US COVID cases continue to drop: https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-6e9be8fced317be7c1b13d4ac37e5c92 . Dr. Landrigan says many things I agree with before his big fail. This thing is not over July 4. As he says, variants are still a big unknown. The global pandemic will continue through this year and well into 2022, if not longer. Children under 12 and more than 20% of the US adult population will not be vaccinated by July 4. Sound bites are a poor substitute for proper analysis.
A few young vaccine recipients develop heart inflammation: https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/coronavirus/cdc-investigating-heart-problems-in-few-young-vaccine-recipients/2552219/ (link replaced 5/31/21). With so few details, it is hard to know if this is part of the multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MISC) previously identified.
California to drop social distancing requirements in June: https://apnews.com/article/california-coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-government-and-politics-cba0dd91cfe9324fa74cc1e733327438 . However, the UK variant is now dominant in LA County: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2021-05-22/the-latest-swiss-fly-covid-19-medical-supplies-to-nepal .
UK variant spiking in Alaska: https://www.ktoo.org/2021/05/21/alaska-sees-sharp-spike-in-coronavirus-cases-stemming-from-variant-first-found-in-britain/ .
West Virginia drops people: https://apnews.com/article/al-state-wire-west-virginia-lifestyle-census-2020-business-9b94594a74d6b7ab1bee153a425981d9 . Personally, I took a number of weekend trips to West Virginia when I lived in DC – beautiful forests. But live there? Forget about it …
Meanwhile, Vermont grows (maybe): https://www.wsj.com/articles/vermont-vies-for-more-residents-after-newcomers-flocked-to-state-during-covid-19-11621686602 .
Vaccination pop-ups to open at 7 New York airports: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/554937-new-york-to-open-vaccination-pop-ups-at-airports-for-visitors-locals .
WSJ: The politics of US healthcare: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-lower-their-sights-on-healthcare-changes-11621688400 . That is a big price tag for making the ACA changes permanent. For the Medicare for All folks, why not pay for it with a tax on all corporations where the federal design would allow employers to scale back or drop their employer health care? This would benefit most corporations but hammer the companies who don’t offer healthcare now. This seems very fair to me. And it’s a budget item — so pass it through reconciliation.
British say Pfizer vaccine 88% effective against India variant: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-05-22/two-covid-shots-effective-against-india-variant-english-health-body . Note that the AstraZeneca vaccine is only 60% effective against this variant. This is further evidence that mRNA technology will come to dominate vaccine development.
Italy to loosen COVID restrictions: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-05-21/italy-to-loosen-coronavirus-restrictions-in-some-areas .
Brazil increasingly turning against OJ Jr.: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/22/brazil-bolsonaro-fined-for-breaking-covid-public-health-rules .
Taiwan’s “regression calibration”: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-05-22/catcalls-and-jokes-after-taiwans-covid-regression-calibration . We now have 21st century lingo for SNAFU.
WSJ: Outsourcing to India crunched by the pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-covid-19-crisis-tests-the-worlds-back-offices-11621656009 .
Report from rural India: https://www.npr.org/2021/05/22/998489469/in-rural-india-less-covid-19-testing-more-fear-and-a-few-ventilators-for-million . We literally have no reliable data from India, except to say there is gross undercounting of infections and deaths.
Philippines probes illegal COVID vaccine sales: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/philippines-covid-19-illegal-sale-vaccine-shots-slots-14864154 .
Global population decline: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/how-the-coming-population-bust-will-transform-the-world-7327747/ (NY Times link replaced 12/13/21). Surely, this article would have benefitted from talking to demographers. The US model of relying on immigration will be adopted elsewhere. Africa is experiencing a population boom. India’s population remains young and is increasingly well-educated. Every country on earth must adapt to being a multiracial society. This rules out building border walls or asking people to sit in the back of the bus.
WSJ: China’s rover on Mars: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-zhurong-rover-begins-roaming-mars-11621686319 . This is the new Sputnik, if anyone is paying attention.
Last week’s crypto crash: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/22/investing/crypto-crash-bitcoin-regulation/index.html . So this stuff does represent a threat to traditional currencies. When the technology is sufficiently stable, governments could issue crypto currency. This would essentially wipe out the existing market players.
Government seizes $90,000 from insurrectionist: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/us-seizes-dollar90000-from-insurrectionist-who-sold-footage-of-ashli-babbitts-fatal-shooting-to-news-outlets/ar-AAKgSf7?li=BBnbfcL . This is “throw away the key” material.
Liz Cheney is not backing down: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/554933-cheney-calls-greenes-comments-on-mask-mandate-in-house-evil-lunacy . My theory is that MTG does not understand gas masks and is getting her advice from Matt Gaetz. Remember when he wore a gas mask on the House floor?
Kevin McCarthy cements his reputation as a lifelong incompetent: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-05-22/kevin-mccarthy-son-wedding-covid-19-infection . If Kevin was the only variable, Democrats would expand their House majority in 2022.
Republicans choking on January 6: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/554804-republicans-try-but-cant-escape-jan-6 . The Senate vote appears to be a foregone conclusion to vote down the bipartisan commission. Nancy will then appoint a select committee. We’ll see if McCarthy testifies. The Republican strategy will then be to deny the committee results as partisan. However, given the evidence already presented at the second OJ impeachment trial, that will be a tough lift. Things look a little better for a Democratic House in 2022.
The Democrats gained two key advantages with the twin Senate victories in Georgia (thanks, OJ). First, reconciliation is a powerful tool to pass budget-related measures. Second, Schumer as majority leader can bring things to a vote that McConnell would have suppressed. The path to the Democratic agenda is narrow, but it exists. Biden’s experience in the Senate is a huge help in this regard.
Santorum cut by CNN: https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/just-in-rick-santorum-quietly-canned-by-cnn-after-blowing-on-air-apology-for-racist-remarks/ . Finally. What a loser. More: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rick-santorum-cnn-native-americans_n_60a92fa6e4b0313547978140?6pa .
Insanity running rampant on the right: https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/oan-alleges-newsmax-is-left-leaning-noting-it-declared-biden-winner-over-trump/ar-AAKhvk4?li=BBnb7Kz . This craziness has no long-term future. Good.
WSJ: Lincoln and Euclid: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-honest-abe-learned-from-geometry-11621656062 . Lincoln is my favorite President, for a lot of reasons. His extraordinary success at self-education is one of them. Geometry really is taught to teach proofs, and Euclid remains the best teacher.
If you really want to see Lincoln’s brilliance, reread the Gettysburg Address. This short poem (272 words) to America reflects Lincoln’s view that the Declaration of Independence (and not the Constitution) is America’s founding document. “Four score and seven years ago” from 1863 counts back to 1776, not 1789. And Lincoln clearly identifies America’s founding principle: “All men are created equal” (we now read “people” for “men”). Quite obviously, today’s Republican Party is a slap in the face to the principles of its founder.
WSJ: Mickelson at the PGA: https://www.wsj.com/articles/phil-mickelson-pga-championship-tee-time-11621726465 . It’s all about the wind. Phil seemingly had the tournament sowed up before the wind picked up and got to him in the afternoon. So if it’s windy tomorrow morning and quiet in the afternoon, Phil should win. There are only 5 other golfers within 4 shots of Phil, so he has a good chance – depending on the wind.