"With the continuing destruction of......" Topic

…..the Chinese economy, certain prescriptive drugs are becoming unavailable or in limited supply. The FDA provides a registry of drugs in those categories.

If you take a prescriptive medication you might want to check to make sure you can easily refill your prescription.

link

The drug shortage problem has been with us for a while – as companies consolidate to single sources this has been a problem for a while, but Covid 19 has made it worse

Good luck with that.

How did we become so stupid as to surrender our independence in this fashion? Government, CEOs,corporations,unions, greed?

OG –

CEO's, Corporations and Greed – the modern trio wrecking Western Industry while they work for short term bonus payments.

Add to that Governments with a 'hands off' policy towards rash Corporate decisions, like concentrating all production in single plants subject to natural and man made disasters.

How did we become so stupid as to surrender our independence in this fashion? Government, CEOs,corporations,unions, greed?

Personal greed on the part of the individual.

When's the last time you went to the pharmacy and asked for a more expensive prescription that comes from a company that diversifies its production facilities, reducing economies of scale; only uses more costly labor in countries that have the same worker's rights and safety regulations as the one in which I live; or spends extra money to scrutinize sub-contracted services from it's prime vendors?

Now, when's the last time you considered, complained about, asked about, or looked for a cheaper way to get your prescription?

If the vast majority of the consumer community only values cheaper, the only businesses that stay in business are ones that prioritize cheaper.

etotheipi nailed it, it's not a problem with big (gov't, corps, business), it's a problem with each and every one of us.

How did we become so stupid as to surrender our independence in this fashion? Government, CEOs,corporations,unions, greed?

Personal greed on the part of the individual.

I agree. It's because the general voting population has been turned into "Useful Idiots" and practice identity politics that keep them from holding their elected representatives accountable. Rather, they are co-conspirators and enablers and are actually helping corporate greed without realizing it by keeping the same parties in power.

Greed is a survival technique and is a part of human nature. Civilized societies attempt to contain and limit it. It's the world's oldest PsyOp used to control people because it is so easy to use.

Wolfhag

I recall back in public school a rather popular fellow running for class president. The only reason I remember this particular case is because I recall that his platform was to have pizza added as a lunchroom choice??
He won by a landslide over the people espousing educational concerns ?? 🤣😪

Dave B,

Thank you so much for posting that link! I have been trying to find that thing online since the subject was first brought to public attention.

Again, many thanks

Sam Lemonds

They're considering locking down D.C., under the guise of protection from "the virus".

Makes me wonder if it is really that, OR for protection from Americans who may become incensed once they figure out how their "representatives" and former leaders have sold us out to make a quick buck.

Apparently, if the news report is correct, China produces 97% of "our" antibiotics, and one of their state media newpapers has threatened to cut America, and/or the West off from those supplies if we correctly and openly identify where the Wuhan-virus came from.

Seems the Chi-Coms don't like that.

Thresher01, lets urge them to shut down DC completely, hell they haven't done anything useful for 2 1/2 years anyway.

It appears sadly as normal some will die from this latest virus as happen frequently yearly as we know.

The big cause & effect, IMO, that will impact the US, Europe, etc. is the disruption of the market and massive loss of profit, etc. Literally worldwide in most countries on the planet. Save for possibly the 3d World.

Sadly, again, every year people die from various viruses. But this massive loss in the market, businesses, profit, etc., will really cause some problems in the big picture.

Again sad but true … bottom line it is all about the …

Sooner or later the virus will burn itself out just like others in the past. Pent up demand for products and services will again explode and all economies effected will bounce back to a certain degree. Buy low – sell high.

Wolfhag

Agree !

This whole thing is fricking ridiculous!! They cancelled the MBA, NBA, NHL, the final four, the golf tournaments. Schools, colleges closed, public events cancelled, hoarding, quarantining cities, and even whole sections of nations. SAARS, H1N1, the bird flu, were all more deadly and serious, hell even the seasonal flu is much more serious and kills uncounted millions every year. I've been through them all and many more. When was the last time they imposed a quarantine, and closed schools and public gatherings. In my 67 years I've seen never this much hype and hysteria. Don't try to tell me this isn't political, and I'm not just talking left/right or Democrat/Republican.
I blame the media for inciting this panic and hold them largely responsible for this "pandemic" hysteria. They talk about getting tested and self-quarantining, are they doing it? hell no, they're "special". It doesn't apply to them apparently.
Enough of my rant, it doesn't do any good, one last thing though, just is all this #%*@ with Fricking toilet Paper?!!??!?

von Schwartz -

COVID-19 is more serious (contagious, persistent, wider high risk population) than recent previous pandemics. That said, it doesn't merit overreaction, just moderate ratcheting up of regular precautions.

