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Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 07:03 AM:

Here in Central Ill the pandemic rages on. In the past week we have lost Several people with no underlying conditions and under the age of 60. Add to this numerous others who were in the “higher risk” part of our population and things are not good in this part of the country. The virus is at the highest levels we have seen. There are real fears our hospitals will not be able to handle the influx of Covid patients. The vaccine will not be widely available here in time to spare many many more.

For you non masks wearers, it didn’t go away after the election. Perhaps you’re right, maybe politics were involved. Maybe still are. Perhaps your right, masks provide no protection and are worthless. Perhaps you’re right, it infringes on your personal rights.

I’m not talking about shutting down the economy or even closing schools but will it really inconvenience you that much to wear a mask?

Just on the off chance you’re wrong, your beliefs on mask wearing may be killing thousands of people. Not wearing a mask does not make you a real man, it simply shows you don’t care about others.

I wanted to put this on my Facebook page but my wife would not allow it. She says, and is correct, we would lose too many friends and family members by this inflammatory opinion. I’ve already pissed most of you off by disliking Trump so I thought I had little to lose on the Domain.

[ 11-14-2020, 08:05 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 08:12 AM:

Handy, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but everywhere I've been people are wearing masks in public. I'm not certain if the mask thing is the answer. Not saying I know what the answer is but I have a feeling that your high paid CDC DRs do either!

Closing down everything may be the answer but other things suffer. Does anyone have any info as to how other fatalities went this year?

I'm seriously asking here. Are deaths from heart attack down this year? Stroke? Natural causes? Old Age? Pneumonia?

I'm not a bar hopper. I keep a pretty close nit group. The only friends I have outside my family are my work friends and my church friends.

Our church opened up months ago but we've maintained our social distance, spaced seating, no touching, hugging or hand shaking. Mainly waving and speaking from a distance.
Grant it, I don't live in a highly populated area.
I've got 4-5 masks in my car so that I always have one even when I just run into the quick stop for a soft drink. I broke down and bought a set of UK masks even. I'm in it for the long haul. The only time I really hate wearing a mask is at work when I've gotten really hot. It makes it more difficult to breath when the mask starts getting sweaty.

[ 11-14-2020, 08:16 AM: Message edited by: m hamilton ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 08:40 AM:

m hamilton, come to Central Illinois and I will show you plenty of people not wearing masks unless they are forced to do so by the proprietor. I’m not talking about signs requiring masks before entering. I see small business owners working with no masks. I only see that business owner once. My next door neighbor refuses to wear on. I guess he’s a real man.

I’m against lock downs. I’m for common curtesy when your actions make others uncomfortable and “may” endanger their health.

I’m glad you’re a mask wearer and would have been surprised if you were not.

Had to add this. I have this mental picture of you as a very large strong man. Maybe when non mask wears see you wearing a mask and coming toward them it intimidates them into putting theirs on. 😊 Or then again we may just have more idiots here. After all they elected Pritzer as our governor.

[ 11-14-2020, 08:49 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-14-2020, 08:45 AM:

I wear a mask for my protection when I visit my doctor or dentist. I do think they are effective. I have not been to church worship service for many weeks because many of our members have tested positive for the virus.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 08:53 AM:

Dr Clyde, what do you know? You’re only a doctor. My neighbor, on the other hand, refuses to wear a mask and he owns a machine shop. Now those guys know about viruses. 😀

[ 11-14-2020, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 09:21 AM:

Maybe he could turn you out a ball bat, Handy. Then maybe you could beat the virus into submission!?!?

Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-14-2020, 09:41 AM:

handy,
I agree with people that masks are aggravating and uncomfortable.
However, I would rather be aggravated than get that disease.
I pray every day that God will forgive me of my sins and when I die, He will give me a home in heaven. However, that Covid-19 infection does not always kill us old folks but can cause considerable misery, and I do not want that.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-14-2020, 10:01 AM:

Here in Vigo County, Indiana, there is no issue with people voluntarily wearing masks. I often get out of the car and see everyone in the parking lot with masks, which reminds me to get mine.

