CDC tracks new COVID subvariant: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-08-17/us-cdc-tracks-new-lineage-of-virus-that-causes-covid . The new subvariant’s designation is BA.2.86. It is not necessarily more transmissible than EG.5, but it may have greater potential to evade current vaccines.
COVID cases rise in China: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3231447/chinas-rising-covid-cases-and-new-variant-spark-concerns-about-third-wave . It would help to have some confidence in China’s data, which no one does.
WSJ: Blue Shield of California to reinvent pharmacy purchasing: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/a-big-health-insurer-is-ripping-up-the-playbook-on-drug-pricing-ec152227 .
US childcare costs rising: https://www.wsj.com/economy/child-care-prices-are-rising-at-nearly-twice-the-overall-inflation-rate-2c279c61 .
WSJ: 10-year Treasury rate exceeds 4.30%: https://www.wsj.com/finance/stocks/global-stocks-markets-dow-news-08-17-2023-f51b72d9 . MY view is that this rate will go higher. Inversion has to end.
Problems with Chinese real estate continue: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinese-real-estate-may-world-121050018.html . This newsletter has been all over this problem, dating back to the decline of Evergrande. As we have said, this mess has global recession written all over it. Meanwhile, Evergrande continues to circle the drain: https://www.reuters.com/legal/china-evergrande-files-protection-us-court-part-32-bln-debt-overhaul-2023-08-18/ . This is really a move to hammer foreign investors. Evergrande could still survive with help from the Chinese government. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-evergrande-seeks-u-s-court-approval-for-19-billion-debt-restructuring-8689262e .
Maui’s top emergency official is out: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mauis-top-emergency-official-sound-sirens-fires-approached-rcna100538 . Failing to sound the sirens was a huge mistake. People were caught without warning of any kind. However, the failure to address the dangerous grasslands and poor electrical infrastructure around Lahaina were devastating contributors to this tragedy. That was his responsibility, and he failed miserably. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/maui-emergency-management-chief-resigns-36250b92 .
Some shocking good news from Maui: https://news.yahoo.com/sixty-survivors-found-alive-sheltering-210937960.html . The 60 survivors, many of whom were listed as missing, were sheltering in a remote home cut off by the fires. Still, there are well over 1,000 people still listed as missing.
Canadian wildfires force 20,000 out of Yellowknife: https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/canadian-wildfires-force-evacuation-of-far-north-ed0af025 .
Former top Russian general for Ukraine dies at 58: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/europe/russian-general-gennady-zhidko-death-intl/index.html . General Zhidko was relieved of command less than a year ago. The leading cause of death among senior Russians is apparently screwing up.
WSJ: Fox preparing for upcoming GOP debate: https://www.wsj.com/business/media/fox-news-republican-gop-debate-donald-trump-9177b7dd . The event airs in 6 days. What’s the rush?
“Some of” Orange Julius’ lawyers urge cancellation of his fraud news conference: https://abcnews.go.com/US/trumps-legal-advisers-urge-cancel-press-conference-refute/story?id=102336380 . Anyone with even limited thought processes realizes what a terrible idea this is. Obviously, OJ does not fit in that category. However, maybe “some of” his lawyers do. Some of … UPDATE: OJ “officially” cancels his press conference: https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-officially-cancels-his-major-press-conference-surrounding-georgia-charges .
OJ’s lawyers make absurd request for delay: https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-january-6-special-counsel-b778596d6ce14408a5c9f3ec89a03b1f . A 2½ year delay is a simply ridiculous request, and I see no point to it. It does not create any basis for appeal. The prosecutors must produce all the records responsive to a discovery request. The volume exists because there is a mountain of evidence in this case, much of which everyone, including OJ’s lawyers, are already familiar with. WSJ: We’re just not saying how totally crazy this is: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/donald-trumps-lawyers-ask-for-april-2026-trial-date-for-federal-jan-6-case-757c37c0 .
Furthermore, Judge Chutkan has already cautioned OJ that continued inflammatory statements could cause her to accelerate the trial date, and OJ continues. I’m still thinking January 2 is the leading choice, particularly because the people have a right to a speedy trial. Bottom line, OJ’s lawyers know beyond reasonable doubt that they lose at trial. More: https://www.alternet.org/eat-my-hat-judge-chutkan/ .
Meanwhile, a Texas woman is arrested for threatening Judge Chutkan: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/texas-woman-charged-racist-threats-federal-judge-trump-jan-6-case-tanya-chutkan-sheila-jackson-lee/ . And here is another reason for accelerating the trial. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/crime/texas-woman-charged-over-death-threat-to-judge-in-trump-federal-criminal-case-219f8ee1 .
Judge Cannon struggles with classified documents case: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/politics/cannon-classified-evidence-trump-hearing/index.html . Considering the importance of this case, the Sixth Circuit should consider appointing another judge to travel to this district and take over these proceedings.
WSJ: Mark Meadows’ role in election fraud: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/the-curious-case-of-mark-meadows-told-through-two-indictments-d50ed19 . This is really babbling which the Journal decided to print. Obviously, different prosecutors of a case often choose different methods of laying out the facts. In particular, the Georgia indictment is focused on meeting the standards of the Georgia RICO law. The Journal’s decline in reporting standards continues.
Musk criticized by federal judge for withholding evidence from OJ special prosecutor: https://abcnews.go.com/US/special-counsel-sought-trumps-twitter-dms-despite-extraordinary/story?id=102306600 .
Meanwhile, Twitter screws up again: https://www.thedailybeast.com/two-brands-suspend-twitter-advertising-after-appearing-on-pro-nazi-account . Very clearly, they are repeatedly unable to police content on their platform. Musk’s staff cuts were a really bad idea.
CNN identifies most of OJ’s 30 unindicted co-conspirators in the Georgia case: https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/politics/trump-georgia-30-unindicted-co-conspirators/index.html .
Georgia grand jurors in OJ’s case there face threats: https://abcnews.go.com/US/fulton-county-authorities-aware-identities-trump-grand-jurors/story?id=102352837 . Presumably the FBI will find the people responsible, track them down and send them to prison.
Long sentences proposed for Proud Boys leaders: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/u-s-seeks-33-years-in-prison-for-proud-boys-tarrio-in-jan-6-attack/ar-AA1fql3A?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=953b36b0843148db93b6890bdfe6263b&ei=14 . So all of these sentences should be a minimum of 20 years, based on the other sentences in the January 6 cases.
DeMentis debate memo hits the media, and the fan: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/desantis-debate-memo-urges-defend-trump-attack-ramaswamy-rcna100414 . Why, oh why, would something like this be so insufficiently secured that it ends up online? DeMentis is well into laughingstock territory now.
Could Stanford and Cal still join the ACC?: https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/momentum-building-for-two-schools-to-be-joining-the-acc . It still seems outrageous that Oregon State, ranked No. 18 in preseason polls, remains an orphan of the Pac-12 collapse. More speculation: https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2023/8/17/23835657/acc-expansion-survival-future-notre-dame-stanford-smu-conference-realignment .