Coronavirus (OLD)

[Graham M]

Originally Posted by denphone

Nothing like ignoring your own governments advice it seems..

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/new...edic-covid-19/

https://www.itv.com/news/2020-04-04/...g-second-home/

Seems to be pretty endemic to be honest in everything

[Angua]

Originally Posted by jfman

The Swedish Government are seeking the emergency powers required to introduce a lockdown.

https://www.dw.com/en/sweden-mulls-u...ons/a-53020024

---------- Post added at 09:44 ---------- Previous post was at 09:43 ----------



Yes, as hospitals become overwhelmed with the Covid-19 response this will undoubtedly impact other treatments and wider mortality rates.

Chemotherapy also makes people more vulnerable, with a destroyed immune system. So choices could be no chemotherapy and able to fight the virus, and not destroying enough cancer cells soon enough. A rock & a hard place indeed.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

My thanks to jfman for introducing an article on the Deutsche Welle web site.

In my case the article of interest is: https://www.dw.com/en/eus-von-der-le...ope/a-53021106

Marshall plan for Europe!

A quote from DW: "The many billions that have to be invested today to avert a greater catastrophe will bind the generations together," she [von der Leyen] wrote, calling the crisis a chance to renew the feeling of community among the nations of Europe."

This was accompanied by what the Spanish PM said (obviously in begging bowl mode): "Europe has to establish a wartime economy and put in place measures for the defense, the reconstruction and the economic recovery of Europe....".

It will be interesting to watch this being played out as Brussels tries to take control ogf the Coronavirus situation and to hold the EU together.

I think the above just about squeaks in as on topic!

Well that's the nature of the Eurozone though - macroeconomic levers need a co-ordinated approach across states that use the currency and some of this has to be steered from the top.

That's what they agreed to in the 90s.

[nomadking]

The problem is that Germany doesn't want to hand other countries a blank cheque to spend Germany's money on whatever they want. They want budgetary control as well.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by jfman

Well that's the nature of the Eurozone though - macroeconomic levers need a co-ordinated approach across states that use the currency and some of this has to be steered from the top.

That's what they agreed to in the 90s.

Indeed. The article also says: "She said that the EU budget was accepted by all member states as a means of leveling out inequalities in a spirit of solidarity and that it should now be tailored to cope with the crisis.".


But, as Nomadking says, Germany - the main beneficiary of the Marshall Plan - is ironically saying "nein".

[jfman]

Considering we left the EU citing the amount we paid in I think members on that side of the fence should be more considerate of the German position.

[nomadking]

IMO A major problem in general is that the focus on transmission methods has been coughing, sneezing, and contact with contaminated surfaces. People go out, they're not coughing or sneezing or touching something or somebody from another household, and everybody else out there is the same, they are given the impression that everything will be ok. The problem is greater than that. It seems to be becoming very apparent that breathing in and out is an issue, and passing saliva around by whatever method(eg drinking straight from same bottle) is an absolute no-no. Whether simply calmly breathing in and out is a problem is one thing, but breathing in and out more forcibly from exercising, singing, laughing, or shouting is going to be more risky. Saliva droplets will be forced out at a greater speed and range.

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by jfman

Considering we left the EU citing the amount we paid in I think members on that side of the fence should be more considerate of the German position.

Actually - I am. Germany is a prudent nation and probably unsuited to the disparities of the EU. Like the UK, it needs to come out of Cornavirus with the ability to recover without having to subsidise less prudent nations.

[Julian]

Originally Posted by Graham M

Seems to be pretty endemic to be honest in everything

First post in nearly 5 years!!!

Welcome back Graham I hope you are well

Originally Posted by Sephiroth

Indeed. The article also says: "She said that the EU budget was accepted by all member states as a means of leveling out inequalities in a spirit of solidarity and that it should now be tailored to cope with the crisis.".


But, as Nomadking says, Germany - the main beneficiary of the Marshall Plan - is ironically saying "nein".

The largest recipients of Marshall Plan were the United Kingdom, which received about 26% of the total, followed by France (18%) and West Germany (11%) - we received $3,297 million dollars, France $2,296 million dollars, and West Germany $1,448 million dollars.

https://www.cs.mcgill.ca/~rwest/wiki...shall_Plan.htm

[jfman]

Mogg getting a bit of stick on Twitter because his investment fund has issued an update that this situation presents a "once or twice in a generation opportunity". While against the backdrop of Premiership footballers being asked to take a wage cut (of course - the Government could legislate to make all high earners £1m+ p/a pay more tax) it doesn't look particularly good to the pitch fork wielders of Twitter.

The other part of me though is asking the obvious question - are they offering anything particularly insightful with this? It's not exactly a hot take to say if you pick up investments as the stock markets collapse in a panic that if you are willing to bide your time you are likely to see substantial returns at the other side of a recession.

Similarly if you are thinking of a big house move house prices will fall shortly and borrowing has never been cheaper. This doesn't make me Warren Buffet or George Soros here.

It’s not a good look, but the rules of financial conduct are pretty strict. They are almost certainly obliged by law to issue guidance of this sort, no matter how mercenary it seems.

[nomadking]

Where do people think the money that Governments borrow, comes from? It comes from Government bonds that are bought by people with money, who then expect their money back with an additional return. In that sense Government bonds from a reliable country that is going to pay it back could be seen as a good and safe investment.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Where do people think the money that Governments borrow, comes from? It comes from Government bonds that are bought by people with money, who then expect their money back with an additional return. In that sense Government bonds from a reliable country that is going to pay it back could be seen as a good and safe investment.

That's not what the advice relates to though. It related to the opportunity to make supernormal returns.

[nomadking]

Originally Posted by jfman

That's not what the advice relates to though. It related to the opportunity to make supernormal returns.

Seeing as "normal" is going to not be that great or even a loss, a safe investment it a "supernormal" one. Still the underlying principal remains, it is people with spare money to invest that provides the money that government borrows. Same as for money for mortgages and business and personal borrowing.