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THIS AND THAT

 

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   22      2228      9326          839       279     124
Oct      6       2102      8255          543       315       59
Nov    3        1436      7830         186        458       23
Dec     1       1633      8475          266        477       28
Jan     7        2025      6729         148         285     140
Feb     2        2990   12012          946        991      175
Mar     2        1778     7756          335         173       28 
Apr     1          439      4056         290          52       12
May    5          225      2404          151            ?       64 
         12          222      1995           136           9       21
         19          201      1801           115           20      31
         26          217      1528          136           14      49
June   1          347       1409         121             ?      29
           2          216       1413         130          10       31

Summary:
  • U.S. yesterday was #1 in new deaths, with Taiwan #2 144 and Canada #3 122.  
  • North Korea did not report number of new deaths, but led the world in new cases with 96,610, or 3716 new cases/million population.
    • #2  USA  82,890 (247)
    • #3  Taiwan  76,927 (3205)
    • Finland  13,018 (2325)
The FDA will most likely soon add another vaccine for COVID-19.  
  • Novavax was announced a long time ago, but had production problems.  It has contracted with the largest vaccine maker in the world from India to make and distribute the dosages.
  • Unlike the next generation mRNA vaccines of Pfizer and Moderna, Novavax used the traditional protein concept utilized to prevent hepatitis and shingles.  Thus, some reluctant individuals might feel more comfortable about this option.
  • It has been shown to be safe, 90% effective, and programmed to fight off all the new Omicron subvariants.
  • The FDA will also, thus, determine whether Novavax could well be used as a next booster.
  • With all the statistics about how only the unvaccinated are dying these days, one quarter of the American adult population remains defiant.  Also, only about half of those vaccinated have bothered to get even one booster.  Your odds of dying are cut by a factor of three with a well-timed booster.  YOU NEED TWO, for a booster's effectiveness drops by half within three months.  Clearly, though, any number of vaccines shots will assist your body fight off serious illness and death better than if not vaccinated.
  • The elderly from 65 and above are especially vulnerable, vaccinated or not:
    • In 2020, 80% of Covid deaths were from this group.
  • In 2021, this dropped to 60%.
  • Now, 75% of deaths are seniors.  Those protected elderly have tended to miss boosters, especially the second.
  • Novavax might well become the difference-maker for the third booster.

Many Democrats are voting for non-Trump Republicans in the primary elections.  A smarter strategy would be to vote FOR a Trump-supported candidate, for this person would be easier to beat in the general election.


However, the reason why Democrats are doing this is noteworthy.  

  • Punish Trump-supported election denier candidates.
  • Support democracy.
  • Georgia Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger barely won his primary challenge, and these Democrat votes are probably what carried him through into the general election.
  • Georgia continues to embarrass Trump, as Governor Brian Kemp easily beat his Trump-backed opponent.  He will face Stacey Abrams in the general.

This is Day 100 of the Ukraine War.  

  • At least 4,139 citizens have been killed.  
  • The European Union indicated that by the end of the year, 90% Russia's oil exports to Europe will be blocked.
  • $1 billion of Russian superyachts have been seized.

Did you know that a Platinum wedding anniversary celebrates the 70th year?  Nothing for 75 years, Oak, yes, Oak, for the 80th.  65?  Blue sapphire.  Anyway, Queen Elizabeth II is enjoying her Platinum Jubilee for 70 years as Queen of England and Commonwealth realms.  Her health is getting in the way of her presence.  Prince Andrew is also absent.  COVID-19.

Queen Elizabeth II:

  • Is 96 years old.
  • Her reign began on 6 February 1952.
  • The lengthiest monarchy was Louis XIV in France from 14 May 1643 to 1 September 1715, or 72 years and 110 days.
  • #2 was Rama IX, or Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, 70 years and 126 days.  In a few days Elizabeth II will pass King Bhumibol.

The British royalty is worth around half a billion dollars.  Richest?

  • #1    King Vajiralongkorn of Thailand (right)  $30 billion to $43 billion.
  • #2    Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah  $20 billion to $28 billion.
  • #3    King Salman of Saudi Arabia  $18 billion.
  • #4    Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nayyan of the United Arab Emirates  $15 billion.
  • #12  Queen Elizabeth II of the UK  $0.52 billion to $0.53 billion.

14-year old Harini Logan won the 2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee in the first ever lighting round spell-off over 12-year old Vikram Raju of Aurora, Colorado.  He said he'll return next year.

Here are the words Vikram had to spell:

  • Round 1 – Seneschal
  • Round 2 – Probative
  • Round 3 – Periphrasis
  • Round 4 – Haikai
  • Round 5 – Rousseauism
  • Round 6 – Sisyphean 
  • Round 7 – Golilla
  • Round 8 – Cytisine
  • Round 9 – Dreadnought
  • Round 10 – Dasypodid
  • Round 11 – Congener
  • Round 12 – Opisometer
  • Round 13 – Coracidium
  • Round 14 – Senijextee (spelled incorrectly; still advanced after Harini missed her word)
  • Round 15 – Caul (spelled incorrectly; still advanced after Harini missed her second word)
  • Round 16 – Otukian (spelled incorrectly; still advanced after Harini missed her word)
  • Round 17 – Pyrrolidone (spelled incorrectly; still advanced after Harini missed her word)

I actually guessed correctly once--caul--but, still have no idea what they mean.

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