Chronicling US COVID death toll: https://apnews.com/article/one-million-dead-US-COVID-ea745d462d47a65029a8c507c94e679e . More: https://apnews.com/article/photos-US-million-dead-COVID-f3e9afbf8a5f693ce01d46bbf0908cab . Depending on your source, the US has already or is just about to exceed 1 million COVID deaths: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ . No matter the exact number, this catastrophe was unimaginable even 2 years ago.
2021 was the deadliest year in US history: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-robert-anderson-ff2f01e401abce778bea8ac2e9c6e53e . The primary reasons are COVID-19 and a spike in overdose deaths. Fentanyl is driving up overdose deaths.
COVID raises risks of blood clots and deep vein thrombosis: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/covid-raises-blood-clot-dvt-risks-for-months-after-even-mild-infection/ar-AAVX8R2?li=BBnb7Kz . Here is yet another really good reason to get vaccinated.
COVID may be linked to increase in childhood type 2 diabetes: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-madison-wisconsin-diabetes-9f3d25c280d0f81a4cbb818fd5db3a4b .
85% of US COVID cases are BA2 as cases rise in at least 20 states: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2022-04-12/cdc-ba-2-or-stealth-omicron-responsible-for-85-of-u-s-coronavirus-cases . So the bump has arrived. Will it become a wave? Also, with cases rising in over 20 states, we can already discard Dr. Gottlieb’s regional outbreak theory from this past Sunday. A 48-hour shelf life is not a good track record for predictions. More: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-04-12/omicron-sub-variant-ba-2-makes-up-85-9-of-covid-variants-in-u-s-cdc .
Meningococcal disease outbreak in Florida among gay and bisexual men: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/health-officials-warn-large-outbreak-bacterial-illness-florida/story?id=84040358 .
COVID plunges more than 77 million globally into deep poverty: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-covid-business-health-poverty-7b48c9b353869570d53f7259d181b31e . The statistics in this article are quite sobering.
Shanghai COVID cases drop on Monday: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/shanghai-residents-remain-largely-locked-down-despite-easing/ar-AAW6WNv?li=BBnb7Kz . Good grief, who wrote this? One day of data hardly demonstrates easing. And who believes the Chinese have and are releasing an exact case count every day? UPDATE: Case count goes back up on Tuesday: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/shanghai-warns-covid-lockdown-violators-will-be-punished-as-cases-hit-25000/ar-AAWa8aQ?li=BBnb7Kz .
WSJ: Shanghai factory closures mount as COVID surge continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/apple-assembler-pegatron-suspends-production-at-shanghai-jiangsu-factories-11649755451 . Does anyone in the Chinese government understand that attempting to save face over Zero COVID has backfired spectacularly?
US inflation hits 8.5% in March: https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/12/economy/recession-inflation-economy/index.html . More: https://apnews.com/article/covid-business-health-prices-consumer-492dc7a28dafd65e128ae68c6e74c206 . Excluding food and energy, inflation is still running at 6.5%. WSJ: This lower core inflation has encouraged some bond buyers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/soft-core-inflation-reading-hands-bonds-a-reprieve-11649777825 . More: The psychology of higher inflation: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-adjust-your-brain-for-rising-inflation-11649764867 . Still more: Grocers push through increases to consumers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/grocers-push-through-inflation-passing-higher-prices-to-shoppers-11649781235 .
WSJ: Possibility of 50 point Fed rate increase in May growing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/inflation-report-keeps-fed-on-track-for-half-point-may-rate-increase-11649774718 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/feds-barkin-says-economy-may-be-shifting-to-higher-inflation-regime-11649805456 .
WSJ: OPEC cuts global growth estimates: https://www.wsj.com/articles/opec-cuts-forecasts-for-global-growth-oil-demand-citing-ukraine-war-11649773212 .
Oklahoma outlaws abortion: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-oklahoma-law-87880e9f3c7bde2ae634cb2f02839e6e . Gee, there are no exceptions for rape or incest. This is just political nonsense the courts should slap aside. You know damn well that if any of these white hypocrites’ little girl gets pregnant, they’ll just fly her to California and erase the “problem”. And who can’t do that? The poor, of course.
More interesting to me is what happens if a doctor in another state or country prescribes aborting medication to an Oklahoma woman, who then has the prescription filled online and mailed to her. According to the article, there are no consequences. So again, this is all just political nonsense. Meanwhile, the genius pool in Texas is also apparently empty: https://apnews.com/article/health-texas-dallas-crime-arrests-ba0858c691744da84a90f2e38560dea3 .
