COVID-19/Coronavirus thread

[NWINFan]

12 hours ago, pcq said:

This is how some play the false equivalency card, pretend to be outraged by both then vote for Trump. It's an old saw with the other usual tricks. 

And Trumps says he has things under control when he doesn't.  Or that he walks with a swagger while the rest of the world laughs at him. The con game goes on, and so many still buy into it.

[bmags]

Very interesting study Being passed around but yet to be peer reviewed. And try as I may my HS German not good enough to read (though I think erkaltung means common cold?)

 

[caulfield12]

Residents in Connecticut, Massachusetts (GOP governor but essentially a blue state), New Jersey and New York have some of the highest tax bills in the nation. They also pay thousands more in federal taxes than their state receives back in federal funding.

In total, 10 states are so-called donor states, meaning they pay more in taxes to the federal government than they receive back in funding for, say, Medicaid or public education. North Dakota, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington, Nebraska and Colorado round out the list.

Among the top four, the negative balance ranges from $1,792 per capita in New York to a whopping $4,000 in Connecticut, according to a new report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Put another way, residents in Connecticut receive just 74 cents back for every $1 they pay in federal taxes. "What the report shows is, when you divide up the receipts, certain states win and certain states lose,” says Michelle Cummings, one of the report’s authors.

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/04/23/andrew-cuomo-mitch-mcconnell-blue-state-bailout-coronavirus-intv-cpt-vpx.cnn
 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/politics/mcconnell-trump-states-cities-budgets/index.html

Will Trump Fight McConnell To Get Help For the States?

[southsider2k5]

10 hours ago, YoYoIsMyHero said:

I still think the US should be funding WHO, but they are really doing a terrible job with this. The event they are designed to handle. The absence of leadership is really making this pandemic feel like something out of the middle ages.

We're lucky the mortality rate is as low as it is. For now.

If you expect instant answers, sure.  These are things that take time.  It takes testing and more testing, along with good information.  This is still in its active phase, and still largely anecdotal at this point.

[Two-Gun Pete]

10 hours ago, greg775 said:

I respect your post, but I said they were 2 horrific candidates last time, not just one. I'm not standing up for Trump. Caulfield ... what do you think of my theory that Hillary, Warren or Michelle will be the "savior" candidate at the convention with Biden conceding he has some Alz issues? This is a new world. We never thought we'd be locked down for months in our homes. I think I have made a correct prediction here.

Greg, I dont want to pick on you. But once again, you're full of shit.

First, I've worked with Alzheimers patients in a previous career. Biden does not have any of the behaviors of someone with Alzheimers. It is impossibly moronic on your part  to associate Biden with Alzheimers. It is also incredibly insensitive to families that have an Alzheimers sufferer in their family.

 

Second, Biden has been a gaffe machine. Partly because of his history with a stammer. We have had previous gaffe machines as president; Bush the younger comes immediately to mind. There is nothing about Bidens gaffes that are more alarming than  others who have held this office.

 

So, once again, I'm not picking on you greg. But, once again, you're completely talking out of your asshole, and you would be better to stfu on this.

[greg775]

2 hours ago, Two-Gun Pete said:

Greg, I dont want to pick on you. But once again, you're full of shit.

First, I've worked with Alzheimers patients in a previous career. Biden does not have any of the behaviors of someone with Alzheimers. It is impossibly moronic on your part  to associate Biden with Alzheimers. It is also incredibly insensitive to families that have an Alzheimers sufferer in their family.

 

Second, Biden has been a gaffe machine. Partly because of his history with a stammer. We have had previous gaffe machines as president; Bush the younger comes immediately to mind. There is nothing about Bidens gaffes that are more alarming than  others who have held this office.

 

So, once again, I'm not picking on you greg. But, once again, you're completely talking out of your asshole, and you would be better to stfu on this.

Thanks Pete. My mom had Alz. My grandfather had Alz. And I have a friend whose mom had Alz and he is convinced Joe has early stage Alz. That's neither here nor there though. I'm not the only one to suggest this. You do act as if I was the first to bring this up about Joe. Joe Rogan podcast has had full episodes about Joe having Alz. Do a google on the issue and you'll find stories. It's not me bringing this up.

I am heartened by what you wrote about Joe not having behaviors of anybody with Alz. I'll trust you on it and won't bring it up again unless there are developments in the media about this.

Edited April 26, 2020 by greg775

[pcq]

The wildcards for Nov are how many Dems will die off from CV-19 and how many Repubs from Clorox Colon Cleanser.

