[T3] 2022 Type 3 Invasion

[Jim Adney]

Melissa and I have agonized over whether we should go to the 2022 
Invasion or not. In the end, it all revolves around three issues: using more 
gas during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, blood clots in Melissa's legs 
from hours of sitting in a car, and the continuing COVID threat.

At the beginning of the Russian invasion, polls determined that the US public 
was willing to pay a little more for gas because of reduced supply from 
Russia, but the polls asked the wrong question. The right question was 
whether we were willing to USE a little less. The answer to the right 
question, which never got asked, was no, and we now see the consequence 
of inelastic demand in the price at the pump. I would hate to contribute to 
that inelastic demand.

Melissa's legs have continued to improve, but she's still not willing to go. 
That leaves me with the option to drive alone, which I've done before.

COVID, however, remains with us, and the transmission rate in the Invasion 
area is high. While I'm vaccinated and boosted, there's a significant vaccine 
resistant portion of our population that continues to serve as a breeding 
ground for new variants that are bypassing both natural and vaccine 
immunity. I just turned 76, so you can see that this puts me in a more 
vulnerable position than most of you out there.

In the end, I regret that Melissa and I will not be attending this Invasion. We 
hope those of you who go have a safe and rewarding experience, and I hope 
things can be different in two more years. I have a  poster session explaining 
the Kettering ignition that can wait for the next Invasion.

In the meantime, I hope we can meet up with John, Jill, and anyone else 
caravaning west with them. We'd like to drive down and meet you for lunch 
or dinner somewhere on your way thru Illinois. Bon Voyage, and let us know 
what works for you.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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