News for August 26 — Manipulating the Human Aging Clock

Manipulating the human aging clock: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/why-do-we-age-5adbb984 . We’ve only just begun to unravel this process.

WSJ: Bond market starts listening to the Fed: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/rising-long-term-rates-loom-over-autumn-on-wall-street-3ee03b95 . As we have argued for some time, the bond market has been unrealistic about long-term rates. The fundamental this article ignores is that the current interest rate inversion must end. If short-term rates are going to remain elevated for a while, then long-term rates must rise significantly to end the inversion. This really is not rocket science.

Is the supply chain really separating into “two axes”?: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2023-08-26/trump-biden-policies-shifted-trade-from-china-at-a-cost-study-shows  . This article seems to argue that the ultimate source of a significant portion of the US supply chain is still sourced from China, but gets to the US via a third party intermediary. That seems reasonable, even likely. But some part of this is temporary. We need rare earths for advanced technology, and China is the cheapest and dominant supplier. However, we are also developing other mines for these materials, and the flow will switch once these mines are in production. Much of this is true for the rest of the supply chain.

WSJ: China’s politics are trying to redefine the laws of economics: https://www.wsj.com/world/china/communist-party-priorities-complicate-plans-to-revive-chinas-economy-84a156d7 . Xi has at least one of Putin’s and OJ’s problems: He does not listen to experts.

Maui wildfire list contains 100 survivors: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66619472 . It is great that the death toll now looks to be much lower. However, how did authorities get so far off? You would think this list should have been released much sooner. We now have around 288 on the missing list, 115 sets of remains recovered, and 56 of those identified. So the estimated death toll now totals 344. Again, however, we anticipate there will be additions to the list over time.

WSJ: Ukrainian training aircraft collision kills 3: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/three-ukrainian-pilots-killed-in-plane-crash-d60cb1e3 .

WSJ: The end of the Ukrainian grain deal: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/the-market-is-dead-ukraines-farmers-count-the-cost-of-grain-deals-collapse-379e648d .

Michael Cohen encourages OJ’s co-defendants to flip: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/4172862-michael-cohen-donald-trump-if-any-co-defendants-turn-destruction-for-rest/ . Here, unfortunately, the 18 co-defendants all apparently committed significant overt acts included in this conspiracy. The question is, what information do they have that would induce Fani Willis to take their testimony over their conviction? I would think the answer is, persons who were directed by OJ to commit these overt acts, with proof (including corroboration by another co-defendant). We will have to wait to see what they will offer, and what horse trading might occur.

More: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/seven-of-trump-s-co-defendants-are-already-rolling-the-dice/ar-AA1fN73U?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=e3f6657b39d64171b86aa115b6ef41c7&ei=83 . This former prosecutor suggests that Fani Willis chose these 18 co-defendants specifically to flip them. I don’t think that’s true for the big-name lawyers (Powell, Giuliani, Eastman) but it could be true of the others. I do agree that those who flip first typically get the best deal.

OJ’s campaign raises $7.1 million after Georgia indictment: https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-indictment-fundraising-71-million-f09f923de753995e0548bd05ddb49c0d . Yes, Americans waste their money on a lot of stupid things. However, why would anyone spend their money on this? Four separate grand juries are persecuting this guy? Criminal law just does not work that way.

Bob Barker passes at 99: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/26/200752493/price-is-right-host-bob-barker-dead . There is a certain sensibility to this. If you watched the show, so many of the smaller items people were asked to price ended in 99. Now, so has Bob Barker. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/bob-barker-longtime-price-is-right-host-dies-at-99-c1da7a35 .