JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS ARE VICTORIOUS

From Worldometer:

        DAY  USA  WORLD   Brazil    India    South Africa

June     9     1093    4732        1185       246          82

July    22     1205    7128        1293      1120         572

Aug    12     1504     6556       1242       835         130

Sept     3      1094    5886        830     1083         174
            9      1208    6222        1136      1168          82

Oct      8        957    6420         730       967        160

          20       952     6169           662       714       164

          21     1225     6849            571       703         85

          27     1039      7023          530       519         45

Nov     4      1199       8192          276       511         74 

            5      1201      9067          622       704         46

            6      1248      9082          256       576         72

Summary:

• The nation has entered into a scary state: new cases:  132,540.
• Europe might well be even worse.
• Way back on September 27 I said (but keep in mind that for # of cases, they include asymptomatic cases, which more and more appear to be as much as 50%):

The World just experienced its one millionth COVID-19 death.  With 4% of the global population, the USA has a little more than 20% of all deaths.  We've recently experienced between 500 and 1000 deaths per day, but I just noticed a World Bank projection (updated on 24 September 2020) showing that the United States on 1 January 2021 will be getting:

• 1,185 deaths/day if there is universal mask-wearing.
• 3,059 deaths/day if we maintain our current state of mask-wearing.
• 6,618 deaths/day if we open up our economy.

The highest one-day deaths peaked on 16 April 2020 at 2,323 deaths.  

Further, the U.S. had 43,206 new cases yesterday.  The peak new cases per day of 283,236 occurred on 29 March 2020.  As projected by the World Bank for 1 January 2021:

• 263,694 new cases/day with universal (95%) mask-wearing.
• 363,204 new cases/day with current (48%) mask-wearing.
• 1,281,349 new cases/day with an opened economy!!!

What about the World, which had 5,306 deaths yesterday?  The World Bank predicts for 1 January 2021:

• 17,456 deaths/day with universal (95%) mask-wearing.
• 33,272 deaths/day with current (43%) mask-wearing.
• 72,700 deaths/day with opened economy.

What is Donald Trump doing to turn this around?  Nothing.  Well, he's out golfing today...for the 307th time since he has been in office.  Extreme?  Well, not really, for Obama golfed 333 times and Clinton around 400.  In his 8-years in office, Woodrow Wilson played about 1200 times, while Ike had 800 rounds.

About that election, where is his concession speech?  Here was John McCain's in 2008.  Only 4.5 minutes long.  Watch it.  Here's something from the Stephen Colbert's Show.

There are many summations of Donald Trump's failed reign.  James Cordon's deserves to be seen.  

What Trump will do is lead a judicial coup strategy to remain president.  Those around him will, of course, realize the futility of this strategy.  If it looks like he will be going bonkers and cripple a presidential run in 2024, the solution could well be a little white lie, the kind that we lay on children about Santa Claus.  Whether they decide on a heart malady or whatever, get  him back to Walter Reed and arrange for a nice room with padded walls.  Of course, take away his Samsung Galaxy (he has a gripe with Apple).  Certainly his ghost-senders (who apparently use iPhones), will keep quiet as part of this effort.  Then, at the right time when it is safe, ship him off on Air Force One to Florida so he can improve his golf game.  By then he will appreciate that they saved him for this next attempt.  Yet, he'll fire those involved anyway, unknowingly saving their careers, as they still have a full professional life left, and through this subterfuge reaction might well at least regain a shred of reputation and respect.

By now you know that Joe Biden has been confirmed as the President-elect.  When the dust finally clears, he will beat Trump 306 to 232, sweetly, the same score as in 2016.  Sounds like a good beating, but Barack Obama won with 365 in 2008 and 332 in 2012.  Bill Clinton had 370 and 379.  

But 270 would have been satisfying enough this year.  My gosh, a victory for decency and democracy.  If Trump had prevailed, woe it would have been for the USA, Humanity and Planet Earth.

Gazing at the various public celebrations throughout the country, I've never seen a nation so jubilant with joy.  Reminds me of that Alfred Eisenstaedt iconic photo, using a Leica Illa camera, of sailor kissing nurse on V-J Day in Times Square.  The actual boy and girl were never officially confirmed, although the most probable man was George Mendonsa, who passed away last year, two days short of his 96th birthday.  Greta Zimmer Friedman was the most likely dental hygienist, although Edith Shain also so claimed.  Greta died in 2016 at the age of 92 and Edith in 2010 at 91. 

One reason for confusion is that Navy photojournalist Victor Jorgensen also captured this same scene after seeing Eisenstaedts' in The New York Times.  Apparently this second one also wasn't totally staged. Jorgensen just tried to repeat the scene.  Both of these men in uniform would today be arrested for sexual assault.

At 8PM EST Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will both address the nation.  In addition to this opportunity for the nation to come together, there will finally be a united national effort to fight the pandemic, followed by a beneficial international presence to remediate global warming.  Of course, too, a big day for women, African-Americans and India-Americans. 

Then about Georgia and those two senate run-offs.  A lot of effort and uber sums of money will no doubt be expended.  It will be cold on January 5, and if it rains or snows, wow. 

But voters can request an absentee ballot starting November 28.  This pandemic will be even worse over the next two months.

The deadline to register to vote for the runoff is December 7.  Early voting will begin on December 14.

My current gut sense is that both Republicans will win for one simple reason.  Many of those Republicans who voted for Biden because they so despised Trump will return to support their party candidate for the senate, something that might not have occurred in the general election.  Plus, Georgia is 58% White (a little more than 10% being Hispanic), 32% African American, 4% Asian and rest of other races.  However, according to Pew, Georgia has 41% Republicans, 41% Democrats and 18% uncertain...so maybe my first thought needs a re-assessment.

A final few thoughts about the above:

• Where were the Russians?
• How badly did the Post Office hurt the Democrats?
• When will Trump's tax returns be officially released?
• Did Republican shenanigans to prevent voting pay-off in Texas, Kentucky (where polling locations were reduced from 3700 to 200) and mostly southern states?
• Will New York prosecute Trump?

I'm now at #52 of my favorite songs, and today, these come from Fred Astaire:

• Cheek to Cheek:  Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers  
• Dancing in the Dark:  Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse
• Begin the Beguine:  Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell

There must have been a dozen I liked best featuring Fred Astaire.  Carioca was the first dance for Astaire and Rogers, from the 1933 Flying Down to Rio.  They were dance partners in 10 films.  By consensus, their Cheek to Cheek from Top Hat in 1935 rates at the top.

The Band Wagon opened on Broadway in 1931, starring Astaire and his sister Adele, from the team of Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz.  Dancing in the Dark came from this show.  The 1953 film added That's Entertainment, and the sequence with Cyd Charisse was for me the second most memorable dance ever.

Even though this song made the finalist list two days ago, #52 is a different Begin the Beguine, from Broadway Melody of 1940 mainly because of the best tap-dancing performance ever, plus, the Powell-Astaire team never again danced together.  Eleanor held her own against the dashing Astaire, and he decided to move on.  It was said that Eleanor was so talented she scared off male partners, for females were then, and perhaps maybe even today, still considered to be of secondary importance.  But she persevered and became a true star.  Here is a final clip of really amazing quality showing them dancing for the last time.

Remember that Hurricane Eta which rolled over Nicaragua a few days ago?  Well, it has turned around and is schedule to make landfall tomorrow over Cuba, then, perhaps strengthen into a hurricane and reach Florida on Monday.  So for my Florida friends, watch out.

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