Pandemic Report
The latest stats from WaPo:
The latest from CDC:
The stats are still not good but not unexpected, up to 73K daily. The anti-vaxxers are getting more assertive; I noticed some of them somehow in my Twitter feed. DeSantis and the Florida Supreme Court are setting a grand jury to investigate vaccine manufacturers. There are social media posts falsely implying mass casualties from vaccinations. Older people are disproportionately among hospitalized and dying from COVID-19, and part of the story is mediocre booster participation. Finally, an active lifestyle seems to be related to lower COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths from infection.
Other Notes
Blog statistics continue to be among the lowest in recent blog history. Even my typically more popular social media digest posts: the latest one barely edged a handful of pageviews. Barring a blowout final week, the month will likely set a new multi-year low by literally hundreds of pageviews, maybe 40% or more off last month's modest total. Not sure why, but it is what it is. On the publication front, I will likely fall short by a few posts of matching last year's posting record.
Odd dreams over the past week involving my doctoral graduation from years back. In the nightmare, I found myself facing one bureaucratic nightmare after another on the way to graduation. To understand how unrealistic this was, you really earn your PhD when you successfully defend your dissertation and your committee signs off. University graduation is more of a formality, although being hooded and wearing a gold tassel are a nice touch.
A related dream was like a family anniversary celebration of my doctoral graduation, which has never happened. Probably the most interesting thing about that is somehow they came up with an unexpected video clip. This requires an explanation for context. I'm the oldest of 7, and all of my family showed up for my graduation, even some in-laws and a niece. But they didn't really coordinate it, and nobody brought a camera, thinking others would be bringing theirs. (Of course, this is unthinkable today with everyone carrying a smartphone with an integrated camera.) I was pissed, like couldn't anyone go to a drugstore and pick up a disposable camera? I'm the only doctoral graduate I know without photos of their day.
