dogplasma said:

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Oldsouljer said:

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The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

I don't really believe that vaccine safety can be politicized. You probably know far more about the process than me, but it seems like that would take many layers of corruption involving hundreds of professional people. There would have to be data falsification, levels of independent reviews bypassed or rubber stamped, etc., right? Bottom line is that. If my doctor or pediatrician said to get the vaccine, I would get the vaccine. And I have!

---

This entire thing is 100% "political'. This entire pLandemic is a pre-planned and manufactured event, used as the justification to bring in a communist takeover of society - ie, "The Great Reset" of society that multiple elite organizations are openly calling for in the wake of covid (to bring in the globalist Satanic "New World Order" agenda). Speaking of things being coordinated across multiple nations and thousands of seemingly "disconnected" government elites and powerful organizations...how is it that virtually every Leftist government is now using the phrase "Build Back Better" (a phrase started by those advocating this "Great Reset" of society) when referring to legislation and plans to re-organize society in response to covid? How is it that virtually every nation is on board pushing these vaccine passports? When all these elite organizations and governments are pushing the same exact agenda, guess what?...that is prima facie evidence of coordination, and yes *conspiracy*.

If this was truly about health and "science", then they would recognize natural immunity -- ie, of covid-recovered individuals. But no. The Establishment rejects and ignores natural immunity, so that they can push for everyone to be mandated to take the magic injections. The vaccine passports and vaccine mandates are the justification for and the first step towards the Chinese-style social credit score system -- where the government keeps a database on everyone and determines if they are allowed to "participate in society", which is awfully similar to the "Mark of the Beast" system mentioned in the Bible.

Civilized said:

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GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

It's called inflation.

I guess you believe Commie Joe's $3 trillion "infrastructure" plan "costs zero dollars" as the WH alleges, right?

---

Yes the infrastructure plan is too expensive.

No, the infrastructure plan doesn't have anything to do with the inflation we've seen.

Everyone knew inflation was coming as we reopened. Hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. all slashed prices during COVID and are now reverting back.

Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages.

But supply chain interruptions coupled with increased demand across industries as we reopen have nothing to do with Biden.

Neither does dramatically increased fuel demand due to Americans traveling at pre-pandemic levels.

Neither do multiple weather-related interruptions of domestic oil production.

Neither does extreme pressure on overseas oil markets.

Neither does the decisions of the OPEC cartel.

Blame Biden all you want to for proposing too much upcoming spending. Agreed, it's too much and hopefully it doesn't come to pass. But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration.

---

"Nothing"?!! What about the $1.9 Trillion "covid relief" bill passed by Congress and signed by Beijing Joe in March of this year?

I'm 100% against all of this spending on "covid relief", including passed and signed by Trump and a Republican-controlled Senate.

And this massive uptick in inflation over the past year or so is not being caused by a "slash" in prices during covid. We are seeing a massive rise in prices in virtually everyting -- housing, gasoline, food, etc. The devaluation of the currency is accelerating rapidly over the past 1-1.5 years due to the astronomical federal spending/debt -- ~$4-5 trillion for "covid relief".

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

It's called inflation.

I guess you believe Commie Joe's $3 trillion "infrastructure" plan "costs zero dollars" as the WH alleges, right?

---

Yes the infrastructure plan is too expensive.

No, the infrastructure plan doesn't have anything to do with the inflation we've seen.

Everyone knew inflation was coming as we reopened. Hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. all slashed prices during COVID and are now reverting back.

Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages.

But supply chain interruptions coupled with increased demand across industries as we reopen have nothing to do with Biden.

Neither does dramatically increased fuel demand due to Americans traveling at pre-pandemic levels.

Neither do multiple weather-related interruptions of domestic oil production.

Neither does extreme pressure on overseas oil markets.

Neither does the decisions of the OPEC cartel.

Blame Biden all you want to for proposing too much upcoming spending. Agreed, it's too much and hopefully it doesn't come to pass. But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration.

---

"Nothing"?!! What about the $1.9 Trillion "covid relief" bill passed by Congress and signed by Beijing Joe in March of this year?

