How COVID-19 is affecting society

[Soen Eber]

Trump and Fox News: the dangerous relationship shaping America's coronavirus response

In one ear, the president has medical experts calling for caution. In the other, TV hosts are urging the opposite

www.theguardian.com

I have to say, I cannot understand what Fox are doing here.

Their anchors are advocating a course of action which, if followed, would inexorably lead to a massive second spike in infections, possibly even worse than the first, as surely as night follows day.

That would not only kill off a substantial number of their viewers but also inflict massive damage on the US economy and also on what little remains of the reputation of both Fox and Trump.

What's in it for Fox? Their hosts on the infotainment side of the business are a bunch of clowns and charlatans, but the board aren't complete idiots, and Rupert Murdoch didn't make all his money by being stupid, either.

The only halfway rational explanation I can think up is that Lachlan and James, at least, have decided that the Republicans' descent into nihilistic craziness has gone too far, and that the rational course of action is to let the whole horrible mess finally implode on collision with reality.

Then Fox can set about rebranding itself as the dust settles, and enter into another Faustian pact with some US conservatives who will actually make a stab at running the country rather than fighting culture wars, dismantling necessary government agencies for crackpot ideological reasons, and indulging in nihilistic partisan opposition and obstruction for the sake of it.

I'm not wholly persuaded by that, but it's the best I can come up with that doesn't sound like the plot of a bad political thriller.

That branch of the Republican party needs facts to fit into their preconceived notions and patterns of thought, so it is quite natural to invent facts in support of their arguments. There is less emotional consequence to inventing or twisting facts than there is to alter a thought pattern you are emotionally vested in: for their world 1+2=4 is internally consistant because they have redefined either one of the numbers or redefined addition.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

So, not all of us Kansans are nuts.

Kansas court strikes down GOP measure allowing in-person Easter church services

 

[Innula Zenovka]

That branch of the Republican party needs facts to fit into their preconceived notions and patterns of thought, so it is quite natural to invent facts in support of their arguments. There is less emotional consequence to inventing facts than it is to alter your vested thought patterns: in their world 1+2=4 is internally consistant because they have redefined "+".

Yes, I understand that about the Republican Party but I'm wondering what's in it for the Fox Corporation, who are presumably concerned about the value of their assets, including Fox News.

Whatever you think of the people who watch Fox News, or the hosts of their infotainment shows, the station is owned by the Murdoch family and they certainly aren't idiots, no matter what you might think of their politics.

They must realise what's going to happen, and how Fox News will come out of it, if Trump listens to advice they're pushing.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

 

[detrius]

Trump and Fox News: the dangerous relationship shaping America's coronavirus response

In one ear, the president has medical experts calling for caution. In the other, TV hosts are urging the opposite

www.theguardian.com

I have to say, I cannot understand what Fox are doing here.

Their anchors are advocating a course of action which, if followed, would inexorably lead to a massive second spike in infections, possibly even worse than the first, as surely as night follows day.

That would not only kill off a substantial number of their viewers but also inflict massive damage on the US economy and also on what little remains of the reputation of both Fox and Trump.

What's in it for Fox? Their hosts on the infotainment side of the business are a bunch of clowns and charlatans, but the board aren't complete idiots, and Rupert Murdoch didn't make all his money by being stupid, either.

The only halfway rational explanation I can think up is that Lachlan and James, at least, have decided that the Republicans' descent into nihilistic craziness has gone too far, and that the rational course of action is to let the whole horrible mess finally implode on collision with reality.

Then Fox can set about rebranding itself as the dust settles, and enter into another Faustian pact with some US conservatives who will actually make a stab at running the country rather than fighting culture wars, dismantling necessary government agencies for crackpot ideological reasons, and indulging in nihilistic partisan opposition and obstruction for the sake of it.

I'm not wholly persuaded by that, but it's the best I can come up with that doesn't sound like the plot of a bad political thriller.

They did exactly this after the Bush years.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Remember a lot of that land people would not want to be on (antartica, deserts, volcanos, etc). Plus when one person wants to move other people would need to move too.

Let's see if I got some simple math right. There are around 200,000,000 sq miles of land on earth. 10% is arable. So 20,000,000 / 6 billion people = .003 sq miles for each person or 90,000 sq feet or a 300 x 300 foot section per person.

