COVID-19/Coronavirus thread

[turnin' two]

You just re-posted the same article that I quoted from the first time.  Again, did you read the article?  Or just the sensationalized twitter post?  The real gist of it was that there is less mail that needs sorting by this type of machine.  Not having them reduces flexibility, but isn't a catastrophic event.  

 

And the second seems to say...

Quote

But a Postal Service spokesperson said declining mail volume means the Postal Service is removing “duplicate” boxes from areas that have multiple collection boxes. “First-class mail volume has declined significantly in the U.S., especially since the pandemic,” Ernie Swanson, a spokesman for the USPS, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. “That translates to less mail in collection boxes.”

And then

Quote

Swanson said other facets of service will remain the same, such as pickup times and processing.

“It shouldn’t affect people at all,” he said.

(Sorry about the format... it is just how it copied)

The title of that article literally says they were removed because of "declining mail volume"

 

But again, it doesn't seem like a super conspiracy.  Or a cataclysmic event.  In both of those articles you cited, the reason for the removal of equipment is due to shrinking volume.  The statement you said, about mail piling up and deliveries taking longer to deliver, is not backed up by any of the articles you posted.  

 

And as for this being done to stop mail voting, that may be true, and it may be the intent, but again, in the article you posted, it says that the mail ballots are not typically sorted using the machines that are being removed.  And in the second article you posted, it says that again, to quote "It shouldn't affect people at all" .  And that quote is attributed to a spokesman for the USPS. 

[StrangeSox]

Those are the claimed reasons. Not sure why we should give political appointees and their spokesmen the benefit of the doubt. The recently installed postmaster general is a big Trump donor. Again, just yesterday, the President publicly stated that he's refusing additional USPS funding in order to stop mail voting, which currently polls heavily in favor of his political opponent.

 

We've already seen issues with mail in ballot processing this year in New York. It seems prudent to investigate and prepare for these things proactively rather than after it's too late.

[southsider2k5]

10 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

You just re-posted the same article that I quoted from the first time.  Again, did you read the article?  Or just the sensationalized twitter post?  The real gist of it was that there is less mail that needs sorting by this type of machine.  Not having them reduces flexibility, but isn't a catastrophic event.  

 

And the second seems to say...

And then

(Sorry about the format... it is just how it copied)

The title of that article literally says they were removed because of "declining mail volume"

 

But again, it doesn't seem like a super conspiracy.  Or a cataclysmic event.  In both of those articles you cited, the reason for the removal of equipment is due to shrinking volume.  The statement you said, about mail piling up and deliveries taking longer to deliver, is not backed up by any of the articles you posted.  

 

And as for this being done to stop mail voting, that may be true, and it may be the intent, but again, in the article you posted, it says that the mail ballots are not typically sorted using the machines that are being removed.  And in the second article you posted, it says that again, to quote "It shouldn't affect people at all" .  And that quote is attributed to a spokesman for the USPS. 

Sure the USPS has to pretend what is going on isn't a big deal, but the President himself has contradicted all of this very clearly and publicly.

[turnin' two]

7 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

Those are the claimed reasons. Not sure why we should give political appointees and their spokesmen the benefit of the doubt. The recently installed postmaster general is a big Trump donor. Again, just yesterday, the President publicly stated that he's refusing additional USPS funding in order to stop mail voting, which currently polls heavily in favor of his political opponent.

 

We've already seen issues with mail in ballot processing this year in New York. It seems prudent to investigate and prepare for these things proactively rather than after it's too late.

Yes.  Absolutely.  I completely agree.  

It also seems prudent to read articles before posting them, instead of just looking at the heading on some twitter post.  Because neither of the articles you posted seemed to hint at nefarious intent.  Not saying that intent isn't there, but those articles don't make that case.  Someone on twitter co-opted the articles, and put their own heading on them.  I'm not going to guess what their intent was, but all I quoted was directly from the articles you posted; and none of it seems to lead to "this is being done to suppress votes" path.

And  to your quote of why should we give the spokesman the benefit of the doubt; the author of the articles thought that the person they interviewed was credible enough to quote and include in the article.  So if we aren't trusting the people quoted in the article, there seems little sense to trust the author, and then it seems like it makes no sense to post the article to share it with others.  So I don't know about their credibility.  But, the article is no more credible than the sources quoted.  In which case, if you don't believe they are credible, why did you post it? 

Edited August 14, 2020 by turnin' two

[turnin' two]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Sure the USPS has to pretend what is going on isn't a big deal, but the President himself has contradicted all of this very clearly and publicly.

I mean, that is fine, and probably true, but then why post an article that uses a shill as one of its main sources?  

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, or even argumentative.  I clicked on the links strangesox posted, because I wanted to see what they were about.  And in each of those articles, the content didn't seem to really match up with what the twitter link implied.  I think this is problematic.  Because people with no skin in the game are adding their own headline and counting on people just reading their headline.  

