21

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 11/11/2020 11:52:51 »

I have zero reason to doubt the Portuguese figures

So what magic potion are your countrymen using to halve the lethality of the virus?

I dont see many fat slobs around where I live, and people dont get pissed out of their heads when they go out  socializing. Maybe the portuguese were just lucky and the disease didnt get into retirement homes as easily as it did in the UK. Perhaps the majority of the people follow the rules ref social separation. Maybe the English figures are scare mongering.

We must also take into consideration that the disease is not only spread by contact it is spread by assholes, perhaps there are more assholes in the UK

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 20:36:35 »

This applies to a lot of other people who want to get on with their lives and dont see covid as a threat to them personally.

Many people are selfish.
That does not make it a good thing...

Its a fact of life, and needs to be built into any plan. Most teenagers are not known for their compassion, and neither are greedy business people, who want to win big business deals. 

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 20:33:51 »

I dont listen to government reports from the UK as I dont live there, and dont care about the situation outside of where I live.

You seem to hail from Portugal. Interesting. Same size population as Sweden, more reported infections, but only half the number of reported deaths. Someone isn't telling the whole truth.

We have a good health service in Portugal, many Portuguese nurses work in the UK, infact one of Boris Johnsons Covid nursers was Portuguese.

I actually live in the Azores and we have had very few deaths from Covid. Covid was eradicated on all the islands except Sao Miguel a couple of months back, then they allowed travel again, and hay presto covid came back. We currently have very few cases, and no deaths at all on this island. I feel for the people on mainland europe, and the other larger islands in the north atlantic. You are in the crap big time

I have zero reason to doubt the Portuguese figures, and I dont think you have except for some Brexit phobia.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 17:35:25 »

Not my figures, but yesterday's statement from the UK  government statistical service. The worldometer figure is culled from countries with different reporting criteria and in different phases of the disease, but as BC points out, its average is pretty close to the reported UK death rate.

The worldometer table includes such entries as Mexico (9.8% fatality) and the Czech Republic (1.2%), so a large pinch of salt is recommended.

Global Statistics show clearly different people age groups and races are affected differently. I dont listen to government reports from the UK as I dont live there, and dont care about the situation outside of where I live. 

In the unlikely event that a viable vaccine is not going to be developed, how should, would, could society change in the long run. The economy can not work in lock down.

The imposition of effective quarantine will eventually clear any geographical area of a virus. The required period for COVID seems to be not more than 40 days if cases are handled properly. Then you deploy an entry test or vaccination certificate for  anyone entering the area, and gradually amalgamate and expand safe areas.

Because the perimeter/area ratio is an inverse function of radius, the job gets easier as the safe area grows - you can appoint  immigration control personnel as a multiple of r²  but the boundary you need to patrol only increases with r.

Dream on. If you live on a small island maybe as in the carribean. But in a population the size of the UK or any city. People are not going to follow the guidelines for social separation, unless the disease frightens them in doors. Teenagers have more important hormone driven priorities than social separation and trying not to infect someone they dont give a crap about. This applies to a lot of other people who want to get on with their lives and dont see covid as a threat to them personally.

25

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 17:26:25 »

Worldometer is a reasonable source https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ It depends which age group you are in and Alans figures are way off, unless you are looking at pensioners.

Worldometer says about 3.5% Alan said "about 5%" and backed it up with data that said about 3.4%

So everyone agrees- except you...
 
Is that because you don't bother to establish facts?

Alan qouted 5 % across the populationb which is wrong, different age groups are affected differently. I seem to be the only one who read the link from worldometer ref the effects of covid on different age groups.

I think my question was answered on the second post. The rest is just straw man arguments talking crap.

26

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 17:06:42 »

Where are you getting your figures from Alan ?

I don't know about Alan but I got
"Deaths: 1,271,382
Recovered: 36,147,663"
from
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
And that gives about 3.5% which is close enough to 5% for me not to worry too much- given all the uncertainties involved.

Where are you getting your data?

Worldometer is a reasonable source https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/ It depends which age group you are in and Alans figures are way off, unless you are looking at pensioners.

27

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 11:47:04 »

The death rate is about 5% overall. The majority of those who do not require positive ventilation but are discharged with persistent disability after bed rest with supplementary oxygen are in the 40 - 60 age group - those most important to  "the economy".

"Letting the disease rip through the young"  is fine as long as they never come in contact with the old (whom they will infect) , or get old themselves (because unlike mumps and measles, there is no demonstrated longterm immunity).

Where are you getting your figures from Alan ? If the death rate was this high their would be a lot more dead people in the world attributed to covid.

Why does all of society have to be locked down when the majority of society is not vulnerable. There is no long term demonstrated documented level or reinfection. Measles you can get shingles years later. The longterm effects of covid or any vaccine tested might also take years to manifest.

