Sunday Overnight Open Thread (1/30/22)

Quote I

"We announced it today at 10:30am and had over 1,000 people pop out for the snowball fight at 2:30pm," Sidetalk NYC creator Jack Byrne

Quote II

“Why are you guys getting caught up in semantics? … I’ve been doing this job as long as y’all,” Chief Raul Ortiz of the U.S. Border Patrol

Quote III

"We do not need to shut down most of Lower Manhattan because one cop died for probably doing his job incorrectly," Actress Jacqueline Guzman

My what a charming and gracious young lady she is. Our country is broke. And there is no way to repair it.

Quote IV “You’re going to have this high gas tax, but it’s going to go to fund roads and bridges. And now when they find out it’s not happening, I think that gets people upset.” Former PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale

Yes Joni, my subscription to Spotify is now in danger. NOT!

Joni Mitchell has decided to remove all of her music from Spotify, joining Neil Young in protest of Joe Rogan’s podcast that Young says spreads misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines (via The Wall Street Journal).

“I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH NEIL YOUNG AND THE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL COMMUNITIES ON THIS ISSUE”
“I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify,” The Canadian singer-songwriter writes in a post on her website. “Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”

Young attempts to save face.

Neil Young, who recently chose to have his music removed from Spotify in protest of vaccine misinformation promoted by podcast host Joe Rogan, says his decision has nothing to do with censorship.

“I support free speech,” Young wrote in a letter posted to his Neil Young Archives site. “I have never been in favor of censorship. Private companies have the right to choose what they profit from, just as I can choose not to have my music support a platform that disseminates harmful information. I am happy and proud to stand in solidarity with the front line health care workers who risk their lives every day to help others.”

Funny how he thinks shooting up with some "mystery vaccine" is A. OK and his tirade against GMOs is cool.

Now Nils? I'm not liking this.

Nils Lofgren Pulls Music From Spotify in Solidarity With Neil Young
“We encourage all musicians, artists and music lovers everywhere, to stand with us all, and cut ties with Spotify,” guitarist writes

And now it looks like Spotify is blinking.

Spotify, responding to Joe Rogan controversy, will label podcasts that discuss COVID-19

On Sunday, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said the company will implement new measures to deal with COVID-19 misinformation. Ek says a content advisory warning will be placed on podcast episodes that discuss the virus.

I guess old Neil and the rest of the Rogan haters won't have anything to do with John Hopkins University including its hospital.

This study is well worth reading in its entirety, but the abstract states its conclusion clearly:

This systematic review and meta-analysis are designed to determine whether there is empirical evidence to support the belief that “lockdowns” reduce COVID-19 mortality. Lockdowns are defined as the imposition of at least one compulsory, non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPI). NPIs are any government mandate that directly restrict peoples’ possibilities, such as policies that limit internal movement, close schools and businesses, and ban international travel. This study employed a systematic search and screening procedure in which 18,590 studies are identified that could potentially address the belief posed. After three levels of screening, 34 studies ultimately qualified. Of those 34 eligible studies, 24 qualified for inclusion in the meta-analysis. They were separated into three groups: lockdown stringency index studies, shelter-in-place-order (SIPO) studies, and specific NPI studies. An analysis of each of these three groups support the conclusion that lockdowns have had little to no effect on COVID-19 mortality. More specifically, stringency index studies find that lockdowns in Europe and the United States only reduced COVID-19 mortality by 0.2% on average. SIPOs were also ineffective, only reducing COVID-19 mortality by 2.9% on average. Specific NPI studies also find no broad-based evidence of noticeable effects on COVID-19 mortality.

While this meta-analysis concludes that lockdowns have had little to no public health effects, they have imposed enormous economic and social costs where they have been adopted. In consequence, lockdown policies are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.(Emphasis added)

RIP Johnny Fever.

ACTOR Howard Hesseman has died, Saturday Night Live alum and close friend Laraine Newman revealed on Sunday.

The Lebanon, Oregon, native known for his roles on WKRP in Cincinnati and Police Academy, was 81 years old.

Wow, what a shock. A government acknowledges that its central planning for "Utopian" farming practices is a failure.

Sri Lanka to pay $200m compensation for failed organic farm drive
A million farmers whose crops failed under a botched scheme to establish the world’s first 100-percent organic farming nation will be compensated.

Sri Lanka has announced compensation for more than a million rice farmers whose crops failed under a botched scheme to establish the world’s first 100-percent organic farming nation.

The island country is currently reeling from a severe economic crisis that has triggered food shortages and rolling blackouts as the COVID pandemic sent the tourism-dependent economy into a tailspin.

As usual Adam Carolla is correct.

Robert Byrd aside, West Virginia has some interesting politicians.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice told Bette Midler and critics to kiss his dog's 'heinie' and hoisted the bulldog during his State of the State address: video

I've been pumping my own gas for as long as I can remember. Then again I do not reside in the State of Oregon.

