Author: condor

The Speed Of The Latest Bundibugyo / Ebola Spread… Is Deeply Disconcerting, In DRC and Uganda Now: Over 130 Dead; Over 530 Are Ill.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

Again — USAID’s early detection and arrest capabilities would have made all the difference here. Thus, these excess deaths are directly attributable to Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Damn.

To be certain, the wildly-difficult work here — of getting the “evil djin back in the bottle” is all the more daunting because it is not clear that any of the existing vaccine stock will be effective, against the rather rare — but presently circulating — Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. In about five elapsed days, the fatalities have… TRIPLED. Here’s the morning’s tough news — and a bit:

…At least 131 people are believed to have died and 531 suspected to have been infected, according to the Congolese Health Ministry. An American missionary was among those who tested positive for the deadly disease.

Global health experts are worried about the capacity of this outbreak to cause widespread illness and death in central Africa — not least because this rare strain of Ebola, the Bundibugyo virus, has no approved vaccine or treatment and a shortage of available tests.

The outbreak was also undetected for weeks, adding to the complexities in containing it. It has ripped through a region riven by civil war and conflict, while health officials said funding shortages were further hampering their ability to fight Ebola….

Several metric tonnes of protective gear and sanitary supplies arrived in Buni, Ituri’s capital city yesterday, from Doctors Without Borders. But that will only be a tiny child’s finger — in the now-bursting dyke.

So, let history record that it was MAGA fecklessness — and racism — that were the twin causes of this, the excess deaths now being recorded.

नमस्ते

CIDRAP Offers Some Very Sobering “Undiagnosed” Mpox Clade 1b Data… Yikes.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

And again, we ought to look directly at the cuts to federal public health programs, engineered by DOGE / Musk / Tangerine 2.0 — when assessing blame for excess infections, debilitating life long conditions, and even… deaths.

I am sick and tired. . . “of being sick and tired. . .” of these deeply dangerous morons. In any event, here is the latest:

…Asymptomatic mpox infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) may be far more common than previously recognized and could be playing a role in ongoing transmission, according to a study published last week in Nature Communications. Researchers estimate that actual infections may outnumber diagnosed cases by 33 to one….

For the study, researchers led by teams at the University of California (UC) at Berkeley and Kaiser Permanente Southern California tested for mpox in MSM in Los Angeles during routine sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening from May to November 2024. Then they monitored the same group of MSM for clinically diagnosed mpox.

Among nearly 8,000 eligible participants, only 15 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases were identified through standard clinical testing. But when the team tested for mpox DNA in 1,190 specimens collected from the routine STI tests, they found infections in… men who never presented with mpox symptoms or received an mpox diagnosis….

Ominously, the authors estimate that undiagnosed infections account for between 33-40 percent of all transmitted cases, and, under more realistic modelling assumptions, potentially much more. Damnation.

नमस्ते

Odd. Hinderaker & Mirengoff: Utterly MUM, On Islamic Center Killings In San Diego Today.

~ condor ~ 2 Comments

Actually, it’s not very odd at all.

This is those good ole’ boys’ standard MO: they decry every bit of antisemitism, wherever they see it — and truly that is awful — but fall silent when any Islamaphobia takes automatic weapons and starts killing devout practitioners of otherwise peace-loving religious populace.

No, even taunting must be highlighted (if Jews are targeted), while mass murders are never mentioned (when Muslims are the victims).

Odd?

Not really — given the boys’ long standing religious bigotry.

Out.

While MAVEN May Be Lost/Dead Stick — Its Older Data Is Still Offering Us New Martian Insights…

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

This is excellent — file it under the heading of unexpected… new exo-planetary / space science learnings, from older spacecraft data — being re-mined.

This is NASA — multiple efficiencies; functioning on multiple levels. We now know that Mars experiences the same Zwan-Wolf effect we see in our own Earth-bound magnetosphere. Here’s all of that, from NASA:

…In December 2023, scientists looking at Mars data stumbled across something completely unexpected — observations of an atmospheric effect never before seen in the Red Planet’s atmosphere. Using instruments aboard NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission, scientists identified a phenomenon known to occur in Earth’s magnetosphere, where charged particles are squeezed like toothpaste coming out of a tube along magnetic structures called flux tubes. This so-called Zwan-Wolf effect aids in the deflection of solar wind around Earth and has been observed and studied there for decades. Now, a new study published in Nature Communications provides the first comprehensive observations of the same effect in Mars’ atmosphere….

Understanding the Zwan-Wolf effect at Mars will further our understanding of how space weather affects the planet and provides new insight into how this effect might occur at similar unmagnetized bodies, such as Venus and Saturn’s moon Titan. Observations like this also highlight the importance of knowing how large space weather events can lead to changes in the environment at and around the Red Planet and potentially affect assets on or near Mars.

