COPS ARREST PAIR AFTER LATEST CITY SHOOTING … U.S. ECONOMIC NORMALCY WON’T HAPPEN SOON; IN PITTSFIELD, IT WON’T HAPPEN, PERIOD
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, MAY 1-3, 2020) — The Fed interest rate lies in a coma at 0%. Oil has gone negative, meaning producers will pay you to buy unsold barrels for running out of storage space. The U.S. added $2 trillion of debt in a little over a month, more than the years of the Great Recession. America now spends $4 trillion more than it receives. Strange days, indeed. Most peculiar, momma.
Before we resume our story, though, allow THE PLANET to bring you news of the latest shooting from the Pittsfield Police Department. Here’s the release:
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This morning (Thursday 04-30-20) at 1:37 AM, Pittsfield Police were notified, by both a citizen report and ShotSpotter Activation, of gunfire on Glenwood Avenue in Pittsfield. Responding
JOHNSON
Patrol Units were provided with the description of a suspect vehicle that had fled westbound on Stoddard Avenue. Minutes later, a Patrol Supervisor observed a vehicle matching the provided description and conducted a motor vehicle stop on Daniels Avenue.
A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm within. Neither of the 2 occupants of the vehicle being licensed to possess a firearm, both were arrested on the following charges:
Laquan Johnson, age 25, of Pittsfield:
POSSESSION OF A FIREARM WITHOUT FID CARD
David Moody, age 28, of Pittsfield:
POSSESSION OF A FIREARM WITHOUT FID CARD, SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE
FIREARM VIOLATION WITH 1 PRIOR VIOLENT/DRUG CRIME
MOODY
Both individuals will be arraigned today by remote communication from the Pittsfield Police Department.
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As you can see, these two lads are as fit as any you would see on a fine Sunday mornin, true representatives of the fine city our politicians have created. Credit the PPD for quick action. The two choir boys are legally “innocent” until the courts pronounce otherwise — if the courts have the chance. Maybe our district attorney will investigate and determine if they grew up in disadvantaged households, were made to eat all their supper, and had to polish the furniture once a week. If so, perhaps she’ll insist that the charges be dropped. Welcome to Pittsfield.
Now, on to our story.
The uncharted fiscal waters, released when COVID-19 broke the dam, contain depths, but no one knows how deep. As David Lynch put it in the Washington Post, we have cannonballed into “a rapid-fire experiment in borrowing.” Government and corporations account for most of this new debt, although household red ink remains as problematic.
What happens when that money must be paid back? Business has two choices: layoffs or defaults. Latest casualty of changing times: Crane & Company in North Adams, with 229 workers losing their jobs on June 19. You can apply that concern to any level of government, including local, where Pittsfield continues along a path of suicidal economics led by Vaudevillian greats CRAYOLA & KUFFLINKS. This comic team, the only one in history with two straight men and no comedian, have run up debt and run down what was left of the alleged local economy. As you know, both were and are part of the move to emulate South County and Williamstown in becoming a tourist trap. It never caught on. THE PLANET finds it amusing that when Barrington Stage moved from Sheffield, it kept “Barrington” in the name.
“Pittsfield Stage?” The tourists would get on the stage — the next one out of town.
The outlook is stark, yet city “leaders” have not met the challenges honestly. Last week, THE PLANET wrote about “The Connell Measure,” the perfect title supplied by Ward 3’s Nick Caccamo. Connell fought the scheme of CRAYOLA & KUFFLINKS to leverage “free cash” taken for virus protection into double taxation of Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski.
Instead of effective leadership, we get more of the mayor’s “vibrant, dynamic, collaborative” sunshine. A million clams have been allocated for COVID, but where’s the accounting or accountability? For example, will the city publish an annotated list of which businesses and individuals will receive assistance? How much? Under what conditions? Will the mayor and council tell us what they intend to do about the $150,000 handed to the brewery in J. Allen’s former space on North Street, a business that will never open? Does the owner get “a Stanley” on the money?
Many industries have been hit hard: global trade, tourism, travel, transportation, real estate, manufacturing, factory output, major retailers, oil and energy. Employment will hit levels not seen since The Great Depression. Pension funds have been battered, as have individual portfolios. You’re looking at a potential Doomsday scenario.
How long with this viral nonsense last?
“Predicting the world will return in 3 to 6 months is just wrong,” says Diane Swonk, chief economist at Grant Thornton. “The economy went into an Ice Age overnight. We’re in a deep freeze. As the economy thaws we’ll see the damage done.”
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“One thorn of experience is worth a wilderness of warning” — James Russell Lowell.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information, hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer. Copyright (c) 2020 by Dan Valenti.
Don’t ya think the 500g we handed over to Covanta and the millions in forgiveness for Stanley would come in handy right now?We should all realize that this gifted Soul.Planet,has given the word transparency, and now the truth of his word as Gospel,when it comes to the goings on here. The shit storm has arrived and we have the right author to out a lot of these phonies.
The U.S. government and corporate debts will never be paid back. Most money and debts only exist as digital numbers that bounce around on the Federal Reserve Bank’s computer screens. It is not real money.
I believe blogger Dan Valenti does a first-rate job covering Pittsfield politics and beyond, but I cannot understand why he always myopically blames the lovely Linda Tyer for Pittsfield’s economic demise when it mostly happened prior to her being Mayor of Pittsfield (Mass.) in 2016. I believe that Matt Kerwood practices “creative Accounting”, and that Pittsfield’s real municipal finances are very bad news. But, what else is new. We’ve watched this happen a couple times before during “the Doyle debacle” and “the now late Queen Anne Everest Wojtkowski reign”.
In closing, without a federal bailout later in this lovely month of May (2020), state and local governments will soon go insolvent and then bankrupt due to the 2020 economic recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s now not then. Wake up.
That is very true, and you are right! It is also true that we are in a 2020 economic recession caused by a global COVID-19 pandemic, which the lovely Linda Tyer had nothing to do with whatsoever. I hope Mayor Linda Tyer will be a strong leader during these difficult times.
Difficult times? The last six weeks is an excuse for the last four years? As dementia joe says, come on man!
JONATHAN
Thanks for the message. I do not “blame” the mayor “for Pittsfield’s economic demise.” As you rightly point out, it was in process long before she came on the scene — at least going back to the mid-90s. She does, however, have a responsibility to stem the bleeding. She hasn’t done that, even pre-Corona. She has continued and exacerbated punishing taxation and out-of-control city spending. The mayor has the power to GREATLY affect both. She has failed to do that.
Fair enough. The facts are on your side, Dan Valenti.
Yes Mr. Melle, that facts are these – Kufflinks works for, and was appointed by, Crayola, and Crayola is responsible for Pittsfield’s demise for the past 4 plus years, and these facts are on Dan’s side,a nd The Kapanski’s, whom Dan represents. We are sick and tired on the spending non-sense.
