A really simple way to understand this is through STRATEGIC RESERVES. Strategic reserves and the ability to produce nationally can be in a crisis (war, pandemic, etc.) a smart thing to do. Usually

There's a fine line between protectionism and having national resilience and an the ability to cope in a situation where the international trade and globalization breaks down for some reason. Having a 100% ability to produce everything domestically is not only overkill, but a recipe for an economic disaster. Basically if you wall off domestic production from global competition, the end result is a very poor and costly industry that lacks competitiveness.

I agree. We will always need to import goods, but we will have to start becoming less reliant on those countries that do not have our best interests at heart. At the moment those countries are China, and to a lesser degree, the semi-independent nations of the EU. We can trade freely with the rest of the world apart from those two entities in my opinion...but always making sure not to be too dependent on any one country.

I also feel that as the CCP are responsible for allowing this crisis to escalate that we should apply tariffs to their goods even if that does us short term economic harm...it's not like we'd notice much at the moment lol.

Just as an aside , a chap calling from China on the radio this morning says that he thinks unrest is brewing there, and I believe him...an economic tsunami is going to hit China on the back of this crisis, things could deteriorate rapidly both in terms of internal Chinese friction (revolution?) and China resorting to external force (war with Taiwan/Philippines/Japan ?) to divert attention .

I’ve been hearing some local rumors of deaths that are not due to COVID-19 being reported as such. One such instance was a death from a car wreck. Another example is that anyone who dies with any similar symptoms, such as pneumonia, being reported as COVID-19 deaths. I *feel* that these are baseless rumors, or even the result of right-wing propaganda, but can anyone confirm, or disconfirm these rumors?

100% right wing propaganda

This is my UDI and declaration of the state of anarchy. All copyrights waived.

Dear ***** I have never written to my MP before, But I thought I ought to let you know my position.

All the senior members of the government have united in trying to persuade the country that :

1. Driving 200 miles is staying at home.
2. Driving around with wonky eyes and a child is safeguarding.
3. Sitting on a bench in Barnard Castle is medical treatment, whereas sitting on a bench in a London park is a breach of lockdown.

I have concluded therefore that no one in the current government has the least scrap of credibility. This means, that I cannot believe any government announcements, and means in practice that i do not have a government at all.

Accordingly, I will not be recognising any advice or policy or law or regulation put forth by this administration, but will rely on other sources for advice and rely on my own instincts and intelligence to guide me in supporting my fellow citizens in the current emergency.

Thank you for serving as my MP, but as long as you support this government, you do not represent me any more and I do not anymore owe you any respect .

I live in ****************** but my partner and I believe we have covid19, and my advice to you is that you do not visit at this time. I will be putting this letter on facebook, to make my position public.

Yours very sincerely *****.

Civil disobedience for the win. There's an uncapitalised "i" in the paragraph after your 3 points.

There's an uncapitalised "i" in the paragraph after your 3 points. — Benkei

I resign. They're hard to spot with my wonky covid19 eyes.

You'd think that an auto-correct smart enough to automatically change covid to civic, would be able to capitalise an i, but it doesn't even bother to flag it.

Sorry to hear about your situation :( The Cummings thing is ... incredulous. As someone with only a passing familiarity with English going-ons, this really seemed to strike the point home:

Copy cat! I already posted that. I think it was in the Brexit thread though...

Ha, my bad, missed it.

Edit: I peeked in the Brexit thread. There's a reason I stay out of it!

This is an interesting and touching speech from Conan, especially at 7:20 onwards when he starts to be sincere:

Following the complete collapse of the UK government into fantasy, the committee of the ungodly have instituted a new national anthem. You don't have to stand, but joining in the chorus is extremely cathartic.

Hasn't anyone thought about what coronavirus would be reincarnated as such as a beautiful butterfly or squirrel, the dreaded virus must surely realise how much it is feared and hated and would probably commit suicide to be something that is loved and respected

Yes. Can't stop thinking about that. I've settled on a hamster.

There are all the animals that are falling in numbers due to climate change, maybe we could bring some back

I've also thought of polar bears and arctic foxes

Every little bug must have a new life

:chin:

Hasn't anyone thought about what coronavirus would be reincarnated as such as a beautiful butterfly or squirrel — Josephine Clarke

I don't think viruses are technically considered alive, so they wouldn't be reincarnated: they reincarnate themselves in host cells.

A pandemic and mass demonstrations at the same time. In a game of civilisation I'd consider reloading.

And we're not even halfway through 2020.

You have to put these things in perspective...what percentage of people are actually badly harmed by the virus (under 1%) ? And what percentage of the American population are actually rioting ( a few thousand out of 300 million). The zombie apocalypse is not yet upon us, don't panic lol.

I think the human race will make it to the end of 2020 though, call it a hunch.

Latest figure that I've seen is that 2 kids under that age of 15 have died due to covid 19, sad but hardly evidence of the end of days.

How did they die? Kawasaki syndrome?

I think the human race will make it to the end of 2020 though, call it a hunch. — Chester

Oh yeah, I'm not pessimistic about the human race's survival. Even if Yellowstone were to blow or there was a squid uprising. Just saying we still have 7 months for current times to get more interesting.

Didn't look into that, so maybe.

I'm with you there, this virus could be a catalyst for major events to start unfolding. There is also potential for this virus to mutate into something far worse, so I'm not blind to the potential of catastrophe...it's just unlikely.

it's just unlikely. — Chester

Agreed. I'm not into the doomsday predictions stuff. I think we'll survive climate change as well and civilization will go on in some form.

I'm with you on that....but I guess we should never count our chickens and always be prepared. In some ways this event can be seen as a dry run for greater dangers ahead...like the return of something like the Spanish flu.