Interesting Links for 18-02-2021

[andrewducker]

Edinburgh tram extension: First tram tracks laid in Leith Walk

(tags:Edinburgh trams )

Half of men have had unwanted sexual experiences, UK study finds

(tags:abuse boys men children rape UK OhForFucksSake )

Critical Thinking Isn't Just a Process

(tags:thinking advice )

How To Fight A Baby

(tags:video babies funny viaMyBrotherHugh )

Facebook says it will stop people viewing or sharing news in Australia

(tags:Facebook news Australia )

Citibank just got a $500 million lesson in the importance of UI design

(tags:ui epicfail finance )

Large majority of Britons dissatisfied with Boris Johnson's Brexit deal (49% want to be closer, 24% happy, 12% move further away. 15% don't know)

(tags:polls UK Europe )

What Makes For A "Meaningful" Death In Fiction?

(tags:meaning fiction death psychology )

The world's second-most popular desktop operating system isn't macOS anymore

(tags:operatingsystems osx chrome )

Why there is no 'one-size-fits-all' treatment for asthma

(tags:asthma )

What do we know about the safety of reopening schools?

(tags:pandemic schools )

Comments

[movingfinger]

I remain confused and intrigued by the official position that coronavirus isn't a problem in schoolrooms, largely because of my practical in-world experience with norovirus, influenza virus, head lice, myriad strains of the common cold, etc. Articles about it seem to be largely composed of officials assuring us that it isn't a problem. I want to know what makes it not a problem and what assures us that, unlike some other viruses, there aren't potential long-term adverse effects on children's health. And a lot of it just seems to handwave past risk to teachers. At least the article linked here mentions the more transmissible strain.

If waiting two months longer to get more vaccines into communities improves the outlook and public-health situation in schools hugely, I'd prefer to wait, but all I have to go on is gut feeling and innate caution/risk avoidance.

[calimac]

Not having children, I have no experience with this since my own childhood, but as a (former) frequent traveler, I think the same way about airplanes. We're assured that air circulation is strong enough there that it will prevent much transmission, but I've never felt a breeze inside an airplane, and I've never traveled within a couple rows of somebody obviously coughing or sneezing and not soon come down with it myself. So I'm very skeptical of anyone who says that airplanes are (even relatively) safe from covid.

[errolwi]

The aircraft is probably the safest location per minute in your journey. As a practical matter, there is plenty of empirical evidence that catching C-19 in the course of a journey that includes a multi-hour flight happens - due to the testing before and after for flights to places like Singapore, AU and NZ.

[naath]

Children rarely get really sick (or even a bit sick) with C19; and some people have mistook "no symptoms" for "no transmission"

[melita66]

I don't quite trust it either. I have 2 3rd graders and their district is starting to look at having some
in-person schooling. I'm at risk of severe covid-19 symptoms due to underlying conditions and so is their dad. Right now I don't think I would allow them to go back until their dad and I are vaccinated at minimum. I'd prefer it if the kids were vaccinated as well.

The district has stated that they've installed plastic shields around desks, have tons of masks for use but people can use their own, upgraded HVAC systems and filters, are working to get all employees vaccinated, and some other issues like how to handle arrival/departure from school. I assume they wouldn't have recess and would eat at their desks.

But, yeah, not taking any chances with this thing.

[calimac]

"Critical Thinking Isn't Just a Process" is hardly a sufficient headline, since the better part of it is a detailed analysis of "What Was Going on with Trump and Covid, Anyway?" Fascinating.

[lilysea]

So, Australia's current Government, the LNP [the Liberal Party and the National Party. Don't be fooled by the word "Liberal", the LNP is Australia's equivalent to the Republicans/Tories. Our Democrat equivalent is the ALP], basically does whatever Rupert Murdoch asks it to.

And recently, Murdoch asked it to shakedown Google and Facebook for $$$ whenever people shared news articles. So the LNP passed legislation allowing this.

And Google initially said no, but eventually said, "Okay, here's your money"
And Facebook said, "Nup!"

And then yesterday morning Facebook blocked A WHOLE BUNCH OF FACEBOOK SITES THAT WERE NOT NEWS SITES

including

the Bureau of Meteorology during a flood;

several different fire and emergency response sites during bushfire season - these are sites that people rely on to tell them when to evacuate so that they don't die;

several different Australian government health websites during a pandemic;

several different local health service providers during a pandemic, including a children's hospital;

a Facebook group that was striving to overcome vaccine hesitancy among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders just before the vaccine roll out;
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-18/facebook-ban-feared-dangerous-for-indigenous-vaccine-rollout/13166658

several domestic violence emergency-help organisations;

several different cancer sites;

and more...

Some of these sites have now been unblocked, but many of them have not been.

[andrewducker]

What a mess!

[lilysea]

A thread of non-news organisations caught in the Facebook ban
Not exhaustive, but gives you an idea
https://twitter.com/cog_ink/status/1362173998696566790

[melchar]

Fighting babies ... is all fun & games until you get scratched right in the eyeball. *cringes*