yogi100

7 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Your imagination running wild on excuses for the PM and his Government failing to act settles on blaming people who are not the PM and not in Government.

It's 9.15 am in London right now and we've got traffic jams in a so called lock down that the timid authorities and invisible police officers are reluctant to enforce.

The authorities are representatives of the government so how am I excusing any government.

3 hours ago, CharlieH said:

The issue that concerns me, and I suspect a lot of folks here is will you be allowed to ?

 

The ever shifting sand of immigration, the ever increasing requirements and what appears to be purposeful obstacles created.

 

Just think of those who are perhaps in their 70's with another probably fifteen years or more in front of them. They have built a life and possibly have families here. The bridges and connections with their homeland long gone. Their life and all that encompasses is right here.

 

Then they hit 75 or maybe 80 and all of a sudden the rules change !! The Insurance is compulsory for all and yet not available due to age, what then??

The criteria changes and through no fault you are facing having to LEAVE everyone and everything you've known for the past 25 yrs or more. Not a nice situation and one that quietly is a deep concern to many in this land.......what if ?

 

So, its not a case of "where will you die" its more a case of "where will you end up" because there are no certainties here ! 

For some, that prospect is deeply disturbing but nevertheless has to be contemplated.

 

I holiday in Pattaya and two ex pat pals of mine have seen the writing on the wall and are back in the UK. One who I'm in touch with is currently paying £210 (9,000 B) a week to stay in a cheap B&B hostel in London.

He came back to sort some affairs out and can't now return. He does not know what the future holds. All of a sudden he's more concerned about where he's going to live than where he's going to die.

His life has been turned upside down with his belongings in a hotel room 6,000 miles away.

3 hours ago, Fairynuff said:

Nobody is trying to blame trump and Johnson. We all know it started in China but the way those two have handled the situation has led to them catastrophically being the worst hit countries in terms of total deaths. Blame doesn’t solve the issue, it just makes those two feel better, they don’t have to worry about the death toll because it’s not their fault..... except that it is.

If Boris and DT took firmer measures against the spread of CV19 you'd be accusing them of being racists, bigots and xenophobes and the whole associated shooting match. So liberals will never be happy.

In reality we should close our borders, deport all illegals and have 10pm to 4am curfew like they have in Thailand. But such robust, sensible and effective measures would have the do gooders weeping and wailing their eyes out.

Liberalism and globalism has its price and right now we're paying that price here in the UK and they are in the US as well. And it's being paid in human lives, getting on for 100,000 of them!

48 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What activities of the Chinese and are these activities partaken in by all the Chinese?

 

If you have a point to make be more precise. (Assuming of course broad brush generalizations are not the point you have to make).

Well obviously those activities associated with CV19.

5 hours ago, sitti said:

This is laughable. A country that relies on Chinese money, even more so after Brexit, is in no position to tough talk with China???? In fact brits should question themselves for <deleted> poor jobs they had done responding to Cod19 threats.

The UK did not receive any threats. CV19 hit us out of the blue just like it did every on else.

9 hours ago, pegman said:

The usual suspects lining up to be chief American lapdog. Fact is the Brits and Americans should investigate their own responses to the pandemic before any others. Between them tens of thousands have died because BoJo & Trump got it so wrong. 

What exactly did BoJo & Trump get 'so wrong'. 

Is it that neither of them were able to see into the future and under estimate the evil power of a virus that no one in living memory could have contemplated being among us so rapidly and in such an effective manner.

No one in the world including yourself knew what to expect except possibly the CCP.

If it had been expected adequate precautions would have been made in advance just as before WW2 every Briton was issued with a gas mask. This time we did not have enough time to issue even medical staff with effective personal protection clothing and equipment.

Boris was taken so unaware of what to expect and to such an extent that he almost died of CV19 so what exactly did he get 'wrong'?

Surely you don't think he was expecting to be at death's door as a result of a disease that had broken out 6,000 miles away a few weeks previously. Trump was even geographically further away, and you can bet he'll be a lot more cautious than Boris was.

14 hours ago, sprq said:

Idiotic American presidential election system. Electing a national leader state by state is totally illogical, especially given the electoral college aspect. Name me another major nation that elects its leader this way instead of simply counting the total nationwide votes, which is the ONLY fair way to do it. Look to France for how to do it: a first round with multiple candidates, then a second round two weeks later with a run-off between the top two, both rounds counted nationally.

In the UK we vote for Members of Parliament to see who controls each constituency and the elected member then represents that constituency in the House of Commons who in turn controls the national government.

The party that wins the most constituencies (seats) as opposed to the number of votes in the Houses of Commons forms the government. So in the UK it's not the most votes that decide the outcome, it's the most seats. A similar system to what you have in the US.

There is no point bitching about the system after an election. It's a system that can go either way and in either party's favour.

36 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Are you real?

Let's look what else we should boycott?

- America because of their crazy MAGA leader who spreads misinformation. He is at least as much responsible for the million infected Americans than China.

- Saudi Arabia and many other countries in that area because of the human right record.

- Vietnam because they eat dogs over there.

- X because they to Y

- The list goes on an on.

