Neanderthal gene revisited: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/neanderthal-gene-found-many-people-may-open-cells-coronavirus-and-increase-covid-19 . Now a protein produced by a Neanderthal gene is found to protect against severe COVID. This is the opposite conclusion we heard from Science about the Neanderthal gene less than two weeks ago (today’s linked article was published December 18, or about the same time). Let’s just say research continues. And date a Neanderthal at your own risk.
Vaccine hesitancy on the front: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/many-frontline-workers-refuse-covid-19-vaccines-distribution-rollout-struggles-n1252617 . US employers are generally rejecting the idea of mandatory vaccination. China’s argument for authoritarianism advances.
More research on the UK variant, but with questions: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/faster-spreading-covid-strain-affects-young-the-most-study-says/ar-BB1cnR6V?li=BBnb7Kz . The study indicates that the young are most affected. The study was done when there was a general lockdown but schools were open. There is thus a bias in the study which cannot be corrected for. This result is interesting, but cannot be considered determinative of its central finding. This page gives you the report summary and a download button for the full pdf: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mrc-global-infectious-disease-analysis/covid-19/report-42-sars-cov-2-variant/ . Lots of highfalutin words here, but for me they don’t solve this issue.
WSJ: More variant science: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-covid-19-strains-what-scientists-know-about-coronavirus-variants-11609466017 .
Turkey confirms 15 cases of UK variant: https://en.royanews.tv/news/24548/Turkey-confirms-15-cases-of-new-COVID-19-strain . Why the US is not correcting its testing failure is beyond me. 19 days left before we can comprehensively address the mess. It’s entirely possible another 50,000 deaths will occur by then. (We’ve had 50,000 deaths in the last 19 days.)
US December COVID statistics: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/december-was-deadliest-most-infectious-month-start-pandemic-n1252645 . Note the doctor is speculating on the UK variant, but with no substantial US database.
WSJ: Dr. Frieden identifies best pandemic practices: https://www.wsj.com/articles/which-countries-have-responded-best-to-covid-19-11609516800 . Hmm, the US didn’t make the awards podium in any category …
Tennessee funeral directors, employees begin receiving vaccinations: https://wreg.com/news/coronavirus/funeral-home-directors-employees-to-begin-receiving-coronavirus-vaccination-shots/ . We know corpses shed virus. This is a logical group for high priority.
COVID swamps Ireland: https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-ireland/suddenly-overwhelmed-ireland-says-thousands-of-covid-19-cases-yet-to-be-added-to-tally-idUSS8N2II02W .
Romney “plan” for vaccination: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa/romney-urges-sweeping-vaccine-plan-as-u-s-surpasses-20-million-covid-19-cases-idINKBN2962L3 . Romney’s plan only makes sense if the delivery problem is a lack of qualified people to inject the vaccine. There’s no indication that is the problem. I’d rather have a nurse vaccinate me than a veterinarian or a medical student. This off-the-cuff crap will just raise vaccine skepticism.
WSJ: Vaccine roll-out screw-ups: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccines-slow-rollout-could-portend-more-problems-11609525711 .
WSJ: Hospital financial needs: https://www.wsj.com/articles/latest-covid-19-aid-package-scales-back-aid-to-hospitals-clinics-11609502400 . A more significant problem in vaccine distribution appears to be providing appropriate financial aid to cash-strapped state and local governments.
60% of Ohio nursing home workers refusing vaccine: https://www.mahoningmatters.com/local-news/3-in-5-ohio-nursing-home-workers-have-refused-the-coronavirus-vaccine-we-asked-why-3227306 . The bottom line is that educating these health workers has failed miserably. Would you want Grandma in an Ohio nursing home right now?
WSJ: Drug price increases for 2021: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drugmakers-raise-prices-3-3-in-the-new-year-11609521644 .
WSJ: Another updated summary of Brexit details: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-the-brexit-deal-alters-relations-between-the-u-k-and-european-union-11608836744 .
Senate votes 81-13 to override Trump defense bill veto: https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/01/politics/senate-votes-to-override-trump-veto-ndaa/index.html . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-overrides-trumps-veto-of-defense-bill-11609529894 . Curious about the Senators not voting to sustain the veto? Here are the 6 who did not vote, all presumably not in Washington: Perdue and Loeffler (Georgia Senators up for re-election in 4 days); Jones (D-AL) and Gardner (R-CO), both lost re-election; Sasse (R-NE); and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Here are the 13 voting no: Democrats Booker (NJ); Markey and Warren (MA); Wyden and Merkley (OR); Independent Bernie Sanders; and Republicans Braun (IN); Cotton (AR); Cruz (TX); Hawley (MO); Kennedy (LA); Lee (UT); and Paul (KY). The Democrats presumably are showing concern with defense spending where the veto override was assured. Cotton, Cruz and Hawley are hopefuls for the Republican nomination 2024. None of them has a prayer of election to the presidency. And for sure two of the three will not receive the Republican nomination. Here is John Brennan’s opinion on Josh Hawley: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/12/31/john-brennan-josh-hawley-acosta-intv-sitroom-vpx.cnn .
Gohmert’s Electoral College lawsuit tossed: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-courts-lawsuits-521b8c82eca4ff5f565b3ed6514a9898 . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/judge-dismisses-effort-to-derail-count-of-electors-votes-11609559351 .
Trump just gets nuttier: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/532348-trump-claims-georgia-senate-runoff-is-both-illegal-and-invalid-in-new-years (link replaced 1/9/21). I’m sure these two senators are thrilled with his support. This election now depends entirely on Republican turnout on Election Day, January 5. More from Nut World: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-absurdly-declares-upcoming-senate-runoff-elections-illegal-and-invalid-%e2%80%94-three-days-before-his-rally-in-georgia-for-gop-candidates/ar-BB1cpdov?li=BBnb7Kz . Presumably the point of this is to just ignore the 3,000 people who are dying of COVID every day.
Stop the sedition: https://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2021/01/readers-respond-sure-rescind-votes-from-2016.html (link replaced 2/5/2021). Here’s a letter to the Oregonian which cleverly captures revulsion to the current election follies. Lafayette is a bucolic small town southwest of Portland, best known for its Antiques Row.
Keep up the finger pointing: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election-2020/trump-predicted-lose-election-kushner-testing-b1781087.html . This should make for lovely holiday dinners with Grandpa Donnie.
WSJ: Why we can’t be trusted: https://www.wsj.com/articles/awed-by-the-meteor-shower-of-the-new-years-sky-11609531201 . So look at the photo. That’s not a meteor shower. That’s a time lapse photo that has not been taken on a stand that moves the camera to compensate for the Earth’s rotation. The streaks aren’t meteors – they’re stars. How is it possible that no one involved with this story knew that?
Supreme Court predictions: https://www.abajournal.com/columns/article/chemerinsky-predicting-scotus-in-2021-may-be-dangerous-and-futile? .
Bees use tools: https://www.pctonline.com/article/bees-dung-tool-asian-giant-hornets/ . Interestingly, the bees got the idea to use dung as a tool by listening to Josh Hawley.
Alabama outclasses Notre Dame 31-14. By scoring a touchdown with 56 seconds to go, Notre Dame beat the spread and my prediction. However, USA Today did agree with the “does not belong” comment after the game: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/rose-bowl-review-alabama-trio-prove-greatness-notre-dame-proves-it-doesnt-belong/vi-BB1cpiOL . Alabama was ahead 14-0 after one, 21-7 at halftime and 28-7 after 3. Here’s the play everyone will remember: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpVntBdZ4Bk .