Spain Will Screen The ~150 Passengers -- At The Canary Islands, But Now A Dozen Or So Are Considered Exposed...

This is, indeed, the only humane course of action -- the passengers must be checked and released.

And the Canary Islands provide a nice, and natural hard limit -- on how far any "contacts" infection might be spread. Good epidemic abatement bio-science.

Kudos to the Spanish government, for stepping up. The Hondius will now make port at Spain's Canary Islands. . . and there the passengers will be screened, as they disembark. Here's the latest from CBS:

. . .Spain has agreed to welcome the cruise ship at the center of a rare hantavirus outbreak, with three people now dead after coming down with the illness, according to the World Health Organization.

[A] Dutch woman, whose husband died onboard two weeks earlier, got off the boat with "gastrointestinal symptoms" on April 24 and died two days later, after her condition "deteriorated during a flight to Johannesburg," the WHO said. "Contact tracing for passengers on the flight has been initiated," it added.

On Tuesday, the WHO's epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director, Maria Van Kerkhove, told journalists Spanish authorities "have said that they will welcome the ship to do a full investigation, a full epidemiologic investigation, full disinfection of the ship and of course. . . assess the risk of the passengers that are actually on board. . . ."

The agency said Tuesday that it's current plan is to evacuate two sick passengers to the Netherlands, then for the ship to continue on to Spain's Canary Islands. . . .

This is nice progress -- and backed by solid bio-science. Onward. Eighteen inches of new snow expected here by midday tomorrow -- Woot! [Though often these Late Spring Rockies Blizzards Die out, and turn to rain -- so we shall see. But we are. . . ready -- either way. Smile.]

नमस्ते

UPDATED: Cape Verde Harbor Master Has Barred MV Hondius From Docking There, Due To Hantavirus Outbreak Aboard Ship...

This (as an update to our story of last evening) is probably the right public health decision -- at least until the ship is very thoroughly disinfected, while still in open water, by company crews, with very strong chemical agents (ammonia / bleach and lots of scrubbing). I assume the other cruise passengers will be ferried to shore, and tested in isolation. We shall see.

But the ship itself, wisely, will remain a good distance from port -- until further notice.

[Housekeeping note: the local blogging forecast is for intermittent outages -- as the Rockies may well get six inches or more of new snow. . . after I land there, in about ten hours. Onward, for a quiet, contemplative mountain week ahead, it seems -- but good to be with my 91 year old mom, as she sinks more deeply into Alzheimer's.]

In any event, here is the UK Guardian's reporting on it all, this morning:

. . .Officials in Cape Verde have said they will not allow a cruise ship believed to be harbouring an outbreak of a rare respiratory virus to dock in its ports, after the deaths of three passengers onboard.

The statement on Monday came hours after global health officials said they were scrambling to investigate the suspected outbreak of hantavirus, a disease primarily found in rodents, on the cruise ship in the Atlantic.

The hantavirus is suspected of killing three people, including a married couple from the Netherlands, sickening at least two others on the ship and sending a 69-year-old British tourist to intensive care in South Africa.

Cape Verde health authorities said they had been monitoring the situation of the ship anchored off its coast and would not authorise its docking “with the aim of protecting national public health. . . .”

Do be careful out there -- and I might mention in passing that it is suspected that what killed Gene Hackman and his wife of many years, at their isolated New Mexico compound. . . was also hantavirus -- from rodent droppings, likely aerosolized, by sweeping up these dried feces, with all other house dust. As I say -- be careful. Especially in the Southwestern rural deserts.

नमस्ते

Six Fall Ill, On Atlantic Cruise, From Hantavirus -- There's A Vaccine, But Three Have Died, Already -- One Still In Intensive Care.

I am not a huge fan of unapproved vaccines, but this one is made from an inactivated (dead) hanta- strain of the virus, and has been in wide use in China for years. The mRNA / next-gen version is not yet in broad clinical trials.

So, unless you must sail this line, it might be best to claim on your travel insurance policy -- and skip this ride (especially if you are immuno-compromised). Here's the latest:

. . .Three people have died on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the WHO said Sunday, one a confirmed case of hantavirus -- an illness usually transmitted to humans from rodents.

The outbreak occurred on the MV Hondius, travelling from Ushuaia in Argentina to Cape Verde.

