ACA preventative care mandates blocked: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/u-s-judge-blocks-obamacare-coverage-mandate-for-some-cancer-screenings-prep/ar-AA19hrPr?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=425f0374887d458da3c0d166db2dc852&ei=98 . The ruling seems likely to be appealed by the federal government. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-strikes-down-some-affordable-care-act-rules-on-preventive-health-services-8da6f2b0 .
WSJ: Telemedicine startups face regulatory shift: https://www.wsj.com/articles/telemedicine-startups-wary-of-regulatory-shift-in-war-on-opioid-addiction-464f014a .
Details of CFTC complaint against Binance: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/crypto-giant-binance-offered-perks-to-flash-boys-regulators-lawsuit-says-57c5ceb4 .
WSJ: Wells Fargo fined for sanctions violations dating to 2015: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-treasury-fine-wells-fargo-for-sanctions-violations-ac5b06d4 . The IRS and Treasury fines are $97.5 million. I do not understand why people continue to do business with these screw-ups.
Coal prices fall with warm winter weather: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coal-prices-tumble-while-use-of-wind-power-solar-energy-leaps-ahead-33eb5726 . Let’s not forget that the warm winter saved Ukraine’s and Europe’s bacon while thwarting Putin’s use of energy as a weapon.
Political uncertainty in Taiwan: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/political-uncertainty-in-taiwan-adds-to-u-s-china-tensions-89a74308 . One wonders if China and/or Russia are interfering in this election.
WSJ: Finland heads into NATO: https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-parliament-ratifies-finlands-nato-membership-bid-fb2b6aaa . Let’s hope Sweden’s membership will move forward in the not-too-distant future. One issue is the elections in Turkey, scheduled for May 14.
WSJ: Military action again puts Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in harm’s way: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nuclear-plant-at-risk-as-ukraine-and-russia-gear-up-for-spring-offensive-7cf4ad3c .
Orange Julius indicted by New York grand jury: https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-new-york-indictment-election-027d0e5ac1881a4c55c6379deae75faa . At this time, the indictment remains sealed. We do not know what crime OJ is charged with, or if it is a misdemeanor or a felony. Of the four major cases currently proceeding against OJ, this is widely considered to be the weakest. However, one expects that more indictments will follow before July 4.
WSJ: We emphasize our investigative reporting which publicized the Stormy Daniels case: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trumps-hush-money-a-history-of-the-wsjs-investigation-fccf8096 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-history-of-the-trump-hush-money-saga-fe5cac3c . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/grand-jury-votes-to-indict-donald-trump-a9512240 . Here’s our latest reporting: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-indictment-stormy-daniels-hush-money-coverup-3667259e . Also, we did so well with the first one, here’s reporting on a second potential case: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-grand-jury-digs-into-hush-money-paid-to-second-woman-c1818ffb . Fine. But we’re not overlooking who owns you, and the favoritism shown for so long toward Orange Julius.
OJ advisors “in shock” at indictment: https://www.mediaite.com/politics/team-trump-in-shock-at-indictment-maggie-haberman-says-they-were-caught-very-much-by-surprise/ . The main surprise is the timing. One wonders if the announcement about the grand jury taking time off next week was designed to lessen the possibility of protests and give the jurors an opportunity to avoid scrutiny.
GOP presidential candidates support OJ, slam DA: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/trumps-2024-presidential-rivals-jump-defense-indictment-rcna77529 . So, no support for the rule of law but instead unanimous grievance BS. The GOP remains broken. Meanwhile, Governor DeMentis vows no extradition support. A governor can block extradition only in extremely limited circumstances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition_law_in_the_United_States . And of course, no request has been made, and OJ has allegedly agreed to surrender next Tuesday. Apparently Ron slept through 3 years of (Harvard) law school.
Fox Not-the-News’ latest disclosures scream lying as loud as possible: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/dominion-releases-previously-redacted-slides-fox-news-lawsuit-rcna77257 . As jaded as we have become to the lying on Fox, this still shocks. Their fact checkers (the “Brain Room”!) wrote on NOVEMBER 13, 2020, “there’s no evidence of widespread fraud or of major problems with Dominion’s systems.” Fox redacted the Brain Room findings, but THE JUDGE ordered they be made public.
One of Fox’s hosts, Brett Baier, wrote the Fox Not-the-News President challenging the airing of the false claims. However, another, Maria Bartiromo, pressed the network to go to “a full on war” to SUPPORT Orange Julius’ claims. Her unsupported proclamations (quoted in this article) demonstrate that she is a full on nut. Fraud and deceit are well-known in American society. But never like this. This is also wildly beyond any yellow journalism the US has ever seen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism .
My previously stated view here was that the evidence supports “reckless disregard of the truth” in spades, but that “intent to mislead” is always hard to prove. However, I cannot recall a case where “intent to mislead” is so clearly proven and so aggressively implemented by the defendants. In legal terms, this is “dagger in the heart” stuff. As Murdoch testified, “this was not about red and blue, but about green”. This was also very clearly not about journalism or professional behavior. More from CNN: https://www.mediaite.com/news/its-incredible-cnns-anderson-cooper-and-oliver-darcy-shocked-by-new-extremely-stunning-e-mails-in-fox-news-case/ .
Russians arrest WSJ journalist on spying charges: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-detains-us-journalist-espionage-wall-street-journal-rcna77354 . Readers here have seen Mr. Gershkovich’s work. Two days ago we cited his article, “Russia’s economy is starting to come undone”. Indeed, I believe his article is the real reason behind his arrest; the Russians are intimidating foreign reporters in their country. WSJ’s response to the arrest: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-security-service-detains-wall-street-journal-reporter-cbfbd505 . By the way, the WSJ article’s mention of Gerald Seib, detained in Iran in 1987, does not mention that he was a WSJ employee at that time. Here is Seib’s bio on the WSJ site, which mentions his assignment to the Middle East but not his detention: https://www.wsj.com/news/author/gerald-f-seib . Also, the “was” apparently means he has retired from his position with WSJ in DC.
Stealing at Google: https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/report-a-google-ai-researcher-resigned-after-learning-googles-bard-uses-data-from-chatgpt . Of course, this article comes from Microsoft’s propaganda machine, but it does provide a link to its information source, as we always do.
AI could cost 300 million white collar jobs worldwide: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/29/tech/chatgpt-ai-automation-jobs-impact-intl-hnk/index.html . This analysis by Goldman Sachs is suspect. However, what I mean is, there already has been and will continue to be an effect on blue collar work as well. Robots and drones are clear evidence of that. And as automation has already extensively replaced manual labor, and the jobs still often require less thought than white collar jobs, that replacement will continue. For example, self-driving vehicles will at some point radically contract truck driving, Lyft, Uber and so on.
We can’t name the total number of jobs eliminated right now, in either white or blue collar categories. But the next step is even more dangerous. What if AI gains the power of creative thought? That will irretrievably be the next attempted advance after the current explosion in automation does its work on the global workforce.
Ray Dalio: Everyone is losing money right now: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/savingandinvesting/ray-dalio-warns-everyone-is-losing-money-as-the-market-faces-a-terrible-imbalance/ar-AA19hjTD?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=d6a6b133081048d6a2b83c6f2aba4ed0&ei=16 . Yes, but for more basic reasons than Mr. Dalio describes. It’s certainly true that all market investors lose money when the market turns broadly downward, and leveraged investors lose more. But markets today offer much less diversification than has been available in the past. As a result, stocks, bonds, and real estate are all turning downward together.
The tremendous stimulus developed governments pumped into their economies during the pandemic has created too much money sloshing around. So did crypto on its upward swing. As all these markets turn downward, cash remains the safest place. US Treasuries are next safest, provided you hold them to maturity. This is particularly true when yields are inverted, as they are now. Beyond that, you must look to minimize risk while maximizing return. The average American can always live in a paid-for house, or one with a fixed mortgage, as long as they can also pay the taxes. Beyond that, best of luck … and do your research.
Pope’s health improves: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2023-03-30/pope-francis-had-peaceful-night-in-hospital-ansa-news-agency . Still no word on whether he will conduct Palm Sunday services.
WSJ: Virgin drops out of Orbit: https://www.wsj.com/articles/virgin-orbit-holdings-to-cut-workforce-by-85-f7f40057 . This billionaire indulgence project moves closer to the end days.
Hillsdale College “decertifies” Tallahassee Classical School: https://apnews.com/article/david-statue-nudity-hillsdale-college-73808ac0b65eb9cd51ae7984da4db6b6 . As Hillsdale notes, this situation has become a parody of education in the classics. Let’s go, Governor DeMentis! Again, Florida taxpayers are paying for Ron’s nonsense-based authoritarianism.
Gwyneth Paltrow found not liable in ski accident case: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/gwyneth-paltrow-ski-crash-case-verdict-230014899.html . Additionally, the jury awarded Paltrow legal fees, which could be very expensive for the plaintiff. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gwyneth-paltrow-ski-accident-trial-closing-arguments-verdict-67e6021 .
WSJ: T Rex’s teeth covered by its lizard lips: https://www.wsj.com/articles/t-rex-dinosaur-lizard-lips-teeth-e04dc630 . Apparently, the Jurassic Park series needs to be re-filmed …