COVID-19/Coronavirus thread

[caulfield12]

32 minutes ago, Jerksticks said:

You guys have any experience applying data science to construction companies?    
 

Currently we use a pretty comprehensive software that manages the whole process from sales, estimating, job costing and finally reporting.  
 

So we can see general job margins and margins associated with specific tasks which has been eye-opening to say the least.  
 

Just feel like this is the tip of the iceberg of what we could be doing.  Data is everything. Data is dollars.  You should be called Money Doctors.  Do you just cut deals with companies all day and say, “I get to keep 25% of the money I save you, for 24 months.  Deal?”

It’s basically the same thing in baseball, with 30-something free agents (except for pitchers, especially lefties) getting pushed out of the game 3-5 years earlier than they used to.  Or radical shifting and endless pitching changes...but just because the game is more purely efficient in terms of statistical outcomes, the product quality has actually decreased markedly.

Leaving aside the world of sports, where are the incentives in this type of system for investing in design, innovation and creativity?

Simply extracting the most value out of any transaction gives you an entire world of Wal-Marts and Amazons that function as near-monopolies and serve to stifle competition.  In this type of environment, the bottom 80% of a society will cease to thrive.  As more money shifts from the hands of the labor class, who are going to the markets and reliable buyers of the future?  

Eventually, you end up with a world where the opposite trends take hold, where competition is largely eliminated and producers, not consumers, set prices.   And only a certain number of people can pay for products and services that used to be affordable to the majority.

That’s where even completely decoupling from China, how are you going to limit production costs of the future?  You’re looking at an almost completely automated society driven by AI and almost completely invulnerable to a health care crisis.  No more driving careers as autonomous vehicles take over.  No more assembly line workers.  Almost no more blue collar workers left at all, except for certain niche areas that are more dependent on art/creative skills.

It’s a wonderful future for those value added profit extractors who work in fields like a actuarial science and aren’t themselves wiped out by apps and algorithms, but doesn’t bode well for the rest of society.   The entire developing world is pretty much going to be consigned to a perpetual gerbil wheel existence, frozen between 3rd world and 1st status.

[ron883]

5 hours ago, Jerksticks said:

You guys have any experience applying data science to construction companies?    
 

Currently we use a pretty comprehensive software that manages the whole process from sales, estimating, job costing and finally reporting.  
 

So we can see general job margins and margins associated with specific tasks which has been eye-opening to say the least.  
 

Just feel like this is the tip of the iceberg of what we could be doing.  Data is everything. Data is dollars.  You should be called Money Doctors.  Do you just cut deals with companies all day and say, “I get to keep 25% of the money I save you, for 24 months.  Deal?”

Which software are you using?

[Jerksticks]

4 hours ago, Yearnin' for Yermin said:

Which software are you using?

Buildertrend.  It’s kinda cool because people find our company on Yelp a lot (which provides its own level of data), the Yelp links them to the website form which inputs directly into the sales section of Buildertrend.  
 

So before we even talk to somebody we know that, for example, a man in his 40s (Yelp) who lives at so-and-so address is interested in X project (the form).  

[NorthSideSox72]

After some consideration with the wife, we aren't going on that trip to Utah I mentioned earlier. I think we could do a lot to mitigate some of the risks, but the reality is the plane ride is just too much, plus we have no idea how crowded certain places will be and won't have a lot of choices if they are.

Probably going to rent a house or cabin on the water for that week instead (probably Wisconsin or Michigan), stay mostly in the house except going out to canoe, fish, swim, hike, bike, etc. Get groceries, pick up food, maybe eat out just a few times when it's outside dining. Way less risk, still a week of fun for the kiddies and some time to relax. Also likely a much cheaper trip, so bonus there.

Still really want to do Zion, Bryce, etc., they will just have to wait.

[Kyyle23]

4 minutes ago, NorthSideSox72 said:

After some consideration with the wife, we aren't going on that trip to Utah I mentioned earlier. I think we could do a lot to mitigate some of the risks, but the reality is the plane ride is just too much, plus we have no idea how crowded certain places will be and won't have a lot of choices if they are.

Probably going to rent a house or cabin on the water for that week instead (probably Wisconsin or Michigan), stay mostly in the house except going out to canoe, fish, swim, hike, bike, etc. Get groceries, pick up food, maybe eat out just a few times when it's outside dining. Way less risk, still a week of fun for the kiddies and some time to relax. Also likely a much cheaper trip, so bonus there.

Still really want to do Zion, Bryce, etc., they will just have to wait.

Disappointing for sure, but smart.

[ron883]

Wasn't able to sleep most of the night due to being 100% congested in my nose, and also congested in my chest with a cough. Sounds more like a sinus infection, but I intend on getting tested today or tomorrow. 

