Month: August 2020

So the other day a friend was over while I was nuking a red potato to mash up. He told me with enthusiasm that microwaves completely changed the structure of potatoes. Which in turn made them dangerous to eat. I looked at him like my dog looks at me when I’m on the phone. My Chupacabra (huge Malinois) turns her head slightly left or right when she hears a familiar person coming out the speaker.

WTF? During the explanation of the microwave danger of potatoes, the timer rang, signifying the cycle was done. Removing the very hot potato (pun!) I started prepping it for the short journey to my stomach. Which is to say, I mashed it, added Miyiko Butter, salt and pepper with some freshly roasted garlic, mashed and mixed into the simmering red potato.

I handed a forkful to my friend to try, wondering if he would keel over after taking a bite – OR NOT. Either way I had my finger on the phone ready to call 911 (uh, nope…) just in case (of what?) the newly changed potato molecules would proceed to decimate the human body at warp speed.

Well, nothing happened (go figure) and the response was “quite good! Yep, Disaster averted from the evil nuking microwave. There are some foods that change for the worse (becoming inedible) like chicken when overnuked ending up with a rubbery elastic texture, grapes that explode and CD’s that display patterns/pulses of lightning across the surface for a 5 to 10 second exposure. (Technically not a food) Please be careful if you put a CD inside your microwave. You could destroy the microwave and also start a fire. But the CD sure is purdy a few seconds.There’s that.

So, are microwaved potatoes now dangerous to eat after being nuked? Nah. In fact they can be quite tasty. As my friend found out from a forkful.

As I sit here…

Typing away, wondering if I’m the child my parents thought I would be, although in honesty, that thought is fleeting for I care more about reading the next book in the Betwixt series by Darynda Jones. Would I care more if either parent were still alive? And would we still be talking, visiting, enjoying evenings together? I doubt that these questions have presentable answers that might make sense. In one great insight, I am the result of my parents attempt to raise a child that was able to leave the nest, grow into a man (debatable) and carve a niche in the world around him. Perhaps that’s all that matters.

But the shocker is my parents didn’t raise me. Or really even try. They were too busy having meltdowns of their own flavors to care much for us kids. Yes, I have brothers and sisters, although I only count my sisters among the living now. Long story there with no real ending as well. Perhaps another time?

Currently, the RNC and DNC are having/had their online conventions – each trying to outdo the other. “They are liars and cheats” one would say… “No, THEY are the liars and cheats” the other party would respond. While I didn’t watch any of it live, I was able to watch the recorded conventions while snacking on lupini beans (yummy!) and drinking iced tea. Does that factor into this somehow? You betcha! State of mind. I was happy crunching away and therefor more inclined to be less critical. Starting with the completely unbiased search I did on google “night 2 of the dnc” compared to “night 2 of the rnc”.

When I searched for “night 2 of the dnc”, I got how amazing Biden was/is and how well the online convention was proceeding. Totally unbiased search results. Uh, right…(sarc)

When I searched for “night 2 of the rnc” on google, well, what a crock of turtle poo. Ruined my easy going attitude almost immediately. The search returned how everyone was lying, and fact check was needed on Trump and all supporting speakers – and the American public was being used for devious plans by the rnc etc. Trump Derangement Syndrome was in full swing. So, why did the “dnc” search result in glowing beautiful pages to read and the “rnc” result in spiteful, negative reactions across the board? Hmmm…

Absolutely unbiased search results, right? (TOTAL SARCASM)

So, I figured it was time to hear everything from the horses mouth. I watched both nights hoping to understand the algorithm that google was using to display the “rnc” search vs. the “dnc”.

The dnc spent almost every moment in what appeared to be a hatred of America. An intense dislike of everything American and also Trump. Along with removing “god” from places that are part of the history of this great country! From supporting the BLM movement, the riots, de-funding the police, the constant fear mongering about covid cases etc, there didn’t seem to be one positive original thought I could latch onto. Mostly negative and painting America in a bad light.

In contrast, the rnc spent time reinforcing America as a great country, it’s citizens amazing people who help each other in troubled times. Some speakers spoke with their truth, others with emotional reverence, but one thing was clear, “god” was not being removed from speeches to not offend some faction of the American public. How utterly refreshing! Uplifting as well. As I watched the rnc convention, I was humbled. You couldn’t watch it and NOT come away with a sense of pride and hope for America.

So, where does that leave this child of parents who never really raised me, shaped me and helped me to form my current views of the world?

I started reflecting on my problems and what they meant. My sisters, my friends, my neighbors etc… was I alone in the world (yep) and did it matter? And were our lives guided by an external force or are they just reflections that trickle down from decisions made thousands of miles away?

