The Media is the Virus

[GoodLife]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

[44Apple]

Arizona doctors worry as ICUs fill: '''We’re leaving the hospital sometimes in tears''' - ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/US/leaving-hospital-tears-arizona-doctors-worry-icus-fill/story?id=71519097)

Let us know how it feels to be on a ventilator.

I'll go with the American Free Press everyday.

[gatorbill1]

Arizona doctors worry as ICUs fill: '''We’re leaving the hospital sometimes in tears''' - ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/US/leaving-hospital-tears-arizona-doctors-worry-icus-fill/story?id=71519097)

Let us know how it feels to be on a ventilator.

I'll go with the American Free Press everyday.

Agree - all but one station is very good at giving us the real news stories

[davem4616]

I don't trust any station now to actually just give me the news without a bias

so....we've stopped watching and our blood pressure is down....who knew? LOL

[billethkid]

The only news sources to trust do not have letters in their network identity.

[davem4616]

there is no real news today....oh for the days of Walter Cronkite and Hunley/Brinkley

every station is pushing out their bias

We've stopped watching them

[Stu from NYC]

there is no real news today....oh for the days of Walter Cronkite and Hunley/Brinkley

every station is pushing out their bias

We've stopped watching them

Very true. They should close the journalism schools fire the professors and start over.

I may not have the station correct but recently ABC decided not to let reporters wear lapel pins so they could objectively report. Nauseating.

[jacksonbrown]

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon"

Exactly.

I've come to rely on the comments found in forums like TOTV. With a variety of opinions, I can form a belief based on a consensus of replies. That belief almost always becomes close to factual over time.

[GoodLife]

Arizona doctors worry as ICUs fill: '''We’re leaving the hospital sometimes in tears''' - ABC News (https://abcnews.go.com/US/leaving-hospital-tears-arizona-doctors-worry-icus-fill/story?id=71519097)

Let us know how it feels to be on a ventilator.

I'll go with the American Free Press everyday.

Gosh, how nice of you.

Apparently ABC news did not check with the Arizona Department of Health Services which monitors daily covid 19 hospitalizations for the whole state. They have been going down since early June and are nowhere near full capacity.

Scroll down and click on the Hospitalizations red circle for the Hospitalizations by day graph.

ADHS - Data Dashboard (https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/covid-19/dashboards/index.php)

[Bucco]

Gosh, how nice of you.

Apparently ABC news did not check with the Arizona Department of Health Services which monitors daily covid 19 hospitalizations for the whole state. They have been going down since early June and are nowhere near full capacity.

Scroll down and click on the Hospitalizations red circle for the Hospitalizations by day graph.

ADHS - Data Dashboard (https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/covid-19/dashboards/index.php)

perhaps a more studious and complete search would have uncovered this....

"PHOENIX – A reporting glitch from the Arizona health department Monday didn’t impact the fact that more coronavirus patients are in the state’s hospitals than ever before.

There were 2,721 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients hospitalized Sunday, according to data reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Monday.

That topped the previous high of 2,691 from the previous day and continued an upward trend that has seen the number double since June 11.


"COVID-19 hospitalizations aren’t the only data point at or near a pandemic-high mark in Arizona.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds increased overnight by 13 to 679 on Sunday, a high mark.

THE DOGGONE MEDIA ONCE AGAIN


"https://ktar.com/story/3348077/arizona-hospital-data-with-record-covid-19-patients-not-affected-by-error/

[GoodLife]

For us Floridians, plenty of hospital capacity

The hospital bed availability in Florida is at 22.36 percent as of June 30. The adult ICU availability is at 19.83 percent, which is low compared to recent days.

These are normal numbers, hospitals are in business to make money, average occupancies are 70-80%

[canyonblue]

For us Floridians, plenty of hospital capacity

The hospital bed availability in Florida is at 22.36 percent as of June 30. The adult ICU availability is at 19.83 percent, which is low compared to recent days.

These are normal numbers, hospitals are in business to make money, average occupancies are 70-80%

Exactly! The surge in Covid-19 positives are increasing the most in the 15-24 and 25-34 age groups. On May 24 that age group accounted for 11,500 positive cases in Florida. As of June 30 that same age group account for 53,633 positive cases. Of that age group there have only been a total of 25 deaths. And on May 24th they only had 13 deaths for the groups.

Right now the age groups that compromise the 55-64, 65-74, 75-84 and 85+ have a total of 42,521 positive cases. However those age groups have a combined 3,286 deaths compared to 2,102 on May 24th out of 20,780 positive cases. Four age groups have gone up in positive cases by 21,741 while two younger age groups have gone up by 42,133.

3,286 vs 25.

One demographic is really feeling the pain of this virus. On average 19 people die each month from distracted driving in Florida. We just had 12 15-34 year olds die from Covid. Good luck hoping the other one will even think about wearing a mask.

[swooner]

Very true. They should close the journalism schools fire the professors and start over.

I may not have the station correct but recently ABC decided not to let reporters wear lapel pins so they could objectively report. Nauseating.
Who or what is "Hunley"?

[camaguey48]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.
Don't believe everything you hear. Especially from the mainstream mercenary media. Even salt looks like sugar.

[Villages Kahuna]

Why would the media wish the economy not to recover too soon? Regardless of the type of media, they depend on advertising for their own economic success. A down economy means less advertising income. Your thesis doesn’t make sense.

[PugMom]

The only news sources to trust do not have letters in their network identity.

