I hear the WWE staged a helluva mud wrestling cage match last night!
Since we won’t get any economic news until Every Statistic In The World is released tomorrow, in other, more uplifting news, let’s take the most updated look at coronavirus infections in the US.
Total US infections: 7,190,230
Average infections last 7 days: 42,045
Total US deaths: 205,986
Average deaths last 7 days: 743
Source: COVID Tracking Project
A number of weeks back, I looked at how each US State was doing by way of a color coding system based on the global history of the pandemic. Here’s the system:
Deep Red (general alarm out-of-control fire): 200+ infections per million, 5+ deaths per million.
Red (3 alarm fire): 100-200 infections, 2-5 deaths
Orange (2 alarm fire): 60-100 infections, 1-2 deaths
Yellow (1 alarm fire):40-60 infections, 0.5-1 deaths
Blue (smoldering/1 alarm fire): 20-40 infections, 0.2-0.5 deathsGreen (embers): 0-20 infections, 0-0.2 deaths
Here’s how all 50 States, plus DC and Puerto Rico, fit into that paradigm, for infections only.
Deep Red (general alarm out-of-control fire): 200+ infections per million:

14 States (ND, SD, WI, UT, IA, AR, MT, OK, ID, NE, MO, KS, AL)+ Puerto Rico (up from 5 five weeks ago).
R ed (3 alarm fire): 100-200 infections per million:
17 States: (WY, TN, SC, NC, MN, MS, KY, IL, NV, AK, IN, TX, DE, FL, GA, LA, WV), (down from 19 five weeks ago)
Orange (2 alarm fire): 60-100 infections per million:
15 States: (CO, NM. MI, VA, RI, OH, CA, MD, HI, PA, MA, WA, OR, AZ, NJ) (up from 10 five weeks ago)
Yellow (1 alarm fire):40-60 infections per million:

2 States: (NY, CT) plus DC (down from 6 five weeks ago)
B lue (smoldering/1 alarm fire): 20-40 infections per million:

2 States: (NH, ME) (down from 3 five weeks ago)
Green (embers): 0- 20 infections per million

1 State (VT) ( down from 3 five weeks ago)
In case it isn’t already clear, there are 31 jurisdictions that are Red or Deep Red now, vs. 24 five weeks ago. On the other hand, there are only 5 jurisdictions that are Yellow, Blue, or Green now vs. 12 five weeks ago.
This is the portrait of dismal societal failure. About the only good news is that a number of States that were previously out of control about a month ago panicked enough to take effective steps to rein in the pandemic at least somewhat.
Don’t worry. Things could be a lot worse and odds are good that they will be soon.
[Every cloud has a silver lining.]
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/02/world/reactions-trump-positive-covid-test.html
Trump Tests Positive for Covid-19, and the World Shudders
The news of an American president contracting a potentially lethal virus carried global repercussions beyond that of any other world leader.
By Mark Landler and Mike Ives
Oct. 2, 2020Updated 5:59 a.m. ET
LONDON — Once again, the world shuddered at news about President Trump. This time, it wasn’t something he had said or done, but rather the announcement that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Mr. Trump is not the first world leader to be infected. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain and President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil both tested positive. Mr. Johnson ended up in an intensive-care unit where, he said later, “things could have gone either way.”
But Mr. Trump, 74, is older and at higher risk than either of those men. And the news of an American president contracting a potentially lethal virus carried global repercussions beyond that of any other world leader. Financial markets fell in Asia and looked set to open lower in Europe and the United States…
I am in deep red Wisconsin and possibly the deepest red part of the state: Brown county. Two of my kids school system announced an in-person shutdown to virtual learning effective Monday. A curious part of the announcement was a review of the 6 weeks of in-person with a link to overall community data. The 9 schools had 3 total infections none of which were the result of in-school transmission. Parents are mostly willing to go along with this but have nearly all demanded a clearer explanation of the decision, because the first communication establishes that the schools were safer than the community at-large. The current strong rumor is that the insurance provider for the schools told them regardless of where infections are starting, they will end up in the schools and that there will be lawsuits that will cost a lot of money even if the system eventually prevails and so if you guys insist on in-person learning you will be getting a revised bill or looking for a new insurer. Sounds plausible, but might just be fake news. I just hope that if this is true that the system demands a 70% rebate on current insurance when no kids are actually attending.
“As you be muche the worse. and I cast awaie.
An yll wynde, that blowth no man to good, men saie.
Wel (quoth he) euery wind blowth not down the corn
I hope (I saie) good hap [luck] be not all out worn.”
– from John Heywood’s “A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue,” 1546: