US shares 80 million vaccine doses: https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2021-05-17/biden-us-to-share-more-coronavirus-vaccine-supply-than-russia-china . With a world population of 8 billion and two-dose vaccines, this will vaccinate ½% of the world’s population.
WSJ: More Americans hospitalized with COVID are younger: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-hospital-patients-tend-to-be-younger-now-11621271313 . Does anyone at WSJ think things through? If you focus vaccinations on the elderly first, the natural result is that the older age group forms a smaller part of future hospitalizations. Duh.
Another two-dose vaccine moves to Phase 3 trials: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-05-17/sanofi-glaxosmithkline-coronavirus-vaccine-appears-effective-safe . The vaccine could be approved in the fourth quarter of 2021. Sanofi is also exploring development of a booster shot. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/sanofi-gsk-covid-19-vaccine-set-for-large-scale-trials-after-positive-results-11621252866 .
WSJ: Vaccines provide immunity even if side effects are limited: https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-works-even-if-side-effects-differ-for-all-doctors-say-11621243801 . This is useful in reducing vaccine skepticism.
More criticism of CDC mask guidelines roll-out: https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/public-global-health/553832-former-surgeon-general-cdc-fumbled-the-ball-at-the-one . Memorial Day will be a test of the relaxation of the mask guidelines: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cdc-to-remain-vigilant-for-case-spikes-after-new-mask-guidance-183146113.html .
Russians reluctant to get Sputnik V vaccine: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/05/17/42-of-russians-wont-get-coronavirus-vaccine-under-any-circumstances-poll-a73912 . Given there were no Phase 3 trials for Sputnik V, this level of reluctance is understandable. It made me wonder what part of Republican resistance to the US vaccines is tied to distrust of the US government.
All Germans over 16 eligible for vaccination starting June 7: https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-drops-covid-vaccination-priority-from-june-7/a-57561658 .
Brazil to receive enough vaccine ingredients from China to produce 25 million doses: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/17/brazil-to-receive-ingredients-from-china-for-more-covid-vaccines .
India’s COVID disaster reflects a failure to invest in healthcare: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/18/india-covid-crisis-shows-public-health-neglect-problems-underinvestment.html . While not disagreeing with this article, the biggest reason for the disaster is the government’s incompetent response. The world’s largest vaccine manufacturer exported vaccines while failing to vaccinate its own population. The result was foreseeable.
Remember, India represents the second-worst government pandemic performance worldwide. In undisputed first place is the United States, which invests 17% of its GDP in healthcare. We got there thanks to our fearful leader, who declared the whole thing a hoax.
Black fungus is a growing problem in India: https://www.thedailybeast.com/black-fungus-infection-clusters-are-ravaging-indias-coronavirus-patients .
AT&T/Discovery deal announced: https://apnews.com/article/att-discovery-warnermedia-hbo-d7259d1e50f24f12de3edcf9fb7ee33a . More: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/att-set-to-end-media-voyage-with-43-billion-discovery-deal-6905571.html . So yesterday’s news was really a leak of this deal. As to the evolution of media, note that TBS and CNN were Ted Turner’s flagship properties. He folded them into Time Warner in 1996: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Turner . Time and Warner merged in 1990, with Time bringing the HBO property: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HBO . Time Warner was involved in the disastrous merger with AOL in 2000, resulting in its acquisition by AT&T in 2017: https://fortune.com/2015/01/10/15-years-later-lessons-from-the-failed-aol-time-warner-merger/ .
WSJ: Another indicator of rampant market speculation: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-factors-driving-crypto-markets-boom-and-the-challenges-ahead-11621243809 . This math says that someone who put $10,000 into Dogecoin at the first of the year now has a $1 million position.
Terror in the skies: https://people.com/crime/delta-passenger-faces-potential-52000-fine-allegedly-trying-to-open-cockpit-striking-flight-attendant-twice/ . The $52,500 fine is fine, but what about locking this clown up for trying to enter the cockpit and assaulting the flight attendant? Who would want to be on this flight?
