Due to the virus.....

[Kalle Rantaaho]

During "normal" economical depressions the artists have still had an important role in entertaining and comforting the masses. Income has maybe dropped, but not so radically. Festivals and all kinds of open air concerts have even flourished.

It's hard to even imagine/calculate  how this present situation hits millions of  freelance artist and such, who aren't entitled to any unemployment compensations that the average employees have in most countries.  I wonder if most of that even shows in the standard employment statistics at all.

[mettelus]

1 hour ago, Kalle Rantaaho said:

I wonder if most of that even shows in the standard employment statistics at all.

I would hazard a guess that the answer to this is pretty much no across the board. In the U.S. specifically, the "unemployment rate" is flawed in a couple of regards... 1) it doesn't include income and 2) it doesn't include people who either do not meet the criteria, or have failed to upkeep status. Essentially, it is a number that is gamed and doesn't take into account people struggling or those it has locked out from being counted.

The census is a better indicator in many regards. New numbers will come out in a bit, but in 2010 the statistic that stuck out most to me was that 1 in 6 people live in poverty in the U.S. That number was knocked down to 1 in 7, but isn't any better IMO. Someone working two jobs to raise a family (i.e. "employed"), yet living in poverty is an embarrassment.

[Tezza]

Australia just doubled the payment to the unemployed. It was about $500 or so a fortnight now its gone to $1100 or thereabouts, they are calling it the Coronavirus Supplement that will be in place until further notice. The unemployed also get rent assistance etc on top of that. They have also said they can earn another $1000 per fortnight without it affecting the payment, if I got this right. This is pretty staggering, I've got some unemployed/part employed mates and they still cannot believe it.

To be honest, I can't believe it either, the Government has resisted raising the unemployment rate at all for some time now. It's pretty good news for part-time musicians that might juggle their income with their benefit.

It's also good news for the rest of us who are not unemployed, we won't have to worry about looting and crime going up.

Edited March 23, 2020 by Tezza

[Sheens]

Here in Europe at least, the number of rich keeps increasing, and the 'distance' to normal income keeps increasing too and guess who's paying for it ?

Been not compensated anywhere near the inflation rate for 10 years in a row, while working my ***** off. So every year I could buy less for my salary, now in return I stopped 'working my ***** off' drastically in a very clear visible manner, lulz.  

 

 

 

[Starise]

Here in the US corporations have been monopolizing all business. Larger corporations building next to smaller independent operations and putting them out of business by lowering prices. This trend even follows to farming. The result is very predictable. They move in, put the small guy out of business and then raise prices. This follows the mindset that all operations will eventually be funneled through only a few corporate interests. Those interests can then be controlled by an even smaller group. When something like the big C goes down, they can pretty much call the shots in league with the governments to decide what happens. Closing businesses down for extended periods of time only helps to put the small guy out even more. We are all moving closer and closer to the old Soviet Russia model.. The government wants to be your "sugar daddy".  After this is all over, mark my words. We will have a "new normal".

 

[Notes_Norton]

Entertainment has been shut down here in Florida. I'm unemployed for at least 4 months.

So are my musician friends, bartenders, waitresses, waiters, hotel workers - especially the domestics, taxi/uber drivers, chefs, DJ, Karaoke hosts, construction workers, tradesmen and women, "ladies of the night", and most small business owners.

Zero income but rents and other payments are still due.

So far the money offered by the US government has benefited the well-to-do and the rich at the expense of the poor. I doubt gig workers will see much -- if anything. It's the philosophy of our current ruling party here - Robin Hood in reverse.

The Airlines, Oil Companies and other major corporations don't need the multi-million dollar bail-out money nearly as much as the average Jill or Joe on the street. But since the 2% super-rich own 80% of the stocks you know who our government is going to do their best to take care of --- because thanks to Citizens United - the super-rich are the current oligarchy - they are our rulers, not the puppets we vote for.

All I can do is live off my savings, and write aftermarket plug-ins for Band-in-a-Box. Of course, I sell to musicians, many of whom are like me, out of work for the foreseeable future.

I'm angry at our "fearless leader" for firing the entire NSC Pandemic Response Team to give more tax breaks to the rich.

