I'm on day 31 of our cruise.  Only 22 days left.  Since I boarded, I've now and then looked for an opportunity to smoke a cigar or pipe.  Frankly, I had  essentially stopped smoking them years ago, but kept the humidor and other accoutrements.  I brought along three cigars on the Regent Seven Seas Explorer Cruise late last year,  gave one away, and smoked two.  The Explorer had one of those dandy smoking rooms where cigars are sold and drinks served.  Very nice. With that pleasant experience, I thought, okay, I will have 53 days on the next cruise.  One final time before I give everything away.  I brought three pipes and a few cigars.  No lighter because the airline industry hates them and makes it difficult.  No pipe tobacco because I never got around to buying a packet. All authorities these days, the Seabourn Odyssey and Australia most particularly, have conspired to prevent me from smoking.  Mind you, they are doing the right thing.  Smoking should be permanently banned. On

    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   

The New York Times this morning indicated that cases and deaths from this pandemic have both dropped since Thanksgiving.  But this is probably because of fewer tests and laxity in reporting.  In April, the one-day high for deaths was 2,752.  If expected fears materialize, daily deaths by the end of the year or early next year could reach 3,000.  Vaccines are on the horizon, but the worse is yet come.  In the meantime, wear a mask wherever you go and avoid crowds. At last report, up to 48 staff and associates in the White House, including the President and First Lady, were infected with COVID-19.  Governor Jared Polis of Colorado and his partner just learned they tested positive.  That brings it up to seven state governors.  Polis' family with two children to the left Here is something somewhat new.  A COVID-19 infectee will be most contagious  2 days BEFORE showing any symptoms, to five days thereafter.  I keep shaking my head, but there remains, today, no consensus of how many c