“The catastrophes continue to pile up”: The Gates Foundation 2020 Report: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/goalkeepers/report/2020-report/#CollaborativeResponse . As dark as the first half of this report is, the second half provides an action plan and extensive data to explore. It does demonstrate the integrated web of problems the world faces and big-picture collaboration that can address them.
Media coverage of the report: “A 25 year set back in 25 weeks”: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/14/gates-report-pandemic-world-setbacks-414934 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-deals-setback-to-global-vaccination-programs-gates-report-finds-11600138800 .
WSJ: Fake PPE: https://www.wsj.com/articles/brokers-peddle-fake-medical-gloves-amid-coronavirus-shortages-11600179870 . Utterly despicable.
WSJ: Wildfires raise COVID-19 risk: https://www.wsj.com/articles/west-coast-wildfires-are-raising-covid-19-risks-11600182616 . Sigh …
Pennsylvania lockdown unconstitutional: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/516333-federal-judge-rules-pennsylvanias-coronavirus-orders-are . Although most of the orders no longer apply, Pennsylvania will appeal. Public health and safety is a state power. Lockdown has been exercised similarly in other states without finding a constitutional violation.
WSJ: US round-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-latest-news-09-15-2020-11600159079 . These headlines about the daily case count are wearing me down after 6 months. WSJ, look at your own graph. To paraphrase James Carville, “It’s the weekend effect, stupid.” That’s what the seven-day average is for …
WSJ: Chinese vaccine receives first foreign approval: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-global-covid-19-vaccine-race-chinese-shot-receives-first-foreign-approval-11600171149 .
WSJ: Germany boosts vaccine investment: https://www.wsj.com/articles/germany-boosts-investment-in-covid-19-vaccine-research-11600172209 .
Siemens Healthineers to standardize antibody testing: https://www.fiercebiotech.com/medtech/defining-covid-19-immunity-cdc-eu-researchers-tap-siemens-healthineers-to-help-standardize .
WSJ: Becton-Dickenson investigates false positives: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-test-maker-examines-false-positive-results-in-nursing-homes-11600121878 . Useful information on the consequences of false positives, in nursing homes and beyond.
WSJ: Distinguishing flu and COVID-19: https://www.wsj.com/articles/flu-vs-covid-ways-to-identify-symptoms-and-differences-11600088401 . Research also indicates that symptom order is different in flu and COVID-19; see News for August 22.
WSJ: Music for hospital patients: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-new-prescription-a-dose-of-live-music-for-hospital-patients-11600093249 .
WSJ: Hospitals as superspreaders: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hospitals-failed-to-fully-contain-covid-19-inside-their-walls-11600176536 . So, if you weren’t scared away from the hospital before, this would pretty much do it.
WSJ: Medicaid rules left alone during pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-shelves-plan-to-sharpen-scrutiny-of-state-medicaid-arrangements-11600123758 .
WSJ: Relief aid politics continue, no movement: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-democrats-press-for-coronavirus-stimulus-bill-before-election-day-11600164000 .
COVID-19’s effect on public schools and proposed remedies: https://www.epi.org/publication/the-consequences-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-for-education-performance-and-equity-in-the-united-states-what-can-we-learn-from-pre-pandemic-research-to-inform-relief-recovery-and-rebuilding/ . This is a long report with many references to prior research – useful to those who wish to dive into this topic deeply.
Remote learning helps some students: https://www.vox.com/first-person/21433095/coroanavirus-covid-19-school-reopening-online-learning-remote . This article got me thinking about personal discipline, and how that interacts with scheduling and flexibility (including commuting time and expense). As many adults prefer remote work, it shouldn’t be a surprise that many children do too. Some schools double as adult learning and community centers; maybe schools should be rethought as children’s community centers.
WSJ: Is remote college learning worth the tuition?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/weighing-colleges-cost-amid-covid-11600211125 . Relative to the value delivered on campus last year, no.
WSJ: Arizona cases, deaths fall sharply: https://www.wsj.com/articles/arizona-known-as-a-covid-19-hot-spot-starts-to-subdue-its-outbreak-11600075802 .
WSJ: NY can tax opioids: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-state-can-enact-200-million-tax-on-opioid-industry-court-rules-11600122604 . In many ways, this is like a cigarette tax to cover smoking costs.
WSJ: Kissing the open office design good-bye: https://www.wsj.com/articles/making-offices-safe-for-workers-and-making-money-doing-it-11600162203 .
ICE mass hysterectomies?: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/like-an-experimental-concentration-camp-whistleblower-complaint-alleges-mass-hysterectomies-at-ice-detention-center/ . Horrific allegations here.
