Moderna sues Pfizer over vaccine patents: https://apnews.com/article/moderna-covid-vaccine-lawsuit-pfizer-c1c25964c5ac3d945be0831363683d49 . Given the billions in sales involved, this patent enforcement action will be heavily contested. Perhaps the suit will be settled with a reasonable commercial license. However, Pfizer’s indication that it was surprised by the suit suggests that discussion has not even commenced. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/moderna-sues-pfizer-and-biontech-alleging-infringement-of-mrna-patents-11661519898 .
WSJ: 11th Circuit rules against vaccine mandate for government contractors: https://www.wsj.com/articles/appeals-court-rules-against-vaccine-mandate-for-government-contractors-11661554184 .
Monkeypox vaccine distribution off-target: https://apnews.com/article/monkeypox-science-health-public-epidemics-b21fd04c0a4b019abcd6c96054102e90 . WSJ: However, the global monkeypox outbreak may be slowing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/monkeypox-outbreak-shows-signs-of-cooling-in-u-s-and-globally-11661526042 .
WSJ: Natural gas prices will push UK inflation into double digits: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-energy-bills-set-to-jump-as-country-awaits-new-leader-11661532660 . The energy issues in Europe will feed inflation in the US as well.
Meanwhile, the Journal substitutes loose talk for facts and analysis: https://www.wsj.com/articles/feds-tough-talk-could-be-transitory-11661533499 . Inflation is measured by a basket of goods. Naming a few that are currently going down is not helpful. And if rent and groceries are seeing accelerating upward pressure, those are two of the biggest items in the basket. Also, another WSJ writer correctly tells us that Powell said the Fed is not walking away from tightening anytime soon: https://www.wsj.com/articles/feds-jerome-powell-set-to-speak-on-economic-outlook-at-jackson-hole-11661476059 . So don’t argue that the Fed’s current approach is transitory.
Back-up generator power restored to Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant: https://www.aol.com/news/ukraine-nuclear-plant-escapes-meltdown-224803609-153404710.html . The analogy to Russian roulette is apt. Both sides must immediately move forward with UN demilitarization of an area around the reactor and restoration of normal operations. WSJ: UN to inspect plant next week: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-n-likely-to-inspect-ukraine-nuclear-plant-next-week-11661527167 . Moving the plant back from the brink of a nuclear incident would be welcome news. More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-reconnects-power-to-nuclear-plant-amid-pressure-for-u-n-inspection-11661518903 .
Here is the redacted affidavit for the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-mar-a-lago-fbi-redacted-affidavit-search-warrant-163338489.html . I suggest you read the affidavit now, so that you can judge for yourself what information is in here before others calling themselves experts tell you what to think.
Because there are so many redactions, the severity of risk associated with the secret documents cannot be assessed beyond information already publicly available. However, if you, I or any other average citizen did the things already known about these documents, we would prepare for an orange jumpsuit. If no man is above the law, the same result should apply to Orange Julius. Let’s see what the talking heads say.
Meanwhile, OJ’s increasing desperation shows signs of mental meltdown: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2022-08-26/trump-lashes-out-after-affidavits-release . Let’s be clear here. OJ asked for the affidavit release because it almost never happens, and he could then claim lack of transparency. But full release of the affidavit would have created the opportunity for witness intimidation. That also didn’t happen. It is remarkable that the US survived through 4 years of having this incompetent in the Oval Office.
Bill Barr on Orange Julius’ “extortion” of the GOP: https://news.yahoo.com/barr-trump-using-extortion-to-control-gop-232101391.html . Barr continues to try to extract his legacy from that of Orange Julius. There’s no chance of that. And Barr’s support of Ron DeSantis’ record of race and gender oppression is at best an effort to stay relevant in the GOP. There’s no chance of that, either. More: https://www.yahoo.com/news/bill-barr-calls-trump-incorrigible-142330590.html .
