CR: COVID-19 --Political Talk

[Dahobbs 18185]

15 hours ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

I am having beer number two in a bar at Mt Bachelor after a day of snowboarding.  The bartenders are wearing masks, some haphazardly.  Those who follow me know I am not a right wing anti-vaxxer.  But after being vaxxed and infected I feel free to live my life.  I will also get booster on February.  And wear a mask where asked to do so. 
 

If this lumps me into the cult types I will be sad.  But ah well.

I don't think you're doing anything wrong here. I'm not sure why you think it would be seen as wrong either. 

[HenryJames 67116]

 

[Guest Lobo]

Most of 'em have low-T anyway.  Hence the big trucks, automatic rifles, and sunglass choices.  What's a little more anti-androgen? 

I've seen most of their wives, I'd have low-T too were I them.  

[GreenspointTexas 9933]

Good lord ive never seen a disease like this rip through a population. Thank god this strain is less lethal

[RDCanecutter 26853]

11 hours ago, brakeman said:

No beer mandates.

 

 

 

 

My brief travels through rural Quebec inform me that it is a French-speaking East Tennessee, with more Velvet Elvis paintings. I suspect this ordinance will be enforced at something less than 100%.

[Nivek 17330]

16 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

I did not listen to the audio. If true, then what he said was correct. 

why would you comment on it, and not check the source especially if it was available to you?  

[wildcat09 29556]

17 hours ago, jimmyjazz said:

No, he didn't.  Listen to the audio.  He clearly said "hundreds, thousands" not "hundreds of thousands".

The funny thing about this is that this makes his question astronomically dumber. "Why doesn't OSHA do this for the flu which kills similar amounts of people each year?" may be factually wrong but at least a reasonable question if it weren't. "Why doesn't OSHA enact an emergency standard for something that is 5% as serious?" is a dumb fucking question from a guy who goes to great pains to sound smart.

Edited January 10, 2022 by wildcat09

[MC Fresh Breath 4075]

16 hours ago, Immaculate Vibes said:

If you’re anti-mandate, you’re anti-vaxxer. 

Well I guess I'm not anti-vaxxer then.  

[Nivek 17330]

8 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

Good lord ive never seen a disease like this rip through a population. Thank god this strain is less lethal

Its a pandemic.  You are not supposed to see this more than once in your lifetime.   Thank the MRNA researchers and government funding/taxes and our medical community for getting this out to people.   

[Guest Lobo]

What's next from these OSHA socialists?  Mandating safety harnesses at construction site heights?  

"Yes, that's precisely the kind of job site safety we require.  Construction guys used to fall from heights before that."

I see.  Well then, carry on...

Edited January 10, 2022 by Lobo

[MC Fresh Breath 4075]

1 hour ago, Dahobbs said:

I don't think you're doing anything wrong here. I'm not sure why you think it would be seen as wrong either. 

 

I don't know, I guess it just feels strange.  When I go into places that ask me to wear a mask, I do so.  I see so many others not being polite in that fashion and I often silently judge them.  Then I go to a place like a bar or a movie where if you're eating and drinking off comes the mask.  And then I don't judge anyone in the room.  Not sure I have a point, sorry.  Just some musing. 

[Snake Diggity 4698]

Errbody getting omicron.  Err.  Single.  Body.

Just gotta hope it stays relatively weak and that a variant doesn’t disrupt the trend toward this being endemic but not an unmanageable burden on the healthcare system and peoples day-to-day lives.

This shit is crazy.

[RDCanecutter 26853]

I do wonder why I haven't heard about any anti-maskers just using the magically-can't-spread-Covid-while-eating-or-drinking rule as a workaround.

I mean, just sit there for hours with mask down, "sipping" on a drink. Maybe have a doctor's note to stay hydrated. No need for all the screaming and yelling, just sip on a drink.

Unless they're there for the screaming and yelling.

[Neonmoon 38130]

17 minutes ago, Nivek said:

why would you comment on it, and not check the source especially if it was available to you?  

I literally got the quote I posted from a reputable news source. They didn't have the comma. They wrote the "of".  I didn't see the audio link. 

 

[Captainant 28387]

3 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Errbody getting omicron.  Err.  Single.  Body.

Just gotta hope it stays relatively weak and that a variant doesn’t disrupt the trend toward this being endemic but not an unmanageable burden on the healthcare system and peoples day-to-day lives.

