gearhog

C'mon, dude. The word you're looking for to falsely characterize what I am saying is "hyperbolic". I am not painting it as the end of the world. It is an open-ended observation/question. I do not know how this ends. You apparently do. Why aren't you explaining how we arrive at the point where this stops being a problem instead of going on to list all the problems with vaccines (further supporting my question)? I could point to a hundred different internet experts and say "they're really smart, listen to them", but wouldn't you rather hear me explain it? What is the fix? "That's now how it works." How does it work? Cliff notes at the very least. Got home from an airline trip a while back and I've been home sick for about 10 days. Around 3 days of gastrointestinal issues, several days of fever, a "hotness" in my neck and face that wouldn't go away, a slight cough, congestion, etc. I drank water, fixed tractors, tended to the cattle, and aside from taking an occasional nap, I'm fine. I'm not worried about this. No paper bag required. I am worried about my parents and in-laws. Tell me exactly why you have a problem with me asking what the basis is for the unfounded optimism that "this will all blow over and we'll go back to normal." Brick, the previous economy was bullshit and wasn't going to last with or without the virus. I posted about it prior to all this happening. Infinite debt spending is a broken system. The value of currency cannot exceed the value of the production it represents indefinitely. You need to worry less about what the Dow is doing and worry more about what our elected leaders are trying to do to us while we're currently distracted. Don't know what I'm talking about? Go to Forbes.com and search for today's article on "Digital Dollar". I'm not going to tell you what to think about it. Look into it and decide for yourself.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-death-toll The charts all show exponential increases in death. China's BS numbers notwithstanding, where is it getting better? (BTW, Chinese cell phone companies show 15 million lost subscribers total over the last 6 weeks.) I'm trying to understand the logic behind "This will all blow over" and "Traffic accidents are worse" and other "whatabouts". Wayne Gretsky said something to the effect of "I don't skate to where the puck is, I skate to where it is going to be." Are people just looking at today's numbers and saying "10x more people were killed by snake bites last year, so this is overblown"? We're just getting started. Before this gets better, the rate of increase in death has to stop being exponential, then it has to stop increasing at a constant rate, then it has to plateau, then it has to decrease, then it has to decline to a level that is acceptable by society. So what is it, exactly, that people are referencing as the reason for any of the aforementioned things to occur? A gut feeling that summertime sunshine will kill all the virus particles? A cure is just around the corner? It only kills old people and they'll be gone soon? Washing hands solves it? It magically disappears as in China? I understand the desire to return to "normal", but the train has switched tracks and "normal" is way back thataway. We're not going back. Either we find a cure or run out of people to infect.

How about 2 months ago?

I probably should have made my sarcasm a little more overt. I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard those comments repeated to me by family, friends, and neighbors. This is the biggest world event in our lifetimes, and the effects of which will be felt or many, many years. Thanks for doing what you do Unit#8192. People like you are about to become the heroes of this year.

It’s just the flu. Last years flu killed way more. When we get warmer weather, this will clear up. The markets will bounce right back. Buy the dip! So many great deals to be had.

I'm going back all in at Dow 10,000.

LOL. Sorry, this is my first global financial collapse, so I find it pretty fascinating. As someone who survived the Great Depression, maybe you could give us young guys a few pointers. I kid, I kid!

Well, we're finally off the cliff and in freefall. Watch the market get shut down today. Remember, all of this was going to happen with or without the virus. The virus only moved up the timeline. Check that link above and compare the numbers today with the numbers on 10 Jan. We're collapsing.

Trump is going to shut it all down this week.

“Too big to fail”

I think the relevance of those issues has been instantly relegated to "No one gives a sh!T anymore" status. Global prosperity had allowed societies to wring their hands over such trivial things compared with what we're now faced with. Social and economic disparity are the issues about to take center stage. What's ahead is going to make Occupy Wall Street look like a stroll through Central Park. Trump just became Bernie Sanders for business. He's going to sprinkle a little money over the voters while opening up the fire hydrants for Wall Street.

Right now, Trump wins in a landslide. However, things are going to change rapidly when the tidal wave of unemployment hits and Trump is forced to bail out banks and corporations while the public gets federal payroll tax relief... if they have a job. Between now and the election, everyone will know someone that either got infected, lost their job, or lost half their life savings. We're in for some dark times. Not many will be saying, "Well, at least it's better than Biden."

I'll throw this out there: Neither one makes it until November.