"To date, one case of hantavirus infection has been laboratory confirmed, and there are five additional suspected cases," the World Health Organization told AFP.

"Of the six affected individuals, three have died and one is currently in intensive care in South Africa. . . ."

This may mean that if you absolutely must sail -- and are going to sail only on this cruise line -- you ought to get the vaccine (at the moment, only approved by the Chinese version of the FDA) -- and get it well before you board. Onward.

नमस्ते

A Potential New Path, For An Epstein-Barr Virus Eradication / Therapy, In Humans?

Only about one-in-ten adults do not carry Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in their systems. For most, it remains silent, their entire lives -- but for the unlucky few. . . it can lead to a host of cancers, Multiple Sclerosis and other life long debilitating diseases, most commonly appearing in later life.

So -- we're in the power alley, this morning -- and, we are happy to report on new research from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington. The teams have developed antibodies that target two proteins on the surface of EBV particles. In a mouse model, this was an extremely effective path to eradicating the viral loads. Here's that -- from ScienceAlert:

. . .When [monoclonal mice] were exposed to the two EBV proteins, gp350 and gp42, mouse cells triggered the precise immune response the researchers were looking for, thereby enabling precisely targeted antibodies.

Ultimately, the researchers isolated 10 new antibodies in the lab – two targeting gp350 and eight targeting gp42 – and, when tested in living mice, one of these antibodies showed particularly promising protection against EBV.

"Not only did we identify important antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus, but we also validated an innovative new approach for discovering protective antibodies against other pathogens," says pathobiologist Crystal Chhan. . . .

Without doubt, we are still a very long way from a working, FDA approved therapy for humans -- but this is a nice step forward -- for real bio-science. Onward, smiling -- that was a thrilling run for the roses, last evening. . . even though no tickets were cashed!

नमस्ते

[U: No Winners.] Derby Trivia! Run For Roses No. 152…

Here are my guesses -- and that is what these. . . be.

A full three hours before post:

. . .And truly, just for Derby prediction fun. . . .

My bets on the Derby are four horses to come in two places in either order (First or Second) -- Commandment, Renegade, Chief Wallabee and. . . Further Ado.

These are silk numbers -- the 1 horse, the 18 horse, the 6 horse and the 12. . .

You heard it here first!

And I still do have lots of cash in this app to spend so if you look -- and think you see a winner, just leave me a holler. . . in the comments (HAH!)

No juleps, just root beer for me -- woo hoo!. . .

Updated: it was an unexpected race, indeed. Great White threw his jockey to the turf — before even reaching the post and was a scratch — as they couldn’t settle him back down.

That delayed the start as all the mounts were then backed out of their slots, and given a moment to walk around and settle down. . . Once reloaded, a longshot broke from the very last place to win it all.

Ortiz did a masterful job of guiding an otherwise average horse — Golden Tempo —through the traffic, weaving, and dodging trouble. . . staying patient — and leaving himself in position out of the final turn, to make a dead ahead bolt, from eight wide. That gamble worked, and he won the roses. Great race!

There you have it -- and that photo is from 2014, when California Chrome did it all, above right. Full race now on YouTube:



नमस्ते

Close Out: End Of Series On Q1 2026 Lobby Spend -- Amazon's "Big Gorilla / Big Brother" Edition...

This closes the run of five posts -- but this time, in view of our immediately prior post, we will detail all the ways Bezos' company is lobbying the government -- for protections, as he clearly is snooping on all of us, and sharing that with. . . ICE, among others.

He wants the government to indemnify him, if any of us sue him, for filching our private data -- if we use his services, at AWS. Damn. See below:

. . .Issues related to broadband access and affordability, satellite communications, space safety, device accessibility, Section 230 reform, content moderation, online video, and the Universal Service Fund (USF). . . .

Issues related to intellectual property, including the NO FAKES Act (S. 1367), counterfeits, music licensing, and issues related to patent reform, International Trade Commission patent investigations, intermediary liability, and patent reform, including the RESTORE Patents Act (H.R. 1574 / S. 708), the Patent Eligibility Restoration (PERA) Act (H.R. 3152 / S. 1546), and the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership (PREVAIL) Act (H.R. 3160 / S. 1553). . . .

