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Balloon Juice

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

I’ve spoken to my cat about this, but it doesn’t seem to do any good.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

In my day, never was longer.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

Americans barely caring about Afghanistan is so last month.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

“More of this”, i said to the dog.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

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Postcards for Wisconsin Supreme Court & Music!

by WaterGirl|  January 31, 20238:00 pm| 66 Comments

This post is in: Music, Open Threads, Political Action

Saturday was for talking.  The next 17 days are for action.  And music!

The postcards don’t have to be fancy, or pretty.  Thought they can be!

We just need to get the message out to as many people as possible.

If you want to write postcards, please send email to WaterGirl and let me know how many addresses you would like.

If you are uncertain of my email address, you will find instructions under Contact Us in the white menu bar up top.

Thank you!

Postcards for Wisconsin Supreme Court & Music! 1

Hope we have some folks supplying music tonight, too!

Open thread.

Postcards for Wisconsin Supreme Court & Music!Post + Comments (66)

War for Ukraine Day 341: The Starlink Snowflake Has Chosen Putin. He Has Chosen Poorly!

by Adam L Silverman|  January 31, 20236:27 pm| 62 Comments

This post is in: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Military, Open Threads, Russia, Silverman on Security, War, War in Ukraine

Musk regarding Starlink use by the military in Ukraine: “we are not allowing Starlink to be used for long-range drone strikes.” https://t.co/HHLbYhGaKZ

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) January 31, 2023

It will be a good day when his personal Tesla sets itself on fire and won’t release the door locks while he’s inside it. I’m also looking forward to watching Chevrolet, GM, Honda, and a bunch of other actual car makers eat his lunch as 2023 proceeds. Both Chevrolet and Honda are coming not just for his battery electric vehicle business, but for everything he’s trying to do with solar panels and battery storage/power walls.

The best thing that could happen to him is for the UA Main Directorate of Intelligence to scarf him up and drop him off in occupied Donbas without papers while live streaming what happens to him.

And that’s all I have to say about that asshat.

Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:

show full post on front page

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

A brief report on the day.

We are finalizing our preparations for the Ukraine-EU Summit scheduled for this week. In general, this week will be a week of European integration in every sense of the word. We are expecting the news for Ukraine. We are expecting the decisions from our partners in the European Union that will be in line with the level of cooperation achieved between our institutions and the EU, as well as with our progress. Progress, which is obvious – even despite the full-scale war.

Today I held a long meeting with the international bloc of the government and the Office. We are preparing Ukrainian positions for negotiations with EU representatives.

And very importantly, we are preparing new reforms in Ukraine. Reforms that will change the social, legal and political reality in many ways, making it more human, transparent and effective. But these details will be announced later, based on the results of the relevant meetings.

Today, as in fact every day, I held several meetings with the military and the head of intelligence. We are studying the situation in detail in all major operational directions and in the long term. What the occupier is preparing for, and how we are already responding to Russia’s preparations for a revanche attempt.

Our defense and security forces, the Ukrainian government, our partners – all of us are making efforts to ensure that Russia not only fails in regaining ground on the battlefield, but also loses its last hope for aggression in its revanche attempts. Russia’s defeat will prevent any alternatives to a lasting and reliable peace. I thank all our partners who support this position of Ukraine.

Today I spoke with Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. I briefed him on the situation on the battlefield – on the constant assaults in the Donetsk region, on the situation in the south and the existing threats. We discussed how our defense cooperation could be supplemented. We separately touched upon the issue of sanctions and Russia’s international isolation.

In particular, I am grateful to Justin for understanding our call to the international Olympic bodies that any concessions to a terrorist state are unacceptable. The Olympic movement and international sport in general must be protected from Russia’s usual attempts to politicize sports – we have seen this repeatedly at different times. Now, Russian politicization of sports will inevitably mean justification of terror. This must not be allowed. It is only together that the free world can protect sport from those sports bureaucrats who are willing to turn a blind eye to reality for some reason.

Today I also spoke with Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo. I thanked him for the powerful defense package that was recently approved. We discussed our cooperation on international platforms, particularly within the UN. We discussed sanctions against Russia and the next sanctions package. We also talked about cooperation in protecting sports and the Olympic movement from propaganda of terror.

