OT: Coronavirus

@"SFVikeFan" said: Right now there is no federal law requiring employers to give their employees sick leave.  So now there is a bill on the floor from Dems that mandated 14 days paid sick leave for workers in the event of a public health crisis, 7 days accrues in year 1, etc.  

What gives the federal government the authority to pass unfunded mandates on businesses?  

GOP Senate voted it down.

Wrong.  
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash)  asked for "unanimous consent" passage of the un-funded mandate sick leave. 
(odd, since her state is one of 11 states  that already has paid sick leave)
"unanimous consent" means no debate/deliberation on the matter.  
It only takes one Senator to end unanimous consent....and in this case it was RINO Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn).  Hardly a rock-ribbed conservative. Ask AGR. 
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/487113-gop-chairman-blocks-quick-passage-of-paid-sick-leave-bill 

We will see if they can hammer out something to help truckers, people in service industry and others who don’t get sick leave but with this GOP Senate I wouldn’t hold my breath.

**sigh**
Ewwww!  Those wascawwy Wepubwicans!  

Instead of another hastily passed federal unfunded mandate placed solely  on businesses (also --like employees-- also "hurting") ....why not make Fedzilla put it's money where it's mouth is?  
Why the sole "onus" placed on employers?  

If we're bound to spend our way out of any pain encountered by anyone....why not spread the wealth around?  

Federally Funded Sick Leave 
While most U.S. workers have paid sick leave provided by their employers, close to one-third do not. Many of those without sick-leave are lower-income hourly or tipped workers. They are less likely to have access to ‘rainy-day’ funds to get them through a period of weeks without income.

This creates a dangerous incentive for workers who may have coronavirus but are not cripplingly ill to continue to show up to work, risking infecting coworkers, customers, and people they encounter on their commute. For the sake of containing the virus, we need to compensate these workers for performing the public service of staying home if they are sick.
The loss of income for these workers also threatens to have a destabilizing ripple effect on the economy by diminishing consumer spending. Obviously, workers who are not receiving incomes will need to reduce their spending. But many workers who are healthy will also reduce their discretionary spending in order to build a financial cushion in case they get sick. In an economy that is highly dependent on consumer spending, this could have serious deleterious consequences.
Democrat leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer seem to be calling for mandatory employer-provided paid sick leave, something the American left has long demanded. This would be a mistake, especially right now. Many of the businesses that do not currently provide paid sick leave are small enough that having to pay employees who are unexpectedly not working would be unsustainable. That is even more so when public fears over the coronavirus are slowing sales at restaurants, retail shops, and other public places.
Fortunately, there’s a better alternative—federally funded sick leave. The U.S. government should announce that it stands ready to send checks to employees with coronavirus. (If it is easier to administer, it can send the checks to employers who keep paying their workers.) This has the added advantage of putting the burden of paying the bills on the institution with the lowest costs of funds, the federal government. With Treasury yields all now solidly below one percent, the government can easily afford to add to the deficit to pay for sick leave.

@"MaroonBells" said: Wow....

https://twitter.com/SageRosenfels18/status/1237449732475293697?s=20

Yeah, DIA is never that empty. My goodness, this thing has really gotten ahold of people. But I suspect that it's going to make a far bigger dent in the global economy than the global population. 

What changes have you made? Personally, I have tickets to fly to San Francisco with my kids to see my brother in a couple of weeks. And, so far anyway, I plan to go. But I have to say I'm a little nervous about it, especially with my kids. Not as much about the virus as how people are panicking about it. A flight yesterday was rerouted to Denver because someone, um...sneezed. And I am narrowing in on some ridiculously priced tickets to Cancun in May. Am I crazy? 

You're not crazy.  Continue with your plans. 

Reportedly, Masters tickets are bargain basement.  Might be my year to go. 

