Three people make UK baby: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/may/09/first-uk-baby-with-dna-from-three-people-born-after-new-ivf-procedure?mc_cid=6b5f2bb8d9&mc_eid=1294cc0457 . Often it’s a challenge to write a five-word headline for a complex idea. Here, the idea of a “test-tube baby” has been extended to correct defective mitochondria from the mother. The father’s sperm is utilized to fertilize an egg from the mother and an egg from the donor. Technicians then replace the nucleus in the fertilized donor egg with the nucleus from the mother’s fertilized egg.
Coconuts to keep mosquitoes away: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/smell-coconut-may-help-keep-mosquitoes-away-small-study-finds-rcna83618 . Among a variety of soap scents, only coconut seemed to regularly repel mosquitoes. Note that the mosquito species tested is prevalent in the south and east, so we don’t really know about the west. Bummer.
WSJ: Opill moves closer to approval as OTC birth control pill: https://www.wsj.com/articles/abortion-bans-can-help-make-this-cheap-accessible-birth-control-pill-a-hit-acf751c5 .
Next debt ceiling meeting scheduled for Tuesday: https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-biden-mccarthy-white-house-meeting-bf3f79ad3bc61f91f88bae98bfbe5c51 . WSJ: Meanwhile, reduced tax collection has accelerated the potential default date to June 1: https://www.wsj.com/articles/plunging-tax-revenue-accelerates-debt-ceiling-deadline-58816deb . Tick, tick, tick …
Russia announces 2 commanders killed in fight for Bakhmut: https://www.politico.eu/article/ukrain-war-russia-2-commanders-killed-vyacheslav-makarov-yevgeny-brovko/ . It is quite unusual for Russia to announce senior-level deaths. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-launches-fresh-wave-of-attacks-against-ukraine-3d33f293 .
WSJ: Former Soviet republics transship goods to Russia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-sanctioned-western-goods-are-still-flowing-into-russia-916db262 . It would seem that sanctions could cut off this flow of goods.
Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas defends post-Title 42 immigration policies: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/mayorkas-defends-border-policies-bipartisan-backlash/story?id=99304785 . The critics should read Mayorkas’ comments here, because he is spot on. The real failure here relates to the decades where Congress has been unable or unwilling to effectively reform our outdated immigration policies. Actually, both sides have pretty clear agreement on the needed reform steps, but lack the political will to do it. For example, we should have given the Dreamers a just path to citizenship, and we still can. It just takes constructive behavior in Congress, apparently an exceedingly rare commodity.
Border crossings unexpectedly drop after Title 42 limits end: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/u-s-mexico-border-sees-drop-in-crossings-after-prior-weeks-rush-as-title-42-expired . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-border-policy-draws-flak-from-right-and-left-after-title-42-expires-88b4a56f . It is too soon to know if the decrease will continue. However, in other reporting, the House Homeland Security Committee chair, Mark Green, complains that the prior week crossings were the highest ever seen: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/migrant-crossings-drop-at-us-mexico-border-after-title-42-expiry/ar-AA1bbun6?ocid=hplocalnews&li=BBnb7Kz . Dear Dimwit: The surge occurred due to migrants concerned about the new rules for applying for asylum. Are you, Mr. Chairman, this uninformed or do you just not care what the facts are?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/migrant-crossings-drop-at-us-mexico-border-after-title-42-expiry/ar-AA1bbun6?ocid=hplocalnews&li=BBnb7Kz .
Turkey’s Erdogan faces runoff in two weeks: https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/turkey-election-05-14-23/index.html . Erdogan has never faced a runoff. Weakness of the Turkish economy and inflation appear to be major factors in this result. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/having-established-turkey-on-the-world-stage-erdogan-faces-risky-vote-at-home-fd0793d9 .
WSJ: Thais vote against military rule: https://www.wsj.com/articles/thailand-pro-democracy-candidates-push-to-break-military-grip-in-election-f44a367f . Because of complex rules, it is not yet clear how the military will react to the election results.
Another GOP dimwit burnishes his racist credentials: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/14/senator-john-kennedy-mexico-drug-cartels . As we often remark, stupidity has no limits. If you’ve followed this senator, you know he’s a real jerk. The question raised by the article is, does Kennedy make these incredibly racist remarks just as part of his act to get re-elected? Kennedy’s public comments are his legacy, and so he really is this ignorant.
To quote the late Lloyd Bentsen, “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.” (Whippersnappers and others: see the 1988 Bentsen-Quayle debate clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iDn6ndavA0 . Only 50 seconds, and one of the greatest lines in any nationally televised debate). By the way, Lloyd Bentsen should remind us that in days past, there were decent people who were politicians from Texas.
Some background on AR-15’s: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ar-15-rifle-mass-shootings-semiautomatic-weapon-rcna84193 . There are useful facts in this article. It is sad that any published journalist has the limited skills of these two. We do not see pictures of victims of mass shootings because the high-velocity rounds fired from these weapons literally tear them apart. Assault weapons are designed to kill humans. They have no real purpose in sport hunting because they damage the meat and trophy. Real sportsmen do not use them.
So what are they used for? People use them for shooting at firing ranges or at stumps for the thrill of tearing up the target. For this we subject the population to mass killings? Assault weapons (including the AR-15) were banned from 1994 to 2003, and (obviously) deaths from assault weapons dropped during this period.
I realize the media wants to show two sides as some catch-all for “fair and balanced” reporting (you know, like on Fox). Sane societies do not allow citizens to possess military assault weapons, and we shouldn’t, either. Here’s more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban . Note that the Wikipedia article cites studies showing a small decrease in overall gun deaths when the ban was in place. That’s because mass shootings are a small part of overall gun deaths. Like Mark Twain said – Lies, damn lies, and statistics …
WSJ: Democratic states move to ban assault weapons: https://www.wsj.com/articles/assault-weapons-bans-gain-momentum-in-democratic-controlled-states-89b74726 .
Cows lead police directly to suspect on the lam(b): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cows-lead-police-hiding-suspect-boone-north-carolina/ . According to another report, this was “bovine intervention”. But seriously, cows? No bull?
Did OJ cancel Iowa rally due to low turnout?: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-iowa-rally-2660173302/ . There is some indirect evidence of this. Ron DeMentis was in Iowa, and flew to Des Moines Saturday night to hold a brief event. It seems clear DeMentis made this unscheduled stop to raise the question of why OJ did not show.
WSJ: Time to tear down Bob Lee: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bob-lee-stabbing-sex-drugs-lifestyle-san-francisco-5a7da970 . Formerly, people frowned upon speaking ill of the dead. Mr. Lee, after all, is apparently a murder victim. However, that rule has gone out the window at the Journal.
Meanwhile Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant AGAIN for flashing a gun: https://sports.yahoo.com/grizzlies-suspend-morant-video-gun-181010651.html . Once more, we marvel at this amazing level of stupidity. The team suspended Morant earlier THIS SEASON for 8 games for the exact same behavior. The prior suspension cost him $669,000 in salary. Shouldn’t the next suspension be at least 20 games? WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/memphis-grizzlies-suspend-ja-morant-fad5aacd .