Plan b on football season

[Coug90]

The only thing that could prove you wrong is the accelerated number of tests being done into the millions because not even healthcare workers and front line responders are being tested in high numbers at the moment. As Gates said...testing is not being prioritized at the moment. During the month of February...no planning was going on.

Nah, we were helping China with supplies
https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-announces-assistance-to-combat-the-novel-coronavirus/
17.8 billion tons...Let that sink in considering what was being communicated to Americans at the time and the clusterf&@$ we are in right now.

 

[AncientCoug]

Nah, we were helping China with supplies
https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-announces-assistance-to-combat-the-novel-coronavirus/
17.8 billion tons...Let that sink in considering what was being communicated to Americans at the time and the clusterf&@$ we are in right now.

Apparently Pompeo believed the boss when he said “we have everything under control”, “anyone who wants a test can get a test”, “we pretty much shut it down coming in from a China”, “its going to disappear one day like a miracle”, and “we are ready for it we are really prepared”.

 

[dgibbons]

Nah, we were helping China with supplies
https://www.state.gov/the-united-states-announces-assistance-to-combat-the-novel-coronavirus/
17.8 billion tons...Let that sink in considering what was being communicated to Americans at the time and the clusterf&@$ we are in right now.

17.8 tons. Not 17.8 billion tons.

 

[chugspig]

When we can switch to serological testing for antibodies and do it rapidly is when we will know when/if we open back up. Even as deaths diminish and new cases fall, we have to be able to prove that there will be some sort of immunity. That variable will be mixed with how low we drive our death rates by developing quality treatments (immuno suppressants, anti-virals, anti bacterials for secondary infections) etc. and as they learn more about it’s true spread routes related to aerosol/surfaces and viral loads.

I think it’s safe to say even as people go back to work we will still likely have advisories and restrictions in many areas regarding travel/gatherings etc.

Best case scenario we find out that tons of folks have had this with minimal issues and we can basically tell older folks to wear masks and quarantine for the most part. Things open back up in April and May and later in May we comfortable reopening social spots and gatherings.

 

[froropmkr72]

When we can switch to serological testing for antibodies and do it rapidly is when we will know when/if we open back up. Even as deaths diminish and new cases fall, we have to be able to prove that there will be some sort of immunity. That variable will be mixed with how low we drive our death rates by developing quality treatments (immuno suppressants, anti-virals, anti bacterials for secondary infections) etc. and as they learn more about it’s true spread routes related to aerosol/surfaces and viral loads.

I think it’s safe to say even as people go back to work we will still likely have advisories and restrictions in many areas regarding travel/gatherings etc.

Best case scenario we find out that tons of folks have had this with minimal issues and we can basically tell older folks to wear masks and quarantine for the most part. Things open back up in April and May and later in May we comfortable reopening social spots and gatherings.

The modeling predicts between 100-200,000 deaths based on lord knows how many tests they have to run. To keep the death rate at 1.5%, 10 million would have to test positive over the coming months. That's not any time soon. Long ways to go.

 

[BiggsCoug]

I was just on video chat with a friend of mine. I watched as she was told a friend of hers had just died from the coronavirus.

 

[froropmkr72]

I was just on video chat with a friend of mine. I watched as she was told a friend of hers had just died from the coronavirus.

There's no liking that. I'm very sorry for your friend. This is hopefully the most tragic thing in our life time.

 

[ttowncoug]

China will get the vaccine. They will fast track it with human testing.

 

[froropmkr72]

China will get the vaccine. They will fast track it with human testing.

And you trust them because? I hope redemption played a large part of this.

 

[AncientCoug]

China will get the vaccine. They will fast track it with human testing.

You may be right but only because they would think nothing of having a prison provide “volunteers” to do testing. Half would get a vaccine, half would get a placebo and all would get a snoot full of Corona virus. I don’t think we would be at the top of their list for sharing even if they do prove a vaccine though.

 

[kayak15]

Just so everyone is on the same page....

Yes, a vaccine is what Gib noted above. And those are virus-specific and take time to develop, even if test conditions are relaxed.

