Matt Breen

One thing about the flu shot is it does not cause the flu. Reactions, if any, are generally mild (headaches, nausea, swelling). But nothing is long term or severe. LouisEly's comment about getting a mild fever and sweats is an example of this. All that said, in very rare cases there can be an allergic reaction - which can cause all sorts of issues. But this is really rare. One big issue people have about the flu shot is understand what it does and doesn't do. It only protects you from 3-4 strains of influenza. That's it (and it's never 100% effective). There's lots more strains that can be out and about. It's not protecting you from - or causing - stomach flu, or bacterial infections, or the common cold, or a host of other things. And a flu shot doesn't become fully effective right away. It takes 2 weeks or so for the antibodies to build up in your body once you get the shot (which is important, because often times people go get the shot once they find out others they know have the flu - co-workers, kids, etc. Well, the protection you get from the shot won't kick in for a week or two, which doesn't help them if the flu is running rampant through your home or workplace.) In the end, we have to be sure we are not associating the flu shot with something else that occurs (meaning, I got a flu shot, and the the next day I got horrible diarrhea - so the flu shot must have cause that). I'm not saying it didn't cause it - but the odds are very, very low. If I have made any errors, people can update/correct.

I have gotten the flu shot most years for as long as I can remember (I'm 56). I don't recall when I started, and I'm sure I've missed a year here and there, but I have never gotten the seasonal flu, and I've never had any side effects (at least that I remember). My 20-year old son has had the shot every year since he could get it. He got the flu this past year for the first time.

That is mesmerizing... You can't watch that video without realizing that these guys truly believe in what they are doing! Thanks for the link, I might have to check into these guys. Wish it was in English, but still very cool! I turned on these guys to a friend last year, and he actually managed to see them live in California. Said they were awesome live. I believed they played Riot Fest in Chicago last year, but I did not go.

Braves - Nope, I don't trust anyone in that system, especially pitchers. Overhyped. Dodgers - That would be a good deal, Gonsolin and Haese are studs. Not gonna get Lux though. Padres - Intriguing, Indians - Nope ... not real interested in either of those guys A's - I agree, love that deal. Yankees - There isn't a pole long enough for me to touch that deal with. Garcia is their #1 by default, but the system sucks. He's a very poor man's Freddy Peralta. And Florial seems like he must be about 30, he's been on prospect lists for so long. White Sox - I like that one. Twins - That is an intriguing one too. Nice job on these! I am not a fan of the Yankee system either. Guys are okay. We'd love to have them - but not for an elite talent like Hader.

Using the Andrew Miller trade a few years ago as a comp, I think a top #25-40 type player, and an upper top 100 guy (#75-100), plus a couple of lesser guys, would represent a realistic return. With so many teams making the playoffs, you might be able to create a bidding war at this year's deadline.

That's awesome. I was happy MLB put the hammer on him. Dude jaws at others, then hides behind his teammates when he's charged.

Clevenger was with Plesac as well. Just mind-blowing people can be so cavalier towards the situation. I don't care if you believe it's all a lie or not a danger - you know the rules. You are hurting your teammates and fans. Silly. https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29635888/indians-mike-clevinger-miss-start-violating-protocol

Scorpions get everywhere so that isn't really all that weird. I am still wondering how one got into a sealed light fixture or how one got frozen in an ice cube in my ice maker. I have had them crawl up out of the drain in my sink. They are literally everywhere here in Arizona and even though I get the house sprayed they still get in. I literally shake anything and everything that I pick off the ground before using it. I know a guy who spent a lot of time in Arizona in the 60s as a kid. Family was dirt poor. He was telling me about one place they lived where the room he and his brothers slept in had no floors. They would put each leg of each bed in a can of oil - the reason being that the scorpions wouldn't climb up the legs and into the bed because they didn't want to cross over the oil. Also, every morning, you shook your clothing out before putting it on, and turned your shoes over. Again, in case a scorpion had crawled in. Lovely.

