2:00PM Water Cooler 11/17/2023 | bare capitalism

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Chicken Music of the Day

Scaly Thrush, Taichung Metropolis, Taiwan. “玉山圓柏灌叢中鳴叫”.

Politics

“So most of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are actually a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles

The Constitutional Order

“Raskin: To Name It Undemocratic To Take Trump Off The Poll Is Like Permitting Voters To Resolve Desegregation, Equal Safety” [RealClearPolitics]. From Raskin’s dialog with CNN host Laura Coates:

The authors of the 14th Modification themselves handled that query. They felt that if somebody units themselves at battle towards the Structure and engages in essentially the most profound anti-democratic act of attempting to overthrow an election by putting in themselves in workplace with an riot, then at that time, they’re constitutionally- barred.

I want Democrats would cease mendacity about what the Fourteenth Modification really says. It’s unbecoming.

Biden Administration

“5 issues we realized from the Biden-Xi assembly [BBC]. • Local weather, fentanyl, navy communication, continued talks, pandas. After which there’s this:

Watching Blinken cringe at Biden is like watching the American empire crash and burn in actual time.pic.twitter.com/aLxaJ9QV6D

— Danny Haiphong (@SpiritofHo) November 17, 2023

Properly price watching. A number of occasions!

* * *

“Mayorkas unaware that Clapper, Brennan signed Hunter Biden laptop computer disinformation letter” [Washington Times]. Additionally Paul Kolbe. “Mr. Mayorkas went on to defend his determination to nominate the three, calling them ‘distinguished former members of the intelligence neighborhood.’” • From the Division of How Silly Do They Suppose We Are?

Our Famously Free Press

“NewsGuard: Surrogate the Feds Pay to Preserve Watch on the Web and Be a Decide of the Fact” [Lee Fang, RealClearInvestigations]. “As a substitute of merely suggesting rebuttals to untrustworthy data, as many different present anti-misinformation teams present, NewsGuard has constructed a enterprise mannequin out of broad labels that classify total information websites as secure or untrustworthy, utilizing a person grading system producing what it calls “vitamin labels.” The scores – which seem subsequent to an internet site’s title on the Microsoft Edge browser and different programs that deploy the plug-in – use a scale of zero to 100 primarily based on what NewsGuard calls ‘9 apolitical standards,’ together with ‘gathers and presents data responsibly’ (price 18 factors), ‘avoids misleading headlines’ (10 factors), and ‘doesn’t repeatedly publish false or egregiously deceptive content material’ (22 factors), and so on. … Critics observe that such scores are totally subjective – the New York Instances, for instance, which repeatedly carried false and partisan data from nameless sources through the Russiagate hoax, will get a 100% ranking…. NewsGuard is pushing to use its browser screening course of into libraries, educational facilities, information aggregation portals, and web service suppliers. Its attain, nonetheless, is much higher due to different merchandise it goals to promote to social media and different content material moderation corporations and advertisers. ‘An advertiser’s worst nightmare is having an advert placement injury even one buyer’s belief in a model,’ stated Crovitz in a press launch touting NewsGuard’s “BrandGuard” service for advertisers. ‘We’re asking them to pay a fraction of what they pay their P.R. individuals and their lobbyists to speak about the issue,’ Crovitz advised reporters…. NewsGuard’s BrandGuard device offers an ‘exclusion checklist’ that deters advertisers from shopping for house on websites NewsGuard deems problematic.” • Eesh, libraries? Isn’t this what now we have librarians for?

2024

Lower than a yr to go!

* * *

“New York choose lifts the gag order that barred Trump from maligning courtroom employees in fraud trial” [Associated Press]. ” A gag order that barred Donald Trump from commenting about courtroom personnel after he disparaged a regulation clerk in his New York civil fraud trial was briefly lifted Thursday by an appellate choose who raised free speech considerations. Decide David Friedman of the state’s intermediate appeals courtroom issued what’s referred to as a keep — suspending the gag order and permitting the previous president to talk freely about courtroom employees whereas an extended appeals course of performs out…. At an emergency listening to Thursday, Friedman questioned Engoron’s authority to police what Trump says outdoors the courtroom. He additionally disputed the trial choose’s rivalry that limiting the 2024 Republican front-runner’s speech was needed or the proper treatment to guard his employees’s security.”

