Scarlet Pimpernel

At your place, isn't that kind of like bringing coals to Newcastle??

Well...just make sure that you're not passed out ON the curb awaiting curbside pickup, wondering where the hell you're at or what you're doing there!

I've gone out just for some walks or occasional bike rides. Or to go take photos (I'm not far from the Audubon nature center). But I'm pretty well by myself, not really around anyone unless I pass by them. And for the most part, people tend to "cut a swath" around others. But I'm not going to play sports or be in a large group. I play in an alumni softball league, have for the past many summers (until I broke a finger during a game last July, dammit!). I don't think we'll be playing this year at all, or if so, it will only be a handful of games. They have a big tournament every August which is a lot of fun and quite the event...I suspect that won't be happening either. It sucks, but that's how it is and I cannot blame them if they decide to essentially cancel this year. (Side note: it doubly sucks for me, because I was unable to play in last year's tournament due to said broken finger, LOL!! I still went to enjoy the festivities and take pictures...and partake of the food and beer...however!).

Exactly. There's the somewhat "famous" plot of data from 1918, showing cases in Philadelphia vs. St. Louis. It's clear what happened doing nothing vs. some measure of lock-down. This is not something new, nor is it some conspiracy. Quarantines have been around since...forever?

The most fun project of all!

Fixed your post for ya! Now get to work (on all that beer)!!

Agree, I know exactly where you're coming from. Likewise, I don't (nor does anyone that I know of!) like being home day in and day out either, various things canceled, etc. Like you, I consider myself fortunate to be in a place such that I can work from home and all that. I don't appreciate some in here implying that either myself, or anyone else, just doesn't care or doesn't "get it" that many others are not in such good situations regarding work and paying bills and the like. Really, there needs to be some kind of huge stimulus and debt forgiveness (or extension) for those that really need it, livable wage, sick leave, etc...but that's getting kind of political perhaps, and above my pay grade (LOL!). I think PSU and a couple of others have hinted the same kinds of ideas for dealing with this.

Yup, that's the meaning I got out of what he said. In addition, not just higher chance of kids getting sick...but even if they get it and are relatively symptom free or very minor ones, it can be spread to who knows how many others (e.g., adults, who are more susceptible, that kind of thing).

I think many regular doctors and dentists are encouraging patients...adults and children...to postpone the "regular" checkup type visits for now. But of course they say feel free to come in if there's some significant issue, which makes sense. Same for immunizations, they may not have regular visits, but they are encouraging pediatric patients to keep up on the vaccines. Some doctors are offering video or remote consultation for routine things or concerns that may not be severe, that sort of thing. You are probably right, there's likely a certain level of fear I'm sure some people have of going in or taking their kid in, right now.

Just like Dr. Evil!!

Yeah, I'm not totally sure, I've heard a couple of different things concerning those exams. Guess I'll find out in the next couple weeks!

Yeah, I've never been a big fan of SAT or that sort of thing, really.

You really have no place making such a statement...about me, or anyone else. Talk about tone deaf.

Surely your calculator can handle one zero after the decimal. As in 0.03216. Which is a little over 3%. But that's just like the flu (not)!

Yeah, we hardly have a true "lock-down" (a'la Wuhan style). More just a suppression of activity. Are we barred from going outside to get some nice air, go for a ride, hike, go to the supermarket, just drive around ...? No. Hardly a grotesque infringement on freedom here. Not saying it doesn't suck, but unusual times and all that. It won't stop those who are convinced it's all a government ploy to take everything from you, or that "they" just want an excuse to make this all permanent, etc., etc. Or that a mask is repressing their right to...I'm not sure what. How many people who believe that were OK with the stringent security measures taken in the aftermath of September 11? But hey, that was mostly targeting "certain people", so maybe it was OK and patriotic (that was snark).

Definitely, agree on needing some kind of "face time" like that. I found out that AP exams apparently will occur this year (my daughter taking 2 such classes). From what I gather, they'll allow "open book/notes" and that sort of thing...kind of hard to enforce "closed book" remotely!...but there will obviously be time limits on completing various sections. So sure, maybe you can Google all you want for some essay, but you might run out of time if you overdo that! I guess that's about the best option here for that, otherwise, they'd never get AP exams at all this year (similarly for SAT and such, I imagine).

I'm pretty much working under the assumption that MD won't be going back "in person" the remainder of this academic year. Even if Hogan et al. decide to do some amount of "re-opening". As for next year...hard to say at this point, of course. And yeah, agree we'll likely hear something end of this week on a decision about that May 15 date.

Oh, I get that...I was only mentioning who Cox is, the name was familiar to me from that Congressional race in 2016. Agree, if they were protesting *safely*, threat of arrest is overkill (as is a lawsuit over that).

Forced to eat government cheese, perhaps?

I seem to recall Cox is the tea-party type who ran against Jamie Raskin for the House seat in 2016 (8th Cong. district, to fill VanHollen's seat when he moved into the Senate). Raskin won in a landslide, not surprisingly. I'm in Raskin's district, myself. Sadly, many of our current elected leaders are proof that our education system...or at least their understanding of governance and the Constitution...has failed miserably!!

Yesterday was gorgeous out. Went for a walk at the Audubon nature center (not far from me) and took several photos. Here's a hawk that was circling for long enough to get a good shot: And an ever-elusive cardinal:

Made me think of "Kung Fu Panda"... "You are free to eat..." "Am I?' "Are you??"

What we really need to do is covertly create a "winter medium range" thread. That way, all useless banter and sniping will magically transfer over there! Just like it did this past season! (That was dark snark, by the way!)

Way to move goal posts from "young people" (which I'd take to imply anyone under about 30) to "kids" (which would imply minors only). And also just state things out of hand as fact while accusing others of being pedantic. Whatever. I don't think anyone argues who is more at risk and what age groups. But even younger people, it may not be so negligible a number as thought. And it's still higher than "just the flu". Plenty of younger people have other health or immune issues that can make them more at risk.

Not looking too bad in a modest heel, there!