234,000 unvaccinated Americans died needlessly: https://news.yahoo.com/report-vaccinations-could-have-prevented-quarter-million-covid-deaths-in-us-162852930.html . And the geniuses in the GOP should realize these were predominantly GOP voters. In other words, no one in the GOP realizes these were predominantly GOP voters.
UK patient had COVID for 18 months: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-infectious-diseases-1987841b2ed3f2b35d2e9153a6b9375c . To contradict the article, recent studies have shown the presence of COVID in the stools of long COVID patients. In other words, COVID may have the ability to hide in the body, causing long-term symptoms.
Philadelphia will end indoor mask mandate days after reinstating it: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-04-21/philadelphia-to-end-indoor-mask-mandate-days-after-imposing-it . The consequences of the wrong-headed federal judge’s decision banning the CDC travel mask mandate are far-reaching, even if the case is reversed by the Eleventh Circuit. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/philadelphia-to-lift-mask-mandate-11650596204 .
Shanghai will lift lockdown slowly: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-04-21/shanghai-says-its-lockdown-will-only-be-lifted-in-batches . WSJ: Shanghai facing logistics chaos: https://www.wsj.com/articles/shanghai-lockdown-leads-to-logistics-disarray-with-quarantined-truckers-piled-up-containers-11650537303 .
WSJ: Asians largely continue mask mandates in public: https://www.wsj.com/articles/maskless-on-planes-no-thank-you-say-many-asians-worried-about-covid-19-11650456116 .
Global COVID cases down 24% from last week: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/covid-19-news-global-cases-down-24-per-cent-week-on-week/ar-AAWsq7P?li=BBnb7Kz . Remember, it is believed current US COVID cases are grossly underreported due to at-home testing.
CDC alert on hepatitis in children: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-issues-health-alert-on-rare-cases-of-hepatitis-in-children/ . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hepatitis-emerges-in-children-in-the-u-k-and-u-s-without-a-clear-source-11650540033 .
Researchers identify bacteria associated with aggressive prostate cancer: https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2022/04/21/bacteria-prostate-cancer/5541650549768/ . One can envision the use of antibiotics as a prophylactic to reduce the chance of aggressive prostate cancer.
WSJ: Fed May rate increase looks to be 50 basis points: https://www.wsj.com/articles/feds-powell-could-seal-expectations-of-half-point-rate-rise-in-may-11650533444 . The stock market dropped in response, the Dow dropping more than 1%.
Supreme Court denies SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico: https://www.npr.org/2022/04/21/1094128297/high-court-upholds-excluding-puerto-ricans-from-aid-for-disabled-and-blind . While the vote was 8 to 1, Sonia Sotomayor is a notable dissenter as her parents were born in Puerto Rico. However, the concurring opinion of Neil Gorsuch is noteworthy, and I agree with his anger at this situation. (Did you think you would see me say that about a conservative justice?).
Gorsuch announces that he would like to overturn the legal basis of the treatment of residents of US territories, the Insular Cases of 1901. These cases reflect the US venture into imperialism in capturing Puerto Rico in the Spanish American War. For more detail, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insular_Cases . The bottom line is that citizens of US territories were denied the full protection of the US Constitution, and the basis is racism.
Gorsuch concurred because he said no party raised the issue. That is no obstacle; the Court often raises issues on its own (sua sponte, meaning “on one own’s accord”). He avoided mentioning stare decisis, which is the better answer, possibly in another bad sign for Roe v Wade. But even stare decisis falls in the face of an awful decision. The Insular Cases are widely agreed to be terrible law.
WSJ: US sending more military aid to Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-says-u-s-to-send-ukraine-800-million-in-military-aid-11650550623 .
Expedited US entrance program for Ukrainian refugees: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/biden-announces-streamlined-program-welcome-144912406.html .
Are the Chinese taking the sanctions against Russia seriously?: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-business-global-trade-beijing-d3dbb062b20bf0a6ab49ec5f4a7ec1bb . The day-to-day transactions of Russian consumers are heading to cash and carry if a reliable credit card infrastructure cannot be put in place.
Musk’s SpaceX reverses Russian attack at a speed the US military could not achieve: https://www.benzinga.com/tech/22/04/26736268/elon-musks-spacex-fast-response-to-a-russian-attack-recognised-as-eye-watering-by-us-military-offici . We had better be preparing for Russian attacks against our infrastructure yesterday. The decentralized US capitalist system has a significant disadvantage against centrally planned economies.
Speaker Pelosi is pissed at the FAA: https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-washington-nationals-cb01d8233837b28cc82c60d0d63a0b6e . I agree with Nancy. After 9/11, this is just inexcusable. And 9/11 was over 20 years ago!
Orange Julius still seeking revenge in Georgia: https://www.mediaite.com/donald-trump/trump-puts-out-bonkers-statement-on-marjorie-taylor-greene-very-popular-republican-going-through-hell-in-jan-6-legal-battle/ . OJ really is nuts, in case you needed further proof. If Georgia rules Marjorie Taylor Greene is ineligible for the ballot, she will have a tough time winning an appeal. But if she gets on the ballot, she is likely to retain her seat. So this could work out for OJ. If she is out, it’s not his fault, it’s a conspiracy. If she wins, he stood up for her. The GOP just moves farther and farther away from responsible participation in our democracy.
Audio of Kevin McCarthy saying he would recommend to Orange Julius that he resign: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-2022-midterm-elections-kevin-mccarthy-rachel-maddow-2dda5a508f77bb14fe31b0fa89b08197 . McCarthy challenged The New York Times report that McCarthy made this statement to GOP Congressmen: https://thehill.com/news/house/3275894-mccarthy-calls-nyt-reporting-on-trump-bashing-totally-false/ . So now the audio is public. In current parlance, Kevin, the Times just fired a Javelin missile up Uranus. In a functioning democracy, you’d be out. So what will happen in the US in 2022?
WSJ: Discovery pulls the plug on CNN+ after one month: https://www.wsj.com/articles/warner-bros-discovery-is-shutting-down-cnn-streaming-service-11650556680 . So what happens to Chris Wallace, their mega-hire-away from Fox? There is speculation in the last paragraph of the article, but no answer.