 

[Sid]

I was being sarcastic. (Not an attack on you.) Here there are frequent conflicts between teacher unions and government over class sizes. The usual budget cut mumbo jumbo results in larger class loads. A class of 40 isn't something I'm bragging about, it's what I consider a failure in society. I salute your 20-25.

I did not feel attacked at all.
I most likely will never have a class of my own again, due to my current vision capacity combined with my age.
Officially I'm unemployed but de facto I'm retired (getting payed as an unemployed teacher until my pension age).
It is nice to live in a country full of commies and socialists , even if they are in the opposition most of the time.
Our right wing politicians have pretty left ideas too (compared to the US).

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Our right wing politicians have pretty left ideas too (compared to the US).

There is a former Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell. Progressive Conservative Party before they collapsed and reassembled with all new Overton Windows to the right.

One of the times on Bill Maher’s show she was on as the token conservative. Middle of the show she pointed at the American liberals on the panel and said (paraphrased), “I think I’m the furthest left of all of you.”

I did not feel attacked at all.

You’re surrounded by Anglos, we check up on these things because this language is so lol.

 

[Soen Eber]

Yes, I understand that about the Republican Party but I'm wondering what's in it for the Fox Corporation, who are presumably concerned about the value of their assets, including Fox News.

Whatever you think of the people who watch Fox News, or the hosts of their infotainment shows, the station is owned by the Murdoch family and they certainly aren't idiots, no matter what you might think of their politics.

They must realise what's going to happen, and how Fox News will come out of it, if Trump listens to advice they're pushing.

FOX News was never independent from the Republican party, with just enough legal separation to maintain that fiction - it drives conservative ideology rather than following it by way of its influence and commentary. Even politicians on the right fear Fox news, and some even despise it. From its founding by Roger Ailes, it was always an active/leading player on the right, and intentionally so. Even if loses marketshare, it will always have funding as a part of the corporate state-within-a-state and from people like Koch, the Adelsons, and the Mercers.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

FOX News was never independent from the Republican party, with just enough legal separation to maintain that fiction - it drives conservative ideology rather than following it by way of its influence and commentary. Even politicians on the right fear Fox news, and some even despise it. From its founding by Roger Ailes, it was always an active/leading player on the right, and intentionally so. Even if loses marketshare, it will always have funding as a part of the corporate state-within-a-state and from people like Koch, the Adelsons, and the Mercers.

Fox has always belonged to the Murdoch family, I thought, or at least they've always had the dominant financial interest in it, and the Wikipedia entry, at least, doesn't seem to suggest "Koch, the Adelsons, and the Mercers" have any particular financial interest in the business.

Rupert Murdoch has always been primarily interested in making money and gaining political influence by running successful right-wing media enterprises: that is, promoting right-wing policies and politicians is a means to an end for him, not an end in itself (as it is for Koch and the rest).

That's why, in the UK, the English, Scottish and Irish editions of The Sun frequently pursue very different editorial lines, and why it backed Tony Blair and New Labour in 3 general elections -- because Murdoch knows his target markets.

That's what puzzles me -- the Murdochs must realise that, if Trump were to do as their Fox infotainment hosts advocate, the inevitable consequences would be a catastrophic spike in infections, probably worse than the surge, right in the run-up to the November elections.

That's why I'm wondering what's going on with Fox, and I wonder if it isn't that they've realised the writing is on the wall for Trump and for the nihilist, Libertarian, Ayn Rand worshippers in the Republican Party and they're waiting for the dust to settle after November before deciding on a new line of right-wing commentary and chat to offer their viewers, who may well prefer being told how dreadful is Joe Biden, who wants to take their guns, is in the pockets of the Ukrainians, and, anyway, has anyone seen his birth certificate and emails, to being told constantly how wonderful is Trump and all his works.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Breathing can spread the virus too.
But we better not stop breathing either.

We have to be careful not to become too paranoid over this covid-19 thingy.
It is as dangerous/harmless as any other delivery, like ordering a pizza and should be treated the same way.
Don't eat the box and wash your hands carefully after unpacking.

