Universal COVID antibodies and vaccines: https://metro.co.uk/2023/08/01/major-breakthrough-could-stop-covid-forever-with-universal-vaccine-19227263/ . This has been discussed as an end-goal since the pandemic emerged. The discovery of this very broad antibody represents significant progress in this line of attack.
WSJ: Pfizer’s COVID vaccine sales evaporate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizers-covid-boost-crashes-to-earth-51e1d0 . This is a large corner to turn. Major manufacturers rarely do this quickly.
Halting religious exemptions for schoolchildren’s vaccinations: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-08-04/connecticut-law-ending-religious-vaccine-exemptions-for-children-is-upheld . the state has the right to do this in the interests of public safety. However, this case seems ripe for appeal to the conservative nuts on the Supreme Court.
WSJ: Labor unrest in the transportation industry: https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-truckers-cargo-pilots-and-package-carriers-are-fed-up-1543bfee . Obviously, transportation rates of all kinds are going up. So inflation is not only still with us, but wageflation will keep it going.
WSJ: We really have no idea about the bond market: https://www.wsj.com/articles/investors-bet-that-high-rates-will-linger-61cdaeb7 . The Journal not only misses the boat here, it is at the wrong dock. The fundamental question in the bond market is when and how the serious rate inversion will end. As measured by the Fed’s favorite yardstick, the comparison of 2 and 10 year Treasuries, inversion was at an astonishing 104 basis points on July 25. Ten days later (August 4, Friday), it has dropped to 73 basis points (4.76% to 4.03%). That remains incredibly severe.
The bond market continues to price as if the Fed will substantially drop rates soon after its most recent rate hike. There is absolutely no evidence for that. Indeed, I believe based on current data that the Fed should raise at least another 25 basis points in one of its next two meetings, and that it should not cut rates for at least a year. Ultimately, the current inversion must end and long-term rates must exceed short-term rates. So why would you own a long-term bond right now?
WSJ: Foreign remittances maintain autocrats: https://www.wsj.com/articles/record-amounts-of-money-sent-back-home-end-upaiding-autocratic-regimes-5bd9cdd9 . Somehow the Journal published this article without actually explaining how these remittances sustain the local economy. These funds are converted to the local currency. This action strengthens the local currency, as well as providing a significant inflow to purchasing in the local economy.
WSJ: Niger coup: https://www.wsj.com/articles/niger-coup-embassy-evacuation-africa-33d18bc . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/deadline-for-niger-coup-leaders-to-back-down-passes-without-intervention-c6e85794 .
Drones and missiles dominate Ukraine war: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-shelling-missiles-air-strikes-drones-9afba9271d343cd7f077211ff8507b88 . Over time, the balance of power here may shift to Ukraine, based on both Western manufacturing capacity and Ukraine’s rapidly growing internal technology.
WSJ: Ukraine peace discussions make incremental progress: https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-china-attending-ukraine-peace-discussions-inch-forward-40855818 . The participation of the Chinese represents a meaningful step.
WSJ: Russian oligarchs fight sanctions: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-west-sanctioned-russias-billionaires-now-they-are-fighting-back-836ee65 . Good luck in your senior year …
Jaime Raskin points out OJ’s election fraud lawyer is making a “deranged” argument (video): https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/trump-lawyer-offers-a-deranged-argument-in-trump-defense-raskin-says-190117957840 . Raskin is quite right. Obviously, there is a difference between speech and action. OJ took actions to overthrow the 2020 election. That’s not free speech, period. More discussion of the video: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/donald-trump-2020-election-indictment-lawyer-john-lauro-rcna98406 .
Meanwhile, OJ makes a deranged request: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66422516 . Over 1,000 people have already been charged in DC Circuit Court in connection with January 6. Some have asked to have the trial moved (change of venue). Exactly zero cases have moved, and as I have indicated before, venue rules require these cases to be filed in DC. As to having the judge recused, she has already ruled in a case involving OJ, but that is not a basis for recusal unless it can be shown she is biased. Bottom line, OJ is increasingly desperate and aware that his web of lies is about to ensnare him.
