You just beat me in posting it, I too just got a text a few minutes ago from a very reliable source.
Good.
This weekend I drove through a metro park just to get out of the house a little and I couldn’t believe how many people were on the trails walking or gathering in big groups.
People are so stupid.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:02 AM ^
Even the lockiest of lockdowns in the US have allowed people to go walking outside. Going to the walking trail is not some kind of shameful, morally bankrupt thing to do.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:27 AM ^
Going to the walking trail is not some kind of shameful, morally bankrupt thing to do.
I think the problem is how close people can get to one another on a trail. If you can go outside and maintain 6 feet great. If not, then that's likely contributing to why public officials are getting antsy.
Our governor was on TV last night and he must have been having a bad day... he came off as lecturing and condescending as he scolded people for gathering in groups in trails and parks.
But he has a tough job and if his experts are telling him people need to maintain 6 feet from one another, that's what he is going to press on with.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:39 AM ^
Read my message.
It wasn’t that people were walking on trails. It’s that they were in a large fucking groups with maybe 100 people doing things like looking at an egret’s nest.
The exact opposite of what experts have said people should do.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:43 AM ^
"I couldn’t believe how many people were on the trails walking"
"It wasn’t that people were walking on trails."
OK.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:04 AM ^
C'mon, you literally cut out the relevant part of what he said when quoting him (emphasis added):
"I couldn't believe how many people were on the trails walking or gathering in big groups."
It's clear from context that he was referring to people walking in big groups or gathering in big groups.
Everyone misreads things now and then. The smart move is to say, "Oops, missed that, sorry," and move on. Doubling down and misleadingly quoting out of context makes you look like a child refusing to admit he's wrong.
Not sure what you do as a day job, but if their is a failure in communication, is mostly rests on the originator. I for one did not get that the gathering was the OPs only issue. If it was, then why mention the trail walking?
Oh trust me, I know all too well that a lack of clarity is always the fault of the communicator. My primary responsibility is writing architectural specifications for SOCs, so whenever I am not crystal clear it causes real problems (and I get roasted).
Was the original writing not as clear as it could be? Yes. If I had such a line in my specification would I change it to make it clearer if someone brought it to my attention? Also yes. But if someone tried to argue in front of one of my execs that the line was so ambiguous that they shouldn't be blamed for misinterpreting it they would be torn to pieces. It's not as clear as it could be, but intent is obvious.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:14 AM ^
Of course you left out the next sentence where I specifically say that they were doing it in big groups. But, whatever makes you feel like you win an internet fight I guess.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:26 AM ^
You said "or" gathering in big groups. Words mean things. That particular one means you think that both are a problem independent of one another. Whatever makes you feel like you didn't say something you said, I guess.
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:08 PM ^
It's a clear "reading comprehension failure" on your part. Walking outside is not the problem. Walking outside in big groups is. Even I figured that out.
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:41 PM ^
Take the L, man. In SD, they are closing public beaches because people are being idiots and crowding in big groups. They will probably close the most common walking trails next because those places get packed on weekends. People think that being outside = no risk of transmission.
Surprised as well to see so many people clumped together on beaches, trails and parks. Drove by Torrey Pines, a line of people stretched along the water to gain access!?
it’s ok to be outside to exercise, but practice distancing, refrain from groups and be considerate when approaching others.
There's no L here. He's right. Sorry your reading comprehension sucks.
Hey man, no need to get testy I conceded to you. You win the internet. I should have known better than to assume you had the proper inferring skills needed to understanding the “in big groups” part of the sentence applied to both people who were waking the trails as well as others who were standing around in other locations.
I promise I won’t overestimate you again.
I'm confused because I always thought a trail was like single file. People walk trails in large crowds?
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:24 AM ^
Is this sarcasm?!
Good luck everyone? Is the internet being turned off? Are the house doors being locked from the outside by 'the man'? Are phone lines being shut off?
