Oral COVID antiviral drug trials launch: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/pfizer-merck-launch-new-trials-of-oral-covid-19-drugs-2021-09-01 . Pfizer and Merck are hopeful these drugs can fill the need for effective post-infection treatments for COVID. These drugs could also prevent COVID for people who refuse vaccines.
Liberty University COVID cases triple in one week: https://news.yahoo.com/liberty-university-covid-outbreak-campus-202237686.html . In our prior report, Liberty’s behavior was described as “ignorance”. The offering of vaccines at this late date can best be described as desperate.
Texas school district temporarily closes after 2 teachers died of COVID: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/texas-school-district-temporarily-closes-after-2-teachers-die-covid-n1278208 . You might think this is some ridiculous fiction, but it’s Texas. Waco, actually. And yes, the high school will play their football game. Apparently, it’s the essential function of high schools in Texas, right?
Vaccination controversy hits MLB Studios: https://sports.yahoo.com/john-smoltz-al-leiter-mlb-network-studios-vaccine-refusal-023024986.html . Baseball commentary is not an essential function.
Massive study from Bangladesh shows masks limit COVID spread: https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/massive-randomized-study-is-proof-that-surgical-masks-limit-coronavirus-spread-authors-say/ . Given the size of the study, the results appear persuasive.
WSJ: COVID rules affect Labor Day travel: https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-labor-day-travel-keep-up-with-the-covid-19-mandates-11630497601 .
US Supreme Court silent on appeal as Texas abortion ban takes effect: https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-78abf09bc505fd1b0a66502ff8202b79 . So the Texas GOP wants women to control whether or not they get vaccinated, but not control whether their body goes through a 9-month pregnancy resulting in a child they must take care of. President Biden is obviously correct that this law violates Roe v. Wade, but the question is whether the Supreme Court still respects stare decisis, which is the cornerstone of the rule of law. Clarence Thomas has said he does not.
My suspicion is that Chief Justice Roberts does not want to take this step at this time, but the question is whether he can find another vote in the conservative bloc. If he does want to take this step, it will be straightforward for him to muster a 6-3 majority.
As a practical matter, any woman who has the financial means can travel to another state or country and have the abortion. The Texas law will mainly burden the poor, for life.
Update: The Court declines to block the Texas law 5-4, with Roberts in the minority: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/supreme-court-declines-block-texas-restrictive-abortion-law-dealing-blow-n1278337 . My sense is that this is a huge mistake by the Court, and will have major political repercussions against the GOP. Frankly, this ruling would not occur if men were the ones who bore babies. I expect most women will not accept treatment of women as second-class citizens.
Corruption in Philippines fuels coronavirus surge: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/2/filipino-health-workers-protest-neglect-as-delta-variant-surges .
Moderna recalls 1.6 million potentially contaminated does in Japan: https://apnews.com/article/business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-taiwan-32bcb3cdf38e417237a7ca4a9feb818e . This follows earlier reports of contamination and the possibility of 2 deaths.
WSJ: More global supply chain problems in Asia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/surging-covid-19-cases-hammer-asian-factories-11630496589 .
WSJ: Sacklers may skate in Purdue bankruptcy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/purdue-pharma-bankruptcy-plan-approved-freeing-owners-from-lawsuits-11630528636 . This really is offensive. Why do the Sacklers keep the majority of their assets? Remember, Purdue selected Judge Drain.
Afghanistan evacuation aftermath: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/29-sacramento-students-stuck-afghanistan-school-district-says-n1278203 . So how did we screw this up? This situation has been well-publicized for quite a while. WSJ: We may have left the majority of Afghan interpreters behind: https://www.wsj.com/articles/majority-of-interpreters-other-u-s-visa-applicants-were-left-behind-in-afghanistan-official-says-11630513321 . So who are the 100,000 or so Afghans we did evacuate?
Workers lose in initial decision on the cancellation of federal supplemental unemployment benefits: https://news.yahoo.com/florida-workers-lose-reinstatement-of-unemployment-benefits-151109378.html . Again, these decisions will differ by state depending on the powers granted to the governor under each state’s constitution.
The DeMentis cash flow: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/wealthy-gop-donors-flock-desantis-presidential-speculation-swirls-n1278172 . However, a stockpile of money from major donors did Jeb Bush exactly no good. The political judgment of one donor who puts DeMentis in the same camp as Kristi Noem and Senator (Tim) Scott amuses me. So maybe he meant Senator (Rick) Scott of Florida. Tim Scott as a leader of the GOP strikes me as quite unlikely. Maybe he thinks of Noem and (Tim) Scott as potential VP choices for DeMentis – you know, check off the gender or race box. Yikes! And then there’s the guy who thinks having COVID in the news is good for Ron DeMentis … good grief!
Orange Julius criminal tax probe proceeds: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-organization-employees-to-testify-before-manhattan-grand-jury-11630527630 .
WSJ: New Orleans still remains a mess: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hurricane-ida-power-is-restored-to-new-orleans-suburb-city-sets-up-cooling-stations-11630504829 .
Today’s realization: “Cuervo” is Spanish for “crow”. Any knowledgeable tequila drinker will tell you that the best tequila is 100% (blue) agave. Jose Cuervo, while the number 1 tequila in the world, is not 100% agave. It is mixto, which not only includes other sugars but additives designed to make it look like premium tequila. I have to wonder: Is selling the Americans Joe Crow tequila an inside joke? And no, I’m not drinking booze of any kind today. This is just a random “deep thought” (more random than deep).