This shit is crazy.

IMO - I do think this wave is the endgame. It's less dangerous and WAY more virulent so loads of people are getting it and getting over it with a (apparently) lower rate of long COVID symptoms.

[wildcat09 29556]

8 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

I literally got the quote I posted from a reputable news source. They didn't have the comma. They wrote the "of".  I didn't see the audio link. 

 

The "of" came right from the Court's own transcript, so it wasn't even a media fuckup.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11856]

4 hours ago, HenryJames said:

 

It's piss.

[DigglerontheHoof 21516]

drinking piss to own the libs.  4D chess

[Brisketexan 106618]

3 minutes ago, Captainant said:

IMO - I do think this wave is the endgame. It's less dangerous and WAY more virulent so loads of people are getting it and getting over it with a (apparently) lower rate of long COVID symptoms.

I am very, very, very hopeful that is the case.  There you have it -- Brisket and "hopeful" in the same post.  Cats and dogs, living together, mass hysteria -- weird shit, man.

But yeah, if these three factors come together:

1 -- 85%+ of the population has some level of immunity (via vax or infection) because of a) increasing vax rates and b) the virulence of Omicron

2 -- Omicron or something like it remains the dominant strain, and doesn't cause much serious illness in the population above

3 -- resulting in an illness that pops up seasonally, but has a serious illness/death incidence something like a really bad flu year (in the US, let's say that we're looking at 100k dead each year)

Then that's what endemic vs. pandemic looks like.

Maybe we take some measures locally during bad outbreaks (remember, we've done this with the flu in the past -- an elementary school might shut down for a week when too many kids get the flu, etc.).  And we follow some common-sense rules we probably should have followed all along: if you're sick, stay home.  If there's an outbreak in your area, maybe wear a mask in indoor public settings.  You know, measures that can at least somewhat reduce the rate of transmission.

Oh, and it would help if we'd get over our absolute insanity about vaccinations being evil plots by Bill Gates to implant microchips, and our bad math at saying "a vaccine that has a teeny tiny risk of adverse reaction is worse for me than catching an illness that has 20X that rate of adverse outcomes."  We are fucking terrible and stupid at risk assessment, and getting past that would help us a lot, because it would increase the size of the group in point 1 above.

[Brisketexan 106618]

3 minutes ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

drinking piss to own the libs.  4D chess

We COULD listen to the overwhelming majority of the medical profession, people who have dedicated decades of training and study to viral illnesses, and developing vaccines for same.....OR, we could listen to a handful of self-selected "experts" who, if they are medical professionals, don't practice in the field, and most of whom aren't even medical professionals anyway (hi, Joe Rogan).  And as a result, instead of getting a safe vaccine that has proven incredibly effective at sharply reducing the risk of serious illness......we'll fight for the right to guzzle horse paste and our own piss.

That is a summary statement of where we are as a country.

And there are those of you who think this nation survives this weaponized stupidity.  Seriously.

[lemonlime 5503]

9 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

 

Maybe we take some measures locally during bad outbreaks (remember, we've done this with the flu in the past -- an elementary school might shut down for a week when too many kids get the flu, etc.).  And we follow some common-sense rules we probably should have followed all along: if you're sick, stay home.  If there's an outbreak in your area, maybe wear a mask in indoor public settings.  You know, measures that can at least somewhat reduce the rate of transmission.

 

Lo fucking L.  Do you even capitalism?

[workswithseed 2201]

17 hours ago, MC Fresh Breath said:

I am having beer number two in a bar at Mt Bachelor after a day of snowboarding.  The bartenders are wearing masks, some haphazardly.  Those who follow me know I am not a right wing anti-vaxxer.  But after being vaxxed and infected I feel free to live my life.  I will also get booster on February.  And wear a mask where asked to do so. 
 

If this lumps me into the cult types I will be sad.  But ah well.

I went to one Portland bar, they asked if we were vaxed to get inside. I then went across the street where most the people weren't wearing masks, and partying it up. It was actually nice seeing faces, and talking to strangers. 

I don't think you're in a cult. You're keeping up with what you think is the correct call for yourself, and not trying to force everyone to your will to live like you are.

Probably should have asked to come out with us to Smith Rock on Saturday. 

