New Saga...

 

South African scientists have detected more than 30 mutations in the new Covid-19 variant, raising concern that it could possibly better evade the antibody protection created by vaccines and prior infections.

“We don’t know very much about this yet. 

What we do know is that this new variant has a large number of mutations. And the concern is that when you have so many mutations, it can have an impact on how the virus behaves,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical lead on Covid-19, said in a Q&A that was livestreamed on the organization’s social media channels.

The World Health Organization is holding a special meeting to discuss what the new variant may mean for vaccines and treatments, officials.

Always starts in SOuth Africa.   Just a thought.

Grab ..

 

San Francisco Dist. Atty. Chesa Boudin said that he has charged nine people with felonies in a series of shoplifting incidents that included a mass smash-and-grab at Union Square luxury stores.

At least 40 thieves allegedly broke into a Louis Vuitton store on Friday, grabbing whatever they could before loading it into a series of cars parked curbside out front. The shoplifting caravan cut a swath through San Francisco's high-end boutiques, creating a scene of chaos while stealing more than $1 million in merchandise.

Boudin said two of the nine people were charged for possession of firearms during the Friday incident. He said the nine face charges of grand theft, commercial burglary and possession of stolen goods at the felony level.

 The district attorney said he would seek in court to keep two of those charged behind bars because of the nature of their alleged crimes.

Any thing about New York City Smach and Grab?   Just a thought.

Walk back...

 

Democratic 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg's campaign tried to clarify his position on vaccines, walking back earlier comments that indicated he supported exemptions based on personal or religious beliefs.

The statement clarifying the mayor's position was sent to BuzzFeed after the article containing the initial statement was published and some on social media had expressed alarm at his apparent endorsement of "personal/religious exemptions." 

Freedom of speech is it?

Thanksgiving...

 

This was the best Thanksgiving ever. and mainly different. I did mute all the irritants and enjoyed it.

Hope you all enjoyed it.

Hike...

 

OPEC+ has issued a grave warning to Japan, the United States, China, India, and South Korea: unleash millions of barrels of oil from your emergency stockpiles, and we are likely to respond.

That response, although OPEC+ failed to mention specific figures, would likely be changing their plans to ramp up production more slowly to compensate for the extra barrels released. 

OPEC+ has been saying for over a month that the market will soon swing into a surplus, cautioning global oil markets against being too hasty and aggressive when it comes to ramping up production.

But immense pressure is building up on consuming nations over high gasoline prices—particularly in the United States, where gasoline prices often directly correlate to voter support for the current administration.

The Truth...

 

The results of a new poll finds that 28 percent of U.S. adults believe without evidence that the “truth about the harmful effects of vaccines” is being deliberately hidden from the public.

The findings are part of global research conducted by the YouGov-Cambridge Globalism Project, which looks at how different countries perceive a variety of conspiracy theories. 

According to the research, at least one-fifth to one-third of respondents said they were convinced that the truth about vaccines was being withheld from the public in 20 of 23 countries surveyed.

“Taken together, these findings emphasize the extent to which conspiracism has entered the mainstream politics of numerous electorates around the world,” Dr. Joel Rogers de Waal, YouGov’s academic director, said in a statement. 

“The same research also points to a new and deeper form of partisan antipathy, where people are divided not merely by policy preference or political identity but also by their fundamental perceptions of reality.   

Bath...

 

View...

 

Don't ask, don't tell

Fool...

 

U-Turn...

 

Long-term market bull Jeremy Siegel expects a serious pullback that it isn’t tied to the Covid-19 surge risks.  His tipping point: a drastic change in Federal Reserve policy in order to deal with hot inflation.

“If the Fed suddenly gets tougher, I’m not sure that the market is going to be ready for a U-turn that [chair] Jerome Powell may take if we have one more bad inflation report,” the Wharton finance professor told CNBC’s “Trading Nation” on Friday. “A correction will come.”

The consumer price index surged 6.2% in October, the Labor Department reported earlier this month. It marked the biggest gain in more than 30 years.
Siegel criticizes the Fed for being far behind the curve in terms of taking anti-inflationary action.

“Generally, since the Fed has not made any aggressive move at all, the money is still flowing into the market.”  “The Fed is still doing quantitative easing.”
He speculates the moment of truth will happen at the Fed’s Dec. 14 to Dec. 15 policy meeting.

If it signals a more aggressive approach to contain rising prices, Siegel warns a correction could strike. Despite his concern, Siegel is in stocks.

“I am still pretty fully invested because, you know, there is no alternative,” he said. “Bonds are getting, in my opinion, worse and worse. Cash is disappearing at the rate of inflation which is over 6%, and I think is going higher.”

Siegel anticipates rising prices will stretch out over several years, with cumulative inflation reaching 20% to 25%.