Coronavirus

 The Beer:  Rahr Texas Red

The Bicycle:  TBD

The VRWC:  Covid 19 is real and dangerous...if you get infected.  Currently, 2.6% of the world's population has been infected.  In the United States, that number is a little over 10%.  These are *reported* cases.  There are certainly cases that go unreported; maybe many of them.  But the mortality seems to be fairly constant at 2%.  Even with the advent of variants and with increasing numbers of vaccinated, this number has been largely unchanged over time.  This leads me to the conclusion that the vaccines are not effective.  If they don't stop the infection and the mortality has not fallen off, what is the value of the vaccines?  Government continues to push the narrative that Covid 19 is a death sentence.  It's not.  The numbers do not support it.  Age overwhelmingly appears to be the determining factor as it is with so many diseases.  It is time to end the panic, protect the vulnerable and et the world go about its business.

Climate Change (Again)

 The Beer:  Yuengling has finally made its appearance in North Texas

The Bicycle:  I can't seem to let them go, so maybe I should be riding.

The VRWC:  We are told on an almost hourly basis that climate change is real and it must be stopped.  The catastrophes are piling up and we are all going to die.  I find it interesting in the extreme that this is the same strategy used to convince everyone that Covid 19 was a death sentence (it's not).  The fervor is quasi-religious.  Children have been taught from a very young age that this is truth; humanity is doomed because of its reliance on carbon-based fuels.  Fires, droughts, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes....earthquakes?....are all caused by humans and their relentless driving of gasoline-powered SUVs.

But what if it's not true?  What if climate change is caused by the forces of nature as the little blue planet we inhabit wobbles on its axis as it circles the local star all while being thrown around a galaxy hurtling through the universe?  But the consequences are predicted to me more dire with each passing day.  We have already passed a "tipping point"; a point of no return.  We *must* put a stop to our irresponsible use of "fossil fuels" before this small band of humans is erased from existence.  

Here is the problem with all this hysteria.  It's probably wrong.  Completely.  The premise is likely false, but so many are invested in this doomsday scenario that they can't back out now.  So much so that they actually *believe* that 0.04% of the atmosphere drives climate to a catastrophic end.  Evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, those who serve up this ridiculous swill double-down on their claims.  Fifty years of failed predictions, fifty years of models that don't work, fifty years of equating those who question this orthodoxy with those who claim the holocaust never happened fifty years of "the debate is over.  The science is settled".  All completely unscientific.  An embarrassment to the word "science".  Fed to world that believes because in school they slept through science class because, "I'll never need this s4it in my real life".  Without an ignorant population, this stuff never sees the light of day.

Permanent Drought?

 The Beer:  It is so hot that any cold beverage will do.  Welcome to Texas in June.

The Bicycle:  It breaks my heart, but I am selling my pre-Raleigh Univega Modovincere.  We saw a lot of miles together.  I still have my trust Trek and if my foot ever gets fixed, I will be back on the road.  Promise.

The VRWC:  The west is in a severe drought.  Make no mistake about it.  But let's look at rainfall vs. average for Western States:

Colorado 2020: 18.25", Average: 15.5

Nevada 2020: 13.15" Average: 9.5"

California 2020: 25.95" Average 22.2"

Arizona 2020: 13.64"  Average:  13.6"

Utah 2020: 16.2"  Average 12.2"

So what gives?  Severe drought with above average rainfall?  It appears 5-year rainfalls have been mostly above average as well.  Why is there a drought?  I don't know, but I can make some pretty good guesses.  

1)  Rainfall runoff is diverted for "environmental reasons".  We know the Sacremento River was diverted from the Central Valley to the ocean to save some baitfish that likely would have been fine anyway.  We also know that a minimum flow rate has been required for the Colorado downstream of Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams.  The claim is that it restores the eco-system.  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but the practice has resulted in a lowering level in Lakes Mead and Lake Powell for decades now.

2) Population.  Especially the growth in Arizona is taxing the water systems.  Southern California is also a water hog.

I believe much of this drought is man-made and especially government made.

Reparations in Evanston, IL

The Beer:  Michalob Ultra.  I know I could lose my man card, but it's a risk I will take.

The Bicycle:  It was a very cool May and June is starting off the same.  Wish I was healthy enough to ride.

The VRWC:  From "Bloomberg Equality + Newsweek", Evanston, Illinois, one of the most left wing cities in the US and maybe the world has promised reparations to Blacks in the city.  I expect a healthy influx from Chicago.

Apparently, the bar has moved.  These reparations are not for slavery (no doubt because the slavery argument was absurd on its face), but for "other" affronts.  "Jim Crow", "Redlining" and others definitely happened.  But here's the deal:  I didn't do it and consequently, I shouldn't be penalized.  Further, there is a court system for these kinds of things.  For a city to unilaterally decide reparations is a good idea is a *bad* idea.  But we have allowed this kind of behavior from City Government for a long time.  I don't see anything in the article about a referendum or city-wide discussions regarding reparations.  To only accept input from one group on such a matter is taxation without representation.  