And who's "we"? You do realize this MGoBlog thingy reaches every part of the world, right? I mean, even Taliban in Afghanistan can read this thing!
EDIT: /s to the first few questions (posted before I saw any replies! I really should know better...)
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:50 AM ^
I was confused by “we” too. My “we” has been on “lockdown” for a week or so now. We are all in this together though so we wish you sanity as we all try to make it to the other side of this.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
They can read it in Afghanistan, but mostly they read to troll us as the Taliban is all in for OSU.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:18 AM ^
Shitting in coolers rather than caves is something the Taliban strives for.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
Stop pretending like a 100 terrible possibilities arent possible right now.
We have no clue where things are heading. Anyone pretending like they do is lying to themself.
Buckle up, stay safe
The announcement is coming at 11:00am, but it likely won't be in effect until tomorrow. This is the correct and necessary move at the moment.
Also if you want to see data in numbers form about why we have so many more cases than Ohio, it's because we've tested >6 times the number of people.
https://www.politico.com/interactives/2020/coronavirus-testing-by-state-chart-of-new-cases/
Very informative link, thanks.
Would love for the media to start pushing the fact that increased numbers are a good thing. Most likely due to increase in tests more so than increase in spread. If you know you have the virus, you can take even more precaution to limit the spread!
The rule of thumb we've been telling patients right now is to assume you have it and are just asymptomatic. Stay at home, limit the spread.
My work (metal stamping plant) is still requiring we come in. Restaurants are carry out only. I think healthy individuals need to keep the economy flowing to the best of their ability, as long as possible. Can't do that from home.
We had a worker show up after missing two days of being sick, after not being able to get in to see the doctor, and never taking his own temperature, who was coughing up a storm until a manager saw him, took his temperature and sent him home. Stubborn people are more likely causing spread than asymptomatic people.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:03 AM ^
Stuff like this is why we need a rent/mortgage freeze to go along with this. It's the only thing that's A) going to keep people at home, B) only way the economy stands a chance to recover in anything resembling a timely manner.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:21 AM ^
It would help a lot of people, but I don't think it's as simple as that. Banks seem like they can afford it, but they do need to convert those accounts receivable into cash eventually, otherwise they won't have any capital to lend later on. And without capital to lend, we're in just as much trouble. Landlords are often small businesses themselves and may or may not be able to afford the loss of income.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:26 AM ^
It is that simple though. It's pressing pause on everything until we're through this. It puts everyone on the same boat and doesn't prioritize one group over another because it effects everyone equally. It could save a family that suddenly finds itself unable to work so they're unable to make their mortgage payment, it could also save a small business that is worried about being able to afford the rent because they have no income. Banks will be able to rebound just fine because the people that will eventually be putting money back into them will be fine.
If we don't protect the PEOPLE everything crumbles.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:41 AM ^
Unless somebody's income is the rent they receive from tenants, no? As always, a blanket order on this kind of thing will have unintended consequences and there would be people harmed as well as helped.
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:39 PM ^
We’ve been ordering takeout and tipping as if we sat down at the restaurant because we once worked at restaurants and know how it is.
Normally you would be correct, but because so many cases are mild, contagious people can be very asymptomatic with this virus, one of the reasons it's spreading so fast. The best way is to maintain a 14 day isolation period for anyone who comes into contact with the virus.
Ok but do you have sick leave? Its hard to gauge how much worse things will be because of America's crappy health care system but definitely worse.
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:21 AM ^
I think this is where people are missing the point.
I've had to explain to so many people that just because you or someone else feels/looks healthy, doesn't mean that you can't have it or pass it on. In fact, assume that healthy people are passing it on.
My 76 year old father is upset that none of his sons are visiting him, because we all know that between the 11 people in our collective homes, that there's a chance he could get infected and have serious issues. No matter how many times I tell him that we can have it and not know it, he doesn't seem to believe that's a possibility.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:42 AM ^
I kinda get what your saying, but whether the media says it's because of more testing or just increased infection numbers, what difference does it make?
