Full House at the Rangers game right now
 

Gotta love that!



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No you don’t. It is irresponsible and conflicts with all accepted science.

Yes, he does. Refer to his original post. It's pretty clear, actually.

Your opinion is just that, your opinion. It's no more or less important than his.

It’s great that they are letting healthy people decide what they want to do with their lives. What a strange idea.

Every thread needs a card.
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Agreed, but in keeping with the theme of the thread our subject should be convalescencing!

I like this one of Ted getting swallowed up by the quicksand at the edge of a toxic waste pit.

Brian

I like potatoes

I LOVE potatoes!!!!

MLB wants to move the all-star game because of the voting right and take there stand on it but they don't care about 40,000 fans shoulder to shoulder and most without masks spreading covid. Wow strange world.

I’m making potatoes right now.

You guys are jerks.:D;)

I love me some mashed potatoes and gravy but my darn diabetes says otherwise.:(

At least think of me when eating your delicious taters.:)

Do potatoes affect diabetes? I did not know that.

We ain't skeered in Texas. :) Living life to the fullest with our masks on.

You say potato, I say Saboto....


...let's call the whole thing off...

I prefer to eat healthy so my potato is baked with butter, shredded cheese, and extra bacon bits.

Who needs a mask when you can wear shades :cool:

http://sports-glutton.com/wp-content...d-IMG_2046.jpg

God bless texas !!!!

When giving your opinion of a potatoe, your full name must be posted per the rules.

Dan Quayle

I knew John Kennedy, he was my friend and you Sir are no John Kennedy.
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Wow. The future's so bright (in Texas), I gotta wear shades...

100%

0%

Are you talking about the same science that said they "have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission" of the Coronavirus? That science?

No, I am talking about the peer reviewed and rigorous study that has been done by the Centers for Disease Control over the last year plus. I am talking about the studies that have been completed by world renown Universities in America and Europe. I am not talking about a self serving statement made early in an outbreak by a totalitarian government.
Let’s stop pretending that this is a political or even disputed issue. Covid is an airborne virus that is spread by droplets. We are within a couple months of widespread immunity and transmission will drop. Why can’t we just wait a bit more and finish the job. Baseball can be done much more safely than Texas is deciding to do. A small sacrifice of having 25% capacity would have a huge impact.

I am not asking for the world to close. I am not asking to close many business. I agree with the science that says that most kids should be back in person. All I am asking is that we don’t pack 50,000 people into a stadium for a couple of months

Jason Mishelow

We're also about 13 months past "two weeks to flatten the curve."

You do what you feel is right for yourself. Nobody will fault you for that. But let others do what they feel is right for themselves too...including going to ball games. If you don't want to go, don't go. But don't call other people irresponsible because they want to go. Is someone criticizing you for doing what you want to do? I'm guessing not. So why are you doing it to others? Who are you that only your opinion matters?

I think it's natural for people to worry for themselves. The pandemic has taught us that other people's actions can have consequences for you re: getting sick. That's why they call events that people attended in the past super spreader events. They affected people who weren't there.

[QUOTE=vintagetoppsguy;2090800]We're also about 13 months past "two weeks to flatten the curve

That was never science, that was wishful thinking. That did not come from scientist.

I’ve forgotten what 40,000 people look like, living here in a podunk town of 1700. As for potatoes, I prefer burritos. Made from locally grown beans, meat, cheese and locally sourced corn masa. Need a salad? Add some romaine, red onion, tomato and fresh jalapeno. Pile it on, pile it in, take your B P meds.

That sounds like a great salad. In a few months I will be making those with fresh produce from the garden.:D

I agree with you here. But isn't "We are within a couple months of widespread immunity and transmission will drop" wishful thinking too? Where is the science to back this up?

A good percentage of people won't get the vaccination. I won't. I'm not trying to disparage anyone that does, but I just don't understand why someone would inject themselves with something with so little testing? :confused: I'm not an anti-vaxxer. I just don't think enough testing has been conducted.

