Coronavirus General Discussion

[vnatale]

Australian media

Sky News Australia deletes dozens of videos promoting unproven Covid treatments

Broadcaster has deleted more than 30 videos, including those featuring Alan Jones and Andrew Bolt, ahead of Senate inquiry


https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/ ... treatments

[vnatale]

EDITORS' PICK|Jul 30, 2021,03:39pm EDT|7,752 views
Why Vaccinated People Should Wear Masks Indoors For The Foreseeable Future

Joshua LiaoContributor

Coronavirus FrontlinesContributor Group

Healthcare

I am a physician and expert in policy analysis and behavioral science.


https://www.forbes.com/sites/coronaviru ... ainTwitter


Part of the reason to continue this guidance is behavioral. It’s understandable that leaders want to unwind Covid-19 restrictions in their communities as quickly as safety permits. But there are psychological costs to repeatedly changing masking guidance over time.

One is distorted perceptions of Covid-19 risks. Humans are susceptible to ambiguity aversion, a behavioral principle that describes the tendency to favor the known over the unknown – even if the known comes with greater risks. In the context of Covid-19, repeatedly changing masking guidance could create ambiguity; cause some Americans to associate public health information with the unknown; and lead people to reject that guidance in favor of other information and riskier actions.

Avoiding decision fatigue is another reason to maintain indoor masking policies for the time being. The concept acknowledges the fact that making choices requires effort, and that long, extended, or complex decisions can take particularly heavy cognitive tolls on people. Repeated cycles of relaxing and tightening masking guidance – particularly based on lagging information about viral transmission that isn’t readily accessible to some communities – could trigger decision fatigue. Overloading Americans with masking-related choices risks both poor decisions and paralyzing indecision.

Instead, local officials could translate the latest CDC guidance into policies that are clear, streamlined, and maintained over time. Well-defined stipulations and rationales can reduce ambiguity. Avoiding multiple choices and vague contingencies can reduce decision fatigue. Maintaining some form of masking policy creates stability and underscores the right messages about safe behaviors and vaccines. These types of policies would also avoid putting the onus on residents, business owners, travelers, and the public to interpret mask rules.

[vnatale]

Mostly it's only the employees wearing them [masks] now and that seems to be true in every store and restaurant. I suspect that will continue for a long time.

I would bet money on that.

You clipped out too much!

I could not tell the context in which pp4me was quoted. I went back 8 days to find the original post that it was in but could not find it.

[vnatale]

Mostly it's only the employees wearing them [masks] now and that seems to be true in every store and restaurant. I suspect that will continue for a long time.

I would bet money on that.

You clipped out too much!

I could not tell the context in which pp4me was quoted. I went back 8 days to find the original post that it was in but could not find it.

pp4me deleted the original post, which was immediately before mine. You don't need any context; the statement stands on its own.

Thanks. I had thought it was possibly the case of a deleted post. But the context is still missing as to which geographic area he was describing.

[boglerdude]

"We were keeping our eye on 1984. When the year came and the prophecy didn’t, thoughtful Americans sang softly in praise of themselves. The roots of liberal democracy had held. Wherever else the terror had happened, we, at least, had not been visited by Orwellian nightmares.

But we had forgotten that alongside Orwell’s dark vision, there was another—slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity, and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgÿ porgÿ, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.

As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure.

In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us."

Somewhat related https://www.reddit.com/r/ChurchOfCOVID/ ... s_with_30/

[vnatale]

"We were keeping our eye on 1984. When the year came and the prophecy didn’t, thoughtful Americans sang softly in praise of themselves. The roots of liberal democracy had held. Wherever else the terror had happened, we, at least, had not been visited by Orwellian nightmares.

But we had forgotten that alongside Orwell’s dark vision, there was another—slightly older, slightly less well known, equally chilling: Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World. Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity, and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgÿ porgÿ, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy.

As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure.

In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us."

Somewhat related https://www.reddit.com/r/ChurchOfCOVID/ ... s_with_30/

What jumped out at me right away from reading this was that the most frequently used word seemed to be: "feared"!

[Mountaineer]

Went to Costco today. All their employees and way more than half of customers were wearing masks. I was surprised how many were wearing masks versus a week ago.

[vnatale]

Went to Costco today. All their employees and way more than half of customers were wearing masks. I was surprised how many were wearing masks versus a week ago.

Again...in extremely liberal Western Massachusetts last night, after our softball game, with a few of my softball teammates I went to a place to eat. The place we were at is known for its liberal stances.

This is what I saw.

When I walked in there was a tiny sign that said..."If you are not vaccinated, please wear a mask". Once inside I did not see anyone wearing a mask. It seemed like old times and we'd not experienced 2020 and 2021...

[flyingpylon]

In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us."

There was a great comic strip created by Stuart McMillen about this in 2009. He removed it from his website at the request of Neil Postman's estate (Postman wrote the book Amusing Ourselves to Death in 1985), but as often happens on the internet, it lives forever...

https://twistedsifter.com/2010/06/the-s ... p-week-13/

[jalanlong]

Went to Costco today. All their employees and way more than half of customers were wearing masks. I was surprised how many were wearing masks versus a week ago.

I agree. I dropped my son off at middle school this morning for his first day back. Even though the governor said they cannot force mask wearing, I would say about 100% of adults and kids were wearing masks. The district said in it's safety protocol that kids "should" wear masks indoors, that free ones will be provided and staff will be educating them on why they should wear one. Even if a child didn't want to wear a mask, very few would stand up to that psychological pressure.

