WAS ECONOMIC SUICIDE JUSTIFIED? … plus … PLANET EXCLUSIVE! LATEST LEAKED BHS MEMO; HOSPITAL REVAMPS SICK-LEAVE AFTER PLANET EXPOSE’
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION APRIL 10-12, 2020) — In a sense, all decisions in life reduce to cost-benefit analyses. Is enabling Plan A and its benefits worth the cost in terms of its deleterious effects? Death, taxes, and tradeoffs, life’s three certainties.
With that, THE PLANET asks if shutting down the economy to reduce the spread of COVID-19 was worth economic damage?
The question produces many responses but nothing we would consider an Answer. Did the United States needlessly commit economic suicide?
We have three possibilities:
- The economy was crippled needlessly and deliberately.
- We took the economy down needlessly but with good intentions. We overreacted on the side of caution.
- We did not overreact. Authorities took the proper steps in calling for a shelter-in-place.
History will decide.
Good or bad, they took it down, and we know it has and will produce negative consequences. Will they be devastating? First, the cost of borrowing will rise. Second, defaults will increase. More than 40% of all corporate debt has been reduced to BBB rating, just above junk. The $26 billion food-beverage giant Kraft Heinz, co-headquartered in Pittsburg and Chicago, has been downgraded to junk. Incredible.
Every area of the economy has been shaken. The restaurant and bar industry, for example, will experience a dramatic shakeout. For cities such as Pittsfield, with such establishments barely staying afloat, the consequences will be dire, perhaps fatal. Most eateries and taverns operate on small profit margins as is. In the pandemic, they’ve shut their doors, and no amount of “takeout” will make up the difference. And how well do you think the Beacon Cinema will do if life ever gets back to “normal?” It was dying prior to COVID-19. Will the new owners pull a “Stanley” and stake their own claim for public life support via Kapanski Kash? Multilexes and shopping malls? Sniffin’ the tears.
Jacobs Pillow has pulled the plug on its season. James Taylor said no to Tanglewood. Barrington Stage, sources say, will also go dark during prime-time of Berkshire summer. Others will follow. Even when the doors open, how long will it be before sustaining numbers of people rush the ticket office? Dire is the outlook, bleak is the scene. Perhaps that’s the real reason Dr. Faustus — uh, Dr. Fauci — wants us NEVER to shake hands again.
The head swirls. What information do we trust? Fauci and the Virus Machine first downplayed danger to the U.S. Next, they predicted a week ago between 100,000 and 200,000 dead. On Tuesday, they lowered the number to 82,000 then only Thursday deflated it to the oddly exact number of 60,415, or about the number of U.S. deaths during an average flu season.
The lingering question for The Great COVID-19 Scare: Who has fooled whom?
———- ooo ———-
THE PLANET has been receiving, opening, and sharing BHS internal memos with a safe-cracker’s expertise. The latest, supplied by a high-ranking Administrative source, announces a more empathetic change in its previous sick-leave policy. We share it here, exclusively. VP of Human Resources Patrick Borek sent it April 8 at 5:47 p.m. to all employees with the subject line “Absence Due to COVID-19:”
To All Employees,
It is especially true during a healthcare crisis that the health and well-being of our caregivers is of paramount importance. We are therefore pleased to note that BHS staff are less likely to have COVID-19 than the general population. We believe this is because our employees, like healthcare employees generally, have a greater understanding of the importance of basic infection control practices (distancing, handwashing, etc.) than the general public and because of more extensive use of PPE and expanded protocols in the workplace. This extensive use of PPE represents significant additional workload on our clinical staff, and your careful and consistent execution of the protocols has yielded great results:
- The rate of positive tests among symptomatic patients in the community at large is about 20%, while the rate of positive tests for symptomatic BHS staff is about 6.3%.
- Of 4,183 BHS employees, 11 have tested positive for the coronavirus (0.26%).
- Of the 265 employees who were furloughed for quarantine (almost all before we implemented universal masking) 2 developed COVID-19 (0.75%).
Despite this early success in protecting our staff, we recognize that working on the very front line of the response presents risk, even with proper use of PPE. Given the exceptional efforts put forth every day, we prefer that our employees need not worry about the impact of COVID on their available paid time off banks. Therefore, absences due to COVID-19 will be paid without debiting Earned Time and Long-Term Illness Banks, regardless of whether the illness can be traced to exposure at work.
Please note:
- To be eligible for salary continuation, an employee must have a positive COVID-19 test and a statement from a physician confirming the COVID diagnosis.
- Employee must notify Occupational Health as soon as the diagnosis is known. For absences in excess of two weeks, Occupational Health will follow up with the employee and may require a physical examination and/or additional documentation.
- Telephone clearance by Occupational Health is required prior to return to work.
- This policy will be in effect until the Governor declares an end to the State of Emergency.
On behalf of the whole BHS leadership team, please accept our thanks for your professionalism, outstanding effort, and steadfast support of our patients and community during this difficult time.
Pat
———- 000 ———-
THE PLANET only notes that this change in the policy came only after we leaked the original memo about “Earned Time” and sick pay. That leak emboldened BMC employees to go public with their confirmation. We congratulate the BHS Administration for their adjustment in policy.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
—————————————————————
“All fear is the result of our psychic inability to accept our mortality. The welcoming of death is the end of all fear” and the beginning of a life, lived — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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There will by many GOBSIG connected business looking to pull “a Stanley” when this is over and Tyer will be more than happy to give away some more Kapanski cash..
“Pulling a Stanley” — We finally have a label for all the four-flushers who come to town for the “free” Kapanski Kash!
and somewhere this same guy probably has his hand out again snatching money from the public trough. That seems to be part of his business plan
“Pulling a Stanley.”
Thanks Joe,
I just had to change my shirt, coffee stain from spitting out my morning coffee! That’s a great one there!.
All credit goes to Dan – I pulled it straight out of his column, in answer to his question “Will the new owners pull a “Stanley” and stake their own claim for public life support via Kapanski Kash?” As Sarah Palin would say “you betchya”
Thanks, JK.
You’re welcome Dan and sure as shit she plans it, and also give money to individuals affected. Let’s all get in line. We can get some of our money back, maybe call it pulling “a Kapanski”.
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62020/Pittsfield-Cancels-Third-Thursdays-Plans-Economic-Assistance-to-Business.html
I vote B – we took the economy down needlessly but erred on the side of caution. And Trump was right come Sunday it’s time to get back to work.
We did not overreact. Authorities took the proper steps in calling for a shelter-in-place.
Trump is clueless and will say or do whatever Fox News says.
That’s right. Even if current projections hold, you’re talking about 1/5 of 1 percent of the population, not counting the 20 million or so illegals, killed. by virus.
