The Off Topic Topic

[Barrister]

I was so happy to book a couple of family visits for Q1 this year. And now reading about the new pandemic brewing in China...

Sigh, there's just no break, is there.

So acknowledging one's priors...

In I think February 2020 we were booking a year end party for my kid's hockey team.  One of the parents asked "so what about this virus".  I said I can't imagine it would be an issue.  We booked the party, and two weeks later had to cancel it as everything shut down.

But we're also in a hyper-sensitive age about viruses and pandemics, on both sides.  Not only this virus in China, but stories the last few days/weeks about bird flu, or about norovirus.  The covid-maximalists convinced we're always right around the corner from the next pandemic, the covid-denialists convinced we're right around the corner from the next "plandemic".  So it's so hard to tell how much one should or should not worry.

[Neil]

I was so happy to book a couple of family visits for Q1 this year. And now reading about the new pandemic brewing in China...

Sigh, there's just no break, is there.

So acknowledging one's priors...

In I think February 2020 we were booking a year end party for my kid's hockey team.  One of the parents asked "so what about this virus".  I said I can't imagine it would be an issue.  We booked the party, and two weeks later had to cancel it as everything shut down.

But we're also in a hyper-sensitive age about viruses and pandemics, on both sides.  Not only this virus in China, but stories the last few days/weeks about bird flu, or about norovirus.  The covid-maximalists convinced we're always right around the corner from the next pandemic, the covid-denialists convinced we're right around the corner from the next "plandemic".  So it's so hard to tell how much one should or should not worry.

Yeah, I was in a hottub at a hotel across the street from Disneyland with my late wife and a nice couple from Winnipeg.  We were chatting about how there was some virus brewing in China.  I was fairly confident that it wouldn't be that much of a disruption, thinking back to SARS. 

As much as all the pandemic stuff is so massively politicized, I'm not sure that they'll ever shut down in the same way again.

[Sheilbh]

So acknowledging one's priors...

In I think February 2020 we were booking a year end party for my kid's hockey team.  One of the parents asked "so what about this virus".  I said I can't imagine it would be an issue.  We booked the party, and two weeks later had to cancel it as everything shut down.

But we're also in a hyper-sensitive age about viruses and pandemics, on both sides.  Not only this virus in China, but stories the last few days/weeks about bird flu, or about norovirus.  The covid-maximalists convinced we're always right around the corner from the next pandemic, the covid-denialists convinced we're right around the corner from the next "plandemic".  So it's so hard to tell how much one should or should not worry.

I was in hospital in January 2020 for about a week. Basically had an injury on holiday and had to get flown back was there under observation for a week to see if the bones would set or if I'd need surgery - they starting setting/were in the right position.

But I remember being in hospital at that time on a lot of morphine occasionally looking at news on my phone and just seeing the scenes from Wuhan and it all feeling very distant but also close at the same time.

And I think back to that ward which included a very elderly man who'd basically been dumped in the hospital by his family over Christmas (a common, despicable problem). There was another old man who was basically well enough to be discharged but needed to go into social care and in the week I was there, refused two offers of different care homes by the council social workers - he was also an absolute nightmare for the nurses but, clearly, just very lonely. When thinking about covid I always think about that ward

[Neil]

Ken Dorsey, famous for being beloved by Dorsey4Heismann and DorseyGuller, got fired last night after an uninspiring turn as the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns.  Whenever I hear his name, I can't help but think of this place.

[mongers]

Ken Dorsey, famous for being beloved by Dorsey4Heismann and DorseyGuller, got fired last night after an uninspiring turn as the offensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns.  Whenever I hear his name, I can't help but think of this place.

Same connection here with bags of wet foetuses. 

[Syt]

The Twentieth Century - Be embraced, you millions! - Fritz Gareis (1916)

("Be Embraced, Millions" (Seid umschlungen, Millionen) is from Schiller's Ode to Joy, immortalized in Beethoven's 9th Symphony.)

[mongers]

The Twentieth Century - Be embraced, you millions! - Fritz Gareis (1916)

("Be Embraced, Millions" (Seid umschlungen, Millionen) is from Schiller's Ode to Joy, immortalized in Beethoven's 9th Symphony.)

Nice find,Syt.

Very Putinesque.

[HVC]

[Syt]

[mongers]

...snip graphic of dead presidents'''

So Biden next, followed by Trump, G.W.Bush and in Relatively short order?


NB my post needs more DG content.

[PJL]

...snip graphic of dead presidents'''

So Biden next, followed by Trump, G.W.Bush and in Relatively short order?


NB my post needs more DG content.

All presidents since Gerald Ford have lived to 90+, so unlikely any of them will be dead before 2035. Though can see a quick succession of deaths thereafter with Biden, Trump, Bush, & Clinton all roughly the same age.

[Barrister]

...snip graphic of dead presidents'''

So Biden next, followed by Trump, G.W.Bush and in Relatively short order?


NB my post needs more DG content.

All presidents since Gerald Ford have lived to 90+, so unlikely any of them will be dead before 2035. Though can see a quick succession of deaths thereafter with Biden, Trump, Bush, & Clinton all roughly the same age.

I feel like I've had this argument before.  Trump, compared to the others, is fatter, doesn't exercise (other than golf), likes fast food, barely sleeps...  the best health care in the world only gets you so far.


(BTW - wonder how/why Barack drew the short straw to sit beside Trump - and where's Michelle?)

[Neil]

I had a hard time figuring out who Bush was.  Something about the loss of his hairline just makes him a cypher to me. 

[mongers]

I feel like I've had this argument before.  Trump, compared to the others, is fatter, doesn't exercise (other than golf), likes fast food, barely sleeps...  the best health care in the world only gets you so far.


(BTW - wonder how/why Barack drew the short straw to sit beside Trump - and where's Michelle?)

Obviously the camera angle has an effect, but it looks like most of the people are actively leaning away from Trump?

Also what with the non-black ties on the men? Only Gore, 'Mr Harris' and Obama have gotten it right.

[Syt]

(BTW - wonder how/why Barack drew the short straw to sit beside Trump - and where's Michelle?)

I'm guessing it goes by order of office. Biden/Harris up front as current office holders. Behind them from left to right Clinton => Bush => Obama => Trump. I'd assume if Harris had won and this was happening a few months later the second row would be Clinton => Bush => Obama => Trump => Biden. At least that would be an impartial way of doing it.

Or it could be coincidence.

Maybe Michelle didn't want to sit with Trump?