This year is a bit different. If you plan on celebrating the birth of your nation by blowing up a small part of it (still one of my favorite Simpsons lines), you best be doing it with a mask on and socially distanced from anyone you don’t live with.
That’s because the world is still in a pandemic, and wearing masks will help break the chains of disease transmission and get us past it sooner. It’s not a political statement, it’s basic science.
It’s the heart of summer, so you’re going to want to go out. If you do, just be careful, avoid high-risk situations, wear your mask where appropriate, and maintain social distance as necessary. And don’t blow any extremities off with fireworks.
Either way, we’re off Friday, July 3, to observe the holiday. As usual, some posts may pop up, and some tweets may tweet, but we won’t be at our desks like we normally are. We’re back full speed on Monday.
This Fourth of July will be a bit bittersweet, knowing that people are getting sick, and some are dying, and the rest of us will have to take precautions that are inconvenient. But if we all do the right thing, we can beat back this virus. Hopefully, next year will be a lot more “normal.”
We’ll get through this. And we can still have fun this Fourth, if we’re smart and safe.
Be good out there, and we’ll see you Monday.
[Image: Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock]
“and socially distanced from anyone you don’t live with.”
“We’ll get through this. And we can still have fun this Fourth”
So what are you guys that live in a household of one planning to do?
I live in a household of one. I plan on grilling for myself, Zooming with people, and doing some household projects. I might be talked into a socially distanced beer garden visit with a friend, but I’m not sure. Either way, I have enough to do to make three days fly by.
Ditto, Tim. Reality is that, as I joke with my friends, it’s hard to tell what’s a weekday and what’s a weekend – never mind a holiday – during lockdown.
I’m reminded of a quip I saw to the effect that “remember when, as a kid, you had a set of underpants that each had a day of the week printed on them, and wouldn’t that be useful now?”.
Or the guy who said “it’s like I’m 16 again – gas is cheap, but I’m grounded”.
Tim, I come to TTAC to get away from the COVID “Fear Porn” If you have not noted, I can’t get on any media w/o constant Fear Porn using COVID as an excuse. It’s really sad that on Independence Day, TTAC is celebrating the slavery and social oppression of the mask and associating it with the promise of future “freedom”
…..kind of reminds CaddyDaddy of “Arbeit macht frei” Hard Work (Masks) will set you Free” Unfortunately, we know how that turned out!
For all the Cucked Subjects celebrating their quarantine, I’m noting that their propensity to be anti-social and a shut in is now the in thing to be. CaddyDaddy sure is glad he has Faith which is the opposite of Fear.
I too choose to live by Faith NOT fear!
Amen
Me too! I have faith that me wearing a mask could prevent others around me from picking up any germs.
“I too choose to live by Faith NOT fear!”
Shall we put that on your tombstone?
I’ve decided to take it a step further, stop signs are an infringement on my rights. I am no longer obeying stop signs. So, if any of you get hurt as I barrel through intersections, too bad, because my right to drive as I see fit is more important then your right not to get run over
Have a lovely 4th, Murica! :)
Faith in what?????????? I can’t recall any passages in any ‘Holy Books’ that state you shouldn’t wear a mask.
And if you lived by ‘faith’ do you actually follow all the restrictions that are listed in our ‘Holy Books’? I can pretty much guarantee that you don’t.
So you are following your own rules. Based on nothing but your personal opinion.
This year is like all the evil that’s been skulking around in the background has come out. It’s very unlikely that the powers that be have any intention of letting thinks go back to “normal” after this is “all over.”
CV has been played up into “we’re all gonna die!” But it just isn’t happening. The “precautions” that have been prescribed for us will kill far more than CV. And, the financial damage will last for decades.
Evil it is. Only faith and truth can counter it.
@Old: You posted your personal opinions, without one shred of actual evidence to support them.
Science, death rates, infection rates all contradict you.
As for the economy, it should recover rather quickly. There should however be some permanent changes such as a switch from cash. And possibly some segments will shrink. But that always happens, the pandemic will just make this occur much faster.
Wearing a mask is the tiniest of inconveniences. We are all in this together, and CaddyDaddy, you are the weakest link. Not wearing a mask is laziness, disrespect and ignorance all rolled into one. Promoting such irresponsibility is unconscionable.
For some perspective: the first nuclear bomb use in Hiroshima killed 130,000 people. Covid-19 has killed more than that in the US. We’ve been nuked by this thing. The world has been hit by the equivalent of four Hiroshima nuclear bombs.
