WSJ: Rising cost of COVID testing: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-tests-are-easier-to-find-covering-their-cost-is-getting-more-complicated-11649496609 . As we all know, poorer testing coverage means poorer data. This is just foolish when so many cases of COVID are mild or asymptomatic. This only makes sense when the pandemic is clearly over, and we are not there.
WHO reports on Omicron XE: https://en.as.com/en/2022/04/05/latest_news/1649161168_061328.html .
Shanghai begins lifting lockdowns: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-guangzhou-china-shanghai-6317510dbeb81ed56fbc2e3b4827e915 . But cases are still spreading. This approach at best will involve reinfection of the locked down area. Meanwhile, food distribution problems continue: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-04-09/shanghai-official-says-handling-of-covid-outbreak-below-expectations-as-lockdown-continues . Again, in my view China’s attempt to fine-tune Zero COVID has been a serious failure, and they are not putting forth meaningful alternative approaches. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/shanghai-residents-face-fresh-round-of-mass-covid-19-testing-11649505734 .
Microplastics embedded in our lungs: https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/researchers-microplastics-deep-lungs-living-135114528.html . A recent report here indicated that we eat about a credit card worth of plastic each day, and that they’ve made their way into our bloodstream. This study finds these microplastics embedded in our lungs, and more heavily in the lower regions. While the researchers find this surprising, there are reasonable explanations.
First, the researchers have the perspective that all of this material arrived through the air. It is quite possible that some of this material was deposited from the bloodstream. Secondly, these materials are deposited over time. Gravity therefore has a downward influence on these particles. Third, the lungs have cilia in the primary bronchus that work to expel foreign particles. It is quite reasonable that the greatest concentration of materials would be in areas of the lungs beyond the cilia.
WSJ: Ukraine encourages citizens to evacuate from the eastern front: https://www.wsj.com/articles/zelensky-calls-russian-strike-on-ukrainian-train-station-a-war-crime-11649502528 . The next article gives a clearer picture of why getting out is a priority.
Russian filtration camps: https://news.yahoo.com/what-are-russian-filtration-camps-194643731.html . This article offers detailed information on Russia’s forced relocation of Ukrainians to Russia.
Expectations of Russian default confirmed by S&P: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-business-europe-economy-foreign-debt-572b9a32691739fb6322fba4c301d9f1 . I don’t think the market has processed the size of corporate write-offs coming from the abandonment of Russian assets and relationships. But we do know that Shell expects write-offs in the neighborhood of $5 billion.
WSJ: US-trained militaries overthrow civilian governments: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-africa-u-s-trained-militaries-are-ousting-civilian-governments-in-coups-11649505601 . To say the least, the US military has screwed up here, despite their denials in this article. WSJ: Time to fire up the accelerator: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cerns-large-hadron-collider-to-restart-in-bid-to-extend-frontiers-of-physics-11649509200 . So it is reasonable to expect meaningful particle physics discoveries in the next 18 months.