THE NFL KICKS OFF TODAY

                 From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

        DAY  USA  WORLD   Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9    1093     4732         1185       246       82

July    22     1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12     1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9     1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21     1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25      2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30      3880    14748       1224       299      465

Jan     14       4142    15512         1151        189       712              

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar     2        1989      9490       1726       110      194

April   6         906     11787         4211        631       37

May    4         853     13667         3025     3786      59 

June    1         287     10637        2346      3205      95

July     7         251      8440         1595        817      411

Aug    4         656    10120         1118         532      423

Sept    1       1480   10470           703        505      235 

           7          815     8469           342        358      282

           8       1700     9836           250        339      253

Summary:

• Oh no, highest number of new deaths in six months.
• Our 157,759 new cases yesterday was also the largest by a large margin, with India #2 at 43,406.
• But India's 31 new cases per million is far lower than the USA's 474 new cases/million.
• What is the U.S. doing wrong?
• Our vaccination rate is relatively high compared to the world.
• Most countries begin the school year around now.
• Our mask-wearing is not that bad.
• What???

The New York Times had a full coverage this morning about COVID-19, particularly the Delta variant.  You can Google whatever you want from other sources if you are unable to read this newspaper:

• While the Delta variant is more contagious, there is no evidence that the resultant symptoms are any worse that the Alpha original.  Studies remain consistently inconsistent.
• From the beginning of the pandemic, less than 500 Americans under 17 (about 16% of the country) have died from COVID-19.  This is less than 0.07% of the national population.
• No question that pre-existing health conditions make a crucial difference.  
• For some reason, vaccinated people over 65 who are healthy have seen their hospitalization rate increase more rapidly than other groups.  But looking at the curves below, this increase seems no different than during the previous wave last month.

• 
  25% of Americans eligible for vaccination, but yet to be so protected, do have a lot to fear.  And will more and more be inconvenience by an assorted range of mandates, from schools, restaurants, sporting events, hotels, travel and more.

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  What about the 0-11 age group?  Why this delay?  Especially critical are those from 5-11 because they go to school.  Of course we must be careful, but they are with the unvaccinated the super spreaders.  In May the FDA approved kids 12-15.  They should have taken a small chance and did it then for 5-15 year olds.  There is considerable evidence that if they had done so, we would not today be in this current wave, which will only increase for the rest of the month.

What about the Mu variant? 

• Comes from Columbia.
• While there are fears of this strain being vaccine resistant, much of what you read today is mostly hype.
• It is merely a variant of interest and accounts for only 1% of world cases, but 39% in Columbia.  The Delta variant is in 174 countries.

The National Football League (NFL) season begins today at 8:20 PM EDT on NBC when the Dallas Cowboys visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who you might remember, won the Super Bowl earlier this year.  I'm ready, for I just drafted three fantasy teams, and have both Dak Prescott and Tom Brady (he is 44-years old) as my quarterbacks.  

It is not too late for you to get a team or more.  Just click on this.  Click on Join a Public League.  Click on Beginner, then Join a League.  When the time runs down to zero, the league page will tell you what to do.  Good luck.  AND IT'S FREE.  If this will be your first time, you will panic.  But heck, keep that team and pick another.

The number of games increased this year to 17.  Houston will attempt to avoid going 0-17.  There will be more 15-yard penalties called for horrible acts like spinning the ball or pointing your finger.  Three rookie quarterbacks will start:

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  Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars...I also drafted him, for the point of fantasy sports is to fantasize...and it makes games a lot more interesting to watch)
• Zach Wilson (Jets)
• Mac Jones (Patriots), and they play the Tua Tagovailoa Dolpins Sunday morning 10:25 Hawaii time on CBS.

American football is the most popular sport in the USA, where 37% of the population claims this is their favorite.  Basketball is #2 to baseball as #3.  Then soccer #4, ice hockey #5, tennis #6, golf #7, all the way up to badminton #12.

Here is a professional comparison, which is somewhat different:

Most popular sport in the world?  Of course, you knew this.  Soccer with 4 billion fans.  Bet you don't know #2?  Cricket, with 2.5 billion followers.  #3 hockey with 2 billion, #4 tennis 1 billion, #5 volleyball 900 million, #6 table tennis 875 million, #7 basketball 825 million, #9 baseball 500 million, #9 rugby 475 million and #10 golf 450 million.  What happened to American football?  Well, only a portion of our 330 million population care much for that game.

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Whoops, I was wrong, and yet right, as Hurricane Larry will roll over St. Johns Newfoundland early Saturday morning...but did avoid the USA.

In the Eastern Pacific, Hurricane Olaf will strengthen into a Category 2 and definitely make landfall around the Los Cabos resorts, then veer west into the Pacific Ocean, and shortly dissipate.

The truly dangerous storm is Typhoon Chanthu, once a super typhoon, to slightly weaken and make landfall over Taipei on Saturday.  The current track from Weather Underground shows the eye right over Taipei.  Then Chanthu will skirt China (Zhejiang and Shanghai) and head for South Korea.  However, an earlier projection from Taiwan News indicates a path further to the east.  So, in other words, keep watchful.

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