*banned 4 MarkDown love* @design_RG@qoto.org

@lordalveric I was keeping about 70 to 80 open tabs in a recent active online phase. I installed an extension to keep track and back up the sessions automatically, since I didn't want to lose so many interesting pages.

Had been quieter, but the number of open tabs has been creeping up lately again.

@Full_marx
Hey!! 😃

Good to see you posting here again, Karl. I hope you enjoy your stay!

@realcaseyrollins

@realcaseyrollins It is a continuation and escallation of the now 60 year old Embargo against Cuba.

I found a quote from the article very relevant :

"When the US embargo on Cuba was introduced in the 1960s the goal, according to the US Department of State, was to “bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of the government”. "

😞

There's a link to another article with more details about the oil transportation sanctions : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/13/cuba-oil-sanctions-shortages

Due to American sanctions brought in by the Trump government against any oil tanker companies shipping crude oil (usually from Venezuela, to Cuba), Cuba has been operating with only about 30% of their usual crude oil supply.

There's no fuel for tractors, and people in the country side are back to plowing with oxen. Some don't even have that, and food production has been curtailed in the whole island.

This is the inhumanity of this cruel man at the helm, affecting a whole nation. A good article at the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/18/cuba-food-production-us-oil-sanctions

The Tourism sector which is the island's lifeline, is also hurting.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/21/havana-cubans-count-cost-as-tourists-stay-away-trump-sanctions

A very poignant article at Reuters I just read this morning.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-italy-ethics-speci/special-report-all-is-well-in-italy-triage-and-lies-for-virus-patients-idUSKBN2133KG

@cats Gorgeous. thanks for all the nice pictures!

This has some background explanations that help understand the Fed's panicky emergency meeting and slashing of interest rates.

They are worried about a crisis of liquidity in the financial markets, similar to the one that started in 2008 and forced huge measures by central banks to avoid a seize up.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-markets-crisis-ana/the-plumbing-behind-worlds-financial-markets-is-creaking-loudly-idUSKBN2120NJ

The economic impact of the epidemic is hitting main street now, after all the panic and pain in Wall St and the world's financial markets.

Good read at the NY Times!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/15/business/economy/coronavirus-economy-impact.html

Slowly app launched another neat new series of stamp this morning. Welcome to "Cheat Day" series.

Yummy sugar fixes and comfort foods.

Had the pleasure to pet two beautiful young Black Cats on Friday, which was also the 13th!

They are so lovely, these mini-panthers. 🙂🐈

#cats #mastocats #CatsofMastodon #meow #xp
---
RT @CatDisapproval
Today is my human brother's birthday! There will be cake!
https://twitter.com/CatDisapproval/status/1239198312886083586

A nice read, article tells how an Italian family is coping with the changes in their lives under the CV spread. I found it intesting and inspired.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/15/life-lockdown-parma-italy-coronavirus

Canadian Cool Cats keep warm with their own parkas.

@freemo This post is the one I am referring to; seems to be 11 days offset between Italian and US stats, which seem to be mirroring Italy's.

https://qoto.org/@peterdrake/103817276709670433

@freemo One good aspect is that the medical system is not that stressed in the US yet, at this moment at least.

Peter posted some stats comparing Italy and USA, and it seems to mirror pretty exactly the day by day increase in numbers. Scary, as we know it's hitting the health system hard in Italy atm, and it will reach a similar case count in the US in a a few weeks too.

@freemo ooooh.. Sorry to hear that, hope she does well. Is she in the USA ?

Best to be in our own countries when things are going weird like now. Glad I didn't travel.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-canadians-abroad-urged-to-come-home-while-they-still-can-amid/