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
A lot of people have already had the virus or have it now and just don’t know it because, as set forth from the beginning, the symptoms are mild for nearly everybody that gets it.
People are getting tested for the disease now so of course the numbers will increase. They will still be going up at the end of 3 weeks, so the “lockdown” will be extended. We are forfeiting rights and liberties by the second and there is no end in sight. Getting tested right now presents it’s own risks, serious ones, because from all appearances in terms of what has transpired the last two weeks, people with the virus will lose even more rights, be discriminated against.
I have enjoyed my time on this blog. Have had some good conversations with a lot of you. Appreciate the content from all of the writers, etc.
I don’t like where this is headed. There is plastic wrap over the slide at the kids park that I just drove by. We are being told it is essentially a crime to leave our house. Good luck to everybody. Question things that don’t make sense.
Ijohnb signing off.
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
I’m genuinely curious as to how people with the virus will be discriminated against and lose rights
It's not about your fucking "liberties," dude. Stop being so selfish. It's about protecting the herd, particularly older or more vulnerable people. Otherwise MANY MORE PEOPLE DIE. Perhaps it would seem different to you if you or your mother were immunocompromised. This isn't martial fucking law. It's the advice of pretty much every medical expert in the field. God, what is wrong with people like you.
You just can't stop yourself, can you?
I give it about a .000001% chance that you're actually "signing off."
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:51 PM ^
I think it'd do more are far as easing tension a bit. More testing = we have eyes on the virus, it's not an invisible threat. Compare that to just numbers growing exponentially that causes panic.
I guess some would want to latter, to scare people to stay indoors. I think you could get the same message across by taking the virus seriously. The federal government still hasn't taken a nationwide stance yet, and Trump is spreading hope that this will all be resolved within 15 days...
The real number of infected is likely in the tens of millions right now. However, we don't know this for sure because we can't run enough tests to even fully test symptomatic people let alone asymptomatic people. If we had accurate information about the severity of this virus, it would be a lot less scary, and the alarmist, economy-destroying actions taken by governors would look ridiculous.
Instead we're going to cut off our foot just in case we have toe cancer.
The death rate for SARS was originally estimated at 1.3% during the crisis. After the crisis, we found out the real death rate was only 0.02%. We will see the same walk-back in death rates after this virus has run its course as well. The only real question is whether all the people forced into poverty by our idiot governor will ever recover.
You're seriously going to blame the current governor of Michigan for people going into poverty?
You do realize that pretty much every public official in every country of the world is more or less taking the exact same kind of action, right?
Not to mention there are probably a dozen better reasons that people are going to go into poverty over this and they likely go back decades.
For those who like data (myself included), this is a pretty good breakdown of quite a bit of the data that's out there:
http://archive.is/yuaUq
March 23rd, 2020 at 11:06 AM ^
This is an extremely flawed article, written by a guy who doesn't have a clue what he's talking about (his expertise: "making things go viral" in a business setting). Good response here by an actual virologist: https://twitter.com/CT_Bergstrom/status/1241522140559503360
Basically, everything he does is handwaving bullshit, from assumptions about bell curves to...convenient...uses of aggregation and disaggregation, to wildly inconsistent interpretations of data on infection severity. Medium pulled the article because it's so obviously and deeply misleading.
March 23rd, 2020 at 12:58 PM ^
I didn’t read the original article so I’m kind of lost on his points but I appreciate that twitter thread. I enjoy seeing experts break down bad arguments point by point.
The infant that was infected is from my hometown (Pop: ~2,000). Weird, though, because the family hadn't left and nobody there travels much. Hope the kid makes it.
March 23rd, 2020 at 10:05 AM ^
It is likely that one of the parents carried it home after having contact with someone before they went into lockdown.
Praying for the kid, I can't imagine.