Biden waives ethanol rule to lower gas prices: https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-iowa-campaigns-elections-227e09a39aed1680e1f4813334aeae64 .
Americans overwhelmingly support Biden climate change proposals: https://news.yahoo.com/poll-americans-overwhelmingly-support-6-biden-proposals-to-fight-climate-change-180802354.html . And these proposals were defeated by the GOP and one Democratic senator from a coal state. West Virginia should not have the power to kill the rest of humanity.
Biden calls Russia’s actions in Ukraine “genocide”: https://www.aol.com/news/more-10k-civilians-dead-mariupol-071356384.html . This simply recognizes reality. As noted here many times, the wheels of justice grind slow. This is considerably less than optimal when daily we watch war crimes on our TV.
Russian forces now accused of rape and use of chemical weapons: https://www.aol.com/news/ukraine-braces-russian-offensive-moscow-015701369-093742735.html .
Putin warns the West: https://www.aol.com/news/putin-flies-russian-far-east-084120314-115628139.html . Russia will remain an international pariah until Putin is no longer in power. Period.
Defense strategy for January 6 defendants: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jan-6-defendants-choose-bench-trial-over-jury-trial/ . I absolutely agree with the law professor who says the attempts to move trials out of DC based on juror bias are a fool’s errand. Because the insurrection was national news, it is very difficult (foolish) to argue that a change of venue escapes bias. But a part of it is, I live in nut country and want the hometown nuts to judge me. And that’s not a viable argument for moving the trial.
The bench trial angle is more interesting. But both trials were with the same judge. Unless there is a high probability that the same judge will be assigned to your case, it remains risky to go the bench trial route. Also, there are circumstances where there is a legal point that would be better received by a judge than by a jury. So that may have been the case with the two trials which were directed to the bench.
Attorney enters Idiot Olympics with stupidest January 6 defense yet: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/trump-authorized-assault-capitol-jan-6-defendant-argues-trial-rcna24118 . According to the article, the attorney admits his client committed the offenses alleged. But the attorney argues the jury needs to ask, “Why?” No, they don’t. The “following the Orange Furor” defense failed at Nuremberg, you dimwit.
NY lieutenant governor resigns after federal corruption arrest: https://apnews.com/article/brian-benjamin-new-york-lieutenant-governor-arrested-3682bc9913a2421f1b1613497286b591 . I have no tolerance for crooks in public office, regardless of their party. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-lt-gov-brian-benjamin-charged-with-public-corruption-11649773533 .
Served manure by DeMentis, Florida GOP legislature decides to sit down and eat: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/florida-republicans-back-standoff-desantis-congressional-map-rcna23948 . It is painfully obvious that the resulting map will dilute Black voting power. Therefore, the courts should strike it down. So will a fair map be substituted, or will the GOP run out the clock on recognizing minority voting rights? You already know what the GOP intends.
Gunman opens fire in NYC subway: 10 shot, 5 critically, and (now 19) others injured in chaos: https://news.yahoo.com/shooting-brooklyn-subway-station-undetonated-devices-gas-mask-manhunt-141355756.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-happened-in-brooklyn-shooting-subway-11649784082 . For anyone who has taken the subway regularly, this is a disturbing reminder of their vulnerability in public. When I lived in Queens, I took the N train to Manhattan frequently. UPDATE: Person of interest identified: https://news.yahoo.com/brooklyn-subway-shooting-person-of-interest-frank-james-000535214.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/shooting-in-brooklyn-subway-station-leaves-several-injured-11649771566 .
Kmart nears extinction: https://apnews.com/article/business-new-york-city-new-york-new-jersey-lifestyle-9e06f958526665df9f7c9422f67516ef . But it’s still playing a COVID notice in its stores …
Gilbert Gottfried passes at 67: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/comedian-gilbert-gottfried-dies-after-long-illness-195244137.html . As this article is tagged as developing, I cannot say if one obvious oversight will be addressed. Gottfried’s politically incorrect humor helped him find his share of trouble. Jokes about Pee Wee Herman’s exposure arrest at the 1991 Emmy Awards certainly reduced the opportunities available to him. Also, he was fired as the voice of the Aflac duck after jokes about the Japanese tsunami, as Aflac did 75% of its business in Japan. Still, no one will ever forget his raspy voice or his razor wit. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gilbert-gottfried-legendary-comedian-dies-at-age-67-after-long-illness-11649794635 .