"In the former French Concession neighborhood of Shanghai, some of the traders who handle masks gather several nights a week at a Western bar that specializes in grilled-cheese sandwiches."<p>It feels like we're living in a cyberpunk movie.
I find it very suspicious that all those art dealers and bankers etc. are suddenly "trying to help hospitals" instead of doing their former job. I Call BS. They are shady characters that try to make money on a crisis and every single one of them should be punished. Sadly in an ultra-capitalist system these people will float to the top rather quickly instead of sinking to the bottom as they deserve. If these dealers did not exist there would be way less problems in ordering respirators and masks in my opinion. I also find it extremely distasteful that so many countries including the US try to outbid, out-maneuver and out-threaten others to get more masks.<p>A crisis really does show the real character of people and nations.