[StrangeSox]

 

[southsider2k5]

3 hours ago, NorthSideSox72 said:

After some consideration with the wife, we aren't going on that trip to Utah I mentioned earlier. I think we could do a lot to mitigate some of the risks, but the reality is the plane ride is just too much, plus we have no idea how crowded certain places will be and won't have a lot of choices if they are.

Probably going to rent a house or cabin on the water for that week instead (probably Wisconsin or Michigan), stay mostly in the house except going out to canoe, fish, swim, hike, bike, etc. Get groceries, pick up food, maybe eat out just a few times when it's outside dining. Way less risk, still a week of fun for the kiddies and some time to relax. Also likely a much cheaper trip, so bonus there.

Still really want to do Zion, Bryce, etc., they will just have to wait.

For the record, rentals on this side of the lake are crazy expensive, if you can find them at all.

[southsider2k5]

2 hours ago, Yearnin' for Yermin said:

Wasn't able to sleep most of the night due to being 100% congested in my nose, and also congested in my chest with a cough. Sounds more like a sinus infection, but I intend on getting tested today or tomorrow. 

I hate to say "good" but COVID has typicially shown with a dry cough, and not a snotty one.

[Jack Parkman]

2 hours ago, Yearnin' for Yermin said:

Wasn't able to sleep most of the night due to being 100% congested in my nose, and also congested in my chest with a cough. Sounds more like a sinus infection, but I intend on getting tested today or tomorrow. 

You're probably fine. 

I'm 99% sure I had covid in March and one of the symptoms I had was abnormally clear and itchy sinuses.  I usually have horrible seasonal allergies and I have had none this year. I have had minimal to no snot in my nose since I got sick, along with loss of smell and taste. I lost taste for 8 weeks and my smell still isn't normal, was gone completely for 12 weeks. 

Also, do you go into raging coughing fits when you're eating or drinking? That's the first thing that happened to me. 

I was unable to get tested due to age+lack of availability of tests at the time I was sick. 

Edited July 2, 2020 by Jack Parkman

[Soxbadger]

Chicago is planning to force people from risk states to quarantine.

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Soxbadger said:

Chicago is planning to force people from risk states to quarantine.

The order is set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday and remain in effect until further notice.

States included in the order are: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah.
 

Beijing is going to 28 day quarantine periods in selected situations, fwiw.

[Balta1701]

13 hours ago, NorthSideSox72 said:

After some consideration with the wife, we aren't going on that trip to Utah I mentioned earlier. I think we could do a lot to mitigate some of the risks, but the reality is the plane ride is just too much, plus we have no idea how crowded certain places will be and won't have a lot of choices if they are.

Probably going to rent a house or cabin on the water for that week instead (probably Wisconsin or Michigan), stay mostly in the house except going out to canoe, fish, swim, hike, bike, etc. Get groceries, pick up food, maybe eat out just a few times when it's outside dining. Way less risk, still a week of fun for the kiddies and some time to relax. Also likely a much cheaper trip, so bonus there.

Still really want to do Zion, Bryce, etc., they will just have to wait.

Looks like I wasn’t wrong on the possibility of mandatory travel quarantines.

[caulfield12]

The US, Brazil and others (India/Russia) lifted lockdowns early. These charts show just how deadly that decision was

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/03/health/coronavirus-lockdown-lifting-deadly-charts-intl/index.html

[ScootsMcGoots]

I apologize if this has already been discussed (I've not been following this thread regularly and I don't want to search through hundreds of pages of posts), but has anyone here actually tested positive? If so, what was your experience?

If this has already been discussed at length, feel free to direct me to the general page. Thank you!

[The Beast]

11 hours ago, Soxbadger said:

Chicago is planning to force people from risk states to quarantine.

And yet southern Illinois is fighting back against the governor’s order. I bet masks aren’t being worn well down south.

[Balta1701]

5 hours ago, ScooterMcGee said:

I apologize if this has already been discussed (I've not been following this thread regularly and I don't want to search through hundreds of pages of posts), but has anyone here actually tested positive? If so, what was your experience?

If this has already been discussed at length, feel free to direct me to the general page. Thank you!

We have people at this site who have but I’m not sure if they said so in this thread, I’ll say that much so that if no one else replies that bit is shared. Will leave it to them to decide whether to tag in.

[NorthSideSox72]

20 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

For the record, rentals on this side of the lake are crazy expensive, if you can find them at all.

Yeah I was thinking more small lake, not necessarily on Lake Michigan. I am seeing a number of little places on AirBnB that seem good, on the water, in Wisco and Michigan. Prices are similar to or less than the hotel per-night costs from what would have been our Utah trip, and we get an entire house.

10 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Looks like I wasn’t wrong on the possibility of mandatory travel quarantines.

Yes that was another possible risk, and sure enough Utah and Nevada are on Chicago's list. That said we don't live in the city. Still though, it tells you something. And I am much less concerned about that if we are in our own car just a few hours away in a nearby state, even if we do need to get back quickly.

