Some Guarded Good News And A Warning On Coronavirus From The San Mateo County Health Department

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Coronavirus-updates-cases-deaths-SF-Bay-Area-15196799.php

A Forgotten American Hero!!!

A man I wished I had known. Merian C. Cooper. 1893-1973. If you want an example of a life well-lived, I offer you Merian Caldwell Cooper. He went to the Naval Academy but was expelled in his senior year for "hell-raising and championing air power." He learned to fly in Georgia, went on to become an army pilot during WWI, survived the adventure, founded the Kosciuszko Squadron during the Polish-Soviet War and was shot down in 1920, captured by the Soviets and made a POW. The first photo is of Cooper as a Colonel in the Polish Air Force. The second is of him in Latvia after his escape from the Soviet POW camp. Returning to the US in 1921, Cooper got a job at the night shift of the New York Times.

One would think that was enough adventure for any man, but Cooper was only getting started. He traveled the world making films for the Explorers Club, which led to Hollywood. Meanwhile he was on the board of directors of Pan American Airways. In Hollywood, he worked for Pioneer Pictures, RKO Pictures, and MGM. In 1933 his production of KING KONG was released. He worked on STAGECOACH but left after disagreements.

WWII was the perfect venue for Cooper, who went to the Far East and got involved with Robert C. Scott in Burma, the same Robert C. Scott who wrote GOD IS MY COPILOT. From there Cooper went to China as Chief of Staff for Claire Chennault, head of the Flying Tigers. He worked on logistics for the Doolittle Raid.

When the US was in the war, Cooper went back to the US to recover from dysentery; his many friends in military aviation glommed onto him. Immediately commissioned a colonel, he spent the rest of WWII as Chief of Staff of the 5th Air Force Bomber Command in the western Pacific, and... get this... was present as a Brigadier General on USS MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay at the Japanese surrender.

Pretty damn good for a midshipmen who was expelled from the Naval Academy. Don't you wish you had known this guy? General Cooper.

Three Poignant Images From Yesterday

Three poignant images from yesterday- coffins by a slit trench in New York City, a giant parking lot full of cars waiting for food at a San Antonio food bank, and a 4-year old boy gasping for air and fighting for life after being infected with coronavirus (He survived.)

Who Will Suffer Most During The Coronavirus Crisis?

One death from coronavirus is one death too many. Sadly more people will suffer and possibly die from the economic collapse than the actual disease.

A Wise Man Issues An Ominous Warning

Madame President:

         Your morning briefing..I have 53 years of experience flying on various aircraft (military and civilian) around the world. This includes three take offs and landings from an aircraft carrier deck.

          In flying the two nightmare moments are when oxygen masks drop and the pilot shouts out over the intercom:

          "Brace for impact!!!"

    In all these years flying, I have had a couple of close calls. I have never had the oxygen marks drop or heard those dreaded words above.

         I'm friends with Alan Tam. He started life in Hong Kong. He immigrated to the US. He ended up in Pacifica. He opened Tam's Chinese restaurant. Normally I would come in at lunch, have a great plate of Chinese food washed down with a superb Margarita. Alan and I would make small talk. He is a gentleman and highly intelligent. He is not a political extremist or a man who believes conspiracy theories or apocalyptic prophesies.

        Today I went to buy a takeout lunch. The food was great as always. I asked for a Margarita to take away with lunch. (The state of California suspended some alcoholic beverage rules to allow alcohol takeaways). Alan claimed that he was not allowed to do this.

         We started to talk about his current situation. He made the following comment:

   

          "We are in a great depression right now. It is going to be worse than 1929."

    On those words I shall close.

Be careful out there!

Amo-a,

-JackW

Domestic Violence Arises As People Are Locked Down Due To Coronavirus

Infected By Violence

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged governments around the world to take more measures in tackling a surge in domestic violence cases amid the coronavirus lockdowns, NPR reported Monday.

“For many women and girls, the threat looms largest where they should be safest – in their own homes,” he said.

Guterres said that as a consequence, lockdowns “can trap women with abusive partners” and that in some countries the number of domestic violence reports “has doubled.”

Domestic violence rates have increased in France and South Africa, with South African authorities saying that there were nearly 90,000 reports of violence against women in the first week of the lockdown.

The UN found that the number of calls to helplines doubled in Lebanon and Malaysia, and it tripled in China.

Last week, the Malaysian government launched a controversial campaign advising women to refrain from nagging and being “sarcastic” to their husbands during the lockdown.

Authorities quickly retracted the campaign following an outcry.

Martin Wolf's Coronavirus Diary

Coronavirus Diaries: Martin Wolf on the pain of family separation |

‘We are used to having the grandchildren regularly in our house. When will that happen again? We have no idea. That is painful’ Share on Twitter (opens new window) Share on Facebook (opens new window) Share on LinkedIn (opens new window) Share Save 3 HOURS AGOPrint this page29 Be the first to know about every new Coronavirus story Get instant email alerts Coronavirus Diaries is an FT series in which people in many different situations share their experiences of trying to work — and live — in this extraordinary time. It will run Monday to Friday Last week, as I sat in my study, with my back to the window, I heard the sound of excited childish voices. There was a knock on the door, just afterwards. I look out and see my granddaughter and grandson, aged four and two, respectively. “Grandad,” she cries, her face beaming with enthusiasm. This followed closely by another “Grandad” from her brother, beaming excitedly, too. I wave and hit the windowpane, in pleasure. Their father stands in the background. Soon my wife, Alison, comes down from her study at the top of the house and joins me. “Nanny,” the children both shout, with yet greater enthusiasm. Then, 10 seconds later, already looking for something new, they turn and run off. All is still. These two of our five grandchildren live around the corner, with our daughter and her husband. We are used to having them regularly in our house. When will that happen again? We have no idea. That is painful. Our other children and grandchildren live on the other side of London. We only see them on Zoom now. It is better than nothing. But it is not the same thing as hugging a beloved child’s wriggling body. I do not complain. Many people do not see their children or grandchildren in the flesh for months, years, perhaps ever. But the physical separation from my children and grandchildren is, for the moment, the only real drawback of this new world into which we have been catapulted. I read; I write; I email; I speak to my colleagues via video-link; and I talk on the phone. I barely participate in social media. I have never done so and am not going to start now. I go out to buy food in local shops and enjoy a brisk daily walk in Dulwich Park, just five minutes away. I keep my distance from others and wear a mask, while I do so. All this is still new. For the moment, thank heavens, we are well. I even like working quietly at home, with Alison my sole companion, though she, poor woman, has to put up with my periodic rants over the grotesque folly and incompetence (not, alas, in the least bit surprising) of our government, on all fronts. I do like not travelling frantically, for a change. Discussions with my colleagues work perfectly well online. I know that none of this would have been possible before the arrival of the new technologies. I am well aware how lucky I am to have a job and to be able to do it in relative safety. Editor’s note The Financial Times is making key coronavirus coverage free to read to help everyone stay informed.  Find the latest here. Yet I also wonder how long this state of limbo will last. A few months of confinement would be quite manageable. But we are told we are both at a vulnerable age. Maybe, we will be advised to stay at home until a vaccine arrives at the end of 2021, or even later. I would miss our summer stays at our apartment in Italy. I am also concerned about what is happening in that much-loved country now, but also that the UK may not be far behind. Nevertheless, I know well that I am far luckier than vast numbers of my fellow humans at such a worrying time. For now, I must wait, try not to get ill and see what happens next. Martin Wolf is the FT’s chief economics commentator