:clap2::coolsmiley:

[allus70]

If you test more you will get more negative and positive results. What matters is if the ratio changes..that is more + than - outcomes. That is what is occurring.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EbtbZmYWAAgVvv4?format=jpg&name=large

[pineweasel]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

Agree,

If this was truly a pandemic everything would be shut down with people dying in the streets.

[GoodLife]

perhaps a more studious and complete search would have uncovered this....

"PHOENIX – A reporting glitch from the Arizona health department Monday didn’t impact the fact that more coronavirus patients are in the state’s hospitals than ever before.

There were 2,721 confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients hospitalized Sunday, according to data reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Monday.

That topped the previous high of 2,691 from the previous day and continued an upward trend that has seen the number double since June 11.


"COVID-19 hospitalizations aren’t the only data point at or near a pandemic-high mark in Arizona.

The number of COVID-19 patients in ICU beds increased overnight by 13 to 679 on Sunday, a high mark.

THE DOGGONE MEDIA ONCE AGAIN


"https://ktar.com/story/3348077/arizona-hospital-data-with-record-covid-19-patients-not-affected-by-error/

From your link

However, a department spokesman told KTAR News 92.3 FM that the reporting issue didn’t affect the accuracy of hospitalization and bed capacity numbers, as well as the report of zero deaths.

They had a peak of hospital admissions 2 weeks ago. The Arizona Dept of Health websites shows new admissions to hospitals trending steeply downward. They are at 84% capacity of ICU beds which will go down shortly as the cases from 2 weeks ago either die or are sent home.

The ABC news article tried to give impression that Arizona hospitals are overwhelmed, they are not.

[Waltdisney4life]

I love the thread title “ the media is the virus” finally someone gets it! Thanks

[kenoc7]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.
What a load of rubbish. The US is experiencing a record number of new cases daily of close to 40,000 per day. 28 states had 50% + increases in June. Putting your head in the sand will only make the pandemic last longer.

[GoodLife]

Why would the media wish the economy not to recover too soon? Regardless of the type of media, they depend on advertising for their own economic success. A down economy means less advertising income. Your thesis doesn’t make sense.

I wonder what people do during a pandemic when they are told to stay home?

News consumption was high among U.S. audiences as viewers turned to their preferred networks for updates on the coronavirus pandemic. Fox News averaged 3.54 million primetime viewers in the week running from March 9 to 15, 2020, and in April 2020 CNN's average audience among the 25-54 demographic jumped by 193 percent year on year.

Have you seen a big drop in commercials in the past few months? Me neither.

[miharris]

Gosh, how nice of you.

Apparently ABC news did not check with the Arizona Department of Health Services which monitors daily covid 19 hospitalizations for the whole state. They have been going down since early June and are nowhere near full capacity.

Scroll down and click on the Hospitalizations red circle for the Hospitalizations by day graph.

ADHS - Data Dashboard (https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/covid-19/dashboards/index.php)

Wow! I just checked this site and it's amazing how misleading the ABC story turns out to be. Clear case of sensationalism and confirmation bias. Pitiful example of the current state of the media.

[rlcooper70]

The media reports are pretty clear - the virus is spreading all across the south. It's pretty clear. Not sure what's the problem.

However, since we can't put the genie back in the bottle ... we have to watch and keep safe. Nice and easy.

[Scorpyo]

I don't trust any station now to actually just give me the news without a bias

so....we've stopped watching and our blood pressure is down....who knew? LOL
I agree with your first statement. However, with your second statement, yes, your blood pressure may be down but I bet your arm strength is down as well. Mine is up from throwing stuff at my TV after hearing all the BS.

[LoisR]

Looks like you took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. Fake news is fake only because it's truthful. I have a wonderful parcel of land right in the heart of New York City that I can sell you really cheap. Interested? Beware of those who go through life with their eyes, hearts, and minds closed.

[JulieER]

Shaking my head at the comments on here. Brushing off a deadly disease like it’s nothing and all media made up. People need to wake up. It’s here to stay for a very long time and will continue to spread with these attitudes. Horrible for the doctors and nurses to constantly try to save people without knowing everything about it, putting their own lives at risk because we don’t take it seriously. Many have PTSD already. Do we think they are all going to stay in this profession with a steady stream of covid patients? They have families too and want to survive WITH them. So what if there’s more capacity?! It’s fine to keep spreading it because there are enough beds? For now? So what if someone goes in for something else and is tested positive for covid and now counts as a covid hospitalization? Now they have to be in a separate area with more stringent care/PPE. They are spreaders! We DO need to keep up with masks and social distancing. Other countries have done this and have brought their numbers way down. We are the WORST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD for infections because we have not been consistent in trying to control this. People, we are the age group at risk!!

[John41]

there is no real news today....oh for the days of Walter Cronkite and Hunley/Brinkley

every station is pushing out their bias

We've stopped watching them

same here on not watching tv news on any channel. just scan the daily sun headlines then some fav science websites.. i do think this post was informative... but the usual few snarky remarks that contribute nothing

[GoodLife]

What a load of rubbish. The US is experiencing a record number of new cases daily of close to 40,000 per day. 28 states had 50% + increases in June. Putting your head in the sand will only make the pandemic last longer.

Nope, no rubbish here. Sure, lots of new cases but the death rate has gone down since the peak. The surge of new cases is composed mostly of young people, the median age of new cases in Flroida is 35, down from 65 in March and April. Similar median age drop in other surging states. If you are under 50 the CDC puts your death rate from covid 19 at 0.05%. Less than the flu. A few of them die because they have hypertension or other health problem. 70-80% of this age group are asymptomatic or very mild symptoms

Why has the median age of new case dropped so much? Several reasons

1. Floyd protests - spike began 1-2 weeks after massive protests
2. Workplace testing - employers require workers to get tested
3. Reopening - no social distancing at bars etc (but spike started right after protests, not right after reopening
4. Testing easier to get, previously you needed to have symptoms.

