Transgender care access argued before full 4th Circuit bench: https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-north-carolina-transgender-health-care-e59d4b7dec94542aeff186e8f10d7c54 . En banc hearings are not that unusual for cases raising important constitutional issues. The arguments offered by the states strike me as ridiculous on their face. North Carolina argues that denying transition care is not discriminatory because they don’t offer detransition care either. So denying all gender care somehow makes it nondiscriminatory?
West Virginia argues that because they have limited resources, they are entitled to choose who gets care. Limited resources do not allow discrimination, period. This is an easy decision for the 4th Circuit. But will the Supreme Court screw it up?
WSJ: How fathers benefit their children through play: https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/the-long-term-benefits-of-hands-on-fathering-cd3e8cb2 .
WSJ: Novo Nordisk finds US plant unsanitary: https://www.wsj.com/health/pharma/contamination-is-found-at-novo-nordisk-plant-in-u-s-92bca9bf . With weight loss drugs in enormous demand right now, this is a significant misstep for NovoNordisk.
Aspartame affects memory and learning … in mice: https://www.foxnews.com/health/aspartame-could-cause-memory-learning-deficits-future-generations-new-study-suggests . I really see no reason to drink this stuff.
UAW backs away from 32-hour work week demand: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/uaws-demand-for-32-hour-workweek-takes-back-seat-in-talks-21505fdc . This seemed like pie in the sky all along.
WSJ: BOE and BOJ hold rates: https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/bank-of-england-rate-decision-september-87d20f5a , and https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/bank-of-japan-holds-off-on-rate-increase-as-inflation-stays-above-target-a21e587e .
WSJ: The “neutral” interest rate: https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/higher-interest-rates-not-just-for-longer-but-maybe-forever-d5891964 . Because many actuarial disciplines (particularly pension work) focus on the long-term interest rate, here is my experience concerning this issue. In the 70’s, we believed stable long-term economic conditions were 2% inflation, 3 to 3½% annual raises, 5% interest, 6% to 8% average return on real estate, and 8% to 10% returns on stocks. The relative rates on different classes of investments reflected the risk/reward equation, meaning higher risk investments should have a higher average return over time.
We have certainly seen economic conditions that were far away from this long-term stability. Most recently, we have seen interest rates in many countries at or near zero, as a method of economic stimulus. But why would anyone invest in a long-term bond that does not offer a positive real rate of return over inflation? So if inflation is targeted at 2%, it is very hard to argue for a long-term interest rate under 4%, which is what the market is predicting currently.
Bottom line, long-term economic stability still looks a lot like the 70’s model described above. The expectation of a return to low interest rates has never been reasonable, in my view, and the fed is now making that clear.
WSJ: Ukraine presses to expand breach in Russian lines near Zaporizhzhia: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukrainian-armored-vehicles-breach-russian-defensive-line-in-southeast-bcd472d4 .
Why Orange Julius wouldn’t wear a mask: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cassidy-hutchinson-trump-mask_n_650bc95fe4b02a26c5c3c911 . No surprise that vanity is at the bottom of exposing the GOP base to the COVID virus, with fatal consequences. However, the bronzer story is an important detail that rings true.
Why OJ really is a complete moron: He wants the government shut down to delay his prosecutions: https://www.aol.com/news/trump-urges-government-shutdown-unlikely-141338841.html . We are talking complete coward here. And by the way, that won’t stop the New York or Georgia prosecutions.
Meanwhile, McCarthy fails again to pass a House GOP bill that has no chance of passing in the Senate: https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-house-republicans-spending-cuts-deff84c0e2ff7d3bd076b8c38e14cca4 . Methinks the House GOP is well on the way to losing their majority in 2024. McCarthy is also well on the way to being the least successful Speaker in House history. Meanwhile, the Journal is apparently still drinking the McCarthy Kool-Aid: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/gops-dysfunction-caucus-blocks-mccarthy-as-government-shutdown-looms-f8f624f9 . Oh, wait — the Journal gets the news: https://www.wsj.com/politics/kevin-mccarthy-gop-government-shutdown-a3884c74 .
