Coronavirus

[JarJarDrinks]

This right here

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The Coronavirus doesn't do anything that unusual.

are words that can only be uttered by the tin-foiliest of hat wearers.

I predict that Covid-19 will eventually be "not unusual" in a couple years. We won't eradicate it, so it will always be going around. But if most people are immune, and especially if there is a vaccine, it will eventually join the ranks of a thousand other diseases that are rare to get and even rarer to die from.

In other words, the unusual thing about Covid-19 isn't necessarily the disease itself. The unusual part of it is that we are living through the birth of the disease when things are very tumultuous, with the capability to overrun our hospitals due to rapid spread. After we get through this first part, the next 500 years of Covid-19 won't be nearly as interesting.

we know that's not what hunter meant tho.

[rhendon]

Folks, again, gentle reminder to be civil.
It’s fine to have strong opinions about the current situation, just remember to express them respectfully (to those that have been doing so, it’s appreciated).
Please also note that no one has full immunity to ban (at most, it’s <5), we just prefer to resolve issues amicably where possible.
That said, this thread is being carefully monitored, and steps will be taken to ensure the commentary stays on topic and civil.

Noooooo. Anytime a thread is being carefully monitored, someone will say something and piss me off for being obtuse and I'll get banned.

[Hunter]

Folks, again, gentle reminder to be civil.
It’s fine to have strong opinions about the current situation, just remember to express them respectfully

[Hunter]

You going out into public and not being apart of the lockdown, doesn't affect just you. You could have COVID and you could spread it to someone. You don't get to make that choice and let your choice risk someone else's life. You don't like that. Fine. Don't live in a society. This is the choice you make when you choose to live in a society. You sacrifice for the greater good.

Not a ton of internet time tonight, so this part of your post will have to wait. My response to it will tie in heavily with some of the thoughts I have on Bastian's latest post, so maybe I'll type up a combo reply some day soon.

But for tonight...let's talk ebola!

Actually Hunter my information had nothing to do with Zaire and wasn't just a single outbreak. This is from the CDC website that states 2014-2016 Ebola Outbreak.

But...that IS a SINGLE outbreak. That was the Western African Ebola Virus Epidemic (and is the one I was referring to when I said your numbers were from "the 2014 outbreak" in my previous post) and it has to do with Zaire because that single outbreak was Zaire ebolavirus.

Also, Zaire isn't a country anymore and hasn't been since 1997.

Ok? And?

I mean, do you know why it's called Ebola to begin with? It's named for the Ebola River...which was in Zaire. I suppose they could have changed the name from "Zaire ebolavirus" to something else after Zaire wasn't a country anymore. But they didn't. It did, however, become more commonplace to call Zaire ebolavirus by its other name. Which is: Ebola virus.

There are 4 ebolaviruses that have been known to kill people.

Bundibugyo ebolavirus
Taï Forest ebolavirus
Sudan ebolavirus
Zaire ebolavirus (also known as: Ebola virus)

Since Zaire ebolavirus is the one that is also named Ebola virus, and since it's the virus that scientists and journalists will usually mean whenever talking about ebola (because it has been responsible for the largest outbreak, AND the most outbreaks), I told you that you had "picked the right one" when using your numbers from the 2014 epidemic. That outbreak was caused by Zaire ebolavirus, and that's the right virus to talk about. But that was still just ONE outbreak. There have been a couple dozen of them. Including one that is still ongoing today!

The current outbreak started in 2018 and is expected to still be going through the rest of the year, and on into 2021. In 2019 the WHO upgraded it to a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" which is the highest warning level they've got. If they want to make anything sound scarier and more dangerous than the *current* outbreak of Ebola virus, they'll need to make up a new designation first. So you can't try to act like the 2014 outbreak was the whole kit & caboodle.

Where the * are you getting your information from?

I'm getting my information from The Most Rigorously Fact-Checked Information Resource in the History of Earth.

If you look at [the CDC website], you'll see that there was 28,652 cases of Ebola across Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Italy, Malli, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain, UK and the US. That is total cases, suspected or probable. Confirmed cases was 15,261. Total deaths was 11,325.

11,325/28,652 x 100 = 39.52%
11,325/15,261 x 100 = 74.20%

So the total cases they confirmed is closer to 80% but is still off.

And that continues to be only ONE outbreak. The very first time you posted any figures, I knew that you were using the statistics from that ONE outbreak, because the numbers matched too closely for there to be any other explanation.

You originally mentioned under 30,000 cases, and a little more than 11,000 deaths. Now you've unveiled specific numbers: 28,652 and 11,325.
Wikipedia's numbers for that ONE outbreak are: 28,646 cases and 11,323 confirmed deaths.

So do you think maybe that's the same outbreak? But again, there have been a couple dozen.

And the fatality rate for that ONE outbreak was 39.52%? Okay. But again, there have been a couple dozen.

