I make fun of people and make jokes that the news sites and shows are worthless and only I, RAJ, know what’s important. Today, I am 100% serious that I do not think there is ANYTHING going on ANYWHERE that is more important and more underreported than recent news about Gene Therapy. Remember like 15 years ago when they “mapped the human genome” and said it would lead to all of these great medical breakthroughs? ..and .. well, there haven’t been any?? .. That is changing. They just figured out how to make it work. They replaced the gene in a person that caused the “Bubble Boy” disease. (where a person cannot live outside of a plastic, sterile bubble because even the most minor virus would kill them). CURED!!!.. I’m no scientist and I’m probably getting this a little wrong, but they attach a “healthy” version of a gene to a virus and it “infects” the body and replaces the damaged gene with the corrected one. There is a disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy that is the #1 genetic killer of children under 2 years old in America. The kids are born with a genetic defect and their muscles do not develop and usually the children die. Therapies have enabled them to live longer lives in the past 10 year but mostly in wheelchairs. The new “gene therapy delivery” seems to cure them. Never heard of SMA? (Consider yourself lucky) .. These type of “deliveries” have been tried on “orphan drugs” and diseases that are not that common. But, by next year, they expect to be treating 30 more diseases this way. Things that affect WAY more people. Heard of Leukemia? Maybe Parkinson's... In the next few years disease that was "not treatable" will be “FIXED”. .. Crazy, Right?? This will turn medicine as we know it on its head. This is not without problems. First, Cost. Drug companies spent $400 million researching the SMA drug and it costs $2.125 million dollars a dose. Yes, GASP. Now, treating some conditions can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime. So, curing it in one dose for a huge amount is not THAT different. But, you think Aetna is gonna cover THAT? What do you think Co-Pays are gonna be?? This is sure to cause HUGE ethical and moral arguments. If drug companies cannot make a profit they will stop researching new drugs. But, are only rich people gonna get the “Cancer Cure Injection”? Also, of course, there is no way to know what the long-term effects are.. (If I had Parkinson’s and could get “cured” I’m not sure I would care about the potential “long term” side effects)..Anyways.. Ill go to the regular daily prattle and nonsense, now .. But, isn’t thisCOOL?? .. to the News ...
Mexican Armed Forces have been moved to the southern border of Mexico to stop migrants from entering from Central America. Do any of you MORONS that have been on TV this week calling yourself a “Trade” or “Foreign Policy” “EXPERT” want to tell me again how Trump threatening tariffs on all Mexican goods “ISN’T GONNA WORK”?? ..and How it's "Dangerous and Stupid"?? .. You DOPES are CLUELESS. It is ALL about MONEY... ALWAYS .. The excuse from Mexico that “we are doing all we can to stop them” kinda just ..well.. changed, DIDN'T IT??!! They CAN do enough to stop it. and now they WILL because they do not want to cripple their economy... Huh, who’d have thunk it?? .. In the Swamp, we have the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-Biden. Earlier this week Biden explained he had always stood by the “Hyde Amendment” that forbids Government Money to be spent on Abortions. Well, Hyde is OUT and Biden is IN. He changed his mind. AHAHHAHA.. The Left wing socialists win again in the Democratic Party. ..and can I tell the right wing media to cut it out about the “Biden Plagiarism of Climate Plan” thing? Some writer from Politico named Mike Grunwald (who I'll bet I don't agree with on much) said Biden was just “Agreeing” with other Climate Change people and the right wing media clobbered Grunwald for “giving Biden a pass on plagiarism”. Geez.. Look, I think Biden is a buffoon. But, he wants lower carbon emissions. That’s not plagiarism. Just drop it.. ... and.. have any of you heard, “When you die, it’s painful for those around you. It’s not painful for you, you’re dead!! You don’t know!!.. It’s the SAME when you’re STUPID” .. I was reminded of that expression when I saw CNN Reporter Don Lemon say, “CNN isn’t Liberal” as he complained about getting mean emails. Wow.. Sure.. and Michael Jordan didn’t play basketball.. and Wayne Gretzky doesn’t know ANYTHING about hockey. How could that dude be so lost? .. .... and... SPORTS: NHL St Louis wins 2-1 on a controversial "No Call" (I'm