If Pittsfield was on fire, Mayor Crayola Just poured gas on the fire [REDACTED. AUTHOR IS ADVISED TO ‘CLEAN IT UP’]
I have long supported the lovely Linda Tyer going back when I lived in Pittsfield in 2003 when she first ran for Pittsfield City Council. She is intelligent and wants to move post-industrial Pittsfield forward instead of backwards to the 1950’s and 1960’s GE era. Some of WHEN and Jimmy Ruberto’s arts and culture projects cost way too much taxpayers’ dollars, and it did not work out in the long run. But, Mayor Linda Tyer’s heart is in the right place. I do concede that she has raised municipal taxes, fees, and debts to unsustainable levels. I believe that Matt Kerwood’s financial management is disconnected from realistic Accounting practices, and the working class who pays the bills to City Hall are getting screwed over. In closing, Mayor Linda Tyer is in it over her head, and Matt Kerwood cooks the books.
Wow. And you’re a nurse at BMC ? What a pleasant personality you have RN. I think I’d rather take my chances at Fairview!
Even an average Joe can tell you the obvious, Pittsfield’s a shithole, we’re headed for a depression, and Tyer will raise your taxes again this year and continue to piss away your tax dollars.
Joe,it is not prudent to raise taxes when jobs are gone. She needs to start cutting right there in her own department and go from there. Keep current taxes in place and freeze, and eliminate positions in the schools for one, keep fire and police at current levels. No pay raises until we get back on our feet in a couple years. The state will soon be billions in arrears.
These shitbums are frequent flyers and city would be better off if they were shot and killed in the shootout. Too bad return fire didn’t get em.
Let’s hope Harrington fights to hold them, because simple gun possession is a non violent crime you know, and she’s trying like hell to feee the jailbirds as part of the Corona Conspiracy .
I agree, Tellit. Both are bad eggs well known to local police. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key.
Great commentary in paper by Sheriff Bowler about the release of prisoners by the D.A.
Great column, Dan. Crayola & Kufflinks should be battening down the hatches instead of throwing taxpayer money at a select few individuals/ businesses with their “covid stimulus.”
May Day – reopen Massachusetts!
Imagine if Trump weren’t President? What would the unemployment numbers be if that was the case?
Well Bowler is a Bianchi disciple,so he is now politically correct. Harrington on the other hand as well as the Mayor are not being favorably looked upon with this economy were in. No one wants taxes for the rich and no one wants prisoners released right now.
Bowler is a good man on all accounts.
Crayola and The Cat in the Hat are abysmal leadership.
Why do you read the Eagle you idiot? Great column?
Nobody at the jail has tested positive except the Sheriff and “other staff members” yeah ok alrighty sure
The other day the police arrested a guy for “stomping a guy into unconscientiousness” with his foot. There was an eye witness. He was released on personal recognizance.
So this is where we are at.
I cannot imagine what the judge was thinking in this case.
Somewhere else that might have been attempted murder
The judge looked at what the DA presented, an unprepared case.
We should save a ton of money on the busing and heat-oil for schools.
Should and could, but won’t. Too bad, because in this upcoming budget, it severe cutting isn’t done, especially in the school department, it will be the same as writing the city’s epitaph.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/comparing-covid-19-deaths-to-flu-deaths-is-like-comparing-apples-to-oranges/
I agree that COVID-19 is worse than the flu, but I’m so sick of reading that President Trump was misleading people in late February. President Trump closed off travel from China on January 31st. China didn’t tell the world how contagious and deadly this flu was until sometime in March. By then it was ravaging Italy after that country had been told by China not to worry about the virus and have “Hug a Chinese Person” Day. China stopped travel from Wuhan to the rest of their own country, but allowed travel all over the world.
Pat. Factually, thousands came in from China after the alleged closure. Airline records support this. Our government including the White House and Trump were warned in November of the virus. It’s arrival here was inevitable and we were unprepared. Nobody knows if we even could have been. The Chinese have been prolific mask wearers for years but still got the virus. We’re all at fault. We were warned for years that our love of disinfectants, antibiotics, and antivirals would eventually lead to a superbug. Pharmaceutical companies sunk their money into big dollar designer medications that took care of conditions that impact less than 2% of the population. Meanwhile, cancer, heart disease, and antibiotics/antivirals weren’t developed because there’s no real money in curing something with so little profit.
If we want to assess blame for anything and everything, we all need to go look in a mirror because in big ways and tiny ones, we’re all at fault, even Trump. No matter how much money you’ve got, you can’t spend it when your 6 feet underground.
The intelligence reports will be released soon about just what was known. The airlines were not doing their job if Chinese travel was still coming in because President Trump stopped it on January 31st. I agree with where was the CDC during all this and why wasn’t the CDC better prepared?
This virus came from a Wuhan lab and has nothing to do with disinfectants or antibiotics. The question is just how it was released from the lab. Was it an accident or intentional? Was it an accident and then China was afraid of it’s own economy going downhill so decided to not try to save the rest of the world? These labs contain lots of deadly viruses and we even have these labs in this country. I don’t think we should be hanging on to these dangerous viruses because the risk is much too great. They could wipe out the planet.
How exactly are we at fault? Please explain? I don’t see how The Chinese Communist party releasing Corona, and letting thousands of Chinese infect other coutries populations, including ours, makes it our fault because we take antibiotics as prescribed. They are lucky we don’t send em back to the stone age.
Trump will assign blame.
In uour mind you dont like the press agitating power.Obama survived the onslaught. Trumps problem was he thought he was smart enough to tear America down without the press asking him why?The National gaurd was calledup in New Jersy to defend NewJersey from Trump regressives.
Imagine that.
Apples to oranges? Hmmm. Both are fruits. Both grow on trees. Both are extremely beneficial to one’s health. Both are delicious. Both grow in abundance in America. Both have spawned veritable industries around they byproducts. Both … well, you get the point.
So dan you think the flu and COVID are the same, you are one dumb old man if you do.
Putting words into my “typewriter” again. As Reagan said to Mondale: “There you go again.” Never said that, never will. It is different, of course, but not of an order of magnitude sufficient to shut down the global economy. You’re plain wrong on this one, RN.
Bravo Dan.
I supposed if they been made to eat their supper and polish the furniture they wouldn’t be in this sitch. Yup, Johnson was already let go on a murder charge thanks to Harrington and her bumblers. Word is the case dragged on so long that the witnesses all had time to get intimidated by him and clammed up.
James, that was Caccas mess that is well known..try to keep up
You know how Trump got kicked out of the president’s club for lying, being incompetent and blaming prior administrations? Same.
The era of big manufacturing in the Berkshires is over. The local economy will likely continue to evolve into more tourism and other than big box stores, small specialty retailers. Of course, we’ll have our restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and other boutique businesses. My own small business is technology based. Just not in Pittsfield.
Hopefully, the one smart thing we all learn from this virus and our shared quarantine is that when it comes to retail, bigger is not better, and spending our money locally is best even if it costs a few pennies more. However, Pittsfield politicos need to take a massive dose of reality. While it’s awesome for them to brag about some large corporation that they’ve lured to the city, they need to realize that the large corporation owes nothing to the city and can pack up and leave at any time. The mayor and city council need to understand that glory projects can rapidly become boondoggles like the cinema.
What will ultimately turn Pittsfield around is a downtown that has small successful businesses that all of us are willing to shop at along with restaurants that we want to dine at. But – and this is a big BUT – you can’t have any of that so long as North Street looks the way it does or because the street is unsafe especially after dark. The risk to life and limb is real. Yet, even if you escape with your life or limbs intact, who wants to be on a street where your car can be vandalized or you can be harassed and put in fear by some thug on the street threatening you?
