Elon Musk is a nice chap

[tooki]

The democrats throw a bone to the poor in a combination of virtue signalling and to buy votes but almost nothing they do actually helps any of the poor get back on their feet.

How would we even know? With the GOP blocking damned near everything, it’s categorically impossible to even attempt anything to actually help the poor (or middle class).

[tom66]

The whole political system in the US is broken because the two parties refuse to cooperate on almost anything, and one party insists that the other stole the election.  I think those types of situations take a long time to dissipate, it requires the leadership of both major parties to be shaken up.  Compromise is part of politics, and the US is quite a right wing country (land of capitalism, yee-haw), so inevitably it will end up with two very similar parties whilst the two party system persists, as both parties need to appeal to the electorate sufficiently to get a majority-winning vote.  Longer term it would be nice to see every country address problems with its voting system and move to a PR-type system, but with the politicians in charge not wanting to give up the power they have, it seems exceedingly unlikely to happen any time soon.

[TimFox]

In high school, we were taught that "party politics" resulted from like-minded people forming a political party to advocate their ideas and legislate accordingly.
In the last few decades in the US, this has been replaced by "partisan politics", where political parties choose issues to advocate (and nonsense to broadcast) in order to stay in power.
When the US Constitution was written, most of the serious thinkers were leery of "faction", and hoped the new republic could avoid that.
That lasted less than eight years, after the Washington administration.

[Zero999]

Despite the drastic cut in staff, Twitter still appears to be working and is attracting more people, than the few high profile users who've left.

[james_s]

Despite the drastic cut in staff, Twitter still appears to be working and is attracting more people, than the few high profile users who've left.

That's not really saying much. I don't know what will happen in the long run but what you are saying is along the same lines as "Despite firing my mechanic, my car still appears to be working and I'm driving it more miles than ever!" It's not going to just stop working, but let's wait for something to break and see how they respond to it. It has not been nearly enough time to see the impact.

[Zero999]

Despite the drastic cut in staff, Twitter still appears to be working and is attracting more people, than the few high profile users who've left.

That's not really saying much. I don't know what will happen in the long run but what you are saying is along the same lines as "Despite firing my mechanic, my car still appears to be working and I'm driving it more miles than ever!" It's not going to just stop working, but let's wait for something to break and see how they respond to it. It has not been nearly enough time to see the impact.

Yes, fair point. It does appear there were too many staff not going much, but he might have gotten rid of some good people who contributed to the maintenance of Twitter. It's quite likely he's also hiring, as well as firing. Time will tell.

[RJSV]

My PREDICTION:
   As Fauchi questions loom, regarding handling of U.S. Health policies....Watch THIS thread start vearing / expanding.  "What's that got to do with Musk ?" You ask.
   Musk...bad.
   Alex Jones crazy, (conspiracies).
   ...therefore Trump bad.

  Then why Fauchi ?  Because, come January, Fauchi questioning (by House Republicans), he might need some defensive cover, there.

Maybe long-winded defense comes up, here.
(Thanks, for readers previous post, for the 'guilt by association' tactic).

[RJSV]

(That was wraper mentioned the 'guilt by association' thing, thanks wraper).
   Oh yeah, and don't forget the U.S. border crisis:
  NO SHOT REQUIRED, upon entry.  Funny that, it's like, suddenly, there is no COVID.
I can't speak to any COVID protocol or procedure, when border crosser 'encounters' happen, with patrols...no real press coverage on that, so I'm not sure. Probably, border patrol has a protocol, for offering (vax or boosters);...but they're coming across, and in, regardless.

[tom66]

Hasn't Dr Fauci already testified in front of the house?  I remember it happened last year and it was a total nothingburger because it turns out the man has pretty much been on point throughout the pandemic.  The worst mistake he made was telling people masks didn't work then changing his mind, but early data was that Covid was not spread particularly through aerosol droplets,  but by small airborne particles, which masks (well, cheap surgical and fabric ones at least) don't provide much protection against.  So it was the right decision at the time with what was known.  It also had the probably intentional side effect of ensuring the medical staff could get them first, FAR more important.  What else is there to criticise?  He couldn't control states' behaviour over lockdowns, he was only providing advice.  Really, the hatred towards this man is shocking.

[Ed.Kloonk]

Tom, follow the money. 

[wraper]

Hasn't Dr Fauci already testified in front of the house?  I remember it happened last year and it was a total nothingburger because it turns out the man has pretty much been on point throughout the pandemic.  The worst mistake he made was telling people masks didn't work then changing his mind, but early data was that Covid was not spread particularly through aerosol droplets,  but by small airborne particles, which masks (well, cheap surgical and fabric ones at least) don't provide much protection against.  So it was the right decision at the time with what was known.  It also had the probably intentional side effect of ensuring the medical staff could get them first, FAR more important.  What else is there to criticise?  He couldn't control states' behaviour over lockdowns, he was only providing advice.  Really, the hatred towards this man is shocking.

He was testifying like Zuckerberg, blabbering some nonsense while not answering the actual questions honestly. If he had nothing to hide, why would evade answering the questions?