“Trump crew strikes for mistrial in NY case, AG asks choose for December deadline on determination” [FOX]. “Trump’s crew filed the movement for a mistrial Wednesday, citing Decide Arthur Engoron’s previous social posts on an alumni web page for Wheatley Faculty. Within the posts, the choose seems to reference the case, in addition to Trump and members of the previous president’s household… ‘On this case, the proof of obvious and precise bias is tangible and overwhelming,’ wrote Trump attorneys Clifford Robert and Alina Habba.” • Not one of the protection I can discover offers any precise quotes from Engoron (I hold desirous to kind Erdogan). The Wheatley Faculty Alumni Affiliation has a Substack. The one reference to Trump by Engoron that I can discover there’s from 2022, and complimentary (search the web page for “Trump”). There’s additionally www.wheatleyalumni.org, which the Substack appears to duplicate, partly. I can’t discover something adverse by Engoron there, both. From the precise movement:

Since when is “posting a hyperlink” a “public remark”? Erdogan, no less than at www.wheatleyalumni.org, is explicitly a blogger. See the URLs: “/-20221005-79.html.” Any blogger is aware of that posting a hyperlink isn’t the identical as commentary! Get Atrios to testify to that impact. Or Lambert!

“Trump rails towards reviews Biden gained’t be charged over categorized paperwork” [The Hill]. “Particular counsel Robert Hur is anticipated to place collectively a important report of Biden’s [handling of classified documents] however its not more likely to end in legal costs, the Wall Road Journal first reported Thursday. Trump, who faces legal costs in Florida in a categorized paperwork case, fumed on Fact Social towards what he referred to as ‘selective prosecution.’

“The election interference case towards Trump is taking form” [NPR]. “The federal election interference case towards former President Donald Trump is coming into sharper focus, as prosecutors assert he’s liable for the violence on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and supply new clues about how they intend to show it…. Prosecutors say Trump shouldn’t be in a position to distance himself from the mayhem. They are saying proof of the assault on the Capitol is ‘highly effective and probative’ about his motive and intent. ‘Certainly, that day was the end result of the defendant’s legal conspiracies to overturn the official outcomes of the presidential election, when the defendant directed a big and indignant crowd — one which he had summoned to Washington, D.C., and fueled with knowingly false claims of election fraud — to the Capitol,’ wrote senior assistant particular counsels Molly Gaston and Thomas Windom.” “Summoned”? Extra: “For the primary time, the Justice Division crew stated they’re going to use video proof to point out Trump inspired the group on the rally to go to the Capitol, beginning quarter-hour into his speech. They stated they may present testimony, images and geolocation proof — primarily, cellphone pings — to point out how particular Trump supporters listened to him, then went on to strong-arm police and breach the Capitol…. Trump’s attorneys stated the previous president referred to as for the rally crowd to be ‘peaceable and patriotic.’ They asserted that many of the crowd on the rally on Jan. 6 did behave peacefully.”

“Donald Trump’s 2024 Trial Schedule Drifts Into Chaos” [TheMessenger]. “In idea, Donald Trump is going through down the prospect of 4 legal trials in 4 totally different instances subsequent yr that conflict with the core interval of his marketing campaign to return to the White Home. In observe, as courtroom filings, judicial rulings, public statements and different current developments have illustrated, Trump may face only one trial on his street to Election Day 2024. By all accounts, together with her personal, U.S. District Decide Tanya Chutkan has no intention of budging on the March 4, 2024, begin date of Trump’s Washington D.C., trial on federal election-subversion costs…. Chutkan has ordered Trump’s attorneys and Smith’s prosecutors by Jan. 9 to give you an inventory of potential questions they wish to use to vet jurors. The potential jury pool can also be scheduled to seem on Feb. 9 on the federal courthouse within the shadow of the U.S. Capitol and web site of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot that’s central to the case.Throughout an October listening to over a gag order that was imposed on all events within the case, Chutkan stated she had no plans to maneuver dates round regardless of pleadings from the previous president to push every part again till after Election Day 2024…. But the trial date may finally fall outdoors of Chutkan’s management.” • A number of element on scheduling. It might be that the actual Democrat purpose isn’t conviction, however sucking cash away from the Trump marketing campaign into his lawyer’s coffers. Additional, a marketing campaign’s most vital useful resource is the candidate’s time; to the extent that Trump isn’t in a position to flip the trials into marketing campaign occasions, the Democrats are sucking that away, too.

