FDA approves second COVID booster: https://apnews.com/article/fda-authorizes-second-covid-booster-33e81ee1daddd9ff04c136db620aa1ae . Finally. This article does not answer whether a mix-and-match approach is allowed or preferred. Prior data has indicated that mix-and-match would be the better choice. Since many people got a booster more than six months ago, there should be a noticeable immediate demand for the second booster. UPDATE: WSJ clarifies that mix-and-match is allowed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-authorizes-second-covid-19-booster-shot-for-older-adults-11648564824 .
Majority of Americans say they’ve had COVID: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/03/28/majority-americans-covid-republicans
Specifically, 38% say they’ve tested positive, while another 4% say they were diagnosed without a test and 10% say they “just knew”. By party, 57% of Republicans say they’ve had COVID, while 38% of Democrats say so. It seems likely that more Republicans have had COVID since a smaller percentage of them are vaccinated. However, there is also likely to be self-reporting bias here. These issues are discussed in the Post article. Here is the release from Monmouth, who conducted the poll: https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-institute/reports/monmouthpoll_us_032822/ .
Other polling shows Americans stepping back from COVID safeguards: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-pandemics-only-on-ap-0591f708c28ebb824a7d36cd3f7f5878 . This still looks like reopening too soon.
Is there a hearing risk with COVID vaccines?: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/examining-potential-hearing-problems-linked-covid-vaccines-rcna21911 .
Model, 21, loses both legs to COVID: https://people.com/human-interest/aspiring-model-who-lost-her-legs-due-to-covid-19-complications-is-home-grateful/ . Here’s another tragic reminder that the pandemic is not over.
The cruise industry blows “fully vaccinated”, again: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/fully-vaccinated-ship-docks-san-francisco-multiple-covid/story?id=83739176 . This is yet more proof that “fully vaccinated” does not mean safe. And again, I have little sympathy for those who insist on going on cruises at this time.
Latest summary on coronavirus variants: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-variants.html .
Latest news on BA2 spread in the US: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/health/ba-2-dominant-us/index.html .
UnitedHealth buys home healthcare LHC Group: https://www.wsj.com/articles/unitedhealth-to-buy-home-health-firm-lhc-group-for-5-4-billion-11648550701 .
China tries to fine-tune Zero COVID in Shanghai to limit economic fallout of lockdown: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-business-financial-markets-shanghai-5033f565a4f1806d6fbb97ffc7e6c6cf . The Chinese remain overcommitted to Zero COVID. More: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-03-30/chinas-march-factory-activity-likely-shrank-amid-virus-outbreaks-reuters-poll . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-developers-accounts-under-scrutiny-as-more-auditors-resign-11648551345 .
Another “big red flag” from China: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-03-29/chinas-largest-banks-signal-tough-times-ahead . Global economic growth is destined to drop this year. China is simply too large to ignore.
WSJ: More auditors of Chinese developers resign: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-developers-accounts-under-scrutiny-as-more-auditors-resign-11648551345 . The Evergrande mess signaled that the entire sector was in trouble. Here it comes …
WSJ: And more headaches at Evergrande: https://www.wsj.com/articles/evergrande-hires-advisers-to-probe-2-billion-cash-seizure-11648613500 .
And then there’s Europe: https://money.usnews.com/investing/news/articles/2022-03-29/war-knocks-french-german-consumer-morale-back-more-than-expected . The US will get out of this by increasing automation. Other countries will have to imitate to remain competitive, but this shift is more difficult in these other economies.
States with highest quit rates as the Great Resignation continues: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/states-job-resignation-rates-pandemic-123749821.html . I’d be interested to know what percentage of resigners move out of state. My suspicion is that Alaska and South Carolina are seeing the highest rates because the labor market is tight. Some people are, I think, taking the opportunity to move out of these less-than-perfect locations.
House passes retirement reform bill: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/retirement-reform-is-set-for-a-key-vote-on-capitol-hill-this-week-212156910.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/401k-secure-retirement-bill-house-2022-11648583270 .
Russian soldiers exposed to Chernobyl radiation: https://www.aol.com/news/unprotected-russian-soldiers-disturbed-radioactive-165419388-172357814.html . Putin and the military brass clearly have no regard for their troops. Pretty much like GOP politicians and their base. More: https://fortune.com/2022/03/29/chernobyl-ukraine-russian-soldiers-dangerous-radiation/ .
Note also that Russia’s precision-guided missiles have a failure rate as high as 60%. This suggests that the communist system might work for an agricultural economy, but not in a high-tech society. Apparently China has learned this lesson better than Russia.
Yet another top Russian commander killed in Ukraine: https://www.thedailybeast.com/russian-forces-driven-away-from-kyiv-as-ukraine-regains-territory-and-kills-top-commander-colonel-denis-kurilo . We reported the death of another rifle brigade commander just 4 days ago. The Ukrainians’ remarkable success of knocking out command and control continues.
