is that as long as media keeps inflating and exaggerating (because it's a good story... "OVER six hundred dead today" with newsreader glee as opposed to "considerably UNDER 700 dead today & compared to the 2000 a day that die in an ordinary average 24 hours...") stupid Governments will waste billions on ways to protect everyone & stop it spreading. Where they SHOULD be concentrating on the 1% in danger of dying from it; the elderly, vulnerable, homeless, prisoners and most of all those millions in refugee camps who will be catching and dying in HUGE numbers without ventilators etc.

It is SO obvious, so simple, so vital. Yet not only do people not understand, they hate me and spit at me (and others) who dare to point out the Emperor has no clothes on.

People hate you because you are not an expert and the vast majority of the scientific and medical community WORLDWIDE consider the action of isolation and confinement to be the right one to take. What you never seem to consider is that the experts are looking at the potential of a brand new virus that has jumped specifies doing something very bad. Because of the unknown factors the experts have to deal with probability theory that this virus could do something different on top of the historic comparison with known viruses. What if back in February an expert told you there was a 50% chance this new virus could kill 250,000 people in the next couple of months unless you took some dramatic action, would you have rolled the dice?

You think you know the facts but you don’t. You are relying on the very media you are criticising. A virologist, an epidemiologist and all the other advisers around the world will have studied for years, you haven’t. Yes you’ll be able to quote an outliner report supporting the possibility that an aspect of your position is correct but the vast majority of experts don’t support your thinking. In a medical emergency I prefer to trust those that have studied medicine.

OK Lurker; some fair points.

I know the media better than many. They will exaggerate and inflate any story to make it better, more commercial. They have no sense of responsibility as to consequences.

By inflating this trivial virus they have skewed thinking into the wrong route.

It is NOT a danger to 99% who get it.

By forcing governments to concentrate on "stopping the spread" to the majority, they are stopping concentration on the 1% in real danger.

So the elderly & vulnerable (like me) will die.

Prison inmates. homeless, disabled, unhealthy will die.

But worst of all - just you watch - millions in refugee camps & other vulnerable areas (the poor) will die as a direct result of you, Lurker, avoiding the truth.

That's what appalls me.

In Nembro, northern Italy, the death rate from all causes, when compared with the same period last year, is 158 to 35 - that’s an increase of over four times.

www.corriere.it/politica/20_marzo_26/the...130.shtml?refresh_ce

You are right that the media can (and do) exaggerate situations and as we all know from previous times they will intrude into people’s personal life and not only bend the rules but will on occasions break them. The freedom of free speech is a one which is cherished and is practised on this board. As you say you know the media better than most but rather than practice what you preach you use the exact same tactics you are complaining about. You exaggerate situations by selective choices of numbers and quoting obscure sources to support an argument. In the music business artist promotion has always been done on the basis of hype and taking any small positive fact and amplifying it to the extreme. The Corona virus is not a small fact.

You are entitled to your opinion but I think you are wrong that for this crisis it is the media controlling the politicians and the medical experts. The media are reporting on something truly remarkable and unique that is happening around the world. The job of the media is to report and in every country that’s what they are doing. There are lots of things that parts of the media are doing I don’t like but that is always the case. The media is not a single entity representing a single source. The media is capable of being fragmented and reporting different opinions and in this situation you will find different views but just like the medical experts around the world there is no conspiracy. This crisis has developed within a matter of a few months and I agree the reason it is reported so extensively is that it is (in media terms) a good story. It is a global event.

“millions in refugee camps & other vulnerable areas (the poor) will die as a direct result of you, Lurker, avoiding the truth” – It’s a shame you have to make the discussion personal and try and blame me for millions of deaths. Such an ironic tactic and statement coming from someone who is standing on top of a soapbox complaining about exaggerations.

Some fair points Lurker; I'm pleased to see you're no longer annoyed. You are right; what Media is doing now is exactly what I have done for my entire career, mostly about music; with great success. Persuading millions to buy Leap Up And Down Wave Your Knickers In The Air is an even greater achievement than coping with this trivial virus! Indeed I'd say that track was worse than CoronaVirus.

That's why I'm in a position to spot this. You're also right; calling it a "trivial virus" is exactly the same tactic. If it works, why change?

I exaggerate my points. They attract more attention that way.

Ditto blaming you personally for Covid19 deaths.

If you were a real person, not hiding behind an alias, I would not do that. But you cannot slander an imaginary person. Just like dead people. Just ask Jimmy Savile.

JK2006 wrote:


If you were a real person, not hiding behind an alias, I would not do that.

I am very much a real person just as real as the other screen names on this forum that aren't one of yours. Online as well as in the music and literary worlds you are very fond of the use of multiple aliases yourself.