Omicron BA5 severity debated: https://fortune.com/2022/07/12/deltacron-ba-5-combined-worst-traits-omicron-with-delta-covid19-coronavirus-sarscov2/ . First, the article’s reference to “deltacron” is sensational but misleading. As the article admits, BA5 is a member of the Omicron family and combination with the previous Delta variant is not involved. More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/6-covid-experts-explain-why-omicron-ba5-is-such-a-concern-and-what-theyre-doing-to-avoid-it/ar-AAZnp9D?li=BBnb7Kz . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hopes-of-covid-19-reprieve-fade-as-ba-5-subvariant-takes-over-11657618201 .
As we know, severity has been difficult to assess over time with changing treatments, vaccination levels and variants. However, there are still about 300 American deaths from COVID daily, which is too many. In that sense, BA5 is severe.
BA5 dominance keeps growing: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-07-12/omicron-subvariants-ba-4-ba-5-dominate-u-s-coronavirus-cases-as-white-house-sticks-to-same-strategies . More: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-07-12/u-s-cdc-director-ba-5-estimated-to-represent-65-of-circulating-covid-19-variants .
Doctors fail again as data analysts: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/experts-say-its-meaningless-to-compare-case-counts-positivity-rates-from-the-current-covid-19-wave-driven-by-the-omicron-ba5-subvariant-to-earlier-spikes/ar-AAZuWT5?li=BBnb7Kz . I continue to tire of publicity-seeking doctors opining on things they know very little about. First, I agree that because of home testing, current data massively understates cases. That does not mean the data is useless or cannot be compared to prior surges.
The solution to this problem is to estimate underreporting over time and adjust the data accordingly. Certainly, when cases reported currently represent perhaps one-eighth of all cases, the adjustment has risks of reliability. However, for example, hospital admissions and death data remains quite reliable, and can be used as additional input to estimate cases. Doctors have almost no knowledge of how to adjust data. They compound their error by calling the data meaningless.
US superbug deaths growing 15% per year: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-07-12/u-s-deaths-from-antibiotic-resistant-superbugs-rose-15-in-2020 . This is horrible news. If the drug companies won’t prioritize antibiotic development, the government must step in with grant money to push development.
Shanghai COVID woes continue: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-07-13/shanghai-sweats-over-small-but-nagging-covid-outbreak-already-damaging-economy . This article fails to understand that the problem is Zero COVID. It cannot work if there are any cases around, and with the highly contagious nature of recent variants, the strategy becomes more and more obsolete.
The recession is here, dammit: https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/deep-recession-needed-cool-inflation-bank-of-america-analysts-say . Good grief! As we have said for some time, every indication is that the June data will show the US economy has contracted for both Q1 and Q2. That is, we will officially enter a recession. The data is getting worse, and interest rates are still going up. The logical conclusion is that Q3 will also show contraction, and the recession will deepen.
ISIS leader in Syria killed in US drone strike: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/islamic-state-isis-leader-syria-air-strike-killed-rcna37806 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-leader-killed-by-u-s-drone-strike-in-syria-11657637201 .
Ukraine strike causes major explosion in Russian-held territory: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-social-media-black-sea-c9aefdc3cffbea91fc4f4395611900d3 . Ukraine says it was an ammo dump. Russia says that’s a bunch of fertilizer. Note to AP: Only certain specific fertilizer chemicals are explosive – most commonly, ammonium nitrate. The world’s leading producer is Russia. Ukraine is not a major producer of ammonium nitrate. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-hits-military-depot-in-russian-controlled-city-11657623010 .
More shockers in the seventh January 6 committee hearing: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-hid-plan-for-capitol-march-on-day-he-marked-as-wild-panel-says/ar-AAZvxxJ?li=BBnb7Kz . The hearings included extensive video from Pat Cipollone’s testimony and a detailed description of Orange Julius’ activities on January 5. OJ’s activities were premeditated and against the advice of his advisers holding government positions. He instead listened to Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Michael Flynn. More: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-beckoned-mob-to-dc-after-combative-white-house-meeting-house-jan-6-panel-says-225603258.html . We always knew Giuliani, Powell and Flynn were power-hungry nuts. Still, this is Looney Tunes stuff. Wile E. Coyote wasn’t that wily, after all.
And then there’s OJ’s witness tampering: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-witness-tampering-2657656773/ . The headline has it right: “Only the guilty try to tamper with witnesses.” WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-tried-to-contact-jan-6-witness-liz-cheney-says-11657663013 . As usual, the Journal skips the broader picture, apparently unwilling to offend the OJ followers in its readership.
The eighth hearing has been postponed a week, to Thursday, July 21, and is expected to be in primetime.
Charges expected against Alex Murdaugh in murder of wife and son: https://www.postandcourier.com/news/attorney-alex-murdaugh-expected-to-face-charges-in-sc-killings-of-wife-son/article_4dbd5a5c-e2a4-11ec-a6d0-8b30d468e8da.html . Why this has taken so long is a mystery that may now be answered in court. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/prosecutors-to-seek-murder-indictments-against-disgraced-south-carolina-lawyer-alex-murdaugh-11657667218 .
Distance runner Mo Farah is actually Hussein Abdi Kahin, child trafficking victim: https://sports.yahoo.com/distance-icon-mo-farah-says-he-was-trafficked-to-uk-as-a-child-given-new-identity-thats-not-my-name-021306170.html .
Billionaire losers argue over who’s the bigger loser: https://www.aol.com/news/time-trump-sail-sunset-says-064120727-085940069.html . The downward trajectory of both of these jerks gains momentum. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-says-donald-trump-should-sail-into-the-sunset-in-latest-spat-11657621193 .
Twitter sues Musk: https://www.wsj.com/articles/twitter-sues-elon-musk-over-attempt-to-walk-away-from-44-billion-deal-11657660307 . As stated previously, Musk does not appear to clear the bar for walking away for just the $1 billion termination fee.
An overview of the college football realignment sweepstakes: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/where-does-college-football-realignment-stand-after-usc-and-ucla-shocked-the-world/ar-AAZvlxh?li=BBnb7Kz . This is the most level-headed assessment I’ve seen. The author correctly states that recent developments caught the Pac-12 and ACC off guard.
NASA releases more Webb telescope pictures: https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/james-webb-telescope-images-released/index.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nasa-to-reveal-james-webb-space-telescopes-first-set-of-full-color-images-11657620000 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-guide-to-nasas-stunning-images-captured-by-the-james-webb-telescope-11657658752 . This last article gives an attractive presentation of the details emerging from these pictures.