Tracker

You are being overly optimistic- I would think it will take decades and even so, it ain't never gonna be the same again.

The Free Enterprise System Strikes Again Wealthy real estate investor keeping Philadelphia hospital closed during pandemic stands to receive huge tax savings from coronavirus stimulus In Philadelphia, the most hated man during the coronavirus pandemic might very well be Joel Freedman — the wealthy, Los Angeles-based real estate investor who has kept a large hospital closed even as cases in the city rise. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Philly Mayor Jim Kenney have been stressing that Philly will need all the hospital beds it can get in the weeks ahead, but Hahnemann Hospital remains closed because Freedman is asking much more for the property than the city can afford. And according to The Intercept’s Akela Lacy, a part of the coronavirus stimulus bill that has been passed by both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump could offer Freedman a huge tax savings and make him even richer. After purchasing Hahnemann in 2018, Freedman closed it down in September 2019 — a move that inspired angry protests in Philly, where the hospital (which opened in 1848) served a lot of low-income people. One of Freedman’s most vocal critics has been a non-Philadelphian: Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has been stressing that Hahnemann (which had almost 500 beds) could treat a lot of coronavirus patients in the weeks ahead if it reopens and becomes a functioning hospital again. Freedman has offered to either sell or rent the building to the City of Philadelphia, but Kenney has maintained that he is asking too much — and possibly, Freedman plans to convert the property into luxury condos. Lacy, in her April 1 article for The Intercept, explains why the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus could benefit Freedman: it “temporarily and retroactively lifts a cap on the property-related depreciation real estate investors are allowed to use to lessen their tax bill,” according to Lacy. “Depreciation is a paper cost that real estate investors can use to factor in losses to offset other income and reduce what they pay in taxes,” Lacy notes. “In Freedman’s case, that means he can use recent ‘losses’ from the hospital as it depreciates to offset his overall taxable income and, as a result, what he owes in taxes.”

Shouldn't that be singular and chronic?

Trump is setting a fire to distract from the murder.

U.S. Intelligence Concludes China’s Coronavirus Numbers Are Fake: Report U.S. intelligence has concluded that China has concealed the extent of their coronavirus outbreak, underreporting the number of cases and deaths caused by the virus. According to Bloomberg, the intelligence report—delivered to the White House last week—said China intentionally pushed out incomplete data and the total numbers coming from the country were fake. The outbreak began in China’s Hubei province late last year, and the country has reported about 82,000 cases and 3,300 deaths. The U.S., Italy, and Spain have all surpassed China’s known total number of cases, according to Johns Hopkins University’s tracker. The White House and the Chinese Embassy have not commented publicly on the matter. The coronavirus numbers of other nations—including Iran, Russia, Indonesia and North Korea—have also been seen as potentially undercounted. No surprise there. The available evidence suggests fatalities in the millions.

There is a saying that the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The PCs squandered the oil revenue for decades and now there is no easy way out of this economic mess that the provincial government has found itself in. The 1.5 billion dollars that will be given away will have to be borrowed and eventually paid for, but since hiking taxes in Alberta is political suicide, who is going to say that out loud. Kenney has done the equivalent of buying a (1.5 billion dollar) lottery ticket and is praying that winning will allow him to pay the mortgage. Gonna be tough times ahead in Alberta.

The powers that the liberals asked for initially appeared to be draconian, but there may have been a concern that if the pandemic was so severe that additional measures were needed, the infections may have ravaged the members of parliament to the extent where the quorum necessary to authorize such may not have been possible.

I believe that Trump and Co. are trying to buy up and/or seize as many of the needed medical supplies as possible and then use them to force compliance (AKA butt-kissing) among the governors and mayors- a form of blackmail, really. It is reprehensible, but the sort of thing that Trump's GOP has come to use as de rigeur. Trump has shown himself as absolutely willing to countenance the deaths of thousands if it meant increasing his wealth or chances of re-election. He ha.s openly refused to follow the law, and even still is involved in his business dealings

She has some attractive naughty bits that she displayed in "The Life of David Gale". Great movie, if uncomfortable to watch.

David Prowse, the actor who wore the Darth Vader suit, was miffed that his voice was going to be replaced with James Earl Jones' deep tones. He was so PO'd that he refused to learn the dialogue and when in scene, he would spout gibberish or lines from unrelated roles, making it difficult for the other actors to know what and when to say their lines. Some of the time, they would break up and the scenes had to be re-shot.

Like what happened in Ontario years ago, the NDP inherited a failing economy in Alberta. Worse yet, in Alberta, Notley and Co. dared to hint that there had to be a major shift in the provincial economy away from the oil industry and its seductive easy money. She proposed that healthcare was a priority over fattening the budgets of the petroleum industry, and that this would be an uncomfortable transition. But no one wanted to hear this- the fantasy was much more attractive. And then Kenney rose up and promised good times.

