Upstate NY Banter and General Discussion..

[BuffaloWeather]

14 minutes ago, Syrmax said:

So what you are really saying is that having health insurance is a "human right".  Its semantics but a key distinction.  

I guess my point is every human should not have to go bankrupt or be in massive debt due to an illness, disease, or accident. That's all I ask. I'll end it there and get back on topic with the virus.

[BuffaloWeather]

Us deaths already over a 1,000 today.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[BuffaloWeather]

7 minutes ago, Syrmax said:

I have short positions in my trading account.  And i increased them yesterday figuring this is a short lived Bear Market relief rally.  It's a risk management tool and also a gamble, pure and simple.  They're leveraged 2x or 3x so they need constant attention and due to fade, they're not effective as long term holds.  I've lost on some of those short trades even as sh*tty as this March has been /was.  Short squeezes and bad timing are still a bitch.  I wish i had just gone 200% short back in early February like my gut told me to do.  Too indecisive.   Of course, i'm not on CNBC inciting market routs either...

Yeah the majority of the time it is a gamble. But when you see the entire world shutting down due to a virus it's quite an easy position to short stocks. They're all going down. In essence, it should be considered insider information. You're basically guaranteed a profit. I'm not allowed to trade in options or margins unless I notify my administrator as I work in managing clients accounts.

[Syrmax]

8 minutes ago, BuffaloWeather said:

Yeah the majority of the time it is a gamble. But when you see the entire world shutting down due to a virus it's quite an easy position to short stocks. They're all going down. In essence, it should be considered insider information. You're basically guaranteed a profit. I'm not allowed to trade in options or margins unless I notify my administrator as I work in managing clients accounts.

I'll leave this topic with....if you realllly want to get worked up ..take a deep look into what the Fed is doing right now with it's various "extraordinary" measures to essentially bailout bad corporate and fatcat decision making with their various Special Purpose Vehicles (which are mostly prohibited by the Fed Charter, ahem)...to the tune of $4.5T (yes, Trillion) as we speak...all backstopped by the UST (Taxpayers) as First Loss parties should  these corporate bond purchases lose money.  Yet again, privatize the profit, socialize the loss.   The worst examples (ala 2008) are them buying up Commercial Paper (Bonds) at prices that are ABOVE par, when the market value is below par!  So here, we'll give you $ for you bonds that are worth 80 cents on the dollar and not only that, we'll pay $1.10 for it!  If there's a loss eventually, the Taxpayer pays as the UST is the Banker/Loaner. Noone learned a thing from 2008/09.  Actually, that's not true.  What was learned was teat the Fed will bail you out if you are a greedy sonbitch and blow up.  LOFL...Ackman is a piker compared to these people.

[BuffaloWeather]

8 minutes ago, Syrmax said:

I'll leave this topic with....if you realllly want to get worked up ..take a deep look into what the Fed is doing right now with it's various "extraordinary" measures to essentially bailout bad corporate and fatcat decision making with their various Special Purpose Vehicles (which are mostly prohibited by the Fed Charter, ahem)...to the tune of $4.5T (yes, Trillion) as we speak...all backstopped by the UST (Taxpayers) as First Loss parties should  these corporate bond purchases lose money.  Yet again, privatize the profit, socialize the loss.   The worst examples (ala 2008) are them buying up Commercial Paper (Bonds) at prices that are ABOVE par, when the market value is below par!  So here, we'll give you $ for you bonds that are worth 80 cents on the dollar and not only that, we'll pay $1.10 for it!  If there's a loss eventually, the Taxpayer pays as the UST is the Banker/Loaner. Noone learned a thing from 2008/09.  Actually, that's not true.  What was learned was teat the Fed will bail you out if you are a greedy sonbitch and blow up.  LOFL...Ackman is a piker compared to these people.

Martha Stewart did time, think she will?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/senator-reports-1-4-million-in-stock-trades-during-coronavirus-panic-11585710022

She's the richest person in congress and her husband is chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. I wonder how they made so much money?

[Syrmax]

2 minutes ago, BuffaloWeather said:

Martha Stewart did time, think she will?

https://www.wsj.com/articles/senator-reports-1-4-million-in-stock-trades-during-coronavirus-panic-11585710022

She's the richest person in congress and her husband is chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. I wonder how they made so much money?

Won't serve time.  Won't even be investigated.  They'd have to prove insider info was used, which didn't exist.   At least how Insider Trading is defined, per my understanding of it.  Granted, the optics are pretty bad...from what i've read there were 4 Senators (both parties) fingered in similar type trading.  Frankly, i'd give them credit for smart money management if they were private citizens as they knew nothing more than what i did at the time.  Now, if they're out in public telling people one thing and doing the other behind closed doors...it may not be illegal but it should be remembered come re-election time...