Reality bites Georgia congressman in the rear: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/a-republican-congressman-who-denied-there-was-an-insurrection-and-likened-capitol-rioters-to-tourists-was-photographed-barricading-the-chamber-doors-against-them/ar-BB1gP5O3?li=BBnb7Kz . Hopefully this hypocrite will crawl back into his hole.
Here’s a job for the January 6 commission: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/liz-cheney-hinted-that-trump-and-kevin-mccarthy-may-have-talked-about-setting-their-stories-straight-on-the-capitol-riot/ar-BB1gPmtb?li=BBnb7Kz . Will a split composition of this committee prevent the grilling of McCarthy?
Republicans are now retreating on the commission deal: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/17/republicans-bipartisan-jan-6-commission-489149 . Really? You’re unable to have a bipartisan commission investigate an insurrection within the Capitol? This is really a cancer on democracy. More: https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/17/politics/republican-reaction-capitol-hill-riot-commission/index.html .
Meanwhile, insurrectionist ignores court order: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/capitol-riot-suspect-fatally-shoots-mountain-lion-defies-order-not-n1267551 . And we all know rule number 1: Do not piss off the judge. If this fool has an attorney, the attorney is exasperated.
Rudy’s lawyers headed for Broadway: https://news.yahoo.com/giuliani-lawyers-criticize-prosecutors-conduct-164936694-173055067.html . Skip the theater. Rudy IS a domestic terrorist. Remember his comments to the crowd on January 6: “Trial by combat”. Rule number 1 applies here, too.
Will the Republicans try again to decertify Joe Biden’s election?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/paul-ryan-excoriates-planned-gop-effort-to-challenge-bidens-electoral-college-win-as-anti-democratic-and-anti-conservative/ar-BB1crkrH?li=BBnb7Kz . The “new GOP” seems hellbent on not being a “big tent” party. This leaves their only option as voter suppression. More pushback: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/toomey-says-he-doubts-trump-will-remain-gops-de-facto-leader/ar-BB1gPyQj?li=BBnb7Kz . Biden won Pennsylvania. Could this be a 2022 Democratic Senate pick-up?
Gaetz circles the drain: https://www.thedailybeast.com/gaetz-wingman-pleads-guilty-in-latest-threat-to-congressman . I really don’t give a damn about Matt Gaetz. I do care about saving democracy from Orange Julius and his zombie army.
Cracks in the GOP front are even developing at Fox: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/553804-juan-williams-the-gops-losing-bet-on-trump . The GOP strategists also see a problem: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/17/biden-gop-midterm-strategy-488914 . The key point is that Biden’s poll ratings are 20% above Orange Julius. That difference seems firm. As things stand, the GOP will have to pivot to “politics are local” to make gains in 2022.
Orange Julius to deliver closed speak to NC Republicans: https://apnews.com/article/nc-state-wire-donald-trump-north-carolina-election-2020-government-and-politics-b3db24bc984ba60e082aea1cd6ab475e . Note to the Republican Party: You are watching this lazy, ignorant disgrace slowly sail off over the horizon. Wave goodbye and move on.
Space Force commander shoots off mouth, blows up career: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/space-force-matthew-lohmeier-removed-podcast-comments/ .
Biden administration defends the media against Israeli attack: https://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/553850-blinken-says-he-has-yet-to-see-evidence-related . Ultimately, this helps the US position itself as a mediator between the two sides.
Actuarial applications of quantum computing: https://theactuarymagazine.org/a-quantum-walk-through-actuarial-science/?MessageRunDetailID=4705934093&PostID=25199026&utm_medium=email&utm_source=rasa_io . My hope is that this link will work for both the actuarial audience and the general readers here. The article is from the February 2021 issue of The Actuary. The author contrasts the bit of digital computing (always 0 or 1) with the qubit of quantum computing (0, 1, or both at the same time).
One of our basic problems is to separate correlation from cause and effect. The description of entanglement in this article is in my view a novel way to look at the correlation/cause separation issue. Anyway, there is much food for thought in this article.