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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Chook Track of the Day
Northern Shrike, Chemin Bradley, St-Armand, Brome-Missisquoi, Quebec, Canada.
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Politics
“So lots of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in actual fact a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles
The Constitutional Order (Invasion)
“Election Countdown, 282 Days to Go: The “States’ Rights” Period Returns.” [James Fallows, Breaking the News]. “This previous Monday, the US Supreme Court docket dominated that the US federal authorities had jurisdiction over US nationwide borders. And particularly that if Texas Nationwide Guard and different Texas forces stored putting in razor wire alongside the Rio Grande, on orders from Governor Greg Abbott, they might not stop US Border Patrol officers from eradicating it. The Supreme Court docket ruling got here with no rationalization and was solely by a 5-4 margin. It’s an indication of our instances that this was even an in depth name, given longstanding Court docket rulings that the nationwide authorities controls nationwide borders. People maintain passports from the US, not from Iowa or California. When a global flight lands at Newark airport, inbound passengers take care of federal brokers, not New Jersey state police…. The politics of immigration and ‘the mess on the border’ are long-brewing and more and more nasty. However the Texas response is important. The Supreme Court docket stated: Here’s what you’ll do. Texas stated: We gained’t. That’s oversimplified however not by a lot. Much more essential is what occurred subsequent. Aside from Greg Abbott in Texas, there are 26 different Republican governors. All however one in every of them signed a letter three days in the past, supporting the Texas assertion of ‘Constitutional Proper to Self-Protection.’” • To be honest, gun-humping does scale. Take a look at Biden’s international coverage! Useful map:
Good suppose these nukes in North Dakota are out of date….
“Republican Governors Band Collectively, Subject Joint Assertion Supporting Texas’ Constitutional Proper to Self-Protection” [Republican Governors Association]. “The authors of the U.S. Structure made clear that in instances like this, states have a proper of self-defense, below Article 4, Part 4 and Article 1, Part 10, Clause 3 of the U.S. Structure. As a result of the Biden Administration has abdicated its constitutional compact duties to the states, Texas has each authorized justification to guard the sovereignty of our states and our nation.” • Compact idea. Hat tip, Greg Abbott (far more practical and harmful than that quick fella from Florida).
Biden Administration
“Our Open Border Coverage Is Not an Accident” [Michael Lind, The Tablet]. “Over the previous three years, the Biden administration has successfully rewritten U.S. immigration regulation, creating a completely new stream of quasi-legal immigration below the rubric of “parole.” The discretion of the federal authorities to grant parole or authorized residence and work permits to a small variety of refugees and different international nationals has been utilized by the Biden administration to tear a gap in America’s southern border as a way to invite tens of millions of international nationals, most of them from Latin America and Central America and the Caribbean, to journey to the U.S. border, from which they’re dispersed throughout the nation and supported mainly by state and native governments and government-funded NGOs. As of September 2023, an estimated 3.8 million immigrants entered the U.S. below the Biden administration. Of those, 2.3 million have been given Notices to Seem (NTAs) earlier than an immigration courtroom—which may permit them to remain within the U.S. in a ‘twilight standing’ for years earlier than a courtroom date. Of the remaining, an estimated 1.5 million are unlawful immigrants who sneaked throughout the border or overstayed their visas and stay, with the federal government having no concept of their whereabouts, and with Democrat-dominated ‘sanctuary cities’ actively thwarting the power of federal immigration officers to determine and deport them.” And: “America’s financial elite agrees that immigrant-driven wage suppression, thanks partially to Biden’s insurance policies, has ameliorated inflation. Federal Reserve Chairman Powell in 2022 attributed inflation partially to decrease numbers of immigrants. The chief political economist of Goldman Sachs, Alec Phillips, lately declared that ‘the labor market has began to loosen up,’ lowering the power of employees to bid up wages: ‘And there’s clearly been a disproportionate contribution from immigrants.’ Though immigrants are solely 18% of the workforce, three-quarters of the rise within the labor provide over the past two years [i.e., since the pandemic] has consisted of immigrant employees.” • Making up the million misplaced to Covid, I’d think about, who had been disproportionately working class.