Or put it another way: the current American death rate is approximately the equivalent of TWO Twin Tower attacks every week.
You’re spouting the official Fox News party line, some of which appears to come from the Russian disinformation bureau. (No, I am not paranoid. Look it up!)
It’s to your own detriment.
It’s time to grow up, put on your seat belt, use a helmet when you ride a motorcycle, wear a mask in public, and maybe even wash your hands every now and then.
@RHD, “You’re spouting the official Fox News party line,”
And, you’re spouting the official CNN party line. I hate to break it to you, but CNN is not a reliable source. If you want to know what’s happening in the world, it’s going to take some effort and some analytical thinking. Read multiple sources; check sources and conflicts of interest; take the time to reach conclusions — in short do your own research and make up your own mind. It isn’t simple or easy.
If you just want to be spoon fed some “truth” then, by all means, just keep watching CNN. Just don’t start whining when things go to sh*t because herds of people were too lazy and cowardly to peek behind the curtain.
What exactly did RHD say that was wrong?… we’ll wait
@Lie2me,
Are you really asking? If so I will do my best to try to explain what I see in what he said that I believe is wrong and why I think it is wrong.
… Still waiting
“Russian disinformation bureau”
I want examples
“Russian disinformation bureau”
I want examples
Trump’s Republican party
@Lie2me,
Are you really asking because you care to hear what I have to say? I’ll wait. (Or you can just say “still waiting” again and continue to ignore me…)
“What exactly did RHD say that was wrong?”
3rd request… still waiting
(HINT: you’re not very good at this game)
@lie2me,
“The Trump Republican Party”
‘“Just what the hell did you mean, you bastard, when you said we couldn’t punish you?” said the corporal who could take shorthand reading from his steno pad.
“All right,” said the colonel. “Just what the hell did you mean?”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t punish me, sir.”
“When,” asked the colonel.
“When what, sir?”
“Now you’re asking me questions again.”
“I’m sorry, sir. I’m afraid I don’t understand your question.”
“When didn’t you say we couldn’t punish you? Don’t you understand my question?”
“No, sir, I don’t understand.”
“You’ve just told us that. Now suppose you answer my question.”
“But how can I answer it?”
“That’s another question you’re asking me.”
“I’m sorry, sir. But I don’t know how to answer it. I never said you couldn’t punish me.”
“Now you’re telling us what you did say. I’m asking you to tell us when you didn’t say it.”
Clevinger took a deep breath. “I always didn’t say you couldn’t punish me, sir.”’
Joseph Heller, “Catch 22”
“POLITICS, n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.”
-Ambrose Bierce
Hahahaha!
Incoherent ramblings = way past time for your meds or are you a morning drinker?
Lie2Me,
russians are so dumb, dude… One Russian won as many Chess World crowns as all Americans together. American universities are filled with Russian professors and scientists. US software companies are filled with Russians and Indians. Do you use google? Everything you have in America is invented either by Russian or German. Besides croissant and pizza.
We’re on a car site. America is where finely refined gasoline appeared. The chemist who is a father of American petroleum industry was a Russian scientist. First crossover – Lada Niva. caterpillar vehicles and synthetic rubber for tires – also russians.
You can’t even compare level of education of educated Russians vs “educated” Americans. Lavrov vs Pompeo – day vs night. I love America for its constitution and premise of law and order. but its state of education is very sad. Also, Russia right now is on the way down in this department. I am talking about people who are 35+ today. And Ukraine is total collapse. And with all the brains leaking out of Russia it still maintains scientific parity. This is impressive. But not without Ukrainian engineers working in Russia. They just need investments to turn science into profits. But this never was their strength.
@Slavuta,
Doesn’t all this mud slinging get tiresome? Yes, the Russian Disinformation Bureau — it’s between the Russian Internet Lag Bureau and the Peoples’ Murphy’s Law Aiding and Abetting Cooperative across the street from the Kremlin.
Old_WRX,
here is the thing. In Europe, Russia does support certain parties one way or another. Over there they have multi-party governments. But in US this is impossible. When it comes to what we call propaganda – see no further than, who has more money? Who has more money, that government has mote propaganda. Remember, when O’bama was president, we had this (in my view – stupid) lady, Samantha Power. She is a puppet and a propaganda outlet. One of her roles was “Professor of Practice of Global Leadership and Public Policy”. In other words, professor of propaganda. And her hubby is Cass Sunstein, “United States Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs”. In other words, chief of department of propaganda.
