I enjoy seeing Luigi as a verb.

Can’t wait until the summer rolls around and the fascists start arresting kids for setting up lemonade stands and whatnot.

It’s a bit complicated. That survival rate primarily includes people who become severely ill and seek medical attention. Since it’s the most severe cases, the case fatality rate (CFR) will appear higher.

HOWEVER, what also needs to be emphasized is that a disease with like a 10% CFR is probably a civilization (as we know it) ending disease. I believe covid 19 was between like 1-2% and we saw how it nearly broke our health care system, and that was with people more competent than RFK in charge.

If a disease emerges that spreads as easily as COVID did and with a CFR rate 3 to 4X as worse, it’d obliterate the health care system very, very quickly. Then people are going to start dying en masse from preventable diseases, like common infections, moderate injuries (e.g. broken leg) etc.

If a disease emerges that spreads as fast and far as COVID and has a 50% CFR, yeah that’d collapse most societies completely. Maybe some societies that can truly lock down and enforce social distancing, like China, could survive long enough for a vaccine or other solution to become available.

“rich dude.”

Hey, whoa whoa whoa, there are plenty of elitest female grifters as well! Equal’ish opportunity! (only for grifting tho).

/s

“Honestly, I’ve kind of assumed that crime is a made up American thing to put minorities in jail.”

It’s definitely not made up, although it may be exaggerated and positioned to drive fear.

I’ve been to a couple dozen countries at this point, primarily but not exclusively in low and medium low income countries.

Based on my experience (which is, in sum total, still pretty limited), organized crime groups will often try to avoid stirring up trouble with tourists and expats as incidents can generate too much heat and could hurt too many wallets.

I also got the impression that organized crime groups in most countries typically try to avoid stirring up too much stuff with locals as that too can draw heat. This is assuming that the locals likewise try to avoid stirring things up with organized crime members.

People living in Mexico may in many cases may be more exposed. Then you’ve got failed and near failed states like the DRC where things are really, really dire.

There often are areas that are best to avoid and if you do go there, you’ll want to keep a low profile. This is true in the USA, parts of Europe, and many low and medium low income countries. I’ve ended up in some pretty shady areas through life but never had anything happen. That said, the risks are heightened.

There are also safe low and middle income countries that are, at least with violent crime, much safer than the USA and other high income countries. Examples: Malaysia (upper middle income), Vietnam, Costa Rica.

I’m only like half way through. This one makes me see enough red I’m having to read it in chunks. Just found out about the poor pastors JFC take a wrong turn and straight to jail and it’s not funny.

edit: It just gets worse and worse. In a halfway decent world reading this story would feel like jumping the shark not business as usual.

What an f’ing disgrace. She went to an American government office to apply legally for a visa. The absolute worst consequence should have been “we’re sorry, we can’t process your Visa and you’ll need to return to your home country.”

That’s it.

This is a minor point compared to her suffering, but also, what an f’ing waste of taxpayer money. Some private facilities got good money I’m sure to lock this innocent lady up.

From CNN:

" The move to detain the mayor of Turkey’s largest city, a key political battleground, comes after Istanbul University said on Tuesday it had annulled Imamoglu’s degree over irregularities, dealing a blow to the opposition and dashing the mayor’s presidential ambitions.

Without a university degree, Imamoglu of the main opposition CHP, would be disqualified from running for president.

Imamoglu said the university’s decision was illegal and outside its jurisdiction, and that he would launch a legal challenge “The decision of the Istanbul University Board of Directors is UNLAWFUL” he said. “The days when those who made this decision will be held accountable before history and justice are near.”

---- Yeah Erdogan isn’t even pretending any more. Clearly just a move to take out the opposition.

Sadly, we’re going to see Israel unchained under Trump. The Biden administration would have been on the phone first thing, pressuring them to ease up. The Trump administration will be on the phone taking orders for missiles.

This is a complex situation and there’s plenty of fault to pass around to all the major geopolitical players involved, but Trump is going to simplify this into “Israel good” “Palestine die.”

I want to tell myself that there’s no way in hell they would let this happen, let alone make it happen.

Then I remember it’s the DNC.

To be honest, this is just a signal that she probably wouldn’t have been a good leader. Better than Trump, sure, but that bar is so low it’s a tripping hazard.

She should have told Biden to pound sand after locking up the nomination.

But we should verify the claim before passing judgement.

“They are the people with influence in the governments committing genocides.”

And the civilians who are actually targeted are not the ones who can influence governments.

And the attacks on the boats are not going to cause much damage to the billionaires. If the attacks reach the point that the billionaires are going to be hurt, the USA military will step in.

The people actually shouldering must of the impact are innocent civilians, primarily from developing countries, who actually main the boats.

We are the heroes of our own stories but, and I am sorry if this is rude, it’s straight up gross that you’re here trying to justify attacking neutral, innocent, largely unarmed, and financially constrained civilians.

I really hope you can arrive at the point where you can look back on this and realize how messed up this position is.

Yeah, and it’s a shame that people, especially from developing countries, are forced into these situations due to economic realities.

Stop mentioning the billionaires. They are not important in this conversation. They are not on the the ships, and the only impact these events have on them is pushing up insurance prices and other costs but even that is a drop in the bucket.

And stop acting like you’re some sort of hero. Given your position, I highly doubt you actually care any more about these workers then then billionaires. Both you and them seem to be looking at 'em as disposable.

What does any of that have to do with with the workers on the boats? Most of whom come from developing countries and are just trying to feed their families?

Astounding.

Did Robin Hood go out and pepper innocent people with arrows? Was that the moral of the story?

Most ship crew members come from neutral developing countries, such as the Philippines. Maybe their lives don’t mean much to you, but they mean a lot to me. Sorry, I’m never going to condone attacking innocent civilians.

well, I dunno, maybe not blockade?

ehhh… fuck it, let’s earn some downvotes.

I’m really not going to lose sleep over a group that intentionally targets civilian ships staffed, with you know, innocent civilians.

Trump sucks. But Iran’s upper leadership also sucks, and they’re funding this.