Z Division investigates COVID origins: https://www.aol.com/whats-z-division-secret-team-100010376.html . This article provides background on the recent DOE report concluding the Wuhan lab was the source of COVID. Here, “source” means that a lab employee was accidentally infected by either a naturally collected coronavirus or a lab-modified coronavirus.
Should HPV vaccination be mandatory?: https://news.yahoo.com/hpv-vaccine-children-students-schools-cancer-201140418.html . Yes. Side effects are few and mild. Mass vaccination has the potential to eliminate cervical cancer.
WSJ: Advances in diabetes care: https://www.wsj.com/articles/diabetes-drugs-ozempic-treatment-d43d5cac . Drugs like Ozempic are becoming the first line of treatment for some patients. The new treatments are more sophisticated than blood glucose management.
Gender de-transitioning rare: https://www.aol.com/lifestyle/how-common-is-transgender-treatment-regret-detransitioning-180511497.html . The rate of regret is estimated at 1% and often temporary. A small percentage of this group engages in de-transitioning. So the current conservative limitation of transgender care is, as usual, counterfactual. GOP politicians designed this lie to hurt the 99%+ of these individuals who need this care. This garbage emanates from the thirst for power over others (that is, the uneducated GOP political base).
WSJ: Social Security becomes issue in Orange Julius – DeMentis contest: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-vs-desantis-a-shadow-presidential-contest-revs-up-and-heads-to-iowa-2880da78 .
WSJ: Scrutiny of Binance increases: https://www.wsj.com/articles/texts-from-crypto-giant-binance-reveal-plan-to-elude-u-s-authorities-3a17ddeb . Remember, it was Binance’s founder who exposed FTX. That could easily have been a ploy to eliminate the competition. As it turns out, the closer we look at Binance, it looks more and more like FTX.
Why the world economy will remain dollar-based: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/here-s-why-experts-say-russia-and-china-s-attempts-to-de-dollarize-global-markets-are-going-nowhere/ar-AA18f3XE?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=e9371037e67b4c69bdbb15b813633bf4&ei=29 . The conclusions here are not surprising. However, the details are important in understanding why the “two axes” model of the global economy will disadvantage China and Russia.
WSJ: China juices military spending: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-military-spending-growth-to-accelerate-to-7-2-this-year-19703002 . The technical term for this is “very not good”. As China’s global economic power is limited as described in the previous article, they are clearly looking to expand their military power. The increased threat focuses squarely on Taiwan. As Xi has just commenced his unprecedented third 5-year term, action against Taiwan will likely occur before 2027. Like Putin in Ukraine, Xi may well see this action to re-unite China as part of his legacy, which makes this very dangerous indeed.
WSJ: Growing auto industry demand for chips: https://www.wsj.com/articles/evs-boost-chip-demand-despite-semiconductor-makers-woes-74203c31 . The average car now contains about 1,200 chips … Meanwhile, China increases its focus on chips: https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-favors-chips-ai-executives-over-internet-tycoons-at-top-political-meetings-eb1076f2 .
Okies look to deal weed to Texans: https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-recreational-marijuana-tourism-texas-7f42b209187570a2640f92cf30a3ca3e . Oh, how times have changed …
Russia continues to grind toward Bakhmut: https://www.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-military-aids-civilian-flight-181723517.html . Meanwhile, both sides face ammunition shortages. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-weighs-options-for-bakhmut-as-russia-struggles-to-maintain-pressure-b81fbfac . Still more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/russias-wagner-troops-exhaust-ukrainian-forces-in-bakhmut-b58e726c . Today’s gruesome question: What army pursued a similar strategy to Russia’s Ukraine approach of suffering heavier casualties while grinding down its opponent? My sad answer/realization: The Union Army in the Civil War.
WSJ: US dawdles on prepping Ukraine for F-16’s: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-assesses-ukrainian-jet-fighter-pilots-ahead-of-potential-training-effort-c4ce4d1b . This foot-dragging seems very counterproductive.
WSJ: We also don’t understand green energy: https://www.wsj.com/articles/energy-industry-wrestles-over-going-green-too-fast-82f7066b . The Journal apparently sees oil and gas companies as stalwart corporate citizens. However, they are more like the tobacco companies. These people should be spending almost all their time advancing the implementation of green energy, the energy of the future assuming we have one. Any time spent on oil, gas and coal should be focused on burning it in more efficient ways during the transition away from fossil fuels.
Nations agree to protect marine biodiversity: https://apnews.com/article/un-oceans-biodiversity-treaty-0b024fa07e8c1947236d8b8491ebf92c .
WSJ: South Korea announces deal with Japan over WWII forced labor: https://www.wsj.com/articles/japan-south-korea-near-deal-on-forced-labor-dispute-945f2876 .
Orange Julius performs at CPAC for a smaller audience of die-hards: https://news.yahoo.com/low-key-reception-for-trump-at-conservative-summit-as-2024-race-speeds-ahead-180510455.html . Apparently, OJ is holding fewer events because the crowds are smaller. His “campaign” so far is low-energy at best.
WSJ: Can a moderate Republican become the GOP presidential nominee?: https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-a-moderate-abortion-rights-supporter-be-the-republican-presidential-nominee-chris-sununu-wants-to-find-out-cdc88434 . No. Do WSJ staff read the news at all? This approach could be the GOP’s best shot at winning the presidency in 2024. However, the base has utterly no interest in moderation. Right now, this guy couldn’t win his home state against OJ or DeMentis, and would be low single digits everywhere else. No.