But the devil is in the details.  Where will this money come from?  Obviously, higher taxes.  But will only whites be taxed for these funds?  Will there be a "Reparations Tax" applicable to only whites?  And who gets reparations and who doesn't?  If this program reflects others of the same variety, friends will get rich and "not friends" will get nothing.  But rich, old-money white liberals in Evanston don't care about any of this.  They only care that they feel better.

Planetary Sabotage?

The Beer:  There is nothing like a Miller High Life after working hard on a hot day

The Bicycle:  Needs to go up on the rack and get cleaned up and tuned.  A 15 year old carbon fiber Trek Madone needs some maintenance, but at some point, I will retire it or trade it for something new.

The VRWC:  What ind of thinking goes into believing this kind of tripe?  The very idea that people who have a legitimate disagreement with politicized science are "sabotaging the planet" is not only ridiculous, it is irresponsible journalism (as if there is any other kind).

There is sufficient evidence that the planet is in a natural climate cycle and the human impact is nearly zero.  Add the malfeasance of those performing research, and there is good reason to be skeptical.  Some researchers have fudged numbers, violated rules of measurement and research, cherry picked and outright lied so they can stay at the government trough.  Arguably, it is they who are sabotaging not only the planet, but the human inhabitants thereof.  Cheap, reliable energy correlates well with increased longevity.  The impact on the environment is much lower than you might think and improves daily.

At some point, people need to go to jail for political malfeasance.

Replacing Right Wing Fascism

The Beer:  Shiner Bock is always the go-to.

The Bicycle:  Saw the doc about my foot yesterday.  She says removing hardware should make me feel like new.

The VWRC:  I think they mean "replaced with Left Wing Fascism".

The definition of fascism has been changed to make it solely a Right-wing phenomenon, but the Left more closely fits the that definition.  The idea that the American Right is fascist flies in the face of the evidence.  There is no indication the Right has any interest in a totalitarian state, but there is plenty of evidence the Left is.  

The Left:

Silences opposition

Shouts down dissent

Believes the opposition party should be dissolved

Picks corporate winners and losers (corporatism)

Is anti-semitic

Is tyrannical (as shown by the government demands during the Covid pandemic)

Exercises unprincipled opportunism (anyone who is paying attention can see this)

Are preoccupied with control and submissive behavior

 

There are many more examples.  You can see them for yourself.  To me, the comparison is absurd.

"Coastal Darkening"?

 The Beer:  Based on my blood sugar this week, beer will be few and far between.  Maybe have to go to NA.  Getting old is not for the faint of hears.

The Bicycle:  I'll be using my new toy this morning (DJI Mavic Mini Drone) to get some good aerial video and stills of the snow here in Fort Worth.

The VRWC:  Stay afraid, my friends. 

Remember that lay people who likely have no clue about the science and technology write this stuff.

As Always, Spin It

 A gross oversimplification with a significant omission.  

As always, a Democrat administrations uses numbers without context to claim a "wage gap".  While there may indeed be a wage gap that is based in gender and race, I have seen exactly zero data-based evidence to prove it.  There are always numbers thrown out that say "because A makes less than B, there's a wage gap".  There is never any normalizing of these values for job titles, skill sets, education, ability, actual on the job performance or any of a number of other objective criteria.  

The glaring omission?  How well women and minorities did in a Trump Administration economy.

Why is it Necessary to Rob Me?

 The Beer:  Everyone has an IPA and I do love a good one, but with so many out there, it is really refreshing to have a nice Kolsch or Pilsner as a change.  In fact, there are so many funky beers out there, it's a nice change to quaff a traditional been, "sans funk".

The Bicycle:  It did not get out of the 20s here in Fort Worth today.  We are under a winter storm warning and they are predicting up to 6" of snow by Monday morning at which time it becomes mercilessly cold for Monday and Tuesday followed by a predicted 2 more inches of snow Wednesday.  With no snow removal equipment here, there is some likelihood we can be snow-bound for a week.

The VRWC:  I think we can agree that there is no government entity that looks out for the taxpayer.  But why is it necessary to rub our faces in it?  Governmental Buildings are now named for government functionaries, whether schools or federal buildings.  It has become sickening.  Why not name them for the people who pay for it?  But seriously, the willingness, especially by school systems to build palatial buildings "for the children" and naming them for a school board member or teacher is a gigantic waste of tax money.  Giant atria, Pro-style football stadia, performance halls that rival the finest are all unnecessary.  While I believe sports and music are very important in the development of young students, it is not necessary to have professional-style (and expensive) venues.  At a minimum, venues can and should be shared within a school system.  

But politicians don't care.

Rant over.

Unpaid Activism

 Read this for yourself.  I have some thoughts about it and if anyone chooses to comment, I will respond.  There are some things with which I agree, some with which I don't.

Liberty for Safety

 The Beer:  Time to make Kombucha again.  Been a few years and I don't have a viable SCOBY, but it's simple enough.

The Bicycle:  What should my alternative be?  I'll need to work on that

The VRWC:

Apparently, we are willing to give up our liberty for safety.  This is from a survey I took online today.