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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Form readers, I’ve a question. I’ve been advised that reducing my voice and softening my tone is a private challenge I ought to undertake, for classy causes I can clarify at a later date. My “set level,” if you’ll, is for my voice to hold to a room (debater; instructor; presenter). Not that I shout, however my register — if that’s the phrase — is excessive. I’m actually not clear on learn how to go about this, and even to sense it. Any recommendation for voice academics or singers on the market? Thanks! –lambert P.S. I bought fairly a late begin. I additionally did the Covid part first, for the vacations, and so Politics will are available in orts and scraps.
Fowl Tune of the Day
Stone Partridge (Stone), Shai Hills Useful resource Reserve, Better Accra, Ghana. “Calls by a bunch.” “Chatter chatter!
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Politics
“So most of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in reality a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles
Capitol Seizure
“Protesters name for cease-fire as Senate seems to exit” [The Hill]. “Dozens of protestors gathered within the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to name for a cease-fire within the Israel-Hamas struggle, because the Senate gears as much as depart Washington for the vacations. U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) promptly arrested members of the group as they started protesting, escorting about 60 demonstrators out of the Capitol Rotunda one after the other with their wrists zip-tied.” • Presumably they’ll be charged with “obstructing an official continuing,” and jailed for a few years?
2024
Lower than a 12 months to go!
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“Trump polls shot upward after indictments began” [Washington Examiner]. “One notable factor about Trump’s nationwide lead, now 50.6 factors over DeSantis within the RealClearPolitics common of polls, is that it seems to have been turbocharged by the indictments, federal and native, towards the previous president. With out the indictments, there isn’t any telling the place the GOP race could be as we speak. Take a look at the final day the nationwide race was shut, or comparatively shut: March 27 of this 12 months, when Trump led DeSantis within the RealClearPolitics common by 15 factors, 44% to 29%. Simply days later, Trump was indicted for the primary time, by Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg, and his ballot numbers rose sharply. By April 20, simply three weeks later, Trump had risen 10 factors to 54%. In the identical time, DeSantis fell 7 factors, to 22%. Trump’s lead over DeSantis had greater than doubled, courtesy of Bragg. Within the months that adopted, Trump was indicted 4 extra occasions, twice by particular counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by the Biden Justice Division, and as soon as by Fani Willis, the district legal professional of Fulton County, Georgia. By means of all of it, Trump’s ballot standing rose, from 44 factors in late March to 54 factors in late April to 58 factors in September to 63 factors as we speak. Sure, his help has bumped up and down a bit of in that point, however Trump has not been beneath 50% help nationally since he first handed that mark on April 4 of this 12 months. What has occurred can solely be referred to as an unlimited backfire for these Democrats and By no means Trumpers who thought indicting Trump would carry him down. ” • Liberals. Owned.
“Why a Trump conviction won’t save Biden’s reelection” [Politico]. “It’s the go-to chorus for Democrats watching Joe Biden fall behind Donald Trump in polls: Simply wait till Trump is convicted…. They’re most likely unsuitable. The proof to this point suggests the race may shift solely barely, by a number of factors. That could possibly be essential in one other shut election, nevertheless it’s not the type of Trump collapse that Democrats might hope for — or Biden might have if his numbers don’t enhance. Trump’s authorized peril is unprecedented, and the sentiment {that a} legal conviction could possibly be a mortal wound to his candidacy is generally pushed by political instinct proper now. However we’re beginning to get extra information on how a conviction would have an effect on Trump’s probabilities to defeat Biden, because of pollsters who’ve requested voters what they’d do if a jury discovered Trump responsible…. Final month’s New York Instances/Siena School ballot requested possible voters in six Biden-won swing states who mentioned they weren’t supporting him — a group of Trump voters and those that mentioned they had been undecided — what they’d do if Trump ‘had been convicted and sentenced to jail however had been nonetheless the Republican nominee.’ Most of them would nonetheless vote for Trump, however 5 % of the possible voters throughout these swing states mentioned they’d vote for Biden below that circumstance. That’s doubtlessly sufficient to tilt the race to the Democratic incumbent — nevertheless it’s not assured, particularly with Biden already trailing. Most of that 5-point shift got here from voters who had been undecided or most popular one other candidate within the preliminary Biden-Trump contest.”