US troops in Poland provide training to Ukrainians on the weapons we’re sending: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/politics/us-troops-poland-ukraine/index.html . Think about the speed at which the Ukrainian army is strengthening, and the Russian army is failing. The Russians, remarkably, are in a worse position with each passing day.
Abramovich seen at Istanbul peace talks: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-roman-abramovich-kyiv-boris-johnson-df91237cfc987be7258d31d60d105e27 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/roman-abramovich-makes-public-debut-in-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-11648581111 . But it may not be that helpful: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/roman-abramovich-handed-putin-a-note-from-zelenskyy-seeking-peace-but-putin-replied-tell-him-i-will-thrash-them-report-says/ar-AAVBZGk?li=BBnb7Kz .
US Senators want Russia removed from UN Human Rights Council: https://www.aol.com/news/u-senators-want-russia-removed-121035285-142209185.html . Really, it is the height of hypocrisy to let them continue.
OJ says he has no idea what a burner phone is: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-no-idea-what-a-burner-phone-is-jan-6-call-logs-gap-155605611.html . Bolton says he’s heard OJ discuss burner phones. But, gosh, that would mean OJ is lying … More: https://www.aol.com/news/white-house-logs-show-over-122815166-125158963.html . Obviously, burner phone or not, there would be someone at the other end of any phone calls. Based on prior reporting, what does Kevin McCarthy has to say? Does his phone identify the caller? (Hint: Yes, and so do his phone records.)
UPDATE: Fortunately, someone is already doing the homework: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-was-100-making-phone-calls-during-the-jan-6-attack-heres-the-list . Does this remind you of the 18-minute tape gap during Watergate? This is indeed looking like yet another cover-up. Background on the Presidential Records Act: https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-03-30/explainer-what-the-law-says-about-presidential-records .
Meanwhile, OJ asks Putin for help (again) on Hunter Biden: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-asks-for-putin-s-help-again/ar-AAVDOPB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=f7c1056d56194fd99590d3dbf1bd3e0b . Besides his incredible, abject stupidity, one can conclude from this that OJ still believes he is above the law. What exactly is wrong with each and every one of his supporters?
Will OJ finally be brought down by a tweet?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/federal-prosecutors-are-zeroing-in-on-a-single-trump-tweet-that-may-have-been-the-catalyst-for-right-wing-extremists-to-join-the-capitol-riot/ar-AAVDn5i?li=BBnb7Kz . This is interesting but unlikely. Yes, far right nuts did take this as a call to action. But was that OJ’s intent? To prove that, you’d like need to show communication between the White House and the nuts. That info may be out there, but that critical piece must emerge to fry OJ.
Once again, Ted Cruz is a completely pathetic loser: https://jezebel.com/ted-cruzs-former-mentor-just-ripped-him-a-new-asshole-1848719220 . When the people who know you best have this opinion of you, you have failed life in the most fundamental way.
Speaking of completely pathetic losers, “Rhymes with” Tucker Carlson tells us why we need Putin to remain in power: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-putin-warning_n_62428415e4b0742dfa561f77 . As the article points out, this scare tactic is nonsensical and bears no relationship to reality. I long for the time on CNN when Paul Begala would daily pound Tucker into the ground on “Crossfire”. They had to stop because there’s no crossfire when one party comes totally unarmed intellectually.
DeMentis has another opponent: Disney: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/disney-to-fight-dont-say-gay-bill-it-should-never-have-been-signed-into-law-214417301.html . Ron is too dim to realize that in a state of 22 million, there are likely to be more than 2 million LGBTQ+ people. And they are the people most likely to now vote against him. Then when you add in their family, friends, co-workers … This crap might work in Alabama, but Florida is a less certain bet.
Meanwhile, the Fox manure factory is cranking it out in support of DeMentis: https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/disney-officials-leaked-videos-pushing-lgbt-agenda-saying-desantis-erase-gay-kids .
An intelligent response to DeMentis from Pete Buttigieg: https://news.yahoo.com/buttigieg-slams-dont-say-gay-bill-and-nonsensical-marjorie-taylor-greene-speech-183518221.html . Buttigieg correctly argues that the media focuses excessively on shock news rather than thoughtful news. However, this is a natural outcome of profit-making organizations (the networks) determining that news coverage has an income potential. They have then worked to maximize that potential, with the current disgusting results.
We would be far better off to make the networks’ licenses depend on a public service component. Make that component news – not-for-profit news delivered objectively as a public service. This may be a pipe dream in our “capitalism uber alles” democracy. But it is a worthy dream, and it is achievable.
World Bank freezes Afghan projects after Taliban ban girls from high school: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/29/business/world-bank-taliban-high-school/index.html . Hurray for the World Bank!
Tiger Woods fans abuzz over Tiger’s trip to Augusta: https://thespun.com/more/golf/details-emerge-from-tiger-woods-performance-at-augusta-today . This would certainly add excitement to the Masters. However, it would be an enormous shock if Tiger has successfully rehabilitated to the point of being competitive.