Social Determinants of Health: https://www.soa.org/496f00/globalassets/assets/files/resources/research-report/2023/sdoh_act_data_workstreams.pdf . This recent SOA project is an excellent refresher on the “big picture” of using health data in actuarial practice. The full report is a direct and rapid read. Be sure to check out pages 39 through 43, which summarize the ethical issues of actuarial use of healthcare data. It can be human nature to attribute the characteristics of the group to the individual, or vice versa, which of course would be very bad actuarial practice.
WSJ: Feds study Gulf War illness: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gulf-war-illness-study-started-by-va-national-institutes-of-health-27a50f44 . A third of these veterans suffer from this illness.
WSJ: Senate GOP issues COVID origin report: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-emerged-as-chinese-lab-faced-biosafety-issues-senate-republican-study-finds-4e998ffe . Sadly, as this is not the work of the Committee, there is the strong suggestion of bias here.
US tax system complexity: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-why-the-us-tax-system-is-so-complicated-190638104.html . This basic view of the US tax system misses the main point. Special interests lobby special interest tax breaks into the Code. I remain concerned that the system is now so complex that some people will just input their data into Turbo Tax and file the result with no understanding of how their tax is computed. That is a lousy taxation system.
Kevin McCarthy unable to propose specific budget cuts, instead proposes general spending cap: https://apnews.com/article/speaker-kevin-mccarthy-debt-stock-exchange-3a07676da0d2546253e0983978b420a9 . The House GOP farce continues. In a period of significant inflation, a 1% cap on annual spending increases creates cuts of unknown effect. This is not governance, and it is not a constructive negotiation technique. Meanwhile, here’s an indicator that Kevin has absolutely no idea what he’s doing: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-states-could-be-hit-hardest-by-mccarthys-proposed-spending-cuts-2023-04-17/ . But you really didn’t need an indicator, did you?
WSJ: SEC sues another crypto exchange: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sec-sues-bittrex-crypto-exchange-and-former-ceo-91545544 . Investments in crypto currency become increasingly questionable.
WSJ: Chinese economy rebounds: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-economy-rebounds-after-three-years-of-zero-covid-isolation-693ed73 .
DOJ shuts down secret Chinese police station in New York City: https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/3955150-us-arrests-two-in-connection-with-secret-chinese-police-station-in-ny/ . The US regards this as a violation of our territorial sovereignty.
WSJ: Details of leaked document contents: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pentagon-leak-classified-intelligence-documents-takeaways-6dd576b8 .
US diplomatic convoy fired on in Sudan: https://abcnews.go.com/International/blinken-confirms-us-diplomatic-convoy-fired-on-sudan/story?id=98653881 . WSJ: More Sudan news: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sudanese-shelter-in-fear-as-generals-battle-for-power-d9330af8 .
Battle for Bakhmut continues to intensify: https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/04/putins-ukraine-nightmare-the-battle-for-bakhmut-gets-even-bloodier/ .
Republicans won’t help Democrats with Judiciary Committee problem: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-reject-feinstein-committee-swap-putting-democrats-bind-rcna80117 . There’s a lot of time left in 2023. I would guess the Democrats will give Feinstein more time to recover before pressing the issue. Another possibility not discussed in the article is to alter the Senate rules.
Gretchen Carlson to Dominion: Please don’t settle: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gretchen-carlson-fox-dominion-lawsuit_n_643cc2ade4b05765f382cabc . I agree with her. However, I expect Dominion to extract a lot of pain from Fox if they do settle. Again, their lawyers have so far done a superb job. WSJ: We present our owner in the best possible light: https://www.wsj.com/articles/fox-news-dominion-each-face-risks-if-defamation-case-goes-to-trial-8aa56f13 . The risks of this trial are very heavily on Fox’s side, period.
Media confirms Clarence Thomas’ mother lives rent-free in property Thomas sold to Crow: https://www.aol.com/news/gop-megadonor-harlan-crow-isnt-160615424.html . We are way beyond hospitality now. The failure to disclose is not only illegal, it is corrupt as hell. The article estimates her rent savings at over $150,000.
And speaking of corrupt, George Santos announces re-election campaign: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rep-george-santos-announces-re-election-bid-rcna80100 . My expectation is that both parties will work to defeat this guy. I also expect charges to be filed before the 2024 primary.
Orange Julius’ rape trial to begin next week: https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-rape-lawsuit-90c7d274a2a25193a797cb6e78c30280 . Kudos to the judge for his no-nonsense ruling. OJ’s legal team apparently regards this attorney, Joe Tacopina, as a loudmouth. His is the first last name I’ve heard that translates as “pineapple taco”.
Meanwhile, the GOP base will stick with OJ: https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2024-2659867479/ . On the other hand, reality does sink in over time, one way or another.
Teenager shot after knocking on the wrong door: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kansas-city-shooter-exchanged-words-ralph-yarl-opening-fire-teens-atto-rcna80033 . I agree with the neighbor who said, “If you’re that scared, don’t open the door”. The homeowner has been charged with 2 felony counts, one for assault, and one for a gun crime. The teenager saved his own life by knocking on neighbors’ doors, but suffered a traumatic brain injury. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/missouri-homeowner-charged-in-shooting-of-teen-who-rang-wrong-doorbell-1daa0eae .
This wrong address situation proved fatal to a 20-year-old: https://apnews.com/article/fatal-shooting-wrong-driveway-new-york-dd45b17e3a806abf11d1aaf5b235fb13 . The gun was wielded by another old white guy. The authorities have filed charges. Sad to say, but I’d bet money that both of these shooters are Orange Julius supporters. You might consider this comment in relation to the discussion of social determinants of health above.
They’re growing nuts in rural Oklahoma: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oklahoma-county-leaders-caught-audio-talking-killing-reporters-complai-rcna80055 . Relative to the bizarre response from the Sheriff’s Office, the FBI will quickly determine if the recording has been altered. As we’ve noted many times, stupidity has no limits. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/oklahoma-governor-calls-for-resignations-after-threatening-audio-surfaces-88d6c8b0 .
Greg Abbott’s plan to get more media attention: https://www.rawstory.com/expected-pardon-of-daniel-perry-confounds-texas-legal-experts/ . So the rule of law is clearly dead in Texas. Also, “Texas legal experts” is an oxymoron.
New dark matter results: https://www.space.com/dark-matter-map-cmb-einstein-right . As we still don’t know what dark matter is, saying that we know how the universe functions “with such precision” strikes me as a massive overstatement.
Can gravity create light on its own?: https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a43567763/gravity-can-create-light/ . This is just wild.
New element of circuitry discovered: https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a43581709/scientists-discover-new-circuit-element-meminductor/ .