COVID lab leak theory “uncertain”: https://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/3874580-national-security-adviser-no-definitive-answer-on-covid-lab-leak/ . The White House pushes back on a DOE assessment that the pandemic originated with a Wuhan lab leak. The DOE assessment was made with “low confidence”. WSJ included the DOE assessment in this article, which will appear in the Monday (February 27) issue of the Journal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-origin-china-lab-leak-807b7b0a . More: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3211619/covid-19-pandemic-most-likely-came-lab-leak-china-says-us-energy-department .
Medicaid recipients may lose coverage: https://apnews.com/article/access-to-health-care-48d1f565c800139bb397bb886436968f . The federal government prohibited eligibility checks during the pandemic. Those checks must be made in the next 12 months. Estimates are that 1/6 of the 84 million recipients (14 million) may lose coverage. If these estimates are anywhere near accurate, this is a massive and unprecedented loss of access to healthcare.
American adults identifying as LGBTQ double from 10 years ago: https://thehill.com/homenews/3869381-us-adults-identifying-as-lgbtq-double-in-a-decade-gallup-poll/ . This clearly has an effect on the health needs of employee and other populations as 7.2% of US adults now identify as LGBTQ. This reminded me of the upsurge in Americans identifying as Native Americans some years ago. That increase was a combination of loss of social stigma, tribal recognition for those with at least 1/16 Native American heritage, and the advent of casinos, which created an income stream for tribal members.
WSJ: Pfizer considers acquiring Seagen: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-in-early-stage-talks-to-acquire-seagen-3f53309e . Pfizer stock has been falling lately. A large acquisition appears risky at this time.
Natural sleep aids: https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/a39539757/best-natural-sleep-aids/ . The most effective path to better sleep is presumably to establish a regular bedtime routine, and to go to bed at the same time each night. However, this list may be useful to those who are looking for help with better sleep.
WSJ: How to dump workers outside of layoffs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-companies-can-lose-workers-without-imposing-layoffs-35381f0f . Since when did “cruel” become appropriate human resources practice? Apparently the conservative alternative to “woke” is “unfeeling”. This seems bizarre in a tight labor market.
WSJ: Will Chinese consumers spend their pandemic savings?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-era-savings-are-crucial-to-chinas-economic-recovery-1ee3310b . No, for three reasons: (1) Chinese consumers have less trust in the government than Americans do; (2) The Chinese property market has not yet rebalanced, putting many consumers’ major asset at risk; and (3) Most importantly, the article tells us that a large portion of these savings has been placed in relatively illiquid 3 to 5 year deposits.
Russian pilots shot down other Russian aircraft: https://www.aol.com/news/russia-shot-down-several-own-041431206.html . The article suggests these pilots were unwilling to fly over Ukraine. However, it is difficult to imagine what these pilots would have said to their superiors upon landing their plane.
WSJ: Heavy fighting continues for control of Bakhmut: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-counters-wagners-claims-of-advances-near-bakhmut-f053d313 . Still, the Ukrainians dispute Russian claims of advances near this eastern city.
Sanctions against Russia widen: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sanctions-net-widens-to-catch-russias-middle-east-oil-shipper-43938b0e .
WSJ: US increases crude exports to Europe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-regains-its-energy-clout-as-ukraine-war-enters-second-year-2b910ff .
WSJ: Earthquakes disrupt lives of Syrians in Turkey: https://www.wsj.com/articles/earthquakes-uproot-lives-of-syrian-refugees-again-e7936a60 . We know that Turkey has relatively strong building codes but lax enforcement (mostly meaning corruption). However, did the need for housing created by 3.5 million Syrian refugees heighten the pressure for rapid construction?
Twitter lays off more employees: https://www.aol.com/news/twitter-lays-off-least-50-081122330.html . Fifty employees may not sound like much, but the Twitter workforce has been reduced from 2,000 to 600. Thus, this layoff is almost 10% of the remaining, skeleton staff. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-twitter-cuts-more-jobs-as-platform-seeks-to-slash-costs-ab9ef143 .
The New York Times on why Fox lied to its viewers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/why-fox-news-lied-to-the-viewers-it-respects/ar-AA17WFlh?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=3658c48ace4147dc8333231698098b48 . Again, Dominion has presented a powerful case on Fox’s dishonesty. Here’s another indicator that Fox has higher priorities than News: https://www.rawstory.com/fox-news-dominion-ban/ .
WSJ: The right gets more dishonest about guns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-red-states-weigh-bans-on-enforcing-u-s-gun-laws-201e4719 . Ahem. The US Constitution’s Supremacy Clause places federal law above state law. These bills, which prohibit state police from assisting federal law enforcement of gun laws, are clearly unconstitutional because they represent state action. As the article points out, this crap production traces to fundraising efforts.
WSJ: Can Kevin McCarthy hold his majority together?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/two-arizona-republicans-show-the-divide-over-house-speaker-kevin-mccarthy-f9110ebc . The risk remains. The article does point out that a House member does not have to live in the district they represent, just the state.
Jack Daniels’ “whiskey fungus” destroys value of neighboring homes: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/jack-daniel-s-barrel-houses-are-causing-an-out-of-control-black-whiskey-fungus-in-a-tennessee-community-enraged-residents-say/ar-AA17XvbY?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=216c32632b0943b5a30d2a956cbbc17f . This article falls into the “you can’t make this up” category. However, the residents are understandably frustrated.
WSJ: MLB debuts the “pitch clock”: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mlb-pitch-clock-spring-training-963bf4d8 . While I dislike this idea, cutting games to 2½ hours seems highly desirable.