You have a company like Johnson and Johnson that just two years ago paid out nearly $4B to settle cancer lawsuits from their baby powder. Come on! These guys can't even safely make baby powder and folks are going to trust them with a vaccine? Yeah, good luck with that.

And not to mention that none of the vaccines are 100% effective. I think we're a long way off from widespread immunity and a drop in transmission. So, I can either let fear take over, or go about living my life as normal. I choose the latter...just like those fans at the baseball game.

This is such a specious post. Using the logic on display here, we can cite any number of positions held by doctors/scientists in the past, going back centuries, and use that as a reason to call them wrong and foolish today. But we all know that knowledge evolves. Things we didn't know on Day X, especially about novel subjects, we come to learn in Day X +++.

Yeah, but the fact of the matter is that we're not going back centuries; we're only going back a little over a year. Nice try though. You get an E for effort.

I am a potato!

You are the one who started with a deliberately misleading post. Yes it is a little over a year, but in terms of the amount of research that had been at the time and the amount of research that has been done since it is a huge amount of time. But that doesn't fit your agenda so you will disregard it.

I don't give a flying flip if you get the vaccine or go to a baseball game or do whatever makes you feel good. This isn't about my views on Covid, it is an objection to your cherry picking scientific examples to meet your needs.

What I feel is right for me is to go speeding around in my car while drunk. Good to know that nobody will fault me for that. :rolleyes:

I have been thinking about taking up drinking again so I can do that. If I remember right it was a lot of fun in high school.

You missed the point of my post, so let me make it a little more clear for you. I'm tired of being told that we need to listen to science...the same science that is constantly changing. I only gave one example of that, but if you would you like others so I don't seem to be cherry picking or come across as misleading then I can certainly provide them.

My entire point was this. People need to stop telling others to listen to science and let people do their own thing...and not criticize them or call them irresponsible for doing so. Just remember, this "science" is from the same brilliant minds (:rolleyes:) that tell us we should double mask, but are photographed at a baseball game without their mask.

Let me reword it for the mentally impaired. If people aren't breaking any laws or causing intentional harm to others, they should be left alone to do their own thing.

Exactly.
Please do it in poor driving conditions at high speed around a number of large and solid brick walls, and preferably with the car loaded with like-minded simpletons.

Yes science constantly evolves, I would hope that people engaging in science learn something from their experiments and observations and push our knowledge forward. This is not a bad thing.

My point is that you have an agenda and you use specific cherry picked examples to push that agenda. When current science doesn't back up what you want you disparage it. When you want to use science to back up what you say you tout that you hold a water license from the State of Texas.

You want to get back to your life, we all do. Just say that and you live in a place where you can do that. You don't need to disparage science to be able to do it.

As I said before I don't care. There are 3 results I see

1) You don't get covid
2) You get covid and survive
3) You get covid and die

As long as you don't spread it to others, I don't care. You do you.

It's also good to know that since I don't call people who don't want to drive drunk irresponsible, they shouldn't call me irresponsible for wanting to drive drunk. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Driving drunk isn't causing intentional harm to others. It's just a side product ... collateral damage. A law was passed to make it illegal to drive drunk because of that potential collateral damage (not every drunk driving escapade ends with someone being injured or killed). People gathering in large crowds during a pandemic without masks and social distancing can create a side product ... collateral damage. There is a potential for people to pass the virus to others who then pass it to others. Potentially, some people may get very sick and even die.

Are people who drive drunk irresponsible?
Are people who gather in a large crowd without masks during a pandemic irresponsible?

Respectfully you are comparing apples to oranges. In your example you would be breaking the law. There is no law stating anyone has to get injected with a vaccine....especially one we are crossing our fingers and hoping works.

I have fingers crossed on both hands and I pray it works, but knowing a little bit about pharma I'm not holding my breath and I certainly won't be their guinea pig.

I could also potentially spread the common flu or cold in which susceptible individuals could die from. Are you advocating for making it law that anyone who is sick cannot go out into public?

Wow, you're hard headed. Once again, all I am saying is that as long as people aren't breaking any laws or intentionally causing harm to others, they should be left alone to do their own thing. My original post came after someone else disparaged others for wanting to go to a baseball game.

