Coronavirus

[CitizenBBN]

It's not a strawman. it's a simple ordinal comparison, and one we make every election. I know almost no politician that is beloved, it's always lesser of evils.

We simply agree to disagree on how to measure stupid. Biden saying he doesn't work for the voters, and about 500 other dumb comments, adds up.

My only defense of Trump is that so much of the reaction to him is emotional, not rational. Sure he says stupid things, but Biden has said them for 40 years and everyone goes "aw shucks", but somehow Trump's are proof he's taking over the world.

People grossly overreact to Trump's stupidity and underreaact to people like Biden. I wouldn't want either one designing the plane I step onto for a flight.

[Catonahottinroof]

Bingo. I hear a lot about Trump’s words....smh. If they are smooth when the lie that makes it more palatable? I quit listening to the BS that came out of politicians mouths long ago. Watch the actions.
Trump does it on purpose IMO. He says something inflammatory and then proceeds to enact policy. The press and the left is in an uproar over the words and don’t see the real thing that is happening.
Obama just flat out lied and enacted policy....and that may be due to the press giving him a pass where Trump doesn’t have the luxury. And that’s a really big reason why the mainstream press has little credibility any longer....

It's not a strawman. it's a simple ordinal comparison, and one we make every election. I know almost no politician that is beloved, it's always lesser of evils.

We simply agree to disagree on how to measure stupid. Biden saying he doesn't work for the voters, and about 500 other dumb comments, adds up.

My only defense of Trump is that so much of the reaction to him is emotional, not rational. Sure he says stupid things, but Biden has said them for 40 years and everyone goes "aw shucks", but somehow Trump's are proof he's taking over the world.

People grossly overreact to Trump's stupidity and underreaact to people like Biden. I wouldn't want either one designing the plane I step onto for a flight.

[CitizenBBN]

Bingo. I hear a lot about Trump’s words....smh. If they are smooth when the lie that makes it more palatable? I quit listening to the BS that came out of politicians mouths long ago. Watch the actions.
Trump does it on purpose IMO. He says something inflammatory and then proceeds to enact policy. The press and the left is in an uproar over the words and don’t see the real thing that is happening.
Obama just flat out lied and enacted policy....and that may be due to the press giving him a pass where Trump doesn’t have the luxury. And that’s a really big reason why the mainstream press has little credibility any longer....

Trump is the ultimate troll. He eats it up.

I disagree with the strategy, but IMO it is a strategy. He completely controls the discussion by getting the media to go all in, and frankly their over the top reaction absolutely plays to his claim (which I agree with 100%) that the media is just the Left's propaganda wing. They take the bait every time and show their true colors.

I just defend him to give him a fair shake. yes he says dumb things. Biden has said far more. Just treat him the same as they treat Obama etc. and I'm all good with roasting him. But some guys get a pass and others get roasted for everything they do.

[Doc]

Just watched Dan Crenshaws appearance on Bill Maher. If you have not seen, it is well worth the watch. He addresses some misconceptions quite well. Maher did a good job as well. Both were respectful and it did not turn into "I can yell louder and interupt more than you" that is typical of most political sbows

[MickintheHam]

Say what you will about how soon Trump took action, but the blood in this pandemic is all over Gov. Cuomo and his mishandling of the pandemic. This ranks as the dumbest decision any political leader has made this year. Leave Javits Center and the USS Comfort mostly empty while we send cv 19 patients to the nursing homes.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/23/nursin...ts-cuomo-says/

[Catonahottinroof]

But Mick, he told us with such eloquence and that makes it ok.....smh

Say what you will about how soon Trump took action, but the blood in this pandemic is all over Gov. Cuomo and his mishandling of the pandemic. This ranks as the dumbest decision any political leader has made this year. Leave Javits Center and the USS Comfort mostly empty while we send cv 19 patients to the nursing homes.

https://nypost.com/2020/04/23/nursin...ts-cuomo-says/

[MickintheHam]

As with Obama the rhetoric is intoxicating. For Democrats it words not actions. Cuomo’s stupid brother and sister in law are just as bad. She is taking Clorox baths and has a physician come to her home to giver her vitamin drips. He is outside spreading the disease. And yes, they are getting support from their good buddy Dr. Sanjay Gupta. You have to throw up when any of these are on TV.