“Trump’s marketing campaign expects to clinch 2024 nomination by mid-March -senior official” [Reuters]. ” Former President Donald Trump’s marketing campaign crew tasks he may formally clinch the Republican presidential nomination by March 19, given his lead in polls within the early voting states, a senior marketing campaign official mentioned on Monday. The crew believes Trump is on observe to win 1,478 delegates by then, based mostly on a mixture of public and inside polls, mentioned the official, who requested anonymity to debate the marketing campaign. That might be greater than sufficient delegates wanted to win a majority of the entire of two,429 delegates who will choose a nominee on the Republican Nationwide Conference, set for July in Milwaukee.” • Hmm. Let’s see what the voters need to say. And, after all, the press.
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“Biden is reluctant to just accept his ‘previous age,’ aides say” [Axios]. “President Biden’s reluctance to acknowledge his bodily limitations at age 81 is inflicting some stress on his crew, as senior aides and First Woman Jill Biden [whistling the Nutcracker as she does?] push him to relaxation extra and be vigilant about his well being going into 2024…. In conversations with aides and associates, Biden steadily says some model of: ‘I really feel a lot youthful than my age.’…. Jill Biden and her crew are deeply concerned within the president’s day-to-day schedule…. She typically works to get him as a lot relaxation as potential, and to enhance his food plan [euphemism?]” • So Dr. Biden does management Joe’s juice?
“Biden’s Resolution to Skip New Hampshire Is ‘Political Malpractice’” [The Nation]. “In February, the DNC determined to remove New Hampshire’s first-primary standing for the 2024 presidential election. As an alternative, the candidate choice course of would start in South Carolina, which might maintain a low-profile vote in late February of 2024—weeks after Republicans, who’ve gleefully embraced the normal schedule of holding first caucuses in Iowa and the primary major in New Hampshire, had been set to start voting for his or her nominee. Sadly for the DNC, New Hampshire went forward with an unsanctioned Democratic major—one by which Biden, following the brand new get together guidelines, will not be competing, however the place a crowd of different Democrats, together with 2020 Democratic presidential contender Marianne Williamson and US Consultant Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) will likely be on the poll…. Biden’s 2024 reelection marketing campaign will likely be a multibillion-dollar effort that employs one of the best political expertise each within the Democratic Social gathering and in supportive unions and liberals organizations. His bid is being pitched as a campaign not simply to reelect a Democratic commander-in-chief however to save lots of American democracy from the risk posed by Donald Trump’s election result-denying, violence-threatening MAGA Republicans. Biden himself says the stakes couldn’t be increased. ‘I do know that if the opposite crew, the MAGA Republicans, win, they don’t need to uphold the rule of regulation,’ the president declared in early October, including that “in some way we’ve bought to speak to the American folks that that is for actual. That is actual.’ But White Home political strategists and DNC members, the individuals who say they’re determined to speak to voters—and the potential voters who have to be energized to come back out to vote in November 2024—determined to mess with the 2024 major schedule in a approach that Granite Staters concern will give Republicans a PR increase. ‘Not being right here reinforces the impression that he’s too previous,’ says Arnie Arnesen, a New Hampshire radio host and former Democratic state legislator and gubernatorial nominee. ‘It leaves a void that the Republicans are going to fill. You already know that.’” • Clyburn needed a pay-off for 2020. So Biden paid him off. And so the native NH Democrats are doing a write-in marketing campaign…
“Biden mentioned to be more and more pissed off by dismal ballot numbers” [WaPo]. “After pardoning a pair of turkeys, an annual White Home custom, Biden delivered some stern phrases for the small group assembled: His ballot numbers had been unacceptably low and he needed to know what his crew and his marketing campaign had been doing about it. He complained that his financial message had carried out little to maneuver the ball, even because the economic system was rising and unemployment was falling, based on individuals acquainted with his feedback, who spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate a non-public dialog…. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who’s working for the state’s open Senate seat, has expressed concern to allies that she might not be capable of win her race if Biden is on the high of the ticket, based on individuals acquainted with the conversations. A spokesman for Slotkin’s marketing campaign mentioned she “ooks ahead to working with President Biden.’” Slotkin is, after all, a CIA Democrat. Hmmm. Extra: “‘The Republican major may finish shortly, and the final election may start in weeks, not months,’ mentioned Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic strategist. ‘Given Trump’s noisiness and his capability to bully his approach via the day by day info wars, I feel it’s actually essential that the Biden marketing campaign transfer into basic election mode as quickly as potential. We’re not the place we need to be. A few of our coalition is wandering and we have to go get them again.’” • Not such a nasty argumet from Rosenberg.
