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Post by IceCat on Feb 25, 2020 0:46:26 GMT
Korean soccer's top flight K-League announced that the start of the 2020 season, slated for this coming weekend, has been put on hold. No word yet from the KBO about the new baseball season, set to begin in mid-March.
Military readiness could be impacted by the outbreak, as domestically the Military Manpower Administration has temporarily suspended the intake of new recruits from the Daegu area and ROK military bases have been put on lockdown. As for the USFK (US Forces Korea), their bases have also been sealed off after the widow of a USFK soldier, who by regulations is entitled to access certain base facilities, tested positive for COVID-19. Planning for joint military drills, already scaled back to avoid angering Pyongyang and convince the Kim Jong-un regime to return to the negotiating table, could also be thrown off.
Other countries have started to impose entry restrictions on South Koreans in response to the spike in COVID-19 cases. In addition to Israel, Jordan and Bahrain as well as three small South Pacific island states and regions (Kiribati, Samoa and American Samoa) have put in entry restrictions which at a minimum amount to a ban on anyone who's been in South Korea over the previous two weeks. Brunei, Brazil, Ethiopia, Uganda and the UK, among others, have tightened screening at their entry points. Conversely some countries have placed varying levels of caution regarding travel to the Daegu area or South Korea in general. The US State Department raised its travel advisory to Level 2, which calls for exercising "increased caution".travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/south-korea-travel-advisory.htmlMany airlines have also suspended or curtailed service to the country. Delta and United have waived their change fees for reservations bound for the country through the end of April.Worker disinfecting the entryway of a government building in Seoul Tha National Assembly had to call off a scheduled sitting on Monday and close the building for disinfecting after it was found that the floor leader of the main conservative opposition party had met last week with a person who was later diagnosed with COVID-19. Shim Jae-chul, the politician concerned, agreed to be tested for the virus and called off a meeting with local business leaders in his constituency ahead of the 15 April parliamentary elections, which as of now are still on.Kevin
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Post by IceCat on Feb 25, 2020 19:56:41 GMT
Given the myriad of different K-pop awards shows out there you'll forgive me for never having heard of The Fact Music Awards, which were scheduled for this Saturday at the Gocheok Sky Dome. I say were since it is now the latest cancellation as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. The latest tally: 977 cases, including 11 fatalities.
President Moon Jae-in paid a visit to Daegu on Tuesday, assuring residents that "The government will muster pan-national capabilities and win the fight against the virus together with Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province". Those measures will apparently stop short of a Wuhan-style total lockdown of the region, where roughly 70% of the confirmed cases are clustered. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus agreed to provide health authorities with a list of its roughly 200,000 members across the country, including contact details, but finding all of them and convincing them to get tested will be a challenge since many members of this particular sect are best described as averse to state authority.
Kevin
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Post by IceCat on Feb 25, 2020 22:33:14 GMT
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Post by philknj on Mar 2, 2020 14:24:41 GMT
The JLPGA just cancelled the Yokohama/PRGR (March 13-15), which falls in line with the two-week large group ban the govt. wanted.
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Post by philknj on Mar 4, 2020 3:39:05 GMT
The KLPGA cancelled the Celltrion Queens Masters (April 17-19).
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This 2020 winter/spring season is turning into a real drag ... have to look elsewhere for fill-in diversions. Finished watching a great game on YouTube this AM, Pirates vs. Expos, 1970 ... next up is Rangers vs. the Horace Clarke Yankees, 1972 (radio only).
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Hit the local golf show this weekend ... scored a new pair of all-leather FJ shoes (2018 model) for $89.
My 10-year-old decrepit Adidas shoes have had it. I'll probably switch to my cheap back-up pair of Adidas shoes for spectating at tournaments.
For goofing around, I picked up this "pre-owned" Callaway museum piece for $35 + tax. It looks like the pic below, except mine has a Senior/Regular Ping shaft! The club is only 44" long, which might make it easy to hit. DRAW - yes, the face is slightly closed at address.
