patrick.net

As I've posted before, I had COVID. It was the moderate flu for me. I don't know anyone personally who has died from it. However, the bigger issue with COVID is long-term symptoms and/or permanent injury in some way...not death. Trust me, this virus is treacherous that way so I wouldn't rely on only "death" as a barometer. I used to think like many of you until I got it, and you all know I'm anti-government, Pro Trump, pro freedom, etc.

Is the government politicizing it? Of course. Is it being used to hurt our country economically? Yes. Is the virus a nothing burger? No.

I don't personally know anyone who died. Then again, per capita covid deaths are relatively low where most of my social circle lives here in the SF bay area.

I took us population ~330,000,000 and divided by approx claimed covid deaths 500,000 and get ~660. So, roughly 1 out of every 660 us residents died.

But I think there's at least a few factors which make it less likely a given individual will personally know (or be aware of) a covid death.

I don't know how many people I personally know, but I do know that even if I assume I know 660, I'm not certain that if one of them died, that I would hear about it. I feel confident there's some fraction of the people that I do know personally, that I no longer have a great social link to, and so I may not hear that they died for quite a few years from now, if ever.

Also, keep in mind even if you assume that if a person you personally knew died, that you would hear about it, it still wouldnt result in 1 out of 660 ppl knowing a death. This is because with randomness you get overlap, so some people will know 2 deaths, leaving other people knowing 0 deaths. Especially with a virus, because its likely to spread within a household, but that household's social circles have lots of overlap.

Also, covid deaths are somewhat concentrated in geographic clusters, and I think this concentration effect results in less of the population personally knowing a covid death. The way I figure that, is this: keep imagining covid deaths more and more concentrated in specific areas, until you get so concentrated that ALL the covid deaths are concentrated in 1 state, or even 1 metro area like LA. Would that result in more, or less people personally knowing a death? Less. If it was all concentrated in LA, you would end up with mostly californians in that area knowing ppl who died, and those californians would often have lots of overlap, some personally knowing multiple ppl who died, while people from other states would much more rarely know of a death. So, people from the other states (most of the population) would be asking their local friends if they know someone, and they would almost all say no. Of course this is an extreme example, but I think the idea is sound that the covid concentration does cause this effect to some extent.

So I'm not really too surprised that I don't personally know someone. But, I am surprised at how many other people I've asked, who also don't personally know anyone. Asking other people is a way to transcend other social networks, and I'm just so surprised by how rare it still is, even after accounting for the fact that most of the people I ask also live in the SF bay. Like how Patrick asked 50 coworkers - it just seems too rare. If maybe one out of 3 ppl I asked said yes, I might accept that, but it seems like maybe 1 out of 20.

porkchopexpress says

Is the virus a nothing burger?

It's no worse than many other viruses humanity has suffered through.

Back when I was in HS in India, I used to see almost daily cremations for months on the way to school who were killed by cholera disease strike right after the floods.
I imagined Covid would create that kind of situation based on the TV "news", which is far from the reality.

Right!

The news is lying to us.

They are pretending this is far more serious than it really is, to stoke fear and obedience.

It's almost insignificant. If no one told you there was an epidemic, you wouldn't even notice.

Patrick says

Right!

The news is lying to us.

They are pretending this is far more serious than it really is, to stoke fear and obedience.

It's almost insignificant. If no one told you there was an epidemic, you wouldn't even notice.

Agreed. Imagine no lockdowns ever happened and the lamestream media and lefotid sheisters never drummed up the fear porn, you would be going about your way every day, very rarely hearing about a friend of a friend's grandma or grampa in the hospital for some serious pneumonia going around, the kids and adults would have had a minor to strong cold and herd immunity would have been reached within the year.

porkchopexpress says

As I've posted before, I had COVID. It was the moderate flu for me. I don't know anyone personally who has died from it. However, the bigger issue with COVID is long-term symptoms and/or permanent injury in some way...not death. Trust me, this virus is treacherous that way so I wouldn't rely on only "death" as a barometer. I used to think like many of you until I got it, and you all know I'm anti-government, Pro Trump, pro freedom, etc.

Is the government politicizing it? Of course. Is it being used to hurt our country economically? Yes. Is the virus a nothing burger? No.

