We have met the enemy...

We have met the enemy and he is us.*

The more news we get from the USA the more I believe this phrase is true. Whether it's morons fighting over dwindling stocks of toilet paper or cleaning out the ammunition shelves in the gun stores, things are looking grim as Americans seem to be losing their minds while the Covid-19 virus continues to spread,

Perhaps the final realization** for Zio Lorenzo was a rather left-wing cycling-related blog he frequents. He's already either quit or been kicked out of most of the English-language cycling blog comment sections for negative comments made in reply to those who seem to delight in relating their outside cycling exploits, many of 'em going on despite nation or statewide instructions to stay-at-home to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

He thought these left-wing commenters, who delight in skewering pretty much everything the Trump Administration does including its response to the pandemic, would act in solidarity with their fellow citizens and stay home, but it seems they're just as bad as the rest of 'em!

The blog editor recently posted some critical comments and photos about his fellow citizens defying the calls for "social-distance" by clogging up local parks and hiking trails. Fair enough, but the photos didn't come from his TV news, he took them himself while out riding his bicycle! It reminded me of the old joke about people with liberal political views: Liberal=loves mankind, hates people.

The authorities in most countries are asking for a very small sacrifice from people - to take a break from outside exercise to help stop the spread of a pandemic. Nothing like this has been seen since 1918 but it's no longer a case of ignorance as that pandemic has been well publicized by now so those who are flouting the ban are shouting to their fellow citizens that for some reason they don't have to make any sacrifice and gloating about it with others who share the same selfish attitude.

Will these people ever "get it"? A few weeks ago I thought they would, but now I'm not so sure. Good luck fellow Americans! As a follow-up, I later read on the guy's blog a demand that yours truly apologize for calling him out on this hypocrisy! If I didn't apologize I would be banned from making comments on his site! Needless to say I'm currently (and presumably forever) banned.

Meanwhile, we're trying to do our part here in Sicily. We put the bikes away a couple of weeks ago in solidarity with our adopted country, even before riding around outside was specifically banned.

Today after lunch this box arrived. Yep, a set of rollers!

Zio Lorenzo detests riding a bicycle-to-nowhere but figures we gotta add something to going up and down the stairs to work up a bit of a sweat and keep our rear-ends familiar with sitting on a SMP saddle.

This thing was even Made-in-Italy which can not be said for everything with this brand name on it. We weren't the only ones with this idea as the first place we ordered this from turned out to not have any more (but at least they refunded our money) while this seemed to be the last one the other source had available.

Now Zio Lorenzo has to remember how to ride one of these things without riding off into the shop!!!

Stay safe. Stay home.

* Walt Kelly

** Update: The final realization is really the news that Dr. Anthony Fauci, one of the only-adults-in-the-room when it comes to the US Administration's Covid-19 management team now needs a security detail and that gun shops in Los Angeles have been declared essential services. Good luck America, it's seeming more and more that's all you've got!

Further update: All these months later there's THIS but the guy will never admit being wrong of course, it's always those "other people" at fault.