Mask mandates provoke domestic terrorism: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/us/georgia-deputy-shooting-decatur/index.html . During the pandemic, the only place many people went was the grocery store. We are now seeing the worst possible intersection of public health measures and “Don’t tread on me”. Note that this guy left, returned with a gun (from his car?), and killed the clerk. That is premeditation. It would also appear that the gunman was white and the clerk was black, but that is not reported.
Death at the factory: https://www.koin.com/news/national/police-gunman-dead-after-killing-2-at-fire-hydrant-factory/ . We have too many guns in this country. We need gun reform, just as we did 20 years ago and 40 years ago.
CDC says delta variant now 1 in 10 cases in US: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/newly-deemed-variant-concern-delta-accounts-10-percent-u-s-n1270915 . My concern about regional outbreaks of delta in the US will be tested in the next few weeks. I’ll be watching the Deep South because of its low levels of vaccination.
FDA authorizes another batch of J&J vaccine: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/558654-fda-authorizes-another-batch-of-jj-vaccine . J&J gets some good news for the first time in quite a while. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-authorizes-15-million-additional-covid-19-vaccine-doses-from-troubled-baltimore-plant-11623803290 .
AstraZeneca COVID antibody drug fails late-stage trial: https://www.wsj.com/articles/astrazeneca-covid-19-antibody-treatment-suffers-setback-11623755934 .
Multiple people around the US had COVID-19 by December 2019: https://apnews.com/article/more-evidence-covid-in-us-by-christmas-2019-11346afc5e18eee81ebcf35d9e6caee2 . More: https://news.yahoo.com/five-u-states-had-coronavirus-143854696.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-virus-ranged-from-illinois-to-massachusetts-before-states-reported-first-cases-11623762001 . Now that we have this information, do we just refuse to do competent contact tracing? Did these people have asymptomatic cases? How old were they? All of this would be more productive than the WHO circus investigation with China. Facts matter. Do the work.
Role of von Willebrand factor in COVID blood clotting under study: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57484740 . Elevated levels of VWF were already understood as part of COVID’s pathology. So the new information here is apparently the effect on its regulator, ADANTS 13.
WSJ: Medical charity to buy hospital debt directly from hospitals: https://www.wsj.com/articles/medical-debt-charity-to-buy-wipe-out-278-million-of-patients-hospital-bills-11623762001 . Note that much of this debt involves patients who qualify for financial aid. This really is a pathetic commentary on the US healthcare system.
Is there a Moscow COVID variant?: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/06/15/has-a-moscow-strain-of-coronavirus-emerged-a74225 . The virus produces a lot of mutations. The question is whether a new variant of concern has emerged. The surge in Moscow could be due to a number of factors, including low vaccination rates or a known variant. The answer is to do genomic sequencing and then provide that information outside of Russia.
WSJ: Peru’s election disputed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/peru-faces-political-turmoil-after-divisive-presidential-vote-11623790239 . With the candidates separated by 0.2%, trouble is brewing here.
An exclamation point on domestic terrorism: https://news.yahoo.com/dhs-secretary-domestic-extremism-most-095900315.html . This is a five-alarm fire that needs considerable attention.
Addressing domestic terrorism in the US: https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-joe-biden-business-race-and-ethnicity-84a84878e61009485af6b3542bfbb69a . The thing not being said is that these folks have co-opted the former Republican Party, under the encouragement of Orange Julius. Apparently the only way to reverse this is for the resulting Insurrectionist Party to suffer crushing defeats in November 2022. Politically that is an eternity. However, with a 50-50 Senate and a narrowly split House, and extensive Republican voter suppression, crushing defeat is a tall task in an off-year election. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-lays-out-broad-strategy-for-targeting-domestic-terrorism-11623762969 .
Addressing domestic terrorism globally: https://apnews.com/article/europe-technology-government-and-politics-edb4e1cd037984509c3dc04178637f5c . The focus here is the use of the Internet for dark purposes. From a Constitutional standpoint, it is impossible to imagine the creation of the United States if the Internet had existed in the 18th century. The Founders may have been revolutionaries, but they were first and foremost idealists. The Internet has stripped that out of the social conversation. Reality is being defined by the lowest common denominator now. As stated here repeatedly, “the medium is the message”.
California opens: https://news.yahoo.com/california-finally-lifts-its-last-big-covid-restrictions-did-the-state-play-it-too-safe-133838908.html . The answer to the writer’s headline question is, “Hell, no”. The Indian (delta) variant puts us at ongoing risk of outbreaks and deaths. California’s 92% vaccination rate among seniors is the best protection against COVID-related mortality. However, the unvaccinated are concentrated in rural, Republican and minority communities, and of course children. Expect more outbreaks nationally among these groups. Most likely are the states with the lowest vaccination rates.
WSJ: Lumber price bubble bursts: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lumber-prices-are-falling-fast-turning-hoarders-into-sellers-11623749401 . Part of my view that current inflation is temporary is an expectation that supply chains will smooth out. If new home construction prices adjust downward, existing homes may as well.
Juneteenth nears status as federal holiday: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/15/1006934154/senate-unanimously-approves-a-bill-to-make-juneteenth-a-public-holiday . House passage is quite likely. Currently only South Dakota and Hawaii do not recognize Juneteenth as a holiday. Hawaii has enactment legislation on the governor’s desk. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-unanimously-to-make-juneteenth-a-federal-holiday-marking-end-of-slavery-11623795961 .
Israel-Gaza ceasefire erodes: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/israeli-military-says-it-fired-rockets-gaza-over-incendiary-balloons-n1270971 . WSJ: Ultra-orthodox Jews oppose new government: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israels-ultra-orthodox-parties-shorn-of-influence-vow-to-unseat-prime-minister-naftali-bennett-11623749797 . This certainly suggests that the provocative demonstrations in Jerusalem were calculated to draw a response from Hamas. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israeli-nationalists-march-in-jerusalem-as-hamas-calls-for-confrontation-11623784216 .
The OJ administration: Pure insanity: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/15/doj-emails-trump-election-fraud-claims-494589 .
The OJ administration’s corruption of the DOJ, continued: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/15/1006570584/trump-pressed-the-justice-department-to-reverse-the-election-results-documents-s . This only increases my irritation at The Hill posture yesterday. The Biden administration is doing an incredible job of rehabilitating our democracy from a 4 year assault by an orange, narcissistic incompetent and his deranged appointees. The truth is not as uncomfortable as losing our democracy.
Demystifying QAnon’s sources: https://thehill.com/policy/technology/558435-researchers-unmask-major-qanon-influencer . Here is another front in the battle against domestic terrorism.
No book deals for Orange Julius: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/major-publishers-are-refusing-to-offer-a-book-deal-to-a-radioactive-trump-report-says/ar-AAL4nar?li=BBnb7Kz . Consider how stupid this makes Deutsche Bank look.
The GOP tragicomedy: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-man-who-bragged-about-chugging-wine-at-the-capitol-riot-is-campaigning-for-office-he-learned-mid-interview-hes-running-for-the-wrong-seat/ar-AAL3YQ4?li=BBnb7Kz . We used to have Shakespeare for tragicomedy. Now we have insurrectionists. This is not progress. More on devolution: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ted-cruz-ridiculed-over-flag-day-pledge-of-allegiance-twitter-video/ar-AAL3DUa?li=BBnb7Kz . And: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ted-cruz-memes-jokes-surge-after-texas-ercot-conservation-alert/ar-AAL3Nfr?li=BBnb7Kz .
There is a rather striking theme to the news today. An informed person with any critical analysis ability cannot support the current state of the GOP. Irrational anger and detachment from facts do not translate into an appropriate political party. And many of these people are armed. So, how does the US meet this clear and present danger?