[caulfield12]

Nervous Republicans See Trump Sinking, and Taking Senate With Him
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nervous-republicans-see-trump-sinking-160008532.html

 

From the NY Times...and now we arrive at the primary reason for the ending of the coronavirus briefings.   That said, the whole grab women by the pu#$& Billy Bush video came out less than a month before the 2016 election, and there was premature celebration and even a sense of complacency setting in from that moment on, through the Comey email findings.  Beating any incumbent has never been easy, but the two most recent examples were both tied into economic declines or recessions (1980/1992).  

Edited April 26, 2020 by caulfield12

[bmags]

13k tests today, 2100 cases. 

[Ducksnort]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10157195712747335&id=548657334

Highly recommend watching the video in this article. It's an hour, but definitely worth it. 2 practicing doctors in California discussing their experience with the virus and the data they've collected from it.

[Balta1701]

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/05/04/seattles-leaders-let-scientists-take-the-lead-new-yorks-did-not 

[turnin' two]

3 hours ago, bmags said:

13k tests today, 2100 cases. 

I have been amazed at so many new cases every day, in light of social distancing.  

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-illinois-video-surfaces-allegedly-201842256.html

 

People are just idiots.  That's how it keeps up.

Edited April 26, 2020 by turnin' two

[StrangeSox]

IMO Trump should get the Nobel Prize for Journalism for his idea of injecting Lysol after they take it back from the fake news!

[Balta1701]

15 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

IMO Trump should get the Nobel Prize for Journalism for his idea of injecting Lysol after they take it back from the fake news!

Noble. The Noble prize. 

[caulfield12]

47 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

IMO Trump should get the Nobel Prize for Journalism for his idea of injecting Lysol after they take it back from the fake news!

At least the Nobel Prize for Economics boosting the sale of Lysol/Clorox...

 

Creating this new “Memorial Day we will largely have this behind us” talking point is curious because 1) the amount of deaths will be significantly higher than 60,000, 2) Trump spent only 4.5 minutes the last week eulogizing the dead and 3) any holiday highlighting deaths and cemeteries, probably not the best idea.

Before the states began reopening prematurely, I might have agreed with this vague, open-ended statement.  But not so much now.

Pretty scary that “we need a technology breakthrough in antigen testing” is Dr. Birx’s current strategy for feeling more confident that we can reopen the country.

 

Maybe a nuclear confrontation with the new/future leader of North Korea will do the trick of distractIng everyone?

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/25/us/coronavirus-trump-chloroquine-hydroxychloroquine.html
Prescriptions surged by 46 times normal demand for hydroxychloroquine...for those who continue to believe the President’s words don’t have real-life consequences.

 

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/millennials-are-new-lost-generation/609832/
 

What little data exist point to a financial tsunami for younger workers. In a new report, Data for Progress found that a staggering 52 percent of people under the age of 45 have lost a job, been put on leave, or had their hours reduced due to the pandemic, compared with 26 percent of people over the age of 45. Nearly half said that the cash payments the federal government is sending to lower- and middle-income individuals would cover just a week or two of expenses, compared with a third of older adults. This means skipped meals, scuppered start-ups, and lost homes. It means Great Depression–type precarity for prime-age workers in the richest country on earth.

 

For Millennials out there, how do you think this current pandemic is going to change your outlook on life, having experienced this twice now in the last 12 years?   Besides saving more, investing earlier, paying for everything in cash or at least not running balances on credit cards, rethinking the value of many four year degree programs or graduate school...staying closer to home, attending community college or state schools, more focus practical trades that will be in continuous demand and cant easily be replaced by AI/automation/algorithms...?    Less travel/tourism?   No longer buying or leasing expensive new/er cars?   Eating at home more frequently...more cooking together, time spent with family?   More reading and introspection?

Edited April 27, 2020 by caulfield12

[greg775]

7 hours ago, turnin' two said:

I have been amazed at so many new cases every day, in light of social distancing.  

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-illinois-video-surfaces-allegedly-201842256.html

 

People are just idiots.  That's how it keeps up.

Not idiots. How come mental health just two months ago was a huge deal, something we cared about 24/7. Making sure no students were triggered ever; making sure all groups of people like transgenders were taken care of mentally considering the large amounts of suicides. Making sure kids were not bullied. Making sure people were protected at political rallies. Now that we have corona ... it's no concern about mental health. There's the order: STAY INSIDE!!! WEAR MASKS (even though none are available in Kansas). Guess what? Some people need to leave their homes for mental health reasons. And some have to work where there are people LEST THEIR KIDS STARVE. So don't group all people as idiots. I have to get out of my house or I will have mental health problems! But that suddenly doesn't matter? Suck it up they say. You can't go from one stance to another so drastically in 2 months. Mental health matters and economic health matters and some peeps have to leave their homes occasionally. They are not all idiots.

