Merry Thursday!

Let’s “grab a cup of cheer” and get right into today’s Brew.

But first, one of the oddest stories of the year.

North Koreans Banned From Laughing for 11 Days

You think some of the COVID mandates are strange? North Koreans are currently banned from laughing. For 11 days. An 11-day ban on laughing has been imposed starting last Friday in honor of the 10th anniversary of the death of former Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il.

To help ensure nobody laughs, North Korean state television is re-running recent episodes of Saturday Night Live. (Yes. We’re kidding.)

We shouldn’t kid too much. Given the woke culture’s attack on comedy, are we really that far behind the North Korean laughing ban?

COVID … and the Doom and Gloomers … Take It On the Chin

 Omicron Not Stopping Holiday Travel Plans. 28 Million More People Traveling This Year.

What about the White House and media gloom and doom over Omicron? These guys make the North Koreans look like the Groundlings. Fortunately, Americans aren’t buying it. We’re hitting the road. Over 109 million people are traveling for Christmas and New Years, AAA is estimating. That’s up nearly 28 million from last year, and just under 10 million fewer than 2019.

“At this point, we don’t think Omicron is going to have an impact on people’s travel plans domestically,” AAA’s National Public Relations Manager Andrew Gross told The Epoch Times (behind the paywall).

South African Study: 80% Decreased Chance of Hospitalization with Omicron

So who’s right on Omicron? The American people or the “dark winter” of death and misery crowd? A new study released Wednesday by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases sheds some light.

Analyzing cases in South Africa, researchers found Omicron infections resulted in an 80% decreased chance of hospitalization over the Delta variant and other COVID-19 variants. “Compellingly, together our data really suggest a positive story of a reduced severity of Omicron compared to other variants,” said Professor and study co-author Cheryl Cohen.

Cohen does caution the findings may not apply to other countries. In South Africa, under 50% of the country is vaccinated, and many have already had COVID. “What is unclear is whether the picture will be similar in countries where there are high levels of vaccination but very low levels of previous infection.”

FDA Approves Pfizer COVID-19 Pill

The FDA has approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill, Paxlovid. This is the first pill authorized for use against COVID-19 and has shown great promise in warding off the worst effects of the virus. “You’re looking at a 90% decreased risk of hospitalization and death in a high-risk group — that’s stunning,” said Dr. Gregory Poland of the Mayo Clinic.

The Associated Press describes Paxlovid as a “faster, cheaper way to treat early COVID-19 infections, though initial supplies will be extremely limited. All of the previously authorized drugs require an IV or an injection.”

Only 60,000 to 70,000 doses are available for the U.S. right now, but Pfizer promises to produce 80 million doses world wide next year.

Military Researchers Set to Announce New Vaccine Effective Against COVID-19 and All Its Variants

A hearty salute to the military. Researchers at Walter Read Army Institute of Research are set to announce they’ve developed a vaccine effective against COVID-19 and all its variants, Defense One is reporting. Phase 1 of human trials are complete, with positive results. The new vaccine still needs to undergo phase 2 and phase 3 trials.

While Dems Continue Hyperventilating Over Manchin, GOP Urging Manchin to Switch Parties

Add New York Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman to the list of Democrats losing their Christmas cookies over Joe Manchin’s decision not to back the Build Back Better monstrosity. Bowman played the race card. And the class card.

“It’s an example of Joe Manchin as a White man showing that he doesn’t care about Black people, he doesn’t care about Latinos, he doesn’t care about immigrants, he doesn’t care about women, and he doesn’t care about the poor. He is a millionaire, and he has the privilege to kick the can down the road and not vote for this bill while the people in my district are suffering.”

Progressives are like Ivory soap. They insist you be 99.9% pure. Manchin doesn’t go along 100%, he’s a racist who shouldn’t even be in the party.

The treatment of Manchin has lead to increased invitations from GOP leaders for Manchin to switch parties.

Shouldn’t be that hard a pitch. “So, Joe, which future do you want to stand with?”

Or this one?

The Stream‘s Stocking Quickly Filling With Christmas Nuggets

Joseph D’Hippolito tosses bad theology and progressive ideology out into the snow with “Christmas: A Testament to Human Worth and Freedom.”

A beautiful reflection on Mary’s Song from Archbishop Joseph D’Souza, “A Christmas Song for the Persecuted and Suffering Around the World”

Becoming a light in dark times. Jim Tonkowich with “This Little Light of Mine: A Christmas Reflection”

Think December 25th is a Pagan day? Think again. Jonathan Noyles shepherds us through the real history in “A Very Pagan Christmas?”

 

Al Perrotta is the Managing Editor of The Stream, chief barista for The Morning Brew and co-author, with John Zmirak, of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration. You can follow him at @StreamingAl at Gab, Parler, MeWe and now GETTR. His Christmas single, “A Father’s Love (Joseph’s Song)” is now available! Check it out!