“The Alarming Calm of the Biden Marketing campaign” [New York Magazine]. An excellent learn. This paragraph caught my eye: “Early this fall, [Jim] Messina, who talks commonly with members of Biden’s internal circle, distributed a 22-slide deck that he hoped would ship a message to involved Democrats — or, as he termed them to Politico, the ‘f*cking bed-wetters.’ He acknowledged that the race could be shut however regarded to ratchet nerves down by arguing that Biden has a minimum of 4 credible avenues to victory within the Electoral School. One is just to duplicate the 2020 map for 303 electoral votes. This was not straightforward to do the primary time round and could also be more durable to tug off once more; Biden flipped Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan and have become the primary Democrat to win Arizona and Georgia in a long time. A second path is narrower: Biden may win precisely the required 270 by carrying these midwestern ‘blue wall’ states — even when he concedes Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Nevada. A 3rd route is the reverse of the second, a ‘Sunbelt technique’ that will internet 275. The fourth possibility requires replicating 2022’s Senate-race outcomes, dropping Wisconsin and North Carolina however profitable the opposite battlegrounds for 293. The arduous half is that no two of those states require the identical profitable method, not even those that are inclined to swing collectively or that look demographically comparable from afar.”
“Biden’s Agenda Hangs in Steadiness as Robust Election Yr Approaches” [Wall Street Journal]. “These with issues embody former President Barack Obama, who ‘is aware of that is going to be an in depth race’ and ‘feels that Democrats very nicely may lose’ the 2024 election, based on an individual acquainted with his considering. Obama worries that ‘the choice is fairly harmful for [our] democracy,’ the particular person mentioned.” • The Wizard of Kalorama™ opens — forgive the metaphor — the kimono barely to reveal the shiv….
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IA: “Wheels threaten to come back off DeSantis marketing campaign” [The Hill]. “Over the weekend, a Washington Publish report detailed chaos inside DeSantis’s tremendous PAC, By no means Again Down. Hours later, a high strategist left the operation — simply 4 weeks earlier than voting kicks off in Iowa with what is likely to be essentially the most vital contest for the Florida governor. A grievance filed Monday by the nonprofit watchdog Marketing campaign Authorized Middle additionally alleges DeSantis ‘illegally coordinated’ with the tremendous PAC and that By no means Again Down went towards an ‘express authorized requirement that tremendous PACs should stay ‘unbiased.” These developments add to a string of setbacks and shakeups for DeSantis’s marketing campaign as he struggles to carry on to second place within the Republican presidential subject, with former President Trump within the lead and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on the rise.” • I assume we’ll have to attend and see what the evangelicals do….
NH: “Haley positive factors on Trump in newest New Hampshire ballot” [The Hill]. “GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley is gaining some momentum on former President Trump amongst New Hampshire Republican voters, although Trump nonetheless holds a powerful lead within the early nominating contest. The most recent CBS Information/YouGov ballot launched Sunday discovered Haley has emerged as a high different to the previous president, consolidating a lot of the non-Trump vote. Amongst possible GOP major voters, 29 % say they’d vote for the previous South Carolina governor, placing her 15 factors behind Trump.” • That’s inside hanging distance of a “practically upsets” narrative, although I frankly don’t know of Haley has the natural help for a drive down the stretch like that.
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“No Labels Is Pushing a Lie That Will Elect Trump” [Jim Messina, Politico]. Messina ran Obama’s 2012 marketing campaign. “Our political system isn’t designed to help third events on the presidential degree. The largest barrier is the Electoral School. States use a “winner takes all” system to distribute their electoral votes, which is why Perot received practically 20 % of the favored vote however bought an enormous fats zero from the Electoral School. This results in two sensible results: First, events are incentivized to kind the biggest coalitions potential, which naturally results in a two-party system. Second, many citizens don’t need to “waste” their vote on a candidate with no likelihood of profitable, in order that they default to the key events. Each results make it more durable for third events to compete.” • The Structure was “designed,” and events should not an entity inside in, in reality not even conceptualized (the closest is “faction”). Our political system developed. It was not designed.