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Did some quick checking on motel prices for ShopRite/Acer ... for a Wed. night thru Fri. morning visit to my usual dump, it'll cost $10 more per night than usual. Are they serious? I'll wait a little bit, but it's a good location so I may have to bite the bullet. The KPMG has not posted info on shuttle parking yet, so I don't where I should be looking to crash. One logical choice for parking would be at the King of Prussia Mall north of the course with a Motel 6 nearby (and they are NOT cheap anymore). I've never done AirBnB ... a few less expensive options there, but I'm probably too old-fashioned to try it.
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Post by IceCat on Mar 8, 2020 6:07:59 GMT
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Post by IceCat on Mar 9, 2020 8:44:25 GMT
This is not good news for the year's first major in a few weeks: with just hours to go before qualifying was to start, the big tennis tournament at Indian Wells has been cancelled because there has been a local case of COVID-19.bnpparibasopen.com/coronavirus/Kevin
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Post by IceCat on Mar 10, 2020 6:38:21 GMT
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Post by legitimategolf on Mar 10, 2020 16:41:50 GMT
Indian Wells and Coachella are far bigger events than "the Inspiration". Then again, maybe that can work in its favor. I suspect it'd be easier for a golf tournament to proceed without spectators.
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Post by SoYeonFan on Mar 10, 2020 17:28:19 GMT
Indian Wells and Coachella are far bigger events than "the Inspiration". Then again, maybe that can work in its favor. I suspect it'd be easier for a golf tournament to proceed without spectators. If the ANA is going to cancel, they need to stop selling tickets. They have sold out in the Poppy Pavilion.
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Post by jumpcut on Mar 10, 2020 17:42:12 GMT
I wouldn't be surprised if the title sponsor, All Nippon Airways, is the driving force pushing for cancellation. It's useless to be running ads and promoting travel to Japan now. Plus the ANWA is still being held, according to the Augusta fossils. Last year the ANA ratings were down 40% because of that, so nobody will be watching anyway.
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Post by philknj on Mar 11, 2020 15:56:31 GMT
Yikes, the entire Palm Springs population equates to "pre-existing conditions". *********** news.golfdigest.co.jp/news/jlpga/article/117995/1/Per Bing translator, Japan implemented a two-week quarantine for anyone going there from China and Korea beginning March 9. The Korean regulars had to make a fast decision on going to Japan or not. It looks like Sky Kim wanted to get there but couldn't get a ticket, so she'll miss the T-Point/ENEOS on March 20-22 (which is still scheduled). I think Shin Ae Ahn is also stuck in Korea, however Min Young, Ji Hee Lee and Hee Kyeong Bae reached Japan in time. Chae Young Yoon has no training base in Japan so it looks like she's out, too.
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Post by HappyFan on Mar 12, 2020 16:38:06 GMT
The KLPGA has canceled the Lotte Rent-A-Car Open, the season opener, due to Corona.
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Post by SayYouSeRi on Mar 12, 2020 17:10:03 GMT
NBA had to cancel, sweaty people rubbing against each other for an hour. The Players maybe can get away with no fans. And it's worth doing it for the massive TV revenue.
But as someone who used to attend all 12 rounds of "Se Ri Season" (Founders, Kia, Kraft), i expect all three to be completely cancelled. You hear alot about Players vs Spectators, but most of of the Volunteers for those events are elderly or pushing elderly. Especially Palm Springs. Corona is a death sentence for those folks. I mean, The Founders themselves won't be able to attend The Founders.
And i expect The Masters to happen, hopefully without fans. Masters don't care. They are the most self important arrogant bunch on Earth.
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Post by SayYouSeRi on Mar 12, 2020 23:15:34 GMT
(sound of shoe dropping)
I'll say this... the LPGA used to have an event in Palm Springs area in September. The Samsung Invitation ( literally across the street from Se Ri's house, she would drive her golf cart there )
If they could successfully transplant the The Dinah to the Fall. That could be a blessing in disguise.
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