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Posts Made By: James Brown

April 18, 2020 12:53 AM Forum: Politics

Tara Reade

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Meanwhile, Donald John Trump is currently taking/tweeting his cues from Fox news with regards to opening the country and you're worried about left bias over hearing from Tara Reade. Got it!
Like I posted yesterday in the charts and data thread, I think my Governor has a good reopening plan.  No idea about yours!

Jim

April 18, 2020 04:25 AM Forum: Politics

Tara Reade

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman
The latest from pubmed:
"At present, there are no studies demonstrating the clinical efficacy of hydroxychloroquine for the prophylaxis or treatment of COVID-19 infection. In the meantime, medical practitioners are urged not to prescribe hydroxychloroquine off-label in the current pandemic because of the lack of evidence and the risk of depleting stocks of the medication for other indications. Practitioners are reminded that there is a significant risk of retinal toxicity if patients take this medication in high doses for prolonged periods of time without ophthalmic supervision."

First published online 14 April 2020.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32294807/
Geez, you bust me for posting off topic in your thread...  Is Tara taking HCQ now?  wink

Did you see that the Gilead anti-viral got some good press today.  The market sure liked it.

Have a great weekend.  I might get a break in the clouds - March/April are our worst months by far.

April 18, 2020 04:28 AM Forum: Politics

Tara Reade

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by James Lacey


Our Governor announced some sensible relaxations today. I rarely agree with him on politics, but he is a decent man, and a functioning adult, so I'm pretty sure we can depend on him to do his job adequately. Schools will remain closed for the academic year, doctors and nurses can go back to work for non-essential services, and retail can re-open in a safe social-distancing way. He made it clear that we are not flipping a switch, and may have to take steps back to go forward.
Sounds sensible.  We close schools so early in the year, in the Western US at least, I can't imagine any reopening.  

Son #2 is graduating from college in just two weeks.  I wonder if they'll try to do a Zoom commencement? 

Jim

April 18, 2020 04:37 AM Forum: Politics

Wuhan Lab Escape Theory Gains Traction

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Richard Davis

What a f_______ arrogant comment you just made to Darian.  Does he feel slimy?

What kind of lowlife question is that, if someone agrees with the President then he must necessarily be "slimy" according to you. 

Normally, I would not reply to Rich when he unloads like this, and frankly, I am not replying to Rich.  I am replying to Darian.  

Darian:

I hope you did not intentionally misread my post like Rich did.  What I said was, "don't you sometimes feel slimy too...."  The"sometimes" and the "too" are critical to my sentence.  Obviously, what I meant was don't you "sometimes, but not always" feel slimy "like I do"....  You could answer "no" of course, but I bet that Trump's tweets and his statements make virtually the most die-hard supported cringe now and then.

I have given up trying to correct Rich when he twists my words, but in this instance it seemed like there was a risk that you would have misunderstood also, and I did not want any misunderstanding to linger.  I was not insulting you, I was trying to build an understanding between us.

Take care, Jim

April 21, 2020 09:42 PM Forum: Politics

Health Care Professionals Vs Trumptoids At The Protests

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman
https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/04/20/nurses-take-stand-against-reopening-protesters-orig-dp.cnn
Whom to believe...
Hi Rod:

There is some question, at least locally, whether those are actually health care professionals, counter-protesters dresses as nurses or plants by the photographer.  In any case, I support the governor, and I support the right of these folks, whose livelihoods and assets are in serious jeopardy to assemble. 

The ribbing that the protesters (here and elsewhere) are taking on late night TV, in Facebook and from the national news and Hollywood is symptomatic of the titanium bubble that our "elites" live in.  Quarantine is not so bad when the Sub-zero is packed with expensive ice cream and steaks.  Having an endless supply of wine or freshly shaken "quarantinis" doesn't hurt either!  These protesters are facing real hardship on the other hand, and they will remember who mocked them, just like they remembered in 2016.

Jim

April 21, 2020 09:52 PM Forum: Politics

Health Care Professionals Vs Trumptoids At The Protests

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by James Brown

Hi Rod:

There is some question, at least locally, whether those are actually health care professionals, counter-protesters dresses as nurses or plants by the photographer.  In any case, I support the governor, and I support the right of these folks, whose livelihoods and assets are in serious jeopardy to assemble. 

