Vaccines for toddlers in March: https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-kids-under-five-4ab78ba302415ee2ff354835e0c82cc1 .
Medicare provides free COVID tests: https://www.aol.com/finance/u-cover-cost-over-counter-150217365-182215296.html . Considering the high risk COVID represents to this population, free tests are an excellent idea. Given the increasing number of breakthrough infections, this is still properly targeted by including the vaccinated.
Detecting COVID through eye exam: https://www.jpost.com/science/article-695405 .
COVID raises blood clot risk in stroke patients: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-02-03/aha-news-covid-19-linked-to-risk-of-dangerous-blood-clots-in-stroke-patients .
WSJ: US COVID hospitalizations continue to fall: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-covid-hospitalizations-continue-tracking-downward-11643891898 . This follows a similar Journal report two days ago.
COVID natural selection continues: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-anti-vax-trooper-dies-covid-20220129-n7ryb7e3bzcdnlehullwi2lhjm-story.html . Dying for your beliefs is one thing. Dying out of anti-science stubbornness is quite another.
Army prepares discharge of 3,300 vaccine refusers: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-army-27bacdba9d130fd5263e97b179124610 .
Almost half of PPP money went to wealthy Americans: https://news.yahoo.com/covid-aid-included-366-billion-for-the-wealthy-203956538.html . As we have repeatedly pointed out, PPP lacked appropriate financial controls to avoid fraud. Who among us is surprised that that this GOP created, OJ approved program was a scheme to benefit the rich?
India reports over half a million COVID deaths: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-02-03/india-reports-over-500-000-deaths-from-covid-19-experts-count-millions-more . As the article implies, the actual count is more likely above 4 million.
AOC on the nature of capitalism: https://news.yahoo.com/aoc-capitalism-is-the-absolute-pursuit-of-profit-at-all-costs-145656395.html . While I don’t fully agree with AOC’s comments, there is much here worthy of discussion. For example, defining “actual capitalists” as those who can live off the earnings of their capital strikes me as correct. And as the prior article points out, some American capitalists are willing to use their capital to corrupt the system.
Drug maker completes opioid settlement, exits bankruptcy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mallinckrodt-cleared-to-leave-bankruptcy-under-1-7-billion-opioid-deal-11643936693 . This all seems so sleazy, doesn’t it?
US special ops kill ISIS leader, again: https://apnews.com/article/biden-says-us-raid-syria-killed-islamic-state-group-leader-ca598136de014e008f746a35f6f721b0 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-special-forces-raid-syrian-site-in-search-of-terrorist-leader-11643869402 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/killed-isis-leader-qurayshi-kept-security-high-until-recent-prison-raid-11643915872 . Actually, the ISIS leader blew up his suicide vest rather than be taken alive, and he took his family with him. The last one also died in this manner. Can there be a worse job description?
Perry Mason declines The Case of the Asshole Doctors: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/two-alternate-electors-sue-jan-6-committee-block-subpoena-rcna14669 . Um, medical privacy laws are primarily for the protection of the patient. It cannot possibly be true that persons who attempt to defraud the United States are exempt from legal discovery because they are doctors. Notice I didn’t say “allegedly” because they are BOGUS electors.
If I was the judge, the compromise I would consider would involve providing the records but edited to black out any patient calls. The editing would then have to be verified by independent audit to show that only verified patient calls were excluded. This would all be done solely at the expense of the requesting defendants. Then I’d see if the defendants take the deal. If not, this was just delaying BS. If so, they’ll spend more time and money on the edit and audit than any fine I could impose.
Judges reject Rudy Giuliani in The Court of Public Opinion: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/rudy-giulianis-masked-singer-reveal-spurs-judges-robin-thicke-ken-jeong-to-storm-off-set-report-030605509.html . “America’s Mayor” (gag, intended double entendre) disgusts the panel on “The Masked Singer”. Seriously, how does anybody go this low? That would be Rudy … But the GOP and “The Masked Singer” have gone here before: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/masked-singer-bear-revealed-to-be-unbearable-polarizing-politician-022001024.html .
Another January 6 notorious nitwit strikes a plea deal: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/ex-west-virginia-lawmaker-stormed-capitol-strikes-plea-deal-rcna14772 . Terms will be forthcoming at the next hearing, probably later in February.
The OJ pardon dynamic: https://news.yahoo.com/trumps-latest-remarks-on-pence-and-jan-6-rioters-further-test-republican-loyalty-012210337.html . I am mentioning this again only to add a comment: There are essentially no blacks and few Latinos involved in the insurrectionist January 6 crowd. So what we’re looking at here is the “white trash pardon”.
UK’s “Partygate” continues as 4 of Johnson’s senior aides resign: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/four-of-boris-johnson-s-top-aides-quit-while-partygate-scandal-rocks-downing-street/ar-AATrXEl?ocid=hponeservicefeed . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senior-aides-in-boris-johnsons-government-quit-amid-scandal-over-lockdown-parties-11643929927 . How remarkable that the naming of the Watergate complex in Washington, DC, has led to a permanent construct in the English language for political scandals.
WSJ: Groundhog Day follow-up: The annual Texas power outage: https://www.wsj.com/articles/winter-storm-leaves-thousands-without-power-in-texas-parts-of-south-11643904428 .
WSJ: Southwest brings back in-flight drinks, based on customer demand: https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwest-to-bring-alcohol-back-on-flights-citing-customer-demand-11643938715 . Sure, we need an excuse to belt the flight attendant.
Facebook/Meta crash today: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60255088 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-feels-10-billion-sting-from-apples-privacy-push-11643898139 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-owner-metas-stock-price-plunges-premarket-jolting-tech-investors-11643887542 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-stocks-markets-dow-update-02-03-2022-11643877298 . Yesterday’s newsletter noted that Facebook/Meta could open 20% lower today. It finished the day down 26%, by far the largest daily loss in stock value for one company. There are 216 countries in the world. The $230 billion loss exceeds the GDP of Peru, number 51 in the world. That means 166 of the world’s countries (77%) produce less in a year than Facebook/Meta’s stock lost today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) .
Mark Zuckerberg personally lost $31 billion today, which is more than the GDP of Macau, number 103 on the GDP list. So, one Harvard dweeb lost more today than over half the countries in the world produce in a year. Still, the value of his remaining stock ($86 billion) is more than Luxembourg’s GDP, number 68 on the list. As readers know, the world has a severe wealth concentration problem.
WSJ: More on Facebook/Meta: https://www.wsj.com/articles/metas-investors-get-a-reality-check-11643846172 . In response, simply observe that you can’t hold audience attention when they are heading for the exits.
Dutch dismantle bridge for Bezos’ superyacht: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-jeff-bezos-yacht-dutch-bridge-dismantle-20220203-tzz4wazr2jgqtf22jpeesdfo3u-story.html . We learn that in Dutch, “never” means something less than 5 years. At 417 feet, the yacht dwarfs a football field with end zones (a measly 360 feet).
WSJ: Has Captain Cook’s ship been found?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/australia-hails-discovery-of-captain-cooks-endeavour-but-u-s-researchers-wary-11643886100 .