People in the 40 to 60 age group, occupy what positions that could not be better occupied by a ambitious younger more energetic people. If it was people in the 30 to 40 age group being affected would the politicians in charge lock down the economy.

Edit Just locking down the vulnerable, and promoting the 30 to 40 age group into managerial positions in companies to make them less vulnerable to the long term effects of covid might make the economy break out of the imminent recession caused by the lockdown

Again where do you get your figures? Above 45 from what I have read this risk levels start going up, especially if you are not fit or have underlying health issues.

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 10/11/2020 11:35:45 »

As far as I understand it, they eat virtually everything including cats and dogs.

You say that like they are the only ones.
Eating stuff is quite widespread behaviour among humans.

Pandemics are on average every 50 or so years.

Well, I remember SARS, MERS, HIV and covid, so I must be about 200 years old.

More importantly, you are missing the fact that Chinese people (and, obviously, other people too, but we can leave your xenophobia to the side for now) have been eating bats- presumably bats with coronaviruses for centuries before one evolved into a form that significantly affects people.

So the period the virus  has had for mutating is centuries.

I tend to eat anything on a menu that I dont recognize or have not eaten before. If Dog or Cat had been a delicacy where I have been I am sure i would have tried it. I nearly had a rat once being passed of as a big hamster Coy. The americans on the next table said it was a bit bony   Hamsters dont have tails 30cm long, otherwise they do look like big rats when skinned.

HIV only affects a minority of the population, but interestingly there is still no vaccine for it, and people do not become resistant to it. Likewise there is no vaccine yet for covid, although trials are being conducted.

In the unlikely event that a viable vaccine is not going to be developed, how should, would, could society change in the long run. The economy can not work in lock down.

Xenophobia ! not me dude. I like foreigners and foreign food. Perhaps its the politicians who have xenophobia about foreigners with covid or other people on this forum

Speaking of which 

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Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 09/11/2020 18:24:57 »

Controlled how,  to infect whom? Remember it is 20% disabling and 5% fatal, so if you allow it to spread, your immediate family and all their descendants will suffer from an entirely preventable disease. Even if that suits you,  I don't want mine to.

I wasnt suggesting how to control it. But since you ask, I understand it is mainly the weak, and elderley that have problems with covid. What would be wrong, with letting the younger and fitter people get the disease, and get over it. They could go to covid camps, where you get infected with your mates and mostly recover. Once recovered they would then have some immunity to the disease, and would be less likely to spread it the weak.

In India according to https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ they have less than 1% mortality rate, america is up above the 4% mortality level along with some other wealthy countries. Where do you get your data, does it just apply to a particular group of people?

This virus originated in china from something they ate, a bat,..., it appears to jump species and mutate quickly.

The Chinese have been eating bats for  centuries.
What definition of "quickly" are you using?

As far as I understand it, they eat virtually everything including cats and dogs. Ref timescale I was using from bats to chinese to italians to the rest of the world and now mink and back to humans. Pandemics are on average every 50 or so years. Time scale therefore less than a year by these standards is quick. Not centuries eons or nano seconds

30

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Re: How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 09/11/2020 11:37:51 »

This is possible.

Fortunately, unlike several previous rat-borne plagues, humans are now well aware of rats as a disease vector, and use cats and rat-traps to keep them out of our houses (at least, in Western countries).

Pet Cats have caught it from humans. It is likely then that if they are good ratters, they will get it and give to their owners. Gardeners and people who get their hands dirty might easily be in contact with rat dirt that rats have coughed and spluttered over.

This virus originated in china from something they ate, a bat, I understand which is a flying rodent, it appears to jump species and mutate quickly. 

The world will have to change, life expectancy is going to reduce back to 1950's levels. 3 score and 10

Any opinions on what should be done in the future, politically and socially???
The economy will not work if we are in lock down all the time. How will people have relationships.
Should the human race bite the bullet and let the disease spread, in a controlled fashion??

31

Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / How did mink catch Covid-19? And what threat do their mutations pose?

« on: 08/11/2020 18:40:55 »

In view of the recent, covid-19 mutation in minks transmitted to humans, and some pets catching Covid-19 from their owners. Minks are not rodents and are cut and paste “Mustelids belong to the large order Carnivora, which means they are actually more closely related to other members of Carnivora, like dogs, cats and bears, than to rats and mice.” Other members in the weasel family include polecats, badgers, minks, martens, black-footed ferrets, wolverines and otters"

How did the mink get covid? Human to mink transmission or some other route?

I understand in the UK ,sewage has been monitored to locate covid-19 outbreaks. I have not checked this little factoid, but see know reason why I might have been misinformed.

