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Map | Math — Bad For Tangerine! And An Update, On Mpox, In DRC — Urgent Action Needed!

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The estimate is that over 3 million courses of the mpox vaccine will ultimately be needed to stamp out the “fire, this time“. That’s well over fifteen times the figure that’s been pledged so far.

I don’t want to sound overly pessimistic, but the longer we in the life sciences vertical wait to bring wide-spread vaccination programs to sub-Saharan Africa, the greater the odds that this ends up a much much wider pandemic. We are over 1,400 already in Africa — with over 1,000 in DRC alone.

We need to fully fund WHO for the full three million doses, and maybe even urge Bavarian Nordic to agree with (for example) Merck, to run an entire MSD vaccine facility in Europe (or North Carolina), on a contract basis, to make vastly more doses… immediately. [Merck would do it for cost, plus say a dime per dose.] We need supplies, and suppliers — far beyond Bavarian’s existing capacity. This is the work-around.

Here is this morning’s latest, from ABC:

…Congo reported more than 1,000 new mpox cases in the last week up to Tuesday as African health authorities asked for desperately needed vaccines to help fight its “growing” threat on the continent. The World Health Organization has declared the outbreaks in Africa a global emergency.

Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes milder symptoms like fever, chills and body aches, and mostly spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual intercourse. People with more serious cases can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest and genitals….

Africa CDC’s Kaseya said that his organization had received a pledge of 215,000 mpox vaccines from the European Union and the vaccine maker, Bavarian Nordic, which were due to arrive in the next few days. The United States’ aid agency said it had donated 50,000 other doses of the same vaccine to Congo. Japan has also donated some doses to Congo….

Now you know — and someone I trust pointed out that it is just now dawning on Tangerine (he was very low energy yesterday, in the historical home of the neo-nazi movement in Michigan!)… that he is running to fill one of these… “Black jobs”. And he is manifestly unqualified… for the job.

So, I’ll offer my 2024 math / prediction, below — Kamala may very well yet take Georgia (though we should expect Tangerine cheating with fake electors, again there!) — but even if she doesn’t, and even if Trump gets North Carolina (which I think Kamala will also win)… he STILL loses. [Wisconsin is no longer within reach for Tangerine — nor is Arizona.] Cheers.

नमस्ते

What’s Up — At Jupiter — And Juno, on 08.20.2024

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We’ve been following this since at least 2011.

But now, a Danish instrument is aiding the long running science mission — to map radiation bursts at Lord Jupiter. Here’s the latest:

…Using cameras designed for navigation, scientists count ‘fireflies’ to determine the amount of radiation the spacecraft receives during each orbit of Jupiter.

Scientists with NASA’s Juno mission have developed the first complete 3D radiation map of the Jupiter system. Along with characterizing the intensity of the high-energy particles near the orbit of the icy moon Europa, the map shows how the radiation environment is sculpted by the smaller moons orbiting near Jupiter’s rings.

The work relies on data collected by Juno’s Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC), which was designed and built by the Technical University of Denmark, and the spacecraft’s Stellar Reference Unit (SRU), which was built by Leonardo SpA in Florence, Italy. The two datasets complement each other, helping Juno scientists characterize the radiation environment at different energies….

[And separately, NASA will now make a decision by August 30, on how Butch and Suni will get their ride home.] Now you know — after a great first night in Chicago. Will Beyoncé and/or Taylor Swift show up by Thursday? We shall see. Onward, grinning — Tangerine’s deep fake did him more harm than good. Flawless.

नमस्ते

Scott Johnson: A Lost Lil’ Lamb. One Most Of The US Has Wholly… Passed By, On To The Ash-Heap Of History.

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The fact that Mr. Biden did not just gently pass the torch — so much as set it ablaze with Napalm… is what Scott is vexed about, this morning.

Tangerine’s rambling, dark and incoherent 90 minute wander-fest in Milwaukee, after midnight Eastern — a few weeks ago, stands in stark contrast to Mr. Biden’s laser focused remarks — just laying out the lies and crimes of Trump, and MAGA. The hard right it seems, cannot cope with the truth — of their evil ways.

So, Scott falsely claims that Mr. Biden saying protesters in Chicago “have a point” — becomes… Scott saying Mr. Biden supports the murder of Israeli babies. Of course, there are dead Palestinian babies too, Scott. Wholly innocent of Hamas’ deplorable actions.

But as ever, the lumber in Scott’s eyes… prevents his seeing the whole picture.

He has really lost it.