Pittsfield has become a toilet. It’s become a toilet because the mayor’s office likes the one or two glory projects that get big headlines. The mayor and city council simply don’t want to roll up their sleeves and work on the hundreds of little projects that need to be done in order for the city to be an attractive place to live, shop, dine, and work. They don’t have any interest in working with 20, 30, 40, 50 small businesses. They’ll keep pursing just one or two with massive tax incentives with taxpayers ultimately footing the bill.
That’s what is pathetic about City Hall. The emperor has no clothes.
I think you make a fair point about buying local Truth, however I think this pandemic is the final nail in the coffin for many local businesses. I myself always bought everything local, but over the past couple of months have made several bigger ticket online purchases and have been thrilled with the service and quality. I expect many people across the country who were skeptical about buying various items online will now realize how simple and easy it is. For example, if I want a furniture item, am I going to go fight the meters, worry about a ticket, deal with the various deranged drunks walking North St, to spend more at Paul Rich, or simply go online from the comfort of my couch and order a recliner or desk? Many people during this pandemic are learning the latter.
I like to shop where I don’t have to look at garbage everywhere. It kind of suggests to me that I am in a city that the mayor or city council does not give a shit. Why would I want to go to a movie or a museum or a restaurant in a city that is so unsanitary. Makes me lose my appetite.
Yea but we spent millions on upstreet with improvements up the ying yang, new movie seats, and fancy new computerized parking kiosks the average joe can’t operate.
Not like the flu idiots
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-expert-weve-not-encountered-a-virus-quite-like-this-183535337.html
Yes I always go to Yahoo for my news, and consult a doctor from an unheard of medical college for info.
It is a severe illness but not overly deadly based on factual numbers. Now those mortality numbers have been compromised due to Dr. Birx stating that patients infected with covid and dying due to underlying conditions will be classified as covid deaths thereby muddying the waters.
Not like the flu, not even close, much deadlier and always will be. It will make the flu look like a party
This virus is watching the fools open up socially. And it is licking its chops as the fools walk right into its killing zone. I predict that one month from now the body count will have doubled and America will be like a turtle on its back, unable to right itself because too much of its inner resources have been depleted.
America is being led by Don Trump.Are you better off now than you were when Obama left office ?
You betchya
Goody for you !!! But the real world isn’t a mirrored image of you nor your portfolio. How’s ego centricism ? Or are you an island ? Many aren’t better off !!!!
You’re out to lunch Sojourner! Trumps economy was best in 60 years. Obama was a disgrace to America on many levels.
yes
The face of the virus is smiling, taunting….come to me fools, come to me. Come out of your homes and mingle. Share me with your family and friends. Do it nowwwwwww
RN you have tried.It hard to overcome 9 hours a day of talk rightwing media.Nights are the filled by Fox right wing media until bedtime.You are up against the greatest brainwash in history.You are the enemy.Republicans of old have left this cult because they recognized nothing.
Wow, so profound.
You know Lenny that Med School is not completely unknown. I do Believe that’s where Pat Muraca studied. The City of Pittsfield will soon be having a charlatan coming before the City Council promising to cure Covid-19 only with the help of Spacely Sprockets, the new Brew place, and the cigar bar. The council will hand of what ever is asked just as they did with EV, Muraca and so on. It has been rumored though that the taxpayers will get a benefit for a few more million to the Beacon we can each sit in the theater and watch the space shot launching the last piece of the Covid-19 cure into orbit allowing it to be mixed in zero gravity. Its going to be Vibrant, Dynamic and a demonstration of what can happen when the synergies are harnessed through a collaborative project rooted in taxpayer funding and sacrifice.
RN
You are right. It is not like the flu.
Yeah,.don’t be a fluidiot
It is clearly much worse than the flu. The irony is that because social distancing worked so well, people now think it wasn’t that dangerous. We will see what happens in the states that open early. Hopefully they won’t get e resurgence and have to start all over again.
The latest long-term outlook/report say it could be two years before we are done with C-19. The reason given: It will take that long for at least 70% of the population to be exposed to the virus so that herd immunity kicks in. This suggests that herd immunity was/is the way to go. Develop it fast, get rid of the virus fast. It’s highly contagious, but (a) not everyone gets it and (b) the vast majority who get it are asymptomatic. (C) Those who develop symptoms usually fight it on their own, just like a flu. Most of those who require medical attention recover. In the end, a small % dies. In that way, it IS like the flu. Using the metaphor “like” says it’s not the flu, only that in certain aspects, it shares flu-like qualities.
They are only now beginning to understand this virus.How do you make good decisions about something we dont understand?
Uh huh.
We don’t really know how much immunity having the virus gives people. If its complete immunity and each person can infect 5 people (“R” =5) then “herd immunity” occurs at (R-1)/R. If its no immunity then herd immunity will never happen. If its say 50%, then herd immunity occurs then double R. I’ve seen estimates of R from 3 to 15. The flu usually gives complete immunity
Yes it is worse, but how much worse? The models were way off, and the true fatality rate will be very low. The lower number of deaths are not what they are because of social distancing. Even with social distancing, the initial models predicted way more deaths. The virus has turned out to be way less severe than initially tought. The curve has been flattened. And all this social distancing may or may not have assisted in flattening the curve. It could be just happen stance.
RN this board will double down on anything Trump tells them.Think Jonestown here.
Jim Jones was a democrat…..Jimmy Carter praised him.
What does that mean
It’s always about tourism.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/04/29/florida-medical-examiners-were-releasing-coronavirus-death-data-the-state-made-them-stop
In Berkshire County BHS has slowed the release of actual COVID+ cases to help boost the suggestion that we should start opening up for tourist season.
Tanglewood still holding out. BHS trying to lure patients into a death trap. Mayor Crayola does her best work on her back. Kufflinks getting PPP loans for his hair transplant.
You had some valid things to say. After reading this I realize you are between 12-18 years old and add nothing to any sort of an adult conversation. Grow up!
THE PLANET has a couple of sources intimately connected with Tanglewood. Lots of discussion going on now, a back-and-forth debate about if and when to open. We hope to break a story soon. Right now, it doesn’t look like there’s going to be a season.
That will be devastating news! gonna be a long summer
We stress no decision yet. Odds are leaning not to open. A minority element is pushing back hard against that. Rock-em, Sock’em Robots at the moment. James Taylor said he wouldn’t play Tanglewood this year. That’s practically half the summer right there.
Place is only half full on a good night. Open up, sell only every 6 th seat and us lawn boys will enjoy the fact that the ride people will not park their blankets within six feet of us and we won’t have wine spilled on us as the tipsy broads slither by to the ladies room spilling wine with every other step.
Funny stuff. Thanks, TELIT.
No obnoxiou$ tourists this year.
There is no significant TESTING so the diversion continues so his cult never latch on to the Truth
I’d like to set up a Curtis Sliwa type organization like The Guardian Angels, where I can get the authority to push back against public bullying and people minding their own business and getting harrased in public whether walking,in a car or at any outside area where there’s social distancing. My organization would be able to chase down, break up and If necessary use physical force. Anyone interested participants on here? I’d like to call the organization, Berkshire Covidgilantes
Pop a top again.
