OT - NO POLITICS The New Normal - Hockey meets the dog days of Summer

[McGarnagle]

My town literally just spent $200 mil on a new high school that nobody can use now. Hopefully this pandemic will force other towns to adapt and not make the same mistakes all these other towns are making. High schools don't need to compete with ivy league college facilities.

The towns can cry poor all they want but real education spending has gone up by 300% since 1960 ("real spending" accounts for inflation). They don't need endless amounts of money. They need to start spending it more wisely.

I agree. The bloat in the public education budgets is real estate and facilities, and an increase of school budgets won't go to the actual education happening inside the classroom. It's really a government shell game where the construction companies and real estate people lobby the state legislatures to put in all these regulations for building codes and shit, then they send in the inspectors to write up a list of what work needs to be done to get up to code, which gets outsourced to the contractors, and eventually they talk the town into building a new school altogether that is in the hundreds of millions range. I'm not so anti-regulation that I want kids packed like sardines in asbestos-filled rooms, but there has to be a realistic option. The kids don't need a palace to do crappy algebra in.

My hometown back in NH had a major spat a decade or so ago because the high school that I went to was built in like 1911 and was functional but showed its age.The PTA and the district kept advocating for a new school, which they put on the ballot every year, and always got voted down by the older people in town because they didn't want the property tax hike. Eventually there was a situation where the result of one initiative approved the town to buy a plot of land for a school, while the initiative to actually build the school was voted down. So the town just owns this empty plot of land across the street. Incredibly wasteful.

 

[Seidenbergy]

really?
Nobody knew a pandemic would hit and funds be needed to get schools back up and running in a safe manner.

Your new school scenario doesnt address that in any way. Nor does it address where is the federal bailout many others got in real time.

your post addresses what I presume was a prop 2 1/2 over ride that you drew the short stick on where you stand.
But nice try.

Nope. Both my kids are in high school and I would benefit from it more than most, so I drew the long stick, but nice try.

You don't bail out things that are already taxpayer funded ahead of things that aren't.

 

[Seidenbergy]

April 14: 1296 new cases and 113 deaths
May 14: 1685 cases and 167 deaths
June 14: 208 cases and 48 deaths
July 14: 203 cases and 10 deaths

We're on the right track here in MA.

 

[Gee Wally]

Nope. Both my kids are in high school and I would benefit from it more than most, so I drew the long stick, but nice try.

You don't bail out things that are already taxpayer funded ahead of things that aren't.

so how do you propose safe guarding schools during this time?
Should schools have slush funds just in case or are you saying just f*** it. Has to be one or the other.

 

[Seidenbergy]

so how do you propose safe guarding schools during this time?
Should schools have slush funds just in case or are you saying just f*** it. Has to be one or the other.

They all have money set aside for emergencies, building repairs, you name it. Not to mention all the money that didn't go to non-teacher employees once schools closed early. Time to put that money to work.

 

[Ladyfan]

They all have money set aside for emergencies, building repairs, you name it. Not to mention all the money that didn't go to non-teacher employees once schools closed early. Time to put that money to work.

Most schools and towns do not nave enough money for this.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Most schools and towns do not nave enough money for this.

Depends on what "this" constitutes.

Masks
Gloves
Clear partitions between desks

They most certainly do.

Personal limos for each student to/from school? Obviously not.

Again. Other countries with poorly funded schools....far worse than the US....have already put protections in place. Some going back years. And it works.

It's going to hurt, but it can be done.

The only way it can't be done is if we're arguing that there is zero waste in our ed budgets today. Now that would be a laughable claim.

 

[Ladyfan]

Depends on what "this" constitutes.

Masks
Gloves
Clear partitions between desks

They most certainly do.

Personal limos for each student to/from school? Obviously not.

Again. Other countries with poorly funded schools....far worse than the US....have already put protections in place. Some going back years. And it works.

It's going to hurt, but it can be done.

They need to have more than one plan.

If the virus comes back strong kids need to have access to the internet and a computer for ALL kids.

Other countries didn't screw up getting a start on fighting this virus. USA was WAY behind where it SHOULD and COULD have been. Too many STUPID leaders and people being ignorant.

 

[Gee Wally]

Depends on what "this" constitutes.

Masks
Gloves
Clear partitions between desks

They most certainly do.

Personal limos for each student to/from school? Obviously not.

Again. Other countries with poorly funded schools....far worse than the US....have already put protections in place. Some going back years. And it works.

It's going to hurt, but it can be done.

