Cable news channels are mostly covering today the  shootings in Maine where 18 people were killed .  Considering that there are typically around 20 firearm deaths in the entire state annually, this is consequential.  However, something like a staggering  150 suicides by gun yearly occur in Maine . This is the 565th mass shooting ( at least 4 deaths/event ) in the U.S. this year.   In 2021 , there were 48,830 gun-related deaths in the country.  54% were suicides ( 26,368 ) and 43% were murders ( 20,997 ).  Has the time finally come for gun control?  Nope.  There is something about the right to own guns and the efforts of the National Rifle Association that overcome any kind of common sense.   Any chance for some kind of ban on assault weapons?  Well, a  quarter century ago  when President Joe Biden was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Congress passed the Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act, also known as the assault weapons ban.  It was Senator Diane Fe

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