Andrea Harrington, we can’t allow career criminals run around with illegal guns time after time. If this problem is dealt with with a plea bargain or a wrist slap you might just as well give them back their illegal guns. When will they learn?
Good luck with that one. No harm so No foul
Putting those 2 thugs in jail probably brought tears to Harringtons’s eyes. Driving around this city observing the filth and the pathetic decrepit potholed streets must bring a smile to Mayor Tyer and her sidekick husband. Chief Wynn must have a little giggle when he drives by a job site and his overpaid underlings can’t even be bothered to get off their phones and direct traffic. Peter Marchetti presides with his financial background as the city inches closer to forcing out elderly and honest taxpayers. The common element here are the voters and all these under performing so called leaders are Democrats. Would any sane person who voted in the severely Under-Qualified Harrington to the DA position not take Calc now if they could. You would have to be an Anti-American Radical Looney Leftist in the mold of AQC-Pelosi not to admit the mistake in voting for Harrington. Our Mayor in her first election ran on Blight and Crime, enough said. Wynn’s job is to run the Department and Limit crime. The number of Officers who have Retired and received settlements against the City is Huge just like the Crime problem . Marchetti seems to think his only Function is Parliamentary Rules. The City Council is very Left of Center. There are numerous reasons why people head South but the logic of destroying towns-cities-states in the name of Progressivism will never work. The road leads to Bankruptcy.
Just finished dropping a fairly large amount of my hard working monies into Mayor Crayola’s money pit by paying my real estate taxes. Never felt so disgusted as I do right now. Would love to know what I am getting out of this payment. The roads are a mess with potholes and garbage. Partridge Road is to the point of needing to be shut down because of the large potholes. North Street is inundated with homeless people passed out, drunk, sleeping on the side walks, lawns and benches especially by 510 North Street. You can view drug deals and prostitutes on every down town corner and Tyler Street. There is no traffic control, the roads are basically a free for all. Traffic signage is knocked down all over the City. Gunshots are ringing out close to my home. Repeat offenders are receiving a free get out of jail card, residents have the crap beat out of them but the judge lets the “beater” go. Our CC is a group of puppets that can’t get out of their own way if they tried. But don’t worry folks, Dotties, HON, Beacon Theatre and Methuselah will be given enough of our money to re-open their businesses. Come on Mayor, start paying attention to the taxpayers that pay your big salary.
M&B, apparently Highway is non-essential. Mayor in her last address didn’t specify which departments are or are not essential, just that some are, and some are not. That information is transparently secret. I would have thought that anything to do with infrastructure would be, and it seems like a perfect time to repair roads.
Yes. If the mayor says that some departments are nonessential then doesn’t say which ones, she’s making stuff up. Either that or she doesn’t have a clue. If so, SPELL IT OUT FOR CITIZENS.
Many of those homeless are COVID positive cases who have been dropped off in Berkshire county.
They aren’t required to stay, many have been COVID+ and just walked away from care.
You are going to see a huge spike in homeless in Berkshires county thanks to the greed and stupidity of a couple local hotel owners, Mayor Crayola, TFBuffet, and in your Hinds.
Now that the working people don’t frequent downtown at all, the homeless are taking back their habitats.
It’s like dolphins in Venice. It’s a feel good thing.
The blue tarp tent city is particularly attractive.
The homeless can crap in the middle of north street with no fear from law enforcement because they are too busy ticketing the few people that do park on north street.
All topics are to distract from Testing and equipment.Tyer has done a better job here than Trump has done and Tyer has done lousey. Pittsfield has many diverse businesses. The tourist towns with hotel taxes are going to get slammed.Trump wants New York New Jersey California Massachusetts who are all the backbone of American business to go bankrupt.Russia and China are happy
Americas breadbasket and meat processing plants are on fire with the killer virus.Fox news is not reporting it.Trump talks out of both sides of his mouth.That way hes always right. AMERICA is being torn apart by conservative media
Long-term care facilities (Nursing Homes) are death camps with over 20% of COVID-19 deaths (well over 11,000 dead). Holyoke Soldiers Home is a debacle with over 70 Veterans dead from coronavirus.
Far out man
Doom and gloom buy your meat local you live in the Berkshires it’s not hard to do.
BMC lists four people in hospital due to covid.
Why is Berkshire County on lockdown?
Tyer, Hinds, TFB – what are you doing to open up the county?
Tyer, Hinds, TFB listen to science instead of fringe politicians (like Trump)! Thank you, Linda Tyer, Adam Hinds, and Tricia Farley Bouvier!
Mr. Fritz, I found an answer to your question.
http://pittsfield.com/story/62149/Hinds-Berkshires-May-Be-Ready-for-Reopening-Ahead-of-State.html
That’s nothing more than a fluff piece, Jon. The last sentence says it all……”we’re locked down for another three weeks.”
Hinds is doing NOTHING. I can only hope that the local astute business owners will defy the lockdown and reopen. The “crisis” has passed in the berkshires. The reason for the lockdown was to prevent the hospitals from being overrun. That has not occurred.
Tell me the science that Linda Tyer, Adam Hinds, and Tricia Farley Bouvier listen to. Don’t be a fool. If any of their IQ’s hit 90 they should sell.
Tyer can’t do her weekly update without reading from a teleprompter. If she had to speak extemporaneously she’d default to cliches and the vibrant and dynamic bull shit.
No Melle they don’t know anything about science or else they would be aware of the following facts;
– Mortality rate .1%-.3% similar to seasonal flu – not 3.4% that WHO stated in early March.
– Wuhan coronavirus not a threat for children especially children under 10.
– Dr. Fauci was wrong almost every step of the way in understanding & controlling the virus.
– Fauci & Birx put over 30 million Americans out of work & killed thousands of businesses.
– WHO pushed draconian models promoted by Fauci & Birx.
– Herd immunity is reached safely when majority of Americans who are young & healthy contract and recover from the illness.
– Hydroxychloroquine has shown amazing results treating the disease despite fake media reports.
– The Swedish model of less restrictive measures is the preferred model – the economy did not need to be destroyed.
This data is from the MedRX study. Many other studies have reached similar conclusions.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/05/shocking-medrx-study-finds-westsern-europes-draconian-lockdowns-may-not-saved-lives
Thanks GIGI.
Dan, you thank GIGI. He’s never had a thought or sentence of his own. Every post is credited to some right wing source. This one from gateway, next one from NY Post, next breitbart. You claim that this is the place for news. It truly is but its all from some other source and being posted by some angry, disgruntled jerk who has a miserable life.
THOMAS
It is THE PLANET’s practice to often thank contributors, regardless of whether they “agree” with me or anyone else. In that vein, we thank you for your participation.
DAN
I agree that everyone should be allowed to post whatever and wherever their mind takes them. May, Pat for instance, appears post out of fear and frustration. That’s what she thinks and like Jonathan she deserves a pass. But a few here do nothing but cut and paste what THEY think everybody should read. You thanked Gigi for posting what ‘the gateway pundit’ published. That is the greatest contribution of the internet. You can with very little effort find someone who agrees with what your thinking, no matter how bizarre.