[UKHistory]

But Mick, he told us with such eloquence and that makes it ok.....smh

Vote him out based on his performance. So too de blasio. He was dismissing the dangers of the virus.


I am good with that. Trump doesn't have to be eloquent. He just has to not promote drugs before doctors believe a malaria treatment works. If he doesn’t suggest injecting the body with disinfectant, I won’t give him a hard time.

I am not looking for Shakespeare. I am looking for competence. I am not a fan of his but make sensible statements and decisions, I would feel safer.

[UKHistory]

Trumps words which as presidents don’t fly the bombers or build the bridges s what initiates actions fist says the federal government is the back up to the states. A little later he says he is in total control. Then he issues guidelines for reopening states while seemingly promoting civil disobedience encouraging folks to liberate states that are following his administration’s guidelines. A president’s words lead to actions and his certainly improved the chaos.

[Doc]

1) He didn't promote hydroxychloroquine. He mentioned it as a possible treatment based on a study out of Europe. Then he CLEARLY referred to the doctor, not what the headlines state and "urges" its use. He stated

“What do you have to lose? Take it. I really think they should take it. But it’s their choice. And it’s their doctor’s choice or the doctors in the hospital. But hydroxychloroquine. Try it, if you’d like.”

Note he puts the decision on the DOCTORS. He says he would and thinks they should but its not his decision. Its your and your doctor.

2) He never told people to take bleach. Yet another flat out LIE by those who dislike Trump. The level of hypocrisy is flabbergasting when people harp on Trump for lying then promote the flat out media and social media lie like as shown by the hydroxychloroquine and bleach.

3) People taking bleach (which by the way has not happened), or the moron who drank fish tank cleaner have nobody to blame but themselves. If I went to my Dr and he found a tumor and wanted to use radiation to remove it, would it be his fault if I went home and put my head in the microwave? Of course not, no more than if I tell a client I am going to burn a tumor off their dog with a laser and they go home and put a blow torch to it, that is not on me.

4) When he got blowback for trying to micromanage the reopen, he left it to the state....then is criticized for leaving it to the states. Nowhere does he advocate "civil disobedience", any more than Obama advocated the shooting of police officers by supporting Black Lives Matter. He clearly does not agree with how Kemp in GA is doing it (too soon) but he is still leaving it to the Gov. Likewise he does not agree with what Whitmer's over restrictive approach but is leaving it to the state. What he is not doing, unlike Obama, is bring in the FBI etc like Obama did in Ferguson to force his way, which resulted in riots.

5) Actions speak louder than words. Me, I tend to the give the speaker the benefit of the doubt. Did it with the last 5 Presidents, even the ones who's policies I disagreed with. If you are going to be critical at least be honest about the criticism and accurately portray the other side. I will compare it to how pro-choice (which I am) are INCORRECTLY labelled pro-abortion (yes, both sides misrepresent), or democrats are pro-crime, republicans want dirty water/dirty air, republicans want to kill grandma (or anybody who is for opening the economy wants to kill the elderly). Trump has listened and implemented what the medical experts have recommend, and done it on pretty much every single aspect, but he also lets his personal feelings and stances be known, just like every citizen of this nation has a right to do. But his personal feelings, beliefs, etc... might not coincide with the policy or what is actually done. He isn't a tyrant or king where what he wants to do personally is implemented. Of course he is labelled as a king or tyrant, but without any evidence to support it....other than the leftist and media claims, with undoubtedly should be taken as factual!

While many find Trumps actions unacceptable, I find the media's and those who blindly accept the medias interpretation as worse. Lies are lies. I fault Trump for claiming it was sarcastic but find bigger fault in a narrative the suggest he somehow forced people to inject bleach into the body. I don't know which is stupider, the media and social media putting that lie forward or those who believe it. Realistically, IMO, the moron who drank fish tank cleaner because it had a component similar to hydroxychloroquine is less dumb than those who continue to believe the media. At least the cleaner drinker did not have 3 years of repeatedly being lied to and still fell for it.

