Coronavirus pandemic

[kphoger]

If I had the money, I'd buy everyone in here a subscription to an actual news source.

Please don't make this forum be your source for important news like this. It is very bad at that and half of the stuff posted here is wrong. Learn what's going on from somewhere that has actual standards for what's posted.

As a general rule I've found that almost all mainstream media in general to be increasingly highly slanted, misleading, or selectively edited.  That's not even a statement about COVID ...

Yeah, exactly.  No matter where you get your news, somebody edited the stories.

Keeping up with actual data and research is a lot more labor-intensive.

[Scott5114]

If a newspaper reporter gets things wrong enough, they could, at least, theoretically lose their job.

I can just post on here that a newly discovered, alarming side effect of COVID-19 is sudden onset Applebee's cravings and suffer zero consequences for making stuff up.

I have five or six news sources, both national and local, that I consult to stay informed. I also participate on a few forums to find stories that my regular news sources missed. But even that is too much for most people.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm kind of craving Applebee's now...

More to your point, usually once a week I'll scan the news for California and Fresno.  Generally I read maybe a dozen stories, usually they are pertain to the current status of restrictions locally.  I want to say that there is at least half a dozen news agencies that seem to be somewhat reliable and generally report more or less matter of fact.  The trouble is that I have to dig through a lot of filth click bait headlines just to get to information about what actually is going on locally.

[Roadgeekteen]

If I had the money, I'd buy everyone in here a subscription to an actual news source.

Please don't make this forum be your source for important news like this. It is very bad at that and half of the stuff posted here is wrong. Learn what's going on from somewhere that has actual standards for what's posted.

As a general rule I've found that almost all mainstream media in general to be increasingly highly slanted, misleading, or selectively edited.  That's not even a statement about COVID ...

Yeah, exactly.  No matter where you get your news, somebody edited the stories.

Keeping up with actual data and research is a lot more labor-intensive.

Mainstream media is slanted and bias, but I trust it a lot more than a bunch of randos on the internet. I also try to get my news from reliable sources.

[hotdogPi]

If I had the money, I'd buy everyone in here a subscription to an actual news source.

Please don't make this forum be your source for important news like this. It is very bad at that and half of the stuff posted here is wrong. Learn what's going on from somewhere that has actual standards for what's posted.

As a general rule I've found that almost all mainstream media in general to be increasingly highly slanted, misleading, or selectively edited.  That's not even a statement about COVID ...

Yeah, exactly.  No matter where you get your news, somebody edited the stories.

Keeping up with actual data and research is a lot more labor-intensive.

Mainstream media is slanted and bias, but I trust it a lot more than a bunch of randos on the internet. I also try to get my news from reliable sources.

Paywalled sources are usually reliable. The problem is... they're paywalled.

[jeffandnicole]

Paywalled sources are usually reliable. The problem is... they're paywalled.

More and more newspaper sites are going the paywall route, so that's certainly no guarantee.

More and more newspaper sites are also getting rid of the comment sections, so even the stuff that is 100% wrong is easier to be missed. And I'm not talking about stories that are opinionated.  I'm talking "On June 31..." stuff, where the basis of fact simply doesn't or can't exist.  nj.com a site I read regularly, was part of a company that took out the comment section, then said how badly people need to "donate" to their site, then started limiting articles to those that pay for a subscription, then write articles how their own reporters are the frontline in giving us the news we need.  Guess if all of this were true, they wouldn't need to beg.

[Scott5114]

Mainstream media is slanted and bias, but I trust it a lot more than a bunch of randos on the internet. I also try to get my news from reliable sources.

Most of the sources I read are generally not overtly slanted in the articles themselves. However, bias often appears in what is not reported. Thus it's good to read multiple sources to fill in the gaps that other sources leave.

Just to use a bland example from local media, since that will hopefully prevent anyone from getting bent out of shape–the Oklahoman hardly ever covers any local business leaders negatively, even when they're actively doing illegal things like tax evasion. Most business coverage is just a summary of press releases the businesses themselves put out, and is all things like "X Co. is planning to build a new warehouse", "Y Energy seeks to add 1.4 billion new jobs over the next week", etc. If you want to get the other side of the coin and read things like "X Co. new warehouse cancelled", "Teemco headquarters shut down by Tax Commission for tax evasion", or "Hobby Lobby warehouse employees work in 100° heat with no air conditioning",  you have to read the Oklahoma Gazette.

Of course, this is because all the big businesses advertise in the Oklahoman and the small ones advertise in the Gazette.

[GaryV]

Poof go the posts.

Thank you.  It was getting tiresome.

I can just post on here that a newly discovered, alarming side effect of COVID-19 is sudden onset Applebee's cravings and suffer zero consequences for making stuff up.

I heard it was Olive Garden ....   

[bandit957]

I've noticed this: Every time a state reaches either 15,000 known cases per million or 500 deaths per million, the number of new cases drops off precipitously. Louisiana seems to be the only exception, but they do so many tests there that it probably is dropping off a lot there.

[Eth]

I've noticed this: Every time a state reaches either 15,000 known cases per million or 500 deaths per million, the number of new cases drops off precipitously. Louisiana seems to be the only exception, but they do so many tests there that it probably is dropping off a lot there.

Well, we should be able to test that hypothesis soon with Georgia, then. We're at about 14,000 known cases per million as of today.

[keithvh]

I've noticed this: Every time a state reaches either 15,000 known cases per million or 500 deaths per million, the number of new cases drops off precipitously. Louisiana seems to be the only exception, but they do so many tests there that it probably is dropping off a lot there.