2024
Lower than a 12 months to go!
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Trump (R): “Trump Will Win” [The American Conservative]. “Trump’s voters search for America and fear they see a future Brazil. Their detractors blame the Electoral School, or speak radio, or ignorance, or Putin. So are Trump’s win in 2016 and sure win in 2024 inexplicable? Attempt once more.” • Exhausting to excerpt…
Trump (R): “This Isn’t Solely a Trump Election” [Peggy Noonan]. “[Haley] may ruminate on the Trump tragedy. He was a breakthrough determine, he did defeat a weak and indifferent institution. However he can’t be president once more as a result of there’s one thing fallacious with him. We [who?] all know this, all of us use totally different phrases to explain the ‘one thing,’ however we all know what it produces: impeachments, embarrassments, scandal, 1/6.” All of which seem by spontaneous era, apparently. Extra: “In the meantime three issues trigger distinctive disquiet among the many non-Trump-supporting majority in America, particularly after Iowa. One is that in 2016 Trump supporters didn’t know exactly what they had been getting. Now they do. Eight years in the past it was a really American factor to do, giving the outsider an opportunity. You by no means know in life, individuals develop in workplace, the presidency softens tough edges. That didn’t occur. They know what they’re electing now. Second, when Mr. Trump first got here in, in 2017, he didn’t know a president’s true and legit powers, he wasn’t taken with historical past, wasn’t up nights studying Robert Caro. He bought rolled by a Republican Congress, was too incompetent to get a wall, was surrounded by political aides who had been inexperienced and unaccomplished—the well-known “island of damaged toys.” This time he’ll go in with expertise and might be extra successfully dangerous. How lengthy will it take earlier than he begins saying the Structure mandates a restrict of two presidential phrases, however his second time period was stolen so which means he will get one other time period after this one? Third, Mr. Trump shouldn’t be president, and neither ought to Joe Biden, as a result of they aren’t what we’d like for the longer term. What do we’d like? Somebody who feels in her or his intestine the wound of the open border and can cease unlawful immigration; somebody who can minimize by way of the knot of ‘globalism’ vs. ‘isolationism,’ a critical argument that’s turning into a cartoon one (internationalists don’t actually need to begin wars throughout; isolationists know we’re a part of the world and may’t simply pull up the bridge). If we will minimize by way of all that we’ll go a long way to forging a real nationwide stance towards the world, and solely then can we reply the correct technique towards China, the duty of America in Asia and the Mideast. Somebody who can tackle identification politics, who is aware of all of us should stand equal. Somebody who can reiterate the concept we do have nationwide values. These few (however big) issues, if a frontrunner bought them proper, would mark a nationwide comeback, and never an additional sinking into the mire of the dramas of the previous decade.” • Hey, how about not whacking a couple of hundred thousand individuals after declaring the Covid pandemic is over?
Trump (R): “Trump Is Not the Explanation for the Chaos” [RealClearPolitics]. “Trump’s chief major opponent, Nikki Haley, says that “chaos” accompanies him. Wall Avenue Journal columnist Peggy Noonan argues that ‘impeachments, embarrassments, scandal, [and] 1/6’ observe in his wake. Democrats and their stenographers at once-great information organizations say Trump’s description of his enemies as ‘vermin’ upon whom he’ll search “retribution” is proof that he plans to rule as a murderous dictator. Of their telling, all of this has come out of skinny air – the uncaused trigger and inevitable results of Trump’s motion throughout the panorama. Just like the winds and thunderclaps of yore, he unleashes himself upon an harmless individuals. The tumult is solely a mirrored image of his evil nature. That is superficial to the purpose of being laughable, but it surely’s the story they’re telling. Trump shouldn’t be the reason for this uproar. The conduct they deem past the pale and disqualifying is essentially the impact of the vicious and dishonest assaults they’ve leveled in opposition to him since he introduced his candidacy in 2015. Donald Trump is the best sufferer not felled by an murderer within the historical past of the presidency. Nobody has extra of a proper to specific grievance than this man whose enemies have sought retribution in opposition to him for the sin of successful an election. He isn’t a cosmic drive decided to impose his will, however a person below siege who largely lashes out in self-defense.”