Lets be realistic. Propaganda is one big business and all parties do this. In US, raise of propaganda happened during WWI. The department was created, newspapers were published, agents went around the country and suppressed anti-war leaders. They needed to change public opinion on war.
I like to watch WWII films, as best display of US propaganda. In one film the narrator says, “US soldiers were more than match to Germans”. Then I checked the casualties for that battle. US lost 4 times more soldiers. Although, it is normal 2x losses for the offensive side. In the other film narrator said that MG42 had more bark than bite. While we know that it hardly had any bark due to rate of fire but a lot of bite, for the same reason.
Any way. Biggest “Disinformation Bureau” as I see it, is located in US schools, colleges and television. I think, Russians could never dream about to create such thing. But watch this youtube.com/watch?v=QfvXwuZ-bok
Yes, Boris, let’s eliminate the schools that way Americans will be as dumb as the Russians and so much easier to control
Great plan, Boris
Hiroshima, Twin Towers Collapse, oh my that escalated fast. BTW, 11K or so folks die every day in the US. 325m pop., 75 yr life exp / 365. We have seen no overall spike in death rates among the gen. pop. Death rates are concentrated in NY metro area like 1/3 of all US deaths after Freddo Cuomo forced concentration of COVID into area rest homes. Take NYC metro area out and Covid is not even a blip on the statistical map.
Please use same reasoning for gun violence, remove Chicago, NYC and Houston, and things really change.
Masks are political virtue signaling for those who live by fear not Faith.
What about Nagasaki? And the fall of the Roman empire? I’ll bet they were the fault of CV doubters and conspiracy theorists, too.
Just ask the medical and healthcare professionals in Texas who are not only suffering from ‘burnout’ but also now worried about parts of their system being overwhelmed.
America has now divided along clear lines.
If you believe in science, academic study, the heritage media, and fact checking, you are probably anti-Trump.
If you acquire your information from social media, believe in conspiracies, and doubt academic studies then you are probably pro-Trump.
“TTAC is celebrating the slavery and social oppression of the mask”
And for the past 30 plus years I’ve been wearing masks to keep from contracting deadly pathogens.
Go figure.
I brake for unicorns.
Yeah, sure, because if you kill a unicorn the video will go viral and you’ll be doxxed and cancelled on the spot
If you are wearing a mask, no one will know.
“…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
Thank you all for celebrating my late mother’s birthday .
My neighbor has a HUGE mortar set up and has been entertaining the neighborhood and scaring the crap out of my poor little dog sending up massive star busts .
HAPPY JULY FORTH ! .
BE SAFE .
-Nate
“It’s not a political statement, it’s basic science”
Please enlighten me. What exactly is the evidence that wearing a mask does anything but make the wearer feel better about themselves? N95 masks may protect the wearing from viral particles, but the mask doesn’t filter the exhaled air of the wearer. You’re fooling yourself if you believe a cloth mask is filtering much of anything. Mask wearing is much like the security check points at the airport. Not very effective but it does give the traveling public some sense of security about commercial air travel. Frequent hand washing, avoiding large crowds, especially indoors, and keeping your distance helps in decreasing the spread of COVID-19. I’m not sold on the mask deal.
It’s all spelled out for you here, Bart
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-face-masks
Glad I could help :)
Thanks. I’m familiar with the CDC recommendations. I stand by what I said. Maybe you should read it.
Then why did you ask? Oh, just trying to stir up a little sh!t, huh?
You have a wonderful 4th :)
@Bart Wagner – standard facemasks are designed to stop the wearer from spreading droplets. In other words, protect others from us.
N95’s are designed to protect the wearer from droplets and other fine particulate.
A clothe mask just reduces droplet spread. It helps but does not work as well as a simple mask.
Go to the CDC site or any reputable medical site.
Or continue with what ever partisan flavour of orange coolaid you prefer.
He said he knows, Lou, but can’t be bothered
Bet he doesn’t wear seat belts either :(
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2020836?query=featured_coronavirus
Can we stick to the issues and refrain from the insults?
Bart, after re-reading the comments I fail to see where you were insulted, but imagined slights are common among highly sensitive people. Are you highly sensitive?
Also, from your attached link the conclusion is…
“We therefore strongly support the calls of public health agencies for all people to wear masks when circumstances compel them to be within 6 ft of others for sustained periods.”
