Thanks - yes, the world wars did yield some positive changes, but I am
sure a skillful politician can make all this add up to any number they
like.
Already, we see signs that some countries are using this to restrict
rights that have nothing to do with CV19. So, I suppose we should be
wary of governments using this as an excuse to do what they always
wanted to do anyway.
And I suppose one way to help avoid that is to ensure we have a free
press (preferably, not run by one or two millionaires).
Well, that must have been sitting on my chest for a while ...
and not much to do with statistics either, sorry about that.
regards,
Jim Stone
On 29/03/2020 18:47, Andrew J Stalewski wrote:
>
>
> On 29/03/2020 10:02, James V Stone wrote:
>> And ...
>>
>> Just as 9/11 yielded a 'natural experiment' for what happens if all
>> planes are grounded, so this will provided many types of natural
>> experiment. I can only think of a few, but there must be many more:
>>
>> effect of no traffic on roadkill of hares/badgers
>> effect of no transport on air/water pollution
>> global warming, obviously
>> suicide rate (goes down in war time?)
>> general health of population
>> effect of home/no schooling on educational level of children
>> are fishermen still working? If not, effect on fish populations
>>
>> I am sure there are many more, and more interesting effects, that I
>> have not considered here.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Jim
>>
>
> Thanks, Jim. There have been many reports of measured improvements in
> air/water
> pollution in locked down regions.
>
> Now that everybody is using digital meetings (Skype, Teams, Zoom) it is
> foreseeable that there will be a large reduction in business travel.
> Especially air travel via "hub" airports which concentrate people (and
> viruses).
>
> Many have likened this crisis to a world war, and indeed governments have
> responded with emergency legislation and massive public spending, as
> they did
> for WW1 and WW2.
>
> In the UK, some consequences WW1 were :
> 1) for the first time, some women got the vote
> 2) the 1918 coalition government, and eventually the first Labour
> government
>
> Post WW2, the European Coal and Steel Community (which lead to the EEC,
> which
> lead to the EU) was proposed explicitly to prevent further war between
> France
> and Germany.
> In the UK the welfare state came into being, including the 1944
> Education Act
> and, of course, the NHS.
>
> Already, as a consequence of Covid-19, in the UK some homeless/rough
> sleepers
> are being housed in hotels and student accommodation. There will be huge
> opposition to them being simply turfed back onto the streets after the
> crisis.
>
> It has become more apparent to politicians and the public that hospitals
> should
> not be run at near 95% bed occupancy. Indeed, all infrastructure should
> have
> more resilience; e.g. flood protection, etc.
>
> I've been attempting to think of +ve effects, instead of brooding about the
> things I'm prevented from doing. If you think these thoughts may cheer
> somebody up a little, please pass them on.
>
> [Monty Python : "Always look on the bright side of life ..."]
> Andrew J. Stalewski
>
--
James V Stone
Honorary Associate Professor,
Sheffield University, UK.
Web: sebtelpress.com
Twitter: @jgvfwstone
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