Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Above, the December 2021 issue of Wine Enthusiast. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Count Dracula never drinks...wine! But I do.

For over 40 years, I have been a fan of wines. I got started in the late 1970s with trips up to Napa Valley in California to visit and tour wineries, and that includes sampling wines at each.

Usually, I would bring home 2-4 boxes of wines from different wineries. As I was going to college at the time and living at home with my parents, my mom and I would indulge in some of the wines I brought home. My dad was usually out bowling.

New Mexico, the state where I live, has its own wine region. I hope to hit the road in the motorhome and check out New Mexico wineries. I was going to do so last summer, but restrictions and mandates related to the pandemic nixed those plans. 

These days, I keep a set of RV wine glasses. Glass wine glasses are too prone to breakage and the RV wine glasses are plastic and can withstand rough roads.

Since I have been a wine fan, when an offer for a subscription to Wine Enthusiast magazine came my way, I jumped on it.

Along with their reviews of different wines and articles on various wineries around the world and the people who run them, my favorite feature are the food recipes and what wines go best with them.

If one reading this is a wine fan (or enthusiast), I recommend Wine Enthusiast magazine.

Well, Blow Me Down, Olive! COVID-19 Vaccines Through Spinach

For those of you wimps out there who refuse to get an injected vaccination, scientists are working on getting the vaccine into you through spinach, lettuce and other edible plants.

According to a Gateway Pundit article:

Millions of people who have refused to get an experimental mRNA vaccine may soon be forced to consume the gene therapy in their food.

Researchers at the University of California were awarded a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation developing technology that infuses experimental mRNA Covid-19 vaccines into spinach, lettuce and other edible plants.

The team of nanobiotechnology experts is currently working on successfully delivering DNA containing mRNA BioNTech technology into chloroplasts, the part of the plants that instruct its cells’ DNA to replicate the vaccine material.

The researchers are tasked with demonstrating the genetically modified plants can produce enough mRNA to replace Covid jabs and infuse the plants with the right dosage required to eat to replace vaccines.

If this works, not only would you become as strong a Popeye the Sailor, you will get hair on your chest (well, that's what parents used to say) and get vaccinated!

Well, blow me down, Olive!

To read more, go here. 

Secret Google Map Tracks Your Movements All The Time

Above, this is what the Google Location History looks like.

A few years ago, a vindictive ex accused me of stalking her. She even filed a restraining order against me. In a way, it was amusing because I was actually avoiding her. If anyone was stalking, it was her and her "flying monkeys".

Since I was a California resident at the time and the state has a red flag law, I had to turn in my firearms according to the restraining order. 

Fortunately, I had evidence that her claims were totally bogus and was able to successfully defend myself in court and get my firearms back. One of the most helpful pieces of evidence in my favor was the Google Location History feature of my cell phone.

With that, I was able to prove that I was nowhere near her on the dates and times she stated in her restraining order petition. 

This was one case where the Google Location History came in quite handy. Prior to this, I had no idea my phone had this feature. 

But, there are some who feel that having one's movements being secretly tracked is unnerving (to say the least). If so, it can be turned off.

According to The Hill:

A hidden Google feature has tracked your location for years.

Google’s Location History feature, an account-wide service which logs your movements through your smartphone, has stored the real-world comings and goings of millions of users since it was introduced in 2009.

While the knowledge that your movements are being monitored by one of the world’s largest tech companies may be unsettling, it’s not likely that it's being done to further some nefarious agenda, and Location History was designed to be helpful.

Google says it can provide a better service if it knows where you’ve been, giving you more detailed commute advice, recommendations based on places you’ve visited, and more relevant advertisements.  

Still, if this news makes you want to rush to turn Google Location History off, you’re not alone, and there are some major privacy risks to having your location data stored online. That’s why Google has said its Location History feature is switched off by default and can only be activated with a user’s permission.

 To read more, go here.

