New weight loss drug Zepbound: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/eli-lilly-weight-loss-drug-zepbound-fda-approval-ozempic-rcna123169 . The FDA has approved Lilly’s Zepbound, which trials indicate is more effective at weight loss than Ozempic and its cousins.
Hope for Parkinson’s patients: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/parkinsons-disease-implant-new-study-ability-to-walk-nature-medicine/ . One has to think that regaining the ability to walk has overall positive effects on health, but we don’t know what this implies about overall disease progression.
Negotiations underway for 3-day Gaza humanitarian pause in exchange for 12 hostages: https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-11-09-2023-f11425ba2ed0bcd9dc8aee6c456c7233 . As over 240 hostages are held, another approach is needed to free them all.
US strikes Iran weapons storage facility in eastern Syria: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/politics/us-airstrikes-eastern-syria-iran/index.html . The US has been clear these strikes were retaliatory after attacks on US troops. The danger of serious escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza remains.
Tentative deal in actors’ strike: https://www.etonline.com/sag-aftra-committee-approves-tentative-deal-to-end-the-strike-212337 . Like many strikes, this has gone on far too long. This will further boost the Biden economy as Hollywood goes into high gear to catch up on half-completed projects.
More on Tuesday’s elections: Here’s Dan Balz in the Washington Post: “If not a blue wave on Tuesday night, the results reinforced the worries among some Republicans that their brand has become too toxic to many voters and that whatever weaknesses they see in President Biden, their own problems are acute.” This is a concise summary of the analysis provided here yesterday. The only “significant” GOP victory was Tate Reeves’ reelection as governor of Mississippi – in other words, there were no significant GOP victories.
Also, everyone (except the Journal, out in GOP No Facts La-La Land) thinks the Virginia results were a body blow to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s aspirations in the GOP. Youngkin tried to be the GOP “moderate” and pass a 15-week abortion ban in a purple/blue state. Women (and men with college educations) overwhelmingly believe the choice should be left to the woman. WSJ: Also, Ohio voters amended the state constitution to protect abortion rights: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/election-day-ballots-ohio-abortion-maine-texas-colorado-d9922480 . More: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/abortion-rights-supporters-rack-up-victories-putting-gop-in-bind-for-2024-4bec7b38 .
Meanwhile, the most memorable moment in the GOP debate was … name-calling: https://newrepublic.com/post/176778/youre-just-scum-nikki-haley-daughter-republican-debate . Nikki Haley’s daughter is not a public figure, and Ramaswamey is indeed scum for this stunt. Where is the evidence of governing ability in this sideshow? Four of the five “candidates” took turns trashing Palestinian students in the US for making Jewish students fell unsafe, after which Chris Christie talked about his efforts after 9/11 to build bridges to the Muslim, Jewish and other communities in New Jersey.
Christie and DeMentis have the best academic accomplishments of the 5 on stage, but only Christie actually learned something from school. This is painfully obvious, but still lost on the MAGA electorate.
More on the debate: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/grappling-trump-abortion-losses-six-key-takeaways-republican-debate-rcna121833. Note that DeMentis, Haley and Tim Scott did not get last night’s universal shout-out from voters that abortion is a losing issue for the GOP. This will continue to help Democrats for the foreseeable future.
Ivanka testifies in the NY OJ Inc. fraud trial: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/politics/ivanka-trump-fraud-trial-takeaways/index.html . Apparently no one in OJ’s family knows how the business operates, so they have nothing to do with the obvious fraud (and I do mean obvious fraud), which is why Judge Engoron has already given a substantial “partial summary judgment to the prosecution. Okay, you relied on accountants. But someone instructed the accountants to use ridiculously high valuations.
According to Michael Cohen, OJ himself instructed Cohen and the OJ Inc. CFO Allen Weisselberg to raise the valuations to whatever total OJ named. There is no countervailing evidence from the defense. Not only is OJ toast (as are his New York business licenses), there is no substantive matter on which to appeal. There also does not appear to be a meaningful procedural issue. So OJ is down to calling the judge biased. On what basis? I expect the judge to rule against OJ Inc. on virtually the entire case, and likely before the end of this year.
The OJ defense: Delay, delay, delay: https://www.salon.com/2023/11/08/full-blown-circus-experts-say-trumps-list-of-127-defense-witnesses-wont-fly-with-the/ . I can’t imagine this number of witnesses after the partial summary judgment.
How to go straight to jail: https://apnews.com/article/funeral-home-colorado-decaying-bodies-5748f57f94c8ae5365f2e950f56f5061 . This behavior seems inexplicable. There are fairly simple ways to get away with this crime. Why would you just throw rotting bodies into a house? Even at $1,500 per cremation, 200 bodies only total $300,000 – what’s the value of the house? There is something very seriously wrong with these criminals.
A surefire nominee for the Idiot Olympics Hall of Fame: https://sports.yahoo.com/man-attacks-former-mma-fighter-with-knife-in-parking-lot-gets-choked-unconscious-014119147.html . Stupidity has no limits. Was this clown on drugs?
First-ever space conflict occurs over Middle East: https://www.aol.com/news/first-ever-space-conflict-occurs-203701434.html . I agree with the analyst quoted that a true space conflict would involve assets already in space. This is a perfect time for the Jewish Space Lasers. So where are they, Marjorie?
Marjorie is apparently too busy with pressing anti-LGBTQ matters: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4300610-house-gop-government-funding-bill-hits-snag-amid-abortion-concerns/ . We’re 9 days from a government shutdown. I expect voters to reward Democrats with a substantial majority in the House next November. The House GOP crap is now truly obscene.
The National Zoo’s pandas depart for China: https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/08/world/panda-diplomacy-us-china/index.html . As FedEx flew the pandas, it is fair to call the flight the Giant Panda Express.
NCAA finds poor officiating in last year’s women’s championship game: https://www.aol.com/news/officiating-title-game-between-lsu-161559896.html . I do remember several really bad calls in this game. I’ll bet that’s true of most people who saw this otherwise outstanding game.