COVID THREAD

[steve68 66]

23 minutes ago, pattricia said:

Just coming on here for your advice. I’ve had all my jabs for Covin, but have just done my first  Covid-19 Self Test at home. .The result was negative but what do you do with the test strip which gives you the result ? Do you keep it for proof or throw it away. I have two kits so there will be another test strip in the other kit.

just need to put in the clear waste bag that came with the test, then just put in your household waste, there is an app you can use to register results.

 

https://www.waes.ac.uk/covid-tests

[fools 447]

1 hour ago, onewheeldave said:

It's tradition. That's the reason. 

 

Have you noticed that flyers, websites and other non traditional presentations of text use varying fonts and text colors/styles.

Tradition has little to do with it, Colour is used to attract attention, as used on book covers and flyers. Once you're in the book, you already have the readers attention.

 

If colour was useful on this board, and in books, everyone would be using it. They don't. You don't.

 

This neurotype hates underlines and italics, italics make be go back to spot what is wrong with it, much like a spelling mistake. Spoils the flow.

 

Nobody on here is going to change anyone's mind about anything. It has nothing to do with the narrative, it's a style issue.

 

 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

Perhaps if some of the pro-orthodoxers actually engaged with the point? I know it goes against their pro-mask views, but that is kind of the point with discussions, isn't it?

If Chekhov posted with more clarity, more white space, less repetition, fewer tedious buzzwords and less pomposity perhaps they might.

 

11 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

If it is just ignored it will likely keep coming up, and, in that scenario, I for one would encourage Chekhov to keep posting it- if only because new people can always come into the thread. 

And then people will likely keep scrolling on by.   If the same point needs to be made over and over and over again, use a link to the original post, or use a link to the article in question instead of copying and pasting exactly the same commentary.  Again, most people aren't stupid; they're capable of following an argument and even following it back to its source if they're that engaged.

 

11 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

But bear in mind there are many neurotypes and you're not in a postion to say that what is easy to read for you is easy for them. Personally I have no issues with Chekhovs posts readability.

I'm sure Chekhov wants to engage with the widest possible audience.  In the absence of being able to adapt each post to fit the requirements of a multitude of different individuals the best you can do is post with clarity.

 

11 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

The real issue here is that the boards 'quote'function is not that good, and is somewhat buggy.

It is excrutiating trying to quote multiple times from a post several pages back, I have a lot of problems with it myself.

 

I agree.  It's terrible in some instances and occasionally glitchy.  It can handle simple quotes, though, and breaking posts into separate quotes to address individual points.  It even manages multiquotes, if they're from posts on the same page.  It struggles with multiquotes from posts on different pages, so I've learned not to attempt it.

 

A major setback is the removal of some of the BBcode functionality.  You used to be able to add your own quote tags:

 

[quote="Bob"]Blah blah blah[/quote]

But while you can still use quote tags, the attribute is no longer recognised.

 

I wrote a hopefully helpful post about the quote system a few pages back...

[RJRB 691]

3 hours ago, fools said:

Chekhov,

 

Do you want people to read your posts and possibly respond, or just scroll past them?

 

If the former, I suggest you try to take on-board the many comments about your posting style, especially regarding the colours, the quoting, the quoting of yourself, the length, the repetitiveness.

From previous comments that I have made you have my total support on this subject.

 

[onewheeldave 22]

1 hour ago, Hecate said:

If Chekhov posted with more clarity, more white space, less repetition, fewer tedious buzzwords and less pomposity perhaps they might.

Strange though how, it's the posts that contain links to stuff that goes against the 'masks=good' viewpoint that get ignored, whereas others, with the same font/color 'issues' get a good number of responses

 

1 hour ago, Hecate said:

 

 

 

I agree.  It's terrible in some instances and occasionally glitchy.  It can handle simple quotes, though, and breaking posts into separate quotes to address individual points.  It even manages multiquotes, if they're from posts on the same page.  It struggles with multiquotes from posts on different pages, so I've learned not to attempt it.

 

A major setback is the removal of some of the BBcode functionality.  You used to be able to add your own quote tags:

 

[quote="Bob"]Blah blah blah[/quote]

But while you can still use quote tags, the attribute is no longer recognised.

 

I wrote a hopefully helpful post about the quote system a few pages back...

Yes, it was helpful, especially the tip about using the Return key to split quotes into parts, I was not previously aware of that.

 

 

[Guest]

56 minutes ago, onewheeldave said:

Strange though how, it's the posts that contain links to stuff that goes against the 'masks=good' viewpoint that get ignored, whereas others, with the same font/color 'issues' get a good number of responses

Your issue there, I believe, is called 'confirmation bias'.