WSJ: Why the stock market recovered: https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-did-stock-markets-rebound-from-covid-in-record-time-here-are-five-reasons-11600182704 . Maybe, maybe not. There’s a difference between reasons and rationalizations, and we’re not through the pandemic yet. Much of this article can be viewed as a warning that the market is overextended.
WSJ: Business interruption fight goes global: https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-legal-fight-between-insurers-and-businesses-goes-global-11600139424 .
WSJ: WTO rules against US tariffs on China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/wto-finds-some-u-s-tariffs-on-china-violate-trade-rules-11600188559 . Farther down in the article, we find the US has disabled the WTO by refusing to appoint judges to its Appellate Body.
WSJ: E&Y says audits should focus more on fraud detection: https://www.wsj.com/articles/after-wirecard-ernst-young-says-auditors-should-focus-more-on-fraud-prevention-11600167893 . Um, isn’t that why it’s called an audit? Maybe that’s why everyone is suing you.
WSJ: FTC considers anti-trust action against Facebook: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftc-preparing-possible-antitrust-suit-against-facebook-11600211840 . This is potentially a huge deal in tech regulation.
WSJ: More on Israel’s second lockdown: https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-prepares-for-its-second-nationwide-covid-19-lockdown-11600109570 .
Macy’s Pandemic Day Parade: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/09/15/macys-announces-changes-for-thanksgiving-day-parade-for-first-time-ever-it-will-be-tv-only/ . Other reporting is that the “parade” is one block long, as it is only for TV cameras.
WSJ: Hershey’s saves Halloween?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hershey-maps-trick-or-treating-risks-in-hopes-coronavirus-wont-scare-off-halloween-sales-11600097275 .
WSJ: REI cashes out of new headquarters: https://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-buys-reis-elaborate-new-headquarters-as-covid-19-pandemic-prompts-a-sale-11600124280 . Isn’t REI THE most obvious company which should encourage remote work?
WSJ: Kohl’s layoffs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/kohls-cuts-corporate-workforce-by-15-as-coronavirus-crimps-sales-11600206982 . The second wave (job losses) meets the retail apocalypse. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fedex-logs-record-revenue-on-surge-in-packages-11600202728 .
WSJ: Oracle-TikTok deal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oracles-spoiler-play-for-tiktok-wont-bring-the-spoils-11600104530 . Confusion still reigns. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/national-security-panel-to-meet-on-oracle-tiktok-deal-tuesday-11600187547 . Ditto.
WSJ: Bank’s COVID-19 reckoning: https://www.wsj.com/articles/californias-bank-of-hope-was-a-symbol-of-success-now-it-faces-a-covid-reckoning-11600171202 . The economic reckoning continues.
WSJ: Does US response to the pandemic come down to 30 minutes?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-campaigns-key-half-hour-the-start-of-the-first-debate-11600090341 . I don’t agree with Seib’s logic. He’s talking about Biden’s chance to expand his lead. A ton of data says almost all voters are already locked in, and the debates do not play the role they did 40 years ago. If they did, Hillary would be president (apologies for the painful reminder).
Climate science: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54144651 . To quote Bugs Bunny, what a maroon! WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-trump-take-dueling-approaches-to-wildfires-11600120695 . Dueling approaches? Science and … what? WSJ: Looney tunes, Part 2: https://www.wsj.com/articles/hhs-official-apologizes-for-facebook-video-warning-of-plot-against-president-11600204988 .
Wildfire economic damage: https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2020-09-14/wildfires-intensify-economic-pain-in-the-west?src=usn_nl_coronavirus . This article is overly optimistic about restaurant recovery. Portland restaurateurs were damaged when the initial reopening was delayed, incurring significant food losses. They have been operating at a loss because social distancing reduced capacity. They then invested in outdoor service, which has been wiped out by the smoke and is not practical hereafter early October.
“Nuclear winter” continues here in Portland. Daytime highs have dropped 25 degrees because of the smoke. The smoke is trapped near the ground, and some predict it will take another week to clear out.
WSJ: San Francisco gets a reprieve: https://www.wsj.com/articles/san-francisco-gets-a-reprieve-from-smoky-air-11600222608 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/west-coast-fires-fueled-by-winds-as-dangers-continue-11600178797 .
WSJ: 10 photos of a $44 million castle on Lake Tahoe: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-castle-amid-the-pines-11600106745 . Great slideshow…
WSJ: Pandemic hair: https://www.wsj.com/articles/want-to-return-your-lockdown-pink-hair-to-normal-its-not-so-easy-11600108780 . An electric fence around the Target hair color aisle?