Issues related to taxes, digital goods and services, renewable energy tax credits, and international and corporate taxation, including H.R. 1 - To provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14. (P.L. 119-21), the United States-Taiwan Expedited Double Tax Relief Act (H.R. 33 / S. 199), and implementation of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (P.L. 115-97). . . .

Issues related to data protection, encryption, data retention, data breach notification, data security, cross border data flows, privacy, law enforcement access, fraud prevention, product safety related to the sale of counterfeit and/or stolen products, including the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (S. 1404 / H.R. 2853), and cloud computing. Issues related to artificial intelligence safety and research and development, including the CREATE AI Act (H.R. 2385). . . .

Issues related to cybersecurity, including critical infrastructure protection, payments security, cloud security, authentication, government procurement, cybersecurity incident reporting, and artificial intelligence, including implementation of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 119-60), and the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (P.L. 118-159). . . .

Issues related to immigration, high-skilled immigration, and non-immigrant visas, including issues related to employment-based visas, green card backlog, and the STEM visa exemption provision. . . .

Issues related to US trade policy, including USMCA, the World Trade Organization, the World Customs Organization, China, country of origin labeling, US customs policy and procedures, US tariffs, foreign direct investment, issues related to domestic semiconductor manufacturing and research, export controls, sanctions, and supply chain, and other trade practices, including the COOL Online Act (S.294), and the ENFORCE Act (draft bill - no numbers). . . .

Issues related to IT systems improvements and cloud computing technology, including the Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 (draft bill - no numbers) and implementation of the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 119-60). . . .

Issues related to drones and air cargo, including implementation of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 (P.L. 118-63). . . .

Issues related to payment processing, corporate governance, debit reforms, financial innovation and technology, lending, gift cards, money transmission licensing, fraud prevention, payment authentication, data security, the CFPB open banking rule, the Credit Card Competition Act (draft bill - no numbers), implementation of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2026 (P.L. 119-75), and financial inclusion. . . .

Issues related to USDA SNAP online purchasing, including reauthorization of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-334), Electronic Benefit Transfer, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and food safety. . . .

Issues related to health information technology, Medicare, healthcare, pharmacy policy, and telehealth, the CONNECT for Health Act (S. 1261), and the Telehealth Modernization Act (H.R. 5081 / S. 2709). . . .

Issues related to Amazon's Climate Pledge, including development of carbon-free energy sources, renewable energy deployment, grid infrastructure, stability, and storage; energy efficient standards; and the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED Act) (H.R. 4776). . . .

There you have it -- Mr. Bezos wants to be able to use AWS to snoop (and is already in fact snooping, without a specific immunization / indemnification package, from Congress!) on Americans -- no doubt -- and then share his findings with DHS and ICE. He is a very bad. . . man.

Dammit. Onward.

नमस्ते

First Of Two, Today -- On Amazon: Labor Protests Amazon's Cooperation With ICE, In New York...

Our second installment will detail what Amazon lobbying efforts were about in Q1 of 2026. But first, got May Day '26, we offer a look at the labor protests it faces -- for cooperating with ICE.

AWS is helping power AI infused -- and due process violating -- summary deportations, often of the wrong humans -- and often, of people who are here lawfully, with papers. . . or are citizens, outright. Here's that story:

. . .Matt Multari has been driving for Amazon—and organizing with the Teamsters—for about a year and a half. His days are mostly spent delivering packages. But he thinks of his role as a worker-organizer as something much more historically significant than just maximizing delivery efficiency.

“After the Assyrians lost their state, they survived in their homeland of Iraq for thousands of years. After facing a genocide that forced them to flee that homeland, they went to Russia, and then to Iran, and then some of them went to New York. Now I’m here,” he said. “And I’d like to tell Amazon: f#ck you!”

. . .Amazon’s Web Services cloud-computing platform is more profitable than all the company’s retail operations combined. And AWS sells cloud-computing services to clients throughout the American government, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement: According to Forbes reporting, ICE spent at least $25 million on AWS during the second Trump administration. Amazon Web Services also holds contracts with Palantir, the surveillance-tech company behind much of ICE’s deportation operation. (And Amazon has served as an inspiration for ICE, too: acting ICE director Todd Lyons has said he wants deportations in the US to run “like Amazon Prime for human beings”). . . .

Indeed -- that's deplorable, Mr. Bezos. Now, onward to lobby spend, then.