Trump (R): “To beat Trump, we have to know why People hold voting for him. Psychologists could have the reply: [George Monbiot]. “Trump is king of the extrinsics. Some psychologists consider our values are likely to cluster round sure poles, described as “intrinsic” and “extrinsic”. Folks with a robust set of intrinsic values are inclined in direction of empathy, intimacy and self-acceptance. They are usually open to problem and alter, taken with common rights and equality, and protecting of different individuals and the residing world. Folks on the extrinsic finish of the spectrum are extra interested in status, standing, picture, fame, energy and wealth. They’re strongly motivated by the prospect of particular person reward and reward. They’re extra prone to objectify and exploit different individuals, to behave rudely and aggressively and to dismiss social and environmental impacts. They’ve little curiosity in cooperation or group. Folks with a robust set of extrinsic values usually tend to undergo from frustration, dissatisfaction, stress, nervousness, anger and compulsive behaviour. Trump exemplifies extrinsic values.” • Wowsers. DId I grumble lately about binary considering? Or projection? Or cope?
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Trump (R): “The Beltway Decide Listening to Trump Instances and Her Anti-Trump, Anti-Kavanaugh Husband” [Julie Kelly, RealClearInvestigations]. “For months progressives have been insisting that Supreme Court docket Justice Clarence Thomas ought to recuse himself from any case that entails Trump due to his spouse Ginni Thomas’ political involvement and participation within the occasions of Jan. 6. Those self same pursuits have but to specific related worries about [Judge Florence Y. Pan’s] objectivity, regardless of her husband’s longtime political activism and present opposition to a different Trump presidency… Energy {couples} are the lifeblood of Washington so it’s commonplace for political activists, judges, and White Home bigwigs to rub elbows at fancy soirees just like the October gala on the Kennedy Middle. However Max Stier’s longtime ties to the Democratic Celebration, his entry to key Biden administration officers, and his suggestion that Trump represents a risk to democracy on the identical time his spouse is dealing with delicate issues associated to the Division of Justice’s prosecution of the previous president ought to elevate questions on her impartiality.”
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Biden (D): “Why Is Biden Operating?” [Holman W. Jenkins, Jr., Wall Street Journal]. Jenkins is a member of the Journal’s editorial board. “If Mr. Biden heeded the needs of apparently 70% of voters, not solely would he be freer now to take some steps vis-à-vis Iran and others that is likely to be good for the nation. Dominating the political information wouldn’t be Mr. Trump’s rout of a weakly contested GOP major. It might be the thrilling battle of a fresh-faced era of Democrats for the privilege of taking over the scandalized Mr. Trump and, in all chance, turning into the subsequent president.” And: “If Mr. Trump is such a hazard to America, democracy and apple pie, shouldn’t Mr. Biden be heeding voters, stepping apart and opening the door to a brand new era of Democrats—albeit not represented by Adam Schiff, after all—with some class and decency, who can put up a greater present in opposition to Mr. Trump?” • Appropriate. Everyone is aware of what a robust bench the Democrats have!