I'm angry with our "fearless leader" for instead of addressing the problem--first pretending it isn't happening to keep his image up and when that proves false,  blame-storming others instead of acting like a true leader and immediately addressing it.  The captain of the ship is responsible.

I'm angry with the representatives who kept this under wraps calling it a hoax while they sold their stock -- those who put personal profit in front of the people that they are elected to represent should be jailed for the rest of their natural lives - with no parole - in a for-profit prison - with all their wages given to the US Treasury to shore up social security.

Our governors selfish motives have really botched this up, and there will be countless needless deaths because of their own self-interests. They should be charged with manslaughter.

OK - end of rant.

Sorry for going over the top, but March is supposed to be our most profitable month of the year, and due to the mishandling of the crisis, it's a bust, along with April and May which are usually less than March but still OK.

But on the bright side, Leilani and I are healthy.

A positive note from our local paper (a USA Today Affiliate):

... But scientists point with further hope to other studies the prove heat and humidity puts a damper on the spread of influenza viruses.

Low humidity, to the contrary, increases spread of those viruses. An animal study of influenza last year by Yale researchers found that low humidity obstructs immune response by preventing the tiny hair-like structures, or cilia, in airways cells from removing viruses and mucus. It also limited those cells' repair functions. Dry air also hampered the ability of infected cells to trigger the immune system to attack. ...

Since I live in Florida and do not use the air conditioner (by choice) I've lowered my odds.

Since I choose to live without AC might be the reason why I catch a mild cold every 15 years or so and it lasts 2 days. I can't remember when I got the flu last, 1980s?

And health is more important than everything else. Without your health, you have nothing.

Insights, incites and a minor rant by Notes

[paulo]

13 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

And the sax player kept chasing the girls.

Until his wife found out and now she's in the band too..

 

[Mandolin Picker]

2 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

I'm angry at our "fearless leader" for firing the entire NSC Pandemic Response Team to give more tax breaks to the rich.

I'm angry with our "fearless leader" for instead of addressing the problem--first pretending it isn't happening to keep his image up and when that proves false,  blame-storming others instead of acting like a true leader and immediately addressing it.  The captain of the ship is responsible.

I'm angry with the representatives who kept this under wraps calling it a hoax while they sold their stock -- those who put personal profit in front of the people that they are elected to represent should be jailed for the rest of their natural lives - with no parole - in a for-profit prison - with all their wages given to the US Treasury to shore up social security.

Our governors selfish motives have really botched this up, and there will be countless needless deaths because of their own self-interests. They should be charged with manslaughter.

While I understand the anger directed towards the "orange man" let me assure you that this has been going on for years. After nearly 35 years in EMS and Public Health, multiple administrations at the Federal, State and Local levels have consistently reduced the funding and personnel in public health, hospitals and emergency services. There have been times in the past where they have received small bumps in funding (remember the anthrax attacks after 9-11, or the H1N1 scare) but after a short time that bump goes away. At the start of this pandemic most public health departments were little more than agencies that inspected food trucks and passed out condoms.

Anyone working in health care/emergency services knew this was only a matter of time, but no one listened. Remember the movie "Contagion" from about 10 years ago? It was filmed based on the CDC insight what would likely happen in a major pandemic. I have been teaching a healthcare leadership course for the past 3 years. Our last tabletop exercise is a pandemic. It never ends well. What is a local health department that consist of a one RN in a rural jurisdiction supposed to do?

Yes, there is reason to be angry, but don't focus your blame just at the one in the white house. It wouldn't have made a bit of difference who was occupying the presidency when this happened - it will have still turned out the same. The majority of folks in CDC and state and local health departments have been there through multiple administrations. They don't suddenly become "incompetent" when a different administration comes into office (I know you didn't say that Notes, but I have heard it elsewhere and it angers me).

If you want another group of folks to be angry at, look at the bean counters at hospitals. Their "Just In Time" supplies are no longer just in time. Look at China and how they lied about what was going on, and how they threatened to cut off medical supplies to the US. And yes, there are a number of state operators who are using this time to sow the seeds of  misinformation, discontent, etc.  Those are folks that we need to be legitimately angry at.