The ribbing that the protesters (here and elsewhere) are taking on late night TV, in Facebook and from the national news and Hollywood is symptomatic of the titanium bubble that our "elites" live in.  Quarantine is not so bad when the Sub-zero is packed with expensive ice cream and steaks.  having an endless supply of wine or quarantinis doesn't hurt either!  These protesters are facing real hardship on the other hand, and they will remember who mocked them, just like they remembered in 2016.

Jim
Speaking of the governor of Colorado; as promised, he is cautiously rolling out a slow return to normalcy.  Good on him.  My governor is a raging and extreme commie leftist as our temporarily departed forum pal Rich would surely note, but he seems to have a good head on his shoulders, nonetheless.  cool 

Is your governor doing as well?

Key points: 

* Starting April 26 most commercial businesses can reopen with strict social distancing and masking requirements.  
* Starting April 26 most offices can reopen with 50% staffing and strict social distancing requirements.
* In mid May, barring setbacks, restaurants and bars can open for highly limited on premises services. 
* Schools will remain closed (obviously, the school year will be over here in a few weeks).
* If you can stay at home, you are strongly encouraged to stay at home.
* Some counties may open a bit more aggressively, some like Denver a bit less.
* We are feeling good about our hospital capacity, but this will be monitored of course.
* This is a dynamic process, subject to increased restrictions depending on the infection and ICU rates. 

More detail here:  https://kdvr.com/news/gov-polis-outlines-initial-plan-for-restrictions-lifted-suggests-transition/  Scroll down to the Governor's charts.

Jim

April 21, 2020 09:59 PM Forum: Politics

Covid-19 data and graphs

Posted By James Brown

The national infection rate is still basically linear, with a slight week-to-week reduction in confirmed Covid 19 cases:

Jim
  

April 21, 2020 10:05 PM Forum: Politics

Covid-19 data and graphs

Posted By James Brown

The death rate has tapered off a bit.  The big jump on April 14 is the effect of counting more "suspected" Covid 19 deaths.  That is the kind of data correction (manipulation?) would send have sent Rich around the bend, and I certainly understand his concern.  I do however, think this data is pretty good. (Worldometer)

Still, when I update this chart each morning, I think to myself, 'what would this chart look like if we had not suffered under stay at home orders, social distancing, and the like?'

As I noted elsewhere, Colorado (and presumably many other states) are going to slowly start a return to societal normalcy.  These graphs might help us know if any slight relaxation of vigilance is working well or backfiring spectacularly.

Jim

April 21, 2020 10:16 PM Forum: Politics

Health Care Professionals Vs Trumptoids At The Protests

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Rod Kaufman

Jim,
While I sympathize with the motivation to return to work ASAP, the current crisis and the clustering of people together should give one pause until adequate testing along with an effective antiviral arrive on the scene. In Georgia, as an example, a person attending a funeral lit up a COVID19 hotspot:
"It took one person, whoever that was, and there was no intent," Steiner told CNN. "It shows this virus can quickly spread."
https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/02/us/albany-georgia-coronavirus/index.html
Additionally, the sentiments about opening soon are not echoed in polling:
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/public-global-health/493556-poll-almost-6-in-10-concerned-about-us-reopening-too
Hi Rod:

I understand this should give one pause, and I agree.  But life is full of risk.  I personally think a slow and cautious staged return to work, like the Governor of CO outlined in my other post, is "worth it."  A strict stay-at-home order has enormous social costs too.

I recognize that some, hopefully manageable, quantity of extra people will get sick and die as businesses are slowly re-opened.  If the quantity of extra people getting sick and filling ICU beds becomes unmanageable, our plan in Colorado is to return to enforced stay at home protocols.

Also, if one can stay at home, he is supposed to stay at home.  That applies to me, and I intend to do my best.  Lot's of Coloradans agree with me.  Some no doubt think the stay-at-home orders were entirely over-blown.  They will behave accordingly.  

Jim

April 22, 2020 02:46 AM Forum: Politics

Health Care Professionals Vs Trumptoids At The Protests

Posted By James Brown

Originally Posted by Greg Shaffer


I guess you need to define what the word abrupt means to you.....It is a staged reopening from what I have been seeing and hearing from Gov Kemp as of yesterday......
Hi Greg:


Good luck in Georgia!  I have not read about the parameters of your staged reopening, but I imagine it is pretty reasonable.  No governor wants to see an ICU admissions or death spike.  If less impacted states have success reopening on a gradual basis, the rest will follow when ready.  The different impact in various states has been pretty amazing.  New York is now over 1000 deaths/million.  GA and CO are at about 80.  It certainly makes sense for some states to cautiously reopen before others.

Jim