Folks, think about the last two months. Rethink assumptions. Misinformation is not just the problem of "other" people who believe, say, in aromatherapy for COVID-19. There are many kinds of misinformation. We had massive amounts of top-down misinformation from "credible" sources.

— zeynep tufekci (@zeynep) March 19, 2020

Fortunately, I ignore “credible” sources too. I am my own source. I understand that this cannot work for most people but it does for me. The problem is that in our society, experts are not really experts in all too many (perhaps most) cases these days. A great deal of them are out to hoodwink, deceive and defraud you because there are no consequences of this and loads of benefits.

Here is my contrarian take: we know a lot more about this virus and the fall out in just one week. On March 7 I was in Aruba and not particularly concerned. My statements from that week are also in stark contrast to what I’m saying now. Nobody could have envisioned this. https://t.co/5VRm5zH4DF

— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) March 18, 2020

Fucking wrong. I observed what was happening in China and thus knew what was going to happen here. Like there, but worse. That’s why we had a bunch of supplies about when the first few cases were being reported here.

Not everyone is a damn fool.

The stock market may bottom long before the coronavirus epidemic peaks, analysts say.

Stock market is a leading indicator because it looks to the future. This is how it always has worked and still does today.

Lagging (or trailing) indicators are numbers like unemployment and CPI, for instance.

Leaked McDonalds recording shows the company is fighting against parts of Trump’s coronavirus bill that would give workers paid sick leave.

Ghouls who need the guillotine.

To go back to this, what puzzles me is that you don’t have to research very hard or far to determine exactly what powers the president can exercise. Not like it’s any secret.

We spent eight years with Democrats and the press lying to us about how Obama was hamstrung when of course in an emergency the president has vast powers. And if 2008-2009 wasn’t a fucking emergency, I don’t know what is.

If Obama had done what was right then there’d be no Trump now.

I need to watch No Country For Old Men again. Though thematically it has nothing to do with the present, its tone feels precisely like this moment.

I feel like, having lost all my close family, various friends and having been very close to death more than once that I, ironically, have it easier than many others right now.

— Ian Welsh (@iwelsh) March 19, 2020

Same. I like being isolated, am utterly unafraid of death, and am fine with whatever happens. I don’t desire unpleasant things but can handle what life throws my way because I’ve been through so much.

Bring it, world. I’m ready.