[bmags]

Excellent info in here:

https://www.fau.edu/newsdesk/articles/efficacy-facemasks-coronavirus.php

[bmags]

1 hour ago, The Beast said:

And yet southern Illinois is fighting back against the governor’s order. I bet masks aren’t being worn well down south.

I went to starved rock last weekend. I am not huge on outdoor usage when you know you can make space, but there was maybe 2% mask usage including us. And it gets hard to avoid packs of people waiting to move. We just left and went back to camp. 

But the. Walking past the visitor center and other indoor areas they had signs with masks required and nobody had any. Where I live I don’t remember the last time I saw someone indoors without a mask.

[NWINFan]

According to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, there will be no social distancing and masks will not be required for a July 3 event at Mount Rushmore. I don't understand why some Republicans think not taking precautions is a political statement. They didn't care when George W. Bush wanted to read people's e-mails after 9/11.

[caulfield12]

The Week America Lost Control of the Pandemic—-Sixteen states have reported record caseloads since Sunday.

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/07/week-america-lost-control-pandemic/613831/

What should concern all Americans is that, as more and more states see their outbreaks intensify, the country will lose its ability to understand what is happening. As my colleague Alexis C. Madrigal and I reported this week, some of the country’s major testing providers are backlogged and overwhelmed, and are no longer able to turn around test results as quickly as is epidemiologically useful. Yesterday, Brett Giroir, who coordinates COVID-19 testing in the Trump administration, said: “It is absolutely correct that some labs across the country are reaching or near capacity.”

.....

These cases aren’t all mild. At least 37,000 Americans are now hospitalized with COVID-19, the same number as were in sick beds in late May. This number is likely a substantial undercount: Florida, which is facing one of the largest outbreaks, does not report its total hospitalization figures, though it says it will publish that data soon. What data we do have suggest that health-care systems are overwhelmed. In Houston, for instance, the Texas Medical Center has filled 100 percent of its intensive-care-unit beds.

[StrangeSox]

 

[greg775]

On 7/2/2020 at 12:36 PM, Jack Parkman said:

You're probably fine. 

I'm 99% sure I had covid in March and one of the symptoms I had was abnormally clear and itchy sinuses.  I usually have horrible seasonal allergies and I have had none this year. I have had minimal to no snot in my nose since I got sick, along with loss of smell and taste. I lost taste for 8 weeks and my smell still isn't normal, was gone completely for 12 weeks. 

Also, do you go into raging coughing fits when you're eating or drinking? That's the first thing that happened to me. 

I was unable to get tested due to age+lack of availability of tests at the time I was sick. 

Did u have covid Jack? And with what you described did you just eventually feel better and get better?

Edited July 4, 2020 by greg775

[greg775]

13 hours ago, NWINFan said:

I don't understand why some Republicans think not taking precautions is a political statement. 

Re. mask use and the controversy ... I wear my mask everywhere and haven't done anything fun since March 12 when everything shut down. I abide by all rules. Thankfully I haven't got COVID yet. I'm one of those Americans who hate wearing my mask (masks, since I own about 20) but shut up and wear it anyway.

I do, however, have a quick theory on the mask thing and why many of my fellow angry Kansans won't wear them.

Remember how upset I was at the Kansas governor for being so bossy and not even listening to barbers, etc? Just a very defiant attitude in which she appeared high and mighty telling us minions what to do during the pandemic with NO discussion ever?  

Well ... I think there are a lot of people who do not get out of the house and take part in the massive protests attended by thousands nightly (and hundreds who leave their homes to live in autonymous zones), who pay their taxes a month ahead of time every year, do not ever rebel.

These "model citizens" I feel just drew the line at the bossiness of government officials regarding masks. This is one thing they finally could stomach no more, and have freaked out.

There are bossy government officials and celebs and peeps of all kinds on social media and TV yelling "wear the damn mask." Ever hear of the saying "kindness kills?" This was one issue there was anger and the mask-haters fought back and are still fighting back.

I think my method would have worked ... a very kind campaign saying, "Out of respect for your neighbors and your fellow Americans, think about it long and hard and please wear a mask. We're all in this together. Let's beat COVID."

I know a lot of you are just going to respond that I'm soft and a baby and I'm wrong because people need to be forcibly told things during a crisis ... I stand by my stance that kindness kills and in this one situation people have had enough (after locking themselves up 2-plus months, doing nothing fun, getting laid off work while at the same time watching THOUSANDS attend protests on TV in which "some people not most" wear masks.

I think message boards are to examine all views and while what I've written may anger most of you, I think you might consider a good portion of Americans do indeed feel this way regarding masks and explains a bit their attitude of, "nobody tells me what to do in a free country!"

Here's a feel good story during this time of so much anger and negativity in America. ...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/01/us/assisted-living-pen-pals-north-carolina-trnd/index.html?utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2020-07-04T06%3A16%3A06&utm_term=link&utm_medium=social

Edited July 4, 2020 by greg775