JNTO To Relaunch "Enjoy My Japan" Campaign

Above, the Saikai Bridge that was featured in Rodan (1956) in Kyushu. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is still closed off to foreign visitors. But when the country does reopen to foreign visitor, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) will be ready. They hope.

JNTO is relaunching its "Enjoy my Japan" promotional campaign.

According to Japan Today:

TOKYO - While Japan has not yet re-opened its borders to overseas visitors, the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) and the country’s many local attractions are gearing up for the resumption of international travel.

JNTO has re-invigorated its global “Enjoy my Japan” campaign, originally launched in 2018, signaling Japan’s readiness to meet its ambitious goal of welcoming 60 million overseas visitors by 2030.

Promoting Japan as a destination that can be enjoyed by all travelers, the campaign highlights seven unique travel passions – Nature, Outdoors, Traditions, Cuisine, Art, Relaxation, and Cities. The key message is that Japan offers more than just iconic sites in Tokyo or Kyoto; there are a whole range of diverse destinations offering something for every traveler. Whether their dreams include exploring mystical waterfalls or immersing their bodies and minds in a high-tech museum, Japan will fulfill them.

The campaign theme “Enjoy my Japan” emphasizes the interaction between overseas visitors and local people. The goal is not only to motivate travelers to form deeper and more personal connections with Japan; the campaign also aims to encourage local Japanese to welcome visitors warmly and with open arms.

The updated campaign website is available in six languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Russian. The attention of visitors to the home page will immediately be drawn to the menu bar along the top, which offers routes to pages focusing on specific travel passions. Under each theme, they can find insightful history, useful travel tips, and vivid illustrations of the numerous destinations and activities.

To read more, go here. 

James Woods On Jeffrey Toobin

Leave it to actor James Woods to put things into proper perspective.

Posted on Twitter this morning:

Alec Baldwin Sued Over Fatal Shooting

Now it begins.

Actor and producer of the film Rust Alec Baldwin is being sued over the on-set shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

Japan Today reported:

Los Angeles - U.S. actor Alec Baldwin is being sued by a "Rust" crew member over the fatal on-set shooting of a cinematographer last month, lawyers said Wednesday.

The negligence suit also names armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who claimed through her legal representatives that she was being "framed" for the death of Halyna Hutchins.

The low-budget movie's chief lighting technician Serge Svetnoy says in the lawsuit that the accidental killing "was caused by the negligent acts and omissions" of lead actor and producer Baldwin and others.

"Simply put, there was no reason for a live bullet to be placed in that .45 Colt revolver or to be present anywhere on the 'Rust' set, and the presence of a bullet in a revolver posed a lethal threat to everyone in its vicinity," the suit, submitted to a Los Angeles court, says.

Baldwin, assistant director Dave Halls and Gutierrez-Reed did not follow film industry practice on the handling of weapons and "allowed a revolver loaded with live ammunition to be pointed at living persons," the suit alleges.

Cinematographer Hutchins was shot and killed as Baldwin rehearsed a scene on the 19th-century western in which he fires a gun at the camera.

To read more, go here. 

ANA Chief Urges Japan To Boost Travel

Above, an All Nippon Airways jet at Narita Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Business and student travel to Japan has been allowed again, but tourism travel is still in a freeze.

The CEO of All Nippon Airways (ANA) is urging the Japanese government to boost travel.

According to the Asahi Shimbun:

Japan’s biggest airline, ANA Holdings, has asked the government to ease curbs on overseas visitors, and seeks a revival of domestic tourism subsidies to spur travel as pandemic infections fall, its chief executive said on Thursday.

Coronavirus immigration curbs in Japan have led to a drop of about 95 percent in the number of passengers on international flights, but daily infections have dropped to fewer than 200 this month, from an August peak of more than 20,000.

“When we are able to make money we should be allowed to,” Shinya Katanozaka, chief executive of the carrier that has had seven consecutive quarters of losses, told Reuters in an interview.