I'm 100% against all of this spending on "covid relief", including passed and signed by Trump and a Republican-controlled Senate.

And this massive uptick in inflation over the past year or so is not being caused by a "slash" in prices during covid. We are seeing a massive rise in prices in virtually everyting -- housing, gasoline, food, etc. The devaluation of the currency is accelerating rapidly over the past 1-1.5 years due to the astronomical federal spending/debt -- ~$4-5 trillion for "covid relief".

---

You're not reading what I wrote, obviously.

I clearly said "Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages," and then later said "But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration."

This inflation was absolutely expected, and isn't being caused by any one thing.

It's being caused by free stimulus money AND increased demand AND supply chain interruptions across industries AND OPEC AND a return to normal pricing after prices got slashed AND AND AND...

What it's not being caused by is the infrastructure bill or any of Biden's other current agenda proposals. They may exacerbate the problem if they're passed but they're not causing the current inflation issue.

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

It's called inflation.

I guess you believe Commie Joe's $3 trillion "infrastructure" plan "costs zero dollars" as the WH alleges, right?

---

Yes the infrastructure plan is too expensive.

No, the infrastructure plan doesn't have anything to do with the inflation we've seen.

Everyone knew inflation was coming as we reopened. Hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. all slashed prices during COVID and are now reverting back.

Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages.

But supply chain interruptions coupled with increased demand across industries as we reopen have nothing to do with Biden.

Neither does dramatically increased fuel demand due to Americans traveling at pre-pandemic levels.

Neither do multiple weather-related interruptions of domestic oil production.

Neither does extreme pressure on overseas oil markets.

Neither does the decisions of the OPEC cartel.

Blame Biden all you want to for proposing too much upcoming spending. Agreed, it's too much and hopefully it doesn't come to pass. But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration.

---

You are kidding, right? This country has far more experienced economist, than you, that say completely different!

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

It's called inflation.

I guess you believe Commie Joe's $3 trillion "infrastructure" plan "costs zero dollars" as the WH alleges, right?

---

Yes the infrastructure plan is too expensive.

No, the infrastructure plan doesn't have anything to do with the inflation we've seen.

Everyone knew inflation was coming as we reopened. Hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. all slashed prices during COVID and are now reverting back.

Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages.

But supply chain interruptions coupled with increased demand across industries as we reopen have nothing to do with Biden.

Neither does dramatically increased fuel demand due to Americans traveling at pre-pandemic levels.

Neither do multiple weather-related interruptions of domestic oil production.

Neither does extreme pressure on overseas oil markets.

Neither does the decisions of the OPEC cartel.

Blame Biden all you want to for proposing too much upcoming spending. Agreed, it's too much and hopefully it doesn't come to pass. But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration.

---

"Nothing"?!! What about the $1.9 Trillion "covid relief" bill passed by Congress and signed by Beijing Joe in March of this year?

I'm 100% against all of this spending on "covid relief", including passed and signed by Trump and a Republican-controlled Senate.

And this massive uptick in inflation over the past year or so is not being caused by a "slash" in prices during covid. We are seeing a massive rise in prices in virtually everyting -- housing, gasoline, food, etc. The devaluation of the currency is accelerating rapidly over the past 1-1.5 years due to the astronomical federal spending/debt -- ~$4-5 trillion for "covid relief".

---

You're not reading what I wrote, obviously.

I clearly said "Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages," and then later said "But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration."

This inflation was absolutely expected, and isn't being caused by any one thing.

It's being caused by free stimulus money AND increased demand AND supply chain interruptions across industries AND OPEC AND a return to normal pricing after prices got slashed AND AND AND...

What it's not being caused by is the infrastructure bill or any of Biden's other current agenda proposals. They may exacerbate the problem if they're passed but they're not causing the current inflation issue.

---

Kind of straying from the topic, but was just reading about the ARPA money this morning.

How about the billions of dollars just sitting around the local governments got for free and haven't spent yet?

