Long COVID symptom rates plateau: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-06-30/federal-survey-11-of-previously-infected-u-s-adults-report-long-covid-symptoms . However, this still works out to 15 million Americans still suffering long COVID symptoms.
Indiana’s top court allows near-total abortion ban: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2023-06-30/indianas-top-court-allows-near-total-abortion-ban .
WSJ: US veterans don’t want their kids to sign up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/military-recruiting-crisis-veterans-dont-want-their-children-to-join-510e1a25 . As this is the main recruiting pipeline, it is a huge problem. Some people frown on India’s caste system of the past. However, we have our own caste system, it is just more subtle.
WSJ: Fighting sticky inflation: https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-fight-stickier-inflation-governments-take-aim-at-corporate-profits-7095528f . We have previously reported on “greedflation”. It is a very real economic phenomena. Also: Core inflation cools slightly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/consumer-spending-personal-income-may-2023-4a3fb7de . This is still double the goal, and we remain on track for another Fed rate increase in July.
SVB depositors win in court: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/svb-depositors-who-lost-their-money-win-court-victory-e349235d . This was always a screwball result, where the FDIC seized depositors’ deposits but then forced them to repay their loans. Hopefully these people will get their money back.
WSJ: Vietnamese women trafficked into China: https://www.wsj.com/articles/as-china-reopens-borders-trafficking-of-women-and-girls-resumes-b1132ab1 . Note that the Chinese built a massive wall on their southern border, and it isn’t effective either.
WSJ: Further weakness in Chinese economy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economy-shows-new-signs-of-weakness-c3316657 .
Status of Ukraine offensive: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cia-director-on-secret-trip-to-ukraine-hears-plan-for-war-s-endgame/ar-AA1dhlSJ?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=1f8b64b927e14d40bbf6985b84ef1a13&ei=19 . Again, the Post’s reporting is quite comprehensive. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-hits-russian-defenses-from-a-distance-before-risking-troops-26cd2502 . Still more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/u-s-poised-to-give-ukraine-controversial-cluster-bombs/ar-AA1dhfT7?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=a98628305541431591aab8fcbfefa7d6&ei=10 . “Poised” looks premature – we will see.
WSJ: The Russian military purge continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/has-putins-general-armageddon-gone-missing-636b4e0 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-military-leaders-who-could-swing-the-balance-of-power-in-russia-fd93634a . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-next-for-russia-8c307c0d .
The future of diversity policies: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/companiesexpectnew-challenges-todiversitypolicies-after-court-ruling-4bf48c1d . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/asian-americans-offer-mixed-take-on-affirmative-action-ruling-80829b44 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-schools-see-opening-in-affirmative-action-ruling-462e4cbf .
WSJ: Supreme Court will consider Second Amendment rights for domestic abusers: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-to-review-domestic-abuser-gun-ban-c50e3538 . After this week’s batch of disgusting rulings, one wonders whether these political hacks can connect the two dots in this case. Do women matter at all?
Supreme Court voids student loan relief: https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-653c2e9c085863bdbf81f125f87669fa . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/supreme-court-strikes-down-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness-plan-54a1ca7 . This result is not unexpected. However, it turns on politics more than the law. While the liberals argue that the executive and judicial branches have agreed on this relief, Congress did not specifically pass this program, and it would not pass now. So the argument really is that the conservatives do not like a more liberal president having what is close to unilateral authority here. Put in historical terms, the conservatives still don’t like FDR.
Roberts correctly recognizes the Court’s growing unpopularity. Because impeachment of Alito and/or Thomas isn’t going to fly, we have to wait for one or both to resign (very unlikely) or die. And this is why lifetime appointments no longer make sense. The alternative for Democrats is to hold the Senate and Presidency, and regain the House. Even then, the Democrats will need at least 50+1 votes (Kamala Harris) as Manchin, if he is re-elected, will likely not go along.
Biden offers new student debt plan: https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-biden-democrats-gop-campaign-2024-37c7a2c3dbd38dc4bf53c3333413bcd7 . Nikki Haley is insultingly ignorant. Student debt is crushing for many people. As readers know, I graduated from Claremont Men’s, now Claremont McKenna. My total college tuition at CMC, times 10, is less than 1 year’s tuition is now. Virtually every student at CMC has some sort of financial aid package these days, and this has been true for the past 30 years at least. Many people in my age group were able to work their way through college, but that is almost impossible now. We actually should work to make college free so this issue goes away. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-pressured-to-revive-student-loan-forgiveness-plan-34d0a7be .
WSJ: How the Supreme Court hammers the poor: https://www.wsj.com/articles/their-student-loans-were-going-to-be-canceled-now-the-bills-are-coming-back-f2febb7f . How to address payment resumption: https://www.wsj.com/articles/student-loans-repayment-supreme-court-730c7fc8 .
