How COVID-19 is affecting society

[Innula Zenovka]

I just saw another article complaining about the teenagers on spring break. That's just dumb. Those teenagers were doing the responsible thing.

If you are in a low risk population, like the average teenager is, your goal should be to get corona as fast as possible, so you can develop antibodies, because as you get older, your risk goes up. Doing it on spring break is a great idea, because that limits your exposure to your parents and older relatives, who are probably much higher risk than you. When you return to your home town, you have antibodies, so you can take an essential job and maybe even support your family if they are a rough time financially. Also, super high risk grannies wouldn't have to be working cash registers so much.

In fact, I think that if we wanted to build herd immunity fast, the best place to start would be for the government to sponsor a 3 week long spring break, and lower the drinking and marijuana age to 16 for those 3 weeks. Let them go nuts, tell them to all get infected and recover before sending them home to work essential jobs, with extra disaster pay. Beef up hospitals in the area for the few who might have complications, of course, but generally, let them have a blast.

They would probably wear masks and wash their hands constantly just to be rebellious, but it's worth a try.

If any public health authority in the world thought this was a good idea, presumably some of them would have tried it by now.

This might represent a failure of judgment and imagination on their part, of course.

Then, again, it might not.

 

[Fionalein]

If any public health authority in the world thought this was a good idea, presumably some of them would have tried it by now.

This might represent a failure of judgment and imagination on their part, of course.

Then, again, it might not.

IMHO Stalinistic Russia so would have tried to pull off that one...

 

[danielravennest]

I believe it's so that if family for the deceased is discovered at a later time, they can exhume the body and place it in their care for burial elsewhere, perform whatever rites they follow, etc.

Potter's Field in New York City, which is where these people are being buried, is also for those who are unable to afford a funeral, in addition to deceased with no known relatives. It's on a little island east of The Bronx. The city has been using it for about a century.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

I'm surprised Florida's that high for our gov.

I suspect many people simply want to believe that whoever's in control at the moment is, all in all, doing a good job, or at least as best they can under the circumstances, since the alternative is too depressing.

That's a lot easier if you agree with the incumbent's politics, I think, but it's also a desire simply to believe that someone at the top is keeping things together.

 

[Pamela]

I like Lawrence O’Donnell’s suggestion to go out and make noise at 7pm each day to show appreciation for medical ppl as they are doing in downtowns — even if they can’t hear it.

I went out last evening and banged a pot. Neighbors didn’t pay Much attention. Tonight I will honk the car horn.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Politician experiences BBC Dad moment

Labour's Jonathan Ashworth is surprised by his daughters waving money as he does a BBC interview.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

I went out last evening and banged a pot. Neighbors didn’t pay Much attention. Tonight I will honk the car horn.

Car alarms are popular in my neighbourhood.

 

[Stora]

Politician experiences BBC Dad moment

Labour's Jonathan Ashworth is surprised by his daughters waving money as he does a BBC interview.

www.bbc.co.uk

Wouldn't it be great if sometime in the future we could all work from home but family comes first.

 

[Sid]

Wouldn't it be great if sometime in the future we could all work from home but family comes first.

I don't think that teachers will be highly amused about having 20 - 25 kids in their house every workday.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

I don't think that teachers will be highly amused about having 20 - 25 kids in their house every workday.

That all you got? We do 30 minimum with eyes on 40. *flex*

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

 

[Sid]

That all you got? We do 30 minimum with eyes on 40. *flex*

When you work in a primary school over here, you have the same group all day, the whole year.
The numbers vary each year. The average is 24 children in one class. But average doesn't mean it doesn't vary.
My smallest class ever was 17 kids.
My largest ever had 36 kids.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

I only have 24, but they would have 15 minutes between classes spread all across town.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Trump and Fox News: the dangerous relationship shaping America's coronavirus response

In one ear, the president has medical experts calling for caution. In the other, TV hosts are urging the opposite

www.theguardian.com

I have to say, I cannot understand what Fox are doing here.

Their anchors are advocating a course of action which, if followed, would inexorably lead to a massive second spike in infections, possibly even worse than the first, as surely as night follows day.

That would not only kill off a substantial number of their viewers but also inflict massive damage on the US economy and also on what little remains of the reputation of both Fox and Trump.

What's in it for Fox? Their hosts on the infotainment side of the business are a bunch of clowns and charlatans, but the board aren't complete idiots, and Rupert Murdoch didn't make all his money by being stupid, either.

The only halfway rational explanation I can think up is that Lachlan and James, at least, have decided that the Republicans' descent into nihilistic craziness has gone too far, and that the rational course of action is to let the whole horrible mess finally implode on collision with reality.

Then Fox can set about rebranding itself as the dust settles, and enter into another Faustian pact with some US conservatives who will actually make a stab at running the country rather than fighting culture wars, dismantling necessary government agencies for crackpot ideological reasons, and indulging in nihilistic partisan opposition and obstruction for the sake of it.

I'm not wholly persuaded by that, but it's the best I can come up with that doesn't sound like the plot of a bad political thriller.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Here in the UK, Keir Starmer has been elected (with a thumping majority, including my vote) as leader of the Labour Party to replace Jeremy Corbyn.

He's appointed Anneliese Dodds as shadow chancellor, and here she is being interviewed about the effects of Covid-19 on the economy, in a scene that must be familiar to many parents video-conferencing from home:

Shadow chancellor TV interview gatecrashed by her daughter, three

New shadow cabinet appointee Anneliese Dodds interrupted while speaking to Sky News

www.theguardian.com

LOL! That happens to coworkers all the time. I honestly do not mind it, we get to see a new face. If it causes a slowdown and we can not run over there is always skype or email. Unless you have an office you can bolt (not good for safety reasons) there will always be kids and random family members in shots.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Some moderately good news for Allstate and American Family auto insurance members:

Allstate, American Family to refund portion of auto insurance premiums

That does bring up something I have been worrying about. All our stuff seems to assume cars. Drive though testing, public transit all but shut down. What do sick people who do not drive or have someone to drive them do?

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

When you work in a primary school over here, you have the same group all day, the whole year.
The numbers vary each year. The average is 24 children in one class. But average doesn't mean it doesn't vary.
My smallest class ever was 17 kids.
My largest ever had 36 kids.

I was being sarcastic. (Not an attack on you.) Here there are frequent conflicts between teacher unions and government over class sizes. The usual budget cut mumbo jumbo results in larger class loads. A class of 40 isn't something I'm bragging about, it's what I consider a failure in society. I salute your 20-25.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Don't blame Sanders. There are a lot of local candidates and issues including a state Supreme Court race on the ballot.

Right, here in DC the D primary ballot is the de facto general ballot. Name another state where there is a real chance of the Rs losing to an indy party.

 

[Kara Spengler]

I am pretty sure they stay on the ballot if they were still there when that state closed their sign ups and had made the cut. It doesn't mean they are still in the race.

Right, outside of a stats anomaly for the history books Biden will sweep it and most are there because the ballots were already printed. Typically the runnerup stays though as they can use it to get reforms from the party.

 

[Kara Spengler]

Bored artists take one look at the Queen and see "Green Screen!"

I'm imagining Beebo!

The Queen Of England Gives A Speech In A Green Dress And The Photoshoppers Know What To Do (35 Pics)

The Queen of England wears a green screen dress for a historic speech on Sunday and people on the internet waste no time making some royal memes out of it. Art & Design, Funny, Home & Design, Jokes, Memes, Photography & Digital Art

www.boredpanda.com

Commander? They only gave her 3 pips?