no Boston fan, and I know the refs "Let them Play" in the Finals.. but it was 100% a tripping penalty). The Blues lead the series 3-2 heading back to St. Louis.. GOLF: Keegan Bradley leads by one after the first round of the Canadian Open .. and.. TENNIS: American Amanda Anisimova beat the defending champion, Simona Halep to advance to the Semi-Finals of the French Open. Amanda is only 17 and is the daughter of Russian Immigrants and is from Freehold, NJ...GO AMANDA!! ..Oh, and Nadal is playing Federer in the Men’s Semi. Ever heard of them?.. and.. are there any psychiatrists out there? I need to know why I like watching these new (well, new to me.. apparently they’ve been going on for a while) Why do I like watching competitive Face Slapping HERE ..and Shin Kicking HERE so much? They are absolutely hysterical.. and I can’t look away .. You too? Or Am I the only Whack-o? ...and.. CELEBRIDIOTS: Former “Desperate Housewife” Marcia Cross came on TV yesterday to talk about her anal cancer. She thanked her friends for convincing her, “Look, you have cancer and you're in the fight of your life..and you’re embarrassed because of where it landed in your body. Get over it.” So, OK.. Good Advice.. I’m ok with this so far.. THEN.. she said.. on TV.. “My husband’s mouth and throat cancer is directly related to my anal cancer”. (I’m gonna count to 5 ..and let that sink in a little). WOW .. WOOOOOWWW .. (Joking aside, the HPV virus that can cause cancers like her husbands are very real and there is a vaccine.. So, go get it. The HPV vaccine) .. I read a headline about George Clooney whining that he cannot take his kids to the park and thought “another movie guy whining about fans bothering him when they are the ones that made him rich” .. But, the story talked about how his lawyer wife, Amal (HOTTT and smart) is in a case against ISIS in court..and his kids are targets. I NEVER feel sorry for Hollywood types complaining about the “price of being a celebrity” . But. MAN.. THAT stinks.. Right??? .. .. former NFL receive Kellen Winslow Jr is on trial for rape and sexual assault. The jury is deliberating. Winslow says the women are accusing him because he is famous.. Uh.. Kellen? All FIVE of them? You can’t say the women “conspired” because one is homeless and one doesn’t speak English. Ain’t looking good for Kellen.. and .. Actress and Raj-Stalker, Gal Gadot HERE Revealed her costume for "Wonder Woman 1984". Some girls just look good in ANYTHING. HERE .. What is it with me? Why am I most attracted to girls like Gadot that can likely beat me in a fight than to the "Girly Girl" types? I need to start making some money on this Rant so that I can afford a psychotherapist to answer these questions for me. In the meantime, why don't you come over and try to explain it to me, Gal?? And don't wear the Wonder Woman thing in the Raj Tub. It will RUST !!
From Seekingalpha.com
With trade war drums beating loudly, a strong employment report from the Labor Department this morning will probably do little to dial back market expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates this year. Nonfarm payrolls probably increased by 185,000 jobs last month after surging 263,000 in April, a figure that's well above the roughly 100,000 needed per month to keep up with growth in the working age population. Average hourly earnings are forecast to have increased 0.3% after rising 0.2% in April, while the unemployment rate is expected to have remained near a 50-year low of 3.6%.
Wall Street futures are ahead by 0.3%, pointing to a fourth consecutive session gain, as investors anticipate a near-term immigration agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, and extend bets on further central bank easing around the world. While the White House still intends to impose tariffs on Mexican imports this Monday, reports suggest "significant progress is being made" in negotiations. Investors are also continuing to digest yesterday's ECB decision day, including revelations that policymakers have been discussing potential rate cuts and an extra bout of quantitative easing.
Further signals of an economic slowdown are continuing to build, with Germany reporting a staggering 3.7% plunge in April exports - the most in nearly four years - alongside a 1.9% contraction in industrial output. The figures were severe enough for the country's central bank, the Bundesbank, to slash its 2019 GDP forecast in half to just 0.6%. "For economic growth and, to a lesser extent, for the rate of inflation, it is the downside risks that predominate as things stand today," the central bank said in a biannual update of its projections.