 

Nearly three hundred pages in this thread since December 9th.  The same points have been made time and time again, often with the same charts and even the same text.  If posts on a given subject are indeed being ignored  now for their content rather than their presentation and style, then it's because they've been commented on previously.   I know I've replied to mask-related posts in just the last few days (though admittedly I can't recall whose posts I replied to).

 

Quote

Yes, it was helpful, especially the tip about using the Return key to split quotes into parts, I was not previously aware of that.

Bold: I don't know if it's a consistent  thing - haven't tried it enough times - but sometimes it doesn't work because return is hit when the cursor is at the end of a sentence (or otherwise text-adjacent) and not on a new blank line/in a bit of white space.

Edited January 8, 2022 by Guest

[Chekhov 488]

Chekhov said:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/01/05/strict-covid-curbs-now-less-effective-admits-sturgeon-scotlands/

Strict Covid curbs now ‘less effective’, admits Sturgeon as Scotland’s isolation rules relaxed
First Minister's approach now more in line with England, as data show her tough measures failed to curb omicron spread

Nicola Sturgeon finally relaxed Scotland’s self-isolation rules and promised to rethink her Covid strategy on Wednesday after admitting her hardline restrictions were not as effective anymore.

In a major about-turn that brought her approach more in line with Boris Johnson’s, Ms Sturgeon disclosed that her Government will shortly unveil a blueprint for Scotland to live with the virus in the long term that would be “more proportionate and sustainable and less restrictive.”

 

Many of us said this weeks ago.......

19 hours ago, hackey lad said:

Did you tell Ms  Sturgeon ?

You are obviously being sarcastic, but seriously, she wouldn't have taken any notice.

She, and, even worse, that idiot Drakeford, are either the most risk averse people ever to have held government office, or they are trying to make political points (look, we do what we want in Scotland or Wales). I suspect it's a mixture of the two.

More positively this is one of the first times things are going this way. Normally BoJo has tried to resist the more draconian measures but then lost his nerve and ended up doing what S & W have done (not that it's made much difference either way). But now that BoJo has been given some spine by his 100 hero backbenchers (incl Miriam Cates) it's all changed and  Scotland are following England.

[RJRB 691]

Apart from the obvious single bones of contention it’s all too easy to put all posters into a particular box.

I suspect the truth is different.So of the following options I will categorise myself.

1a. The Covid 19 virus is a real threat to the health of the worlds population 

1b. The Covid 19 virus dangers are vastly overstated

 

2a  The advent of the vaccine has done more harm than good

2b. The advent of the vaccine has been beneficial

2c.   The vaccine should be restricted to those most vulnerable by age or health.

 

3a.The pandemic is over and all restrictions should be lifted immediately

3b. We are only at a point of a fluid situation and some caution remains necessary

 

4a The wearing of any masks is a waste of time

4b. The wearing of N95 masks may provide some protection to the wearer and others.

 

5a I would never wear a mask in any circumstances 

5b I would wear a mask because I believe they may be beneficial

5c I would wear a mask as requested in deference to others .

 

So that makes me a 1a2a3b4b5c.

 

This was done for my own amusement and I am sure that there are other more nuanced views that could be included.

And my views could well change with the passage of time.

Edited January 8, 2022 by RJRB

[Chekhov 488]

No child would want to wear a face mask, why would they ?

It could be that some (who have been fed misinformation * by their frightened and/or virtue signalling parents) think they should wear a face mask, but that is not the same thing as as wanting to. So, when using correct definitions, I am correct and you are wrong.

 

misinformation * 

"I told my kids that masks are very important for saving people's lives (and they accepted that and will wear them)" :

(6 Jan 22) Covid: Evidence on face masks in schools 'inconclusive'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59895934

 

20 hours ago, Hecate said:

I  literally LOLed.  Do you have that as a tattoo somewhere?  Behold the word of Chekhov, for he hath spoken, and lo it was righteous  .

 

You said 'no normal child would want to wear a mask', Chekhov.  No normal child. You should go and stand in a corner and be alone in your shame for calling a child, what's the word I'm searching for that means 'not normal'?  Abnormal, is it?  Abnormal, because they, or their parents, have read or heard about more than that one study that you're going to flap about in every other post for the next month, and realised that well-fitting, multi-layered face coverings reduce viral transmission, and decided to try to do their bit.

 

Shameful, Chekhov, really shameful  .

Selectively quoting, shameful Hecate, really shameful.

20 hours ago, sibon said:

I ignore almost all of what you say. You are so tediously repetitive, mathematically naive and  often mistaken.

