MONDAY, MAY 11, 2020
Drama Queen
What a buffoon.
Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me.
29.5K people are talking about this
by Atrios at 16:51
On the contrary, we’re so concerned for your health that we’re going to shoot you up with hydroxychloroquine. In the neck.
At this stage we need to be skeptical of all the data, not just this datum. What often happens is that the data that comes first is the most stubborn, and we should beware of that as well. There are ways that the received wisdom of the arrival date of the disease makes it hard to explain differences in the infection behavior between countries, and that can lead to policy decisions that are just as bad as if we believe new data prematurely.
As for news reports, they are what they are, and one can only hope that political decisions are not being made based on them.
Epidemiology is not my area of statistics, and I find it convenient not to have a point of view or set of beliefs, but rather to view everything as a mass of information looking to be optimally organized.
As for the SCMP link, it is business as usual on BB for there to be links to stories where one has to dig further to get fuller information. If the information ends up being false, as not infrequently happens, then of course one should not further disseminate it. If simply sloppy, well, I would say that without such links this blog would not exist
So here is where we are standing right now, as best I can understand it.
The criteria for reopening seems to have changed from decreasing number of cases to decreasing rate of positive tests. In VA, we currently have about 15% overall positive tests, and have done fewer tests than all but (I think) 2 states and PR per capita. So, do more tests, percentage positive drops, reopen! Except this is statistical games. Decreasing the rate of positivity would mean something if the rate of testing were constant, but in the face of increasing testing, the rate of positivity should decline, unless things are getting worse faster than testing can ramp up. At this point, I have pretty much given up. We will reopen Friday, and 2 weeks later the numbers will explode. Damn…
Saw this today:
There are some jokes to be made about Men’s Health magazine getting all worked up over the risk of COVID-19 in sperm, but completely failing to call out the risk that foreplay presents.
But somehow wearing a mask would make him seem weak.
Always women. He hates women who don’t fawn over him or flirt with him. He HATES being challenged by women, and especially women of color.
I think media outlets ought to assign female reporters to the White House. Maybe he’ll stroke out.
ETA: only women
I’m going to leave out my description of him as it would break the guidelines here.
However, it rhymes with “Basest hunt”.
He’s certainly a racist. But if one of the other possible half’s of that phrase refers disparagingly to is something that should be an honorific - I’ll have to guess punt?
So…San Diego County, California is engaging in a soft reopening, with curbside service or delivery for less essential businesses like clothing stores and flower shops.
Personally I think it’s too soon, especially given its proximity to Tijuana, where the hospitals are overwhelmed in part due to looser quarantine restrictions than the US.
I’m receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, so I shall survive…but I wonder what happens if I choose not to step out and engage with the public yet?
What will become of the people who realize it’s probably too soon and refuse to engage?
ETA: engage meaning go back to work
Ah - you study the classics!
Our risk of infection remains lower than that of those engaging in higher risk behavior.
I think you are right. We should pay attention to what kind of info we are exposed these days.
There are some news today about a study that says the virus was found in Brazil at least 4 weeks before the first case. I will wait some days and see what other studies say, as this one wasn´t reviewed yet…
Well, yes. But I was thinking about employment. There are going to be two differing opinions…get’r done, and wait and see.
Can the wait and see-ers be forced back to work?
I’m one such person; if my job tries to force me back before it’s reasonably “safe,” I will take legal action.
if 
or 
A little bit on the nose.
@elonmusk