I like it when the workers win. The Nurses are our heroes. Blogger Dan Valenti fought the good fight.
Millions of workers have lost their jobs and health insurance. I think it is time we have universal basic income and universal healthcare. I don’t think it would be “Socialism” because Corporate America is receiving hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars in bailouts. The Federal Reserve is even buying junk bonds to keep the U.S. economy from collapsing.
I have been reading about Gov. Baker’s ban on recreational marijuana during the coronavirus outbreak. It doesn’t make any sense because liquor stores and medical marijuana dispensaries are still open for business. There is a lawsuit by 5 recreational marijuana dispensaries filed against Gov. Baker.
In closing, U.S. Congress and President Trump are borrowing trillions of dollars during the COVID-19 crisis. Our country’s national debt will soon reach $30 trillion. I don’t think we will ever be able to pay it off. We are running the printing presses by borrowing huge amounts of money to keep our economy from collapsing. How big will the debt bubble get before popping?
Lets be honest and say BHS did something right in protecting each other from this little understood virus.With good people being professional the stats dont lie.New York is a nightmare after 3 weeks of isolation and dont want to imagine the results if most people did not isolate.This virus is a monster so being cautious is the correct response. When the states get testing the the govenors can lead us out of this mess.The country is blessed with great govenors.They learned on the fly smart and qualified to run this country.
Tyer said property tax payments have been extended. Does this include school department gobsigs who are being paid as if nothing happened?
The city should be saving a fortune during this virus. Thousands just on gas for city vehicles not moving. Thousands on not heating schools and other buildings. Thousands on other school supplies. Much more on vehicle maintenance. Tons on supplies not being used daily like paper, copier ink and an endless list.
Plus the city had a 10 million dollar surplus. How much is it now? This mayor needs to give taxpayers a break by either refunding or not collecting for at least one tax quarter. Stop building up the GOSIB piñata and give Joe taxpayer a break for just once. The next tax bills should reflect common decency during these tough times.
JA,
Lenox seems to be saying exactly what you have posted about the savings. Let’s see if Pittsfield follows.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/lenox-sees-little-financial-impact-on-school-budget-from-shutdown,602067
Perhaps we’ll be getting tax rebate checks, and along with it, car insurance rebate checks, since accidents and therefore insurance payouts are way down.
Johnny Absurdo for mayor!
Fritz,
JA makes a great case in his posts on our local officials and what should be happening as far as the taxpayers money goes.
He won’t pull your Stanley.
JA
True dat, but the crooks will see that the Kapanski’s get not one cent in savings. The infernal, corrupt Machine needs more more more.
Glad to see BMC recognized their mistake and changed the policy. It clearly needed to be changed.
Good thing the professor was correcting the paper they handed in, otherwise the mistake might have went unnoticed,which I believe was the real intention and then passed off as a mistake. Busted!
“I warm’d both hands by the fire of life; It sinks & I am ready to depart”
~Landor
….. fxn weirdo – no one [including beer] is staring at you cept your imagination
The world-wide shut down is a gift of the strong to the weak. If we did nothing, the strong would survive and probably only a few would go through the trial of an ICU stay. The weak (elderly, diabetic, etc) would die at a high rate. Humans have collectively decided that just allowing life to go on is morally repugnant. Britain thought about just allowing “herd immunity” but so many would need to be infected and so many would die they finally changed. Is this decision costly? you bet it is. We have imposed a depression on ourselves. Should we protect those who lost their jobs, yes it is worth the borrowing cost. Will we pull out of this mess? Yes, eventually when there is an effective vaccine. Given the economic incentives, I expect no shortage of potential cures and preventative measures. If we are lucky some company will find a cure and make the founders billionaires –they will deserve every penny. But if this does not happen, it will be a long time before people are willing to sit in large groups with strangers. In the meantime, we will be wearing masks, doing as much as we can online, avoiding churches and sports events. I guess that the summer will be better but I don’t expect to go to a restaurant until the hottest days and then only if the Wuhan Virus has subsided. I also guess that the fall will show a resurgence. If football is played at all in the fall, it will be played before empty stadiums. We are now living in a different world and there is no going back. If I was young and looking for a stable career, biotechnology, virus studies, public health, will –unfortunately– be a focus of government and business for the foreseeable future.
CHUCK
THE PLANET appreciates your comments. It’s a fair question: Should we have let the virus run its course, with reasonable precautions and treatment? It’s worked for all previous narrow misses (SARS, MERS, Ebola, swine and bird flu). Food for thought: For the next supervirus, will immediate shutdown now be the norm as an overreaction to critics who say the Feds didn’t act fast enough?
I agree. For quite some time yet, instead of herd immunity we will have herd paranoia. Or maybe we will have both. And that is probably a good thing. You can open up the country but there may be many too sick to work and that will keep things moving slowly.
Since so many politicians in this area decided that the Berkshires should become an arts and tourist destination and put very little concern and effort toward creating real jobs, this area will suffer very badly financially without the large crowds of tourists and art seekers.
PAT
Yes! The decision to build a “recreation and resort” economy” is proving disastrous. THE PLANET “told them so” long ago that this day would come. They chose not to listen.
They tried and failed to get real jobs. Remember Ruberto and his(empty) suitcase? PEDA? Etc.
Even with all the government is doing to help business the economy will never be the same again. Many businesses will not reopen. Restrauants and theaters and stadiums that have to social distance will lose tremendous seating capacity. We won’t be sardined in airline seats anymore but cost will rise for the average Joe ifor everything. And leave it to the feds to pay 600 per week bonus to people laid off, pissing off to the point of no return millions of hard working people in the essential service industry working and risking Covid with no bonus money.
The Berkshires will suffer a lot because local politicians wanted us to be a tourist and arts economy. Without those crowds of people, we will be hurting financially. Our local politicians should have been focusing on real job creation because in a situation like this it would make all the difference.
What’s the matter Joe, you got a problem with the feds paying people hundreds more per week not to work, than they made working, while the have nots hump their butts bagging your groceries and stocking shelves so they can stock up, and make hundreds less while working??????
I think it is unfair to armchair quarterback this pandemic after the fact. I believe shutting things down was the only tool we had after we waited so long to do anything at all. I am willing to give a pass on some things but the Federal government blew it on so many levels. While the economic impact will be severe and lengthy America has also seriously and further damaged its reputation on the world front. Nobody is going to be asking America for advice on anything ever again. And forget foreign tourism. America will be far down the list of places foreigners want to visit, work or attend college.
Good. screw the tourists and students. We wouldn’t have Corona without foreigners. As Dan wrote state the eff home! And send all illegals back too.
