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AMERICAN SONG CONTEST

 Amazingly enough, China, with more than 1.4 billion people, just reported its first new COVID-19 deaths in more than a year yesterday:

       Country       Population      New Deaths    Per Million

  • China          1,439 million         2                  0.0014
  • Hong Kong        7.6 m          249                32.8 
  • World         7,900 m            3846                  0.5
  • USA              327 m              327                 1.0
  • Russia           146 m              495                 3.4
  • S. Korea          51 m              319                 6.3
  • Chile               19 m               101                 5.3
Of course, Hong Kong is part of China, so if you add those 2 + 249 new deaths, the new deaths/million population figure for the country is only 0.17.

So how do COVID-19 deaths compare to total deaths per day?

   Country      Population       COVID  Deaths      Ratio
  • China      1.44 billion          251      30,373      0.0083
  • India       1.41 billion          129      28,279      0.0046
  • USA       0.33 billion           327       8,295       0.0394
In other words, yesterday 4% of daily deaths in the U.S. came from COVID-19.

There are two deaths/second in the world, or 115 deaths/minute.  There are 2.67 COVID-19 deaths/minute.  Or, 2.3% of all world deaths are now from COVID-19.

In mid-January of 2021 the U.S. averaged around 4000 deaths/day.  During that period, just about half of all deaths came from this pandemic virus.

So how does the "normal" seasonal flu compare with COVID-19 today?  
  • Approximately 36,000 people in the past usually died from the flu each year.  
  • If we continue to get 327 COVID deaths/day, that would be 119,355 deaths/year.  We need to get just below 100 COVID deaths/day to equal the flu death rate.
  • However, in the past year there might have been only around 3,600 flu deaths because people are more cautious.
  • The information is still a bit sketchy, but it looks like the mortality rate of our current highly vaccinated population seems to have dropped to around 0.1%, about the same as the seasonal flu.
  • For the record, thus far, the world average of the past two years shows that the mortality rate of COVID-19 is 1.3%.  Because of the vaccines, new medications and hospital experience, a person contracting the Omicron version of this virus (which is less lethal than earlier variants) is more than ten times likely to survive.  Unless you remain unvaccinated.  Why?
  • Of course a booster also pads your safety factor, and both Moderna and Pfizer will soon be adding a second booster for the elderly, for people 65 and older account for 75% of all COVID-19 deaths.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been going on now since 1956, featuring countries of the continent.  It is among the most-watched non-sports show seen on your personal screen.  A half century later, an attempt to develop a U.S. version was made by NBC.  Well, they finally succeeded, for tomorrow night (Monday, March 21), The American Song Contest will be hosted by Snoop Dog and Kelly Clarkson.  The first show will feature:

DrawState/TerritoryArtistSongLanguage(s)
 ArkansasKelsey Lamb"Never Like This"English
 ConnecticutMichael Bolton"Beautiful World"English
 IndianaUG skywalkin ft. Maxie"Love in My City"English
 IowaAlisabeth Von Presley"Wonder"English
 MinnesotaYam Haus"Ready to Go"English
 MississippiKeyone Starr"Fire"English
 OklahomaAleXa"Wonderland"English[a]
 Puerto RicoChristian Pagán"Loko"English, Spanish
 Rhode IslandHueston"Held On Too Long"English
 WisconsinJake’O"Feel Your Love"English
 WyomingRyan Charles"New Boot Goofin'"English

Europe has 50 countries/entities.  They banned Russia from participating.  The U.S. will have 56 contestants representing each state and a few territories.   Connecticut has Michael Bolton and Alaska's entry is Jewel.  Hawaii has Bronson Varde.  Never heard of him.  How did he get selected, anyway?   Click here to see the other entries. The finale will occur on May 9, the same week as Eurovision 2022.

Yesterday I had two great meals.  First, chicken katsu with hamachi sashimi.

Then, my weekly wagyu with shiitake mushrooms and creamed spinach, plus onions and a salad.

The wine was an exceptional Syrah-Cabernet from Paso Robles.

My plumeria and Honohono on my lanai are in full bloom:

Also, some calamansi.
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