But, at the same time, we are experiencing a huge spike in COVID cases, and the local hospitals are worried about being overwhelmed. The county even ordered four refrigerated semi-trucks to hold bodies!

I think the reaction is over-done, personally. Doctors have a much better handle on how to treat this disease, so mortality rates are much lower than we were told they would be. We have had over 4,000 cases and 54 deaths in a county of about 100,000. That makes a positive infection rate of about 4%, but a mortality rate of 0.5%.

We have a mid-size university in town, and several smaller colleges. Getting kids to wear masks is the biggest challenge. My wife teaches at one of the colleges, and she gets tested in a "pool" of four faculty every week. If the "pool" results come back positive, then each person in the pool must take a more reliable test. Same for students. She usually has 2-3 students who must quarantine at a given time.

We were told that the winter months would bring a resurgence in the virus. Better stay in that closet with your emergency supplies for a few more months.

[ 11-14-2020, 10:03 AM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 10:12 AM:

Tip, I’m out and I’m going to stay out, Covid or no Covid.
It stinks in there and Mona refuses to empty that pot. Not sure what to do. Maybe M&M will go in there with some of his pot to mask the foul order?

[ 11-14-2020, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 10:29 AM:

I just read our county, (Jefferson, IN) has had a reported 738 cases and 6 deaths since this pandemic began. I'm not really sure what our county population is as the county seat, I Know, has a population of about 12,000.

The reason for this info to even be published is a local Christian church has had 5 deaths recently but the report was unsure how many of the 5 had Covid!

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-14-2020, 11:12 AM:

quote:
It stinks in there and Mona refuses to empty that pot. Not sure what to do. Maybe M&M will go in there with some of his pot to mask the foul order?

Handy, you might try giving some of MM's pot to Mona, and then see if she will empty the pot...

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 11:33 AM:

Well this just sucks.

Our daughter is a hospice nurse and works around Covid19 patients on a daily basis. She just called and said she could not come to our planned Thanksgiving dinner for fear of spreading the virus.

Now our UK grandson won’t be coming in either. We had planned for a smaller gathering this year, just our immediate family. Hope my son’s small family will still come. Might be a Covid Thanksgiving dinner, spam and salmon patties.

Tip, I gave Mona your suggestion. She would prefer M&M go in after it. All I know is I ain’t going back in.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:49 PM:

The wife works in the pharmacy at Walmart and they've been wearing masks since it was first announced they are necessary. She also complains about being able to breathe through them if she starts getting to warm.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:51 PM:

Vandy starts the run game once again

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:52 PM:

3rd down and 4 for VAndy at their 31

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:52 PM:

VU will have to punt!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:53 PM:

KY will start at the VAndy 26 yard line

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:54 PM:

2nd and 7 at VU 23 yard line after the 3 yard Rose run

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:55 PM:

Slant pass for 10 yards and a KY 1st down

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:55 PM:

Rose with a 9 yard gain on 1st down to the VU 6 yard line 2nd and 2

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:56 PM:

It'll be 3rd and 1 at Vandy 5

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:57 PM:

Rodriguez to the 3 yrd line 1st and goal out of Wildcat formation

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:57 PM:

Rodriuez with a standing up touchdown and facemask after the score

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:58 PM:

10:34 to play in 3rd qtr KY leads 31-14!

KY has scored on every possession so far!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 01:59 PM:

That 34 yard Ali punt return set up that last KY score!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:00 PM:

Do you throw a shank kickoff to them to put them behind the 25 here? I think I'd consider it!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:01 PM:

Poore with a 60 yard FG on the kickoff. Doesn't count but it does go through the uprights all the same!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:02 PM:

10 yards pass play on 1st down for VU

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:03 PM:

Defense needs to fill up some holes!
3rd and 2

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:03 PM:

Watson got his hands on the RB but didn't get him down 1st down VU!