Too paranoid?
Too paranoid?
There is no such phrase when dealing with a virus.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Trump and 3M reach deal to allow N95 face masks to be exported to Canada

US officials had stopped shipment at 3M factory after Trump invoked Defense Production Act to halt exports to Canada and beyond

www.theguardian.com

That will come back to bite him. Yes, we need them desperately but a businessman should know a contract is a contract. The responsible thing would have been to halt new orders 2 months ago.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Kroger's my "primary" grocery store. They weren't doing this when I went there on Saturday; but apparently in some stores they're testing making the store one-way inside; that is, customers will have to walk a fixed path through the store while shopping. The idea is that this will help with social distancing because since everyone is walking the same direction in every aisle, there will be no problems with people going opposite ways having to squeeze past each other, especially in aisles which would bring them within only a foot of each other. It's an interesting concept, but it might be a bit of a challenge for someone like me - I have this weird way of shopping; I have like a budget, and I do go through the whole store in a fixed way to pick up all the necessities on my list, but then I tend to go back through the store randomly to grab "extras" like snacks or lunch-making items or treats to use up the rest of the trip budget. If the whole store is one-way I'll have to pick those things up along the way and hope my budget holds out to the end of the line. Anxiety-inducing!

Yeah, I have not been out in a month but DC has an order to do it now. I shop much the same way .. oh, x is on sale, well, I need more y, oh no x, well, I do not need y. My shopping trips look less like going evenly up and down aisles and more like going from one place to another.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

That will come back to bite him. Yes, we need them desperately but a businessman should know a contract is a contract. The responsible thing would have been to halt new orders 2 months ago.

Trump's entire history, private and business both, has been one of walking away from contracts and agreements, when it suits him, telling aggrieved parties, "so sue me," whether for what he owes them or for a divorce.

Since becoming president, he's reneged on various US treaties and agreements, convincing even its closest allies that the US is no longer a reliable partner.

This latest shameful exploit should come a no surprise whatesover.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Coronavirus: Paris bans outdoor exercise between 10am and 7pm

So an essential employee who gets off before 7 still has to stay at work?

 

[Kara Spengler]

Maybe board games will become the new sports?

 

[Kara Spengler]

I think insomniacs are doing much better than day people during this shutdown. Even if you are telecommuting, you can sleep in more, because there's no commute, and you can steal naps during the day a lot easier at home than at an office.

With any luck, this crisis might help inspire us to get rid of the evil 9 to 5 workday, which is the bane of insomniacs all over the world.

I normally leave home around 7 and take about 30 minutes of public transit and walking. After a few days I really became aware of how much I needed that 30 minutes to get going in the morning. Moving from the couch to my desk chair is not the same.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Now that I've been working from home for 3 weeks, I'm not sure I'm willing to go back to the office, even when it's "safe" to do so. I'm feeling sooo much better due to the extra sleep I get in the morning, time to exercise, and no long commute into work. For my job in particular, there is very little functional difference since I spent all day in the office sitting in my corner and communicating remotely with all my clients. Weeks could go by in which my only conversations with co-workers were personal chat rather than work-related.

Assuming that I don't lose my job (unlikely for now, but who knows where we'll be a year from now), I could see myself continuing to work from home for the foreseeable future. And depending on how much of my life-long investments are left, I may well have to continue working past my planned retirement age. But if I could do that from home, I don't find that an onerous option to contemplate.

I rarely worked from home before but now might do some days in the office and some at home. I suspect that is the majority and business will wind up finding that out.

 

[Kara Spengler]

British news outlets 'could fail due to coronavirus ad-blocking'

Firms urged to abandon blocklisting as online stories generate record traffic but little revenue

www.theguardian.com

And presumably those in other countries, too, including the US.

The business world will be ... interesting ... afterwards.

Comics ... the shops are closed. The sole (yes) distributor shut down. Pretty good odds at least major publishers will go to online distribution. The days of collecting physical books have been over for decades anyway.

Movies ... theatres are closed and amc is likely to file for bankruptcy. Movies are going to streaming now. Of course Netflix and friends are doing great.

Theme parks are shut down. This is a hard one to call. It is costing places like disney and universal a lot but they have huge investment in them.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I'm not sure about other companies, but I had to sign a WAH agreement before I was able to be set up to work here. One of the clauses was that I wasn't on a shared computer (I'm not, my son has his own and my mom doesn't use a computer) and that no one else was able to access the information. While it's impossible for them to actually monitor that without a surprise inspection of my 'workspace', it's still an agreement I signed, which makes me liable were anything to happen.

Yeah, they had us all sign a wah agreement. Which was silly because we did not have a choice. Anyway a lot of thought went into security. I obviously can not prevent it if my spouse uses my computer when I am not home though (it also produces awkwardness if her laptop breaks). Most things require 2 factor authentication though so there is less of a problem.