[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

amphibian, on 21 May 2022 - 08:03 PM, said:

If you are outside outside and not close to people, you don't need to be wearing a mask. You don't need to mask up in a park if there aren't people close. If you're at a concert or something, mask up and swap out when you're feeling grody in the first mask.

In general, for hot days outside, use a sun umbrella if sitting or standing still for a while, bring a hat, use sunscreen, wear shorts, breathable shirt, and bring plenty of water. This isn't something to over think too much if you don't have specific needs that aren't met by the above.

Local health officials were telling people to stay inside, and circulating a number to call if you see anyone dying (... or in need of help, at least). Odd because it's not very hot in absolute terms, though the humidity and the sudden swing to the season's first hot days (bodies not having yet adjusted) are the potential killers.

Got the P100 mask for the local air pollution, which is pretty bad (though it varies) and has significant negative health effects. Orange alert for air quality today.

In Philadelphia some of the sidewalks are so narrow it's almost impossible not to get close to people when they're crowded. And while brief close contact outdoors is generally very unlikely to spread it (hopefully that's still true with these more contagious subvariants), I don't trust them not to cough in my face.

Nanocrystal (so they claim at least) cooling scarf definitely helps for a while (although it too eventually succumbs). Used to wear a cooling gel vest too so I could wear heavy coats comfortably in the summer, though one of the gel packs got punctured. Was supposedly the same thing used by the military under body armor. Might not be a terrible idea to get a new one so I can keep wearing my bulletproof hoodie (and hauling around the rifle-proof plate in my backpack) comfortably....

Still think a variation on Bedouin robes (perhaps high tech, if it's possible to optimize them any further---maybe even wholly or partly powered by absorption of solar energy or thermolectric energy to power internal cooling, as in those baseball caps with solar powered fans) might feel more comfortable:

'Bedouins' robes, the scientists noted, are worn loose. Inside, the cooling happens by convection – either through a bellows action, as the robes flow in the wind, or by a chimney sort of effect, as air rises between robe and skin.'

https://www.theguard...other%20colour.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 21 May 2022 - 11:29 PM

[Malankazooie]

Okay, got some thoughts on baby formula, now wondering about Fentanyl. What up? How come?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 22 May 2022 - 04:14 PM, said:

Okay, got some thoughts on baby formula, now wondering about Fentanyl. What up? How come?

'J.D. Vance said [...] Biden is allowing fentanyl through the border to kill MAGA voters. [...] no—it's actually killing [a higher percentage of] African-Americans.

After securing [...] Trump's endorsement to become the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Ohio[...]

[...] a Vance lie so ridiculous that Trump himself might not have attempted it. Vance has actually suggested [...] Biden is allowing fentanyl to pour through the border so as to kill off MAGA voters.

"If you wanted to kill a bunch of MAGA voters in the middle of the heartland, how better than to target them and their kids with this deadly fentanyl?"

[...] researcher who has been scientifically documenting actual facts regarding both overdoses and fentanyl[:]

"For most of the pandemics, like two years, almost the only people who were allowed to cross the border were mostly U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents. And the fentanyl did not stop coming, which means it's being brought over by U.S. citizens,who cannot be denied entry to this country through legal ports of entry."

[...]

"So the whole Republican talking point about a weak wall, it just empirically doesn't make any sense. It's just a flat out lie."'

GOP Ohio Senate Candidate J.D. Vance's Fentanyl Conspiracy Theory Is a Big Lie

OTOH I'm tempted to speculate that some on the far right could be trying to murder drug users---perhaps even African-Americans specifically. But it doesn't seem targeted enough for the latter to be at all likely. 'Conspiracy theories' aren't really needed: 'why cut heroin with fentanyl in the first place? Researchers [...] say there are two reasons. "It's cheaper than heroin, and it's smaller, lighter and easier to smuggle,"'

Why would anyone cut heroin with fentanyl? It's cheap, these researchers say (nbcnews.com)

... but killing off your customers does seem counterproductive. Are drug dealers really that stupid and irresponsible? Maybe enough are... and if demand keeps going up by enough it might not matter much ('it's doom alone that counts, / And the one-eyed carriage-driver, / He blows a futile horn...').

[Malankazooie]

I know there has been an number of laws passed recently. I guess kids are using their favorite social media platforms (tiktok, snap, etc.) to connect with dealers, and buying what they think are something less dangerous, like percs for example, only to die because what they take has been laced with fentanyl.

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 23 May 2022 - 05:41 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 23 May 2022 - 05:41 AM, said:

I know there has been an number of laws passed recently. I guess kids are using their favorite social media platforms (tiktok, snap, etc.) to connect with dealers, and buying what they think are something less dangerous, like percs for example, only to die because what they take has been laced with fentanyl.

Former student / mentee of a friend of mine died recently after taking what he thought was xanax---turned out to be fentanyl (or at least fentanyl-laced). He seemed really depressed about it (and the world...).

