Opening churches

Opening churches amidst the covid-19 pandemic can provoke an increase in the number of cases, and in fact that has been the case already in countries, states and regions that have decided to open their churches. It would be the same in any country opening them: in Spain, in the US, wherever. Now let's imagine there was somewhere a president who, despite plenty of evidence proving otherwise, would present himself as a defender of Christian values. However, this imaginary person would insist in opening the churches because his voters, maybe, want it. At first sight, this would look as a backfiring statement: wouldn't his voters and those more likely to listen to him be the main affected ones by the disease and die at a higher rate? Wouldn't that lead him to lose the elections?
That is only one possibility, as there are other maquiavelic ways of thinking. Let's review some facts.

1. As we know, the disease has a higher mortality rate among the elderly and those with pre-condictions, i.e. those that are being paid by the Government or by insurance companies. Spreading the disease as much as possible means that there are higher probabilities of getting rid of a big number of rentiers. In other words, less money spent on them, more money for those in charge and for our imaginary president.
2. Apparently, the disease is affecting ratial minorities at a higher rate. If our imaginary president was a racist (no matter how much he would deny it, we would probably find plenty of tweets and statements on video proving he is), this would lead to a reduction in the proportion of members of other races than his own. In this "imaginary" environment, the whites have better access to medical services, among other useful measures to survive.
3. The poor are also more affected, which means that the wealthy close friends of our imaginary president would not be affected, because they would be able to pay for medical care. And if they couldn't afford it, there is their friend, making sure he would get the medical attention for them with a word only (he wouldn't pay for it even if it were for his closest relatives).
4. In the country of our imagination, the unemployment rate would have rocketed, with tens of millions newly unemployed people. However, those dying because of being unemployed and therefore being unable to pay for health care would not apply for a job afterwards. They wouldn't get any unemployment aid, they wouldn't make unemployment figures bigger, someone may get a job and our imaginary president would be able to sell that as his big success.
5. If our imaginary president would go against the recommendations of anybody else (doctors, scientists, European teenagers and other well-informed people) regarding the opening of places of worship, that would create disunity between those reasonable and those swallowing every BS coming from our imaginary idiot's mug. Together with the fear in the country, in the end that would make the population much more manipulable.
6. God is omnipresent and therefore you don't need to go to a place of worship. Even though there are reasonable people that know this and would stay home, having a number of non-sensical ones getting infected and spreading the disease would ensure that both sides of the political spectrum would get infected at the same rate, which would eventually balance the "casualties" on our imaginary president's side while boosting the other "advantages".
7. Our imaginary president has the Napoleonic syndrom of willing to see his subjects dying because of loyalty to him, especially when that proves that they have bigger faith in him than they have in God.
8. It is said that Nero, the Roman emperor, burnt down Rome, his own capital city, pretty much out of fancy. Whether a true story or just a necessary myth that our civilization created over the real Great Fire of Rome, this our imaginary president would share a lot with the mythical Nero: he would be a destroyer out of fancy. On top of that, having destruction around would always help him find somebody else to blame for both his actions and insufficiencies—and people would be willing to act on those blamed by their "leader"!

There are many other reasons for opening places of worship amidst a pandemic if you are a hedonistic psycho in power of any country. Let's hope there is no such in the world nowadays. Right?

Jake Tapper and Alex Azar

Jake Tapper asked Alex Azar a few questions. It was disappointing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhEu-jTTQmQ

There is an interesting question (tracking time 4:00). Why is the virus affecting more the US than other countries in the world?

I found that question unfair. Looking at the data, one may realize that there are developing countries, and even developed countries, where the number of tests per million people is a fraction of what the US has (which is still less than 1 person tested every 20). So maybe those countries are doing far worse than the US and nobody is aware of it. Maybe they're not doing that bad (out of testing, there are other explanations as of why the covid is spreading more slowly in Africa, e.g. the population movements are not comparable in size, frequency or distance to those in the developed countries). The fact is there is not enough data to tell and one can use that lack of information in either direction—for example, to make an unfair question.

