LTS

A tale repeated on neighborhood facebook groups all over. Ours is no different. Nothing like having proof of society's stupidity.

You know... "bear eats woman, news at 11". It's all about claiming you have something first and then allowing for some time to get it all together to publish. Only in the day of the Internet, someone else could likely scoop him now that he's announced "there's something there!'

The sobering fact, and I've felt this way since reading about recycling that never get recycled, is that we simply consume too much on this planet and there are too many people doing it. I'm a firm believer that the events happening in nature are the natural order balancing the equation (to pull from multiple sci-fi themes). We're simply breaking the planet and the ultimate question is whether we are intelligent enough to complete the task and not wise enough to prevent it. As we ruin the planet, the planets protections are stripped away and thus extreme weather, natural disasters, disease are likely to spread. They knock down the population count. From a purely analytical viewpoint it's fascinating. From any other viewpoint.. not so much.

If I am not mistaken there have been various points in time where deaths were attributed to COVID-19 without actual testing and positive identification. Mostly, I am sure, because they could not actually test everyone to confirm. I wonder how many deaths could have been simply flu related, etc. While I am being skeptical of overall reported deaths I am not trying to diminish the seriousness of the situation so much as, the numbers might not be as accurate (while still being significant). This also... or did we go back and attribute deaths that seemed to match the symptoms and just assume? (although clearly not in February if the number was 0) Without being too political here this is a good reason why when people talk about universal healthcare, etc. I don't think it will succeed in the US. It would be a massive culture shock for people to adopt the lifestyles and priorities that have worked in another culture. Spending 1 week in Sweden it was ABUNDANTLY clear that people operated differently and that it stems from an intrinsic social value system that is fundamentally different than the US.

There's a brief discussion on hydrogen fuel cells as well.

Based on what you said here I think this documentary will open your eyes even more. The underlying tone is that green energy is anything but green and is a fallacy that is being pushed on the unaware public and has largely been something democrats have been involved with. Al Gore is prominently features in this as is Van Jones. It really opens your eyes near the end when they play the whole "Follow the money" game.

I'm not arguing for or against anything at the moment. I'm allowing for an understanding of why people are against the who mitigation practice. Even if I believe I am not at as high a risk as others I allow for the fact that others are and that they are out and about as well. I take my actions because I respect the current situation. At the same time, the definition of the current situation is constantly changing. Everyone knows that things will re-open, so it's not as though that has been closed off to the world. The questions are how fast and with what rules? Each day we grow closer to that end scenario there are going to be people who say "We;ve been cautious enough, let's go". Naturally that does not change or help those, like Weave, who are knowingly at an increased risk to this virus. I, personally, have no real interest in being a carrier that harms someone else. So I still choose to keep my distance. I can feel my own irritation growing at the rules that are in place. I 100% cannot stand the concept of wearing a mask. At least with regards to the mask scenario I can simply choose to not go into stores. As for the rest of it, I'll keep waiting for the next rule or change to be put in place and go from there. If I were allowed to go hang out at a bar right now would I? Yes. I would. But I'm not also about to go protest against the current standards. I'm not so opposed to the current way of life that I feel the need to work against the system. Hopefully that better explains things. Understood and that's really a problem overall. There is a good portion of the population who don't outwardly fall into the at-risk categories, or at the very least what's considered to be the at-risk categories. We don't really know enough to know who is at risk, there are many theories. You're not incorrect, but I watch people pull up 3 vehicles next to each other in a parking lot and hang out in a similar fashion. I think the bottom line is that people who don't want to isolate themselves are not going to do so as it's clear they aren't right now. The resulting question is, do you lock things down more to include the tailgating as being illegal, do you open it up because people are doing it anyway, or do you leave it as is with the mixed bag allowing for people to question "what the hell is going on?" I don't have that answer, not yet. These scenarios exist everywhere. Isolation is an illusion at this point. At best it can be said there is an attitude that leans towards mitigated contact, but if you roll up to a gas pump or use instacart, or even walk in a store and pick up a box of triscuits you are immediately not isolating yourself. We can see these scenarios everywhere, which is what leads me to believe that we'll find out that a great many of us have been exposed and will have never known it. In what you are saying, I don't think it's a stretch to see that any activity really leads to transmission. Ultimately it boils down to mitigating the social circle one is in. If, 4 months ago I had sauntered off to live in a commune with 100 other people and by choice we avoided contact with the outside world we'd all be safe and these measures would be irrelevant to us. Of course all that would end as soon as a single person increased the social circle's exposure. Yeah, at the same time my son who just turned 16 wants to go get a job... at the supermarket. I have to ask myself how I feel about that. Do we let him? He doesn't seem to care about risks, do I care about risks of what he brings home? Do I believe that he can be responsible with the rules that will be put in place on him given that he's not particularly good at even following rules around the house? It's a tough call. And that's the very nature of the problem. Now I read about skin rashes on toes and fingers being linked. It feels like each day the understanding of how this virus impacts the body is changing. We'll have an understanding of things at some point, my only question is whether that will come before or after the general population has had enough of social distancing and demands that they be allowed to accept the risks of what could happen.