“It will give us the strength to weather things in the future.”

To read more, go here. 

Happy Veterans Day!

Today's the day to thank our veterans for their service to out country.

What is Veterans Day? Here's a little history for you.

From Wikipedia:

Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans, who are people who have served in the United States Armed Forces (that were discharged under conditions other than dishonorable). It coincides with other holidays including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day which are celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I. Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. At the urging of major U.S. veteran organizations, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

Happy Veterans Day! 

Tasks and Shopping

Above, I wondered what this display at Cabela's was supposed to be depicting. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I was in Abuquerque to visit the dentist and get a haircut.

In-between, I stopped at Cabela's to see what ammunition they had available. Unlike last week, they had none in the calibers I use. So I left empty-handed.

Above, I moved a little bit and found it depicted fleeing deer from a cougar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I did pick up a new jacket at Boot Barn. My everyday jacket is fraying and I needed a new one. I can still use the old one while doing yard work or tinkering in the garage.

Then, I stopped at Target to get some cat food.

Above, Bento Sushi Japanese Restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After that, I tried out new (to me) sushi restaurant. It is Bento Sushi Japanese Restaurant. I ordered tuna and yellowtail cut rolls. Not bad!

Above, today's lunch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Once I was done with lunch, I headed off on the road. Mission accomplished!

Tonight, I am going to watch another Ma and Pa Kettle movie.

RV Travel Trends Shaping The Holiday Season

Above, a dusting of snow at Red Rock Park Campground near Gallup, New Mexico. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Travel is expected to make a remarkable recovery during the holiday season this year and that includes RV travel.

According to TravelPulse:

Interest in RV travel remains high heading into the holiday season and appears poised to stay that way in 2022, according to the latest travel trends report from global online RV rental and outdoor travel marketplace Outdoorsy.

The annual report produced several intriguing findings after a year many travelers spent road tripping across the country, including the dates and destinations most RV travelers have circled in the final two months of 2021. For example, Thanksgiving topped Christmas and New Year's for the holiday with the most RV rental bookings this season, according to Outdoorsy, while top destinations for holiday travel are mostly warm-weather places such as Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, Phoenix, Houston, Austin, San Francisco, Miami and Las Vegas.

The trips won't come to a halt as travel continues its recovery in 2022 either as 91 percent of survey respondents indicated that they are planning to take a road trip next year. What's more, 83 percent of travelers added that they would be either somewhat likely or very likely to vacation via RV or campervan if there were COVID surges in 2022, and cleanliness is a big reason for that. Eight in 10 survey respondents cited cleanliness as the deciding factor when considering renting an RV. Amenities such as a full kitchen (57 percent), full bathroom (57 percent) and an indoor shower (43 percent) are also important features.

To read more, go here. 

Remington Firearms Moving H.Q. To Georgia

Above, along with firearms, the Remington brand also includes ammunition. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

New York's loss is Georgia's gain.

The disease that is called liberalism has driven out another manufacturer out of a blue state.

This time, it is Remington Firearms, a leading manufacturer of firearms and ammunition, is moving its headquarters out of hostile New York state to the much friendlier state of Georgia.

According to Fox Business:

Remington Firearms, the country’s oldest gun manufacturer, will be moving its headquarters from Ilion, New York, to Georgia, the company announced Monday. 

As part of the deal, the company said it would invest $100 million in the operation and hire 856 people over a five-year period in Troup County. 

It was not immediately clear what effect the transfer would have on Remington's operations in New York and Tennessee. The company owns the parts of the former Remington Outdoor Co. which makes rifles, shotguns, and some handguns after the former parent auctioned its assets in pieces last year during a bankruptcy proceeding in Alabama.

Investors doing business as the Roundhill Group purchased the Remington-branded gun-making business, including operations in Ilion, New York, and Lenoir City, Tennessee, for $13 million.

