Deer present COVID mutation risk: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/02/health/divergent-new-variant-deer/index.html . More: https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/deer-likely-transmitted-coronavirus-to-a-human .
Florida passes Mississippi-style abortion bill: https://www.aol.com/news/florida-senate-expected-pass-15-110623545-112714104.html . Expectations are high that the US Supreme Court is about to move us back to the early 20th century. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-senate-passes-15-week-abortion-ban-11646409503 .
US adds 678,000 net jobs in February: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/strong-jobs-report-signals-more-americans-returning-to-labor-market-as-coronavirus-wanes . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/job-market-looks-even-tighter-as-covid-19-recedes-11646414426 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/february-jobs-report-unemployment-rate-2022-11646343310 .
The Great Return to the office?: https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2022-03-04/the-great-return-companies-are-calling-their-workers-back-to-the-office-as-covid-19-fades . Hardly. To me it is abundantly obvious that flexible work schedules are here to stay. With the exception of certain highly collaborative work environments, work schedules will remain flexible both short-term and long-term. The tight market for qualified workers essentially guarantees that.
WSJ: Ukraine’s largest trading partner is China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/moscows-shadow-dogged-chinas-economic-links-to-ukraine-11646399700 . This reinforces my view that China could be an effective mediator of this conflict. While still a long-shot, it is the best current chance for a cease-fire in the near term.
WSJ: Why is the massive Russian convoy stalled outside of Kyiv?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraines-special-forces-hold-off-russian-offensive-on-kyivs-front-lines-11646417190 .
Russia suppresses free speech and independent thought: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/russia-blocks-twitter-and-facebook-as-war-in-ukraine-rages-on-204206358.html . CNN and Bloomberg suspend broadcasting in Russia. Journalists are rightly fearful of up to 15 years in (Russian) prison for anything deemed “false news” (that is, contrary to the government’s spew). BBC also suspends Russian broadcasts: https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/bbc-russia-journalists-censorship-1235196347/ . More on content cut-off: https://news.yahoo.com/russia-ukraine-war-how-media-giants-are-cutting-off-russia-amid-evolving-crisis-172430537.html .
Russians flee for Finland: https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220304-russians-pack-trains-into-finland-as-sanctions-bite . As many of these folks work outside Russia, Putin is losing a source of foreign currency. He is also losing the more highly educated. We have focused on Ukrainian refugees, but there are Russian refugees as well.
There is a large Eastern European population south of Portland. Many came here in the 1990’s after the Iron Curtain fell. So some of the current refugees may end up here.
Cogent Communications pulls the plug on Russian customers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/key-u-s-provider-of-internet-to-russia-cuts-service-there-citing-unprovoked-invasion-of-ukraine/ar-AAUCeIA .
WSJ: More on the corporate pull-out from Russia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-companies-have-pulled-back-from-russia-11646425481 . Can you say “pariah”?
WSJ: The financial squeeze on Russia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-ukraine-sanctions-banks-finance-11646428069 .
More on Moldova: https://news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-refugees-pour-into-moldova-one-of-europes-poorest-and-smallest-countries-182436247.html . But I would guess that most Ukrainians are not looking to settle in Moldova. Also, if Ukraine falls into Russian control, Moldova may well be next.
Russian bombing of Ukrainian nuclear plant called war crime by US Embassy in Kyiv: https://www.aol.com/news/u-embassy-ukraine-calls-nuclear-142332204-144917600.html . This news seems odd, as the statement goes farther than other US statements. Foreign embassies generally do not have this sort of authority. WSJ: More (yesterday’s news): https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-forces-advance-in-southern-ukraine-ahead-of-cease-fire-talks-11646307424 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-nuclear-power-plants-safety-11646415538 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-shelling-of-ukrainian-nuclear-power-plant-sparks-alarm-11646377053 .
WSJ: Japan continues with Russian fossil fuels: https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-sticks-to-russian-oil-and-gas-bucking-western-pullouts-11646392575 . So does most of the world, actually. The US is currently considering some sort of ban. US action might change the scoreboard.
Barr says Orange Julius “responsible” for January 6: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/596864-barr-says-trump-responsible-for-jan-6-riot-in-the-broad-sense-of-that . But it’s hard to know what Barr actually thinks. Since he is OJ’s former attorney general, it would be inappropriate for him to say OJ is legally or criminally responsible for January 6. This is as close as he should come. So there is an indicator here that Barr may well see OJ as legally responsible.
OJ will turn over subpoenaed documents to Leticia James by March 31: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-turn-over-documents-new-york-civil-probe-need-not-testify-during-appeal-2022-03-03/ . The walls close in a bit more.
Today’s confirmation that OJ is unfit for any position of responsibility: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-told-golfer-john-daly-that-he-threatened-putin-with-hitting-moscow/ar-AAUCN22?li=BBnb7Kz . “Delusional” is never a good job qualification.
Ditto for Lindsay Graham: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lindsey-graham-repeats-call-for-russians-to-assassinate-putin-11646415479 . We may all be thinking this, but it’s an incredibly irresponsible thing to say out loud. The US policy has been one of measured actions, and that’s how we are leading impressive world unity against Russia.
WSJ: Could we see a climate change bill this year?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-climate-change-plans-gain-momentum-as-democrats-retool-agenda-11646398801 . So please overcome politics. We are way too far behind the curve in changing planet-wrecking human behavior.
Supreme Court reimposes Boston Marathon bomber’s death sentence: https://apnews.com/article/bombings-dzhokhar-tsarnaev-e52706c006644cfcb3f742cf78afa6d0 . So, I am not a fan of government executions. However, if anyone should be executed, perpetrators of mass terror events should be first in line. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-reinstates-death-sentence-for-boston-marathon-bomber-11646407964 .
Katie Meyer’s parents speak out: No warning signs: https://sports.yahoo.com/katie-meyers-parents-open-stanford-161222581.html . This is a classic sign of a superachiever suicide. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/grieving-parents-of-katie-meyer-stanford-womens-soccer-player-speak-out-about-her-suicide-11646423397 .