That the Quasi-Official New York Times printed that there were 2,937 COVID-19 deaths reported to it from all of its sources on the single day of September 2;
That the undersigned was immediately suspicious;
That he checked Quasi-Official Johns Hopkins which posted that there were 1,588 deaths reported to it from all of its sources on Sept. 2;
That he checked the Official CDC which had the number as 1,499;
That the undersigned was exceedingly vexed by these gross disparities.
Comes now September 6 and the undersigned checked the three sites agayne. All three reputable sources have stuck with their numbers for Sept. 2. The Johnnies however have a number for Sept. 3 which is even more outlandish than the Times for Sept. 2. Johns Hopkins has posted that there were 3,910 deaths reported to it on Sept. 3! The Times has 1,979 for the same date--2k fewer than Hopkins! CDC has 1,415.
I'll be a sonofabitch.
The numbers posted by these worthies on all metrics are not the numbers, the infections, the hospitalizations, the deaths, that actually occurred on the date they are posted, they are the numbers reported to the outlet on the day posted. We may conclude:
That New York Times gathers its data the quickest;
That Hopkins is in second place;
That CDC, which hasn't updated since Sept. 3, sucks hind tit. Which is a little disconcerting that the one OFFICIAL outlet which like sets policy for the nation comes in last; that, who knows? it may post for Sept. 4 that there were 5,000 deaths reported to it!
That the daily numbers, even from reliable sources, are unreliable.
That the weekly numbers are more reliable.
To that end Publocc publishes the the week's daily average deaths from these three sites:
Aug. 30 through Sept. 5
1,560 NYT
1,561 JHU
na CDC
(very good agreement by the Times and the Johnnies there.)
Aug. 29 through Sept. 4
1,546 NYT
na JHU without advanced math by undersigned.
na CDC because CDC abacus broken.
Aug 28 through Sept. 3
1,552 NYT
na JHU ditto
1,114 CDC
(not he'pful)
Aug. 27 through Sept. 2
1,522 NYT
na JHU ditto
1,092 CDC
At which point the undersigned picks up his stapler and projects it with extreme unction against the wall; that his coffee mug follows; that he then rises from his seat, picks up his chair and slams it into the floor; that he then goes to take a shower.