Remington began making flintlock rifles in 1816. It swelled into a firearms conglomerate, but faced slumping sales, complaints about quality, and legal pressure over the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre, in which 26 people – including 20 children – were killed. 

The company’s move comes as other gun makers have been ditching the northeast amid growing hostility there and moving to more politically welcoming states. 

To read more, go here. 

Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Autographed Photo Arrived

The 8 x 10" autographed photo (above) by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans that I won in an auction has arrived in the mail.

The still is a publicity photo for The Golden Stallion (1949). 

The story:

Ed Hart (Dale Van Sickel) and his band of outlaws are using a wild stallion to smuggle diamonds over the border. But this fact has escaped the knowledge of Stormy Billings (Dale Evans), a young rancher who is taken with the horse and wants to tame him. Stormy enlists the help of a handsome cowboy named Roy (Roy Rogers) and his faithful horse, Trigger, to capture the stallion, but his efforts quickly put him into conflict with Ed and the rest of his gang.

I got the photo for a good price (under $25). 

Now I have to have it and the autographed photo of George Lazenby framed. 

Dale Van Sickel, ex-football player and actor/stuntman, played the heavy in this movie. He is known as the Superman stuntman who ducked a thrown gun in the Adventures of Superman 1951 episode, "The Mind Machine". 

Canada: Six Months From Confiscation Day

The totalitarian-minded government of Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is preparing to confiscate guns from Canadians in six months.

This is something we should keep an eye out on. The Democrat Party would relish being able to do the same here, but the Second Amendment stands in their way.

According to NRA-ILA:

In early 2020, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his so-called “assault weapon” ban along with a temporary amnesty period that allows the owners of newly-banned firearms to possess their property without incurring criminal liability. Canadians affected by these Orders-in-Council were advised they would have the option of “complying through grandfathering” or surrendering the gun for compensation (“buyback”) before the expiry of the amnesty, with the specific information to be “announced later, once details have been decided.”

Canada’s gun owners are still waiting for answers. 

The latest development is Prime Minister Trudeau’s replacing of Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief and the Minister of Public Safety, with a new Public Safety Minister. Significantly, Blair had served as the Liberal government’s “point man on gun control before he was promoted to oversee Public Safety Canada;” as minister, he had been primarily responsible for the implementation of the gun ban law from the onset. His successor is Marco Mendicino, whose last portfolio as minister was immigration and refugees.  

Now, a scant six months away from the amnesty deadline of April 30, 2022 – a blink of an eye given the speed of government operations – gun owners and firearm businesses are left to speculate about the operation of the confiscation and grandfathering options, compensation, and pretty much anything else related to the implementation of this gun ban.

To read more, go here. 

AmmoLand: The American-Communist’s Gun Confiscation Bill

The Democrats are hell-bent on taking away our Second Amendment rights and have introduced a bill that will federalize so-called "red-flag laws".

Writer Dan Wos explains the dangers of H.R. 2377 in a video and article in AmmoLand.

According to the article: 

H.R.2377 otherwise known as the “Federal Extreme Risk Protection Order Act of 2021” has been written by the Biden Administration and the Attorney General and introduced into Congress on April 8th, 2021 by Democrat Representative Lucy McBath with 114 co-sponsors (all Democrats).

Should this bill be signed into law, it would give practically anyone the ability to petition the court and have guns taken away from others.

The ability to petition the court is granted to any family or household members, roommates of the respondent, (including former household members), and law-enforcement officers. All the petitioner has to do is submit an affidavit accusing the respondent of posing a risk of imminent personal injury to himself or herself or another individual by purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm or ammunition.

Just a simple accusation is all that’s necessary to enact an ex parte gun confiscation. Ex parte allows one party to make an accusation and law enforcement to execute a gun confiscation without granting the accused the right to respond.

We can imagine how destructive this would be should it be used as a tool for revenge by ex-spouses, former roommates, and angry former boyfriends/girlfriends. There is also the concern that this law would be used as a tool to disarm and render helpless an abused person in a relationship.

