Quote of the Day: Times Like These

 

“In times like these, it is helpful to remember that there have always been times like these.” – Paul Harvey

I have used this quote before, but in view of this last week’s extraordinary events, I thought it worth reusing it.

I have not lived long enough to have seen everything, but I have seen a lot, from the assassination of John Kennedy (which happened when I was in 2nd grade) through the death of my wife (two years ago). Along the way I saw a President resign from office, nearly saw WWIII (with nukes flying) begin three times, watched the fall of Saigon, the Berlin Wall, and the Soviet Union, lived through several stock market crashes, watcedh 9/11, and experienced the loss of the Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia (both while working at Johnson Space Center).

Yet the panic I have been watching over the last week seems unprecedented. Not that I was not expecting some problems. I updated my resume last weekend, because I work for an airline in an overhead position. (Tech writers are always overhead.) Since then, I have watched every city get locked down, watched professional sports cancel their seasons, and panic buying in the supermarkets. (Really people, buying out toilet paper for a respiratory disease? Why are you not buying Kleenex?) And yes, on Thursday I was told next Tuesday is my last day at my current employer’s until airline traffic picks up again. (As I said, it was totally expected.)

And on the news, this mantra is repeated over and over:

When in trouble, fear or doubt,
Run in circles, scream and shout.

(Hat tip, Robert Heinlein.)

Running around in circles shrieking “we’re all gonna die” is not going to change anything. We all are going to die. That is because death is apportioned like birth – one to a customer. But most of us (except maybe those that run out in a blind panic into a busy street shrieking “We’re gonna die!”) are not going to die tomorrow, and likely not of the Wuhan flu. Yes, some of the elderly are at serious risk, but those elderly are always at serious risk.

And taking precautions is wise, if only to slow things down. (Death rates go up when health care gets saturated as it has in Italy. Slowing the rate of transmission means fewer people are sick at one time, spreading the length of that number over a longer period of time. This mitigates saturation.)

But, please, don’t rush out to get toilet paper so that you get some before the hoarders get it first. (Or at least hoard something sensible, like Kleenex.) Listen to the Conservatarian podcast #117. It has good advice.

As for me? I will be busier working than ever. While I won’t be going to the day job, I have a bunch of books I now have time to write. As well as writing more book proposals to get more books to write.

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  1. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    Seawriter: But, please, don’t rush out to get toilet paper so that you get some before the hoarders get it first. (Or at least hoard something sensible, like kleenex.) Listen to the Conservatarian podcast #117. It has good advice.

    If you have plenty of toilet paper, use it first. In a hospital, we were told to use kleenex instead. If not, use  old washcloths, underwear, etc., and wash them later. 

    Just wash your hands afterwords – this isn’t rocket (sorry @seawriter ) science.


    Join other Ricochet members by submitting a Quote of the Day post, the easiest way to start a fun conversation. There are many open days on the March Signup Sheet. We even include tips for finding great quotes, so choose your favorite quote and sign up today!

    • #1
  2. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    I’ve already been stocked with T.P. and always have. I remember from my childhood just how rough the Sears Catalog and using an outhouse can be. Yesterday stocked 4 packs of face tissue, four 6 packs of water. Only because I can’t stand the chlorine in the city’s drinking water. Snowing today and currently 10 deg F, might get up to 16 deg by sundown.

    Sawatdeeka, bless her loving heart, offered to take me out shopping today, but I passed. Two weeks ago she was sick with our local flu bug. In the last couple of months all of my local family has had the flu. I’ve missed it.

    Don’t know why Montana hasn’t been hit, as we border Canada.

    • #2
  3. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Kay of MT (View Comment):
    Don’t know why Montana hasn’t been hit, as we border Canada.

    Canada is kind of a big country and the portions that border Montana are not exactly heavily populated. (Neither is Montana a swarming hive of people.) The outbreaks have been in the population centers (West Coast, Ontario, Quebec). 

    • #3
  4. Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… Inactive
    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp…
    @MajorityRuleAbridgesSpeech

    Moderator Note:

    Inappropriate advertising redacted.
    • #4
  5. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Does anyone know what the treatment for run-of-the-mill CoVid-19 is?  Can it be treated with hospice-type care, or does it require hospitalization?

