covid politics

[fazer]

Ha, seek and ye shall find:  https://nextnature.net/2011/02/the-cat-parasite-that-sells-motorcycles

That’s an interesting read. 

 

[crazydoc]

Ha, seek and ye shall find:  https://nextnature.net/2011/02/the-cat-parasite-that-sells-motorcycles

Or: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0148435

In conclusion, our data do not support the hypothesis that infection by T. gondii is related to negative behavioral outcomes in a population-representative cohort of early middle-aged individuals. In the presence of conflicting reports, better research designs are needed to fully establish the extent to which T. gondii influences impairments in brain and behavior phenotypes.

Everyone at Sturgis who becomes positive for covid should be tested for toxo, then compared with a matched control population.  :-\

 

[iturnknobs]

Ha, seek and ye shall find:  https://nextnature.net/2011/02/the-cat-parasite-that-sells-motorcycles

While I can only cite one example of experience, I encountered an individual a few times in New Orleans while touring who was unfortunately affected by this parasite as a child and I must say his choices were... questionable. He eventually was removed from his position after years of detrimental behaviors.

 

[crazydoc]

his choices were... questionable. He eventually was removed from his position after years of detrimental behaviors.

Hmmm.... makes me wonder if an orange complexion, wispy hair and a mushroom shaped dong are part of the toxo syndrome.

 

[hodad]

Continuing with the off-topic:  there's a book called Parasite Rex that discusses a variety of parasites in a variety of hosts.  I found it to be a real eye-opener.  I recommend it.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Sturgis selects for those who by nature, possibly by viral infection, are prone to 'live dangerously'. 

I owned and drove a motorcycle (rice rocket) when younger. I don't think it was my nature to live dangerously but there was undeniably an element of risk from sharing roadways with relatively massive cars who don't see you or ignore your right to share the roadway.

In hindsight I expect there was a bonus of endorphins and the occasional shot of adrenaline from surviving a near miss. I used my bike for transportation and did not joy ride or seek high risk. I had a couple actual accidents and numerous near misses, but I routinely exceeded posted speed limits.
==

While I do not know for a fact, but IMO attendees to Sturgis are more likely wannabes trying to posture about being big hog riding bad-asses. The appeal is the opportunity to be seen as part of a large like minded community.

Perhaps the appearance of risk taking increases the attraction. Looks like another experiment to inspect community spread. 

JR

PS: I wore a motorcycle helmet even when not mandated by law... duh.

Toxoplasmotorists - the Gathering.

 

[crazydoc]

When I got back from Viet Nam my little brother said, do you want to take my Kawasaki Mach III out for a spin? I said sure, got on and took it out on I-70 going up into the mountains from Denver. After a few mile of exhilaration, I looked down at the speedometer and saw 120mph. I slowed down, turned around and took it back to him, and I've never gotten on a motorcycle since.

I guess I've never had toxo.

 

[iturnknobs]

I used my bike for transportation and did not joy ride or seek high risk. I had a couple actual accidents and numerous near misses, but I routinely exceeded posted speed limits

I have owned many motorcycles and I did/do seek high risk. I exceed 130mph over 80% of the times I ride. The difference here is that death by deceleration is not contagious. This isn't about risk takers, its about selfish, snowflake jerks that just can't do the right thing because it's not fun. A-holes. Period.

 

[JohnRoberts]

When I got back from Viet Nam my little brother said, do you want to take my Kawasaki Mach III out for a spin? I said sure, got on and took it out on I-70 going up into the mountains from Denver. After a few mile of exhilaration, I looked down at the speedometer and saw 120mph. I slowed down, turned around and took it back to him, and I've never gotten on a motorcycle since.

I guess I've never had toxo.

Did it have a fairing? Going 120 mph on a motorcycle is not a casual roll, hard to believe you didn't notice the speed... try sticking your arm out the window in a car at 120MPH.

I have gone faster than 100MPH without a fairing or windshield and it was rather uncomfortable. I didn't have as much horsepower as the mach III, and wind resistance gets significant at speed without aero treatments and/or tucked in ride posture.

In the army we had a night cook with a 500 who must have weighed about 90 pounds wet. He could fly on that rice rocket. Two stroke bikes sound like egg beaters but can really scoot.

JR

 

[boji]

Did it have a fairing?

Oh gosh I did the same thing in AZ!  Took a friends ninja out on an open line of desert road and... pegged it.

Naturally, intuition was to keep body and head down (for sake of speed), but when I lifted my head just the smallest bit-- WHAM  my whole body was nearly peeled off the bike from the wind hitting and working itself around the helmet.  Course the reflexive act was to open the clutch and get my chin back on the gas tank, but in the confusion  I downshifted a little too deeply, so when I dumped the clutch, the back wheel locked-up at 100+... slowdown was a snaky, squirrely reduction in speed that would have ended disastrously if it was not a straight road. Needless to say I learned the hard way, and was never quite so reckless again on a bike.

 

[iturnknobs]

178mph personal land speed record... I'm not the jerk in-and-out of cars on the interstate. No one should ever have to expect something moving that fast on a shared roadway. Stop light racers are afraid of how fast their machines actually are... have a snowmobile that does 98mph in 1/8 mile... Injury not contagious to others, yet Sturgis attendees can say the amount of risk they endure is their choice. Why is the logic so difficult to convey?

