THE GREEN FLASH: Democrats Celebrate

   From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

          DAY  USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

2020

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

2021

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

2022

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

June    2         216      1413         130          10        31

July    6          316      1627         335           35       12 

Aug    4          311       2138         258          70         ?

Sep    1          272       1732          174            ?         ?

Oct     6          281       1305         119            9         ?

Nov    2          242       1055           30           9        ? 

          3          167         980            16            ?        ?

          9          186       1060           78            3         ?

        10          148         985           42            6         ?

Summary:

• Well, best yet in a long time.  
• Germany shot past the USA in new deaths with 216.  Japan was #3 with 100.
• Regarding new cases yesterday:
• #1  Japan  78,577
• #2  South Korea  55,365
• #3  Germany  33,703
• #4  France  27,068
• #5  USA  25,444
• #6  Taiwan  22,310
• #10  Indonesia  6,294
• #18 China  1,185
• Note that yesterday China actually had new 10,729 cases, but only reported 1185.  This is because 9544 showed no symptoms, and they only report sick people so infected.  The asymptomatic rate was 89%.
• Even then, they locked down 5 million people in Guangzhou and Chongqing.
• In Beijing, their 21 million population is undergoing NEAR DAILY TESTING, and the city is virtually closed down, with schools mostly online.
• While all that was happening, someone must have realized that no one was dying, for incoming travelers now have a shorter quarantine period with fewer restrictions.  But visitors still are quarantined in their hotel for five days (instead of 7).  You can now fly to China with ONLY ONE PCR test within 48 hours of boarding, instead of two.
• A prediction I made many months ago, stands:  I think that China will lead the world in new cases/day sometime next year, if not this year, and certainly by the summer of 2023.  
• But by then I expect the World Health Organization will declare the pandemic over, for the death rate from COVID-19 in the world has already dropped below 1000/day.  In a low year, the seasonal flu kills around 850/day.  In a bad year, this number is around 1500/day.

What's that?  Joe Biden and Barack Obama with John Fetterman, whose Senate victory over Dr. Oz, was perhaps the key that helped save Democracy.

Okay, so how goes Congressional leadership?  We still do not know.  I expect Democrats will prevail in Nevada, Arizona and Georgia, so they will retain control of the Senate, but this time with a 51-49 luxury.  The House should end up in Republican control, BUT MAYBE NOT.  It will depend on what happens in those California races.  When will know?  Maybe by Sunday, but perhaps not until next month.  In any case, it is more and more appearing that Kevin McCarthy might not get the Speakership position.  And if he does, he will have a majority of only one or two seats.  Can you imagine how much grief Trumpers will bring?  And if not them, then the other crazies in the room.

I'm going on a long trip tomorrow, but President Joe Biden has a melange, too.  Wondered why Veep Harris presided over those Veterans Day ceremonies?  Today he will be in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt for the global warming summit.  Note that this city is 234 miles away from Cairo.  This map shows you where those two cities are, relative to Luxor and the Aswan Dam.  He goes on to Cambodia, then Indonesia.

Over 600 lobbyists have registered for the ongoing United Nations-backed climate change summit in Egypt — up 25% from last year. It’s a “twisted joke” say climate campaigners who analyzed a list of attendees. The fossil fuel industry is represented by more delegates than any country at the summit, bar the United Arab Emirates with 1,070 attendees. The finding comes as researchers again sound the alarm on rising emissions, including a U.N. report stating there’s “no credible pathway” to capping global temperature increases at the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold. “It’s time to kick Big Polluters out!” one Africa-based campaigner said. (Source: CNBC)

Why did the UAE send so many delegates?  Because they will be hosting COP28 in November next year.  Guess where?  Dubai.  Specifically in their Expo City.   I'll be there in a week.  Maybe I'll come back in a year as a stop in another around the world trip.

Google on Veterans Day, which is today.

I end with what I showed for the 15 Craigside Photo Club gathering this week.  Two sunset photos, plus a short video of an actual GREEN FLASH.  This first one was taken more than 40 years ago.  I was visiting a friend at the old Ala Wai Kaiser Hospital, and noticed that the outside had turned all orange:

This second photo of a green flash was taken from my 15 Craigside lanai within the past year, and the next day I recorded it with some background music.

What is a green flash?  First, it is more a green blip than anything else.  It's not mythical.  It is real.  Read this for details.

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