I agree that long term effects can be significant, but that is the case for any novel virus where there's no existing defense so that it elicits a rather strong tcell and macrophage reaction, causing inflammation etc. It won't be the last time. I had 5 years of much worse long term effects from a viral or bacterial infection before fully recovering, but since there was no perceived widespread infection (it was around and post h1n1 flu season) and no leftoid and lamestream media sheisters interested in drumming up fear porn against a GEOTUS (obummer was prez back then) they didn't report on it and actually partially swept the severity of h1n1 and the botched response by the obummer admin under the rug. And I certainly didn't blame whoever infected me with the trigger infection which lasted over 4 weeks and certainly didn't run around like a lunatic cussing at joggers and chastising people for not wearing masks. Instead I imported off label immune boosters from overseas and other supplements paired with athletic rehab after doing extensive research and slowly but surely clawed my way back from barely completing a mile in under 11 minutes to running a half marathon in 2 hours. Life is a journey and fuck those maskholes!

mell says

I had 5 years of much worse long term effects from a viral or bacterial infection before fully recovering

My friends kid died of a bacterial infection at 4. Almost no kids have died from this. Working age adults rarely die from this. Yet the people that run everything are being told to shut down and kids stay home fucking them up mentally.

It's beyond ridiculous at this point. Cleaned out our office today that had some of the kids shit from school and artwork they did at home. Found a lovely piece of work that says "covid sucks" written by my 10 year old. Obviously he listens to my rants, but he not wrong...

Hearing rumors of a spring travel ban/shutdown now as well. I know Biden said no.... for now. Is it even legal for the federal government to shut down interstate travel in any way? I get foreign travel being banned. I'm just so done with this shit. If a state wants to shut down, fine, that's how it should work. Everyone was worried about Trump being a dictator. You shut down my travel and shit gonna hit the fan.

WookieMan says

It's beyond ridiculous at this point.

It's like they're playing. They want to see how much they can get away with.

And they are itching to label you a TERRORIST if you object too strongly.

WookieMan says

You shut down my travel and shit gonna hit the fan.

Be glad you don't live in Britain or Australia. They got some bullies that will beat you up for not masking or being out where you shouldn't be.

The government has suspended our 1st amendment for the last year, The next step would be to enforce the suspension.

Onvacation says

Be glad you don't live in Britain or Australia

Hell, look at our neighbors to the north. Canada is going full retard. Mexico was normal when I went there, they seem to be doing okay or as good as any country is. Can't get into Canada without ridiculous forced quarantine guidelines to the tune of $2k per person. Then their contact tracing is full big brother from what I understand.

End of April it lapses, but my BIL is Canadian and in Europe right now. My SIL is obviously a US citizen. They're not sure they can get into Canada at this point when his contract is up over there. It's a hot mess of a situation. They're in Austria currently. They both got Covid months ago. Austrian officials would visit the house every couple days to make sure they were home randomly. No joke.

We have it bad, but not as worse as other places. And maybe that's what this test is all about. This is the importance of the 2A.

The first amendment cannot exist without the second amendment.

Patrick says

The first amendment cannot exist without the second amendment.

But will the first amendment continue to exist even with the second amendment?

The average age of death in America is 78, the average age of a Covid death is 80.
Old folks parting valediction should be "May you live long enough to die of Covid old friend".

Blue says

KgK one says

CNN doesnt have covid as top news now.

Well, they were able to put their man in the office. Now there's no need to run fake news any more.

CNN's high-drama OMG! Death Count Chyron running at the bottom of the screen for months, disappeared a couple days after *President Biden was sworn in.

I answered this a few months ago when my answer was two.

Now it's three. The first two, cousins in their 70's with no co-morbidities except old age, and (perhaps) the reality of residing in rural Kansas.

The third one, spouse of a cousin in rural Tennessee in early 80's, a tee-totalling fundamentalist preacher.

B.A.C.A.H. says

I answered this a few months ago when my answer was two.

Now it's three. The first two, cousins in their 70's with no co-morbidities except old age, and (perhaps) the reality of residing in rural Kansas.

The third one, spouse of a cousin in rural Tennessee in early 80's, a tee-totalling fundamentalist preacher.

With or from Covid?

Nope, not a single soul.

No one in my immediate family has had even a cold in a full year. That’s never happened ever since my daughter was born. Not sure if it’s the hand washing, (which has become lax lately), mask wearing in public, or no in person school for my daughter. Too many variables. But masks do appear to work atleast against the regular flu... because those numbers are down dramatically.

I do know like 50+ people who have caught Covid and it basically been ranging from mild to 1-2 week flu at worst if they were under 50.

