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Wow. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/15/trump-offers-large-sums-for-exclusive-access-to-coronavirus-vaccine

From what I've seen Belgium has this most right, shut the schools but use them as child care facilities for key workers so they don't have to stay home. I have a good friend in the Hague, whose boyfriend (from the US) is studying in the Hague, but currently doing his study abroad in Belgium, with the uni closed but lessons being delivered remotely.

I suspect BBO is not enamoured with the prospect of 14,000 private clubs, 13,500 of which are empty and the remaining ones having one table running and another table with two people waiting to play. In practice I doubt that club committees will be pleased with this environment either. It sounds really attractive but run set games in the relaxed room and encourage people to make friends. There is no need for people to isolate themselves online.

I will probably start buying (in parts) at close of business today. It is quite probable that the market could continue to drop but then it is also possible that we are somewhere close to the bottom, and given that I cannot time the market perfectly I am happy to reenter at this price, realising that I could have done better.

Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially, and how to “flatten the curve” by Harry Stevens at WaPo

This seems surprising, maybe we will see exactly what is recommended. If a person thinks that they might have the virus then self-isolation is appropriate regardless of age, so I am guessing they are asking for extra caution from those who are most apt to need urgent care, and surely that applies to over 70. But four months? Surely they cannot confidently say that caution should be taken for exactly four months. Something like "until we get this under control, and we expect that to be a matter of months" seems better. As mentioned earlier, I'm 81. I didn't play bridge Friday, and this was because of the virus. I usually walk with a group on Saturdays, I did not do it this yesterday, but that was because I have been doing quite a bit of walking and my knee was registering a complaint. I expect to be going with them next week. But I will probably skip the lunch in a crowded restaurant afterward. We have to try for some version of sanity. Sitting on my butt for four months watching tv (yes, the telly to you) doesn't seem like a good idea, nor does sitting in a crowded room playing cards that everyone else has been handling. There are going to be a lot of people who have the virus but do not know that they have the virus. I hope no one gets their nose too much out of joint when I hold back on social events. There was a polio epidemic in the US in 1949. I had to look up the date. I was 10 then and I do not recall staying out of the local swimming pool or the nearby lakes (I grew up in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes), I probably should have stayed away, but I have no recollection of doing so. Care is needed, maybe I would agree that a great deal of care is needed. I plan to do my grocery shopping at uncrowded hours, but I don't see myself as stopping my hikes. I'll keep my distance maybe, that sounds good. And I will listen to suggestions. The morning paper came wrapped in a bag as it always does. Several people handled that paper before it went in the bag, and then the deliverer handled the bag. I suppose I should think about this, but so far I have taken no precautions. It's stunning to think about just how many ways there are to potentially pass on a virus, which of course explains why it does, or can, get out of control.

Uday posted the following on Bridge Winners I trust that he will forgive me for reporting it here

Today's statistics in Italy: positive 12839 (+21%), dead 1016 (+23%), no longer infected 1258 (+20%). Fatality rate 7.3%. So we're back to the usual logarithmic growth rate. If restrictions on movement really are effective then a major drop must be coming soon. Today all non-essential shops plus bars/restaurants (which were open during the day) were closed down nationwide. Basically one can only leave house to go to work (if approved) or a medical visit or the local food shop - and must have a written declaration.

Who could have guessed? Exclusive: White House told federal health agency to classify coronavirus deliberations - sources So they excluded government experts who may have had critical insight in solving the COVID 19 problem from to secret meetings? I feel safer already. I also approve of the Manchurian President not allowing people to leave infected cruise ships to be treated in US hospitals. Each infected person adding to the virus statistics would be a stain on the political record of Putin's Puppet, which by extension, would be a stain on America. MAGA!

Yeah but what could she have done? Avoid the issue? Refuse to apology? Apology even more? Blame someone else? Give some non-apology? "Yes it was a mistake but compared to the fact that Trump did this and this and this it was trivial?" Winston is probably right that HC was just held to much higher standards than Trump. So is the solution to somehow (magically?) avoid being held to high standards?

Except that she did apologise. Over and over again. Starting in September 2015. Moreover, she did have her lawyers turn over all work-related emails to the state department. That was early/mid 2015. That's all she can do - she cannot turn over state department emails to the public on her own, that's not her decision. You are proving my point. She did turn over all her emails, yet somehow Ken Berg is convinced that she didn't. I am not aware of any evidence that the Weiner emails were not emails the FBI had already seen. But in Ken Berg's mind they are, "proving" it was Hillary's fault for not "putting this issue away". Obviously, it's is pointless to argue about 2016. Except I am 100% convinced it will repeat itself. There will be an "issue" dominating news coverage about the 2020 Democratic nominee. And somehow, the Democratic candidate will be unable to put the issue away. Just proving a lack of judgement on their side, because if only they had done X or Y or Z, the issue would have gone away. And the same will happen in 2024. And in 2028. And in 2032. And at some point, some voters, and perhaps even some journalists, will learn that just because an issue doesn't "go away" doesn't prove that there is merit to the topic. That you actually have to look at the merits yourself, and not just treat is as an issue because everyone else treats it as an issue. Because if you do that, you cede your agenda to Fox news and twitter trolls. https://www.vox.com/2018/10/23/18004478/hack-gap-explained