Ozempic reduces cravings and addiction: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ozempic-wegovy-reduce-alcohol-nicotine-cravings-addiction/ . The mechanism suggested is the reduced release of dopamine. As this drug comes into widespread usage, presumably studies will analyze these initial impressions.
Blue Zone Project : Live to 100: https://www.aol.com/news/man-unlocked-worlds-secret-living-114949420.html . These places for the most part have a slower way of life. Most of us aren’t going to do that. Daily meditation and yoga seems like the best way to come close.
HHS recommends reclassifying marijuana: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/us-health-agency-recommends-easing-federal-marijuana-restrictions-rcna102642 . Marijuana’s classification has never made any sense. It is political bias, not science.
WSJ: South Korea’s birthrate continues to fall: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/worlds-lowest-birthrate-sinks-further-despite-cash-payouts-to-parents-23a92210 .
WSJ: Continuing inflation in Europe: https://www.wsj.com/economy/stubborn-inflation-proves-difficult-to-tame-in-europe-40cc4fc8 . Again, inflation is always stubborn. US policymakers should not look away when deciding on another rate increase.
74 dead in Johannesburg building fire: https://apnews.com/article/fire-johannesburg-south-africa-dead-a365fc66541584e61ec5cd3e7b375e67 . Apparently the exits of this abandoned building were locked. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/world/africa/johannesburg-building-fire-south-africa-death-toll-89d7aff7 .
WSJ: India’s infrastructure spending boosts economy: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/indias-spending-push-on-infrastructure-lifts-growth-f93e8f90 . This is likely the closest the Journal will ever come to admitting the obvious. The Inflation Reduction Act was a really smart investment in US growth and competitiveness. What applies to India also applies to the US.
WSJ: Ukrainians begin to pierce Russia’s defense lines in the south: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukrainian-counteroffensive-pierces-main-russian-defensive-line-in-southeast-9441e204 . Progress remains slow. The Ukrainians hope to create a breach large enough to pour in men and materiel behind the Russian lines.
The GOP presidential race: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4179986-gop-long-shots-face-steep-hurdles-ahead-of-second-debate/ . Blah, blah, blah. The 3% minimum does not work so well when one candidate is preferred by 60% of the party. Orange Julius also sucks all the oxygen out of the other campaigns by getting indicted, over and over again. It is definitely not that OJ is smart. It is that the GOP is trying to throw a party, and nobody came.
DeMentis goes full Loony Tunes: https://www.aol.com/news/desantis-refuses-350m-biden-climate-180000782.html . How does this stunt make logical sense, or even political sense? This is not governance, and it is certainly not helping Florida citizens deal with energy costs.
The stench of Justice Thomas continues: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-finances-justices-thomas-alito-08ec6e88a7c29c55c9d3991903ca0db7 . As the article notes, Justice Thomas’ failure to disclose is not defensible. His defense is that he misunderstood the rules. That argument borders on the absurd. Any first year law student (or honest citizen) would understand that taking luxury trips looks like an ethics violation. Justice Thomas chose to line his pockets. WSJ: Stink? What stink?: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/clarence-thomas-fires-back-at-allegations-of-ethical-breaches-4bd41c75 . Right. Clarence is firing blanks, and everyone except the Journal gets it.
Fulton County jail – fifth straight week of an inmate death: https://www.aol.com/fifth-inmate-dead-five-weeks-003736433.html .
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Mitch McConnell unfit for office after second freeze-up: https://www.aol.com/news/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-mcconnell-132459646.html . Well, of course. Marjorie Taylor Greene is our leading expert on being unfit for office.
Meanwhile, the Journal is ready to move on from Mitch McConnell: https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/mitch-mcconnells-health-scares-shine-spotlight-on-senates-three-johns-ad0e3831 . Um, most times when someone brings up “the three Johns”, they’re talking about where the toilets are located. The Journal misses the sarcasm in this moniker.
Proud Boys leaders receive 17 and 15 year sentences: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/proud-boy-leaders-joe-biggs-zachary-rehl-sentenced/story?id=102832655 . The overall leader, Enrique Tarrio, had his sentencing delayed this week because of the judge’s sudden illness. His sentencing is now expected September 6. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/law/proud-boys-leader-joseph-biggs-sentenced-to-17-years-in-prison-97ca2f88 .
In other illness news, police arrest a Florida 18-year-old after she tried to hire a hit man to kill her 3-year-old son: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-mom-accused-trying-hire-hitman-kill-3-year-old-son-rcna102653 . The math suggests she was 14 when she got pregnant. The second person arrested was apparently a former boyfriend (possibly the child’s father) who said he’d think about coming back if she got rid of the kid. One possible conclusion: Florida needs better sex education and freely available abortions. But that does fit the DeMentis playbook.
Major mooving violation: Bull in passenger seat: https://people.com/nebraska-driver-bull-in-passenger-seat-7964133 . The bull’s name is Howdy Doody. Is that what happened in the car on his last ride?
Loch Ness “monster” photos: https://www.aol.com/news/pictured-loch-ness-monster-sighting-101146210.html . Unless this monster is immortal, there has to be a population of them. So where are they?
Fort Worth Zoo successfully breeds endangered alligator: https://www.aol.com/news/fort-worth-zoo-announces-monumental-152021174.html . A wonderful accomplishment, especially since they’re not good at arithmetic. So apparently there was one previous live birth in the US. These 4 births then quintuple the number of live births to 5, not quadruple the previous total.
WSJ: We don’t even know current college football: https://www.wsj.com/sports/football/the-last-hurrah-of-college-football-as-you-know-it-b938978f . Um, the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry game is known as The Civil War. Everyone knows that, except apparently the Journal. No one here refers to the Platypus Trophy – I’ve never heard of it before. According to Wikipedia, it was apparently inaugurated in 1959 and then lost from 1962 to 2006. Now it’s awarded to the alumni association of the winning school. So as usual, the Journal has failed to do even basic research.