Archive for 2021
February 26, 2021
WHY DEMOCRATS ARE AFRAID OF HIM:
CYNICALLY, A CONDITION BECOMES SERIOUS WHEN THERE ARE DRUGS TO TREAT IT: How Meaningful Is Prediabetes for Older Adults? A new study indicates that the condition might be less of a worry than once believed. “The researchers found that over several years, older people who were supposedly prediabetic were far more likely to have their blood sugar levels return to normal than to progress to diabetes. And they were no more likely to die during the follow-up period than their peers with normal blood sugar.”
Plus: “These findings mirrored a 2016 study pointing out that a popular online risk test created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Diabetes Association, called doihaveprediabetes.org, would deem nearly everyone over 60 as prediabetic.”
AS YE SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP: The Campaign to Cancel Wokeness. Once you break down the idea of a tolerant society, the only question is who doesn’t get tolerated. It’s not like people haven’t been warning about this. I mean, it’s hard to take statements like this from the left seriously now: “Disagreeing with certain ideas, however, is very different from anathematizing the collective work of a host of paradigm-shifting thinkers.” Well, yes, yes it is.
And wokeness is deeply unpopular with everyone except the people who run our elite institutions, who are notoriously fickle.
I’M DISCERNING A THEME TODAY:
JOHNSON & JOHNSON: J&J COVID Vaccine Gets Green Light from FDA Panel. “An FDA advisory committee voted unanimously Friday to recommend the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S) for use in adults 18 and older. Based on the totality of scientific evidence available, the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) voted 22-0 that benefits of the vaccine ‘outweigh its risks for use in individuals 18 years of age and older,’ so the vaccine should qualify for FDA emergency use authorization (EUA).”
The Insta-Daughter was a volunteer in this vaccine trial, though sadly it turns out she got the placebo.
BUYER’S REMORSE: Unpacking the fine print of Biden’s declaration about the war in Yemen. “There is enough intentionally ambiguous phrasing and doublespeak in his talk of ‘relevant arms’ and ‘offensive operations’ to make us wonder how new this approach is from the course we’ve been on for the past six years. If we were halting all arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and withdrawing all support for operations in Yemen, he would have said so.”
GOOD ADVICE: Stop Worrying About Extremely Unlikely Covid Risks.
For the past year, there’s been too much spin, too much moralizing, and not enough in the way of clear explanation. People still wrongly fear that passing others on the street is a big danger because scientists and the press lump all risks together — substantial with astronomically unlikely.
Vaccine messaging is now playing up post-vaccination risks, with health authorities saying vaccinated people will have to continue take exactly the same precautions. As New York Times columnist David Leonhardt found, many people took that recommendation so seriously that they’re questioning the point of getting the shots, or are refusing them.
In fact, having a dinner party with a few vaccinated friends would be reasonable, says Babak Javid, an infectious disease doctor at the University of California, San Francisco. Could someone transmit the disease — maybe? “I think the risks of that are so remotely low,” he says. He would go if invited.
It’s true that even 95% vaccine efficacy means a few people might still get the disease post-vaccination — and some might get a silent case and give it to someone else — but the vaccine is proving close to 100% effective at preventing the most severe and deadly cases. And as more people get vaccinated, incidence of the disease should plunge even lower. The risks will plunge with it. . . .
Javid was one of the very first proponents of masking, fighting for it back when it was unpopular with other public health leaders — but even he draws the line at making runners and cyclists or solitary walkers mask up. “In the context of the pandemic where there are literally hundreds of million cases worldwide, even rare events can happen,” he says. “So I am not going to say it is impossible. I think the risks of, you know, someone cycling past you and giving you COVID is minimal, to say the least.” . . .
Scientists and journalists may feel magnifying small risks is erring on the side of caution. But if freaking people out about small things is distracting from the risks that have led to most of the 500,000 deaths, then perhaps true caution would instead dictate erring as little as possible.
If your rules aren’t based on science, they’re arbitrary invasions of freedom.
EVERYTHING IS RACIST: Remember Curling Up With Your Kids to Read Dr. Seuss’ One Fish, Two Fish, Black Fish, Jew Fish? No? Me Neither.
I don’t usually promote two PJ Media VIP pieces in a single day, but this one was so much fun to write that I just had to share it.
FLASHBACK: The ‘Footlose’ Fix.
HEINLEIN’S CRAZY YEARS (CONT’D): This Is Not Normal and I Refuse to Pretend It Is. “Can we stop for a minute and recognize the absurdity of what we witnessed in a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee confirmation hearing on Thursday?”
Paul Bolyard’s latest is just for our VIP members if you’ve been considering joining.
NEWS YOU CAN USE: Why the New USPS Mail Truck Looks So Strange.
A MILLION HERE AND A MILLION THERE AND PRETTY SOON YOU’RE TALKING REAL CORRUPTION: COVID Bill Gives $570 Million Gift To The Teacher’s Unions.
HIGHER EDUCATION: Smith College fails to defend their own employees after false accusations of racism. “The university released a report on the incident which found zero evidence of racial bias on the part of Blair or the janitor. McCartney, however, still refused to rule out that they were motivated by racism.”
Because it’s virtuous to fight racism, even if you have to invent it and destroy a life or two in the process.
YOU’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BLOG: 6 Reasons to Oppose the Orwellian ‘Equality Act.’
THAT SOUNDS KIND OF HARSH. POOR KIDS! OH, WAIT: Lethal house lures reduce incidence of malaria in children.
STEPHEN GREEN SMILES: Scientists identify cells responsible for liver tissue maintenance and regeneration.
HOLLYWOOD: The Rise and Fall of Joss Whedon, and the Myth of the Hollywood Feminist Hero.
As good as Whedon’s Buffy and Firefly were, they serve as excellent reminders that the more you want to enjoy art, the less you want to know about the artist.
I REALLY WANT THIS TO SUCCEED, BUT HE’S BEING LEFT BEHIND BY SPACEX: Blue Origin delays heavy-lift New Glenn rocket launch to 2022.
BACKPEDALING AS QUICKLY AS HE CAN: Mitch McConnell Makes Surprise Announcement on Trump’s Potential 2024 Presidential Bid.
THREE CHEERS FOR THE TRUMP VACCINE: Biden, Harris mark 50 million COVID-19 vaccinations in past month.