Awww…poor Tommy is offended by conservative websites! I find it fascinating that leftists always scream “tolerance” when others disagree with their viewpoint. However when challenged with truth, that “tolerance” disappears.
I will continue to post info, and back it up with my source, if I feel it adds to the discussion. No one is forcing you, Tommy, to click on the source and pursue info.
Truth is bizarre only to those without sufficient gray matter to process it.
Thank you Dan for your blog!
True dat, TM. You can find virtually anyone who agrees with your thinking (pun intended). Moreover, people are free to share links they find compelling, for whatever reason.
Because the lockdown is working and that is why you are on lockdown.
Gov. Desantis of FL blasted covid predictions for state; off by 463,000 hospitalizations. FL was predicted to be worse than Italy. FL has larger and older population than NY which had 42,400 hospitalizations vs. 3,700 in FL. “Focus on facts not fear” – Gov. Desantis.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/01/gov-ron-desantis-shames-media-outbreak-models-doomsday-predictions-off-by-nearly-500k-in-florida/
The new regressives led by Trump Bannon Miller Murdock limbaugh Beck and Hannity O’REILLY have destroyed America.They send armed gangs into goverment building to threaten police officers.Trump is always promoting division.It here on this blog.The names supporting this movement are surprising.
Uh huh
A beautiful day in the forecast! My fellow citizens, get outside today in the sunshine, replenish your vitamin D levels, breathe in some fresh air, take a long walk, and in doing so you will strengthen your immune system!
Here’s what’s on the horizon by climate control activist and depopulation agent Bill Gates;
http://www.naturalhealth365.com/bill-gates-population-control-3382.html
This is the guy responsible for maiming/killing thousands in Africa with his defective “vaccines.” Beware!
I’d love to breathe in some fresh air although that’s getting tougher to do with what our governor just said will be the new normal. As for Bill Gates, he is neither a scientist nor a doctor, and has never been elected to anything. He has no business telling anyone what to do. His money went to his head, just as our elected officials are on a power trip.
Who is more intelligent,Trump or Gates?
I think you are the smartest when it comes to Trump. TSC PH’d TDS.
Hats off to the cop that made these collars. Give her or him a medal. How many shootings won’t happen now, because of that? I wonder how many other shootings have been done with that gun? Murder/s perhaps?
Twenty million filed for unemployment. Trump has no shot this November. And when he leaves office Tish the a g in ny is going after him.
for every one locked up, another is released, probably another recruited, and 10 more being developed by Pittsfield government’s welfare pipeline
Proning and max O2 better than ventilators for 95% of patients on ventilators for COVID.
COVID isn’t the flu, not close not any day of the week. You body has billions more receptors for COVID-19 and COVID can infiltrate dozens of different ways.
The Kentucky Derby was supposed to run today. This is the first time this has not occurred other than a postponement in 1945. Thank you trumpy bear.
Perhaps you should change your handle to MD
I work harder than a doctor every day of the week. I’m there when doctors make mistakes and I fix their mistakes.
Medical mistakes kill a half million people each year in the US.
40,000 people die on the roads each year. Let’s set a national 5 mph speed limit with strict enforcement. Nearly all those deaths will not happen.
In both cases most are avoidable. It’s extremely difficult to avoid infection without social distancing without a vaccine in place, so we all agree.
Do what you can to avoid deaths, slow down, mandate for better accuracy in hospitals, and social distance until a proven safe vaccine exists.
You can not transfer a fatal car accidents by talking to someone.
Last I checked we had a cellphone/distracted driving law. If a distracted driver can not harm or kill an innocent what use does this law have?
Court frees the sex offender jailbirds, cops harass a mother over play date, you can’t go to the beach, Bill of Right under serious assault. Open the playgrounds and restaurants and parks and beaches. Take back your cities. The governors dont make their own laws!
https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-governor-orders-release-high-level-sex-offenders
https://www.toddstarnes.com/coronavirus/disturbing-video-cops-harass-mom-for-letting-her-daughter-play-at-neighbors-house/
Aren’t all women to be believed??
https://nypost.com/2020/05/01/post-says-metoo-hypocrisy-of-joe-biden-democrats-exposed/
Only believe women when they are accusing Republicans. It just shows the hypocrisy. We believe in innocent until proven guilty in this country, but you would never know it from the high drama scream fest of the Kavanaugh hearings. It was so disgraceful and showed women at their worst. Throwing all logic out the window and using pure emotion to convict a man of a rape from 40 years ago for which they had zero evidence or corroboration. With Joe’s accuser, they go to the opposite extreme and we hear silence from all of these women.
Sheriff Bowler – a true local hero. Recovered from covid and donating antibodies to help others – story on front page of Eagle. And continuing his fight to keep the bad guys in jail in spite of the D.A.’s warped sense of “justice.”
He’s a good man.
Government is asking people to Stay Home. Spring water is in short supply at the markets. Meanwhile, the Pittsfield DPW decides it is a great time to flush the hydrants. I do realize that this is an annual requirement and has to be performed, yet we all know that when this is done is causes murky waters, so many people avoid drinking the water for a few days. Just does not make sense to me. Wouldn’t it be safer to start fixing the terrible pot craters and clean up the streets now and then perform the flushing once the Stay at Home requirement is lifted, hopefully mid month. By the time they get around to fixing potholes their excuse like last year will be a shortage of product at the paving plants. Does anyone think in this Administration? Then again nothing makes sense in this City for the last 4 plus years.
Spring water is free if you know where to get it.
ASSWIPES in Lansborogh, and Lee ,shut down the best springs in Berkshire County, for no good reason.
I called the new Manager they had when they closed it a many years ago. I actually bumped into a couple of our politicians who used to use the spring. That manager told me it was polluted with something and I told him b s hung up the phone and that was it,no water because he shut it down.
There was nothing wrong and claimed water was contaminated. I heard they closed it because of drug dealing, trash and to many people. Not sure if that’s true though.
Some @#$!% said they got sick from the water and that was that. Quite frankly PittsfieldWater has never made me sick in,in th last fifty years only the giardiasis of the seventies was a problem.
There’s a outlet for fresh spring water still going on Rt. 116 in Savoy just past the DPW shed on the right. Between small mobile home and a White House. They own it and allow use as long as it’s kept free of trash etc.
Didn’t You mean 40 years?
I’ve lived it.
+ 20 years in just a decline from IKE
I’ve seen city workers out working in the roads and doing potholes for the past two weeks. Despite your comments they are out working.
Pittsfield seems to have wicked low infection numbers compared to the rest of the country and world. Why is that? Could it be the PCBs that are buried throughout the city? Well I think it is possible that PCBs give off some kind of scent that this virus does not like and so while it has circled the city it does not seem comfortable coming in.
I know that some of you are already getting ahead of me now. Yes, Pittsfield could use the new Innovation center to make a vaccine out of PCBs to fight the virus and bring both fame and fortune to the downtrodden city. Think of the jobs. Think of the famous scientists that would be coming from all over the world (using the renovated Pittsfield airport) and collaborating with our very own mayor Tyer to save the world. And I betcha the mayor would find a way to get the garbage off the streets and fix the potholes before the first one landed.