Edited August 14, 2020 by turnin' two

[southsider2k5]

Just now, turnin' two said:

I mean, that is fine, and probably true, but then why post an article that uses a shill as one of its main sources?

It happens all of the time.  Media publishes things they know are complete lies all of the time in the guise of "both sides".

[Soxbadger]

8 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

I mean, that is fine, and probably true, but then why post an article that uses a shill as one of its main sources?  

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, or even argumentative.  I clicked on the links strangesox posted, because I wanted to see what they were about.  And in each of those articles, the content didn't seem to really match up with what the twitter link implied.  I think this is problematic.  Because people with no skin in the game are adding their own headline and counting on people just reading their headline.  

Youve never read a White Sox article where they quote Hahn telling everyone how great all of their acquisitions are?

[Iwritecode]

 

19 hours ago, greg775 said:

The experts have spoken today ... the fall is going to be a disaster if Americans don't take action. Masks, distancing, washing, avoiding crowds (hmmm, sports world?). My question to you is do you believe them or not? I tend to believe them. Be safe, folks. This is life and death. I pray for health for all and enough food for all to get through the winter. And I pray people are accorded shelter and relief from monthly rent payments as we plod through corona. Also I pray the grocery stores maintain normal business with no shortages of food, terribly long lines thru the night, etc. Let's get thru this America! 

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/511841-cdc-director-warns-of-worst-fall-in-history-if-people-dont-follow-covid#.XzVp05QprVk.twitter

 

Just having all the states that are forcing the kids to go back to schools is going to make this fall a disaster. We've already seen several examples of schools having to be shut down on their very first day back.

[Soxbadger]

1 minute ago, Iwritecode said:

 

 

Just having all the states that are forcing the kids to go back to schools is going to make this fall a disaster. We've already seen several examples of schools having to be shut down on their very first day back.

 

The real potential disaster is Sturgis. Many of the attendees are likely higher risk to begin with and then they are going to disburse throughout the US and meet up with their friends.

I hope Im wrong.

[turnin' two]

2 minutes ago, Soxbadger said:

Youve never read a White Sox article where they quote Hahn telling everyone how great all of their acquisitions are?

Yeah, but this is more like Hahn saying that his acquisitions are great, but then some guy taking the article and posting it on their twitter with a headline saying "Hahn says his acquisitions suck!"  

Then when someone points out that isn't what the article says, people saying, sure you can't trust Hahn on that.  He has to say that.

[Iwritecode]

4 minutes ago, Soxbadger said:

 

The real potential disaster is Sturgis. Many of the attendees are likely higher risk to begin with and then they are going to disburse throughout the US and meet up with their friends.

I hope Im wrong.

We'll know in about a week or so. I hope they had fun with their spitting and sneezing contests up there.

[Soxbadger]

6 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

Yeah, but this is more like Hahn saying that his acquisitions are great, but then some guy taking the article and posting it on their twitter with a headline saying "Hahn says his acquisitions suck!"  

Then when someone points out that isn't what the article says, people saying, sure you can't trust Hahn on that.  He has to say that.

No its not. Hahn said "acquisitions are great" a baseball source said "they suck".

They then title the article "Hahn's Acquisitions will suck this year."

 

If you look at the article they explicitly quote the union official:

 

Quote

To the union officials, the result of these plans was clear: “This will slow mail processing,” one wrote in large font.

 

Edited August 14, 2020 by Soxbadger

[southsider2k5]

7 minutes ago, Soxbadger said:

 

The real potential disaster is Sturgis. Many of the attendees are likely higher risk to begin with and then they are going to disburse throughout the US and meet up with their friends.

I hope Im wrong.

It isn't even the gathering that is the problem, but all of the packed adjoining bars and clubs that everyone hangs out in that will be the big problem.

[Balta1701]

40 minutes ago, Iwritecode said:

We'll know in about a week or so. I hope they had fun with their spitting and sneezing contests up there.

Honestly? No we won't. The cases are spread around the country and the details that would be required to link it directly to that trip aren't going to be available to health departments, particularly if any of them try to do tracing with inter-state travel. No one is going to say "3000 cases were traced to Sturgis" because they won't be able to do that and couldn't legally say that even if they found that. All we'll get is maybe a few thousand new cases nationwide, starting new clusters, with only about 1/2 of them actually recognized, and with testing spread out over 10 days so the total bump is a few hundred per day in a nation where there's 100,000 people getting it a day and roughly 1/2 actually being tested. 

