The Answer Is So Obvious August 18, 2011March 24, 2017 Your thoughts on yesterday tomorrow, but today . . . INFRASTRUCTURE! In small part, by Dave Johnson for the Campaign for America’s Future: . . . Put millions of people to work repairing and rebuilding our public infrastructure—now. Do it while the nation has an abundance of idle skilled labor, unused construction and manufacturing capacity, and record low borrowing costs. Ignore the deficit-mongers. This is essential for addressing today’s jobs crisis and tomorrow’s economic growth needs. Plus, investing in infrastructure costs less than the cost of high levels of unemployment: the lower tax revenues, loss of business activity, and all of the forms of government spending resulting from slow growth and increased joblessness. . . . . . . Interviewed for a 60 Minutes 2010 story about Brazil’s economic success—including a 7 percent unemployment rate and 7.5 percent economic growth in 2010—Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said, “I have found out something amazing: the success of an elected official is in the art of doing what is obvious. It is what everyone knows needs to be done but some [in America, they are called Republicans – A.T.] insist on [not] doing.” HOW WE WIN Rick: “After reading your Warren Buffett excerpt Tuesday, I posted the link to his article on my Facebook wall. A very conservative friend messaged me later: ‘I threw up a little when I saw that you and my outspoken, communist, atheist, 59 your old cousin up in Madison, Wisconsin, both posted the same link. I was surprised how in agreement I am with what it said. Makes sense…but how…on earth…am I…in agreement…about something…like this…with MY COUSIN?!??’ I went on to explain to her that common sense transcends politics and religion and in fact, has very little to do with either. Another set of eyes opened!” ☞ Music to ears. MICHELE BACHMANN . . . . . . is not going to be the Republican nominee. So there’s no particular need to watch this Anderson Cooper clip. But it’s sure fun. NABI/TTNP Guru: “NABI announced they received the $5 million we expected this month. That places current cash/share firmly at $2.50 versus last night’s price of $1.73. I expect the board will look to merge NABI with a company with a pipeline. Meanwhile, TTNP released additional data. The Phase III hit on everything: reduced opiate-positive urines (the gold standard for approval), clinician assessment (what the doctor thinks), global severity of opioid dependence, overall patient improvement. Compared to oral Suboxone – the current gold standard – TTNP’s product was numerically superior, but statistically equivalent. In most cases, the side effects of TTNP’s product were numerically less than for Suboxone and often the same as placebo. The data simply could not be better! The TTNP lead investigator from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in New York said that by the end of the trial patients were beating down the door to get access. He said doctors will adopt this product because it gives them a medical procedure to do and then lets them focus on the psychological aspects of addiction rather than the medical ones. They will be able to treat more patients. The only negative is the TTNP will probably have to raise money before the end of the year. I still think they could find a buyer for the company.”