Quote:

---

"Disclosures reveal state and local governments haven't spent federal rescue funds

These governments were allocated $172 billion of ARPA funds but had only spent $4.9 billion (2.9 percent) of the money by the July 31 cutoff date for the initial reporting period. "

---

https://reason.org/commentary/disclosures-reveal-state-and-local-governments-havent-spent-federal-rescue-funds/

NC COVID, cases still decreasing. I guess we sit and watch the Plains/Mid-West and NE to see what comes next.

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

GuerrillaPack said:

---

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

It's called inflation.

I guess you believe Commie Joe's $3 trillion "infrastructure" plan "costs zero dollars" as the WH alleges, right?

---

Yes the infrastructure plan is too expensive.

No, the infrastructure plan doesn't have anything to do with the inflation we've seen.

Everyone knew inflation was coming as we reopened. Hotels, airlines, rental cars, etc. all slashed prices during COVID and are now reverting back.

Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages.

But supply chain interruptions coupled with increased demand across industries as we reopen have nothing to do with Biden.

Neither does dramatically increased fuel demand due to Americans traveling at pre-pandemic levels.

Neither do multiple weather-related interruptions of domestic oil production.

Neither does extreme pressure on overseas oil markets.

Neither does the decisions of the OPEC cartel.

Blame Biden all you want to for proposing too much upcoming spending. Agreed, it's too much and hopefully it doesn't come to pass. But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration.

---

"Nothing"?!! What about the $1.9 Trillion "covid relief" bill passed by Congress and signed by Beijing Joe in March of this year?

I'm 100% against all of this spending on "covid relief", including passed and signed by Trump and a Republican-controlled Senate.

And this massive uptick in inflation over the past year or so is not being caused by a "slash" in prices during covid. We are seeing a massive rise in prices in virtually everyting -- housing, gasoline, food, etc. The devaluation of the currency is accelerating rapidly over the past 1-1.5 years due to the astronomical federal spending/debt -- ~$4-5 trillion for "covid relief".

---

You're not reading what I wrote, obviously.

I clearly said "Biden's stimulus is almost certainly contributing to inflation, as are Trump's two stimulus packages," and then later said "But aside from the COVID stimulus package, the market forces driving current inflation have little or nothing to do with this administration."

This inflation was absolutely expected, and isn't being caused by any one thing.

It's being caused by free stimulus money AND increased demand AND supply chain interruptions across industries AND OPEC AND a return to normal pricing after prices got slashed AND AND AND...

What it's not being caused by is the infrastructure bill or any of Biden's other current agenda proposals. They may exacerbate the problem if they're passed but they're not causing the current inflation issue.

---

Ok my bad. I skimmed over and missed when you said "aside from the COVID stimulus package", and the part about "little or nothing to do with this administration" is what just jumped out at me.

But 1.9 trillion is a PRETTY BIG DEAL, isn't it? So why come right after that and say "this inflation has nothing to do with this administration"? That 1.9 trillion is having a HUGE impact on the inflation we are now seeing. Seems like you just want to defend the Biden administration.

The part of your last post I bolded is ridiculous. 1.9 trillion in new debt is not "causing" inflation?! But it's "only exacerbating" it? Seems like you are just playing word games. It's BOTH. It's causing more inflation, and exacerbating it.

I don't buy the "increased demand" excuse. There is the same incremental increase in demand for food and housing, comparing pre covid to now. And yet food and housing and all sorts of raw material costs are skyrocketing upwards. Some of those raw material costs might be explained by reduced supply due to covid shutdowns, but certainly not the majority or all of those raw material price increases.

What we are seeing is a massive devaluation of the currency across the board, causing the prices of everything to rise dramatically.

caryking said:

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You are kidding, right? This country has far more experienced economist, than you, that say completely different!

---

We can debate over in the Biden thread Cary; I forgot where I was and don't want to pollute Davie and Wayland's masterpiece.