    • #5
  6. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    Does anyone know what the treatment for run-of-the-mill CoVid-19 is? Can it be treated with hospice-type care, or does it require hospitalization?

    AFAIK 80% of the cases are so mild people mistake them for a common cold. Don’t need anything other than bed rest.

    • #6
  7. Snirtler Inactive
    Snirtler
    @Snirtler

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    Does anyone know what the treatment for run-of-the-mill CoVid-19 is? Can it be treated with hospice-type care, or does it require hospitalization?

    AFAIK 80 of the cases are so mild people mistake them for a common cold. Don’t need anything other than bed rest.

    Randy, near the middle of this page, the CDC describes treatment. Seawriter’s correct that most cases are mild, but one estimate for the hospitalization rate is around 19%. I’m linking to the source of that number; it cites a few other stats you might be interested in.

    The data sources are indicated and I think these were the initial numbers coming out from the initial outbreak in China. It’s new [by it, I mean the infection], so there is no certainty on the numbers. And they vary according to location and age group–see Kozak’s comment here for an illustration.

    • #7
  8. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Snirtler (View Comment):

    Seawriter (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    Does anyone know what the treatment for run-of-the-mill CoVid-19 is? Can it be treated with hospice-type care, or does it require hospitalization?

    AFAIK 80 of the cases are so mild people mistake them for a common cold. Don’t need anything other than bed rest.

    Randy, near the middle of this page, the CDC describes treatment. Seawriter’s correct that most cases are mild, but one estimate for the hospitalization rate is around 19%. I’m linking to the source of that number; it cites a few other stats you might be interested in.

    The data sources are indicated and I think these were the initial numbers coming out from the initial outbreak in China. It’s new, so there is no certainty on the numbers. And they vary according to location and age group–see Kozak’s comment here for an illustration.

     

    Thanks for the links.

    • #8
  9. Snirtler Inactive
    Snirtler
    @Snirtler

    Seawriter (View Comment):
    AFAIK 80 of the cases are so mild people mistake them for a common cold. Don’t need anything other than bed rest

    80 mild cases where? Here’s the latest data I’ve seen for the US:

    • #9
  10. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Snirtler (View Comment):
    80 mild cases where? Here’s the latest data I’ve seen for the US:

    80% of  the cases, not 80 cases.

    • #10
  11. Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… Inactive
    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp…
    @MajorityRuleAbridgesSpeech

    Kay of MT (View Comment):
    Don’t know why Montana hasn’t been hit, as we border Canada.

    After living in Bonners Ferry Idaho, the last US town before Canada and 5 miles from the Montana border, the virus has no chance in that cold :)  

    The flu is still a bigger threat in terms of fatality. 

    • #11
  12. Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… Inactive
    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp…
    @MajorityRuleAbridgesSpeech

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):

    Moderator Note:

    Inappropriate advertising redacted.

    Sorry about that, I was googling for Grey is the Color of Hope and just copied the data. Not sure if you also meant the link to what Majority Rule Abridges Speech is talking about. I imagine since I am not selling the book to this audience, but offering it as a free pdf it would be OK. 

    Irena’s story took place in 1980-1984. Imagine that kind of torture in the USSR not that long ago. I’m basically fighting for the same issue she was imprisoned for, the right to speak in a way that affects the legislation written in Congress. The fact is that with Majority Rule only they have a right to put legislation forward, the minority has no recourse as they are told they cannot talk or add amendments etc. The citizens who are part of the minority party literally have no voice in Congress. It is a fatal flaw unless we correct it. 

     

    • #12
  13. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):

    Kay of MT (View Comment):
    Don’t know why Montana hasn’t been hit, as we border Canada.

    After living in Bonners Ferry Idaho, the last US town before Canada and 5 miles from the Montana border, the virus has no chance in that cold :)

    The flu is still a bigger threat in terms of fatality.

    We now have 4 known cases in MT all on the southern area.

    • #13
  14. Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker Coolidge
    Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker
    @AmySchley

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):
    I imagine since I am not selling the book to this audience, but offering it as a free pdf it would be OK. 

    1) Your book has nothing to do with Covid. It is very rude to shill for your book on posts that are completely unrelated.

    2) You’ve already made a post about your book. That is sufficient. Additional comments shilling for your book are inappropriate and if continued, will result in suspension or banning. 

