A BIG DAY IN THE USA

Now that the coronavirus pandemic has claimed its millionth life, how long will it last?  Politico obtained the views of eleven experts in the field, and here is what they say on how it will end.  Read my posting on what this death toll will be at the end of this year.  You'll be shocked!

Note how quickly Donald Trump's initial knee-jerk reaction to The New York Times article about his taxes changed from fake news to the illegality of this all.  Why?  Then he'd need to release them himself to prove them right.

So why is this a big day?  To begin:

The first presidential debate, moderated by Chris Wallace of Fox News, starts tonight at 9 Eastern (3PM Hawaii). It will last 90 minutes and feature six topics that Wallace has chosen: the candidates’ records; the Supreme Court; the coronavirus; the economy; race and violence in cities; and the integrity of the election. Wallace has said he will not fact-check the candidates during the debate.

More than anything else, the fate of American democracy could be at stake.  Note that the environment is not on his agenda.  However, there are yet two more of these to come.  We are five weeks to November 3.

Remember how much betting there is on the Super Bowl?  Well, welcome to gambling on this Super Debate.  The bettors favor Joe Biden.

First US Presidential Election Debate Odds 

Candidate

UK Odds

US Odds

Implied Probability

% Of Bets This Week

Joe Biden

4/11

-275

73.3%

35%

Donald Trump

2/1

+200

33.3%

65%


Better yet, Draftkings has a $50,000 presidential election debate pool.  Enter for FREE:

Click here to enter the DraftKings $50,000 Presidential Election Debate Pool

Here are what entrants need to predict:

  1. How will Joe Biden and Donald Trump first greet each other?
  2. Who will speak first?
  3. Who will say the word “China” first?
  4. Which former candidates will be mentioned first?

  6. Who will be mentioned first by name by either candidate?
  7. Will Donald Trump say the exact phrase "Law and Order" during the debate?
  8. Who will be mentioned first by either candidate?
  9. Who will mention Dr. Anthony Fauci first?
  10. Will Joe Biden mention his Corvette?
  11. How many of his children will Donald Trump mention by name during the debate?

From Australia:

There are plenty of bookmakers around the world taking bets on the first US Presidential election debate, with each taking their own slant on market. One Australian bookmaker is offering a 55/1 (+5500) on Joe Biden falls asleep during the debate, which implies there’s a 1.8% chance of this happening. To put those odds into perspective, the bookmaker thinks there’s more chance of Joe Biden falling asleep in the first debate than the Philadelphia Eagles winning the Super Bowl.

Despite hand shakes being ill-advised in the current climate, the same Australian bookmaker are offering odds of 7/1 (+7000) on Joe Biden and Donald Trump greeting each other with a hand shake.

The other "big" event is the Major League Baseball playoff:

After the end of a shortened season, the Major League Baseball playoffs begin today. For the first time, 16 teams enter the postseason — a departure from the usual 10. ESPN has a guide breaking down the teams. For a recap of the regular season’s highlights, click here.

I have acquired three CDM teams.  And, by the way, I did poorly in ESPN fantasy baseball this year, and will probably do worse in my NFL fantasy leagues.  So why am I wasting my money (the CDM teams cost around $50 each)?  It makes watching those games more meaningful.  There is also that eternal hope that you will win something.


I'm now down to #92, which is one of the most derided tunes of all time, You Light Up My Life, by Debby Boone.  Saccharine and reprehensible, no wonder, as I quote from an earlier blog:

Here, there are good reasons for hating the tune, for Debbie in 1977 was inserted into overvoicing it only after Kasey Cisyk (left), who performed the original, rebuffed Joe Brooks, who wrote the song for a film of the same name.  Boone was told to mimic the Cisyk version.  Oh, Brooks in 2009 was indicting on 91 counts of casting-couch rapes.  He was never really convicted, for he committed suicide in 2011.  I should note that You Light Up My Life broke the BillBoard Hot 100 record by staying #1 for ten consecutive weeks.

Yet, this song does light up my life.  Makes me happy.

-
I am Director Emeritus of the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute at the University of Hawaii and co-founder of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research. I have published three SIMPLE SOLUTION books and have written more than 100 articles for the HUFFINGTON POST. I am working with an enlightened team to pioneer the BLUE REVOLUTION (http://bluerevolutionhawaii.blogspot.com/), beginning with the development of the Pacific International Ocean Station.

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