I have yet to hear Trump or Biden speak, and don't even know what Harris or Pence look like, and haven't had sufficient interest to change that. Or more truly, there is so much more that is of interest, and life-affirming, like the pure delight and giggles of a child! I won't go into argument, and just present items of interest and possible relevance, and try to stay clear of forming conclusions. There is always some new evidence around the next corner. This newsletter from Jeff Brown about mask-wearing speaks to me, as he seems to be level headed and a good researcher. Also, it coincides with the feeling I have had about masks from the start. Feeling, not opinion. I wear a mask when needed in public, as a matter of respect for those who think they are protective, and to not cause distress for store workers who comply with state orders. Re-printed from The Bleeding Edge newsletter by Jeff Brown: Dear Reader, Welcome to our weekly mailbag edition of The Bleeding Edge. All week, you submitted your questions about the biggest trends in technology. Today, I’ll do my best to answer them. If you have a question you’d like answered next week, be sure you submit it right here. As I promised yesterday, I’m going to share some data about mask usage around the world. I have heard many times the perception that the U.S. has not been compliant with the usage of masks, and that is the reason COVID-19 cases are so high. But what’s really going on? What if we take a step back and take a global perspective on mask usage in public? How does the U.S. or U.K. compare to other countries? Let’s have a look below: (Image) I found this to be enlightening. The U.S. is right at 80%. The U.K. is around 75%. France is at just about 80%. And best-in-class country Taiwan appears around 85%. And let’s look at Sweden, at the very bottom. Less than 10% of people in Sweden wore masks throughout the entire pandemic, and yet the country’s COVID-19-related deaths have been less than 10 or sometimes zero a day since July… with essentially no mask wearing. And check this out… These numbers for the U.S. are confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In a July study released this year titled “Community and Close Contact Exposures Associated with COVID-19 Among Symptomatic Adults > 18 Years in 11 Outpatient Health Care Facilities,” patients who were symptomatic and confirmed to have COVID-19 were asked one simple question: “How often do you wear a mask when in public?” I think that the data might surprise us. 70.6% responded that they “Always” wore a mask. 14.4% responded that they “Often” wore a mask. In total, 85% of those who contracted COVID-19 and were symptomatic wore a mask in public “Always” or “Often.” Clearly, they are not effective at protecting us from contracting COVID-19. And a piece of analysis titled “Non-occupational Uses of Respiratory Protection – What Public Health Organizations and Users Need to Know,” written by the CDC back in 2018, highlighted another piece of scientific research that I found. It states that, “on average only 1% of the times that a surgical mask was put on resulted in adequate levels of protection. This is not surprising as loose-fitting facemasks and improvised devices are not designed to seal tightly to the face and thus cannot prevent particles in the air from bypassing the filter and being drawn into the respiratory tract during normal breathing.” Even more unbelievable is that the research was performed on the surgical N95 masks, which are the most superior kind. Cloth masks, surgical masks, neck gaiters, and so forth are all inferior by far to N95 masks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is well-researched ground. It is all evidence-based and very consistent. We’ve known about the efficacy, or lack thereof, for a long time. So what the heck is going on? Nothing but political theater. And it is happening at the cost of more lives, not less. Sadly, children are the ones who are being disproportionately affected in a tragic way. That is even truer for those who are underprivileged and are not receiving an education while their schools are closed. They aren’t even receiving the one meal a day that they know they can count on. This is so heartbreaking. Either way, the U.S. elections are almost behind us. And the critically important research out of Denmark that I wrote about yesterday will be published or leak out one way or another. We’ll all discover the results together here in The Bleeding Edge. Have a fantastic weekend. Now let’s turn to our mailbag… COMMENTS
Ken Matsushima OK - problem 1: The researcher claims that the same question was asked of all respondents (presumably in a translation that was checked by a native speaker). Unfortunately, I know from friends in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and Taiwan, as well as personal experience in Japan and Korea, that the percentage of people wearing masks in public spaces is 100%. Therefore, I have no doubt whatsoever that respondents (at least in Japan and Korea) would answer "Always”, unless someone had asked the question, implying that they included times when you are inside your own house or car. When people in Asia go out in public (at least in closed spaces), 100% wear masks. No... not 98% or 99%. Not even 99.75% and CERTAINLY not 80%. You DO NOT go into ANY building in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, etc. etc. without a mask. It is simply unthinkable because everyone understands the risk this poses to OTHER PEOPLE. Anyone who insists on going around without a mask will quickly find themselves either in a police cell or, more likely, a psych ward. That is something you can check yourself with anyone who lives in those countries. So be my guest - try to find me someone in Asia who thinks masks dont work, and therefore doesnt wear a mask On the contrary, if you limit your survey to East Asia there is a direct mathematical correlation between mask-wearing and how well the country is dealing with the pandemic. Countries like Thailand and India are doing less well. Those like Korea and Vietnam are doing best. So before we even go any further, I can offer conclusive anecdotal AND concrete statistical proof that this "story" is based on OBVIOUSLY inaccurate data. Ill be happy to continue, because I can already see a half-dozen other blatant errors in logic or obvious misrepresentations of the science, in this guy's article. Please . . . stop flogging these conspiracy theories. Wear a mask. This is not about YOU. Its about everyone else. Gary Smith I appreciate your input, up to your last paragraph. Then, I am wondering if you did not read my intro, or if it was not clear. If it was written clearly, and you read it, it makes no sense that you would tell me to wear a mask, as I wrote that I do wear a mask in public. Where do you see conspiracy theory in the investor newsletter I re-posted? Just because he calls masks a part of the political theatre? I like what Jeff Brown wrote in another newsletter, "When I research, I