Jackstraw

Alabama is screwed. If the IHME model is even close to being correct, they're going to to be short 25k hospital beds and 4k ICU beds at the peak. Those are really scary numbers.

I have a good friend who works in the lumber yard of the local Topp's hardware store. He's 60 and has some compromising conditions, hypertension, diabetes a little overweight. He's getting really concerned. He told me they have been busier than he's seen the place in the 5 years he's worked there. Understandably everyone who is "staying at home" is taking advantage of the time to work on their property etc. Mowing and garden season is starting. What better time to do some projects than now. He' put a sign up asking people to stay in their car or truck so he can load it but management told him to take it down. He said people get out walk up to him like nothing pointing to what particular boards or whatever they want. He has brought his concerns of having to be in such close proximity to people to management who have pretty much ignored him. He's scared to death, can't lose his job but also doesn't want to get sick and maybe die because he's high risk either. I'd imagine there's stories like this by the millions across the country. We hear a lot about people helping people but not hearing a lot about situations like this (except front line medical/police/fire workers) where someone could be risking their lives because someone wants a 2x4 and won't stay away from you and the bosses basically tell you shut up do your job or your fired. I dunno, sounds like a business taking advantage of profits over worker safety to me. Wish OSHA still existed

I've forgotten what day it was twice this week lol

Whether or not this has any thing to do with anything I found this about obesity estimates worldwide. I was surprised to see how many countries were running a 20% or higher obesity rate. 3/4ths of the landmass people occupy are running an obesity rate at 20% or higher. South Korea jumped out with an obesity rate of 4.3%. No science just a reference. https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/obesity-rates-by-country/

Oh great, either side of Yellowstone. It's gonna come in 3's!!!

A few little things we've started doing lately since it's looking like at least another month if not 2... When we need to go to the grocery or somewhere I try and go within the first 30 min they're open or the last 30 min before they close. I've found that there are very few people in the stores during those times. Also starting this week, us and a few friends of ours are going to start taking turns going for all of us limiting the amount of time each person needs to spend in stores and also sharing freezer space. Also got maters, cukes, peppers etc. started a couple weeks early indoors. Tripled the amount of herbs started. You'd be amazed what you can do even with Ramen noodles, with a bunch of fresh herbs. I like to bake my own bread occasionally but have been doing a lot more of that also. A full crusted loaf (not in a pan) can keep for a couple months on the shelf. I've been cooking A LOT lately and also dropping meals at friends doors and vise versa. The bigger the meal the more economical it is. Last work contract ran out end of Feb. and won't be renewed for the foreseeable future so tightening the purse straps now.

Don't know if anyone posted this already but thought this was interesting...

Started day 1 with clear skies, gorgeous sunrise and a crispy 32 degrees. Been a bone chilling 40, overcast and drizzle since. Helluva April Fools joke Mama Nature

I've seen some models as low as 20k total and some as high as 500k total with current restrictions in place. While I agree that modeling this pandemic is a great tool, the accuracy of this modeled data has yet to be seen. More important than forecasting when this thing will peak is modeling the data of critical care needs to available resources in specific areas as we move forward. That's the serious data in the short term that these models can provide to help get emergency supplies, personnel and equipment where it's needed before those areas get overwhelmed. Kinda surreal 30 days ago we were throwing around weather model projections for snow and now were moving into Covid19 model projections. If anybody knows how to nit pick computer modeling it's weather nerds lol.

As of right now taking a quick rough average of a few of the supposed better model forecasts, they are putting the peak of daily death rates in the US is on or around 4/15 + or - a day. Guess the old saying was right, there's only 2 things certain, death and taxes.

Got a call a "wellness" check call from my physician today. Guess they have been pulling records of patients that can be high risk if infected and calling/checking for symptoms over the phone. I was surprised by two things. The first is that I was considered high risk. I am 57 with mild hypertension but I also have Lymes disease. Don't believe what some in the medical circles say that Lymes disease can always be cured. After a 6 week intensive antibiotic treatment I finally tested negative (I kept the tick and it tested positive). I've had 3 outbreaks of the disease since then, test positive, then antibiotics till I test negative. So it can lay dormant in your system. So I guess due to my age and the Lymes disease I'm considered as a high risk as I have an immunosuppressive disease. (Even though it's only immunosuppressive during an outbreak) The second was the fact my physician's office was being proactive doing this instead of waiting for patients to call in with symptoms. My Dr. stated since it's going to be awhile for widespread testing his medical group decided it would be prudent to at least check in on their patients that would be considered high risk. They have set up a page in their online portal and registered their high risk patients their so if you begin to feel ill you just go onto the portal, answer the questionnaire and the office will do a follow up call within 24 hours to do a remote assessment to see if you need to come to the office for further evaluation, treatment, and testing if available. He said the wellness check calls will continue for high risk patients monthly until testing is available for everyone. They are doing this on their own not from any official guidance. I was very surprised by this. Don't think it would be a bad idea if this was implemented at an official level. And to be honest it does relieve a little underlying stress during this besides just kind of making you feel a little better that someone is looking out for you.