Imagine living in a city famous for its chemical dump and piles of garbage one day and then be living in a city famous for its life saving vaccines the next.
I would like to use this venue to ask the mayor to have her people call my people so we can get this thing rolling right away. Like Ma always use to say, if life gives ya lemons just make some lemonade. I can’t believe I am not on the council or some other planning board.
They are lying about the numbers
RN, a couple things I never see in numbers and am curious about…
How many beds are presently being taken by COVID-19 patients at BMC and Fairview? I have seen overall state numbers, but it is not broken down to county.
When an extended care facility resident has a dire case of COVID-19, does he or she automatically get sent to the hospital, or are they isolated and considered a Hospice patient?
When you say they are lying, who are they, and why would they lie. I’m not doubting you. I am just trying to understand.
Harrison, the Mass Covid Dashboard posts all of the info you asked about.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-dashboard-may-3-2020/download
For May 3rd, BMC reports 5 COVID hospitalizations,
2 in ICU.
Fairview has 3, none in ICU.
Thanks Phil. Great info. If I am reading this correctly, there isn’t a huge problem with nursing homes in Pittsfield. I don’t see any listed with greater than two (including staff). Obviously Williamstown Commons (over 30 including staff), and Fairview Commons (less than 10 including staff) is an issue, but why is Pittsfield so low? But still, why would anyone lie about the numbers? Who would it benefit?
Joe Biden – a dream Dem candidate – claims 600,000 dead from flu and has a fascination with intercourse!
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/02/joe-biden-claims-600000-dead-from-coronavirus-accuses-trump-of-not-having-intercourse-with-world/
Blue Collar Joe , being Joe. He claimed he is the only one to gag Linda Lovelace in an interview about the current sexual allegations against him from 93 and his accuser was jealous. They should have kept him in the basement.
TSC is dealing with the same delusion.
The CDC today admits they made two serious errors with this pandemic. First, they screwed up with testing and their first batch of tests didn’t even work. Second, travel from Europe should have been cut off too since people were also infected all over Europe. Italy became infected first and had thousands from China traveling into their country as they do on a regular basis, but they were bullied by China using the racism card to not stop travel from China. The damage has been done due to the flawed response of our own CDC. Infected people were pouring into New York from Europe and even infected Chinese citizens were able to get around the United States China ban by traveling from Europe to this country.
Would have been beneficial if that idiot Trump didn’t fire the pandemic response team! Too bad we have a sitting “president” without a functioning brain.
Our disgusting President supports racist with guns attacking a state government building.Do any of you Trumpers agree with him?
Which racists attacked which building? Why were they racists? How did they attack? What laws were broken?
Do you actually expect an answer from this TSC nitwit?
TSC A NITWIT?
Hardly, a quick search of Google will show you
Simply input “Worlds most enlightened thinkers”
About 16,400,000 results (0.82 seconds)
1. TSC
2. Plato
3. Voltaire
4. Jonathan Melle
5. RN
6. Rachel Maddow
7. Thomas Jefferson
8. Epicurus
9. Don Lemon
10. The renown philosopher John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Have you ever noticed TSC tells us not to watch any Fox news but knows every word uttered on the TV. Pay close attention to the fact he never tells us what he watches/reads for news so we one day could become as enlightened as him.
Poor little dentist got his panties in a twist being so wrong about COVID. boo hoo mt
Not in the least RN You have yet to provide any kind of explanation as to Why BHS is intentionally ducking the count. You wont because it simply isn’t so. I do realize that you have an agenda and that’s fine.
I will be more than happy to let history prove how wrong you are /were regarding this.
I must admit you did work hard to earn your spot on the list.
I think you will find the information I posted was directly from the CDC I realize they have nothing on you for you have told us all so.
Poor RN cant admit when she’s wrong because she cant recognize it.
I have provided the why numerous times.
You just are either too stupid to understand or are purposefully dodging the explanation.
BHS screwed up totally and was massively under prepared for COVID. Many of the deaths in Berkshire county including almost all in Williamstown are due to their negligence. They waited a week before announcing that they were trying to do patient contact tracing.
They ignored symptoms of patients and let them into the hospital, infusion center, and emergency room. They kept doing electives weeks after they had COVID+ cases all throughout the hospital. They were brining nursing home patients in for minor elective surgery.
BHS is trying to open back up for as much business as possible to protect managements bonuses.
Politicians are desperately trying to open up the Berkshires before rest of MA to protect this bullshit tourist and arts economy. If the numbers are lower it looks like we peaked sooner so we should be allowed to open back up sooner.
We went from being in the top ten in deaths in the world to a blip. They code the numbers and locations wrong to make use look like we are flattening the curve faster.
Think I’m lying her ya go, local politician Adam Hinds.
Hinds: Berkshires May Be Ready for Reopening Ahead of State
State Senator Hinds says the western counties seem to have passed their COVID-19 peaks and may be ready to open sooner than the rest of the state.
The Berkshires are different from Boston, in a lot of ways,” Hinds said. “But, you know, first and foremost, the data basically says we peaked at the start of April. Over in the valley, you know, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, seems to have peaked around Easter and Boston is maybe right now coming off of a peak. And so that’s nearly a month difference.”
No the data is a lie designated to support the narrative that we should open sooner. Tanglewood and those on the board have been pushing this, that’s why they are not suspending the season yet. They hope their boy B-Hinds will get them a pass.
RN
Thanks for the response. We must say, though, that we know 5th personally. He is on the short list of the most inherently and experientially intelligent people we have been privileged to know. Deeply involved in the high tech end of the medical industry, speaks fluent Japanese, and can solve Rubik’s in 11 seconds.
Thanks for the kind words Dan I know a few great people as well. I certainly count you high amongst them.
RN, your “logic” is fundamentally flawed. I don’t see the need for name calling so I wont get into it but lets think about a few things.
1. Sometime I ago I pointed out on this blog to you that the numbers would be changing and changing routinely as far as methodology goes. I provided links to the CDC site and the FAQ’s for healthcare providers ( Health systems) You might stop to think that coding, conditions co-morbidities etc. had very little known or did not even exist for Covid-19 some 8 weeks ago. As is typical in science as things are learned methodologies change.
2. Counts are changed as things are learned and systems come online to either accurately or better put more accurately account for things and they can be put into neater more streamed lined buckets.
3. As for your tourist theory it simply does not hold water. lets say you are correct and BHS hid every case here in the Berkshires and it reports zero forever. The tourist industry is reliant on people coming in here not from here. I am relatively confident that the tourist industry knows where its cliental is from that’s what would be important to the tourist industry. If 45 % of the tourists were from NYC and another say 30% from Boston well we would have our Problem now wouldn’t we. BHS still says no cases. I give as an example Maine look what they are doing to keep essentially Boston, CT, NY and NJ peoples out. Are they not chopping the legs off of the tourist industry?
Tanglewood is to my knowledge as has been reported here the last hold out. As for Mr. Hinds he simply has to play to a base that will not really push him for much more than the press piece he already gave.
Next point If BHS was not “playing” by the rules they would be loosing reimbursements with elective services shut off what other revenue stream do they really have?
