Floods, Fires, Fear of Covid!!

[Grant 302]

And the power of suggestion must have made me take the family for In n Out dinner tonight.

If you haven’t tried it ‘Animal Style’... at least a double if not triple patty. Gotta do that before giving up on it.

 

[302BOB]

Never heard o "f in n out burgers" before yesterday.....They must be pretty good if they expanded to over 500 locations!!!!..I guess moving east is not in their vision plans...All I got here is McDonald's and Burger King.................

 

[TymeSlayer]

I'd take those tiny White Castle burgers over "In and Out "urge"... any day. But those WC babies were cheap back in my Jersey days after imbibing all night long. It could just be an acquired taste.

UPDATE: The last of the fires seem to be going out. The COVID is raging instead. The wife still insists we pick up her mother and go over to the brother-in-laws for turkey dinner. Of course I still have to deep fry the turkey.

 

[Mad Hatter]

UPDATE: The last of the fires seem to be going out. The COVID is raging instead. The wife still insists we pick up her mother and go over to the brother-in-laws for turkey dinner. Of course I still have to deep fry the turkey.

Try too keep safe, no tyme to let the guard down with vaccines just around the corner. Flew daughter number 1 down from Vancouver last friday, have her locked up in isolation for a week then a PCR test before she gets released into the house. Now days its easy, just give them netflicks and good wifi and that's that......

 

[Bugs]

I tried In-N-Out burgers about a year ago on a business trip to San Jose. I was advised by my friends that "Animal Style" is not on the published menu - you have to ask for it. It's a good burger, but I prefer 5-Guys or Smash Burger.

That trip was memorable mostly because the car rental agency was all out of the "Festiva"-caliber cars that my company allows me to rent. After a pleasant conversation with the rental-counter dude, he gave me keys to a replacement. I said, "What is it?". He said, "Not gonna tell ya. It's a surprise, but you'll like it."






After work, I skipped dinner with my workmates. That's when I got the In-N-Out burger.

After that, I had a date with the California mountains and Highway 1!

========================================

Back on the COVID topic, here's a little info on the first of the upcoming vaccines:
My wife and I volunteered for the Pfizer/BioNTech Phase 3 trial. Based on the arm-pain reaction to the inoculation and other events, we think we got the real-deal rather than the placebo.

We regularly donate blood and thought we might find out if the vaccine enabled us to develop the COVID antibodies courtesy of our next Red Cross appt. The Red Cross now does antibody testing on all donations. In a conversation with a Microbiology buddy (former college roommate), he told me he doubted that the current testing would detect the antibodies generated by the new-fangled Pfizer mRNA vaccine. Apparently, the current tests look for "binding" antibodies, whereas the mRNA vaccine generates "Neutralizing" antibodies which, rather than killing the virus as the binding antibodies do, prevents the virus from entering the cells to do their dastardly deeds.

It turned out to be a moot point. When we showed up for the Red Cross appt, they told us we wouldn't be allowed to donate because we'd received an "unlicensed" vaccine. They said we were deferred from donating for 1 year. They added that the Red Cross may change their 1-year deferral requirement after the vaccine receives it's Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) expected in the next few weeks.

Pfizer told us that they are asking the FDA for permission - after the EUA license is granted - to reveal to their vaccine study groups, whether we have received the vaccine or the placebo. That way, we'll know if we need to get the vaccine or if we are already inoculated. Doing so would break the "double-blind" aspect of the study, but we can continue in the study to be tested to see how well the vaccine works and how long it lasts.

Last week, I had an appt with my regular doctor. He gave me the COVID antibody test for IgM and IgG which are not the mRNA antibodies. My test came back negative. So, IF I did indeed get the Pfizer vaccine, it either failed for me (not likely), or the current testing does indeed fail to detect the Pfizer mRNA Neutralizing antibodies.

Also last week, a new antibody test from GenScript USA to detect mRNA neutralizing antibodies received an EUA. I think (not sure) it was designed for the Moderna mRNA vaccine, so I don't yet know if it will detect the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA antibodies.

Edit for typo error.

 

[302BOB]

That trip was memorable mostly because the car rental agency was all out of the "Festiva"-caliber cars that my company allows me to rent.

Bugs. you got a Mustang GT instead of a 4 popper for a rental??!!???.....I hope you bought a lotto ticket, because that was your lucky day!

