COVID-19/Coronavirus thread

[StrangeSox]

1 hour ago, bmags said:

I mean I'm not sure it matters. Fox news is going to play it up, soon it will be 55/45 for and against, and more will die/lose money than if these people didn't do it. OTOH it will piss off liberals.

Fox News will play it up as will other conservative outlets. Mainstream media amplifying it as a real 'thing' will only make matters worse. 

More on how this is really the work of a small number of conservative political activists rather than economically anxious people just worried about their rent coming due at the end of the month.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/conservative-activist-family-behind-grassroots-anti-quarantine-facebook-events-n1188021

Quote

Protests against state stay-at-home orders have attracted a wide range of fringe activists and ardent Trump supporters. They have also attracted a family of political activists that some Republicans lawmakers have called "scam artists."

A family-run network of pro-gun groups is behind five of the largest Facebook groups dedicated to protesting the shelter-in-place restrictions, according to an NBC News analysis of Facebook groups and website registration information.

 

The groups were set up by four brothers — Chris, Ben, Aaron and Matthew Dorr — and have amassed more than 200,000 members collectively, including in states where they don’t reside, according to an NBC News analysis based on public records searches and Facebook group registrations.

The Dorr brothers are known in conservative circles for running pro-gun and anti-abortion Facebook groups that bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually by antagonizing establishment conservative leaders and activists.

 

 

the libs will definitely be owned either way, though.

[mqr]

4 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

More on how this is really the work of a small number of conservative political activists rather than economically anxious people just worried about their rent coming due at the end of the month.

Notice how every interview is something along the lines of 'I should be able to buy such and such' and not 'I want to go back to my job where I interact with hundreds of people a day'

[caulfield12]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/20/politics/wild-west-masks-thermometers-tests/index.html
Lost in all this is how will businesses gear up for reopening without many of these same essential supplies everyone in the world is pursuing at precisely the same moment.  

On the hospital side, seems the blowback on PPE shortages in the UK with the NHS overpromising and underdelivering is even worse than in the US.  Hospitals now taking the position they don’t want to hear anything about supplies until they’re actually delivered and in hand.

 

Also, simply can’t wait for Trump to spin how abundant cheap gas is such an amazing/wonderful/beautiful thing for those budding Patrick Henry’s of state liberty out and about...

Edited April 20, 2020 by caulfield12

[bmags]

Was somewhat excited, confirmed cases drops again today. testing drops to 5k...so confirmed % increases.

Confirmed cases was 1,151, down from 1,197. Obviously a few days removed from Thursday. On Apr 5th we had 899 cases reported. Today would be the 4th lowest day since then. So would love to see us fall below 1100 tomorrow and soon below 1k.

[caulfield12]

5 minutes ago, bmags said:

Was somewhat excited, confirmed cases drops again today. testing drops to 5k...so confirmed % increases.

Confirmed cases was 1,151, down from 1,197. Obviously a few days removed from Thursday. On Apr 5th we had 899 cases reported. Today would be the 4th lowest day since then. So would love to see us fall below 1100 tomorrow and soon below 1k.

Otoh, we’re also 7-10 days away from having DOUBLE the number of deaths as the #2 country in the world, likely to still be Italy at that time.

Now we can easily compare the populations of the US, Italy and Spain and look at this on a per capita basis...but the argument currently being made for “best testing” can certainly be turned on its head for far and away the highest death count (and potentially still climbing back up again, especially with recent developments.)   Even bringing it up as a reporter might be declared unpatriotic in a week or two as pressure continues to mount on the economy (and re-election odds) as we enter the first two weeks of May.

It’s also not a terribly convincing (or empathetic) approach to “spin” death rates in the most positive fashion...for now, it seems to be the one topic that’s just being conveniently brushed aside with all the political diversionary tactics.  

[southsider2k5]

3 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:

Otoh, we’re also 7-10 days away from having DOUBLE the number of deaths as the #2 country in the world, likely to still be Italy at that time.