And one more thing.

Now there is a certain lull with personnel decisions… But this does not mean that all the necessary steps have been taken. There will be decisions. Those in the system who do not meet the fundamental requirements of the state and society should not linger in their chairs.

I thank each and every one who is defending the state! I thank everyone who is fighting for Ukraine!

I am grateful for every Ukrainian position held at the front!

I am also grateful for every destroyed position of the enemy!

Glory to Ukraine!

Here’s former NAVDEVGRU Squadron Leader Chuck Pfarrer’s latest assessments of the situations in Kremenna and Bakhmut:

KREMINNA /1325 UTC 31 JAN/ Two RU offensive probes were undertaken during the period 29-30 JAN. The first, north of Kreminna, was repulsed by UKR east of Terny. RU forces retreated with losses. A second RU thrust on the O-0528 HWY was apparently also broken up by UKR forces. pic.twitter.com/CnTCQLcKvB

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) January 31, 2023

BAKHMUT HOLDS: Russia has stepped up offensive operations against the city, registering costly gains south of the urban area and threatening important supply routes. But Ukraine’s troops maintain a stubborn and wily defense.https://t.co/lR41mQZx94

— Chuck Pfarrer | Indications & Warnings | (@ChuckPfarrer) January 31, 2023

German howitzer PzH 2000 operating in dawn hours near Bakhmut. It’s highly efficient and accurate and is definitely in heavy demand. Hope to see more soon.

💣 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade pic.twitter.com/PxyGIRjpXF

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) January 31, 2023

 

 

Make it hot!

Destruction of the command post and ammunition of Russians by Ukrainian servicemen of the 28th brigade together with aerial reconnaissance of the 4th brigade https://t.co/wbEjiBMEn1 pic.twitter.com/K0V5Ege9Ks

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) January 31, 2023

Kharkiv:

Boris the cat proposes to rename the street from Pushkinska to British Street. Lovely. pic.twitter.com/hAGeXZt0ny

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) January 31, 2023

Kharkiv is also under air raid alert:

Went out to meet a friend when the fourth air raid alarm since morning started. Kharkiv downtown is plunged into darkness. Messages of shelling around Kupiansk began popping up. Russian goal is to terrorize and threaten, but in reality people are only getting stronger. pic.twitter.com/pBTYnqNmM2

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) January 31, 2023

If you want to try to follow what the Russians are doing where their aviation platforms, Olga Honcharenko in Odesa, Ukraine tracks Russia’s ultra-high frequency aviation comms. As soon as they start squawking, she starts tweeting. When she tweets that a plane is pushing static on its net, then an attack is inbound. For instance, this one from 26 JAN 2023:

Russian strategic bomber combat voice net 9163 kHz USB
Transmitter's static noise is active. Combat mission is coming/ongoing for the time being in silence

— Olga Honcharenko (@olga_pp98) January 26, 2023

Vuldehar is holding!

2/6 The enemy hasn't reduced the number of assaults, however, the quality of assaults has dropped significantly for two reasons:
– weather conditions
– high casualties

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) January 31, 2023

4/6 a Large number of reserves in the Vuhledar area indicates that the enemy doesn't plan to give up on assaults or attempts to siege Vuhledar.

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) January 31, 2023

6/6 It's likely that the enemy will resume assault as soon as the weather conditions will allow, and losses will be replenished with mobilized and volunteers.

— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) January 31, 2023

Moscow:

The creator of Rybar channel who now has a live TV program admits that Russian VDV forces lost 50% of personnel by September last year. pic.twitter.com/erKY6EMqiB

— Dmitri (@wartranslated) January 31, 2023

Awkward…

For you logistics enthusiasts:

Just as the weapons have changed the course of the war, so has the war impacted the companies that build the arms — and tested their limitations.