I see so many stories about people getting COVID that I'm hesitant to mention them anymore as often the facts aren't all out there. But this one was kind of crazy. A YMCA camp in Georgia ended up having 260 positive COVID cases. If I read the article correctly, the camp had 120 staff plus another 138 staff-in-training. There were 363 campers. Should note that they only had test results for 344 of the staff and kids - so that number could rise. Of those who tested positive, 76% were symptomatic (that would likely go down if more people were tested, as the the asymptomatic types are less likely to go in for a test). Likely causes: Large cabins with minimal ventilation, regular singing and cheering. https://www.livescience.com/summer-camp-covid-19-outbreak.html

3-15 with RISP. Ouch.

I have to say that my family and I are taking the COVID stuff more seriously than ever. If a place doesn't mask their employees, we just go somewhere else if possible. And we mask everywhere. We don't get together in large groups. And our interactions are pretty minimal - and when we do something, we make sure there's room to keep apart. We know quite a few people that have gotten COVID - a few pretty badly. A friend of my son's from high school lost her father to it - tragic as her mother had died many years ago. Now, she's a 21 year old woman without parents. And she has no siblings. That's just heartbreaking. Her dad was a nice man. Always volunteered at school. Everyone liked him. My wife's work colleague's college age son (who is living at his parents for the summer) just tested positive. His mom just finished chemo - so they're terrified what could happen to her. She's in the highest of the vulnerable groups. The big thing we've seen in the past month is that quite a few young people are getting it. They work retail and grocery and service jobs. Just so easy to make one mistake at those places. My son has to go 14 days doing his annual training for the Marine Corps Reserves. That's going to be kind of scary as social distancing and masking and stuff are kind of difficult in the field. We are planning on isolating for a couple of weeks after he comes home - just to be safe.

I've enjoyed the album Caamp put out last year. It's folkie stuff - just a nice chilling out record. Couple of my favs: Bye and Bye: Peach Fuzz:

Excited that this thread exists. Go Crew!

So, if I'm reading things correctly, the cheapest way to watch the Brewers at home (within market) is Hulu Live - which is $55/month. YouTube TV is $65/month. Sling doesn't have Fox Sports Wisconsin anymore (which at $25 wasn't too steep a price). Phibo and FuboTV don't carry it either. Again, this is assuming I can't get the Crew on MLB.tv because I'm in market. Is that all correct? Thanks.

My guess (and it's just a guess) is that there is not a 'large group' of customers alienated by wearing a mask. Many people don't like it. Many people don't think it's necessary. But most people probably agree that a private business has the right to set safety standards within their place of work. And let's face it - it's not like they're having blood drawn or getting hit in the head with a mallet. It's a mask. It's uncomfortable and it fogs up my glasses, but it's not really that big of a deal to most people. Thus, people tolerate it. Those people who only wish to go to a store that allows them to NOT wear a mask is (again, I'm guessing) probably not that large of a segment of the population. They will shop at Walmart (or Pick n Save or wherever) because that's where they always shop, they know where things are, they like the prices, or whatever attracted them before COVID. Thus, trying to gain customers by saying 'we don't require masks' is not a huge selling point to most people. Also, I would argue there are as many people (if not more) on the flip side of the argument - people who refuse to go to a specific store because they don't require masks - than those who won't go to a store that requires a mask (my wife is like this - she hasn't gone back to her hairstylist because she won't wear a mask. And she'll go to Menard's before Fleet Farm due to the mask requirement at the former). As I said, this is just a guess on my part. Many people will grumble about wearing a mask, but they'll grit their teeth and do it for the most part. And don't get me wrong - some people will be very vocal about it. And they will abandon Walmart for (insert other grocery store) so they don't have to wear the mask. I'm just not sure how many of those people are out there. There may also a safety issue that the stores are addressing in the mask ruling. They want their employees to stay health so the stores can stay open and operate in a profitable manner, and they don't want to be on the bad end of any lawsuits or public relations nightmares. Better safe than sorry is probably better for them. Again, just a guess.