Figured we might try a different level of political discussion in here... because this certainly slams all parties pretty good. Watched this last night, it's the full documentary right on YouTube, so you can watch it for free (right now anyway). I'll get into it more in a bit. I figured I'd throw it out here for people to watch first.

Watched this last night... not in 100% alignment, but it certainly resonates with me. I am 100% not a fan of Michael Moore overall, although he only was an executive producer on this and not the force behind it. That said... it's something we really need to wake up to. I'm posting this here because it fits in this thread on the surface. Discussion of it should be in the politics club I would imagine.

It's all well and good, but people are out at essential stores all the time. The concept, initially, was fundamentally sound, but as time goes on its falling apart. More the point I was making, and you didn't address, is that those who have had, or may not have severe reactions to it (or at least believe that) would not be a strain on the healthcare system because they wouldn't be impacted. As such, they mitigate the situation naturally. Of course no one KNOWS they are not at severe risk, but as we learn more and more about this virus we are also realizing that more and more people may have had it and never known it. It furthers the discussion as to who really needs to be protected. Overall, that's the question that will be raised. How far is too far when it comes to protecting those at higher risk? I was out yesterday, but we avoid locations where there would be groups of people. At peak there were 6 people standing in a 40 acre space. ? What gets me right now is what is open and what is not. I think that leads people to question the validity of any closures. Campground are now closed through the end of May. Golf courses and marinas are open, but campgrounds? No.

I can understand your situation as you describe it but I think there are a good number of people who may not have the same risk as you do. So, the essential question is, should others, who may or may not have the same level of risk be forced to live in a way that protect those who are in the same boat as you or is it incumbent upon people in your situation to reduce your own risk by not venturing out into a society where there is something that can kill you? I think about this situation quite often and I see arguments on both sides. For me it boils down to what is a reasonable level of restrictions that should be put in place to protect people who are at increased risk. I don't know that answer. Personally, I am not of the opinion that current restrictions are ridiculous. I don't particularly love the whole wear a mask demand. I've complied with that by simply not going into stores or anywhere where it would be required. It appeared that way for me. I figured I should answer just so you didn't think it was just you.

I could see that possibility. I hesitate to assign it to that fully only because then I would have to "blame" the organization for another bad decision and without 100% proof I don't want to do it so I leave the "blame" at the poster level.

So far it appears I have not been impacted. I am just going to be expected to do more... even though I am already doing more. But hey, I have a job right? Sigh.

I can actually point to ways to fix the arena experience. Don't assume. I never brought up ROR, why did you choose to use him in your response to me? Moreover, I'm not one of the posters who hates that the trade was made. The information I had about ROR was enough for me to want him gone. (Well, WANT is a strong word.. I understand why he needed to go.) Yes, all teams have up and down periods. When they are down, they lose money. When they are completely mismanaged, they lose more money. You get attacked because your responses don't address situations. Your responses repeat the same words over and over again. It's not a discussion, it's like listening to a talking display case. Each time you push the button you get the same message. My tensions are anything but high., COVID doesn't bother me, and I don't have preoccupations with socioeconomic issues. I have a fundamental problem with a lack of critical thinking, especially the lack of it that you are applying in responses to me. You're not making arguments, you are making statements. Argument have supporting evidence.

Yes, but you stated a quite specific instance about neurosurgeons. I happen to have one who lives on my street and I spent 11 years in health care consistently meeting with administrations and researchers. I refuted it. Not opinion, reality. Players don't come to Buffalo because the team has been bad, the ownership is clearly not winning people over, and frankly has demonstrated an actual lack of competence in running an organization. Why would any player or executive want to come here and work for this family? It's not about the city, it's about the owners. Should we not expect that all the people who were let go don't speak about the inability of this family to lead an organization? I know I've asked about jobs in other companies only to be told about the culture there and then reconsidered my interest immediately. It wasn't based on the city. You know how many kids grow up to play hockey that have never had an NHL team in their city? They weren't crushed. People will be upset if the team leaves, but that will quickly be replaced. Quebec City is still standing and last I checked, the kids there still play hockey. If you want some blind fan loyalty to a franchise then don't tell me its a business. Instead, tell me its a social club, where we can $2 brews and some wings and watch a crappy hockey team get their arses kicked year in and year out. It's amazing how little I'd care about the product on the ice if it didn't cost so much money just to get in the building. But that's the not case, fans get to pay an large sum of money to go through metal detectors, have the option to buy seriously overpriced beverages and crappy food and then sit in seats so uncomfortable and jammed in that the Delta CEO uses them as a reference of how far the airlines can cut back. What's left? Oh yeah, a terrible arena experience, and to top it off... the whole reason people showed up? See some really crappy hockey. Sounds like a I've got it all wrong though. I should be happy to have that. Hell it's an HONOR to have all that. Nope.. not how it works.