The media not only revels in overrepresenting risks (for fear of being said to not say enough, with little risk for saying too much), but also in overrepresenting overreaction. Both of which foment additional overreaction. I'm not getting TP because I think COVID-19 means I need more; I'm getting it because idiots are going to hoard it all. (Personally, SMWBO and I buy in bulk at the discount warehouse, so are usually and currently perfectly pat on this one.)

Overreacting on social distancing, I feel, is more reputation protection than anything. [Insert Organization Here] does not want to be in the news as part of a COVID-19 exposure chain. Local School, Museum, Sporting League, etc.

I've seen never this much hype and hysteria

Welcome to the 21st Century. We can see noticeably more and noticeably faster now than even ten years ago. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

On the plus side, if I sneeze while riding the Metro, I think I can get a car all to myself …

I agree with most of what you are saying eto, but to repeat what I noted in the original, in 67 years they have never, and I emphasize NEVER over reacted to this extent. I mean, thanks largely to over hysterical media coverage they are trying, and succeeding in nearly shutting down not just the US economy but the worldwide economy. Once again, seasonal flu has always been a major health issue to the elderly and they should be more careful. You used the phrase, previous pandemics. I don't mean to be snarky but, which previous pandemics? The last true pandemic I think was the Spanish Flu in 1918 which did kill countless millions. Not to sound too callous but what about the "common flu" which affects millions and kills tens of thousands every year, why is that not a pandemic?
The spousal unit and I get a flu shot every year, and nearly every year one or both of us get the flu, always a new strain which the flu vaccines did not foresee. Well, the previous flu vaccines didn't foresee this years new strain, COVID-19, what's the difference?

I agree that there is significant overreaction.

Well, the previous flu vaccines didn't foresee this years new strain, COVID-19, what's the difference?

Vaccines don't foresee anything. They are reactive rather than proactive. A vaccine is an inactive sample of the infectious agent that allows your body to develop antibodies without actually causing the disease. It's a low-risk practice run for your immune system against a specific target.

Not to sound too callous but what about the "common flu" which affects millions and kills tens of thousands every year, why is that not a pandemic?

It's in the mid 100,000's in the last decade, and it is a pandemic. We haven't reacted to it the same way because we've done pretty much all we can about it. People know how to mitigate their risk – hygiene and vaccines.

I don't mean to be snarky but, which previous pandemics?

Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-COV-2) was a coronavirus (as opposed to an influenza virus) and had pandemic outbreaks in 2003 and 2009. These ones hit the third world very heavily.

in nearly shutting down not just the US economy but the worldwide economy

There is a significant media element to this. My opinion is that most of most of the shutdowns have more to do with not wanting the name of your office or organization in the exposure chain of a COVID-19 report rather than a serious evaluation of risk. Overreaction.

That said COVID-19 is more serious than Influenza. And society has changed and become more "connected" over the last decade. Twenty years ago Amazon two-day delivery was an amazing luxury. Ten years ago, it became the premium standard. Today, it is a free default and expected.

Also, China produces a much larger proportion of consumer goods and ships them air freight much more than ten or twenty years ago. It's not about China per se, but the collocation of production and shipping.

Basically, we could have had a virus with similar behaviour twenty years ago and not known about it. The way we live our lives today makes a much more supportive environment for such a virus.

The problem with reputation driven action/overreaction is that we are not directing our behaviour based on the real-world risks. So we may do some good things (even a bit too much of them), but completely not understand and increase some bad behaviours.

China is now saying they won't send meds to the US that China was producing … As they continue to blame the US for COVID-19 …

Correct me if I'm wrong didn't the Swine and Avian flus start China ? As well as SARS and now COVID. Do I see a trend here ?

There is a significant media element to this. My opinion is that most of most of the shutdowns have more to do with not wanting the name of your office or organization in the exposure chain of a COVID-19 report rather than a serious evaluation of risk. Overreaction.

Now THAT I will drink to!
I'm sure Legion will too, hell, I believe he would drink to a hangnail. (smile)