Wonder if it will significantly decrease drug use in the US (not counting those that can't easily be laced with fentanyl---whole mushrooms for example---though apparently even marijuana has been laced with fentanyl, bizarrely... for more of a psychotropic effect?).

The war on drugs never got this extreme---despite the extreme dehumanization of drug addicts. Hopefully law enforcement is investigating whether any of it can be attributed to terrorism (and hopefully not by or with the blessing of rogue law enforcement, or vigilantes they'd be sympathetic towards...).

Partial solution may be to legalize, regulate, optimize (scientific research into how to maximize benefits while minimizing risks), and provide free therapy and treatment, but the US seems a long way off from adopting that. (Unless Trump's cult-like hold on the GOP could actually be used for good after he becomes Go*-Emperor?... or maybe after he abolishes democracy and gets deposed by Elon Musk? That would at least be an improvement... but we'd more likely end up with Trump being succeeded by DeSantis (American Orban) or Mastriano (aspiring American Putin?...).)

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 23 May 2022 - 02:20 PM

[Malankazooie]

Posted this in the Discussion topic, but going to put here also, as I think this thread gets more traffic.

#-#-#-#-#

Watch till the end and share/pass it on to others. Something needs to change.

https://twitter.com/...246789290934272

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 25 May 2022 - 01:10 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Malankazooie, on 25 May 2022 - 01:10 AM, said:

Posted this in the Discussion topic, but going to put here also, as I think this thread gets more traffic.

#-#-#-#-#

Watch till the end and share/pass it on to others. Something needs to change.

https://twitter.com/...246789290934272

'America’s Hands Are Full of Blood

Thoughts and prayers. It began as a cliché. It became a joke. It has putrefied into a national shame.

If tonight, Americans do turn heavenward in pain and grief for the lost children of Uvalde, Texas, they may hear the answer delivered in the Bible through the words of Isaiah:

“And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.”'

Robb Elementary Shooting: America’s Hands Are Full of Blood

[Maark Abbott]

Tonight. Ten hot sauces, one hour, lots of swearing, lots of pain.

I am fear.

[Abyss]

Maark Abbott, on 25 May 2022 - 07:52 AM, said:

Tonight. Ten hot sauces, one hour, lots of swearing, lots of pain.

I am fear.

Goodbye Maark. We'll remember you for at least a week or so.

[Malankazooie]

The ring of fire is true suffering.

[QuickTidal]

Son has had a moderately high fever since Sunday, keeping it at bay (thinking it was a virus) with Advil/tylenol for days...wife took him to Sick Kids Hospital last night and sat there for almost 8 hours to be seen (thanks Doug Fucking Ford for slashing healthcare) and they did a chest X-ray and it was clear, but by the time they suggested bloodwork it was almost 1AM, so she came home and the doctor recommend that if he still had a fever tomorrow to bring him back. His fever is bad today and he says his back hurts and my son who ABHORS doctors...asked to go see a doctor to help him feel better. So wife tried to take him to Toronto Gen, they don't have a Paediatric doctor on the staff for the ER, and Mt Sinai (where he was born!) ...same frigging thing. So she's back in that ridiculously long queue at Sick Kids.

And I'm sitting here, stuck at work because my co-worker who was away for a week vacation last week, got COVID and is off all week this week, so I'm still holding down the fort. Wife says it doesn't matter as they can't have anyone other than one parent in with him due to covid regs anyways.

We've tested him 3 times for COVID and he doesn't have it (he did have it less than 90 days ago when we all got it), but I wanna know what's wrong with him. The ER doc last night scared us shitless by saying it could be MIS-C (multi-inlfammatory thingie) and that if he exhibits those symptoms he must be seen right away.

I just want him to feel better. As a parent there is nothing scarier than a health issue that can't be nailed down not because they can't test his enough,but because the wait times right now are fucking INSANE in Toronto becuase of understaffing and health cuts Ford made one the last 4 years.

I'm both furious at the situation, and beside myself with worry over my son.

EDIT: Crisis averted. He's got one of the worst ear infections that the ER doctor had ever seen, and crackling in his chest now from the cough, so they are starting him on Antibiotics. Phew.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 26 May 2022 - 06:26 PM

[amphibian]

I got COVID from a friend last Thursday. It took until Sunday night for me to start feeling anything and then it really hit. Felt terrible Monday with fatigue, coughing, fire throat, and then slowly better over the next few days. This thing will take a week from me and I'm lucky I haven't lost anything sensory.

I'm thankful I haven't given it to my partner or dogs. But I'm also very much irked that I can't actually report this in my county bc they stopped tracing and tracking totally. The failures of the people elected to run out various forms of government on so many levels is crushing my spirit.

[Malankazooie]

Ray Liotta died. Goodfellas quite possibly is in my top 5 favorite movies of all time. For sure makes the top 10.

