COVID-19: A vascular disease: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/05/917317541/clots-strokes-and-rashes-is-covid-19-a-disease-of-the-blood-vessels . Regular readers are aware that while COVID-19 launches as a respiratory disease, it morphs into a vascular disease. This article provides the latest details on how the vascular system is damaged. In particular, there are highly elevated levels of Von Willebrand factor, involved in coagulation, which are predictive of the most severe cases. The mechanism is not fully understood, but the mysteries of COVID-19 are beginning to unravel. https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/vwf/ .
WSJ: Vaccine distribution challenges: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-next-big-challenge-after-a-covid-vaccine-is-giving-it-to-enough-people-11604945455 .
EU buying 300 million doses of Pfizer vaccine: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-europe-ursula-von-der-leyen-d2f521318e321da37edffa5e9208a133 .
WSJ: Drug lab challenges: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-eli-lilly-developed-a-covid-drug-in-the-pandemics-long-shadow-11605023414 .
US remains at record hospitalizations: https://apnews.com/article/doctors-better-equipped-virus-surge-743c0448c3ada001d327d73a6f2ed9d7 . More: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/11/pandemic-coronavirus-hospitalizations-new-record/617061/ .
Texas sets another daily case record: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-texas-laredo-79f0a0d126cc2a003103a40a1c021e2e .
WSJ: America continues to fail the COVID-19 test: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-new-covid-19-surge-testing-and-data-woes-challenge-u-s-response-11605009609 . It is so disturbing that we know what to do, and don’t do it. US deaths in World War II were 418,500 (1941-1945). One projection is for 400,000 US deaths by February 1, 2021 – that is, about one year since the first death: https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america?view=total-deaths&tab=trend . Here is a group of academic models: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/covid-forecasts/ .
Nevada governor warns residents: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-las-vegas-nevada-3a718985787a5e6400be6f3b613cae20 . Um, warning of a lockdown in two weeks will cause lots of folks to go out more now. Could you finish the vote count before you shut down?
A new FDA Director?: https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-under-pressure-to-name-fda-chief-as-public-faith-in-covid-vaccine-falters . A logical choice would be the prior FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb. Dr. Gottlieb is referenced regularly in this newsletter. If Gottlieb has ambitions for a higher position, he could be made FDA Commissioner for a year or less and then elevated. Gottlieb is a Republican. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Gottlieb .
WSJ: Public OxyContin?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democratic-senators-object-to-rebranding-of-purdue-as-a-public-asset-11605022508 . This does seem like an extraordinarily bad idea. In the middle of my copy, there is an ad for Fidelity charitable giving. This placement is also an extraordinarily bad idea.
WSJ: ACA at the Supreme Court: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-hears-arguments-over-constitutionality-of-aca-11605025850 . Rational people understand that striking down the ACA in the middle of a pandemic is political suicide for the Court. Even the WSJ Editorial Board gets it: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-misjudgment-on-obamacare-11605050393 . I would guess that does not include Thomas and Alito, unless Roberts can talk them into a 9-0 opinion. I would also guess that ACB will follow Roberts regardless of her actual opinion. If she doesn’t, that would be a very troubling sign for the Court’s future.
WSJ: Curb the virus to save the economy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/research-ties-curbing-the-covid-19-pandemic-to-saving-the-economy-11605016800 . There is a ton of research supporting this (in my view obvious) conclusion.
Europe faces ICU bed, hospital staff shortages: https://apnews.com/article/international-news-virus-outbreak-italy-barcelona-france-d7a43368a17f0abaff4d563151b84127 .
WSJ: Vaccine production problems in Russia: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-coronavirus-vaccine-rollout-plans-hit-production-speed-bumps-11605026802 . This shows you why Bill Gates poured money into pre-building production facilities: https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-factories-7-different-vaccines-to-fight-coronavirus-2020-4 .
WSJ: A cleaner China?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/toxic-politics-review-can-xi-jinping-clean-house-11605048927 . This review does show the book is well-researched. Of particular interest is the hiding of 50 million tons of steel production and infertility problems in China.
WSJ: Science vs. politics in Brazil: https://www.wsj.com/articles/brazils-butantan-institute-disputes-suspension-of-coronavirus-vaccine-trials-11605021781 .
