Thanks to covid.

So many well known people are contracting CV and significant numbers losing the battle.

I was talking to someone today who is of the "it's a hoax" persuasion. Otherwise normal, intelligent-seeming guy.

He liked S&R. Maybe I should ask him how a hoax got hold of Roy and carried him off.

Sad news for his family, friends, work partner and fans.

COVID - the great leveler. It snags the well known and those known only to their own circle.

RIP to all its victims.

If I were eaten by a tiger, my cause of death would be listed as COVID19.

No. If a tiger ate you, his cause of death would be from toxic shock.

It's been very disheartening for me to read comments from some of my redneck family members who are dyed in the wool conservatives... They are very ignorant about how dangerous the virus is.

I'm so glad I live in Germany, where people are more sensible and cooperative. Mutti is doing a good job leading the people, and things are starting to normalize somewhat.

It's been so sad to see so many people getting sick and dying, particularly entertainers like John Prine and Roy... I hope people wise up soon and realize this is not a hoax.

It is not a hoax!
HOWEVER the problem that I see is that the news media is pumping up the panic beyond belief. Report YES. But playing it for all the panic possible is irresponsible and serve no useful purpose.
This is my "pure and holy" position.

I'm very aware of it and fear it. It isn't like I don't fit into the group that is at risk with diabetes and high BP and over 60, but like I keep saying, I live in Northern Utah and we've had 0 deaths. Every part of the country is not the same.

I am very careful.

I agree 100% with thedesertrat1.

I don’t agree with the panic, either. In fact, I have spent the past two hours having a Facebook discussion about the non-stop shaming posts and how upsetting they are. I am personally not on board with the mask shaming/policing going on, and people calling others morons and idiots because they aren’t on the pandemic panic bandwagon.

However, the virus is a real thing and it is killing people. I have a friend whose sister spent about a week on a ventilator and is still very sick. So people should take it seriously and not assume it’s a political stunt, IMHO.

Personally, I have been holed up in my house for weeks because I can. I went out once two weeks ago. That’s been it since March.

It sucks.

I like that wearing a mask is now the law in the county in which I live, so there is no question about it. Almost all people are compliant, even the ones who are grumbling about the restrictions.

It was required for a while in the entire state, as well. IDK if that is still the case.

I get why people think the masks are helpful. Personally, I don’t think they are, but they do make people feel better, which is what I think their main purpose is. A lot of people don’t even wash their hands when they use the bathroom. I don’t trust them to wear masks properly.

I think it’s much better to simply stay home. I can do that, so that’s what I do. I do wear a mask when it’s required, but I would just as soon stay home than wear them in public. I don’t need to be around other people that badly.

Do you understand what masks are for? They do not protect you. They protect others FROM you. They stop people from contaminating other people.

The masks are important. They stop the infected droplets from leaving the person and your mask stops them from getting to you.

Also, the science section of the paper said people running without a mask can leave a 15 foot trail of their droplets from their breath.


I go by all the old sayings my grandma used non-stop. I will leave you with one. Better Safe Than Sorry.

Done & Done Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The masks are important. They stop the infected
> droplets from leaving the person and your mask
> stops them from getting to you.

The masks we mostly see do nothing to filter any stuff in or out?

Why is it then that when some chap passes even moderate gas through his rugged dungarees, do we find a whole room emptied?

The mask business is just a part of this entire gaslighting psych-operation.

Bullfeathers.

Good god. Vapors are different than droplets. I'm guessing that if you're wearing "dungarees" you're not from the US. Our public school systems aren't great, but they're way ahead of wherever you went.

do you know the difference between a vapor and a gas ?

Yeah, I do. When our subject releases a gas through his dungarees, hits the ambient atmosphere, it's a vapor. It's still not virus droplets.

Actually, I have a master's degree in public health and I used to work as a technical writer in epidemiology. I know about masks and what they are for, as well as the proper way to use them (which most people don't do). I don't need it explained to me.

As I explained, I don't go in public. I have literally only left my neighborhood once since March. It's better to stay home, so that's what I do. If I stay in my house, I don't need to wear a mask.

knotheadusc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Actually, I have a master's degree in public
> health and I used to work as a technical writer in
> epidemiology.

That's very interesting, knotheadusc. I haven't seen you mention this before. Or maybe I forgot.

Is there another profession more high profile at the moment than epidemiology? It seemed to be one of the quieter ones before, people working behind the scenes. Now we hear from their ranks every day. I find all the details fascinating.

I finished dual master's degrees in 2002. One in public health (MPH) and the other in social work (MSW). One of my jobs when I was in school was working as a writer for the Bureau of Epidemiology, although epidemiology was not my focus for my MPH. I think I got the job because I have a bachelor's degree in English and enjoy writing. I am pretty well versed on this stuff and have been reading up on it... and not just in media sources. I don't work in the field now, but I'm not uninformed, so to speak.

Even back in 2002, epidemiology was a hot field. I wish I'd had the math aptitude to study it, because epidemiologists are very employable and the field is fascinating. But you have to enjoy math and statistics, and I don't. At the time, the program I was doing (dual MPH/MSW) was only open to one concentration of study, which at the time was health administration and macro social work. I understand my alma mater has since opened up other possible focus combinations. I'm pretty sure it's possible to do the health promotion MPH with micro social work (working with individuals as opposed to groups), for instance.