नमस्ते

Chandra And JWST Help "Connect The [X-Ray] Dots" -- All Formed In The Very Early Universe... To Today's Black Hole Populations -- A Family Tree.

Time for some lighter / "Gee Whiz!" interstellar / space / early Universe science fare, on a Friday afternoon.

Here may be the evidence, that connects "first gen bodies" in the early Universe, to the family tree that becomes what we now call super-massive black holes -- in our present day observations. But even that is a euphemism, as many of them are just being observed now -- after their waves have traveled for some 5 billion years, to reach JWST and Hubble and Chandra. But they are the likely great grand-kids of these primordial "red dots", it seems:

. . .A newly discovered object may be a key to unlocking the true nature of a mysterious class of sources that astronomers have found in the early universe in recent years.

A “X-ray dot” found by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory could explain what the hundreds or potentially thousands of these objects are. A paper describing the results published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Shortly after NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope started its science observations, reports of a new class of mysterious objects emerged. Astronomers found small, red objects about 12 billion light-years from Earth or farther, which became known as “little red dots” (LRDs).

Many scientists think LRDs are supermassive black holes embedded in clouds of dense gas, which mask some of the typical signatures in different kinds of light – including X-rays – that astronomers usually use to identify them. This would make them different from typical growing supermassive black holes, which are not embedded in dense gas, allowing bright ultraviolet light and X-rays from material orbiting the black holes to escape. . . .

This new “X-ray dot” (officially known as 3DHST-AEGIS-12014), which is located about 11.8 billion light-years from Earth, may provide a crucial bridge between black hole stars and typical growing supermassive black holes. It exhibits most of the features of an LRD, including being small, red, and located at a vast distance, but it glows in X-ray light, unlike other LRDs.

“Astronomers have been trying to figure out what little red dots are for several years,” said lead author Raphael Hviding of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. “This single X-ray object may be – to use a phrase – what lets us connect all of the dots. . . .”

Said another way, these red dots are about. . . twice to thrice as old as our known supermassive black holes. . . thus they are "the ancestors" -- to ours. Grin. . . .

नमस्ते

New Status Update -- On The Mediation Of Some Texas Border / Dilley-Related Disputes, In The Four Decades Of Flores Class Litigation, In LA...

It is maddening that Team Trump 2.0 lawyers continue to drag their feet, as to what are essentially kidnapped children.

But that is where we are, in MAGA Gov. Abbott's Texas at the border facilities -- at the moment. These kids deserve far better, indeed. Here's the latest:

. . .After a joint meeting with the parties on April 27, 2026, the parties provide the Court with this update regarding mediation.

As previously reported, joint mediation discussions, with the assistance of Andrea Ordin and Dr. Paul Wise, took place on January 23, 2026, February 4, 2026, and March 2, 2026, in accordance with the Court’s Order of December 15, 2025. ECF No. 1714 at 1. The parties also met briefly on March 10, 2026, and April 27, 2026. The parties have also had several private caucuses with Ms. Ordin and Dr. Wise.

To date, mediation has focused on Plaintiffs’ concerns with conditions at the South Texas Family Residential Center (“Dilley”), including children’s time in custody, medical care, nutrition, access to hygiene products, sleeping conditions and Plaintiffs’ notice of their Flores rights. Most recently, mediation has focused on access to medical care and notice of Flores rights to class members.

With respect to children’s access to medical care at Dilley, Defendants continue to allow Dr. Paul Wise to conduct site visits at Dilley to assess the architecture and quality of medical care at Dilley. Dr. Wise conducted a site visit on March 5, 2026, focused on assessing the architecture of the medical care delivery system at Dilley. Dr. Wise conducted a second site visit at Dilley on March 24, 2026, to assess the functioning of the medical system, and a third site visit on April 23-24, 2026, to provide a factual basis for continued negotiations between the parties. The parties agree that Dr. Wise’s continued participation will support the mediation efforts as to medical services for class members at Dilley.

With respect to the notice of Flores rights, Plaintiffs provided Defendants a proposed written notice of Flores rights on April 15, 2026. Defendants are considering Plaintiffs’ proposal and their own position or alternate proposal. In light of the status of negotiations relating to notice of Flores rights and medical care, the parties have agreed to continue mediation discussions through the end of May.

The parties agree to provide the Court with an update no later than June 5, 2026. . . .

