Zero COVID in international politics: https://news.yahoo.com/china-zero-covid-policy-lockdown-protests-biden-xi-215929915.html . While this article is written by a senior White house correspondent, it shows almost no sensitivity to the realities of international relations. China regards the Zero COVID protests as an internal matter. There is no chance these protests will topple the Chinese government. The most important thing we can do internationally right now is help Ukraine defeat Russia.
Putin’s government will likely destabilize as the war drags on. Serious questions about his health remain. The next Russian leaders may understand clearly that Putin has set Russia on a course to become a satellite of China, and may look to steer a different course. In addition, a Ukrainian victory may give China pause about absorbing Taiwan.
Zero COVID loosening begins: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-12-05/china-eases-controls-gives-no-sign-when-zero-covid-ends . This remains a dangerous game if China does not effectively vaccinate the vulnerable. Others expect the loosening to go very slowly: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-12-04/chinese-cities-announce-further-easing-of-covid-curbs . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-loosens-covid-restrictions-as-public-anger-simmers-11670145430 .
Holiday health: congeners in alcohol: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20712591/ . Here at the coronavirus newsletter, our staff maintains its commitment to practical health research. “Congeners” are present in various alcoholic beverages. While typically present in minute quantities, congeners have toxic effects. Alcohol primarily causes hangovers, of course, but congeners worsen the hangover. As congeners are often removed by filtering, alcoholic beverages that are lighter in color often create less severe hangovers than darker ones.
As to the theory that more expensive booze creates less of a hangover than the cheap stuff, the filtering theory could also apply. However, a more credible theory is that due to price, you drink less of the expensive stuff than the cheap stuff (that is, sip rather than chug).
Science actually knows very little about what causes intoxication or a hangover. That is, the activation mechanisms are unknown. However, scientists have made remarkable progress: https://www.wired.com/2014/05/hangover-cure/ . Specifically, scientists are now looking for chemicals that have the same intoxication effects as alcohol but whose effects on the body can be more rapidly reversed.
And there is a connection to COVID (what, really?). One group has found that hangovers involve elevated blood levels of cytokines. Readers may remember that this also occurs in COVID and long COVID. Specifically, both COVID and hangovers appear to involve severe inflammatory response. To the extent this inflammatory response can be counteracted, both COVID and hangovers could be made less severe.
WSJ: The global FTX bankruptcy contagion continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/clashes-over-ftx-bankruptcy-go-global-11670092304 . This looks like a big fight over scarce assets.
Has Iran shut down its “morality” police?: https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-morality-police-cc6c4804f2707ee5173ad544625846e3 . The government is working to shift the conversation to economic reforms. However, the resistance seems to have significant nationwide momentum.
College football’s Final Four Selection gets it wrong: https://sports.yahoo.com/georgia-michigan-tcu-ohio-state-195050135.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/college-football-playoff-georgia-ohio-state-michigan-tcu-11670177427 . The first 3 slots are reasonable. Ohio State should not be Number 4. Michigan crushed Ohio State in the second half last week, so Ohio State did not even play in their conference championship. USC lost in overtime to Number 10 Utah; they are the rightful Number 4. Alabama should not have even been part of the discussion. They have done nothing this year meriting their inclusion.
However, Georgia will likely also crush Ohio State, so this may not be the worst possible outcome for USC.
Hail Mary plus wins Minnesota state football championship: https://sports.yahoo.com/jaw-dropping-hail-mary-turned-lateral-wins-championship-for-minnesota-high-school-team-171039048.html . A lifetime memory registers for everyone even remotely associated with this amazing play.