read everything with a healthy skepticism. I look for bias. I look for data. And I review sources. I ask whether an author has anything to benefit from their position. And I track people, companies, and institutions over time to understand if they are trustworthy." However, if one applies this to Jeff's writing, some of his personal bias becomes more evident. Is anyone among us without bias? And why are you telling me to stop "flogging", when all I am doing is posting something of interest to me? Was my intro also not clear in saying that I form no conclusions? Telling me to stop posting sounds like censorship. I like to put these things out to read other perspectives. If you read over the comments unemotionally, neutrally, taking out any hard-assed opinions which may be written into them, perhaps you will see the value of open-minded discussion. By the way, the newsletter from Jeff Brown came to my inbox unsolicited, and I passed on the first round of comments to him. That's all I write for now, as my intro also says I will not argue, and I start feeling defensive. Let it go, Gary. Arne Petersen For me it is quite hard to understand the level of conflict by waring a mask in most public spaces. I read this "Newsletter" and most of the comments. There are theories in Media science that claim that there is not such a thing like non political communication. Following this idea, all communicative interaction is political and will be read or understood based upon the socialisation of the individum. In my opinion it is quite important to think about the impact about what we share and what might be the message I will sent out by even just sharing out of intrest. I find it quite interessting that you (Gary R. Smith) are writing not willing to go into arguments and yet the two sentences: "There is always some new evidence around the next corner. This newsletter from Jeff Brown about mask-wearing speaks to me, as he seems to be level headed and a good researcher." lead to an possible consideration that you might support the ideas of this newsletter. and that the newsletter can be seen as "evidence". To me in a short: the author of the Newsletter is showing many many numbers and percentages. With the conclusion that waring maskes is a bad thing. Ken's, Pia's and your sisters comments are questioning with their statements that statistic, offered by Jeff Brown. Like Pia said Sweden has got a lot of space to not be close to one another. Browns statistical conclusion doesn't include facts of population by area. his statistic underlines the own rejecting position towards masks. Instead of further facts Brown than claims that it is all theatre of politics. Quote: "Nothing but political theater. And it is happening at the cost of more lives, not less. Sadly, children are the ones who are being disproportionately affected in a tragic way. That is even truer for those who are underprivileged and are not receiving an education while their schools are closed. They aren’t even receiving the one meal a day that they know they can count on. ... This is so heartbreaking." I mean who is playing theatre right here. Brown is playing with the emotions of the reader. First "scientific statistics about mask wearing" followed by "the political theatre will cost lifes" followed by a statement about children not having the oportunity for lunch anymore ... Heartbreaking. This is theatralic and drama at its best. Sure it uses ingrediants based on true stories, put together in a way that misses the point. Question: Is wearing a mask or the lockdown truly the cause for children to not being feed? Yes rigth now they can't access this free meal and at the same time mask and lockdown is not the cause of starving. This pandamic is more like a catalyst in showing every human being or every social/political system the things wich didn't went well before. Why there are children who are dependend on school meals, in the first place? that is one question, this situation we have right now is showing. I think it would have been more helpful of Brown showing solutions about how to feed the children during this pandamic instead of using them for his porpuse. And yes there also are politicians using people for their own agendas and i do dislike that the same way. Gary R. Smith I see what your intention has been and to some point you archived what you wanted: many different approaches and pereceptions about the "Newsletter". Anf yet this post of yours still is easily to be read as a political statement of yours. I hope I was able to point that out. And i do hope you are doing ok so far! In short: even if your intrest is collecting more point of views from different people towards this subject, you are sending out a message (maybe not even intended) with this repost. Here are some links where everyone can make a differnence in this moment for kids not heaving scholl meals: https://www.wfpusa.org/explore/wfps-work/wfp-programs/school-meals/ Https ://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/cms-foundation-establishes-coronavirus-relief-fund-for-students-and-families/ar-BB11hhW7 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hcps-accepting-donations-for-student-meals-during-coronavirus-closure/ar-BB11eQLMg Ken Matsushima Arne Petersen nailed it. Gary, I owe you a great deal for pushing me to examine my own "truths" and find the even greater truth. In that sense, you are my guru and I thank you for that. If not for the debt of gratitude I feel for the insights your own struggles provided for me, I probably wouldnt even be responding. But as a scientist AND as a seeker for inner truth, I can see that many of your posts are aimed less at "informing" and more at trying to get other people to verify your beliefs and calm the inner objections that I can tell you are still feeling. The truth only unfolds itself when you realise that the rational, calculating voice in your head is NOT the "voice of truth", but just another effort by your ego to avoid letting go and accepting. If even one person reads your post, stops wearing a mask, and gets sick as a result, that fact could weigh on your soul for decades. You are the junior partner in this joint venture known as life. And until you are absolutely certain that what comes out in your posts is in tune with what the Senior Partner wants, its best to just remain quiet and humble in your comments. Gary Smith Hey Arne, Your thoughtful message means much to me. So much, I have wanted to not respond until I could do so from the same depth. I am still not there, but feel to respond here also to your comment on my Mask Facebook post. Last night, before seeing your comment, I determined to delete the post. This morning, on that task, I saw and read what you wrote, and how Ken responded. I preserved those comments, so all can be published on the Whole Human site, if that is okay with you. I like to see the rounded picture which post and comments present. Will write more when there is opportunity....
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