The 2022 Hurricane Season

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This year CSU again predicted an above-average season with 19 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes.

Not to go too far off on a tangent, but in 2020 CSU predicted 16 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes. Four months later they revised these numbers to be 24 named storms, 12 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes! We ended 2020 with 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes, 6 major hurricanes!

In 2021 they predicted 17 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes. We ended 2021 with 21 named storms, 7 hurricanes, 4 major hurricanes.

From the National Hurricane Center, the 2022 Atlantic tropical cyclone names are: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Martin, Nicole, Owen, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tobias, Virginie, Walter.

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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

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This new virus is called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or Sars-CoV-2. The disease it causes is called Covid-19. Source: Wall Street Journal. This is a serious disease – “a potential pandemic.” They think it originated in a (animal/seafood) market in Wuhan, China, on December 1, 2019. As of March 3, 2020, the WHO reports that there are 92,315 confirmed cases – 3,131 deaths; 60 cases in the US and 6 deaths.

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Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade

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Roe v. Wade is literally as old as I am. (They began arguments 1 month after I was born.) Today, in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion, thus overruling Roe v. Wade (and Planned Parenthood v. Casey).

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Breaking Records In Heat and Inflation

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I thought this was newsworthy. The US is going to fry this weekend, and it’s going to cost a lot more to eat, sleep, travel, and cool down. The high temperature forecast for my area in Texas on Saturday is 99F, but we’ve already topped 100F this year, and we’ve been hot since early May. It’s the I-10 corridor that is really going to cook.

Over a third of US population urged to stay indoors amid record-breaking heat
More than 100 million Americans have been advised to stay indoors amid record-breaking heat, with experts warning that such temperatures could become the norm amid the climate crisis.

The Guardian,15 June 2022

When it comes to higher prices, the government is blaming the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This week, the average price of gas topped $5/gallon in the US. They say it’s only going to get worse.

Inflation rose 8.6% in May, highest since 1981
Administration officials pin most of the blame for the surge on supply chain issues related to the Covid pandemic, imbalances created by outsized demand for goods over services and the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Source: CNBC, June 10, 2022.

Memorial Day Ribs 2022

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This year is a repeat of last year. It’s a 12 year tradition for me to make ribs on Memorial Day weekend. The world is on year 3 of the corona virus pandemic, but cases are dropping. This year I finished the ribs in the oven again. I haven’t lit my grill in more than 18 months.

Ingredients

Meat

2 slabs (~6 lbs) of baby back ribs

Rub

This year I bought a bottle of Famous Dave’s Rib Rub Seasoning – it was good but expensive $8.99 for 13.65oz.

Sauce

This year I used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce on one slab and Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Barbecue Sauce on the other slab. I couldn’t really tell the difference after they’re baked on the ribs.

Directions

It was really easy this year since I didn’t light the grill. Heat oven to 250 F. (My oven runs cool so I sometimes turn it up to 275 F.) Start by taking off the membrane that covers the bones. Then sprinkle top and bottom of the ribs with your favorite rub seasoning. Place ribs bones down, uncovered, on a foil covered roasting pan, and bake for 2 hours.

Next take the ribs out, cover with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place back on the pan, bones down, and bake for another 2 hours.

Finally, take the ribs out, paint them with your favorite barbeque sauce, and bake uncovered for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness. If they aren’t tender enough you could try covering them again and baking another 30 minutes.

For sides my wife made corn on the cob and her famous potato salad.

Everything was delicious!

Russia Invades Ukraine

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Vlad the (Impudent) Impaler
Vlad the (Impudent) Impaler

Have you seen this guy? Of course you have. It’s ol’ Vlad. The Putinator. The Russian President for Life. Well, about 10 days ago he went off his meds and attacked – excuse me, launched a ‘special military operation’ – in the sovereign nation of Ukraine with soldiers, tanks, bombs, missiles, etc.

In the past 10 days over 1 million people have crossed the border to neighboring Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary. Estimates range from 136 to 2,000 Ukrainians have been killed so far.