And most of America heard Mr. Biden’s truths. Kamala will come out of Chicago with a 5 to 7 point bump. And that’s before Beyonce and Taylor Swift perform.

Cheers, old man.

On, To The (Maybe Not So-) Trivial: Hinderaker Cannot Fathom A Husband Being Considerate, To His Wife (For Example)

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Of course, his aim is just to be an embittered old coot, and aggrieved — that not everyone shares his 19the Century views. [And it turns out that his source had to run a correction, since there were ALSO women’s rooms. So the whole set up was… a lie. But whatever — why quibble?]

In seeking to attack the Democratic Convention in Chicago tonight, the most salient thing he can settle upon… is (preposterously!) that there are “gender neutral” restrooms, there — and there are tampon dispensers in the men’s rooms. “Oh — the humanities.”

Y A W N.

It is trivial — and we may stipulate that he seeks a wedge issue. Dullard.

But it is clear his wife would never have asked him (decades ago, now as they are both in their dotage) to go find a sanitary napkin or a tampon, had her period come early, whilst wearing a pair of white slacks… at a Bulls or Blackhawks game, for example. [The DNC is tonight in the “House That Michael Jordan Built”, on West Madison, BTW.]

The convenience of being able to pay a quarter to get one, for one’s wife or GF, in a men’s room is a wonder of the 21st Century (in my opinion). We know the drill: she sits in the seat, frozen and mortified, with legs crossed — hoping, but still afraid to move or get out of her seat (and maybe even tying a coat or sweater around her waist, for the mad-dash to the restrooms). [So aside from his prejudice — his own enlightened self interest, even for the husbands of his daughters, alone today — should change his views. But it won’t.]

But we also know his wife would never ask him to help, in this way, when they were both younger. He would have scoffed, pulling on his stogie, and sipping his bourbon — saying that is a “woman” problem. He would certainly ignore her plight.

She’d end up humiliated, and slink from her seat by tying her coat tightly around her waist — to go wash up in a women’s room, alone. But there even in the 1990s, she likely would have found sympathetic sisters — who’d have pitched in to help. Women, like the one at lower right — or Michelle Obama, or AOC or yes… Hillary Clinton. Or dozens of less famous, unknown ones. Sisters help one another — support one another. Nurture one another. But not John. Nope.

So… this post by John tonight, is telling in highly unflattering ways, about how he likely treats his own wife — and adult daughters. Maybe not so trivial, after all.

D A M N A T I O N.

It Chaps Hinderaker’s A$$, That Harris | Walz Is Uniting The Entire Nation This Week…

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Well, the embittered old guy rears his ugly head, anew. Somehow, one throwaway line Walz offered in 1991 — over 33 years ago, means he’s… wait for it… a RED (cue Joe McCarthy, from the grave!).

Yikes. This is all he’s got?! I guess so, with his distinguished military career, and all his other plain-spoken / gentle school teacher / football coach credibility — with ordinary middle Americans. And let’s not forget his “whyte guy tacos” sense of self-effacing humor.

So… remind me, again, John — did Tangerine… serve? No. Did he ever teach kids? No. Did he ever coach even his own sons’ and daughters’ teams? Again, no. He was wholly… absent. [Bonus: does he own a pet? No. Melania doesn’t… count, here.]

And doesn’t his running mate — Vance — want to dilute the vote of unmarried women, and concentrate the voting power of women married to men, who have lots of children, and stay out of the paid workforce?! Yes, he does.

So — it is nearly impossible that Harris | Walz’s convention will not be more loving, more joyful, and more widely unifying… for the whole of our nation, than Trump’s dark threats of a country fundamentally broken, and going to hell — in his rambling late night nearly two hours scree in Milwaukee of just a month ago, now at his own nomination convention.

Chicago is going to be rockin’ this week, John — just watch. [And watch how we respectfully, but resolutely… handle any protestors.]

And I’m here for all of it.

Cheers.

Now Mpox Is Likely Spread To At Least Seven Separate Nations… Latest: In The Philippines — One Patient.

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While the final DNA tests are not available yet — as to whether this patient in the Philippines has contracted Clade Ib, or the less serious Clade II, it seems likely that we now have three separate cases, in countries outside of the African continent. Those would be Sweden, Pakistan, and Philippines — with African nation appearances in DRC, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

While there is a vaccine, the central focus globally right now should be on awareness, and preventative public health in countries where Clade Ib has appeared. It seems the latest patient had no history of travel, but he may have simply met someone who had been to Africa recently, or someone who was from Africa. It further seems this strain is appearing primarily in males who have sexual contact with other males — but the carrier factor, given that this Ib is fairly contagious, should not be discounted.

