Israel normalizing

 
Fitch has upgraded the rating of Israeli banks to STABLE. The outlook revision reflects improved conditions as economic activity has largely normalized, creating growth opportunities for Israeli banks while limiting asset quality pressures.

TASE's Finance Index changed colour to green. 

Ill.: Smotrich, the minister of economy. 

Bessent made money betting on the Argentine peso

Incredible. The American Secretary of the Treasury (a former Wall Street speculator) bought Argentine pesos before the elections, and now that Milei won,  their value has risen! making lots of money for the American Treasure. Scott Bessent is the only speculator to have ever profited from betting on the Argentine peso. Pic.: Scott Bessent.

Post Scriptum: All the Journalists (pic) are using iPhones instead of heavy cameras and microphones. I, too, moved to phones and have three or four unused cameras stored. I also have two new computers not yet installed. 

France's lost creditworthiness

Moody's changed France's rating to negative. That means that France will have to pay a higher interest rate for borrowing money. 

Fitch also downgraded France, and its bonds will have to pay more to remain attractive.  

Not good. France has always been and remains the center of Europe, yet it is sinking. I am reading about Engerrand de Coucy in the 14th Century. 

Frida

 Beautiful picture of Frida Kahlo and Trotsky and his wife arriving in Mexico. Frida is beautiful. Half Hungarian Jew, half mestiza.

MAiD in Canada

About Medically Assisted Death in Canada for 2023:

• Suicides: 1.5% of deaths
• MAiD: 4.7% of deaths
• Combined total: approximately 6.2% of all Canadian deaths

In June 2016, Parliament passed Bill C-14, which legalized MAiD with eligibility criteria including having a serious and incurable illness, experiencing intolerable suffering, and having a reasonably foreseeable natural death. HillNotes.

Why MAiD is So Popular

Baby boomers (born 1946-1965) are the largest generation in Canadian history and began retiring in 2011. Between 2016 and 2021, the number of Canadians aged 65 and older increased by 18.3%. The population aged 85 and older is one of the fastest-growing age groups, with a 12% increase from 2016, and could triple by 2046 Statistics Canada.

Cancer was the most frequently reported underlying medical condition for MAiD, cited in 64.1% of cases in 2023. The median age of MAiD recipients was 77.6 years Canada.ca. 

The medications used in medical assistance in dying typically involve a two-step process:

• Pentobarbital (Nembutal) - most frequently used in jurisdictions like Switzerland, the Netherlands, and some U.S. states
• Secobarbital (Seconal) - used in some U.S. states
• These work by depressing the central nervous system, leading to unconsciousness, followed by respiratory arrest

In Canada, a combination protocol is often used:

1. First: A sedative/anesthetic (like midazolam or propofol) to induce unconsciousness
2. Second: A neuromuscular blocking agent or additional medication to stop breathing and heart function

Athenians used κώνειο (hemlock). Progress is real.

Demogaphic Response to HAMAS's Raid (October 2023)

 An analysis of the trends by population group and religion reveals that this new national trend (of an increase in TFR) was driven by a divergence in the fertility patterns of Jewish women alone. From January to May 2024, the fertility rate among Jewish women climbed back to 3.10 children per woman. In contrast, among all other religious groups, the downward trend in fertility continued during these months, falling to 2.68, 1.62, 1.64, and 1.24 children per woman for Muslim, Christian, Druze, and “Other” (without religious classification) women, respectively.

MUC19 genes in America

Modern-day Mexicans have the highest frequency of the Denisovan-specific MUC19 variants, with about 33% of the population carrying this version of the gene. About 20% of Peruvians carried the variant, whereas only around 1% of Colombians and Puerto Ricans did. The researchers think this is because, on average, Mexicans have more Indigenous American DNA in their genomes than the other populations do.

When the team investigated which archaic human group had passed on these gene variants, they were surprised to see that the Denisovan section of the gene was sandwiched between Neanderthal-specific DNA. The most likely explanation for this is that Neanderthals first acquired these variants from mating with Denisovans, and when Neanderthals later mated with modern humans, they passed on this surprise genetic parcel.

The New Guineans carry the highest percentage of Denisovan genes. Probably they look like the original Denisovans  (pic). The men are muscular and the girls are not ugly.