 

[Brisketexan 106618]

Just now, lemonlime said:

Lo fucking L.  Do you even capitalism?

Yeah, yeah.  Sigh.  I know.

THAT SAID, we HAVE learned that many jobs can function with an employee working from home, at least for a time.  That's the way it is in our office.  If you think you are sick, stay home and work from home.  

Of course, a lot of jobs aren't like that, but still, a lot are, and that can help.

We could go off on a tangent about how providing paid sick leave has large and broad benefits to society as a whole, but again, that's marxist commie socialist talk, why do you hate America?

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19279]

16 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

I am very, very, very hopeful that is the case.  There you have it -- Brisket and "hopeful" in the same post.  Cats and dogs, living together, mass hysteria -- weird shit, man.

But yeah, if these three factors come together:

1 -- 85%+ of the population has some level of immunity (via vax or infection) because of a) increasing vax rates and b) the virulence of Omicron

2 -- Omicron or something like it remains the dominant strain, and doesn't cause much serious illness in the population above

3 -- resulting in an illness that pops up seasonally, but has a serious illness/death incidence something like a really bad flu year (in the US, let's say that we're looking at 100k dead each year)

Then that's what endemic vs. pandemic looks like.

Maybe we take some measures locally during bad outbreaks (remember, we've done this with the flu in the past -- an elementary school might shut down for a week when too many kids get the flu, etc.).  And we follow some common-sense rules we probably should have followed all along: if you're sick, stay home.  If there's an outbreak in your area, maybe wear a mask in indoor public settings.  You know, measures that can at least somewhat reduce the rate of transmission.

Oh, and it would help if we'd get over our absolute insanity about vaccinations being evil plots by Bill Gates to implant microchips, and our bad math at saying "a vaccine that has a teeny tiny risk of adverse reaction is worse for me than catching an illness that has 20X that rate of adverse outcomes."  We are fucking terrible and stupid at risk assessment, and getting past that would help us a lot, because it would increase the size of the group in point 1 above.

This is where I am.  It also helps that I live in a city that is focusing on getting everyone vaccinated.  I wish other cities were doing similar things.  I detested DeBlasio, but the mandates and vaccine passports were things I supported.  

Edited January 10, 2022 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19279]

4 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

I went to one Portland bar, they asked if we were vaxed to get inside. I then went across the street where most the people weren't wearing masks, and partying it up. It was actually nice seeing faces, and talking to strangers. 

I don't think you're in a cult. You're keeping up with what you think is the correct call for yourself, and not trying to force everyone to your will to live like you are.

Probably should have asked to come out with us to Smith Rock on Saturday. 

 

You basically just told us all you are anti-vaccine.  Go fuck yourself.

[lemonlime 5503]

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Yeah, yeah.  Sigh.  I know.

THAT SAID, we HAVE learned that many jobs can function with an employee working from home, at least for a time.  That's the way it is in our office.  If you think you are sick, stay home and work from home.  

Of course, a lot of jobs aren't like that, but still, a lot are, and that can help.

We could go off on a tangent about how providing paid sick leave has large and broad benefits to society as a whole, but again, that's marxist commie socialist talk, why do you hate America?

We just spent two years prioritizing opening Applebee's over schools.    But, yeah, I guess more people largely in the top, oh, 10% of income range, can work from home in white collar jobs they would have done from their own office without much interaction with the public anyway.

[workswithseed 2201]

Just now, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

You basically just told us all you are anti-vaccine.  Go fuck yourself.

You just told me you're a tyrant. Worry about yourself.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19279]

5 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

You just told me you're a tyrant. Worry about yourself.

People like you are the reason mandates and vaccine passports are necessary.  You are too stupid and selfish to do what is needed to get us out of a pandemic.  
 

Maybe you should post at TexAgs or TigerDroppings.  You will find those are more your speed.  Hell, they might even give you money like you asked for here.

Edited January 10, 2022 by PenelopeWitherspoon

[Brisketexan 106618]

8 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

You just told me you're a tyrant. Worry about yourself.

You've just told us that you have zero fucking idea how "liberty" works.  When your exercise of your "liberty" impacts OTHERS (such as making it more likely that you'll transmit a deadly illness, and much more likely that you'll 1) use limited medical resources, meaning they won't be available for others who need them, and 2) you'll impose the costs of your decisions on others, either through government payment for your treatment OR through payment by private insurance pools of which the rest of us are a part and have to fund), then it's not fucking "freedom."  It's petulant childishness where YOU get the "freedom," but the REST OF US bear a bunch of the consequences.