"United Airlines said Wednesday that it will reduce the number of April flights and suspend hiring and salary increases amid the global coronavirus outbreak that has hurt travel demand. United will cut its international flights scheduled for next month by 20% and those in the U.S. and Canada by 10%. Some wide-body planes will be parked, the company said Wednesday. New hiring will be suspended through “at least” June 30, “except for roles that are critical to our operation,” the airline said. CNBC previously reported that the airline postponed start dates for new pilots, offered some pilots a month off at reduced pay, and warned employees about further flight cuts beyond the reductions in Asia flights it announced last week. The changes are likely to be followed by similar moves at other airlines, which are facing the biggest demand shock since the financial crisis, as the coronavirus sickens more than 90,000 people." https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/04/united-cutting-flights-in-april-amid-coronavirus-outbreak.html I'm a pax hauler, and although my seniority is likely good enough to see me through tough times, I'm not optimistic. If I were a cargo guy, I'd be far less concerned. Take a look at the Baltic Dry Index. Oceangoing freight transport is experiencing a giant traffic jam that isn't going to be back up to speed anytime soon. Tens of billions in supply chain products are either stacked and overflowing at shipping ports or sitting idle on dry bulk carriers anchored at sea. The only way to get your important shit anytime soon is air freight. Today, IATA is predicting a 10% reduction in passenger numbers for the US and Canada markets and a $23 billion decrease in revenue. https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2020-03-05-01/

Started going to AFG in 2002. Was last there in 2018. I visited most, if not all, C-130 capable airfields in the country. In addition to the most important/worst part, the human cost, we watched the bases go from old Soviet buildings, to tents, to B-huts, to shipping containers, to hard billets, and then abandoned. Buckets to port-a-pots, to cadillacs, to proper shitters, then abandoned. The continuous pouring of square miles of concrete at every airfield. Giant bases created in the open desert and then bulldozed. The contractors everywhere. We looked down on the continuous train of supply trucks stretching halfway across the country from Pakistan. Watched the 24/7 arrival of equipment, MRAPs, M-ATVs, earthmovers, construction equipment, trucks for years on end. All used up and now rotting in giant graveyards. Trillions of dollars disposed of in that wasteland. No point, just don't know what to think of it all.

Party's over. Calling it now: Negative Growth in 2020. "It's just the flu."

LOL. Remember the last one?

This needs guns.

Anybody with a retirement plan needs to watch this. 49 minutes well spent. I'll never argue for more retirement contributions that I can't touch until 65 during contract negotiations. I want the bird in the hand... money today directly into my checking account.

I don't think there is a right or wrong. But we have people arguing for both "equality" and "diversity" when, in some cases, they are logically incompatible. If diversity is recognizing the differences in groups of people and putting a positive value on those differences, how do you achieve "equality" when you give "diversity" special status and privileges above everyone else? Choose one. Diversity is feelings, Equality is logic.

Speaking of low flyovers, eyeballs, and middle fingers. LOL.

I don't necessarily agree with the false dilemma you're presenting, which is asking what least bad scenario we're willing to accept: a Muslim in uniform or a Muslim at home. No one has made any allusions to that, by the way. Denying an outward display of religion isn't the same as denying a religious person's ability to serve. If it were, do we want someone so inflexible in their personal belief system to be trusted to do what's asked by their Nation in a time of crisis? If we're an all-volunteer force in need of warm bodies, it should be abundantly clear that granting special status and exemptions to extremely small groups creates resentment by those who don't enjoy the same. If you're deployed and complaining about not being able to grow a killer mustache while no one else can either, it's not a big deal. But when you start seeing an ever increasing number of exemptions be granted, it begins to irritate. Same goes for the running waiver at the mass PT test when you see a large group standing around during the run. You get people who say things like "It must be nice to be on that 'I don't have to do the run this year because my knee hurts' gravy train." If ywe want to loosen the standards to reflect the increased diversity and equality we all enjoy, that's great! But I believe we should loosen them equally for everyone instead of labeling those who point out inconsistencies as "intolerant" and "defensive" while giving the ol' virtue-signalling finger wag to score easy debate points.

I don't think that's the implication at all. I don't believe anyone here is making the argument that a particular gender/race/religion/body type/sexual preference/political view are a detriment to the military mission. The detriment is due to the creation of different standards for different subsets of people who are doing the same job. The military uniform standard evolved due to a need to eliminate identity politics and tribalism within the ranks, not encourage it.

"Ask not what accommodation you can make for your country. Ask what accommodation your country can make for you." This is only one minor issue that few people care about. We can shrug it off. But it is yet another incremental step and an overall trend indicator that the population is willing to make fewer sacrifices. Therefore, fewer sacrifices must be required. How much uniformity is required for an effective military force? It's been so long since that concept has been tested that no one remembers.

"And at least two airmen who follow the Norse Heathen, or pagan, faiths have been granted permission to wear a beard." How do I become a Norse Heathen? Drink mead from a horn and plunder a village? That sounds like a pretty awesome made-up excuse to have a beard.