Fear and Loathing, a Rat Flu Odyssey

[Timberridge]

Coronavirus deaths may be up this year, but here's some welcome good news for a change.

"CNN reports the total number of deaths from lightning strikes in the United States is at a record low. In fact, if the trend continues — and it likely will, as the worst storm months are in the rearview mirror right now — the country could tally the fewest deaths from lightning ever in a single year."

[abraham]

Bro, Trump gets rapid tests every day. Plus an antibody bomb. Only suckers and losers don't get that privilege.

Do you think so? I bet he had everyone around him tested so he could avoid being uncomfortable getting a swab shoved up his nose.

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

​How many people have faux news killed?


Maria Bartiromo (not a doctor): "Do you feel that you are (contagious)?"

Pres Trump (also not a doctor): "I don't think I'm contagious at all."

[The AD]

Do you think so? I bet he had everyone around him tested so he could avoid being uncomfortable getting a swab shoved up his nose.

Does the rapid test Trump was getting involve a nasal swab? Hard for me to imagine him submitting to that on a daily basis.

[altasnob]

Exactly. Our niece is a teacher with 2 school age kids and a husband who is working. She's teaching on line and trying to look after 2 kids. She'd love it to be safe for her and her kids to go to to in person school. She's drowning at home.

So when is it going to be "safe" to open schools in person? When an effective vaccine is wide spread enough to create herd immunity? That appears to be one year, at the soonest, and several years to never at the other end of the scale. I am not an expert on what is happening with Europe's schools, but they appear to all be open even in countries with current infection rates much higher than in the US, particularly compared to West Coast US where schools are mostly all still remote (despite having some of the lowest current infection rates in the country). Those who are fortunate to be able to work from home are mostly middle and upper class. The lower class is still working away from home and for better or worse, relied on schools as free day care for their kids. American school children were already falling behind and now they appear to be the only schools on earth who will be closed for the next 2+ years while the rest of the world resumes classes in person. Interests must be balanced.

[Danno]

Delta County is even worse. One popular liquor store just straight up is defying the county and state orders. Zero masks.

my local liquor store (Boulder) is the same way. Nextdoor is all in a tizzy about it. I certainly won't shop there anymore, made easier by the fact that they've always kinda sucked and the only reason I used to shop there was pure convenience.

[glademaster]

Nobody in my office bothers to wear a mask anymore. It's me and one other guy.

[altasnob]

Glade, you must work in the last redneck outpost left in King County. I can't imagine offices in Redmond, Issaquah, and Bellevue not wearing masks religiously. Hell, even down here in blue collar Tacoma we wear masks. Start filming this shit and start whistle blowing. You don't live in Idaho. The government is on your side here.

[splat]

People are getting worn down and don't want to be vigilant anymore.
I understand but tell my friends we only have a few months to go.

Agree with altasnob. What, you waiting to catch the shit to do something?

[ex-powderbroker]

People are getting worn down and don't want to be vigilant anymore.
I understand but tell my friends we only have a few months to go.

dude, we have another year of this shit at least. i don't understand why it's so hard to have a couple good ones by the front door and a ten pack in the car in case someone forgets.

[KQ]

I'm sure Trump's reason for insisting on an in person debate is to get close enough to Biden to infect him and hopefully kill him. That is his "blessing from god."

[snowaddict91]

Delta County is even worse. One popular liquor store just straight up is defying the county and state orders. Zero masks.

Pretty bad here in Montrose County as well. Some stores where employees aren't even wearing masks, which is crazy considering the amount of people they are exposed to. Can't fix stupid, I guess.

[Toadman]

dude, we have another year of this shit at least. i don't understand why it's so hard to have a couple good ones by the front door and a ten pack in the car in case someone forgets.

You are talking masks, and not beer, right?

[funkendrenchman]

So when is it going to be "safe" to open schools in person? When an effective vaccine is wide spread enough to create herd immunity? That appears to be one year, at the soonest, and several years to never at the other end of the scale. I am not an expert on what is happening with Europe's schools, but they appear to all be open even in countries with current infection rates much higher than in the US, particularly compared to West Coast US where schools are mostly all still remote (despite having some of the lowest current infection rates in the country). Those who are fortunate to be able to work from home are mostly middle and upper class. The lower class is still working away from home and for better or worse, relied on schools as free day care for their kids. American school children were already falling behind and now they appear to be the only schools on earth who will be closed for the next 2+ years while the rest of the world resumes classes in person. Interests must be balanced.

Well the administration has done absolutely nothing to help this situation. Will it be totally safe before a vaccine? No. Could it be a hell of a lot safer and easier to manage? Yes - Get the infection rate down and get easy access to quick testing.

[glademaster]

Glade, you must work in the last redneck outpost left in King County. I can't imagine offices in Redmond, Issaquah, and Bellevue not wearing masks religiously. Hell, even down here in blue collar Tacoma we wear masks. Start filming this shit and start whistle blowing. You don't live in Idaho. The government is on your side here.

Bullshit. Nobody gives a flying fuck. That's why we're where we are with this.

[Timberridge]

Glade you should move back to NJ. People are even jogging with masks on.

[ex-powderbroker]

You are talking masks, and not beer, right?

can't it be both?