[caulfield12]

Playing these same numbers out for the United States following a similar strategy (see below) as the UK would yield rough 475,000 deaths.   

(Greg, I haven’t gone outside once since January 20th or 21st, haven’t cut my hair once, haven’t had Starbucks once...just curious, why do you feel that are you facing mental health problems that are especially acute or unique?  I could even argue that I’m even in a certain amount of pain waiting to have a dental crown put on after having gone 4 months since the original series of root canal treatments... )
 

The UK could experience more than 100,000 coronavirus deaths later this year if the government eases restrictions to focus on just protecting those most at risk, according to one of the country’s leading epidemiologists.

Neil Ferguson is one of the scientists who has been advising the government in its response to the pandemic.

"The people most at risk of death are in care homes or have other health conditions," Ferguson said in an interview with the 'Unherd' website.

"I am very sceptical (skeptical) we can get to the level of shielding which would make that a viable strategy,” he said, referring to the idea of easing restrictions for most people and focusing government efforts on those most at risk.
"If you just achieve 80 percent shielding -- 80 percent reduction in infection risk in those groups – we still project you’d get well over 100,000 deaths later this year."

www.cnn.com

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by caulfield12

[hogan873]

4 hours ago, greg775 said:

Not idiots. How come mental health just two months ago was a huge deal, something we cared about 24/7. Making sure no students were triggered ever; making sure all groups of people like transgenders were taken care of mentally considering the large amounts of suicides. Making sure kids were not bullied. Making sure people were protected at political rallies. Now that we have corona ... it's no concern about mental health. There's the order: STAY INSIDE!!! WEAR MASKS (even though none are available in Kansas). Guess what? Some people need to leave their homes for mental health reasons. And some have to work where there are people LEST THEIR KIDS STARVE. So don't group all people as idiots. I have to get out of my house or I will have mental health problems! But that suddenly doesn't matter? Suck it up they say. You can't go from one stance to another so drastically in 2 months. Mental health matters and economic health matters and some peeps have to leave their homes occasionally. They are not all idiots.

Dude, these people are idiots.  If people want to leave their house for "mental health reasons", they can go for a walk, ride a bike, go for a jog.  We're all in the same situation, and the majority of folks are making the right decisions and staying home.  If they're going to the store, they're taking precautions.  They're not going to a fucking house party with a hundred other people.

[The Beast]

6 hours ago, hogan873 said:

Dude, these people are idiots.  If people want to leave their house for "mental health reasons", they can go for a walk, ride a bike, go for a jog.  We're all in the same situation, and the majority of folks are making the right decisions and staying home.  If they're going to the store, they're taking precautions.  They're not going to a fucking house party with a hundred other people.

Exactly, Greg fails to mention what he can do for his mental health. If a stay at home order is in place, go for a walk, ride a bike or go for a run. Take precautions when going to a store. Don’t go to a party, a service or a gathering when there’s a lockdown. Use Zoom or a phone to stay in touch with others. The people protesting (and are violating the number of people in an area or aren’t social distancing) or going to large gatherings right now are idiots.

Edited April 27, 2020 by The Beast

[The Beast]

12 hours ago, caulfield12 said:https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/millennials-are-new-lost-generation/609832/
 

What little data exist point to a financial tsunami for younger workers. In a new report, Data for Progress found that a staggering 52 percent of people under the age of 45 have lost a job, been put on leave, or had their hours reduced due to the pandemic, compared with 26 percent of people over the age of 45. Nearly half said that the cash payments the federal government is sending to lower- and middle-income individuals would cover just a week or two of expenses, compared with a third of older adults. This means skipped meals, scuppered start-ups, and lost homes. It means Great Depression–type precarity for prime-age workers in the richest country on earth.

 

For Millennials out there, how do you think this current pandemic is going to change your outlook on life, having experienced this twice now in the last 12 years?   Besides saving more, investing earlier, paying for everything in cash or at least not running balances on credit cards, rethinking the value of many four year degree programs or graduate school...staying closer to home, attending community college or state schools, more focus practical trades that will be in continuous demand and cant easily be replaced by AI/automation/algorithms...?    Less travel/tourism?   No longer buying or leasing expensive new/er cars?   Eating at home more frequently...more cooking together, time spent with family?   More reading and introspection?

So far, my job hasn’t been impacted, but I have seen those in health care professions have to take a temporary pay cut and a 401(k) match slash.

I am currently finishing a master’s degree and was planning on leaving my employer unless a job became available at the company. I have to stay until the end of July so I don’t owe them anything and I’m in my last grad class now. My wife and I save quite a bit and probably don’t spend like most millennials do. We cook at home every day of the week except for Saturday so we can contribute something to local businesses.