Isn't NE expecting to have an uptick because they haven't had a Delta related spike yet? Or are you thinking they're an early preview of winter? Wouldn't that not necessarily be analogous because they didn't have as much of a fall wave and therefore may not have had the "wake of immunity" left behind from Delta's contagiousness in the SE?

statefan91 said:

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Isn't NE expecting to have an uptick because they haven't had a Delta related spike yet? Or are you thinking they're an early preview of winter? Wouldn't that not necessarily be analogous because they didn't have as much of a fall wave and therefore may not have had the "wake of immunity" left behind from Delta's contagiousness in the SE?

---

I mean... I don't know... I am just a guy. I think the 'variant' thing is a little overplayed. COVID for the most part is COVID.

Spring 2020 -> Summer 2020 -> Winter 2020/21 waves were basically all wild type.... we really didn't get a VoC in the U.S until Alpha in the spring of 2021.

I think Delta related spike is overplayed. I mean, Delta is present everywhere... it is already all over the U.S. and Europe and elsewhere. So presence of Delta alone doesn't cause spikes.

I just think there will be a winter respiratory virus season. Flu hasn't shown back up yet, but maybe it can get here in a hurry and be the man this winter.

The contagiousness has some direct relation to some sort of seasonal/climate variable. Otherwise we would have seen a universal Delta wave.

Now, we certainly don't test for other viruses to the level we test for COVID19, so maybe some other seasonal virus will sweep through and take the lead.

I don't buy a 'twin-demic' scenario, nor am I saying there is a great reason to panic. But, IMO, something is going to fill that winter void and until we see something otherwise.... I guess COVID wins (Delta or otherwise).

Hopefully it is dulled some by prior immunity or vaccines, but that doesn't mean there won't be a wave. Also doesn't mean I think we should shut things down. But just guesses at this point.

But if we follow a similar trajectory to last year... at least we might see a bit of a predictive warning based on what happens in the Plains/Mid-West over the next 6 weeks.

3/ Key finding 2:

"There also appears to be no significant signaling of COVID-19 cases decreasing with higher
percentages of population fully vaccinated."

— Allen Shrugged (@AllenCo66273228) October 12, 2021

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10654-021-00808-7.pdf

Certainly not a super deep study just looking at the data, but this reinforces my thoughts on the coming winter wave in the Plains->Midwest->NE-> potentially back mid-Atlantic and South. COVID is going to swing through regardless of vaccination rates, does not mean that severe outcomes may be blunted. But infection acquired immunity eventually going to be likely necessary to dull the waves themselves.

Again, I don't put a whole lot of stock in this, but it is worth looking at as a data point.

Civilized said:

---

BBW12OG said:

---

Oldsouljer said:

---

The problem is that the CDC and the FDA can no longer be taken seriously. The reason is that policy drives science rather than the other way around.

---

Plus the politicization of the virus, which it ALWAYS was despite what the OP said, has turned the entire fiasco into a joke.

As are the people that continue to say "follow the science" and slurp up every word their God Fauci utters. Which science and what day the science is presented has changed like the weather with this joke of an administration.

You lefty clowns that voted for him I hope you are enjoying being bent over at the gas pumps, grocery stores and everywhere else you may be affected. You damn well deserve it. Sad that the ones of us that don't are having to pay for your stupidity.

---

LOLOL. What does Biden have to do with the gas pumps or grocery stores?

---

Damn, please tell me you aren't that dumb. It's call "policy" Civ. Biden has overturned every meaningful policy decision that actually benefitted our country (at least those of us that actually have to "pay" to live here).

We were energy independent for the first time in forever and your senile fool and his cronies reversed that in a matter of months.

Keep living life with the blinders on… you are really good at it. Remember Civ, "it's not a lie if you believe it" (even though it is a lie).

Packchem91 said:

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TheStorm said:

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Packchem91 said:

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TheStorm said:

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As of this morning at least, the flight is still on... I guess I'll find out at 24 hour check-in later this afternoon. It's a direct flight from RDU, so my philosophy right now is that if the plane leaves Raleigh tomorrow afternoon, I'm good.

Proof of vaccination status is not required for the flight, so I'm not sure about the meaning of the rest of your post.

---

So what is your status for tomorrow?