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D: “Black Pastors Strain Biden to Name for a Stop-Fireplace in Gaza” [New York Times]. “Because the Israel-Hamas warfare enters its fourth month, a coalition of Black religion leaders is pressuring the Biden administration to push for a cease-fire — a marketing campaign spurred partially by their parishioners, who’re more and more distressed by the struggling of Palestinians and demanding of the president’s response to it. Greater than 1,000 Black pastors representing lots of of hundreds of congregants nationwide have issued the demand. In sit-down conferences with White Home officers, and thru open letters and commercials, ministers have made an ethical case for President Biden and his administration to press Israel to cease its offensive operations in Gaza, which have killed hundreds of civilians. They’re additionally calling for the discharge of hostages held by Hamas and an finish to Israel’s occupation of the West Financial institution. The hassle at persuasion additionally carries a political warning, detailed in interviews with a dozen Black religion leaders and their allies. Lots of their parishioners, these pastors stated, are so dismayed by the president’s posture towards the warfare that their help for his re-election bid might be imperiled.” • Fascinating, however I search in useless for a point out of South Carolina.
D: Some state Democrats breaking with the nationwide celebration on Gaza:
Washington State Democrats at the moment are the third state celebration to publicly break with the nationwide celebration and name for a ceasefire in Gaza, after Texas and Arizona. The state celebration additionally demanded the restoration for funding for UNRWA, which the Biden administration minimize off on Friday. https://t.co/2EIWOa2X07
— Man Oron (@GuyOron) January 28, 2024
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“Pandemic classes for the 2024 US presidential election” [BMJ]. “Throughout the devastating world covid-19 pandemic, one nation stood out: the US noticed “eye wateringly excessive” demise charges in contrast with its peer nations. The 1.16 million People killed by covid-19 signify 16% of worldwide deaths in a nation with 4% of the world’s inhabitants. One in three People is aware of somebody who died from covid-19, about 300 000 youngsters are estimated to have misplaced one or each dad and mom, and there’s a substantial burden of lengthy covid.” On the brilliant facet, we will eat once more at Appleby’s with no masks! A brand new collection at BMJ. See below Class Warfare.
Republican Funhouse
“Proper-wing media figures goal Taylor Swift with absurd conspiracy idea forward of the Tremendous Bowl” [CNN]. Not a fan of Swift’s, given her tour of superspreading occasions. “Proper-wing media is burning crimson at Taylor Swift. With the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs headed to Tremendous Bowl LVIII, influential MAGA Media personalities have began circulating conspiracy theories in regards to the pop famous person, selling the deranged notion that she is a part of a sprawling psychological operations plot staged by the NFL and Democratic Celebration to ship the 2024 presidential election to President Joe Biden. The assaults on Swift have been steadily constructing for weeks (see Fox Information host Jesse Watters asking on his prime time program earlier this month if Swift is a ‘Pentagon asset,’ for instance), but it surely reached a fever pitch on Monday. The dangerous blood is expounded to Swift’s 2020 endorsement of President Joe Biden and the truth that Travis Kelce, the Chiefs tight finish whom she is courting, participated in an promoting marketing campaign for the pharmaceutical large Pfizer. A Monday story revealed by The New York Occasions, which famous Biden would really like Swift’s endorsement once more this 12 months, added gas to the fireplace.” • “I must be on the precise facet of historical past”:
Taylor Swift’s dad: What in the event that they write “Taylor Swift comes out in opposition to Trump”?
Swift: “I don’t care in the event that they write that. I’m unhappy that I didn’t two years in the past. That is one thing that I do know is correct.”
She then goes on to slam Marsha Blackburn.pic.twitter.com/20I937WJR5
— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) January 29, 2024
Democrats en Déshabillé
“Democrats rashly ignore political issues amongst their very own normal voters” [Washington Examiner]. Properly-meant recommendation from Republicans to Democrats, a style unto itself. However: “Biden’s issues embrace inflation, the border disaster, the Center East, and his superior age. The one most unconsidered, although, is the sin Clinton dedicated and Biden is constant: the utter dismissal of the lives, their pursuits, and the contributions to this nation of the individuals who reside in locations like right here in Boone County or in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, or Mahoning County, Ohio, or Kenosha County, Wisconsin or Macomb County, Michigan.” • Or East Palestine, OH.