* * *

“Speaker Johnson makes 2024 endorsement: ‘All in for President Trump’” [New York Post]. “‘I’ve endorsed him wholeheartedly. Look, I used to be one of many closest allies that President Trump had in Congress,’ Johnson (R-La.) advised CNBC’s ‘Squawk Field.’ ‘He had an outstanding first time period these first two years.’” Rigorously sidestepping Covid, particularly Operation Warp Velocity. Extra: “‘We introduced concerning the biggest financial numbers within the historical past of the world, not simply the nation, as a result of his insurance policies labored and I’m all in for President Trump,’ Johnson continued. ‘I count on he’ll be our nominee, yeah, and he’s gonna win it and now we have to make Biden a one-term president.’ Johnson’s predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), has maintained a pleasant rapport with Trump, however has to this point declined to endorse him within the midst of the first.”

* * *

“The Implosion of Nikki Haley’s Social Media Campaign” [Politico]. “‘Each individual on social media ought to be verified, by their title. That’s, to start with, it’s a nationwide safety risk,’ Haley stated Tuesday on Fox Information, as a result of it might unfold misinformation. Banning nameless accounts would get ‘rid of the Russian bots, the Iranian bots and the Chinese language bots,’ she continued. On the Ruthless podcast that day, Haley reiterated her pitch: ‘They should confirm each single individual on their outlet, and I would like it by title.’ Haley earned speedy broadsides from two of her Republican opponents. Vivek Ramaswamy waved the free speech flag as he denounced her proposal as censorship. Ron DeSantis reminded her that the Federalist Papers have been written anonymously. Journalists and activists unloaded with extra of the identical, together with Glenn Greenwald, Charlie Kirk and Dana Loesch. By Wednesday, Haley had softened her harsh proposal, saying, ‘I don’t thoughts nameless American individuals having free speech; what I don’t like is nameless Russians and Chinese language and Iranians having free speech.’ Haley’s proposal crumpled below essentially the most mild scrutiny. In an effort to show that you simply’re an American worthy of nameless speech below her regime, wouldn’t it’s a must to … establish your self, thereby dropping your anonymity? And that’s for starters. Would such a government-mandated scheme be authorized? Most likely not. Is the plague of nameless misinformation by some means distinctive to the web, requiring particular guidelines for it? No. How sensible would it not be to establish each social media account by title? Not very.” • Light-weight.

* * *

“Ballot: A majority of Democrats need new candidate to problem Biden in 2024 main” [Yahoo News]. “In an indication of rising concern about President Biden’s possibilities of successful reelection, a majority of potential Democratic main voters (54%) now say they want to see ‘one other Democrat’ enter the race to problem him for his or her social gathering’s 2024 nomination, in line with a brand new Yahoo Information/YouGov ballot. Solely 28% say they’d not like a brand new Democratic candidate to main the president…. At this level, the chances that Biden will draw a high-profile main opponent are vanishingly slim. Some submitting deadlines have already handed; others are quick approaching. Celebration leaders and sources virtually all the time fall in line behind an incumbent president, and Biden isn’t any exception. Any new challenger can be shunned, risking his or her future in Democratic politics.” • Sooner or later, no matter they’re juicing Biden up with will fail. It has occurred to me that the nearer this failure level is to the Democrat Nationwide Conference August 19 to 22, 2024, Chicago), the extra possible it’s that the Democrat candidate shall be chosen within the basic smoke-filled room. And actually, who doesn’t need that?