I'm right a lot more of the time than the experts you seem to think should be listened to, not that would be that difficult, bearing in mind how often they've been wrong) :

 

Mid March 2020 : We could have half a million Covid deaths in the UK
19 March 2020 : 12 weeks to flatten the curve.
Late March : This virus is indiscriminate
November 2020 : Modelling suggests 4,000 deaths per day worst case scenario.
16 December 2020 : Boris Johnson says Christmas is safe.
19 December 2020 : Boris Johnson announces Christmas is cancelled.
Spring 2021 : Get double vaccinated to get out of Covid and back to normal.
July 2021 : Freedom day is irresponsible, we could have 200K cases per day by August.
11 Dec 21 : "Omicron could cause 75,000 deaths in England by end of April"
15 Dec 21 : "Omicron likely to be the biggest threat of Covid pandemic so far".

Edited January 8, 2022 by Chekhov

[Chekhov 488]

6 hours ago, fools said:

Why not take on board what I said, and see what happens. You might just get a little more engagement.

 

Mixing fonts and colours, with awful layout, it makes them horrible to read, like a garish 70's seaside horoscope, quoting yourself is odd, who else does that. Repeating yourself is odd, who else does that (Other than Annie). Whatever you're doing when quoting others is incomprehensible. The length is off-putting.. do I need to go on, it's all been said before.

You are entitled to your point of view, I just disagree with you.

4 hours ago, Hecate said:

You've already posted it.  People have seen that you've posted it.  You could say something like 'as I noted in post #1234...',  (and maybe make that a link to the post) or just 'as I said above...'.

 

Because it's garish, and when you mix it with bold, italics, underline and whatnot it's hard on the eye, especially as you don't include much  white space.  Also, most people aren't grotesquely stupid, and if you post with clarity they're capable of understanding what your main point is; they don't need it shoved in their faces by colouring it green or purple.

 

Short paragraphs (though not each sentence a new paragraph), one for each point.  Lots of white space.  No colours.  Bold or italics for one or two very important words or phrases.

 

This isn't a website statically presenting information.  It's a discussion.  It needs to be easy to read and easy to follow.  If you don't use the quote system, words get attributed to the wrong people when they're subsequentially quoted and the discussion goes down the pan because someone thinks someone's said something when they haven't.

Again, I disagree with you, and the hits, and compliments, my website gets implies I might be right.

[Chekhov 488]

50 minutes ago, RJRB said:

Apart from the obvious single bones of contention it’s all too easy to put all posters into a particular box.

I suspect the truth is different.So of the following options I will categorise myself.

1a. The Covid 19 virus is a real threat to the health of the worlds population 

1b. The Covid 19 virus dangers are vastly overstated

 

2a  The advent of the vaccine has done more harm than good

2b. The advent of the vaccine has been beneficial

2c.   The vaccine should be restricted to those most vulnerable by age or health.

 

3a.The pandemic is over and all restrictions should be lifted immediately

3b. We are only at a point of a fluid situation and some caution remains necessary

 

4a The wearing of any masks is a waste of time

4b. The wearing of N95 masks may provide some protection to the wearer and others.

 

5a I would never wear a mask in any circumstances 

5b I would wear a mask because I believe they may be beneficial

5c I would wear a mask as requested in deference to others .

 

So that makes me a 1a2a3b4b5c.

 

This was done for my own amusement and I am sure that there are other more nuanced views that could be included.

And my views could well change with the passage of time.

How can you agree with both 1a and 2a ! :

1a. The Covid 19 virus is a real threat to the health of the worlds population 

2a  The advent of the vaccine has done more harm than good

 

This does not describe my position :

2c.   The vaccine should be restricted to those most vulnerable by age or health.

Everyone over 18 (or those at extreme vulnerability under that age) should be offered the vaccine, but only those over 40 and/or with existing health issues, should be told they really need it. To go back to last spring we should not have waited till everyone over 35/40 had had two doses before going back to normal. And NOBODY should be forced, directly or indirectly, to be vaccinated. 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

"Every Covid related death is a tragedy".

 

Who thinks that is true ?

Is anyone dying of anything at 90 a tragedy ?

What about 95 ?

How about at 100 ?

And if it is a tragedy for people of that age to die, what word would you use to describe the death of a child ?

Edited January 8, 2022 by Chekhov

[Chekhov 488]

Now we have a milder but much more infectious variant of Covid, I would LOVE to know what proportion of these people dying within 28 days of a positive Covid test actually died of Covid.

As an aside, if we tested everyone for the flu all the time, how many people would die within 28 days of a positive test for that ?

Edited January 8, 2022 by Chekhov