Realignment and Legitimacy
“People Shedding Belief in Practically All Professions” [America’s New Majority Project]. “An initiative led by Gingrich 360,” so cum grano salis. However:
Gallup’s 2023 Honesty and Ethics ballot requested 800 respondents from Dec. 1 to Dec. 20 to price the honesty and moral requirements of 23 listed professions. Practically all answered negatively in comparison with earlier years, following a downward pattern in rankings since 2019:
56% price docs extremely, down from 65% in 2019.
45% price law enforcement officials extremely, down from 54% in 2019.
42% price faculty academics extremely, down from 49% in 2019.
32% price clergy extremely, down from 40% in 2019.
19% price journalists extremely, down from 28% in 2019.
12% price enterprise leaders extremely, down from 20% in 2019.“Mapping the Lobbying Footprint of Dangerous Industries: 23 Years of Knowledge From OpenSecrets” [The Milbank Quarterly]. “We discovered that the ultraprocessed meals business spent probably the most on lobbying ($1.15 billion), adopted by playing ($817 million), tobacco ($755 million), and alcohol ($541 million). General, firms had been extra energetic than commerce associations, with associations being least energetic within the tobacco business. Spending was usually extremely concentrated, with two organizations accounting for nearly 60% of tobacco spending and 4 organizations accounting for greater than half of alcohol spending. Lobbyists that had previously labored in authorities had been primarily employed by third-party foyer companies.” And the lead: “The definition of economic determinants of well being (CDoHs) set out in The Lancet 2023 collection acknowledges that business actors are numerous and have totally different impacts on well being. But too usually, public well being advocates fail to make these distinctions, referring to ‘the business’ or ‘firms’ as a proxy for dangerous business actors. This lack of nuance stymies efforts to develop a science of economic determinants.”
#COVID19
“I’m in earnest — I cannot equivocate — I cannot excuse — I cannot 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 knowledge). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Basic 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 deal with given with the crops. 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 studies); 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 (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).
Hat tricks to useful readers: Alexis, 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, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).
Keep protected on the market!
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Testing and Monitoring
“Continued choice on cryptic SARS-CoV-2 noticed in Missouri wastewater” [PLOS Pathogens]. From the Summary: “Deep sequencing of wastewater to detect SARS-CoV-2 has been used in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic to watch viral variants as they seem and flow into in communities. SARS-CoV-2 lineages of an unknown supply that haven’t been detected in medical samples, known as cryptic lineages, are typically repeatedly detected from particular places. We’ve got continued to detect one such lineage beforehand seen in a Missouri web site. This cryptic lineage has continued to evolve, indicating continued selective stress much like that noticed in Omicron lineages.” And: “The convergence of the cryptic lineage and Omicron variants counsel related choice pressures. The origin of Omicron and the origin of the MO45 cryptic lineage are unknown. Not less than in some instances, cryptic lineages seem like derived from people with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infections. Nonetheless, because the MO45 cryptic lineage hasn’t been traced, a non-human supply can’t be dominated out. Because the cryptic lineage in some instances acquired adjustments previous to Omicron, continued monitoring of waste water for such cryptic lineages could present foreknowledge of adjustments, or at the least the place of adjustments, prone to be chosen for within the circulating Omicron variants.”
Media
“Can the federal government ask social media websites to take down Covid misinformation? SCOTUS will weigh in” [STAT]. ” The Supreme Court docket will this March hear arguments centered on the federal government’s position in speaking — and typically censoring — pertinent public well being info within the midst of a pandemic. On the core of the lawsuit is whether or not the federal authorities’s requests for social media and search giants like Google, Fb, Twitter, and YouTube to reasonable Covid-19 misinformation violated customers’ First Modification rights. Whereas the go well with was initially filed by then-Missouri Lawyer Basic Eric Schmitt — and referred to as Missouri v. Biden — a variety of plaintiffs arguing that the Biden administration suppressed their Covid-19 content material later joined. These embrace Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorff, who co-authored a paper, the Nice Barrington Declaration, advancing the idea that folks may obtain herd immunity with out vaccines.” Jay, Martin, good job. Extra: “The case is now known as Murthy v. Missouri. The fifth Circuit Court docket of Appeals — the identical courtroom that heard the mifepristone case that may head to the Supreme Court docket later in March — dominated {that a} vary of presidency businesses, together with the Well being and Human Companies Division, the State Division, and cybersecurity officers, had been prohibited from influencing social media firms’ content-moderation insurance policies.” • On the Nice Barrington Declaration:
An open letter that made headlines calling for a herd immunity strategy to Covid-19 lists various apparently pretend names amongst its knowledgeable signatories, together with “Dr Johnny Bananas” and “Professor Cominic Dummings”.
