Resiliency

News blues

The first generation of Covid vaccines all work by boosting circulating antibodies. But they do little to stimulate antibodies in the tissues that line the nose and airways, and this so-called mucosal immunity is the body’s first line of defence against respiratory infection. This is considered a major weakness of current Covid vaccines and could explain why current vaccines protect against illness and death but not against infection. Scientists hope nasal vaccines, similar to those used for seasonal flu, could overcome this shortcoming and help weaken the chain of transmission and reduce the continued impact of Covid. There are at least 12 nasal vaccines in clinical development, with four in phase 3 trials, and many view an effective nasal vaccine as the next major prize for vaccine research.

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“We’re playing with fire if we don’t pass this [bill, the PASTEUR Act] fairly soon,” said Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), one of the bill’s lead sponsors. “Every day that passes, we see more deaths on account of antimicrobial resistance, and this situation grows more challenging and more costly.” …
Young and the bill’s other lead sponsors in the House and Senate are eyeing ways to attach the bill to a year-end legislative package — likely one to fund the government for the rest of fiscal 2023. But even they are unsure it will happen this year, citing the bill’s price tag of $11 billion over 10 years as a major stumbling block for lawmakers who have gone months without allocating new funding to Covid-19. A Senate aide familiar with discussions on the legislation said policymakers are working to whittle down the bill’s cost.
[The bill would] create a “subscription” model for antimicrobial drugs that delinks payments to drug companies from how much medicine they sell, helping them survive financially and preserving the powerful new drugs for infections that don’t respond to any other drug.
Under the proposal, once the FDA approves a drug, the company would apply to the Department of Health and Human Services for a contract that would spread millions — or even billions — of dollars in payments to the firm over time. In exchange, federally insured patients would receive the drug free of cost.

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On war… and the culture war
Ukraine's military effort is going spectacularly well in ousting Russians from its territory. Alas, there’s a huge cost to this, as we see in these photos from Ukraine war zone >> 

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The Lincoln Project:
Ron DeSantis' Hurricane Ian Photo Op  (0:50 mins)
Comrade Carlson  (0:55 mins)
Thank a MAGA Republican: January 6th  (0:16 mins)
MTG Trump rally  (0:30 mins)
Big problems  (0:25 mins)
Herschel Walker on abortion  (0:22 mins)
Kemp on contraception  (0:46 mins)

Healthy planet, anyone?

A 100% solar community near Fort Myers, Florida endured Hurricane Ian with no loss of power and minimal damage.
Who, how, and why, you wonder?

… Syd Kitson, a former professional football player for the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, is the mastermind behind Babcock Ranch. Kitson envisioned it to be an eco-conscious and innovative neighborhood that is safe and resilient from storms like Ian.
The ranch broke ground in 2015 with the construction of the solar array — which was built and is run by Florida Power and Light — and its first residents moved into the town in 2018. Since then, the array has doubled in size and thousands of people have made Babcock their home.
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Perhaps the highest endorsement for the city is that it is now a refuge for some of Ian’s hardest-hit victims. The state opened Babcock Neighborhood School as an official shelter, even though it didn’t have the mandated generator. The solar array kept the lights on.

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Meso Mary and I prep for her upcoming second session of chemo. She’s feeling optimistic about successfully avoiding nausea using both meds and acupuncture.
Mary talked to the Bay Area’s most experienced mesothelioma oncologist and that doc agreed to track the trajectory of Mary’s case. This means Mary can contact the oncologist as needed for info on trials and new treatment procedures as well as suggest her local oncologist feel free to contact the more meso-experienced doc, too.
Today, pre-chemo, Mary and I traveled by bus to the hospital for blood tests. We prefer bussing to driving as busses provide views into the life and times and to people that we seldom meet. Today’s ride provided an “off key” passenger yelling at no one in particular about Amerigo Vespucci and America’s “discovery” …then segued to “white privilege”…then the bus broke down – not due to this passenger – and all passengers - including the yeller - debarked for the next bus. After that, the phlebotomist at the hospital lab took two shots at finding the veins in Mary’s arm. No harm done – other than bruising of arms and egos.

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These days, it is darker earlier and later in the ...

SF Bay Area:
Sunrise: 7:08am
Sunset: 6:47pm

KZN, South Africa:
Sunrise: 5:34am
Sunset: 6:02pm