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Democrats en Déshabillé
Affected person readers, it appears that evidently individuals are really studying the back-dated put up! However I’ve not up to date it, and there are numerous updates. So I must try this. –lambert
I’ve moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Social gathering (“the Democrat Social gathering is a rotting corpse that may’t bury itself”) to a separate, back-dated put up, to which I’ll periodically add materials, summarizing the addition right here in a “reside” Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It seems that defining the Democrat Social gathering is, in reality, a tough drawback. I do assume the paragraph that follows is on level all the best way again to 2016, if not earlier than:
The Democrat Social gathering is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Pay attention, Liberal!). It follows that the Democrat Social gathering is as “unreformable” because the PMC is unreformable; if the Democrat Social gathering didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. If the Democrat Social gathering fails to control, that’s as a result of the PMC lacks the potential to control. (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” after all.) Second, all of the working elements of the Social gathering reinforce one another. Depart apart characterizing the relationships between components of the Social gathering (ka-ching, however not solely) these components comprise a community — a Flex Web? An iron octagon? — of funders, distributors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with belongings within the press and the intelligence group.
Be aware, after all, that the category energy of the PMC each expresses and is restricted by different lessons; oligarchs and American gentry (see ‘industrial mannequin’ of Ferguson, Jorgensen, and Jie) and the working class spring to thoughts. Suck up, kick down.
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Realignment and Legitimacy
“The Gerontocracy Waged Warfare on Gen Z. Now They’re Preventing Again” [Rolling Stone]. “I’m sitting at nighttime cool of the Watergate Resort, listening to Gen Z describe a childhood full of lockdown drills and existential dread over a heated world. It’s the third and remaining day of a summit hosted by Voters of Tomorrow, a Gen Z-led group devoted to turning out the youth vote and advancing its “Gen Z agenda,” insurance policies like abolishing tipped wages and the filibuster in Congress. Once I walked into the convention room a number of hours earlier, the scene was indistinguishable from a Mannequin U.N. convention: clusters of younger individuals huddled over one thing referred to as “legislative technique,” Crayola markers sprawled close by. Born in 2019, out of the sense that older politicians have left their technology excessive and dry, Voters of Tomorrow has one message: In order for you us to vote for you, you’re going to first hear. There’s an urgency for the individuals on this room — they consider the failure of older generations to go away behind a livable future means it’s as much as them to show issues round earlier than it’s too late. ” • No, you’re actually not “listening to Gen Z.” You’re listening to the small fraction of Gen Z — no matter that’s — who may afford to journey to and attend a three-day shindig on the Watergate Resort. There’s no cause in any respect to deal with the attendees “within the room” as consultant.
#COVID19
“I’m in earnest — I can’t equivocate — I can’t excuse — I can’t retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.” –William Lloyd Garrison
Assets, United States (Nationwide): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot; contains many counties; Wastewater Scan, contains drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); “Iowa COVID-19 Tracker” (in IA, however nationwide information). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Common Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).
Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be at liberty to contact me on the handle given with the vegetation. Please put “COVID” within the topic line. Thanks!
Assets, United States (Native): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin, dashboard; Stanford, wastewater; Oakland, wastewater); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater stories); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur d’Alene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard); NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard); PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (dashboard); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV (wastewater); WY (wastewater).
Assets, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).
Assets, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usées); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).
Hat tricks to useful readers: anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, sq. coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Utah, Bob White (3).
Keep secure on the market!
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Maskstravaganza
“Intranasal masks for shielding the respiratory tract towards viral aerosols” [Nature]. Mice and mannequin. From the Introduction: “Right here, we engineer an intranasal masks (Fig. 1a), which consists of an irreversibly thermosensitive hydrogel with constructive fees, into which we introduce engineered cell-derived microsized vesicles (MV). These MV include identified receptors for particular viruses which can be overexpressed on the vesicle floor. The ensuing “MV@GEL” will be sprayed into the nasal cavity at room temperature and shortly transforms from the liquid state to the gel state at physique temperature, which is favorable for prolonging the retention time on the intranasal wall of the nostril. The positively charged hydrogel can intercept the negatively charged viral aerosols presenting in airflow, whereas the receptor on the vesicles can work together with the virus that’s launched from viral aerosols to MV@GEL, thereafter mediating the entrapment of virus for inactivation…. This idea of an “intranasal masks” may meet the safety requirement towards viral aerosols within the day by day lifetime of the final inhabitants and will present efficient safety for some people who can’t conveniently put on face masks, reminiscent of sufferers with bronchial asthma. Furthermore, aiming at high-risk people, reminiscent of medical doctors and nurses, our intranasal masks is also mixed with face masks to additional scale back the danger of an infection from aerosols containing threatening viruses.” • Fascinating!