These cases have always been there, these people never got tested because they had zero or very mild symptoms.

The number of Americans who have contracted COVID-19 is likely 10 times higher than the 2.5 million currently confirmed cases, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Center For Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield’s estimate indicates that at least 25 million Americans have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 to date.

If you are 65+ or have at risk health complications, my advice is to continue safe practices. Personally I don't enter any enclosed spaces other than my home, there are lots of asymptomatic cases out there and while they don't get sick and die they can still pass it to me. But I am not panicked by the surge in new cases because I understand where it is coming from.

[Dana1963]

I’ll stay with NIH CDC and John Hopkins. Tracking Covid is now rising in 28 states since reopening even with protective measures as PPE. There were not protests in every state considering the epicenter Ma Ny Ri and Nj have had less than 300. The one difference is MASKS and SOCIAL DISTANCING as compared to Fl Tx Az Ca.
A mask will not hurt you.

[newgirl]

Are you a we doctor? Or are you in a position of power be it ceo of a hospital or medical review ?
What exactly are your qualifications for making you opinions sound like facts? All my sources say the opposite of what you are saying and they are in places of power to know the truth.

[jebartle]

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon"

Exactly.

I've come to rely on the comments found in forums like TOTV. With a variety of opinions, I can form a belief based on a consensus of replies. That belief almost always becomes close to factual over time.

Hmmmm... Rely on TOTV forums, I don't think so, BUT reading, listening, googling and then after fact checking, draw your own conclusion without bias!!

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

In the villages and especially on this site there is no real news unless they agree with it !!!

[GoodLife]

I’ll stay with NIH CDC and John Hopkins. Tracking Covid is now rising in 28 states since reopening even with protective measures as PPE. There were not protests in every state considering the epicenter Ma Ny Ri and Nj have had less than 300. The one difference is MASKS and SOCIAL DISTANCING as compared to Fl Tx Az Ca.
A mask will not hurt you.

The number of Americans who have contracted COVID-19 is likely 10 times higher than the 2.5 million currently confirmed cases, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Center For Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield’s estimate indicates that at least 25 million Americans have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 to date.

New York New Jersey did not get spike from protests because they had already reached a level of herd immunity. Nobel Laureate Michael Levitt of Stanford thinks herd immunity is reached as low as 20-30% of population. If CDC Director is correct that actual case count is 10 times what testing has confirmed, NYC's confirmed case count of 400k becomes 4 million, 50% of NYC population.

[BeauJangles]

Who or what is "Hunley"?
Chet Huntley and David Brinkley were NBC journalists - the best!

[DonH57]

The number of Americans who have contracted COVID-19 is likely 10 times higher than the 2.5 million currently confirmed cases, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Center For Disease Control (CDC) Director Dr. Robert Redfield’s estimate indicates that at least 25 million Americans have been infected by SARS-CoV-2 to date.

New York New Jersey did not get spike from protests because they had already reached a level of herd immunity. Nobel Laureate Michael Levitt of Stanford thinks herd immunity is reached as low as 20-30% of population. If CDC Director is correct that actual case count is 10 times what testing has confirmed, NYC's confirmed case count of 400k becomes 4 million, 50% of NYC population.

The horse broke out of the barn a long time ago and the media acts like it's some thing new. Of course the more testing you do you will find more people who had it and never knew it. Common damn sense.

[GoodLife]

Shaking my head at the comments on here. Brushing off a deadly disease like it’s nothing and all media made up. People need to wake up. It’s here to stay for a very long time and will continue to spread with these attitudes. Horrible for the doctors and nurses to constantly try to save people without knowing everything about it, putting their own lives at risk because we don’t take it seriously. Many have PTSD already. Do we think they are all going to stay in this profession with a steady stream of covid patients? They have families too and want to survive WITH them. So what if there’s more capacity?! It’s fine to keep spreading it because there are enough beds? For now? So what if someone goes in for something else and is tested positive for covid and now counts as a covid hospitalization? Now they have to be in a separate area with more stringent care/PPE. They are spreaders! We DO need to keep up with masks and social distancing. Other countries have done this and have brought their numbers way down. We are the WORST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD for infections because we have not been consistent in trying to control this. People, we are the age group at risk!!

Updated US 7-Day Avg CASES vs DEATHS graph which highlights the cases upturn beginning around June 9. The CDC reports mean time from symptom onset to death of ~14 days. Cases are now skewing younger & milder, but still no deaths curve inflection despite the marked increase.

84926

No one is brushing anything aside, just looking at the data and why it shows no reason to panic. The surge is mainly composed of younger and asymptomatic cases. They aren't causing deaths to spike. Older and at risk people are still advised to be careful. Until a vaccine is developed or herd immunity is achieved, nothing will stop this virus.

I don't think you understood about ER hospitalization data. If asymptomatic or very mild symptom 35 year old goes and gets tested, they use normal precautions all testers use re PPE gear. Even if they are sent home with a prescription, which happens a lot, if they test positive they are counted as a "hospitalization"

[2daisy]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

Well said !:icon_wink:

[2daisy]

I don't trust any station now to actually just give me the news without a bias

so....we've stopped watching and our blood pressure is down....who knew? LOL
I agree with you 100%:coolsmiley:

[Stu from NYC]

Chet Huntley and David Brinkley were NBC journalists - the best!