The Nice Barrington declaration, which was stated to have been signed by greater than 15,000 scientists and medical practitioners all over the world, was discovered by Sky Information to include quite a few false names, in addition to these of a number of homeopaths.
Others listed embrace a resident on the “college of your mum” and one other supposed specialist whose identify was the primary verse of the Macarena.
Sky Information found 18 self-declared homeopaths within the listing of knowledgeable names and greater than 100 therapists whose experience included therapeutic massage, hypnotherapy and Mongolian khoomii singing.
Sky Information but! One can solely marvel why GBD bought the traction that it did.
An infection
“Omicron Spike confers enhanced infectivity and interferon resistance to SARS-CoV-2 in human nasal tissue” [Nature]. From the Abtract: “Omicron emerged following COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, displaced earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern worldwide, and gave rise to lineages that proceed to unfold. Right here, we present that Omicron reveals elevated infectivity in major grownup higher airway tissue relative to Delta. Utilizing recombinant types of SARS-CoV-2 and nasal epithelial cells cultured on the liquid-air interface, we present that mutations distinctive to Omicron Spike allow enhanced entry into nasal tissue. In contrast to earlier variants of SARS-CoV-2, our findings counsel that Omicron enters nasal cells independently of serine transmembrane proteases and as a substitute depends upon metalloproteinases to catalyze membrane fusion. Moreover, we show that this entry pathway unlocked by Omicron Spike permits evasion from constitutive and interferon-induced antiviral elements that prohibit SARS-CoV-2 entry following attachment. Subsequently, the elevated transmissibility exhibited by Omicron in people could also be attributed not solely to its evasion of vaccine-elicited adaptive immunity, but additionally to its superior invasion of nasal epithelia and resistance to the cell-intrinsic obstacles current therein.” • Good factor these nasal vaccines are continuing at an Operation Warp Pace tempo! Oh, wait…
Sequelae
“Lung perform trajectories in gentle COVID-19 with two-year follow-up” (accepted manuscript) [Journal of Infectious Diseases]. N = 52. From the Summary: “Goal To characterize lung perform dynamics in people with gentle COVID-19 from pre-infection to 2 years post-infection…. Conclusion Our outcomes point out that gentle COVID-19 an infection impacts lung perform at time of an infection with restricted restoration two years after an infection.”
Elite Maleficence
The sheer historic ignorance of “vax and loosen up”:
We appear to instinctively — or not, maybe, instinctively — reject multilayered options. This goes for “The Swiss Cheese Mannequin” as nicely.
NOTE That is an try to enhance the legibility of Twitter display screen dumps. Is it working?
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TABLE 1: Day by day Covid Charts
LEGEND
1) for charts new right now; all others will not be up to date.
2) For a full-size/full-resolution picture, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Home windows) on the chart thumbnail and “open picture in new tab.”
NOTES
[1] Even after a decline, we’re nonetheless larger than any of the surges below Trump.
[2] Slight improve in MWRA wastewater knowledge, as of January 25, i.e. the incubation interval from the coed’s return:
[3] “As of Could 11, genomic surveillance knowledge will probably be reported biweekly, based mostly on the provision of constructive check specimens.” “Biweeekly: 1. occurring each two weeks. 2. occurring twice per week; semiweekly.” Seems like CDC has chosen sense #1. In essence, they’re telling us variants are nothing to fret about. Time will inform.
