Open discussion thread: Ask questions, share opinions

Above: Allan Bezanson captured this photo of F-15s passing over Trottier Field yesterday afternoon. Pilots from the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard were on their way to paying tribute to  workers at UMASS Medical Center in Worcester after passing over hospitals in Boston and Framingham.

It’s time for another open thread. What’s on your mind this week, Southborough? (Other than the obvious.)

For those of you new to the blog, the open discussion thread is your place to ask questions, sound off on town issues, or share information with other readers. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

  • Ask questions about programs in town or the town itself
  • Post a note about things that you’re selling or giving away, or things that you want
  • Share notices about upcoming events (Southborough or otherwise)
  • Register your thoughts on town issues or news stories
  • Point out interesting or helpful resources

You can add comments to the thread throughout the week. Check back often to see new comments. (If you read the blog via email or RSS, you might want to check the site from time to time for new comments.)

To view past open discussion threads, click here.

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Wondering
3 years ago

I’m curious about when work on the Main St project is going to resume.

Kelly Roney
3 years ago
Reply to  Wondering

Some observations from walking around town:
– There is a new, temporary asphalt sidewalk at 30 and 85 that connects to the new crosswalks. It was put in the past 3 or 4 days.
– In front of the western end of Fay School’s property, there’s a parked excavator next to a new concrete footing for, presumably, the stone wall that will replace the older one. It looks like the footings that were poured on both sides of Cordaville at the 30/85 intersection. Walking there is a bit dicey for the moment.
– There are painted markings on the pavement for gas, water, and electric all over the place east of 30/85, all the way into the center of town.

Deb Moore
3 years ago

Are there any groups in town who’d like a case of little water bottles? Or people in town who would take them to a group nearby? They are leftover from an event, when there were events, and we have no need of water bottles, what with our constant proximity to household faucets.

northsider
3 years ago
Reply to  Deb Moore

Try posting to the Southborough Freecycle group on Facebook, if you have FB.

southsider
3 years ago

Another crowded Saturday at the Transfer Station with 1 in 5 still not wearing masks.

arborist
3 years ago

They must have been special people , not wearing masks

Alan
3 years ago

I believe his order read “requiring the use of masks or face coverings in public places where they cannot socially distance from others”. The transfer station is outside and pretty wide open and social distancing can be achieved. What gets me is people who are wearing a mask think they can disregard social distancing all together.

concerned_citizen
3 years ago

Stanford Study Proves Covid-19 Was Overhyped. “Death Rate Is Likely Under 0.2%”
https://www.globalresearch.ca/mit-tech-review-smears-study-proving-covid-19-overhyped/5710088

” … Stanford study proves many more people are infected – between 50-85 times more – than reported and thus the “death rate” is astronomically lower than we were told. ”

With the CDC and State Health Authorities pressuring doctors to attribute ANY death with a respiratory symptom (but no CV19 test results) as due to Covid-19, the reported CV deaths appear to be ‘over-hyped’. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvss/coronavirus/Alert-2-New-ICD-code-introduced-for-COVID-19-deaths.pdf

So actual CV deaths are over reported while infection rate is under reported. Thus ACTUAL DEATH RATE is akin to seasonal flu.

We are all giving up personal freedoms and livelihoods based on misinformation.

also MUST WATCH THIS
https://www.bitchute.com/video/wzsA5KsrB1GS/

COVID FIRST RESPONDER
3 years ago

Great resource article….Global Research is published by a Canadian conspiracy theorist who also happens to be a 9/11 denier. Reading the “article” it throws around STANFORD and MIT but never really gives any real information.
I work in a Boston Hospital…I deliver Anesthesia in an OR setting but most of my co-workers and I have been re-deployed to various ICUs. We are helping in any ways we can, including intubations, proning and line placements. These patients are SICK..This is NOT the FLU…In my 35 years of working in Health Care I have never seen so many patients this sick….again I will repeat this is NOT the FLU. It is something else, it attacks the lungs, heart, kidneys, unlike the Flu.
So concerned_citizen your name is a misnomer …you are not actually concerned.. because you propagate misinformation…So go ahead and read your conspiracy theories and spread them on the blogs and your social media. While you are safely home in Southborough, I will be driving into work to take care of these very sick patients that you seem to think only have a flu.