With such a short season, virtually anything can happen. But I can see some teams get off to a slow start and do a quick sell off - especially of guys eligible for free agency after the season. With only 60 games, it's not going to be easy to dig out of a big hole if a team starts out badly. So there's no point in delaying trading players. That said, anyone can play well for 30 games - so even bad teams can look like contenders halfway through the year. So I doubt anyone makes any big moves quickly. But once a team goes in the tank - it will be sell off time.

Here's the worldometer site: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries Easy to use.

Interesting thing bit of info I have gotten from my wife. Her organization is find that many people are reluctant to get tested. Even if they find out they have been exposed to someone with COVID. There is not - in the eyes of some - many positives to getting tested. A positive test means they can't go to work (devastating for some people), and it could affect their family going to work (ditto). It's not like there is a cure or something they can take to help with it. So why go through the hassle of the test? Now, you can argue they should do the testing so - if positive - they can isolate and help keep it from spreading. But the big reason they don't want to do it is they are afraid of losing income. Her org is also running into people who refuse to get tested due to believing COVID is all a hoax and stuff like that.

The MLB restart is going to be interesting because you'll have a very specific pool of people, and they'll know exactly how many of these people get COVID. Same with the NBA people. It's like having a ready-made experiment.

Interesting article "How Exactly Do You Catch Covid-19? There Is a Growing Consensus" from the Wall Street Journal. They say that the major culprit is close-up, person-to-person interactions for extended periods. Poor ventilation, crowded rooms, people talking (or singing) loudly maximize the risk. This means places like gyms, parties, conferences, churches, etc., are big hot spots. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-exactly-do-you-catch-covid-19-there-is-a-growing-consensus-11592317650?mod=e2fb&fbclid=IwAR1n5XgMdBQmc8OeQB9GmQNS77QK4xJjTqYpx_L3CzzAPVPJbS5ZbFzwKN8 It's an interesting read.

My wife said her organization has seen a really large increase in calls to their nurse line about getting tested over the last 7-10 days. More and more people are finding out they were exposed to someone who had COVID - wanting to get checked, asking about symptoms, etc. Not sure if that means a spike is coming. Interesting thing she told me was a number of people testing positive have been linked to graduation parties. I wonder if people just let their guards down in that environment - especially as they drink and start to relax. They think, "Hey, my relatives and friends won't come if they feel sick" - that sort of thing.

My wife and I recently rewatched all six seasons. The back half is a bit uneven, but the first three seasons are up there as far as pure comedy with just about anything I've ever watched. I heard the same thing. First few seasons are great - season four is 'meh' - and five and six are good - but not great. Still, it's been fun. Just a really well realized show. Cast is really good, and each episode is solid.

They're supposed to be getting ready to realase season 5. It was initially to be released on May 8th(I think) and due to the whole pandemic, they hadn't quite finished shooting. I got so bored I watched Hot to get away with Murder. It was not a show I was a fan of when I watched one a week, but when you are able to binge them and really get into it, it gets much better. Aug. 21 season 5 is coming. I read that they will give us 8 episodes right away - and then 8 more at a later day. Nice to get 16 episodes. Also, they announced there will be a season 6. They say that will be the final year (although they said that about season 5). It's funny, but Lucifer was canceled due to low ratings for Fox. But it really took off after Netflix got it and did the new season. It's supposedly one of their top shows.

Feel your pain, my friend. I've read you need a better fitting mask - one that covers the top part tightly so your breath doesn't escape upwards.

The thing about the COVID stuff with businesses is that - from my observations - it's really hurting the little guys the most. I just feel for the small businesses. I was out of state a couple of weeks ago, and had dinner at a big chain restaurant. They did the distancing thing pretty well. Every other booth empty. Everyone with masks. That sort of thing. I then went to a small craft brewer, and talked with the owner (from about 20 feet away). He had just reopened, but it was hard. His revenue was really low, so he couldn't bring back all his staff. Meaning he was working all day, seven days a week, just to make things feasible. And he was terrified of what would happen if he got sick. And not just the possibility of having a serious health issue - but what would happen to his business if he was knocked out for 2-3 weeks or more. The big chain places are built for turnover. And no one person is essential. It's these smaller places that - I think - are going to suffer the most when all is said and done.