As it relates to the automotive industry, you may be curious to know what your elected officials are doing to earn their keep in New Jersey and Oregon. The answer, in part, is spending hours (days?weeks? years?) debating the dangers and merits of self-service gas stations. The last two holdouts in the country, both states have held firm to their ban on pumping your own gas for decades.

In Oregon, an active movement is afoot to change that, driven by the current employee shortage businesses are struggling to overcome. A new bipartisan bill introduced by representatives Shelly Boshard Davis of Albany and Julie Fahey of Eugene, House Bill 4151, would require fuel stations to present a choice of self-service or full-service pumps. It also levies a penalty if the station doesn’t offer both options at the same price. And, as we’ve seen before, the idea is causing some folks a fair amount of consternation (and in some cases, a full-on freakout).

This judge certainly presides in an interesting court room.

If I buy a product, I should be able to take it any where I want to have it repaired. My product and I should not be held hostage by the manufacturer.

In late 2020, Massachusetts lawmakers (with overwhelming public support) passed an expansion of the state’s “right to repair” law. The original law was the first in the nation to be passed in 2013. The update dramatically improved it, requiring that as of this year, all new telematics-equipped vehicles be accessible via a standardized, transparent platform that allows owners and third-party repair shops to access vehicle data via a mobile device. The goal: reduce repair monopolies, and make it cheaper and easier to get your vehicle repaired.

Is old music killing new music?

Old songs now represent 70 percent of the U.S. music market, according to the latest numbers from MRC Data, a music-analytics firm. Those who make a living from new music—especially that endangered species known as the working musician—should look at these figures with fear and trembling. But the news gets worse: The new-music market is actually shrinking. All the growth in the market is coming from old songs.

Yup, let's hear it for new music.

On this day: 30 Jan 1982
Blues singer, songwriter, guitarist Sam Lightnin' Hopkins died of cancer aged 70. In 1968, Hopkins recorded the album Free Form Patterns, backed by the rhythm section of the psychedelic rock band 13th Floor Elevators. Hopkins influenced Bob Dylan, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. R.E.M. recorded a song named after him on their Document album. via thisdayinmusic.com

Born on this day: 30 Jan 1951
Phil Collins drummer, singer, songwriter who was a member of Genesis who had the 1986 US No.1 'Invisible Touch', 1992 UK No.7 single 'I Can't Dance' plus six UK No.1 albums. As a solo artist had the 1988 UK & US No.1 single 'A Groovy Kind Of Love' plus six other US No.1's and four UK No.1 solo albums. Acting roles include Oliver, Buster and Miami Vice, also worked with Brand X. via thisdayinmusic.com

I know fisherman tell some whoppers on occasion. But, this isn't remotely believable. The Genius Award Winner.

A drug suspect found with fentanyl and a bag of hypodermic needles told Florida police that he used the syringes “for fishing,” according to an arrest report.

Police responding Saturday afternoon to a 911 call about a suspicious person encountered Eric Bennett, 30, on a Vero Beach street. An officer described Bennett (seen above) as “visibly intoxicated on an unknown substance.”

Asked about large bulges in the pockets of his shorts--and whether he possessed any weapons--Bennett replied, “I have hypodermic needles for fishing.” He then removed “a plastic bag with syringes inside” from a pocket and placed the works on the hood of a squad car.

Bennett also handed over a cigarette pack containing a baggie with fentanyl. “I don’t want to go to jail,” said Bennett, whose occupation is listed as landscaping in court records.

Brotherly love. Tonight's Feel Good Story of The Day.

For at least the fourth time this month, an armed citizen in Philadelphia has been able to defend themselves from a carjacker on city streets. The latest incident happened on Thursday evening in the city’s Kensington neighborhood, when a pizza delivery driver pulled up at an address to hand over an order. Instead, a stranger appeared and demanded the man’s car at gunpoint.


Top 10 commenters:
1 [556 comments] 'TheJamesMadison, Searching with John Ford' [78.05 posts/day]
2 [440 comments] 'Joe Mannix (Not a cop!)'
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4 [383 comments] 'Hank'
5 [370 comments] 'Commissar Hrothgar (hOUT3) ~ Lie back and think of the sweet graft! ~ '
6 [365 comments] 'Insomniac - Outlaw. Wrecker. Hoarder. '
7 [350 comments] 'Christopher R Taylor'
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6 [39 names] 'Count de Monet'
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8 [37 names] 'Grimmy'
9 [31 names] 'Cicero (@cicero43)'
10 [27 names] 'Warai-otoko

Tonight's ONT has been brought to you by Mistakes Happy Accidents.

Notice: Posted with permission by the Ace Media Empire and its redheaded step child AceCorp, LLC. The ONT has been made with sugary goodness.

posted by Misanthropic Humanitarian at 10:00 PM

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