Now we can easily compare the populations of the US, Italy and Spain and look at this on a per capita basis...but the argument currently being made for “best testing” can certainly be turned on its head for far and away the highest death count (and potentially still climbing back up again, especially with recent developments.)   Even bringing it up as a reporter might be declared unpatriotic in a week or two as pressure continues to mount on the economy (and re-election odds) as we enter the first two weeks of May.

It’s also not a terribly convincing (or empathetic) approach to “spin” death rates in the most positive fashion...for now, it seems to be the one topic that’s just being conveniently brushed aside with all the political diversionary tactics.  

Best testing is also turned upside down if you look at test per capita.  We are currently 41st in the world in Per Capita testing, trailing all of the typically mentioned European countries that get talked about such as Italy and Spain, plus others.

[Dick Allen]

1 hour ago, mqr said:

Notice how every interview is something along the lines of 'I should be able to buy such and such' and not 'I want to go back to my job where I interact with hundreds of people a day'

It also depends what you are doing. Restaurants and bars, probably the hardest hit industry won’t be hiring everyone back. It’s going to be a while before they will need what they had before. Most people will still be leary of going back, and many who don’t seem to have a problem with actually blowing off social distancing etc. aren’t exactly the group you see dining out a few times a week. An outbreak because of an early restart will set this back even further. 

[default]

2 hours ago, Tony said:

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Totally, man. Empathy is key.........

Oh Tony!  I do own those statements.  And I can absolutely understand why you would spend all that valuable time of yours finding them to accomplish nothing more than making someone on the internet look like a hypocrite.  I get it man.  Even though I don’t necessarily agree with it.  Internet-message-board-moderator-brothers FOR LIFE, right?  

Oh BTW— How’s your glass house lookin’ Tony?  Photos please. 

Edited April 20, 2020 by default

[NorthSideSox72]

Just saw the governor of Tennessee plans to lift their stay-at-home order as soon as April 27th, a week from today. And not just lift the order, but him saying the great majority of businesses should open. No partial re-open, no phases, just put it back almost full blast.

Meanwhile, Tennessee's daily new case numbers haven't diminished at all. No bend in the curve yet. I'm sure that is going to go well for them.

 

[Dick Allen]

6 minutes ago, default said:

Oh Tony!  I do own those statements.  And I can absolutely understand why you would spend all that valuable time of yours finding them to accomplish nothing more than making someone on the internet look like a hypocrite.  I get it man.  Even though I don’t necessarily agree with it.  Internet-message-board-moderator-brothers FOR LIFE, right?  

Oh BTW— How’s your glass house lookin’ Tony?  Photos please. 

I have had it out with Tony myself, but you must admit you aren’t showing much empathy right now. Maybe Tony would bring out his best if you did.

[mqr]

1 minute ago, NorthSideSox72 said:

Just saw the governor of Tennessee plans to lift their stay-at-home order as soon as April 27th, a week from today. And not just lift the order, but him saying the great majority of businesses should open. No partial re-open, no phases, just put it back almost full blast.

Meanwhile, Tennessee's daily new case numbers haven't diminished at all. No bend in the curve yet. I'm sure that is going to go well for them.

 

I get wanting to restart, I really do. I want to as well but I have yet to see one person cry for the country to reopen provide a HOW. What is the plan?

This just proves that they don't have one. 

[default]

20 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I have had it out with Tony myself, but you must admit you aren’t showing much empathy right now. Maybe Tony would bring out his best if you did.

Hmmmm... he could I suppose.  But that wouldn’t fit into their narratives very nicely.

I banter with ss2k5 yesterday then Quinny enters and says enough so we both stop.  I make one post today giving props to a dude who made a fantastic post.  Minutes later, Tony comes in and derails the thread again with a bunch shaming by pointing how how hypocritical I am.  

Yeah, those guys are the model of integrity... no hypocrisy there.  

The irony is that the first post of mine that he quoted was my response to a couple moderators of this message board heckling a certain poster.  But context doesn’t matter..

Edited April 20, 2020 by default

[Dick Allen]

I will not be going anywhere near Tennessee the next couple of years.