Lastly, a public well being authority’s director makes use of a respirator not a “Dishevelled Blue”:
Flu, COVID-19 and RSV are all presently spreading in NYC. Carrying a masks in public indoor areas and crowded locations can assist defend you and in addition defend others in the event you’re sick. Excessive-quality masks, reminiscent of N95s, KN95s and KF94s present one of the best safety: https://t.co/ipstVkZ4YW pic.twitter.com/QfMszK1aUj
— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) December 18, 2023
Though, “in the event you’re sick”? What number of years or a long time will it take for these reactionary dinosaurs to wrap their tiny brains across the thought of asymptomatic transmission?
Vaccines
JN.1 hits the Massive Present:
JN.1 (BA.2.86.1.1) is now a separate variant of curiosity (VOI) alongside BA.2.86. Be aware that this does not have any impact on Greek letters (solely VOCs get them now), public well being suggestions, or anything in sensible phrases. https://t.co/dNkvEamFdZ
— T. Ryan Gregory (@TRyanGregory) December 19, 2023
Scientific Communication
“Influenza surging in Alberta, vaccine fatigue accountable: skilled” [Calgary City News]. • The headline is deceptive. “Vaccine fatigue” isn’t even within the article. Commentary:
Pls do not propagate deceptive narrative of “vaxx fatigue”
“x fatigue” is a psychological phenomenon. Except there’s sci. proof of its existence, do not use such phrases
Made up “vaxx fatigue” can also be deflecting the blame for low vaxx uptake from Public Well being onto people. pic.twitter.com/6JSqVekd3W
— Malgorzata (Gosia) Gasperowicz (@GosiaGasperoPhD) December 18, 2023
Transmission
“Unravelling the impact of New Yr’s Eve celebrations on SARS-CoV-2 transmission” [Nature]. Belgium. From the Dialogue: “To our information, this research exhibits the primary instance within the literature of a powerful hyperlink between public vacation celebrations and a surge in instances of SARS-CoV-2. Apparently, simultaneous celebrations in small circles, fairly than mass gatherings, appeared as the principle driver of the surge. The noticed wave of instances consisted largely of first-generation infections immediately originating from these social gatherings. Incidence within the focused scholar inhabitants shortly stabilised thereafter, possible as a result of a mix of government-mandated contact restrictions, low threshold testing, contact tracing and diminished social interplay as a result of college students’ approaching January exams. Nonetheless, within the absence of those limiting components, such a simultaneous improve in transmissivity may logically speed up an exponential rise in instances. In actual fact, nationally reported case numbers and their derived efficient copy numbers counsel that this can be precisely what occurred on a nationwide and even worldwide scale with the unfold of the Omicron BA.1 pressure. Estimates of the nationwide efficient copy quantity counsel a potential “triple whammy” of transmissibility results across the winter holidays. First, Christmas and New Yr celebrations present two events for giant scale inter-generational and inter-regional transmission, as family and friends collect with a variety of danger components: enclosed areas, prolonged contact, shut bodily interplay, inter-household contact and robust vocalisation. The ensuing instances have comparatively little alternative for onward transmission till colleges and plenty of workplaces reopen concurrently, resulting in additional transmissions inside areas and generations. Additional analysis may verify the relative contributions of transmission throughout areas and generations.”