[coppice]

Hasn't Dr Fauci already testified in front of the house?  I remember it happened last year and it was a total nothingburger because it turns out the man has pretty much been on point throughout the pandemic.  The worst mistake he made was telling people masks didn't work then changing his mind, but early data was that Covid was not spread particularly through aerosol droplets,  but by small airborne particles, which masks (well, cheap surgical and fabric ones at least) don't provide much protection against.  So it was the right decision at the time with what was known.  It also had the probably intentional side effect of ensuring the medical staff could get them first, FAR more important.  What else is there to criticise?  He couldn't control states' behaviour over lockdowns, he was only providing advice.  Really, the hatred towards this man is shocking.

He was testifying like Zuckerberg, blabbering some nonsense while not answering the actual questions honestly. If he had nothing to hide, why would evade answering the questions?

It was worse than that. He treated the questioners with contempt, and played god. I am science. You are plebs.

[james_s]

It was worse than that. He treated the questioners with contempt, and played god. I am science. You are plebs.

Generally speaking I'd agree with him there. Most of the population is totally clueless about medicine, infectious disease and science in general. You'd probably get annoyed if you were being grilled about something engineering related by a clueless blowhard from the general public.

[TimFox]

It was worse than that. He treated the questioners with contempt, and played god. I am science. You are plebs.

Generally speaking I'd agree with him there. Most of the population is totally clueless about medicine, infectious disease and science in general. You'd probably get annoyed if you were being grilled about something engineering related by a clueless blowhard from the general public.

I totally understand Dr Fauci's impatience with some questions. 
The classic Dr Fauci image is when he was on stage with Trump during one of Trump's silly comments.
https://www.businessinsider.com/dr-anthony-fauci-did-a-facepalm-during-trumps-coronavirus-briefing-2020-3
Vendors responded by issuing bobblehead dolls and T-shirts with this image.
A scholarly article about the rhetorical implications thereof stated:
"Anthony Fauci, an infectious disease expert in the White House's coronavirus task force, is challenged to offer responsible public communication of science despite working under a habitual liar who has no tolerance for criticism or dissent. Fauci manages this rhetorical exigence by using strategic ambiguity, the topos of the honest broker, dissociation, and a narrative that constrains executive decision making."

[coppice]

It was worse than that. He treated the questioners with contempt, and played god. I am science. You are plebs.

Generally speaking I'd agree with him there. Most of the population is totally clueless about medicine, infectious disease and science in general. You'd probably get annoyed if you were being grilled about something engineering related by a clueless blowhard from the general public.

If I sit down with non-experts in my field I try to remember that I am not an expert in theirs, and try to find explanations that make sense to them. Fauci just acted like a complete arrogant dickhead. He is not science. Science is a process, and he has a long history of not following it. The guy should have been pushed to the side for what happened during previous medical problems, like AIDS.

[james_s]

If I sit down with non-experts in my field I try to remember that I am not an expert in theirs, and try to find explanations that make sense to them. Fauci just acted like a complete arrogant dickhead. He is not science. Science is a process, and he has a long history of not following it. The guy should have been pushed to the side for what happened during previous medical problems, like AIDS.

Many of the people he's dealing with are also arrogant dickheads despite not being experts in his field. I don't care about his personality, I value his expertise and I don't blame him at all for being frustrated, remember who his boss was, few can hold a candle to that man's arrogance.

[wraper]

If I sit down with non-experts in my field I try to remember that I am not an expert in theirs, and try to find explanations that make sense to them. Fauci just acted like a complete arrogant dickhead. He is not science. Science is a process, and he has a long history of not following it. The guy should have been pushed to the side for what happened during previous medical problems, like AIDS.

Many of the people he's dealing with are also arrogant dickheads despite not being experts in his field. I don't care about his personality, I value his expertise and I don't blame him at all for being frustrated, remember who his boss was, few can hold a candle to that man's arrogance.

Rand Paul is a licensed physician. And Fauci was totally disrespectful towards him.

Here is an example why Fauchi is full of shit.

[PlainName]

I thought Fauci in that was quite moderate in the face of naked hostility.

The senator is obviously confusing flu with coronavirus - they are not the same. We also know that having been infected doesn't confer immunity from getting it again, and that's one reason for the boosters. Further, the virus mutates so you may have some immunity (that is, you can still catch it but the effects won't be so bad this time) from a previous infection, but that doesn't confer the same level of immunity with a different mutation.

The senator also doesn't seem to realise who regulates the stuff. And I am also 100% postitive that he is well versed in both not answering questions and hiding where his funds come from.

[tom66]

If I sit down with non-experts in my field I try to remember that I am not an expert in theirs, and try to find explanations that make sense to them. Fauci just acted like a complete arrogant dickhead. He is not science. Science is a process, and he has a long history of not following it. The guy should have been pushed to the side for what happened during previous medical problems, like AIDS.

A very Republican talking point - criticising Fauci on AIDS - but look at the actual history.

