Coronavirus 2020

[Kidnostad3]

Relax, boomer! I’m sending a couple plain clothes to escort the upper management of 3M to Rikers.

Great!  Have them taken over to the Federal lockup and give them Epstein's old room.

[albrecht]

Any thoughts Albrecht?

I don't know. One doesn't want to make quick regulation/law/changes, for the long-term, over an event. Without due consideration after the emergency is over. Then again, it is important to do so when previous actions were bad and to look to the future to avoid future problems. Generally something as simple as "masks" would, at least under the old rubric, seem an item that would naturally be outsourced (competitive advantage and such) considering our high labor costs, the general low-tech item, high corporate taxation, and cheapness of production and product. 

Trading, speculation, and gouging should of course be prohibited now, under wartime, or during any emergency.

Frankly I'm more worried about enemies, or potential ones, who control key aspects of our infrastructure than masks.  One thing politicians don't mention, until now, is long supply-chains, connected to foreign countries who are potential at least enemies, and holding key technology, ingredients, or product to basic things (infrastructure, defense, food, etc) is a bad thing. Also I don't like how large entities (private or government or military) have a harder time adopting new technologies and often are 'fighting the old war' or just protecting their share (of market, or capitalization, of budgets depending on sector.)

[Asuka Langley]

This is a hard red pill to swallow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hicq8YMGumQ

[Kidnostad3]

I don't know. One doesn't want to make quick regulation/law/changes, for the long-term, over an event. Without due consideration after the emergency is over. Then again, it is important to do so when previous actions were bad and to look to the future to avoid future problems. Generally something as simple as "masks" would, at least under the old rubric, seem an item that would naturally be outsourced (comparative advantage and such) considering our high labor costs, the general low-tech item, high corporate taxation, and cheapness of production and product. 

Trading, speculation, and gouging should of course be prohibited now, under wartime, or during any emergency.

Frankly I'm more worried about enemies, or potential ones, who control key aspects of our infrastructure than masks.  One thing politicians don't mention, until now, is long supply-chains, connected to foreign countries who are potential at least enemies, and holding key technology, ingredients, or product to basic things (infrastructure, defense, food, etc) is a bad thing. Also I don't like how large entities (private or government or military) have a harder time adopting new technologies and often are 'fighting the old war' or just protecting their share (of market, or capitalization, of budgets depending on sector.)

I was thinking in terms of existing commercial law from what I can remember of it.  Direct agency, etc.as it applies to 3-M in this case.

[Dr. MD MD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsmKvC7RpEQ

[albrecht]

I was thinking in terms of existing commercial law from what I can remember of it.  Direct agency, etc.

I don't know but considering 3M has been around a long time, operates all over, and etc that they would have good (and clever) lawyers who handle things and would have considered liability of franchises, resellers, wholesalers, etc I have no idea of their businesses. Having said that they have had to pay out for various things in the past (chemical related) and have gotten dinged during various mergers but that is the price, often, of big business.

Also, idk about how the emergency powers action(s) of the President and various States impact the laws. I know here certain regulations, inspections, and even price checks is being curtailed or waived- hopefully not for someone's unscrupulous advantage. But so various regulatory agencies transition to availability of 'stuff,' less chance of infection by staff and businesses, farmers, etc can make and transport more 'stuff,' including even things like eggs! I think, however, with the internet and smartphones that any true price-gouging, hording, or profiteering will be discovered (at least at the commercial level.)

[Dr. MD MD]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG52TGgPf48

[Walks_At_Night]

What the hell is going on in NYC?  95 year old Rabbi dies so they pack as many guys as possible into a small area? 
Then a drone conks out, crashes and takes out a copper to boot.   The world is just nuts..............



https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/04/02/thousands-pack-streets-of-borough-park-for-rabbis-funeral/

[Kidnostad3]

Here's some good news:

https://youtu.be/JZWLpmIwKOU

[WOTR]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsmKvC7RpEQ

Bwahahah....  Who would have seen that coming?

