WSJ: COVID-19 dangers in pregnancy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-covid-19-and-pregnancy-11602536377 .
But COVID-19 dangers for newborns from mom may be limited: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/10/12/covid-sick-moms-may-not-need-separated-babies-after-birth/5965274002/ .
Celebrity pandemic pregnancies: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/10/10/mindy-kaling-baby-actress-details-pandemic-pregnancy-experience/5953690002/ . Yet another combination of three words that was inconceivable in 2019.
COVID-19 dangers for sharks: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/10/10/922398246/a-coronavirus-vaccine-could-kill-half-a-million-sharks-conservationists-warn . What? It turns out it’s not the virus but the vaccines that endanger sharks. Again, what? All plants and animals produce squalene. It is the precursor to all steroids. Commercially, squalene is harvested from sharks’ livers for use in cosmetics.
However, squalene is also used in many vaccines to stimulate the immune system. In this way, as vaccines are tested, shark squalene becomes the approved ingredient. At least 5 COVID-19 vaccines use shark squalene, and so mass production of those vaccines would lead to increased harvesting of sharks. By the way, the word “squalene” comes from “Squalus”, a genus of sharks. Non-animal sources of squalene include olive oil, sugar cane, wheat germ, bacteria and yeast.
WSJ: J&J vaccine trial paused as participant falls ill: https://www.wsj.com/articles/johnson-johnson-pauses-covid-19-vaccine-trials-due-to-sick-subject-11602555101 .
Study: 75,000 more US COVID-19 deaths from March to July: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/10/12/us-covid-deaths-75-k-more-americans-died-than-previously-recorded-excess-deaths/5935813002/ . Another puzzler arises in interpreting excess deaths during the pandemic. Good luck with mortality rate calculations.
WSJ: Lockdowns lose favor: https://www.wsj.com/articles/public-health-experts-rethink-lockdowns-as-covid-cases-surge-11602514769 . These are the very foreseeable consequences of failing to control the virus early. We now have lack of compliance (with mask-wearing and small group rules) and lack of effective contact tracing.
This condemns the population to ongoing infection until broad usage of an effective vaccine. This looks like July or August of next year at the earliest. We are maybe halfway through the pandemic. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wisconsin-judge-upholds-governors-mask-order-11602535154 .
WSJ: More on the Nevada COVID-19 reinfection: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-reinfection-documented-in-nevada-adds-to-questions-on-virus-immunity-11602541808 . Sigh. The real risk is virus mutation. That risk has been increased by failure to contain the virus. This raises the virus load in the population, which increases the mutation risk.
WHO: Herd immunity approach to COVID-19 “unethical”: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/12/who-chief-says-herd-immunity-approach-to-pandemic-unethical .
WSJ: Global round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-updates-10-12-2020-11602490280 . The Midwest continues to see a COVID-19 surge.
WSJ: New Jersey COVID-19 surge: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-cases-climb-in-new-jersey-worrying-health-officials-11602537295 .
WSJ: New York battles COVID-19 with selective lockdowns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-can-stop-a-second-wave-of-covid-19-gov-cuomo-says-11602534486 .
WSJ: Travel restrictions in Europe increased to battle COVID-19: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-coronavirus-infections-rise-in-europe-so-do-travel-restrictions-11602496801 . A similar problem is interstate travel in the US. Ever traveled on a Eurail pass? I wonder how that works in this pandemic era. That problem is at least partially solved by banning US travelers in the entire region.
China will test 9 million Qingdao residents in the next 5 days: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-international-news-pandemics-asia-china-77da12921617c2c4ed225cdde17b30fd . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-cluster-in-chinas-qingdao-prompts-city-wide-testing-11602502755 . (1) Lock them up (something that works in China but not here); (2) 9 million tests in 5 days (something else that works in China but not here). Update: https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-china-archive-qingdao-baa8f639828c2b89dce94a2f6c3ad15a .
WSJ: Another drug dealer goes down: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drugmaker-mallinckrodt-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-11602500265 . The pain opioids have caused people and societies far outweighs the medical benefits.
WSJ: Does cryptocurrency have a future?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/central-banks-havent-made-a-convincing-case-for-digital-currencies-11602502935 . Society is in desperate need of a new definition of privacy. This thought-piece sharpens the issues in a global economy. Privacy in this context can mean illicit transactions.
WSJ: The next US trade war: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-europe-relations-tested-as-talks-on-taxing-multinationals-fall-short-11602498928 .
WSJ: Corporate taxes in a global economy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/global-companies-are-caught-between-new-taxes-and-a-trade-war-11602523401 .
WSJ: Pandemic stimulus in a global economy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-stimulus-spending-consensus-eludes-global-leaders-11602505683 .
There is an underlying if unrecognized theme in the last 3 articles. National governments traditionally derive their income from taxation of domestic activities. The globalization of companies has created an issue as to the allocation of tax income from these international companies.
WSJ: A new “risk” in bond funds?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-probes-small-bond-trades-that-lead-to-big-returns-11602495001 . So it turns out the price is not always the value, even in highly regulated markets.
WSJ: 5G iPhone on Tuesday: https://www.wsj.com/articles/apples-5g-iphone-carries-high-expectations-11602495001 . Hype or hope? Yes, both. Remote work is here to stay. As such, the relationship between phones and laptops is more complex than ever. WSJ: PC demand: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pc-demand-during-pandemic-drives-strongest-u-s-market-growth-in-a-decade-11602537956 .
WSJ: Death and e-commerce: https://www.wsj.com/articles/even-funeral-homes-are-getting-pinched-by-amazon-11602516119 . This article is just creepy – well beyond insensitive.
WSJ: Nobel Prize in Economics awarded for new auction models: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nobel-prize-in-economic-sciences-is-awarded-to-u-s-academics-for-invention-of-new-auction-formats-11602496403 . Maybe this will help in all of the upcoming bankruptcy auctions, although restaurant equipment will be a dime a dozen.
Laid off by mum: https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-wales-54451855 . Things are tough globally for small business.
WSG: Big data tackles handedness: https://www.wsj.com/articles/shedding-light-on-the-riddle-of-lefties-and-righties-11602517815 . As a leftie, I can report that which hand I use to accomplish a task is as convoluted as male and female nouns in French – and this is true for many lefties.
Trump returns to campaign trail: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-donald-trump-sanford-health-42f306cf95d0a7337b818f89770cf539 .
WSJ: The Biden strategy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-election-formula-its-about-two-big-themes-man-11602512600 . Well, WSJ (Gerry Seib) is talking out of its … hat. I agree that Biden has read the country’s mood well. I also agree the campaign is being decided on two points. They are: (1) Trump has a record now, and it’s appalling; and (2) Joe is not Hillary. By (2), I mean: all Trump knows how to do is attack, and he has been unable to pin an attack on Joe. Here’s Rahm Emanuel: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-change-beats-trumps-disruption-11602521888 .
WSJ: Georgia turnout sets records: https://www.wsj.com/articles/georgia-voters-set-record-on-first-day-of-early-voting-11602560573 . In 2016, the lines were in rural Pennsylvania. In 2020, the lines are in Atlanta. Hope for democracy. Fear and loathing for orange candidates.