb_title

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  • #
    Ross

    Have your politicians lost the plot in Australia.

    https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/doctors-banned-from-prescribing-potential-covid-19-drug-20200408-p54ic1.html?fbclid=IwAR2IcCviT6TlKQZH5Dj_RouLopnQnV1-pQ3hlfYa-AL2JTPWBlayD8qLXZQ

    It is a safe drug that has been used for decades. Yes there are possibly some side effects for a few people but they are well known so can be avoided. So if the doctor and patient want to try it why not? In situations like this, sitting around waiting for some trials to be done by over cautious academics will potential cost lives.
    I predict it will just have people looking to a “black market”.

    30

    • #
      Bill In Oz

      Maybe in Qld.
      They are are a weird lot there !

      10

    • #
      el gordo

      I predict that people won’t be looking for a blackmarket, Australians are too laid back to bother.

      00

    • #
      Sceptical Sam

      Ross,

      The Queensland government is a Labor socialist government.

      It will always pursue the policies of the socialists.

      In this case its merely following the lead of the Democrats in the USA.

      And who knows what the links are with the Chinese Communist Party and Queensland’s Labor socialists?

      Like socialists everywhere they are never to be trusted.

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    DOC

    Wednesday ‘The Australian’. South Korea reporting 116 previously infected persons declared
    ‘clear’ presenting reinfected. Maybe eradication is the only choice left?
    Has the virus an ability to lay dormant, like chicken pox with shingles? How long between having first presented, being declared clear, and re-presenting? Antibodies, in vivo, from infection, not effective? Can researchers check the virus for being ‘redesigned’? Does it mutate so quickly? One would raise the question whether even vaccines could then knock it over.
    So many questions! Reinfection, or original infection not cleared and tests unreliable? One would
    hope the answers are as simple as the questions.

    20

    • #
      TdeF

      Or sloppy testing in the first place? That’s most likely. People are anxious to escape and authorities are anxious to let them go. Until it gets worse.

      30

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    Climate Heretic

    There is an article over at the Americian Thinker. It basically sums up that everything that is currently being done is wrong. Read the article and form your own opinion. Virus 101.

    https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/04/viruses_101_how_overprotecting_people_from_covid_19_could_make_it_more_lethal.html

    Regards
    Climate Heretic

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    Robber

    Where oh where is the updated modelling of CV19 impact in Australia? The models released on April 7 from the Doherty Institute were all based on worst case scenarios based on places like Italy.
    FInding: “An unmitigated COVID-19 epidemic would dramatically exceed the capacity of the Australian health system, over a prolonged period. Case isolation and contact quarantine alone will be insufficient to constrain case presentations within a feasible level of expansion of health sector capacity. Overlaid social restrictions will need to be applied at some level over the course of the epidemic to ensure that systems do not become overwhelmed, and that essential health sector functions, including care of COVID-19 patients, can be maintained.”
    Ok, we got the message with the threat of 50,000 deaths. Governments expanded the number of ICU beds, now seemingly not required. Their projections also seemed to suggest that “flattening the curve” meant extending the shutdowns out to 26-52 weeks, and that seems to have been the basis for governments continually repeating that “we are in this for the long haul.”
    Are they only going to release the next round of modelling when we have already largely resolved the major threat?
    With the last 4 days showing only 40 new cases per day across all of Australia, compared to the previous 4 days 100, down from a peak of 380 per day just 16 days ago, and recoveries now about 110 per day, deaths 2 per day, total 62, isn’t it time our governments gave us a more optimistic outlook?
    For example, by the end of April we could be close to zero new cases per day (and it will be zero in some states, currently 10 in Vic, 2 in SA). By mid May we could be close to zero active cases and therefore the government must be ready to selectively relieve the current restrictions within this time-frame.

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      toorightmate

      I preferred the old days where we had ESTIMATES. Those producing the ESTIMATE would list their assumptions.
      The new term for that is MODELS – but nothing has changed other than the assumptions appear to be more secretive (or non-existent).

      20

  • #
    Chad

    Jo has a leading Science based discussion board here, with informed contributors from many corners of the globe.
    So, why then is it stuck in some technology time warp that makes it both the slowest loading/refreshing site i use, and completely shackled by a format that makes progressive discussion (chronological order) impossible, and encourages ( demands even ?) complete disregard for subject containment within any thread.
    There must be someone associated with this site who can rebuild it onto a more organised platform with separate forum subjects, sub topics, chronological post arrangement, search facilities, etc etc….. so that we do not have to wade through dozens of often unrelated posts, mixed in date order, and often totally out of context…just to be on “todays thread”.
    Please, whilst there is nothing of consequence happening in the world, (??) can we take the oportunity to get organised for when the real issues need to be addressed again !

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    Serp

    With such a high proportion of asymptomatic cases it’ll be guesswork as to when the corona virus has truly disappeared; there could be years ahead of periods of reimposed lockdowns which is hardly the environment in which to be launching world war three after the CCP rejects the worldwide compensation claims already on foot. You’ve got to wonder what they’ll come up with next, these inscrutable orientals…

    10

  • #
    Speedy

    A general comment. If we’d been doing what Jo has been on about for the last 2 months, we’d be in a lot better position than we are now. She’s been bang on the money.
    Evidence based policy does that…
    Cheers,
    Speedy

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    Another Ian

    Hmmm!

