Comments on: This Outbreak will Likely Last 18 to 24 Months . . . https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/10/this-outbreak-will-likely-last-18-to-24-months/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:28:20 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/10/this-outbreak-will-likely-last-18-to-24-months/#comment-44580 hank Mon, 11 May 2020 17:09:39 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=81789#comment-44580 But with our mastery of science, we have come to forget how really dangerous they can be. Of course, our problem now is not scientific, we know how to stop epidemics, or at least, control them. Our problem is now managerial and political. We know perfectly well how to fight diseases, we just can't get our shit together well enough to do it. Managerial because we can no longer construct organizational structures capable of dealing with the problem. People are too busy looking out after number one to be able to function effectively as a community. Its all simply become too complicated for us (and our computers) to deal with. Political because the marshaling of resources to deal with the problem is too expensive, or inconvenient, (or embarrassing) for our leadership to deal with. Think about it, we are faced with the possibility of American world leadership (and maybe Western Civilization) being severely damaged because it might be threatening to Donald Trump's ego, and the Republican party's profits. In WWII, great cities under siege demonstrated they could continue to function, and even fight back, in the face of massive casualties and daily aerial bombardment. People ate the draft animals, then the pets, and finally even the rats. And just think, they didn't have the ability to do their shopping online. When our electricity goes off we'll have to resort to eating each other. But with our mastery of science, we have come to forget how really dangerous they can be.

Of course, our problem now is not scientific, we know how to stop epidemics, or at least, control them.

Our problem is now managerial and political. We know perfectly well how to fight diseases, we just can’t get our shit together well enough to do it.

Managerial because we can no longer construct organizational structures capable of dealing with the problem. People are too busy looking out after number one to be able to function effectively as a community. Its all simply become too complicated for us (and our computers) to deal with.

Political because the marshaling of resources to deal with the problem is too expensive, or inconvenient, (or embarrassing) for our leadership to deal with.

Think about it, we are faced with the possibility of American world leadership (and maybe Western Civilization) being severely damaged because it might be threatening to Donald Trump’s ego, and the Republican party’s profits.

In WWII, great cities under siege demonstrated they could continue to function, and even fight back, in the face of massive casualties and daily aerial bombardment. People ate the draft animals, then the pets, and finally even the rats.

And just think, they didn’t have the ability to do their shopping online. When our electricity goes off we’ll have to resort to eating each other.

]]> By: DanS https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/10/this-outbreak-will-likely-last-18-to-24-months/#comment-44578 DanS Mon, 11 May 2020 15:06:49 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=81789#comment-44578 It has long been speculated the cause for humanity's abrupt departure from this plane of existence, from planet-killing impactors (not goin' down alone), nuclear proliferation (build a computer to wipe 'em out after we're gone), to zombie apocalypse (huh?). I had often thought it would be by H.G. Wells' concept of an unstoppable viral infestation, because no one ever takes these molecular assassins seriously, not really. It's just a Hollywood B-Movie -- and yet here we are. Think I'll be doing my shopping online for a while... It has long been speculated the cause for humanity’s abrupt departure from this plane of existence, from planet-killing impactors (not goin’ down alone), nuclear proliferation (build a computer to wipe ‘em out after we’re gone), to zombie apocalypse (huh?). I had often thought it would be by H.G. Wells’ concept of an unstoppable viral infestation, because no one ever takes these molecular assassins seriously, not really. It’s just a Hollywood B-Movie — and yet here we are.

Think I’ll be doing my shopping online for a while…

]]> By: hank https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/10/this-outbreak-will-likely-last-18-to-24-months/#comment-44577 hank Sun, 10 May 2020 23:51:44 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=81789#comment-44577 If the Democrats win the election, the GOP can blame a long, difficult recovery on them, just like they did with the Bush Recession of 2007 and the Obama Recovery over the next 8 years.. And if Trump wins, it won't really matter, will it? In that case, no one will care what happens in 2024. We'll have plenty of other things to worry about. If the Democrats win the election, the GOP can blame a long, difficult recovery on them, just like they did with the Bush Recession of 2007 and the Obama Recovery over the next 8 years..

And if Trump wins, it won’t really matter, will it? In that case, no one will care what happens in 2024. We’ll have plenty of other things to worry about.

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