Omicron Grinch steals some Christmas this year: https://www.aol.com/news/omicron-spreading-every-place-once-013616070.html . Omicron has already shown up in 36 states: https://www.cnet.com/health/omicron-update-today-variant-now-in-36-states-symptoms-vaccine-and-booster-protection/ . Remember, it was discovered just before Thanksgiving. The first US case was found November 30. In some areas, 15% of the infections are Omicron. Here is the key advice: Vaccinated people need to get their booster immediately, especially those over 50. This tidal wave of infections is likely to greatly expand the current hospital stress with the latest Delta wave: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-lifestyle-health-business-383358fabc484d2422aa4234c2221ba7 .
COVID booster gap: https://www.axios.com/omicron-coronavirus-vaccines-boosters-5fc8705f-f9ea-4900-af16-eb62f4646364.html . Those who have received their last vaccination dose within the last 6 months (58 million) and children under 16 are not eligible for boosters.
WSJ: UK hits daily COVID case record as Omicron cases surge: https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-drives-record-daily-covid-19-case-count-in-u-k-11639595473 . Again, I disagree with the “out-compete” viewpoint. This could be the real “twindemic”, not COVID and influenza.
The longest COVID long-hauler: https://sports.yahoo.com/wnba-liberty-asia-durr-covid-flare-ups-worst-case-of-long-haul-covid-doctors-said-theyd-seen-170553809.html . So we all know older men are the most susceptible to severe COVID, right?
Fifth Circuit revives federal health worker vaccine mandate: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/585977-appeals-court-reinstates-health-worker-vaccine-mandate-in-half-of-us .
WSJ: How CDC screwed up the initial COVID test: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cdcs-early-covid-19-test-hampered-by-design-flaw-contamination-11639594801 . We knew most of this 18 months ago, as the article notes.
WSJ: US healthcare spending surged almost 10% last year: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-healthcare-spending-rose-nearly-10-in-2020-report-finds-11639602002 .
Cornell, Princeton and NYU pull back from in person education: https://apnews.com/article/health-new-york-syracuse-6686dfd1111baea6fb54791a26d232b4 . Each university reports student vaccination rates at 98% or more. The pandemic is not over. We are entering a new phase. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-outbreaks-disrupt-princeton-cornell-end-of-term-11639590864 .
WSJ: Pandemic accelerated California out-migration: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-population-loss-accelerated-during-pandemic-11639564203 .
The case for salt substitutes: https://bestlifeonline.com/salt-substitute-stroke-news/ . In reading this article, I was wondering if they would recognize the problem of salt in Americans’ processed food. How great that they took that problem on head-on.
Tornadoes and high winds hit Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/winds-95-mph-colorado-cause-road-closures-flight-delays-power-outages-rcna8921 . Yeah, what global warming? Meanwhile, an ice shelf the size of Florida will break off Florida in the next 3 to 5 years, allowing a glacier to charge toward the sea: https://www.wionews.com/science/this-ice-shelf-the-size-of-uk-is-melting-so-fast-it-could-raise-sea-levels-by-over-2-feet-436750 . The glacier and ice shelf together will raise sea levels by 10 feet (worldwide, think about how much water that is) by 2100. We knew this catastrophe was coming. Instead, we spend our time trying to unwind Orange Julius. As a global society, we are idiots.
WSJ: Fed shortens bond buying program, expects three 2022 rates hikes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/california-population-loss-accelerated-during-pandemic-11639564203 . As a result, bond prices drop: https://www.wsj.com/articles/treasury-yields-inch-up-ahead-of-fed-statement-11639585599 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fed-officials-project-three-rate-rises-next-year-and-accelerate-wind-down-of-stimulus-11639594785 .
New JFK assassination files released: https://www.aol.com/news/us-releases-batch-documents-jfk-203831151-214204439.html . As you can see, there is a big clue here about why government is doing so poorly with global warming. Rapid response is just not part of the deal.
January 6 tag-along gets 28 months in prison for Pelosi threat: https://apnews.com/article/prisons-donald-trump-capitol-siege-north-carolina-washington-f7e7fbdefe4ec9325919fc9b8c8114db . Once again, a QAnon follower with prior mental illness supports the Big Lie and the insurrection, and finds trouble.
Tesla chaos in Paris: https://www.aol.com/news/runaway-tesla-left-trail-destruction-153627361-215051910.html . If you can make sense of this, congratulations, because I’m baffled. The Tesla, apparently used as a taxi, was in use by an off-duty taxi driver taking his family to dinner when it accelerated. Tesla claims there was no mechanical failure. So Tesla thinks a commercial driver tried to kill his family while driving a company car? Something is very wrong here.
Fox News chaos as hosts try to explain their corruption: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fox-news-hosts-react-to-the-release-of-their-texts-to-mark-meadows-a-weak-attempt-to-smear-yours-truly-082009845.html . Look, let’s cut the crap that Fox offers a conservative “viewpoint”. These treasonous liars value their paycheck and their false fame over everything else, including this country.
CNN commentator’s head explodes over latest January 6 revelations: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/16/politics/donald-trump-january-6-committee-republicans-fox-news/index.html . The writer makes many valid points. This didn’t seem possible, but this guy is more outraged than I am by the slime occupying the right wing of our political system.
Meanwhile, the writers at Slate are boiling over Gorsuch’s minority opinion on vaccine mandates: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/12/vaccine-mandates-supreme-court-religious-liberty-pandemic.html . The difference between activism and radicalization is considerable. Hopefully, activist Democrats will not radicalize under provocation from the right.
GOP voter fraud complaints have led to … GOP voter fraud: https://www.salon.com/2021/12/15/multiple-residents-from-floridas-loving-the-villages-arrested-for-fraud/ . There are only a handful of voter fraud cases around the country, but every one I’m aware of involves a Republican voter.
WSJ: Fertilizer costs surge: https://www.wsj.com/articles/surging-fertilizer-costs-push-farmers-to-shift-planting-plans-raise-prices-11639580768 . Evidently, the GOP has cornered this market.
WSJ: UK inflation at 5.1%: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-inflation-accelerates-at-fastest-pace-in-a-decade-11639560051 . Brexit is significantly to blame here. UK self-imposed a supply chain reduction.
WSJ: China’s economic activity does indeed slow down: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economic-activity-slowed-in-november-on-property-slump-weak-consumption-11639551530 . And the Zero COVID lockdown policy is not helping: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-covid-19-lockdowns-starting-to-sting-11639569604 . More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economy-needs-more-help-11639573044 .
Urban Meyer fired after just 13 games with Jacksonville: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/12/16/urban-meyer-fired-as-jaguars-head-coach/ . Jacksonville likely owes Meyer a massive payout for his absolutely appalling performance. Even if you were trying to get fired, could you act as incompetently and inhumanely as Meyer has throughout his brief stint? Thank goodness Oregon has already hired a new head coach. Anyone who hires this guy now would be immediately suspect.
Bruce Springsteen sells catalog to Sony for $500 million: https://variety.com/2021/music/news/bruce-springsteen-sells-catalog-sony-500-million-1235134590/ . I remember lying in bed one night in 1975 listening to the Saturday Midnight Album show, which played a brand new release, Born to Run. I was wowed by Springsteen’s storytelling ability, and thought, This guy is going somewhere. Now he sells his catalog for more than Bob Dylan sold his …