4 nights ago, attended Lynyrd Skynyrd concert with 25000 fellow Southerners.  
Breathing is fine....but it hurts when I pee.    B)

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"SFVikeFan" said: Right now there is no federal law requiring employers to give their employees sick leave.  So now there is a bill on the floor from Dems that mandated 14 days paid sick leave for workers in the event of a public health crisis, 7 days accrues in year 1, etc.  

GOP Senate voted it down.

We will see if they can hammer out something to help truckers, people in service industry and others who don’t get sick leave but with this GOP Senate I wouldn’t hold my breath.

This thing will be over before anybody without sick leave currently has time to accrue any appreciable sick time under this plan.  However let's leave the politics out of this thread,  you can start a political version in the proper place if you wish.

@"savannahskol" said:

@"SFVikeFan" said: Right now there is no federal law requiring employers to give their employees sick leave.  So now there is a bill on the floor from Dems that mandated 14 days paid sick leave for workers in the event of a public health crisis, 7 days accrues in year 1, etc.  

What gives the federal government the authority to pass unfunded mandates on businesses?  

GOP Senate voted it down.

Wrong.  
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash)  asked for "unanimous consent" passage of the un-funded mandate sick leave. 
(odd, since her state is one of 11 states  that already has paid sick leave)
"unanimous consent" means no debate/deliberation on the matter.  
It only takes one Senator to end unanimous consent....and in this case it was RINO Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn).  Hardly a rock-ribbed conservative. Ask AGR. 
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/487113-gop-chairman-blocks-quick-passage-of-paid-sick-leave-bill 

We will see if they can hammer out something to help truckers, people in service industry and others who don’t get sick leave but with this GOP Senate I wouldn’t hold my breath.

**sigh**
Ewwww!  Those wascawwy Wepubwicans!  

Instead of another hastily passed federal unfunded mandate placed solely  on businesses (also --like employees-- also "hurting") ....why not make Fedzilla put it's money where it's mouth is?  
Why the sole "onus" placed on employers?  

If we're bound to spend our way out of any pain encountered by anyone....why not spread the wealth around?  

Federally Funded Sick Leave 
While most U.S. workers have paid sick leave provided by their employers, close to one-third do not. Many of those without sick-leave are lower-income hourly or tipped workers. They are less likely to have access to ‘rainy-day’ funds to get them through a period of weeks without income.

This creates a dangerous incentive for workers who may have coronavirus but are not cripplingly ill to continue to show up to work, risking infecting coworkers, customers, and people they encounter on their commute. For the sake of containing the virus, we need to compensate these workers for performing the public service of staying home if they are sick.
The loss of income for these workers also threatens to have a destabilizing ripple effect on the economy by diminishing consumer spending. Obviously, workers who are not receiving incomes will need to reduce their spending. But many workers who are healthy will also reduce their discretionary spending in order to build a financial cushion in case they get sick. In an economy that is highly dependent on consumer spending, this could have serious deleterious consequences.
Democrat leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer seem to be calling for mandatory employer-provided paid sick leave, something the American left has long demanded. This would be a mistake, especially right now. Many of the businesses that do not currently provide paid sick leave are small enough that having to pay employees who are unexpectedly not working would be unsustainable. That is even more so when public fears over the coronavirus are slowing sales at restaurants, retail shops, and other public places.
Fortunately, there’s a better alternative—federally funded sick leave. The U.S. government should announce that it stands ready to send checks to employees with coronavirus. (If it is easier to administer, it can send the checks to employers who keep paying their workers.) This has the added advantage of putting the burden of paying the bills on the institution with the lowest costs of funds, the federal government. With Treasury yields all now solidly below one percent, the government can easily afford to add to the deficit to pay for sick leave.

Like I said before, my decades as a Vikings fan has prepared me for the obvious shortfall the Bucks season was destined for...

Getting daily corporate emails still. As this thing evolves company's are trying hard to figure out what response.   Manufacturing unlike sporting events needs people there. 
Slow start for 2020. Summer months are generally slower in manufacturing. With what's happening to supply chains worldwide this year is really looking sucky.
Here's to a great Q3.