 

[blacksheep-1]

White Castle..lol close cousin to Krystal. I remember my first batch of those, on the way to Gainesville drag strip, I downed a ton, they were great.. until about 3 hours later!
Later I introduced by soon to be wife to those on the way to my parent's house in the Appalachians, same thing, about 4 hours later she was like OMG what did I do.. lol.
We had some left over and my mom fed them to her lab, the dog hoovered them up, then.... lol same thing, that poor dog!

 

[Grant 302]

It could just be an acquired taste.

Gotta go with that. While I didn’t have Rob’s reaction to my first WC experience...it was a bit of a let down. I wasn’t sober when I saw Harold and Kumar, maybe I should have been in the same condition to go to WC.

...

Did find a study that reflects what I’ve said about N95s and my preferences for them. Even the valved versions outperformed many other types, when measured against no mask.

The article is here:

Cotton mask or neck gaiter? Check out how effective different kinds of masks are

Researchers ranked more than a dozen masks on how well they might protect wearers and those around them from COVID-19.

amp.usatoday.com

Be safe for the holidays, regardless of what you choose to do or wherever you go.

 

[Grant 302]

but I prefer 5-Guys or Smash Burger.

5-Guys gets my approval too. Always a good backup for me if I’ve had too much In n Out. More like what I cook at home. Fries are great assuming you aren’t allergic to peanuts or the oil.

I used to hear the biggest complaint about In n Out were for the fries. Not everybody seems to like Kennebec potatoes and their texture. I was introduced to it without any hype. I got off the plane at LAX visiting my brother back in the ‘80s. He asked if I was hungry and we stopped at the nearest one. That trip was to do a lot of car stuff, including an SCCA school up at Streets. Anyway, I hardly have a track outing that doesn’t include a stop at In n Out at some point...so it’s probably a part of my addiction.

Haven’t tried Smashburger yet. One opened nearby, but closed before I had a chance to go. Figured it wasn’t a good sign.

 

[TMSBOSS]

This is a link to a comparison of the N95 and KN95 masks. Both are vary similar. The KN95 was much easier to source early on.

What's The Difference Between N95 and KN95 Masks? - Smart Air

Is KN95 same as N95? This handy chart summarizes the difference between N95 and KN95 masks. On the metric most people care about--particle capture--the two masks are the same.

smartairfilters.com

 

[TymeSlayer]

Forget about COVID-19. The bigger threat is losing one's pants while waiting in a 14 hour line to get a burger!

Colorado In-N-Out customer loses pants during brawl while waiting in line for newest location

In-N-Out Burger failed to live up to its name Friday as a 14-hour-long line formed at its first Colorado locations, prompting a brawl between waiting customers.

www.foxnews.com

.

BTW - how sad is it that the wait tymes for getting a burger are seven tymes longer that waiting in line for the COVID test?

 

[Grant 302]

CO peeps got the munchies.

And don’t get in a fight while wearing sweatpants!

 

[Coz]

munchies

Is it next to a marijuana dispensary?

 

[Mad Hatter]

And don’t get in a fight while wearing sweatpants!

At least tie the string!! Who the hell would wait in line 14 hours for a burger??? Hmm ....self answered.... the guy who doesn't tie the string... or his shoelaces, more then likely!

 

[302BOB]

I remember those days............food tasted soooo good after a couple of hits!!!!...Pizza was my passion back then, as it still is...but even MacDonald's hit the the spot when the munchies kicked in...

 

[Grant 302]

Is it next to a marijuana dispensary?

Uh, Colorado...so yes, by default!

 

[TymeSlayer]

It helps keep those animal burgers down!

 

[blacksheep-1]

So gaiters are basically worthless since they perform worse than NO masks? is that what I'm seeing?
Also, I've heard of a race team that had a guy fly into a state, next to a quarantine state, then drive across the lines because he knew if he flew in, he'd have to quarantine until after the following race.
Because COVID can't use interstates?

 

[Grant 302]

So gaiters are basically worthless since they perform worse than NO masks? is that what I'm seeing?

They clarify a bit in the article. I think it was a single layer of thin synthetic. Doubling up and other materials are probably better.

My main point in posting it was to show that ‘real’ masks are generally better than improvised ones. And that N95 is best (for the wearer even with a valve). If you gotta be on a plane again, I’d suggest going that way. Cover the valve to be compliant, but use one of those for your breathing health and comfort.

 

[302BOB]

Who the hell would wait in line 14 hours for a burger???

Not Me...not even for a Pizza....Surf and Turf with Prime Rib and Lobster Tails....Maybe...................