The incompetence by the CDC initially telling people that masks wouldn't protect them, as well as the exaggerations about the protections of getting the experimental vaccine and gaslighting people about its side effects, was certainly part of the problem.

#12 | Posted by sentinel

No.

Initially Fauci said you don't need to wear a mask based upon what they knew at that time.

Then the science said the mask would be helpful and they changed their recommendation.

That's how science works.

Sometimes solutions become even bigger problems. The whole student debt crisis is a result of a well-intentioned "investment" in education. Universities are a racket, just like the military is a racket, just like big pharma is a racket. It's funny how people pick and choose which rackets they turn a blind eye to, often in alignment with those of the same political persuasion.

#10 | Posted by sentinel

No it's not.

Do you have any clue?

It's the result of privatizing the student loan business and lenders aiming for profit by doing a ton of dirty ---- like colluding with schools.

This has been insanely well documented.

Masks do work-that tech has been around forever. And I can't speak to the masks required in certain places in the US, but in Germany the ones that were protective of the individual were illegal. You were required to wear a mask designed to protect others.
Dumb, isn't it.

#16 | Posted by madbomber

Masks work on CERTAIN viruses, not others.

It depends on the transmission vehicle.

That was the big question.

" Masks work on CERTAIN viruses, not others. It depends on the transmission vehicle."
And in this case, a simple backlit video of a sneeze shows a stark difference, once you accept one simple, scientific fact:
Viral load affects severity.

#21 | Posted by Danforth

You are assuming the sneeze is a transmission vehicle.

That wasn't originally known for sure. Hence they didn't say mask up immediately.

In addition, it depends on whether the virus is transmitted in droplets or in aerosol. Our common masks do little for aerosol unfortunately. But still better than nothing and I wore mine.

" it depends on whether the virus is transmitted in droplets or in aerosol. Our common masks do little for aerosol unfortunately."
"Do little" is relative. Let's cut to the chase:
Does viral load increase severity, or not?
Do masks affect in intake or expulsion of full viral load, or not?
In a related question, do you understand macro dials, or not?
#25 | Posted by Danforth

"Does viral load increase severity, or not?"
In the COVID virus, yes. Viral load is directly tied to severity.

"Do masks affect in intake or expulsion of full viral load, or not?"
Based on what we knew at the time, we weren't sure. Now we know it depends on the type of mask and variant as to whether a basic cloth mask has a significant impact on expulsion of viral load. A basic cloth mask has very little effect on aerosol unfortunately but significantly reduced droplet spread. A surgical mask or KN95 have a huge effect on aerosol spread and droplet spread.

"In a related question, do you understand macro dials, or not?"
You're confused. I'm not arguing we shouldn't have been masking up. I'm saying there is a reasonable explanation Fauci said masks were not necessary at the very outset of the virus (i.e. we didn't have enough scientific data). Now we know they were absolutely necessary for quite some time and should have been used from the outset.

Interested, because Obama eliminated the federal guaranteed loan program, which let private lenders offer student loans at low interest rates. Now, the Department of Education is the only place to go for such loans.
Ergo private lenders dried up, or raised their rates (unsecured loan).
Obama sold this government takeover as a way to save money, did this not happen?
Since then loans for grad students went through the roof.
www.savingforcollege.com
So please post said documentation, hope it's not just one school but 100s otherwise you're just cherry picking..
The way I see the schools create the price, more money higher the price, regardless of product
#23 | Posted by oneironaut

You only show half the facts.

Obama eliminated federal guaranteed loans because the money was going to bank profits. They replaced it with DIRECT student grants so it ALL went to students.

"Based on what we knew at the time, we weren't sure."
Not true.
We've had super-slow motion, backlit sneezes for decades. Seeing it with and without a mask leaves no doubt.

#30 | Posted by Danforth

Yes, and?

You're not understanding viral transmission vehicles. We weren't sure initially if the virus required droplets for transmission or aerosol. #27 makes this point.

The original COVID-19 virus and initial variants were mainly droplet based. We didn't know that initially. Or otherwise we would have known masks would be effective for the most part regardless of mask grade.

"what we knew at the time"
"It goes through air, Bob."
~Trump to Bob Woodward, Feb 7, 2020.
That's SIX WEEKS before everything shut down on March 20th.

#32 | Posted by Danforth

I don't think Trump is the expert on this.