Not sure what Johnny Absurd is talking about. Many other countries eventually smartened up and closed their borders. This is a dangerous virus for crying out loud!! America has damaged its reputation? What!?! Yeah, we are so horrible for trying to help other people by sending them supplies to fight this virus. This narrative of the far left will not let up. America is bad for them and everyone else is wonderful. Why do they stay here if China is so great? If other countries are so great?
Trump still making fun of people behaving as a 14 year old.We are watching the destruction of the United States of America under his leadership.His cabinet needs to remove him.He is incapable of admitting a mistake and being a leader.We might as well have Don Rickles as President and so sad the supporters dont see it.Sean Hannity is now in charge of our pandemic.
The far left would choose Joe Biden who has obvious failing mental faculties over President Trump because they know they could easily influence Biden and use him to take total control over the American people with their far left socialism/communism ideology.
The hate continues.
Yes, CV, I think it’s a shame.
Biden will be hiding his own Easter eggs Sunday.
Joe will forget where he hid them until the smell of rotten eggs reveals where he hid them. It is a shame that his family doesn’t put a stop to this knowing full well he is having difficulty functioning in a few areas.
Chuck V.:
Given the illogical nature of hate, it has three potential endings.
Unintended Consequences: The hater spontaneously flips and becomes enamored by his object of hatred and adopts hatred of his prior beliefs. (Sort of Freudian psycho-babble, but it actually has been known to happen. Kind of similar to brain-washing enterprises used by cults and other dark institutions.)
Hiatus: The hater becomes bored or distracted and forgets the thing that he hates. Not generally an end, but an indication of the fellow’s priorities.
Authentic: the hater recognizes the illogical nature and self-destructive consequences of indulging negative thinking and takes corrective action by engaging in behavior modification. Why? Hatred is not a result of analysis and experience, but a reaction based on utter condemnation of a person and imputing unique and Complete Knowledge to the hater. This behavior is irrational, self-enraging, and it leads directly to violence, poor public behavior, or self-defeating actions.
The future is always ahead, and the past is a meaningless tale. Keep on truckin’ everyone. I hope you had a good Easter.
Biden is going to get Cuomo’ed at the convention. And Cuomo isn’t infected because Fredo is drinking hydroxychloroquine smoothies right now.
I have Corona tion of The Queen hanging on my wall.
All hail The Queen.
Love and serve one another- clean feet, 6′
Maundy
Good! It’s a day late and a dollar short for me to change my opinion of BHS management but hopefully helps.
I wonder regarding the bars and eateries – and I am taking about the establishments not the workers – given the historic boom of the last 10 years surely there is enough cash flow to tide over a 3 month downturn? The people that I know who run restaurants locally have been getting $14 a sandwich and paying minimum wage to their staff for years. There are some exceptions where they treat the workers well – but largely it’s been a cash grab from these places for years and years. No paid benefits no paid time off etc etc. I mean local hospitality business owners are doing so well they have private planes, second homes, trust estates for assets. I care about the unemployment numbers but maybe Covid will reveal the myth of the equitable Democratic Party line especially in places like Berkshire County where the entire system is stacked against folks who want to work for a living, And the entire political class only cares about protecting their donors, which makes up a circle of about 30 families. Dear people – don’t fill out your census – cut off their money train and vote them all out.
The change in policy had nothing to do with anything here, the union, pressure from the public. Baker passed special legislation to protect hospitals from liability. It’s because of that and nothing else.
Now that hospitals are protected from basically any form of malpractice they are giving staff a break.
We did right shutting everything down, you can measure the success by the fact that things seem to be holding and we haven’t overwhelmed the medical system. That’s the sign of success. Even with all the efforts we, ended up being the center of the world in cases and they are still climbing rapidly. The measures of success, very few dead so far, thousands not millions sick, thousands, not hundreds of thousands dead.
The success is measured in how frustrating this seems and how much a non-event it is.
A proper pandemic response is like bad sex, it’s over before you know it and no one is satisfied.
I wouldn’t know.
https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-patients-who-recovered-testing-positive-again-korean-health-officials-say.html
What happens next?
Some people don’t develop antibodies. Also there are like 160 different strains of COVID-19 now not including the mutations of the original strains.
Some people develop antibodies to all the strains of virus they have in their bodies. Who says you can’t fight more than one infection at a time?
Now that is kind of scary. So much we don’t know about this virus. And that is why it is so sad that we did not do more testing and better record keeping, both of the living and those who died so that we could learn more about it. But some other counties will hopefully get better data so we can learn more about it.
People know tons about corona viruses. It’s just this one spreads faster and can adversely impact a larger group of people
I’ve had enough of “will” and “never”: this will happen, this won’t happen, the economy will never return, things will never be the same, we will never shake hands again, blah-blah, blah-diddi-blah-di-blah.
Everyone is a damn Nostradamus now.
Social infighting and general respect will start to show here locally. Tyer has her hands full. The winner is…Melissa Mazzeo.
No, not Nostradamus, maybe Nikita Khrushchev. Perchance via Putin’s influences.
Since we will not be having a fourth of July parade, but there is still plenty of money in that account, I suggest this money be used to in some way thank first responders. And I am not talking about some frivolous party. I am talking about forming a committee, including some of them, to discuss distributing the money to them and their families for food or bills.
The city needs to thank them all in a huge way. But by really helping them, not throwing money into the air for balloons or banners or political fanfare. Put it in their pockets because they have been freakin awesome.
Great idea. I think you should do the leg work of forming this committee and oversee the distribution and follow up of this plan. I agree with you 100% about the first responders. Let us know when you have kicked this plan into motion.
Not sure what the money figure is but perhaps there are way too many first responders to thank from these particular monies. So maybe we just divide it up between the low paid ambulance personnel who have done so much and probably need it more than others.??
Thanking first responders is a MUST. Financially rewarding them for doing their jobs? I’m only for that if the money comes from do-nothing city leaders and THEIR pay. Otherwise, everyone has already ben paid for doing their job.
One of the silver linings: Cancelation of the 4th Parade and the waste of $85K, over which their is how much accounting?? Speculation, based on reasonable application of inductive reasoning: An investigative team would probably get a 10-part series out of a thorough look at the parade and its administration over the past decade.
But will the idiots be able to get their hands on fireworks and terrify pets and wildliife for two weeks?
Turns out that ventilators may be doing more harm than good for many patients.
https://www.theblaze.com/news/80-percent-of-nyc-coronavirus-ventilator-patients-dying?utm_source=theblaze-dailyAM&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily-Newsletter__AM%202020-04-10&utm_term=TheBlaze%20Daily%20AM%20-%20last%20270%20days
If a patient is conscious they should not be using ventilators, the should use MAX O2.
Ventilators can do a lot of damage plus it’s not breathing that’s a problem it’s that the iron in hemoglobin is not there to receive oxygen.