* * *

“Biden stokes Newsom presidential buzz at APEC occasion alongside California governor” [Washington Examiner]. Biden: “I wish to discuss Gov. Newsom,” Biden stated Wednesday throughout a reception for APEC leaders. “I wish to thank him. He’s been one hell of a governor, man. As a matter of truth, he will be something he desires. “… Newsom has performed a distinguished position at APEC, greeting Chinese language President Xi Jinping on the airport and internet hosting a high-dollar fundraiser for Biden on Tuesday.” • Photograph op:

by no means seen xi smile like that earlier than
good for gavin pic.twitter.com/OXWjytt3YA

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) November 16, 2023

I’m wondering what The Wizard of Kalorama™ thinks of Biden’s quip? It happens to me that of two potential oligarchical clans vying for hegemony within the Democrat Celebration, he may want one nearer to his previous stomping grounds in Chicago.

“CNN Unique: Particular counsel utilizing California grand jury in Hunter Biden probe, subpoenas his uncle James Biden” [CNN]. “James Biden, President Joe Biden’s brother and a one-time enterprise affiliate of Hunter, is among the many people who’ve obtained a subpoena in current weeks, in line with two sources near the investigation.” • Not simply Hunter — expensive Hunter! — then.

* * *

“Schwarzenegger on Trump, Biden: ‘They’re each flawed’” [Axios]. Schwarzenegger: “The underside line is, I believe we have to discover new leaders. To me they’re each flawed and I simply suppose we’re at a time now the place we’d like somebody robust, the place we’d like visionaries, and never folks that tinker round with little Mickey Mouse stuff. They’re [politicians in Washington] killing themselves to get only a easy funds going. I imply, the place are we now? You realize, it’s simply, it’s embarrassing to the remainder of the world the best way we type of, like, can’t get issues finished, we will’t remedy the immigration difficulty, we will’t remedy the well being care difficulty, we will’t remedy the debt that we’re accumulating and the deficit that we repeatedly have… all of the infrastructure issues…” The countless wars… Extra: “We don’t know the place is Trump going to be, legally. We don’t know what’s going to occur with Biden, if he actually goes to remain in. We don’t know if there’s not a 3rd candidate coming. So I believe all of that is untimely, to speak about ballot numbers, to speak about any of these items.” • So Schwarzenegger (like me) thinks the story is volatility, not stablity (the place “stability” means the Trump v. Biden rematch that so many pundits suppose is a foregone conclusion.

“Is There an Institution Plan to Repeal Antitrust Legal guidelines?” [Matt Stoller, BIG]. “Right here’s Montana Senator Jon Tester, operating for reelection in a really Trump-friendly state as a Democrat, attacking consolidation within the meat-packing and seed industries as some extent of distinction between the events… [T]he juxtaposition of very talked-about antitrust with ham-fisted efforts to weaken antitrust offers fertile terrain for performing some brute politics…. Given the place most Republican and Trump voters are on problems with company energy, the assault advertisements write themselves… That type of advert may very well be finished in a Republican main, or a common election. They may be utilized in Democratic primaries, or common elections. It actually doesn’t matter. The purpose is, proper now, decrease costs are the highest precedence for over two-thirds of voters. But, most voters haven’t heard about what antitrust enforcers are doing… Senator Jon Tester thinks it’s politically salient sufficient to convey up. It gained’t take rather more for large enterprise to be on the poll in 2024.” • Appointing Lina Kahn is likely one of the only a few unambiguously good issues Biden has finished, and he’s not operating on it. Curious.

