gk10002000

18 minutes ago, lkv said:

You cannot test everybody. You can test negative today and positive tomorrow, what are you going to do, test the whole population every day?

 

Even for influenza in the US, they had I believe 1 milllion tests for a population of 300 million.

 

The only thing you can do, is do randomised testing in various demographics, and then extrapolate that to get a statistic about the number of cases in the population.

 

I also don't see how an antibody test would work also. I had a flu recently. Was it flu or was it corona? Nobody will know, not even the antibody test.

 

Even if someone wanted to get tested  today in my country for free, you'd have to lie that you are suffocating whilst caughing or similar (multiple symptoms), to get accepted for testing. Little fever and sore throat does not cut it.

 

Unless of course, you do it in the private system and pay for it, but what's the point of doing that? You test negative this week, positive next week.

 

This will carry on for 1-2 years.

Oh I agree.  The problem is, most people are stupid and the news people tend to not explain the numbers they show.  They just show, death rated 2 % or whatever when that is so untrue.  And then a bunch of so called journalists go and parrot that incorrectly or incompletely.  I think the whole situation was so overblown it is ridiculous.   people are now realizing the death rate is rather low and not worse than any other things that have been around.  Locking down only delays the inevitable.  The so called curve is done.  People will die.  and more will continue to die.  Stop the massive disruption

7 minutes ago, lkv said:

You people might have had it already and not even know it, it's been circulating supposedly way before December last year (when it was first identified).

 

50% of people testing positive in Iceland cases were asymptomatic. It's the only country so far that has tested 5% of the population randomly, unlike the others, that test only cases with symptoms (multiple ones, not just a little fever) / in hospital already / dead already / contact of another confirmed case.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/05/have-i-already-had-coronavirus-how-would-i-know

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/europe/iceland-testing-coronavirus-intl/index.html

yes yes and yes.  The mortality rates many countries are quoting are horrible use of statistics and facts and figures.  Gross over reaction that is causing as much suffering as the virus probably will

Stupid Stupid and Stupid statistic.  It is only based on the known cases.  Unless you test everybody you do NOT know how many had or have the virus.  The real death rate is a fraction of that .97 per cent.  average of 0.97 per cent of total patients

  At least they mention it is total patients.  But of course so many did not go for treatment nor had any symptoms. Glad to see they mentioned the underlying conditions.  A large of the infected people pro ably would have suffered if they had regular severe flu symptoms

On 4/5/2020 at 4:01 AM, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The data showed that most of them also carried diabetes (50 per cent of cases), high blood pressure (35 per cent), chronic kidney disease (15 per cent), dyslipidemia (15 per cent), besides heart disease, chronic lung disease, tuberculosis, and cancer.

So the others reported.  So what?  Did they quarantine them?  Did they just sit down and have a chat with them?  What happened to the supposed automatic quarantine?   I do not see that that happened or was done

"sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me".  So they publish the names.. so what?  Do they expect social peer pressure, public stoneings?

11 hours ago, Walter Travolta said:

Yeah I get the impression the natives prefer the military out of the picture but in the years I have been coming here (less than 10) even I have noticed a decline in quite a few things, service and smiles being examples, add to that the exchange rates (not a Thai fault) and the way farangs are disliked (a Thai fault). Even 7eleven staff used to be polite and smile, now they are like the pakistani shop keeper in the UK who lobs your change in your hand cos he doesnt want to make contact! I wouldnt mind, Im the one who uses toilet paper!!! STRONG toilet paper I should add ????

Damn, I have to agree with your sentiments and observations.  My first visit was in 2004.  Country is vastly different now

To regain, one must first have gained.  I doubt that happened.  The Thai people literally had no real choice.  And why is the term military still being used?  Didn't they have some sort of elections, or are they admitting it is NOT a civilian and properly elected government?

13 hours ago, ChouDoufu said:

texas, new mexico, arizona.   buy a house in a small town for $25k.

 

in texas, no state income tax, homestead exemptions to limit property taxes.

I vote for Florida where I live.  Some pretty affordable living options up and down the coast.  I like being near a beach.  No state income tax.  Not great public transportation unless you live in one of the big cities.  A pool on a hot day is heaven to me as well as a warm breeze at night with the fan on.  Don't go there and live in a cave like my Mother does, she puts on a sweater and says the air con is too cold.  So frustrating.  Some casinos around for some diversions.  Some beautiful tropical gardens and preserves all over the place.  Plenty of clean beaches. 

10 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I see a problem on the horizon with all the soi dogs who now are able to roam free but there is nobody there to feed them when we are allowed to go back to the beaches will these rabid wild animals take a instant dislike to humans invading their beaches?

can only imagine what the rats are doing.

Just thought I would pass this on.  At the I-95 border near Georgia and Florida, the police have blocked off the route 17 exit just before the border.  At the highway checkpoint, they ask people where they came from.  If from New York, CT, or New Jersey, they are asking/making people fill out an affidavit affirming they will self quarantine, and put down all sorts of information.  I can not get a copy of the form yet but have seen blurry photos from a newscast.  One person recorded what happened as they drove into the checkpoint.  The "official" asked where were you from. and the driver said Rhode Island.  The official said OK, go on.  I am working in New Jersey but was born and raised in Rhode Island.  It is kind of hard to get from Rhode Island down to Florida without passing through NY, NJ, or CT.  It can be done.  Also, similar things are supposedly happening in South Carolina.  Now the executive orders don't really say if they mean drove through one of those states, stayed there, or what.

