In all of our conversations surrounding RFK Jr.’s appointment to lead HHS and the legitimization of his anti-vaxxer beliefs as a result, we have understandably been hyper-focused on measles. The reason for that is mostly that this is as stark an example of just how stupid and horrible anti-vaccination misinformation is combined with the horror that is measles infections. This disease was essentially gone as of the year 2,000, but it has come roaring back due to unvaccinated populations being slammed by major outbreaks this year. Three people have died and thousands have been needlessly infected with measles all because Kennedy, and people like him, want to play pretend with medicine and science.

But it isn’t just measles. Pertussis, commonly referred to as whooping cough, has also been on the increase over the past few years. While the data on who is getting infected is much more varied with pertussis, due primarily to the vaccine’s waning protections for it over time compared with measles vaccines, it’s still the case that the unvaccinated account for a heavy number of the infected and the deaths that have resulted from it. Kentucky appears to be getting hit particularly hard by pertussis, with the state tallying three infant deaths from the disease so far this year.

Kentucky’s three infant deaths from whooping cough over the past 12 months are the state’s first reported since 2018. None of the infants or their mothers had been vaccinated against the respiratory disease, the Kentucky Department of Public Health confirmed.

Kentucky is in the midst of its largest pertussis spike since 2012, says a Monday state news release that says the disease has increased nationwide as vaccination rates decline.

As of Nov. 19, there have been 566 cases of whooping cough identified in Kentucky, with health officials anticipating more cases as the year ends. Babies younger than 1 year old are at the greatest risk for whooping cough. 

Local healthcare providers are advocating for the public to get themselves and their children vaccinated to prevent the spread of the disease, but Kentucky has a fairly terrible adoption of the pertussis vaccine. School-aged children in the state currently have a vaccination rate of roughly 85%. That may sound like a big number, but you’re typically looking at a target of 95% vaccination rate to achieve herd immunity. It’s herd immunity that best protects those most vulnerable, such as very young children and those who cannot get vaccinated for unrelated medical reasons.

And that is precisely who is dying in Kentucky from pertussis. Infants. Infants are dying, all so that Kennedy and the vaccine-deniers out there can sit on their stupid soap boxes and spew stupid.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of another infant death in Kentucky due to pertussis and are concerned by the volume of cases we are seeing throughout the commonwealth,” said Dr. Steven Stack, secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. “We continue to urge Kentuckians to get their whooping cough vaccine and to make sure they are up to date on all other recommended immunizations. Many illnesses can be prevented through vaccination, which helps protect not only the individual but also those around them.”  

Unfortunately, the very person in charge of American health at the moment is not urging anyone to get vaccinated. Quite the opposite, in fact. And it all appears to be largely ego-driven.

Ego in favor of infants remaining alive. If that doesn’t turn your stomach, you have no soul.

Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all…As two men clung to a stricken, burning ship targeted by SEAL Team 6, the Joint Special Operations commander followed the defense secretary’s order to leave no survivors.

Here is the full article, of course that is a war crime.

The post I hope this is stupid and bad enough to change some things appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.

S&P Dow Jones Indices has declined to add Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) to its S&P 500 index again. Instead of MSTR, the world’s most prestigious stock index chose SanDisk to replace Interpublic Group.

Although its US Index Committee doesn’t normally explain its decisions, the mid-quarter announcement was curious. The decision didn’t coincide with the committee’s quarterly cadence and only included a single stock change.

Normally, quarterly rebalancing announcements occur during the final month of each calendar quarter, and include multiple companies joining and exiting the index simultaneously.

MSTR satisfies most S&P 500 Index criteria

The S&P 500 establishes technical criteria for inclusion, and founder Michael Saylor has ensured that Strategy’s MSTR common stock satisfies every metric.

Nonetheless, the committee has declined to add MSTR for months.

As a qualifying candidate, Strategy has a US domicile, derives the majority of its revenue domestically, trades on the NASDAQ (NYSE or CBOE would also qualify), has a market capitalization in the 85th percentile of the S&P Total Market Index, had positive GAAP earnings in its most recent quarter, traded a minimum of 250,000 shares in its prior six months, and had a sum of positive GAAP earnings for its four most recent quarters.

Despite meeting all of these quantitative criteria earlier this year, Strategy management speculated as to possible reasons for the index committee’s denials.

First of all, most companies don’t gain immediate inclusion after they first satisfy all of the quantitative benchmarks. The S&P US Index Committee normally waits a few quarters to add them.

Indeed, even Tesla and many other household names, despite their prominence, had to wait several quarters before they joined the S&P 500.

Read more: Why the S&P 500 committee could deny MSTR inclusion on Friday

More possible reasons for S&P 500 delays

MSTR hasn’t been performing particularly well this year. Its stock price is 39% lower today than at the start of 2025, and its recent performance has been particularly bearish.

After a 12-month slide, its market cap is now lower than the value of its bitcoin (BTC) holdings.

In addition, Strategy CEO Phong Le admitted that Strategy’s heavy reliance on BTC as an asset is problematic for S&P 500 inclusion. Although holding large amounts of BTC doesn’t preclude approval, 10-Q reports and other SEC filings for Strategy are considerably different from other companies. 

With over $48 billion in BTC purchases, Strategy tallies billions of dollars of unrealized gains as a peculiar type of asset that almost no other S&P 500 constituent possesses.

Although the filings comply with modern accounting rules, they are non-standard and might be a reason for the S&P US Index Committee’s slow review of Strategy’s application to join their index.

Finally, the committee is ultimately free to use discretion in determining additions and removals. Committee members are anonymous and don’t customarily explain their decisions.

They might evaluate long-term stability in a stock’s performance, creditworthiness to pay dividends and bond coupons, or other squishy metrics that are difficult to infer from public reporting about their closed door meetings.

Although S&P Dow Jones Indices may reschedule its Q4 announcement for any date, its customary quarterly decisions are likely to occur after market close on December 5. MSTR remains a qualifying candidate for possible inclusion.

On Kalshi, a binary options gambling website, traders are accepting bets at 8% odds that MSTR will join the S&P 500 Index this year.

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The post S&P 500 declines to add Strategy again appeared first on Protos.

In Louisville, Kentucky, Cuqita Boyd was charged with DUI after a minor crash in January 2022, despite repeatedly asking for a portable breathalyzer, which the arresting officer did not provide. In a deposition, the officer explained that using breathalyzers "wasn't my thing." Boyd later got a breathalyzer test at the jail, which read 0.0, and a blood draw found no detectable alcohol in her system. Body camera footage shows the officer admitting she did not smell alcohol and that Boyd was not slurring her words, but claiming she was too slow to follow commands. Boyd spent 14 months fighting the charges before they were dismissed. Her family has sued, claiming the prolonged legal ordeal contributed to Boyd's death in May 2025 from high blood pressure complications.

The post Brickbat: What Is This Breathalyzer You Speak of? appeared first on Reason.com.