A conclusion in line with CDC guidelines
So, did you ever have a point? If so, what was it?
I have no problem with wearing a mask when around others for sustained periods. Driving your car with a mask, taking a walk outside with a mask, or grocery shopping with a mask while keeping your distance, etc is not necessary. Now if you are in a closed space with someone for an extended period of time, (like a doctor’s office) it makes sense.
As to your snide comment about seat belts, how does that add to the discussion?
Not snide, if you’re opposed to government mandated safety precautions such as masks and seatbelts, then own it, no masks, no seatbelts
Your original argument was against wearing masks, period. You have now modified that argument to say sometimes, ok, whatever, do what you want, let the chips fall where they may
Too bad you have so little regard for the well being of others. Have a good day, go run a stop sign
A properly fitted N95 (or better, P95, N100, P100) without an exhalation valve will protect others. None of the masks with exhalation valves will protect others. None of the published stuff about wearing masks seems to mention that masks with exhalation valves (EV) will not protect others. I’ve seen a lot of people with EV’s. Our great authorities have not bothered to provide any instruction on the proper wearing of PPE. Anyone who has worked in an environment requiring PPE knows that it requires both the PPE to be available and the knowledge of how to use the PPE.
Splitting hairs and “whataboutism” is the last refuge of those who are wrong
Grow-up, wear a proper mask
Not a chance ~ every one who refuses to wear a mask is trembling in fear and wants to take everyone else with them .
It’s basic common sense, they’re also lying about the hospitals not filling up, they’re nearly swamped now, of course they’ll have some other crazy assed right wing, ANTI-CONSERVATIVE B.S. excuse when there are no more hospital beds .
It’s always fake, a conspiracy or someone else’s fault for the incredibly stupid things they do .
-Nate
Wearing a mask is not a political statement…
It’s a IQ test
Just ask the medical and healthcare professionals in Texas who are not only suffering from ‘burnout’ but also now worried about parts of their system being overwhelmed.
America has now divided along clear lines.
If you believe in science, academic study, the heritage media, and fact checking, you are probably anti-Trump.
If you acquire your information from social media, believe in conspiracies, and doubt academic studies then you are probably pro-Trump.
And, what, in you Grace’s opinion, would be a proper mask.
You lost me. We are told that the purpose of the MASK is to protect others. Ok, so far? So, that means that one’s exhalations passing through the filter medium is the point of the mask. Check? With a mask with an EV that doesn’t happen. Got it? That would lead to the common sense (if common sense is still allowed) conclusion that a mask with an EV isn’t doing what our great medical authorities are saying the mask is supposed to do. It isn’t protecting others from our noxious emanations. Capisce? As such this point is the antithesis of splitting hairs.
@Lie2me,
I know you’re trying to be irritating. And, you are, touche.
But, it must all be true. Lord knows gummint never lies.
Old_WRX – wrong.
Simple face masks are worn in operating room theatres.
Why?
So the wearer does not transmit organisms to the patient.
N95’s are designed to protect the wearer from inhaling bacteria or virus’s.
SARS-COV-2 the virus that causes COVID-19 is spread in droplets. A mask limits the range those droplets travel through the air.
@Lou_BC,
The point I was trying to make is that a mask without an exhalation valve (a simple mask) will protect other people from contagion you exhale. A mask with an exhalation valve only filters the air coming into the mask. It does not filter exhaled air. The part we are told is important is to filter our exhaled air. So, a mask with an exhalation valve does not fulfill the stated purpose of the mask: to filter exhaled air.
Old WRX – a mask with exhalation valve is the wrong mask to wear to protect others. It still is better than nothing since it reduces the range of which droplets will spread.
Apparently, only approved commenters can leave links to other websites. Interesting…
Let’s see if this works:
http://www.vernoncoleman.com/freezeus.htm
Here Lies the CaddyDaddy…… “chose to live by Faith and not Fear”. That would be Awesome!
“God will protect us from the Coronavirus! And if you order the Silver Solution, you’ll be ready to cure yourself within 12 hours if you do happen to catch it. Call now, before the Gubmint shuts us down! Operators are standing by! And don’t forget, we need your prayers and FINANCIAL SUPPORT!”
