4 chapters across the catalog
Adam Curry predicts a turnaround in the lockdown by April 6, citing the maturity of "pandemic bonds" on March 24 as a financial incentive for recovery. He argues that the current economic shutdown cannot be sustained for more than two weeks without permanently destroying the small business sector. The hosts express concern that the peak of media-driven panic will occur just before this predicted reopening.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey reevaluates his plans to move to Africa temporarily due to the global virus outbreak. Meanwhile, the United Nations refuses to officially declare a pandemic, a move seen as a strategy to avoid triggering "pandemic bonds." While Secretary Alex Azar initially focused on domestic spending, Congress added over $1 billion to the federal bill for international response efforts.
World Health Organization Leadership and Pandemic Emergency Bonds
The World Health Organization's refusal to declare a formal pandemic is linked to Director-General Tedros Adhanom's ties to China and Ethiopia. The hosts highlight that flights between China and Addis Ababa remain open. They also examine the World Bank's "Pandemic Emergency Financing Bonds," noting that specific death and infection triggers must be met before the $500 million bond pays out to poor countries, potentially influencing the pandemic declaration.
During the 1918 H1N1 influenza pandemic, President Woodrow Wilson reportedly refused to publicly acknowledge the crisis to avoid distracting from the war effort. Authorities issued trivial advice, such as avoiding tight shoes, while ignoring the need for crowd control to protect war bond drives and military mobilization. This suppression of information is blamed for contributing to the high death toll of the Spanish Flu.