I agree, it's not universal but that trend is there.  There is a watch-out, of course, as you noted with LA.  Testing rates have not been consistent across either states or time, and "known cases per million" depends on that.

Concurrent with what you've noticed: Rt tends to be significantly negatively correlated with "known cases per million."  Again, a non-universal statement but the trend is there.

But both of these trends lend credibility to a opinion that we are beginning to benefit from significant levels of immunity within the population as a whole.

[kalvado]

I've noticed this: Every time a state reaches either 15,000 known cases per million or 500 deaths per million, the number of new cases drops off precipitously. Louisiana seems to be the only exception, but they do so many tests there that it probably is dropping off a lot there.

I agree, it's not universal but that trend is there.  There is a watch-out, of course, as you noted with LA.  Testing rates have not been consistent across either states or time, and "known cases per million" depends on that.

Concurrent with what you've noticed: Rt tends to be significantly negatively correlated with "known cases per million."  Again, a non-universal statement but the trend is there.

But both of these trends lend credibility to a opinion that we are beginning to benefit from significant levels of immunity within the population as a whole.

Another explanation is that people start to behave when things hit close to home. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is certainly a more attractive idea, but things may still turn ugly if we got it wrong.

[ftballfan]

I think new cases will start to go down slightly this week for a couple of reasons:
1. Several states have implemented renewed restrictions (including mask requirements), and some of those have been in place for more than two weeks now
2. The Fourth of July is more than 14 days in the past

It's hard to believe that New York City alone (not including any suburbs) had over 5,000 COVID deaths in just one week in early April.

[Scott5114]

You guys are really trying to get this thread locked, aren't you?

[CNGL-Leudimin]

I got mad when your guys forced to lock one of my favorite threads (the "Threads you'll never see on aaroads.com" one), and now I don't know where to post some really crazy ideas I've had since then, including some corona-related. That said, I really don't care what is happening with corona outside Spain, as my area is again somewhat ****ed up and I'm focusing on that. Although it appears it's starting to get down again.

[kphoger]

Aw, geez...

[formulanone]

If I am silenced, let me be silenced as a Jew speaking out against a Jew's worst nightmare: another instance of civilian mass death caused by a fascist propaganda machine defending state recklessness.

Sometimes a road forum is just a road forum.

[webny99]

I'm not taking anything on this thread too seriously, and certainly not using it as a legitimate news source. It's still been interesting, though, and it would be disheartening if people go and get it locked.

But then, it's already five times longer than the next-longest (open) off-topic thread, so perhaps I've set my expectations too high and should just be glad it's lasted this long.

[Takumi]

I got mad when your guys forced to lock one of my favorite threads (the "Threads you'll never see on aaroads.com" one)

You did that to yourself.

[vdeane]

This thread was interesting to see how the virus is affecting different areas, but I feel like as of late it's devolved into the same arguments over and over again, like the DST thread, but less interesting and much more time consuming (there were days a third to half of the time it takes me to check the forum was just this one thread).

[kphoger]

This thread was interesting to see how the virus is affecting different areas, but I feel like as of late it's devolved into the same arguments over and over again, like the DST thread, but less interesting and much more time consuming (there were days a third to half of the time it takes me to check the forum was just this one thread).

This thread has gone through phases.  Until very recently, it had been quite a while since people had gotten uncharitable.  We possess the ability to keep our vitriol in check.  Our willingness to do so ebbs and flows.

[Roadgeekteen]

This thread was interesting to see how the virus is affecting different areas, but I feel like as of late it's devolved into the same arguments over and over again, like the DST thread, but less interesting and much more time consuming (there were days a third to half of the time it takes me to check the forum was just this one thread).

The virus has become politicized.

[Max Rockatansky]

This thread was interesting to see how the virus is affecting different areas, but I feel like as of late it's devolved into the same arguments over and over again, like the DST thread, but less interesting and much more time consuming (there were days a third to half of the time it takes me to check the forum was just this one thread).

The virus has become politicized.

I more or less share the same view.  Most conversations regarding COVID aren't even about the merits of safety.  Politics doesn't interest me in any capacity, especially when it comes to COVID.  While it hasn't been all much of a thing in this thread it is brutal to read a news feed on any social media platform.  I've never understood why so many people waste so much energy on arguing political views. 

[Takumi]

This thread was interesting to see how the virus is affecting different areas, but I feel like as of late it's devolved into the same arguments over and over again, like the DST thread, but less interesting and much more time consuming (there were days a third to half of the time it takes me to check the forum was just this one thread).

The virus has become politicized.

I more or less share the same view.  Most conversations regarding COVID aren't even about the merits of safety.  Politics doesn't interest me in any capacity, especially when it comes to COVID.  While it hasn't been all much of a thing in this thread it is brutal to read a news feed on any social media platform.  I've never understood why so many people waste so much energy on arguing political views. 

Pretty much my sentiment as well. I have my own opinions on the politicization of the virus, but I also don't expect my views to sway anyone else's, nor vice versa, so I don't express them in many places. But you know, you have those people on both polar extremes who think if they insult their opposition enough, maybe that'll finally convince them. Nah.

[jakeroot]

Honest to God, I don't know how anyone has the time to keep up with this thread. It's just too much.

If things really get out of hand, don't lock: simply allow the thread to become an RSS feed. Users can share links to news, and snippets of that story, but cannot give personal opinions about the stories.