Here’s the latest, from Reuters:

…The Philippines has detected a new case of the mpox virus in the country, the first since December last year, its health department said on Monday, adding it was awaiting test results before being able to determine the strain.

The patient was a 33-year-old Filipino male who had no travel history outside the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said.
“We are awaiting sequencing results and will update once available,” its spokesperson Albert Domingo said when asked about the strain….

We must not let this become a “COVID II” global event. It is well within our collective grasp to prevent that — arrest the outbreak, here and now. Onward — grinning into a sunny, busy week, with baby-girls in tow tomorrow. Be excellent to one another.

नमस्ते

Bill Otis — Pretends To Forget What He’s Long Known: These Measures… Work — And Are “Popular”.

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It took old Bill a bit, but he seems to think offering policies like those promised by Tangerine while campaigning in 2016… are widely unpopular.

Huh. Weird. Hey Bill — remind me: didn’t Tangerine win in ’16, on these promises? Yep.

And didn’t he lose in 2020… largely because he did not deliver on 99% of the promises he made, mostly along the lines of the populist stuff he spouted / a false front?

Again — yup. He lost.

So now Kamala (with Mr. Biden) HAS delivered price cuts (via negotiations under the IRA, with big pharma) on ten of the most widely prescribed older drugs on the US markets.

That will be… um… what’s the word? Oh. Yeah. Popular, son.

As will be similar negotiations on larger corporate agri-businesses responsible for almost arbitrary price spikes in the roots to retail grocery verticals.

So do tell us how “delightfully stupid” it will have been, to have won the ‘24 election by actually keeping our promises.

I get it, Bill — you’ve been in Tangerine’s thrall for so long… you have no idea what a kept promise might feel like, to an ordinary, but financially pressed, Main Street voter.

You boys are flirting with losing the US House, now. Every time Tangerine opens his mouth — complaining, in senile fashion, at yesterday’s PA rally, that he’s “better looking” than the Vice President, a glamorous woman about half his age(!), and JD Vance “out there” — telling women his own age that if they don’t bear multiple children (but only while married — to men!), he will work to dilute their voting rights… these loons are the best the GOP can muster?!?

I see why you don’t mention your OWN ticket… but just seek to tell lie after lie — about the Democratic ticket.

[Separately, Lloyd Billingsley continues to offer what I guess are imagined to be “historical look backs” — but ones that lack beginnings, middles or ends, even. His advancing dementia (and lack of any Powerline editorial staff) make it hard to even guess at what might be the point of his last ten or so posts.]

Monkeys banging on typewriters randomly might well offer more engaging content.

Out.

Let Us Be Clear: Hinderaker IS LYING, About The Posture Of The Tennessee / Louisiana Trans-Title IX Cases.

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Again, sensing the ’24 national election is slipping away (from the GOP), day by day, John Hinderaker seeks to stoke hatreds (and excite the MAGA base!), by overstating what a temporary ruling at the Supremes said, and meant — on last Friday night.

There were in fact three dissenters — ones who said the Fifth and Sixth Circuits have granted Louisiana, and Tennessee in separate cases — relief that even they did not seek.

This will be sorted out when it reaches the highest court on the merits, after October… but Hinderaker is touting an entirely hollow victory.

Most trans- young people don’t live in either of these states — Tennessee or Louisiana — and do live in states where the states’ laws afford them protection — and where federal Title IX funding is already being used to make more available measures aimed at gender equity, and to provide gender dysphoria resources… for any and all who might need them.

So, yes — this is just a wedge issue talking point out of the Powerline boys.

It will not matter, after November 2024. The dissent is correct, here (from page 2 to page 13), thus:

…By blocking the Government from enforcing scores of regulations that respondents never challenged and that bear no apparent relationship to respondents’ alleged injuries, the lower courts went beyond their authority to remedy the discrete harms alleged here. The injunctions this Court leaves in place will burden the Government more than necessary. The injunctions will also affect the public. Individuals in the respondent states will be deprived of guidance related to their rights under Title IX, of updates to the processes schools must follow in investigating their complaints of sex discrimination, of protections from retaliation should they file a complaint, and of much more.

On the present record, more tailored relief focused on the three challenged provisions would have redressed respondents’ alleged injuries without depriving the public of the Rule’s other provisions.

