US COVID cases begin increase: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2022-11-11/u-s-coronavirus-cases-start-to-increase-as-omicron-subvariants-bq-1-1-bq-1-spread .
BQ.1/BQ.1.1 44% of US cases: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2022-11-11/covid-variants-bq-1-bq-1-1-make-up-44-of-u-s-cases .
WSJ: US COVID health emergency continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-public-health-emergency-status-to-stay-in-place-11668197266 .
RSV fills Michigan children’s hospital: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/michigan-childrens-hospital-100-full-due-rsv-surge/story?id=93116061 . Note that flu is just beginning to appear in the hospital’s emergency room.
WSJ: FTX took money from customer accounts to make risky bets: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftx-tapped-into-customer-accounts-to-fund-risky-bets-setting-up-its-downfall-11668093732 . SBF called this “a poor judgment call”? Everyone realizes theft when they see it. Why doesn’t the Journal make that call? More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftx-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy-11668176869 . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bankrupt-voyager-digital-looks-for-new-buyer-after-ftx-goes-under-11668213301 . And: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-ftx-sam-bankman-fried-went-from-crypto-golden-boy-to-villain-11668199208 . Also: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ftx-bankruptcy-leaves-professional-investors-crypto-financiers-in-limbo-11668199106 .
WSJ: UK recession: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-economy-shrank-in-third-quarter-sliding-toward-recession-11668150391 . We have to go far into this article to read the reason (in my view) the UK is looking at a deeper and longer recession than the rest of Europe – Brexit. Europe has a ground war going on, and the UK is still doing worse. That reflects the lies of the Conservatives, led by Boris Johnson, promising non-existent financial benefits of Brexit. The Journal, apparently because of its ownership and the nuts on its editorial board, prevents itself from informing its readers of mainstream analysis, which is backed up by the facts..
Mark Kelly retains US Senate seat in Arizona: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/1131245617/arizona-senate-blake-masters-mark-kelly-results . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/many-house-races-too-close-to-call-as-republicans-make-gains-11668162601 . This leaves both Democrats and Republicans with 49 seats. Georgia is headed for a runoff. Nevada remains too close to call, but the race appears to be shifting toward incumbent Democrat Catherine Cortez Masto: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3731802-laxalts-lead-in-nevada-senate-race-narrows-to-under-800-votes/ . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-inches-closer-to-expected-narrow-house-majority-senate-still-a-toss-up-11668076201 . As usual, the Journal was paying inadequate attention to the actual facts on the ground. In the race for House control, the article notes that the GOP held a lead of 211 to 192. By Saturday evening, the Journal had called 12 more races – all for Democrats (211 to 204).
Many GOP election deniers lose their election bids: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/09/republican-election-deniers-trump-defeat-00066040 . As the article notes, many of the more prominent GOP election deniers were supported in their primary bids by Democratic spending, on the belief that they would be easier to defeat in the general election. That appears to be true, and also plants the loser label more firmly on Orange Julius. Another addition to the list: https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-government-and-politics-mark-finchem-0fddc6553fd0edb627105c202ce03606 .
Kevin McCarthy speakership path becomes rockier: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/11/politics/kevin-mccarthy-speakership-race-house-freedom-caucus .
Noose found at Obama Presidential Center construction site: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/10/us/noose-obama-presidential-center-reaj .
Ukraine retakes Kherson: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-kherson-retreat-complete-ukrainian-forces-advance-rcna56717 . This does look like a strategic withdrawal by Russia because of concerns about resupply of troops. This was caused by Ukrainian attacks on the supply lines and the Dnipro bridges, so this event is properly regarded as the retaking of the city by Ukraine. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukrainian-forces-gain-on-kherson-as-russia-retreats-11668158517 .
Twitter verification feature paused: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/crypto/twitters-subscription-service-not-available-impersonators-flourish-rcna56730 . Who still thinks Musk has a thought-out strategy for Twitter? General hand-waving, yes. But Musk still has no grasp of the effects of Twitter’s operation. The fake impersonations which affected stock prices are quite serious. They could generate regulatory fines for Twitter. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/whats-real-and-what-isnt-on-twitter-under-elon-musk-it-is-really-unclear-11668184148 .
Meanwhile, the chaos at Twitter continues: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/elon-musk-s-takeover-was-so-poorly-planned-the-company-got-locked-out-of-its-own-twitter-account-report-says/ar-AA140XXz?cvid=b622dacda9664aa3ab385ec532061841 .
Musk raises possibility of Twitter bankruptcy: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/exclusive-audio-elon-musk-tells-twitter-employees-return/story?id=93087987 . The mounting potential for significant legal liability increases that possibility. However, right now Musk has no handle on how to maintain or raise revenues, and that is the central problem. If you worked there and had an offer to go elsewhere, presumably you’d take it. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/pro-take-musk-warns-of-a-potential-twitter-bankruptcy-he-would-be-the-big-loser-11668191472 . What an inane article. Of course he would be the big loser. Once you’ve irreparably destroyed something’s value, bankruptcy is the necessary result.
WSJ: Disney announces layoffs likely: https://www.wsj.com/articles/disney-details-plans-for-cost-cuts-layoffs-and-hiring-freeze-in-memo-11668206985 .
Kevin Conroy, “Voice of Batman”, passes at 66: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/1136075537/kevin-conroy-dead-batman . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/batman-voice-actor-kevin-conroy-dies-at-66-11668191798 .
Gallagher, watermelon-smasher extraordinaire, passes at 76: https://www.tmz.com/2022/11/11/comedian-gallagher-dead-dies-watermelon/ . WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/comedian-gallagher-known-for-smashing-watermelons-dies-at-76-11668199629 .