Everything is working fine , just oxygen can’t bind to the red blood cells.
That’s why the “helmets” that just push max O2 at two atmospheres are so successful.
I also heard they are laying some very ill patients on their stomachs because this stretches out the lungs and gives more airspace.
The back of your lungs actually have a higher density of “air sacs” if you lay on them you compress them.
The old treatment for pneumonia where they would make people sit outside and upright was actually better that laying flat on your back.
Fake news
In some cases yes. That and the fact that we dropped the ball on early testing and quarantining.
At this point all we can say is –
Everything anybody knows about anything is wrong. We have no clue.
The new BHS policy is nice to see. During this time more than any, employee support and appreciation is paramount.
I think we are finally starting to see some good numbers from previous devastation – NYC is seeing a decline in hospitalizations. Deaths continue to increase, but at lower rates.
We must remember again, everyone dying now has been sick for 1-3 weeks… if our current strategies are working, we should expect to see a decrease in infections over the next few weeks and a continued decrease in deaths. If we don’t see those decreases, then looks like we were wrong anyway. (See above mantra).
The Berkshires will feel the impact of the shutdown like no other place in the Commonwealth. But what else is new? We have been the red-headed stepchild all along anyway. Our local economy is suffering tenfold based on the exponential rate of infection in big brother Boston Metro’s area. We have 304 of the 18,941 mass. cases. Not even a blip on the radar. But what else is new…
I agree Dan. This is going to crush the few places left to eat in Pittsfield. Places like Patrick’s Pub and the like, they survive on alcohol sales. They generally make about 20x the profit off of that one bottle of alcohol. So, if a restaurant buys a bottle of Whiskey for $6 (wholesale). They sell it at $4 per drink/per shot. Approximately 25 shots in a bottle equals a $94 profit off that bottle of Whiskey. Think about many wings Patrick’s has to sell to see a $94 profit?
Now, I see Kamala “One Trick Pony” Harris, is up to her old bag of tricks: racism. She got bounced off the Presidential stage, because her cries on racism only go so far. But, in her desperate bid to get onto Biden’s ticket, she stirs up what she knows best: the race card. She’s talking about President Trump and the GOP are allowing black Americans to die over white Americans. A true leader would be speaking and trying to help. Unfortunately many black citizens fall into the “at-risk,” groups: heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. We have all stood in line at a grocery store check-out and watched people on assistance (EBT) purchase unhealthy food and garbage that we quit eating when we were 5 years-old. A steady diet of fried food, washed down with a juice box and handful of cookies, when your 35 years old, is a recipe for disaster. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is making that very true.
MARK
Thanks for the insights. You mention Patrick’s as an example of a business that is struggling because of this situation. Good selection, since P’sP is one of the more successful restaurants in the city. If that place has been crippled, how do you think the others are faring. And the $150K the mayor and council gave away to the beer hall YET TO OPEN on North Street. Think that will pay off? Pittsfield’s inept “leadership” is about to “pay off” in a negative way big time.
The Mayor cant take care of everyone. Maybe the n y Museum can give the businesses some of their millions. They practically fleeced Rockwell anyway. Free Museum Cash.
I hope we don’t loose the Highland.
Those pics of Babe, Williams and Dimagio are precless, and good food too!!!
Kamala Harris is a terrible choice for Biden. She is a terrible choice for any position in government for that matter.
I’d take that Cee You Next Tuesday Hillary, over her.
.70% of white men voted for the moron failed Don Trump and will do it again.
Well, .70% is 7/10s of 1 percent. I’d say that’s a pretty low total.
TDS Dan, and product of city schools
We love it when The school committee posts. It’s proof that you can still buy booze,
And survive successive hangovers.
Yet when white men voted for Obama.. Crickets.
She checks from important boxes for the PC left: black (well, sort of) and female. Will play well in the party but will add a 10-ton weight to Biden while he tries to stay afloat on the ocean of relevancy. Uncle Joe’s cutting a nose-hole in his mask is his Mike-Dukakis-in-a-Tank photo.
Biden thought he’d give her a try after a Willie recommendation.
Well said sir. Harris makes me sick. Now she wants a federal commission to figure out why blacks are adversely effected by Covid. Here’s a clue Kamela – obesity, among other pro lifestyle choices. and it ain’t the white, mans’ fault.
white people dont have diabetes and obesity
take a trip to walmart
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/cdc-obesity-data-reveals-wide-gap-white-black-americans
Hey, I have some beano.. you here are venting a lot of gas…
Harris is the female Beto Rourke.
We need that one big moment that will make people feel better about coming outside of there house. I was living outside of NYC right around 9/11 and Bush throwing out that first pitch in Yankee stadium changed everything. Sure, you still had people scared as shit, but it was the leader of the free world symbolically gesturing to get back to a new “normal.” I don’t know what that moment is going to be with this, but it damn sure needs to happen soon, or were in for a real shit show.
What if we have another Grand Opening of the BIC?? I got all tingly the first time and there wasn’t even a pandemic.
Fire Dr. Fauci!
Ron Paul discusses Fauci’s outrageous claims…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=sVKBvDqPuBw&feature=emb_title
If nothing else comes of this I do hope this country smartens up and returns manufacturing of medical supplies and equipment to this country. Both political parties have looked the other way and allowed this insanity to happen.
Berkshire COVID+ should be over 408 today if they are telling the truth.
Is kuffkinks doing the math?
Most likely. If so, God help us. The Kapanskis will be in for a screwing on top of the screwing they just got and the one they are getting. “They” simply don’t care about regular folks. “They” are getting their full pay with bennies. They are lovin’ it.
Rumor has it the Mayor is cooking gourmet dishes every night.
We can all smell what she’s ccookin’.
Hey Dan, is that called a ménage a trois?
It’s a three re-peat.
You’re Right you guys. Kuffkinks math 3 plus 3 equals six, but many months later,then it changes, the just doesn’t exist.
RN: They can’t handle the truth!
BMC, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by Nurses with covid masks . Who’s gonna do it? You? You, DR …….? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for the Patients , and you curse the Nurses. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know — that Covid deaths, while tragic, probably saved lives; and my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.
You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me on that Floor — you need me on that Floor.
We use words like “honor,” “code,” “loyalty.” We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punch line.
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it.