They reported the news they did not slant the news according to what they wanted it to be.

Would put Walter Cronkite in with them.

[Bucco]

Why would the media wish the economy not to recover too soon? Regardless of the type of media, they depend on advertising for their own economic success. A down economy means less advertising income. Your thesis doesn’t make sense.

SHHHHH...You will ruin the narrative

[johnadamsUSMC]

Very true. They should close the journalism schools fire the professors and start over.

I may not have the station correct but recently ABC decided not to let reporters wear lapel pins so they could objectively report. Nauseating.

I so wish all of you could see an album that a Marine Corp Colonel put together about Iraq during that crisis. His only job there was to write about Iraq, before, during, and after the crisis and his dealings with the media covering the same.

Here's on example:
The Colonel showed me a published media photo of "only 29 Iraqi people sign up to be part of the policing efforts in Iraq". It was a photo of 29 people lined up along a fence that led to the sign up location. The media emphasis was clearly on "ONLY 29 PEOPLE". The exact same situation was photographed by the Colonel but he took the photo from the second floor window. His photo did show the 29 people lined up along the fence BUT it also showed 800+ other volunteers around the corner from the fence.

Ticked off, he told the reporter you're lying about the number of volunteers. The reporter told him (the Colonel), "29 people vs 829 people will sell more papers, More drama!!

[Scorpyo]

Looks like you took the bait, hook, line, and sinker. Fake news is fake only because it's truthful. I have a wonderful parcel of land right in the heart of New York City that I can sell you really cheap. Interested? Beware of those who go through life with their eyes, hearts, and minds closed.
I’ll trade you for my bridge.

[Scorpyo]

In the villages and especially on this site there is no real news unless they agree with it !!!
Excellent observation

[Stu from NYC]

I so wish all of you could see an album that a Marine Corp Colonel put together about Iraq during that crisis. His only job there was to write about Iraq, before, during, and after the crisis and his dealings with the media covering the same.

Here's on example:
The Colonel showed me a published media photo of "only 29 Iraqi people sign up to be part of the policing efforts in Iraq". It was a photo of 29 people lined up along a fence that led to the sign up location. The media emphasis was clearly on "ONLY 29 PEOPLE". The exact same situation was photographed by the Colonel but he took the photo from the second floor window. His photo did show the 29 people lined up along the fence BUT it also showed 800+ other volunteers around the corner from the fence.

Ticked off, he told the reporter you're lying about the number of volunteers. The reporter told him (the Colonel), "29 people vs 829 people will sell more papers, More drama!!

During the second world war we had reporter or correspondents that were actually supporting our country and our soldiers. How sad what we have now.

[Aloha1]

Are you a we doctor? Or are you in a position of power be it ceo of a hospital or medical review ?
What exactly are your qualifications for making you opinions sound like facts? All my sources say the opposite of what you are saying and they are in places of power to know the truth.

To whom are you addressing your comment??

[GoodLife]

In the villages and especially on this site there is no real news unless they agree with it !!!

Nah We're just smart enough to check actual data sources for the facts instead of being led around like puppies by activists with a byline.

[Aloha1]

Read an interesting science article on Apple News today from the WAPO ( was actually non-political). The virus has mutated and is now the predominant strain across the US. What happened is a portion of it's genetic code linked to how it attaches itself to your cells mutated to make it easier and therefore much more infectious.

Several research groups have confirmed this. BUT, this mutation, while causing a significant increase in infection rates, is not causing any increase in severity.

In otherwords, what we are seeing now with the rising positive rates is consistent with this mutation which is predominantly in America. This does not mean we will see a rise in deaths. It MAY mean we will get closer to herd immunity.

This virus mutation has taken over the world. Scientists are trying to understand why. (https://apple.news/APlWJ_wU5SgGvNcpgosR9yA)

[petiteone]

Exactly. Lots of believers in conspiracy theories on this thread. Too much FOX?

[Aloha1]

Exactly. Lots of believers in conspiracy theories on this thread. Too much FOX?

No one knows who or what you're responding to if you don't quote the source.

[roscoguy]

In the villages and especially on this site there is no real news unless they agree with it !!!

:agree: Also, any real news (from the hated "MSM") can easily be countered with any one of several contrived conspiracy theories. :ohdear:

[JoMar]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

We believe what fits our agenda so if you want to discount what you hear then go out and play. All I ask is that you respect others that may not believe what you believe or believe that you are an interpretive expert. That respect would include social distancing and masks.

[Nucky]

What a nice thing it is to read thru a long thread like this and see the give and take of ideas between adults with only several small blips of Verbotten Political References. What could be the difference? I think for a moment in time that the new strategy is working.

Not one person that I observed spoke down to another or taught a lesson with relentless changes of font, color, and criticism.

I'm so sick of the news it's revolting. Who do you believe? The one you have always liked? I don't think so. I have limited my time on the news to about and hour a day and feel much better. I'm still informed.

[Stu from NYC]

ABC - Always Bull Crap
CBS - Continuous Bull S.....
NBC - Nothing But Crap
FOX - Full of eXcrement
Oops I didn’t take a side. I’m in deep C, S or X.

CNN = Communist News Network

[GoodLife]

We believe what fits our agenda so if you want to discount what you hear then go out and play. All I ask is that you respect others that may not believe what you believe or believe that you are an interpretive expert. That respect would include social distancing and masks.

I just check actual data sources for actual facts. Like when I see someone link a news report that implies all the Arizona Hospitals are bursting at the seams with covid patients and I look at Arizona Dept of Health stats and see that they are not.

