March 31, 2020

"Taxpayers Paid Millions to Design a Low-Cost Ventilator for a Pandemic. Instead, ...

Instead, the Company Is Selling Versions of It Overseas"

https://www.propublica.org/article/taxpayers-paid-millions-to-design-a-low-cost-ventilator-for-a-pandemic-instead-the-company-is-selling-versions-of-it-overseas-

"Taxpayers Paid Millions to Design a Low-Cost Ventilator for a Pandemic. Instead, the Company Is...
As coronavirus sweeps the globe, there is not a single Trilogy Evo Universal ventilator — developed with government funds — in the U.S. stockpile. Meanwhile, Royal Philips N.V. has sold higher-priced...
propublica.org"

"Five years ago, your tax dollars paid to develop low-cost, easy-to-use ventilators for a pandemic. The company that took the $13.8 million? It hasn't delivered any."

https://twitter.com/pamelacolloff/status/1244818817475383297?s=20

https://t.co/rsR1HrPAsa?amp=1

March 31, 2020

Cell phone data reveals which California counties are not socially distancing

"The state of California received an "A" grade overall thanks to a 40 percent decline in average distanced traveled, but several counties — all in rural areas with few reported cases — have actually logged an increase in distance traveled since the shelter-in-place order was issued. However, this could be partially explained by the fact that residents of these counties have to drive further to reach grocery stores, restaurants for takeout and other essential services."
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/social-distancing-California-counties-map-COVID-19-15167010.php

Last week the state received a B so this is an improvement.
https://www.unacast.com/post/the-unacast-social-distancing-scoreboard

"To calculate the actual underlying social indexing score we combine tens of millions of anonymous mobile phones and their interactions with each other each day - and then extrapolate the results to the population level," Unacast writes in its methodology."

All counties in the US can use this, go to the link.

March 30, 2020

Rick Wilson:We aren't his constituents, but his audience/Neilsen ratings spreadsheet

Joy Reid:
"The daily briefings are his new TV show: a version of The Apprentice where he can go off on reporters and receive praise from the other administration "characters." He's back in his comfort zone as a performer, untroubled by the fear among the HUT (Households Using TV / Nielsen)."


Rick Wilson:
"This is what you are to him, Americans.

An audience.

Not his constituents. Not the people who hired him. Not even humans.

You're boxes in a spreadsheet of his Neilsen ratings."

https://mobile.twitter.com/JoyAnnReid
https://mobile.twitter.com/TheRickWilson

March 28, 2020

19 TV Reporters Who Struggled To Broadcast From Home In The Most Hilarious Ways

1. Kim Powell — a reporter for CBS in Arizona — had her cat walk right in front of her at-home broadcast:

https://twitter.com/KimPowellTV/status/1240874333150400512

3. And Hobie Artigue — the sports guy for Minnesota's Fox news station — had his very large dog Boris crawl into his lap seconds before his live segment:

https://twitter.com/HobieFOX9/status/1241139384159739905

https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/19-tv-reporters-struggling-to-go-live-from-home-who-are-100

March 28, 2020

Trump's Approval Hits New High, But A Rally-Around-The-Flag Effect Is Small

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/27/822043781/trumps-approval-hits-new-high-but-a-rally-around-the-flag-effect-is-small
March 27, 2020
By Domenico Montanaro

"It's possible current polling is a lagging indicator from Trump publicly taking the virus more seriously than he had been previously. Surveys so far largely aren't reflecting Trump's pivot this week to suggesting he wants to reopen the economy within weeks. Regardless, the 3-point increase in his approval rating so far is not much of a bump, certainly not the kind of increase other presidents have seen in other rally-around-the-flag moments, pollsters say."

"Largely — as has been the case for the entirety of his presidency — Trump's approval and handling of the pandemic are split sharply along party lines. Overwhelming numbers of Republicans approve, and overwhelming numbers of Democrats don't."

"Certainly, there's no bounce — it's very minimal," Miringoff said. "It's all playing out depending on the filter people have. The partisan split is as wide as can be. I don't think it's something that reflects a president who is about to break 50% [approval] for the first time."

March 27, 2020

Are you noticing the homes of pundits on Skype on cable news?

I am noticing their homes/offices since this is a new environment or "set design". I heard a dog barking and a camera man saying loudly, "SHHHHHH!!!!!". No babies crying or kids running by, not yet anyway. I wonder if they are dressing nicely from the waist up and in PJs on the bottom half. I am also finally seeing public service announcements and care tips on the cable stations CNN and MSNBC. Even the "little things" are different now.

March 27, 2020

Those aged 18-49 were the highest age group who tested positive for the coronavirus in California

"Young Males In San Diego County Have Highest Coronavirus Infection Rate"

"Of those that have tested positive for the coronavirus in San Diego, nearly half of the 242 infected are between the ages of 20 and 39. People aged 40-through 59 years-old tested positive for coronavirus just shy of 32 percent of those infected. The next largest group are those 60 and above with 16 percent."

"The same can be said across the state. Of the 2,102 who tested positive for the coronavirus in California, those aged 18-49 were the highest age group, with 970 positive cases. The next highest age group were 50-to-64 year-olds with 493, followed by 449 senior citizens aged 65 and older."

"Medical experts say it is still too early to know which age groups will be hit the hardest hit."

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/why-more-young-males-in-san-diego-county-test-positive-for-coronavirus/2292888/

March 27, 2020

Young Males In San Diego County Have Highest Coronavirus Infection Rate

"Of those that have tested positive for the coronavirus in San Diego, nearly half of the 242 infected are between the ages of 20 and 39. People aged 40-through 59 years-old tested positive for coronavirus just shy of 32 percent of those infected. The next largest group are those 60 and above with 16 percent."

"The same can be said across the state. Of the 2,102 who tested positive for the coronavirus in California, those aged 18-49 were the highest age group, with 970 positive cases. The next highest age group were 50-to-64 year-olds with 493, followed by 449 senior citizens aged 65 and older."

"Medical experts say it is still too early to know which age groups will be hit the hardest hit."

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/investigations/why-more-young-males-in-san-diego-county-test-positive-for-coronavirus/2292888/

*I sent this article to my mom, hoping to put her a little at ease.

March 26, 2020

Why are Verizon stores open in Lock Down cities and states?

I assumed the Verizon by me was closed and my 2012 cell phone died and I need to get a new one since the new battery that arrived Tues didn't do the trick. I spent 1 1/2 hours on the phone with Verizon trying to get instructions on how to do this, how to find my forgotten PIN, etc and was dropped 4 separate times and had to start all over. I finally decided to call the store out of desperation and they are still open. I asked the guy why and he said his boss told them to come in as usual.

March 25, 2020

Jonathan Pie: LOCKDOWN