[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah but he's had a baby so, you know... Concentrate on that!

Incidentally I saw somewhere that someone suggested they call him Distraction Johnson and I thought that was excellent.

[Gust Hubb]

 Gorefest, on 01 May 2020 - 06:39 AM, said:

Trump has seriously crossed the line from bat shit crazy to intentionally malicious now. We are drifting into 1984 territory, telling outright lies - where everyone knows they are outright lies, there is no hiding here - to cover up personal failings. How the US deals with this can drastically shape our future.

Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia.

Bat-shit.... haha. get it?

[Tsundoku]

 Tiste Simeon, on 01 May 2020 - 04:55 PM, said:

Yeah but he's had a baby so, you know... Concentrate on that!

Incidentally I saw somewhere that someone suggested they call him Distraction Johnson and I thought that was excellent.

Very cunning of him to impregnate the help when he did. That's some truly sorcerous prophesisin'.

"He is a witch! Burn him!"

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 02 May 2020 - 03:29 AM

[amphibian]

This is an absolutely bonkers article about how con men are suddenly taking over the government procurement of masks and other equipment: https://www.propubli...-died-at-the-va

This post has been edited by amphibian: 02 May 2020 - 04:00 PM

[Aptorian]

 amphibian, on 02 May 2020 - 01:43 PM, said:

This is an absolutely bonkers article about how con men are suddenly taking over the government procurement of masks and other equipment: https://www.propubli...died-at-the-va/

Page Not Found?

I've certainly seen some crazy stories about federal hijacking of States ressources on Reddit. Om the one hand The Adminstration is saying that they're just a backup and at the same time they're intercepting individual States orders of supplies. For what? What are they doing with those supplies? Just giving them to governors who say nice things on Twitter?

[amphibian]

Turns out the last backslash needed to be dropped from that link.

Some are being given out of proportion/need to states that will be election battlegrounds. Most are being given to private contractors to sell to highest bidder - which means more public money gets funnelled into private pockets without much oversight.

[Aptorian]

How these people or more importantly these people's employees, can look people in the eye amazes me.

This world needs a secret order of assassins that remove corruption.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

 Aptorian, on 02 May 2020 - 02:15 PM, said:

 amphibian, on 02 May 2020 - 01:43 PM, said:

This is an absolutely bonkers article about how con men are suddenly taking over the government procurement of masks and other equipment: https://www.propubli...died-at-the-va/

Page Not Found?

I've certainly seen some crazy stories about federal hijacking of States ressources on Reddit. Om the one hand The Adminstration is saying that they're just a backup and at the same time they're intercepting individual States orders of supplies. For what? What are they doing with those supplies? Just giving them to governors who say nice things on Twitter?

'Maryland National Guard Protecting COVID-19 Tests from Feds in Undisclosed Location Says Republican Governor

"This was an enormously valuable payload. It was like Fort Knox to us," Gov. Larry Hogan said

Maryland's Republican governor said that he has deployed both the state's National Guard and the state police to protect the 500,000 coronavirus tests he secured from seizure by the federal government and "whoever might interfere with us getting that to our folks who needed it."

On Thursday, Governor Larry Hogan told the Washington Post, "it was a little bit of a concern" that federal officials might confiscate the tests which arrived in his state from South Korea on Monday. Hogan went on to say that reports of other incidents where federal officials attempted to or did confiscate coronavirus-related equipment from states played a part in his thinking.

"There had been reports of, for example, in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker told the story of his planeload that came in with masks was basically confiscated by the federal government and he had to then get Robert Kraft, the owner of the [New England] Patriots to fly a second mission with a private plane to try to bring some of that equipment in. And there were a couple of other states that had similar stories," the governor said.

[...] Admiral Brett Giroir, who serves as the assistant secretary for health, made mincemeat of Trump's claim, saying, "There is absolutely no way on Earth, on this planet or any other planet, that we can do 20 million tests a day, or even five million tests a day."'

https://www.rollings...4LlV_xnJKThOviQ

Though I doubt there will be an armed stand-off... hopefully.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 02 May 2020 - 04:17 PM

[Mentalist]

The largest concentration of people wearing masks I've seen was in the line to the liquor store.