I saw SWA is saying closer to normal today, with only 300+ cancelled flights. They are of course also saying it had nothing to do with protests, though I'm not sure they'd admit if it was true.

---

Well, I got checked in early yesterday afternoon OK... and as of this morning my flight status says "on time".

But honestly, who knows what will happen once I get to Raleigh this afternoon. At least I haven't seen anything on any of the local news channels about RDU down here on the coast. So, I guess we'll see...

---

good luck. While your wireless connection not working in 2021 is still the highest level of frustration, having a flight cancelled, and all that it entails, is right up there!. Especially when you can't see that there is clearly weather that is driving it.

---

Last one here PackChem91. We basically flew out of Raleigh on time yesterday afternoon (20 minutes from scheduled) and they made the time up in the air. Direct flight to Denver and a full plane. Since we were traveling Business Select we had great seats. Rough flight for about 30-45 minutes each over two occurrences, but I was used to it from past years of business travel… the wife not so much (just about choked off the circulation on my right arm on the inside of my elbow). BTW, the travelers were very vocal and supportive of the Southwestern employees standing up against these illegal mandates. I don't understand how any of you think that they are popular with the general population regardless of whether you as an individual are vaccinated or not.

I don't fly for business anymore and have to admit that I wasn't as sharp on some of the nuances since I haven't been getting the reps anymore. Point in case, there's definitively something to be said for paying up for the Hertz "Number 1 Gold" (or whatever they call it now) where you just walk straight to your vehicle and leave.

This dummy booked with Thrifty through Southwest and even though I had a "reservation", when we got to the Thrifty location via the shuttle they only had two (2) people working and an hour and a half long wait - just to re-do what you had already done. Plenty of cars, just incompetently understaffed (and then workers that just don't give a **** about what they are doing either). All to save a little over $100.00 on a $1,000.00+ rental… quick refresher course there for sure and I won't be making that mistake ever again.

Edited to add: Your harbinger on the planes Wi-Fi was dead on. Connected fine, but no service. LOL.

Glass / Runs, please feel free to delete these off topic responses on this subject. I just wanted to finish the conversation with Chem first.

TheStorm said:

---

Packchem91 said:

---

TheStorm said:

---

Packchem91 said:

---

TheStorm said:

---

As of this morning at least, the flight is still on... I guess I'll find out at 24 hour check-in later this afternoon. It's a direct flight from RDU, so my philosophy right now is that if the plane leaves Raleigh tomorrow afternoon, I'm good.

Proof of vaccination status is not required for the flight, so I'm not sure about the meaning of the rest of your post.

---

So what is your status for tomorrow?

I saw SWA is saying closer to normal today, with only 300+ cancelled flights. They are of course also saying it had nothing to do with protests, though I'm not sure they'd admit if it was true.

---

Well, I got checked in early yesterday afternoon OK... and as of this morning my flight status says "on time".

But honestly, who knows what will happen once I get to Raleigh this afternoon. At least I haven't seen anything on any of the local news channels about RDU down here on the coast. So, I guess we'll see...

---

good luck. While your wireless connection not working in 2021 is still the highest level of frustration, having a flight cancelled, and all that it entails, is right up there!. Especially when you can't see that there is clearly weather that is driving it.

---

Last one here PackChem91. We basically flew out of Raleigh on time yesterday afternoon (20 minutes from scheduled) and they made the time up in the air. Direct flight to Denver and a full plane. Since we were traveling Business Select we had great seats. Rough flight for about 30-45 minutes each over two occurrences, but I was used to it from past years of business travel… the wife not so much (just about choked off the circulation on my right arm on the inside of my elbow). BTW, the travelers were very vocal and supportive of the Southwestern employees standing up against these illegal mandates. I don't understand how any of you think that they are popular with the general population regardless of whether you as an individual are vaccinated or not.

I don't fly for business anymore and have to admit that I wasn't as sharp on some of the nuances since I haven't been getting the reps anymore. Point in case, there's definitively something to be said for paying up for the Hertz "Number 1 Gold" (or whatever they call it now) where you just walk straight to your vehicle and leave.

