Khan

As badly as I feel for celebrities like Idris Elba, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, I wish tragedies such as this, and not which celeb is the latest to be exposed to the virus, or how many "spring breakers" continue to display their arrogance and ignorance about it like badges of honor, would be on the front pages of every newspaper and magazine. People need to see "up close and personal" how the coronavirus is devastating average, everyday, un-famous families all over the world.

Ironically, this illness is also affecting millennials, one of two groups (along with baby boomers) who continue to pull this nation apart, politically and ideologically. Not to make light of what is, for many, a dire situation, but maybe that one meme I saw on FB is right. Maybe the ones left standing after this is all over will be the Gen-X'ers, lol.

And the more the coronavirus outbreak spreads throughout this country, the more volatile the markets will become, as recessions, bankruptcies, job losses, foreclosures, etc. are now all but done deals. Now, granted, Donald Trump did NOT create the coronavirus (although, his administration could have done a much better job minimizing its' effect on us, if not keeping it at bay). But, in a way, @marceline was right yet again. The Republicans always wreck the economy. Always. And while I never want to be accused of being a conspiracy theorist or of knowing what God is thinking, I don't think it should be ignored how the coronavirus is affecting disproportionately one segment of our population -- namely, the baby boomers and their elders -- who have backed this administration from day one.

But seriously. Trump has practically built his entire presidential legacy around the stock markets, so I'd see it as karmic justice if those financial gains were, indeed, wiped out. Without them, Trump has nothing.

If this keeps up, the Dow'll be back where it was when Herbert Hoover was president!

They must've realized that if this kills off enough senior citizens, their ratings will nosedive. Writers are prophets. If I didn't realize that after the fourth or fifth time the writers of "The Simpsons" had accurately predicted world events, I certainly realize it now.

Perhaps. But I'm pretty sure it wasn't me. (I'm not like our president. I don't take credit that isn't due me, lol.)

I don't think I said "Wait 'til Super Tuesday." (Maybe you have me confused w/ @DRW50 or @Vee?). But, I'll take fame (or infamy) anywhere I can get it, lol!

ICYMI (and under the circumstances, who could blame you if you did?): Joe Biden has won the Florida and Illinois primaries. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/17/us/elections/results-primary-elections-florida-illinois-arizona.html?action=click&module=Top Stories&pgtype=Homepage As of right now, Arizona's results are still pending.

I read about the millennials in Dallas (and other places) who wouldn't take things seriously and are paying the price; and all I can think of is what it says in the Bible: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked." As a Christian, I trust in God to get us all through this crisis, but I also believe God gave us brains for a reason. If there are precautions to take in situations such as this, you take them. If not for yourself, then you take 'em for others. (Because, after all, that IS what the so-called "Golden Rule" is all about). And if you don't, then God, like any good parent, has no choice but to let nature do what it must. There are young people out there who seriously believe this will kill off all the older people, but the irony would be if this illness were to end up working the other way around.

Meghan McCain (and I'm paraphrasing): "We have Devin Nunes [and, I assume, other baby boomers] saying it's no big deal on one end, and millennials going out and partying on the other. There's no in-between." Once again, Gen-X'ers are reminded just how invisible we are to the rest of the world.

Oh, I get it: Krakow stan.

Okay, that makes two celebrities -- Betty White, and the dude who played Jordan Catalano -- we have to keep safe from this [!@#$%^&*]. Anyone else? (C'mon, people, we've already let down Tom Hanks and everybody's baby daddy, Idris Elba!)

You see, that's why I have difficulty NOT side-eyeing China right now (although, I'm certainly not blaming ALL Chinese people for this crisis). Between the dangerous and unsanitary conditions at the meat market where the "novel coronavirus" is thought to have originated and their government's attempts at suppressing all information about the disease and its' potential spread.... And now I'm seeing upthread that a new strain of the bird flu has been detected over there? Seriously, China, could you please get your you-know-what together before everyone else drops dead from illness or fright?

My lord.

That's because we had an administration that had the general public's health and safety as its' top priority. (Wait, who was president during the SARS epidemic again?)

If anyone still wonders why even those who aren't presently experiencing any symptoms have elected to self-isolate, THIS is why. RIP Mr. Knox, and my prayers to his family, friends and former colleagues. But her emails, @DramatistDreamer! Her emails!

Congratulations, America. We're now as bankrupt as one of Donald Trump's casinos. Dear God, it's London at the time of the Great Plague all over again!

Aside from the fact that a global recession is now all but guaranteed, it's almost as if God (or karma, or whoever, or whatever) is "dream season"-ing Donald Trump's presidency the way Trump tried to with Barack Obama's. And the he/she/they/it is doing it where he/she/they/it knows where it would hurt Trump most: on the stock markets. And right there could go the jobs that were gained during these past four years. What. A. [!@#$%^&*]. Mess. Good for them! Let's hope others follow the Currys' lead and reach out a hand (er, so to speak?) to those who have been hit hard in one way or another by the virus and lockdown. UPDATE: Public schools here (in Oklahoma) are closed until April 6. Donald Trump is a narcissist; and like all narcissists, he will never accept responsibility (or blame) for the role he played in this, or in any other, disaster. Anyone who expects him to -- now, or down the road -- needs to abandon such hope right here and now.

In that case: KHAN FOR VICE-PRESIDENT! (I'm multi-racial as all get out AND I'm willing to change my gender to "female" at a moment's notice.)

Same. And I thought my high school graduation (in 1997) sucked donkey balls.

I shouldn't take pleasure in knowing that information. Under the circumstances, however, I'm glad to know that karma is finally demanding a payback from the Trump administration after four years of their dangerous leadership.

Mama Khan is in her seventies and suffers from a variety of chronic ailments, including type 2 diabetes and asthma. So, of course, I'm nervous as hell for her. She's a Trump sympathizer, if not a Trump supporter; and I can't get her to stop watching Fox News and Youtube if our...well, actually, our lives DO depend on it, at the moment. Nevertheless, she's still my mother, and I still love her, and I'm still doing what I can in terms of social distancing to keep her from becoming infected. (Fortunately, we both tend to stay home much of the time -- Mama Khan has always been nervous about crowds -- and I'm a Gen-X'er; ergo, I'm used to spending most of my days isolated and indoors, lol.) I never thought I'd say this, but...I am so glad Papa Khan (who was himself diabetic) is not alive for this.

It doesn't surprise me to know there are people in this country (and others) who still refuse to take this [!@#$%^&*] seriously. (Hell, I live with one of those people.) This is so not "just like the flu." It is far, far worse. And, I'm afraid, more of us will have to die before the rest get it through their thick-ass skulls. I totally see where you're coming from, @Wendy. You know, forget about Joe Biden (or Bernie Sanders) spending all their time and capital cleaning up the Trump administration's pre-coronavirus messes. If either guy ends up winning the election, he'll spend the entire four years (and maybe more) undoing the damage this outbreak has done to our economy as well as health and medical infrastructures. (Climate change? Reproductive rights? Immigration reforms? Voting rights? Persistent racial, ethnic and economic inequalities? Sorry, Charlie!)

Even after the Fed slashed interest rates to near-zero. Just shows to go you the level of non-confidence this administration continues to inspire among everyone else.