Some of the Ukrainians fought back with what else – the quintessential weapon of choice – Molotov cocktails made by an Ukrainian brewery.

The 2022 Primary Election in Texas

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It’s midterm election season once again, and somethings have changed: the Texas Legislature redrew district maps. I was in US Congressional District 17, now District 10. My State House District stayed 14. My State Senate District stayed 5. I was State Board of Education District 8, now District 10.

The Primary Election this year is March 1 (early voting starts February 14), and the General Election will be November 8 (early voting starts October 24). As usual, the Texas Tribune has a useful primary election guide.

U.S. Senate

Ted Cruz (R) – Next election 2024

John Cornyn (R) – Next election 2026

U.S. House of Representatives (District 10)

Michael McCaul (R-Incumbent)

Linda Nuno (D)

Governor

Greg Abbott (R-Incumbent)
Paul Belew (R)
Danny Harrison (R)
Kandy Kaye Horn (R)
Don Huffines (R)
Rick Perry (R) (Not the former Governor)
Chad Prather (R)
Allen West (R)

Inocencio “Inno” Barrientez (D)
Michael Cooper (D)
Joy Diaz (D)
Beto O’Rourke (D)
Rich Wakeland (D)

Lieutenant Governor

Trayce Bradford (R)
Todd M. Bullis (R)
Daniel Miller (R)
Dan Patrick (R-Incumbent)
Aaron Sorrells (R)
Zach Vance (R)

Michelle Beckley (D)
Carla Brailey (D)
Mike Collier (D)

Attorney General

George P. Bush (R)
Louie Gohmert (R)
Eva Guzman (R)
Ken Paxton (R-Incumbent)

Mike Fields (D)
Rochelle Garza (D)
Joe Jaworski (D)
Lee Merritt (D)
S. “T-Bone” Raynor (D)

Texas Senate (District 5)

Charles Schwertner (R-Incumbent)

Texas House of Representatives (District 14)

John Raney (R-Incumbent)
John Harvey Slocum (R)

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Texas to allow carrying guns without a license or background check

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So this is a thing now…

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas is poised to remove one of its last major gun restrictions after lawmakers approved allowing people to carry handguns without a license, and the background check and training that go with it.

Source: ABCNews.com

I got a License To Carry a few years ago, and I passed background checks for every gun I purchased. I’m with the LEO on this one – I object! I think all gun sales (private too) should require a background check. And people that carry should have a License To Carry (LTC) license.

UPDATE:

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 1927 into law on June 16, 2021, and it takes effect September 1, 2021. (Source: Texas Tribune, Texans can carry handguns without a license or training starting Sept. 1, after Gov. Greg Abbott signs permitless carry bill into law)

Memorial Day Ribs 2021

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This year I sound like a broken record. I made ribs for Memorial Day weekend – using my tried and true recipe. The world is still in a corona virus pandemic, and more Americans are resisting getting vaccinated. This year I finished the ribs in the oven with bbq sauce; I don’t think I’ve lit the grill in 9 months.

Ingredients

Meat
2 slabs (~6 lbs) of baby back ribs

Rub (a little different than last year)
4 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder

Directions

It was really easy this year since I didn’t light the grill. Heat oven to 250 F. (My oven runs cool so I sometimes turn it up to 275 F.) Start by taking off the membrane that covers the bones. Then sprinkle top and bottom of the ribs with your favorite rub seasoning. Place ribs bones down, uncovered, on a foil covered roasting pan, and bake for 2 hours.

Next take the ribs out, cover with heavy duty aluminum foil, and place back on the pan and bake them another 2 hours.

Finally, take the ribs out, uncover them, paint them with your favorite barbeque sauce, and bake for another 30 minutes or so. Check for doneness. If they aren’t tender enough you could try covering them again and baking another 30 minutes.

This year we served the ribs with corn on the cob and Barbie’s (famous) potato salad. It was delicious!