This dummy booked with Thrifty through Southwest and even though I had a "reservation", when we got to the Thrifty location via the shuttle they only had two (2) people working and an hour and a half long wait - just to re-do what you had already done. Plenty of cars, just incompetently understaffed (and then workers that just don't give a **** about what they are doing either). All to save a little over $100.00 on a $1,000.00+ rental… quick refresher course there for sure and I won't be making that mistake ever again.

Edited to add: Your harbinger on the planes Wi-Fi was dead on. Connected fine, but no service. LOL.

Glass / Runs, please feel free to delete these off topic responses on this subject. I just wanted to finish the conversation with Chem first.

---

Glad to see your flight went alright!

Too late for you and off COVID topic (as it was a year ago I did my parks trip starting in Denver) but we rented Enterprise in Denver (and I am a no status schlub) but it was one of the best rental car experiences I have had (maybe employment status and procedures have changed there since).

But we didn't have to go inside, super friendly employee (with a hand held unit) directed us to a number of cars we could select, and in our car and away in no time.

Sucks that Thrifty was trash, but at least you got there!

And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

Wayland said:

---

And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

---

It would be nice if they kept the scale the same --- I just did a quick view w/o noticing dates / scales, just the colored maps, and just assumed the first one was worse. All those darker vibrant colors.

But then reviewed the scales and saw how much smaller the top one is...and it is the more current one, which is actually a good story, no?

Wayland said:

---

And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

---

LOL. Isn't that an "all time" based map? What useful purpose does that actually serve?

TheStorm said:

---

Wayland said:

---

And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

---

LOL. Isn't that an "all time" based map? What useful purpose does that actually serve?

---

It doesn't show unless you are hovering over a county but it is "Cases per 100k Last 14 days"

Packchem91 said:

---

Wayland said:

---

And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

---

It would be nice if they kept the scale the same --- I just did a quick view w/o noticing dates / scales, just the colored maps, and just assumed the first one was worse. All those darker vibrant colors.

But then reviewed the scales and saw how much smaller the top one is...and it is the more current one, which is actually a good story, no?

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Oh, I mean, great cases are down. But the map legend changes constantly as waves wax and wane, I doubt many people pay attention to the fact that the scale on these charts is forever being updated.

Just an observation.

Here is one from June

Wayland said:

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TheStorm said:

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Wayland said:

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And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

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LOL. Isn't that an "all time" based map? What useful purpose does that actually serve?

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It doesn't show unless you are hovering over a county but it is "Cases per 100k Last 14 days"

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No way those numbers are accurate then. Numbers are dropping like a lead balloon right now.

Wayland said:

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Packchem91 said:

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Wayland said:

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And just to keep it COVID related.

NC DHHS updated their legend on their county cases map. I knew it was coming, which is why I took a screenshot last week.

Today:


On 10/7 (last Thursday)

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It would be nice if they kept the scale the same --- I just did a quick view w/o noticing dates / scales, just the colored maps, and just assumed the first one was worse. All those darker vibrant colors.

But then reviewed the scales and saw how much smaller the top one is...and it is the more current one, which is actually a good story, no?

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Oh, I mean, great cases are down. But the map legend changes constantly as waves wax and wane, I doubt many people pay attention to the fact that the scale on these charts is forever being updated.

Just an observation.

Here is one from June

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Right, that was really my point -- if you don't look at the detail, you can be easily misled to thing the chart is presenting something it is not. The scale matters, and to change it while representing the same set of data is misleading.

Mormad said:

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We're down to 113 as of MN the 12th

Admissions 14/d (down 10)
Discharges 18.45/d (awesome)
LOS 4.1 d (down from almost 5)
Avg age 56
R 0.9 (yeah baby)
ED encounters 13/d (much better) with testing pos 11%
Community test pos 7% (noice)

Just 2 weeks ago our admit rate was 25 and discharge rate 24, so this is great progress.

Great for me. Great for the hospital. Great for the community.

