Kids’ Omicron booster by mid-October: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-09-21/u-s-cdc-expects-omicron-covid-boosters-for-kids-by-mid-october .
Moderna “eager” to supply mRNA vaccine to China: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-09-21/moderna-exec-eager-to-collaborate-with-china-on-supplying-covid-vaccines . A Zero COVID exit ramp has now been presented to China. Please take it. Your stupidity is exhausting to report.
Washington state employee COVID bonus: https://apnews.com/article/health-covid-washington-jay-inslee-c5d9f8c597df3cd3404243c668b356af . The state employees will receive a $1,000 bonus for taking the COVID booster shot. Washington is a heavily unionized state, so this idea may spread to private industry.
New Mexico expects Medicaid exodus: https://apnews.com/article/health-new-mexico-public-covid-f9cf1e7a068bd5f7de2fabe890504f8a . New Mexico has the highest Medicaid enrollment of any state. It expects up to 100,000 residents to leave the program as the federal government reduces pandemic subsidies.
PillPack founders leave Amazon: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/19/amazon-loses-pillpack-founders-four-years-after-acquisition-.html . Amazon continues to stumble in its efforts to elevate its health care presence. So far, the trillions we spend annually on healthcare have been mostly untouched by the billions Amazon has spent to enter.
Venezuelan immigration to the US: https://apnews.com/article/health-mexico-venezuela-texas-caribbean-ede57e313f6334a019db86b25c785971 . We do represent the land of opportunity to them – the opportunity not to die in Venezuela under current conditions.
Fed raises rates 75 basis points as expected, market drops in response to expected future rate rises: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/fed-meeting-rates-093718367.html . The Fed funds rate is expected to rise to 4.4% by the end of this year and 4.6% by the end of 2023, according to the article. More: https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2022-09-21/fed-hikes-rates-sharply-lowers-economic-forecast . Note the significant downgrade in the economic forecast. This contributed to the market decline. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-raises-interest-rates-by-0-75-percentage-point-for-third-straight-meeting-11663783397 .
The next Fed meeting is November 2, with the final 2022 meeting on December 14. Mostly likely rate increases are 50 or 75 basis points in November and 25 or 50 basis points in December. The comment noted in the prior paragraph indicates that the increase for all of 2023 would be a net of 25 basis points.
My expectation is that we will see more than a 25 basis point increase in early 2023. So the Fed is suggesting that rates would then come back down later in 2023.
Putin orders reserve call-up, threatens tactical nuclear use: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-announces-partial-mobilization-russian-military-ukraine-war-rcna48585 . So obviously the danger increases.
Apparently one-way flights out of Russia are booked solid as citizens flee the country. The call-up occurs because of the 300,000 Russian troops committed to Ukraine, an estimated 15,000 are dead and another 65,000 are wounded. Ukrainian firepower and precision has increased. So the reserves are being sent into a meat grinder.
Undoubtedly coups against Putin are being secretly discussed in Russia. Will one or more come to fruition?
Biden calls out Russian recklessness in speech to UN General Assembly: https://news.yahoo.com/biden-calls-for-ukraine-support-condemns-putins-reckless-nuclear-threat-at-un-general-assembly-173505574.html . The nuclear threat should cause a number of countries to back away from support of Russia. China may make Russia a client state out this mess, but that deal looks more and more like a loser. Also, Chinese aggression against Taiwan seems politically untenable at this time. Because the US has not committed troops to Ukraine, we would not be opening a two-front war if we have to act to defend Taiwan. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-n-security-council-prepares-to-meet-amid-escalating-threats-from-russia-11663785603 .
Russia releases 2 American POW’s in prisoner swap: https://news.yahoo.com/americans-released-prisoner-swap-russia-ukraine-war-183135825.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-ukraine-swap-prisoners-in-deal-brokered-by-saudi-arabia-11663786665 .
Electoral Count Act revisions: https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-presidential-constitutions-congress-ba742c9f4c67c5189a6a6c9f8531721e . The January 6 activities represent an important ceremony, but should not represent an opportunity to challenge the election results. This should be obvious to everyone who completed grade school and is not orange. Update: The House passes its version: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-passes-bill-prevent-stolen-elections-strong-gop-opposition-rcna48587 . Because the similar bill in the Senate has 10 GOP cosponsors, this bill has a very real chance of passage. That is a surprise. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/house-to-vote-on-electoral-count-act-overhaul-as-senate-weighs-own-changes-11663789147 .