Rupert Murdoch steps down at Fox: https://apnews.com/article/murdoch-fox-quit-emeritus-30286a4a3107b7bde612adbfc7891958 . The villian who has threatened English-speaking democracy globally finally gets his sorry ass off the stage. Here’s wishing for the complete collapse of what’s left of Fox: https://apnews.com/article/murdoch-fox-michael-wolff-fall-160050b5fbce575dde70780ab2e40048 .
The Journal comments on the departure of their boss, Rupert Murdoch: https://www.wsj.com/business/media/rupert-murdoch-to-step-down-as-chair-of-fox-and-news-corp-after-seven-decade-career-a71da24 .
The (sorry) GOP primary race: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/21/politics/donald-trump-poll-analysis/index.html . At the present, it seems unlikely that OJ’s legal troubles will prevent him from capturing the nomination. As I’ve said before, Biden then wins the general unless his health fails or a meaningful third-party candidate emerges.
Let’s review the challengers. Ron DeMentis, the early Number 2, has fallen back, and he is unlikely to recover. He’s picked fights with every minority out there and is perceived as more far right than OJ. No chance in a general election. Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy represent minorities. I do not see a majority of the GOP base supporting a nonwhite candidate. Chris Christie, as the article notes, is disliked within the GOP, not least for his attacks against OJ.
As to the also-rans – Mike Pence, Asa Hutchinson, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum – as GOP voters wish, they should all drop out. However, they have such limited support that this won’t change the race. Bottom line, the GOP is stuck with OJ barring a revelation by the GOP base that a soon-to-be-convicted grifter should not be US president.
Alex Murdaugh begins to admit guilt: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/murdaugh-pleads-guilty-federal-financial-crimes-may-face-lie-detector-rcna111312 . The money squabbles will last for years, and there won’t be enough to go around.
Meanwhile, Sidney Powell’s lawyers are apparently as nutty as she is: https://news.yahoo.com/sidney-powells-lawyers-georgia-racketeering-052127896.html . Let me restate what the article describes as their argument. They want the Georgia racketeering charges against her dismissed because they’re destroying her reputation. But charges of this severity always have that effect. Here, the damage cited includes loss of her TSA privileges. But the penalty here is a minimum mandatory jail sentence of 5 years. I cannot understand why any lawyer would advance such an absurd proposition.
High school band camp bus crashes – 2 dead, 5 critically injured: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rollover-bus-crash-new-york-leaves-40-injured-5-critically-rcna111440 .
Moose charges Colorado hiker: https://apnews.com/article/moose-attack-colorado-hiker-rocky-mountains-d34a52f10d806cf04f60b5ee59118851 . This story writes its own summary, which AP missed. To recap, after the incident, Colorado wildlife officers could not locate the moose, according to department spokesperson Kara Van Hoose, misquoted as Kara Hoose in the original story. In other words, “Said Kara Van Hoose (not Hoose), ‘The moose is on the loose’.”
Pterodactyl over Dodger Stadium!: https://sports.yahoo.com/pterodactyl-mlb-announcer-stunned-ball-073845832.html . Okay, it’s baseball announcing, not science club. Still, this is a total fowl ball. A goose’s wingspan is 5 to 6 feet, and they weigh 2 to 18 pounds: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/canadagoose.html#:~:text=Identification,Weight%3A%202%20to%2018%20pounds. A pterodactyl’s wingspan went up to 35 feet and they weighed up to 500 pounds: https://dinosaurfactsforkids.com/how-big-was-a-pterodactyl/ . However, in the world where any publicity is good publicity, this is a winner.
The Oregon-Colorado match-up: https://sports.yahoo.com/will-colorado-keep-it-close-against-oregon-here-are-the-keys-to-saturdays-pac-12-clash-154433535.html . If Bo Nix has his typical home game, Oregon wins easily – they are 3-touchdown favorites. This is a huge opportunity for Oregon to show its backbone in front of a large national audience. But of course, the Ducks have to actually play the game. A question not discussed in the article is whether Oregon’s defense can get to Sanders – they are quicker and larger than the defenses Colorado has faced so far.