True. Had my grammar been better I think that would have come across. I used really twice.. and I meant to say as well at the end. But the point is there. In other news.. this week is almost assuredly the week our company is making big changes and right now I am waiting to see if I am impacted. I give myself a 90% chance of having a new role or no job by the end of the week. This is the 4th time this has happened to me in the 7 years of working here. Only once was I kind of left to fend for myself. I'm not sure I will be so lucky this time.

This is an absolutely horrible take. The best neurosurgeon will go wherever a healthcare system will promise them the most money and almost assuredly the most leeway to run various levels of medical studies with insane resources and as little oversight as possible. Patients will travel between cities to find that single neurosurgeon. The success of the organization is dependent upon those who run it, not the people who live in the same area code it's run in. The fans can take down a successful organization by still continuing to not care about it. Fans aren't responsible for a failing organization, it takes care of itself. No business is run on the premise of give me money first and I will give you a quality product second. It doesn't work that way, period. Even if it happens to work for a brief period of time, it's not sustainable. Your take is myopic and puts a value on sports that is perceived but not real. Plenty of cities in this country thrive without a sports team in them. The initial impact might be significant, but people move on and these days they usually do so within weeks. I suppose everyone is different, but eventually each person wakes up and realizes that handing hard earned money to an entity that has no interest in improving your quality of life is not justifiable. I mean, why improve the product or invest if people keep blindly handing over money?

Great point. It really doesn't apply to anyone paid hourly really.

It's like everything related to Buffalo professional sports at this point is terrible. I have no sympathy for those two and frankly I'm done with them and their franchises. I'll stick around the forums for the discussion, but the teams are dead to me. (Well, the Bills have been for awhile).

It simplifies things. For example, we have sick days. They are not accrued. You don't use them, you lose them. In theory only the sick take them. Of course those who don't generate up to 7 days more work than those who do (all things being equal). There is no reward for not using them, despite the fact that those who don't benefit the company more. So, in order to keep people from using them you then generate a policy that says, the company has a right to request medical documentation should you be sick more than X days in a row, etc. So, why bother with that. You got with blank PTO. Of course then the question is, is it accrued or not and can you carry it over? All of that accounting that weighs on the books, etc. In the end.. it's overhead. It makes far more sense to just judge people on their output and not worry if or when they are at work (with certain guidelines of course). Those who are more efficient would be able to have more time off than those who are not. In school, if you can do A level work in half the time as someone else then you effectively have more free time. Ahh well, it's all theory.

Internal accounting can be an ugly construct. As you indicate, those who paid into the system while in NY and then collect later in life while in Florida are really doing nothing more than getting back the share they paid in (in theory). Whereas those who have lived in Florida all their life are not. Except, what if they are disproportionately spending elsewhere? After all, money ends up in the government pockets in many ways. Analyzing one piece of the pie, or even 4 pieces of the pie is dangerous when there are thousands of pieces and the pie is so big you can't make out what is 5 pieces away from you.

I thought those were to see if you got the high score! So, we're "restructuring" right now. I hate this period. We have these levels of executive approval on processes but during these times they are never available. They don't understand why work slows down. Then they take forever to implement them and basically waste 3-4 weeks worth of work time by either undoing or not responding to the checkpoints they put in place. My major project is in this restructuring.. so at the moment I am also hoping that I am still around after they are done figuring things out. I'm almost assuredly losing the project (being taken from our whole business unit). I have other projects.. but... you never know. Sigh.

To me that reads that RJ is scheduled for the rest of the home games... that's all.

That's cool.. I've been by there. If only I had a boat.. ?

Yeah, and to jam together you need to send far more information across the pipes than a game does. Hell, just trying to do recording on a PC without proper drivers can make it difficult. I spent a good amount of money back in the day I used to use my laptop for many of the VSTs I ran and had to source out the ASIO to an external box just to keep the latency low enough locally.