Saturday, January 31, 2026

CDC Reversal on Masks, Vaccinated as Covid Spreaders, While Boosters Look to Be Coming Late and Not Hugely Effective

If you weren’t worried about Covid, you should be, between rising infections and evidence of CDC incompetence.

Aducanumab: The Drug That Breaks Medicare?

Biogen plans to price-gouge for the barely-effective Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab to such a degree that it could bust Medicare.

Tom Englelhardt: Our Empire in Decline

Trying to understand America’s self-and-other-destructive empire fetish.

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/27/2021

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

U.S. Vaccine Diplomat Cajoles Producers to Support Low-Cost Off-Shore Vaccine Hubs

The Biden administration should push the WTO to waive COVID vaccine patents before heading off for vacation and encourage U.S. producers to ramp up low-cost vaccine production worldwide.

Links 7/27/21

Why Are UK Covid Cases Declining?

Doubts about the suddenly improved UK Covid case figures.

Andreas Malm Versus Property: ‘Because Nothing Else Has Worked’

Is going after property the only viable option for containing climate damage? Andreas Malm thinks so.

Competition from Online Platforms and the Impoverishment of Newspapers

How the Internet killed newspapers.

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/26/2021

~ Today’s Water Cooler ~

Gurbir Grewal Takes Helm as SEC Director of Enforcement, Breaking BigLaw Stranglehold

The new SEC director of enforcement takes up his post today, the first in this position since 2005 to enter without strong recent corporate ties.

Links 7/26/2021

Wolf Richter: After Slashing 33% of Workers in 6 Years, Railroads Complain about Labor Shortages, amid Uproar over Slow Shipments

Railroads are finding it difficult to hire workers and their labor shortfall has prevented them from meeting transportation demand

Hubert Horan: The Airline Industry Collapse Part 7 – Domestic U.S. Travel Picks Up but International Demand Remains Crippled

Hurbert Horan explains how major airline operators are still engaging in magical thinking.

Beware of World Economic Forum/Gates UN Food Systems Summit Trojan Horse

The Gates Foundation and the WEF are steamrolling normal UN processes as part of a campaign to discredit sound agroecology practices.