Posts Made By: James Brown

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Well, you're putting MSNBC in the same context and category as Fox and it clearly isn't.
From my perspective, from following both of them, and while one certainly has a liberal bias and the other a conservative one, it's obvious in my opinion that MSNBC delivers far more accurate reporting whereas Fox does theirs through their opinion commentators who comprise the bulk of their primetime "news" slots... 

Hi Rod - yes, I'm putting them in the same category.  I have to admit that I have watched them far less than you.  Especially Fox.  I get my news from Facebook.



Just kidding!



I read the WSJ, and several articles from the NYT, WaPO, New Republic, Federalist,  Vox and so on as linked by RCP each week.  In the car I listen to local NPR in general, but sometimes I listen to Fox Headline News on Sirius.   FHN seems pretty unbiased on the radio, but it is absolutely just the headlines.  No personalities.  NPR is great until they get into national political news.  Then the bias is extreme.

Jim

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

By promulgating variants that can potentially defeat the vaccine.

Hi Greg:

Don't discount this line of reasoning because you happen to disagree with Rod and James on a lot of stuff.  The vaccines work extremely well at preventing the disease and at keeping the severity of the disease down if you happen to be one of the 10% who gets it anyway.  I understand that those are individual benefits and if one wants to "risk it" by going unvaccinated that is their right, but the analysis does not stop there.

A large pool of anti-vaccination folks are a social problem because the unvaccinated are a large pool where the virus can infect, mutate and then infect others.  Worst case scenario, the virus mutates into a variant that is not predominantly stopped by the current vaccine.  Especially if it is a more lethal variant.   

Beyond Covid, vaccinations are critical for society.  I doubt you disagree with the laws in virtually every state that require public school students to be vaccinated against childhood diseases like measles and mumps?  The same reasoning applies here. 

Here is analogy I think is persuasive.  What do you think about drunk driving laws?  Obviously, If I have a few too many and wrap myself around a tree, I have only hurt myself and removed one aged lawyer from the social security roles.  On the other hand, all too often, the drunk driver wastes an innocent third party.  Society has a strong incentive to prohibit and punish the behavior for that reason.   I would be conflicted about mandatory Covid vaccination laws.  I do think all responsible adults should choose to get vaccinated because it is the responsible thing to do.  Just like I think responsible adults should avoid drinking and driving, even if it were not illegal.

Jim 

Originally Posted by James Lacey

NPR news is one of the least biased news sources around IMHO.

NPR opinion, like any opinion writing, is biased as heck!

Hi James:

That is a worthy clarification of the point I was trying to make.  

Jim

Originally Posted by Greg Shaffer

So do you believe the above applies to those of us who have had the virus and recovered as well? 

I'm not sure.  This is something I've been meaning to read up on.  Given that the infection rates in most states are way down, even though only 1/2 or so are vaccinated, it seems likely that previous infection imparts some level of immunity.  Really not sure though.

I have read that these RNA type viruses mutate often enough that your immunity from infection and my immunity from vaccination will be relatively short lived.  I expect to get vaccinated annually in the future, along with the flu shot.  This will be particularly important as we get older.

Jim

Originally Posted by Mel Maki

A market crash could affect bidding but I'll guess it goes to $26,000?

Hi Mel:

The market has had a good week so far.  The big A-P refractor has been sitting on $24,050 for 10 days.  Only 8 hours to go as I write this.  I reckon there will be a flurry of bidding at the end.  Come on Mel - you owe yourself this indulgence.  Think of it as an investment!

https://astromart.com/auctions/astromart-auctions/telescope-refractor/show/astro-physics-180-f7-perhaps-the-best-refractor-made-no-reserve

Jim

Originally Posted by Mel Maki

At five years past retirement do I need to hear, "What are you waiting for?" Or, "If not now, when?"  

But now you have to live with regrets... 

You nailed it with your estimate by the way.  $26,250.00

Jim

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

"Mesa County, home to Grand Junction, has been struck by new COVID-19 cases in recent days with an average of 48 cases per day in a 34 percent increase from two weeks prior, according to Times data.
The county, which hosted thousands last weekend for the County Jam music festival, has seen its hospitals fill up with 98.3 percent of beds and 90.9 percent of ICU beds in use. "
"Utah has also documented an increase in COVID-19 cases, hitting a daily average of 382 new cases this week representing a 33 percent increase in two weeks."
"Nevada has seen its COVID-19 case count skyrocket since mid-June, reaching Missouri's levels in a few weeks. The state documented 543 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday in a 48 percent increase in a week."
"Arkansas’s COVID-19 case count reached its highest level since the winter on two consecutive days this week, with 686 and 700 new cases confirmed Wednesday and Thursday."
"Missouri reached 1,383 new cases on Thursday, as its average daily case count increased by 55 percent over two weeks."
The Trumptoids won't get vaccinated...
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/561419-5-states-where-the-coronavirus-delta-variant-is-spreading

You missed your calling Rod - you should have made a career writing shockingly misleading headlines.

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

"At least 150 people fatally shot in more than 400 shootings over the Fourth of July weekend"
https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/05/us/us-shootings-july-fourth-weekend/index.html

Rod:

Do you really think all those shootings in Chicago and elsewhere over the 4th were perpetrated by Trumptoids?   

Jim

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Of course you wouldn't. All you equate gun violence with is "the inner city". That's all you think about it.  Texas has had plenty of gun murders so it doesn't have to be an "inner city". And having a lack of checks and licensure along with the "constitutional carry" nonsense hasn't helped...

"Chicago has seen at least 336 homicides for the first six months of the year, just two more than at this point in 2020 but 33 percent more than 2019’s 252 homicides, according to an analysis by the Sun-Times.

The city has recorded at least 1,892 shootings through June 28, the most recently available statistics, an increase of almost 12 percent compared to 2020’s 1,692 and a 53 percent increase over 2019’s 1,234 shootings during the same time."  

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-shootings-homicides-are-up-at-halfway-point-of-2021-cpd-statistics/2545666/

Rod, I don't think any location can match Chicago and Illinois in 2021.

Originally Posted by Greg Shaffer

I know Rod regularly wins in this regard but I found some really strong competition a little while ago when it comes to the "absolutely stupidest thing on the net today"......

Have to wonder if the scientists that signed off on this are all named "Karen"......

https://freebeacon.com/campus/science-journal-geology-is-racist/

Hard to believe any self-respecting science journal would even publish an article like this one.....but they did lol

Greg, the Free Beacon headlines and analysis totally and irresponsibly distort the article and the author's message.  I can't believe you fell for the Beacon's spin.  Jim


Article:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-23936-w

Author:

https://fhsu.edu/geo/faculty-and-staff/Ali/index