Now you know. Onward, resolutely -- since BEFORE the days of the Reagan presidency. . . this has been a broken [non-]system.

नमस्ते

Additional Briefings Needed, In NY's Hudson Tunnel De-Funding Case, According To USDC Judge...

While Tangerine 2.0's appeal of his preliminary injunction loss, to the Second Circuit, remains pending, the trial court is moving forward toward a full trial on the merits -- the fact that Trump cut funding to construction workers is. . . appalling, when the NY/NJ commissioners would not rename the the tunnel after Trump. Damn him. [My prior backgrounders are voluminous, but here is the last prior one.]

In any event, the workers are now getting paychecks -- and work is steadily progressing, while the matter wends its way to trial in federal court in Manhattan -- here is the latest trial court USDC order, from yesterday:

. . .The Court requires supplemental briefing from the parties with respect to certain of the jurisdictional issues that have been raised by the pending motions in this matter.

By Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Plaintiffs shall submit a letter brief of no more than four (4) pages, single spaced, addressing the following questions:

(1) With respect to the RRIF loans, is it Plaintiffs’ position that the suspension of those loans violates 2 C.F.R. § 200.339 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.342, which appear to be limited to grants? If so, Plaintiffs should set forth the manner in which the September 30 Suspension of the loans is in violation of the stated regulations.

(2) If the answer to the prior question is no, what is the source of rights for Plaintiffs’ claims relating to the suspension of the RRIF loans?

(3) If Plaintiffs’ only source of rights with respect to the prior question is the APA itself, to what extent can the APA itself provide the requisite source of rights under the Megapulse test?

[Team Trump] may file a responsive letter brief of no more than four (4) pages, single spaced, by May 13, 2026. . . .

Now you know -- given the storm forecasts, I've decided not to fly down to the Derby -- but will watch it on TV tomorrow, and get some bets down, via the TwinSpires betters' app. Smile. . . .

नमस्ते

Riot Tangent: Every Bit Of Q1 Was "Trust Our Future Plans (AGAIN!)" -- But They Lost A Half-Billion Dollars, In 3 Months! Yikes.

Yes, this is absolutely the worst quarter Mr. Les has ever disclosed.

The current cost to mine one Bitcoin, including the depreciation of his rigs, is about 126% of the price of Bitcoin.

That is -- he is losing $26,000 -- on every $100,000 worth of Bitcoin he mines/sells off.

And to top it all off, over the past two years (Riot doesn't disclose pay until about 16 months after a year ends), on average, Riot's board has paid Mr. Les a little over $30 million PER YEAR to run up about a $1.8 BILLION accumulated deficit.

Holy sh!t.

This is. . . madness. And they fired the guy in charge of. . . "the future" -- the chief data center honcho, at left (but gave him very generous severance).

More tomorrow. Damn.

नमस्ते

Merck Posts A Solid Q1 2026... And The Stock Falls... What Gives?

Here is that very solid quarter -- beats at the top-, and bottom- lines. But it is trading down a fraction on the NYSE.

What gives, indeed?

Meanwhile, Riot Platforms, a hapless Bitcoin miner that will, in all probability post its worst quarterly loss in history -- after posting its worst ever annual results (about a month and a half ago) -- is up, almost 6% after falling 20% early in the week.

One could be forgiven for making the assumption that -- with the SEC being hog-tied by Tangerine 2.0 appointees, Wall Streeters are. . . manipulating stocks for pump and dump runs.

As to Merck though, the vast capital to manipulate the needed volumes on the NYSE. . . are well-beyond any one firm's capital reserves. So -- I just think people are just. . . unduly cautious -- on pharma, of late.

We shall see. Onward -- and I haven't even begun to handicap the Kentucky Derby entrants yet, this year -- but may fly down, anyway and snag a seat. . . smile. To the Rockies -- on Monday, no matter what.

नमस्ते

USDC Judge Cummings Orders The Immediate Release (By ICE And DHS), In Chicago, Of Ten More Wrongly Detained Humans -- Under That 18-cv-3757 2018 Consent Decree.

The enforcemnt hearing at 3 PM CDT on the 12th Floor of the Dirksen Building went exactly as I expected: the people are freed, without bond or other conditions.