However, I am not saying it is unfair to ask an unfair question. You look stressed, Mr. Azar. What about getting rid of that burden? Tell the truth: you were late. Or you had a plan to kill the elderly and the minorities (see note (1) below). Or whatever the truth is. Or a well constructed lie.

(1) Azar said "Unfortunately, the American population is a very diverse and, ehr..." (tracking 6'30''). Was that a Freudian slip? Then he mentions how African American and minority communities are more affected. Is that why the slow response? The elderly getting a pension, the sick, the racial minorities...

Yet Secretary Azar chose to say something easy to demonstrate wrong. "We are testing more than other countries or than other major countries [...]". In absolute numbers, yes (although it is not and it never was "more than the other countries combined", like the president once said). But let's have a look at the numbers:

The data are from the day before the talk, which should be the most current information they both had related to the matter. And it seems out of the big countries, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia (you can't get bigger than Russia) and the UK have all more tests per capita than the US.

Spain, Russia, the UK, Italy, France and Germany, combined, had 1,369,078 cases, which is 138,695 less cases than the US. When it comes to testing, the six European countries combined had 19,661,006 tests, which is 8,135,381 above the US (more than 70% above, or if you prefer, more than 170% of the US figure)

In other words, as if Secretary Azar's body language wasn't giving enough hints, the table proves he was lying. Like master, like dog.

"Other countries are not testing asymptomatic individuals in any way like we are doing". Partially true there. South Korea was testing asymptomatic. Now they don't need to, because they've flattened the curve. Iceland tested the asymptomatic too (1,802 positives out of 56,742 tests may give you an idea of their rate of testing). On the other hand, it is true that there are many countries doing a bad job and, under certain criteria, doing a poorer job even within the developed world. Yes, there are countries that are doing a bad job. The question is why the US Government is not doing a better job when it easily could.

Because testing is not the responsibility of the Federal Government, according to the president. It is for the Governors to accomplish such task, isn't it, crazy Ald? But the merit, yeah, that one goes to his shoulders:

I had heard better things from Azar and I was expecting a more direct response from Tapper. However, it almost seemed the latter was playing for the Government in this video. Really, a double disappointment.

Presspaganda

There was this point in which I got fed up of getting bits, whether it was the Fox videos or the CNN or the MSNBC or all those that, whether I agreed with them or not, were pre-filtering the information for me, including the tweets of the actor.

And I'm trying to be understanding because some people very dear to me defend him. So I played the press conference that some media were presenting as propaganda, a personal rally, rather than an informative press conference on COVID-19. And, yes, it was propaganda. In all fairness, some reporters were asking questions that were not related to the current progress of the fight against COVID-19—but also in all fairness, it was the speakers who started talking about other issues. It is true that some reporters were not the most polite and interrupted the speaker. But, mind, the one that interrupted most, and first, was the main speaker. Some reporters indeed spoke as if taking things personally; but hey, the conference started with a video attacking the media and the reporters, and polite or not, taking it personally or not, the worst behaviour I saw was either by the speaker or following his lead. He is their leader, after all, so he, in my eyes, is the only one to blame for his subjects' misled behaviour. And the only insults I heard were from the main speaker.

Now, there were some good moments in which I thought the answers given were reasonable for the circumstances. There was enough of them to think that, if the speaker wanted and had the data in his favour, he really could give a reasonable press conference. Even with all the mistakes and flaws in the actions taken (or not taken), he has the possibility of behaving reasonably. Probably he chooses not to. I prefer to think he chooses that than thinking he feels like a trapped rat.

However, there were too many misleading and manipulative statements. When he said, "When you look at Europe as a whole, they are doing much worse than we do"... Come on: when you look at any single administration, no one has as many cases and as fast growth. If you look at the number of cases in Europe, and you want to put it as a whole, then don't forget to see Europe as a whole when it comes to other facts. You said you have done more tests than any other country in the world? Let's see Europe as a whole, then: Europe has more tests than the USA (see the table below). With 616,168, the US has more cases than the next four countries combined (Spain, Italy, France and Germany, adding up to 616,016 cases—we would need to add Brunei, with 136, and Nepal, with 16, to reach the number of the US). The four mentioned European countries alone combine 3,325,383 tests—by contrast, the US has had 3,128,088 (impressive, yes, but not more than Europe as a whole). So to sum up, it may be that Europe as a whole is doing worse than you are, but the fact is that Europe as a whole is doing more tests than you do.

