COVID variants are like tidal waves: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/coronavirus-variants-tidal-waves-190115429.html . An apt analogy, this is an important antidote to opinions that we are nearing the end of the crisis: https://www.newsweek.com/john-hopkins-doctor-thinks-covid-will-largely-gone-april-half-us-has-herd-immunity-1570615 . Where is his evidence of natural protection against COVID or the variants? Is this just another Scott Atlas?
COVID virus evolution: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-will-the-coronavirus-evolve/ . Hazeltine is an eminent authority in this field. But all of the available evidence right now is that COVID is evolving to become more lethal. This is happening despite significant improvements in medical treatment. What Hazeltine hopes may come to pass, but influenza (from a different family of viruses) is not meaningful evidence.
Weather delays 6 million COVID shots: https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michigan-vaccine-plant-ba3f0d5a036c5bc36f61d51a5c994fcd . February 20 will mark one month of the Biden presidency. He’s trying to fix 4 years of total screw-up. And Biden is the only Democrat who could have beaten Orange Julius. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/storms-delayed-shipments-of-about-6-million-vaccine-doses-white-house-says-11613756489 .
New COVID variant appears in Japan: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-02-19/japan-discovers-new-coronavirus-variant .
The COVID reinfection risk: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/only-50-people-are-known-to-have-contracted-covid-19-more-than-once-but-medical-experts-are-on-high-alert-11613743994 . Yikes! Marketwatch, where monkeys write the headlines and baboons edit the copy. The “50 people” headline is quite a ways off from the copy. There we learn there are 51 confirmed reinfection cases, and 11,000 probable or suspected cases. And mutations are always the greatest concern with (viral) vaccine effectiveness, along with waning immunity. That’s the way viruses work.
Pfizer study data shows less rigorous cold chain required for vaccine: https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/02/19/pfizer-and-biontech-coronavirus-vaccine-effective/ . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/single-dose-of-pfizer-vaccine-is-85-effective-israeli-study-shows-11613723218 .
WSJ: Getting a vaccine appointment: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-score-a-vaccine-appointment-recruit-a-college-kid-with-tech-skills-and-patience-11613749662 . So, the “convenience” of online ordering has now come down to “hire a college kid to save your life”. We may need to rethink what progress is.
WSJ: Truckers want in on vaccine priority list: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trucking-freight-industry-seek-faster-route-to-covid-19-vaccinations-11613770683 .
WSJ: Mask mandate debate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-mask-mandates-end-in-some-states-fueling-tensions-11613739600 . So there really is no debate. Wear the damn mask and shut the hell up. Please.
Scientific American’s weekly COVID round-up: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coronavirus-news-roundup-february-13-february-19/ .
AOC calls for investigation of Cuomo’s handling of NY COVID nursing home crisis: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/539614-ocasio-cortez-calls-for-full-investigation-of-cuomos-handling-of-coronavirus .
Dutch government fights to save COVID curfew: https://money.yahoo.com/dutch-government-2-pronged-bid-110103442.html .
WSJ: Update on COVAX: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covax-covid-19-vaccine-11613577473 .
COVID news from Russia: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/02/19/coronavirus-in-russia-the-latest-news-feb-19-a69117 . Sputnik V marches on.
WSJ: More indications that COVID was spreading in China before December 2019: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-was-spreading-in-china-before-first-confirmed-cases-fresh-evidence-suggests-11613730600 .
Texans’ electricity returning, but millions are without drinking water: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/power-comes-back-most-texas-other-problems-pile-n1258311 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-power-is-restored-in-many-places-water-remains-a-problem-11613759202 . The weather system was identified well in advance of its arrival in Texas. WSJ: Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-cities-under-boil-water-orders-11613671450 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-cold-weather-cut-the-power-in-texas-11613765319 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-freeze-power-grid-failure-electricity-market-incentives-11613777856 . And one more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-sign-federal-disaster-aid-for-texas-snow-storm-11613756190 . The Texas system is inherently flawed, okay?
[In Oregon, PGE’s website bragged that 90% of the 81,000 without power would be restored tonight, Friday (that math makes no sense as the major grid outages have already been restored). They insisted to me this morning that my power would be restored today, and that the 10% would be in outlying areas. Not so much.]
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Six Capitol police officers suspended, another 29 under investigation for January 6 actions: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/six-capitol-police-officers-suspended-alleged-actions-during-capitol-riot-n1258329 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/capitol-police-probe-actions-of-dozens-of-officers-11613758483 .
WSJ: More January 6 indictments: https://www.wsj.com/articles/six-more-alleged-members-of-oath-keepers-militia-indicted-11613766782 . It turns out Twitter is good for something: catching self-important morons.
DeMentis for President?: https://www.yahoo.com/now/trump-fans-tout-de-santis-as-their-covid-hero-and-a-possible-2024-nominee-but-floridas-data-tells-a-different-story-100032926.html . Hahahaha. So the concept is to replace a brazen moron with a brazen idiot. Hahahaha. Here is the Politico article: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/16/covid-ron-desantis-2024-469071 . Remember when Rudy Giuliani ran for President? His campaign began and ended in Florida. Hahahaha.
The Republican playbook right now has exactly two elements: (1) propose voter suppression laws; and (2) criticize EVERYTHING. Proof of (1): https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/state-gop-lawmakers-propose-flurry-of-voting-restrictions-to-placate-trump-supporters-spurring-fears-of-a-backlash/ar-BB1dQouP?li=BBnb7Kz . Proof of (2): https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/historian-goes-on-newsmax-and-says-bidens-dog-is-dirty-and-unlike-a-presidential-dog/ar-BB1dQsFo?li=BBnb7Kz and https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/22021 (link replaced 4/11/21). This is a political party in name only (a PPINO). What do Republicans stand FOR?
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WSJ: Will the LA Times be sold?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/los-angeles-times-owner-exploring-sale-of-company-11613765566 .
WSJ: First Mars photos from Perseverance: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mars-photos-see-nasas-perseverance-rovers-first-visions-of-red-planet-11613775893 .