I would rather that you just said “thank you” and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a Mask and stand the post. Either way, I don’t give a DAMN what you think you’re entitled to! THANKS RN
I like it, a few good nurses
Just finished watching Defiant Linda’s weekly address to the City. It was a bit shorter than last weeks. Now, does any one feel that it is strange that she nonchalantly forgot to mention the City Council will be holding a virtual meeting on April 14th. Wouldn’t this be important news to share to the taxpayers of Pittsfield today? Although, if you check the Agenda, she is asking that $300,000 of free cash be transferred to an Emergency Budget to support the Coronavirus. Is she not communicating this information so that this request will just pass right through? No explanation as to what this $300,000 is for? Yet she had to be fought tooth and nail to free up cash to lower our taxes. She is also stating that she wants Pittsfield to be the first city to “crush the curve” in the State. Of course if she and Berkshire Health Systems are not telling the truth about the virus she can “crush the curve” on paper. After watching her, I feel sick. Fortunately it is not the Coronavirus, but unfortunately it is a virus called the Tyer Virus that is going to last for another 3 1/2 years.
I’m immune..to a Tyer virus.
The city and BHS made the curve what it is. It was them lying and ignoring the problem that made it grow.
CRAYOLA-19. As to the $300,000, THE PLANET would like to see the breakdown and distribution, both in the pre-release and post-release. And from what budget will the money come? How about the school budget. THE PLANET has an interesting tale to tell from a source with good reason to know what goes on in actual Mercer and virtual Mercer.
The City has already spent $142,853, according to the agenda packet, page 135. This money allows the administration to spend it on whatever they deem necessary to handle the crisis, without City Council approval. It’s a nice blank check and then they hope to be reimbursed 75% from the Feds. Free money all around!
This is the text from page 135:
Councilors highlighted below is a breakdown of the expenses the city has incurred as it has
responded to the COVID-19 pandemic:
1. General Operational Expenses: $97,965
a. Items in this category include the purchase of wipes, gloves, cleaning supplies,
washer and dryers for the fire stations, gates to secure city parks, the cleaning of
City Hall, the purchase of computers to allow for working remote, other IT
equipment such as ZOOM and other services, the secure lockbox that has been
installed in the rear of City Hall, and other misc. expenses all that have been in
direct response to COVID 19.
2. The former St. Joseph’s High School: $14,700
a. Items in this category include the costs associated with preparing St. Joe’s for use
as homeless shelter. Work performed included a deep cleaning of the area to be
used, the construction of temporary walls, installing emergency lighting, CO
detectors, handicap ramps both internal and external, the reestablishment of
heating and running water, and the establishment of communications capability.
3. Public Health Services: $25,000 (Grant Funded)
a. Items in the category include Public Health Nurse Services being provide by
contracted public health nurses. More funds from the State are expected to fund
this activity.
4. Emergency Operation Center: $4,659 (Grant Funded)
a. Items in this category include the cost associated with the establishment of the
Emergency Operations Center that is located of the former jail on Second Street.
This center serves all the communities located in the central part of the County
and works closely with the Center that were established in North and South
County. A $25,000 grant from United Way is assisting with the costs associated
with the EOC including the costs of PPE
5. Economic: $529
a. Items in this category to date has limited to the sandwich board signs designating
the parking spaces for restaurant take out pick up.
It is our expectation that additional costs will be incurred over the next few weeks and possibly
months before this situation is concluded. The City has filed its required Request for Public
Assistance which will allow for many of the costs incurred to date as well as going forward to be
reimbursed at a rate 75% by the Federal Government through FEMA. This was approved on
April 8th.
Mark, thank you for posting this information. This information should have been brought forth by Linda in her 9 minute, 42 second update to the City. Taxpayers should not have to scroll through 135 pages to find this information. Once again I wonder why she did not announce that the City Council meeting was being held this upcoming Tuesday. As usual a complete lack of communication from this Administration. It also seems that every City and Town around us has had their Health Department head communicating to them, anyone know where Gina is? Haven’t had time as of yet to see if there is a break-down of how many washers and dryers were purchased or how many computers were purchased for City Hall workers to work from home. Then again, why bother checking, there is nothing we can do about it now. Hope you and your family have a peaceful Easter. Thanks again for the update.
MARK
Thanks. Even THE PLANET wouldn’t have bothered to wade 135 pages to provide this. No thanks to Mayor Crayola-19 for not sharing this with We the People up front.
Don’t go to Market 32 Pittsfield unless you have time to kill. Took me over an hour to check out. Sign on door said occupancy 40 people, but there were at least 150 in there. Every other register open, no baggers, lines of at least 15 people in every checkout lane, rude clerks. Got out of there at 3 pm, ducked into Stop & Shop to pick up stuff not available at Market 32, and was able to checkout right away, no waiting.
Stayed home IS Tyred.
I go to Aldi’s There could be sick people there,but it worth the lemon squeeze. Big fist fight on causeway today,surprised cops didn’t show…..blood drawn.
Faucis a cross betweenLuciforo and Alfred E Neuman
Cops won’t enforce Tyers social distancing plead but they’ll go on a fools errand-to cumbies or the same day after day perps that take up most of their calls.
Stop and shop capacity is 305 but they’ve not reduced it to 40% and don’t have anyone checking
i went this morning full cart in and out in 50 mins
How many cases of beer can you fit in a cart?
The momentum builds for Coomo:
https://nypost.com/2020/04/10/democrats-want-to-drop-joe-biden-for-andrew-cuomo-poll-finds/
But it is a “poll.”
Does anyone actually think virtual productions of any kind will work? How ridiculous. Talking about theatre and alike. Stooge is doing it from his house,the dump at del Casa Williams St.Previously recorded with exasperated guests,same old same old. The theatre and outdoor venues will all be cancelled. Poor Wahconah Park and Parade,fireworks…..
BHS numbers are wrong again although they went up by 25.
These are validation problems not kits, the have over 300 test kits sitting waiting for validation.
BHS fucked up big time they tried to do it on the cheap.
They bought the kits but thought they could trick the validation system.
Numbers in Berkshire county will skyrocket once they start clearing the backlog. We should be over 400
I was looking at the newest guru at the Club. He HAS to have baggage? Pumping his fist saying Tyer ten more years?
The number of people in South Korea who tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time after apparently recovering has risen to 91 — an increase of 40 from the 51 reported earlier this week, according to a report.
Jeong Eun-kyeong, head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters that the virus may have been “reactivated” rather than the patients being reinfected, Reuters reported.
So Valenti breaks a story with physical evidence,the H R letter. And who gets the retractied story?The Berkshire Eagle. Says Volumes.
Covid-19 had us all fooled, but now we might have finally found its secret.
libertymavenstock
libertymavenstock
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Apr 5 · 8 min read
In the last 3–5 days, a mountain of anecdotal evidence has come out of NYC, Italy, Spain, etc. about COVID-19 and characteristics of patients who get seriously ill. It’s not only piling up but now leading to a general field-level consensus backed up by a few previously little-known studies that we’ve had it all wrong the whole time. Well, a few had some things eerily correct (cough Trump cough), especially with Hydroxychloroquine with Azithromicin, but we’ll get to that in a minute.
