GEC Factory Closure

[HighPlains]

See the below image for news regarding the recent GEC closure. The Pennsylvania governor did this to help stop spread of COVID. It is especially dangerous to people over age 50. If you have ever watched any factory tour vids on youtube, you know that the bulk of the GEC work force are middle-age or older and thus need extra protections.

In normal times this state ordered closure would certainly be gross government overreach. But these are not normal times. For my part, I am grateful for this closure because I hope it is a successful measure to protect everyone who is part of GEC.

The COVID crisis is real. It will affect every aspect of life for every American and threaten the lives and health of millions. This will be the Great Depression and WWII rolled into one.

This is a community of wise, strong, compassionate people. Whether we have firsthand memories or the tales of our parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents, we all know the challenges posed by those events and the national response required to meet them. We now must all do our part to meet this challenge.

1. Thoughts and prayers for everyone at GEC.

2. Consider ways to provide direct support to GEC and its workforce.

3. Consider ways to serve your community. This includes doing everything you can to keep yourself healthy. Any sick person is another burden and risk to our healthcare system. That system is already fragile and if it fails, we are all in grave danger.

4. If you have read this far, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Below I will post a little more about my own situation to try to help people grasp the seriousness of this crisis.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks - several others have posted this. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=66145 Case is also closed, for the same reason. Your sentiments apply to us all.

Ken

[HighPlains]

My personal situation.

I was born and grew up in Montana. For the past several years my wife and I have lived in Seattle to pursue our careers. Mine is in heavy concrete and commercial high-rise construction - a booming industry in Seattle.

My wife is a nurse. She is thus on the front lines of this crisis.

As many of you may know, on a good, normal day, many hospitals in the US are understaffed and overburdened with patients. This new crisis will push hospitals near their breaking points. Although deathrates from COVID seem low when you look at a chart, this obscures the fact that many of the people who survived did so only because they received intensive hospital care. If doctors, nurses, and other health workers fall sick, we are all in danger.

Every time my wife goes to work, I am painfully aware that it may be the last time she is healthy. I am now in the process of getting my head around the fact that I am essentially married to a soldier who may soon die in the line of service. I was shaken from my denial and complacency regarding this crisis by my personal connection to it. But I now realize that this threatens the entire nation and my concern goes out to all Americans.

MY PLEA TO YOU

Please help protect yourself, your local healthcare workers, and thus this nation. All of these things are difficult and painful but necessary.

Stay home whenever possible. Keep distance between yourself and others. Wash your hands. Seek out other sources for staying healthy during this crisis.

N95 face masks, goggles, face shields, gowns, suits and other protective equipment healthcare workers are in short supply. If you have anything like this, please contact local clinics or hospitals to as how you can donate them. Healthcare workers need them most, because if they die, we will all die. These are truly the stakes.

For my part as a construction work who is frequently exposed to the silica-heavy dust of concrete, which is known to cause lung cancer, I have given over all of my protective equipment to local health care workers. I can afford to breathe a little dust. They cannot afford to breathe any COVID.

This is a community of strong, wise, compassionate people. I have a lot love and admiration for this community and have deeply enjoyed it. Please do your part for our nation.

[kootenay joe]

Yes, this virus is more contagious and more virulent than early information stated. Italy has had almost 5,000 deaths but what is more alarming is that 17 of them were doctors working in ICU's treating Covid patients. These doctors were neither elderly or infirm but they died from this virus.
I have manged patients on ventilators in an ICU numerous times. I never considered i would contract an illness from doing so and never did. This Covid virus is different from what we have dealt with in the last 100 years.
Reality is it is highly contagious and can be very virulent (i.e. cause severe illness).
kj

[zzyzzogeton]

I read where 2 of the doctors who passed away were retired doctors who had returned to local hospitals to help with the overload of patients.