If the trade war with the U.S. deepens, "we have plenty of room in interest rates, we have plenty of room in required reserve ratio rate, and also for the fiscal, monetary policy toolkit, I think the room for adjustment is tremendous," PBOC Governor Yi Gang declared. The yuan has stabilized in recent weeks as authorities voiced support for the currency, following a rapid selloff that pushed it near 7 per dollar - a level not breached since the global financial crisis. It still lost about 2.5% in May, among the worst in Asia.
After 1,059 days in charge, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May has officially stepped down as leader of the ruling Conservative Party. The race has already started to replace her, with 11 contenders and Boris Johnson the current favorite. Starting next week, the party's 300 or so MPs will whittle down the field of candidates to two through successive rounds of voting. After that, the party’s rank-and-file members, an estimated 124K people, will decide which of those two finalists gets to be leader.
As the delivery wars continue to heat up, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) is restarting a service that brings grocery orders inside shoppers' homes and into their kitchen refrigerators. This time, Walmart will use its own employees - who have been with the retailer for at least a year - and use its own vehicles. Workers will also be required to wear wearable cameras and enter the home by putting in a one-time code on a smart lock. The service will begin this fall across three cities - Kansas City, Missouri; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Vero Beach, Florida.
Seeking a new owner after years of decline, Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) is nearing a deal to be bought by Elliott Management, WSJ reports. The news sent shares of the nation’s largest bookstore chain up 30% to $5.96 on Thursday (the hedge fund is expected to pay $6.50 per share). The acquisition, which could be imminent, wouldn't be the first foray into bookstores for Elliott after the firm scooped up U.K. book chain Waterstones in 2018.
Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) is no longer allowing pre-installation of its apps on Huawei phones, the latest blow for the Chinese tech giant as it struggles to keep its business afloat in the face of a U.S. ban on its purchase of American parts and software. Meanwhile, Google has (GOOG, GOOGL) warned if the U.S. administration moves ahead with sweeping ban on Huawei, it risks compromising national security, FT reports. While the sanctions are expected to hurt Huawei in the short term, industry experts say it could force the company to develop more home-grown technologies, hurting the dominance of American companies.
With an "extended period of litigation and instability" on the line, a group of 17 major automakers, including General Motors (NYSE:GM), Toyota (NYSE:TM), Honda (NYSE:HMC) and Volkswagen (OTCPK:VWAGY), have come out in support of an emissions deal aimed at heading off a confrontation between California and the Trump administration. In a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, the companies urged a compromise "midway" between Obama-era standards that require annual decreases of ~5% in emissions and Trump's proposal that would freeze vehicle emissions requirements at 2020 levels through 2026.
What else is happening...
Caesars (NASDAQ:CZR) close to merger deal with Eldorado Resorts (NASDAQ:ERI).
Toyota (TM) speeds up vehicle electrification schedule.
Boiling point in the U.S.-Turkey F-35 (NYSE:LMT) standoff?
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) looked at Looker before Google's (GOOG, GOOGL) $2.6B purchase.
Thursday's Key Earnings
DocuSign (NASDAQ:DOCU) -21% AH with signs of subscription deceleration. J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) -2.3% seeing a sales growth slowdown. Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) +18.1% AH giving rosy revenue guidance. Zoom Video (NASDAQ:ZM) +11.8% AH on upside full-year outlook.
Today's Markets
In Asia, Japan +0.5%. Hong Kong closed. China closed. India +0.2%. In Europe, at midday, London +0.9%. Paris +1.5%. Frankfurt +0.8%. Futures at 6:20, Dow +0.3%. S&P +0.3%. Nasdaq +0.4%. Crude +0.8% to $53. Gold -0.4% to $1338. Bitcoin +2.2% to $7969. Ten-year Treasury Yield flat at 2.13%
Today's Economic Calendar
12:00 Fed's Daly Speech on Sunday 8:30 Non-farm payrolls 10:00 Wholesale Trade 1:00 PM Baker-Hughes Rig Count 3:00 PM Consumer Credit
Regards,
Roger “Raj” Searing
rajsearing@gmail.com
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