Biden says he’s never talked to AG Garland about a specific case: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-says-never-discussed-specific-cases-ag-garland-rcna91921 . He’s promised this many times, consistently said he’s following this practice, and I believe him. This was and should be standard practice. The GOP is again making very serious charges with no evidence. Garland also said the Delaware prosecutor (an OJ appointee) had free rein to make the prosecutorial decisions on Hunter Biden, and he’d make the prosecutor available to Congress for public testimony. We really need to crush the GOP on the 2024 elections.
WSJ: Brazil’s Supreme Court bans Bolsonaro from running for office for 8 years: https://www.wsj.com/articles/brazils-court-reaches-majority-to-ban-jair-bolsonaro-from-office-a631ac20 . Orange Julius, of course is the leading GOP candidate for president. Which one of these countries looks like a banana republic? More: Let’s add Venezuela to the mix: https://www.wsj.com/articles/venezuela-bans-a-top-opposition-figure-from-public-office-11373568 .
Meanwhile, Orange Julius may be deposed over firing of two FBI agents: https://abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-director-wray-deposed-lawsuit-fbi-agents-firing/story?id=100539016 . Can you think of any former president that has been involved in any post-presidency litigation? To say OJ is out of the ordinary hardly characterizes the messes he has created.
GOP touts rural broadband, although they voted against it: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/republicans-tout-rural-broadband–even-if-they-voted-against-it-160932686.html . Stop the BS – vote the pigs out … every last one of them …
DeMentis works to actively kill Florida life to save the fertilizer industry: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4075140-desantis-signs-bill-allowing-new-roads-to-be-built-with-mining-waste-linked-to-cancer/ . How can anyone possibly be this stupid? Ron obviously learned nothing from the Tampa Bay spill. U-N-E-L-E-C-T-A-B-L-E … DeMentis just tattooed this on his own forehead. How ironic that what he is saving is … fertilizer.
WSJ: DeMentis finances: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ron-desantis-who-touts-blue-collar-roots-more-than-triples-net-worth-101dfe90 . So Ron has tripled his net worth running for president … once again, the Journal misses the key point here …
Fox-Not-the-News settles with Tucker Carlson producer Abby Grossberg for $12 million: https://apnews.com/article/foxnews-grossberg-settlement-carlson-4cb6d6922de4cca1719bd9d4dc0ae51b . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-settles-litigation-with-former-producer-for-12-million-fe9f52b6 . As we know from the Dominion settlement, F-N-N makes far more than this for each day they broadcast their lies.
Pedestrian deaths hit a 41-year high: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/why-pedestrian-deaths-hit-41-year-high-rcna91506 . First, we have cut back the Traffic Division here for budgetary reasons, and people are speeding and driving recklessly as a result. Second, just yesterday I had a woman so engrossed with her iPhone that she wandered in front of my moving car (I stopped, no problem). And she had two small children with her! This is also not the first time I’ve had something like this happen.
ESPN cuts on-air talent Jeff Van Gundy, Max Kellerman: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jeff-van-gundy-max-kellerman-170516853.html . This is the third version of the headline: Yahoo originally led with Keyshawn Johnson, and then placed him second with Kellerman third. The purpose of these positions is analysis: Van Gundy and Kellerman can deliver. The other three named, while great former players, really add very little value. So the question is whether ESPN wants analysis or not, and apparently they don’t. Also, signing Pat McAfee to an $85 million contract was at least $65 million too much – Kellerman is worth more than McAfee. WSJ: We also don’t know TV analysts: https://www.wsj.com/articles/espn-lays-off-jeff-van-gundy-jalen-rose-and-other-on-air-talent-in-cost-cutting-move-87749366 . Sigh … Max Kellerman, not Jalen Rose …
Another real problem is that the NBA product is declining in interest. Saving money on analysis is not going to help. The league needs to figure out how to better distribute talent – no more than 5 teams of the current 30 are championship contenders, making the other 25 rather unwatchable. Also, as has always been true, watching the last 2 minutes of the game is all you need to do to see most of the action in 80% of the games. Baseball has made changes to improve the interest of its product – the NBA hasn’t done much since adding the 3-point play.
Geraldo Rivera leaves Fox: https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/geraldo-rivera-long-career-fox-news-end-1235658327/ . Who cares? I’ve never forgiven him for the long Al Capone vault special which showed … an empty vault. The guy is a total waste of time.
UPDATE: Vanna looks for major raise to stay: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/wheel-of-fortune-will-vanna-white-remain-on-the-show-once-ryan-seacrest-takes-over-003911005.html . Given her 41years on the show, they need to pony up and give her another 2 years at $7.5 million per year.
Alan Arkin passes at 89: https://people.com/alan-arkin-dead-obituary-7502474 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/alan-arkin-little-miss-sunshine-actor-dies-at-89-2d616ba6 .
WSJ: Eight American masterpieces for the Fourth of July weekend: https://www.wsj.com/articles/eight-artistic-masterpieces-to-celebrate-the-fourth-of-july-airdigital-dca3a074 . Despite the small minds currently occupying the Supreme Court, the US founding remains the greatest gift of individual freedom human civilization has given to itself.