Pilgrim

Good point, @Conedodger. I look at this very simply, and have expected the following ever since the first vaccines were created: This virus is likely to behave like the flu virus, to which it is related. That means we'll develop vaccines (which we have). It also means the virus will mutate (which it has and will) in a similar manner to flu. Vaccines will continue to be developed and modified to cope with the variants which emerge. That's why I was vaccinated as soon as I had the opportunity. It works, and it's vastly safer than doing nothing. That's also why I expect medicine to develop annual updates or boosters to deal with the variants as they emerge. That's why I expect to have an annual "Covid shot" just like I have a "flu shot." This is all 100% predictable to anyone who takes a minute to reflect on the history of the flu virus and how we deal with it on an ongoing basis. Viruses are essentially with us forever. They emerge, we learn how to deal with them, and we find vaccines to mitigate their impact as we go forward.

Latest article in today's paper - Covid infections in the US are going up in areas with low vaccination rates, and falling in areas with high vaccination rates. This may be the biggest "DUH" of any article I have read, but maybe this will be enough to finally convince some people to wake up and not let their political perversity overcome their sense of survival. This is really pointing out that the simple fact that vaccinations work.

Latest bit of info I picked up on CBS Sunday Morning - there is an increasing number of cardiac problem cases in 30 and 40 year old guys who had Covid before having the vaccinations. The long-term concern about Covid health effects on lungs and hearts is something that's worthy of concern. Another reason to get vaccinated. As if it were needed.

I really wish that I could donate often, as I have blood type A- and it's unusual. I would like to help others with this blood type. But one of the prostate meds I have taken for years is an absolute prohibition for women, so I can't donate since I started taking it.

Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!

You might want to check the reputation of the Epoch Times. Not pretty.

The problem with that clip is this, and it's a terrible commentary on what happened to our government during the Trump administration: anything Trump or Pompeo said at any time could safely be assumed to be a lie. This is especially true of Trump, who was lying about 90% of the time. Pompeo was his stooge and parrot. It also is reasonable to assume the Homeland Security quote was written by Trump appointees whose job was to agree with him. Therefore, I discount everything from all three of those sources. It's a sad day when you have to assume that most of what your government says is lies, but that was the case throughout Trump's term. I take Fauci's comments as his best understanding of the situation, which changed as time went along. I'm not saying that he was never wrong, but I followed his comments and they seemed to follow the chains of evidence and understanding that evolved throughout the last 18 months.

I'll sum up my position and let it go after that: If I had done as well as Fauci has, considering the administration's ineptness and mess he was faced with until January, knowing that the science and knowledge around this pandemic was changing every week, and also considering the internal and external politics of the health organizations he has to deal with, I'd be very damn proud of what I had done. I firmly consider him to be the best source of information in the US.

Sure, howzabout not pursuing something we are unlikely to agree about?

True, but the effectiveness of the vaccine has been empirically demonstrated. The FDA is always a few years behind reality.

Agreed. I consider that merely a formality, as the world has already approved and accepted them, but it will eliminate some arguments.

That site does not even LIST the Datsun Z-cars as options for their wheel selection...only Datsun sedans. They are primarily for trucks and SUVs. I banned a couple of posters on the zcar.com forum when they spammed the forum about this site.

The Sun is a highly questionable source at best; it's a Rupert Murdoch publication that's trashy and sensational...about even with the Enquirer. I will have to see much more reliable reports to give this any credence.

So, @Wheee! How did you re-center it? Move the mount or change it somehow? I can't visualize how you achieved that.

My entire family is vaccinated and overall Colorado is more than 40% vaccinated (even with the anti-vax right wing in some areas.) Add to that the number of post-covid people and we're up there in the 70% or better range. I'll be very comfy moving around with the related guidelines as they develop.

I wasn't a ramen guy - I ate hot dogs for lunch at least 3x a week through college.

Perhaps it would be good to stay with a Japanese theme, to go with the Z-cars?

I think the classic styles should be considered. 3

Re: the people protesting vaccine measures. A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. (Tommy Lee Jones, Men in Black.) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160113-are-your-opinions-really-your-own

There's no one you can depend on more than you. Sounds like you recognize the need for changes, so do that and be reassured that life will be less stressful when you succeed. I wish you the very best!

The aftermarket heals many ills. I'm confident that if you actually want to race a Z, there will be appropriate parts available. "If you build it, they will come."

There are good news sources out there. I sample from CBS, ABC, NBC, NPR, the Denver Post and the local paper. I often refer to stories in the NY Times and other major papers. Our Fox affiliate in Denver is OK on their local news coverage. Their national coverage is tilted a bit but that's hardly surprising. It's the Fox commentary and feature shows that are from right of the Genghis Khan. One thing that people have problems with is an authority like Fauci who changes his wording or interpretation over time. But if you're a scientist and responding to new and changing information, you have to change your story sometimes. Science is NOT one position that doesn't change; it's a best interpretation of observable conditions, and as you gain more information and observe conditions over a longer period of time, it's almost inevitable that your interpretation and recommendations will change. I've been talking with faculty at three major universities about controversial topics in science for more than 40 years, and I also have a PhD. As long as scientists give me a clue as to why their position has evolved or changed, I'm usually comfortable with those changes. I'm very comfortable with the arc of comments and directions from Tony Fauci. A fixed position that never changes relative to something like a pandemic is probably either a political stance, sheer stubbornness, or someone with a commercial or personal interest in not changing. Science changes its story over time; sometimes in very subtle ways, sometimes in substantial ones. I think this will be my last post in this thread. There's a rather surprising level of distrust and denial in some of it.

I heard Tony Fauci talk about the possibility of booster shots within the last 24 hours. He said they should know whether they are advisable by the end of summer. IMO there is no better authority in the world. If he says do it, I'm doing it.

From recent news coverage it sounds like annual booster shots may be a good idea. If that's the case, I'm very much in. That makes sense to me. I get a yearly flu shot anyway, and two sticks are no more trouble than one. That said, I salute Racer X for going through what he has. No fun at all.

Getting a shot is easy. Look AWAY from the shot and find something in the room to focus on. Example: "Hey, that crop-in ceiling panel is crooked. Maybe someone was in there messing around. What do the ones next to it look like?" By the time you have looked carefully at them, the shot is done.