“Knowing how space weather interacts with Mars is essential,” said Shannon Curry, the principal investigator of MAVEN and research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. “The MAVEN team continues making new discoveries with our datasets and finding these links between our host star and the Red Planet….”

[As a reminder, the] MAVEN spacecraft, in orbit around Mars, experienced a loss of signal with ground stations on Earth on Dec. 6, 2025. In Feb. 2026, NASA launched an anomaly review board to assess the probable current state of the spacecraft and the likelihood of its recovery….

And so, even well after loss of signal, it turns out the MAVEN’s data is still teaching us things we never knew — about Barsoom. Onward — but I doubt MAVEN will ever phone home again. She is lost to the stars, now. Sigh.

नमस्ते

Gee — It’s A Small [High Finance] World: Oracle & Merck Use The Same Four Main US Investment Bankers…

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

Earlier this morning, we detailed the multi-tranche debt issuances being deployed by four of the most powerful investment banks on the planet — to help Merck set up the balance sheet proportions for the Terns acquitision — a modest $6.7 billion (by comparison to the ~$28 billion in 2022 Mr. Ellison needed to buy Cerner’s EHR businesses).

It always seems to be the same players — at the top of high finance, for investment grade borrowers. Fascinating:

…The initial $28.3 billion purchase of Cerner was primarily financed through a $15.7 billion bridge loan, which was later refinanced through term loans and a multi-part corporate bond sale.

The leading US banks involved in managing this multi-billion dollar debt and bond issuance included: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., and Goldman Sachs Group Inc….

Now you know. Onward — but I suspect Merck’s Terns acquisition will generate a better return over the long haul, than Mr. Ellison’s Cerner buy.

नमस्ते

Power Alley: To Finance The Terns Purchase, Merck Will Offer A Series Of Layered-Maturity Bonds, Under Existing SEC Shelf Registrations. Smart Finance, That, Mr. Davis.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

We are seriously looking at grabbing a few of the longer dated coupons, since this makes a nice low risk add — to the retirement draws. The interest will be taxable — but at around 5% a year, this is a nice add. And, Merck is smart to get the deal done before summer, when Tangerine 2.0’s “global calamity risk” looks to… rise.

What an odd… world. He is the opposite of what big business needs: stability. He offers… none [but he is finally dropping his $10 billion supposed (and preposterous) suit against the IRS today. Damn.] Existing Merck debt is trading in both deep, and liquid oceans — and this morning is yielding… Merck 4.90% (Due 05/17/2044): Trades around a 5.62% yield to maturity. Sweet.

In any event, while Barron’s reporting is incorrect that this is a “private” matter, the numerical details are accurate, as Rahway has this morning filed an SEC 424(b) red herring prospectus detailing the ~$6 billion offering of a series of debt securities.

…Merck is seeking to raise about $6 billion from an investment-grade bond sale to help finance its acquisition of Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc., according to people familiar with the matter.

Screenshot
Merck is selling the notes in as many as seven parts, according to a separate person with knowledge of the matter. The longest portion of the offering, a 30-year security, may yield about 1.05 percentage points above Treasuries, said the person, who asked not to be identified as the details are private….

Nope. Not private — being very publicly offered at Wall & Broad this morning. And if the yields on any of these bonds approach 5%, they are great long term, low risk ways to enhance your annual retirement draw — at a risk level almost identical to US Treasuries. You heard it here first. Onward, smiling.

नमस्ते

TRIVIA: Musk Is The LAST PERSON On Earth Who Should Be Talking About ANYONE’S “Looks”.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

Elon apparently thinks Lupita is “not pretty enough” — to play Helen of Troy.

…Musk added that Nolan has “lost his integrity” by casting the Oscar-winning actress, 43, in the role….

Okay — look, Elon’s views are… odious — and irrelevant. Mr. Nolan has ALREADY decided.

But let’s be clear — the guy at right has zero room whatsoever, to speak… about anyone else’s looks.

Z E R O.

Out.

Rotors That Can Whir — With Stable Atmospheric/Dynamic Properties — On Mars, At Above Mach 1? That’s A Tough Materials Engineering Problem, For The 2030s.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

The next time we fly choppers, on Barsoom, it may be in the mid-2030s, and perhaps four or more will be encircling the Martian globe, at a time. . . that is the vision of the aptly named “Project Skyfall” at NASA | JPL.