[StrangeSox]

27 minutes ago, NorthSideSox72 said:

Just saw the governor of Tennessee plans to lift their stay-at-home order as soon as April 27th, a week from today. And not just lift the order, but him saying the great majority of businesses should open. No partial re-open, no phases, just put it back almost full blast.

Meanwhile, Tennessee's daily new case numbers haven't diminished at all. No bend in the curve yet. I'm sure that is going to go well for them.

 

Not just for them but for everyone where infected Tennesseans may travel.

 

21 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

I will not be going anywhere near Tennessee the next couple of years.

My biggest project for work for the next two years is there lol @ me

[NorthSideSox72]

2 minutes ago, mqr said:

I get wanting to restart, I really do. I want to as well but I have yet to see one person cry for the country to reopen provide a HOW. What is the plan?

This just proves that they don't have one. 

I mean, there is a HOW. At a high level, everyone in the medical community and most governments have the same formula, with just a few subtle differences. It's that these people don't LIKE the plan, so they are willing to kill loads of people for their convenience. And they convince themselves of absurd conspiracy theories to justify it in their own minds.

 

[default]

25 minutes ago, Tony said:

The difference is I didn’t get on my soap box and try and lecture the board on showing empathy. I have zero problem with calling people on their shit when it’s deserved. You probably felt the same way when you made all those posts. That’s fine. But then don’t play White Knight later and try and look like a saint....I call bullshit. 

There is no difference.  This is your interpretation of my actions based on your own narratives.  You’ve decided you don’t like me and whatever you do from here on out will be filtered though that lens.  
I can see you pride yourself on calling other people’s bullshit.  I’m not much different.  But because of that, I’m not allowed to spread a positive message?? Ok.

Edited April 20, 2020 by default

[pcq]

Just now, turnin' two said:

Yeah, definitely true.  

That woman was just trying to liberate her state and keep the foreigners at bay. She has Federal approval. 

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

I will not be going anywhere near Tennessee the next couple of years.

On the positive side, they don’t have an MLB franchise.

But the South shall rise again!   Kentucky, Maryland, West Virginia are becoming true border states once again.  If it wasn’t for those pesky voters in VA and NC, Jefferson Davis’ entire Confederacy would be back in the game 150+ years later.

(And John Danks/country music might need to temporarily relocate.  Btw, which SoxTalk poster was jokingly threatening to move to Nashville a couple of years ago if the Sox continued to struggle?)

 

Edited April 20, 2020 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

If Facebook starts blocking all posts referencing protests against social distancing or government guidelines, there will be another Civil War...it’s only going to serve to bring more attention to these fringe groups.

And now Georgia is pretty much opening up a large part of the state on Friday.  Opening hair salons and body artist/tattoo parlors?  Gyms and bowling alleys?   Massage therapists?  How do those places maintain social distancing?  WHAT?  They’re nowhere near meeting Trump’s own guidelines...”my rights are not from the government!” said one protestor’s sign.

Theatres and restaurants in Georgia on April 27th....this Monday.    Of course, this is the same governor (Kemp) who three weeks ago admitted he just learned that there was such a thing as asymptomatic transmission.

South Carolina is opening up retail stores tonight at 20% capacity TONIGHT.

In order to get the same number of NYC flu deaths as they’re currently experiencing, EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the entire city would need to have the flu to get the same number of deaths.

But you know things are bad when former Bush WH medical officers are saying “it’s a dereliction of duty” and “reckless” for Georgia, S.C., Texas, Florida and Tennessee to open up.

 

PS:  Starting a public war with the head of the Republican governors, Larry Hogan of MD...who had to go out of his way to secure 500,000 tests/PPE supplies from South Korea THIS WEEK because the Federal government can’t help...simply won’t end well.   His current approval ratings almost double Trump’s.

Even Ricketts (NE) and Noem (SD) are complaining about a lack of supplies (reagents and swabs) to actually read the tests, but we should congratulate the government for getting kits out there?   DeWine, Baker and the Indiana governor joined with Democratic governor coalitions... 

