NY Times: Wuhan Virus Is Worse Than 9/11 Or Something

There once was a time when the people in charge of media outlets would sit back and say “is this really a good idea?” Sure, they weren’t always perfect, but, in these days, reading the Credentialed Media is more like reading the Democratic Underground, Daily Kos, or Media Matters. Here we have Unhinged Frank Bruni

Why the Coronavirus Is So Much Worse Than Sept. 11

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we were exhorted to defiance. I remember it well.

Don’t let the terrorists win, we were told. Don’t let them steal your joys or disrupt your routines — at least not too much. Be wary, yes, and be patient with extra-long security lines where they didn’t previously exist. If you see something, say something. But otherwise, resume normal life. Venture out. Revel.

“Get down to Disneyworld,” President George W. Bush said.

Disneyworld is now closed.

The specter of the coronavirus is utterly different from prior moments of national panic or devastation. I keep hearing comparisons to Sept. 11 in particular, and I understand why: The terror now is similar to the terror then, a wicked weave of vulnerability, helplessness and the inability to guess what’s next.

Frank gives it a whirl, discussing social distancing, shuttered businesses, etc and so on, but, last time I check, we didn’t lose 2,996 people in the space of a few hours, and be concerned with a real threat of violence from Islamic jihadis (though we weren’t allowed to call them Islamic). Coronavirus is not 9/11: this is disrespectful to those who were murdered and all those who pitched in.

But jokes don’t fly right now. And in my eerily languid, palpably tense Manhattan neighborhood, it has been a few days since I heard the music of human laughter.

His piece is a joke, and monumentally overestimates the threat of Wuhan, which most in the media have done, because, I hate to say it, the media wants to use this to take down Trump, along with the fact that they love fear-mongering. It’s seemingly part of their job. “If it bleeds it leads.”

From that article

During the swine flu pandemic, were there mass cancellations of events including conferences, concerts, sporting events, and entire professional sports leagues? Did colleges cancel classes, finishing the remainder of their semesters online? Were travel restrictions imposed between America and Europe? Were panicked Americans hoarding everything from toilet paper to pasta?

That was 2009

Reported deaths had occurred in people ranging in age from 22 months old to 57 years old. Also, only 13% of hospitalizations had occurred in people 50 years and older, and there were few cases and no deaths in people older than 65 years, which was unusual when compared with seasonal flu. (snip)

Swine flu caused 60.8 million illnesses, 273,304 hospitalizations, and 12,469 deaths in the U.S.

Worldwide, swine flu may have killed up to 203,000 people, more than the number thus far infected with Coronavirus, and the vast majority of those infected recovering uneventfully.

Cases are leveling off in China. There, Italy, the UK, here in the U.S., etc, most people had minor to moderate symptoms, and lots don’t even know they have it. We certainly do not need to under-estimate or minimize it, but, we shouldn’t be over-estimating nor maximizing it, and that’s what has happened, to the point people are hoarding toilet paper, tampons, sanitary pads, pudding, and more.

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25 Responses to “NY Times: Wuhan Virus Is Worse Than 9/11 Or Something”

  1. Elwood P. Dowd says:

    Do you support US gov’t bailouts for specific industries taking a hit from the Covid-1 pandemic?

    Hoteliers, restaurants, bars, resorts, cruise lines, airlines, fossil fuels, retailers, etc?

    We bailed out Wall Street banksters and they were to blame for their own problems.

    • Elwood P. Dowd says:

      forgot others who suffer financially when people can’t gather, e.g., churches, synagogues, schools, temples, mosques, concert and event planners, venues…

    • formwiz says:

      No, Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee were to blame for that one.

      Zippy the Wonder Slug was the third-highest recipient of Wall St money.

      As for the others, let’s see what comes out of Congress.

  2. formwiz says:

    forgot others who suffer financially when people can’t gather, e.g., churches, synagogues, schools, temples, mosques, concert and event planners, venues…

    when you figure out what you said, let us know.

  3. John says:

    Teach is still firmly behind his Trump believing that the virus is no big deal, just a few people sneezing
    Numbers ? Teach remember that Bush’s 9/11 was a one time 20% increase in homicides for that year
    Teach is mostly concerned when Muslims kill Americans, not do much when it is done by fellow citizens
    The stock market quickly recovered as did the American economy after 9/11
    If the Congress does pass this 1 or 2000$ giveaway, will that be socialism? How many posters here will refuse to cash the cheques?

    • Nighthawk says:

      Speaking of 9/11, you seem to be really concerned as to what others did in response but oddly refuse to answer what YOU did. Why is that?