If H.R.2377 becomes law, all gun owners will be subjected to the risk of their guns being confiscated from their homes without due process.

I was subjected to a California red-flag law five years ago by a vindictive ex. I was able to get all my guns back, but it was a hassle.

To read more and see the video, go here.

"Elvis and the USS Arizona" Review

Above, Elvis Presley performs at the USS Arizona Memorial benefit concert in 1961.

Last night, I saw the documentary, Elvis and the USS Arizona on New Mexico PBS. As this year marks 80 years since the Pearl Harbor attack, we will likely be seeing many commemorative programs such as this.

At first, I thought that the online listing was in error as the PBS station I normally watch (5.1) had a program on national parks following two hours of Antiques Roadshow. But there are several PBS stations in New Mexico and I had the find the right one, which I did (5.4). 

Above, an unused ticket recently auctioned.

Elvis and the USS Arizona gave a history of the battleship along with a look at the weeks prior to the December 7, 1941 attack through the letters of Arizona sailor Bill Woodward to his wife. Several women were also featured, for they witnessed the attack as children and also attended the benefit concert at Bloch Arena of Elvis Presley to raise funds for the building of the USS Arizona Memorial in 1961.

As it turned out, Bloch Arena was the venue for a "battle of the battleship bands" on the evening of December 6, 1941. The band from the Arizona participated and all band members were killed during the attack the next morning.

The hour-long program was interesting as movies and stills of the USS Arizona Memorial construction were shown. Bloch Arena as it is today was also shown. Movie footage of Elvis's arrival at Honolulu Airport was shown, which included Minnie Pearl, who was one of the opening acts of the benefit concert.

Above, the memorial wall inside the USS Arizona Memorial. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, Elvis would pay visits to the memorial whenever he was in Hawaii. 

Elvis and the USS Arizona was well worth a viewing. Check your local PBS listings for future broadcasts.

My grade: A.

Suggested reading: Aloha Elvis by Jerry Hopkins, Bess Press, 2007. The book details Elvis Presley's Hawaii visits from the 1950s to 1970s.

Today's Ride

This afternoon, I took a ride around the neighborhood and around Barking Spider Acre. While there, I stopped to "visit" with my neighbor's horses.

It was a pleasant day with some breeze. 

Some pictures:

Above, the ladies in their pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 

Above, a view of Barking Spider Acre and the house from the horse pen. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Joe Biden "Stepped On A Duck"

A day hardly goes by that His Fraudulency Joe Biden doesn't embarrass himself or the country.

During his trip to the climate summit, Biden was meeting with Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall and during the meeting, Biden apparently had a flatulence episode.

The Gateway Pundit reported:

The Duchess of Cornwall met President Joe Biden at a climate summit on Monday, but the emissions she was left talking about had little to do with the environment, according to a new report.

According to a report in the Daily Mail, Biden passed gas while chatting with Camilla at the COP26 Summit on Monday — and she can’t stop talking about how gross it was.

“It was long and loud and impossible to ignore,” the source said. “Camilla hasn’t stopped talking about it.”

To read more, go here. 

Remembering My 2010 Visit To Tsukiji Fish Market

Above, inside the Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, for the first time in years, I popped in my DVD of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a 2011 documentary of one of the top sushi chefs in Tokyo, Jiro Ono. Happily, Jiro Ono is still with us at age 96.

Above, Jiro Dreams of Sushi poster.

It was an interesting documentary and it featured quite a bit of Tokyo and surrounding areas. 

I had forgotten that it had featured the now-gone Tsukiji Fish Market. It had been relocated several years ago to Toyosu.

Above, one of the many vendors at the Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market in December 2010. It's hard to believe that it is nearly 11 years since my visit in the wee hours of the morning. I was going to get up early to go there anyway, but a small earthquake got me up an hour earlier than planned.

Above, yours truly with a restaurateur at the Outer Market.