Immediately. I won't post the whole order, as it lists identifying details -- and these folks deserve anonymity, as victims of Bovino/Noem lawlessness. They were grabbed despite being protected by prior federal court orders (from the time of Trump 1.0, and signed by Judge Cummings in 2020) prohibiting any re-detention of them on immigration related matters:

. . .For any of the above ten individuals that remain detained, defendants are ordered to facilitate their immediate release on their own recognizance and without bond or conditions of release as specified in Section IV(E)(2) of the Decree, (Dckt. #155-1 at 9), by no later than 12:00 p.m. CT on May 4, 2026. With respect to those individuals who have already been released, but on bond and with conditions, defendants must take action to refund any bonds and remove all conditions on or before 12:00 p.m. CT on May 4, 2026. Defendants shall certify in their weekly report, due at 5:00 p.m. CT on May 8, 2026, that all individuals have been released on their own recognizance and without bond or conditions of release as required by Section IV(E)(2) of the Consent Decree. . . .

Now you know. At least one court got it "right" -- today.

नमस्ते

Ultimately... Trivial -- But Tangerine 2.0 Minions Just Cashiered Former Congressional Ally Devin Nunes As CEO, Of The '34 Act Public Co. "Truth Social" / DJT Media...

Look -- the social media platform has been dying a slow death since launch in 2020. So much so that it agreed to merge with a nascent fusion research outfit, in early 2026 -- likely at Nunes' own insistence (to line his personal pockets, yet again).

But there are. . . long suffering public shareholders in this debacle -- and it seems they've pressed for the ouster of a few crony board members, and now. . . the former MAGA Congressional power broker himself. Nunes of course gets oodles of severance pay -- but he was gone with essentially immediate effect. Here's that, from the SEC Form 8-K filing of last week:

. . .The Company and Mr. Nunes entered into a Separation and Release Agreement, dated as of April 21, 2026 (the “Separation Agreement”), pursuant to which Mr. Nunes ceased to be an employee, officer or director of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company—including Chairman of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”). The Separation Agreement also contains certain provisions which supersede the severance provisions of Mr. Nunes’s Executive Employment Agreement, effective as of January 2, 2022, as amended on March 7, 2024 (as amended, the “Employment Agreement”). Pursuant to such terms, the Company will provide Mr. Nunes with continuation of his base salary in effect on the Transition Date for the period beginning on the Transition Date through September 30, 2026. Additionally, the Separation Agreement provides for accelerated vesting of 96,721 time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) granted to Mr. Nunes on August 6, 2025 under the Company’s 2024 Amended & Restated Equity Incentive Plan, and the forfeiture of all other unvested equity. In addition, to the extent not already paid, Mr. Nunes is entitled to receive the accrued benefits provided under the Employment Agreement, which include any unpaid base salary through the Separation Date, reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses, and all other accrued and vested payments, benefits, or fringe benefits required to be paid under applicable plans or by law.

As part of the Separation Agreement, and in consideration for receiving the separation benefits described above, Mr. Nunes agreed to execute a general release and waiver of claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, and other related parties. The Separation Agreement also includes confidentiality, trade secret, nondisparagement and other restrictive covenants. . . .

Couldn't have happened to a. . . nicer guy! This will never be a profitable public company / set of businesses -- it is a graft machine, to grift off of the MAGA faithful. . . essentially, in perpetuity. Onward!

नमस्ते

Apparently, Only "Discrimination", AGAINST Whyte Voters -- In Drawing Maps -- Is Unlawful, According To Five Supremes... Damn. Louisiana: Wrong On The Law Of Section 2 Of VRA.

Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, passed by Congress long ago. . . has been effectively removed from the statute, by Alito / Thomas / Kavanaugh / Gorsuch and Roberts.

So much for deferring to Congress -- when it speaks clearly, under the Fourteenth Amendment.

This is a terrible day for Louisianans -- of color. If the maps are previously designed to limit Black voting power -- Section 2 specifically says the maps must be redrawn. . . to give Blacks more of a chance of electing someone. . . who hears them.

And so, this is a terrible day for this nation. We would do well, here to recall that Dr. King said that "a riot is the language of the unheard. . . ."

But rest assured: there will be a blue wave this Fall.

Bank on it.

Elections. . . will have consequences.

Full stop.

नमस्ते

Ahem. Tangential Martin Shkreli Trivia -- I Think It Best To Just Do It... This Way. Onward.