“Simulating the Environmental Unfold of SARS-CoV-2 by way of Cough and the Impact of Private Mitigations” [Microorganisms]. From the Summary: “Scientists and engineers on the Well being and Security Government (HSE) laboratory used a human cough simulator that offered a standardised cough problem utilizing an answer of simulated saliva and a SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus… Viable virus unfold as much as 2 m from the origin of the cough outwards in a cloud. Beneficial interventions, reminiscent of placing a hand or elbow in entrance of the mouth modified the sample of cough aerosol dispersion. A hand deflected the cough to the aspect, defending these in entrance from publicity, nevertheless it didn’t forestall environmental contamination. It additionally allowed for viral switch from the hand to surfaces reminiscent of door handles. A balled fist in entrance of the mouth didn’t deflect the cough. Placing an elbow in entrance of the mouth deflected the aerosol cloud to above and beneath the elbow, however wouldn’t have protected any people standing in entrance. Nonetheless, if the particular person coughed right into a sleeved elbow extra of the aerosol appeared to be absorbed. Coughing right into a naked elbow nonetheless allowed for switch to the setting if individuals touched the within of their elbow quickly after coughing. Conclusions: Interventions can change the environmental contamination sample ensuing from a human cough however might not scale back it significantly.” • So, one other piece of folks knowledge from the general public well being institution disproved. Naturally, I don’t advocate coughing on individuals. Who needs that? However let’s a minimum of perceive what’s happening.
“One thing Terrible”
Lambert right here: I’m getting the sensation that the “One thing Terrible” is likely to be a sawtooth sample — variant after variant — that averages out to a completely excessive plateau. A number of exceptionally nasty sequelae, almost certainly deriving from immune dysregulation (says this layperson). To which we would add mind harm, together with character adjustments therefrom.
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Origins Debate
“American scientists misled Pentagon on analysis on the Wuhan Institute of Virology” [U.S. Right to Know]. “U.S. Proper to Know has obtained [how] an early draft of DEFUSE [A 2018 research proposal called DEFUSE called for synthesizing spike proteins with furin cleavage sites] with feedback from “PD” and “BRS.” Emails present these commenters to be “Peter Daszak” and “Baric, Ralph S.”” The challenge was not accepted, however the annotations on the draft look to this bystander to be exceptionally nasty:
The Wuhan Lab, in different phrases, will use the cheaper BSL-2 facility:
“BSL-2 experiments are extra handy and cheaper than BSL-3 experiments … Nonetheless, BSL-2 supplies a far decrease degree of biosafety than BSL-3 does. This decrease security degree is particularly harmful for experiments involving viruses that may be transmitted by air,” [Justin Kinney, a quantitative biologist at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and co-founder of Biosafety Now] mentioned. “It is vitally regarding that Daszak and Baric seem to have thought of it official to maneuver high-risk experiments from BSL-3 to BSL-2. It is usually regarding that they seem to have thought of doing so in secret, as an alternative of exposing this essential change of experimental plans and biosafety precautions of their grant proposal.”
Not a superb look, on the very least. And tasks that aren’t accepted can get recycled into tasks which can be.
Elite Maleficence
Sociopath of the Day Bob Wachter meets with Lengthy Covid Consultants:
This was a terrific session on #LongCovid, by 3 worldwide leaders in LC. We have made important progress in understanding the causes of the illness & the epidemiology, however nonetheless lack evidence-based therapies. Hope that adjustments quickly. Out there right here: https://t.co/LV3EWxYjQ0 https://t.co/YBloSUyzNn
— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) December 16, 2023
You’ll by no means guess what occurs subsequent!
Right here’s a bigger model of Wachter’s put up, which is certainly 1/25:
Covid (@UCSF) Chronicles, Day 1371I haven’t X’ed a lot about Covid these days, largely as a result of issues are pretty secure. However a number of people have requested me what I’m doing, Covid-wise. So as we speak: how I’m appearing, & why. Graphic beneath exhibits my basic strategy; extra particulars comply with. (1/25) pic.twitter.com/cv7MWv4Xoc
— Bob Wachter (@Bob_Wachter) December 18, 2023
Wachter’s advanced algorithm is pure cope. It’s supposedly data-driven, however our information is unhealthy, and most of it lags. Wastewater (sadly, now unimaginable to cross-check with another case information) is one of the best now we have, and even it lags by every week; adequate time for a extremely nasty variant to get rolling. So IMNSHO one of the best resolution is to determine in your protocol for a layered protection, and comply with it rigorously, day and day trip. No cause to tweak it. Wachter is just giving himself an phantasm of management that in the long run is simply a rationalization for what he needs to do anyhow: Dine indoors.