Facebook friends and friends of friends have confirmed a handful of deaths and I’ve seen friends have memorials for their grandparents who caught covid and died. (Odd thing to lie about).

Only kids dying have been rounding errors. So I do think they should be welcomed back to school in the fall once teachers have the opportunity to vaccinate. If you don’t want to vaccinate then find a new career... sorry, restaurant workers had to find new careers, so teachers that refuse vaccine can too.

I’m not anti-vaccine, but rushing a vaccine for children that die in larger numbers commuting to school per year than from what the vaccine is trying to prevent is insanity.

No, not one.

BoomAndBustCycle says

But masks do appear to work atleast against the regular flu... because those numbers are down dramatically.

Are they? Or are all respiratory related deaths labeled as Wuhan?

BoomAndBustCycle says

Only kids dying have been rounding errors. So I do think they should be welcomed back to school in the fall once teachers have the opportunity to vaccinate. If you don’t want to vaccinate then find a new career... sorry, restaurant workers had to find new careers, so teachers that refuse vaccine can too.

I’m not anti-vaccine, but rushing a vaccine for children that die in larger numbers commuting to school per year than from what the vaccine is trying to prevent is insanity.

According to the CDC only 168 people under 18 have died from the Wuhan. As you are probably well aware the average age of death with the Wuhan is older than life expectancy. excess deaths are in the normal range. There is no pandemic.

The "vaccine" offers no immunity from contraction of the Wuhan or spreading the Wuhan to others. It doesn't work and is not a vaccine but an experimental biologic agent. Forcing anyone to participate in a medical experiment without their informed consent is criminal.

Onvacation says

Forcing anyone to participate in a medical experiment without their informed consent is criminal.

I agree. It's also a criminal abuse of government power for counties to issue outdoor mask mandates when they KNOW that there have been ZERO outdoor transmissions though casual contact.

https://patrick.net/post/1338118/2021-02-13-zero-documented-cases-of-wuhan-virus-transmission-outdoors-outdoor-masks-are-insane-paranoia

BoomAndBustCycle says

But masks do appear to work atleast against the regular flu... because those numbers are down dramatically.

They don't though. People are still hiding and not doing anything. Businesses are permanently closed. Schools are closed. No concerts. No sporting events. Restaurants are minimally open in urban areas. Banks are all drive through. I'd probably agree social distancing (aka doing nothing and sitting at home) might help, but there's ZERO evidence masks work. The data isn't controlled. You can't say masks work, when the entire game has changed. Of course the flu is down.

We had an outbreak of Covid in our neighbor group that stayed within one family. We hung out when they were active with Covid. No masks. 3 people confirmed had it on NYE. Kids playing (one had it). Dipping and sharing food. Touching surfaces. Laughing. Talking. Yelling. 4-6 hours of this. No HVAC vents in a basement, electric heat. Basically I accidentally held a super spreader event and no one else got it. Someone else should have gotten Covid if we're to believe what the CDC tells us.

I got sick, but tested negative. My house was literally a scientific virus test site if you think about it. It didn't transmit to anyone unless I had a false positive. It was different than the flu admittedly if I had a false positive, it sucked, but in hindsight it was a minor inconvenience. Maybe didn't work 1-2 days due to fatigue and sore throat. The two biggies, fever and loss of smell never happened. So I think I just got the flu and wasn't tested for it because I wasn't going to the doctor because I wanted to avoid Covid.

Get the theme. Has nothing to do with masks. I'm confident I got another strain of flu virus from someone else that may have immunity to it, but can spread it. That's what Covid-19 now is. We have to face that reality and move on. I don't doubt what I got could easily have killed a vulnerable person. No doubt. My 2 bad days could have easily put someone 80+ years old 6' under.

WineHorror1 says

With or from Covid?

Yeah that's the question. All three passed away from lack of oxygen from the pneumonia type symptoms from the COVID.

Freedom is ALWAYS the answer. ALWAYS.

I refuse to take seriously the "how many died" debate until we have a test that can actually detect COVID accurately.

The pulled John Hopkins study reveals that the 2020 overall mortality rate trended UNDER the expected marginal increase based on the last nine years average. Not one extra personage died from COVID. Plenty of people died with it, just like influenza.

CDC could have eliminated 50 percent of the positives by simply reducing the PCR cycles from 40 to 20. It's not an accurate test. This is propaganda not science.

COVID is the mechanism by which they were able to justify mail in ballots with which they were able to steal an election - there is your reason. I'm not sure why the rest of the world lost their shit but never underestimate the largesse of the american tax payer.