I was on my way from the bank after depositing my paycheck (a week late, because I get them mailed now), and I considered getting in line. Then I thought I had better things to do. Guess I'm not an alcoholic after all.

Need to go to the bank again tomorrow, to deposit my tenants' rent check (that was only 1 day late, but I've spent the whole week trying to get in touch with them to give them "advance warning" ); might as well go in the morning an stake out the liquor store before it opens at 11. I'm out of spiced rum.

[Gust Hubb]

It is so baffling to talk to the people who don't take COVID seriously. There is a sense that it has been dramatically blown out of proportion and that it only kills 3% so no biggie. The more urgent concern apparently is the government taking away rights to assemble and right to religion during the crisis. And I don't entirely know how to answer the counter arguments...

[Aptorian]

 Mentalist, on 03 May 2020 - 12:50 AM, said:

The largest concentration of people wearing masks I've seen was in the line to the liquor store.

I was on my way from the bank after depositing my paycheck (a week late, because I get them mailed now), and I considered getting in line. Then I thought I had better things to do. Guess I'm not an alcoholic after all.

Need to go to the bank again tomorrow, to deposit my tenants' rent check (that was only 1 day late, but I've spent the whole week trying to get in touch with them to give them "advance warning" ); might as well go in the morning an stake out the liquor store before it opens at 11. I'm out of spiced rum.

It continues to baffle me that people still use checks. Every monthly bill or subscription I have is automatically paid via a payment service. Why aren't the banks encouraging people to stop using checks? They'd save money in service hours.

Hell I can't remember the last time I was in a bank or used an ATM.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Many banks allow for mobile check deposit.

'Surprising new research in a niche area of immunology suggests that certain live vaccines that have been around for decades could, possibly, protect against the coronavirus. The theory is that these vaccines could make people less likely to experience serious symptoms — or even any symptoms — if they catch it.

At more than 25 universities and clinical centers around the world, researchers have begun clinical trials, primarily in health care workers, to test whether a live tuberculosis vaccine that has been in use for 99 years called the bacillus Calmette-Guérin, or B.C.G., vaccine, could reduce the risks associated with the coronavirus.

[...] It’s counterintuitive to think that old vaccines created to fight very different pathogens could defend against the coronavirus. The idea is controversial in part because it challenges the dogma about how vaccines work.

But scientists’ understanding of an arm of immunology known as innate immunity has shifted in recent years. A growing body of research suggests that live vaccines, which are made from living but attenuated pathogens (as opposed to inactivated vaccines, which use dead pathogens) provide broad protection against infections in ways that no one anticipated.

“We can’t be certain as to what the outcome will be, but I suspect it’ll have an effect” on the coronavirus, said Jeffrey Cirillo, a microbiologist and immunologist at Texas A&M University who is leading one of the B.C.G. trials. “Question is, how big will it be?”'

https://www.nytimes....pgtype=Homepage

[Mentalist]

 Aptorian, on 03 May 2020 - 05:31 AM, said:

 Mentalist, on 03 May 2020 - 12:50 AM, said:

The largest concentration of people wearing masks I've seen was in the line to the liquor store.

I was on my way from the bank after depositing my paycheck (a week late, because I get them mailed now), and I considered getting in line. Then I thought I had better things to do. Guess I'm not an alcoholic after all.

Need to go to the bank again tomorrow, to deposit my tenants' rent check (that was only 1 day late, but I've spent the whole week trying to get in touch with them to give them "advance warning" ); might as well go in the morning an stake out the liquor store before it opens at 11. I'm out of spiced rum.

It continues to baffle me that people still use checks. Every monthly bill or subscription I have is automatically paid via a payment service. Why aren't the banks encouraging people to stop using checks? They'd save money in service hours.

Hell I can't remember the last time I was in a bank or used an ATM.

Ionno, people I deal with are old-fashioned.

I don't care, because it gives me a reason to get out of the house and walk to the bank on weekends. Any excuse to go for a walk is good, exercise-wise (talking about pre-lockdown times. These days... meh, walks are still good, since I'm not the sociable type, and I walk too fast for randoms to keep up and be in my face)

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'City of Stillwater drops mask requirement after businesses threatened

[...] "store employees have been threatened with physical violence and showered with verbal abuse. In addition, there has been one threat of violence using a firearm. This has occurred in three short hours and in the face of clear medical evidence that face coverings helps contain the spread of COVID-19.

