Is Palantir’s Crystal Ball Smoke and Mirrors? ; Judge Orders DOJ to Publish Info Redacted From Mueller Report ; and More Picks 10/1
Trump Took Credit for Making Insulin ‘So Cheap It’s Like Water.’ Tell That to the People Paying for It (Dan)
The author writes, “Trump, after being criticized by Biden for his ongoing efforts to blow up the Affordable Care Act, tried to change the subject by talking about all the work he’s doing to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. ‘I’ll give you an example,’ Trump said. ‘Insulin—it was destroying families, destroying people, the cost. I’m getting it for so cheap it’s like water, you want to know the truth. So cheap.’ So cheap it’s like water. I did a double take when I heard this, because insulin is expensive as hell, and no, the president hasn’t fixed that. How expensive? ‘In reality, insulin still retails for roughly $300 a vial,’ wrote Nicholas Florko at Stat News. ‘Most patients with diabetes need two to three vials per month, and some can require much more.’”
Is Palantir’s Crystal Ball Just Smoke and Mirrors? (Juliette)
From New York Magazine: “Palantir’s public offering is founded on the company’s sales pitch that its software represents the ultimate tool of surveillance. … Palantir is designed to ingest the mountains of data collected by soldiers and spies and police — fingerprints, signals intelligence, bank records, tips from confidential informants — and enable users to spot hidden relationships, uncover criminal and terrorist networks, and even anticipate future attacks. … But as Palantir seeks to sell its stock on Wall Street, even some of its initial admirers are warning that the company’s software may not live up to its hype.”
Judge Orders DOJ to Publish Info Redacted as Privileged From Mueller Report (DonkeyHotey)
From The Hill: “A federal judge on Wednesday ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to publish information redacted from the Mueller report that had been designated as privileged. District Judge Reggie Walton said the Trump administration had failed to justify certain redactions from the report on the special counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The specific redactions he took issue with cover the decision-making process within former special counsel Robert Mueller’s team over whether to charge certain people with crimes during the probe.”
Ohio Just Ordered GM to Repay $28 Million in Tax Breaks for Closing the Lordstown Auto Plant (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “The state of Ohio on Monday ordered General Motors to repay $28 million in public subsidies for reneging on its promise to keep its sprawling Lordstown plant open. The automaker, which had pledged to keep operations going until 2040, closed its assembly plant last October, drawing criticism from elected officials in both political parties, including President Donald Trump. At the time, GM cited the collapsing market for small cars; Lordstown produced the compact Chevrolet Cruze. But state officials said the closure violated the terms of two economic development agreements GM signed with Ohio more than a decade ago.”
Parrots in Wildlife Park Moved After Swearing at Visitors (Dana)
The author writes, “Five parrots have been removed from public view at a British wildlife park after they started swearing at customers. The foul-mouthed birds were split up after they launched a number of different expletives at visitors and staff just days after being donated to Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in eastern England. ‘It just went ballistic, they were all swearing,’ the venue’s chief executive Steve Nichols told CNN Travel on Tuesday. ‘We were a little concerned about the children.’”