    • david7134 says:

      John,
      This is a minor virus. The death rate is less than 1%. The idiot at WHO formulated a false set of numbers. In Italy only 2 people have died from the virus who were not terribly ill before. Why is good falling, why is oil tanking (don’t give me Bill about Russia and SA having a price war), why are we shutting down everything, why are Dem mayors and governors stopping the sale of guns and limiting other freedoms? This is one major hoax.

      • formwiz says:

        Precisely.

        Kind of like global nonsense. When Fake News saw it, they didn’t question it, but jumped on it and ran with it.

        When the dust settles, I hope there’s a class action suit against Fake News and all the Demo governors that have gone power crazy.

        • Kye says:

          I disagree, formwiz. The Fake News didn’t jump on it and run with it, THEY CREATED IT. They took the appearance of a seasonal flu and blew it into the Great Plague Of 2020. It’s all been a hyped up lie to see how much power the media has nationally and internationally and it proved how dangerous this much power is. All the same players who have been pro open borders and pro illegal alien and Trump haters are moving this panic for one reason….GET TRUMP. Their last effort at impeachment having failed they had to come to the coupe de grasse. The running of our economy and the world economy thus “proving” capitalism FAILED! When there was no problem we couldn’t handle without all the hype and hysteria. Now, we need the government to pay our rent and cover our job loss.

          Who benefits from this? If you answer “The left” you get the prize.

          Trump 2020 Stop the left and their lies.

    • formwiz says:

      each is still firmly behind his Trump believing that the virus is no big deal, just a few people sneezing

      You got it. As of right now, there have been 150 deaths out of 330 million people. If the Diamond Princess model holds up, 83% of the public won’t even get the thing. 99% of cases are mild.

      So, yes, it’s no big deal, just a few people sneezing.

      Teach is mostly concerned when Muslims kill Americans, not do much when it is done by fellow citizens

      You mean like Tippytoes Emanuel in Chiraq. Or the Demo mayors of any American Hellhole?

      The stock market quickly recovered as did the American economy after 9/11

      It did? Facts say otherwise.

      If the Congress does pass this 1 or 2000$ giveaway, will that be socialism?

      I don’t recognize that currency Is it money in the Bizarro world?

      Since socialists want everybody on welfare, I’d say not. Socialists want the working classes out of work.

    • Jl says:

      We’ll show this one again, John. It seems several liberal news organizations didn’t think it was that big of a deal-
      https://twitter.com/cernovich/status/1240092844515135488?s=21

  4. formwiz says:

    Good news on the home front.

    The Gray Lady had a piece written saying “Are we overreacting?” is a “taboo” question.

    So our little outpost of sanity ain’t so little. Apparently, a lot of people have asked that question (and a lot more, I’m betting) and Fake News is getting antsy.

    They better be. We won’t be stuck inside forever.

  5. formwiz says:

    More good news.

    Of the 17% of any given population that get the Red Chinese Germ Warfare Flu, most will never realize they’ve had it, according to the Times of Israel.

  6. Matthew Wall says:

    Chinese syndicates are using Chinese National in Australia to strip supermarkets of foodstuffs and ship them back to China. They are taking busses and trailers out into the country and hitting small town stores and supermarkets. Nice people hey?

  7. formwiz says:

    They’re desperate for food. That’s why Trump had leverage over them. They need us more than we need them.

    You can’t eat Treasury notes.

  8. david7134 says:

    I get a daily briefing on this cold from the state. So far in Louisiana there are only a few people ill with this problem. So I tried to find how many are in the hospital in the nation who are ill. Can’t find that despite the fact it is mandatory to report. If anyone has the numbet, let me know. But all I see are positive test which is meaningless. Then there is a substantial hype on what could happen, which ranks up there with the possibility of the Yellowstone volcano topping off.

    • formwiz says:

      There are reliable data points finally coming in and that’s where the hype is failing.

      Saw a piece at A Nod To The Gods making the point the media is becoming all rah rah unity and what that might mean; they think it’s sinister.

      I do, too.

      For them.

      Jeffery is pushing the what happens when they come for Trump thing the way he did when Mule Ears’ report was supposed to bring him down.

      All this says to me what I’ve been guessing. The American people don’t blame Trump for this and anybody who’s seen giving him a hard time will pay dearly. He’s seen as doing his best to keep the country safe. So our loyal Fake News is trying to make limited kissy face.

      The issue is the real data we’re seeing says this was a set-up and, after being imprisoned by our friendly local Democrat gauleiters, people are going to be very angry and there will be Hell to pay.

      But you are right. What might happen is limitless, but what will likely happen is a lot less worse. I think the media’s collective rep is about to fall through the floorboards.

      • Elwood P. Dowd says:

        Sibley has hatred and ignorance. He reads far-right conspiracy trash and shares it. Why? Because reality is too threatening to him.

