Elevated coronavirus levels in Boston: https://apnews.com/article/health-boston-public-covid-wastewater-82a00b0c943e6b87d03667638c453992 . This suggests a surge in Boston, although many cases may be mild or asymptomatic. Virus levels have doubled there in the last two weeks.
New weight loss drug semaglutide: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/weight-loss-drug-semaglutide-232810981.html . We are a complex bundle of chemicals. While the drug has impressive results, it also has potentially serious side effects. Note that one of the patients does not exercise. It would seem preferable for those receiving the drug to also complete training on how to adjust their eating and exercise habits to maintain the weight loss.
Town official quietly lowered fluoride level in public water supply 4 years ago: https://apnews.com/article/health-vermont-fluoridation-climate-and-environment-375fe7224a329bafb7a6dfa7480b5750 . This really is un-freaking-believable. Internet conspiracy theories are incredibly dangerous when the uninformed act on them.
WSJ: We have no understanding of economics or history: https://www.wsj.com/articles/feds-inflation-fight-has-some-economists-fearing-an-unnecessarily-deep-downturn-11665197755 . The appropriate adage here is, if you laid all of the economists in the world end-to-end, they wouldn’t reach a conclusion. Who cares that a few economists think the tightening is going too fast? The real point is that a lot of what the Fed does relates to psychology as much as economics. The Fed has made it clear that their No. 1 priority is reducing inflation, and they will risk a recession to do it. Get a clue – they will ultimately back off rate increases, but not this year, unless there is a crash in the data.
The purpose of raising rates rapidly is to not allow inflation to become entrenched. Since the Fed was too late to end the party of stimulative rates, they have to catch up. If that causes some economic dislocation, so be it – they’ve already said this. A global recession looks certain. The US looks likely to have a recession, but less deep than the rest of the world. Whether the Fed overshoots the landing is immaterial. The Fed just has to do its best, land, and then hope the resulting situation requires less course correction than does the current mess.
Explosion on Russian bridge to Crimea hinders Russian supply lines: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-explosions-fires-kharkiv-a5d6dd74e0fc8301cdd87601f5e2db1f . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/major-explosion-hits-the-bridge-between-crimea-and-russia-halting-traffic-11665215052 . This is a big, big deal. There is very little possibility this was an accident. Special forces probably caused this explosion. The question is, what is the involvement of the Ukrainian government? Issuing a commemorative postage stamp suggests taking credit for this devastating blow to Crimea’s supply lines. Now, Russia’s newly taken land line to Crimea across southern Ukraine becomes critical. The Russians likely must also mount a serious defensive stand in the northeast to halt Ukraine’s advances.
If those advances can disrupt the land bridge, Russia will be forced to airlift supplies into Crimea. All of this represents a tremendous additional blow to Russian morale. Also, the occurrence of this setback the day after Putin’s 70th birthday celebrations may well provoke him to order more shelling of Ukrainian territory. Russia has failed to control the airspace over Ukraine. That failing limits the options Russia has to continue this war.
Note that there was also a cargo train explosion in the land bridge. There are a huge number of targets in the remaining supply lines: https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/08/europe/crimea-bridge-explosion-intl-hnk/index.html . It seems likely Ukraine will continue to strike these targets. And remember, Russia’s Black Sea fleet is headquartered in Crimea, and Ukraine has already struck those headquarters.
WSJ: We miss the point, again: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-attacks-on-ukrainian-dam-power-stations-signal-a-tactical-shift-after-losses-11665175580 . If it’s true that Russia has made a tactical shift to target infrastructure, then why are they upset if the Ukrainians target their infrastructure, like the Crimea bridge?
Putin losing influence in Central Asia: https://news.yahoo.com/putin-may-wanted-restore-russian-030016575.html . As Ukraine consumes Russia’s attention, they are unable to provide aid, military or otherwise, to other former Soviet Socialist Republics. As we’ve said before, Russia will likely end up as a client state of China. These Central Asian countries are also likely to become part of this new axis, with the US and Europe leading the other axis.
The problem for the Asian axis is that it is economically impoverished relative to the West, and it isn’t likely to catch up any time soon. Fighting between these states isn’t going to help matters. Japan and South Korea are already part of the Western axis, and they appear likely to stay there. This does make Taiwan the most likely future flash point, although North Korea and Iran also present special problems for both axes.
Putin likely to escalate attacks on Ukraine: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/vladimir-putin-to-escalate-assault-on-ukraine-after-latest-humiliation/ar-AA12K9em?cvid=35da532f40084eaf99b5277fedde28e5 . Right now, Vlad is a cornered rat. He will throw whatever he’s got at Ukraine, for example untrained troops. The potential for tactical use of nuclear weapons has increased. And by the way, the bridge explosion has nothing to do with Western weaponry given to Ukraine.
Orange Julius plotted to trade the documents he withheld from the National Archives in exchange for fantasy documents that would disprove his ties to Russia: https://www.rawstory.com/donald-trump-doj-documents/ . This is so nuts, I would typically skip over the Raw Story reporting, except that their story derives from New York Times reporting. That source seems to be the new book by Maggie Haberman, a Times reporter. To state the obvious, the National Archives wouldn’t trade documents with anyone. Government documents are owned by the government, period. Anyone who allows himself to think differently is self-deluded. And that is Orange Julius in a nutshell.
DeMentis outsmarted himself with the Texas migrant flight: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-florida-records-raise-more-questions-about-desantis-s-migrant-flights/ar-AA12Kk41?cvid=509e9300c6a747aea567b58bbac7e1a4 . Note that Ron’s use of the money violated the terms of the appropriation. Also, Ventrol was previously based in Oregon. It is now based in Destin, Florida: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/oregon-aviation-company-migrants/283-294410d4-9260-4fd3-aa00-58e14795919b .
Do you find it amusing when a restaurant critic goes nuclear on a restaurant?: https://www.mylondon.news/whats-on/reviews/i-went-londons-best-restaurant-25129548 . If so, you’ll want to read this 2 star (of 5) review of “London’s Best Restaurant”.