[4] “Charts and knowledge supplied by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous 12 months, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.” So not your entire pandemic, FFS (the implicit message right here being that Covid is “similar 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 reveals, at the least for its time interval, that Covid shouldn’t be seasonal, regardless that 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 stepping into the standard of the wastewater websites that we’ve got as a proxy for Covid an infection total.
[5] Lower for town aligns with wastewater knowledge.
[6] “Maps, charts, and knowledge supplied 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†”.
[7] -0.7%. (It might be fascinating to survey this inhabitants typically; these are individuals who, regardless of a tsunami of official propaganda and large peer stress, went and bought examined anyhow.)
[8] Lambert right here: Proportion and absolute numbers down.
[9] Up, albeit within the rear view mirror.
Stats Watch
Employment Scenario: “United States ADP Employment Change” [Trading Economics]. “Non-public companies within the US employed 107K employees in January 2024, under a downwardly revised 158K in December and forecasts of 145K. Companies-providing firms had been liable for 77K jobs, whereas items producers added 30K.”
Manufacturing: “United States Chicago PMI” [Trading Economics]. “Chicago PMI in the US decreased to 46 factors in January from 47.20 factors in December of 2023.”
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Manufacturing: “Intel’s Humbling” [Stratechery]. “At Intel, manufacturing has all the time known as the pictures. The design facet of the corporate needed to accommodate the fabs, whether or not that be utilizing their archaic design software program, working round manufacturing challenges, or determining the way to make a sooner chip on recycled tools. This made sense for a very long time, however there was a value: Intel designs stopped being progressive and have become depending on Intel’s manufacturing for efficiency; when Intel’s manufacturing prowess hit a wall Intel’s designs had been uncovered…. Intel did none of this stuff, and had a mentality and tradition that ran within the precise other way: in a foundry, manufacturing shouldn’t be king however a servant; buyer gross sales shouldn’t be about “take-it-or-leave-it” however “allow us to assist you to remedy your drawback.” I used to be — and albeit, stay — doubtful about Intel’s capability to create that form of tradition internally….” • Exhausting to excerpt for me, since I’m neither a chip nor a Silicon Valley maven. It does appear, nevertheless, that Intel is doing higher than Boeing. That’s a mercy!
The Economic system: “U.S. successful world financial warfare” [Axios]. “Robust development within the U.S. labor drive was one issue — each as a result of extra People selecting to enter the workforce and a surge in immigration. • Hmm. Immigration?
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As we speak’s Concern & Greed Index: 69 Greed (earlier shut: 74 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 72 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Jan 31 at 1:47:04 PM ET.
Zeitgeist Watch
“Elmo’s wellness examine uncovers existential dread and despair on social media” [NBC]. Right here’s the Tweet:
Elmo is simply checking in! How is everyone doing?
— Elmo (@elmo) January 29, 2024
Extra: “All Elmo did was ask a easy query, however the responses had been so overwhelming that ‘Sesame Avenue’s’ official X account shared a hyperlink to psychological well being sources.”
Class Warfare
“American Oligarchy” [Mother Jones]. Right here’s the lead: “The Russian invasion of Ukraine triggered an unprecedented crackdown by the US and different Western nations on the mansions, megayachts, and financial institution accounts of Russia’s ultrawealthy tycoons. But concentrating on Russia’s oligarchs surfaced some uncomfortable questions on our personal political and monetary techniques and the individuals who form them. So we thought it was time for , lengthy look within the mirror. For our January + February 2024 problem, Mom Jones explores the rise and energy of the rising class of billionaires—fueled by the monopolistic development of Large Tech—who’re remaking America in their very own decadent and extractive picture. Their bored whims and futuristic fantasies form how and the place you reside and work, whilst their very own worlds are more and more siloed off from the remainder of us. Welcome to the American Oligarchy.” • I don’t know what’s gotten into Mom Jones. Anyhow, right here’s the TOC. David Corn makes an look, and there’s nothing from Stoller, so I dunno….