* * *

NV: “A Snapshot of Biden’s Swing-State Troubles” [Jon Ralston, The Atlantic]. Not that I’m one to carry a grudge, however within the 2016 Nevada Democrat Conference, Ralston propagated a false story {that a} Sanders supporter threw a chair. So it’s shocking to see him rehabilitated, if that’s the phrase I would like, within the pages of The Atlantic. Anyhow: “Nevada is troublesome to ballot for quite a lot of causes. Right here as a lot as wherever else, pollsters are likely to underestimate the variety of individuals they should survey by cellphone to get a consultant pattern, they usually usually don’t do sufficient bilingual polling in Nevada, the place almost a 3rd of the inhabitants is Hispanic. Nevada additionally has a transient inhabitants, a number of residents working 24/7 shifts, and an voters that’s much less educated than most different states’. … Nevada issues in presidential elections, however we’re additionally, let’s face it, a tad bizarre… Nonetheless, Democrats have causes to fret. Nevada was clobbered by COVID disproportionately to the remainder of the nation, as a result of our financial system is so narrowly centered on the on line casino business…. the state has been slowly shifting to the proper—not simply in polling however in Election Day outcomes. In 2020, Nevada was the one battleground state that noticed worse Democratic efficiency in contrast with 2016, until you embody the extra solidly pink Florida. Nevada’s new Republican governor, Joe Lombardo, is constructing a formidable political machine. Republicans have made inroads with working-class white voters right here, leaving Democrats with an ever-diminishing margin of error.”

Republican Funhouse

“Constructing now for a conservative victory by means of coverage, personnel, and coaching” [Project 2025]. “It isn’t sufficient for conservatives to win elections. If we’re going to rescue the nation from the grip of the novel Left, we’d like each a governing agenda and the proper individuals in place, prepared to hold this agenda out on Day One of many subsequent conservative Administration…. The 2025 Presidential Transition Mission paves the best way for an efficient conservative Administration primarily based on 4 pillars: a coverage agenda, Presidential Personnel Database, Presidential Administration Academy, and playbook for the primary 180 days of the subsequent Administration.” There’s a Playbook (920 pages in PDF). Because the spooks are large gamers, I believed I’d see what the Playbook has to say about them:

It’s good to see that Republicans, too, appreciated the straightforward joys in life; on this case, defenestrating Clapper and Brennan. However I believed solely liberal Democrats believed within the Norms Fairy. Right here is one response from an account I like and belief:

Mission 2025. What’s your plan within the occasion this turns into actuality?

Are you making ready for it? Are you able to realistically flee the States? Not that bullshit we discuss on-line.

— Shay Stewart Bouley (@blackgirlinmain) November 17, 2023

Project2025 seems like a line-up of typical Republican reactionaries (see the About Web page). Horrid, little doubt, however not Mein Kampf. However why the heck can’t Democrats get it collectively to do one thing comparable? (The closest instance I can consider is Biden’s transition crew in 2020, (additionally) a bloated monstrosity, none of whose deliverables got here to something.) This additionally seems like a Heritage Basis manufacturing; they’re no less than recognized amount. Anyhow, there are already loads of causes to flee the States, beginning with the well being care system. Extra examine wanted!

“Trumpworld Is Already at Struggle Over Staffing a New Trump White Home” [Daily Beast]. “The America First Coverage Institute was supposed so as to add the ideological heft to Donald Trump’s advert hoc, seat-of-your-pants policymaking. However a yr out from Election Day, Trump’s allies are signaling that the group could also be doing extra hurt than good—and the marketing campaign is making it clear that Trump, not any outdoors group, shall be in control of staffing up one other White Home. The Each day Beast reviewed an inner AFPI e mail exhibiting employees contained in the group accumulating names and looking for suggestions for future Trump administration posts. When Trump marketing campaign operatives acquired phrase of that effort, they noticed it not solely as untimely, but additionally not AFPI’s place. However extra to the purpose, Trump’s associates are telling the suppose tank to again off from its donors, fearing that AFPI could also be cannibalizing marketing campaign contributors and complicated those that wish to straight assist Trump’s 2024 effort…. Two of Trump’s prime advisers—Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita—took the notable step of issuing a joint assertion earlier this week clarifying that outdoors teams don’t ‘communicate for President Trump or his marketing campaign.’ ‘Due to this fact, these reviews about personnel and insurance policies which might be particular to a second Trump Administration are purely speculative and theoretical,’ they stated. ‘Any personnel lists, coverage agendas, or authorities plans printed wherever are merely options.” Wiles and LaCivita have been apparently reacting to efforts by some individuals at AFPI and the Heritage Basis’s Mission 2025 to current themselves because the Trump White Home-in-waiting. A key pitch to donors of those teams has apparently turn into that these staffers could have super energy within the subsequent administration; giving now’s seen as one technique to curry favor later.” • Hilarity ensues!