Because the Martian atmosphere is only about 1% as dense as Earth’s (but her gravity is out of proportion, to the atmosphere — at about 1/6th of Earth’s — that’s… heavy lifting!), these rotors must spin much faster — much, much faster — to generate adequate lift, for flight operations — with real payloads aboard. And the lift dynamics must remain stable — even in Barsoomian dust devils, should these choppers fly through them.

This, in turn, means we’ll need rotor blades that won’t disintegrate, when spinning at more than the speed of sound. Yikes.

That is a materials engineering challenge of the first order. One the NASA team is now tackling. Here’s that story:

…The rotor blades that will carry NASA’s next-generation helicopters to new Martian heights broke the sound barrier during March tests at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Data from the tests, which took place in a special chamber that can simulate environmental conditions on the Red Planet, indicate that the fastest traveling part of the rotor blade, the tips, can be accelerated beyond Mach 1 without breaking apart. Data gathered from 137 test runs will enable engineers to design aircraft capable of carrying heavier payloads, including science instruments.

“NASA had a great run with the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, but we are asking these next-generation aircraft to do even more at the Red Planet,” said Al Chen, Mars Exploration Program manager at JPL. “That’s not an easy ask. While everything about Mars is hard, flying there is just about the hardest thing you can do. That’s because its atmosphere is so incredibly thin that it is hard to generate lift, and yet Mars has significant gravity….”

Yep — I love a challenge — where science is at the forefront.

These brilliant and fine people… will meet the moment. I know they will. Onward. [And yes, I went off, in search of some good news today… we sorely need it.]

नमस्ते

Ebola 2026: Another Eight Deaths Overnight, And WHO Now Includes Neighboring Uganda, In The Outbreak Alert…

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

This is very troubling news, out of WHO — but it is what logically flows from gutting international public health aid, in these countries. We must all be certain that Elon Musk and Donald Trump are not able to shirk responsibility for these excess deaths. [And RFK, Jr., herre stateside, as well — with his nonsense about vaccines being dangerous.]

In any event, here is the story now including Uganda in the outbreak:

…The World Health Organization declared the Ebola disease outbreak caused by a rare virus in Congo and neighboring Uganda a public health emergency of international concern on Sunday, after more than 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths.

WHO said that the outbreak doesn’t meet the criteria of a pandemic emergency like COVID-19, and advised against the closure of international borders….

WHO said on X that a laboratory-confirmed case has also been reported in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, which is about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the outbreak’s epicenter in the eastern province of Ituri, suggesting a possible wider spread.

It said the patient had visited Ituri and that other suspected cases have also been reported in North Kivu province, which is one of Congo’s most populous and borders Uganda….

There is no approved vaccine for this apparent variant of Ebola. This is not the Sudan version — it is called “Bundibugyo”. That in turn is is very tough news — in two countries short on the sorts of resources needed, for full arrest of the viral spread.

Onward, resolutely just the same.

नमस्ते

Supporting The “Super-Spreader” Theory, For This, The Andes-Virus H., A Man Has It — In Vancouver, BC — But His Wife Does Not. Both, Ex-Hondius.

~ condor ~ Leave a comment

As CIDRAP’s Executive Director, Michael Osterholm, indicated just under two days ago, it is increasingly likely that this Andes-Virus H. was sent over the air, on the Hondius liner, by a so called “super-spreader”. That would explain a husband being positive (from the spreader) — but then he did not transmit to his wife (since the husband was not a super-spreader). So it may be less about the strain of Hantavirus, itself — and more about the host carrying it, onboard — a super-spreader.

Thus, it may well turn out to be something unique — about the biological makeup of the person who was the “index case” — onboard the liner… now over two weeks ago.

In any event, here is the latest word, out of the UK’s Guardian, tonight:

…Canadian officials said on Saturday that a test for one of the four Canadians currently quarantining in British Columbia after being exposed to the hantavirus while on board the cruise ship where the outbreak occurred indicated a positive result.

Speaking at a news conference, Dr Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s provincial health officer, said the individual developed mild symptoms, including fever and headache, two days ago, and that the individual and their partner, who had also been on board the cruise ship where they had been isolating together, were transferred to a hospital in Victoria for assessment and testing.

Henry said that on late Friday evening the test results for the individual who had been experiencing mild symptoms came back positive, but she stressed that the results were currently “what we call a presumptive positive” and that the samples have been sent to the national microbiology lab in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing. Results from those tests were expected to be confirmed over the course of the weekend, Henry said….

Onward — and I did cash a $53.50 ticket — on a $6 exacta box bet, with Napolean Solo winning the Preakness, and Iron Honor coming in second. I also had Great White, the Japanese horse who threw his mount before the start of the Derby (I was figuring he would be very ready to run, but alas — he finished out of the money). So it goes — babygrrl is in the air now, to Heathrow.

नमस्ते