Pfizer vaccine is safe and 95% effective: https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-conclude-phase-3-study-covid-19-vaccine . The distribution issues for the Pfizer vaccine are considered significant in relation to the Moderna vaccine. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-when-11605715625 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-95-effective-in-final-results-company-to-seek-approval-within-days-11605699996 .
Pfizer vaccine cold storage explained: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/17/935563377/why-does-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-need-to-be-kept-colder-than-antarctica . Hey, Antarctica is warming, though …
Chinese vaccine antibody concerns: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinese-covid-vaccine-gives-scientists-pause-over-antibody-levels-in-early-trials-11605725159 . This is why we do Phase 3 trials.
Coronavirus Task Force warns Pence, Trump of expanding crisis: https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/526503-coronavirus-task-force-warns-pence-to-change . This only works if these losers place lives over politics.
US hospital conditions deteriorating daily as cases surge: https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-tennessee-coronavirus-pandemic-74a1f0dc3634917a5dc13408455cd895 . Pandemic fatigue or not, this is cause for alarm. Same for Texas: https://apnews.com/article/ron-cook-lubbock-coronavirus-pandemic-el-paso-texas-2c7187cec3c6f57319a7c66a9f1b0978 . WSJ: And New York: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-hospitals-get-ready-for-second-wave-of-covid-19-11605708003 .
WSJ: More on home antibody test approval: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-clears-first-covid-19-test-performed-fully-at-home-11605722676 .
Bill Gates surprised by US mask skepticism: https://news.yahoo.com/bill-gates-antimask-sentiment-in-us-worse-than-other-countries-210411610.html .
NYC to close schools: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nyc-schools-close-covid-cases-rise-2020-11-18/ . More: https://thakoni.com/in-a-major-setback-new-york-city-schools-to-shut-down-over-parents-objections/ (link replaced 1/27/21). WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-city-public-schools-to-close-thursday-mayor-says-11605727446 .
US: 250,000 deaths and counting: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/quarter-million-coronavirus-deaths_n_5fac2a51c5b6ed84597d822b .
WSJ: Mortality news: https://www.wsj.com/articles/life-insurers-road-to-full-recovery-is-long-11605710865 . I’m not sure I agree with much here. Insurers should have made significant gains on their bond and stock investments over the past 4 years, and future interest rate assessment can be priced into product offerings. My view is that almost all excess deaths this year are COVID-related. We may see excess deaths over the next 5 to 10 years due to cancer and other health problems not caught this year because of deferral of routine and diagnostic care.
WSJ: Workplace technology after COVID-19: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-covid-19-could-change-workplace-technology-11605708627 . The only surprise here is how uninformative this article is. These experts need to up their game.
PPP fraud charges filed: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/7-charged-in-alleged-ppp-scam_n_5fb51c92c5b664958c7c7e23 .
WSJ: Boy Scouts: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-pressures-boy-scouts-already-facing-sex-abuse-claims-avalanche-11605728663 . Other reporting is that the Boy Scouts are toast, and that the local councils will lose the separate entity argument and their assets as well. WSJ should have shared that with its readers.
WSJ: South Korea delaying vaccine deal: https://www.wsj.com/articles/for-covid-19-vaccine-south-korea-says-it-can-wait-until-the-price-is-right-11605694383 . Once again, think about how economically valuable it was to control the virus. Even if the economy was our only priority, we screwed up. Lose-lose from the Orange Menace [orange is red (like Putin) plus yellow (like Trump)].
UK government made major mistakes in COVID-19 contracting: https://www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/outsourced-and-undermined-the-covid-19-windfall-for-private-providers .
WSJ: NYC hotel owners to pay $500 million to workers affected by pandemic: https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-hotel-owners-to-pay-500m-to-pandemic-hit-workers-11605700800 . With all of the financial pain to come, why is the Dow at an all-time high? The answers seem to be Fed support and nowhere else for the cash to go. These seem like lousy answers.
WSJ: First African pandemic default: https://www.wsj.com/articles/africas-first-pandemic-default-tests-new-effort-to-ease-debt-from-china-11605619676 .
GOP lawmaker criticizes loyalty purge: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/526490-gop-lawmaker-trump-implementing-a-loyalty-purge-amid-firing-of-top .
WSJ: Rats stick noses out of the sewer grate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/some-gop-lawmakers-voice-frustration-with-trump-11605741568 . Schumer was right about “profiles in cowardice”.
GSA head under increasing pressure to certify Biden: https://lta.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N2I5039 .
Shelton nomination approval odds narrow: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-shelton/trump-fed-nominee-shelton-faces-more-difficult-road-to-confirmation-idUSKBN27Z042 . The Arizona election certification is the Monday after Thanksgiving.
WSJ: Pelosi re-elected as Speaker: https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-poised-to-back-nancy-pelosi-again-as-house-speaker-11605697202 .
Biden tops 79 million votes: https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-crosses-79-million-votes-10-million-more-any-other-president-history-1548418 . While Biden was clearly the better choice, this is more aptly described as the largest anti-incumbent vote in history. Trump, as previously noted, is the only person to lose the popular vote twice. In other words, he is an historic loser.
Boeing 737 MAX cleared to fly, again: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54981658 . The WSJ take: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-must-emerge-smarter-from-737-max-grounding-11605723715 . WTF is this guy talking about? Safety is first, second and third for Boeing for the foreseeable future. This guy not only doesn’t get Boeing, he doesn’t get the pandemic either – it’s the same issue. First, control the virus … WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-737-max-to-fly-again-but-now-coronavirus-has-sapped-demand-11605695402 .
Saw-whet owl found in Rockefeller Center Xmas tree: https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2020/11/18/in-a-major-setback-new-york-city-schools-to-shutdown-over-parents-objections-1337012 . This guy is tiny, weighing 2.6 ounces: https://www.owlresearchinstitute.org/northern-saw-whet-owl . The Boeing 737 MAX 7 has a maximum take-off weight (fuel and passengers) of 177,000 pounds. That’s the weight of over 1 million adult male saw-what owls. Now, the estimated global population is 2 million. So one 737 MAX, fully loaded, weighs as much as the entire global population of male saw-whet owls.
George Clooney’s 14 million-dollar suitcases: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/11/18/george-clooney-recalls-gifting-14-friends-1-million-each/6337695002/ .