The New York Times this morning indicated that cases and deaths from this pandemic have both dropped since Thanksgiving.  But this is probably because of fewer tests and laxity in reporting.  In April, the one-day high for deaths was 2,752.  If expected fears materialize, daily deaths by the end of the year or early next year could reach 3,000.  Vaccines are on the horizon, but the worse is yet come.  In the meantime, wear a mask wherever you go and avoid crowds. At last report, up to 48 staff and associates in the White House, including the President and First Lady, were infected with COVID-19.  Governor Jared Polis of Colorado and his partner just learned they tested positive.  That brings it up to seven state governors.  Polis' family with two children to the left Here is something somewhat new.  A COVID-19 infectee will be most contagious  2 days BEFORE showing any symptoms, to five days thereafter.  I keep shaking my head, bu...

At 15 Craigside, a seniors community, where I live, we were told that if we went out with family and friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, we would be placed on a five-day quarantine and antigen tested ( for which we would pay for each at $50/test ) on days 5 and 10.  If we refused, then we would be automatically quarantined for 14 days.  The pandemic rightfully doesn't allow us to live life our own way. However, we are allowed to visit a doctor's office and go out to play golf.  There would have been the temptation to use some such excuse to have your cherished Thanksgiving meal.  After all, what is more important than family?  The administration here just trusts you.  Are the residents equally principled?  For those who were tempted to obfuscate the truth, read THIS ! Before I enter into the subject of the end, here is something about the beginning.  I am currently reading an article in FREE INQUIRY by John L. Prittie entitled:   ...

I was reminiscing recently about the great time I had on Mauritius a decade and a half ago, and whether I would want to include this island on my around the world trip.  This is where the Dodo became extinct.  Like how wrong we were in remembering the origin of Thanksgiving , my memory of how this bird got extinct apparently is faulty.  I recall something like sailors hunted them down because they were so easy to catch, with good meat and useful feathers.  More recent research indicates that the plump bird you see in drawings were those of well-fed pets.  The wild dodo was leaner with a terrible tasting flesh, and difficult to find because they lived  in impenetrable rainforests.  What happened was that humans brought rats and domesticated animals.  They killed this specie off. Anyone remember where you last saw this bird?  Turns out that the Dodo and and its remains disappeared several times.  First they became extinct in 1662.  T...

Two weeks ago I posted on Steak Tailgates .  My cuisine exposition today began yesterday with lobster.  Today, Japanese, Italian and Mexican. This all started with a trip to Marukai: The label said chutoro for $57/pound, but it really was otoro, a fattier piece.  The mushroom is matsutake, for $60/pound, and the wagyu is from Miyazaki.  This tiny bottle of truffle hot sauce costs $25.   With the rest of the sashimi I had some zaru soba: 15 Craigside delivered the lasagna and salad, but I provided some enhancements: The 15 Craigside tacos service, plus my improvements.  I've recently changed my eating style by abandoning the crisp tortillas for Fritos, so now have a tacos bowl.  Four different hot sauces and frying the meat sauce in butter I added some Midori to the standard Margarita.  I'm now using this salad bowl concept for fish and other proteins, without the fritos.  This allows me to skip the solid carbohydrates.  I still drin...