Anyone who thinks it will be business as usual once this crisis is over is dreaming, although many businesses, people and governments will try and do even more damage.

I have family and friends in Calgary and area. They report that many of their acquaintances just cannot accept that the boom is over once again and probably for good. Damned few of the politicians in Alberta, provincial and federal are willing to say out loud that its over.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is demanding to know why the Trump administration earlier this month seized at least two shipments of badly-needed medical supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic headed for her state of Massachusetts and accused the federal government of continually outbidding states as officials try to procure life-saving equipment. After President Donald Trump on March 19 scolded governors for expecting the federal government to take responsibility for the spread of the coronavirus and ensure that states have ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare providers—saying states should “try getting it” themselves—the administration outbid Massachusetts officials and kept the supplies out of the state’s reach, Warren said in a tweet on Tuesday. Elizabeth Warren ✔@SenWarren "Trump told states they were on their own to purchase medical equipment, so that’s what MA tried to do. But then the federal government outbid MA at least 3 times – and reports show two of our orders were seized by federal authorities. This is unacceptable. ""https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/03/31/nation/warren-feds-why-did-you-take-massachusettss-medical-supplies/ …

We're All Safe Now: Scamvangelist Declares COVID-19 “Finished” After Commanding God to Destroy It MARCH 29, 2020 Televangelist Kenneth Copeland, who said last week that God told him the coronavirus would “be over much sooner than you think” (but still wants you to tithe even if you’ve lost your job), offered up what I can only assume is a magic spell this morning in order to destroy COVID-19. And that’s why the pandemic is now over. (It’s not over.) Copeland screamed out at Satan to “get off this nation” and “crawl on your belly,” before declaring the crisis to be “over.” That will no doubt scare the virus into submission.

But,,,but...but...they have the best healthcare system in the world. How can this be????

I would think that the next election will make the last one look tame by comparison. The GOP is busy setting up dummy websites and fake news outlets to spread their messages and also sources purporting to be Democratic which are spreading disinformation. The PCs here in Canada are starting to do the same.

NOT THAT THE DONALD WILL CHANGE BUT.... Tiffany Trump, Donald Trump's 26 year old daughter with actress and 2nd Trump wife Marla Maples, reportedly tested positive for the COVID-19 Caronavirus. That would be news standing alone, but Social Media is abuzz because she apparently tested positive last Saturday. The liberal media is out on force on this one, with any number of new conspiracy theories popping up.No comment as of yet from the President's daughter, although she has been active on Social Media in recent days.This is a reminder for us all though; The COVID-19 Caronavirus can get any of us.

Probably due to Inuit eating a lot of bean burritos.

DESPERATION TAKES HOLD...... Today I ran out of toilet paper and had to use lettuce leaves. It was just the tip of the iceberg. Tomorrow romaines to be seen.

TRUMP FORGETS HIMSELF AND TELLS THE TRUTH FOR ONCE! One of President Donald Trump’s surprising virtues is that, because of his lack of filter and his tendency for obliviousness, he is occasionally explicit about parts of Republican Party orthodoxy that more circumspect members avoid saying directly. And on Monday morning in an interview with “Fox & Friends,” Trump let slip a truth that has long been known but frequently been denied about the GOP: They prefer for fewer people to vote so they can hold on to power. He was responding to a question from a viewer who was concerned about “special interest projects” included in the coronavirus relief bills. Erroneously and mendaciously, Trump implied that only Democrats use big pieces of legislation to fund special interest items that they feel are important for their personal electoral chances. But then he slammed the Democrats for the reforms and funding they pushed to make it easier for people to vote in the wake of the pandemic. They had hoped to get $2 billion to fund this effort, but they eventually settled for $400 million, which experts believe is insufficient. “The things they had in their were crazy,” Trump said of provisions Democrats wanted in the legislation. “They had levels of voting, that if you ever agreed to it you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again. They had things in there about election days, and what you do…”

Not to mention the sunrises, oxygen and gravity. America is so blessed.

A Florida sheriff announced an arrest warrant for a controversial pastor on Monday, after the religious leader refused to stop holding packed church services amid the coronavirus outbreak. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said at a press conference that Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne is wanted on charges of unlawful assembly and violation of public health rules after flouting social distancing orders at The River at Tampa Bay church. Howard-Browne—an ally of President Donald Trump—has been an outspoken opponent of social distancing requirements, claiming his church has machines that can stop the coronavirus and vowing to personally cure the state of Florida himself. “His reckless disregard for human life put hundreds of people in his congregation at risk, and thousands of residents who may interact with them this week, in danger,” Chronister said at the press conference. Howard-Browne did not respond to an immediate request for comment.