There is no ‘pneumonia’ nor ARDS. At least not the ARDS with established treatment protocols and procedures we’re familiar with. Ventilators are not only the wrong solution, but high pressure intubation can actually wind up causing more damage than without, not to mention complications from tracheal scarring and ulcers given the duration of intubation often required… They may still have a use in the immediate future for patients too far to bring back with this newfound knowledge, but moving forward a new treatment protocol needs to be established so we stop treating patients for the wrong disease.
The past 48 hours or so have seen a huge revelation: COVID-19 causes prolonged and progressive hypoxia (starving your body of oxygen) by binding to the heme groups in hemoglobin in your red blood cells. People are simply desaturating (losing o2 in their blood), and that’s what eventually leads to organ failures that kill them, not any form of ARDS or pneumonia. All the damage to the lungs you see in CT scans are from the release of oxidative iron from the hemes, this overwhelms the natural defenses against pulmonary oxidative stress and causes that nice, always-bilateral ground glass opacity in the lungs. Patients returning for re-hospitalization days or weeks after recovery suffering from apparent delayed post-hypoxic leukoencephalopathy strengthen the notion COVID-19 patients are suffering from hypoxia despite no signs of respiratory ‘tire out’ or fatigue.
Here’s the breakdown of the whole process, including some ELI5-level cliff notes. Much has been simplified just to keep it digestible and layman-friendly.
Your red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all your organs and the rest of your body. Red blood cells can do this thanks to hemoglobin, which is a protein consisting of four “hemes”. Hemes have a special kind of iron ion, which is normally quite toxic in its free form, locked away in its center with a porphyrin acting as it’s ‘container’. In this way, the iron ion can be ‘caged’ and carried around safely by the hemoglobin, but used to bind to oxygen when it gets to your lungs.
When the red blood cell gets to the alveoli, or the little sacs in your lungs where all the gas exchange happens, that special little iron ion can flip between FE2+ and FE3+ states with electron exchange and bond to some oxygen, then it goes off on its little merry way to deliver o2 elsewhere.
Here’s where COVID-19 comes in. Its glycoproteins bond to the heme, and in doing so that special and toxic oxidative iron ion is “disassociated” (released). It’s basically let out of the cage and now freely roaming around on its own. This is bad for two reasons:
1) Without the iron ion, hemoglobin can no longer bind to oxygen. Once all the hemoglobin is impaired, the red blood cell is essentially turned into a Freightliner truck cab with no trailer and no ability to store its cargo.. it is useless and just running around with COVID-19 virus attached to its porphyrin. All these useless trucks running around not delivering oxygen is what starts to lead to desaturation, or watching the patient’s spo2 levels drop. It is INCORRECT to assume traditional ARDS and in doing so, you’re treating the WRONG DISEASE. Think of it a lot like carbon monoxide poisoning, in which CO is bound to the hemoglobin, making it unable to carry oxygen. In those cases, ventilators aren’t treating the root cause; the patient’s lungs aren’t ‘tiring out’, they’re pumping just fine. The red blood cells just can’t carry o2, end of story. Only in this case, unlike CO poisoning in which eventually the CO can break off, the affected hemoglobin is permanently stripped of its ability to carry o2 because it has lost its iron ion. The body compensates for this lack of o2 carrying capacity and deliveries by having your kidneys release hormones like erythropoietin, which tell your bone marrow factories to ramp up production on new red blood cells with freshly made and fully functioning hemoglobin. This is the reason you find elevated hemoglobin and decreased blood oxygen saturation as one of the 3 primary indicators of whether the shit is about to hit the fan for a particular patient or not.
2) That little iron ion, along with millions of its friends released from other hemes, are now floating through your blood freely. As I mentioned before, this type of iron ion is highly reactive and causes oxidative damage. It turns out that this happens to a limited extent naturally in our bodies and we have cleanup & defense mechanisms to keep the balance. The lungs, in particular, have 3 primary defenses to maintain “iron homeostasis”, 2 of which are in the alveoli, those little sacs in your lungs we talked about earlier. The first of the two are little macrophages that roam around and scavenge up any free radicals like this oxidative iron. The second is a lining on the walls (called the epithelial surface) which has a thin layer of fluid packed with high levels of antioxidant molecules.. things like abscorbic acid (AKA Vitamin C) among others. Well, this is usually good enough for naturally occurring rogue iron ions but with COVID-19 running rampant your body is now basically like a progressive state letting out all the prisoners out of the prisons… it’s just too much iron and it begins to overwhelm your lungs’ countermeasures, and thus begins the process of pulmonary oxidative stress. This leads to damage and inflammation, which leads to all that nasty stuff and damage you see in CT scans of COVID-19 patient lungs. Ever noticed how it’s always bilateral? (both lungs at the same time) Pneumonia rarely ever does that, but COVID-19 does… EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
— — — — — — — — — — — — –
Once your body is now running out of control, with all your oxygen trucks running around without any freight, and tons of this toxic form of iron floating around in your bloodstream, other defenses kick in. While your lungs are busy with all this oxidative stress they can’t handle, and your organs are being starved of o2 without their constant stream of deliveries from red blood cell’s hemoglobin, and your liver is attempting to do its best to remove the iron and store it in its ‘iron vault’. Only its getting overwhelmed too. It’s starved for oxygen and fighting a losing battle from all your hemoglobin letting its iron free, and starts crying out “help, I’m taking damage!” by releasing an enzyme called alanine aminotransferase (ALT). BOOM, there is your second of 3 primary indicators of whether the shit is about to hit the fan for a particular patient or not.
Eventually, if the patient’s immune system doesn’t fight off the virus in time before their blood oxygen saturation drops too low, ventilator or no ventilator, organs start shutting down. No fuel, no work. The only way to even try to keep them going is max oxygen, even a hyperbaric chamber if one is available on 100% oxygen at multiple atmospheres of pressure, just to give what’s left of their functioning hemoglobin a chance to carry enough o2 to the organs and keep them alive. Yeah we don’t have nearly enough of those chambers, so some fresh red blood cells with normal hemoglobin in the form of a transfusion will have to do.
The core point being, treating patients with the iron ions stripped from their hemoglobin (rendering it abnormally nonfunctional) with ventilator intubation is futile, unless you’re just hoping the patient’s immune system will work its magic in time. The root of the illness needs to be addressed.