1 of the "under 50" doctors who died remained at work helping patients who were sicker than he until his symptoms forced him to his deathbed. This doctor had been highly vocal/instrumental in trying to get improvements in the Italian healthcare system passed by the Italian goverment. Shortly before the pandemic hit northern Italy, he and a collegue had joked about when they would see improvements - one said "some time after we retire" and the doctor who died said "No, it will be after we are dead and buried." Little did he know how soon he would be dead.

[RevolverGuy]

A lot of businesses have been closing and for those like myself who are able to work remotely from home, it is becoming the new norm. I pray that GEC, Case, and others don't have to be closed for too long.

The COVID crisis is real. It will affect every aspect of life for every American and threaten the lives and health of millions. This will be the Great Depression and WWII rolled into one.

Not sure if we can compare this to a World War. My grandfather lived through Germany in that period and some of the stories I heard from his mouth were far more shocking than whatever is happening right now. I don't think we are there yet.

We need to remain optimistic during these times. The uncertainty of this virus mixed in with mainstream media's sensationalism has created an even greater worldwide panic. The only other time in history I can remember when people were this on guard was when HIV/AIDS came on the scene, but it was never to this scale of shutting everything down. I remember that period in time through the 80s and how scared people were to touch things, use public restrooms, or drink from a water fountain. We didn't have the Internet/social media back then but if we did I think there would have been even greater fear.

I believe the human race is resilient. History has been a good indicator of how we've manage to continue pressing forward even through sickness and disease.

Here are two news articles most of the media hasn't been covering. And of course not. It does not fit their narrative.

Israeli scientists at the end of February were claiming to be 8-10 weeks away from a vaccine.
https://nypost.com/2020/02/28/israeli-s ... s-vaccine/

Japan has developed an effective drug to fight coronavirus.
https://www.benzinga.com/news/20/03/155 ... oronavirus

[kootenay joe]

What seems to be happening is that some healthy people get a mild flu-like illness, much like a 'cold'. But other healthy people die from this virus.
Why such a difference ?
Obviously i don't know, but it might have to do with our genes; i.e. some people's genetic make up allow this virus to do a lot of tissue damage resulting in death. A different genetic make up and you get a 'cold'.
You don't know which group you are until you get infected.
I expect we will hear more about this before too long as researchers world wide are working to understand this virus fully.
kj

[kootenay joe]

Quote: "mainstream media's sensationalism "
It is sensational news and unfolding further every day. Journalists/media do not need to hype it up because it really is very serious for all of us, now and possibly for some time to come. Might take a decade or more for financial markets to regain the losses of this past month.
kj

[RevolverGuy]

Just curious but does anyone here know of anyone personally who has been infected? I have family all over Europe, North and South America, and as of right now I have yet to know anyone who has it or knows of someone who does. I come from quite a large family too. The organization I work for has offices in China and Japan, and in communicating with them the past few days I've been asking that question as well and have not heard anything. Do any of you guys know of anyone? I am curious as to what age they are and where exactly they were.

[saltwaterebel]

The television says its real. My innate god given gift of discernment tells me otherwise. Godspeed people.

[Quick Steel]

Gov. Cuomo said that half the cases in NY are under 50 years of age.

If you have not already done so, consider beefing up your intake of Vitamin C which has well established anti-viral properties. It will not prevent the infection (most likely) but will greatly facilitate the immune system in dealing with it. The Chinese have been using tons of C with great success.

[TripleF]

Just curious but does anyone here know of anyone personally who has been infected? I have family all over Europe, North and South America, and as of right now I have yet to know anyone who has it or knows of someone who does. I come from quite a large family too. The organization I work for has offices in China and Japan, and in communicating with them the past few days I've been asking that question as well and have not heard anything. Do any of you guys know of anyone? I am curious as to what age they are and where exactly they were.

Funny you should ask, well not funny actually, but I ask the same question to people....do you know anyone who's infected? Finally, my brother told me he knew of a friend who knew a friend who's friend "might" have it. That's as close as I can get but the hype is so radical people are acting like every other person has it and is dying.

The television says its real. My innate god given gift of discernment tells me otherwise. Godspeed people.

