2024 thus far has not lacked for craziness. We’ve had three major winter storms that have caused havoc on our lives and in some instances taken lives. We’ve had earthquakes, avalanches, flooding, and tornados just in the month of January. There’s eleven more months ahead of us, I don’t about you but I’m hesitant to look ahead. There’s some peace of mind in not knowing everything. “Being crazy isn’t enough.” ― Dr. Seuss
Sadly, Iowa caucuses were predictable. I know I shouldn’t put this out in the universe but I’m going to anyway because it’s how I really feel. I want to know where an assassin is when we really need one. The media circus we’re experiencing isn’t to go away until Trump is dead, and clearly all the McDonald’s he consumes isn’t happening fast enough.
Better Homes and Gardens reported “Last year, the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted that prices would increase over 5.8 percent, In January, at-home food prices were 11.3 percent higher than they were at the same time in 2022.” Just what we all wanted to know that in addition to the high fuel costs our food is going up even more so, In 2024, prices are still set to increase, but thankfully at a slower rate. “The ERS predicts a 2.9 percent increase in food prices overall, and only a 1.9 percent increase for at-home food prices. Food away from home, or food purchased at restaurants or for takeout, are set to increase by 4.3 percent.” (1)
Beef, pork and dairy are a given with the recent drought conditions. Plus, you factor the reduced growth rate, it’s no wonder the prices are higher. Supply and demand 101. We have less livestock to consume so naturally a higher price. Thankfully, egg prices are going down again after all the chickens were destroyed with the bird flu epidemic. Fish and seafood are high but there’s no indication of an increase or a reduction reflected in the numbers. We’re going to have change our food consumption to survive.
I believe more and more families will be reducing the amount and type of food they serve to cover medical and heating expenses for their families. In the old days, a huge dinner meal was served and the left-overs were served as breakfast. There wasn’t cereal, Poptarts, or pastries as we enjoy today. Nor did the majority of people eat lunch back then. They made it work. We may have too!
The West Coast is really wet and it’s going to continue through the weekend. The rain doesn’t look like it’s subsiding. Hopefully, the higher elevations get the snow. Lake Mead needs a lot of snow to recover from its 20-year drought than what we had in the winter of 2023.
And the mid-west is freezing, and electric car owners are discovering batteries don’t like the cold. The batteries take longer to charge, and the driving distance is reduced. Electric car owners don’t have access to charging stations to meet the demand of these kind of conditions. And it looks like Thursday night, more frigid weather and snow is going across the United States.
I wonder sometimes if Mother Nature is tired of our abusing the planet, and this is our payback for not taking climate changes seriously. If you’re not concerned read the information Deep Vakil and Scott Di Savino brought to our attention more reasons to be concerned about this winter season.
“US natural gas demand hits record high amid severe cold snap,” says, Deep Kaushik Vakil and Scott Di Savino. Their article shows what U.S. homes and businesses used Tuesday. It was a record amount of natural gas because the demand for the fuel for heating and power generation soared during rhe Arctic blast. The Artic Blast cut gas output to near a 13-month low by freezing wells.
“U.S. gas demand jumped to a preliminary 167.8 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) on Tuesday, the financial firm LSEG said. “That would top the previous all-time high of 162.5 bcfd set in December 2022 during Winter Storm Elliott, according to federal energy data from S&P Global Commodities Insights.”
“Meanwhile, U.S. gas output dropped by 17.0 bcfd from Jan. 8-16 to 90.6 bcfd on Tuesday, its lowest since December 2022, according to LSEG, due primarily to freeze-offs, which occur when wells, pipes and other equipment freezes. One billion cubic feet of gas is enough to fuel about 5 million U.S. homes for a day.”
(Reporting by Deep Vakil in Bengaluru and Scott Di Savino in New York; Editing by Paul Simao) (2)
Freezing temperatures can do a lot of damage in businesses, and in our homes which will also drive the costs up for the necessary repairs that follow. I know from my own experience what broken water lines can cost and how long we waited until a plumber could come to make the repairs because we weren’t the only household with broken lines.
China has joined US with the odd weather. Evacuation underway for stranded tourists after avalanches trap 1,000 people in China. Rescuers evacuated tourists on Tuesday from a remote skiing area in northwestern China where dozens of avalanches triggered by heavy snow.
My deepest sympathy to the Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic’s family and team. He died at the age of 46 after he fell ill during a meal at the team’s hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah. Golden State Warriors are a San Francisco based team.
My deepest sympathy also to the family of Ryan Pemberton. He was a long time crew chief in Nascar. “Ryan Pemberton was instrumental to JR Motorsports’ success during the decade he spent with us,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM’s CEO. “He had such a passion for competition and, as a leader, knew how to motivate everyone he worked with. He will always be part of the JRM family. Our hearts go out to his wife Andrea and daughters Payton and Britton during this tremendously difficult time.”
Pemberton was joined by his siblings in motorsports. Each brother carved careers in Nascar. His older brother Robin was a veteran Cup Series crew chief who later served as NASCAR Vice President of Competition. Currently, he serves on an INDYCAR appeals board panel whose job is to hear all appeals. Former NASCAR official John Darby also serves as an INDYCAR board member.
Randy Pemberton, who died in 2022 at age 62, was a popular broadcaster as a pit reporter and studio host. the New York native was best known as the voice of Inside Winston Cup Racing on TNN and for his Winston Cup Hotline in the 1990s.
His younger brother Roman Pemberton has worked as a spotter in various NASCAR national circuits but does appear to have gotten into several awkward situations.
I’ve been a Nascar fan for many years, so I’ve seen the Pemberton brothers in action. Ryan will be deeply missed.
The quilt is coming together nicely, I just finished the F-16 Fighting Falcon. It’s an American single-engine supersonic fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the US Airforce. Its design gave it air superiority as a day fighter, and it evolved into a successful all-weather multi-role aircraft. The F 16 is all gray. All that remains to be done is the Doctor’s own plane. Then I can complete the attic window assembly and machine quilt it with small and large stars.
If you’re coming to Las Vegas, giving you a heads up. “Standing or stopping is now banned on pedestrian bridges on the Las Vegas Strip where visitors often pause to take photos amid the glittery casino lights or to watch street performers. Violators of the ordinance that took effect Tuesday could face up to six months in jail or a $1,000 fine.”- L.A. Times (3) I’m not sure what is to be gained here by such restrictive bans. And who is going to monitor the pedestrian bridges, it’s already a nightmare to get law enforcement for a real safety issue.
I’m going to leave you today with this quote by Emilie Autumn
“Some are born mad, some achieve madness, and some have madness thrust upon ’em.”
I’m going for madness thrust upon me. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
(1) https://www.bhg.com/more-expensive-less-expensive-groceries-2024
(2) https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/us-natural-gas-demand-hits-record-high-amid-severe-cold-snap
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