(source: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries)

There are incompetent politicians everywhere, but if we use your criteria to judge reality, it comes out no single leader of any country is doing as bad as you. By far. No fake news: just using your methods of manipulation and falsehood.

Let's not compare with Europe, let's see it globally. We've said the USA has the largest number of cases of any single Government in the world. We could say it is simply more detected since they have more tests than anybody else in the world. But can we? The US has 30.39% of the world's cases (as of April 15th 2020). Counting only the countries with 70,000 tests or above, the US has less than 26% of the world's tests (this is a very conservative figure and it is probably much less than 26% since I couldn't find the number of tests that China has taken and I was counting as such just the confirmed cases, plus I left out many other countries):

In terms of cases per capita, or per million people, the US is way behind. Mind—there are 23 European countries (in the EU or not) and at least 6 European territories that are ahead of the US (feel free to check & count, but give or take a couple, I'm still safe). Oh, yes, it felt glorious to see Greenland in the list: now they must feel relieved that they were not purchased by the US:

I am going to show the first table again. Let's have a look at the total recovered. True, the pandemic was uncovered later in the US, so we need to give them time to recover. Considering the high figure of total cases, I really hope that the US gets also the highest number of total recovered. I sincerely do. Otherwise, they are going to have the largest number of deaths, and the American people deserve better. Please, everybody, stay safe.

BTW this is only one example of little research anybody can do to find all the manipulation that happened yesterday. Things like the previous administration destroying the COVID testing (or breaking them, or whatever he said)... He has been in Office for more than three years now, there was no COVID-19 one year ago so such testing did not exist under the previous administration—that is, no COVID-19 test could be broken or destroyed by anybody. Maybe he wanted to say something different and said it wrong, but, if they can't prepare his speech properly, why should anybody attend or watch these things? Why should we believe anything we hear?

There were many more traceable lies and misinformation, but enough for now. It was painful to watch (actually, I didn't watch most of it, I just listened to it while looking in a different direction). But you know what? Afterwards, I felt a huge peace of mind. Also, I was able to see positive things in both the incompetent speakers (there was more than one), in the competent ones (Steve something and Dr Fauci) and in the reporters. I was able to see negative things on both sides. I managed to read between some lines that I doubt the main speaker could identify when some of his people spoke—and I won't betray them here.

All in all, I got the impression there are quite a few reasons the US Government is seen as less and less reliable in other countries. While I still believe many among the media are manipulating the info for their interest, they are just a shadow of the manipulation displayed by the speakers. Not to talk about the lies and the lack of respect of those presenting this Press Propaganda briefing. After watching it, really, more than ever, I have reasons to believe what certain media show us on a daily basis. They may be manipulating a bit, but mainly, they are doing the dirty work of filtering the BS for us. They are saving our time from Presspaganda.

(P.S: if you want to give it a try, go ahead—just be warned, your feelings will be inclined in favour of the speaker due to the angle of recording. You may check how your feelings change by not looking at the video, just listen. However, it would be even more effective if you compare with your feelings when, instead of the speakers, one of the reporters is in the center of the screen: I feel it then stops being bad to become outrageous. Have fun).

Acompralipsis

Acabo de ir a la compra después de cuatro días encerrado en casa. En estos días, la sociedad checa ha pasado de anunciar el cierre de fronteras para dos días más tarde, de cerrar los restaurantes de ocho de la noche a seis de la mañana y de no permitir las reuniones de más de 30 personas a la situación actual: prohibición de salir de casa sin mascarilla, las compras de 10 a 12 están permitidas sólo a los mayores de 65 años, cierre total de fronteras, horarios reducidos en todo, semi-cuarentena al país entero (salir sólo para lo más imprescindible).

