A TRULY WONDERFUL DAY

From Worldometer,  COVID-19 new deaths:

           DAY USA   WORLD   Brazil      India   South Africa

June      9     1093    4732        1185      246         82

July       1       676    4857        1057      438         92

             5       251    3572          535       421       173

             6       378    3573          656       474       111

             7       993    5504        1312       479       192

           12       380    4118          659       500       108

           13       465    3729          770       540         93

           14       935    5414        1341       586       174

           15     1001    5760        1261       614       107

           19       412    4606          715       675         85

           20       545    4040          718       596       140

           21     1119    5669        1346       671        195

           22     1205    7128        1293     1120        572

           26       450    4307         556       715        114
           27      596     4200         627       636        298
           28    1266     5589         955       776        190
           30    1485     7023       1544       779        240
           31    1465     6418       1189       783        315
Aug      1    1462     6429       1191       765        193
            2     1123     5601       1048       852        148

Summary:

• Africa has 54 countries.  
• South Africa has 5% the population of the continent, but more than 50% the number of COVID-19 cases.
• Are other countries just not reporting their cases/deaths, or merely awaiting the coming doom?
• Yesterday, South Africa had 10,107 new cases.

• Columbia (South America) had 10,673 new cases.
• Brazil 42,567 NC.
• India 54,865 NC.
• USA 58,429 NC.
• South Korea 31 NC and no new deaths.
• Thailand 2 NC and no new deaths.  They are now #110 in total cases.  When I was there in February, Thailand was #2 to China in total cases.  I wonder what they did right.
• China 54 NC and no new deaths.
• Singapore 307 NC and no new deaths.
• Japan had 1464 new cases and is in a state of panic.

• From the New York Times daily briefing (comes to me by e-mail, so I can't send you to a link) today, and don't believe that idiot named Trump...things are getting worse:

The seven-day average for new infections is hovering around 65,000 for two weeks in what amounts to a second wave of cases. The U.S. recorded more than 1.9 million new infections in July, nearly 42 percent of the more than 4.5 million cases reported nationwide since the pandemic began and more than double the number documented in any other month, according to a Times database.   A new report about a coronavirus outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia provides fresh reasons for concern. Of the 600 campers and staff members, nearly half became infected within a week of orientation. The camp took precautions but did not require campers to wear masks. Singing and cheering may have helped spread the virus. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is getting closer to selecting his running mate, with Representative Karen Bass of California and Susan Rice, the former national security adviser, among the leading contenders. One possible advantage for Ms. Bass: She has assured Democratic officials that she has no interest in seeking the presidency herself, according to lawmakers.

I can't imagine a worse reason for selecting a vice presidential partner.  If Biden is elected, he will be 82 at the end of his first term.  You want an individual who can immediately step-in as president if necessary!  Double-worse, Representative Bass is from California.  Biden already owns those electoral votes.  She is already 66 years old.  What kind of logic are pundits using to determine the Veep?  Read my analysis of July 30.

On that sour note, I'm taking a day off from my sometimes spiritual Sunday.  I understand that this posting now probably forever rules out my qualifying for Heaven--although I would think Someone up there must also allow for occasional euphoria--but yesterday was so exceptionally wonderful, so unexpected, the kind of day that makes life worthwhile, that some mercy is deserved.

So what was this truly wonderful day?  Well, it involved a lunch and two films.  To explain, I ventured out on Friday, one stop being Marukai to select the best piece of Miyazaki Wagyu Beef I've ever seen in Hawaii (it was thick, which allowed for medium rare--most pieces I've had in the past were too thin), and a small chunk of ahi (yellow-fin tuna):

I cut this rather large steak into three pieces:  one to have for lunch, a second to insert into one of my meals this coming week, and a third to freeze.  I've noticed that a couple of months in that condition do not diminish the umami taste.

I was planning to watch a MLB game with this feast, but there was none.  The PGA golf event had just finished for the day, and I don't bother with the NBA these days.

So in searching around I saw this:

I'll go into the film next, but Kavalan deserves a few words.  I got this bottle when I picked up the wagyu because I've always wanted to try it.  In 2016 Kavalan won two awards for best single malts in the world.

Kavalan Distilleries is in Taiwan, and all of 14-years old.  The taste was smooth and slightly sweetish.  Unusual.

That bottle of wine is also another story.  I bought this Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 20 years ago, and awaited the proper moment to have it.  There was no reason at all, but this is today perfectly consistent in my current state of euphoria.  You can actually purchase this particular vintage today.  Twenty-one years old and still developing.  One of the better wines I've ever had.  Even superior to that Chateau Lafite Rothschild I tasted last year.

The greatest escape film of all time is Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  I saw it in 1986.  That was a third of century ago.  Rotten Tomatoes gave it an 80/92 rating.  In those days, that would have been about right. Today, after my second viewing, a 100%.

Mind you, Ferris Bueller is not me.  But that is why I so enjoyed the experience, for he did something I never could.  I never skipped school.  I did ride in a Ferrrari once.  Now Louis, who owned that car, and was chairman of the board of the Florida Solar Energy Center, could well be Ferris himself.  The highlight of the movie was Danke Shoen and Twist and Shout in that Chicago parade.

A few years ago when I decided that I had done enough about being the model person, I made a life-changing decision to just personally enjoy life for the rest of my life.  Thus, this movie nicely fit into this current phase of my euphoric life.

Matthew Broderick is the son of actor James Broderick and is still married to Sarah Jessica Parker.  He has had a successful career in films and on Broadway.

Cameo roles for Ben Stein, mentor of Jimmy Kimmel, and Charlie Sheen, playing his usual ornery self, but with wisdom.  Jennifer Grey plays Bueller's sister.

She too comes from Hollywood stock, as her father is Oscar winner Joel Grey (Cabaret).  Jennifer and Matthew were in those days dating.  The following year came Dirty Dancing.  Can you believe she is now 60 years old?

After lunch, I still had the single malt and cab available, so I thought, why not.  15 Craigside had recently shown South Pacific on our TV theater, which I recorded.  This is only the best film ever for me, something I've seen a whole number of times already.  But perfect for this truly wonderful day.

If you're interested in why this film is so important to me, READ THIS, a posting I made just about a year ago.  I keep showing this photo because it epitomizes this message.  Many of you have seen it too many times, but I keep repeating because, everyday, this blog site is new to half the readers.

The following was sent to me this morning, and I show it for no particular reason, except that this happens to be day for something like that, and it was funny.  I would imagine there are numerous culinary regions that consider rice to be pasta:

The first photo below was taken yesterday.  Then, today on a sparkling Honolulu Sunday morning.  Pearl's Sunbursts are finally beginning to bloom.  To quote from one of my postings:

In 1983 Pearl was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her doctor recommended surgery followed by chemotherapy.  While she was recuperating at Kuakini Hospital, I saw in a flower shop a red, spherical flower with no leaves.  I learned that this was an African Blood Lily (Scadoxus multifloras) and grew from a bulb.  I called it a sunburst to inspire her.  I told her that as long as she could re-grow this flower, she would live.  While chemotherapy lasted for a terrible few months, she mothered two more flowers the following year, and they almost kept doubling each year.  That's the view of Punchbowl from our Craigside penthouse.

Thus, this is the 37th year of blooming.  So this photo more than anything else symbolizes what was a truly wonderful day.

Tropical Storm Isaias never returned to hurricane strength, and is merely skirting the east coast of Florida.  Of course there is a lot of rain and some wind, but no landfall is expected here.  Perhaps the eye will impact on North Carolina:

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