        Of course Sibley doesn’t supply “real data” saying this was a “set-up”. He’s just bullshitting.

        • david7134 says:

          Everyone,
          Look at jeff. He finally realized that Trump flip the virus hoax and is giving it to the liberals. MAGA,KAB, WINNING.

          • Elwood P. Dowd says:

            Everyone,

            Look at dookie. He denies basic science, but has a silly red hat.

            … Trump flip the virus hoax and is giving it to the liberals ??

            What does that mean?

            Trump blew the Trump Virus response, but the GOP has been gutting the federal gov’t for the last 40 years. The US used to be the leader of the world, but no longer.

        • formwiz says:

          I provided the data. 83% don’t get this. Mortality is only .2%. You chose to ignore it. And ICYMI, I ignored the conspiracy.

          I said something quite different.

          But you’re just afraid I’m right, aren’t you? You don’t want to read the data, think about what I link because it could be true and all the Charmin you bought up would be used in a couple of minutes.

          I think people are rallying around Trump because all the Demos have is a senile crook.

          Did you know Politico’s analyst says at least half the public supports Trump?

          And da yoots aren’t cowering in fear, they’re partying at Spring Break. Rebellion. The demographic that should be yours isn’t.

          The public trusts Trump because he’s kept his promises. He hasn’t ordered a national shutdown the way the Lefties want.

          All you have is fear and lies.

          • Elwood P. Dowd says:

            Your own made up arithmetic results in 5-6 million deaths in the US.

            Kudos to the GOP for their new found Keynesian economics! We were afraid they’d push another giant tax cut for the wealthy.

  9. formwiz says:

    Look at dookie. He denies basic science, but has a silly red hat.

    no, excrement, you ignore science.

    … Trump flip the virus hoax and is giving it to the liberals ??

    What does that mean?

    The flu that was supposed to bring him down is making him more trusted in the eyes of the public.

    Or do you really think Obiden-Bama and his open borders appeals to anyone?

    Trump blew the Trump Virus response, but the GOP has been gutting the federal gov’t for the last 40 years. The US used to be the leader of the world, but no longer.

    Right. That’s why Red China’s on the ropes and we’re the only ones with this thing under control.

    And every time the Rs have tried to get spending under control, the Demos double-crossed them.

    For the last 86 years.

  10. formwiz says:

    Your own made up arithmetic results in 5-6 million deaths in the US.

    Actually, it doesn’t. 83% of 330 million is 274 million, so we’re talking 56 million possibly getting sick. 6.5 million are over 80, the ones who die. 3/4 of them don’t get the disease, so about 1.5 million do. You need a co-morbidity to die from what we’ve seen, but we’ll skip that.

    1/5 of 1% of 1.5 million comes out to 3000. And that’s on the high side. All this from the data drawn from the Diamond Princess passengers and crew.

    Clearly, arithmetic is not your thing, either.

    Kudos to the GOP for their new found Keynesian economics! We were afraid they’d push another giant tax cut for the wealthy.

    Well, that will be coming shortly. Once this thing is beaten, the Lefties are disgraced, Trump wins re-election, and a R-controlled Congress again.

    • David D says:

      formwiz. You know the people talking about those spreading disinformation about this virus they are talking about you?

      You do know their are two strains of this virus right? L and S. L is about 70 percent of the virus and is very deadly and very infectious. The S strain is milder and with less mortality and symptoms. Those that end up being asymptomatic have the S strain.

      Italy has the L strain. Thus if you want some legit numbers look at Italy not the Diamond Princess which predominantly had the S strain of the virus.

      Incidently what you might take into consideration is that the reason for two differing responses to the Swine FLU under Obama and Covid-19 under the World is that the swine flu was an Influenza strain. Meaning there would be herd immunity and it would pass, like all Influenzas.

      Covid-19 is novel. No immunity. It is also causing havoc to those who get pneumonia. They have COPD after they are recovered. Their lungs show damage and a loss of up to 20 percent of their lung capacity. Pretty tough side effect wouldnt you say.

      Now they are showing that the young. As young as 16 in some cases are getting seriously sick with the L strain. COPD when your 16?

      The side note to having all these kids at spring break is we want some herd immunity. Well they are going to give it to us. We need to just let our kids keep partying and going to bars. MOm and Dad and The grandparents just need to quarantine them when they come home or come for a visit.

      And Voilla. So I am not as down on the young as others, except when it comes to my own. Additonally a virologist in Queensland thinks he has discovered not only a powerful treatment for COVID-19 but a CURE. He is begging the government to let him bypass the red tape and go into clinical trials.

      So remember. You don’t know everything and the internet is full of lies.

      Good health to you and your family and friends. I wish you and everyone here WELL!! God Bless the World at this moment!

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