Too Stupid for Words category archive
Driven to Distraction 0
You can’t make this stuff up (and you wouldn’t want to if you could).
“The Zombies Are Coming” 0
Sam and his crew marvel at the latest Republican nutbag QAnon-believing candidate.
As one who trained as an historian, I must say–well, I don’t know what to say.
School Daze 0
Sportswriter extraordinaire Bob Molinaro reflects on the reopening in these viral times (emphasis in the original):
Barely afloat: Schools that initially invited students back to campus are quickly discovering what they should have known. When dealing with easily transmissible viruses, dorms are cruise ships without the water.
Aside:
I was in college a long time ago and certainly did my share of partying. Nevertheless, other than concerts, sports events, large lectures, and some demonstrations against America’s Great and Glorious War for a Lie in Vietnam, I don’t remember participating in the sorts of mob scenes being reported from some colleges.
Proceeding along the Path to Pariah 0
The AP reports on the rest of the world’s view of the failure of the United States to deal with these viral times. An excerpt (emphasis added):
But after a strict nationwide 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.
“Don’t they care about their health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions … They need a real lockdown.”
Much of the incredulity in Europe stems from the fact that America had the benefit of time, European experience and medical know-how to treat the virus that the continent itself didn’t have when the first COVID-19 patients started filling intensive care units. Yet, more than four months into a sustained outbreak, the U.S. is about to hit an astonishing milestone of 5 million confirmed infections, easily the highest in the world. Health officials believe the actual number is closer to 50 million, given testing limitations and the fact that as many as 40% of all cases are asymptomatic.
“We Italians always saw America as a model,” said Massimo Franco, columnist with daily Corriere della Sera. “But with this virus we’ve discovered a country that is very fragile, with bad infrastructure and a public health system that is nonexistent.”
Think First, Click Later 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Alison Escalante explores why persons fall for fake news and misinformation on “social” media. She focuses on (mis)information about COVID-19, but I believe her conclusions can be generalized to larger topics.
The study she discusses suggests that much of the bilge is broadcast because the persons “sharing” it just don’t think before they click. Here’s a bit:
Maskless Marauders 0
Aside:
I went to the eye doctor yesterday for a regular check-up (I’ve worn glasses since 7th grade; the first day I wore them to school, I remember my teacher’s looking right at me sitting there in my assigned seat and saying, “Where’s Frank Bell?”). In the course of the visit, I learned that my ophthalmologist is rather–er–peeved about folks who refuse wear masks in public.
I warned him not to get me started . . . .
The Medicine Show 0
I don’t know about you, but this story truly gave me heartburn.
Plumb Loco 0
You can’t make this stuff up. (Warning: Short ad at the beginning. Story starts at about the 24 second mark.)
Mask Derangement Sydrome 0
At the Greensboro News & Record, allen Johnson explores strategies to combat the hold-outs who would endanger themselves and others by refusing to wear masks. Here’s one of his thoughts; follow the link for the others.
Would reverse psychology do the trick? As in “Hillary Clinton says don’t you dare wear a mask”?
A Question of Identity 0
You can’t make this stuff up.