Wikipedia sez that the case-fatality rate for Ebola virus has been "averaging 83 percent since the first outbreaks in 1976, although fatality rates up to 90 percent have been recorded in one outbreak"

I'm willing to concede that Ebola has a higher mortality than COVID, which I was never arguing in the first place. I just questioned your 80%.

And I've substantiated it.

You said COVID won't be around in 2 years possibly, but I never said it was. I just showed what pace it was on for. Its call predicting the future based on numbers we have.

And I still don't see much point in talking about what it's on pace to do over the span of 2 years, if we don't know it will get those 2 years.

We can't accurately quantify where our progress toward herd protection (via infections alone) stands. But that progress continues every day. A vaccine would obviously cause a quantum leap in that progress, and I don't know whether you're reading or listening to anything about how the human trials are going, but things sure sound promising to me. And if this virus continues to behave as other human coronaviruses have, then the immunity could be good for several years before mutations can catch up (coronaviruses mutate much more slowly than something like influenza A).

Those things need to be accounted for, when you are trying to "predict the future based on numbers we have." I feel like someone needs to be quite the Covid cheerleader, to expect that by the 2-year mark it will still be more than a whisper.

But that's not really about ebola anymore, so goodnight all!

[rhendon]

Hunter if you don't have a lot of internet time, do something useful with it.

At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this topic is now dumber for having read it. I award you no internet argument points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[JarJarDrinks]

Everyone in this topic is now dumber for having read it.

People read it?

[arebelspy]

Everyone in this topic is now dumber for having read it.

People read it?

I usually read everything.

With this one, I read the first chunk. Then got to this: "I'm getting my information from The Most Rigorously Fact-Checked Information Resource in the History of Earth" and scrolled down.

[rhendon]

Everyone in this topic is now dumber for having read it.

People read it?

I read it. But all it convinced me of was Hunter phoning it in. At this point, I'd like to Vote:Hunter. Its quite obvious he is phoning it in with WoT that are meant to waste time. He must be scum.

[mr007agent]

With this one, I read the first chunk. Then got to this: "I'm getting my information from The Most Rigorously Fact-Checked Information Resource in the History of Earth" and scrolled down.

You disagree with wikipedia?

Happy Birthday btw!

[Gergall]

Wikipedia is fine but you sometimes need to trace the facts back to their actual sources through the citations.

With statistics you have to be especially careful. You may find one quote in wikipedia that cites a number from source A and then a different quote, maybe in a different article, that cites a number from source B.

You can trick yourself into making apples-vs-oranges comparisons of statistics if you aren't diligent.

[mr007agent]

I don't always agree with Hunter but when I do...

I think some of you only like to argue with Hunter because you are bored haha. He doesn't deal in absolutes, only the sith do that. Id say, he is very literal and reads responses as such.

I haven't done anything differently in my life due to the virus besides diligently wash my hands after I come from the store, but I usually did anyways. I don't wear a mask unless I am forced to. Also, I believe all the "experts" don't know what the * is going on and just trying * as they go along. I'm in the boat, that people die and the earth could use fewer humans right now, as macabre as that is.

Brian, Matt Lush has covid and I would imagine him being an acquaintance of yours. It is not serious. He said worse than a cold but milder than the flu.

I didn't read the joke by Reid but moderating that is pretty silly. Yes, it is a crazy time, but humor is the medicine for all situations. Jokes will always be told about every situation a la Seth MacFarlane.

[allstarz97]

I didn't read the joke by Reid but moderating that is pretty silly. Yes, it is a crazy time, but humor is the medicine for all situations. Jokes will always be told about every situation a la Seth MacFarlane.

I don’t understand how you can call censoring something silly if you don’t know what it contained. I guess that’s sorta where we are now on both sides of things tho, literally blindly agreeing with our side.

[mr007agent]

I didn't read the joke by Reid but moderating that is pretty silly. Yes, it is a crazy time, but humor is the medicine for all situations. Jokes will always be told about every situation a la Seth MacFarlane.

I don’t understand how you can call censoring something silly if you don’t know what it contained. I guess that’s sorta where we are now on both sides of things tho, literally blindly agreeing with our side.

I know we really never conversed outside of swccg and even that was limited but I am not PC whatsoever. Ask Greg hah I don't know what you mean by blindly agreeing with our side. Politics? If so, I don't follow politics and could care less.

[rhendon]

I haven't done anything differently in my life due to the virus besides diligently wash my hands after I come from the store, but I usually did anyways. I don't wear a mask unless I am forced to. Also, I believe all the "experts" don't know what the * is going on and just trying * as they go along. I'm in the boat, that people die and the earth could use fewer humans right now, as macabre as that is.

No one knows but because of how the news is these days there has to be a definitive statement. So people look like they don't know anything at first but when they get more info they have a better statement to make.

That is science. Science is coming up with a theory, testing it and going from there.