[Slow Ben]

QuickTidal, on 26 May 2022 - 03:36 PM, said:

Son has had a moderately high fever since Sunday, keeping it at bay (thinking it was a virus) with Advil/tylenol for days...wife took him to Sick Kids Hospital last night and sat there for almost 8 hours to be seen (thanks Doug Fucking Ford for slashing healthcare) and they did a chest X-ray and it was clear, but by the time they suggested bloodwork it was almost 1AM, so she came home and the doctor recommend that if he still had a fever tomorrow to bring him back. His fever is bad today and he says his back hurts and my son who ABHORS doctors...asked to go see a doctor to help him feel better. So wife tried to take him to Toronto Gen, they don't have a Paediatric doctor on the staff for the ER, and Mt Sinai (where he was born!) ...same frigging thing. So she's back in that ridiculously long queue at Sick Kids.

And I'm sitting here, stuck at work because my co-worker who was away for a week vacation last week, got COVID and is off all week this week, so I'm still holding down the fort. Wife says it doesn't matter as they can't have anyone other than one parent in with him due to covid regs anyways.

We've tested him 3 times for COVID and he doesn't have it (he did have it less than 90 days ago when we all got it), but I wanna know what's wrong with him. The ER doc last night scared us shitless by saying it could be MIS-C (multi-inlfammatory thingie) and that if he exhibits those symptoms he must be seen right away.

I just want him to feel better. As a parent there is nothing scarier than a health issue that can't be nailed down not because they can't test his enough,but because the wait times right now are fucking INSANE in Toronto becuase of understaffing and health cuts Ford made one the last 4 years.

I'm both furious at the situation, and beside myself with worry over my son.

EDIT: Crisis averted. He's got one of the worst ear infections that the ER doctor had ever seen, and crackling in his chest now from the cough, so they are starting him on Antibiotics. Phew.

I’m sure that still sucks, but glad it wasn’t something more serious.

The shear helplessness you feel when your kids sick and you can’t do anything about it.

[Briar King]

Ditto

[Tiste Simeon]

So on Sunday, TT begins! While the bone racing is pretty exciting and there's usually a good buzz about the place, muggins here is working longer shifts and more shifts. So much so that my wife and kids have moved to my parents so that there's at least some help with the twins.

I should look on the bright side - it's something different, it's a unique event and most importantly I get paid a lot extra for all the cancelled days off.

But I know it's going to be massively tiring and I'm going to miss the family so much...

[Macros]

One of the few forms of racing left that actually elevates individual ability (and borderline insanity) above team orders and big money.
Not quite like it was in the Joey days but damn those boys are mental

[Cause]

I got a call from my companies US director (the women who hired me), she asked me how I was getting along with the east coast manager (started when I did and become my direct manager as she overseas the east coast) and what I thought about some of the new changes at the company. We are planning to split into two tracks (technical specialists and sales specialists). I’m currently the later. The conversation was more confusing than helpful and has left me feeling stressed and confused on what should be a lovely long weekend in Texas.

It sounds like the east coast manager possibly wants to force me to the technical side and give my territory to a women she just hired. She has been hiring a lot of her old colleagues. The director asked if I had considered moving to the west coast.

It hard to say what’s going on since either it’s all a mess, or my manager is not being straight with me. She hasn’t said anything, she did ask me if based on my background I was comfortable with the changes and happy in a more sales focused role with less technical and I said yes. I took the job to get out of sitting in front of lab equipment all day long. She has always told me I’m doing a good job. However the director said she is hiring people and putting a heavier emphasis on sales experience. So my worry isn’t coming from nothing.

[amphibian]

Unless you're certain you're made for sales life 100%, I wouldn't advise moving into it under a manager you're not ultimately sure about having your back. Sales is brutal and a ton of bad behavior gets ignored as long as the money keeps coming in.

I'd job hunt and if forced, really touch upon what my job happiness would look like if I was working under someone who wanted me out before I decided sales or technical.

[Cause]

Until this call I’d have said the company had my back and I was doing well. Now I’m confused. It’s been 3 months(post onboarding and training) and I have been doing demos and selling well. In 3 months I have sold 2 and have 4 highly likely to close. Which isn’t bad when I’m expected to sell ten and the lead time for a sale is usually 6-12months given the cost and beauracracy involved. If anything I thought my manager had previously been hinting that I was in line to get a bigger territory. I have a colleague who has been on the job six months and they still don’t trust him to fly solo so I thought they were gonna add his territory to mine.

I have to see what happens going forward. My one thought is the new manager may be just trying to bring in all her own people so to speak. Frankly the problem is the lack of transparency. The west coast which the director seemed to offer me is some of the most lucrative territory in the USA but that’s a big move and a very high living cost.

Also what pisses me off is now I’m thinking about this instead of reading a book by the pool.

This post has been edited by Cause: 28 May 2022 - 06:54 PM