“Trump is out for vengeance, not Republican political empowerment” [The Hill]. • Who says they’re mutually unique? I imply, can’t Repunblicans have enjoyable and work laborious too?

Democrats en Déshabillé

Affected person readers, evidently individuals are really studying the back-dated publish! However I’ve not up to date it, and there are numerous updates. So I should do this. –lambert

I’ve moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Celebration (“the Democrat Celebration is a rotting corpse that may’t bury itself”) to a separate, back-dated publish, to which I’ll periodically add materials, summarizing the addition right here in a “stay” Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It seems that defining the Democrat Celebration is, actually, a tough drawback. I do suppose the paragraph that follows is on level all the best way again to 2016, if not earlier than:

The Democrat Celebration is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Hear, Liberal!). ; if the Democrat Celebration didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. . (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” after all.) Second, all of the working components of the Celebration reinforce one another. Go away apart characterizing the relationships between parts of the Celebration (ka-ching, however not totally) these parts comprise a community — a Flex Internet? An iron octagon? — of funders, distributors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with belongings within the press and the intelligence neighborhood.

Observe, 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.

* * *

Trump Derangement Syndrome as a type of Obsessive-Compulsive Conduct:

Kevin Champeny, a mosaic artist, expresses what all of us really feel. pic.twitter.com/fpxnWhJZFV

— 𝙱𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢𝙳𝟹  (@billyd3_) November 16, 2023

“What all really feel.”

#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 information). “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 happy to contact me on the handle 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 reviews); 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!

Covid is Airborne

“Indoor Air and Coronavirus (COVID-19)” [United States Environmental Protection Agency]. “Unfold of COVID-19 happens through airborne particles and droplets. People who find themselves contaminated with COVID can launch particles and droplets of respiratory fluids that include the SARS CoV-2 virus into the air after they exhale (e.g., quiet respiration, talking, singing, train, coughing, sneezing). The droplets or aerosol particles differ throughout a variety of sizes – from seen to microscopic. As soon as infectious droplets and particles are exhaled, they transfer outward from the individual (the supply). These droplets carry the virus and transmit an infection. Indoors, the very tremendous droplets and particles will proceed to unfold by means of the air within the room or house and might accumulate. Since COVID-19 is transmitted by means of contact with respiratory fluids carrying the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus, an individual will be uncovered by an contaminated individual coughing or talking close to them. They may also be uncovered by inhaling aerosol particles which might be spreading away from the contaminated individual. Transmission of COVID-19 from inhalation of virus within the air can happen at distances higher than six ft. Particles from an contaminated individual can transfer all through a whole room or indoor house. The particles also can linger within the air after an individual has left the room – they’ll stay airborne for hours in some instances.” • Too unhealthy CDC and HICPAC can’t appear to get their heads around the idea. Or hospital an infection management, so-called.

Maskstravaganza

Simply make masking in medical services common and everlasting. Why putz round like this?

Doordash supply to a rehabilitation facility if I had recognized they’d a covid outbreak of fifty positives I’d of declined 😡 pic.twitter.com/PfDHCnN8zj

— Information Report (@CovidDataReport) November 16, 2023

And why this mealy-mouthed “put on a masks,” and “

Vaccines

I’ve by no means understood the argument that the vaccine triggered extra hurt than the virus itself:

It is the virus, not the vaccine pic.twitter.com/VlrSrpCDVa

— Gregory Travis. Make colleges #DavosSafe (@greg_travis) November 17, 2023

Transmission

However why?