I'm also not denying that there is a surge of new cases. Simply pointing out that the median age of these new cases is 35 and that people of this age group rarely die, are often asymptomatic, and that these types of cases have always been there, they just never got tested before. I predict, with factual reasons, that we will not see a huge spike in deaths from these surges unless the old and at risk drop their guard and start mixing it up too much with the general public.

Remember that Covid 19 death score thread someone posted a while back? I scored a twenty on it. 1 point for being alive, multiplied by 20 for being over 65. I challenged anyone in that thread to post a lower score. No takers. I haven't done any of the things that were listed that add more points, like going to grocery stores, going out to eat inside or outside table, movie theater, meetings of more than 5 etc etc

I am a superstar when it comes to social distancing, haven't been within 20 feet of anyone for 3 months. Don't have a mask, they don't protect you all that much and since I don't enter ANY buildings other than my own home, I don't have any need for a mask. I play golf (alone) swim in my pool, take walks, and talk to my neighbors from a very safe distance.

So no lectures on having respect are needed thank you. :icon_wink:

[Topspinmo]

there is no real news today....oh for the days of Walter Cronkite and Hunley/Brinkley

every station is pushing out their bias

We've stopped watching them

Don’t you mean they’re network/owner’s agenda?

[meboyle]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

You speak the truth. Florida Dept. Of Health dashboard, has a map by county.
Touch the county and the numbers come up. I’ve been tracking this fro the beginning. The media does alarm people by not telling us the hospitalizations and death numbers. They are the important numbers. I wrote to channel six, and they were reporting those numbers now. If we write and tell them to do this, they will.
Some People don’t know they have it, some will feel like they have a cold. I’m retired, so I isolate, and wear a mask. Using sanitizer and washing my hands often has kept me safe. We don’t have to panic. Let’s be informed, and do whatever we can to be safe.
MaryAnne Boyle

[Aloha1]

And just today, Arizona's Public Health agency stated that although the number of positives has gone up, Covid hospitalizations have gone down and 91% of ICU beds are empty.
The MSM loves to hype and misinform because it attracts eyeballs which, in turn, drive ad revenue.. Be a wary consumer and think about the agendas being driven.

[GoodLife]

And just today, Arizona's Public Health agency stated that although the number of positives has gone up, Covid hospitalizations have gone down and 91% of ICU beds are empty.
The MSM loves to hype and misinform because it attracts eyeballs which, in turn, drive ad revenue.. Be a wary consumer and think about the agendas being driven.

It's not just revenue driven. I'd guess 70-80% of the media wants a certain someone to lose in November. They don't report the news, they are activists with a byline.

Here's how that ABC story trying to scare people that all the hospitals a full was written.

The editor tells reporters/research staff "I want a story about a hospital that's bursting at the seams with covid patients. Get some juicy quotes about nurses crying and saying they've never seen anything like it. I don't care if you have to call every hospital in Arizona"

Believe me, they know how to check the Arizona Dept of Health to get actual occupancy numbers just like I did.

[Number 10 GI]

Agree - all but one station is very good at giving us the real news stories
I agree, CNN is lousy for actual news.

[CatskillBill]

I find this site very informative since the majority of The Villages
is in Sumter County.
4 deaths in Sumter County since May 1st.
None since May 20th.
Click the upper left to change counties.
Also about 20% of all cases are in Coleman and Sumter Co Correctional.
I think we're doing a heck of a job here.


The Villages, FL Coronavirus Information - Safety Updates, News and Tips - The Weather Channel | Weather.com (https://weather.com/coronavirus/l/d871cd2c3155285102cfbe39908e3084c95e0f378ec136f6b8 dbf689214657e8)


You speak the truth. Florida Dept. Of Health dashboard, has a map by county.
Touch the county and the numbers come up. I’ve been tracking this fro the beginning. The media does alarm people by not telling us the hospitalizations and death numbers. They are the important numbers. I wrote to channel six, and they were reporting those numbers now. If we write and tell them to do this, they will.
Some People don’t know they have it, some will feel like they have a cold. I’m retired, so I isolate, and wear a mask. Using sanitizer and washing my hands often has kept me safe. We don’t have to panic. Let’s be informed, and do whatever we can to be safe.
MaryAnne Boyle

[TexaninVA]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.

Boy did you ever nail it .... the media is indeed the virus. Just another form of political warfare on their part.

[tvbound]

And just today, Arizona's Public Health agency stated that although the number of positives has gone up, Covid hospitalizations have gone down and 91% of ICU beds are empty. The MSM loves to hype and misinform because it attracts eyeballs which, in turn, drive ad revenue.. Be a wary consumer and think about the agendas being driven.

"Believe me, they know how to check the Arizona Dept of Health to get actual occupancy numbers just like I did."


I also like to go straight to the source and not depend on any news sources, but according to the ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES site yesterday, 91% of adult ICU beds are in use, not empty.

ADHS - Data Dashboard (https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/covid-19/dashboards/index.php)

Not saying that they are all Covid cases, but I think someone misunderstood what the 91% represented.

The good news is that it looks like they still have a little more than one-half of the state ventilators available.

In our search for where we wanted to retire, we have a number of friends that chose Arizona and we've visited the state many times, but in texting they say they are taking the recommended precautions and so far so good.

As for choosing The Villages over AZ, even the recent TV stuff that made the news hasn't changed our minds (the variety of golf and other activities win out) and we will find our TV home at some point in the near future, but our eyes are a little more open than previously.

[Nosmo King]

84909

Lot's of scary stories about surges and hospitals being overwhelmed.

