Corona Here and There

Ninety-eight cases, two deaths here in New Jersey.

Number of announced cases here in Chindia: 0.0

Announced.

Today begins the Bridgewater school district experiment in distance learning. We're organizing a few other activities for the Stroocklettes. Oldest Daughter is acting like, well, a 13 year old about this. She's practicing some social distancing from the rest of us, which we have to say, is just fine. Thank the Many Faced God it's warming up and we can do a few things outside.

The Department of Public Health updates at 2 PM everyday. They're expecting a big jump today. We'll see.

Meanwhile, our Italian correspondent reports people are going to the grocery store and being admitted with a number and tracked. He says no shortages and sends along this pic:

The Combined Italian Wuhan Coronavirus Final Storm Update

Our man on the ground in Italy reports the airports are empty, 3,500 new cases and 189 new deaths in the last 24 hours. Supplies of Chianti, Manicotti and Calamari running low and people are asking for emergency shipments of Italian food from America. Get ready for tortellini in a can, boys!

Meanwhile we've written an Italian Tornado bomber scene into World War 1990: The Final Storm. They'll be teaming up with the F-104 drivers from Battle of the Three Seas. 

Diablo Rossi Squadron and Sarissa flight, baby.

Italian Coronavirus Update

Our Italian correspondent reports a leftist leader has been infected and provinces are quarantined. 

He's not in the red zone and resides in the center right blue dot. He says the health care system is under stress but holding up, 'Quite proud of Italian healthcare, I have to say. For number and % of tested people we outperformed everyone except South Korea. And no one will be billed for that*, so there's no risk that someone will not report the simptoms.'

*Goddamn socialists. I would demand to be billed.

The Combined Italian Coronvavirus Update and Grappa Taste Test

This morning our Italian correspondent reports 2,263 Coronavirus cases and 79 deaths. He endures with indifference and a Mediterranean shrug.

As is our want he and I enjoy discussing the culinary arts. He seems at once mortified and fascinated by American food, cheese in a can and what-not, and what the hell is Alfredo Sauce? We enjoy the pics he sends from Italian restaurants.  We never buy a bottle of chianti without prior consultation. 

A few days ago we mentioned that we have a bottle of Italian Grappa lying around, a gift brought back from Italy by a dear friend, one Carlos Cabrera, QC. The bottle's been lying in the back of the Stroock liquor cabinet for a decade and a half. Last night we figured, what the hell?:

Don't mind the fairy princess castle in the background, that's just how we roll. Jesus, you people drink this stuff?