"Many of those with objections cite the mistaken belief the requirement is unconstitutional, and under their theory, one cannot be forced to wear a mask. No law or court supports this view. In fact, a recent Federal lawsuit against Guthrie's face covering order was fully dismissed by the United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. [...]

It is further well settled that a business is private property to which people do not have unfettered right of entry. Just as a business has the right to enforce 'No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service,' the business can require a face covering as a condition to entry."

https://www.muskogee...c0384fdf9e.html

'Dollar Store Security Guard May Have Been Fatally Shot Over Face Mask Dispute

Michigan police are investigating whether a security guard at a Flint dollar store was fatally shot by a man who refused to wear a face mask, which is required by state law in enclosed public spaces. Calvin Munerlyn, a 43-year-old father of six, was shot in the head at the Family Dollar store on Friday and later died in a nearby hospital. "We're seeing a lot of these reports on social media, so we're investigating them"'

https://www.thedaily...ce-say?ref=home

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 04 May 2020 - 10:14 PM

[Cause]

I don’t understand this. If the security guards tell your not welcome I don’t even think he needs to provide a reason? Stores have the right to refuse service to anyone correct? As long as it’s not for reasons of discrimination?

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'This Sushi Restaurant Takes Contactless Pickup to the Next Level by Using a Robot
At Bleu Sushi in Philadelphia, Bleu Bot is handing out takeout orders'

https://philly.eater...xjNxLGL4rogI9ag

Maybe robot security guards could help. Giants already have robots patrolling the aisles. Why not give them stun guns?... or whatever is the best way for robots to subdue unruly humans without significant bodily harm. Noticed Microsoft is negotiating the purchase of a robotics firm. COVID-19 expected to accelerate the shift to robotics, but robotics/AI ETFs have been surprisingly cheap recently relative to other tech stocks, partly because automobiles and other manufacturing are expected to decline. Though car purchases have been on the rise in China.



Incidentally, the acronym for the most heavily traded major US and Chinese tech stocks (not all technically classified as 'tech sector') is FAANG BAT. (Facebook Amazon Apple Google Baidu Alibaba Tencent. Though Microsoft has picked up steam.... MINT FAANG BAT, Microsoft Intel Nvidia Tesla.)

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 05 May 2020 - 06:10 AM

[Malankazooie]

Anyone else noticing micro effects on your local climate that could be a result of the shut down? I have noticed in my area the dandelions are not quite as prevalent this spring as they have been in past years. I think this can be chalked up to the lack of heavy traffic each day that stirs up the atmosphere leading to a wider spread of the seeds that float on breezes. I could be way off mark on this, but it's something that I've noticed and got me to thinking why there are fewer of the dandelions.

[Mentalist]

 Malankazooie, on 05 May 2020 - 05:21 PM, said:

Anyone else noticing micro effects on your local climate that could be a result of the shut down? I have noticed in my area the dandelions are not quite as prevalent this spring as they have been in past years. I think this can be chalked up to the lack of heavy traffic each day that stirs up the atmosphere leading to a wider spread of the seeds that float on breezes. I could be way off mark on this, but it's something that I've noticed and got me to thinking why there are fewer of the dandelions.

I've been told the ozone hole above TO's been closing up, so we won't be needing as much sunscreen.

Haven't actually looked into this yet, tho.

[Primateus]

Only thing I've noticed is a lower birch pollen count, which means that the birch trees get to live another year.

[Malankazooie]

Relief check came in the mail yesterday.... yeah yeah, I know you can have it wired electronically, but I support mail carriers, especially in light of Trump shitting on the postal service. And my Aunt is a mail carrier in rural Pennsylvania, and whooboy does she have some stories, forget about vicious dogs, she has stories that will make your jaw hit the floor. So yay! postal carriers. Anyway, I digress.

Informal poll, how many of my American brethren have received your check? The relief package was passed like over a month ago, yeah? I suspect if they have your bank transfer # you got it quicker?

Also, some observational things: the check does have in the memo: "Economic Impact Payment. President Donald Trump." I wonder how much that delayed the checks, putting that on there? Also, I tried their website when it was announced to get info. Don't even try it, it is garbage. The govt. can't do technology it seems.