Octopus Overlords

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:01 pm Folks -

Just a reminder that this is serious. I just got word that one of my oldest friends, 49 and in normal health, was hospitalized in Wisconsin for COVID-19 on Thursday, and was on a respirator at 100% oxygen as of Friday. There is progress today in that he is "responsive" and able to raise his hand and signal yes/no.

That should tell you where he was yesterday.

He was there on a trip from DC, where he lives, so I don't have any information on what this means as far as the location where he could have contracted it.

I'll share more information as I get it.

Unagi wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:11 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:00 pm

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:50 am It's nice to know that at least some assholes trying to profit on this aren't succeeding

I read that earlier. It was hilarious how much he was presenting himself as the victim after clearing out an entire state of emergency supplies then getting stuck with them.

As far as distancing goes, we have one elderly relative for whom we are the only source of support/care. She's high-risk (elderly, intermittent respiratory problems), and lives on her own. The only event I have scheduled in the next month is a D&D game in a week. I'm hesitant about it, but all three of the other players (a couple and a single) are insisting that we play. We'll see as it gets closer.

you should pass on the D&D for now. obviously (IMO). Unless you would be ok with these 3 people hanging with your elderly relative (for example).

LawBeefaroni wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:12 pm

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:01 pm Folks -

Just a reminder that this is serious. I just got word that one of my oldest friends, 49 and in normal health, was hospitalized in Wisconsin for COVID-19 on Thursday, and was on a respirator at 100% oxygen as of Friday. There is progress today in that he is "responsive" and able to raise his hand and signal yes/no.

That should tell you where he was yesterday.

He was there on a trip from DC, where he lives, so I don't have any information on what this means as far as the location where he could have contracted it.

I'll share more information as I get it.

That's scary. And it reiterates what we're hearing from Italy. It's largely survivable as long as there are healthcare resources available. But when a hospital only has 40 respirators and 60 patients need them...

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:20 pmI know. And all three work in nursing in environments packed with the elderly. It bothers me that they're not the ones wanting to avoid the game. I'm probably going to cancel, I just need to get my teeth gritted enough to bypass the social anxiety involved.

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 11:50 am It's nice to know that at least some assholes trying to profit on this aren't succeeding

He Has 17,700 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer and Nowhere to Sell Them

Amazon cracked down on coronavirus price gouging. Now, while the rest of the world searches, some sellers are holding stockpiles of sanitizer and masks.

“It’s been a huge amount of whiplash,” he said. “From being in a situation where what I’ve got coming and going could potentially put my family in a really good place financially to ‘What the heck am I going to do with all of this?’”

How about donating it?

Attorney General Letitia James’ office sent Jones a cease-and-desist letter Thursday, calling his “latest mistruths” a “serious threat” to Americans’ well-being.

Jones has peddled colloidal silver-infused toothpaste, mouthwash, creams and dietary supplements, among a slew of other products, that he called a “stopgate” against the virus, according to a statement from the attorney general.

He also claimed, the statement said, that the federal government endorsed his toothpaste as a product that “kills the whole SARS-corona family at point blank range.”

...

“As the coronavirus continues to pose serious risks to public health, Alex Jones has spewed outright lies and has profited off of New Yorkers’ anxieties,”

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:28 pmMy wife and I have decided to basically avoid all interaction for the next two weeks or so, at which point we will reassess. I don't think it's alarmist at this point to do our grocery shopping (next time we need to) at 1 am, and certainly it's not necessary for us to head out for social events.

geezer wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:28 pm I don't think it's alarmist at this point to do our grocery shopping (next time we need to) at 1 am, and certainly it's not necessary for us to head out for social events.

Smoove_B wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:38 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:20 pmI know. And all three work in nursing in environments packed with the elderly. It bothers me that they're not the ones wanting to avoid the game. I'm probably going to cancel, I just need to get my teeth gritted enough to bypass the social anxiety involved.

