When the  Diamond Princess  captured the attention of the world in February of 2020 with a floating epidemic of a new virus, later called COVID-19, the cruise industry almost went bankrupt.  3711 on board, 712 infected and 14 deaths.   19% were infected, and the mortality rate was 2%. The  current world condition  is that 7.7% have been infected, with a mortality rate of 1%.  Of course, there are so many asymptomatic cases that the 7.7% could well be as high as 15% or more.  Everyone on the Diamond Princess was tested, so the 19% infection rate was probably accurate. Following that incident, into March of 2020, the Grand Princess and Ruby Princess also were hit with outbreaks, resulting in a total of 1564 cases and 21 deaths.   For a one year period from March 15, 2020 to March 15 2021 3519 passengers and crew got infected and 73 died. In 2020 and 2021 cruise lines lost a collective  $63 billion . Passengers and crew are still getting infected in 2022, but only a very deaths are occurr

It was a busy week, for I had a meeting to explore funding for the Blue Revolution, received my new passport, which allowed us to follow up on India/Qatar visas for our Regent Seven Seas Explorer cruise in November, complete the sign-up for our second cruise--53 days on Seabourn from Sydney to Honolulu next spring--finalized details for our outing this coming week to watch Jersey Boys, went to a campus football game,  and had a birthday party.  You say, what is so great about all that?  Well, my usual pandemic week involved nothing much more than write this blog, exercise, sometimes golf and watch Netflix. I've now been on the Manoa Campus of the University of Hawaii for 50 years.  I can still remember my first day in Keller Hall, August of 1972.  One, it's an amazing feeling to still be alive, but also, I deserve to do some celebration after all those years. Thus, to have my first tailgate party in my office was a monumental event, especially when I only learned on Friday that

  Amazon today listed   60 NEW books about Donald Trump .  Holding the Line , Geoffrey Berman, just released this week. Also just this week,  The Storm is Here , Luke Mogelson. And also just this week,  Servants of the Damned , David Enrich. The Divider:  Trump in the White House , Peter Baker and Susan Glasser, to be released on 20September2022. Taking Back Trump's America , Peter Navarro, to be released on 20September2022. Confidence Man , Maggie Haberman, to be released on 4October2022. The January 6th Report, Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol and David Remnick , to be released on 18October2022. Want a free new book?  Published in July of this year,  Dick Morri s released  The Return:  Trump's Big 2024 Comeback.    He was an early advisor to Bill Clinton, and became campaign manager for the 1996 re-election.  There was that embarrassing prostitute scandal, who for $200/hour...well, Morris was forced to resign during the 1996 Democrati