“US employees in the course of the covid-19 pandemic: uneven dangers, insufficient protections, and predictable penalties” [BMJ]. Key Messages:
Covid-19 disproportionately affected employees who needed to depart dwelling and go to work to maintain society functioning
Low wage Black and Hispanic employees had been disproportionately represented amongst employees who couldn’t make money working from home, and disproportionately affected
Actions by US occupational and public well being businesses fell far in need of what was wanted to make workplaces protected in the course of the pandemic
Defending employee well being within the subsequent pandemic requires motion now for paid household and medical depart, higher social helps, and higher office safety insurance policies
Musical interlude.
“Extra Folks Are Being Categorised as Gig Employees. That’s Dangerous for Everybody” [New York Times]. “What involves thoughts while you consider a mom-and-pop small enterprise: A ironmongery store? A diner? A family-run clothes retailer or small-scale grocery store? Right here’s one which’s most likely by no means crossed your thoughts: a dishwashing enterprise. By that, I imply a enterprise of a single individual — unincorporated, no enterprise deal with or capital behind him, only one man — working as a dishwasher for a restaurant, utilizing the restaurant’s equipment to scrub the restaurant’s dishes on the restaurant’s premises. Two explosive enforcement actions disclosed by the Metropolis and County of Denver this month expose the lengths to which some firms will go in making an attempt to use the ‘gig’ enterprise mannequin. At problem is whether or not dishwashers and others like them, positioned of their jobs by on-line non permanent staffing businesses, are staff of the businesses or impartial contractors working their very own companies.”
The peasants did moderately nicely after the Black Loss of life. For awhile, anyhow:
Property developer and CEO Tim Gurner: “We have to see unemployment rise. Unemployment has to leap 40, 50 p.c in my opinion. We have to see ache within the financial system. We have to remind people who they work for the employer, not the opposite method round.” pic.twitter.com/la3ibCDCsp
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) September 12, 2023
Information of the Wired
“I Spent My Childhood as a Guinea Pig for Science. It Was … Nice?” [Slate]. “In my earliest recollection from the story of my life as a human lab rat, I’m 7 or 8 years outdated. I’m sitting in an experiment room in Tolman Corridor, a Brutalist constructing on the north facet of the College of California, Berkeley, campus. Within the room, there are two individuals: a person and me. For the previous hour or so, he has been asking me questions on myself, my relationships with my relations, and who I think about I’d develop as much as be…. Right here, I’m seen. On this sparsely adorned small room, I really feel particular. In Tolman Corridor, to which I’m periodically introduced for causes that haven’t been revealed to me but, I’m the focus. Once I communicate, these adults hear attentively, nod encouragingly, and take notes. It looks like love.”
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Contact info for crops: Readers, be at liberty to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn how to ship me a examine if you’re allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn how to ship me pictures of crops. Greens are wonderful! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary crops! If you would like your deal with to look as a credit score, please place it in the beginning of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize through the use of your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From TH:
TH writes: “This agave in our entrance yard grew this stalk upon which appeared many flowers, now it has many infants. We’re undecided the way to gather and plant them efficiently, or whether or not we even have area for all of them.”
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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not lined by the annual NC fundraiser. So when you see a hyperlink you particularly like, or an merchandise you wouldn’t see anyplace else, please don’t hesitate to specific your appreciation in tangible type. Bear in mind, a tip jar is for tipping! Common constructive suggestions each makes me really feel good and lets me know I’m heading in the right direction with protection. Once I get no donations for 5 or ten days I get anxious. Extra tangibly, a relentless trickle of donations helps me with bills, and I consider that trickle when setting fundraising targets:
Right here is the display screen that may seem, which I’ve helpfully annotated:
When you hate PayPal, you possibly can e-mail me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I offers you instructions on the way to ship a examine. Thanks!
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