Forgot to mention yesterday, I have 4 really sick dogs. Took them to the vet friday and I guess there's a really nasty flu like dog virus going around. The irony. But if you have a dog not feeling well it's not Covid19. But it is pretty nasty. Don't think I've seen dogs this sick before. Speaking of dogs you MN folks or anyone else here's a treat for the pandemic..... https://www.busch.com/foster-a-dog-now.html

Getting there is gonna suck

Great night for stargazing and satellite spotting tonight at least around here. Almost like a freezing cold late Jan early Feb night. I think I remember those anyway lol. Just things to do while we all stew https://www.heavens-above.com/

Yes the ACE2 receptor in which this virus basically uses to initially invade the human body knows no race, every human being has it. The only thing genetically that could be involved is very subtle genetic differences in a persons immune response. Those differences would be so subtle that they wouldn't be passed down through a specific inherited lineage. More often than not environmental factors would play the biggest role in such a very subtle difference from person to person. Something as subtle (yeah using that word a lot) as years of high stress can cause it, exposure to whatever, the things you eat, etc. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/367/6485/1444

That's why I agreed with what SPC did yesterday even though some were bashing them. This event was on the extreme edge of several Jonesboro's occurring. With low level inhibition still managed 22 tornadoes. Could've easily been 3 times that.

Spring planting just commenced. I completely forgot about IL lol. But Alek Scarface just said the pipelines dry

Can you get me a Canadian ID?

A friend in Charleston told me at some stores they have tape spaced 6 feet apart at the checkouts and plexiglass "sneeze" guards between the cashier and the customer. Maybe Nwohweather can confirm since he deserted us

I get what you're saying but I think your logic is skewed. Larger metro's are going to have higher infection rates simply due to the fact people are in closer proximity to each other, that's all it is. I live just outside of a town of 7-8k people and 90 % of them live in houses, rented or owned which puts them a good distance from their neighbors. The next closest towns are 10 miles away roughly the same size and the same type of neighborhoods. Have to drive 25 miles to get to a decent sized city of 25k or more. The bigger the city you tend to have more people living in say apartment complexes with people living right next each other, more people needing to use laundromats, cars parked right next to each other, hotels for travellers, companies that do business locally, nationally and globally amongst a myriad of other things.. Exponentially more chances of close contact because of the shear numbers of people puts everyone at a greater risk of infection. A little town of about 1k 8 miles away from me had my counties second death last week. The other one was in Anderson 25 miles away a city of 55k, but it also has 90 % of the infection rate of this county. Anderson has a fairly large oriental community by Indiana standards. Why is Anderson the hardest hit city in my county? Because they went to visit relatives over seas or vise versa? It's easy to get side tracked looking for answers during this time but it's important now more than ever that people be careful about how their comments would be perceived especially relating to divisive subjects. I'm sure you weren't trying to sound racist and were just trying to figure out a logical answer to your question. But you instantly saw how your logic was perceived as something else. We're all a bit on edge right now and it's going to get edgier. We all just need to give a little extra thought to how our comments and actions will be perceived by others. Not lecturing but you asked. Everyone just needs to slow down a tick, not just on social boards like this but in general, and think a little longer before speaking. Except for Alek, we all know he's an a... well lol

I worked on a golf course for 3 years in college. I want to build a 3/4 acre deck to cover my yard. I hate grass, well that kind of grass

Same here except that fixed nitrogen thing lol. Gonna have to mow soon. Sucks

Early north later south, I feel like a goal post, it is Sunday after all lol.

Like you posted about Iceland. If we don't have enough kits to test everyone the next best thing is random sampling. Doesn't take a lot to get a grip on an overall average. It's math, statistics, it works. When you posted that I was like geez, simple genius lol.

Did it get a ticket? lol. As much as this system was a "dud" so to speak it certainly was a distraction from whats been going on, especially since the next couple weeks are looking dismal weather wise in our forum and health wise worldwide. The big tornado in AR, I can't imagine with the stress of the last couple weeks and to have that on top of it, no way. I really hope as we move further into severe season it stays dull as hell until we get a grip on this virus thing. The weather nerd in me is screaming no but I can't imagine the stress of losing life and property on top of what's going on. Hope we have a mellow severe season through June as much as that pains me to say. Cheers