Here's a graph the media won't show you. Negative results on covid 19 tests is surging.

84910

Here's is a graph showing US socialization (cell phone data) vs hospitalization rates with dates for when unlocking began, when Floyd protests began. Slight uptick in hospitalizations found 8 to 15 days after Floyd protests began.

84912

When you see stories about hospitals getting overwhelmed, it's not really due to surge of new cases. The new cases are predominately younger in age, most of them do not get very sick. Did you know that if a younger person goes to an ER with a cough or fever and tests positive, this counts as a hospitalization, even if he does not spend a night there. Ditto if an asymptomatic person goes to ER to get tested because his boss told him to. Also hospitals are now open for elective surgeries, postponed heart surgeries etc. They all get tested for covid, if positive you guessed it, they get marked down as a covid 19 hospitalization.

CDC graph of hospitalizations USA with age groups. You can see all hospitalizations are much lower than at the peak, and that hospitalizations of 65+ group are very small.

84911

Moral of the story is, don't trust the media, they want to keep you scared, and most of them do not want the economy to recover "too soon" This does not mean that if you are over 65/at risk that you should go out and party. Just don't let the media push your panic buttons.
Let me see, "the media doesn't want the economy to recover". I use to work in the media and I can tell you that they want the economy to be very robust. Why? Because they make more money! This conspiracy theory is based on the assumption that the Media is somehow a unified entity that acts in unison. The image of Media heads getting together in some smoke filled room and conspire to shape public opinion is ludicrous. The media in today's landscape of digital news and 24hr news cycle is too fragmented. This is not like the turn of the 19th century when newspapers had a lot of power in shaping opinions and political policy. Bottom line is this: the virus is real, there are more cases, it is extremely infectious and if YOU don't take precautions you will become ill and possibly die. The media has nothing to do with it.

[Darield]

A video I posted got pulled that pretty much explained a lot of what you said. It was deemed to have "political commentary".
Too bad. it was pretty interesting and food for thought

Steve

I've watched the video twice and see nothing political about it. It's a comedic skit on why the author questions why masks are so important now when they weren't in 2018 when 1.5 million people died of TB. This figure can be verified at who.int. 404 (https://www.who.int/newsroom/factsheets/detail/tuberculosis#:~:text=A%20total%20of%201.5%20millio n,with%20tuberculosis(TB)%20worldwide).

It's an opinion. But just like Google, Twitter, etc, are cutting out controversial opinions, so apparently is Talk of the Villages. What happened to the first amendment?

I remember when homophobic rednecks were allowed to scream obscenities at Matthew Shepard's funeral and the press showed it and said "Freedom of Speech". There are so many examples of offensive protests and opinions shown on TV over the years while MSM media talked about the importance of Freedom of Speech. What's different now? No one can have an opinion questioning the use of masks? We should be free to disagree with the video, not watch it, or agree with it.

This post might be taken down but anyone can google it at DCwhispers.com, mask off.

If this post is removed, it's not because it is political.

[GoodLife]

Let me see, "the media doesn't want the economy to recover". I use to work in the media and I can tell you that they want the economy to be very robust. Why? Because they make more money! This conspiracy theory is based on the assumption that the Media is somehow a unified entity that acts in unison. The image of Media heads getting together in some smoke filled room and conspire to shape public opinion is ludicrous. The media in today's landscape of digital news and 24hr news cycle is too fragmented. This is not like the turn of the 19th century when newspapers had a lot of power in shaping opinions and political policy. Bottom line is this: the virus is real, there are more cases, it is extremely infectious and if YOU don't take precautions you will become ill and possibly die. The media has nothing to do with it.

What do people do more of during a pandemic while sheltering at home? Take your time this is a toughie.


No Bias you say?

This is CNN

2008: Barrack Obama is in South Dakota today. He got a good glimpse of the majestic Mt Rushmore. It's quite a sight if you haven't seen it. It's a fitting campaign stop for a presidential contender to make history.

2016: Bernie Sanders visiting Mt Rushmore today, this monument to 4 great former Presidents.

2020: President Trump gave a divisive speech today at Mt Rushmore, a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans.”

[anothersteve]

What do people do more of during a pandemic while sheltering at home? Take your time this is a toughie.


No Bias you say?

This is CNN

2008: Barrack Obama is in South Dakota today. He got a good glimpse of the majestic Mt Rushmore. It's quite a sight if you haven't seen it. It's a fitting campaign stop for a presidential contender to make history.

2016: Bernie Sanders visiting Mt Rushmore today, this monument to 4 great former Presidents.

2020: President Trump gave a divisive speech today at Mt Rushmore, a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans.”

Yep.....oh the hypocracy!!


CNN slights Mount Rushmore as '''monument of two slaveowners''' after extolling its '''majesty''' in 2016 | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-mount-rushmore-monument-two-slave-owners)

Steve

[TexaninVA]

Yep.....oh the hypocracy!!


CNN slights Mount Rushmore as '''monument of two slaveowners''' after extolling its '''majesty''' in 2016 | Fox News (https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-mount-rushmore-monument-two-slave-owners)

Steve

I think the self-hatred and endless beating of the breast about former slave owners (Washington, Jefferson etc ) is now becoming an eye roll.

I could cite many great historical figures, and one prominent religious leader still admired by many today, who actually owned and traded slaves. But it's likely the post would be zapped so I'll leave it at that.