Pick up a copy of "On Liberty," and come back when you have read and understand it.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Brisketexan

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19279]

1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:

You've just told us that you have zero fucking idea how "liberty" works.  When your exercise of your "liberty" impacts OTHERS (such as making it more likely that you'll transmit a deadly illness, and much more likely that you'll 1) use limited medical resources, meaning they won't be available for others who need them, and 2) you'll impose the costs of your decisions on others, either through government payment for your treatment OR through payment by private insurance pools of which the rest of us are a part and have to fund, then it's not fucking "freedom."  It's petulant childishness where YOU get the "freedom," but the REST OF US bear a bunch of the consequences.

Pick up a copy of "On Liberty," and come back when you have read and understand it.

This this this.  This has been my argument from minute one.  

[wildcat09 29556]

2 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

You've just told us that you have zero fucking idea how "liberty" works.  When your exercise of your "liberty" impacts OTHERS (such as making it more likely that you'll transmit a deadly illness, and much more likely that you'll 1) use limited medical resources, meaning they won't be available for others who need them, and 2) you'll impose the costs of your decisions on others, either through government payment for your treatment OR through payment by private insurance pools of which the rest of us are a part and have to fund), then it's not fucking "freedom."  It's petulant childishness where YOU get the "freedom," but the REST OF US bear a bunch of the consequences.

Pick up a copy of "On Liberty," and come back when you have read and understand it.

Man, this kid has been around this board for quite awhile now. Has he ever given you any indication that he'd understand On Liberty?

[Brisketexan 106618]

1 minute ago, wildcat09 said:

Man, this kid has been around this board for quite awhile now. Has he ever given you any indication that he'd understand On Liberty?

Maybe if he tried reading a time-tested book instead of getting info from Youtube videos, it might make a difference.  We all have some ability to learn.

[MC Fresh Breath 4075]

17 minutes ago, workswithseed said:

I went to one Portland bar, they asked if we were vaxed to get inside. I then went across the street where most the people weren't wearing masks, and partying it up. It was actually nice seeing faces, and talking to strangers. 

I don't think you're in a cult. You're keeping up with what you think is the correct call for yourself, and not trying to force everyone to your will to live like you are.

Probably should have asked to come out with us to Smith Rock on Saturday. 

 

 

Smith Rock is awesome.  A mini-grand canyon experience.  I'll focus on that part of the post as I'm sure others will argue about the rest of it.  But I do want to be clear that my attitude comes from being vaxxed and having had my whole family catch Covid in November.  I'd feel a bit differently if we had still managed to avoid it.  And I intend to get boosted in February.   I also have no problem with anyplace asking me to be vaxxed.  

But the Mt. Bachelor bar doesn't ask that.  And I didn't care, and it felt strange to an extent.  Especially when in the gym where I see about 50/50 compliance and it bothers me.  But I go to a bar and it doesn't.  Guess I'm noticing the self hypocrisy to an extent.  

[StassneyHorn 6755]

You know if you tell the doorman your vaxxed or show him proof, you get to also go into a bar where people aren’t wearing masks and you can see their face as well, partying it up and talking to strangers.

[PsychMike 1553]

47 minutes ago, DigglerontheHoof said:

drinking piss to own the libs.  4D chess

 

 

[MC Fresh Breath 4075]

Quote

 

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance on COVID-19 isolation and testing for healthcare workers.

Healthcare workers who are exposed to COVID-19 and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without quarantining and testing, and those who test positive and are asymptomatic may return to work immediately without isolation and without testing.

Both groups will be required to wear an N-95 mask and avoid other healthcare workers when possible.

 

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/california-issues-new-guidance-on-quarantine-and-isolation-for-healthcare-workers/2834540/

[Judge Roybeanbag 11856]

21 minutes ago, PsychMike said:

 

 

It would be humorous, except the rest of us are having to drink piss to wash down the shit sandwich people like the guy in the first tweet above are forcing us to eat.

[Incredulity 11861]

31 minutes ago, StassneyHorn said:

You know if you tell the doorman your vaxxed or show him proof, you get to also go into a bar where people aren’t wearing masks and you can see their face as well, partying it up and talking to strangers.

