July 25, 2021

Gamma variant could have 'high attack rate even in fully vaccinated people' - new study (UK: Express

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1467002/Gamma-variant-covid-vaccine-efficiency-Dominic-cummings-Boris-johnson-contingency-plan

(news from the UK)

::snip:::

"It also comes as the Gamma variant was recorded in Russia, raising fears that it could soon spread to the rest of the world.

In its paper, the CDC (UK)
released a study of miners who caught the variant while working in a gold mine in French Guiana.

Of the 44 people working at the mine 42 miles from Cayenne, 55 percent of the employees were infected.

Among the infected, the attack rate was 60 percent among fully vaccinated miners and 75 percent among unvaccinated miners without a history of infection, it said."
::snip::

=======================

Well, this is extremely disturbing-- what we all feared-- a new COVID variant that seems to very aggressively infect vaccinated people...

Just what we don't need here.. as if 'Delta' was not bad enough...

I presume people flying into our country have to pass a covid test before we let them in?

With the possible "lag time", is that enough??

This new variant appears to have the ability to make all our vaccination efforts "for naught".



Our own CDC never should have given the green-light to "no masking for vaccinated people"...

This is the first time I've heard of the "Gamma variant". The story appeared on a news app that I use on my phone...
anybody have more information on it ?



EDIT: Some in the thread have suggested the source is a "British tabloid" and that the story may have been "sensationalized". I don't know. By posting this, I was not intending to "fear-monger"-- what I read only seemed to be important and new, and about a "variant" which I had as yet never heard of...

God knows I hope this report proves to be totally inaccurate and fucked up.... but I'm not a scientist or a doctor or anything except scared of covid. Let the buyer beware.

July 19, 2021

Conservative says it's time to stop coddling vaccine resisters -- and time to start mandates

In a surprising take, conservative Washington Post columnist Max Boot encouraged states to start mandating that residents take the COVID-19 vaccine.

Writing Monday, Boot said that it's time to stop pleading and start mandating, and he cited data showing that 99 percent of those in the hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated as justification to start getting tough.

But Boot didn't only lay the dangers at the feet of red states ballooning with COVID-19 cases. He spread the blame around.

"There is vaccine hesitancy among many different sectors of the population, including reckless youths, granola liberals who believe in alternative medicines and African Americans who distrust the health-care system," he wrote. "Some are still persuadable, but many are not. As I've previously noted, the biggest obstacle to vaccination is now Republicans who are being fed a steady diet of anti-vaxxer propaganda by Fox 'News' Channel, Facebook and other social media, and reckless demagogues such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA)."

read more:
https://www.rawstory.com/conservative-wants-vaccine-mandates/

July 19, 2021

My nephew has been posting anti-CRT memes on Facebook...

(He was an Obama supporter years ago, but somehow felt that Obama failed us-- I never got a clear explanation on that. However--)
He is also something of an evangelical christian. I presume he watches Faux, or something worse-- I often see him posting their current "talking points" nowadays...

Anyway, his most recent incursion was to post this meme, with a picture of the young actor from 'The Office', I forget his name... lol
that said, paraphrased, 'if you read critical race theory, and take every word that says "white", and replace it with "black", and it sounds racist, then it was racist from the beginning'

I responded 'But it was in fact whites who enslaved blacks, beating, raping, and killing them with impunity, because they were not even recognized as human beings having any rights under US law, and that was codified with the Dred Scot decision. Your meme is only playing games with words, in order to justify the position of those who want to "white-wash" history. Further, there is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching the real facts about American history, even if it were being offered to younger students, which it isn't'


Well, we went back and forth with this for a couple days.... He bemoaned the station of African-Americans down the street and claimed that liberals had done nothing for them, and I replied with the obvious that 'they were helped by the Biden COVID assistance bills, just like everyone else of lower incomes, and perhaps they need more help, but the rightwing will never allow it' and on and on.

I also pointed out that the whole CRT controversy was ginned up by the right to "work their base into a lather", since it is a false issue (among many other false issues), and no "elementary schools" are teaching CRT since it is a college and graduate school course, and they just want to excite their base with this and other false issues "because they have nothing positive to offer that would help the American people."

We went back and forth on this, and a little more tonight--

I was trying to respond again, when he deleted his own thread, so that I could respond no further. LOL!!!!



I was very surprised when he did that-- but it is obviously a victory! LMAO

So I have done my own small part, to improve Facebook

July 7, 2021

Does DU close down after midnight?

LOL or whatever time...

I suspect the majority of us are approaching 'elderly' status. if not there already, like our politicians.
Many probably keep 'banker's hours'.


I am a "night-owl", still, a habit partly induced by employment in my youth...

I make countless posts in the middle of the night, with nary a single response. lol.

I know, there will probably be some tomorrow... I do not begrudge you your sleep... (he says, lol)

I just hate it when it seems as if I am the only one awake here. lol




GQP fascism keeps me awake at night..

July 4, 2021

Maybe I should have posted this here...

but general discussion seems the most active group.

What old movies have you been watching lately?

https://democraticunderground.com/100215590137

July 4, 2021

What old movies have you been watching ?

I have a huge collection. I am a big fan of the films of Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart...

However, anticipating the 4th of July I have been watching things somewhat more recent, but still old now.

"Mississippi Burning" ~ because of dwelling on how Republicans are trying to squash voting rights...


and with thinking upon the sacrifices made by our fighting men and women, who sought to safeguard our freedom (whether the context may have been right or mistaken),

"Full Metal Jacket"
and
"Saving Private Ryan" (which I may consider to be the greatest war movie of all time-- with all the varnish off)


What are you watching lately?