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The New Coffee Room

  1. TNCR
  2. General Discussion
  3. To Mask or Not To Mask?

To Mask or Not To Mask?

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  • H Horace
    7 Aug 2020, 23:49

    I am unashamedly just going along with whatever the crowd expects of me, regarding mask wearing. I am not very good at having high conviction beliefs about an allegedly scientific fact that I can't figure out from ground principles on my own. So I don't have this visceral reaction against people who don't believe they help. But I go along.

    A Offline
    A Offline
    Aqua Letifer
    wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 00:16 last edited by
    #206

    @Horace said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

    I am unashamedly just going along with whatever the crowd expects of me, regarding mask wearing. I am not very good at having high conviction beliefs about an allegedly scientific fact that I can't figure out from ground principles on my own. So I don't have this visceral reaction against people who don't believe they help. But I go along.

    jon already called dibs on being the most reasonable objectivist. No sense campaigning for a filled position.

    Please love yourself.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • H Offline
      H Offline
      Horace
      wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 01:17 last edited by
      #207

      jon taught me everything I know.

      Education is extremely important.

      1 Reply Last reply
      • G George K
        7 Aug 2020, 19:31

        @Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

        @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

        I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
        However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

        I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

        I'm not disagreeing with what you said, and, once again, I think people should mask.

        But my point is that models of aerosol spread, etc don't necessarily reflect effectiveness in preventing spread. What happens in a petri dish isn't necessarily what happens in the real world.

        T Offline
        T Offline
        taiwan_girl
        wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 01:59 last edited by
        #208

        @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

        @Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

        @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

        I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
        However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

        I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

        I'm not disagreeing with what you said, and, once again, I think people should mask.

        But my point is that models of aerosol spread, etc don't necessarily reflect effectiveness in preventing spread. What happens in a petri dish isn't necessarily what happens in the real world.

        To me it is just common sense. Directionally, masks have to help prevent the spread.

        Think of an open window:

        There are 100 mosquitos outside, 5 of which carry the malaria. With an open window and 100 mosquitos, you have a 5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

        Now, we add a screen to that window, which will block (for example) 50% of the mosquitos from getting through.

        Now, out of that 100 mosquitos, you only have a 2.5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

        Is the screen perfect?? NO, but it is in the direction of helping.

        I know, I know, I know, very simple way to thinking of it and not perfect but I think you get the idea.

        For me, that is how I think of masks. They are not perfect, but they are in the direction of helping.

        G 1 Reply Last reply 8 Aug 2020, 02:05
        • T taiwan_girl
          8 Aug 2020, 01:59

          @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

          @Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

          @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

          I am mask-agnostic, being of the mind "it couldn't hurt," and so I wear one any time I'm out of the house.
          However, the burden of proof is that you have to show that they work.

          I've read several articles and even watched a VR simulation of droplet & aerosol spreading, showing how masks of various fiber densities are effective in dampening the spread. It's not like this shit's a secret.

          I'm not disagreeing with what you said, and, once again, I think people should mask.

          But my point is that models of aerosol spread, etc don't necessarily reflect effectiveness in preventing spread. What happens in a petri dish isn't necessarily what happens in the real world.

          To me it is just common sense. Directionally, masks have to help prevent the spread.

          Think of an open window:

          There are 100 mosquitos outside, 5 of which carry the malaria. With an open window and 100 mosquitos, you have a 5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

          Now, we add a screen to that window, which will block (for example) 50% of the mosquitos from getting through.

          Now, out of that 100 mosquitos, you only have a 2.5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

          Is the screen perfect?? NO, but it is in the direction of helping.

          I know, I know, I know, very simple way to thinking of it and not perfect but I think you get the idea.

          For me, that is how I think of masks. They are not perfect, but they are in the direction of helping.

          G Offline
          G Offline
          George K
          wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 02:05 last edited by
          #209

          @taiwan_girl said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

          To me it is just common sense. Directionally, masks have to help prevent the spread.

          Think of an open window:

          There are 100 mosquitos outside, 5 of which carry the malaria. With an open window and 100 mosquitos, you have a 5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

          Now, we add a screen to that window, which will block (for example) 50% of the mosquitos from getting through.

          Now, out of that 100 mosquitos, you only have a 2.5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

          Is the screen perfect?? NO, but it is in the direction of helping.

          I know, I know, I know, very simple way to thinking of it and not perfect but I think you get the idea.

          For me, that is how I think of masks. They are not perfect, but they are in the direction of helping.

          Of course, you're right.

          And, just to be clear, I'm not defending not wearing masks. If my comments came across that way, it was certainly not my intent. I'm simply pointing to an article from another country whose health officials say that masks are irrelevant to the spread of disease. I think they're wrong, but I have yet to see any hard evidence that masks actually work. Yeah, as you and Aqua pointed out, it certainly makes good sense, but, as I said, "let's see the science" and not the speculation.

