FDA approves Omicron-specific COVID boosters: https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03 . The approval covers both the Pfizer and Moderna updates. Regarding yesterday’s discussion of a turning point in the pandemic, suppose science produced a universal coronavirus vaccine that remained effective against new variants. That would be a turning point in the pandemic, because then people would take the new vaccine in large numbers. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-booster-shots-targeting-omicron-authorized-likely-to-be-offered-soon-11661953759 .
White House will encourage COVID boosters as “routine”: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-flu-government-and-politics-64173cef2985d9f8951e04812477248d . I doubt the effectiveness of the approach described here. Instead, I would suggest people get the COVID booster with their flu shot this fall, while the government still provides the boosters for free.
COVID cases, deaths in global decline: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-united-nations-world-organization-79762239b89f60908407e504f01ce3fa .
So is Zero COVID working yet?: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-08-31/chinas-chengdu-to-conduct-mass-covid-testing-lockdowns-as-cases-climb . Oh hell no. Saving face is now the daily pastime in China.
How about now?: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-08-31/chinas-shenzhen-widens-covid-restrictions-as-cases-rise . Nope.
WSJ: No economic bottom yet in China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/there-is-still-no-bottom-for-chinas-economy-11661950185 . Yes, and we know why (see prior two articles).
Cellular senescence: https://apnews.com/article/zombie-cells-central-quest-active-vital-old-age-e52713983444185dcd6ed116305d0764 . Here is the latest research on cellular decline as we age.
Fed may have given up on a soft landing: https://fortune.com/2022/08/31/what-is-growth-recession-federal-reserve-soft-landing-stock-market-plunging/ . The market has been correcting in response to this growing perception. The recent economic news has been a continuous drumbeat of global problems, which strongly suggests correction will continue.
Russia sends Third Army Corps to southern Ukraine fight: https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2022/08/29/russia-is-sending-a-fresh-army-corps-to-ukraine-its-troops-are-unfit-and-old/?sh=2220c1004d90 . This suggests Russia is becoming desperate for troops. The battle-readiness of these troops is unknown but suspect. American intelligence is confirming the manpower shortage: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-united-states-1710f0ac18a3f08a47dd6652214e5394 .
Ukrainians advance in southern Ukraine … maybe: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/confusion-deepens-as-the-ukrainian-army-rolls-south-toward-kherson/ar-AA11kwJ1?cvid=ec1eaeefd6f5420fb098f915f240742d . With the capabilities of today’s satellites, the answer is known and will become public soon. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukrainian-soldiers-say-they-are-advancing-in-the-south-but-at-a-cost-11661983338 .
DOJ hammers OJ’s request for special master: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-doj-special-master/ . As the article notes, this filing by OJ’s lawyers was an open invitation to DOJ to lay out their case. DOJ took it. While in some ways the special master request was innocuous (it was really a delaying tactic), DOJ’s response is, OJ and his lawyers lied to us, risking national security. Whatever the judge decides in the special master, it will be hard for OJ’s team to overcome the meat of DOJ’s response. And that does mean that OJ is screwed.
Another aspect of this DOJ approach is to create a basis for requesting search of other OJ properties, since he was dishonest about the Mar-a-Lago situation. And now probable cause begins to emerge: https://www.alternet.org/2022/08/donald-trump-more-classified-documents/ .
More: https://www.salon.com/2022/08/31/lordy-there-are-pics-legal-experts-say-lawyers-may-need-their-own-lawyers-after-doj-filing/ . This article suggests that the lawyers themselves may face indictment for obstruction of justice (they lied to DOJ). In my view the probability that OJ faces indictment as well has just increased. Still more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-lawyers-may-become-witnesses-or-targets-in-documents-case/ar-AA11jLiL?cvid=120188dc65aa47bb9fd40db79cc0f052 .
UPDATE: OJ’s legal team files a quick response, rapidly panned by the legal community: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-team-files-new-court-papers-in-mar-a-lago-lawsuit-that-experts-say-are-long-on-hyperbole-and-short-on-law/ar-AA11kIAZ?cvid=03525f30ce48418e8de42632be916a59 . More: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-special-master-request-responds-to-justice-department/ . This newsletter raised concerns about the judge’s competence when she indicated she was leaning toward appointment of a special master. We are now past flashing red lights. The fire truck has arrived, horns blaring. When attorneys file a response containing the same material as their prior filing, and do not address the crippling arguments made by the opposing side (ESPECIALLY when it’s the DOJ), they are giving up. Let’s hope the judge sees that.
Supposedly the new OJ legal team member, Chris Kise, was going to argue this motion on Thursday. Is that still the case? If he was at all involved in this filing, he is not adding any value to the sinking ship. Indeed, the petard-hoisting has begun. Meanwhile, WSJ is late catching up to the story: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-bolsters-florida-legal-team-11661870344 .
Sarah Palin loses special election for Alaska’s only House seat: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/palin-loses-alaska-house-seat_n_62fc3db1e4b0c8c57f56f90a . However, she’ll have a shot at the full term in November. More: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrat-mary-peltola-defeats-sarah-palin-special-election/story?id=88455630 .