Following my wandering in the fish market, I went to the outer market where shops and restaurants are located and had a great tuna sushi meal.

A Ride To The Shooting Area

Above, the shooting area. Our residences are behind the hill on the right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since it has been a while since I last went over to the shooting area near our community (it is located on Cibola National Forest property), I took a little ride on the mini bike over there yesterday.

Surprisingly, considering the amount of use the shooting area gets, the ground wasn't too badly littered with spent bullet casings. Maybe many users are reloaders and gathered up the brass shells.

Above, the view towards the target area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The old wooden spools we use as tables could use some replacing as the ones we have are getting old.  

Pet Angels: Is It Jax or Not?

Above, Jax Jacobs.

The following video reminds me of when I worked for United Pacific/Reliance Insurance Companies back 40 years ago.

Some of the company's insureds were cemeteries, mortuaries and crematoriums. There was a spell in which liability claims were coming of missing cremains, co-mingled cremains and other claims involving cremains. If screw-ups like this can be done with human cremains, it can also happen with pets.

The topic of the video by Eric Jacobs, the Nomadic Fanatic, concerns the cremains of Jacobs's late cat Jax.

When he received the package from Pet Angels, a pet cremation company, Jacobs noticed something amiss. The card with Jax's paw print seemed to be from another cat. In the video, at one point Jacobs held up the paw print image to the camera, I noticed immediately that the print couldn't have been Jax's.

The paw print Jacobs received had four toes. Jax was a rarity, he had seven toes on both front paws as a polydactyl cat.

Now, it could be the technician who made the paw print may have missed the extra toes. There's no way of knowing. Also, this leaves doubt in Jacobs's mind whether the cremains in the urn are actually Jax's (Jacobs paid for a private, single cremation) and the lock(s) of fur that were sent with the urn were Jax's.

Understandably, Jacobs is quite upset with Pet Angels.

On the fur, a DNA test can be done on the fur sent with fur on Jax's brush or veterinary blood samples. Pet Angels should be willing to pick up the cost of a DNA test to prove they were on the up & up.

Still, this boils down to the big question: Is everything actually Jax's or not? Pet Angels definitely has a major public relations problem over this.

Here's Eric Jacobs's video:

Ways To Make Money While RVing

Above, The Beast at a KOA Kampground in West Yellowstone, Montana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following doesn't apply to me since I am happily retired. But there are those who are not retired or those who are retired but could use some extra income and RV at the same time.

RV Life has an article on 20+ ways to make money while RVing.

They begin it with:

When the RV life is calling you, you can find a way to listen.  The driving force behind any idea is your own creativity, so don’t let fear of the unknown freeze your goals.

You may find yourself in need of income because your job plans were changed outside of your control.  Or maybe you are a little entrepreneurial and you would prefer expressing your own out-of-the-box thinking.  No matter what your need is, get your shovel and bucket – let’s go to work.

To read more, go here. 

Condé Nast Traveler Guide To Yellowstone National Park

Above, one of many geysers in Yellowstone. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have been to Yellowstone National Park three times. It is the second most visited national park in the U.S. and draws a lot of crowds.

Unless one gets lucky and manages to reserve a campsite within the park, the best bet is to book a site outside of the park in places such as West Yellowstone, Montana (we did this in 2015 and had a great time). To avoid fighting traffic within the park, we signed up for two tours with a tour company that picked us up at the KOA Kampground in West Yellowstone where we stayed.

Condé Nast Traveler has posted a guide that will help in "outsmarting the crowds" at Yellowstone.

They begin it with:

The second-most visited national park in the country has always drawn a crowd, but Yellowstone National Park recently set new records with its busiest summer on record, including the most recreational visitors ever at the park in one month—over one million in July—and more than 920,000 recreational visits in August. It’s a call for a change and more responsible visits to this massive, all-seasons park, where shaking the crowds can be as simple as a few strategic moves.