Disgruntled Finn Student
3 years ago

If you’re gonna deploy numbers in your argument, you need to know how to actually use them. Numbers and figures are only valuable when compared to other numbers and figures. The mortality rate figures you’ll find for a novel virus for which we don’t have sufficient testing is going to be all over the place until testing improves. We’re seeing a drop in the Case Fatality Rate for that exact reason — testing used to be abysmal, and now it’s better.

The 0.2% figure you settled on (albeit from a dubious source) may be correct, but again, you need to learn how to use numbers when you’re arguing something. The mortality rate isn’t the only relevant statistic for a novel virus. Since it’s novel, we have neither natural immunity nor a vaccine, so the amount of people who could potentially get infected with this virus is far higher than that of the flu in any given flu season. The R-naught number—the expected number of people each person infected with Covid will go on to infect— is equally important. Let’s also not forget that this virus causes irreversible organ damage. You cannot say the same for the flu.

And yes, 0.2% seems low, but the death count equals the mortality rate multiplied by the amount of people infected. Even if the mortality rate feels like a low number, if it’s multiplied by a large number of people infected (which will happen if we don’t continue social distancing), the death count will be tragically high.

Lastly, the arithmetic of mortality rates is worth noting. Again, 0.2% seems low, but the difference between 0.2% and the death rate for the flu (which is lower than 0.1%) is massive when multiplied by amount of people infected.

Tim Martel
3 years ago

Disgruntled Finn Student – amazing sentence structure for a 1st grader. Well done! :)

Jack
3 years ago

Hopefully the mortality rate is actually 0.2%, which would mean, with no built up immunity or a vaccine, that a mere 600,000+ people in the US, and ~16,000,000 people worldwide would die without preventative measures such as social distancing. If the actual rate is 2%, add a zero to each of the death counts.

I’ll do what I can to remain patient in this environment, and I hope those that are able to, also choose to be responsible. I honestly understand the frustration from people who are currently unable to work, and concerned_citizen, I really hope that is your motivation behind publicly trying to sow doubt in the data. I always question the data from any and all news sources, but when the most skeptical # you site of 0.2% mortality means 600,000+ Americans dead, that tells me to be patient and let the experts work on a vaccine and improved treatment methods.

Also, I agree, homeschooling has been beneficial for Finn Student!

Frank Crowell
3 years ago

Sweden looks like a good place to visit. The article says the Swedes are following protocols but the pictures tell another story. Schools are open, people look happy…. well if I could go to a bar…..

https://www.businessinsider.com/sweden-why-people-are-happy-with-no-lockdown-coronavirus-plan-2020-5

n
3 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

Sweden is a great place to visit.

personal income tax rate of between 50 and 60%. Imagine that?

Frank Crowell
3 years ago
Reply to  n

I was thinking of visiting but maybe there are more reasons than going to a bar…..

https://www.vox.com/2016/4/8/11380356/swedish-taxes-love

What no property taxes in Sweden and they don’t shut down there economy during a pandemic.

Parent with 18y dependent
3 years ago

Anyone else with a similar scenario?
On December 31, 2019 my kiddo was 18. He’s a high school student and relies on his parents for 100% of his financial support. He is therefore my dependent. That’s ok with me, no problems with that arrangement. But, it seems that the Economic Impact Payment Plan does not have a plan to include him or, rather, the plan is to exclude adult dependents. From all the reading I have done on the topic, a dependent must have been 16y or less on 12/31/19 to qualify for $500. Anyone who was 17y or above on 12/31/19 and is a qualifying tax dependent is simply out of luck and has no monies coming to them. This means that there are millions of high school and college kids that have been left out. How can this be?
Any thoughts, recommendations, insights…?

Raj
3 years ago

Hi Everyone,

Would appreciate your feedback, regarding the CSX Fitchburg secondary freight rail tracks going through SB. I am interested in a property abutting the train tracks and wondering if it would be a concern regarding speed of train,frequency of trips, noise etc. seems like it is only twice a day currently with 10 mph. But will help if any body can share any info/ insight about future expansion plans for this train line.

TIA

Raj

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