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Steve

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Coronavirus gets a promising drug. MAGA world isn’t buying it.

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At first, it may seem like a head-scratching response. President Donald Trump’s base has been quick to trumpet any potential solutions to the coronavirus pandemic — especially those Trump himself promotes — regardless of the red flags from medical experts. But with remdesivir, it’s the Trump-boosting pundits who are raising the red flags, even as the president expresses optimism.

 

Indeed, the same segment of the right that claimed scientists and the media were deliberately downplaying hydroxychloroquine in order to hurt Trump’s standing are now the ones downplaying remdesivir. On Fox News, Laura Ingraham suggested that remdesivir, as a newer drug being produced by the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, could be unsafe and expensive. Those who initially helped raise the profile of hydroxychloroquine raised doubts about the remdesivir studies.

The unexpected reaction appears to stem from the differences in how the two drugs came into the public spotlight. Hydroxychloroquine bubbled up through the MAGA grassroots — little-known investors promoted it online, got on Fox News and suddenly the president was talking about it from the White House. Remdesivir’s progress came through a government-funded trial that had the blessing of Dr. Anthony Fauci, the bête noire of Trump hardliners who blame the government’s top infectious disease expert for undermining the president and causing unnecessary economic damage with his social-distancing guidelines.

 

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7 hours ago, Ternaugh said:

Las Vegas had another round of layoffs yesterday, as the casinos are trying to deal with not opening in the near future, and conserving cash reserves. My company announced layoffs, as well as a staggered schedule to reopen some properties, once the go-ahead is given. They are paying wages through May 15, and health benefit premiums through September 30 for those affected. My co-worker and several other folks I know were laid off, but I'm still employed and being paid at least through the end of May.

 

6 hours ago, csyphrett said:

Good luck with this Ternaugh

CES

Your employer appears to be treating its people well, and I hope that continues. Is this pandemic what breaks the bank in Vegas?

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1 hour ago, Michael Hopcroft said:

 

Your employer appears to be treating its people well, and I hope that continues. Is this pandemic what breaks the bank in Vegas?

 

 

It might be. There are reports that MGM Resorts is currently burning through $270 million each month that they are closed, and that's after they laid off or furloughed 63,000 workers at the beginning of this. There's also really no idea if the patrons are going to come back, which is one of the reasons that only about half of my company's large properties are slated to reopen in the first wave. I'm hearing that the Strip might also stagger their reopenings, as well.

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59 minutes ago, Old Man said:

 

Forgive my ignorance, but... how?

 

Even closed, there needs to be security guards and surveillance agents to monitor the property, engineering maintenance crews to repair the various bits that break, and some bit of IT to make sure that the computer systems and servers are maintained. Other costs include licensing/rentals of the slot games, debt servicing, utilities*, signage costs**.

 

 

*The biggest part of that is power for air conditioning. Since there are still people and equipment in the buildings, the A/C must be kept on.

 

**Most electronic marquee signs are provided by Yesco, a local signage company, who also services them.

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1 hour ago, Ternaugh said:

 

Even closed, there needs to be security guards and surveillance agents to monitor the property, engineering maintenance crews to repair the various bits that break, and some bit of IT to make sure that the computer systems and servers are maintained. Other costs include licensing/rentals of the slot games, debt servicing, utilities*, signage costs**.

 

 

*The biggest part of that is power for air conditioning. Since there are still people and equipment in the buildings, the A/C must be kept on.

 

**Most electronic marquee signs are provided by Yesco, a local signage company, who also services them.

 

Plus, Robert DeNiro don't come cheap.

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The biggest omission from that list is probably property taxes.  Plus, remember, they were trying to pay salaries and benefits to as many as possible.  63,000 workers, salary + benefits....3000 per month per worker, let's say (those benefits add up fast)...that's $190M per month.

 

Debt service and amortization are huge.  I never thought about them for major properties like a large hotel/casino, but I have for a plane.  An Airbus A320 neo runs $110M or so.  So, figure debt service alone might be (interest and amortization) 6-7 mill.  That's per plane, whether it's flying or not.  The accounting for a big hotel is quite different, I'm sure, but it's still a big chunk.

 

 

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4 hours ago, Pariah said:

I just saw someone on the Book of Face threatening to cancel their Costco membership because the store is now requiring members/customers to wear masks when they shop.

 

I have some sympathy...getting face masks has been a major pain.  HOWEVER, that's less true now than a few weeks ago.  Looking just now, Amazon has several listed, 30-50 disposables with ~ 1 week delivery time.  (It used to be 6 weeks.)  So you can get them in a reasonably timely manner.  If someone's just bitching about the affront to their right to be a jackass, of course, well, that's a whole 'nuther story.

 

If we can generally open up a lot of businesses, while still gating customers to reduce max capacity, and requiring face masks...it's not perfect.  But it's a WHOLE lot better than what we have now.

 

Hey, I wonder.  There have been occasional "shaming" steps used against those arrested for soliciting, for example...names printed in ads.  Places have made it illegal to not wear a mask;  in several cities in Texas, it'll cost ya a cool grand.  OK, now, how about on top of that...publicize the names.

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14 hours ago, unclevlad said:

 

I have some sympathy...getting face masks has been a major pain.  HOWEVER, that's less true now than a few weeks ago.  Looking just now, Amazon has several listed, 30-50 disposables with ~ 1 week delivery time.  (It used to be 6 weeks.)  So you can get them in a reasonably timely manner.  If someone's just bitching about the affront to their right to be a jackass, of course, well, that's a whole 'nuther story.

 

If we can generally open up a lot of businesses, while still gating customers to reduce max capacity, and requiring face masks...it's not perfect.  But it's a WHOLE lot better than what we have now.

 

Hey, I wonder.  There have been occasional "shaming" steps used against those arrested for soliciting, for example...names printed in ads.  Places have made it illegal to not wear a mask;  in several cities in Texas, it'll cost ya a cool grand.  OK, now, how about on top of that...publicize the names.

 

If the 1000 dollars wouldn't work, I wouldn't care about my name.  The former is an actual motivator.

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On one hand, this isn't a good look for China, which has a record of not being forthcoming with data that casts a negative light on them. On the other hand, anyone who takes their word at face value needs to have their heads examined. Instead pay attention to what they're doing. If the spread of the virus wasn't person to person and not that big a deal, would China be building huge new medical facilities at breakneck pace?

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3 hours ago, Badger said:

 

If the 1000 dollars wouldn't work, I wouldn't care about my name.  The former is an actual motivator.

 

Yeah, the money would be enough for me...but not necessarily for others.  Wealthy liberal, has that whole "socially conscious" image?  A person like that would HATE to have his/her name out in public for such an irresponsible act.  There are people who value their reputations more than their money, altho admittedly, $1000 is a lot of reputation for most of us.

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5 hours ago, Old Man said:

 

I feel like I'm watching helplessly as a mass murder is committed.

 

 

Quote
Now you can join the ranks of the illustrious
In history's great dark hall of fame
All our greatest killers were industrious
At least the ones that we all know by name
 
But you can reach the top of your profession
If you become the leader of the land
For murder is the sport of the elected
And you don't need to lift a finger of your hand
 
Because it's murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your ABC's
Murder by numbers, one, two, three
It's as easy to learn as your A, B, C, D, E


From "Murder by Numbers" by the Police

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