I wear a mask because I was exposed to someone with Covid. I don't wear a mask to protect myself because it really doesn't. It is better than nothing but barely. I wash my hands more and I'm more conscious about social distancing. I don't try and get near other people. I wait and keep my distance as I can. I wouldn't go to a sports game or anywhere that is packed right now. Its just not worth it. I'd rather not be the cause of someone else's death.

A mask is like this. If you're standing next to someone and he isn't wearing pants but you are. He pees on you. Your pants get soaked and your legs get wet. Now lets say he is wearing pants. He starts peeing. His pants get soaked but you are dry. That is how the mask work.

So if someone is sick and coughs, your mask will stop some of it vs none of it, but it can soak through (unless it is a filtered mask). If they wear a mask though, the mask gets soaked but it stays on them.

I didn't read the joke by Reid but moderating that is pretty silly. Yes, it is a crazy time, but humor is the medicine for all situations. Jokes will always be told about every situation a la Seth MacFarlane.

I don’t understand how you can call censoring something silly if you don’t know what it contained. I guess that’s sorta where we are now on both sides of things tho, literally blindly agreeing with our side.

I know we really never conversed outside of swccg and even that was limited but I am not PC whatsoever. Ask Greg hah

No and neither am I. I think this is why you and I get along well. But even I know there is a time and place for jokes. I'd rather not offend friends with a borderline joke.

[arebelspy]

With this one, I read the first chunk. Then got to this: "I'm getting my information from The Most Rigorously Fact-Checked Information Resource in the History of Earth" and scrolled down.

You disagree with wikipedia?

Happy Birthday btw!

Thanks!

I'm of the opinion distasteful jokes aren't good, but censoring them is worse.

Best to call them out as a community and say they're bad. Sokol's approach = perfect.

Reporting it to moderators, or moderators removing things like that = awful.

We're all adults. If someone says a distasteful joke, let it slide, or don't. Demand better of the community. But treating someone like a toddler, censoring them, "warning" them, etc. is ridiculous.

Moderation should be for things like someone inciting violence, advocating for something illegal, posting child porn, idk, stuff of that nature.

Someone offending someone else's sensibilities with a joke that is in poor taste, well, that should be left. It should reflect on the character of who posted it, and of those who pushed back against it. Not moderated and removed.

We set the standards of our community, and making something go poof doesn't enhance that.

[allstarz97]

With this one, I read the first chunk. Then got to this: "I'm getting my information from The Most Rigorously Fact-Checked Information Resource in the History of Earth" and scrolled down.

You disagree with wikipedia?

Happy Birthday btw!

Thanks!

I'm of the opinion distasteful jokes aren't good, but censoring them is worse.

Best to call them out as a community and say they're bad. Sokol's approach = perfect.

Reporting it to moderators, or moderators removing things like that = awful.

We're all adults. If someone says a distasteful joke, let it slide, or don't. Demand better of the community. But treating someone like a toddler, censoring them, "warning" them, etc. is ridiculous.

Moderation should be for things like someone inciting violence, advocating for something illegal, posting child porn, idk, stuff of that nature.

Someone offending someone else's sensibilities with a joke that is in poor taste, well, that should be left. It should reflect on the character of who posted it, and of those who pushed back against it. Not moderated and removed.

We set the standards of our community, and making something go poof doesn't enhance that.

You mean well, but this take is INCREDIBLY privileged. A joke about a black person should never be something that is "let slide", us being adults has nothing to do with a joke about a woman, minorities, LGBTQs, victims of sexual assault (ie using the term rape in a casual manner) and should NEVER be allowed to remain on a message board. White men have a long history of telling offended parties to shrug things off, or that somehow they should pull up our big boys pants and be ok with the "joke". SWCCG should be as inclusive as possible, even if our player base is 95%+ white male.

It's a very different experience to see something in poor taste, that's directed towards a group of people you aren't a part of(blacks, monitories, women, etc) of and be like, "that's awful, there's no room for that here" It's very different for a member of that group to see that, and even though there aren't many here, they should always feel that the community truly does not have room for that stuff here and removes (censors it).

The term "coloreds" was used to describe black people several months ago on some post on here, it was censored, as it should be.

In this case the joke in question was on the minor side in comparison of what floats around, but I still think that it was good that it was called out AND that it was reported.

[allstarz97]

Someone offending someone else's sensibilities with a joke that is in poor taste, well, that should be left.

Not if it ties into any type of bigotry, harassment, bullying etc.

[Hunter]

[allstarz97]

h2o fanboy!

[quickdraw3457]

Gotta agree with Justin here, moderation is not here to make sure our tight-knit community can have uncensored, mature, adult conversations that stop just short of personal threats, it's to make sure this is a welcoming place for people that come here and haven't met everybody in person (among other things). This is a Star Wars CCG message board. There are people coming here to see what is happening with Star Wars ccg, and if what they see is a bunch of dudes making jokes that can be interpreted as racist/sexist/insensitive/immature then many of those people will not care to come back again. I think in any off topic conversation here, everyone still has to remember that moderation has to have the PC's best interest in mind first.