I would say that automation and AI could potentially put people out of work, but I think that those will more likely serve as tools to the workforce to make jobs easier. I definitely would like to go back to school when my kid(s) are grown for something in demand, but it’s difficult to know what will be in demand many years from now. I’ll definitely try to place an emphasis on my kids majoring in an actual position instead of something general, but even then not everyone has the skills to get into STEM careers and jobs should fit people well.

[caulfield12]

4 minutes ago, The Beast said:

So far, my job hasn’t been impacted, but I have seen those in health care professions have to take a temporary pay cut and a 401(k) match slash.

I am currently finishing a master’s degree and was planning on leaving my employer unless a job became available at the company. I have to stay until the end of July so I don’t owe them anything and I’m in my last grad class now. My wife and I save quite a bit and probably don’t spend like most millennials do. We cook at home every day of the week except for Saturday so we can contribute something to local businesses.

I would say that automation and AI could potentially put people out of work, but I think that those will more likely serve as tools to the workforce to make jobs easier. I definitely would like to go back to school when my kid(s) are grown for something in demand, but it’s difficult to know what will be in demand many years from now. I’ll definitely try to place an emphasis on my kids majoring in an actual position instead of something general, but even then not everyone has the skills to get into STEM careers and jobs should fit people well.

Right.

It’s all about value-added skills.  Coding, quantitative and data analysis, AR, VR, algorithms, cloud computing, IOT, there are all more specialized, white collar positions.

The other side of that coin is the challenge for the top 1/3rd of blue collar workers to upgrade their skills before age 50 or so in a way that they become invaluable somehow to their companies.

When we have this discussion in class...it’s more about setting parameters that will allow a program to create 1,000 designs in a second, then the architect essentially using their human instincts to choose from the best options, taking into consideration both aesthetics and functionality while creatively developing improvements on the original base design.   Collaboration and cooperation vs. competition.  
 

Kai Fu Lee has an excellent 15 min. TED Talk as well as recent book on this subject that combines the best of American and Chinese approaches in this emerging field (he started his career in the US at Apple, Silicon Graphics and MSFT).

All the middle and high schools here in China are adding AI components to the curriculum these next two years...

 

 

 

[bmags]

The hospital in Austin off 290 just opened up a drive thru testing facility and stressed that you don’t need symptoms to make an apt. Feels like we are finally closer to where we need to be.

[Harry Chappas]

22 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Residents in Connecticut, Massachusetts (GOP governor but essentially a blue state), New Jersey and New York have some of the highest tax bills in the nation. They also pay thousands more in federal taxes than their state receives back in federal funding.

In total, 10 states are so-called donor states, meaning they pay more in taxes to the federal government than they receive back in funding for, say, Medicaid or public education. North Dakota, Illinois, New Hampshire, Washington, Nebraska and Colorado round out the list.

Among the top four, the negative balance ranges from $1,792 per capita in New York to a whopping $4,000 in Connecticut, according to a new report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. Put another way, residents in Connecticut receive just 74 cents back for every $1 they pay in federal taxes. "What the report shows is, when you divide up the receipts, certain states win and certain states lose,” says Michelle Cummings, one of the report’s authors.

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/04/23/andrew-cuomo-mitch-mcconnell-blue-state-bailout-coronavirus-intv-cpt-vpx.cnn
 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/politics/mcconnell-trump-states-cities-budgets/index.html

Will Trump Fight McConnell To Get Help For the States?

Go look at the states that receive a positive balance and then look at those states that want the government out of their lives.  It has always amazed me.

Edited April 27, 2020 by Harry Chappas

[RegionSox]

1 hour ago, The Beast said:

So far, my job hasn’t been impacted, but I have seen those in health care professions have to take a temporary pay cut and a 401(k) match slash.

I am currently finishing a master’s degree and was planning on leaving my employer unless a job became available at the company. I have to stay until the end of July so I don’t owe them anything and I’m in my last grad class now. My wife and I save quite a bit and probably don’t spend like most millennials do. We cook at home every day of the week except for Saturday so we can contribute something to local businesses.

I would say that automation and AI could potentially put people out of work, but I think that those will more likely serve as tools to the workforce to make jobs easier. I definitely would like to go back to school when my kid(s) are grown for something in demand, but it’s difficult to know what will be in demand many years from now. I’ll definitely try to place an emphasis on my kids majoring in an actual position instead of something general, but even then not everyone has the skills to get into STEM careers and jobs should fit people well.

I work in healthcare for a pretty large company.    So far, they have announced that there will be no raises or bonuses this year and suspended the 401k match until January.    They said they made do some furloughs at some point but are not planning on doing many layoffs.