Afterwards I went to the gas station. 3 weeks ago that station was 100% unmasked and today it was close to 75% masked even though the store has no signs or rules. That was a very, very fast turnaround. It took much longer for people to take them off after the mandates were lifted.

[vnatale]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

[murphy_p_t]

Went to Costco today. All their employees and way more than half of customers were wearing masks. I was surprised how many were wearing masks versus a week ago.

I agree. I dropped my son off at middle school this morning for his first day back. Even though the governor said they cannot force mask wearing, I would say about 100% of adults and kids were wearing masks. The district said in it's safety protocol that kids "should" wear masks indoors, that free ones will be provided and staff will be educating them on why they should wear one. Even if a child didn't want to wear a mask, very few would stand up to that psychological pressure.

Afterwards I went to the gas station. 3 weeks ago that station was 100% unmasked and today it was close to 75% masked even though the store has no signs or rules. That was a very, very fast turnaround. It took much longer for people to take them off after the mandates were lifted.

The regime is taking notes about how effective their propaganda campaign is operating.

[vnatale]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I was telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

[Xan]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I was telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

mmmkay... We heard you the first time, Vinny.

[vnatale]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I was telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

mmmkay... We heard you the first time, Vinny.

But it was such a good post...gotta do it twice!

I was intending to edit the first one but, instead, ended up with an edit and responding to it.

[Xan]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I was telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

mmmkay... We heard you the first time, Vinny.

But it was such a good post...gotta do it twice!

I was intending to edit the first one but, instead, ended up with an edit and responding to it.

So why isn't there new content in either post? And why didn't you just delete the accidental duplicate?

[vnatale]

Tonight I went to a different restaurant...later on when I was sitting outside I saw people coming out of it taking off masks. Then I noticed a huge sign on the door "please wear mask". Had not noticed it at all when I had walked in.

As I was telling this to the person I was with he told me that starting the next week the town's health department was mandating mask wearing when indoors.

We are supposed to be on track to start basketball in late September after abruptly being stopped last March 2020. I assume this would apply to us if the mandate is still in place at that time.

mmmkay... We heard you the first time, Vinny.

But it was such a good post...gotta do it twice!

I was intending to edit the first one but, instead, ended up with an edit and responding to it.

So why isn't there new content in either post? And why didn't you just delete the accidental duplicate?

I added the above word "was". It did not initially occur to me to delete it.

[SomeDude]

The last few posts prove covid is over

[vnatale]

Hey Xan, I didn't realize you could delete your own posts? I assumed only moderators could delete their own posts. Did you make Vinny a moderator? Is that why Vinny can delete his own post?

Or perhaps is it tied to executive member status? Because I am not a moderator. But I am an executive member. So should I have the function to delete my own posts? Or does only Vinny have it?

-Tom

When it comes to Tomfoolery one can never be certain which is Tomfoolery and which is serious.

I will assume the latter here.

I believe that you have the ability to delete your own posts if no one has yet responded to it by quoting it. When you do delete you have to give the reason for deleting.

However, I believe there are certain people here who have even more status than those who have achieved executive member status have more capabilities on the delete front.

[Maddy]

72 inches, by my count.

[boglerdude]

"Babies and young children study faces, so you may worry that having masked caregivers would harm children’s language development. There are no studies to support this concern. Young children will use other clues like gestures and tone of voice"

Oh, they will? The Science is settled

https://twitter.com/AmerAcadPeds/status ... 1457942542

https://old.reddit.com/r/NoNewNormal/co ... t_masking/
^ and Reddit put that forum under quarantine

[Maddy]

"Babies and young children study faces, so you may worry that having masked caregivers would harm children’s language development. There are no studies to support this concern. Young children will use other clues like gestures and tone of voice"

Oh, they will? The Science is settled

https://twitter.com/AmerAcadPeds/status ... 1457942542

https://old.reddit.com/r/NoNewNormal/co ... t_masking/
^ and Reddit put that forum under quarantine

Autistic people are yet another group that has been disproportionately impacted by this mask charade. There's a phenomenon, experienced by many people with autism, known as "face blindness," which means that they have difficulty remembering and recognizing people that they don't see every day. Take away half of the face, and you've removed half of the information they need to navigate the social world. And that's only a part of the problem. Autistic people also generally have difficulty interpreting social cues of all kinds. Absent the bottom half of the face, they often can't tell what the emotion is behind a comment, whether it's being spoken in jest or as an expression of sarcasm, or whether the speaker is being genuine or duplicitous. I truly feel for those people, who must be pretty rudderless about now.

[flyingpylon]

Our school district and the two closest to us just went masks required for all, around 50k students total. And this is in the most-vaccinated county in the state of Indiana. Our city of 90k is supposedly 75% vaccinated.

Good times.

[Maddy]

Don't they get that there is no end to this?

[Xan]

Don't they get that there is no end to this?

I think it was shown there would be an end, when the masks pretty much went away briefly. We've got a surge right now, so they're back, but I think I Shrugged is right, and this will be the last surge before it settles down into a background endemic. Delta surges elsewhere have largely peaked quickly and fallen quickly, so hopefully that'll be the case here.

Combine that with the coming vaccines for under 12s, and we'll be normal very soon, where everybody has done what they're able and willing, the surge will be over, and everybody will be back to normal.