Today, more doings on the Diamond Princess as we now head towards Tropical Storm Koto and Ho Chi Minh City.  Another evening, and it seems we've done this before. First, drinks in the Crooner's Bar. A quick pre-show dinner in the International Dining Room. Then to Princess Theater for a performance by the 60s Four, an Australian group, singing hit songs of the 70s.  They specialize in 60s songs, so another show will no doubt be coming.  The theater was fully packed. Okay show, but I only recognized half of their songs.  I think this was because there were many hits in Australia that never became popular in the USA.  Next to the Explorers for karaoke. Explorers for a Liars Club show, followed by karaoke. To Club Fusion for disco dancing, Mascot of ship is Stanley the Bear.   Walked 3535 steps on Day 8. Next day, we are in Hong Kong. Lunch of two noodles with sake and beer. Night came, and had drinks watching the lights of Hong Kong, The weather was comfortab...

 The USA would not have amounted to much if we had not acquired all those territories to the west, north and south.  Maybe President Donald Trump's manifest destiny for Greenland, Panama Canal and Canada might well be visionary.  Make American Even Greater! Original size of U.S. in 1789 = 864,746 square miles. We then grew to 3,531,905 square miles through territorial acquisitions. 1803 Louisiana Purchase from France, 828,000 ( almost the same size as originally ) square miles (sm) for $15 million, now worth $389 billion. 1818, British Cession, 45,417 sm. 1819, Florida, $5 million, Spain, 72,101 sm. 1845, Texas cession, 389,166 sm. 1846, Oregon territory, UK, by contested occupation, 286,541. 1848, Mexican Cession from Mexico, $15 million, 529,189. 1853, Gadsdend Purchase from Mexico, $10 million, 29,670. 1857-1858, Islands in the Pacific, 16 sm. 1867, Alaska, $7.2 million from Russia, 591,000. 1967-1947, islands mostly in the Pacific, like Hawaii, small sums, about 120,0...

Thursday has served as Covid day since the pandemic.  No more, but here is an update, for I keep knowing of people who are still getting infected. What to know about the FLiRT variants of Covid-19 .  New variants are distant Omicron relatives from JN.1, which was responsible for the surge of cases this past winter. FLiRT because mutations include the letters F and L for one, and R and T for the other. KP.2 in particular is rising, now accounting for 25% of new cases at the end of April.  However, KP.2 is less infectious than JN.1. Current vaccines protect against FLiRT variants. Here is the  latest summary : Total cases. #1  USA  112 million #2  India  45 million #3  France 40 million #4  Germany  39 million Total deaths. #1  USA 1,219,487 #2  Brazil  711,380 #3  India  533,570 Of course, India significantly under reports.   One WHO report estimates that their death toll is 10 times higher than rep...