    I invite all members to flag other comments where you see this behavior.

    • #14
  15. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    It reminds me every four years, we hear folks say, “This is the most important election in our lifetime.”

    The truth be known, the next election is always the most important one because you can’t do a darn thing about the last one . . .

    • #15
  16. Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… Inactive
    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp…
    @MajorityRuleAbridgesSpeech

    Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker (View Comment):

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):
    I imagine since I am not selling the book to this audience, but offering it as a free pdf it would be OK.

    1) Your book has nothing to do with Covid. It is very rude to shill for your book on posts that are completely unrelated.

    2) You’ve already made a post about your book. That is sufficient. Additional comments shilling for your book are inappropriate and if continued, will result in suspension or banning.

    I invite all members to flag other comments where you see this behavior.

    Amy I feel your words above are out of line here. You took chosen words of my response to a post with a link to Irena’s book Grey is the Color of Hope that was redacted because of use policy. It was not my book. You try to spell her last name. I just went to google and copied data. That response of mine was to the subject of toilet paper in a previous comment  by @vectorman. Why you use it to relate to the virus is questionable at best. 

    Now you have presented to the community that I am “shilling” my book in a time a national crisis. That is irresponsible of  you to try to make me appear to the community as a self interested narcissist. I am not sure what qualifies you as a moderator? Taking things out of context so badly that you are simply making stuff up.  

    Like a bully you then threaten my right to speak in this forum.

    If I find a topic relative to free speech and government, or in your case simple free speech, I have every right to quote from my book and to continue to offer it as FREE information to this audience.  Here is something from the book for you from President Reagan:

    CHAPTER SIX
    Remembering
    Reagan on Freedom

    As you think more about the unjust monopoly and suppression of free speech (by the US Congress by using Majority Rule) that this book is pointing out, consider these words from President Ronald Reagan:

    “Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things. It is the continuing revolution of the marketplace. It is the understanding that allows us to recognize shortcomings and seek solutions. It is the right to put forth an idea, scoffed at by the experts, and watch it catch fire among the people. It is the right to dream—to follow your dream or stick to your conscience, even if you’re the only one in a sea of doubters. Freedom is the recognition that no single person, no single authority or government has a monopoly on the truth, but that every individual life is infinitely precious, that every one of us put on this world has been put there for a reason and has something to offer.”

    • #16
  17. Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker Coolidge
    Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker
    @AmySchley

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):
    If I find a topic relative to free speech and government, or in your case simple free speech, I have every right to quote from my book and to continue to offer it as FREE information to this audience.

    Another freedom is freedom of association. As an organization, we have the right to allow or disallow members to associate with us. You have the right to share your thoughts. Your right to the latter does not override our right to the former, and continued use of Ricochet as an advertisement will result in us exercising our rights of association. 

    • #17
  18. Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… Inactive
    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp…
    @MajorityRuleAbridgesSpeech

    Amy Schley, Longcat Shrinker (View Comment):

    Majority Rule abridges Free Sp… (View Comment):
    If I find a topic relative to free speech and government, or in your case simple free speech, I have every right to quote from my book and to continue to offer it as FREE information to this audience.

    Another freedom is freedom of association. As an organization, we have the right to allow or disallow members to associate with us. You have the right to share your thoughts. Your right to the latter does not override our right to the former, and continued use of Ricochet as an advertisement will result in us exercising our rights of association.

     

    Amy, you do not have a right to write false and misleading statements about my character as you did in your previous post. I am disappointed by your lack of apology. 

    I have not violated any user terms that I am aware of. You commented based on a redacted comment of mine that you never read and created this dispute. The book referenced in that redaction was of the Russian Poet, not mine. If you had read the redacted comment you would have avoided all this nonsense.  

    Advertising carries the intent to make money with the sale of a book. I have not done that – at all. Ricochet however does advertise books with its weekly book review. 

    I could say a lot Amy, but it serves my interest to tolerate you being petty and unhelpful. If a rule was violated by me simply send me the reference and I can comply or decide its not for me and leave this community.   

    • #18
  19. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Majority Rule: If you do not take this conversation offline via private conversations, I will revert this thread to draft.  Amy Schley in her role as moderator has to put up with it. I as Post Author do not and will not. Persist and I will pull the plug on this conversation.

    • #19
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