This nonsense happened a few days ago, while I was largely off grid -- at my youngest son's half-, in Eugene. As I've mentioned before -- he is pretty elite, and has qualified for the world championships in the half-iron, in Nice, France this Fall.

This was a tune-up, to see how his splits are shaping up for that race -- as he makes prep, to head to the south of France and train there -- getting a racer bike hard-boxed and shipped, etc. Getting a house to sleep a rotating crew of 10 (for family and friends!) -- for the whole month of September (outside Nice but) right on the rail line, for "side quests" to Paris, Vence, Eze and certainly Monaco. . . and on and on.

It will be an extended family vacay, if nothing else. [But he will do quite well -- he literally knows no other way.]

Anyway -- the graphic relates to MY weekend, not Martin's. The part about Martin Shkreli, then: apparently claims he lives in SF now. This is (apparently) due to the fact that the mother of his only child lives there. Whatevs. The gossip page in SF has more, but (as you will read in blue below) I too wouldn't want to promote fraudulent claims. So under the pull-quote -- I will simply place a link. Read at your own risk [his "news / gossip" is the third item -- in the link below]:

. . .The Waggle could not verify anything Shkreli claimed above (we are dealing with a convicted fraudster here), so if you happen to know anything about this, please drop us a line.

Fatherhood, for what it’s worth, does seem to have [slightly] tamed Shkreli: The Waggle had an amiable chat with the “Pharma Bro,” with only one mention of “boning babes. . . .”

As I say -- here's a link to the gossip/twaddle if you are interested.

That is all the trivia I've got today, but I am out of pocket for each of the next three Fridays to Tuesdays. . . so keep it spinning in good karma. I know you will.

Out.

नमस्ते

USDC Judge Alia Moses -- In Del Rio, Texas -- Orders "Mediation" Of The Razor Wire Barrier Cases, From 2021-23...

It seems the families whose children were maimed, and mothers were drowned. . . may see some recompense, from the State of Texas. . . for MAGA TX Gov. Abbott's Hitlerian tactics -- on the Rio Grande river. A waterway he has zero jurisdiction to patrol, or place barriers upon. That is a US federal law / Nation of Mexico perogative, exclusively -- under our treaties and federal statutes stretching back nearly 150 years. Damn.

We have covered these awful cases for about five long years. Do search "razor wire" in the box above left, if you are curious. Or search "Alia Moses". Here's the latest order:

. . .Pursuant to Chief United States District Judge Alia Moses’ Order [ECF No. 142], the parties have been ordered to appear before the undersigned for mediation on May 26, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The mediation will occur in Courtroom No. 4 of the United States Courthouse, 111 E. Broadway Street, Del Rio, Texas.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall each file, on or before May 18, 2026, a mediation brief that meets the following requirements:

1. Filed ex parte and under seal -- The filing party shall adjust the viewing permissions when filing the brief to only allow access by the filing party and the Court. Any questions regarding this procedure should be directed to the Clerk's Office in the Del Rio Division.

2. Addresses the following matters: (a) the main issues in this dispute; (b) amendable resolutions to this matter; and (c) any prior cases in the Western District or the Fifth Circuit in which the requested relief was awarded. . . .

SIGNED this 28th day of April 2026. . . .

Onward, resolutely -- hopefully, those potential asylum-seekers injured and killed by MAGA Gov. Abbott's lawless razor wire abominations [during the Biden Administration]. . . will now see some compensation.

नमस्ते

Power Alley, After A Long Weekend Away: Sun Pharma To Pay Almost $12 Billion For Merck Spin-off Organon...

We mentioned this -- as a rumor piece, a few weeks ago. And the Organon NYSE common stock price is now up almost 100% -- since the morning before the rumor piece floated through various financial outlets, that week. It does seem like a pretty high price for these very mature brands. But we shall, as ever see.

In any event, here's FiercePharma's finely cogent take on it all, from while I was in the air yesterday:

. . .Already the largest biopharma company in India, generics powerhouse Sun Pharma has doubled in size with its acquisition (PDF) of women’s health leader Organon. With its $11.75 billion buyout, Sun has picked up a drugmaker that matched the $6.2 billion in sales that it generated in 2025.

