Author | Lightnews

@mindstalk.bsky.social

190 followers 150 following 2.3K posts

Interests: liberal, atheist, urbanism, public transit, Tolkien, Silmarillion, walking, anime, yuri, Bujold, Liaden, fanfic, KF94s, N95s. My top Twitter thread (scroll past 18/end, it keeps going): https://mindstalk.net/15minComp.html

mindstalk.net

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Reposted

PoP Nova Scotia @popns.bsky.social · 23h

Masks have been reinstated in NB, PEI, and NFLD health care facilities. NS Health & the IWK have been completely silent. On May 7, 2025, a memo was sent to Sr. Leadership stating universal maksing might return in response to "seasons of increased viral respiratory activity." We are in that season.

A screenshot of a Nova Scotia Health memo dated May 7, 2025:

Effective May 9, masking will no longer be required within clinical areas of Nova Scotia Health facilities. Masking requirements during clinical interactions will be based on a Point of Care Risk Assessment or if deemed required by specific programs/services. Anyone who is symptomatic must don a mask to enter a facility. Signage will continue to be posted at entrances.

Those supporting patients at the highest risk of severe outcomes of infection may choose to require masking. Signage and masks should be placed in a visible location for patients and visitors upon entry to the unit.

The Nova Scotia Health Respiratory Virus Safety Plan and Masking Guidance has been updated for spring and summer 2025 to reflect these changes.

The epidemiology of respiratory viruses in the general population and in Nova Scotia Health facilities will continue to be monitored as we move into the fall months. Further adjustments to masking will be made in response to local epidemiology, which may include a return to universal
masking during future seasons of increased viral respiratory activity.

1 18 39

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 9h

I'm not that optimistic. Vaccines basically give you the adaptive immunity benefit of having survived infection, without having to be infected. That benefit is pretty low and fragile for covid.

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 9h

Yeah, I used to think measles vaccine was like 99.9% effective, vs I think 95% after two shots.

Most vaccines are great, but not nearly as bulletproof as I'd thought.

Reposted

Kaitlin M 🍉 @kaitmonk.bsky.social · 1d

I say I have a sore throat. Zero follow up questions and they usually back up. Win win.

1 1 12

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

That sucks.

Reposted

Toni (😷+7💉) @hudzinachick.bsky.social · 15h

I just got back from London, and I barely saw anyone masking at Heathrow or my plane back to the US. Despite hearing lots of coughing on the plane, which meant my N95 was on the majority of the flight.

Been home a week and still doing well. 🤞

Crawford Kilian @crof.bsky.social · 17h

www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/int...

International air travel—especially packed flights—fueled flu, COVID-19 spread during pandemic, researchers say

www.cidrap.umn.edu

1 6 9

Reposted

Dan Friedman @dfriedman.bsky.social · 15h

"The leading cause of death by far among ICE officers is COVID-19." www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

How dangerous is it really to work for ICE?

According to ICE’s own data, none of its officers have been killed by an immigrant in the agency’s history.

www.motherjones.com

17 100 280

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

So I've heard. I like what I hear about Dutch urbanism but I've been nervous about visiting.

In the US cities I've been in I get almost no grief about masking and I still see it regularly.

1 1

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

And central Mexico City still had mass masking when I left in 2022, though reportedly that was unusual compared to the rest of Mexico.

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

Yeah I forget the details now, but a few years ago it seemed Dutch and Swiss were among the first Europeans to pivot to denial and unmasking. Whereas Spain and Portugal were pretty late.

2 1

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

Draw teeth on your mask?

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

Not having been. Stupid swipe

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

"Shouldn't you trust the epidemiologists, then?"

Well I might if they could point to any actual data supporting their behavior. Instead I see high wastewater levels and no progress on long covid.

Plus not using been ill since early 2020 is really nice.

1 2

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

It's been weird how the last bastions of mask mandates in the US were science fiction or anime conventions and not medical or epidemiology conferences.

1 3

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

I hoped the US might at least pick up Japan's "mask while sick" but noooo

2 5

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

Whereas a fitted N95 let many HCWs see covid patients daily without getting infected.

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 10h

Agreed. Yes, the vaccines provide some infection reduction for a few months, but not enough to justify relaxed behavior. As layers of protective Swiss cheese go, this layer has big holes.

2 1

Reposted

ばん @ban-banp.bsky.social · 12d

日本画風でフェイト

日本画で使われる画材をメインに描いてみましたｗ(,,•ω•,,)و

3 13 30

Reposted

ばん @ban-banp.bsky.social · 12h

今回は洋金箔と錫箔(銀色)で背景を作ってみました
銀箔とは違った色合いが気に入ってますｗ

5 8

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 19h

I've found a 'DNI' AO3 fic with the tags

'Abuse', 'Torture', 'no sexual/smut shit that's gross get out'

torture more acceptable than smut smh

Reposted

🎃RoryValArt 💛🤍💜🖤(VGen comms open) @roryvalart.bsky.social · 4d

"But it normalises it!" They say. And I'm like bro, if reading violence doesn't make you violent, but reading incest makes you incestuous... That says more about you than us XD

1 7

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 1d

While USA raisins and dried apricots don't have added sugar. Not sure about pineapple or banana chips.

Reposted

Kasey Gifford @kaseygifford.bsky.social · 1d

I saw someone call Ai a Thneed and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a PERFECT analogy. The Thneed was an all-purpose tool that didn't do anything really useful. It was a fad that did major damage to the environment to make the Onceler a billionare. It left no real lasting impact, only damage.

25 1.3K 2.9K

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 1d

Microtransit or PRT would be a lot more successful if they ran back and forth in a short line.

mindstalk.bsky.social @mindstalk.bsky.social · 1d

A microtransit program with ballooning costs? I'm shocked, shocked.