News for June 23 — COVID Vaccines Saved 20 Million Lives

COVID vaccines saved 20 million lives in 2021: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-england-54d29ae3af5c700f15d704c14ee224b5 . There really is no question that COVID vaccines have saved millions of lives. An exact figure will be debated for several years to come.

COVID lingers in some patients: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-06-23/some-long-covid-patients-still-have-virus-in-the-blood-paxlovid-rebound-patients-may-need-longer-treatment .

FDA panel recommends Moderna vaccine for school-age children: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-government-politics-b5eff7d97025256b3ba759681131447f . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/modernas-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-6-to-17-years-faces-cdc-review-11655982002 .

California Supreme Court will consider employer liability for COVID infections occurring at work: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-06-23/calif-top-court-to-consider-employer-liability-for-covid-infections .

India COVID cases spiral upwards: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-06-24/india-records-17-336-new-coronavirus-cases-a-four-month-high . India is believed to chronically underreport cases, perhaps by a factor as high as 10. The trend here is quite worrisome. I wonder if the dominant variant is Omicron, and if so, are the dominant subvariants BA4 and BA5?

WHO considers declaring monkeypox a global health emergency: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-pandemics-united-nations-2672737d50fa8ca3029c053ce745ae6a . This would certainly create the appearance that diseases endemic to Africa create greater concern when they spread to the West. More: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-06-23/monkeypox-emergency-decision-due-from-who-sparks-african-criticism .

Juul e-cigarette sales halted by FDA: https://www.aol.com/finance/u-fda-halts-sales-juul-144057875-145652183.html . This is great news for the health of the American population. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-bans-juul-e-cigarettes-11655994991 . However, despite the comments in the Journal, other reports indicate FDA will also review the products which compete with Juul.

WSJ: US weekly jobless claims remain low at 229,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-jobless-claims-held-near-historic-lows-last-week-11655988260 .

WSJ: EU expected to offer membership path to Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-set-to-be-invited-to-become-eu-member-in-week-of-summits-uniting-against-russia-11655973350 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-becomes-an-official-eu-membership-candidate-11656009059 . Meanwhile, more US firepower arrives in Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukrainian-forces-cede-ground-in-weekslong-battle-for-severodonetsk-11655979775 .

Senate passes gun control bill with 65 votes: https://apnews.com/article/shootings-texas-new-york-violence-buffalo-21932705343ec6ff172561ad95c287d1 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-becomes-an-official-eu-membership-candidate-11656009059 . Among the 33 Republicans who voted no were the usual suspect incompetents – Ted Cruz and Josh Hawkins, each the only person in the country who thinks they are electable as President, Rand Paul and – that’s enough press for these losers. Everyone agrees the bill is woefully inadequate, so we can all go back to waiting for the next news of horrific shootings.

Rats flee the sinking SS Orange Julius: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/increasingly-abandoned-and-isolated-will-trump-burn-it-all-down/ar-AAYMLbQ?li=BBnb7Kz . Some in the media are using their bullhorns to put pressure on OJ and his remaining supporters.

January 6 committee names 7 GOP House members who sought pardons: https://news.yahoo.com/jan-6-inquiry-gaetz-among-numerous-republican-lawmakers-who-sought-pardons-from-trump-222103205.html . Today’s hearing detailed Orange Julius’ pressure on DOJ, his attempt to install an incompetent supporter as Attorney General, and how DOJ fought back: https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/23/politics/january-6-hearing-day-5-takeaways/index.html . Also, federal agents raided the incompetent’s home, taking all of his electronic devices: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/23/law-enforcement-trump-official-coup-00041767 . The DOJ plans to roast this turkey over an open spit. He really is a complete idiot: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/jeffrey-clark-unloads-on-doj-and-jan-6-panel-i-dont-recognize-the-country-anymore/ar-AAYOaeJ?li=BBnb7Kz . So he was an assistant attorney general, and he doesn’t understand a raid in these circumstances? However, he has years of contemplation time ahead.

There could be serious legal trouble for these House members and Clark: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-jan-6-pardons/ . The real question is whether we are a country of laws or of men. The likely final answer will unfortunately be a bit of both.

DOJ issues subpoenas in fake elector scam: https://www.aol.com/news/u-justice-dept-delivers-subpoenas-012535524-224838479.html . One hopes the prisons will soon be filled with the OJ insurrectionists. Here’s one: Remember the West Virginia lawmaker, “Derrick Evans is in the Capitol”? Now Derrick Evans is in federal prison: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/former-west-virginia-lawmaker-derrick-evans-sentenced-storming-capitol-rcna34329 .

Ron DeMentis, the original proclaimer of the fake elector scam: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/desantis-said-legislatures-could-give-election-to-trump-a-month-before-eastman/ar-AAYNASl?li=BBnb7Kz .

American confidence in Supreme Court hits record low: https://news.yahoo.com/polling-shows-record-low-confidence-in-supreme-court-210643021.html . Thanks, Mitch McConnell. The least-respected branch of the federal government, Congress, has now destroyed public confidence in what was previously the most-respected branch. These idiots in the conservative majority apparently do not care that the Supreme Court draws its power from the respect of the American people. That is over for the current line-up, and maybe forever.

Thought you understood your Miranda rights?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/justice-alito-opinion-deals-major-blow-to-miranda-rights/ar-AAYNd9M?li=BBnbfcL . You did. However, Justice Alito is now making stuff up to limit their effectiveness.