The Inquiry has now rescheduled the third preliminary listening to for Module 2B, the investigation into political and administrative determination making in Wales.

It is going to happen on Tuesday 12 December.

Extra particulars observe quickly. https://t.co/TssSefqlI4

— UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) November 17, 2023

‘Tis a thriller!

INTERNATIONAL BREAKING NEWS:
The UK Inquiry Into That Factor We Don’t Speak About Has Been Disrupted By That Factor We Don’t Speak About. pic.twitter.com/dMIiGmdgVY

— The Vertlartnic (@TheVertlartnic) November 16, 2023

“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, most certainly deriving from immune dysregulation (says this layperson). To which we’d add mind injury, together with persona adjustments therefrom.

* * *

Elite Maleficence

To the tables down at Mory’s / Wherever which may be:

I like guerrilla public well being messaging. The @CDCgov ought to understand that when individuals have to do that—then they’re failing their job. @CDCDirector ought to be taught from this. #COVIDisAirborne #CovidIsNotOver

HT @rnussbaum11 pic.twitter.com/J804LLLWaX

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) November 16, 2023

The “punchline” is silent:

Watch for the punchline. 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/7DXwjhkUpL

— Lazarus Lengthy (@LazarusLong13) November 17, 2023

Simply take a look at these saggy blues!

Lambert right here: A number of indicators up, beginning with wastewater. (The one I fear about essentially the most is ER visits, since I believe that information is difficult to recreation, and who desires to go to the ER, anyhow?) I believe it’s time to ship the family these clippings you saved on mind injury (additionally, after all, the 2022 clippings: right here, right here. And the 2020 one).

Case Information

NOT UPDATED From BioBot wastewater information, November 13:

Lambert right here: Instances up, simply in time for Thanksgiving (and tinfoil hat time: That is the, er, inflection level CDC was attempting to hide after they gave the contract to Verily and didn’t guarantee a seamless transition).

Regional information:

In every single place!

Variants

NOT UPDATED From CDC, November 11:

Lambert right here: Prime of the leaderboard: HV.1, EG.5 a powerful second, with FL.1.15.1 and XBB.1.1.16.6 trailing. No BA.2.86 (though that has confirmed up in CDC’s airport testing). Nonetheless a Bouillabaisse…

From CDC, October 28:

Lambert right here: I positive 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 lower by directors of ailing intent).

CDC: “As of Might 11, genomic surveillance information shall be reported biweekly, primarily based on the provision of optimistic 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, November 11:

Lambert right here: Slight will increase in some age teams, conforming to wastewater information. Solely every week’s lag, so this can be our greatest present nationwide, present indicator till Verily will get its home so as (and dealing class-centric, since I’d doubt the higher crust goes to the ER).

NOTE “Charts and information supplied by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous yr, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.” So not your entire 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 each_{MR SUBLIMINAL I hate these individuals a lot}. Discover additionally that this chart exhibits, no less than for its time interval, that Covid is not seasonal, despite the fact that CDC is attempting to get us to imagine that it’s, presumably to allow them to piggyback on the prevailing institutional equipment for injections.

Hospitalization

Bellwether New York Metropolis, information as of November 17:

Decline flattens. (I hate this metric as a result of the lag makes it misleading, though the hospital-centric public well being institution loves it, hospitalization and deaths being the one metrics that matter [snort]).

NOT UPDATED Right here’s a unique CDC visualization on hospitalization, nationwide, not by state, however with a date, no less than. November 4:

Lambert right here: “Maps, charts, and information supplied by CDC, updates weekly for the earlier MMWR week (Sunday-Saturday) on Thursdays (Deaths, Emergency Division Visits, Take a look at Positivity) and weekly the next Mondays (Hospitalizations) by 8 pm ET†”. So the place the heck is the replace, CDC?

Positivity

NOT UPDATED From Walgreens, November 13:

-1.4%. However bouncing round. (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 acquired examined anyhow.)

