Day 101: Don't Sue the Sioux

The world stands at about 4.24 million cases, with 286,000 deaths. Reporting is mixed on whether Russia has achieved third place yet, but according to Worldometers, it's still at 4th place with 2,000 more cases than #5 Italy and 2,000 less than the UK at #3. In a surprise move, India has surpassed Canada on the way to China; both of them and Peru are hovering around 70,000 cases.

In another surprise move, Illinois, with 79,000 cases, has finally deposed Massachusetts from our longstanding place at #3. (That's what we get for plateauing on at slightly less than a 1% increase in cases today.) Also, a couple of Sioux nations have gone full-on Rhode Island, setting up checkpoints on highways to protect themselves against coronavirus. Just like Cuomo threatening Rhode Island, Governor Noem of South Dakota has threatened to sue the Sioux. Since the tribes appear to be well within their rights on this one, state lawmakers are urging the obstinate governor not to throw money away suing the Sioux.

In other native news, Huffpost reports that the Navajo have edged out New York State for the title of most infected Americans per capita, with 1,786 cases per 100,000 versus New York's 1,751. However, Huffpost seems to have made the Navajo rate up out of 2010 census data, which is probably much more out-of-date than whatever the New York Times is using for their latest estimate of 1,760 cases per 100,000 in New York State. (Massachusetts is at 1,129, in case you're curious.)