    “Dr. Fauci’s own career-making medical research had no clinical control group, used historic controls #coronavirus”

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/04/14/dr-faucis-own-career-making-medical-research-had-no-clinical-control-group-used-historic-controls-coronavirus/

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  • #
    skeptikal

    Their ABC is finally asking the question… “Australia is flattening the coronavirus curve. But should we try to squash it like New Zealand?”

    https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-04-15/coronavirus-elimination-australia-new-zealand/12150302

    Jo has been calling for our government to squash the curve for a long time, but their ABC is only now looking at the possibility of us doing this because it’s New Zealand’s goal.

    40

    • #
      Robber

      Similar story on Nine’s A Current Affair – NZ professor points out that Australia is on track to eliminate the virus, as is NZ.
      And more good news in The Australian: Schools may open.
      See my comment #38 above – slowness of Australian modellers: in the same article in The Australian: “Detailed modelling on Australian COVID-19 cases is expected to be finalised next week, which will be used by the national cabinet to also consider easing some social restrictions”.

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  • #
    ren

    To compare statistics, you need to compare the number of deaths due to respiratory failure in the first quarter of 2020 with previous years in individual countries. Only such statistics can be reliable.
    Such data can give a picture of the virulence of the virus. Unfortunately, such data is difficult to access.

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  • #
    farmerbraun

    I suppose that it’s because the suicide was so close to home that I find it chilling that this remark by Max went nowhere. These are the “emergency” deaths that don’t get attributed correctly.
    Max made the remark in response to Raving’s opining that “social distance ” could remain in place to some advantage.

    “Don’t you think that[a] case can be made to get opposite conclusion[?]

    All th[ese] numbers [below], if real, are because of lockdowns.

    Fear, boredom, depression, domestic violence, alcoholism drugs, los[s] of job, can not pay rent or debt, no income, destroyed business and future . . . . ”

    My edits in [].

    It seems that this line of thought is not very interesting.
    Anyway , the job’s done.
    Advance Australia Fair. R.I.P.

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  • #
    Another Ian

    “Precipitation will be essential for plants to counteract global warming”

    https://wattsupwiththat.com/2020/04/14/precipitation-will-be-essential-for-plants-to-counteract-global-warming/#comment-2966402

    Gets a roasting in comments

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  • #
    Robber

    Remember the modelling forecasts that said Australia’s hospitals would be overrun with up to 35,000 CV19 cases requiring ICU beds, and there were only 2,000 ICU beds available? There was a rush to increase ICU capacity to 7,000 beds.
    What is the current status across Australia? Current number of cases in hospital 214, number in ICU 74.
    We are winning this war.

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    • #
      Bill In Oz

      Yes Robber
      ScoMo acted late
      Almost too late.
      But “We are winning this war.”
      Shortly we can have our normal lives back.

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  • #
    Chad

    OK, Try again..
    Can we PLEASE have a “Thursday Open” ( but “Closed” to CV19 ) ..thread
    It seems some people do not respect Social Distancing for conversations, and infect every thread with CV 19 chatter.
    We need a thread isolated from such trivial regurgitation of everything CV19 related on Google !
    Oddly, i found it much more mentally stimulating to just discuss the weather (climate)

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    • #
      Chad

      …Maybe that should be a “Thursday CLOSED” thread ?..:-)

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      • #
        farmerbraun

        I did suggest the weather but apparently the weather is great everywhere; maybe a little cold in places , but nothing to write home about yet.

        00

  • #
    Bill In Oz

    News.com is finally catching up with what we knew here 2-3 weeks ago.
    The queer thing is that this journo does not mention the one effective way we know helps control the spread of this disease by asymptomatic carriers : face masks !
    Truly this journo, James Siedel, is a slow learner !
    https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/health/coronavirus-australia-how-invisible-spreaders-with-no-symptoms-are-behind-outbreak/news-story/9162274e93d42bd6d94483329181eee7

    10

  • #
    WXcycles

    JETSTREAM UPDATE:

    The central Pacific Equatorial-jet largely broke apart in late March but is about to reform as the mid-point between Winter and Summer occurs across the equator region.

    GIF Animation over next 10 days 39 k ft:
    https://i.ibb.co/KzQ3GFn/Equatorial-Jet-Reforms-16th-April-2020.gif

    The trend towards La Nina continues (WUWT’s ENSO meter seems stuck on weak El Nino indications):
    http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/oceanography/wrap_ocean_analysis.pl?id=IDYOC007&year=2020&month=04

    There’s less ultra dry stratospheric air sinking in but it has increased within the northern hemisphere so the northern hemisphere jetstream may fail to slow down this Summer.

    The Southern jetstream is still just as fast as last Winter’s peak speed, but is currently ~50 km/h slower than it was during the southern Summer’s peak (i.e. very much anomalous).

    The jetstream has settled down a lot globally compared to the crazy mid-February mega-jets, as the sinking stratospheric air influx has visibly decreased, but both hemispheres still produce jets with Winter-like speed, and both are closer to the equator than usual simply because both are wider than usual in latitude. But they’re no longer as deep as they were in altitude, they’re both closer to Winter altitude depth ranges.

    At a guess I’d say we can expect to see 425 to 450 km/h jets over the Southern Ocean in July, because the southern jets are already at normal Winter maximum speeds, for example:

    https://i.ibb.co/c60FcFS/Screenshot-2020-04-16-Windy-as-forecasted-3.png

    They’re only going to get faster from there so I think they’ll exceed the northern hemisphere’s maximum observed speed of 439 km/h at 39,000 ft on Feb 8th, 2020 over the western North Atlantic.

    20

  • #
    ianl

    As succinct and accurate a comment as is extant, although about 2 weeks behind the curve (myself and colleagues were actually there 3 weks ago, and no, that’s not smarty clever, merely obvious) :

    http://catallaxyfiles.com/2020/05/05/david-leyonhjelm-at-the-next-federal-election/#comments

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