“God will protect us from the Coronavirus! ”
How about speeding cars? Here’s a quarter to go play on the expressway, let’s see who wins, God or the cars
(not you, RHD, I know you were making a point)
“God will protect us”…yep, we are foolish for putting all those safety devices in our cars. After all, if “our time hasn’t come” we don’t die…all those lives saved by seatbelts must be a left-wing hoax. God gave us brains – using those brains are how we protect ourselves. I know of several religious people who are dead from Corona virus…how can that be?
God recalls only the best. All other trash he leaves on earth
Don’t need a quarter to play on Expressway, just watch vid of I-5 in Seattle of Jag v. BLM sit in. Anyway, play on interstate get squashed.
@Lie2me,
‘“What exactly did RHD say that was wrong?”
3rd request… still waiting
(HINT: you’re not very good at this game)’
I’m far better at this game than you think: Do some in depth research on your own if you want to know what was wrong with what he said. Check your sources to make sure that they use varied and credible sources, and vet them for conflicts of interest. Almost every source that I have run into has, to some extent, their own ax to grind.
And, I didn’t fail to notice that you avoided answering my question as to whether you really wanted to hear what I had to say. I am forced to assume by that that you don’t. Therefore, I shan’t bore you with my thoughts.
Hahahahahaha!
Ok, buddy, you have a nice evening… and wear your mask ;-)
@Lie2me,
“Hahahahahaha!”
So, you concede.
And, have a nice evening — right back at you.
No shirt, no shoes, no diaper face, no service. All part of the new (or is it perennial) idiocy.
Just ask the medical and healthcare professionals in Texas who are not only suffering from ‘burnout’ but also now worried about parts of their system being overwhelmed.
America has now divided along clear lines.
If you believe in science, academic study, the heritage media, and fact checking, you are probably anti-Trump.
If you acquire your information from social media, believe in conspiracies, and doubt academic studies then you are probably pro-Trump.
@Arthur Dailey,
Then I guess that’s settled once and for all. Not.
Hope that this link is not erased. It compares the effectiveness of different fabrics.
Generally any non N95 mask is worn to protect those around you, rather than the wearer.
However some fabric combinations can create an electrostatic effect which can prevent virus carrying aerosols from penetrating. It is believed that COVID is primarily transferred via airborne aerosols rather than droplets or by contact transfer.
Meanwhile the USA is suffering record number of cases, while the rest of the 1st world is fairing much better. What is the reason for that?
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252
@slavuta,
“Any way. Biggest “Disinformation Bureau” as I see it, is located in US schools, colleges and television.”
True.
Here’s another question you won’t answer, what degree do you have from what college/university?
Lie2me,
“Here’s another question you won’t answer, what degree do you have from what college/university?”
Is that one for me? (This discussion has gotten a bit unwieldy and confusing…)
Amen to that. Please see recent video with youths regarding the meaning of the 4th of July. With the shut down of Public Schools (govt. pandemic) and the product they are passing, canI have a refund on my Prop. Taxes.
– when was declaration of independence signed?
– 1984
’nuff said
I enjoyed my holiday weekend mask free and I interacted with all kinds of people. So did my friends. You wear your mask all you want but for me, no way.
Remember the TV show “Jacka$$”?
Teddy, it wasn’t meant to be a blueprint for living :(
“It’s not a political statement, it’s basic science.” Really? Is this the same science that states a man is a man and a woman is a woman and they can’t be changed into the other? That science? Because that particular science seems to be thrown out the window. And the funny thing is in Pennsylvania that have a health secretary who is a man dressed as and pretending to be a woman telling the citizens about the so called science of wearing a mask. You can’t make this stuff up.
“You can’t make this stuff up.”
Why not? You do
2Lie ME….”You can’t make this stuff up” Don’t need to, teddyc73 is straight up keepin’ it real! Below is an article for the leading LGBTQIA+ mag.
https://www.advocate.com/health/2020/3/30/meet-transgender-doctor-leading-pennsylvanias-covid-19-response
Next time I go Crocodile Dundee on my doc. To make sure she is a girl
@slavuta: Is she an ex russian or east german olympian?
@Lie2me,
Challenge for you: Give some sort of cogent reason for disagreeing rather than just saying “WRONG.” When you just tell whoever it is that they are wrong, but don’t give your reasons for saying so, you diminish your own credibility not theirs.
What does gender or gender identity have to do with wearing a mask to protect others?
SARS-COV-2 is droplet spread. Some argue that it might be airborne but studying transmission (that’s known as science) points back to droplet spread.
Science grows and changes based upon evidence. Not on whether or not you are comfortable with gender identity.