But let's face reality and be realistic. How much would an iPhone cost if it would be produced inside the USA by US citizens? And how many people would pay that price?

I rest my case.

Of course I'm real, why do think I'm not? Because I don't sing the praises of the CCP on an internet forum or because I don't want nor own a Chinese mobile phone!

Those countries' internal policies do not affect the rest of the world.

How is Trump responsible for infected Americans? He did not introduce CV19 into their lives.

We should keep out of the Islamic affairs of nations like Saudi Arabia, it does not affect us. That's none of our business. Look at the mess you all made with our help in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the cost of tens of thousands of our young mens' lives.

Who cares if the Viets eat dogs! People in London eat jellied eels. Thais eat water beetles and scorpions. It does not hurt you.

It's not necessary to have an iphone, I don't have one and I survive OK without one. I still use an 11 year old Nokia C2!

Like countless millions of others I'm in 'lockdown' for the foreseeable future and have been for weeks. I'd sooner pay a bit more for my electronic stuff or buy it from someone else than have to live like this to keep the Chinese sweet. They've only got contempt for us anyway especially you Americans.

60,000 of your people have died because of this virus as have 30,000 of mine. That's just so far. 

Are you not angry with the Chinese, I am. But I suppose if you value your electronic gadgetry more than the lives of your fellow citizens then I suppose it's much easier to blame Trump than it is to blame the people who are really responsible because they'll then continue to sell you cheap iphones and computers.

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Lots of people and corporations buy from China because they have often good prices - and (I don't know how often) also good quality. I.e. Motherboards from ASUS, one of the top computer companies in this world, are now since many years produced in China and they are great quality. And that is only one example. I buy constantly electronic parts from China. It works just fine and cost often less than half of the US price (and that's before shipping).

There was a time when Made in China was a synonyme for cheap and bad. And that time, at least for many products, was long ago.

And their legacy for cheap shoddy merchandise lingers on.

In many peoples' opinions China is responsible for this cursed scourge which is going to kill many of us all over the world, ruin our economies and lives. Millions of us in the real world are now stuck indoors too scared to go out to seek any form of human companionship.

Those who continue to do business with them from now on are betraying those of us who will do their best to boycott anything made in China and treat 'em like the low life bullies and liberty takers their leaders actually are. If we let them get away with this who knows what sort of stroke they are going to try pulling next!

We've let them establish a monopoly on electronic goods and it's now our moral duty to destroy that monopoly.

We should set an example and stop buying electronic parts from China instead of crowing about how wonderful they are! You might sing and different song after seeing how people in Italy were lying and dying in hospital corridors alone in their own faeces and urine because their health services could no longer cope.

Loyalty, decency and morality should come before money especially if it turns out that this plague was man made in that Wuhan laboratory rather in a bowl of bat soup.

On 5/1/2020 at 1:40 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

When will Americans realize who pays the bill for all these extra tariffs? Here a hint: It's not the Chinese. 

But the tariffs if they're sufficiently harsh will go some way to preventing the sale of Chinese products so damaging their economy.

If tariffs render Chinese goods too expensive and the rest of the world follows the example set by the US China might just get the message. A lot of their products are pure tat anyway especially the electrical items.

We all managed OK before China became an economic power house and will do so again once a vaccine is discovered.

Many websites have these infuriating adverts. Some even cover the content you're reading about when they pop up or pop down. A well known on line British newspaper is notorious for it. I for one will never buy what they're advertising.

I dunno why they just show them down the side of the page.

Perhaps if the advertisers realise how it turns people off their product they'd have the common gumption to do something about it.

41 minutes ago, Crazy Alex said:

The issue is mostly ILLEGAL immigration. Any country can and should control immigration. For some reason, when the US does it, people are up in arms.

And the UK. It's practically considered subversive to be an Englishman in parts of the UK these days. Especially in London.

At least Trump stands up for his people as the Chinese are finding out.

32 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

Tells things as they are? He has no bloody idea how things are! Immigration? The USA is a country of immigrants - including Trump's wife and her parents! Manifestly hypocritical - no doubt you have a different take on that, Trump supporters always do.

 

As I said earlier - it doesn't seem to matter what Teflon Trump does, his supporters stay with him.  I'd like to think that's just misguided loyalty but I don't think it is in this case - perhaps it shows just how many more biggotted, nationalist lunatics exist in the USA?

 

I could probably list hundreds of matters where he has definitely not told things as they are - but would you listen?  Not a hope - and that's the problem.

 

Let me guess, you also think climate change is a hoax?

 

Trump - 'The concept of Global Warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non competitive'.

 

He's simply obsessed with China! If he attacked China and stuck to factual things like their human rights record or copyright issues, he might get more support worldwide.

I think you'll find that Trump is more concerned with Latin American criminal elements among immigrants than he is about law abiding folk who are prepared to work for a living. They should be deported immediately the same as those aliens who commit crimes in Thailand.

She may be an immigrant but what crimes has Mrs Trump committed?

Many agree with these sentiments, don't you?

10 minutes ago, stevenl said:

There are indications it is manmade and there are indications it evolved naturally. Imo indications for the latter are much stronger, but that can be a difference of opinion. 

