Coronavirus:

[Rufus T. Firefly]

" There is virtually no influenza anywhere in the USA to speak of. .

Where did the flu go?

It's still here, but all the precautions everyone is taking to prevent transmission of Covid is working great against the flu being spread all over.

[bob turner]

Dagmar is here, and they really have an attractive wardrobe for her. She is not on the right wing station.

How do we get accurate news - just the facts?

You have to filter a bit. Hannity is not news. You could read, say, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Their editorial pages are opposite, but both at least have integrity. Same with, say, The New Republic and the National Review.

There are obviously posters here who get their facts from Hannity/Limbaugh/Ingraham. Those are alternative facts. Almost any thinking person would know to put a filter on them.

Network evening news is not really enough. They give you ten minutes of pretty good facts, then drift off to interviews with sobbing mothers and feel good stories about “alternately abled “ kids.

No, I don’t like the euphemism treadmill, but if it keeps minorities and the challenged happy, I will learn and use the new terms until they become pejorative.

[Neil]

"Where did the flu go?"

No one knows for certain, but it seems most likely that the COVID-19 precautions, however fitfully implemented, plus existing herd immunity due to vaccinations and centuries of exposure have made it unlikely that people get influenza. The good news is that this suggests that even if the uptake of the coronavirus vaccine is less than the 80-90% some think necessary for herd immunity, continued use of masks may mitigate the pandemic. It is telling that almost the only elected officials who have died of coronavirus have been Republicans who eschewed masks because the big lump of stupidity in the White House told them they didn't need them. Natural selection in action.

And yes, Fox News and Rupert Murdoch deserve a lot of credit for the proto-fascism and hostility to democracy that is abroad in the English speaking world at present. And yes, Fox News has decreased in popularity as they have started to accurately report on things such as Trump's lies and attempts to subvert democracy and other American values/institutions. But for many years, they were number one with their proto-fascist lies. And the damage they have done, with 25% of the population believing that a fair election didn't occur, will take years if not decades to remedy. It would not surprise me if we are witness to the end of the American experiment as large groups of people believe that their crazy views should dominate regardless of the needs and beliefs of others. Fox has done a good bit to validate the various insane conspiracy theories abroad in the land. Not clear that you can have a sane free society when significant elements of the media are out of their fricking minds.

[Neil]

"But you, like Murph are incapable of thinking for yourself, "

Actually my track record is pretty good on thinking for myself. My team and I, along with other innovative investigators, have done work that undermined existing incorrect paradigms in medicine regarding blood transfusions, and changed the practice of medicine forever . And these changes are saving somewhere on the order of hundreds of thousands of lives a year and reducing unnecessary suffering.

At least I don't believe in various totally insane conspiracy theories like some here do. May the morons of QAnon be with you, if you need them. Life is short and brutal, and some people don't have the intelligence, discernment and courage to deal with reality. Whatever gets you through the night. As for those trying to start a second civil war, I hope they have life insurance to take care of their dependents.

[robert.]

Governor wolf from Pennsylvania tested positive for Covid. He’s a democratic. They catch it also.
My opinion “ school closures have stopped the spread more than anything. My daughter’s last school was a booger flinging Petri dish”

[Neil]

You noticed I mentioned dying. That's dose dependent. No masks, crowded indoor celebrations = increased chance of a fatal dose of virus. Of course the virus doesn't prefer Republicans, just that Republicans are putting themselves at greater risk, on average.

[gregj410]

Brace yourself for a covid spike in Texas. El Paso has been a hot spot for some time now. Local news reported a caravan approaching El Paso chanting Biden I work around many Hispanics and most that I encounter wear their masks. The bigger problem is they are coming to work no matter how sick they are.

[robert.]

Great point going to work while sick. Average American worker can not afford to miss a day's pay. If you have a job that pays for sick leave. You need to take 2 days off. If you don't they hold that against you as a negative check mark. If you take 2 days off you need a Dr's note to return. If you visit a Dr. you need to pay him. Around here that will cost you $150-200. even with insurance. Most people i know have a $5,000 deductible. that Dr's note won't be covered unless they hit that $5,000 mark. Maybe we can get Doctors to work for less.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

The bigger problem is they are coming to work no matter how sick they are.

Maybe they have no real choice in the matter? Maybe they are fearful of getting fired? Have no sick leave? Have to pay their bills?

It is a big problem!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Great point going to work while sick. Average American worker can not afford to miss a day's pay. If you have a job that pays for sick leave. You need to take 2 days off.

Why? I've never heard of any minimal use number of days that had to be taken when sick.

If you don't they hold that against you as a negative check mark.

What?

If you take 2 days off you need a Dr's note to return. If you visit a Dr. you need to pay him. Around here that will cost you $150-200. even with insurance. Most people i know have a $5,000 deductible. that Dr's note won't be covered unless they hit that $5,000 mark. Maybe we can get Doctors to work for less.

Bizarre. Never needed a Dr. note ever. Dr. visit was a $25 co-pay and that may have bumped up to $35. Somebody needs to get better insurance!

[gregj410]

Maybe we can get Doctors to work for less.

A couple of comments on that. My son was in a bad car accident two years ago. The drivers insurance would only insure my sons injuries up to $100,000. I called an attorney who said normally what happens is the lawyers get a third the patient gets a third and the hospital gets a third of that 100k coverage . My sons medical bills reached over $150,000. How is it that the hospital settles for $33,000?

My little brother went to the hospital to pay a final payment on a hospital bill(not sure of the amount or for what) The lady that waited on him said that she could discount his bill by 73% if he paid cash.

I am not going to pretend I know anything about any of this. But something seems grossly inflated

[HONDO74]

Somebody needs to get better insurance!

That should be on the agenda for the future . Medicare for all and it will be free. The RICH are going to pay for it according to the leading democrats.

[v8vega]

You speak of democracy but stealing elections is just fine with you.

[HONDO74]

I am not going to pretend I know anything about any of this. But something seems grossly inflated

Have you ever been to a hospital emergency and see the hundreds of people that are waiting and then read the signs that tell the people if they don;t have insurance it will be taken care of "through MEDICADE"

Nobody works for FREE.

[HONDO74]

You speak of democracy but stealing elections is just fine with you.

I disagree. I said even before the election that Biden would be the next president. The people were being promised everything for free and the RICH were going to pay for it, WHO do you think they were going to vote for.??

In the Georgia election Schumer was promising a $2000 stimulus if the democrats won.