COVID appropriation needed for second booster: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-covid-health-business-1ea3bc177ef46af41fd656fe4188a2db . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-plans-for-second-covid-19-boosters-threatened-by-funding-impasse-11647608400 . Holding this up is just stupid. Yet again, the GOP endangers the US population.
WSJ: More on Omicron subvariant BA2: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-we-know-about-the-ba-2-omicron-variant-11643300997 .
WSJ: Ivermectin flops again at stopping COVID: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ivermectin-didnt-reduce-covid-19-hospitalizations-in-largest-trial-to-date-11647601200 . In other news to the GOP, Generalissimo Franco is still dead, and Orange Julius is still an idiot.
China’s COVID cases continue to soar: https://news.yahoo.com/how-chinas-soaring-covid-numbers-put-the-rest-of-the-world-at-risk-124959071.html . To repeat, Zero COVID has failed in China. The Chinese may lie about it, but they can’t stop it. China reports first COVID deaths in over a year: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-china-wuhan-2bb112daa6cd230773f7fbd11938e181 . Admittedly, the US has done an appalling job in addressing the pandemic and now nears 1 million COVID deaths. But it is simply not believable that a country with 4 times our population has had less than 5000 deaths from COVID.
Meanwhile, COVID cases in Hong Kong are at record levels: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/hong-kong-sets-global-covid-infection-record-as-morgues-overflow/ar-AAVeqsh?li=BBnb7Kz . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/overwhelmed-by-omicron-hong-kong-runs-out-of-space-for-its-dead-11647595800 . This is so reminiscent of New York City in the early months of the pandemic.
WSJ: China looks to alter Zero COVID approach: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-tests-more-targeted-covid-19-strategy-amid-record-omicron-surge-11647610409 . However, rational analysis tells you that if total lockdown is failing against a highly infectious disease, less strict lockdown is not going to work. China’s solution should be to obtain high quality vaccines and fully vaccinate the population. When are pig-headed politicians everywhere going to get the message that science is not optional?
WSJ: Credit agencies will remove most medical debt from credit records: https://www.wsj.com/articles/most-medical-debts-to-be-removed-from-consumers-credit-reports-11647604803 .
More on the Switchblade drones we are sending to Ukraine: https://news.yahoo.com/inside-the-cutting-edge-switchblade-drones-the-us-is-shipping-to-ukraine-164754374.html .
WSJ: Western coordination made Russian sanctions bite: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-u-s-and-eu-cut-russia-off-from-the-global-economy-11647595980 .
Putin lauds Fox News: https://www.aol.com/news/putin-hails-russias-special-operation-140236409-152517959.html . So can we authorize Ukraine to bomb Fox?
WSJ: Ukraine counteroffensive frees Mykolaiv – for now: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukrainian-counteroffensive-near-mykolaiv-relieves-strategic-port-city-11647605489 . Russia appeared close to overwhelming Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, but these victories also increase the safety of Odesa. These ports continue to receive supplies of considerable importance to Ukraine.
WSJ: The planet is still dying: https://www.wsj.com/articles/great-barrier-reef-experiences-widespread-coral-bleaching-11647631016 .
Pete Davidson skips free space ride: https://www.aol.com/entertainment/pete-davidson-skipping-ride-space-040951663-102813380.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/snl-star-pete-davidson-wont-be-on-blue-origins-next-flight-after-all-11647623910 . Pete Davidson has more important things to do than a free trip to space? Is he concerned about being fried to a crisp?
Reader research on the St. Peter’s Peacocks: An alert reader followed up on my questioning the St. Peter’s mascot, and even provided a confirming link. According to the university handbook, ‘With the re-birth of Saint Peter’s in 1930, Rev. Gannon named the Peacock the official mascot of the College, reflecting the spirit of “resurrection and eternal life.” The peacock also ties the College to the settling of Jersey City, originally called “Pavonia,” or “Land of the Peacock.”’ Kudos to Cori Uccello for informing us of the real connection between St. Peter’s, the peacock, and Jersey City’s original name.