The only way it can't be done is if we're arguing that there is zero waste in our ed budgets today. Now that would be a laughable claim.

Well then...nattionwide problem solved. Alert the public.

 

[Seidenbergy]

Well then...nattionwide problem solved. Alert the public.

Yup. It's not like other countries have already instituted these measures, gone back to school and NOT seen any meaningful increases. Oh wait, they have? Imagine that.

When all else fails, be sarcastic and snarky. So much more effective than debating facts and figures.....especially when they aren't on your side.

 

[Dr Hook]

the northeast had this virus during christmas time. kids were in school then and most likely any illnesses from dec-march were covid. we have peaked here and this part of the US is definitely safe for schools.

There was a virus around my neck of the woods in December/January also that was suspiciously like Covid, but it wasn't a thing yet. I had it, and it was like a flu, with a shitty cough that persisted for about three, almost four weeks after the worst flu symptoms were gone. Who knows if that was it? That said, it could very well have been something else, but until I can know for sure, I am keeping my athsmatic self in semi- seclusion.

 

[Bruinaura]

Here, have some happy.

 

[Gee Wally]

Yup. It's not like other countries have already instituted these measures, gone back to school and NOT seen any meaningful increases. Oh wait, they have? Imagine that.

When all else fails, be sarcastic and snarky. So much more effective than debating facts and figures.....especially when they aren't on your side.

you given your opinion now in a variety of ways.
But please explain why go back to school is or isnt an issue here.

Your simple explanation seems to not sink in with thousands of municipalities.
They dont seem to know they have the resources .

 

[Seidenbergy]

you given your opinion now in a variety of ways.
But please explain why go back to school is or isnt an issue here.

Your simple explanation seems to not sink in with thousands of municipalities.

The municipalities know the answers. They also know they are elected to their posts. It being an election year complicates things for them. I'll leave the politics at that.

Look. We're going to have another 6 weeks of data out of the countries in Europe and asia that have opened schools before we have to decide. We won't be going in completely blind.

 

[Gee Wally]

Moderna's Covid-19 Vaccine Moves to Bigger Study

Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine prompted an immune response in all 45 trial subjects - The Boston Globe

Promising initial results on small scale.

 

[Spooner st]

 

[sooshii]

Yup. It's not like other countries have already instituted these measures, gone back to school and NOT seen any meaningful increases. Oh wait, they have? Imagine that.

When all else fails, be sarcastic and snarky. So much more effective than debating facts and figures.....especially when they aren't on your side.

The one thing I know is that what “other countries” have done is not applicable here.

 

[Ladyfan]

The one thing I know is that what “other countries” have done is not applicable here.

Best post here !

 

[Gee Wally]

The one thing I know is that what “other countries” have done is not applicable here.

no , youre right.
Its apples and hand grenades.
But whatever.

 

[Seidenbergy]

View attachment 353863

Those numbers imply that they are all essential contributors to the economy. What if 90% of that 1% were retired, sick, over the age of 60, in nursing homes, etc.? Not to sound insensitive but purely speaking with regard to the economy.....how would that clearly tank it any worse than a years long shut down?

 

[Gee Wally]

North Carolina sets single-day record for coronavirus hospitalizations


Harvard epidemiologist has ‘deja vu’ over coronavirus testing issues, concerns over interstate travel


CDC chief says Northerners heading South for vacation may be to blame for surge in coronavirus cases, not state reopenings

 

[Spooner st]

Those numbers imply that they are all essential contributors to the economy. What if 90% of that 1% were retired, sick, over the age of 60, in nursing homes, etc.? Not to sound insensitive but purely speaking with regard to the economy.....how would that clearly tank it any worse than a years long shut down?

I have a series of Tweets that clarifies it more than numbers, can't post it here for obvious reasons.

But what matters most than the economy is the health of the people. Covid is not just about the deaths, it's also about those that survive...most won't last long due to severe damage to organs and brain. And now it's all ages...

 

[Spooner st]

 

[Spooner st]

 

[Gee Wally]

Heres what confounds me more than anything I guess.

Right now based on science and demonstrated actuals the best way to move through this is masks, sanitizing surfaces and ourselves and keeping distance.

Very, very simplistic things to do.

We , in general, as a society made the decision to restrict smoking. As cancer causing particles can be passed along via second hand smoke.

Yet a virus , a deadly or debilitating virus, is ok to pass along in those same exhaled, sneezes, coughed particles.

I just cant get my head around it.

Following those simple things will expedite getting to where EVERYONE ultimately wants to be.

WEAR a mask.

WASH your hands.

WATCH your distance.