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Case Knowledge
From BioBot wastewater information, December 18:
Lambert right here: As a completely “intestine really feel” tapewatcher, I’d count on this peak to fulfill or exceed the 2 earlier Biden peaks; in spite of everything, we haven’t actually begun the following bout of vacation journey, or the following rounds of superspreading occasions celebrations. Plus college students haven’t come from from faculty, after which returned. So the next peak appears just about “baked in.” And that’s earlier than we get to new variants, like JN.1. The true factor to look at is the slope of the curve. If it begins to go vertical, and if it retains on doing so, then maintain onto your hats. (Subsequent week’s studying, nevertheless, is Christmas Day; there might be a data-driven drop.) Keep secure on the market! Solely 14 superspreading days till Christmas!
Regional information:
Arduous to see why the regional break up (and it certain could be good to have extra granular information). Climate forcing Northerners indoors? Appears facile. There’s snow within the Rockies (inexperienced coloration, West), for instance.
Variants
NOT UPDATED From CDC, December 9:
Lambert right here: JN.1, proven on the NowCast for the primary time, arising quick on the skin, whereas BA.2.86 fades.
From CDC, November25:
Lambert right here: I certain hope the volunteers doing Pangolin, on which this chart relies upon, don’t all transfer on the inexperienced fields and pastures new (or have their entry to services minimize by directors of in poor health intent).
CDC: “As of Might 11, genomic surveillance information will likely be reported biweekly, based mostly on the supply of constructive take a look at specimens.” “Biweeekly: 1. occurring each two weeks. 2. occurring twice every week; semiweekly.” Seems like CDC has chosen sense #1. In essence, they’re telling us variants are nothing to fret about. Time will inform.
Covid Emergency Room Visits
NOT UPDATED From CDC NCIRD Surveillance, December 9:
Lambert right here: Right here additionally we see one thing of a pause, just like the wastewater. Solely every week’s lag, so this can be our greatest present nationwide, present indicator.
NOTE “Charts and information offered by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous 12 months, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.” So not the complete pandemic, FFS (the implicit message right here being that Covid is “identical to the flu,” which is why the seasonal “rolling 52-week interval” is acceptable for bothMR SUBLIMINAL I hate these individuals a lot. Discover additionally that this chart exhibits, a minimum of for its time interval, that Covid will not be seasonal, although CDC is making an attempt to get us to consider that it’s, presumably to allow them to piggyback on the prevailing institutional equipment for injections. And naturally, we’re not even entering into the standard of the wastewater websites that now we have as a proxy for Covid an infection total.
Hospitalization
Bellwether New York Metropolis, information as of December 18:
Lambert right here: I don’t like that little upward spike (you’ve bought to look intently at the newest date). Let’s hope it doesn’t preserve taking place.
NOT UPDATED Right here’s a distinct CDC visualization on hospitalization, nationwide, not by state, however with a date, a minimum of. December 9:
Shifting forward briskly!
Lambert right here: “Maps, charts, and information offered by CDC, updates weekly for the earlier MMWR week (Sunday-Saturday) on Thursdays (Deaths, Emergency Division Visits, Check Positivity) and weekly the next Mondays (Hospitalizations) by 8 pm ET†”. So the place the heck is the replace, CDC?
Positivity
From Walgreens, December 18:
-0.3%. Down. (It could be attention-grabbing to survey this inhabitants usually; these are individuals who, regardless of a tsunami of official propaganda and massive peer stress, went and bought examined anyhow.)
NOT UPDATED From Cleveland Clinic, December 2:
Lambert right here: Improve (with backward revision; guess they thought it was over). I do know that is simply Ohio, however the Cleveland Clinic is nice*, and we’re starved for information, so…. NOTE * Even when hospital an infection management is making an attempt to kill sufferers by eliminating common masking with N95s.
From CDC, traveler’s information, November 27:
Turning upward.
Down, albeit within the rear view mirror. And listed here are the variants for vacationers, November 27:
BA.2.86 blasting upward. This could be an important early warning system, if the warning had been in reality early as an alternative of weeks late, good job, CDC.
Deaths
Right here is the New York Instances, based mostly on CDC information, December 9:
Stats Watch
Housing: “United States Housing Begins” [Trading Economics]. “Housing begins within the US unexpectedly soared 14.8% month-over-month to an annualized 1.56 million in November of 2023, the best fee in six months, and nicely above market forecasts of 1.36 million, benefiting from a fall in mortgage charges and low stock.”
