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Friday, December 31, 2021

Wake-Up Call: COVID Cases Surge Worldwide


The total number of new COVID cases across the world now tops one million a day on average, according to The New York Times. The United States, Canada and most of Western Europe are hardest hit. Sixteen states and Puerto Rico have reached their highest levels yet in the pandemic.

Although 78,000 people are in hospitals for COVID treatment in the U.S., the death rate remains significantly lower than earlier in the pandemic. Early data suggest that the new Omicron variant is more contagious but less deadly than the Delta strain.

New York City is once again the epicenter of the pandemic, with 44,000 new cases recorded Thursday. About 30 percent of the Fire Department's emergency medical service personnel are out sick.
The Centers for Disease Control has issued an advisory urging travelers to avoid cruise ships, whether or not they're vaccinated. The Cruise Lines International Association said it was "disappointed" and "perplexed" at the decision.


CHECK IT OUT: The New York Times maps the virus county by county.

A ray of hope came from South Africa, where the omicron strain emerged. The South African government says infections have peaked and are declining as fast as they rose. "It was a flash flood more than a wave," said Fareed Abdullah of the South African Medical Research Council.



🔥BOULDER RESIDENTS FLEE WILDFIRES: More than 30,000 residents of Boulder County, Colorado, have been ordered to evacuate to escape wildfires fanned by powerful winds up to 80 miles per hour. The entire populations of Superior and Louisville were ordered to flee. There were at least three active fires yesterday.

➤TRUCKER'S 110-YEAR SENTENCE COMMUTED: Colorado Governor Jared Polis has reduced the 110-year prison sentence of a truck driver convicted of vehicular homicide to 10 years. More than five million people signed a petition asking for a reduced sentence for Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos. Four people died in the fatal accident after the truck's brakes failed on I-70 in Lakewood.

 

WSJ Poll, Graphic

🍬STUDY..A FAN OF BLACK COFFEE AND DARK CHOCOLATE? IT’S IN YOUR GENES:  If you prefer your coffee black then you probably also prefer dark, bitter chocolate. Northwestern University researchers say coffee drinkers with the genetic variant that reflects a faster metabolism of caffeine prefer bitter, black coffee, and those same individuals prefer plain tea over sweetened tea, as well as dark chocolate over milk chocolate. It’s believed these people also prefer plain coffee and tea because they associate the bitter flavor with the boost in mental alertness they crave from caffeine, and it has nothing to do with the taste. Researcher Marilyn Cornelis explains, “It’s possible these people are just very sensitive to the effects of caffeine, and they also have that learned behavior with other bitter foods.” Future studies will try to look into the genetic preference for other bitter foods, which “are generally linked to more health benefits.”

➤HERE’S WHY YOUR KIDS LIKE FIDGET TOYS:  Fidget toys, such as fidget spinners and pop toys, are very popular with kids. But why do kids like them so much? Richard Gottlieb, CEO of Global Toy Experts says fidget toys allow for manipulative play, similar to the satisfaction one gets from twirling a pencil around one’s fingers. Their collectability also makes them fun for kids, as they come in a variety of shapes and colors. Gottlieb says fidget toys also allow play that’s not about achieving any particular result, which could be a big reason why they are so popular. He adds, “The average kid works 60 hours a week if we consider anything overseen by an adult work. Sometimes the only place they get to relax is in the back seat of the car, and something like the fidget spinner or Pop It is portable, and they can just sit back and engage with it.” Another expert says the toys might be tapping into an unconscious need to train a child's fine motor skills, or a way to compensate for the lack of movement demanded by our daily schedules.
 
🏈 HALL OF FAME FINALISTS ANNOUNCED: The finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 have been announced, and they include three players in their first year of eligibility. They are defensive end/outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, wide receiver Andre Johnson and wide receiver/returner Devin Hester.

CHECK IT OUT: For the full list of finalists, click here.

🏀BUCKS MAKE IT 5 IN A ROW: The Milwaukee Bucks extended their winning streak to five games in a row last night with a 136-118 victory over the Orlando Magic. Giannis Antetokounmpo alone scored 33 points.
 
Yesterday's scheduled Golden State Warriors game against the Denver Nuggets was postponed. The NBA said the Nuggets didn't have enough healthy players.

🏈PANTHERS QUARTERBACK INJURED: Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Nick Patti was injured during the first quarter of the Peach Bowl against the Michigan State Spartans yesterday. Davis Beville, a sophomore, stepped in to replace Patti. Michigan State won the game, 31-21.

🏈SOUTH CAROLINA DEFEATS NORTH CAROLINA: The South Carolina Gamecocks defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 38-21 in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte on Thursday. Yes, the Mayo Bowl. South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer got drenched with more than four gallons of the stuff after his team won. We don't know what they did to the coach of the losing team.
CHECK IT OUT: Beamer takes a bath (below).

🏈PURDUE DEFEATS TENNESSEE 48-45: The Purdue Boilermakers won the Music City Bowl in Nashville over the Tennessee Volunteers by 48-45. It has been Purdue's best season since 2003.



 


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