A treatment is not a bad thing; if we had something that worked for those with the worst symptoms, it is almost as good as having a vaccine. It won't eradicate the disease, as Gib correctly notes. But it will allow the disease to run its course until a sufficient number have achieved at least temporary immunity, while minimizing deaths. A vaccine will be needed to end this regardless, but the gun is no longer at our head to do so if we have an effective treatment. And because the medical community is trying a boatload of stuff developed for other diseases, if we roll the dice lucky we might find something that was not specific to this virus, but which works. Or at least mitigates the danger to some degree. Even if there is some risk of collateral damage to other organs...there will be times when that risk is worthwhile. Unfortunately, most treatments are most effective the earlier they are used. Which means if you wait until the last minute, even something that is effective if used in time may not work. Understanding the trade-offs and risks is critical to using any treatment prior to the last minute, "Hail Mary" moment. And it takes some time to get that info, even if some anecdotal successes are suspected.

Well stated. We do not know today what really works well and what is only an outlier. As cr8zy noted, it currently falls into the area of risk-reward analysis.

 

[kayak15]

We have results coming in as we speak: it is working at almost 100% with no known side affects. Why not move forward while the controlled studies are done? The FDA hurts more people than it helps.

Do not know about the 100% success rate but the side effects are known. The side effects of chloroquine are usually minor but in my own case were more severe. Fever, chills, tremors. Stopped after about three days with no lasting damage but taken over a longer period of time may have been more pernicious. More data is needed about this and other methods of treatment. I am cautiously optimistic that a cure or at least a modification of symptoms will be discovered in the near future. An effective vaccine will take considerable longer.

 

[425cougfan]

Do not know about the 100% success rate but the side effects are known. The side effects of chloroquine are usually minor but in my own case were more severe. Fever, chills, tremors. Stopped after about three days with no lasting damage but taken over a longer period of time may have been more pernicious. More data is needed about this and other methods of treatment. I am cautiously optimistic that a cure or at least a modification of symptoms will be discovered in the near future. An effective vaccine will take considerable longer.

I'm no doctor and agree with the overall message, but isn't fever (severe, causing chills at the same time) also a symptom of COVID-19? I understand retinal damage is a side effect of chloroquinine, in any event.

 

[Observer11]

I'm no doctor and agree with the overall message, but isn't fever (severe, causing chills at the same time) also a symptom of COVID-19? I understand retinal damage is a side effect of chloroquinine, in any event.

Another symptom of COVID-19 is death.

Not worried about side effects if I was knocking on death's door.

 

[earldacoug]

Many are saying Test and Trace is the most thorough and effective way to combat this. But USA is different than other countries . Numerous rights would be challenged, I'd wager.

But again, our state doesn't have enough money to help the homeless, as an example. How would they enforce it? Prior to this pandemic, homelessness was a major issue. Numbers were skyrocketing. If a portion of our population are able to run freely, and by permission of our very liberal governor, I don't think that's anywhere near the scope of possibility, right now. The whole point behind Test and Trace is being 100% complete. They've already thrown that out the window, it seems.

If we didn’t run empty buses all over our suburbs and the same around the Olympic peninsula, we’d have plenty of money to help the homeless.

 

[chugspig]

If we didn’t run empty buses all over our suburbs and the same around the Olympic peninsula, we’d have plenty of money to help the homeless.

can’t wait to see the extra fees they propose, we vote on and turn down, and they still impose to collect extra money to make up for this long drop in revenue. I paid 500$ this year just in RTA taxes with one new and one 20 year old vehicle. A 2000 CVR cost 115$ in rta taxes at 1% the depreciated value. Crooks

 

[Flatlandcoug]

can’t wait to see the extra fees they propose, we vote on and turn down, and they still impose to collect extra money to make up for this long drop in revenue. I paid 500$ this year just in RTA taxes with one new and one 20 year old vehicle. A 2000 CVR cost 115$ in rta taxes at 1% the depreciated value. Crooks

Bitching about vehicle registration fees is a national past time. I paid almost $1100 in tregistrarion fees on two cars here in Kansas (2 years old and 6 years old). My 12 year old pickup is still over $200 per year on top of that. In total, I paid over $1,800 on the five vehicles we own overall.

It sucks, but even in a small state like Kansas, we spend over a billion dollars per year on roads. Washington faces challenges that far outweigh Kansas when it comes to that.