[Doc]

Vote him out based on his performance. So too de blasio. He was dismissing the dangers of the virus.

Which is why we have elections every 4 years. Certainly far superior than a fabricated impeachment, or coup, that was attempted a few months back

[Doc]

As with Obama the rhetoric is intoxicating. For Democrats it words not actions. Cuomo’s stupid brother and sister in law are just as bad. She is taking Clorox baths and has a physician come to her home to giver her vitamin drips. He is outside spreading the disease. And yes, they are getting support from their good buddy Dr. Sanjay Gupta. You have to throw up when any of these are on TV.

You see the interview with the guy on the bike that Frodo had the run in with while he was quarantined?

PS: Check your PM.

[kingcat]

And the answer is...Pepcid AC

https://abc11.com/pepcid-ac-covid-famotidin-19/6132197/

[Doc]

And the answer is...Pepcid AC

https://abc11.com/pepcid-ac-covid-famotidin-19/6132197/

Cool....must be why I don't have it.

[kingcat]

Id like to have a list of major stock purchases at Johnson and Johnsons over the last year, or whoever controls it.

[BigBluePappy]

Cool....must be why I don't have it.

You and me, both, Doc.
Pepcid is my drug of choice now...

[kingcat]

They switched me to it a couple of months back from Ranitidine.

Without one or the other Id never be able to maintain my poor physical condition

[BigBluePappy]

Take it in fits and spurts of when I need to take Pepcid Extra Strength, but without it I am hurtin' for certain.
I think it was my love of Jim Beam and various Lagers and Blitzbiers, in a former life, that might have led to my current love affair with Famotidine...

[kingcat]

Take it in fits and spurts of when I need to take Pepcid Extra Strength, but without it I am hurtin' for certain.
I think it was my love of Jim Beam and various Lagers and Blitzbiers, in a former life, that might have led to my current love affair with Famotidine...

I wish they made Pepcid you could fry in a pan. Then I'd about have it all.

I could crush it up and sprinkle it on a few slices of bacon I guess.

[BigBluePappy]

If Grammy & I make it out of our quarantine period I will more than likely weigh 500 pounds.
She loves to cook and bake and I love to eat.
My A1C has got to be through the roof for the last week and a half...

[Doc]

You and me, both, Doc.
Pepcid is my drug of choice now...

That and metamucil.


Thought my wife had corona. Been sick for a week, fever, severely congested, etc.... She had one of the lawyers in her office get sick with it, hospitalized. She was tested Sat and just got results which were negative for corona, positive for flu. Have to say I am relieved but also would not have minded the immunization by getting sick.

[Doc]

They switched me to it a couple of months back from Ranitidine.

Without one or the other Id never be able to maintain my poor physical condition

I tend to go with omeprazole in my patients. Prilosec...is once a day in dogs so makes it easy. Ranitidine is likely my second choice.

[Basket Case]

They switched me to it a couple of months back from Ranitidine.

Without one or the other Id never be able to maintain my poor physical condition

I took Ranitidine for years and before that I took omeprazole for years. The omeprazole gave me some side effects and ranitidine, to a lesser extent, did too. About 3 years ago I switched to a paleo diet and haven't taken an acid blocker since. I have 2 friends who switched to the paleo too and all 3 of us have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol (1 was on a statin and he was able to stop) and all lost weight(15 - 25 lbs). We are all early 50s. I swear by the diet.

Although if I start coughing I might start eating the Pepcid!

[BigBluePappy]

That and metamucil.


Thought my wife had corona. Been sick for a week, fever, severely congested, etc.... She had one of the lawyers in her office get sick with it, hospitalized. She was tested Sat and just got results which were negative for corona, positive for flu. Have to say I am relieved but also would not have minded the immunization by getting sick.