  So can one drive through South Carolina if not stopping?  Or would SC require a traveler through to stop and self quarantine for 14 days?  I am contemplating driving back to Florida soon as even though I am working in the defense industry, and we have been declared essential workers and have been working through the lockdown, the plant is sporadically closing for deep cleaning. Right now we got told last night closed for three days.  If they keep closing, it is not worth it for me to stay up here, and I will just head home and hang out at my pool.

that country was a mess since the day it separated from India.  They had their first military coup before the ink had dried

On 4/4/2020 at 7:29 AM, Leaver said:

Studies have shown it's only the immediate area around the infected person on a plane that are at risk. 

 

The air conditioning system in planes is actually quite good for filtering, so the whole plane is not put at the same risk as those very near the infected person.    

the plane filter system, if maintained properly, and that is a big if, does filter dust and particulates, and some are supposed to have some anti bacterial type filters, but none of them have filters that are small enough to stop the micron sized virus particles.  Airplanes are known to have filthy air, and many seniors with lung issues and weak immune systems are warned or even prohibited from flying.  My Dad on oxygen enricher who could not survive a respiritory infection was not allowed to fly.  So please do not assert that plane air is clean and good.  Just go pound on the seat cushion next time you are on a plane and watch the stuff that comes out that your eye can see, especially on any type of cloth seat.  VInyl seats, which suck on a long flight can be cleaned, as in general they do not absorb things, but cloth seats have so much stuff

if you single out and only test foreigners, or if foreigners are the only ones that self report themselves, well gee....

22 minutes ago, UbonThani said:

Italy said 97% deaths linked to underlying issues.

 

So if 10,000 died 9,700 would have died anyway.

 

So if 1m die worldwide that is 970,000 people who would have died anyway.

 

So 30,000 real deaths.

 

Compares to road toll 1.25m.

 

It seems like economic madness over a minor killer.

I do have engineering and math degrees.  One of the golden quotes from statistics is:  "correlation does not prove causation".  Many things look associated but really are not.  And in more common language,  "Figures don't lie, but liars figure". 

   I am in New Jersey about 10 miles or so from New York City and I can see the skyline from my hotel.  Luckily I am able to go to work since I am in the defense industry and we are "essential".   Much of the company is trying to have people work from home, but my work is in the lab and on classified things, so I get to keep making money.  A bit boring with so much closed.  Can't even make it over to the Thai Temple in Queens, Elmhurst in the city.  Kind of probably good that I did not go just before the shutdown because that block got hit hard and is almost the epicenter, that nursing home, the hospital, etc.

  I came up here from Florida in January.  Man I would be going stir crazy hanging around the house at home.  we have a pool in the backyard so as Florida weather heats up at least that would be a good diversion.

1 minute ago, UbonThani said:

Even doctors say 5 to 20x more people had it and didnt know.

And it is far from conclusive how many of the elderly, smoker, HIV carriers, and other people with depressed immune systems would have died from other things such as various flu strains, etc.  No real details are rolled up yet or disseminated, or maybe not even collected because people are rushing to do things

1 minute ago, scorecard said:

Rubbish.

It is not rubbish.  They have tested only a very tiny tiny fraction of the world's population.  The so called mortality rates are ridiculously calculated as they only compare those deaths against the known/confirmed cases.  Millions more people no doubt had or have the virus but are not tested.  The actual mortality rate due exactly to the corona virus is a fraction of the values floating around and being stated. 

59 minutes ago, scorecard said:

so are you going to just ignore it all when someone in your family or amongst your friend gets infected and spends 3 weeks in hospital and possibly in ICU and some die?

 

So you suggest just ignore it. If all governments just ignored it's presence how many citizens would demand that government take action to stop the spread of the disease? Seems to me that would be 99% of the population. 

You are free to have your opinion.  And yes some would die.  What you over look and do not understand that millions of people had or have the virus and with little to no effect.  The extreme actions being done by governments will eventually cause more deaths than this virus did or will.

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

So if it's mild for most people are you suggesting that the authorities just ignore it? 

 

Cruise ships will ban future infections. How's that?

I vote for ignoring it. work on a vaccine and tough it out.

On 3/29/2020 at 9:42 PM, gk10002000 said:

thanks. yes the page jumping seems to have stopped. the constant "data transferring seems to be still going on and now and then the page does jump, probably when enough stuff actually transfers or is loaded. Thanks

pages jumping again.  

given the large amount of time that people stay indoors, I think any climate related data is not too important.  Sure a virus sitting on an outside surface that is 120F versus 70F may degrade quicker, and that alone may help infection and transmission rates, I don't think that is as important as it used to be, given the way people live these days.  Transmission is likely more related to inter personal closeness and contact.

I feel very sorry for those that really did pull up stakes and would have great difficulty returning to their home countries.  Can only hope some really did plan for such eventualities and have not been living paycheck to paycheck, saving nothing, etc.  The worst thing is Thailand may not have any sort of planning for farangs living there, that have families, or dependents, may be foreigner phobic, etc.  The current regime has not done a lot to endear itself to retirees or even long stay tourists for that matter

4 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

There is no income limit on Free File Fillable Forms. My AGI is about $250,000 in 2019.

 

 When you create an account without a working US phone number just enter any phone number and opt to receive security code via email. When you are filing just leave the phone number and driver license info on the last page blank.

 

 

It depends on which of the free filing platforms you are referring to.