At the time he was head of the NIAID and investigating AIDS very little was known about the disease.  It wasn't known until 1984 - the year Fauci became director - that it could be linked to HIV.  It was known to be very common in gay communities and therefore Fauci's commentary was "gay sex is risky".  This was factually correct,  but incited a fire in the community at the time.  Later, he led successful outreach programs in the LGBT community to tackle the spread of AIDS.  In fact,  Larry Kramer, a former serious critic of Fauci's (to the point of openly stating he wished Fauci would die) later stated that Fauci was "the only true and great hero" in the AIDS epidemic.

[wraper]

I thought Fauci in that was quite moderate in the face of naked hostility.

The senator is obviously confusing flu with coronavirus - they are not the same. We also know that having been infected doesn't confer immunity from getting it again, and that's one reason for the boosters. Further, the virus mutates so you may have some immunity (that is, you can still catch it but the effects won't be so bad this time) from a previous infection, but that doesn't confer the same level of immunity with a different mutation.

The senator also doesn't seem to realise who regulates the stuff. And I am also 100% postitive that he is well versed in both not answering questions and hiding where his funds come from.

Did you actually listen what Rand Paul said? The most important thing he said was that in basically all of the vaccine efficiency studies was ignored if there was a previous COVID infection. While Fauci himself previously told that infection is the best vaccine when talking about virus. The second important thing is that Fauci was previously repeatedly questioned if anyone in vaccine commitee is recieving royalties from farmaceutical companies and the reply was he will not provide that info. Fauci did not reply anything of substance. As of attitude of Rand paul, it was largely because of previous interactions with Fauci when he was on much higher ground.

We also know that having been infected doesn't confer immunity from getting it again

And neither any vaccines/boosters

[PlainName]

While Fauci himself previously told that infection is the best vaccine when talking about virus.

He said it was the best if you couldn't have the vaccine. Also, (he didn't say this but it should be obvious) if the infection kills you it's not really used to then have immunity.

We also know that having been infected doesn't confer immunity from getting it again

And neither any vaccines/boosters

They reduce the affects of an infection. Without having to get infected.

[wraper]

While Fauci himself previously told that infection is the best vaccine when talking about virus.

He said it was the best if you couldn't have the vaccine.

No, watch again. Fauci said you don't need a (flu) vaccine if you had an infection. The question was why previous COVID infection was not taken into account in government funded studies of vaccine efficiency.

They reduce the affects of an infection. Without having to get infected.

The problem is that it was not studied if vaccines give any advantage after there already was a previous infection as it was not taken into account. So 80% of children already had COVID infection and must be jabbed without studies if it gives any significant advantage in case when there was a previous infection. And Rand Paul then said vaccine hesitancy comes in a large part beause of this, watch from 3:45-4:30. Do not forget there is already a long list of known side effects, many of them quite serious. So mandating eveyone to take them without ever studiing if they actually need them is a piss poor job.

[james_s]

People are such babies. I get not wanting to be forced, but to me getting vaccinated was a no-brainer, it didn't take an infectious disease expert to make it obvious to me that the small chances of a side effect from the vaccine were vastly outweighed by the clearly visible consequences and totally unknown long term effects of an infection. I don't know if it was because of the vaccine or because I'm lucky but I've been exposed to people that tested positive for Covid several times and so far I have not been properly sick with anything since the start of the pandemic. I have several friends that have been seriously ill with Covid, two of them had it twice, a whole bunch of coworkers have had it and were very sick for weeks, and I know one person my age who was anti-vax, he died of Covid early last year.

[wraper]

People are such babies. I get not wanting to be forced, but to me getting vaccinated was a no-brainer, it didn't take an infectious disease expert to make it obvious to me that the small chances of a side effect from the vaccine were vastly outweighed by the clearly visible consequences and totally unknown long term effects of an infection. I don't know if it was because of the vaccine or because I'm lucky but I've been exposed to people that tested positive for Covid several times and so far I have not been properly sick with anything since the start of the pandemic. I have several friends that have been seriously ill with Covid, two of them had it twice, a whole bunch of coworkers have had it and were very sick for weeks, and I know one person my age who was anti-vax, he died of Covid early last year.

The problem is that children very rarely have heavy infection cases and the vast majority already had it anyway. Also they experience more side effects than adults, including rare death cases. Any advantages are questionable to say the least, and there were no proper studies of efficacy compared to/after natural infection. I took 2 jabs of Pfizer and do not plan any more. COVID mutated into a way less lethal form and i'm not going to take a jab of experimental vaccine every few months.

[coppice]

People are such babies. I get not wanting to be forced, but to me getting vaccinated was a no-brainer, it didn't take an infectious disease expert to make it obvious to me that the small chances of a side effect from the vaccine were vastly outweighed by the clearly visible consequences and totally unknown long term effects of an infection.

Why did you assess the risks as small? mRNA therapies have a problematic history, and had never previously been deployed at scale. They have such a problematic history that the well funded Moderna was on the point of bankruptcy, because nothing was working out for them. I didn't take the mRNA vaccine, because I'm an engineer. I've seen far too many serious teething troubles with new technologies. A very conventional vaccine I would have taken without much thought. I eventually took the Moderna vaccine when other personal medical issues tilted the balance in favour of me taking it.