Sun is paying $14 per share, which is a 24% premium on Organon’s closing price on Friday. It is also a more than 100% premium on Organon’s share price at the start of April. With the agreement, which is expected to close by early 2027, Sun’s stock increased by 7%, while Organon’s jumped by 17%.

The deal, which is the largest ever by an Indian biopharma, the company said, will boost Sun’s portfolio of innovative medicines and will catapult it to No. 7 among the world’s top sellers of biosimilars, the company said in its release. . . .

Organon’s stock had been weighed down by “heavy headwinds,” according to Evercore ISI analyst Umer Raffat, citing the New Jersey company’s debt, its oncoming loss of exclusivity of contraceptive implant Nexplanon and its “bad M&A to digest,” which is a reference to Organon’s $1.2 billion 2024 buyout of Dermavant. . . .

Now you know -- even if I'm a little out of date.

Onward -- with travel ahead, on each of the next three weekends -- with one more half-marathon toward the end -- and Colorado and points eastward, too. Woot!

नमस्ते

Does He Not Realize… Ari Onassis Heard Much The Same?! Sheesh!

Well, it seems Mr. Trump can't understand that -- in the case of many wealthy older men who've had multiple wives, and are presently with younger wives -- a common joke for decades from comedians has been that the younger wife has been invested in / involved. . . with... waiting for them to die. Just ask Andrew Dice Clay, Rodney Dangerfield, and before them, Lenny Bruce.

We may quibble about whether that particular joke was in good taste -- given what happened later in the evening, Saturday night. But there is no doubt that Mr. Kimmel's joke is protected expression.

So I will rerun my column from November 2025 and the last time Donald Trump tried to punish speakers (including comedians!) whose jokes offend him -- and of whose views he does not approve:

Tangerine and Melania today said it pretty plainly, that FCC should review (with a threat toward revoking) the broadcast licenses of networks that criticize him.

Charming. We will -- as ever -- peacefully -- resist. Resist the trampling of our First Amendment rights.

Nearly 250 years of freedom now hang in the balance. Forget this loser, folks:

. . .President Trump said federal regulators should revoke broadcast licenses over late-night hosts who speak negatively about him, a day after ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel’s show “indefinitely” after pressure from the Federal Communications Commission chairman. . .

“They’re giving me all this bad press, and they’re getting a license,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, after ABC suspended the late-night Jimmy Kimmel Live show. “I would think maybe their license should be taken away. . . .”

Not on my watch you Manchurian Cantaloupe.

Nope. [I ask you to please forgive any typos you might notice above, as I posted this from the iPhone mid air between Eugene and Chicago. Tiny screen effect; big fingers!]

नमस्ते

New Data Out Of US CDC Suggests That Mpox Clade 1b Is Unlikely To Be A Vector, On The Summer's Commercial Air Travel Routes: CIDRAP

Of course, the Clade 1b is associated with the more severe symptoms -- and is thus of highest concern. But the empirical data so far suggests the data of "catching it" -- from an infected seat mate, on a jet. . . is negligible. That's good news, as so many will hop on international flights -- from as early as June through November of this year, here.

Still -- there are reports of people with Clade 2, getting sick on the airplane. So far, none of those have resulted in "close contact" transmission, to others on the plane. But if you've had, or have Clade 2, please do not board a plane until you are virus free (no visible legions). In any event, here's the pretty reassuring news -- from the U of Minn's fine CIDRAP outlet:

. . .Transmission of clade 1 mpox virus during commercial air travel appears to be uncommon, according to a study published yesterday in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The analysis looked at data from five commercial flights taken by three men with active mpox symptoms to assess the risk of in-flight transmission. The three men were aged 20 to 40 years. The flights took place from November 2024 to January 2025.

Among 60 identified contacts, defined as nearby passengers and crew, one person reported symptoms of fatigue, body aches, and a skin lesion after the flight, but that person tested negative for mpox. No secondary cases were identified. . . .

Based on these results, the CDC discontinued routine aircraft contact tracing for all mpox clades and subclades in 2025. But public health officials continue to recommend that people with mpox avoid travel until they have fully recovered. Vaccination of at-risk groups remains an important tool for reducing transmission and disease severity, the authors said. . . .

Onward, to "remote view" the 2026 Eugene Marathon tomorrow, over the web/on the internet -- and track my youngest's progress in getting down to world class splits. Smile. . . .

नमस्ते