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Antitrust: “Google to pay $700 million to US states, customers in app retailer settlement” [Associated Press]. “Google has agreed to pay $700 million and make a number of different concessions to settle allegations that it had been stifling competitors towards its Android app retailer — the identical challenge that went to trial in one other case that would end in even larger adjustments. Though Google struck the take care of state attorneys basic in September, the settlement’s phrases weren’t revealed till late Monday in paperwork filed in San Francisco federal court docket. The disclosure got here every week after a federal court docket jury rebuked Google for deploying anticompetitive ways in its Play Retailer for Android apps. The settlement with the states contains $630 million to compensate U.S. customers funneled right into a cost processing system that state attorneys basic alleged drove up the costs for digital transactions inside apps downloaded from the Play Retailer. That retailer caters to the Android software program that powers many of the world’s smartphones. Like Apple does in its iPhone app retailer, Google collects commissions starting from 15% to 30% on in-app purchases — charges that state attorneys basic contended drove costs increased than they’d have been had there been an open marketplace for cost processing. These commissions generated billions of {dollars} in revenue yearly for Google, based on proof offered within the current trial centered on its Play Retailer.” • Good. Let’s hope damages on the Federal degree are extra important.
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At this time’s Concern & Greed Index: 79 Excessive Greed (earlier shut: 76 Excessive Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 67 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Dec 19 at 1:57:16 PM ET. Holy cow! Excessive Greed! Why?
Rapture Index: Closes up one on Satanism. “The individuals refind [sic] statues to Devil are largely atheists, however they’re develop in quantity” [Rapture Ready]. File Excessive, October 10, 2016: 189. Present: 187. (Keep in mind that bringing on the Rapture is nice.) NOTE on #42 Plagues: “The coronavirus pandemic has maxed out this class.” Extra sincere than most! • WTF.
Information of the Wired
“Ministry of Justice plan to destroy historic wills is ‘insane’, say specialists” [Guardian]. “‘Sheer vandalism’ and ‘insane’. That is how main historians on Monday described authorities plans to destroy hundreds of thousands of historic wills to save lots of on storage prices. The Ministry of Justice is consulting on digitising after which throwing away about 100m paper originals of the final wills and testaments of British individuals relationship again greater than 150 years in an effort to save lots of £4.5m a 12 months. However Tom Holland, the classical and medieval historian and co-host of The Relaxation is Historical past podcast, mentioned the proposal to empty cabinets on the Birmingham archive was ‘clearly insane’. Sir Richard Evans, historian of contemporary Germany and fashionable Europe, mentioned ‘to destroy the unique paperwork is simply sheer vandalism within the identify of bureaucratic effectivity’. Ministers consider digitisation will pace up entry to the papers, however the proposal has provoked a backlash amongst historians and archivists who took to X to decry it as ‘bananas’ and ‘a critically unhealthy thought’…. Wills are thought of important paperwork, notably for social historians and genealogists, as they seize what individuals thought of essential on the time and reveal unknown household hyperlinks.” • I’ve identified library directors who really hated books and tried to do away with them each time they might. They remind me of Hospital An infection Management directors.
“He felt ‘creatively lifeless.’ Then he harnessed the facility of boredom” [NPR]. “A factor that I discovered was how a lot boredom was like an important a part of creativity. Possibly boredom is just too sturdy of a phrase for it. It’s some type of idleness to let a type of alchemical response occur in your mind molecules. In the event that they’re always occupied by one thing else, it’s by no means gonna occur. However in the event you go on a stroll otherwise you go on a drive or one thing the place you’re leaving 80% of your mind unoccupied, that’s when I discovered new concepts may come out or I may kind of metabolize issues which were stirring in me for some time.”
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Contact info for vegetation: Readers, be at liberty to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn the way to ship me a test if you’re allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn the way to ship me pictures of vegetation. Greens are superb! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! In order for you your deal with to look as a credit score, please place it at first of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize by utilizing your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From Desert Dawg:
Desert Dawg writes: “Adventurous Spider Wort plant hovering over a ant hill that they comprised of little bits of scoria that they’ve packed about 5 toes over from the highway to make the hill.”
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