Story w/ truly fab team: Steff Chávez @alexandraheal @ian_bott_artist @sam_learner @inari_ta @nikasamborskahttps://t.co/z2wLrSj3xA

— Sam Joiner (@samjoiner) January 31, 2023

The Financial Times also brings us reporting that the EU and its member states are not aligned in regard to Ukraine’s ascension to EU membership:

EU member states have warned Brussels against giving Ukraine an unrealistic expectation of rapidly joining the bloc, ahead of a summit in Kyiv where Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressing for progress on accession and reconstruction.

Zelenskyy is due to host his EU counterparts Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel this week, where he is expected to lobby for the country’s EU membership, the use of frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction and a legal mechanism to prosecute Russians for war crimes.

Senior diplomats from EU capitals are concerned that unfeasible Ukrainian expectations — including EU accession by 2026 — have been encouraged rather than tempered by Brussels’ top officials.

“No political leader wants to be on the wrong side of history . . . Nobody wants to be blamed for not doing enough,” said one senior EU diplomat. “So they tell them it’s all possible.”

But while some central and eastern European member states have championed Ukraine’s demands, other northern and western capitals worry about how its large, poor population and vast agricultural sector could be integrated with the EU.

European Council president Michel said this month that “no effort” should be spared to “turn this promise into a reality as fast as we can”. “Ukraine is the EU and the EU is Ukraine,” he told Ukraine’s parliament.

That rhetoric has created expectations in Kyiv that it deserves special privileges and a rapid entry into the bloc. Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal has said he envisages a two-year timetable.

“There is not going to be a fast-track path for Ukraine’s EU membership,” said a second EU diplomat. “There is a risk that rhetoric clashes with reality.”

Multiple member state officials told the FT the commission needed to make clear to Ukraine that there were huge hurdles ahead of beginning formal accession negotiations, which themselves can take a decade or more.

“That gap [between promises and reality] has been growing for some time. And we are getting to the point where it’s too wide,” said a third EU diplomat. “They appear to believe that they can just become a member tomorrow. And that’s obviously not the case.”

“Von der Leyen and Michel might be outcompeting each other on who can show themselves to be more pro-Ukrainian,” said one of the EU diplomats.

This is one of the reasons that you’ve seen Zelenskyy and his administration start cracking down on corruption despite a war going on all around them. That is a good thing in and of itself. However, these various anonymous EU diplomats and leaders seem to be missing a couple of important items. The first is that once the war is over and reconstruction begins, let alone once it is completed, Ukraine is going to be very different in terms of its economy and its infrastructure. I don’t expect that Ukraine will stop being an agricultural powerhouse, but I do expect that a lot of new industries and business sectors will emerge. The second is that as is going to be the case with NATO, the EU is going to need Ukraine more than Ukraine will need the EU. And I’m not talking in terms of Euros in and Euros out. Right now Ukraine is defending all of Europe. Sure, the EU and NATO member states and non-EU and non-NATO member allies and partners like Australia are sending material, equipment, supplies, and money, but where the rubber meats the road the Ukrainians are doing the work. For all the Russian delusional rhetoric that this is a NATO war against Russia, the truth is this is Ukraine being reforged and then tempered in its defense against Russia’s genocidal re-invasion. EU diplomats can hem and haw and tut tut all they want, but the simple truth is Ukraine has placed itself between Scylla and Charybdis to protect the Argo, which in my use of the metaphor is the EU and the rest of Europe.

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

I'll just stand there and wait F-16 pic.twitter.com/KXf9WsAvxR

— Patron (@PatronDsns) January 31, 2023

And here’s a new video from Patron’s official TikTok!

@patron__dsns

Цей танець ніби був створений для мене😁 #shakirachallenge

♬ original sound – ౨ৎ

The caption machine translates as:

This dance seemed to have been created for me 😁 #shakirachallenge

Open thread!

War for Ukraine Day 341: The Starlink Snowflake Has Chosen Putin. He Has Chosen Poorly!Post + Comments (62)

Just 17 Days to Help Get a Liberal Judge on the Wisconsin Supreme Court

by WaterGirl|  January 31, 20235:04 pm| 33 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Political Action

There are just 17 days left to help get a liberal judge on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  And we need your help to do it.

I shared a ton of information about this in Saturday’s post.  In case you missed it:

On Wisconsin!

