Child Omicron hospitalizations quadruple Delta: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-02-15/cdc-study-peak-covid-19-child-hospitalizations-during-omicron-wave-4-times-higher-than-delta .
School mask mandates lifting nationwide: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/supply-chain-woes-ease-but-businesses-still-navigate-inconsistent-inventories-145925606.html .
One-third of Americans who believe COVID misinformation know they disagree with scientists and medical experts: https://www.axios.com/coronavirus-vaccines-misinformation-science-republicans-dfede777-0029-4168-9c62-6004128c8cab.html . Admittedly, this is laughably stupid. But we have to focus on the two-thirds who are truly misinformed and ill-informed. Here is the link to the full report: https://osf.io/9ua2x/ .
COVID vaccination during pregnancy protects infants: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-02-15/covid-vaccination-in-pregnancy-can-protect-infants-study-suggests . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/babies-of-vaccinated-mothers-less-likely-to-be-hospitalized-with-covid-19-11644951790 .
White House will seek another $30 billion for COVID fight: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-jen-psaki-xavier-becerra-baf4c25ee59c851551dcae75e08cae25 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-administration-seeking-additional-30-billion-for-covid-19-response-11644963914 .
Federal judge enjoins military discharge over vaccine mandate refusal: https://thehill.com/policy/defense/air-force/594443-georgia-federal-court-judge-air-force-from-booting-service-member . The judge’s comments struck me as, well, goofy. So a bit of research indicates the judge has been on the federal bench less than 4 years. He is a Trump appointee known as, I kid you not, Tripp Self: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripp_Self .
UK COVID fight assisted by antivirals and steroids: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-60390187 .
HIV stem cell cure progresses: https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/scientists-possibly-cured-hiv-woman-first-time-rcna16196 . The apparent cure has very limited application right now. However, this step represents very significant progress in finding tools to defeat this disease. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/woman-appears-cured-of-hiv-after-umbilical-cord-blood-transplant-11644945720 .
Omicron explodes in South Korea: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-business-pandemics-seoul-439624ee5ee50c9ef45609a2c93648a4 .
Xi pressures Hong Kong on Omicron control: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/16/xi-tells-hong-kong-to-control-omicron-fuelled-outbreak . Again, Zero COVID is failing because of inferior Chinese vaccines. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-hospital-wards-overflow-as-omicron-defies-zero-covid-policies-11644937247 .
Wholesale price inflation rate increases: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/supply-chain-woes-ease-but-businesses-still-navigate-inconsistent-inventories-145925606.html . The latest data confirms that the Fed kept easy money policies for too long. Again, a 50 basis point increase in March is the right move.
Pension funds chase higher interest returns through private loans: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pension-funds-chase-returns-in-private-market-debt-11644873517 . Some of these loans will fail. The person who authorized the loan will have hell to pay.
Supply chain woes continue: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/supply-chain-woes-ease-but-businesses-still-navigate-inconsistent-inventories-145925606.html .
DeMentis fights against Florida redistricting as too fair: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/desantis-digs-redistricting-fight-fellow-republicans-rcna15966 . The state of the GOP plays out in Florida. Incumbent politicians generally favor maps that preserve the status quo (i.e., they’re in office). But DeMentis’ national ambitions require that he push the GOP to cheat more, at least in his small mind. Instead of a Big Tent, the GOP aims for a Small Tent with Big Money. While surely not the American Dream, it is arguably the current American reality.
Jury rejects Palin claims against New York Times: https://www.yahoo.com/now/jury-rejects-sarah-palin-case-204910992.html . An appeal is expected, intended to attack the longstanding rule of New York Times v Sullivan (1964): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Times_Co._v._Sullivan . The rule is that a public figure must prove actual malice to sue over a news report. Given that both the judge and the jury independently ruled against Palin, this would normally be a near-impossible appeal.
However, as the conservatives on the Supreme Court have indicated an interest in reconsidering the Sullivan rule, they may take the case not to find for Palin but to rewrite the Sullivan rule. In my view, that would be an appalling mistake, but this Court seems prepared to tear down the rule of law as we have known it. Also, reducing the standard would greatly increase the jeopardy for conservative media, given their limited attachment to facts.
Zucker’s girlfriend resigns from CNN: https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/allison-gollust-resign-cnn-warnermedia-1235183160/ . Looks like Chris Cuomo blew the place up. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cnn-chief-marketing-officer-allison-gollust-resigns-11644972604 .
Four-year-old kidnapped in 2019 found alive: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/two-years-tip-finally-led-police-missing-girl-hidden-stairs-chief-says-rcna16409 . This reporting is more direct than other articles. The child’s biological parents lost custody 2 years ago, and then kidnapped her from her legal guardian. One can speculate that the loss of custody involved abuse or drug use, as those are the most common reasons to take a child away from her parents.