There are so many good people working like crazy to fight this. I know a number of them and I am extremely concerned about them and their families. I know how these folks work - they are dedicated and will go above and beyond to try to work the problem. Often times it leads to the detriment of themselves and their families. They are heroes in every sense of the word, and they need to be in your prayers. We need them now more than we ever have. And we are going to lose a number of them before this is all over.

Its time to stop the blame game - there is too much going on right now. Be part of the solution. There are a number of ways to help, even if you are not in the medical field. When we get on the other side of this thing (and we will), let's make sure we learn from it.

As Notes said....

"/rant"

[mettelus]

5 hours ago, Mandolin Picker said:

There are so many good people working like crazy to fight this. I know a number of them and I am extremely concerned about them and their families.

This is my concern as well. These people are finite in number, take years to train, and are being exposed more and more simply because it is their job function. You cannot simply ramp up/shift manufacturing to churn out medical professionals.

The other concern is that transmission has been claimed to be most contagious from 1-5 days when the carrier is still asymptomatic. It mirrors the situation for a long time that the highest risk for contracting a staff infection is at a hospital. Medical professionals are over-exposed to this situation as well.

Unfortunately, the first case was reported locally late last week... the person affected was only tested due to risk factors (age, health) and that they had traveled to NY the prior weekend - not that they showed any symptoms. At that time, roughly 1 in 4000 had it (via test confirmation) in NY, yet this person came home with it. There are still SO many details of this situation still up in the air.

Be safe out there.

[Notes_Norton]

Mandolin Picker, what you say is definitely true, but if "orange" hadn't:

1) Fired the NSC Pandemic Team Experts to increase his tax give-away to the super rich

2) Try to deny the pandemic as long as he could get away with -- and lie about the numbers and severity so it wouldn't tarnish his his image and rating as a president

3) Instead of sailing our ship through these troubled waters he spend way too much time blaming others for the problem to keep his image up as the US response was delayed a US response even longer

4) Handed it off to Pence instead of steering the ship himself so that Pence might get the blame

The captain is always blamed when the ship sinks. He is supposed to take care of us.

Yes I know there are dedicated health professionals working long shift with limited equipment. My brother-in-law is a world-famous doctor who lectures others all over the world.

Yes I know that in the USA's for-profit medical system, the bean counters running the hospitals want to keep costs down and profits up.  And yes I know that this isn't his fault -- although his ferocity to kill the better-than-nothing Obamacare (which was modeled on Romneycare) does hurt the poor excessively while it helps the rich bean counters.

But there is no excuse for him not taking charge immediately, ignoring the expert opinions given to him right at the start because of his on personal vanity and delaying our response resulting in needless deaths of US citizens. A president is supposed to put the country in front of his own self-interests. He has not done this.

I'm a moderate +50 year registered independent. I lean slightly conservative on fiscal issues and slightly liberal on humanitarian issues. I expect the people who are elected to do the right thing, immediately, no matter what it does to their personal finances and/or reputation. In this case, our president utterly failed us. So I have a right to be angry with him.

There are things I both liked and disliked about every president since Nixon. Before Nixon I was too young.

I'm not a fan-boy to any of them, even the ones I generally liked. In my opinion the present leader scores lowest in my estimation. Others may disagree and have a right to do so.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[Wookiee]

OK peeps lets keep politics out of the forums and lets keep it civilised please, if not the thread will be shut down.

[S.L.I.P.]

[InstrEd]

45 minutes ago, S.L.I.P. said:

Just when we needed you S.L.I.P.

Now is she a Liberal with her..........................Nevermind ?

[kitekrazy1]

3 hours ago, Wookiee said:

OK peeps lets keep politics out of the forums and lets keep it civilised please, if not the thread will be shut down.

It's probably been reported by now.   It was really meant to be about now forced to setting goals.  I'd appreciate it if some deleted their political posts or off the topic.  If you really need that kind of stuff in your life then there are the news channels and FB.  Too many are testing the waters of violating the forum rules.  This forum is my non political safezone and I will help enforce it.   This stuff doesn't exist on Live, Image-Line and probably other DAW forums.