But a conclusion either way is not yet justified.

If this virus was not man made then given the serious nature of the matter the CCP should be only too eager to allow the WHO to search the Wuhan facility leaving no stone unturned. They should insist on the WHO doing a thorough investigation of the place.

But they're not.

It's easier and more convenient to insist the blame lies with a food market a few miles down the road in a huge country just a tad (2%) smaller than the USA!

I dunno about you but I for one think that's more than just a little bit fishy.

6 minutes ago, Traubert said:

Put down the shovel and go and have lie down.

 

Despite everything, and however you view it, Mr Trump has bitten off more than he can chew this time. Cant even bomb it.

What are you talking about and why the 'lie down' remarks?

Trump is standing up for the Western world against a communist dictatorship who may possibly have unleashed a lethal disease upon us all. Including yourself.

Would you say the same thing if Obama was still in the WH and having to deal with what is now an international crisis?

55 minutes ago, xylophone said:

You asked: "If it is not man made where did it come from?"

 

And I replied: transmission from an animal carrying the virus.

 

And there are "wet markets" and wet markets and many trap, butcher and sell what is also known as "bush meat", not to mention many exotic and wild species that many other nationalities wouldn't consider/dream of eating.

 

As an example, the Ebola virus infected a scientist after she was carrying out a necropsy on a dead monkey, and there are many monkeys living in the Philippines who are infected with Ebola and many other outbreaks of Ebola from primates have been recorded.

 

Similarly with HIV which was (as far as is known) also transmitted from primates to humans, usually by another host therefore causing a mutation to occur.

 

That was the basis of my reply and I wasn't really going into what you thought of the Chinese or how oppressed they were, or how much they lied, because it wasn't what you asked.
 

 

I brought up the matter of oppression and how much they lied because of the threat this Coronavirus presents and how we desperately need to hear the truth about how it appeared.

1 hour ago, ChouDoufu said:

many of these viruses come from critters.

 

remember the hantavirus scare in the usa in '93?  mice.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/outbreaks/history.html

 

 

I've never actually heard of it.

CV19 is a tad more serious than some Mickey Mouse Hantavirus. The Coronavirus is international and may possibly claim hundreds of thousands or maybe a million or more lives.

Like many world leaders Trump suspects that this virus is deadly serious and could have been released on purpose.

Seeing as the US election will be held this year and in view of the trade problems between China and other countries many folk  may share those suspicions and think this is a move to discredit DT before November.

Do you not think it all seems a bit iffy when the Chinese won't allow the WHO to visit the Wuhan facility to look into the matter thoroughly when the virus is affecting the whole world? Many people do.

3 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Zoonotic diseases, such as corona virus types are caused by pathogens which originate in other animal species. Some diseases, such as rabies, cause sporadic outbreaks, often self-contained but deadly and traumatising for the communities they infect. Others manage to spread worldwide and become pandemic, circulating in the global population. Some are repeat offenders that re-emerge from animal hosts in a mutated form every few decades – think influenza, plague and cholera.

There are wet markets in every country in the world selling fresh produce daily.

When has a virus as severe as this one ever been traced to any of the planet's tens or possibly hundreds of thousands of markets that are open every day in all five continents?

Especially one that by a remarkable coincidence is located in the same town as a biological warfare testing facility. Do you not think it possible that it's a cover up?

An authoritarian regime does not care what outsiders think and it's own citizens are not allowed to think. Thousands of Chinese people were gunned down on that day in Tiananmen Square for giving voice to their thoughts.

Most of us in the free world do not believe a single word that is uttered by the dictators who run China.

41 minutes ago, Sujo said:

It is not man made so stop with the conspiracy. Even trumps own agencies say its not man made.

 

The US didnr get it from the chinese, they got it because trump allowed flights in from europe.

 

 

If it is not man made where did it come from?

17 minutes ago, ChouDoufu said:

 

wuhan was the epicenter.  our government was preparing daily intelligence briefings for our congressional and white house overlords.  one group was tweeting it'll go away soon, the other selling their stocks while telling us we were prepared.

 

the us has a consulate in wuhan, staffed with spies, and a rooftop loaded with the latest crypto gear.  we were not blind.  when the chinese began dumping truckloads of dirt on access roads to quarantine the city, there still were no official cases in the usa.

 

later, when the virus did enter the us, the cdc were still telling us masks were not needed and the leader of the free world was saying we'd be at zero soon.

Why then did these spies in said consulate not tell the world via their government what was about to happen?

Surely it would have been their moral and humane duty to have done so.

Unless of course they themselves had little idea of what was about to happen. Just like the rest of us in the free world including Trump and Johnson.

BJ even caught the disease and nearly died! That shows how much he knew about it!

No one had a clue about what was about to happen!

Most Westerners including myself considered it to be a form of influenza. We downplayed it.

Few people suspected it could be man made!

It was not until the deaths in Iran, Italy and Spain began hitting the news that we began to get alarmed. Even then we were not aware that there were hundreds of thousands of Chinese workers in these three countries.

Nor of the fact that many of these workers went back to their homeland for their New Year celebrations and brought the plague back with them.