[BuffaloWeather]

Just now, Syrmax said:

Won't serve time.  Won't even be investigated.  They'd have to prove insider info was used, which didn't exist.   At least how Insider Trading is defined, per my understanding of it.  Granted, the optics are pretty bad...from what i've read there were 4 Senators (both parties) fingered in similar type trading.  Frankly, i'd give them credit for smart money management if they were private citizens as they knew nothing more than what i did at the time.  Now, if they're out in public telling people one thing and doing the other behind closed doors...it may not be illegal but it should be remembered come re-election time...

The average senator salary is 174k a year. Combined they're worth 500 million.

[wolfie09]

Latest numbers for Oswego county.

Seems to go up a couple/few per day..

 

[MJO812]

Anyone see this ? Wtf

 

https://abc7ny.com/officials-engineer-tried-to-smash-train-into-usns-mercy/6069459/

[Syrmax]

Oswego County giving the Finger to Corona, like a Boss!!

 

One thing that's concerning that i've been starting to read about...is supply chain issues.  I sort of noticed this myself when i was out at a grocery store yesterday.  A lot of things have been restocked...but not completely.   And there aren't hordes of people out sacking shelves anymore...

"A source at a Walmart Superstore recently confided that the trucks were only delivering a fraction of the items needed to restock shelves. Imports aren’t arriving in California ports, at least not anywhere close to the degree they were before.

And because more people are eating at home than ever before, the demand on grocery stores has increased dramatically. This also comes at a time after farmers have been driven out of business by the trade war. (source) We have actual shortages here, and it isn’t just due to “panic buying.” That only exposed the dangers of the Just In Time delivery philosophy used by retailers."

[Syrmax]

3 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

Anyone see this ? Wtf

 

https://abc7ny.com/officials-engineer-tried-to-smash-train-into-usns-mercy/6069459/

Wow.  i didn't see that.  Of course i had CNN on the background today as a change of pace and this would have required them to relax their 24/7 Trump Derangement Syndrome programming for a bit.  So that wasn't going to happen.

[wolfie09]

7 minutes ago, Syrmax said:

Oswego County giving the Finger to Corona, like a Boss!!

 

One thing that's concerning that i've been starting to read about...is supply chain issues.  I sort of noticed this myself when i was out at a grocery store yesterday.  A lot of things have been restocked...but not completely.   And there aren't hordes of people out sacking shelves anymore...

"A source at a Walmart Superstore recently confided that the trucks were only delivering a fraction of the items needed to restock shelves. Imports aren’t arriving in California ports, at least not anywhere close to the degree they were before.

And because more people are eating at home than ever before, the demand on grocery stores has increased dramatically. This also comes at a time after farmers have been driven out of business by the trade war. (source) We have actual shortages here, and it isn’t just due to “panic buying.” That only exposed the dangers of the Just In Time delivery philosophy used by retailers."

Bad dental hygiene helping the cause? Lol

But in all seriousness it's much more sparsely populated once outside of Fulton, Oswego..

It seems many people are taking it seriously, tops had lines down the isles due to social distancing, almost everyone was wearing gloves and some sort of face mask..

I'm a bit surprised Fulton only has 1 case so far considering they have 10k people in a 4sq mile city... Fulton mayor seems to be in control keeping most parks and other recreational places closed.. 

You guys can keep all the cases down there Be safe..

[MJO812]

County in China locks down amid concerns of potential second coronavirus wave

https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-county-locks-down-amid-concerns-of-potential-2nd-coronavirus-wave

[Buckeyes_Suck]

14 minutes ago, MJO812 said:

Anyone see this ? Wtf

 

https://abc7ny.com/officials-engineer-tried-to-smash-train-into-usns-mercy/6069459/

I don’t think this is the last of the crazy coming out... who knew that “train wrecking” was a charge lol. 

[Syrmax]

Looks like the natives are restless in Hubei province...

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/hubei-residents-riot-after-quarantine-lifted-police-beaten-their-own-shield-cop-cars

 

Reports of unrest in Italy.  (You won't readily see this on US MSM outlets cuz...Trump Trump Trump).

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/singing-stops-italy-fear-social-unrest-mount-coronavirus-lockdown

[Buckeyes_Suck]

8 minutes ago, Syrmax said:

Looks like the natives are restless in Hubei province...

