C’mon Columbia | “Nationally 42.8% of Households Have Responded; The 2020 Census response rate map shows how cities and towns across the country are now responding. Invitations to respond to the 2020 Census were delivered last month and reminder postcards are in the mail. You can respond online in one of 13 languages and find assistance in many more. It’s vital for Columbians to respond.

We’re lagging behind in responding to the 2020 Census returns. Here’s more information from the US Census Bureau’s site:

• Pennsylvania’s 44.3% return ranks 19th in the nation
• Lancaster County ranks 248th in the nation’s 3,141 counties and county equivalents with a 50.1% rate.
• If you’ve not responded yet, here’s a link to find how to do it.
• Be Counted!

“The 2020 Ultimate Flavor Tournament winner is … | After five rounds and more than 100,000 of your votes, one flavor was left standing in the 13th annual Ultimate Flavor Tournament. And the winner is … Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! The new champ won easily in the final round, beating All Natural Chocolate Peanut Butter by a comfortable margin to take home the trophy. It was a long time coming, too, as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough had competed in every tournament since 2008, but had yet to capture a title – until now. – news release

Every flu is different | The article in this 1918 Washington Times article describes the symptoms exhibited in many victims of the 1918-1919 influenza outbreak. Then as now, the science of the day was trying to track and explain the virus. Misnamed the Spanish Flu, “To maintain morale, World War I censors minimized early reports of illness and mortality in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. Newspapers were free to report the epidemic’s effects in neutral Spain, such as the grave illness of King Alfonso XIII, and these stories created a false impression of Spain as especially hard hit. This gave rise to the name Spanish flu. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify with certainty the pandemic’s geographic origin, with varying views as to its location.“

1918 Spanish Flu historical documentary | This is a terrific 40 minute video that narrates the 1918-1919 flu epidemic that you’ll find incredibly interesting. You’ll find incredible parallels in this one to the current situation. “The 2018 video covers where it began, how and where it spread, the symptoms, how it affected America and whether it could happen again.”