Complaining about car fees is an old habit based on a time when the state really was criminal in how they handled registration fees. The costs today are less than half what they were 20 years ago when the complaints made sense.

 

[COUGinNCW]

Bitching about vehicle registration fees is a national past time. I paid almost $1100 in tregistrarion fees on two cars here in Kansas (2 years old and 6 years old). My 12 year old pickup is still over $200 per year on top of that. In total, I paid over $1,800 on the five vehicles we own overall.

It sucks, but even in a small state like Kansas, we spend over a billion dollars per year on roads. Washington faces challenges that far outweigh Kansas when it comes to that.

Complaining about car fees is an old habit based on a time when the state really was criminal in how they handled registration fees. The costs today are less than half what they were 20 years ago when the complaints made sense.

A miles traveled tax with a vehicle weight component fee would be the most fair way to pay for the roads.

 

[Coug90]

A miles traveled tax with a vehicle weight component fee would be the most fair way to pay for the roads.

Living on the east side now I’d suggest ramping up the road maintenance fee for studs 10 fold (or just outlawing them all together). You just don’t need them anymore...the studless winter tires are light years ahead of where they were 5-10 years ago. My work car is a Camry and it does better in snow and ice with my studless snow tires than my old Subaru did and a couple of other vehicles I had studs on. You couldn’t pay me to go back to studs.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Living on the east side now I’d suggest ramping up the road maintenance fee for studs 10 fold (or just outlawing them all together). You just don’t need them anymore...the studless winter tires are light years ahead of where they were 5-10 years ago. My work car is a Camry and it does better in snow and ice with my studless snow tires than my old Subaru did and a couple of other vehicles I had studs on. You couldn’t pay me to go back to studs.

That is interesting. I haven't lived in ice country in years. Educate me. Are the studless winter tires now actually better on ice than the studded? How do they grab? I can envision the right tread doing pretty well on compact snow, but ice?

 

[Coug90]

That is interesting. I haven't lived in ice country in years. Educate me. Are the studless winter tires now actually better on ice than the studded? How do they grab? I can envision the right tread doing pretty well on compact snow, but ice?

Yes and yes. They are incredible. My dad is an Eagle Scout ultra prepared type, even in Seattle we always had the studs on the cars in the winter. I had em on my truck every winter in Pullman with the sandbags in the back. Last winter in Spokane was a bad one, saddled up the Camry with 4 of the new blizzaks. Never had better better traction, and we had it all last winter, snow, ice, they grip everything, going up hill, stopping down hill. The technology in the newest siped tires is impressive, wouldn’t go back.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

Yes and yes. They are incredible. My dad is an Eagle Scout ultra prepared type, even in Seattle we always had the studs on the cars in the winter. I had em on my truck every winter in Pullman with the sandbags in the back. Last winter in Spokane was a bad one, saddled up the Camry with 4 of the new blizzaks. Never had better better traction, and we had it all last winter, snow, ice, they grip everything, going up hill, stopping down hill. The technology in the newest siped tires is impressive, wouldn’t go back.

Awesome! I never know what I might learn on this site. Thanks for the info!

 

[Coug90]

Awesome! I never know what I might learn on this site. Thanks for the info!

No prob! I’m sure that some others will have another point of view on this, but this is what I can share from personal experience. Not sure there was a driving condition I didn’t run into last winter.

 

[95coug]

A miles traveled tax with a vehicle weight component fee would be the most fair way to pay for the roads.

Depends on how you define "fair." A per-mile tax would effectively punish people for living in rural areas.

To blunt that, a fee structure should charge every vehicle a base fee including a baseline number of miles. Above that number of miles, there could be a per-mile fee. And yes, the fee should also increase with vehicle weight, in increments of 5,000 lbs.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

What do you guys think about the old fashioned $/gallon approach? Lighter vehicles generally get better mileage and generally wear down the road less than heavier vehicles, which wear the road more. We get a side benefit of providing yet another reason to move toward fuel efficiency. Could use a different rate/gallon for gas vs. diesel if you wished.

