SunSeeker
SunSeeker's JournalElon Musk security member allegedly rams man with car in South Pasadena: police
At the location, police contacted a 29-year-old man from Connecticut who said he had just exited the northbound 110 Freeway and stopped in a parking lot on Mission Street to use his phone.
That’s when another vehicle pulled directly in front of him, blocking his path, the 29-year-old told police.
The driver of that vehicle exited and approached the man, accusing him of following his car on the freeway.
Then, as the driver was leaving the parking lot, he struck the 29-year-old victim with his vehicle.
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/elon-musk-security-member-allegedly-hits-man-with-car-in-south-pasadena-police/
I guess Musk is back in town. Dude's paranoia is a public menace.
China's new covid nightmare could become a global catastrophe
President Xi Jinping’s government had imposed draconian requirements for lockdowns, tests and forced quarantines during most of the pandemic. But once lifted on Dec. 7, the measures were followed by little guidance from the top. China’s party-state usually declares that everything is under control. Now, it appears to be quite unsettled. A wave of omicron infections is sweeping Beijing and might soon hit the rest of China. It has triggered panic buying of food and cold remedies. A government known for its rigidity and certitude stopped reporting some daily infections data and deactivated the ubiquitous covid-19 tracking app, adding to the uncertainty. Instead of basking in newfound freedom to go out, many people are scared, hunkering down inside.
China has troubled days ahead. Among those 60 years and older, only about 69 percent have received booster shots, and the uptake is even less among those over 80 years old. They are extremely vulnerable to omicron, and reports from China have indicated that a surge of deaths has already started, with crematoriums working around the clock. Mathematical models predict 1 million or more deaths early next year. China’s government has announced a plan to accelerate vaccination campaigns for the elderly, who have been hesitant to get the shots. For a long while, China has grossly underreported deaths due to covid and probably will continue to do so.
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Mr. Xi’s motive for ditching the zero-covid policy was to kick-start a lagging economy, burdened by lockdowns and worker unrest. But the new approach might deal a roundhouse blow to the economy. It is causing widespread disruption to production and supply chains. Should China’s manufacturing slow, the world will feel the pain in the form of shortages and inflation.
China unwisely eschewed the effective mRNA vaccines for less-effective Chinese-made shots. The population has not been widely exposed to omicron, and thus lacks natural immunity. A potential lifeline is an aerosol vaccine developed by CanSino Biologics. It is being offered as a booster, in the form of an inhaled mist taken in through the mouth, after studies show it triggered an immune system response in people who had previously received two shots of a Chinese vaccine. The best strategy is pressing this vaccine and importing millions of mRNA shots, too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/12/20/china-covid-policy-endanger-world/
Scientists finally know why people get more colds and flu in winter
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In what researchers are calling a scientific breakthrough, scientists behind a new study may have found the biological reason we get more respiratory illnesses in winter. It turns out the cold air itself damages the immune response occurring in the nose.In fact, reducing the temperature inside the nose by as little as 9 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius) kills nearly 50% of the billions of virus and bacteria-fighting cells in the nostrils, according to the study published Tuesday in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
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“Cold air is associated with increased viral infection because you’ve essentially lost half of your immunity just by that small drop in temperature,” said rhinologist Dr. Benjamin Bleier, director of otolaryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
As it turns out, the pandemic gave us exactly what we need to help fight off chilly air and keep our immunity high, Bleier said.
“Not only do masks protect you from the direct inhalation of viruses, but it’s also like wearing a sweater on your nose,” he said.
https://www.ocregister.com/2022/12/06/scientists-finally-know-why-people-get-more-colds-and-flu-in-winter/?utm_email=24187445D41C24C5440EA4500A&g2i_eui=AUZpzE8iXCQTP0RCQY9jQd2JSaE9ALgL&g2i_source=newsletter&lctg=24187445D41C24C5440EA4500A&active=yesD&utm_source=listrak&utm_medium=email&utm_term=https%3a%2f%2fwww.ocregister.com%2f2022%2f12%2f06%2fscientists-finally-know-why-people-get-more-colds-and-flu-in-winter%2f&utm_campaign=scng-ocr-coronavirus&utm_content=automated
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