I could go on disproving or debunking your theory but really why?
RN,
Sorry but your logic if fundamentally flawed and nonsensical. As I have stated any number of times the CDC will be changing the coding and the counting methodology as this progress’s. I pointed you to links validating that claim.
Next the only hold out venue as far as I know is Tanglewood. The local cases is only a portion of the puzzle the other side of the equation that you don’t realize evidently is the venues are aware of where it is their clientele is coming from and the age demographic. BHS could count no cases however if the tourist by in large will be arriving from NYC and Boston it simply wont be allowed both hotspots.
Done
Blaming everything on racism is the way the far left operates. This is why calling someone a racist is now so abused. Countries like China are playing the racist card for their own advantage and we see the virus has spread to 184 countries.
Pat, I can see why you’re a Trump supporter. You hate all the same people he does.
He’s a racist. Plain and simple. Those protesters in Michigan are a damn joke. Standing and storming the state house with their guns. You want to know why it’s about race? Because if those protesters were brown or black or any color other than white, they would have been shot, tear gassed, arrested, etc, you name it.
Hey Biden! Release your documents! What are you hiding??
https://thefederalist.com/2020/05/01/biden-refuses-to-allow-record-search-of-tara-reades-name/
Updated coronavirus info from the CDC website;
– total deaths 37,308 confirmed and presumed
– pandemic peaked in the U.S. the week of April 11
– coronavirus deaths have been decreasing since April 25
– 93% of all coronavirus deaths happening to individuals over 55 years old
Media is over reporting the deaths by 60%.
New data undermines health experts’ projection models which claimed over 1 million would die in U.S.
Lift the lockdowns!
Fake numbers. Lift the lockdown and watch the numbers shoot up.
You may want to check their website, RN. They have deaths broken down by cause i.e. pneumonia, flu, covid & pneumonia, strictly covid, etc. – much more accurate than the info we are receiving from the state!
Just because you add detail doesn’t mean the numbers are not fake. Even they CDC is saying they don’t have all the data and the CDC even says they estimate flu deaths and they are not taken from death certificates.
So if the CDC estimates deaths, then the numbers are fake.
Each year CDC estimates the burden of influenza in the U.S. CDC uses modeling to estimate the number of influenza illnesses, medical visits, flu-associated hospitalizations, and flu-associated deaths that occur in the U.S. in a given season. The methods used to calculate these estimates are described on CDC’s webpage, How CDC Estimates the Burden of Seasonal Influenza in the U.S.
CDC uses a mathematical model to estimate the numbers of influenza illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths in the United States, (1-4) as well as, the impact of influenza vaccination on these numbers. The methods used to calculate the burden of influenza have been described previously (1-2). More recently, the same model was adopted to estimate influenza-associated deaths in the United States. This methodology has been used to retroactively calculate influenza burden, including deaths, going back to 2010.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/how-cdc-estimates.htm
So tell me again how accurate these estimates and mathematical models are?!?
May 2, 2020
Hello Pat (Patrick Fennell):
Holyoke Soldiers’ Home is the worst long term care facility in the U.S.A. It is a total debacle! Massachusetts has the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 Nursing Home deaths in the U.S.A.
If I had a stroke or like long term illness, I would ask to not be placed in a long-term care facility, where 20% of coronavirus (or well over 11,000 reported) deaths occurred in the U.S.A. Instead, I would ask for at home care, and, if necessary, hospice care where I could pass away under my parents’ care.
How could this happen to our nation’s Veterans and civilian Senior Citizens? Why aren’t immediate changes being implemented? Where are Governor Charlie Baker, State Senator Adam Hinds, and State Representative Smitty Pignatelli on this issue that impacts Veterans and their families?
Best wishes,
Jonathan A. Melle
This is truly tragic.
But I heard a rather profound statement on the awesome British Tv show Peaky Blinders. “Sometimes death can be a kindness”. And so I hope for some if not many, the deaths of suffering elderly loved ones comes as relief and the end to the pain of watching them die slowly and sometimes painfully, in nursing homes, not recognizing their families or being unable to communicate with them.
I do believe that sometimes death can be a kindness to both the person dying and the families who love them as sad as the process may be.
I thought Baker and Heil Healey closed gun stores. I guess these miscreants have other sources.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/01/coronavirus-nursing-home-deaths-undercounted-its-possible-and-disturbing-experts-say/
“There has been a lack of transparency from the beginning.”
Imagine that, administrators undercounting COVID cases and deaths due to fear of lawsuits and for economic reasons.
The state is seeking to account for as many as 98 residents of the Isabella Geriatric Center in Washington Heights who have reportedly died of COVID-19, officials said Saturday.
The state lists only 13 deaths at the facility.
“We are working to verify all the information reported to us” at Isabella and all 613 nursing homes and 544 adult-care facilities, said Gary Holmes, a state Health Department spokesman.
Officials could not say whether Isabella deliberately misled the state. The facility insists it reported all deaths.
It’s only the flu. Even in its worst year for deaths, the flu didn’t kill this many people this quickly and every doctor and nurse I know hasn’t seen a “flu” death on a death certificate in decades. Nobody dies from the flu, the numbers are made up by the CDC via a formula. It’s what the CDC THINKS flu deaths should be.
Well I can assure you many have died because of COVID. They actually die of ARDS but the primary underlying condition is COVID. If COVID wasn’t around 99% of these people would be alive.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm
Read how the CDC estimates flu deaths. If you die during flu season, they look at the number of deaths the year before, adjust for population growth, then assume the deaths are from the flu.
Ask a doctor, nurse, Public Heath official, mortician, the last time they’ve seen influenza listed as a primary or underlying cause of death. They won’t even remember it’s so rare.
For the “It’s just like the flu” idiots, deniers, and safe at home old folks who are more worried about their pension then living to spend it.
https://www.thelocal.se/20200427/sweden-records-highest-weekly-mortality-since-the-turn-of-the-century
According to preliminary figures from Statistics Sweden, a total of 2,505 people died in the week of April 6th-12th, equivalent to 358 deaths each day.
The weekly figure is almost 150 more deaths than in Sweden’s second deadliest week of the century, which saw 2,364 people die during the first week of the year 2000.
The third and fourth highest death tolls to date also come from 2020. There were 2,354 deaths in week 14, between March 30th and April 5th, and 2,310 deaths in week 16 (April 13th-19th), according to the same data.
“It’s important to clearly state that these are preliminary statistics, and that the death toll especially for the most recent weeks will be revised upward,” said statistician Tomas Johansson from Statistics Sweden.
The local papers look more like phone books due to obituaries and death notices.
Just like the flu, right?!? Opening up the economy won’t mater when you’re dead.
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/faq.htm
CDC flu burden is an overestimation guessing game.
Actual COVID deaths and cases is a purposeful underestimation game to get tourists back to the Berkshires.
Tanglewood is the lone holdout. Tanglewood also has a number of tourist and medical related board members.
People are entering local convenience stores without PPE. On the Onota Causway there is fishing.
I saw one guy who was a master baiter.
Another guy was seen doing a piscatorical act.