Edited April 21, 2020 by caulfield12

[The Beast]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/podcasts/the-daily/coronavirus-how-long-lockdowns.html
 

I heard this interview today. It’s relatively short and was interesting, if not depressing if true.

[caulfield12]

“I don’t give a damn about politics now," (Brian) Kemp said. The (Georgia) governor said he was concerned about residents "going broke worried about whether they can feed their children and make the mortgage payment.”

latimes.com

There’s one obvious problem here.  How many of these families are going to be able to survive at even 40-60% of previous business capacity?  There aren’t many that instantaneously leap to mind.   Definitely not restaurants.   Gun shops, I guess.  Home repair/improvement stores.

Even in the South, there’s going to be at least 40-50% who won’t be going out to movies, theatres and shopping malls.

There’s X amount of cost involved in reopening...plus, you’re putting employees at risk or in uncomfortable positions choosing between job, health, family, unemployment benefits.

It’s fine for small family-owned businesses if they want to risk their lives, or sole/single proprietorships.

What will be next?   Protesting their neighbors who aren’t confident enough to go out and spend?

 

If it was really that safe, the President or VP should confidently be able to attend a public grand opening if he believes so strongly in his convictions.

The fact of the matter is there are still 1500-2000 deaths per day nationally.  Which, for obvious reasons, the administration doesn’t want to talk about except in vague or generic terms, afraid to put a human face on all the suffering.

We’re not anywhere close to 100 or less deaths per day nationally...and most scientists’ recommendations were for under 50 or 60 in the entire country to consider opening up everywhere.

We had 3 deaths in 14 days before Wuhan was reopened, and that was at 30% (only essential workers back) the last 3+ weeks.  It won’t be until this Monday (April 27th) that the majority of workers are back.

That’s THREE full months.  Not just 4-5 weeks, or even 6.   This whole thing isn’t halfway over...remember, the Wuhan virus was concentrated in ONE province about 1/3rd the size of California.

The US is dealing with significant problems in 30-35 states...and those other 15-20 are likely to flare up or are simply being under tested or not tested at all due to lack of access to test kits, swabs and chemical reagents.

 

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by caulfield12

[Kyyle23]

What in the what

[StrangeSox]

Dr. Robert Murphy, the infectious disease expert WGN has on regularly to answer questions, predicts Illinois will be able to open back up around May 25th based on a number of models. This does assume some amount is testing being ramped up.

 

 

He was... skeptical about various southern states' plans to reopen this week or next.

[StrangeSox]

22 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

What in the what

[caulfield12]

I’ve had great “ratings” my whole life, there’s nothing unusual about that for me. The White House News Conference ratings are “through the roof”(Monday Night Football, Bachelor Finale , @nytimes) but I don’t care about that. I care about going around the Fake News to the PEOPLE!

It is amazing that I became President of the United States with such a totally corrupt and dishonest Lamestream Media going after me all day, and all night. Either I’m really good, far better than the Fake News wants to admit, or they don’t have nearly the power as once thought!

96% Approval Rating in the Republican Party. Thank you! This must also mean that, most importantly, we are doing a good (great) job in the handling of the Pandemic.

 

It’s nice to know he has nothing better to do than watch Morning Joe at 6 a.m. and vent on Twitter.  Congratulating yourself when there’s a 9/11, Pearl Harbor or Civil War battle’s worth of American deaths sticking out daily, like a sore thumb in the midst of our previously shared sacrifice.

I’m starting to think Governor Kemp might be even more oblivious to the steadily rising numbers in his own state and a frightening cluster in Albany, not to mention not even consulting with the Atlanta and Savannah mayors.

To even think of putting a reality t.v. show like The Bachelor in the same sentence with the worst global crisis in 75 years pretty much says it all.

Despite those approval numbers (not sure where they came from, probably Fox News), 59% of Republicans also argue that opening up the country before mid-May in most states is premature.   But, hey, at least we’re stopping all those violence-prone Mexicans and Central Americans from bringing that invisible plague into our great country!

Our new press secretary already making us proud!

 

Edited April 21, 2020 by caulfield12