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:04 PM:

Vandy down to KY 33

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:05 PM:

Vandy running the hurry up offense

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:05 PM:

3rd and 3 VU at KY 31 VU 1st down

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:06 PM:

VU keeps chopping it down the field KY needs a stop

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:07 PM:

flag on play illegal touching of ball by ineligible player 2nd and 11 at KY 22

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:08 PM:

Lobbdup ball caught by RB

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:09 PM:

5:02 to play in 3rd qtr last pass play under review receiver catches ball not sure if he was out long before he caught the ball

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:11 PM:

VU has had the ball for over 5:30 on this drive so far.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:11 PM:

1st down VU at 7 yard line

[ 11-14-2020, 02:12 PM: Message edited by: m hamilton ]

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:12 PM:

VU down to the 3 yard line

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 02:13 PM:

QB keeper signal is TD not sure he got in before his leg was down

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-14-2020, 03:14 PM:

Talking about hijacking a thread. 😜

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 04:22 PM:

Oops, it was halftime and I forgot which page I was on! Sorry!
I was saying at halftime, my wife has had to wear a mask since this virus began as she works in the Pharmacy at Walmart.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-14-2020, 05:17 PM:

hc:

quote:
Tip, I’m out and I’m going to stay out, Covid or no Covid.
It stinks in there and Mona refuses to empty that pot. Not sure what to do. Maybe M&M will go in there with some of his pot to mask the foul order?

Try the bathroom, hc...it's got an exhaust fan...works good. Plus, you can blame any lingering odor on diarrhea...works good too.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-14-2020, 07:17 PM:

I would try that stuff it it wouldn't show up in my drug test. I have approx. 6 more years until graduation! Cant take any chances after 30 years!

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-15-2020, 09:00 AM:

mh:

quote:
I would try that stuff it it wouldn't show up in my drug test. I have approx. 6 more years until graduation! Cant take any chances after 30 years!

Just one joint (or a couple puffs) can stay in your system for days, even weeks, and it will definitely show up on a drug test. So, don't touch it until you graduate, or be in the same room with someone else smoking it....ain't worth your job.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-15-2020, 12:06 PM:

I've considered using CBD if I thought it would ease some of my pain and suffering but once again I'd never forgive myself if it showed up in a drug test!

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-15-2020, 02:35 PM:

It's highly unlikely it would show up in a common urine screening, especially if it is pure CBD, but you never know.

I would give odds that it would help you with pain, but you're doing the right thing.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-15-2020, 02:53 PM:

Dr. Clyde:

quote:
I agree with people that masks are aggravating and uncomfortable.
However, I would rather be aggravated than get that disease.

Best post yet about wearing mask! You Go Dr Clyde!

Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-15-2020, 04:20 PM:

Thanks M.M.
I often told my patients that
"the treatment is worse than the disease" in certain situations.
In the case of the Covid019 situation, the prevention is better than the disease.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-16-2020, 02:46 PM:

Dr Clyde:

quote:
In the case of the Covid019 situation, the prevention is better than the disease.

So far the disease is kicking the sh!t out of our prevention.

Posted by PaulCat (Member # 513) on 11-16-2020, 02:54 PM:

What prevention? Most people are acting like it doesn't even exist.

MM, if you're not a habitual pot smoker and you take two hits from a joint on Friday, i'd bet good money you pass a test on Monday. I'm not a pot smoker but growing up I had many, many friends who were. I did get a good education from them. [Smile]

But with that said, I still wouldn't risk it.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-16-2020, 03:17 PM:

PC:

quote:
MM, if you're not a habitual pot smoker and you take two hits from a joint on Friday, i'd bet good money you pass a test on Monday.

A urine screening....maybe...no guarantee for sure. The key, like you said, is "habitual pot smoker". The more often you indulge the more you will accumulate and the longer it will take your body to "clear itself".

Posted by clydeh (Member # 7) on 11-17-2020, 07:16 PM:

You guys that want to discuss pot smoking. IF you live in Kentucky and near Lexington, you probably know about the Clinical Research Center in Lexington. I worked there in 1968-69. It was a federal prison for people convicted of drug crimes as well as a treatment center for drug addicts.
We had considerable experience in detecting and treating drug abuse. If we had been told that Marijuana would be legal in the future, we would have been shocked, but it does have some beneficial uses.