Because the majority of this Court nonetheless leaves the overly broad injunctions in place, I respectfully dissent in part….

Once again, Hinderaker shows himself to be an embittered, largely-senile putz — one who no longer understands much about federal civil procedure rules — and appeals of injunctions… to boot. [In these two states, LA and TN, were I counsel for any teen there — I would recast my complaint as based on the discrimination the actors were showing to people who are of the same gender (if we accept that hard righters only see the “born gender” as valid) — because then, under their convoluted logic, the acts are aimed at male-male relationships, or at female-female relationships.

And Justice Gorsuch penned Bostock, a 6-3 2020 opinion clearly holding that such discrimination is unlawful, “on the basis of sex“.] Thus in these two backward states, artful pleading completely eliminates the effect of the Fifth, and Sixth Circuit rulings — and the 6-3 Supremes’ interim “punting”, on the same.

Out.

Scott Offers… Some AI-Generated “Patent Law” Nonsense — To Argue Against… Biden/Harris Drug Price Relief. Hilarious.

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First, as always, let us all agree that Tangerine promised this in 2017, and promptly welshed on the promise.

Now that Biden/Harris were actually able, through deft negotiations and market incentives, to cut the US prices of very high burden, widely prescribed medicines (most of which are nearing their early “at-risk” generic launch dates, under the Hatch-Waxman Act of 1984)… Scott offers an “AI” conjecture (but it is really just some conservative patent lawyer — trying to write under the cloak of AI, and avoid offending his high-end clients in the generic and branded space!) that maybe the generics will now not enter the market — at all.

Poppycock.

These drugs are so widely prescribed (all as life-long, life-saving meds!), that the generics will absolutely seize the vast economic opportunity, in 2026 and beyond, no matter what. [And prices will decline, some more. Moreover, there will be additional drugs, now — added to the list for negotiated prices in the coming Harris Administration, 2024-2028.]

That was the bi-partisan genius of the Hatch-Waxman Act’s patent improvements. Signed by old Saint Ronnie into law (1984). Scott, Paul, John and the P-line boys loved it ever since. [Until now, that is.]

Another way to look at this, then is to accept that the negotiations have created near-generic pricing, about two years earlier than forecast on 10 multi-billion dollar franchises in the US.

But to say “it could be” that Sun Pharma, Dr. Reddys and Teva, and the rest won’t enter the market is… to expose a vast misunderstanding of how this all works. The generics will absolutely be able to sell these medicines for about 80% more than it costs to make them, even if the full 79% maximum discounts filter all the way down to the US retail consumers. [And not all of them will.]

What this all is — is proof that progressive policies can work, and pharma can still make hundreds of billions in profits, AND consumers can see the benefit of generic pricing a few years ahead of the Hatch-Waxman dates.

What this is NOT… is any form of “price freeze”, or any form of socialism — or communism (as the boys endlessly and falsely burp).

Was Reagan… a socialist?

Of course not. Nah — it is just that Trump cannot stand to be shown as a welsher on a populist theme/meme he offered, on the campaign trail in 2016 and into 2018. [He simply lacks the frontal lobe processing power to get sophisticated deals done, at all. “To a guy who only has a hammer in his tool-belt, everything looks like… a nail.”]

We got it done. Promise… kept.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it, boys.

Ahem. The Hard Right Sees Nixon-Era Price Freezes. They Are Losing Their Tiny Minds. Kamala Harris Hasn’t Even Hinted At That.

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All day long, I’ve been reading various ill-informed burpings, out of the hard right media and blog nuts. [See this for John’s, Scott’s and Steve’s stupid lies — and my excoriation of the same, overnight.]

They would like to falsely frame Kamala Harris’ statements of yesterday as “price freezes” — which we all know failed — and failed miserably — under Richard Nixon’s (GOP) presidency.

I won’t give any play to those false narratives. Economic incentives are not price freezes.

And we need look no further than the success of the current administration as to the just concluded price negotiation process, on the top ten US pharmaceutical products, to see how a deft but progressive hand might work. Here’s what she actually said:

…My plan will include new penalties for opportunistic companies that exploit crises and break the rules, and we will support smaller food businesses that are trying to play by the rules and get ahead. (Applause.)

We will help the food industry become more competitive, because I believe competition is the lifeblood of our economy. More competition means lower prices for you and your families. (Applause)….

So don’t let the liars con you. My Madame President will achieve inflation control with a series of carrots and sticks, similar to the incentives we saw under Mr. Obama’s presidency. There will be no price freezes. Now you know.

नमस्ते