Tell them Mr. Smooth has indicated it's not a good idea and would recommend transitioning to a virtual environment instead. The loss of social connection absolutely stinks, but in these uncertain times an abundance of caution is likely the best course of action.

gilraen wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:55 pm USA Today - TSA will now allow 12-oz bottles of hand sanitizer in your carry-on luggage.

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

stessier wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:07 pm

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

Dr. Oz has turned into a quack (not sure if he always was or not).

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:39 pmIf the guy advising the UK is any indication, they are going to manage to have an even worse response than we will, cause it sounds like they want people to get infected and reach the peak, because once they'll reach the peak, he claims they'll have heard immunity (I guess that's when herd immunity starts to have an effect, but I think the goal is for it to eliminate the disease), though he does seem to agree with social distancing at some point, maybe. He's not exactly clear, even if he's very calm. Meanwhile the guy who wrote the medium article is like me...

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 2:49 pm I wish Gupta or Oz were our Surgeon general.

Daehawk wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 8:46 pm Trump has top men on this. Top men!

Daehawk wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 3:25 pm I found the problem.

Skinypupy wrote:I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:47 pm I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

But there is hope. Of the countries affected most severely by the pathogen, both China and Korea have hit their peaks and have tapered in the number of new cases each day. The total outbreak lasted about a month in both countries. This success is attributed to the widely available drive-by testing and rapid implementation of containment measures, and provides a glimmer of hope and lessons for other countries that are just now entering the outbreaks weeks later. If the US is able to quickly adopt the same containment and testing measures, it is possible that we could limit our outbreak to a month or less. But that’s a big ‘if’, and many doubt that it’s a realistic expectation given the political division around the disease and the mix of confusing directions given by federal and local governments.

But there is a silver lining, for the US anyway. Since China and South Korea were first to be hit by the virus almost 2 months ago, many studies have since been published on possible effective treatments for the virus. Most notably, antimalarial drugs and chloroquine treatments appear to lead to faster recovery. Recent studies from China have suggested that it may be the immune response that leads to fatalities, suggesting several treatment options.
The takeaway: every week of delay could save hundreds of lives. Scientists are working around the clock on this, yielding new discoveries on treatments and a better understanding of the disease. We are lucky that we can study what happened in other parts of the world and learn from them

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:41 pm Some people are completely broken.

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

gameoverman wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:19 pm

YellowKing wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 7:01 pm I don’t understand how people can still believe this is a hoax when states are shutting down schools. Do these people actually think state governments and businesses are reacting to “media hype?” Do they think the NBA and collegiate sports are willing to throw away millions for some exaggerated headlines?

I think some people are so invested in their political agenda that they will not take anything seriously if it goes against that agenda, even if people will die from that stance. There are many people invested in what Trump is doing and they want it to continue. I think that would explain why they see the virus itself as a tool of the left. They see criticism of Trump's handling of this as an attack by the left.

I, for non political reasons, didn't think this virus would amount to much to be honest. And in reality the virus itself isn't doing much damage. However, once I saw what was going on in Italy, an European member of 'The West' and therefore a country I would expect to see handle this easily enough, then I saw how there is more to this virus than just getting sick. Then the economic upheavals put an exclamation point on how serious this is. I don't have any investment in seeing Trump re-elected though, so I think that's why it was easier for me to come around.

Jeff V wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:33 pm
The thing is what the Trumptards call overreaction is exactly what stands to save us. The objective of all of these shutdowns and closures is to prevent it from spreading. if it's successful, the idiots will just claim everyone was crying wolf.

Defiant wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 9:29 pm NEWT GINGRICH: I AM IN ITALY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS. AMERICA MUST ACT NOW—AND ACT BIG

I can't believe that I mostly agree with Gingrich on something.

malchior wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 6:37 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sat Mar 14, 2020 4:47 pm I’m guessing they’re going to turn around and sell it, because some people are just colossal douchecanoes.

My friend's father owns a bar and she is saying she's heard some variation of 'it's a hoax because its an election year' all day. It's a real blue collar type of place. I had a 'friend' posting that bullshit on his feed for days as well. I kept reporting it and it kept getting taken down. In the end, these idiots are going to get a lot of people killed.