          At the present time, it makes a lot of sense to take every possible precaution. To not do so would be dangerous and foolhardy. Years from now, let's see what the books written about this have to say.

          Am I being clear here?

          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

          T CopperC 2 Replies Last reply 8 Aug 2020, 02:15
          • G George K
            8 Aug 2020, 02:05

            @taiwan_girl said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

            To me it is just common sense. Directionally, masks have to help prevent the spread.

            Think of an open window:

            There are 100 mosquitos outside, 5 of which carry the malaria. With an open window and 100 mosquitos, you have a 5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

            Now, we add a screen to that window, which will block (for example) 50% of the mosquitos from getting through.

            Now, out of that 100 mosquitos, you only have a 2.5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

            Is the screen perfect?? NO, but it is in the direction of helping.

            I know, I know, I know, very simple way to thinking of it and not perfect but I think you get the idea.

            For me, that is how I think of masks. They are not perfect, but they are in the direction of helping.

            Of course, you're right.

            And, just to be clear, I'm not defending not wearing masks. If my comments came across that way, it was certainly not my intent. I'm simply pointing to an article from another country whose health officials say that masks are irrelevant to the spread of disease. I think they're wrong, but I have yet to see any hard evidence that masks actually work. Yeah, as you and Aqua pointed out, it certainly makes good sense, but, as I said, "let's see the science" and not the speculation.

            At the present time, it makes a lot of sense to take every possible precaution. To not do so would be dangerous and foolhardy. Years from now, let's see what the books written about this have to say.

            Am I being clear here?

            T Offline
            T Offline
            taiwan_girl
            wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 02:15 last edited by
            #210

            @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

            Am I being clear here?

            Yep! 😍

            1 Reply Last reply
            • G George K
              8 Aug 2020, 02:05

              @taiwan_girl said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

              To me it is just common sense. Directionally, masks have to help prevent the spread.

              Think of an open window:

              There are 100 mosquitos outside, 5 of which carry the malaria. With an open window and 100 mosquitos, you have a 5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

              Now, we add a screen to that window, which will block (for example) 50% of the mosquitos from getting through.

              Now, out of that 100 mosquitos, you only have a 2.5% chance of getting bit by a malaria mosquito.

              Is the screen perfect?? NO, but it is in the direction of helping.

              I know, I know, I know, very simple way to thinking of it and not perfect but I think you get the idea.

              For me, that is how I think of masks. They are not perfect, but they are in the direction of helping.

              Of course, you're right.

              And, just to be clear, I'm not defending not wearing masks. If my comments came across that way, it was certainly not my intent. I'm simply pointing to an article from another country whose health officials say that masks are irrelevant to the spread of disease. I think they're wrong, but I have yet to see any hard evidence that masks actually work. Yeah, as you and Aqua pointed out, it certainly makes good sense, but, as I said, "let's see the science" and not the speculation.

              At the present time, it makes a lot of sense to take every possible precaution. To not do so would be dangerous and foolhardy. Years from now, let's see what the books written about this have to say.

              Am I being clear here?

              CopperC Offline
              CopperC Offline
              Copper
              wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 03:41 last edited by
              #211

              @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

              Yeah, as you and Aqua pointed out, it certainly makes good sense, but, as I said, "let's see the science" and not the speculation.

              Am I being clear here?

              This https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent

              offers some evidence

              But not cost/benefit analysis

              For the sake of argument, let's say there is some benefit. By benefit, I mean the number of covid cases is reduced.

              How much benefit?

              At what cost?

              Shut-up

              1 Reply Last reply
              • MikM Offline
                MikM Offline
                Mik
                wrote on 8 Aug 2020, 17:38 last edited by
                #212

                alt text

                “I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” ~Winston S. Churchill

                1 Reply Last reply
                • G Offline
                  G Offline
                  George K
                  wrote on 12 Aug 2020, 15:03 last edited by
                  #213

                  FFS: DNR tells employees to wear masks during Zoom calls, even when they are alone at home

                  The head of the Department of Natural Resources is telling employees to wear face masks on teleconferences — even when they’re not around others and at no risk of spreading the coronavirus.

                  Natural Resources Secretary Preston Cole reminded employees in a July 31 email that Gov. Tony Evers’ mask order was going into effect the next day. That means every DNR employee must wear a mask while in a DNR facility, noted Cole, an appointee of the Democratic governor.

                  “Also, wear your mask, even if you are home, to participate in a virtual meeting that involves being seen — such as on Zoom or another video-conferencing platform — by non-DNR staff,” Cole told his employees. “Set the safety example which shows you as a DNR public service employee care about the safety and health of others.”

                  The governor’s mask order requires people to wear masks when they are indoors — other than in private residences.

                  From a medical perspective, masks need to be worn at home only in limited situations, such as to protect people if someone living with them has COVID-19, said Nasia Safdar, the medical director of infection control at UW Health.