The ,ayor is all over the regional news. No more Miss Nice guy. You will be fined.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm
Oh look the CDC just changed it’s ESTIMATES of death due to COVID again! Gigi how accurate are those numbers. They include all the details too of existing medical conditions so they must be true right?
The CDC wouldn’t lie, Mayor Crayola wouldn’t lie, BHS wouldn’t lie.
https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Provisional-COVID-19-Death-Counts-by-Week-Ending-D/r8kw-7aab
https://www.iberkshires.com/story/62149/Hinds-Berkshires-May-Be-Ready-for-Reopening-Ahead-of-State.html
If there was any question as to the why of the under reporting by both Mayor Crayola and BHS, there should be no doubt now.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — State Sen. Adam Hinds is floating the idea that the Berkshires may be ready for a phased opening sooner than other parts of the state based on the number of COVID-19 cases.
In an interview on iBerkshiresTV on Thursday, Hinds noted that Gov. Charlie Baker is considering how the state will “reopen” after the stay-home advisory expires on May 18.
“Everyone’s keenly aware that we don’t want to open up and then have another surge medically on our health institutions,” said Hinds.
But, he said, it’s also apparent that the “surge” in medical cases of the novel coronavirus is peaking at different times across the commonwealth.
“The Berkshires are different from Boston, in a lot of ways,” Hinds said. “But, you know, first and foremost, the data basically says we peaked at the start of April. Over in the valley, you know, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, seems to have peaked around Easter and Boston is maybe right now coming off of a peak. And so that’s nearly a month difference.”
Hinds is representing the state Senate as an observer (and likely member) on the economic reopening advisory board set up by the Baker administration to develop guidelines for reopening businesses. Led by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, the board includes representatives from a wide range of business, medical and municipal fields.
The senator said the challenge will be looking at different industries and how they can open safely regarding sanitation and social distancing, and ensuring that personal protective equipment is available.
“That’s why you kind of hear a difference in opinion on things like construction,” he said. “Whereas, you know, if you’re doing a construction in an outdoor environment versus in a skyscraper in downtown Boston, it’s a very different scenario.”
Officials have been watching what other states and nations are doing as they gradually reopen from lockdowns to contain the pandemic, Hinds said, and Massachusetts doesn’t want to get into a situation where there’s a spike in COVID-19 from opening too soon.
However, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is looking at how restrictions could be eased by mid-May in Upstate New York, which has had far fewer cases than New York City.
“Personally, I’d like to see that here. And especially as we’re trying to get into our summer season,” Hinds said, while also being thoughtful about mental health and other impacts. “If we can achieve it here, then let’s start to do that, because we’re in a different scenario.”
One of the first cases of community transmission of the novel coronavirus in the state occurred March 7 in Clarksburg, which caused a shutdown of public buildings in the small town that rippled into the surrounding communities.
The Berkshires saw its numbers jump from that one case to nearly 300 in one month. Three weeks later, the number stands at 442. Over the past two weeks, the average increase in daily cases has been 3.9. The number of deaths in Berkshire County is now 35, with just over half from a local nursing home. There have been nine deaths over the past two weeks.
The consensus of infectious disease experts is that restrictions should not be eased until new cases consistently drop over a two-week period and testing is available to track spread. The state has embarked on an ambitious testing and tracing program but testing is still limited to those showing symptoms or who are in certain front-line positions.
Hinds said the advisory board’s discussions, the examples being set around the world and the continued tracking of the Berkshires will have to be watched.
“So all that feeds into the considerations and where we’ll end up,” said Hinds. “But for the time being, we’re locked down for another three weeks.”
The guy is full of shit. We are still going strong with cases, BHS is just under reporting. We are over a hundred cases higher than reporting and they are stringing out testing to make the jumps look small.
4,005 deaths in Massachusetts.
3,428 deaths of people ages 70-100+
391 deaths people age 60-69
4.6% of deaths are people under 60 years old.
Of all deaths with known data, 98.4% had underlying conditions.
The case for herd immunity continues to strengthen. Data continues to show that this virus is not a deadly disease for nearly all of the population.
The curve has been flattened. The hospitals are not overwhelmed. Why are Dem governors extending lockdowns into July? To try to destroy President Trump’s re-election chances.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/05/03/nolte-they-told-us-lockdowns-were-about-flattening-the-curve-they-lied/
Dan, Not everyone agrees with you, or me, or Thomas More, who always posts an intelligent response about many issues. It’s disturbing but understandable that there are many thoughts on any issue. Thanks to this blog there is a variety of discussions on areas of concern. All are welcome. That’s why this is a great blog. This is what America is all about. You may disagree with me but my issue is discussed and maybe will prevail. If it doesn’t prevail at least it has been discussed.
Thanks to this blog all opinions are welcome – for discussion and contemplation. That’s what I like about Thomas More. He gives us something to think about.
Thanks Chuck but you got a thumbs down – when you get a downer, all is lost.
Thomas More – 2-7-1478 – 7-6-1535 – beheaded by a guy name GIGI – love ya all – i will never try to reason on this blog again
A girl, Tommy, a girl. When was the last time you heard of a guy named GIGI?!
If science figures out how to treat Covid19 or if there is a vaccine (the Oxford RNA vaccine is promising), the economy will return fast. But if we continue to require “social distancing” –really socially isolating–to keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed and our vulnerable people from dying it will take a long time. We could of course decided to build more hospitals and hire more staff but they would hang around doing nothing until a “hot spot” overwhelms them. That’s the story in NYC. Some hospitals were empty, some were crushed. We need to be able to predict this virus much, much better. Once we can, we will be social distancing much less if at all.
I saw an article about a system that draws air upward and the air is treated with UV light which kills “germs.” Such systems might be useful where people gather. Could help fight Covid as well as flu germs.
The UV bots have been around for a decade or more.
In fact many hospitals have UV lights in rooms.
When the demos happened at BHS it was routinely dismissed as being not necessary, too expensive and “that’s what we have cleaning staff for”.
BHS will spend money to buy awards.
Hopefully they can find a drug or treatment that can control the virus. After reading something about a former coworker with Covid-19 I’m afraid it might be one of those viruses that stay in the body forever and reactivate from time to time.
https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/berkshire-golf-courses-anxiously-wait-for-green-light-to-reopen,603820
Rich doctors and CEO’s that fund Adam B Hind need to play their golf. BHS will undercount numbers to get back onto the links.
It’s all about money not health and safety
PITTSFIELD — While golf courses in several neighboring states have been given the go-ahead to reopen, Massachusetts courses are still awaiting the green light.
Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker extended the closure of nonessential businesses, including golf courses, to May 18. A ticker resting atop the website for Williamstown’s Waubeeka Golf Links is now counting down the minutes until that day.
“We’ve put together different game plans for when we may be able to open based on what happens,” said Eric Tiele, the head golf professional at Waubeeka. “A lot of it comes down to what we can and can’t do.”
Maintenance crews were deemed essential workers when coronavirus-related bans and restrictions started, meaning courses are prepared to tee off the season as soon as possible.
“If you don’t maintain golf courses they fail — and fail quickly,” said Jim Conant, the golf course and grounds superintendent at the Country Club of Pittsfield. “We feel golf is pretty low-risk and is a game of integrity. If we give golfers guidelines, we are confident they will follow through.”