Lyme disease vaccine enters trials: https://apnews.com/article/science-health-ticks-73fab8e29f3e2243c2db5bc33b3265e1 . We had a vaccine 20 years ago, but discontinued it due to lack of interest. The severity of the disease is now more fully understood. And by the way, this is one reason why I always hike in jeans and not shorts.
WSJ: Monkeypox: We here at the Journal have no damn idea: https://www.wsj.com/articles/monkeypox-likely-circulated-for-years-before-outbreak-scientists-think-11660036465 . OF COURSE MONKEYPOX CIRCULATED FOR YEARS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK!!! IN AFRICA!!! There really is a geopolitical/race bias in the world’s failure to control disease when it is considered limited to Africa.
WSJ: FDA stretches the monkeypox vaccine supply: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-preparing-to-permit-lower-dose-of-monkeypox-vaccine-11660053933 .
Limited male birth control options: https://ph.news.yahoo.com/why-are-there-so-few-male-birth-control-options-130058377.html . Um, a dangling carrot? I assume the writer was being clever here. However, the first association that came to mind was Lorena Bobbitt and the carving knife. Bob it, indeed. By the way, Lorena was found not guilty of assault by reason of insanity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_and_Lorena_Bobbitt . The article does not say, but it is virtually certain this was not an all-male jury. Hey, that’s because juries are rarely all-male.
WSJ: Blue Cross settles antitrust case: https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-approves-blue-crosss-2-67-billion-antitrust-settlement-11660075648 .
WSJ: Endo indicates opioid suits will drive it into bankruptcy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drugmaker-endo-says-bankruptcy-likely-imminent-11660051928 . Utterly no sympathy here …
Effects of Medicare drug price negotiations on the private market: https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/09/politics/senate-medicare-drug-cost-bill-private-insurance/index.html .
A re-run on the insulin price cap: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/3594003-schumer-senate-will-vote-again-on-35-insulin-cap-after-gop-blocked-it/ . The GOP proves time and again that they are devoted to posturing rather than governance. Really, what an embarrassment these senators are.
WSJ: US productivity declines: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-productivity-falls-for-second-straight-quarter-11660049393 . R-E-C-E-S-S-I-O-N … But not at the Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/vol-35-no-7-recession-11660057284 . For those of you not Journal subscribers, the Journal tries to explain that it relies on the NBER to call recessions in the US, but in other countries it uses the “two quarters of contraction” definition (which is what this news letter uses globally).
Here’s an investment research firm that agrees that the Fed will continue to raise rates aggressively: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/the-stock-market-has-misread-signals-from-the-fed-and-a-pivot-on-rate-hikes-is-still-far-from-happening-research-firm-says/ar-AA10u538?li=BBnb7Kz . This firm believes the September rate increase will be 75 points; my view is that the September increase will be at least 50 points.
WSJ: Musk sells $7 billion in Tesla shares: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musk-sells-nearly-7-billion-worth-of-tesla-stock-11660096215 . Since Musk sold $32 billion in shares in the past year and expects a recession, isn’t it possible he thinks the share price will decline soon?
WSJ: We also have no idea about pensions: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-government-pension-reckoning-cometh-equable-institute-report-11660084312 . Two points will be mentioned here. First, could you not find a pension actuary to comment on the risks before declaring the sky is falling? Second, if investment in stocks is such a dangerous idea for public pension plans, why is the GOP talk about privatizing Social Security something other than completely insane?
WSJ: US sanctions on China hurt US solar: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-solar-shipments-are-hit-by-import-ban-on-chinas-xinjiang-region-11660037401 . This is another affirmation that global trade will move to a two axes trade system.
Early results from today’s primaries: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/live-updates-johnson-barnes-to-face-off-for-wi-senate-seat-in-november-mn-gov-race-set-for-fall/ar-AA10ugYt?cvid=f4156c715b6241ff943ffb6688686327 .
Washington surprise complete: Herrera-Beutler concedes to Joe Kent: https://www.axios.com/2022/08/10/jaime-herrera-beutler-trump-concedes . Herrera-Beutler was one of the 10 House Republicans voting to impeach Orange Julius over January 6. The majority of the 10 have now retired or lost their primary. The Democrat in this race is virtually unknown, and Joe Kent has a 4 to 1 fundraising advantage over her. We’ll see what happens in this Washington district (which is a suburb of Portland), which Orange Julius carried in 2020.
The Rude Dude told to come on down to Georgia: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/giuliani-told-to-come-to-georgia-by-train-bus-or-uber/ar-AA10ugvd?li=BBnb7Kz . If you were wondering whether there are any direct judges out there, here is your answer.
WSJ: Ukraine war update: https://www.wsj.com/articles/battle-for-southern-ukraine-intensifies-as-zelensky-calls-for-total-victory-11660045092 . While Ukraine is not claiming credit for Russia’s current troubles in the south, it seems likely that large explosions at a Russian air base in Crimea were the work of the Ukrainians. Otherwise, Russia is certainly mishandling a lot of ammunition lately.
WSJ: How a Chinese invasion of Taiwan might play out: https://www.wsj.com/articles/war-game-finds-u-s-taiwan-can-defend-against-a-chinese-invasion-11660047804 . This has the appearance of propaganda funded by the US government. The more important point is that, assuming the US does defend Taiwan, both the US and China will suffer very significant damage. This has very negative implications for the world because its two largest economies would have considerably reduced production capacity.