Anyway... while I understand why people think the masks are very helpful and I do respect the rules and wear them when I have to, I think it's much better to stay home as much as possible. I don't have a lot of faith that homemade masks, in particular, which are made with a variety of different materials by people with varying skill, are that useful. A lot of people don't wear the masks properly. I saw a video last night of an anchorwoman wearing one while delivering the news. It kept slipping off her nose, and she no doubt had to push it back up, causing her to touch her face and probably the front of the mask. I also realize that many people don't wash their hands often enough, even after they go to the bathroom. And lots of people will continue to wear the same mask for many days on end, never washing or replacing it. Some folks will simply cover their nose and mouth to technically obey the rules and keep others from shaming or harassing them.

So... no, I'm not on the facemask bandwagon, but for now, I will comply with the rules so people don't bug me about it. Fortunately, I don't have to go out in public much at all and people in my German neighborhood are sensible and respectful. I am extremely grateful to be in Germany instead of the United States right now. If I were in the USA, watching all the gun toting kooks storming the state capitals, I might be a lot more pro facemask. Either way, I hope they DON'T become something that people are expected to wear from now on. The thought of that is very depressing to me. I like to see people's smiles.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2020 04:06AM by knotheadusc.

Our news coverage here in Canada regarding the pandemic is far less politicised that what I see on USA news.

+1 Overplaying the panic become the little boy who cried wolf and gets people to stop believing the threat is real.

I have been following how the statistics are showing that if anyone had other life threatening conditions and happend to have covid upon death, then they were listed as a covid death. There are some technicalities to consider that aren't being considered.

I don't know the real deal, but I for one am suspicious of the statistics.

I for one will be wearing a mask for a long time, going through gallons of hand sanitizer and distancing as will my employees. But I can't take much more of the over the top non stop news.

My grandmother's mother was called "Mutti." I never knew her; she died before I was born. But she was adored by family members that knew her.

And does it really mean something like "cherished Mom" in German?

No wonder Germany is functioning so well. They have a scientist leading them, and she is a tough old East German who doesn't take BS from anyone. I adored her ever since the first G7 summit. It took her about a minute and a half to size up the representative we sent, and I love the scornful expression she seems to reserve just for him.

"Mutti" is a shorter, more affectionate version of the German word, "Mutter" ("mother").

I'm not sure about the German view of her (I live in the States), but from what I've seen of her, she's one of the few responsible adults leading G7 nations (especially compared to a certain man-child).

ETA: My high school language elective was German.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2020 08:05PM by ookami.

My husband and I live in Germany and he’s called Mrs. Merkel “Mutti” in front of Germans. They usually think it’s funny.

Most of the Germans we know seem to like her, but I think she’s going to step down after this term. She got a lot of flak for allowing so many refugees in back in 2015.

I think she’s doing pretty well with the pandemic leadership. It’s nice to have a scientist in charge in this situation.

I still follow your food blog, knotheadusc. Thanks for it. I am from Germany but am in Ethiopia since four years. It I had your recent deliveries it would be paradise here. Ethiopian cuisine may be more of an aqcquired taste.

I have to return to Germany soon, but my passport etc. is still in Addis Ababa, hundreds of miles from here. Covid-19 cuase a state opf emergency in the country. My area got the virus some 10 days ago. Life continues but social distancing is not always strictly observed.

My husband loves Ethiopian food!

Tomorrow, I will write about tonight's virtual wine tasting. Life goes on. I am so glad to be in Germany and not in the States now.

My fear right now is my SIL is driving home from Alaska alone as my daughter didn't renew her passport in time, but then my boyfriend sent his in before all this started in early February and they say it will still be months before he gets it back and they told my daughter the same thing. Must be a lot of federal employees on paid leave as my sister worked for IRS for a few weekends and is on paid leave.

I was going to fly up and drive home with my SIL, but they are afraid that at the Canadian border, they would ask why I am traveling, where he has an excuse. My daughter will be flying home.

My grandparents were married in the midst of the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918. I don't think I had any idea how big an effect it had on my grandmother until now.

Grandmother was super worried about my mother and aunt when they were children. She called the doctor to their home (he lived across the street) every time my mother sneezed or missed a regular bowel movement. I'm glad it didn't make a hypochondriac out of my mother.

I hope Covid-19 isn't terrorizing our children and leaving people scared to live their lives normally when this virus is conquered.

80,000 dead by the end of the weekend. Do you take corona seriously now or do you continue to spew right wing lies about "over reacting" .

80,000 dead in 2 whole months. 10-15 times more deadly than the flu. Yet people, especially in Utah, are acting like it's a cold. Now, that we are "re-opening" people are acting like it's an air raid siren "All Clear". C'mon out-get back to normal. The virus is not gone, more people are getting sick. If you want to go out in public, have the decency, courtesy and intelligence to wear a mask and not risk spreading CV-19. The arrogance and stupidity is mind numbing.

Something that I read on my travels --"It's too bad that there isn't a vaccine for stupidity."

If there were, mormonism wouldn't exist.

“Sure, the Velociraptors are still on the loose, but that’s no reason not to reopen Jurassic Park”


https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/sure-the-velociraptors-are-still-on-the-loose-but-thats-no-reason-not-to-reopen-jurassic-park



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2020 06:58PM by Dave the Atheist.

Yup. :)

Somehow, Carol Baskin is to blame.

Only her hairdresser knows for sure.