[old goat]

So when is it going to be "safe" to open schools in person? When an effective vaccine is wide spread enough to create herd immunity? That appears to be one year, at the soonest, and several years to never at the other end of the scale. I am not an expert on what is happening with Europe's schools, but they appear to all be open even in countries with current infection rates much higher than in the US, particularly compared to West Coast US where schools are mostly all still remote (despite having some of the lowest current infection rates in the country). Those who are fortunate to be able to work from home are mostly middle and upper class. The lower class is still working away from home and for better or worse, relied on schools as free day care for their kids. American school children were already falling behind and now they appear to be the only schools on earth who will be closed for the next 2+ years while the rest of the world resumes classes in person. Interests must be balanced.

I guess I have more faith that children, including teens, can make up lost ground pretty quickly. Losing a year or two of school is a minor trauma compared to losing a parent or two to the covid they brought home, or being physically or sexually abused, or being malnourished or homeless because the Pres and Congress can't figure out a relief bill. Yes, poor and minority children are more disadvantaged with virtual school than well off white kids. What makes you think their educational disadvantage is any less when everyone is back in school?

Now whether the parents will ever recover from 2 years of at home learning is another question altogether.

[huckbucket]

Burning question ... what does a lame duck Trump admin look like? What appointments or laws will he and an outgoing (?) repub senate majority try to ram through?

[altasnob]

Yes, poor and minority children are more disadvantaged with virtual school than well off white kids. What makes you think their educational disadvantage is any less when everyone is back in school?

I think poor and minority children were disadvantaged when there was in person school, but their disadvantage is accentuated when school is remote. This belief is based on the type of work poor and minority children's parents do, and the fact that it cannot be done remotely (so now they are forced to pay for child care when before, it was free). Low income also do not have the same internet and computers as the wealthy, so the remote experience is not the same.

There is subsidized child care available. The elementary school I live next to is closed to in person school, but open for in person child care (must be low income to qualify). All the kids are wearing masks at the playground when I walk by.

[dtown]

I guess I have more faith that children, including teens, can make up lost ground pretty quickly. Losing a year or two of school is a minor trauma compared to losing a parent or two to the covid they brought home, or being physically or sexually abused, or being malnourished or homeless because the Pres and Congress can't figure out a relief bill. Yes, poor and minority children are more disadvantaged with virtual school than well off white kids. What makes you think their educational disadvantage is any less when everyone is back in school?

Now whether the parents will ever recover from 2 years of at home learning is another question altogether.

I guess the counterpoint to this is our teen suicide rate in our surrounding communities is up 8x since March vs prior years and grief counselors working with teens have waiting lists for patients. No right answers, that’s for sure but to your point I do think younger kids are pretty resilient, teens are probably in a different spot.

As for schools, our ISD is 100% remote, the 6 surrounding ISD’s are all back either 100% or some form of hybrid. Since school started 6-7 weeks ago it’s interesting to see regardless which of the 7 ISD’s you fall in, the positivity rates and C19 related deaths have not changed materially (positive or negative) since prior to school. Our kids are playing sports but if they weren’t and we’re 100% remote learning I know it would be impacting them mentally, similar to March/ April/ May.

No right answers to so much involved with our world today.


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[altasnob]

Bullshit. Nobody gives a flying fuck. That's why we're where we are with this.

You work in King County, which has likely handled the virus better than any other metro area in the US, and not coincidentally, is possibly the most liberal large county in the US. It is ridiculous if there is a government entity in King County who is not abiding by the governor's order, and this should be addressed. Not for your safety, alone, but the safety of us all.

Call L & I's Bellevue office and tell them about this. You do not have to provide your name, just your employer's name. There is no way your employer can track your complaint back to you (if you call in the complaint rather than email, and refuse to give your name). L & I will contact your employer and explain the rules and repercussions for not following the rules. L & I notes that they have imposed fines on businesses for not following the rules, but they believe most are able to fully comply with the order once L & I explains that to management. L & I has received over 4,200 complaints so far, so you are not alone.

L & I Bellevue is 425-990-1400

https://content.govdelivery.com/acco...letins/2a4bfdf

[altasnob]

Burning question ... what does a lame duck Trump admin look like? What appointments or laws will he and an outgoing (?) repub senate majority try to ram through?

Without the house, why would Trump be able to do anything that he can't do right now? He can try more executive orders but those are unlikely to hold up in court (regardless of whether ACB gets confirmed or not).

[riser4]

The administration's. The plan from day one has been "it is what it is."

Stephen Miller's, that creep.

[adrenalated]

Delta County is even worse. One popular liquor store just straight up is defying the county and state orders. Zero masks.

The divide in mask wearing between urban/rural Colorado (also a proxy for conservative/liberal) is so stark.
Near my home (east Denver) it's nearly universal masks everywhere (been months since I saw someone in a store without one).
Near my work (Berthoud) it's nearly universal no masks. Most of the businesses require them for employees but generally they don't enforce for customers and people aren't very good at wearing them.
Funny how my wife and every other employee at her hospital can wear masks for 12 hours straight no problem, but not a single one of my 20 coworkers can manage to keep theirs on for more than 30 seconds at a time.