As for the rural vs. urban discussion, the wear on roads is to a great extent use-based. Not completely; there is an age component as well, but predominantly use. Rural roads should generally get a lot less use. Rural roads that get substantial urban-generated traffic (roads to landfill sites, as an example) probably need a separate "over and above" repair funding rider. But for the most part, $/gallon would seem to make sense. Not perfect, but easy to administer and probably at least 80% accurate.

 

[Flatlandcoug]

What do you guys think about the old fashioned $/gallon approach? Lighter vehicles generally get better mileage and generally wear down the road less than heavier vehicles, which wear the road more. We get a side benefit of providing yet another reason to move toward fuel efficiency. Could use a different rate/gallon for gas vs. diesel if you wished.

As for the rural vs. urban discussion, the wear on roads is to a great extent use-based. Not completely; there is an age component as well, but predominantly use. Rural roads should generally get a lot less use. Rural roads that get substantial urban-generated traffic (roads to landfill sites, as an example) probably need a separate "over and above" repair funding rider. But for the most part, $/gallon would seem to make sense. Not perfect, but easy to administer and probably at least 80% accurate.

Tax per gallon is certainly one of the most fair ways to generate money for road repairs. Unfortunately, rising fuel economy standards and the increase in use of hybrids and all electric vehicles means that in time, it's not an effective way to pay for road maintenance/construction in the long run. A pay per mile tax is inevitable although it will be unpopular. Of course, if people don't like it.....maybe they should quit driving.

 

[Observer11]

A miles traveled tax with a vehicle weight component fee would be the most fair way to pay for the roads.

Maybe with all those extra miles fees, the state could see fit to finish the North-South Freeway in Spokane that they've f*cked around with for 45 years.

 

[dgibbons]

What do you guys think about the old fashioned $/gallon approach? Lighter vehicles generally get better mileage and generally wear down the road less than heavier vehicles, which wear the road more. We get a side benefit of providing yet another reason to move toward fuel efficiency. Could use a different rate/gallon for gas vs. diesel if you wished.

As for the rural vs. urban discussion, the wear on roads is to a great extent use-based. Not completely; there is an age component as well, but predominantly use. Rural roads should generally get a lot less use. Rural roads that get substantial urban-generated traffic (roads to landfill sites, as an example) probably need a separate "over and above" repair funding rider. But for the most part, $/gallon would seem to make sense. Not perfect, but easy to administer and probably at least 80% accurate.

We've already got one of the highest gas taxes in the country.

https://taxfoundation.org/state-gas-tax-rates-2019/

 

[cr8zyncalif]

We've already got one of the highest gas taxes in the country.

https://taxfoundation.org/state-gas-tax-rates-2019/

Then clearly, you must have roads that are in the best condition?

 

[dgibbons]

Then clearly, you must have roads that are in the best condition?

Doubtful that more tax is going to change behavior.

 

[Coug90]

Doubtful that more tax is going to change behavior.

Additional gas taxes will. Hybrid and electric vehicles are getting cheaper and cheaper to own compared to their gas counterparts. Gas prices go up, more people will go electric.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

I've driven the Lexus crossover hybrid since 2005 (on my third now). Consistent 27 mpg for my 65/35 city/highway drive mix. When the maintenance from the dealer is included, it does not pencil out financially over the all gas equivalent vehicle (probably costs me net somewhere in the $700-$1,000 per year range extra based on my typical 6 year usage per vehicle), but I am a bit of a lead foot from stoplights, and you can't beat the low end torque of a hybrid. Probably could enter it in a standing broad jump; really hops from a dead stop.

 

[couginphx]

Getting back to the season question, assuming some sort of delay, I would hope for, cancel all non-conference games just play 8-10 conference games starting in late September or early October and go from there. I'd be against pushing to winter/spring because then you throw off the following season as well. I'd prefer one truncated season than start to domino into future years.

 

[dgibbons]

I wonder if we see some kind of change to the season schedule? Like giving the players more time off in the spring, and more training time and maybe even actual practices in the summer.

 

[Cougzz]

It is sure starting to look ugly for summer sports activities. Some schools see the writing on the wall:

 

[etowncoug]

It is sure starting to look ugly for summer sports activities. Some schools see the writing on the wall:

View embedded media

Perhaps, or schools are using this as an opportunity to cut costs.