Yo tenía que salir a por pan. O quería salir a por pan. Podría habérmelo cocido en casa, quizá, con harina, bicarbonato, agua y lo que internet me sugiriere. Fui a última hora del día (sobre las 19:45), más que nada porque mientras Lorenzo alumbra, las calles están llenas de familias con niños y sin mascarilla. Y mientras que me alegra mucho ver a las familias pasando tiempo juntas y a los niños poder disfrutar de tiempo extra con sus padres, los niños son impredicibles y no me apetece coger ningún bicho. Llámenme paranoico, pero sus creencias no son mi certeza.

En el supermercado y áreas colindantes, la gente mantiene en general la distancia. Hay menos gente de lo habitual en esta época, día de la semana y hora. Algunas personas apartan su carrito, casi de modo angustioso, para dejarte pasar y no molestarte, o eso dicen sus miradas. Otras personas se apartan con la angustia de que podrías ser un malhechor dispuestos a contagiarles lo peor de lo peor de un modo más intencional aún que el de Creysidí. Unas terceras ven que vas a un estante, cambian su rumbo para ponérsete en medio y se ponen delante, haciendo como que miran y se van sin llevarse nada. Otra, una, realmente, busca y no encuentra: busca qué era eso que te ha llamado la atención. Con la misma, se va. Una persona más se para, encuentra lo que yo quería, coge todo lo que puede, se le cae uno al suelo, me mira con la expresión conocedora de que no hay lugar para la amabilidad en los tiempos de la peste. Al señor le cuesta agacharse, aunque no me parecía tan mayor para ser tan poco ágil. La que supervisa las cajas sin personal tiene el gesto cansado y amable a partes iguales, se olvida de mantener la distancia y yo no sé si agradecérselo, porque hasta un ser asocial como yo se siente algo desamparado. Pero me doy cuenta cuando ya me he ido de que he estado ¡cerca de un ser humano!

Meto la compra en la mochila. Una mujer sale a paso apresurado y, al doblar la esquina, me ve. Hace un quiebro brusco para evitarme. Bendito miedo: si no es por él, se me come.

Llego a casa y, ya vestido, salgo a tirar la basura que ya tenía preparada. Voy por la acera. Un joven va en bici por la carretera, hablando por el móvil en voy bastante alta, sin casco ni luces (por supuesto) pero al menos lleva mascarilla. Me ve. Hace un quiebro brusco, esta vez para subirse a la acera e irme al encuentro. Mi calle es peatonal: no necesita ir por la acera para evitar coches (que no circulan en este preciso instante ni prácticamente en todo el día). Yo me aparto, cortésmente (p.i.). Pasa a mi lado, gritando a su interlocutor, con un gesto que parece decir "espero que te pienses que te grito a ti" que me sorprende. No es hasta varios minutos después que recuerdo que las bicicletas no tienen permitido ir por la acera. Ato cabos. Da igual que se acabe si se está acabando el mundo o no, hay gente que no regatea en esfuerzos para intentar molestar a los demás, les salga bien o no.

Y yo no me acuerdo ni de su cara. Es más, aunque estoy escribiendo esta entrada como reflexión y como pequeño diario de pandemia (como están haciendo tantos otros), con lo que me voy a ir hoy a la cama es con los grupos renovados de WhatsApp en un momento en el que la gente se busca con tiempo y con ganas, buscando y ofreciendo un tono amable. Hoy me iré a la cama con el gesto de la comunidad vietnamita de la Rep. Checa, que están ofrenciendo tentempiés gratuitos al personal sanitario, a la policía, a los bomberos. Hoy me iré a la cama pensando en esos amigos que, cuando llega la noche, repasan a toda la gente amable que se han cruzado durante el día y los eventos bonitos (si no tienes amigos así, conviértete en uno y que cunda el ejemplo). Hoy me dormiré con una sonrisa en los labios porque ha pasado otro día y sigo vivo y sano.

Me quedan menos de cuarenta y ocho horas para romper mi ayuno de azúcar blanco. ¡Y tengo muuuucho chocolate en casa!