[Kenswing]

Here's a perfect example 8-year-old killed, 3 injured in shooting at Alabama mall (https://www.yahoo.com/news/shooting-reported-alabama-shopping-mall-210556178.html)

No mention at all of the color of the people involved in this tragic killing of an eight year old boy. But they sure didn't miss their chance to remind everyone that this is the same mall that a police officer shot and killed a black man in 2018.

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) — An 8-year-old boy was killed Friday in a shooting at an Alabama shopping mall that left three other people injured, police said.

Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis said the child was killed in the afternoon shooting at the Riverchase Galleria. The police chief said a girl and two adults were also hospitalized after the shooting.

The mall in suburban Birmingham was the site of a 2018 police shooting where an officer fatally shot a Black man with a gun after mistaking him for the gunman in an earlier shooting at the mall.

The shooting of 21-year-old Emantic “EJ” Bradford Jr. prompted a series of protests at the mall. The Alabama attorney general’s office cleared the officer, saying he acted “reasonably under the circumstances” in the encounter that spanned approximately five seconds.

[davem4616]

we no longer watch the news....doesn't matter which channel it's all biased news.....so we stopped. We're sleeping better now too

[davem4616]

I no longer trust the media to report the truth...doesn't matter which channel you go to...everything has a bias, a spin

oh for the days of Walter Cronkite and Hunley Brinkley...they reported the news and allowed us to form our own opinions

[TexaninVA]

Let me see, "the media doesn't want the economy to recover". I use to work in the media and I can tell you that they want the economy to be very robust. Why? Because they make more money! This conspiracy theory is based on the assumption that the Media is somehow a unified entity that acts in unison. The image of Media heads getting together in some smoke filled room and conspire to shape public opinion is ludicrous. The media in today's landscape of digital news and 24hr news cycle is too fragmented. This is not like the turn of the 19th century when newspapers had a lot of power in shaping opinions and political policy. Bottom line is this: the virus is real, there are more cases, it is extremely infectious and if YOU don't take precautions you will become ill and possibly die. The media has nothing to do with it.

No one thinks it's a "conspiracy" with the smoke filled rooms. The criticism is based on the obvious ... most mainstream media are liberal in outlook, and their bias is not hard to detect. They pick a side, and want their side to win. Just watch the type of questions asked in the periodic press briefings.

They share common cultural views about what is truth, what's noble vs not.

Of course the virus is real. But the panicky coverage is the issue, and the media said essentially zero when protestors were packed shoulder to shoulder. That's probably why things are spiking actrually.

[TexaninVA]

What do people do more of during a pandemic while sheltering at home? Take your time this is a toughie.


No Bias you say?

This is CNN

2008: Barrack Obama is in South Dakota today. He got a good glimpse of the majestic Mt Rushmore. It's quite a sight if you haven't seen it. It's a fitting campaign stop for a presidential contender to make history.

2016: Bernie Sanders visiting Mt Rushmore today, this monument to 4 great former Presidents.

2020: President Trump gave a divisive speech today at Mt Rushmore, a monument of two slave owners and on land wrestled away from Native Americans.”

The use of the term "divisive" is both obvious and revealing. If the America we grew up with is defended, that's "divisive."

On the other hand, if you talk positively about toppling statues, spending all day protesting one issue after another, yelling in cops' faces, or ignoring black on black crime, that's apparently unifying.

It's all about the new BLM-based "1619 based culture" defeating and replacing the "culture of 1776" so to speak.

Language is the primary weapon used in the culture war.


...

[Aloha1]

The use of the term "divisive" is both obvious and revealing. If the America we grew up with is defended, that's "divisive."

On the other hand, if you talk positively about toppling statues, spending all day protesting one issue after another, yelling in cops' faces, or ignoring black on black crime, that's apparently unifying.

It's all about the new BLM-based "1619 based culture" defeating and replacing the "culture of 1776" so to speak.

Language is the primary weapon used in the culture war....

I have to laugh at those who support this "1619 Project" and say it's when the US started. Apparently they were never taught that in 1619, the British were the ones in the eastern part of North America, the Spanish controlled much of the southeast, the French what is now Canada, etc. The US was not even a pipe dream then. Seems to me the beef ought to be with the aformentioned countries. But what do you expect when history is no longer taught in school.

[TexaninVA]

I have to laugh at those who support this "1619 Project" and say it's when the US started. Apparently they were never taught that in 1619, the British were the ones in the eastern part of North America, the Spanish controlled much of the southeast, the French what is now Canada, etc. The US was not even a pipe dream then. Seems to me the beef ought to be with the aformentioned countries. But what do you expect when history is no longer taught in school.

I totally agree. The whole "1619 Project" is not only blindingly ignorant, it's blatant propaganda masquerading as some type of genius insight. If it wasn't so sad, it would be comical.


...

[Lindsyburnsy]

Let's pretend what we see inside the overflowing ICUs isn't real. Wear a mask.

[Buckeye Boy]

The thesis makes perfect sense.
Bland reading does not sell. Sensationalized reading does. The actual definition of sensationalize is:
1. (Especially of a newspaper) present information about (something) in a way that
provokes public interest and excitement, at the expense of accuracy.

That is the actual definition that appeared when I wanted to make sure I had the spelling correct. The def specifically refers to newspapers and why they do it.

Thus.....as we all know....the more the pot is stirred, the more the attention, the more the
attention....the more papers are sold.

[Aloha1]

Let's pretend what we see inside the overflowing ICUs isn't real. Wear a mask.

OK, look. The ICU's are not overflowing with Covid cases. They are the usual cases that generally end up in the ICU. Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, accidents, etc. Remember, most hospitals could not do so-called elective surgery until recently plus people were scared to go in even if they had issues, so of course the ICU's have filled up.