WSJ: 737 MAX nears clearance to fly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-faces-possible-new-faa-enforcement-action-over-alleged-regulatory-lapses-11605031417 . One hopes the FAA is not rushing to settle enforcement actions before the Biden presidency. The fundamental lesson of 737 MAX is that the FAA needs to step up oversight in a major way. The FAA has been failing its mission for some time.
WSJ: Status report on 5G: https://www.wsj.com/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-5g-11605024717 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/5gs-early-business-adopters-explore-new-generation-of-wireless-applications-11605027402 . The build-out of private 5G networks tells you that speed alone is a powerful tool. It will advance smart devices, which will likely spill over into the consumer market at some point. WSJ: Actual expert information: https://www.wsj.com/articles/should-the-u-s-change-how-it-doles-out-airwaves-for-5g-11605047990 . This is very helpful in thinking through 5G issues. WSJ should be strongly encouraged to do more of this.
WSJ: The fall of malls: https://www.wsj.com/articles/malls-file-for-bankruptcy-or-shut-their-doors-as-pandemic-pain-spreads-11605013664 . The article ignores the massive pain coming to debt holders. Retail is moving online. Mall bankruptcy is the most financially beneficial route for many owners.
Yet another reason why Trump is a loser: https://www.businessinsider.com/late-mail-ballots-supreme-court-case-wont-help-trump-2020-11 .
WSJ: The illness continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/many-republicans-back-trump-on-challenges-to-election-result-11604925680 . As someone wisely said early in the election, “Trump is not trying to be re-elected, he’s trying to stay in power. There’s a big difference.”
Republicans give up on spines: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-elections-d119d89aea5cad57237b88bf37199bc9 . Weasels have vertebrae. Turtles have vertebrae. Snakes have vertebrae. Republican politicians have pretty much devolved into jellyfish. Meanwhile, America suffers. Democracy suffers. Civilization suffers.
WSJ: The morality crisis: https://www.wsj.com/articles/vatican-overlooked-warnings-of-sexual-misconduct-by-former-u-s-cardinal-mccarrick-report-finds-11605013875 . This article is included to point out how long WSJ takes to get to the central point. The Catholic Church literally made a saint out of a man who with knowledge promoted a pedophile to be Archbishop of Washington, DC. Isn’t this conclusive evidence that the Pope is not in touch with God? It’s clearly true of the last three.
WSJ: The Biden-McConnell dynamic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-reserve-could-become-early-flashpoint-between-biden-and-mcconnell-11605029234 . Rushed Fed appointments are a really bad idea in the current environment. For one thing, it will further delegitimize Amy Coney Barrett. Also, the two Georgia Senate seats decide control of the Senate, and this move would not help Republicans. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-and-mcconnell-old-sparring-partners-hold-key-to-cooperation-11605052194 .
More on Biden’s policy initiatives: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-virus-outbreak-senate-elections-0074a32323e0910c8bafa5ac3cf6423f .
WSJ: US House update: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-to-hold-on-to-house-majority-ap-says-11605067516 . Pelosi is prescient in noting that Republican Congressional success occurred because of the turnout of Trump voters. Trump will not be on the ballot in 2022. And 34 Senators will be: 22 are Republicans and 12 are Democrats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_United_States_Senate_elections . Democrats must learn from O’Rourke’s Texas and Abrams’ Georgia. Spend your money on registering voters starting today, not advertising in 2022. And ramp up in Georgia yesterday.
Man shot by dog: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2020/11/03/dog-shoots-plano-man-in-the-leg-yes-you-read-that-right/ . In new court filings, Texas Republicans allege the dog is a Democratic voter.
WSJ: Diversity “push”?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ups-lifts-ban-on-beards-in-diversity-push-11605045820 . Um, the “push” appears to be business necessity for UPS. This article doesn’t say much for WSJ, either. This article is like an ad for a company that moved only after legal pressure.
WSJ: Defund the police: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-to-dispatch-mental-health-teams-to-some-911-calls-11605047892 . Will an armed officer be present? If so, how does that affect the de-escalation? If not, who protects the social worker?
Trump supports Oregon sex workers of color: https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/11/oregon-sex-workers-can-apply-for-coronavirus-relief-grants.html . And there’s more evidence of the headline than Trump has of election fraud.
Floridian with Down’s syndrome completes Iron Man competition: https://www.bbc.com/sport/triathlon/54869998 . Very impressive.