Why Bill Barr failed as Attorney General: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/08/merrick-garland-barr-memo-trump-lesson-doj.html . Basically, Barr failed to exercise independent judgment as Attorney General. He buried this earlier obstruction case to protect his patron, Orange Julius, leading us to the current mess.
Truth Social’s troubles increase: https://www.salon.com/2022/08/26/trump-never-pays-his-bills-truth-social-reportedly-stiffs-contractor-amid-financial-disarray/ . I really have no sympathy for people who lose money doing business with Orange Julius. Stupidity continues to have no limits.
Following the money: McConnell is throwing money at JD Vance at the expense of other GOP candidates: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/26/shifting-strategy-senate-gop-super-pac-cancels-ad-buys-in-arizona-alaska-00053965 . If Vance fails, and Mark Kelly wins, the GOP will have two red states with two Democratic senators.
Here’s why McConnell is scrapping the Arizona ads: https://news.yahoo.com/arizona-senate-candidate-masters-tries-to-back-away-from-abortion-position-145435028.html . We have been hoping that Orange Julius’ radicalization of the GOP base would lead to a massive defeat in November, pushing OJ out of power in the GOP. That hope now bears fruit. But a significant player in the growing defeat is Alito’s ridiculous opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. Samuel Alito and his fellow dunces on the Supreme Court may now crush the party that empowered them. Our language already has a term for this – “poetic JUSTICE”.
How does student loan forgiveness work?: https://www.aol.com/finance/students-loans-forgiven-qualifying-bidens-184301206.html . Apparently, 43 million Americans hold public student loan debt (wow!). The limit to those making under $125,000 annually cuts the eligibility number to 40 million. Automatic approval will extend to 8 million. Thus, 32 million must apply, with that process not yet announced. Applications will be available by the end of this year.
White House calls out GOP hypocrisy on student loan criticism: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/white-house-shines-light-republicans-are-criticizing-student-debt-canc-rcna44904 . The criticism went beyond Marjorie Taylor Greene to other House GOP members taking 6 and 7 figure PPP money. The speed of this response suggests preplanning. Wow, competent people in the White House – what a refreshing change! Other GOP reps are involved, including Mike Pence’s brother: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2022/08/26/greg-pence-criticizes-student-loan-plan-his-ppp-loan-was-forgiven/65458162007/ .
More broadly, the GOP’s attack suggesting this loan relief is being paid for by poor people is demonstrably untrue. As a group, the GOP sucks at lying. But they continue to do this rather than participate in governance in order to hold power with their uneducated base. Again, the GOP is now a disgrace even as an opposition party.
Vanessa Bryant to donate her $16 million judgment share to Kobe foundation: https://sports.yahoo.com/vanessa-bryant-donate-16-million-140342326.html . As the bulk of the $31 million total judgment will be paid by the Sheriff’s Department, you could say this is a unique way to defund the police.
Fraud of NBA healthcare plan continues to unravel: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nba/former-nba-player-admits-defrauding-league-s-health-care-plan/ar-AA118O13?cvid=12d2d80dce554db899ed68f8854fda9d . Note that Williams pleaded guilty to a crime that has a mandatory two-year prison sentence.
Global droughts worsen significantly: https://news.yahoo.com/climate-change-driven-droughts-are-unearthing-earths-secrets-and-artifacts-203929700-151720698.html . The artifacts are interesting, but the overwhelming story is that droughts are reaching everywhere. So if all the rivers run dry, how is humanity going to farm? What happens to freshwater fish? It seems obvious that food shortages will dramatically worsen in the near future. We are losing glaciers worldwide, as well as the ice caps at the North and South Poles.
My concern for many years has been that greenhouse gases were creating a feedback loop from which the planet could not recover. That feedback loop is obviously worsening, and some parts of the damage are irreversible. However, the speed of change is now accelerating past most scientific predictions. Again, this appears to be failure to recognize the interconnected nature of the feedback loop. Focus on humanity’s stupidities (the Ukraine war, Orange Julius) distracts the world from the massive global warming crisis that continues to unfold. Remember, there is no Planet B.