[caulfield12]

2 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Honestly? No we won't. The cases are spread around the country and the details that would be required to link it directly to that trip aren't going to be available to health departments, particularly if any of them try to do tracing with inter-state travel. No one is going to say "3000 cases were traced to Sturgis" because they won't be able to do that and couldn't legally say that even if they found that. All we'll get is maybe a few thousand new cases nationwide, starting new clusters, with only about 1/2 of them actually recognized, and with testing spread out over 10 days so the total bump is a few hundred per day in a nation where there's 100,000 people getting it a day and roughly 1/2 actually being tested. 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/contact-tracing-a-key-way-to-slow-covid-19-is-badly-underused-by-the-u-s/

[caulfield12]

3 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

Sure the USPS has to pretend what is going on isn't a big deal, but the President himself has contradicted all of this very clearly and publicly.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/politics/obama-trump-usps-postal-service/index.html

Obama, in a podcast with David Plouffe, his former campaign manager, took on the Trump administration in direct terms, including calling out Vice President Mike Pence by name.

"What we've seen in a way that is unique to modern political history is a President who is explicit in trying to discourage people from voting," Obama said. "What we've never seen before is a President say, 'I'm going to try to actively kneecap the postal service to encourage voting and I will be explicit about the reason I'm doing it.'"

Obama added: "That's sort of unheard of."

[Balta1701]

 

 

[caulfield12]

1 hour ago, Balta1701 said:

 

 

President Trump called for additional stimulus checks to be sent to Americans amid stalled talks with Democrats over a new bill to address various issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Both Republicans and Democrats agree that another round of stimulus checks should be included in any legislation, which is stalled after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) ceded the GOP-side of negotiations to the White House and Trump attempted to bypass negotiations with unilateral action on a looming eviction crisis, student loans, extra weekly unemployment benefits, and payroll taxes.

The president tweeted that he had directed Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “to get ready to send direct payments ($3,400 for family of four) to all Americans.” The tweet added that Democrats are holding up the stimulus payments, though there are several actual disagreements unrelated to stimulus checks.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/money/coronavirus-stimulus-checks-trump-tweet-172756371.html

Seems like a plan to blow up the debt to $30 trillion which will be withdrawn November 4th...then Trump will spend the next four years complaining about the debts he created for the American people 

[NWINFan]

Administration pronouncements on Pandemic

Pandemic under control - wrong

Disinfectants will cure disease - wrong

A drug meant to treat other ailments will cure disease - wrong

Summertime heat will kill virus - wrong

We are ready to re-open - wrong

Virus  will go away - wrong

Testing not needed - wrong

Just about everything else that was said - wrong

[greg775]

Man, the fact Carolina has two clusters in dorms should tell everybody we just can't reopen colleges. It's too obvious that people from all over different states and countries are going to next week be invading campuses. Unless we are trying for herd mentality we are all doomed.

I was listening to Baba Booey's kid on Howard Stern show. He's going back to Syracuse and having all online classes. Seems $illy to bring back $tudent$ just to take online classes from their apartments. Hope my mask protects me cause Covid is coming to town in bunches this next week and beyond. How can UNC not shut down those dorms? 

https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/unc-reports-coronavirus-clusters-in-student-housing-at-ehringhaus-community-and-granville-towers/19235920/

[southsideirish71]

32 minutes ago, greg775 said:

Man, the fact Carolina has two clusters in dorms should tell everybody we just can't reopen colleges. It's too obvious that people from all over different states and countries are going to next week be invading campuses. Unless we are trying for herd mentality we are all doomed.

 I was listening to Baba Booey's kid on Howard Stern show. He's going back to Syracuse and having all online classes. Seems $illy to bring back $tudent$ just to take online classes from their apartments. Hope my mask protects me cause Covid is coming to town in bunches this next week and beyond. How can UNC not shut down those dorms? 

 https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/unc-reports-coronavirus-clusters-in-student-housing-at-ehringhaus-community-and-granville-towers/19235920/

Sure change the colleges and universities to online.  Then also take that price tag for the education that is between 50 and 75K and change it more like 10k to 20k.  The artificial inflation for higher ed doesnt work if they are not offering in person education.  

 

 

[Balta1701]

1 hour ago, southsideirish71 said:

Sure change the colleges and universities to online.  Then also take that price tag for the education that is between 50 and 75K and change it more like 10k to 20k.  The artificial inflation for higher ed doesnt work if they are not offering in person education.  

 

 

You can drop the dorm fees then but you still have to pay the teachers and staff somehow.

[Balta1701]

I had to check the date to see if this was just repeating the ones from yesterday and nope. Open for a week and clusters everywhere.

 

[Texsox]

On 8/15/2020 at 3:00 PM, southsideirish71 said:

Sure change the colleges and universities to online.  Then also take that price tag for the education that is between 50 and 75K and change it more like 10k to 20k.  The artificial inflation for higher ed doesnt work if they are not offering in person education.  

 

 

Seeing the professor live is worth $40k to $50k to you? That must be a five diamond professor. 

[Soxbadger]

1 hour ago, Texsox said:

Seeing the professor live is worth $40k to $50k to you? That must be a five diamond professor. 

When I went to college I had one really renowned professor. A few times he didnt show and they would play a tape recording of his past lectures.

And as ive said before you pay to belong the country club. Plenty of other people who will gladly pay that price to be a member.