Syrmax

That's Ballin! We need MOAR!

I was in SECT for last few days. Wish I could've stayed to ride out storm but meh...other duties called...

I just measured 4.33" for yesterday...photo of rain gauge before I measured the catch. Inner cylinder is 1" of rainfall... 3 day total is 6.53"...

Well, I dumped almost 2" of water out of the pool this a.m. looks like another inch or two will need to be dumped by morning.

7.0" Congrats ROC!

Euro has been showing this sliding out ENE but sure doesn't look like that's happening real time.

1.55" yesterday and overnight...total of 2.2" for the system thusfar.

We need this in Dec/Jan.

I wonder what the covid numbers will be like in Afghanistan now. The population will be "safe" at least! I'm assuming this means Afghanistan comes off of the CDCs do not travel list now?

Yeah, I don't think legal challenges to vax mandates will hold water. At least not for schools, universities where many already require some form of Vax proof against certain diseases. I actually have a problem with religious exemptions. What has gone on down near, and in, NYC amongst the Hassidic Jewish population with Covid 19 (and other recent disease outbreaks) is Example A of why religious objections should carry no weight when they can, and have, been repeatedly shown to affect the larger public health & safety.

I could see a concern about unknown long term effects from vaccines, particularly this one,...witness the 1976 Swine Flue vaccine disaster. But at this point...one would think any unknown adverse reactions would have surfaced. We do know that about 12,000 have apparently died as a direct, or indirect result of taking C19 vaccines in the US. But... in the context of what, 150+M total doses administered, seems like its the usual very low risk (~ 0.008% using my rough #s). For those of you that weren't around or don't remember the Government Flu (h/t The Dead Kennedys)... Here is some interesting reading. The "Science" isn't always as settled as some would have us believe...

A fair chunk of the rest of Taibbi's piece: The pattern is always the same. We go to places we’re not welcome, tell the public a confounding political problem can be solved militarily, and lie about our motives in occupying the country to boot. Then we pick a local civilian political authority to back that inevitably proves to be corrupt and repressive, increasing local antagonism toward the American presence. In response to those increasing levels of antagonism, we then ramp up our financial, political, and military commitment to the mission, which in turn heightens the level of resistance, leading to greater losses in lives and treasure. As the cycle worsens, the government systematically accelerates the lies to the public about our level of “progress.” Throughout, we make false assurances of security that are believed by significant numbers of local civilians, guaranteeing they will later either become refugees or targets for retribution as collaborators. Meanwhile, financial incentives for contractors, along with political disincentives to admission of failure, prolong the mission. This all goes on for so long that the lies become institutionalized, believed not only by press contracted to deliver the propaganda (CBS’s David Martin this weekend saying with a straight face, “Everybody is surprised by the speed of this collapse” was typical), but even by the bureaucrats who concocted the deceptions in the first place. The look of genuine shock on the face of Tony Blinken this weekend as he jousted with Jake Tapper about Biden’s comments from July should tell people around the world something important about the United States: in addition to all the other things about us that are dangerous, we lack self-knowledge. Even deep inside the machine of American power, where everyone paying even a modicum of attention over the last twenty years should have known Kabul would fall in a heartbeat, they still believe their own legends. Which means this will happen again, and probably sooner rather than later.

Good read from Matt Taibbi (as usual)...not sure if its paywalled by substack. HIghlights: Afghanistan: We Never Learn As the Taliban waltzes into Kabul, the look of surprise on the faces of top officials should frighten us most of all Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, when asked months ago about the possibility that there might be a “significant deterioration” of the security picture in Afghanistan once the United States withdrew its forces, said, “I don’t think it’s going to be something that happens from a Friday to a Monday.” Blinken’s Nostradamus moment was somehow one-upped by that of his boss, Joe Biden, who on July 8th had the following exchange with press:

i hear you...though not sure such sanctions will mean much in that place. It's not like the average Afghani Taliban supporter is shopping online at Amazon or taking vacations in St. Tropez. This is probably a big win for Iran and assuredly Putin will seek to exploit it as well. Pakistan's government probably not thrilled either, or at least their military who tend to step in to right the ship every so often, so to speak.

How long before Taliban 2.0 start tearing down historical monuments the don't like... again? We even have wannabe's doing that here in the US these days...which is why (for the most part) I object to cancelling history.

Sizzle Sizzle.

I don't think most Americans were in favor of the permanent war but it was low intensity so it sort of flew under the radar. It's the old argument about being the world's policeman...using mainly our own resources. The original reason for going in (Taliban) was sound, IMO, but noone was envisioning a 2 decades long presence. Biden ripped off the bandaid but Trump Admin started the slow peel. This was inevitable IMO. It will be destabilizing in the region and perhaps globally and I'm sure we'll be dealing with the fallout for a long time.

Hard to know what to think about it. Could argue about how we've withdrawn over the past couple of years but...2 decades in there...we were probably long past the point where the Afghan Govt/People needed to become something other than a tribal mish mash. Probably was never going to happen. Now they've got an Islamic "Republic"...not sure if there was any alternative other than to maintain a permanent protectorate there. I have a sense the UN wanted nothing to do with that...

354 deaths attributed to Covid-19 from 1/1/20 till 8/11/21 in the 0-17 y.o. demographic per CDC tracking...gonna take a looooooong time if you think mortality is going to be increased much by the 0-17 y.o. age group...

We're in good shape for fall / winter. Growing vax rates and most vaxed have mild symptoms. VIrtually no mortality among the unvaxed <30 and <17 y.o.'s. Of course, actual data won't stop the fear porn an Masks Uber Alles crowd.

No heat advisory today and we hit 90 at KSYR! Sizzle Sizzle.

I'm going to suspect that pop trends are largely continuing as they have, meaning urban areas probably static at best and the more "successful/desirable" burbs growing. I know we are seeing increased development, and road traffic, in Clay.

Ran across this speaking stats... From the CDC– Covid Deaths in the U.S. from 01/01/2020 through 08/11/21 Age 0-17: 354 The following stats are for the same age bracket and length of time: Deaths from pneumonia: 859 Deaths from Influenza: 188

weak sauce heat wave, if that's what this is. Still just mid 80s around here. KSYR actually hit 90 the past couple of days for a cup of coffee each day (one reporting hour each day). Granted, very humid, which is lousy for outdoor workers, but the cloudiness is keeping a lid on things. The hype over heat index is overdone yet again. No surprise. We're used to this with Winter Storm Warnings underperforming. It keeps us in good practice.

Well...it's not like the political class doesn't give everyone reason to despise them. Esp in NY with 7 Dems and 2 R's being ousted from major office / positions credible/verified abuses/crimes in the past decade...including the last 3 Govs and an AG.