2. Nothing is produced domestically. 3M is not a "good American company." They are a corporation selling their masks to wherever produces the highest profit. I would imagine that they are shipping their Chinese produced masks to Iran and Italy right now.

[WOTR]

I don't know but considering 3M has been around a long time, operates all over, and etc that they would have good (and clever) lawyers who handle things and would have considered liability of franchises, resellers, wholesalers, etc I have no idea of their businesses. Having said that they have had to pay out for various things in the past (chemical related) and have gotten dinged during various mergers but that is the price, often, of big business.

They will make $10 million per week selling masks offshore. They likely have already talked with the special prosecutor and agreed to a $5 million dollar payment next year when this is all over and they are charged. Nobody has been held criminally responsible for decades, and fines are always less than the profit.

Don't worry. 3M will weather this just fine.

[Dr. MD MD]

They will make $10 million per week selling masks offshore. They likely have already talked with the special prosecutor and agreed to a $5 million dollar payment next year when this is all over and they are charged. Nobody has been held criminally responsible for decades, and fines are always less than the profit.

Don't worry. 3M will weather this just fine.

No potential for vigilante style blowback here?

[albrecht]

They will make $10 million per week selling masks offshore. They likely have already talked with the special prosecutor and agreed to a $5 million dollar payment next year when this is all over and they are charged. Nobody has been held criminally responsible for decades, and fines are always less than the profit.

Don't worry. 3M will weather this just fine.

Indeed. I laugh uproariously when I saw two well-produced ads during a frantic CNN Corona-Chan segment....for Round-Up and for Bayer (the medical division.)

[Kidnostad3]

What the hell is going on in NYC?  95 year old Rabbi dies so they pack as many guys as possible into a small area? 
Then a drone conks out, crashes and takes out a copper to boot.   The world is just nuts..............



https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/04/02/thousands-pack-streets-of-borough-park-for-rabbis-funeral/

How do you say "you're a fucking idiot" in yiddish? 

[pate]

cat ladies BTFO!

https://twitter.com/GrantB911/status/1245850864469913601

[Kidnostad3]

They will make $10 million per week selling masks offshore. They likely have already talked with the special prosecutor and agreed to a $5 million dollar payment next year when this is all over and they are charged. Nobody has been held criminally responsible for decades, and fines are always less than the profit.

Don't worry. 3M will weather this just fine.

Well, I for one will never again spend another cent on Post-it Notes!

[Catsmile]

I've heard from a legit source here this virus is over 80% fake. Must be true, right? Nothing to see here. Buy my water filters, pills, & snake oil!

Let me get this straight... Company sells products for what the market will bear, and excepts cash over credit. Also Known As: The capitalists wet dream. Why so upset over business as usual?
NEWS FLASH: Company does business!!

Your redness is showing your true communist colors, comrades.
Why do y'all hate capitalism so much?

[WOTR]

No potential for vigilante style blowback here?

Never has been in the past. Who is going to target "them". Who, exactly, are they going to target? Upper management will collect their big bonus cheques on the extreme profit, buy another yacht and be happily sailing the Caribbean islands next year when 3M (the corporation) has to pay a paltry $5 million dollar fine for the profitable decision that they made over the last few weeks.

And then the federal government will give one of their subsidiaries a contract to help in "emergency preparedness" with a net profit of $20 million to help offset the $5 million fine. The swamp is still plenty deep.

You simply are not jaded or cynical enough (yet.) 

[Dr. MD MD]

Never has been in the past. Who is going to target "them". Who, exactly, are they going to target? Upper management will collect their big bonus cheques on the extreme profit, buy another yacht and be happily sailing the Caribbean islands next year when 3M (the corporation) has to pay a paltry $5 million dollar fine for the profitable decision that they made over the last few weeks.

And then the federal government will give one of their subsidiaries a contract to help in "emergency preparedness" with a net profit of $20 million to help offset the fine.

You simply are not jaded or cynical enough (yet.) 