You're conditioned to the government solving all your problems, aren't you? Yeah, I can tell.

I wear a mask because it is common sense to do so. I do not need a scientific study to prove or disprove whether or not this is effective.

I will listen to science as soon as it becomes consistent, regardless of political affiliation.

Actually it is apples to apples. You, unfortunately, let vintagetoppsguy sidetrack you. The discussion was about calling a certain behavior irresponsible.

Ask yourself this, if it weren't against the law to drive while drunk, would you? Would you consider that responsible behavior?

Nowhere in my response do I advocate for creating any laws.

I do consider driving while drunk irresponsible.
I do consider going to a packed baseball game during a pandemic without proper safety protocols irresponsible.
I do consider going out in public while active with the flu to be irresponsible.

What's wrong with calling drunk drivers irresponsible?
What's wrong with calling people who go to a packed baseball game during a pandemic irresponsible?
What's wrong with calling people who knowingly go out in public while they have the flu irresponsible?

Who got their panties in a twist and became the PC Police? ;)

We are way past the required card picture.

Then the other is the second best advice my Grandpa ever gave me. First is if you are so high you think you can fly. Try it from the ground first.:D

oh my bad...wrong thread...haha Ben you beat me to it

I like naps. :D

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Here's a Nap
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What does all this have to do with potatoes? Can we get back on topic?

Vodka.

Here's someone that I've read knew his way around alcohol. I don't know why, but he looks a little "impaired" to me in this picture.

“Fear does not prevent death, it prevents life”.
Buddha

Allowing full attendance at a sporting event, especially without mandating mask wearing, is idiocy at this point. I agree that people should be free to act as they choose, except when it starts affecting others. Get everyone vaccinated and I’m fine with this. Until then, I think events like this just lead to the continuation of the pandemic.

​

Masks are required at all their home games. Did everyone comply? I don't know, but probably not. But that's going to hold true any place that masks are required.

Masks and opinions
 

I was wondering when this type of discussion would hit net54. It is a very divisive topic. I'd like to see somebody set up some Polls so we can get a confidential measure of how collectors feel about these topics. It's not baseball card related, though. I live in Texas, so here people are more in favor of getting out in the open air and not just staying at home. Some reasonable social distancing is the right thing to do for awhile longer, though.

I can’t believe this is even an argument.... as they say, I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.

Unbelievable. Seriously, unbelievable.

Agree with this take.... common sense. I want as little government intervention as possible, and think the issue has been somewhat overblown. States with strong restrictions are faring no better than states with few to no restrictions at this point. And states where schools are still not in session are a disgrace, IMO.

That said, I still wear a mask in public settings because I realize others might be uncomfortable otherwise. It's just a temporary common courtesy, and feels better to err on the side of safety. I do find it amusing when I see people hiking alone in remote areas with masks on, riding in their car alone, or riding their bikes outdoors with a mask on. But to each his own... and this too shall pass.

There in Texas, as Texans have told me, some favor leaving the Union and returning to The Texas Republic... and there are folks in the other 49 states that would see Texas leaving as an improvement for the Union.

The point isn't to dis Texas... the point is that just because some folks see no problem with a course of conduct does not mean they're correct. I recognize I live in a Democracy. I understand that there are times I'm in the minority with some of my views. I'm good with following majority decisions, but that doesn't mean the majority is right about something, it just means there are more of them. Majorities can be mistaken, ill informed, wrong...

And sometimes majorities can be right.
California... some there think they'd be better off out of the Union, as do some that aren't in California. (It's not just a Texas thing.)

What is good is that we can talk about such... Civily.

Actually, you live in a Representative Republic, which has a constitution that protects individual rights.

Example, Gilligan's Island. If it's a democracy (majority rule) the 5 non-rich castaways take the Howell's money from them. The 4 men vote to make the 3 women do all of the domestic work. And, finally, Gilligan is confined to his hut by the other 6, so they might have a chance at being rescued.

In a Representative Republic, with laws protecting the rights of the minority, these things couldn't happen.