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/hubei-residents-riot-after-quarantine-lifted-police-beaten-their-own-shield-cop-cars

 

Reports of unrest in Italy.  (You won't readily see this on US MSM outlets cuz...Trump Trump Trump).

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/01/singing-stops-italy-fear-social-unrest-mount-coronavirus-lockdown

And this is why I support the second amendment...

[MJO812]

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/fountains-of-wayne-singer-adam-schlesinger-dead-coronavirus

[TugHillMatt]

2 hours ago, BuffaloWeather said:

People that work in restaurants don't get health insurance, people who are self employed many times don't have it due to the costs, many part time employees that work 2-3 jobs don't even get offered it. These are some of the 28 million. They still make a decent living but to receive insurance on their own as their employee won't subsidize it, it makes it impossible to pay the rest of their essential bills. I know medicaid pays for the VERY poor people of this country. But many people work extremely hard and still don't get offered insurance. My mom was a waitress for 20 years raising us, and never got offered health insurance.

 

2 hours ago, Syrmax said:

So what you are really saying is that having health insurance is a "human right".  Its semantics but a key distinction.  

 

1 hour ago, BuffaloWeather said:

I guess my point is every human should not have to go bankrupt or be in massive debt due to an illness, disease, or accident. That's all I ask. I'll end it there and get back on topic with the virus.

I have a friend who is 70. Her husband died last year of liver failure. He had been on a wait list for 6 months for a new liver. This year, she had an aneurysm and needed to have surgery done.

She just shared yesterday how she was thankful for health insurance, because she had just received the bill for her doctor visits and operations...$150, 000. She said the doctors told her lots of people just end up dying because they don't have insurance and can't afford it.

Her husband's bills after 6 months...... 7 MILLION dollars!!!!!!

DISGUSTING. Politically, I am definitely in the middle and take no party side....and the fact that these hospital and insurance CEOS ROB people while they're dying makes me SICK.

[Syrmax]

The outrageousness goes on... namely, the heart warming stories of the Healthcare workers at a Chicago Hospital (not the only ones either) being threatened with termination if they wore their own masks...because the hospital didn't have any for them!  These are front line workers, not cooks in the kitchen with less risk...

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/03/31/hospital-is-not-allowing-nurse-to-wear-masks-in-thick-of-covid-19-pandemic-furious-nurse-says/

Couple this with CDC admitting they bullshitted the American public regarding their original recommendation that non-infected people shouldn't wear masks (or that it was of little/no benefit)...because they figured there weren't going to be enough masks to go around for even healthcare workers...

This is 1976 Swine Flu-like media and CDC bullshit all over again.  The F*ckery and nonsense never ends with these people.

[Buckeyes_Suck]

11 hours ago, TugHillMatt said:

 

 

I have a friend who is 70. Her husband died last year of liver failure. He had been on a wait list for 6 months for a new liver. This year, she had an aneurysm and needed to have surgery done.

She just shared yesterday how she was thankful for health insurance, because she had just received the bill for her doctor visits and operations...$150, 000. She said the doctors told her lots of people just end up dying because they don't have insurance and can't afford it.

Her husband's bills after 6 months...... 7 MILLION dollars!!!!!!

DISGUSTING. Politically, I am definitely in the middle and take no party side....and the fact that these hospital and insurance CEOS ROB people while they're dying makes me SICK.

Few things here.

First...the $7M number is grossly exaggerated. 
If he were in the ICU for six months receiving the highest level of car and getting a liver transplant would have cost just under $2M. 
 

2nd in NYS Medicaid would have covered both of them as they’re over 65. 
 

3rd..they both received treatment. Even if the bill was $7M. So they’re getting the free healthcare that you’re asking for. I’m guessing that they had no assets or income to seize otherwise they probably would have been paying for private healthcare insurance in addition to Medicaid. 
 

Nobody is robbing anyone. Healthcare puts a lot of hardworking people to work and in WNY is the largest single source of employment. Right now they're putting their lives in danger and you’re here bitching about some fable your 70 year old friend is telling people for attention. 

[wolfie09]

Just astonishing how much people are paying for masks on eBay, $300+ for 10 disposal masks and they have many bids..I'm not sure $300 is worth 10 days of peace of mind lol

I was forced to go with the"enemy" and order some mask from China (Ali Express), takes a couple weeks to get here but you can get 10 packs for less than$10...

I seen a graph yesterday that showed cotton "handkerchiefs" only stop 28% of particles, while surgical mask 80% and N95 95%-99% respectively...

[TugHillMatt]

3 hours ago, Luke_Mages said:

Few things here.

First...the $7M number is grossly exaggerated. 
If he were in the ICU for six months receiving the highest level of car and getting a liver transplant would have cost just under $2M. 
 

