FDA considers COVID vaccine update: https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-politics-health-467a8ff92896625d2892a61b1a603bce . What the hell is this author talking about? Of course the vaccines should be updated. The pandemic must be seen as an arms race between the virus and the vaccines. The mRNA technology’s critical advance is to allow rapid updating of the vaccine. Why would we throw this advantage away?
WSJ: Lack of government money won’t slow Pfizer or Moderna: https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-government-money-no-problem-for-moderna-and-pfizer-11656327781 . It would help if the Journal had some idea how the pandemic works. All of the major variants at this time are subvariants of Omicron. So for now the best update we can have is an Omicron-based update. The testing has been done on a blend of the Omicron-specific vaccine and the original vaccine. If new variants emerge that evade the Omicron-based vaccine, we create new vaccines based on the new variant. This really is not that difficult.
Publix will not vaccinate toddlers “at this time”: https://thehill.com/homenews/3535597-florida-based-publix-says-they-will-not-offer-vaccine-at-this-time-to-kids-under-5/ . Presumably we are looking at the DeMentis effect here: https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/pro-trump-publix-heirs-donate-to-florida-governor-ron-desantis-11315302 . Politics continues to drive the US response to the pandemic, with predictably negative results on this public health challenge.
Fifth Circuit vacates order allowing federal vaccine mandate: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-06-27/u-s-appeals-court-vacates-federal-vaccine-mandate-pending-additional-hearing . The Court’s initial order was a surprise, given the conservatism of this panel. Rehearing en banc is somewhat unusual. However, vacating the 3-judge panel’s order in advance of the rehearing suggests many on the full court have made up their minds before the hearing. This is not a good look. More: https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-new-orleans-jeffrey-brown-e32855901cc600dfdebaef788a18f673 .
More predictions of a global recession this year: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/four-of-the-five-fingers-of-death-are-squeezing-world-output-economist-warns/ar-AAYUxuT?cvid=12fca9d0346e4b4b96a8aeb3162c276f .
Dozens of prosecutors tell the Supreme Court to stick it: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/dozens-elected-prosecutors-say-will-refuse-prosecute-abortion-care-rcna35305 . This is a natural byproduct of the Court’s ruling. The Court is widely blamed for accelerating the Civil War: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dred_Scott_v._Sandford . Still, 165 years later, we have at least 5 dimwits on the Court who didn’t learn anything in history class or law school, along with a Chief Justice who couldn’t educate them or at least rein them in.
The BET Awards deliver a similar message: https://www.yahoo.com/video/janelle-monae-taraji-p-henson-jazmine-sullivan-bet-awards-f-you-supreme-court-050200901.html . These dimwits on the Court undoubtedly do not understand the damage they have done to the institution they committed to for life.
Meanwhile, Christianity’s history of supporting abortion receives attention: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/think-christianity-is-anti-abortion-think-again-1374697/ .
GOP strategist sees change in Orange Julius voters since start of January 6 hearings: https://www.cnn.com/videos/media/2022/06/26/sarah-longwell-donald-trump-january-6-hearings-gop-voters-rs-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/reliable-sources-highlights/ . I generally avoid videos in the newsletter, but this one is worth watching. Sarah Longwell has done dozens of focus groups since the committee hearings began. Before the hearings, the majority of OJ voters wanted to see him run again. Now, these voters are aware of the hearings, and some watch. Zero of these voters now want OJ to run in 2024.
Longwell’s understanding is that these voters want to move on from the 2020 elections and are tiring of hearing from OJ about this. Also, they have switched their interest to other GOP candidates for president, so they now have somewhere to go. I would note that the 2024 elections are more than 2 years away. Unless OJ shifts his focus, he may be old news by the 2022 elections, especially if some of his handpicked candidates lose their Senate bids and keep the Senate in Democratic control.
I do wonder how this will affect the Florida governor’s race in November. It could help DeMentis. However, whether or not DeMentis wins, you can expect the knives will be out in the GOP presidential race soon after November.
January 6 committee calls surprise hearing for tomorrow: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-government-and-politics-1da6f068c617ba5dc14c84e975fba453 . Given that the committee said just last week that there would be no more hearings until July, they almost certainly will present blockbuster evidence tomorrow. The only other possibility, which does not exclude the first, is that an important witness had scheduling issues in July. UPDATE: The hearing is at 1 pm Eastern: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-government-and-politics-9e7c03bb83f43fb17b4fd90d1360993d .
Feds seize John Eastman’s phone: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-donald-trump-government-and-politics-c0debd10f352062b002dd4a967272f5f . One senses that DOJ prosecutions are coming with regard to the January 6 planners. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/federal-agents-seize-phone-of-john-eastman-key-figure-in-pro-trump-bid-to-reverse-2020-election-outcome-11656373224 .
OJ social media deal with DWAC whacked with subpoenas from federal prosecutors: https://www.aol.com/digital-world-board-members-subpoena-112448236-194449680.html . We know that Merrick Garland is cautious. There is something really bad in here. WSJ: More (or less): https://www.wsj.com/articles/digital-world-acquisition-discloses-federal-subpoenas-as-director-resigns-11656343638 . The Journal does not seem to grasp the issue here. However, they do clarify that DWAC is a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), which is not discussed in the previous article.
Russia slides into default: https://www.aol.com/finance/russia-slides-towards-default-payment-110848673-103141020.html . Things aren’t going well for Red Julius, either.
WSJ: Russia commits another war crime in Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-forces-push-to-extend-gains-in-eastern-ukraine-after-striking-kyiv-11656326794 .
US forces kill terrorist leader in Syria: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-forces-kill-senior-terrorist-leader-syria/story?id=85815330 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-kills-suspected-militant-linked-to-al-qaeda-in-syria-11656380309 .
You may want to rethink July 4 travel: https://www.aol.com/finance/airlines-cancel-nearly-700-u-111028860-141427665.html . The airlines are not working out their staffing problems.
At least 3 dead in Amtrak derailment in Missouri: https://www.aol.com/news/amtrak-train-derails-missouri-hitting-195436071.html . The infrastructure bill has $350 million to upgrade the US rail system. It’s too late for these victims. It is criminal that uncontrolled crossings exist.
Forty-six migrants dead in trailer abandoned near San Antonio: https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-0b5215a9500f65a6b7439d1474dbbf3a . Sixteen more are hospitalized, and three people are in custody. Greg Abbott’s comments blaming this tragedy on President Biden are beyond disgusting. They are absolute proof that Abbott is subhuman.
At least 21 teenagers dead in South African tavern: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-africa-tavern-deaths-teenagers-mysterious-circumstances/ . The circumstances do suggest some sort of poisoning. However, this seems quite odd in a tavern. Since the tavern was serving young teenagers illegally, could this also involve bootleg liquor made with something other than ethyl alcohol?
Note: As the newsletter went daily starting June 28, 2020, this newsletter is Number 730 in the sequence (365 x 2). Thanks again to all you readers. You sustain me in the late hours of each day.