Next January 6 committee hearing scheduled for Wednesday, September 28: https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-congress-jan-6-committee-plans-next-hearing-sept-28-2022-09-20/ . This also looks like the last hearing in the series. The committee will review the fundraising associated with the insurrection.
Ginni Thomas agrees to interview with January 6 committee: https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-us-supreme-court-donald-trump-clarence-thomas-virginia-0b11b36438d7d75554d08985b22b92bc .
NY AG sues Orange Julius and family for fraud: https://www.yahoo.com/news/york-attorney-general-sues-trump-155617257.html . Most telling is the response from OJ’s legal team, which expresses outrage at this political lawsuit. In other words, they have no valid defense. Recall that Michael Cohen’s original allegation against OJ was that OJ’s company repeatedly overstated asset values for loans but understated them for taxes. Recall that the company CFO has already pleaded guilty to fraud. And recall that the IRS is the way the Feds got Al Capone: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2020/10/17/al-capone-convicted-on-this-day-in-1931-after-boasting-they-cant-collect-legal-taxes-from-illegal-money/?sh=32b00bd31435 . Capone never tried to overthrow the US government with his mob. But then, there weren’t Americans stupid enough to elect Al Capone president.
More on the fraud case: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-tower-apartment/ . Several commentators have noted that James was wise to base her case on statements by OJ and his organization which are verifiably false. This article is on point to focus on the square footage lie and its enormous valuation implications. And while “disillusion” is an amusing typo in this article, I’m sure the quoted lawyer said “dissolution” of the OJ Organization. That would be a very big deal.
Meanwhile, the 11th Circuit blows up OJ’s delaying tactics: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-criminal-investigations-government-and-politics-fe24760ff9a350ea7aecd1a13c8eef16 . This ruling restores DOJ examination of the most sensitive documents under review by the special master. Note that the appeals court explicitly stated that OJ had presented no evidence that he declassified the documents. This exactly lines up with the special master’s comments yesterday. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/appeals-court-grants-justice-department-request-to-put-part-of-mar-a-lago-special-master-order-on-hold-11663804499 .
While the OJ legal team may appeal, their chances of success seem slim. Also, the 11th Circuit removed the fangs from Judge Cannon’s foolish ruling. Presumably Judge Cannon understands what has happened to her initial ruling, and will adjust her thinking accordingly. DOJ told her they’d appeal if she didn’t adjust her order, and they made good on their statements when she doubled down.
OJ’s mental meltdown gains speed: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-baselessly-claimed-he-could-have-declassified-documents-just-by-thinking-about-declassifying-them/ar-AA126GPP?cvid=6d471c92f0a44a929b2a5c17ac67032e . Any lawyer choosing to defend this nut seeks notoriety, not a winnable case.
Jean Carroll amends her rape lawsuit against Orange Julius: https://apnews.com/article/new-york-lawsuits-donald-trump-sexual-assault-roberta-kaplan-2f035ea40339e9d680c32f429b7bbaec . Note that the OJ deposition must occur by October 19 according to the current timeline for discovery. This is not out of the question as Carroll notified the judge of her intent in August.
Another OJ/QAnon liar runs for Congress in Ohio: https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-afghanistan-ohio-campaigns-e75d2566635f11f49332bd1c46711999 . Few individuals are more disgusting to me than people who lie about their military service. This clown also was present at the US Capitol on January 6. The Cook Political Report currently rates this liar holding a 3 point lead over the 40-year Democratic incumbent, Marcy Kaptur: https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings (click on Kaptur’s name).
Webb telescope takes infrared pictures of Neptune and its rings: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/nasa-releases-jwst-photo-neptunes-rings-rcna48719 . Wow!
WSJ: Artemis moves closer to launch: https://www.wsj.com/articles/nasa-hits-another-fueling-leak-in-artemis-moon-rocket-test-11663774913 . The ongoing hydrogen leaks do not bode well. Hydrogen leaks occur frequently because of the small size of the molecule.
Sarver to sell Suns, Mercury: https://sports.yahoo.com/robert-sarver-announces-plans-to-sell-nb-as-phoenix-suns-wnb-as-mercury-amid-controversy-163959112.html . So our star and innermost planet will now be free? Wait, no, these are Phoenix sports teams. Robert Sarver is out a week after the NBA punishment. This result seems much more satisfactory than the NBA’s actions, as the article discusses. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/robert-sarver-phoenix-suns-mercury-11663782287 .