If the majority in this country think I must eat potatoes at every meal, I needn't comply, because I have Constitutional rights that protect me.

By the way, on the virus thing, I have no firm opinion. It's just bad news all around with no good options.

First Padres no-hitter in their history (Joe Musgrove) not only knocked the bats out of Texas player's hands, but perhaps also helped minimize the amount of respiratory droplets from exiting the noggins of unmasked Rangers fans.

Brian (congrats Padres, finally!)

Representative Republic... I don't think so.

Constitutional rights... no Sir. Read the Constitution. It doesn't give you freedom of speech, for example. That's what we were taught in school, what we hear... but take a couple of minutes and read it.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The First Amendment does not give you freedom of speech. The Constitution doesn't give citizens any rights. It is not a right-giving document. It is a power-limiting document. It limits the power of Congress / the federal government / the Union. Founding Fathers came from 13 colonies, they wanted to create a 14th entity, the Union of States. It was to give a united front in international affairs, keep the states from setting up tariffs on commerce between the states, protect us from enemies... and the idea was that everything else would remain in each state's hands. The document says that the Union will maintain a navy, and raise an army when necessary (being a Navy football fan I like the unequal footing that affords). The Constitution was a document designed to limit the power of this new govenment / Union.

The US government fast tracked and paid for the vaccine. And they can distribute it to states. Once in the hand of the states, the feds can't totally control how some states are ready to vaccinate everyone, and some still have age restrictions.

States have differing license requirements for driving, doctoring, selling insurance, and such... The states held onto a lot of power.

So... that first amendment... Congress shall make no law... It doesn't say I have freedom of speech, it says Congress can't mess with my freedom of speech (whatever that might be).

Baseball... I like fans being at games. 100% seems nuts. Masks seem sensible. The opening up's around the world (including here) are followed by more outbreaks and an occasional mutation variant. If people could hunker down and stay safe, then the spreading and mutating would diminish, and we'd get this behind us.

Baseball... in another thread I saw an Art Girabaldi Zeenut and read that he'd played for the Cardinals. I didn't have his card among my Zeenuts. But now I have one!

It would be their constitutional right to do so. I seriously doubt our current pres. would invade like Lincoln did.

Many Americans and states feel a more decentralized federal gov't is in their best interest. Texas is in a unique situation because they are large enough and economically strong enough to do so with relative ease.

CA relies on the Fed gov't to prop them up. CA is a textbook example of how big gov't can turn a state with so many resources into a dumpster fire. It doesn't take a high level degree to figure out why its residents are fleeing in droves. Unfortunately...many of them are going to the state who has it figured out....TX

Why do people use vacuous, "pithy" sayings as if they're a pearl of wisdom that proves a point when, in actuality, most are nothing more than a heaping pile of dumdom?

My fear of putting my head inside a wild alligator's mouth is preventing my living? Good to know. :rolleyes:

"Fear does not prevent death?" What, pray tell, does?

You can put almost anything in that sentence in place of "death" and get a statement that many people would agree with.

"Watching TV does not prevent death, it prevents life." I'm sure my wife would agree with that.

Speaking of wives, how about "Marriage does not prevent death, it prevents life." I know many people who would agree with that.

How about something for the smokers out there? "Not smoking does not prevent death, it prevents life."

How about something for those of us who feel the need to drive drunk? "Driving sober does not prevent death, it prevents life."

I could go on all day with this, but hopefully you get the point.

Instead of "quoting" some famous person, state your own position, "Wearing a face mask does not prevent death, it prevents me from living my self-centered, non-caring life."

Texas, the only state that forces millions of its citizens to go without power for days if the temperature dips below freezing while allowing power companies to jack up prices 1000% during the crisis caused by them choosing not to winterize their equipment.

Yeah, Texas has it figured out. :rolleyes:

PS Doesn't California send more money to the US government than it receives back? How is that "CA relies on the Fed gov't to prop them up?"

I'm going to be the grammar guy for a moment and point out that you misspelled "asymptomatic."

Whenever you see one of the several variations of this comment, you can be assured that the person saying it is not a practitioner of science.