Saturday was for talking.  The next 17 days are for action.

Voces de la Frontera is supplying addresses to us so we can write postcards to help make sure a liberal judge gets on the ballot for the general election on April 4.  They are:

  • Active voters, not just on the rolls, but with a strong history of turning out to vote
  • Partisanship score of 80-100% voting for Democrats
  • African American

A bit of math in the hopes of inspiring you.

  • If 100 people can write 100 postcards each, that’s 10,000 postcards.
  • If 200 people can write 75 postcards each, 15,000 postcards.
  • If every writer can find one person to join them in writing, we double our reach.
  • If you have a postcard group or an Indivisible group other others, see if they can write.

With only 17 days before we can mail the last postcards, we are going for simple and expedient.

  • We’ll have 3 sample postcards you can copy from.
  • Maze Dancer will hand out the addresses, which are arriving today.
  • If you have the time ,but not the money for postcards and stamps, let me know by email.
  • If you are up for helping someone else out by providing stamps or postcards, let me know by email.

Four Candidates Enter, Only Two Candidates Make it On the Ballot

  • 2 liberal justices
  • 2 conservative justices
  • Each voter gets to vote for one justice.
  • We have to make sure that one liberal justice makes it on the ballot in April.
  • Then we have to make sure that that liberal justice wins on April 4.
  • If a liberal justice wins on April 4, the court will be split 4-3, with 4 liberals.

What’s on the line?

  • The right to self-determination for women in Wisconsin
  • The right to have your vote count
  • Anything issue that makes it to the state Supreme Court

What can you do to help?

Let us know in the comments.

Questions?  Ask them here.

We will have a postcard party & music thread tonight at 8 pm Eastern.

But of course postcards, can be written anytime!

 

Just 17 Days to Help Get a Liberal Judge on the Wisconsin Supreme CourtPost + Comments (33)

Is Our Democrats Learning?

by John Cole|  January 31, 202311:14 am| 206 Comments

This post is in: Republican Politics, Republican Stupidity, Republican Venality

Signs point to yes:

this is called setting the terms of the public debate and not just naively going into things assuming republicans are operating in good faith https://t.co/ykoDolsSyr

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) January 31, 2023

From the looks of it, President Biden has learned from the past and is, in the American tradition, refusing to negotiate with terrorists (which in a way is bullshit- we negotiate with terrorists all the time and you should talk to the fuckers if you can achieve a good outcome, but there is no reason to engage with the domestic terrorists known as the GOP). There was a good piece in NBC News the other day about this:

In 2011, after faltering debt limit negotiations with House Republicans brought the U.S. to the brink of economic calamity, President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden sat by the fireplace in the Oval Office, with their top aides on the couch. While relieved at having narrowly averted disaster, they were stunned by what had transpired.

Obama and Biden made a vow: Never again.

They agreed that going forward, “Nobody can use the threat of default or not increasing the debt limit as a negotiating tool,” said a former Obama official involved in the fiscal discussions, who recounted the Oval Office meeting and the “lesson of 2011” they all discussed. “It made you hold your stomach. You couldn’t believe you were at this situation,” the official said.

The U.S. had just suffered its first credit downgrade. Markets were rattled. Consumer and business confidence was shaken. Stocks took a hit. And the recovery from the Great Recession was in question. Democrats averted the cliff — by acceding to $2 trillion in spending cuts the GOP had demanded after negotiations on a “grand bargain” broke down — but Obama and Biden agreed that the mere threat of default had taken a serious toll.

“They said: This is the sad lesson we’ve learned,” the Obama official said, describing the mood in the room. “It was an unimaginable self-inflicted wound in 2011.”

One of the bigger problems for the current Republican party, beyond their craziness and nihilism and love of violence and their demographic issues, is we have now reached the stage where their bullshit from 2008 to now is not new anymore. The older Democrats and believers in institutions and days gone by, who thought you could negotiate in good faith with these guys, are aging out and retiring. The Hoyer’s and Bayh’s and other folks are no longer in charge, and they have been replace by a new guard. And one of the things about this new guard is that for many of them, much of their political careers and for some, all of it, has been dealing with Republicans who are just utter pieces of shit. Maxwell Frost, the new House Member from Florida, is 25. He was 12 years old during the tea party uprising. He has never known a reasonable Republican party- it’s been nutters his entire career. All he has EVER witnessed is bullshit and bad faith.