As an aside: I can't speak for all health systems, but nobody here wants to fill beds with covid. I saw some mention of beds being made, so beds being filled (to make money). Most docs and hospital systems are adversarial, not as bad as docs and insurance carriers, but still there are issues of trust and cost and whatever. So, believe me when i say, covid is a money loser for hospital systems. Hospitals make money on hearts, spines, joints and brains. Filling beds with covid hinders their efforts at filling beds with patients that keep the lights on, which they have no trouble doing when covid doesn't shut us down. This slow down was a vast improvement over the last one. Much forethought and hindsight. Our community of spine and brain surgeons barely noticed a difference. I think our system is doing a great job managing a really tough time.

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Call me the skeptic. Do I believe hospitals make MORE money on hearts, spines, joints, etc. Absolutely.

And not to minimize the number of serious cases.

But, do I believe hospitals are taking a net loss on COVID cases.... no. A bed filled with a COVID cases has to be more money than an empty bed (in a time of deferred electives due to case wave).

So do hospitals want brains and joints, sure, but to some degree they have to fulfill their public duty and take those COVID cases.

So if the forecast that cases would increase through September and elective surgeries will be deferred (as part of serving the greater public health), there is going to be some backfill on those COVID beds until the point that the hospital takes the foot off the brakes on electives.

I don't think it is any grand conspiracy or attempt to greatly inflate numbers (that is more just a factor of how data is aggregated and reported). It probably actually is an indication of good planning and attempts to maximize utilization on the hospital's part.

Just that any one data point can't stand on an island.

EDIT: All that aside, it is great to see admissions down and discharges up. I truly hope for something more than a short respite before winter.

Wayland said:

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packgrad said:

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What number do we need to get to to drop the virtue signaling mask mandate?

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That may be a while.

I bet WRAL is licking their chops at the mask-mandateless State Fair opening tomorrow.

I expect some wall to wall coverage of naked faces.

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They are going to preempt all broadcast to show the "super spreader" event that is mainly "GOP supporters" who do not "follow the science..."

Given the politicization of Covid, that's a tall order.

Joe Rogan goes in on Sanjay Gupta, CNN, and FDA about Ivermectin "horse dewormer" propaganda.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8FtVXTE/

Who didn't see this coming? It's all upside.

We set out to flatten the curve, and we ended up stamping out the flu. So which measures do we maintain and which do we let go? @jdkstern13 reports: https://t.co/tjKH9senJU

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) October 14, 2021

I wouldn't expect anything less of those idiots.

BTW, somewhat surprisingly, somewhat not. Blue State Colorado has even less mask wearing than the North Carolina coast… all morning yesterday, I was driving around running errands, going inside stores and restaurants (not wearing a mask) and saw zero masks (not even employees!). It was not until a grocery store trip around 3PM that I got to see my first Colorado mask wearer (outside of the airport). Grocery store was about 10% (NC Coast is about 20% maybe). Just thought I'd throw that out there. But at least the news media can keep propping up the lie for everyone.

PackFansXL said:

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Many industries have acronyms they rely on for easy communication among peers, but these are roadblocks to communication for those outside the peer group. The medical community has to deal with this because so many conditions are named using Latin constructs concatenated to make difficult sounding phrases so the acronym is created to avoid recalling and expressing Latin salad terms. I have been reading this topic for a long time and just ignoring most of these acronyms while trying to learn what the posters have to say. Today I decided I cared enough to seek a definition for NPI because, try as I may, I could not guess what it might mean from the context.
The acronym dictionary provided the following among many other possibilities:

NPI = Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention

I posted this not to complain about poster's habits but to help others who may have had the same question. If I have selected the wrong definition, please correct me. Thanks for all the posts on COVID that provide insight on this bug and please continue sharing on this site so we are all informed on what is going on in the trenches with this pandemic and efforts to bring it under control.

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In this context, I do blur the lines and slip into lingo as I am using NPI where I probably should be using "Government Mandated NPIs (business/school/park closures, mask mandates, quarantine of healthy individuals)", so I will cop to being lazy in that regard!

I am certainly not discounting things like "losing weight" or "staying home when sick" would certainly be individual actions that may have no-zero impact and in a strict sense would also qualify as NPIs.