Read on for everything you need to know to plan an expert trip to Yellowstone National Park—whether it's your first time visiting, or your fiftieth. 

To see the guide, go here. 

Fire and Weather

Above, last night with the fire and planet Venus visible. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The time change to standard time has wreaked havoc with my sleep.

Before going to bed, I changed my clocks (set back an hour). I went to bed at 9:00 Daylight Savings Time and woke up an hour ago. 

So much for my "extra hour" of sleep.

Last evening, I decided to have a fire in the firepit. It was a pleasant evening with only a light breeze. So I sat out next to it. It was relaxing. 

Above, last night's fire. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The weather this coming week will be dry with daytime temperatures in the 50s and 60s. It won't be long before we start getting snow here in Jamestown, New Mexico.

According to the National Weather Service: 

Overnight

Mostly clear, with a low around 33. South wind around 5 mph.

Sunday

Sunny, with a high near 67. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. South wind around 5 mph.

Monday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Monday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 36. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Wednesday

Sunny, with a high near 57.

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 29.

Veterans Day

Sunny, with a high near 53.

Thursday Night

Clear, with a low around 28.

Friday

Sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday Night

Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Saturday

Sunny, with a high near 56.

Foreign Citizens Seek US-Approved Vaccines As Travel Resumes

Above, Asia Lipovetckaia and Armand at the 2016 portrait unveiling party at the Odyssey Restaurant. Photo by Lori Thornhill.

As the U.S. is opening up to foreign travelers, many of them are in a quandary. The vaccine they received, such as Sputnik V, is not recognized by the Food and Drug Administration. In order to be allowed in, they must be vaccinated with FDA-approved vaccines.

KRQE reported:

Starting Monday, the United States plans to reopen to foreign travelers who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. But there’s a catch: non-immigrant adults need to have received vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or which received an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization.

That leaves many hopeful travelers across the globe who taken full courses of vaccines widely used in other parts of the world — Sputnik V and the China-produced CanSino jab, in particular — scrambling to get reinoculated with shots approved by U.S. authorities.

Two other Chinese vaccines, Sinopharm and Sinovac, have been approved by the WHO and will thus be accepted for travel into the U.S.

While Sputnik V is used in around 70 countries worldwide, it has still not been approved by either the FDA or the U.N. health agency. Nearly 1 million people have received the vaccine in Hungary, a Central European country of around 10 million.

Hungary was one of only two countries in the 27-member European Union to roll out the Russian vaccine. Fewer than 20,000 people received it in Slovakia.

Citizens of Russia, where use of Sputnik V is most widespread, also are seeking Western-approved shots so they can travel abroad. Faced with the prospect of being turned away from flights, Russians have booked tours to Serbia, which has authorized use of the Pfizer-BioNTech, China’s Sinopharm and the AstraZeneca vaccines in addition to Sputnik V.

Russia, which unveiled Sputnik V with much fanfare as the world’s first registered vaccine in August 2020, criticized U.S. plans to leave the vaccine off its list of approved shots.

Artist Asia Lipovetckaia of St. Petersburg, Russia was planning to come to New Mexico for a 2-3 week visit, but the pandemic hit and those plans had to be scrubbed. She can come to the U.S. if she gets vaccinated by a FDA or WHO-approved vaccine. She could go to Serbia to get it as the above article stated. To date, she has not been vaccinated.

To read the full article, go here.

November Is Native American Heritage Month

Above, during the summer months, the city of Gallup holds nightly Indian dances. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

November is Native American Heritage Month, in case you didn't notice.

It is well noted here in New Mexico as there are several tribes within the state. The Navajo Nation is checkered across Interstate 40 from me and many Navajos work in local businesses.

According to the Fort Hood Sentinel:

In August 1990, President George H. W. Bush declared November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Since 1994, presidents have issued similar proclamations naming November “Native American Heritage Month” or “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month” and have set aside this month as a time to celebrate the culture and traditions of our Native Americans and Alaska Natives.  