All science is provisional and necessarily falsifiable. It follows a rigorous process of hypothesis, testing, analysis, and peer review and represents the best current explanation of the natural world. As more information is learned, and as testing and analysis techniques improve, science moves forward and, in some cases, overturns the prior best explanations.

Anyone who expects scientific understanding to be immutable is confusing it with religion.

And since every thread needs a card:
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fknC-KQiH...ern_Wonder.jpg

Same as attorneys who practice law. One day are they going to do it for real?

With the brainwashing about the onset of "man made global warming" why would they spend the extra money increasing its citizens electrical bills to purchase solar and wind turbines that can handle cold spells?

https://rockinst.org/issue-areas/fis...yments-portal/

In 2019 California sent the US Fed $6.653 Billion more than they got back from the Fed.
Texas got $19.514 Billion more from the US Fed than they sent to the Fed.

So, who's being propped up by the Fed and who's propping up the Fed?

Is that what you consider having it figured out? Surviving on federal welfare?

Can you translate this jibber-jabber to English?

Hash brown potatoes with eggs and bacon for breakfast this morning. mmmm potatoes

Yes, that is correct. Data here.

Texas actually gets back more money than it sends. Though, to be fair, it is close enough to break even to not be considered a welfare state.

And, to continue a Texas theme, one of the more egregious error cards I have ever seen.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-q3pgdyt.../app_front.png

That sounds great, I am going to make jambalaya for lunch. About to go pick up some red and yellow bell peppers so I have everything I need to make it.:D

As someone who works in the oil and gas industry, I would point out that natural gas pipeline and distribution systems require large compressors that suffer the same problem as wind turbines. Any kind of rotating equipment, if not properly weatherproofed, will break down. And many did.

Unless you live in Texas you probably aren't qualified to really tell us how perfect or imperfect Texas is. Sometimes things happen like an unprecedented 100+ year Texas winter storm and it creates havoc. No worse than a hurricane or tornado. Similar to the pandemic our country was completely unprepared for. Couldn't even get enough PPE. Yes, they could have prepared better for the storm but more than likely it still would have been a problem for many since the forecast was pretty short notice. Where I live I'm pretty much set up to be self sufficient when needed and anyone else can easily do the same. I live in a flood zone and being an Eagle Scout I'm always over prepared. We had wood, water, fireplace, generator, etc. A lot of people weren't prepared and didn't take it seriously so it's not just on the state or the electric providers.
Also I have said before Texas isn't a free for all right now. In Central Texas all the virus protocols are still in place for masks, distancing, etc. even though the state doesn't have a mandate. They never enforced the mandates anyway. That was always at state and local levels. Seeing that the states that have the surges right now are all north of the Mason Dixon line I think it would be best for everyone to just chill on dissing Texas and other southern states who are using common sense but still practicing protocols. Vaccine appointments are down I read this morning even though it's open to everyone. Let's talk about all of the people who are scared to get one. Now that's an interesting topic. :)

Oklahoma and Louisiana are adjoining states and went through the same storm without the same problems. The Southeast Power Pool did have some limited rolling black outs on a couple days, but neither state suffered anywhere near the same level of havoc as Texas.

You know why it is so windy in Oklahoma? Because Kansas sucks and Texas blows! I'm here all week. Don't forget to tip your server.

I'm fully aware that the provider didn't prepare like they should have. That's on them and I bet they won't be doing it any longer after this storm. Most of the board has already resigned. BTW they aren't even based in Texas. Oklahoma has a history of really cold weather/snow for extended periods and Texas doesn't. Not even close to this severity. Texas hasn't had weather that cold for that period of time since the turn of the century. BTW they survived it then. LOL. Not all of Texas experienced it either. We never lost electric (not even rolling blackouts) or water here in Wimberley (west of Austin) even though I was quite prepared if we had. My point was people not in Texas sure have a lot of negative to say about Texas without any real life experience to base it on. You also can't believe everything you see on the Sheeple news.

Funny too. Two of my best friends are from Oklahoma, born and raised, and they couldn't wait to get here and say they would never go back. :)