BINGO!

[kootenay joe]

Just curious but does anyone here know of anyone personally who has been infected? I have family all over Europe, North and South America, and as of right now I have yet to know anyone who has it or knows of someone who does. I come from quite a large family too. The organization I work for has offices in China and Japan, and in communicating with them the past few days I've been asking that question as well and have not heard anything. Do any of you guys know of anyone? I am curious as to what age they are and where exactly they were.

Funny you should ask, well not funny actually, but I ask the same question to people....do you know anyone who's infected? Finally, my brother told me he knew of a friend who knew a friend who's friend "might" have it. That's as close as I can get but the hype is so radical people are acting like every other person has it and is dying.

The television says its real. My innate god given gift of discernment tells me otherwise. Godspeed people.

BINGO!

So far over 35,000 Americans have tested positive for Covid-19 and 458 have died from it and only 178 have fully recovered. The actual figures could be 10 times higher. The best way for the government to keep these numbers low is to limit the availability of the Covid test kits and this is the situation in USA from the beginning and not yet rectified. Doctors in every State are begging to be supplied with these kits so that they can diagnose this disease.
The problem with inability to test is that it allows for rapid spread throughout all sectors of American society. "You ain't seen nothing yet" applies here because this virus is just getting started. If you fail to believe it, you are less likely to practice 'self isolation' and so more likely to help this virus spread.
As 'crazy' as it sounds, this thing is real.
Italy is a few weeks ahead of USA for Covid infection. With 1/5th the population of USA, there have been ~5,500 deaths so far and it is increasing by about 500 deaths per day.
This is undeniably real.
kj

[TripleF]

Read this :
https://www.globalresearch.ca/spinning- ... ta/5706785

[bestgear]

Read this :
https://www.globalresearch.ca/spinning- ... ta/5706785

[kootenay joe]

However in the same online journal, read this: https://www.globalresearch.ca/times-cri ... es/5707136

in part: "only two years ago, in 2018, President Donald Trump fired his top health official (Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer) who was responsible for the response to pandemics, and he was not replaced. He then shut down the White House National Security Council’s entire global health security unit in charge of preparing for a global pandemic. In so doing, Mr. Trump forgot the precautionary principle in government, which requires preparations to face unforeseen events."
kj

[Mumbleypeg]

However in the same online journal, read this: https://www.globalresearch.ca/times-cri ... es/5707136

in part: "only two years ago, in 2018, President Donald Trump fired his top health official (Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer) who was responsible for the response to pandemics, and he was not replaced. He then shut down the White House National Security Council’s entire global health security unit in charge of preparing for a global pandemic. In so doing, Mr. Trump forgot the precautionary principle in government, which requires preparations to face unforeseen events."
kj

More fake news. This has been debunked numerous times. Yes, that department (created under Obama by the way) was eliminated. However it was combined into a pre-existing department and personnel in that eliminated department were moved to the other department in the government, having the same responsibilities. Redundant functions consolidated into one department. For those whose religion is government no amount of bureaucracy is too great. Layers upon layers of redundant government bureaucrats, tripping over a sea of red tape. As for Admiral Ziemer, he was already slated to move on to another position (a promotion) which he did. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... liminated/

And the press? On the one hand they caterwaul about government waste and inefficiency. On the other, they complain about not enough government resources. Which is it - you can’t have it both ways.

It never ceases to astonish me what blatant falsehoods, misinformation, and errors of omission (mostly intentional) are spread by those having a political agenda. All of this B.S. about Trump,”firing” Ziemer and eliminating the department was started by none other than Joe Biden. And gleeful carried on by the dishonest media. Did he lie? Technically I guess not. Was he truthful? No, not by any measure. It’s politics.

Ken

For the full story listen to this interview. The department re-org and origins of the myth is discussed just over 4 minutes into the interview.

