WORD ON THE STREET 

Elon Takes Sides, Pharma-Bro Out, Dow Hits Another (Bad) Record

• Shkreli Is Out Of Prison – The notorious “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli is free from prison. Shkreli was convicted of lying to investors and is banned from any further jobs in the pharmaceutical industry. Calling it now – once he gets out of the halfway house, he’ll start a career as an “influencer” for social media.

• Musk Says They Are Coming For Him – Elon Musk’s become less popular on social media, with calls to #BoycottTesla on Twitter. One wonders if the free speech champion will let that spread if he is ever able to take over Twitter. “In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party,” he tweeted. “But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.” Musk also said a “dirty tricks campaign” will be unleashed against him.

• Inflation Remains Top Election Issue – According to a new FiveThirtyEight/Ipsos poll, “inflation or increasing costs” remains the top issue in the midterm elections. Though worries about inflation are higher among Republicans than Democrats, inflation is still at the top of the list for voters in both parties, as well as independents.

• The Pandemic Boom Is Officially Over – The Dow lost more than 1,164 points in its worst decline since June 2020. The Nasdaq Composite, already struggling this year, lost 4.73%. Disappointing earnings statements from retailers, notably Walmart and Target, are bringing home how severe inflation and supply problems are likely to be in the future. It’s not something that can be fixed simply by fiddling with interest rates.

HOT SPOTS: What’s Going on in Geopolitics

• Russian Soldier Pleads Guilty To War Crimes – Sergeant Vadim Shyshimarin pled guilty to killing an unarmed cyclist early in the invasion. The 21-year-old soldier said his commanders ordered him to commit the murder so their position would not be compromised.

• Putin Says Europe Undergoing “Economic Suicide” – Russian president Vladimir Putin tried to discourage Europe from phasing out Russian energy. He predicted that energy prices and inflation will increase throughout European economies because of “ill-thought-out” moves. However, oil prices fell yesterday as the United States worked to encourage oil imports from Venezuela.

• American Admiral Warns Of Chinese Plans For Hegemony – Admiral John Aquilino, leader of Indo-Pacific Command, presented a grim future for the Pacific. “The PRC (People’s Republic of China) seeks to become a global military power and acquire the ability to seize Taiwan,” he warned, “while developing conventional weapons that can reach the U.S. homeland.”  The Admiral also warned of ongoing Chinese attempts to set up “overseas military installations” so the country can project power around the world.

CUTTING EDGE: What‘s Happening In Tech

• Anti-Cancer Vaccine Gets Human Trial – Could this be it? The cure for cancer? “Vaxinia,” the corporate name for the CF33-hNIS virus, is a special virus that encourages the body to fight cancer cells while boosting the overall immune system.” Now in its first human trial, the virus was developed by the City of Hope National Medical Research Center in California.

• New Pandemic Just Dropped – Yes, COVID-19 cases are up, but that’s so yesterday. Now we’re dealing with “monkeypox.” A man who recently had traveled to Canada has come down with the disease in Massachusetts. It’s especially concerning because there’s also an outbreak in Europe, especially in Portugal. Monkeypox can be fatal in about 10% of cases.

• Vampirism Works Apparently – Not just with blood, but with spinal fluid. A team at Stanford found that infusing spinal fluid from young mice into old mice actually boosted their memory. Excited scientists suggest that this could lead to a “whole new era” in treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

This and the spinal fluid of the young grant immortality

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION