Coronavirus in the United States - news and thoughts

Do you let your dog run free? No concern?

We've done a lot of hiking in brown bear country, mostly Alaska. We all carry bear spray and make noise or play music from a phone. Both sounds are unfamiliar to bears so it helps. Only time I ever pulled safety off of spray was in glacier national park when I saw a cub within 20 feet of trail but couldn't find mama bear as the brush was pretty thick. I only carry a pistol when salmon fishing from shore and leave it in Alaska at MIL house. I was around 100 yards downstream one year on Russian river when a guy fighting a fish apparently refused to cut his line and run and a brown charged him wanting the fish he was fighting. Lucky for him a guy across the stream was a hunting guide carrying a .454 that put the brown down. 3 shots and he came floating down the river. Have seen a lot of bears, only had one bluff charge us and it was at Brooks Falls and the ranger knew the bear had a history of doing bluff charges and warned our group about it and to not run. In spite of that, two people almost broke out before others grabbed them by their backpack to stop them from bolting. Have had more close calls with moose than bears

 

We are selective about where the dog goes off leash, but if we're out on trails away from folks, she's off. She's a poodle (smart) and very dependent; doesn't run out of sight and almost w/o flaw follows the "leave it" command. A bear encounter would be concerning, but she'd almost definitely leave it, as long as it wasn't a surprise/round the corner type of encounter. She didn't even see the one last summer during a hike here in town. I quickly leashed her and the bear ran away. I'd post the pic, but it's just a bit of black in the thick brush.

Can't imagine the feeling of being bluff charged by a brown bear. Some of our blacks up here are upwards of 400-500 lbs and that's maybe half the size of a grown brown bear.

 

Oh and all of our hikes are on the Superior Hiking Trail. The bears tend to stray away from the people zones. We're not out trecking through the brush.

 

Well the ranger warned us it might happen and he was in the front of the group. Brooks Falls has lots of rangers and they study all the bears real close and know their behaviors well. Not sure how I would react in a less controlled environment and without forewarning. I have ran around trees from a moose before and that was in back yard of MIL house. Moose aren't good at cutting sharp corners

 

Yeah, me neither. Got to be a heart stopping moment. Bluff charges are bears way of saying “go away - I’m not comfortable with you being so close” and it’s amazing how clearly the message is transmitted across the species divide.

Only spent a little time in MN but my impression was it is chock full of bears. Got to hear wolves howling too and that was a life’s bucket list event.
The state was a long time leader in producing quality research and management. A lot is known about MN bears.

 

Another school district opens then shuts down due to staff testing positive or quarantining.

This is just how its going to be for the first semester.

Nebraska school district cancels classes as staff catch coronavirus

 

LA Times and nationally known sports columnist Bill Plashke caught the virus and had a “mild”. case 102 plus fever for several days with chills etc. He went out one time for dinner in LA and, of course, didn’t wear a mask without eating. He thinks that is where he got it.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-08-12/column-bill-plaschke-covid-19-experience?_amp=true

 

Keep schools open. There is no evidence of spread in schools. Kids are safe and don’t get it or spread it. Kids don’t die in high percentages like people with comorbidities or the elderly. Protect the vulnerable. The cure can’t be worse than the disease. Sweden. The schools in Germany. Does that cover it? Let’s open up and see what happens. He said sarcastically.

 

Can't eat with a mask on. With or without a mask, I just do not understand going out to eat with uncontrolled community spread?? I mean, if you live in some rural town where hardly anyone has been sick I can understand people calculating that as low risk and living their lives. But, in or around Los Angeles, those people would have to be crazy to go out and linger in some place for 1-2 hours.

 

On a serious note, I think that this will happen a ton. Schools will try to open to ensure their federal funding is not threatened, and in states with Republican governors who are kissing Trump's backside, they also have to sidestep the political landmines, but as soon as they show that they gave the "old college try", they will close again. That is, if all of these school districts can even find enough teachers.

 

It will be very interesting to see how many other teacher unions from various states try to follow the lead of Arizona's teachers. This is not the first sick out for one of the nation's worst compensated public school teachers, right down there with Kansas, S Dakota and Florida.

Calls for nationwide sickout as Arizona school district cancels reopening

 

Who saw this coming? (Hint, everyone who actually paid attention in school).

Third High School In One Metro Atlanta County Is Closing After Coronavirus Outbreak

 

It's not like coronavirus is contagious enough to cause outbreaks in schools, is it? It's not like schools in Alabama would cancel football practice, is it?

School report card: This week students, staff quarantined in Georgia and Alabama canceled football practice

 

Good point. When an Alabama high school cancels football practice ...

 

I remember the good old days when we learned that the virus was hitting blue states and cities because of the incompetence of governors there. Sadly, schools were an issue where anyone with an ounce of knowledge about virology would know where at risk unless community spread wasn’t controlled. Another issue issue where the fringe who drove policy was proven wrong. I won’t call the drivers “conservatives” because most of the conservatives here acknowledged what would inevitably happen.

 

Yeah, who was the dude who wrote this . . .

Then there was this covid scholar . . .

There's your typical snark . . .

Bravado macho . . .

Great insight on how safe schools will be . . .

More outstanding covid scholarship . . .

Great insights . . .

 

Meanwhile, on campus, Oklahoma State University:
Oklahoma State sorority house placed in quarantine after 23 members test positive for Covid-19

 

Seminole county does open tomorrow. My kids are going in person. They are excited as are his mom and I. Hope everything goes well but if it doesn’t don’t worry I’m sure the coronabros will point out every little issue that arrises.

 

“Coronabros” adds nothing to a discussion other than an insult that the mods tolerate for some unknown reason. Then again, you jumped in here relatively late. The science based assessments have proven correct every time.

 

Coronabros. Cute nickname for those of us who take what is now the 3rd leading cause of death in the US seriously.

Good luck to anyone going back to school tomorrow. I truly hope it goes well, nobody gets the virus, and the b schools can stay open for the entire year. But given what's happened already in GA, MS, and NE schools that already opened and closed due to Corona, I have my doubts.