And that’s good.

Is Our Democrats Learning?Post + Comments (206)

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Here, There & Everywhere

by Anne Laurie|  January 31, 20239:20 am| 154 Comments

This post is in: Biden Administration in Action, Healthcare, Open Threads, President Biden, Proud To Be A Democrat!

On my watch, the great American road trip is going to be fully electrified.

And now, through a tax credit, you can get up to $7,500 on a new electric vehicle. pic.twitter.com/n3iZ9etL4A

— President Biden (@POTUS) January 30, 2023

.@SecBecerra, the first sitting HHS Secretary to visit a @PPFA clinic, is speaking to the group’s DC summit today about what more the Biden admin can do to protect and expand abortion access. pic.twitter.com/3l6kXlnmmZ

— Alice Miranda Ollstein (@AliceOllstein) January 30, 2023

show full post on front page

This year, for the first time in history, the four leaders of the two congressional spending committees are women. https://t.co/Quas8lsh99 pic.twitter.com/xemyRJwpgN

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 30, 2023

Twenty years ago today, @PEPFAR was created. Since then, the American people have provided more than $100 billion to save more than 25 million lives. We remain deeply committed to ending HIV/AIDS by 2030. #PEPFAR20 https://t.co/Sx8Pardvca

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) January 28, 2023

NEW: A WH official says the administration is sending a group of officials to the funeral of Tyre Nichols funeral on Wednesday including Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mitch Landrieu, Tara Murray and Erica Loewe.

— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) January 30, 2023

Tyre Nichols' parents will attend President Joe Biden's State of the Union address to Congress next month.https://t.co/iuXPVXHMDc

— Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) January 30, 2023

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott greet Biden after his helicopter landed in Baltimore. Biden’s here to talk about replacing a 150-year-old rail tunnel that Amtrak says is oldest in its system, lacks fire safety systems, suffers from flooding. pic.twitter.com/PYSniwvPPB

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 30, 2023

Wes Moore waves when a passing train interrupts his speech in Baltimore.
Modernization of the rail tunnel, renamed Frederick Douglass Tunnel, will be finished in about a decade, @iamwesmoore says pic.twitter.com/Wb8SmEXfOP

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) January 30, 2023

As part of her visit to Fort Drum, @FLOTUS and @DepSecDef are meeting with military spouses and leaders in the military-connected community for a conversation on improving employment opportunities for military spouses — one of Joining Forces’ focus areas. pic.twitter.com/DuyMxoJExW

— Vanessa Valdivia (@vvaldivia46) January 30, 2023

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Here, There & EverywherePost + Comments (154)

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31

by Anne Laurie|  January 31, 20237:55 am| 78 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19 Coronavirus, Foreign Affairs

President Biden will end the U.S. #Covid emergencies May 11. He told Congress the two nat'l Covid responses—the nat'l emergency & the public health emergency—will end in May. The move restructures the U.S. response to accepting Covid as an endemic threat https://t.co/mUZLGg5nWP

— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 31, 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31

show full post on front page

This @ThinkGlobalHlth piece is a great explainer on the legal ramifications of public health emergency declarations. https://t.co/pf7axxXTi9

— Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH (@JenniferNuzzo) January 31, 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 1
IMO, Dr. Adalja is extremely over-optimistic about the percentage of people at most risk from Covid who have access to a medical system that can, or will, hand-tailor vaccine recommendations to their personal needs:

… The federal government’s recommendations for successive rounds of boosting has been confusing for even those steeped in the field. An evidence-based, predictable schedule is needed. However, that approach should not be forced into a one-size- (or even two-size)-fits-all paradigm. COVID-19 boosting schedules should be exclusively targeted to actual risk of severe disease, not convenience or simplicity of message…

As the risk for severe COVID-19 is not uniform, the benefits of current vaccines are not uniform. Some people may require zero boosters because their risk of severe disease is low; the higher risk may require one, two, or more boosters at certain intervals. However, such a schedule must be made with evidence at hand — better evidence than guided the switch to the bivalent boosters, which are likely not more effective or cost effective than the original boosters.