Not in Portland.

[JimmyJames 12271]

1 hour ago, RDCanecutter said:

My brief travels through rural Quebec inform me that it is a French-speaking East Tennessee, with more Velvet Elvis paintings. I suspect this ordinance will be enforced at something less than 100%.

Yeah same. It was actually kind of shocking. The English speaking people in Ontario would make fun of and look down on them and I didn’t really believe it until I saw it. 

[DDD Dad 14571]

2 minutes ago, JimmyJames said:

Yeah same. It was actually kind of shocking. The English speaking people in Ontario would make fun of and look down on them and I didn’t really believe it until I saw it. 

Why don't you go eat some tartars you snail sucking mime lovers?

 

[Royalfan5 2383]

1 hour ago, JimmyJames said:

Yeah same. It was actually kind of shocking. The English speaking people in Ontario would make fun of and look down on them and I didn’t really believe it until I saw it. 

I bet they loved going fishing in Quebec though. 

[Longhorn_Fan68 34079]

13 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

Not in Portland.

is that where you live?

[Incredulity 11861]

"why don't you go savagely force feed a duck, then enjoy your foie gras in a sugarshack?!  Trudeau!"

 

holy shit, thats funny.

[Incredulity 11861]

5 minutes ago, Longhorn_Fan68 said:

is that where you live?

nope.  WWS does.  I am there sometimes for work.  They have had a mask mandate from the beginning.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Incredulity

[RDCanecutter 26853]

21 minutes ago, JimmyJames said:

Yeah same. It was actually kind of shocking. The English speaking people in Ontario would make fun of and look down on them and I didn’t really believe it until I saw it. 

I dug the local language. Like learning the Ulster Scot version of French. Beer drank pretty good too. If they'd move Quebec someplace warm, I'd live there.

[StassneyHorn 6755]

49 minutes ago, Incredulity said:

nope.  WWS does.  I am there sometimes for work.  They have had a mask mandate from the beginning.

You’re wrong, I am right

[Skipper 6406]

I'm definitely anti-vaccine mandate at this point.   The ends don't justify the means.  If this was Alpha and we could vax our way out of this pandemic all together I could be on board.  But we have a virus that is transmitting easily throughout the vaccinated population.  A "mandate" at this point is not materially slowing the spread whatsoever.  Additionally we have a high percentage of folks that are either vaccinated or have some natural immunity.  And after the Omicron wave that number is going to be extremely high.  I'm absolutely for increased medical insurance rates on unvaccinated population.  And those folks are still playing with fire with their own health.  But an unvaccinated person (certainly after this wave) is no longer impacting any of us personally in any material way.  If that position makes me a boosted "anti-vaxer" on this board, we've really gone of the rails.

Edited January 10, 2022 by Skipper

[aggie08 21733]

5 minutes ago, Skipper said:

I'm definitely anti-vaccine mandate at this point.   The ends don't justify the means.  If this was Alpha and we could vax our way out of this pandemic all together I could be on board.  But we have a virus that is transmitting easily throughout the vaccinated population.  A "mandate" at this point is not materially slowing the spread whatsoever.  Additionally we have a high percentage of folks that are either vaccinated or have some natural immunity.  And after the Omicron wave that number is going to be extremely high.  I'm absolutely for increased medical insurance rates on unvaccinated population.  And those folks are still playing with fire with their own health.  But an unvaccinated person (certainly after this wave) is no longer impacting any of us personally in any material way.  If that position makes me a boosted "anti-vaxer" on this board, we've really gone of the rails.

Yeah, I'm with you. I'm over at this point. Other than the places that usually have mandatory vaccinations anyway (military, hospitals, certain schools, etc.), it's hard for me to see the benefit of pushing them to the private sector any longer.

[jimmyjazz 46972]

24 minutes ago, Skipper said:

Additionally we have a high percentage of folks that are either vaccinated or have some natural immunity.  And after the Omicron wave that number is going to be extremely high.

Is there evidence that this is true for omicron?  One would expect that to be the case, but I don't think we're far enough into the wave to know for sure, are we?  We certainly don't know how long acquired immunity via omicron might last compared to prior variants or the vaccine.

[Anastasis 23699]

2 hours ago, PsychMike said:

 

 

 

I really want to stretch this into a clinical study p-value joke.