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-18-2020, 04:10 PM:

I cut up about it occasionally but haven’t had any in years. First, like Mark, it was my job...my company also did drug testing..couldn’t risk my job. After retirement my lungs (bronchitis) prevents me from being around smoke, though I have considered the edibles.

Posted by CatfanRick (Member # 126) on 11-18-2020, 04:58 PM:

I am going to take this back to the mask question and emphasize what Handycat stated in the first post in this topic.

quote:
Originally posted by handycat:

I’m not talking about shutting down the economy or even closing schools but will it really inconvenience you that much to wear a mask?

Just on the off chance you’re wrong, your beliefs on mask wearing may be killing thousands of people. Not wearing a mask does not make you a real man, it simply shows you don’t care about others.

3 weeks ago I had total joint replacement to my left knee. I began with the initial office visits with my primary care provider in August and the Orthopedic surgeon in September asking what they think of this virus. I continued during pre-admission procedures at the hospital and also as I was given the mandatory Covid test 96 hours before admission for surgery to inquire as to their thoughts on how to attack this thing.

I then spent 5 days in the hospital followed by 5 days in a short term rehabilitation facility seeing a number of folks in the health care business from administrators to food service workers to cleaning crew to nurses to lab techs to rehab therapists to doctors and I again questioned every one of them specifically about the plan to attack the virus.

Let it be known that there were positive patients and employees at the hospital when I was there, and there were also positive tests among residents/patients and also employees in the short term facility when I was there also (of course these folks were in quarantine and isolated from the rest of the people in both of these facilities).

Since coming home I am getting physical therapy 3 times a week in home, along with in home nurse visits 2 times a week and each of these providers has had to give me their opinion on how to combat and defeat the Covid Virus.

All of that said I likely have come in to contact with and discussed procedure with possible 50 or more persons who are every day giving aid to the sick in one form or another and 3 things stand out as being in every opinion...

1...Wash your hands often with a good soap.

2...Maintain an adequate social distance from others.

3...WEAR A MASK WHEN OUT IN PUBLIC, AND AT HOME WHEN OTHERS COME IN FROM OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSEHOLD!!!

Many went further to mention avoiding hugs and handshakes, crowded places where distancing is next to impossible, getting in vehicles with those not in your normal group. Some advised against any type of holiday gatherings no matter who would be there. Some went as far to say that washing clothes worn outside your residence should be washed immediately when getting home. You get the picture, the list in infinite but all related to contact.

Just to address the mask issue further, the nurse that was in my home yesterday told me she had come in contact with 2 patients who afterwards tested positive with the virus. During those encounters she said that both her and her patient were wearing masks. She, by company protocol, had to isolate from working for 14 days each time, without pay, and then test not positive (this phrasing is what I have experienced during my testing results, not finding me negative, just not positive. I understand that this is normal) to go back to work. She swears that the mask is what protected her, and her family from contracting this virus.

No person, even when asked directly, offered any indication that wearing a mask was harmful in any manner unless they had a preexisting condition already making breathing difficult or hot being physically able to remove the mask should their breathing become restricted.

The bottom line is this for me, over the last 10 weeks or so I have been given many reasons to wear a mask, not only to protect myself but to protect those around me, and they do protect the both of us. They are uncomfortable, inconvenient, sometimes unsightly and cumbersome but they don't hurt anything and may, more than we will ever know, save others some discomfort and possible death.

Me, I will wear my mask everywhere I go, and if you come in to my home I will ask you to wear a mask while here.

It can't hurt but it might help.

Posted by Tiptree (Member # 844) on 11-18-2020, 06:57 PM:

Good post, CFR. Fully agree.

Three things make all the difference:

(1) Avoid unnecessary interaction with strangers, keep at least six feet distant, preferably meet outdoors or in a well-ventilated space, and limit interaction time to less than 15 minutes.

(2) Wear a mask any time you are with other people not in your 'quarantine family', and ask that others do as well. Bring an extra mask with you in case the other person "forgot".