B.A.C.A.H. says

Yeah that's the question. All three passed away from lack of oxygen from the pneumonia type symptoms from the COVID.

Could you explain to us laymen what is the difference between pneumonia Vs. pneumonia type symptoms from COVID?

stfu is correct; the purpose of the exercise of spreading mass panic was to get mail in voting and steal the election.

The American people have been lied to, manipulated, abused, brainwashed and fucked over by the political class and the media.

I have no patience for stupidity and nonsense, but I’m living in a Twilight Zone episode which is never ending.

stfu says

CDC could have eliminated 50 percent of the positives by simply reducing the PCR cycles from 40 to 20. It's not an accurate test. This is propaganda not science.

Very good point.

komputodo says

Could you explain to us laymen what is the difference between pneumonia Vs. pneumonia type symptoms from COVID?

their lungs filledl with fluid, preventing them from getting oxygen and they died. That's how pneumonia kills also.

B.A.C.A.H. says

komputodo says

Could you explain to us laymen what is the difference between pneumonia Vs. pneumonia type symptoms from COVID?

their lungs filledl with fluid, preventing them from getting oxygen and they died. That's how pneumonia kills also.

You don't seem to be able to grok the inconsistencies, why freedom is sacrosanct or the belief that our leaders are evil beyond all hope.

clambo says

stfu is correct; the purpose of the exercise of spreading mass panic was to get mail in voting and steal the election.

The American people have been lied to, manipulated, abused, brainwashed and fucked over by the political class and the media.

I have no patience for stupidity and nonsense, but I’m living in a Twilight Zone episode which is never ending.

http://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2011/09/no-one-ever-went-broke-underestimating.html

In the column, Mencken continued his thoughts about the public’s choices in reading matter and politicians by adding:

“The mistake that is made always runs the other way. Because the plain people are able to speak and understand, and even, in many cases, to read and write, it is assumed that they have ideas in their heads, and an appetite for more. This assumption is a folly.”

Looking around at the media and political landscape today, Mencken’s opinion might be deemed more prescient than ever.

It is painful to be living in an idiocracy. Well, at least 71 million people have some idea of what's going on and how to resist.

stfu says

The pulled John Hopkins study reveals that the 2020 overall mortality rate trended UNDER the expected marginal increase based on the last nine years average. Not one extra personage died from COVID. Plenty of people died with it, just like influenza.

@stfu Can you find a link to this pulled study? I would like to help distribute it.

Patrick says

@stfu Can you find a link to this pulled study? I would like to help distribute it.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/us-life-expectancy-grew-2020-showing-negligent-effects-china-coronavirus-us-death-rate-shows-lowest-growth-9-years-despite-covid-hysteria/

https://www.lewrockwell.com/2020/12/jon-rappoport/johns-hopkins-study-explodes-covid-death-hoax-its-re-labeling-on-a-grand-scale/

And finally the original link on John Hopkins where they 'disavow' the study with no facts to back up why it's been disproved :
https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2020/11/a-closer-look-at-u-s-deaths-due-to-covid-19

Also the PDF :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tnb1a8TXHj_jJCM2BDfGSriUgdn-2gec/view

Thanks! Made a post out of that:

https://patrick.net/post/1338150/2021-02-16-johns-hopkins-study-mysteriously-disappears-after-it-revealed-in-spite-of-covid-no-more-deaths-in-2020-than-in-prior-years

WineHorror1 says

You don't seem to be able to grok the inconsistencies, why freedom is sacrosanct or the belief that our leaders are evil beyond all hope.

Huh? because two of my cousins died from asphyxiation when they had COVID-19?

You sure seem to know a lot about how others think.

B.A.C.A.H. says

komputodo says

Could you explain to us laymen what is the difference between pneumonia Vs. pneumonia type symptoms from COVID?

their lungs filledl with fluid, preventing them from getting oxygen and they died. That's how pneumonia kills also.

So if both are the same, a logical person might consider that maybe they died from pneumonia.

B.A.C.A.H. says

WineHorror1 says

You don't seem to be able to grok the inconsistencies, why freedom is sacrosanct or the belief that our leaders are evil beyond all hope.

Huh? because two of my cousins died from asphyxiation when they had COVID-19?

You sure seem to know a lot about how others think.

I am sorry for your loss. Are you sorry for all those who have and are dying out of depression, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence etc. etc? Life goes on. There is literally no justification for banning FREEDOM.