I decided to sleep on it for now (smile) as my head was exploding from the bias presented by google, a company that I had previously respected, admired even. Was I naive to even entertain the idea they would be fair? And how can companies be fair when they are also reflections of those who run them?

So I say, meh.

P.S. you weren’t really thinking I was going to say something clever, were you?

AKA Scamdemic. I’ve had enough. The bullshit we’re being put through and enduring is a crime. One that most likely may go unpunished. First a history lesson: (excerpts from WebMD)

Influenza pandemics have struck about three times every century since the 1500s, or roughly every 10-50 years. There was one in 1957-1958 and one in 1968-1969. The most infamous pandemic flu of the 20th century, however, was that of 1918-1919. An estimated 40 million people died in less than a year, and what made it so different from seasonal flu epidemics is that it killed primarily young people, those aged 20-45.

What is the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic?

The CDC’s definition of a flu epidemic relates to the percentage of deaths in a given week caused by influenza and pneumonia. The “epidemic threshold” is a certain percentage above what is considered normal for that period. The normal level, or baseline, is statistically determined based on data from past flu seasons.

There are two main features of an influenza pandemic. First, the virus is a new strain that has never infected people before. Second, it’s on a global scale. Sometimes it’s also unusually deadly.

So, the big question. Are we experiencing a pandemic? The answer is yes and no. Certainly, the virus is worldwide. Unlike influenza epidemics which are worldwide. Get the hypocrisy yet? And Covid is killing mostly the old/infirm, rarely young children – mostly those with existing conditions unlike influenza: (sarcasm)

Seasonal flu epidemics may sicken millions, but those who die are typically a small number of the elderly, very young children, and people with weak immune systems. That’s not the case during the worst influenza pandemics.

While I personally don’t want anyone to get sick or die from any disease, we live in an age where they still exist. Perhaps the future will eradicate all illnesses. But for now they are here to stay. Does covid live up to killing 40 million worldwide? No. Does it stay within the ranges of periodic influenza epidemics? Yes. Currently as of this posting, in the U.S. it’s around 150k total deaths.

us_covid-19_death_toll_is_inflated (opens in new tab)

With a large percentage being those in convalescent homes and those with existing conditions. Which in a few cases the governors of certain states caused by forcing convalescent homes to take infected patients that were being treated in hospitals to make room for the millions of patients that never arrived. What were they thinking?

But not the point of this post. I can continue with all the absolutely stupid health regulations such as: Wear a mask in public, in your car, walking to a restaurant (here’s where it gets tricky…) but inside the restaurant, there’s no chance you can get infected – remove your mask, everyone at one table, it’s OK.

OR: you can’t go to a local business where there’s only a few people at any given moment, in fact they must be shut down completely! But we’re told that if we all go to Walmart (millions of us?) or Target (again millions?) it’s OK, we’ll be safe. And it’s millions because of everyone that went there before you did. Get it yet?

My absolute favorite: This is a smart virus. It knows to hide during a riot to protect itself so everyone doesn’t have to wear a mask.

The point of this post is the other day I was walking down a major street in Los Angeles, without a mask on (it was in my pocket) and there was only one other person within 2 blocks of me walking in the opposite direction – as he strolled by me he said “Wear your mask Fucker, You’re killing my Grandmother” or something like that. I stopped listening at “Fucker”

I turned and said, “Fucker? You’re the problem. You’re why all my friends continue to loose their jobs and businesses are being closed. Fuck You”

He of course, being twice my size with muscles to boot said “I’m going to teach you a lesson, blah blah blah” and he turned and started towards me. I gotta tell you, I was ready regardless of the outcome. In my defense, I kept walking to my destination. He eventually thought better of it, continuing to shout obscenities at me.

In hindsight, I don’t hate the guy for being an idiot and uninformed plus brainwashed. This whole covid mess has everyone on edge. Chances are you know someone who lost their job or a favorite shop that closed down the street. He was wrong to call me out. I am not killing anyones grandmother or even you from reading this post. We do not have millions dead in the U.S. – if we do I will be one of the first to admit I was wrong. For now, nah. Between the Frontline doctors being banned from telling the media how to treat the virus successfully, the MSM telling everyone about the new cases being added everyday (which means nothing by the way) the liberal left has sunk to a new low.

Stay safe. When I am hiking in the mountains and see someone wearing a mask, I am saddened. So by all means, follow the rules and stay away from them. And by that I mean 6 feet away so you don’t catch stupid.

David Horowitz pretty much sums it all –

https://www.conservativereview.com/news/horowitz-wheres-endgame-media-using-viral-lies-stoke-violent-hatred/

I love the end of this post…

…as Henry David Thoreau said: “Think for yourself, or others will think for you without thinking of you.”