2nd in NYS Medicaid would have covered both of them as they’re over 65. 
 

3rd..they both received treatment. Even if the bill was $7M. So they’re getting the free healthcare that you’re asking for. I’m guessing that they had no assets or income to seize otherwise they probably would have been paying for private healthcare insurance in addition to Medicaid. 
 

Nobody is robbing anyone. Healthcare puts a lot of hardworking people to work and in WNY is the largest single source of employment. Right now they're putting their lives in danger and you’re here bitching about some fable your 70 year old friend is telling people for attention. 

You make several assumptions here. 

1) They do not live in New York. They live in Pennsylvania. There are other states in this nation.

2) My friend who posted this is NOT one to exaggerate things. She was not even stating it as a "political post." But, apparently like a few others, you KNOW absolutely that everybody is lying and making up fables. (I think I know better than you the character of MY friend.)

3) I did not say anything in my post that I was asking for "free health care" for all. Not to mention, they worked their asses off their entire lives and EARNED what they got.

4) I was not bitching about the many hardworking healthcare individuals in the country. I was bitching about their bosses/owners. There's a difference.

5) Going along with number 3, you seemed to make an assumption that I am some liberal saying nobody should take responsibility for things. I will say, based on your posts on here, you are a pretty staunch Republican. (Especially since anything that is said is considered "bitching." Yawn.) Hence, you are looking at anything that may argue with your thoughts as an "extreme liberal response." Hence, it is not worth it to have a very thorough political discussion with you. In fact, I lean more on the conservative side. But, I have become more of a moderate as I see how both CEOS/wealthy screw over many people AND the other side of the spectrum where people take complete advantage of the system and want everything handed to them.

Therefore, my post was addressing those CEOS who DO IN FACT screw over many other people. I stand by my post.

[Buckeyes_Suck]

14 minutes ago, TugHillMatt said:

You make several assumptions here. 

1) They do not live in New York. They live in Pennsylvania.

2) My friend who posted this is NOT one to exaggerate things. She was not even stating it as a "political post."

3) I did not say anything in my post that I was asking for "free health care" for all.

4) Going along with number 3, you seemed to make an assumption that I am some liberal saying nobody should take responsibility for things. I will say, based on your posts on here, you are a pretty staunch Republican. Hence, you are looking at anything that may argue with your thoughts as an "extreme liberal response." Hence, it is not worth it to have a very thorough political discussion with you. In fact, I lean more on the conservative side. But, I have become more of a moderate as I see how both CEOS/wealthy screw over many people AND the other side of the spectrum where people take complete advantage of the system and want everything handed to them.

Therefore, my post was addressing those CEOS who DO IN FACT screw over many other people. I stand by my post.

1.Still would have qualified for Medicaid in PA

2. $7M is gross exageration. Look up healthcare costs. She also exagerated when she said that people just end up dying because they cant afford it. Thats illegal. You cant be denied services from a non-profit hospital based on ability to pay.

3. My mistake, I thought previously you had something here about wanting that. I'm sorry.

4. I wouldn't consider myself a staunch republican, just someone who cant let blatant BS go unchecked. Too many people take what they hear or see as fact without questioning the source. What you posted was an attack on a medical system which right now is doing a better job at most at handling this pandemic. Healthcare CEOs and the wealthy aren't out to get you, most are doing to the best of their ability to competitively run a business.

 

Furthermore the rates at which people are charged for services are set by Medicaid limits, so CEOs cant conspire to over bill your 70 year old friend even if they wanted to.

[CNY_WX]

First of all they both appear to be over 65 therefore they are on Medicare.  At least 80% of their medical bills would be paid by the government.  Granted without a supplemental insurance plan they would still be responsible for 20% of the bill which in their case would still be a huge amount.  That’s one thing that still confuses me in this discussion on Medicare for All, would it be like traditional Medicare where only 80% of a medical bill would be covered?  This is never brought up in the discussion and I guess I haven’t dug deeply enough to get the answer. If that’s the case people don’t realize they would still be responsible for a good chunk of their medical bills.

[TugHillMatt]

3 minutes ago, CNY_WX said:

First of all they both appear to be over 65 therefore they are on Medicare.  At least 80% of their medical bills would be paid by the government.  Granted without a supplemental insurance plan they would still be responsible for 20% of the bill which in their case would still be a huge amount.  That’s one thing that still confuses me in this discussion on Medicare for All, would it be like traditional Medicare where only 80% of a medical bill would be covered?  This is never brought up in the discussion and I guess I haven’t dug deeply enough to get the answer. If that’s the case people don’t realize they would still be responsible for a good chunk of their medical bills.