[Onearmbladejunkie]

Government over regulations will always make things worst. Only three deaths in PA and the governor goes bonkers. Allow businesses to police themselves. No GEC workers have been infected . I sent an email to GEC about www.primalherbs.com . These mushroom healing powders can build up your immune system to fight off diseases. GEC thanked me and they said they would certainly look in to it. That was a day or two before Governor Jerk shut them down , unconstitutionally . We need to allow small businesses to thrive responsibly . I do not trust the Democrats or their motives during this crises !

[RevolverGuy]

You know I was thinking about something. Depending on how long closures will be, it might create some collectibility for 2020 GEC and Case knives. There may be a shortage of knives manufactured this year. Case employs a little over 300 people. GEC employs a little over 30. As big as they may be to us, they are the very definition of small American business. I want them to remain and plan to help by ordering a few new ones in the next month.

[kootenay joe]

Quote: "We need to allow small businesses to thrive responsibly . I do not trust the Democrats or their motives during this crises !"
It has nothing to do with "Democrats". It has everything to do with what is known about Public Health (a medical sub-specialty), viruses and epidemiology.
Canada has asked everyone except those in certain essential services to stay home. Dental offices, massage therapy and many other types of small business have been ordered closed. When you do go to grocery store you have to stay 6 feet away from others and only a few are allowed into store at any one time, etc. Lots of new rules that our P.M. says will be enforced if Canadians fail to abide.
And it's similar in every European country and N.Z. and Australia, etc., world wide.
The enforced closure of all non essential businesses in certain U.S. States is exactly what the rest of the world is doing.
Monumental, only time in my lifetime when pretty well all countries are in agreement about something. Why is this ? Because the country leaders are asking their Public Health specialists what needs to be done to stop a virus. They all give the same answers because there is a huge amount of data that has been thoroughly examined and 'Best Practices' are now known.
It really has nothing to do with "Democrats".
kj

[Doug51]

Hope everyone is doing well. Any word yet on how much longer the shut down is to continue for GEC?
It looks like in Michigan until May1.

[kootenay joe]

In Canada the plan is to begin easing restrictions on businesses in a gradual manner once the statistics show a steady decline in new cases. It will not be 'back to normal' all at once. If the gradual 'opening up' is followed by an increase in Covid infections, then back to 'generalized closure'. If all goes well figure on at least 3 months of gradual re-opening of businesses to get 'everything' going.
Likely the USA will chart a similar course but with a geographic component: States with highest percentage of infections will be the last to get restrictions eased.
This is a totally non political plan. It is based on past experiences worldwide dealing with very contagious viruses.
If a safe vaccine is approved before the above can happen, once a good proportion of the population is immunized, then all restrictions could be removed.
Even though a vaccine is on 'super fast track' worldwide, at least one year is needed to do some clinical trials to make sure it does not make people worse or have serious immediate side effects. Usually such clinical trials take 3-5 years.
kj

[1967redrider]

Social Distancing and restrictions seem to be working in stopping the spread of this virus. I've been deemed an essential employee because, "The Courts Must Go On!" If they told me I could stay home I would. Brenda has 4 weeks of teleworking under her belt now; we cannot telework at the Courthouse. We are not allowing the public to enter our office, per the Governor's orders/directives, so some functions aren't happening and we are half-staffed.

I think President Trump has done and is doing the right thing. But stupid people will continue to do stupid things, like not taking the Social Distancing thing seriously. Nature will weed out the idiots. The World economy is taking a hit right now, but life WILL resume as normal. When? Who knows, but I just hope we don't jump back into it too soon. That is what Pres. Trump has to figure out and it will make or break him.

[RLP]

Kinda thought this was a knife forum. I also thought there were other places to discuss politics provided somewhere on this site. Be safe!

[kootenay joe]

I think Trump will take the advice of the infectious disease specialists. If their guidance proves to be faulty no one can blame Mr. Trump. How to get out of our current situation is a highly specialized body of knowledge with virologists, infectious diseas specialists & epidemiologists. It is far from 'basic medical knowledge'. The leader of any country would be foolish to 'go it on his own'.
I'm sure Mr. Trump understands this.
kj