I will admit. I'm getting pretty numb to it now. Don't want daily updates. Don't want to know. I'll keep my hands clean and hope for the best. 
Ps: I hope I can keep my @ss wiped as well.
Jeez....

I dont want this to be taken as political,  and there arent many bigger health scare sceptics than me,  but as blussterous as our president can be on things and as much as he likes to down play the media....look at his response to what's happening.  He is canceling appearances and such.  He is taking this thing serious and to me that speaks volumes as to how we should be approaching the subject.  He has the facts and is acknowledging that this threat is for real.

@"JimmyinSD" said: I dont want this to be taken as political,  and there arent many bigger health scare sceptics than me,  but as blussterous as our president can be on things and as much as he likes to down play the media....look at his response to what's happening.  He is canceling appearances and such.  He is taking this thing serious and to me that speaks volumes as to how we should be approaching the subject.  He has the facts and is acknowledging that this threat is for real.

I am to. I'm trying hard to balance the fact people are dead because of this with the actual numbers and the effect it will have on a fragile world economy. I question the response or over response and panic. My sceptical side asks if this is a real  mankind threat or a global test run of more deadly outbreaks and our preparedness to contain. I guess I've forgotten how to trust.

I'm no alarmist, but this is the real deal. I wouldn't suggest getting on a plane to anyone right now. To mitigate the spread, which will get worse each day, this 'social distancing' needs to be taken fairly seriously. Again, although the risk remains low, this flu has a mortality rate 10x the regular flu: that's no joke to those with compromised immune systems, lung or heart issues, elderly, etc. 

This from a person who is as level headed as I know:
"I heard an expert say on the news last night that if the US does not get its act together fast and radically improve access to testing, we're just two weeks away from being Italy.  The argument is that the US has no idea how many people might be sick because so few people are being tested.
This could've been hyperbole.  But somehow, it didn't seem like it.  And I am finding increasingly difficult to be panglossian about any of this."

I know Sticky.
It's not a joke and I'm not cold hearted to those who have died. It's just I'm tired of being scared into believing things. It seems be it weather or climate or viruses the more scares you get the more you start to feel lied to.

@"StickyBun" said: I'm no alarmist, but this is the real deal. I wouldn't suggest getting on a plane to anyone right now. To mitigate the spread, which will get worse each day, this 'social distancing' needs to be taken fairly seriously. Again, although the risk remains low, this flu has a mortality rate 10x the regular flu: that's no joke to those with compromised immune systems, lung or heart issues, elderly, etc. 

My skepticism is based on previous viral or bacterial outbreaks.  Like Sticky says, the regular run-of-the-mill flu is far more deadly and kills tens of thousands in the US each and every year but no events, flights or conventions get cancelled. The US had over 1500 deaths in 2009-10 from Swine flu.  I get a flu shot every year and take normal, reasonable precautions every winter.

But if the CDC says you got a 98% chance of survival once infected and the highest mortality rates are in 70+ age group, folks I won't be stocking up on a years supply of toilet paper just yet.  Common sense is truly an uncommon thing these days.

We're going to have 1 chance to get this right in the states folks. The arc has to be controlled right now, or its going to be Italy here.

Hospitals will be overwhelmed, people won't get treated for heart attacks, cancer etc. There is not enough infrastructure if that arc aint controlled. 

I dont trust we have nearly enough testing yet, let alone treatment. We may have to build temporary hospital facilities like we saw in China. 

Life has to change drastically for all of us for who knows how long?

No big events, NHL will follow NBA soon or they're fools and putting our people at risk. Baseball? There will be no baseball for sometime. Movie theaters, plays, music venues - all have to shut down. 

I hope I'm still going to a spring training game Saturday. I was in public at a Renaissance Festival this past Sunday. I'll keep doing stuff till they shut them down. 
Wish me luck.