NOT UPDATED From Cleveland Clinic, November 11:

Lambert right here: Enhance (with backward revision; guess they thought it was over). I do know that is simply Ohio, however the Cleveland Clinic is sweet*, and we’re starved for information, so…. NOTE * Even when hospital an infection management is attempting to kill sufferers by eliminating common masking with N95s.

NOT UPDATED From CDC, traveler’s information, October 23:

Down, albeit within the rear view mirror. And listed here are the variants for vacationers, nonetheless from October 23:

Sudden large BA.2.86 look. This variant chart has not been up to date, which makes me marvel if CDC is gaming the info, and BA.2.86 is worse than we expect.

Deaths

Whole: 1,182,259 – 1,182,163 = 96 (96 * 365 = 35,040 deaths per yr, in the present day’s YouGenicist™ quantity for “dwelling with” Covid (fairly a bit increased than the minimizers would really like, although they’ll discuss themselves into something. If the YouGenicist™ metric retains chugging alongside like this, I could should determine that is what the powers-that-be take into account “mission completed” for this explicit tranche of demise and illness). 

Extra Deaths

The Economist, November 17:

Lambert right here: Based mostly on a machine-learning mannequin.

Stats Watch

Housing Begins: “United States Housing Begins” [Trading Economics]. “Housing begins within the US rose by 1.9% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annualized price of 1.372 million in October 2023, above market expectations of 1.35 million as restricted provide within the resale market has boosted new development.”

Right now’s Concern & Greed Index: 58 Impartial (earlier shut: 54 Impartial) [CNN]. One week in the past: 40 (Concern). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Nov 17 at 11:38:50 AM ET. Based mostly on what? Arms dealing?

The Gallery

Flyover nation is filled with nice structure:

Class Warfare

“Starbucks employees in Better Cleveland be a part of nationwide strike in the present day” [Signal Cleveland]. “Starbucks employees at three Better Cleveland shops are scheduled to affix a one-day nationwide strike Thursday morning, protesting that unionized employees haven’t obtained a contract, the union stated…. ‘I made a decision to take part on Thursday, and helped set up my retailer to take action, primarily based on the truth that Starbucks hasn’t come to the desk to cut price with us,’ [Cameron Stefan] stated. ‘Pink Cup Day is likely one of the busiest days of the yr and often one of many highest gross sales days for Starbucks. That is to point out them that we wish to cut price. This can be a day that may make our level by serving to their pockets to harm.’ … Starbucks spokesman Andrew Trull stated the corporate hasn’t refused to cut price. ‘Starbucks stays dedicated to enhancing the accomplice expertise and providing everybody who wears the inexperienced apron a bridge to a greater future,’ he wrote in an e mail to Sign Cleveland. ‘We’re inspired by the progress we’ve seen in the direction of first contracts at shops the place union representatives have approached bargaining with professionalism and an precise curiosity in discussing accomplice priorities with our bargaining committees.’” • What a load of codswallop from Company. Eesh.

Information of the Wired

“Our Mission” [Apostrophe Protection Society]. “Should you’re on the lookout for steering on the proper use of apostrophes, yow will discover this on our Apostrophe Use web page. If in case you have your personal photographic examples of misplaced, omitted or extreme apostrophe utilization, take a look on the Examples web page to see how one can submit your examples for inclusion on the location. You may be a part of the Apostrophe Safety Society to point out your assist and hold updated on the Be part of APS web page. It’s free, so why not be a part of in the present day!” • I ought to create some instance’s right here….

Contact data for crops: Readers, be happy to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn how to ship me a test in case you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn how to ship me photographs of crops. Greens are tremendous! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary crops! If you’d like your deal with to seem 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 Canine:

Desert Canine writes: “It’s totally different right here in jap Montana than within the forest. The excessive hill on the left is named Sign Butte and the Calvary guys would go up on prime they usually may sign with mirrors to the Fort in South Dakota, kind of web within the previous days.”

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