As to wearing a mask, yes. When in an inside space where you cannot social distance, protect yourself and give courtesy to fellow humans.

When outside or in your car or cart? No need as long as you can social distance.

[Snowprint]

The media is not the enemy. Reporting facts is not trying to scare people. This virus is deadly and dangerous. It’s not the media saying that the virus is “totally harmless to 99% of people “ who contract it. That is a very harmful lie that may cost lives if anyone is foolish enough to believe it. The fact is that this virus is a clear and present danger. We also know nothing about the long term consequences of contracting the virus. It may, like viruses that cause hepatitis, be something that has lifelong detrimental consequences to one’s health, even young people who don’t suffer adverse effects now.
This attacking of the messenger, the “media”, is not helpful to anyone.

[Bucco]

The media is not the enemy. Reporting facts is not trying to scare people. This virus is deadly and dangerous. It’s not the media saying that the virus is “totally harmless to 99% of people “ who contract it. That is a very harmful lie that may cost lives if anyone is foolish enough to believe it. The fact is that this virus is a clear and present danger. We also know nothing about the long term consequences of contracting the virus. It may, like viruses that cause hepatitis, be something that has lifelong detrimental consequences to one’s health, even young people who don’t suffer adverse effects now.
This attacking of the messenger, the “media”, is not helpful to anyone.

Sometimes, as you may be aware, posters on here simply repeat what they are told.

Has become archaic to read and check facts.

Dangerous, but....

[Gulfcoast]

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Mayor of Atlanta, has tested positive for Covid-19.

[anothersteve]

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the Mayor of Atlanta, has tested positive for Covid-19.

So what.

Steve

[Gulfcoast]

So what.

Steve

The family of that little 8 year old girl who was shot and killed was at Bottom's press conference yesterday. They don't need this worry, too.

It is a shame what is happening there.

[anothersteve]

The family of that little 8 year old girl who was shot and killed was at Bottom's press conference yesterday. They don't need this worry, too.

It is a shame what is happening there.

I've got nothing good to say about that mayor.
My prayers are surely with the family of that little girl!

Steve

[Gulfcoast]

I've got nothing good to say about that mayor.
My prayers are surly with the family of that little girl!

Steve

I have to agree. I've not been impressed with that mayor and I hate what is happening to that city. We were actually working on plans to visit Atlanta right before this whole Covid-19 thing. I can not how believe how bad it has gotten there. It's crazy that could happen.

My prayers are definitely with the family of that little girl.

[Gulfcoast]

I'm sure this is just a coincidence, of course, but Gov Kemp has authorized the calling in of 1,000 National Guard to protect public buildings including the governor's mansion (I assume the Mayor's house as well?). That will free up state law enforcement agencies to patrol other areas. Mayor Bottoms daughter said that she wanted to go to Mars - smart kid.

[Two Bills]

Read an interesting science article on Apple News today from the WAPO ( was actually non-political). The virus has mutated and is now the predominant strain across the US. What happened is a portion of it's genetic code linked to how it attaches itself to your cells mutated to make it easier and therefore much more infectious.

Several research groups have confirmed this. BUT, this mutation, while causing a significant increase in infection rates, is not causing any increase in severity.

In otherwords, what we are seeing now with the rising positive rates is consistent with this mutation which is predominantly in America. This does not mean we will see a rise in deaths. It MAY mean we will get closer to herd immunity.

This virus mutation has taken over the world. Scientists are trying to understand why. (https://apple.news/APlWJ_wU5SgGvNcpgosR9yA)

......and it may not.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31483-5/fulltext

[Aloha1]

......and it may not.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31483-5/fulltext

I read nothing in the article that contradicted my post. In fact, the authors point out the lack of testing people under age 29 which is the fastest growing demographic for asymtomatic tests. And again, if Spain has not yet reached an overall 30% herd immunity that does not refute the study that the virus has mutated.

We will know much more in a couple weeks.

[Stu from NYC]

The media is not the enemy. Reporting facts is not trying to scare people. This virus is deadly and dangerous. It’s not the media saying that the virus is “totally harmless to 99% of people “ who contract it. That is a very harmful lie that may cost lives if anyone is foolish enough to believe it. The fact is that this virus is a clear and present danger. We also know nothing about the long term consequences of contracting the virus. It may, like viruses that cause hepatitis, be something that has lifelong detrimental consequences to one’s health, even young people who don’t suffer adverse effects now.
This attacking of the messenger, the “media”, is not helpful to anyone.

Sometimes the media in fact does report facts. Sometimes it only reports "facts" the way they want them to be. On second thought should change sometimes to most of the time these days.

[Stu from NYC]

I have to agree. I've not been impressed with that mayor and I hate what is happening to that city. We were actually working on plans to visit Atlanta right before this whole Covid-19 thing. I can not how believe how bad it has gotten there. It's crazy that could happen.

My prayers are definitely with the family of that little girl.

I wonder if the mayor has now had a change of heart about what is going on

[Byte1]

The media is not the enemy. Reporting facts is not trying to scare people. This virus is deadly and dangerous. It’s not the media saying that the virus is “totally harmless to 99% of people “ who contract it. That is a very harmful lie that may cost lives if anyone is foolish enough to believe it. The fact is that this virus is a clear and present danger. We also know nothing about the long term consequences of contracting the virus. It may, like viruses that cause hepatitis, be something that has lifelong detrimental consequences to one’s health, even young people who don’t suffer adverse effects now.
This attacking of the messenger, the “media”, is not helpful to anyone.

The Sky is falling!