As of January 2021, the United States recognizes 574 Native American Tribes, three of them located in Texas. Throughout our history Native Americans have made significant contributions to our armed forces, serving at the highest per-capita rate of any demographic in our country.  

During World War I, approximately 12,000 Native American men volunteered or were drafted in support of the war effort. Native American women supported the war effort at home as well, volunteering with the Red Cross and donating time and money. Four Native Americans received the Croix de Guerre from France.

During World War II, more than 44,000 Native Americans served in our armed forces, about 12% of the Native American population. Many Native Americans served as cryptologists, or “code talkers”, who used their native languages to send coded messages between units, creating an undecipherable communication method. During this time, Native Americans distinguished themselves by earning Air Medals, Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Stars, Silver Stars and Medals of Honor.  

Above, the Navajo Code Talker statue in Window Rock, Arizona. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

RV Travel: RV Lemon Laws

Above, The Beast at the Double J Campground near Springfield, Illinois. RVs are meant
 to be enjoyed, not stuck in a repair shop for weeks or months. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Thankfully, when I bought my 2015 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22R, I had no real problems related to manufacturing defects (just a roof vent cover "glued" shut). Other new RV owners may not be so lucky and have repeatedly had take their rigs to an authorized repair shop.

RV Travel posted an article on RV lemon laws and how they actually work.

It begins with:

If you have purchased a new or used RV, only to have your rig stuck in the shop for weeks or months for warranty repairs, you may have a “lemon.” If your dealer/warranty repair shop repeatedly tries and fails to repair the problem(s), you do have a lemon by definition.

 

Definition of a lemon vehicle or RV is in Lemon Laws

The definition is in the “Lemon Laws” enacted by the states. A U.S. federal lemon law generally applies, even if the state laws are not applicable or are ineffective in addressing your specific situation.

Each state has a consumer protection “Lemon Law” on the books, and some states’ statutes cover more potential manufacturer defects than others. Some of the state laws are in favor of the RV manufacturer or seller. There is a lot of language in these laws that protect the RV manufacturer and dealer’s warranty repair shop. Yet, the essential intent of these laws is to protect consumers, and, to some degree, they provide relief for the buyer of the chronically broken RV.

To read more, go here. 

RV Travel Agent

Above, do-it-yourselfers like me use materials from the Auto Club and other sources. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Have you ever heard of an RV travel agent?

Nope, me neither.  But that is what a new article in RV Travel talks about.

Frankly, I prefer to do my own travel planning. I've done plenty of it over the years and I also have a good time doing so.

The article starts off with:

It was one of those “Why didn’t I think of that!” moments. I came across a post online about a guy who “loves planning RV trips.” From planning the route to reserving the RV sites to suggesting fun things to see and do all along the way, Doug Setzer just might be your guy! Like a travel agent for other types of travel experiences, Doug specializes in planning trips for RVers.

To read more, go here. 

TravelAwaits: Why Your RV May Be Too Old For RV Parks

This topic has been covered here before, but it is always worth taking another look just in case there are people who've never perused this blog.

The topic is, "Why Your RV May Be Too Old For RV Parks".

Some RV parks have an age restriction on RVs older than ten years. Some older RVs may look like Cousin Eddie's in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation while others the same age may look as if they just rolled out from the assembly line. 

Right now, I don't have to worry since my motorhome is only six years old.

TravelAwaits has posted an article on this topic.

They begin it with:

Ageism is never appropriate — even for RVs! Did you know that some commercial parks are now enforcing a 10 years old rule? If your RV is more than 10 years old, you may be denied a spot in some RV parks. I’ve never heard of this in any government parks (local, state, national, Corps of Engineers, Forest Service), so those campgrounds are always an option for older RVs. But some “resort” parks, and even moderately priced parks, are getting pretty picky about who they let in. Let’s explore this topic so you are prepared. 

To read more, go here.