Best case scenario? Treatment regimen early, before symptoms progress too far. Hydroxychloroquine (more on that in a minute, I promise) with Azithromicin has shown fantastic, albeit critics keep mentioning ‘anecdotal’ to describe the mountain, promise and I’ll explain why it does so well next. But forget straight-up plasma with antibodies, that might work early but if the patient is too far gone they’ll need more. They’ll need all the blood: antibodies and red blood cells. No help in sending over a detachment of ammunition to a soldier already unconscious and bleeding out on the battlefield, you need to send that ammo along with some hemoglobin-stimulant-magic so that he can wake up and fire those shots at the enemy.
The story with Hydroxychloroquine
All that hilariously misguided and counterproductive criticism the media piled on chloroquine (purely for political reasons) as a viable treatment will now go down as the biggest Fake News blunder to rule them all. The media actively engaged their activism to fight ‘bad orange man’ at the cost of thousands of lives. Shame on them.
How does chloroquine work? Same way as it does for malaria. You see, malaria is this little parasite that enters the red blood cells and starts eating hemoglobin as its food source. The reason chloroquine works for malaria is the same reason it works for COVID-19 — while not fully understood, it is suspected to bind to DNA and interfere with the ability to work magic on hemoglobin. The same mechanism that stops malaria from getting its hands on hemoglobin and gobbling it up seems to do the same to COVID-19 (essentially little snippets of DNA in an envelope) from binding to it. On top of that, Hydroxychloroquine (an advanced descendant of regular old chloroquine) lowers the pH which can interfere with the replication of the virus. Again, while the full details are not known, the entire premise of this potentially ‘game changing’ treatment is to prevent hemoglobin from being interfered with, whether due to malaria or COVID-19.
No longer can the media and armchair pseudo-physicians sit in their little ivory towers, proclaiming “DUR so stoopid, malaria is bacteria, COVID-19 is virus, anti-bacteria drug no work on virus!”. They never got the memo that a drug doesn’t need to directly act on the pathogen to be effective. Sometimes it’s enough just to stop it from doing what it does to hemoglobin, regardless of the means it uses to do so.
Anyway, enough of the rant. What’s the end result here? First, the ventilator emergency needs to be re-examined. If you’re putting a patient on a ventilator because they’re going into a coma and need mechanical breathing to stay alive, okay we get it. Give ’em time for their immune systems to pull through. But if they’re conscious, alert, compliant — keep them on O2. Max it if you have to. If you HAVE to inevitably ventilate, do it at low pressure but max O2. Don’t tear up their lungs with max PEEP, you’re doing more harm to the patient because you’re treating the wrong disease.
Ideally, some form of treatment needs to happen to:
Inhibit viral growth and replication. Here plays CHQ+ZPAK+ZINC or other retroviral therapies being studies. Less virus, less hemoglobin losing its iron, less severity and damage.
Therapies used for anyone with abnormal hemoglobin or malfunctioning red blood cells. Blood transfusions. Whatever, I don’t know the full breadth and scope because I’m not a physician. But think along those lines, and treat the real disease. If you’re thinking about giving them plasma with antibodies, maybe if they’re already in bad shape think again and give them BLOOD with antibodies, or at least blood followed by plasma with antibodies.
Now that we know more about how this virus works and affects our bodies, a whole range of options should open up.
Don’t trust China. China is ASSHOE. (disclaimer: not talking about the people, just talking about the regime). They covered this up and have caused all kinds of death and carnage, both literal and economic. The ripples of this pandemic will be felt for decades.
Fini.
Covid 19
Hemoglobin
Spo2
Red Blood Cells
Hydroxy Chloroquine
Wow. Wonder if this could happen even with a person having mild symptoms since as far as they are concerned, they are breathing fine.
So how about quinine in tonic water.
Not chloroquine be it also works on malaria. Anybody notice no tonic water on the shelves either?
I suspect why chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine is not being pushed is the patent has run out and big pharma can’t make a dime.
Some interesting reading concerning quinine, and chloroquine/hydroxychlroquine.
The first was a herbal medicine long used for malaria treatment, isolated from bark of tropical trees. The later two are structurally related synthetic compounds that also include a quinoline ring.
It is perplexing that the mechanism of their action has not been revealed with respect to malaria. As all these drug are many years old, it seems that newer more effective analogs could be synthesized.
FYI, the cost of these drugs are 1-2 orders of magnitude more in the USA, than in third world. Thank big Pharma for that.
People are drinking more
You must have seen TSC’s posts.
“In recent days, I’ve had a number of people ask me for my thoughts on a now-deleted Medium blog post entitled “Covid-19 had us all fooled, but now we might have finally found its secret.” It seems that, even following its deletion, this post has become widely shared in an archived form, largely by people who seem to entirely accept its premise. That premise, to be very brief, is essentially that the SARS-CoV-2 virus harms patients entirely through its interactions with the oxygen transport protein hemoglobin (Hb). A Google search for the title will still turn up the post, should you wish to read (or re-read) it…”
https://medium.com/@amdahl/covid-19-debunking-the-hemoglobin-story-ce27773d1096
The article presented by AA has been taken down because it so ridiculously flawed. The amount of bad information being spread about this virus is astonishing. The speed with which it propagates online is crazy. On balance, I’d say the Internet is evil.
Is the Holyoke Soldiers home under Fed Justice dept investigation as well as State AG investigation? Is the Williamstown Commons next? Did Federal intervention precede State intervention – is that the only reason Healy woke up? Any comments from Hinds on the matter? I am almost certain Healy is only doing an investigation because the Justice Dept acted first. Correct me if I got it wrong.
“The Pandemic Will Cleave America in Two”
“Some will emerge from this crisis disrupted and shaken, but ultimately stable. Others will come out of it with much more lasting scars.”
—The Atlantic
Will, will, will. Completely useless, if not dangerous, speculation. Not “journalism.” Dangerous because most people are apparently unable to make the distinction: “It is printed in my favorite confirmation bias sources, so therefore it is true–even if it hasn’t happened (yet).”
What happened to “did” actually occur? Or do they not teach that in J school anymore?
I hate Atlantic magazine. It used to be a good magazine until it went far left.
The right wing owns daytime drivetime brainwash hours between 9am and 6pm….you then eat dinner with Fox Five and the brain wash continues right till bedtime for Bozo the President
And you, apparently, wake up to GMA, move on to The View, read the Eagle and NYT (and think you’re smart because you do), then sit down for hours of MSNBC while you suck up some “news” from your FakeBook feed, maybe some other lefty blog tripe, and then settle in for more MSNBC folderol, and top it off with Richard Madcow before bed.
Massachusetts changing covid-19 death reporting as of April 7th to make more money? Medicare pays covid-19 admissions $13,000, and if patient put on ventilator – $39,000.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/wth-massachusetts-padding-coronavirus-numbers-get-cash/
More Massachusetts news;
In Beverly, one-way sidewalks set up so residents can practice social-distancing. $100 fine for those not complying!
