|
Post by Prince Hal on Oct 30, 2020 10:10:14 GMT -5
adamwarlock2099, sos sorry, and good luck with everything, especially your son's health. At least you can smile a wry smile through all of this. BTW, the parents of that kid qualify for the Justin Turner Award being given hundreds of times every frikkin' day by the SAA (Selfish @$$holes of America).
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Oct 30, 2020 16:04:10 GMT -5
Yow, trying times these days for sure! "One way or another, this darkness got to give." - Grateful Dead, New Speedway Boogie. Good thoughts for the South and the East!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2020 14:07:08 GMT -5
Happy Halloween all! -M
|
|
Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,057
|
Post by Confessor on Oct 31, 2020 22:27:20 GMT -5
We have a second national lockdown commencing on Thursday here in England, which means that I'm unemployed again. It's supposedly due to end on December 2nd (but I'm highly sceptical about that date), which means that I likely won't work again this year now. After all, after another punishing lockdown for the hospitality trade, I very much doubt any pubs or clubs will be looking to spend money to hire musicians in the run up to Christmas -- that's assuming that they survive to the other side at all. As for next year, January and February are always traditionally my quietest months anyway, work-wise, so I likely won't be playing again until March or so, I would think. So, it's time to swallow my pride and start looking for another job that I can do from home. I really don't want to, but needs must as the Devil drives. There doesn't look like there'll be any financial support from the government for self-employed people like me this time around, and I can't just not earn anything between now and March! So, I'll be updating my CV tomorrow for the first time since about 2002. Could be worse though, I suppose. I could be dead!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2020 1:01:30 GMT -5
Don't forget those who follow the U.S. observance of Daylight Savings time, it ends tonight (right about now) and clocks are set back an hour tonight.
(it's a mini trip back in time or an extra hour of the hellscape known as 2020 depending on your perspective I guess).
-M
|
|
|
Post by brutalis on Nov 1, 2020 3:07:27 GMT -5
We have a second national lockdown commencing on Thursday here in England, which means that I'm unemployed again. It's supposedly due to end on December 2nd (but I'm highly sceptical about that date), which means that I likely won't work again this year now. After all, after another punishing lockdown for the hospitality trade, I very much doubt any pubs or clubs will be looking to spend money to hire musicians in the run up to Christmas -- that's assuming that they survive to the other side at all. As for next year, January and February are always traditionally my quietest months anyway, work-wise, so I likely won't be playing again until March or so, I would think. So, it's time to swallow my pride and start looking for another job that I can do from home. I really don't want to, but needs must as the Devil drives. There doesn't look like there'll be any financial support from the government for self-employed people like me this time around, and I can't just not earn anything between now and March! So, I'll be updating my CV tomorrow for the first time since about 2002. Could be worse though, I suppose. I could be dead! Wishing you best of luck Confessor. It truly has been a horrendous year for all, but those in the self employed or arts have really suffered. Glad you have the backup skills to rely upon working from home until things take a turn for the better. Be safe and rub your green alter ego's foot for luck!!!
|
|
|
Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 1, 2020 10:25:01 GMT -5
We have a second national lockdown commencing on Thursday here in England, which means that I'm unemployed again. It's supposedly due to end on December 2nd (but I'm highly sceptical about that date), which means that I likely won't work again this year now. After all, after another punishing lockdown for the hospitality trade, I very much doubt any pubs or clubs will be looking to spend money to hire musicians in the run up to Christmas -- that's assuming that they survive to the other side at all. As for next year, January and February are always traditionally my quietest months anyway, work-wise, so I likely won't be playing again until March or so, I would think. So, it's time to swallow my pride and start looking for another job that I can do from home. I really don't want to, but needs must as the Devil drives. There doesn't look like there'll be any financial support from the government for self-employed people like me this time around, and I can't just not earn anything between now and March! So, I'll be updating my CV tomorrow for the first time since about 2002. Sorry to hear that, Confessor. I don't want to play the armchair general and I acknowledge that there is no easy solution to the current crisis, but I do feel a little miffed by the long-term plans (or lack thereof) of most governments. Shutting down everything was the quickest, simplest and probably most efficient way to curb the number of cases once the virus started spreading in the population, but it was a stop-gap measure; until we reach a sufficient level of herd immunity (either because enough people got infected or because they get vaccinated), the problem remains. The virus is still there. Over here, all I saw as far as long-term plans go were nonsensical slogans like "if we all stay home for an extra month, everything will be fine". That's just absurd. All we'll do is push the problem back one month, and an increasingly large number of people can't afford not to go to work anymore. O.K., we'll stay home to help flatten the curve... but during that time bought at a very high price, what will be done? Just waiting? To quote Tony Stark, "not a good plan". Thankfully, vaccine development is proceeding apace. This won't be "the new normal" for decades to come. Still, I doubt we'll be able to put this all behind us before mid-2022 at the earliest.
