Coronas for everyone!

Alas, not the terrible beer we all disguise as good by pushing a slice of lime into it. The Corona Virus, aka COVID-19, is truly becoming a world-wide problem, although it hasn’t really hit the U.S. much. I myself have been pretty cavalier about it and haven’t worried much about it, and I guess I still am like that. That said, there are a few things to consider.

The United States has no response to a pandemic. In April of 2018 Homeland Security advisor Tom Bossert and his entire team resigned – one day after John Bolton was hired. Among other things, he and his team were in charge of the Department of Homeland Security’s global health efforts. One month later, Bolton forced out Rear Admiral Timothy Ziemer from the National Security Council, as well as his entire team. He was in charge of the response to a potential pandemic.

Neither Mr. Bossert nor Rear Admiral Zeimer have been replaced. These positions, and those of their underlying teams, are vacant.

In addition to all of that, the CDC’s budget for such issues has been cut 80% by the current administration, making the number of countries helped out by the CDC decline from 49 to 10. This administration also cut funding to the WHO by 53% and to the Pan American Health Organization by 75%.

The CDC has over 100 labs across the country. As of today, only 3 can properly test for the Corona virus. There is a proposal in the works to request $1 Billion from congress to fight the disease, but that is woefully inadequate. Just to give you an idea of how much so, when there was an Ebola outbreak in 2014 the Obama administration requested $6 Billion, and got $5.4 Billion. Do you even remember the Ebola outbreak of 6 years ago?

If this virus actually reaches our shores in great numbers, which even I admit is possible, you’re going to see panic. That’s because no other response is even on the table.

Cheap Shots (go to Walgreens and get your flu shot!):

If it is your job to put out the fire, then put out the fucking fire! (Okay, that one earns you a shot of rum)

Math rocks, and this woman knew it. Thank you for everything.

And on a related note: Oops.

That’s Guilty, guilty!

Watch them leave. Bonus, I was sure he was going to say “hakuna matata”.

As I have said many a time, the Stock Market is not a realistic way to look at the economy. Here’s one reason why.

For me it’s not that Cooper used the word “bullshit” on air, but the fact that once upon a time that thing on Blagovich’s head was a toupee, and it was black.

I’m a coming for you Lizabeth! Pass the Robitussin!

And because I love you , Woody and Jeremy!