Even when it comes to those at high risk for severe COVID, high-risk people are not homogenous. A person with isolated hypertension is very different than someone with multiple comorbid conditions, who is also different than someone who has had a bone marrow transplant. Each may have different vaccination needs. I could envision some being vaccinated based on antibody titers or some other biomarker, as is the case with certain other vaccines (e.g., hepatitis B).

An optimized schedule is not a fruitless task and the lackluster booster uptake opens in a new tab or window — even among the high risk — should not dissuade the adoption of a proper schedule for boosting based on risk factors. The professional societies of physicians who care for the varied groups of the high risk — from diabetic individuals to people living with HIV to transplant patients — would be best suited to develop such schedules reflecting unique risk profiles amongst their patients.

Ultimately, we should seek better vaccines that are more efficacious and durable in the prevention of infection from all SARS-CoV-2 variants.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 2

(link)

Updated @CDCgov data on bivalent booster, age groups and deaths
Overall 91% reduction of deaths across all age groups vs unvaccinated, less (80%) without bivalent booster
The absolute reduction increases w/ age; relative reduction is consistent across ageshttps://t.co/HGyjNwUveD pic.twitter.com/N6FNccaBuZ

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 30, 2023

======

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 3

… The pandemic was likely in a “transition point” that continues to need careful management to “mitigate the potential negative consequences”, the agency added in a statement.

It is three years since the WHO first declared that COVID represented a global health emergency. More than 6.8 million people have died during the outbreak, which has touched every country on Earth, ravaging communities and economies.

However, the advent of vaccines and treatments has changed the pandemic situation considerably since 2020, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said he hopes to see an end to the emergency this year, particularly if access to the counter-measures can be improved globally…

Advisers to the WHO expert committee on the pandemic’s status told Reuters in December that it was likely not the moment to end the emergency given the uncertainty over the wave of infections in China after it lifted its strict zero-COVID measures at the end of 2022.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 4
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 5
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 6
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The first week-long holiday in the Chinese Lunar New Year after China opened up from covid restrictions saw tourist number rebound to 88.6% of the pre-covid 2019 level and tourism spending rebound to 73.1% of 2019, the ministry of culture and tourism estimates. pic.twitter.com/iiqd4SYAe0

— Zichen Wang (@ZichenWanghere) January 27, 2023

After three years of covid, we went deep into rural China for Lunar New Year. Here's the story of what we found & how officials tried to stop us. @cnn https://t.co/Yk5Eua9SeI pic.twitter.com/JvccZHM07E

— Selina Wang (@selinawangtv) January 27, 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 7

… China was an insignificant market for Paxlovid before the strict infection-control policy was lifted, but Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said the company has since distributed millions of Paxlovid treatment courses there through a deal with China’s Meheco.

Still, the status of deliveries later this year remains unclear. Talks between Pfizer and China’s government health insurer bogged down over price, and the drug is only covered by China’s broad healthcare insurance plan until late March…

Their current estimates for over $10 billion in 2023 Paxlovid sales is less than half the $22 billion Pfizer is expected to report for 2022, according to Refinitiv data. Growth in China could help offset expected declines elsewhere as many governments have built inventories of the two-drug treatment.

BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman has forecast about $8.7 billion in global sales for Paxlovid in 2023, including $1.9 billion from the developed world outside of the United States, Europe and emerging markets, he said in an email, adding that he is hoping for more information…

Pfizer’s tiered pricing structure sets the Paxlovid cost based on a country’s economy. The U.S. government, for example, has paid over $500 per course. Media reports suggest that the current price per course in China is 1,890 yuan, or around $280.

But China has been asking to pay less. CEO Bourla has said China – the world’s second biggest economy – is seeking a lower price than has been offered to lower middle-income countries…

Even without a deal to sell Paxlovid broadly in China, the company can still sell it there on the private market.