Maybe. We’re in a different timeline here so who knows? I could see people getting creative about this though. Negative publicity at least.

[ItsOver]

What the hell is going on in NYC? ...

I've asked that for decades.  Why anyone normal would want to live in that psycho sewage pit is beyond me.  At least San Fran is naturally beautiful, with decent weather, if you can see over the feces and tolerate the nutcase libs.

[Kidnostad3]

I've heard from a legit source here this virus is over 80% fake. Must be true, right? Nothing to see here. Buy my water filters, pills, & snake oil!

Let me get this straight... Company sells products for what the market will bear, and excepts cash over credit. Also Known As: The capitalists wet dream. Why so upset over business as usual?
NEWS FLASH: Company does business!!

Your redness is showing your true communist colors, comrades.
Why do y'all hate capitalism so much?

What is it you don't understand about there being a declared national emergency and laws against profiteering when such is in effect?

[Kidnostad3]

What is it you don't understand about there being a declared national emergency and laws against profiteering when such is in effect?

I'll wait. 

[albrecht]

I've heard from a legit source here this virus is over 80% fake. Must be true, right? Nothing to see here. Buy my water filters, pills, & snake oil!

Let me get this straight... Company sells products for what the market will bear, and excepts cash over credit. Also Known As: The capitalists wet dream. Why so upset over business as usual?
NEWS FLASH: Company does business!!

Your redness is showing your true communist colors, comrades.
Why do y'all hate capitalism so much?

I thought 'red' meant conservative or even Republican these days now?  Evil Republican capitalist. Red/Blue states and what-not. And not long ago I was called crazy libertarian. Or even socialist, albeit of a national type.    Then even and now back to the old, tired canard? We must come up with apersions; or at least categories to stereotype and Balkanize....using color helps, I guess? As do "isms," misunderstood, rewritten, and cast-about?

[pate]

It is common knowledge that the best KoolAid flavors are "red."

-p

[albrecht]

I'll wait.

I WON'T. I think it is a good thing, to a degree. Let best practices and values be learned. Let economy and values determine distribution. To an extent. Let some lessons be learned. Triage, scarcity, etc is ALWAYS with us. Lets find ways to improve, improvise, and adapt. To avoid future problems and short-term, measured, sober changes tor emergencies. Some might be drastic now but not taken for granted that "the Feds" will save all. Local, personal, State, church, family, business also. And learn why/how this solutions are better. Futher away "help" is longer it takes and more redtape and profit seeking.

[albrecht]

It is common knowledge that the best KoolAid flavors are "red."

-p

Some "urban" districts think "grape." Which, admittedly, isn't a color, and arguably, not even single flavor.

[pate]

I will make a point of visiting the KoolAid section of the grocery store next time I am there.

See what flavors are sold out, if any also will check to see if Wyler's has similar depletion levels.  All are high in vitamin C, which is reputed to have some prophylactic effect against CornHoleEbola.

Been noticing damned odd things being "out-of-stock."

-p

[Kidnostad3]

What is it you don't understand about there being a declared national emergency and laws against profiteering when such is in effect?

I'll wait. 

Take your time.  I'll just be waiting here winding my watch and retying my shoes.

[Walks_At_Night]

Guy in Australia took his stimulus money and spent it on beer. Can't seem to find the video anywhere else and I couldn't break it out from the web page.
It's a classic watch though:

https://www.ladbible.com/news/news-aussie-bloke-says-he-spent-his-370-stimulus-money-on-8-cases-of-beer-20200402


Edit:  Got it. Link to just the video:
https://www.ladbible.com/brightcove-iframe.html?videoId=6146526446001

[Kidnostad3]

Guy in Australia took his stimulus money and spent it on beer. Can't seem to find the video anywhere else and I couldn't break it out from the web page.
It's a classic watch though:

https://www.ladbible.com/news/news-aussie-bloke-says-he-spent-his-370-stimulus-money-on-8-cases-of-beer-20200402

It's all fair dinkum.  Cheers Mate!