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Nov 1, 2020 10:41:41 GMT -5
Don't forget those who follow the U.S. observance of Daylight Savings time, it ends tonight (right about now) and clocks are set back an hour tonight. (it's a mini trip back in time or an extra hour of the hellscape known as 2020 depending on your perspective I guess). -M A friend's son said that getting another hour of 2020 is like finding a bonus track on a Yoko Ono album.
|
|
|
Post by adamwarlock2099 on Nov 1, 2020 13:41:10 GMT -5
COVID test results for my son are negative and we finally got electricity back yesterday evening. Now pardon me while I play some Warframe, have some gin and actually cook the first meal I’ve had this week that wasn’t fast food.
|
|
|
Post by Prince Hal on Nov 1, 2020 13:43:19 GMT -5
COVID test results for my son are negative and we finally got electricity back yesterday evening. Now pardon me while I play some Warframe, have some gin and actually cook the first meal I’ve had this week that wasn’t fast food. So you went three-for-three with a double. Congratulations, adam!
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Nov 1, 2020 14:34:05 GMT -5
We have a second national lockdown commencing on Thursday here in England, which means that I'm unemployed again. It's supposedly due to end on December 2nd (but I'm highly sceptical about that date), which means that I likely won't work again this year now. After all, after another punishing lockdown for the hospitality trade, I very much doubt any pubs or clubs will be looking to spend money to hire musicians in the run up to Christmas -- that's assuming that they survive to the other side at all. As for next year, January and February are always traditionally my quietest months anyway, work-wise, so I likely won't be playing again until March or so, I would think. So, it's time to swallow my pride and start looking for another job that I can do from home. I really don't want to, but needs must as the Devil drives. There doesn't look like there'll be any financial support from the government for self-employed people like me this time around, and I can't just not earn anything between now and March! So, I'll be updating my CV tomorrow for the first time since about 2002. Sorry to hear that, Confessor. I don't want to play the armchair general and I acknowledge that there is no easy solution to the current crisis, but I do feel a little miffed by the long-term plans (or lack thereof) of most governments. Shutting down everything was the quickest, simplest and probably most efficient way to curb the number of cases once the virus started spreading in the population, but it was a stop-gap measure; until we reach a sufficient level of herd immunity (either because enough people got infected or because they get vaccinated), the problem remains. The virus is still there. I now know three people in healthcare that have had COVID on three separate occasions with multiple negative tests in between. Yes that's anecdotal evidence. But I don't think it's remotely clear that "herd immunity" in the chicken pox, everyone gets it and then is done with it, is a thing with this particular virus.
|
|
|
Post by Roquefort Raider on Nov 1, 2020 16:27:38 GMT -5
Sorry to hear that, Confessor. I don't want to play the armchair general and I acknowledge that there is no easy solution to the current crisis, but I do feel a little miffed by the long-term plans (or lack thereof) of most governments. Shutting down everything was the quickest, simplest and probably most efficient way to curb the number of cases once the virus started spreading in the population, but it was a stop-gap measure; until we reach a sufficient level of herd immunity (either because enough people got infected or because they get vaccinated), the problem remains. The virus is still there. I now know three people in healthcare that have had COVID on three separate occasions with multiple negative tests in between. Yes that's anecdotal evidence. But I don't think it's remotely clear that "herd immunity" in the chicken pox, everyone gets it and then is done with it, is a thing with this particular virus. Well, let's hope that it is, otherwise we're stuck with confinement for the long run. A non-immunizing virus is impossible to get rid of naturally, and to develop an efficient vaccine against it you'd have to identify a molecular target that is not immediately apparent to the immune system (otherwise said target would be immunizing) but still able to neutralize all strains of the pathogen. Such targets usually don't exist, which means we'd never get a COVID vaccine ridding us of it for good. Luckily, there is no good reason to think that SARS-CoV-2 will go down that route. Like the flu, the common cold or, yes, chickenpox, repeat infections are possible with SARS-CoV-2, hence the rare cases of reinfection; however, for these other diseases (including for the 15% of common colds caused by a coronavirus), exposure to the pathogen is by and large immunizing. I see no reason to suspect that it would be different with SARS-CoV-2, although it is wise for the WHO to plan for the worst, just in case. More cause for optimism: the current strains going around are few in number, with strain G and its variants GH and GR being the most common ones. Strain L is all but gone, even though it was the first to go pandemic. That, to me, is reassuring; we're not seeing new mutations appearing right and left. One problem with SARS-CoV-2 might be that it is actually quite benign, apart from the lethal cytokine storm it triggers in the elderly (something that has more to do with how crappy our immune system becomes as we age than with the virus's own life cycle). Children are more at risk from the flu than from COVID, because SARS-CoV-2 itself can be controlled easily when the immune system does its job properly. That might explain why people who got infected don't have a large quantity of circulating antibodies, and might get infected a second time; you don't build a world-class army when Liechtenstein or San Marino is the invading force. Such people still have memory B- and T cells, though, cells that will help produce more antibodies the second time around (the second infection acting as does a booster shot for a vaccine), but in the meantime they could experience COVID symptoms. No big deal, although having had COVID should not dispense someone from acting responsibly and limiting contacts with other people -especially vulnerable ones. It would be a good idea, however, to rely as much as possible on people who already had COVID to handle jobs requiring contact with vulnerable people; this "shield immunity" (another trendy phrase) would help mitigate the risk further.