Morningstar analyst Damien Conover said there is a lot of private wealth in China to support a higher price with direct purchases by patients.

China is “probably the only region that we’re modeling a year-over-year increase in 2023” for Paxlovid, Conover said.

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 8

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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 9

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 10
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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 11
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(link)

======

Scientists take a page from SARSCoV2's evolutionary history to develop a *universal vaccine* against all current & future subvariants. The vax is already being tested in animal models. By @DelthiaRicks https://t.co/ykHhyq404d pic.twitter.com/4pBdmqTvS7

— delthia ricks 🔬 (@DelthiaRicks) January 30, 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 13
(link)

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 14
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 15

The best evidence against lab leak is that right wing nat-sec people didn't start pushing it till after the election,

if there was good evidence pompeo or similar would have had access to it

— AH??? (@shishiqiushi) January 28, 2023

‘Microclots’ could help solve the #LongCOVID puzzle:
"Scientists are starting to detect clots in long #COVID patients’ smallest blood vessels—which might help explain the condition’s debilitating symptoms."https://t.co/n79lYmplFa

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) January 30, 2023

"5% of the [U.S.] adult population is struggling with activity limitations from #LongCovid."
https://t.co/bmy0BQVV3Q @KFF @alicelevyburns

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 27, 2023

Unclear why but the percentage of people who've had #COVID & currently report #LongCOVID symptoms is falling, from 19% in Jun'22 to 11% /Jan'23."
So:
– 15% of US adults say they've had long #COVID
– But just 6% have symptoms nowhttps://t.co/cSMcpdN2p3
and https://t.co/QV4ySVqh2z pic.twitter.com/eDF0YoC1EA

— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) January 30, 2023

======

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 16
(link)
COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31 17

Reminder: if COVID turns out to be a “bioweapon”..then Donald Trump presided over the greatest foreign biological attack in American history and his response was to compliment their leader and sell them all our beef, pork, corn and soybeans. https://t.co/TjjcYU20bP

— Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) January 29, 2023

"In this study, COVID-19 was a leading cause of death among individuals aged 0 to 19 years in the US." @JAMANetworkOpen https://t.co/AWawqJ0KLl by @flaxter and colleagues pic.twitter.com/BIokfnMDez

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) January 30, 2023

I did not have “Polio isn’t that bad” on my 2023 bingo card… https://t.co/LUPVcJTpzw

— ???? snipe, lixo tóxico ????? (@snipeyhead) January 27, 2023

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Monday / Tuesday, Jan. 30-31Post + Comments (78)

On The Road – BigJimSlade – Hiking in the Alps, Chamonix and Grindelwald 2022

by WaterGirl|  January 31, 20235:00 am| 33 Comments

This post is in: On The Road, Photo Blogging

BigJimSlade

Last summer my wife and I flew in/out of Geneva to go hiking in the alps :-)  From the airport we caught a bus to Chamonix. On my trip to Europe in 1989, I made a side trip the Chamonix for a couple days and remember very little of it. It snowed big, fat, wet snowflakes. It was gray the whole time. Couldn’t see the mountains. I know I did a couple hour day hike, but I have no idea where exactly at this point. So it was going to be fun to go back!

Then we headed off to Switzerland for a few days in Grindelwald, hiking around, plus a side trip to Lauterbrunnen, before spending a night in Geneva before the flight back.

OK, let’s check out Chamonix, home of the fantastical, gondola-serviced Aiguille du Midi, and Mt. Blanc.

On The Road - BigJimSlade - Hiking in the Alps, Chamonix and Grindelwald 2022 8
Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, FranceJuly 3, 2022

When we returned home, I checked my photos to see what I had of Chamonix and it turns out I had a picture of the hotel we stayed at on this trip – Le Croix Blanche! (tr: The White Cross) I made these 2 pictures into one with the picture from 1989 on the left, and from last summer on the right. Embiggen (for those not in the know, this is old internet slang for “click here to see this image bigger).

On The Road – BigJimSlade – Hiking in the Alps, Chamonix and Grindelwald 2022Post + Comments (33)

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