                  “Beyond that, there is not a reason to routinely wear a mask in your home if that risk isn’t there,” she said.

                  "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                  The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • CopperC Offline
                    CopperC Offline
                    Copper
                    wrote on 12 Aug 2020, 16:56 last edited by
                    #214

                    Be a good person, wear a mask

                    Don’t be a bad person

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • jon-nycJ Offline
                      jon-nycJ Offline
                      jon-nyc
                      wrote on 12 Aug 2020, 17:01 last edited by
                      #215

                      Wow.

                      Also in the news today a Florida sheriff is forbidding masks in his facility. Visitors and staff. I guess it isn’t really about liberty after all.

                      Only non-witches get due process.

                      • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                      T 1 Reply Last reply 12 Aug 2020, 17:27
                      • jon-nycJ jon-nyc
                        12 Aug 2020, 17:01

                        Wow.

                        Also in the news today a Florida sheriff is forbidding masks in his facility. Visitors and staff. I guess it isn’t really about liberty after all.

                        T Offline
                        T Offline
                        taiwan_girl
                        wrote on 12 Aug 2020, 17:27 last edited by
                        #216

                        @jon-nyc You and I have great minds. I was just going to post on this. LOL

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • jon-nycJ Offline
                          jon-nycJ Offline
                          jon-nyc
                          wrote on 12 Sept 2020, 20:27 last edited by
                          #217

                          DDD30E98-76EF-417E-AECB-A306163ED4BE.jpeg

                          Only non-witches get due process.

                          • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nycJ Offline
                            jon-nyc
                            wrote on 8 Oct 2020, 10:23 last edited by
                            #218

                            857AF91B-53EF-48E2-849B-F1178BDF71A9.jpeg

                            Only non-witches get due process.

                            • Cotton Mather, Salem Massachusetts, 1692
                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • G Offline
                              G Offline
                              George K
                              wrote on 8 Oct 2020, 23:19 last edited by
                              #219

                              From Nature "Face masks: what the data say"

                              https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8

                              "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                              The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                              T 1 Reply Last reply 9 Oct 2020, 00:41
                              • G George K
                                8 Oct 2020, 23:19

                                From Nature "Face masks: what the data say"

                                https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8

                                T Offline
                                T Offline
                                taiwan_girl
                                wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 00:41 last edited by
                                #220

                                @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                From Nature "Face masks: what the data say"

                                https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8

                                Good article. 👍

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • A Offline
                                  A Offline
                                  Aqua Letifer
                                  wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 01:18 last edited by
                                  #221

                                  Masks are a product of fear.

                                  Please love yourself.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • CopperC Offline
                                    CopperC Offline
                                    Copper
                                    wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 01:40 last edited by
                                    #222

                                    Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                    G 1 Reply Last reply 9 Oct 2020, 01:49
                                    • CopperC Copper
                                      9 Oct 2020, 01:40

                                      Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                      G Offline
                                      G Offline
                                      George K
                                      wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 01:49 last edited by George K 10 Sept 2020, 01:49
                                      #223

                                      @Copper said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                      Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                      Once they used data as plural, I paid attention.

                                      We've talked about this before, but, I sort of appreciate the attention to the precision of Latin.

                                      But...that's just one datum.

                                      "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                      The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

                                      A 1 Reply Last reply 9 Oct 2020, 02:05
                                      • G George K
                                        9 Oct 2020, 01:49

                                        @Copper said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                        Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                        Once they used data as plural, I paid attention.

                                        We've talked about this before, but, I sort of appreciate the attention to the precision of Latin.

                                        But...that's just one datum.

                                        A Offline
                                        A Offline
                                        Aqua Letifer
                                        wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 02:05 last edited by
                                        #224

                                        @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                        @Copper said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                        Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                        Once they used data as plural, I paid attention.

                                        We've talked about this before, but, I sort of appreciate the attention to the precision of Latin.

                                        But...that's just one datum.

                                        Fucking* doctors.

                                        *There you go, some bona fide (see what I did there?) Anglo-Saxon for you.

                                        Please love yourself.

                                        G 1 Reply Last reply 9 Oct 2020, 02:23
                                        • A Aqua Letifer
                                          9 Oct 2020, 02:05

                                          @George-K said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                          @Copper said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                          Once they use data as plural, I'm done.

                                          Once they used data as plural, I paid attention.

                                          We've talked about this before, but, I sort of appreciate the attention to the precision of Latin.

                                          But...that's just one datum.

                                          Fucking* doctors.

                                          *There you go, some bona fide (see what I did there?) Anglo-Saxon for you.

                                          G Offline
                                          G Offline
                                          George K
                                          wrote on 9 Oct 2020, 02:23 last edited by
                                          #225

                                          @Aqua-Letifer said in To Mask or Not To Mask?:

                                          Fucking* doctors.
                                          *There you go, some bona fide (see what I did there?) Anglo-Saxon for you.

                                          Bravo, sir.

                                          "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08

                                          The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.

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