And,
MA has 0 covid-19 deaths under the age of 40, with only 446 existing cases under the age of 19. Open the schools Gov. Baker!
Occupancy restrictions on retail establishments making matters worse – people waiting outside stores in the cold to get their groceries. Stores not hiring as many workers……lines backed up at the registers!
Governor Baker – wake up and reopen the economy!!
Yes,there you have it Governor
Gov. Baker being sued for violating the second amendment.
Keep in mind the state is also releasing prisoners!!
https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/coronavirus-massachusetts-gun-stores-owners-sue-baker-administration-over-non-essential-business-restrictions.html
Baker is Healey’s boot-licker.
Release the prisoners, as per your liberal progressive wing nut DA Harrington, but lock people up for not practicing Fishtancing. Brilliant! Stock up on guns N ammo boys.
Like these people will follow guidelines/laws pertaining to this virus. They wouldn’t be incarcerated to begin with if they followed the law. This is just what they wanted to do anyway and the virus is the excuse for doing so.
“This Pandemic Will Lead to Social Revolutions”
[Bloomberg]
Andreas Kluth
Bloomberg April 11, 2020
Yup, yup, yupper. Clear as the crystal ball, it is.
Yeah, and Trump will be gone by July 2017.
Charge Fauci & Birx with fraud! Their models went from 2.2 million dead from covid-19, to 60,000 – same as a seasonal flu!! Many people lost their jobs and businesses over their fraudulent claims. The U.S. is now 23 T in debt due to bailouts!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/04/dr-fauci-dr-birx-criminally-charged-know-covid-19-victims-elderly-seniors-diabetics-chose-scare-us-public-instead/
IF YOU DID NOTHING…..That is the projection….if our govenor left school open, everyone went to the Red Lion Inn,Went to your pub,went to Lenox Price Chopper,Had lunch everyday in the staff rooms.Cuomo and Baker saved this countrys ass to not continue to do what your told to do and you might see these numbers come down next week.Listen to RN because RN is giving you the numbers.Do not listen to your President because he will make you ill.Baker and Cuomo have simply asked you for your help in keeping hospitsl workers working at a manageable pace.Why in Gods name would anyone stop this strategy early or think its been a mistake.Most of you follow Trump and Sean Hannity and its hard to deal with Trump think being wrong.Trumps behavior is bizzar.You guys love a ignoramus.
Chug a lug
TSC-after attempting to read what you wrote, you should seek medical treatment quickly. Running a high fever and making senseless posts, is a warning sign of Tyer-19. Like the Mayor, you should also go into hiding. We’ll miss you….no we wont.
Yeah lock up the playgrounds, close the golf & tennis courses – and next we’ll have an obesity pandemic. I’m already dealing with the quarantine 15 ( lbs) cause I have to sit at home & watch tv all day.
Emailing the Guv on a regular basis to END THE LOCKDOWN!
Fritz,get a pet,trust me on this one.
Berkshire County should be 414
I had no idea there were so many homeless in this area that the Hilton garden is going to house some of them
My theory on this mess we’re in lies with leadership.You can watch thingst happen,make things happen or wonder what happened.
They’ll be coming in from far and wide now.
We don’t, they are bringing them in from all over.
Massachusetts began listing ages and other demographics of its Covid-19 fatalities on March 31. The first 56 deaths are not detailed but daily reports have shed light on the mortality characteristics since. In Massachusetts, 686 people have died.
Out of 630 deaths since March 31:
AGE/NUMBER
30s- 3
40s- 5
50s – 26
60s- 56
70s- 145
80s- 236
90s- 146
100s- 13
Out of 630 deaths, 540 people have been age 70 to over 100 years old.
Everyone have a nice Easter.
Thanks, SAINT. Glad someone remembered the special day, a day of resurrection and rebirth, to return of new life.
I love the Easter themes of hope and rebirth.
Top “news” story all night on BBC radio as Easter rose this morning:
Bill Gates SAYS that we WILL have a COVID-19 vaccine within 18 months.
That’s “news” these days–someone SAYS something WILL happen.
I Just got asked to work at the Hilton Garden Inn as a day nurse. I asked about what kind of work I’d be doing, they said it’s an “emergency shelter and COVID+ only treatment facility for the homeless”.
The State has contracted with the owner to turn that hotel into a shelter. They are bringing in up to 200 patients and have 75 or 79 there right now. They are from all over the state.
Pay is $750 a day plus shift differential for evening and overnight. They are also looking for drug and alcohol rehab counselors.
Seems dangerous to IMPORT COVID+ homeless people. They said it was a good location because people can walk to get groceries?!? there may be two more local hotels turning into homeless shelters soon. Homeless, COVID+, drug addicts, welcome to the Berkshires.
RN
Thanks for the report. In a way, more of the same, the state dumping the “armies of the night” into the Berkshires — especially Pittsfield and environs.
It will replace tourism this summer.
A begging bum on every corner this summer and more piles of poo behind the library.
The Dump, Palookville. Who’s pockets are being lined with gold? Will they be shopping at Guido’s? It is just a hop skip and a jump from front door to front door.
Shoplifting anyway
The more troglodytes the merrier.
Time for those signs they have near the Holyoke Mall: “Donate only to recognized charities.”
The Pitts.
Berkshire county COVID+ is 516 for today. You can add 79 for new COVID+ homeless
If they are being transferred with positive results, wouldn’t they have already been counted by their test location?
Happy Easter to everyone
How’s this for a timely change of pace? Today’s obit about Raymond Milukas, Jr. referenced a 1944 Pittsfield High -St joseph High School football game at Deming Park. The story of interest to me because I saw the game. All who saw it, those few left, remember it to this day. PHS was leading 6 to 0 and driving for another touchdown with a minute to play. For some strange reason, PHS called a pass play that was intercepted by St. Joe defensive back Frank Koldys. He was 102 yards away from his goal line and off he went. One of his blockers all the way was Raymond Milukas. Frank took it 102 yards for a St. Joe touchdown. Score tied 6 – 6, no time left, and it all depended on the extra point. If memory serves me correctly I believe it was Francis Ferris who kicked extra points for St. Joe’s. In one of the most pressure-packed extra-point kicks ever in this series Ferris successively kicked the point and the crowd was delirious. Goal Posts were torn down, not easy then, they were made of iron, and snake dances went from Deming Park to Park Square. This is one of the great games among friendly rivals. Raymond W. Milukas, Jr. was an all the way blocker for Frank Koldys during this run for victory and glory.
That’s what made the Madison famous.
And globkey saturdays.
That and Hank the Bank.
Chuck and Dan should do a book about local athletes and politicians that graced the city fields and halls for decades.
GREAT, GREAT story, CHUCK. Thanks much, my good friend.