Grammy was 'potentially exposed', so we have been on quarantine now for 11 days. No signs or symptoms so far but still it is better to be safe than sorry. Working from home keeps me busy during the day and she keeps me busy at night with all of these projects she wants done.
Prayers for your lovely bride.

[kingcat]

I took Ranitidine for years and before that I took omeprazole for years. The omeprazole gave me some side effects and ranitidine, to a lesser extent, did too. About 3 years ago I switched to a paleo diet and haven't taken an acid blocker since. I have 2 friends who switched to the paleo too and all 3 of us have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol (1 was on a statin and he was able to stop) and all lost weight(15 - 25 lbs). We are all early 50s. I swear by the diet.

Although if I start coughing I might start eating the Pepcid!

Interesting. Any diet that allows me to eat a lot of meat sounds good.

[Catonahottinroof]

We’ve got 1M cases in the US. So now you have a 1/327 chance of getting it.....

[PedroDaGr8]

Interesting. Any diet that allows me to eat a lot of meat sounds good.

You should look into Keto. As with any diet, it is all about calories in/calories out, how you accomplish that is less important. Finding what works the easiest for you is critical for long term weight loss.

[PedroDaGr8]

Just for fun, I wanted to evaluate the impact of physical distancing in Washington state. This is far from a rigorous or scientific analysis, just a base-level look at the data. Here is the epidemiological curve for Washington state, I added marks indicating 14 days from when the tech companies implemented work-from-home and 14 days from when the state officially implemented physical distancing. I chose 14 days because that is the official length of quarantine for the virus.

Social Distancing Impact.jpg

Note that the changes will not be in absolute numbers but rather the angle of the slope. The less positive the slope is, the less the virus is spreading. For example, you can see a slight decrease in the slope at around 14 days from when the tech companies implemented their work from home policies. Despite this being a significant percentage of the population, because shops were still open many techies were working from coffee shops, pubs, bars, breweries, etc*. We see a MUCH stronger change in the slope 14 days following the statewide mandated physical distancing. From that point forward, we see a plateauing of cases and an eventual decline in the number of cases as the virus is unable to spread as easily. Note that the "random" dips which occur in the curve are Sundays. I have no idea specifically what is the reason for it (are labs closed, doctors office closed, etc.) but the number of diagnoses dips every Sunday.

While I did not post it here, I also evaluated the deaths curve. We see NO change in the death curve due to the tech companies implementing work-from-home. This is expected because for the most part, techies are relatively young, in good health, very affluent (most are making >$200-300K/yr after a few years), have excellent insurance and healthcare, etc. Quite simply, not the target demographic and as such any impact would be lost in the noise. On the other hand, we do see an improvement in deaths begin 3-4 days after the improvement in infections due to statewide physical distancing.

Washington state has been slowly reopening businesses and recreation (in particular state hiking trails, fishing, boating, golf, etc. will resume the first week of May). They will continue to monitor this curve if they see signs that the loosening of restrictions could bring on a second wave. As this shows, there is a likely an approximately 14 day lag between action and result. Note despite reports, this would NOT be the same as the second wave in the Spanish Flu. The second wave of the Spanish Flu was due to a mutation in the virus coupled with soldiers bringing the disease from the front lines back to their home countries.

[ukpumacat]

Thanks Pedro. I noticed that the IMHE model changed their predictions this morning with these states loosening up. The heat in California is really creating problems for the Governor. There are way more people here than you think without Air conditioning (we don't have it either). Its not terribly common here if you are within 20 min of the coast. And its been really hot. The only way people know how to survive those days is to get outside. Parks. Beaches. Etc. The vast majority are closed. Unfortunately, Newport Beach had theirs open and a HUGE number from San Diego and Los Angeles went there. 30,000 I read. That is a disaster.

In other news, I thought this vaccine news was very good to read. I know these tend to be on the optimistic side in order to get funding...but man this would be amazing....

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/27/w...te-oxford.html

[ukpumacat]

And of course...someone drank a cleaner over the weekend. You can't fix dumb. But you can sure not encourage it.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/kansas...ctant-comments