COVID leading cause of police deaths: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/it-doesn-t-have-happen-covid-leading-cause-death-among-n1279289 . Once again, conservative politics and misinformation kills adherents.
The booster shot debate continues: https://news.yahoo.com/moderna-we-dont-really-know-if-a-third-covid-19-shot-is-necessary-135143605.html . When this article first came out, my immediate reaction was that there must be some very dismayed people at Moderna that the president would say “we don’t really know” if a third shot is necessary. Boosters are an important part of the planning (and income stream) at Pfizer and Moderna.
Now, however, the content has been modified (within a few hours) to place his comment in reference to additional shots. That is a very different comment. However, the link title here memorializes the original content. Once again, news publishing on the web is a very different place than publishing a newspaper. Please keep this in mind if you see a comment here that doesn’t exactly match the content. It almost certainly means the content was altered after the newsletter was published.
WSJ: Parents seek vaccine trials for kids: https://www.wsj.com/articles/parents-seek-out-covid-19-vaccine-trials-for-their-children-ahead-of-official-authorization-11631784602 . I can understand the desire here. However, the logic is flawed. Your child has perhaps a 50% chance of receiving a placebo. They cannot receive another vaccine before the trial completes. So you could stick your child in vaccine limbo without knowing if they are actually vaccinated. And of course trials are run for a reason, which is why they are called “trials”. Put differently, I don’t think the risk-reward analysis pans out here.
WSJ: Idaho COVID hospitalization crisis now statewide: https://www.wsj.com/articles/idaho-hospitals-overwhelmed-with-covid-19-patients-may-begin-rationing-care-11631810032 . Again, they are also sending patients to surrounding states, which is affecting access to care in Oregon.
Teen councilman who attacked mask mandates now hospitalized with COVID: https://www.thedailybeast.com/hunter-pepper-unvaxed-teen-councilman-who-attacked-mask-mandates-now-battling-terrible-covid-pneumonia . First, I don’t wish this illness on anyone, but I have limited sympathy for those that have transformed public health guidelines into subjects of political opinion. Second, it’s Alabama. Third, the cerebral cortex is not fully formed until your mid-20’s.
Florida passes 50,000 COVID deaths: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2021/09/16/florida-becomes-fourth-state-with-50000-covid-deaths/?sh=7f1c9ed34772 . The teen councilman in the prior story may learn something. DeMentis, on the other hand, cannot process reality. He’s pressing forward with his mask mandate bans.
WSJ: Weekly jobless claims drift up to 332,000: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weekly-jobless-claims-09-16-2021-11631736316 . These are not great numbers because many people have exhausted their benefits and so can no longer claim. Additionally, the federal supplemental benefits have ended, making the economics of claiming worse.
Putin extends self-isolation as “several tens” of his close contacts have COVID: https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-health-russia-summits-ecc03e275f4ca03c0c80c71f3d71d2de .
WSJ: DOJ attempts to hold Sacklers liable for their opioid pushing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/justice-department-fights-settlement-that-would-shield-sacklers-from-opioid-lawsuits-11631816280 . Bravo. These people are drug dealers in the worst sense.
France kills Islamic State leader in the Sahara: https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-france-drone-strike-59ffbe4c309ec38d5851fb43d2b7c3f4 . One thing seems rather clear: people who step up to leadership of an IS unit have a short life expectancy. Also note the proliferation of military drones among nations. As mentioned yesterday, AI is changing the nature of warfare. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/france-says-it-has-killed-islamic-state-leader-responsible-for-deaths-of-four-u-s-soldiers-11631784955 .
McCarthy money supports 5 of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/10/politics/kevin-mccarthy-house-republicans-trump/index.html . The cynicism within the GOP surfaces more each day. Incumbency has powers that go beyond name recognition. Defeating these 10 in the primary puts several of these seats in jeopardy in the general election. That is certainly true of Jaime Herrera Beutler, who sits in a suburban Portland seat in Washington state. Here is follow-up reporting indicating the same is true for Katko (NY) and Valadao: https://vozwire.com/new-report-shows-trumps-popularity-is-eroding-at-a-more-rapid-pace-than-ever/ .
Meanwhile, one of the 5 McCarthy did not support has decided not to run for re-election: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elections-ohio-impeachments-trump-impeachment-a67b287348d8e4dae2546f5789b07ba6 . But Anthony Gonzalez is going to focus his time on keeping Orange Julius out of the White House. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-rep-anthony-gonzalez-wont-seek-re-election-11631845546 . The Journal sounds like an Orange Julius bullhorn in the context it provides, which differs markedly from AP.
South Carolina attorney surrenders to authorities: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/bail-set-55-000-alleged-hit-man-accused-attempting-stage-n1279342 . Murdaugh will face intensive questioning about all of the criminal investigations surrounding this case. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alex-murdaugh-surrenders-charged-with-insurance-fraud-11631811976 . The national media is increasingly picking up on this case because it is so weird.
Arizona ballot review goes public next Friday: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/arizona-2020-ballot-review-september-24/ . The Maricopa County issue leaves a door open for the Big Lie crowd to keep fighting. Among the many problems with this expensive nonsense is that Arizona alone did not decide the presidential election.