Rats live in sewers, could rats contract a mutation of covid-19. They have in the past been responsible for transmitting plagues, and are everywhere. Rats do not obey social distancing rules made by politicians, if they contracted the disease or a mutation, could they overcome human social distancing  rules?

32

General Science / Re: The amount of daylight in summer and winter?..

« on: 20/10/2020 13:52:24 »

There isn't.

At the equator the day length is almost the same all year round. As you approach the poles seasonal fluctuations are more noticeable.

Perhaps the OP lives near the equator.

33

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Why do even non-believers pray or appeal to God in times of need?

« on: 19/10/2020 20:05:26 »

Poor deluded child !

Lack of promile of understanding

Due to my lack of knowledge of the english language I checked my oxford dictionary. Not only are you deluding yourself you are making up imaginary words.

34

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Herd immunity to Covid19, and possibly Covid-20, Covid-21, and Covid-22?

« on: 19/10/2020 19:53:12 »

My mother-in-law talked about the "elderly people" in the retirement village where she is living... and she was already over 90 years old.

Elderly is relative, ie anyone older than you!

I understand that when the pandemic came down hard in Northern Italy, respirators were in such short supply that they were denied to everyone over 40. Would you have qualified for a respirator?

Some people are elderley at 20 years old. The reason I stated over 45 is becuase your chances start going down hill at this age, due to underlying health issues etc.

I dont think I will need a resperator if I get it, I rarily get ill.

35

Cells, Microbes & Viruses / Re: Herd immunity to Covid19, and possibly Covid-20, Covid-21, and Covid-22?

« on: 17/10/2020 20:36:43 »

- There are many people who take months to recover from a bout of COVID-19. That will have a long-lasting burden on society and the economy.

By "flattening the curve", we are allowing more time to develop and test improved treatments, so that those who are infected are more likely to recover, and to face fewer long-term health impacts.

Like everything, there is a tradeoff between the economic & health impacts of different approaches.
- Different countries will take different approaches
- At the end, we may be able to look back and see which ones were more effective
- In the end, it comes back to "how much is a life worth?" (and some will ask "how much is an old life worth?")

What cost the Pandemic? Global Recession?

Which generation is going to pay for the borrowing to artificially support stock markets?

Which generation has the most to lose from the Pandemic?

Stock Market collapse caused by recession means many pensions are lost.

Lock down means no new social relationships, sex is a massive motivator for the young.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/10/16/federal-deficit-triples-429911

Should the younger generation be forced to stop enjoying their lives, to protect the elderly indefinitely who are inevitably destined to die in the near future of one cause or another > elderly those over 45 

36

Physiology & Medicine / Re: Why do even non-believers pray or appeal to God in times of need?

« on: 17/10/2020 19:58:32 »

Why do even unbelieving people pray or ask in time of need?

Poor deluded child !

37

Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology / Re: Diamonds are well hard aren't they?

« on: 17/10/2020 19:51:49 »

Hi, I also heard that they are super strong but they have one drawback they are fragile as I know.

Not unless they are fakes

38

Technology / Re: Which electric motor is best for electric bikes and scooters?

« on: 15/10/2020 18:57:03 »

In 30 years we could be out of Lithium

Where will it have gone?

The scrap yard!.
I read lithium ion batteries couldnt be recycled, so the lithium is lost. The article I Iinked to above is just one of many, which attempt to guesstimate how long the resource will last. They all have different guesstimates.

39

Technology / Re: Which electric motor is best for electric bikes and scooters?

« on: 15/10/2020 16:21:26 »

As  large electric motorbike have the same magnetic brushless motors as small city cars will  use then the batteries should be interchangeable.  Standardization of voltages and there sockets is a must. Electric vehicles should have a built in trickle charger for small runabout city cars and garages should carry a stock of Lithium ion batteries that can be exchanged quickly.
 Maximum electric city mileage only 20 miles so smallish battery. 
For out of town motorway mileage use a Hybrid, petrol engine with 200 mile range but switch to electric in the city with 20 mile limit as only a small battery..

The bottom line, according to Argonne National Laboratory, is that “the available materials will not be depleted in the foreseeable future. … Known lithium reserves could meet world demand to 2050.”
https://blog.energybrainpool.com/en/is-there-enough-lithium-to-feed-the-need-for-batteries/

In 30 years we could be out of Lithium, what then? Back to square one or Hydrogen fuel cells?

40

Geology, Palaeontology & Archaeology / Re: What produces this strange chipped pattern on the surface of this stone?

« on: 14/10/2020 17:55:55 »

Trump? Trump?
How dare you use that foul word sir?

There are much ruder words for a fart.

A Trump might be a fart in England, but a Johnson is something you pee with in America.