Four million September COVID shots: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2023-10-04/about-4-million-americans-got-their-updated-covid-vaccines-in-sept . Note that this total is about 10% lower than the total delivered at a similar point last year. This calls into question the suggestion that more Americans would take the updated shot this year.
US shifting Molnupiravir to commercial market: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-10-04/us-plans-shift-of-merck-covid-treatment-to-commercial-market . Merck’s COVID antiviral has lost ground to Paxlovid, which is more effective in reducing hospitalizations.
Ozempic’s effect on eating habits: https://www.wsj.com/business/ozempic-impact-snack-food-companies-9eec87e5 . Everyone except the junk food peddlers would benefit if Americans ate less garbage.
75,000 Kaiser employees begin strike: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/04/business/thousands-of-kaiser-permanente-workers-go-on-strike/index.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/healthcare-worker-strike-kaiser-permanente-b404e9d5 . This is the largest US healthcare strike in history.
WSJ: The 8% mortgage rate: https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/why-8-percent-mortgage-rates-arent-crazy-590d887f .
WSJ: Rising interest rates means the Fed has to pay more interest: https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/rising-interest-rates-mean-deficits-finally-matter-74249719 . Obvious, you say? Apparently the Journal thought this was worth a column. I disagree.
President Biden will deliver major speech supporting Ukraine aid: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-speech-ukraine-rcna118842 . I was speaking with an Orange Julius supporter this evening who volunteered, “I can’t understand why we wouldn’t support Ukraine.” He had recently read that Reagan’s spending in Afghanistan supporting the Taliban against the Russians had cost Russia significant men, material and prestige, and had contributed to the fall of the Iron Curtain. This is something to keep in mind if you’re still speaking to OJ supporters and looking for areas of agreement.
WSJ: Russian naval vessels retreat from Crimea: https://www.wsj.com/world/russia-withdraws-black-sea-fleet-vessels-from-crimea-base-after-ukrainian-attacks-51d6d4f5 . The growing Ukraine drone technology has been the star player in their offense.
The GOP now officially the Party of Retribution: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/03/politics/pelosi-vacate-office-capitol-mchenry-interim-speaker/index.html . McCarthy was so eager to be Speaker that he agreed to a rule allowing 1 House member to call for his head. The guy everyone hates, Matt Gaetz, did so, and out he went. So the first official act of the interim Speaker was to toss Nancy Pelosi out of her office. We learn from this article that none other than Kevin McCarthy was behind this stunt, in order to take the office for himself. And the interim Speaker says the Democrats are responsible for this, apparently because they did not vote to rescue McCarthy from his own party. A cow pie on a silver platter is still BS.
WSJ: The House GOP has been broken for over a decade: https://www.wsj.com/politics/rebellion-that-took-down-mccarthy-was-more-than-a-decade-in-the-making-ba3d5e05 . This article leads me to a different conclusion. McCarthy is out not because the far right is strong but because McCarthy is so weak.
WSJ: Candidates for McCarthy’s job: https://www.wsj.com/politics/what-happens-next-in-the-house-speaker-race-4eee8690 .
Meanwhile, House Rules Committee ranking Democrat says McHenry not allowed to evict Pelosi: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/04/appeals-court-doubtful-on-trumps-lawsuit-against-twitter-00119981 .
Orange Julius appeals NY fraud rulings while case still in progress: https://www.aol.com/news/trump-appeals-york-judges-fraud-164208640.html . To repeat, (A) actual loss is not required to prove fraud; (B) the banks did lose money because they charged interest on the loans on more favorable terms than if the properties had been properly valued; and (C) the trial judge has already fined OJ’s attorneys for their frivolous arguments.
Appeal during the trial is known as an interlocutory appeal, and is allowed only in specific and unusual circumstances: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlocutory_appeal . Here, the appeal may be allowable because the partial summary judgment will immediately strip OJ of his New York business licenses. However, the evidence the judge cited is an overwhelming demonstration of persistent fraud. Were I the appeals judge, I would impose a yet larger fine for repeating the frivolous arguments.
Meanwhile, Judge Engoron tells OJ’s lawyers to stop wasting time: https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-chides-donald-trump-lawyers-ridiculous-questioning-civil-fraud-trial-2023-10-04/ . Disregarding Rule No. 1 has consequences, which may involve additional sanctions.
Pretty much every weekday is now a bad day for Orange Julius in court somewhere: https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/04/appeals-court-doubtful-on-trumps-lawsuit-against-twitter-00119981 .
OJ drops off Forbes 400 list: https://thehill.com/business/4237688-trump-drops-from-forbes-list-of-wealthiest-americans/ .
Pope says priests can bless gay marriages: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/catholic-church-pope-francis-2023-synod-lgbtq-same-sex-marriage/ . This is one wild article. Question: Who calls the General Assembly of Bishops “the Catholic Church’s Super Bowl”? Remarkably, here at the Coronavirus News Online World Headquarters, we have found THE answer: The Arizona Cardinals! WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/pope-francis-opens-debate-on-lgbtq-inclusion-womens-ordination-and-celibacy-b7066e9c .
Nobel Prize in Chemistry for quantum dots, used in TV screens: https://www.aol.com/news/nobel-chemistry-prize-awarded-discovery-095206258.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/science/quantum-dot-researchers-win-nobel-prize-in-chemistry-6f7299fe .
WSJ: Video ref turns Premier League on its head: https://www.wsj.com/sports/soccer/liverpool-var-tottenham-luis-diaz-ac5be184 . What an atrocious error …