Ukraine children's choirs perform with The Rolling Stones.

Russia ends 'Operational Pause'.

After Ukraine's withdrawal from Lysechansk Putin personally announced an 'operational Pause', presumably to refit and rest troops. During this time the orcs have conducted small probes along fronts in the Donbas. These probes have always been turned back. Russia has made no territorial gains since July 3.
Now the pause, which was not long enough to retrofit forces, is over. With the exception of one night orc shelling has been much reduced. We shall see if the orcs can take the offensive in any meaningful sense and also if orc logistics have been disrupted to the extent they can't resume massive artillery shelling.
The exposed Ukraine village of Siversk should be easy for the price to take. After that things may be more difficult.

https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1548463129129996289

More Murdaugh details from People Magazine

July 15, 2022 01:06 PM

On the evening of June 7, 2021, Alex Murdaugh allegedly reached out to his wife Maggie, asking her to meet him at the family's 1,770-acre estate in the small town of Islandton, S.C.

According to a law enforcement source close to the investigation, Alex told Maggie that his 81-year-old father, Randolph Murdaugh III, was in failing health and that she needed to see him before he died.


According to several sources, Maggie and Alex had hit a rough patch in their marriage, and she was staying at the family's beach house on Edisto Island, approximately an hour away from the family's estate.

The law enforcement source tells PEOPLE that Maggie initially declined to meet Alex at the family home, suggesting instead that they meet at the hospital. Ultimately, she consented to meet at the property, planning to follow Alex to the hospital in her own vehicle.

https://people.com/crime/alex-murdaugh-allegedly-lured-wife-cabin-texted-friend-seemed-fishy/

Patron in Silent Paw Mode!

Interesting observations on the weak euro by Paul Krugman.

From today's NYTimes Paul Krugman newsletter:
snip
It’s a bit simplified, but not that far from the truth, to say that over the past couple of decades Europe — especially Germany, the core of the Continent’s economy — has tried to build prosperity on two pillars: cheap natural gas from Russia and, to a lesser extent, exports of manufactured goods to China.

One of these pillars is completely gone, thanks to Vladimir Putin’s bungled invasion of Ukraine:

The other pillar is crumbling, as the Chinese economy stumbles, partly because of erratic policies in the face of Covid-19, and also as Chinese human rights violations make dealing with its regime increasingly toxic.

So Europe has a problem, and the weak euro may be a symptom of that problem.
snip

Meanwhile it sounds like Europe is on sale. Time for a vacation?

Cumulative hospitalizations per Covid wave for five countries

Patron's intuition

Living legend Patron honored.

The always sensible Dr. Jha on ba.5. Why Pres. Biden doesn't

Go on primetime and repeat this word for word is beyond me. We've won the Covid war and only Dr. Jha is saying it:

Social Security cost of living increase could be 10.5 % in 2023

Social Security beneficiaries will be in line to receive a record high cost-of-living adjustment in 2023 due to inflation. The question is exactly how high it may be.

Based on new consumer price index data for June released Wednesday, The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan senior group, now estimates the cost-of-living adjustment will be 10.5% for 2023.

A 10.5% COLA would amount to a $175.10 increase to the average monthly retirement benefit of $1,668, according to The Senior Citizens League.

In comparison, the group’s estimates from the past two months indicated the COLA for next year might be 8.6%.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/13/social-security-cost-of-living-adjustment-could-be-10point5percent-in-2023.html