covid politics

[crazydoc]

Went for q2week shopping yesterday. Some improvement at Walmart with probably 8/10 wearing masks. We were told that starting Monday Walmart would mandate mask use for all stores in US. I don't see how they will enforce it, but I reckon they must have a plan - hire enforcers?

AHA! "Health Ambassadors"  A rose by any other name.
From an email I got from Walmart Walmart today:

"We’ll have a health ambassador stationed near the entrance of our stores to help remind you of this policy. The ambassadors will be identifiable by their black polo shirts. "

 

[Scodiddly]

AHA! "Health Ambassadors"  A rose by any other name.
From an email I got from Walmart Walmart today:

"We’ll have a health ambassador stationed near the entrance of our stores to help remind you of this policy. The ambassadors will be identifiable by their black polo shirts. "

I keep saying stores should be hiring out-of-work nightclub bouncers to sit at the store entrance and enforce mask wearing.  The really good ones rarely, if ever, get into a fight with a patron.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I keep saying stores should be hiring out-of-work nightclub bouncers to sit at the store entrance and enforce mask wearing.  The really good ones rarely, if ever, get into a fight with a patron.

Not to quibble but

George Floyd and former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin both worked as security guards at the same nightclub as recently as last year,

JR

 

[Scodiddly]

Not to quibble but

What's your point, John?

 

[JohnRoberts]

What's your point, John?

You suggested hiring out of work night club bouncers... Both George Floyd and ex-officer Derek Chauvin worked as night club security (fancy job description for bouncers).

JR

 

[Scodiddly]

You suggested hiring out of work night club bouncers... Both George Floyd and ex-officer Derek Chauvin worked as night club security (fancy job description for bouncers).

JR

I'm still not sure what your point is. George Floyd was, by all reputable accounts, not a violent man.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I'm still not sure what your point is. George Floyd was, by all reputable accounts, not a violent man.

The man who killed Floyd was a bouncer. . Not sure I want Chauvin working the door at my Walmart.
===
I wasn't trying to besmirch Floyd (RIP) I was only pointing out that he and the officer who killed him were both "bouncers". They probably knew each other from working overlapping shifts at same club.

Since you brought up the subject according to Snopes George Floyd was busted for several low level drug and robbery beefs (9 times between 97 and 07, with several months long prison sentences). In 2007, authorities arrested and charged Floyd with his most serious crime: aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

At 6'7" he didn't need to be violent, I am not saying he was.... Since it was over a decade since his last arrest a lot could have changed.

==
sorry for the veer folks... I was trying to be cute with a timely reference about bouncers and started another unintentional argument. 

JR

https://www.snopes.com/news/2020/06/12/george-floyd-criminal-record/

 

[hodad]

One of the amazing things is how easy it seemingly would have been for Trump to have a win on COVID:  act quickly and decisively, push for more masks and testing early on, insist on a mask mandate upon reopening.  And the other amazing thing is how completely he's blown it to this point.  I'm stealing a quote from an interview with Mary Trump because I think it's as good an explanation as any of his failure, and pretty much lays out reason number one that he's unsuited to be president: 

"The reason he is failing at it is because he is incapable of succeeding at it. It would have required taking responsibility, which would in his mind, have meant admitting a mistake, which in his mind would be admitting weakness and in my family, was essentially treated with the death penalty, symbolically."

 

[Winston OBoogie]

One of the amazing things is how easy it seemingly would have been for Trump to have a win on COVID:  act quickly and decisively, push for more masks and testing early on, insist on a mask mandate upon reopening.  And the other amazing thing is how completely he's blown it to this point. 

I can't think of another president in my lifetime that showed less leadership, empathy, resolve...  in the face of a crisis.

Incredible to me is that anyone (outside his heirs)  is still saying he's done a good job with coronavirus. 

 

[crazydoc]

Incredible to me is that anyone (outside his heirs)  is still saying he's done a good job with coronavirus.

Homo sapiens is full of morons - a lot of them are still apparently leeched on to their host for a last meal.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I just hand washed one in hot water with a little detergent and some Clorox Spray for laundry.... Rinsed real well in hot water.....Threw it in the spin cycle and it seems to have held up nicely.....

Not sure if I ruined the effectiveness but seems pretty ok... Which is within the standards anyhow I guess....

Thanx,, I have a few new n95s on order and only wear the full n95 once a week for my 20 minutes grocery shopping.

The daily post office visit is more about looking like I am wearing a proper mask, so wearing a cheap spit mask works for that.

JR

 

[hodad]

I just hand washed one in hot water with a little detergent and some Clorox Spray for laundry.... Rinsed real well in hot water.....Threw it in the spin cycle and it seems to have held up nicely.....

Not sure if I ruined the effectiveness but seems pretty ok... Which is within the standards anyhow I guess....

Here's some info about cleaning masks from Peter Tsai, the inventor of the N95 (plus a coauthor).  He's come out of retirement to help out during the pandemic.

https://www.jem-journal.com/article/S0736-4679(20)30369-3/fulltext

 

[ruairioflaherty]

Unrelated to the mask thread of this conversation but tonight I ordered my wife a history of The Spanish Flu called "The Great Influenza" by John Barry.

This quote from the author struck me

"So the final lesson of 1918, a simple one yet one most difficult to execute, is that those who occupy positions of authority must lessen the panic that can alienate all within a society. Society cannot function if it is every man for himself. By definition, civilization cannot survive that. Those in authority must retain the public’s trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best. A leader must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart"

 

[Matador]

True, but everyone knows the Spanish Flu had a liberal bias.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Here's some info about cleaning masks from Peter Tsai, the inventor of the N95 (plus a coauthor).  He's come out of retirement to help out during the pandemic.

https://www.jem-journal.com/article/S0736-4679(20)30369-3/fulltext

thanks good info... 

I only use my one n95 mask once a week so probably safe as is.

JR

[update- I cooked my masks yesterday. My oven only goes down to 170' not as low as the advice but nothing melted or toasted. [/update]

 

[Scodiddly]

Pretty good video on making your own N95 mask with materials on hand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89o5040HGhQ
The author is a rather exaggerated Australian, but he has some very funny videos involving cats as well.

 

[hodad]

Elsewhere I saw where Peter Tsai (Mr. N95) suggested that blue shop towels are effective for making homemade masks. A quick web search reveals videos and info on using them,  if anyone's doing the diy mask thing. 

 

[JohnRoberts]

Thanx,, I have a few new n95s on order and only wear the full n95 once a week for my 20 minutes grocery shopping.

The daily post office visit is more about looking like I am wearing a proper mask, so wearing a cheap spit mask works for that.

JR

It looks like they pulled a bait and switch...

I ordered n95 masks, but "non-medical, non-surgical", kn95 masks arrived... 

The amazon item description has been changed to reflect KN95... 

arghhh... being  returned

JR

 

[JohnRoberts]

For today's shopping trip mask update... Pretty much 100% were wearing masks at Walmart.... On of the door greeters was wearing what looked like a costume store badge... I don't know if he was making a joke, or Walmart is.  :

Mask wearing at the post office was much lower compliance, besides me maybe one other person masked, several not. 25% or less.

JR

 

[living sounds]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/25/nation/bipartisan-group-secretly-gathered-game-out-contested-trump-biden-election-it-wasnt-pretty/