On Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 4:56:32 PM UTC-7, Ralph Barone wrote:
Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/28/2020 5:20 PM, AMuzi wrote:
On 3/28/2020 3:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 12:18:08 PM UTC-7, Mark J. wrote:
On 3/28/2020 10:09 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 3/28/2020 11:01 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
As usual, discussions here have devolved into childish name
calling by some, demeaning published facts and data, quick
political jabs, defensive changes of subjet, and "I know
better than anyone" allusions. Things get obscured.
So I'd like to get a direct answer, especially from Tom and
from Andrew.
Tom: Do you really think COVID-19 is no worse than an
ordinary seasonal flu?
Andrew: Do you really think COVID-19 is no worse than an
ordinary seasonal flu?
Of course, this is a discussion group. Others are very
welcome to give their opinion too.
BTW, our bike club now has its first member in intensive
care on a ventilator. I consider him a really good friend,
one of the guys who (almost) always came on my night rides.
He's much younger than me and has been a hell of a rider, a
daily commuter, fast and high mileage.
Up to here, yes. Death is not trivial to the fatality himself, but the
numbers haven't supported panic so far.
I will change my opinion when/if the numbers change [...]
Sadly, give it a week or two.Â* Cases are roughly quadrupling each week
in the US [based on CDC reports].Â* Exponential growth doesn't catch the
public eye when the absolute numbers are low, but those low numbers
don't last long.
We are solidly on track to eclipse the "regular-flu" numbers.
Mark J.
Plus, the whole idea with these Draconian measures is to limit the
damage.Â* If we don't have the damage, that means the measures were
successful and not that the measures were unnecessary -- unless there
is data indicating that the whole thing is a hoax or that the expected
infection/mortality rates without treatment were miscalculated.Â* What
we need is a clinical trial. No masks, social distancing, closed
business, extra ventilators, etc.,for some big city. Party on! Then
lock-down another big city and fill it with medical equipment and hand
sanitizer and then check the mortality rates in six months. Control
for temperature and region.Â* Obvious choice would be Huston and Dallas
or maybe Minneapolis and St. Paul. Nobody could switch cities.
I'm very pleased to have bought a bag of rice today at the local
Safeway.Â* It was the last one on the shelf -- a lone bag of Thai
jasmine rice.Â* No plain old rice. Lots of produce and other good
stuff.Â* The horders are really into rice, beans and toilet paper --
which makes a great high-fiber casserole.Â* Tons of people were out
walking around. We had this little pedestrian traffic jam on one of
our neighborhood walks with everyone trying to sort-out how to
maintain social distancing.
-- Jay Beattie.
I don't know but I suppose some of you survivors will think of us when
it's over.
Does the "us" in that sentence refer to people who are refusing
recommended health strategies?
It might be good to know who here is still engaging in close contact
with lots of the general public, attending parties, dating lots of new
partners, visiting sick relatives, never washing hands, licking
doorknobs, whatever.
You know, vs. who is doing what most medical experts say we should.
Maybe we can do our own mini-study. Check back six months from now and
see how everyone's doing.
We have one friend with whom we shared a six-foot-separated picnic. She
has no symptoms, but she had to take off her mask to eat. Other friends
(we've seen a dozen, max) have been almost as careful, but no masks.
My wife and I have been in self-imposed lockdown for around two weeks now..
We only go out for groceries. It wasn’t too much of a leap, since I’m
retired and doing a minimal amount of contract work from home (although I
did lose an interesting contract which might have required travel to
Kentucky). Our only real source of exposure is our daughter, who lives
with us and works in a grocery store.
I blew off a ride today to go on a walk with my wife. We saw lots of people and passed some within feet. We stopped at the Safeway and even stopped at a coffee shop in Multnomah Village, although you can't go inside. They were set up at the door -- bought some beans for home espresso.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1901/...4b285de2_b.jpg There's a second coffee shop in town that was open as well -- but not the Blue Star Donuts (mega-expensive curated donuts) or the collection of other eateries. The weed shop was open, of course.
When I say "Multnomah Village," I feel like I'm with Frank, back in Ohi-oh. It even has a visitor's guide, which is impressive for a wide spot in the road.
https://tinyurl.com/vmoofse We usually walk the urban trails rather than the neighborhoods, but the 'hoods are fun now and then.
We did a Costco run and bought some lawn fertilizer, so I spread that -- but its too wet for weeding. They have a plexi-glass sneeze screen at the check-out stand at Costco -- and weird new rituals for handing your membership card and purchases. I did some law work. Put a different saddle on my Synapse. I thought about doing my taxes. Still thinking.
The only thing that differentiated today from any other under-productive Saturday was the pervasive sense of dread and the obviously changed behavior of others. I feel like I'm jet-lagged after coming home from a funeral. I totally understand wanting this to be over. I've got a ride scheduled tomorrow with my nextdoor neighbor and best riding buddy, which will be fun -- unless he hits the gas. I'm still SOB, but probably from allergies. Who knows, though, I COULD BE NEXT! [insert "The Scream" emoji].
-- Jay Beattie.