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Nov 1, 2020 22:49:24 GMT -5
My understanding for the most part had been that if everyone who can wear masks would, and we have spaced distancing as much as possible, we could safely open up more. Restaurants and pubs having all servers in masks and/or behind shields, limits on number of people at a time in a space based on size... it really seems quite do-able, proven, logical, and straight-forward. Wiping down all shared surfaces between. I don't understand the part people and the anti-masks or following instructions from those most educated in these matters.
Unless one wants to question all reality all the time and act on something as ephemeral as their gut feeling which have been wrong so often, ask any gambling addict, just some remember the one time they were 'right' over the usual results). Doctors with years of study and research on virus transmission, or groups of emotional reactionaries loud with conspiracy websites... hmm, real difficult choice?
I want very badly for everyone and thing to get back to functioning, for travel bans to be lifted. I also want to protect the vulnerable. Why is this proving to be so agonizingly difficult? I'm really thinking about getting face shields now for my parents... it's just insane how even here we have people acting deliberately offensive in so-called protest, ignoring shop rules. A natural herd immunity comes with an extremely high death rate, that's what dumb animals can do, zilch, nothing, I want to aspire to more than that. Had we all been on this page from the start and had we strictly quarantined the initial few (like power-crazed fascists of a secret new order), well, we'd all be much better off by now. Actually I am extremely blessed to be where I am, which still has an amazingly low number of cases, but if we aim high we might be able to keep it that way. I know our chief health officer has gotten death threats and that is why she has been very wary of issuing a mask mandate, but the science is that it really does cut the transmission way down just from stats even in one district or county that did over a neighboring one which didn't.
May we all be granted greater intelligence! Logically masks/shields/distancing should equal freedom. What the heck happened? Lock downs are an extreme emergency measure that comes about only because too many people refuse to take the steps to keep hospitals and health workers from being overwhelmed.
Trying is everything.
|
|
|
Post by impulse on Nov 2, 2020 10:38:45 GMT -5
Be careful with the herd immunity thoughts on COVID-19. Unlike many other viruses, this isn't a "one and done" you get it and you're good thing. People get reinfected, and while most people recover well, there is still a great deal unknown about long term consequences here. Just with what we've seen, many people who get it and recover still have lasting damage to their cardiovascular system.
Herd immunity by vaccine is one thing, but the idea of achieving it the "natural" way at this point is a red herring that would come at a ghastly cost in human life and health. I hope they get this vaccine figured out sooner rather than later.
|
|
|
Post by beccabear67 on Nov 2, 2020 12:33:31 GMT -5
I hate being a nuisance or a nag but it's for a good cause. I defy this virus being in any way political or that there are alternate facts like drinking a lot of alcohol is protection, which is one I've heard spread where I am. United we stand or divided we fall and the do nothing people are the ones literally falling. I think we all have in common to get back to functioning for our economy and mental health, avoiding lock downs, not having our older relatives and the health compromised get seriously damaged or worse. From that base of the vast majority the extreme people working against those goals must be held accountable somehow. If someone went around polluting water supplies where one in a thousand people would get seriously injured from it something would happen to them. If someone is not doing anything to screen what they put into the air in proximity to anyone they don't need to then there needs to be an answer for why they are risking that. Anyone using intimidation or threats against people either wearing masks or promoting the wearing of them is akin to an arsonist in this situation. Currently they say Canada has per capita almost a third the transmission rates of our southern neighbor, but we all need to aim for improvement, in order to save lives, spare suffering, and to get back to functioning as we have been able to expect before this. Slogans and memes are distractions. A mask is there to filter what you exhale, distancing is to keep others out of reach of it. There is no certified way of 100% knowing who is infected and transmitting this virus. Nobody knows when or if a vaccine will be available or if enough people will allow themselves to receive it. This is what I know. We've had eight months to learn. I want to keep learning and be smart. My Dad now has a cardiac issue detected on top of the prostate and it might alter arrangements for his surgery. I'm hoping that's not too serious. In light of this virus being linked to cardiac damage I want to get him a face screen as well as wearing a mask outside the home. He did test negative for covid once and another test is being processed now. Thanks for this space!
|
|