I Agree With

... Bill Maher?

"[Democrats] also have a greatly exaggerated view of the danger of COVID to and the mortality rate among children, all of which explains why today the states with the highest share of schools that are still closed are all blue states," Maher lamented. "So if the right-wing media bubble has to own things like climate change denial, shouldn't liberal media have to answer for 'How did your audience wind up believing such bunch of crap about COVID?'"

I.... Agree.  

Update: Video added.

Got the Shot

Yesterday I took off work a couple hours early and went to the vaccination site run by the county to get my 'Rona vaccine. 

It's pretty easy to sign up: There's a website, you pick the day you can go, it offers you a list of available times and which location -- there's one in the parking lot of the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, and another in Estes Park -- then you just show up.  

I've got to give credit when it is due: This was pretty dang efficient, for a government run operation.  Despite there being a not-insignificant number of people going, it was about half an hour, start to finish.  

You drive up, following the signs and traffic directors, and get to the first stop.  

One person asks you a few questions: "Have you ever had allergic reaction to any vaccine?  Have you had COVID?  Have you already received one of the different vaccines for COVID?"  That sort of thing, checks your ID and compares it to the sign up form, and you move along.  Then you drive up to the next stop, a second person asks the same questions, and then a nurse (assuming she was a nurse.  Perhaps a paramedic or some other medical professional, but something about her demeanor shouted "nurse" to me) gives you the shot in your arm.  If you're driving and you're okay with it in your left arm, you don't even need to get out of your car. 

You're handed your card 

(fine, I've got the card, but I damn sure will NOT be carrying it everywhere I go... "Papers, please" is NOT how we do things here), drive a little further, wait for 15 minutes in case you develop any problematic side effects, and then you're done.  

Anyway, now I've got the shot.  Two weeks for it to take full effect  and provide immunity, then don't you f--king dare ask me to wear a damn mask all the time.  No, screw you. 

Only the Police Are Responsible Enough... Blah Blah Blah

Martinez ignored officer commands to lie down and prongs from a taser missed him. Instead, Martinez jumped into Munoz’s patrol car, where her AR-15 was lying in the passenger seat in an unlocked case.

Tell me again how I cannot be trusted to own an AR-15 but the cops can.

I've never left MY guns unattended in my vehicle's passenger seat.  

"Concealed Assault-style Rifles"

"Last week 100 House Democrats wrote to Biden urging him to take action on concealed assault-style rifles."

Now they're just making up even more asinine terms.  

These people are not intelligent and their orders should be ignored.

The Chauvin Trial

Andrew Branca, well known for his legal opinions regarding self defense, has an interesting and detailed analysis of the Chauvin trial over at Legal Insurrection.  

I recommend reading it.  

It's The Why

Something that just sorta hit me the other day, and I talked with a friend about it, is that for me, I really have a struggle accepting an outcome without understanding the "Why" of it.

Take, for example, the job I interviewed for recently but didn't get.  OK, fine, I get it, you felt another candidate was a better fit, think he or she will meet your needs more than I will.  I accept that, but tell me WHY.  What was it that he had that I didn't?  What did he say in response to a question that was so much better than my answer to that question?

Alternatively, a lady I'd grown close to a while ago decided to cut off all communication with me, essentially "ghosting" me.  That was hard to handle, because I didn't know WHY she did this.  Was she afraid?  Was I putting on too much pressure to build a relationship?  Was I not putting on enough?  Was it something else?  WHY?  

Understanding the "Why" makes accepting outcomes a lot easier for me.  Even outcomes I like are easier if I know why it happened the way it did.  

Not sure if I'm alone in this regard, but I always want to know the "Why".  

Livid.

The victim in this incident is the husband of a niece of a customer of mine.  

I read the article and my blood began to boil:

Deputy District Attorney Liz Drake said Salazar has at least four prior felonies, the most recent he was sentenced to two years in the Department of Corrections consecutive with two other cases out of Pueblo, including possession of a weapon by a previous offender. He was released in October and was no longer on parole.

So he's a four time felon, with a violent past, and he's not in prison.  But somehow, I'm sure, it's going to be the gun's fault.

Also, I suspect that whomever was involved in the decision to release him will have some 'splainin' to do.

Salazar was contacted by CCPD earlier in the day prior to the shooting and was issued a felony arrest summons for criminal trespass and was released. VanDyke said Salazar was trespassing at Loaf ‘n Jug and looking into random vehicles. The officer issued him a felony summons but did not make a physical arrest because of the COVID protocol regarding individuals being taken to the jail.

This is inexcusable.  Absolutely and completely inexcusable.

The cops KNEW he was committing crimes, KNEW he had a violent past, and DIDN'T arrest him, becasue 'Rona?  AYFKM?