*meaning it's not about their safety, but others

*60% of Sturgis residents voted to cancel the gathering. FREEDOM... I guess that's how that sh*t works.

**current bike: 97mph, gear 1 red-line.
When this bike is loud, it's actually doing something unlike those who flex their toughness without helmet or mask... just a bunch of noise.  Aren't there DIY OD circuits for that?

 

[CJ]

well those stunters down in LA are fun to watch, the CHP don't even chase em anymore.  even the porkchoppers have a hard time,

but real men do high speed antics on the bicycle, like Fast Freddy Markham from Los Gatos>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJxUJJ6CqTU

 

[iturnknobs]

Nice. He easily broke 70mph. I have a 150cc scooter that I did 82mph on(downhill)... Not the same thing at all.

 

[cyrano]

A French insurance company studied many millions of car and bike accidents in the seventies. They reached the (simplified) conclusion that people who suffered from toxoplasmosis had twice as much chance to end up in a car crash, compared to people who didn't have it.

In France, the number of people who have toxoplasmosis, is about 50% of the adult population. Nothing has been done with these findings.

Most parasites do affect behaviour. It's well known that a frog who's infected, no longer jumps into the water a the slightest sign of movement nearby. The parasite wants the frog to be eaten by the stork, as it needs to spread it's offspring as far as possible.

The spyrochetes that cause Lyme are known to cause, amongst other things, depression. If that depression is treated, the patient ends up not caring anymore...

 

[JohnRoberts]

Oh gosh I did the same thing in AZ!  Took a friends ninja out on an open line of desert road and... pegged it.

Naturally, intuition was to keep body and head down (for sake of speed), but when I lifted my head just the smallest bit-- WHAM  my whole body was nearly peeled off the bike from the wind hitting and working itself around the helmet.

exactly like a wing providing lift.

  Course the reflexive act was to open the clutch and get my chin back on the gas tank, but in the confusion  I downshifted a little too deeply, so when I dumped the clutch, the back wheel locked-up at 100+... slowdown was a snaky, squirrely reduction in speed that would have ended disastrously if it was not a straight road.

locking up the back wheel is better than the front...  I flat spotted my right front tires (two different times) with an old mustang GT that had crappy brake equalization... Coming up behind two tractor trailers going 60MPH  side by side when you are going 120MPH is like approaching a wall at 60 MPH. Locking up only one wheel while the other 3 are rolling, does not impact lateral stability and is only noticeable the next day from the telltale thump, thump, thump.  :

Needless to say I learned the hard way, and was never quite so reckless again on a bike.

Those are the best lessons...Thanks for sharing.

My bell helmet had a visible road rash from one accident, a good reminder that it could have gone far worse.

JR

 

[living sounds]

A French insurance company studied many millions of car and bike accidents in the seventies. They reached the (simplified) conclusion that people who suffered from toxoplasmosis had twice as much chance to end up in a car crash, compared to people who didn't have it.

I read a few days ago that in Germany the rate is 80-90 %, whereas in the US it is around 10-15 % (if i remember correctly). But despite this and despite Germany lacking a formal speed limit on motorways ("Autobahnen") the relevant statistics, like the traffic-related death rate, are much better for Germany.

On that basis alone I doubt toxoplasmosis has that much of an impact.

 

[JohnRoberts]

I read a few days ago that in Germany the rate is 80-90 %, whereas in the US it is around 10-15 % (if i remember correctly). But despite this and despite Germany lacking a formal speed limit on motorways ("Autobahnen") the relevant statistics, like the traffic-related death rate, are much better for Germany.

On that basis alone I doubt toxoplasmosis has that much of an impact.

I don't recall speed limits the first time I drove my army jeep on the autobahn in 1970. Decades later I recall speed limits around the cities, I didn't do much open road touring.

The autobahn was clearly well engineered for higher speed travel (better engineered than US highways, and better maintained).

JR

PS: then General Eisenhower was impressed with the military utility of an effective highway system in Germany during WWII. Later as President promoted the US interstate highway system for defense/military capability.

 

[JohnRoberts]

VP Joe Biden just called for a federal mandate requiring mask wearing. But did not take any questions from reporters to explain that mandate.

This could get interesting, but mask wearing just got even more political.

JR 

PS: I wore my one N95 mask this morning at the Walmart.. Another observation, wearing latex gloves were a lot better at opening those flimsy plastic bags for carrying fresh vegetables, but the touch screen on the self-check station out did not recognize my finger presses with latex gloves on... that was curious perhaps the touch screens are conductive? 

 

[iturnknobs]

This could get interesting, but mask wearing just got even more political.

Sounds like it's starting to become more scientific, but those on the right will make it more political. SHAME ON the USa.

 

[cyrano]

I read a few days ago that in Germany the rate is 80-90 %, whereas in the US it is around 10-15 % (if i remember correctly). But despite this and despite Germany lacking a formal speed limit on motorways ("Autobahnen") the relevant statistics, like the traffic-related death rate, are much better for Germany.

On that basis alone I doubt toxoplasmosis has that much of an impact.

Where did you get that number for Germany?

I don't have any numbers at hand, but from what I recall, Germany was lower. France (and Belgium) had the highest number in Europe. Germany was more like the USA.

Afaict, eating raw meat and gardening are the decisive factors in the west. And the number of cats, of course.