But OJ’s derangement increases: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-hell-rants_n_64d05a29e4b01638f3242c79 . This rant really is completely nuts. However, Karen Schwartz’ comment made me laugh out loud.
Will the revolution (trial) be televised?: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4140101-trump-attorney-says-hed-love-to-see-jan-6-trial-televised/ . Given the concerns about witness intimidation and threats to the court and prosecutors, I doubt this will occur. But if the prosecution and the judge agree, it could happen.
WSJ: So where is Mark Meadows?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-indictment-mystery-where-is-mark-meadows-30e0b575 . The Journal provides a long nothing-burger here. Most likely Meadows has already flipped, although alternatively DOJ is still holding the threat of indictment over his head in order to force further cooperation.
DeMentis & Company watch their chances evaporate: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/desantis-camp-hit-by-gloom-as-aides-worry-race-is-slipping-away/ar-AA1eReQd?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=dd881e69469948148b50b6716fbc81dc&ei=79 . DeMentis’ supporters just avoid his repeated missteps, and think throwing money at this defect will solve it. We are watching a rerun of Jeb Bush 2016, except Jeb was bland whereas Ron is truly detestable.
Mother files suit after Southwest Airlines accused her of human trafficking when travelling with her biracial daughter: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mother-was-accused-southwest-trafficking-biracial-daughter-files-feder-rcna98414 . Based on the facts presented in the article, there was not a reasonable basis for suspecting human trafficking here. Southwest should settle quickly, because the publicity is already horrific.
The next supercapacitor: Cement and carbon?: https://futurism.com/the-byte/mit-scientists-create-supercapacitor-storing-energy . This looks overhyped (think “call for funding”), but results to date do show promise.
Amy Bass on Women’s World Cup: Blah, blah, blah: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/06/opinions/fifa-womens-world-cup-us-loss-bass/index.html . Bass apparently doesn’t know anything about soccer, at least at the upper levels of the sport. It is a true team sport, meaning you have to work together and have prepared plays, which really does not apply to baseball and her beloved Red Sox. And you can see a team’s plan by the way they play. The 2023 US women’s team, as virtually every commentator recognizes, was a group of very talented athletes with no plan, and you could see that in their play.
As we’ve said all along, there is an obvious solution: fire the coach. Hire a coach with a known ability to develop and install a plan, who can coach accordingly for the level of these players. There are plenty of coaches who fit the bill. The current coach is clearly not one. You could see that in the defensiveness he exhibited over the widespread and justified criticism of the team’s play. Next.
More: https://thespun.com/more/soccer/u-s-womens-coach-should-be-fired-after-embarrassing-post-loss-comment . Yes, the US should fire the coach immediately, but for his failure to perform his duties competently.
WSJ: More or less: https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/us-womens-soccer-dynasty-world-cup-future-d5a59255 . No, no, no. The US team has obvious depth. You build your game plan around that depth. There always has to be a Plan B when you have one or two scoring stars. We didn’t even have Plan A. The only thing learned from this article is that this coach has been in place for 4 years, and it has been an ongoing downward slide. Out now!
The feel-good story of 2023: https://www.billboard.com/pro/john-fogerty-buys-control-publishing-creedence-clearwater-revival-catalog/ . Not including this story in January was a mistake I’m now correcting. Perhaps the greatest wrong ever perpetrated on an artist involved John Fogerty’s original contract. John Fogerty is a great writer, and the failure to control his own songs has in my opinion prevented him from getting the recognition he richly deserves.
Something learned years ago created a favorite question I asked people for a long time. “Where was John Fogerty from?” With John’s raspy voice and the band’s name, people almost always answer Louisiana. Some of his songs (Proud Mary, Green River, Bad Moon Rising) also suggest a Southern location. But there is another clue in his music – “Stuck in Lodi Again” refers to an actual place. It’s a small town in the San Joaquin Valley, between Sacramento and Stockton. Fogerty was born in Berkeley, California, and formed the band in Southern California.