Furious.  Absolutely furious. 

There's a Go Fund Me, if you are so inclined.

Say His Name

Eric Talley.

Say his name.  Don't say the name of the scumbag who killed the innocents.  Say the name of Officer Eric Talley, who died going toward the danger, his gun in hand, to help the innocent. 

Eric. Talley.

For the rest, wait for the investigation to unfold.  Almost everything you read or hear in the next 48 to 72 should be considered suspect.  

Requiescat in Pace, Officer Talley.  You died an honorable death. 

Smokin'

Well, it's smoking time. 

As mentioned previously, our hapless Governor has proclaimed today to be Colorado Meat Out day, and has encouraged all Colorado residents to not eat meat today.  This is pandering to the vegan crowd and a big middle finger to the folks who make their living raising cattle or other livestock. 

And, well, I am the kind of guy who, when someone flips me the bird, is likely to flip two birds in return.  

So our Saturday brewery crew is doing a meat potluck carry in today.  

I've got five pounds of chicken wings ready for the smoker.  On the advice of a friend, I par-steamed them for about 10 minutes, then moved them to a rack and into the fridge to dry and cool.  This morning, I've given them a good dusting of rub -- Kosmos Killer Bee rub, to be exact -- and will fire up the smoker in an hour or so.  They'll sit over hickory smoke for an hour and change at 225F, while getting sprayed now and again with a mixture of bourbon, honey, and water, then into a 450F oven to crisp up the skin.  

They will join a platter of Italian meatballs, smoked duck, flank steak, maple glazed bacon, beef jerky, bratwurst, and other meats today.

Also, it seems there are plenty of others who feel much the same regarding this tone deaf move by Governor Controlis.

Update:  It was epic.  Flatiron Steak slices, bacon wrapped chicken tenderloins in peppers, beef jerky, smoked bratwursts, the meatballs and smoked wings, a smoked duck breast in a tangerine glaze, and antelope/chicken sausage with dried cherries and habanero peppers.  

Covid, Lockdowns, and Cost

Interesting article from the American Institute for Economic Research.

An excerpt:

Regardless, pandemic central planning, even if you believe in it, relies on knowing the severity of a particular disease before the evidence is in. That is simply not possible. Viruses don’t come with severity and prevalence labels. What’s more, there is no escape from the circumstances of time and place. SARS-CoV-2 hit different countries in different ways based on demographics and the population’s immunity profile. Africa, Asia, and America all had very different experiences with the virus regardless of policy. 

... 

Let’s imagine an alternative scenario in which lockdowns actually did work on one pathogen. Would they be worth it? Public health, as Martin Kulldorff continues to explain, must consider not just one ailment but the whole well-being of the community, not just in the short run but the long run. Even if Covid-19 was controlled via coercion, was it worth it to wreck so many businesses, force missed cancer screenings, keep kids out of school for a year, shatter so many communities that depend on houses of worship, lock people in their homes, and hobble the ability to travel?

This is very much in line with what I've argued many times: You cannot simply say "Believe in science and do what the expert scientists tell you" when it comes to, well, anything.  As an example: Science tells us that the best conductor of electricity is pure silver.  So, if we were to "Follow science", we'd be making all power lines, home wiring, automotive wiring, etc. out of 100% pure silver. 

However, when you consider other variables -- cost and availability are the two that come to mind -- this concept falls flat.  Scientists look at things in a very narrow way, and are not experts in other fields.  An expert in viral disease will know little, if anything, about other areas of study.  

This is the same with how many have approached the 'Rona pandemic.  They look at this from a "How do we reduce the spread of the disease?" and rarely, if ever, consider economics, psychology, education, mental health, childhood development, societal interaction, and so forth.  They're looking at it through a very narrow field of view.  Seeing the tree, missing the forest, so to speak.  

In summary, my opinion is that the broader long term impact from the past year and the restrictions imposed upon the people is going to be far worse than the death toll of Covid. 

Twenty Seven

Twenty Seven inches of snow.  

That's how much was measured in Fort Collins, at the closest official NWS measuring station, as shown here.  I'm going by the third entry for Larimer County, the "2 SE HORSETOOTH MOUNTAIN" entry.

Although, to be honest, we probably got more that that, since the measurement shown was recorded at 1145 hours yesterday, and it continued to fall throughout the day.  

You can just make out a little bit of the car that is buried under the snow.  

And, as is typical Colorado weather, the sun is blindingly bright today, the temps should be in mid to high 30s, and the melting has already begun.  

I've shoveled the front walk, so the hound doesn't need to wade through snow deeper than she is tall to get to a spot to pee.  It's the really wet, heavy snow that is a chore to clear.  I seem to recall shoveling was a lot easier 30 years or so ago. 

But the snow does make for some scenic photographs.