Yeah, good question. My original post was addressing that the cost, regardless of whether they pay for it or not, is absurd. SOMEBODY is paying for it, so it is money going from somewhere into the hands of a select few.

[winter_rules]

We live in an area where many old rural farm properties are owned by city slickers from downstate/NYC/NJ/CT.  These people are typically only visit their properties for the major summer holidays and the first week of rifle season.  There are now multiple vehicles at most of these properties, with 4-wheelers running all over.  Vehicles were parked on my property with people fishing my creek....I don’t really mind, but I have never met these people before.  It feels like July 4th weekend.  
 

This “quarantine” is being treated as a summer vacation for many people.  They/we had better hope this virus doesn’t hit hard around here because our little hospital won’t be able to handle more than a few of these cases at a time.  

[Thinksnow18]

5 hours ago, Luke_Mages said:

Few things here.

First...the $7M number is grossly exaggerated. 
If he were in the ICU for six months receiving the highest level of car and getting a liver transplant would have cost just under $2M. 
 

2nd in NYS Medicaid would have covered both of them as they’re over 65. 
 

3rd..they both received treatment. Even if the bill was $7M. So they’re getting the free healthcare that you’re asking for. I’m guessing that they had no assets or income to seize otherwise they probably would have been paying for private healthcare insurance in addition to Medicaid. 
 

Nobody is robbing anyone. Healthcare puts a lot of hardworking people to work and in WNY is the largest single source of employment. Right now they're putting their lives in danger and you’re here bitching about some fable your 70 year old friend is telling people for attention. 

I agree with This. When my daughter was first born, as some of my old WIVB bloggers remember, she was in the PICU at strong memorials children's wing for 7 1/2 months. 2 open hearts surgeries, one bowel and stomach surgery, countless x-rays, KUB'S, 24/7 medication...the total bill was a shade over 1.4 million. We had (have) great insurance but what saved us is our daughter received Medicaid right from the get go. That alone saved us probably $50 to 100k in what insurance wouldn't have covered...her condition is why she was eligible for Medicaid not out financial circumstance. So while I do believe insurance for all COULD work it still wasn't enough on its own to save us from what could've been a pretty difficult financial obligation. 

[TugHillMatt]

14 minutes ago, winter_rules said:

We live in an area where many old rural farm properties are owned by city slickers from downstate/NYC/NJ/CT.  These people are typically only visit their properties for the major summer holidays and the first week of rifle season.  There are now multiple vehicles at most of these properties, with 4-wheelers running all over.  Vehicles were parked on my property with people fishing my creek....I don’t really mind, but I have never met these people before.  It feels like July 4th weekend.  
 

This “quarantine” is being treated as a summer vacation for many people.  They/we had better hope this virus doesn’t hit hard around here because our little hospital won’t be able to handle more than a few of these cases at a time.  

The New England board has been chatting about a similar concern with many from the I-95 corridor seeking shelter at their summer/vacation homes up in the mountains.. Apparently there has been hostility towards them from the locals. I can definitely see it from both perspectives. Much of this comes down to humans being conscientious of others and not self-centered. Sounds like you may be feeling like they're not being considerate of the place you call home. That can definitely be tough to handle. Hopefully, when (it's inevitable) things start to affect your area more, those visitors can lend a hand and give back to the community they call a second home.

[wolfie09]

A record 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as the new coronavirus struck the U.S. economy and sent a recently booming labor market into free fall.

The large number of claims was double the 3.3 million who sought benefits two weeks ago as the U.S. shut down parts of the economy in an effort to contain the virus. Jobless claims, a proxy for layoffs, provide temporary financial assistance for workers who lose their jobs.

[winter_rules]

38 minutes ago, TugHillMatt said:

The New England board has been chatting about a similar concern with many from the I-95 corridor seeking shelter at their summer/vacation homes up in the mountains.. Apparently there has been hostility towards them from the locals. I can definitely see it from both perspectives. Much of this comes down to humans being conscientious of others and not self-centered. Sounds like you may be feeling like they're not being considerate of the place you call home. That can definitely be tough to handle. Hopefully, when (it's inevitable) things start to affect your area more, those visitors can lend a hand and give back to the community they call a second home.

I certainly don’t blame them at all.  It is absolutely a smart move for them.  I just wish they would take it a little more seriously.  Ripping around on 4-wheelers in the dark, or having bonfires where everybody is drunk, is not exactly a smart move right now.  They’ll end up in the hospital for a different ailment and catch it  or spread it there.