(3) Wash your hands thoroughly, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, for longer than you think necessary. I don't know about y'all, but 20 seconds seems like an eternity to wash my hands. But soap and sanitizer can break through the lipid casing around the COVID virus, destroying its ability to deliver its RNA payload into your cells. It does take time to ensure that you get all those damn things... hence the 20 seconds.

I would do the same things if I was going into someone's home who had the flu... but since we don't know who out there may be carriers, we have to adopt "flu protocol" for everyone.

There is a huge spike in detected cases in the US, but it is unclear (as it always has been) if this is simply because we are testing so many people these days, or if there really is a new major outbreak. I know that locally, there really is a major outbreak, with hospitals warning that they are reaching capacity.

Just be careful out there, TCD'ers. It is worth it. I am still having our groceries delivered to our car from Walmart and Sam's Club, order other things from Amazon, and really don't have much reason to get out of the house. I work from home, we cook our meals, and pretty much stay to ourselves.

[ 11-18-2020, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Tiptree ]

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-18-2020, 07:09 PM:

CFR I agree with your post wholeheartedly with one exception.

Somewhat unsightly may apply to many, but my friends tell me I look much better masked.

By the way CFR, hope your knee replacement went well. I’ve had both replaced. I still have some lingering side effects with mine. I’m no longer able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. It takes me a short run to get over the real tall ones.

[ 11-18-2020, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: handycat ]

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-19-2020, 12:00 PM:

Nice post CFR...couldn't agree more.

Tip:

quote:
There is a huge spike in detected cases in the US, but it is unclear (as it always has been) if this is simply because we are testing so many people these days, or if there really is a new major outbreak. I know that locally, there really is a major outbreak, with hospitals warning that they are reaching capacity.

It's the huge spike in positivity rate that indicates we are in the midst of a virtual nationwide outbreak...It was predicted months ago.

Posted by handycat (Member # 2323) on 11-20-2020, 09:13 AM:

Sweden’s hands off policy appears to have back fired.

https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-coronavirus-pandemic-lockdown-deaths-2020-8

Since this article was written, they have said they got it wrong. At least that was what was reported on the news this morning. Sorry, could not find an article where they publicly said this.

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-20-2020, 01:34 PM:

It's about 100 degrees where I'm working today. With the mask on it feels like it's 125. I've been wearing it but I think if it was made out of something other than paper it would be full enough to ring out!

[ 11-20-2020, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: m hamilton ]

Posted by MountainMafia (Member # 2066) on 11-21-2020, 04:25 PM:

What are (were) you doing?

Posted by m hamilton (Member # 127) on 11-22-2020, 08:14 AM:

Well, Coal fired boilers produce ash, naturally, some of the ash produced from burning coal is light enough to travel through the smoke stream, "Fly ash". In the upper, "penthouse area" of the boiler are super heat tubes that take the radiant heat from the top of the boiler and heat the steam again before it is sent to the turbine to spin it. THese super heat tube bundles will have this "Fly ash" land on the tubes insulating them from receiving the optimum amount of heat. So a long lance sootblower blows either compressed air or steam through the tube as it rotates out into the boiler removing the fly ash that is laying on the tubes. These blowers are about 45 feet long.

This soot blowing system air lances have a intricate gearbox that pushes the lance tube out into the boiler. THey are run by an electric motor. From time to time the gear box fails. A lot of times this failure is caused by poor lubrication. Generally the poor lubrication isn't because it wasn't oiled or greased properly, but that the heat in the area was so great that the lubricant breaks down causing eventual failure. I've seen the grease in these break down so much that the gaskets and seals installed in these gearboxes separates. The oil content from the grease will leak out of the gaskets and seals leaving a dark wax behind. Which is all that left from the original grease.

We had to change out one of those gearboxes. It's an 8 hour job. Thankfully the temperatures outside were down. When the temps get into the 90's close to 100, the temperature on the upper levels of this particular unit cant reach 140-150 degrees.
This is the best way I know how to describe it!

[ 11-22-2020, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: m hamilton ]