By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Fowl Tune of the Day
American Robin (migratorius Group), Miguel Hidalgo, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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In Case You Would possibly Miss…
(1) Extra Boeing shenanigans, as Barnett’s assassination is steadily memory-holed.
(2) Intermittent fasting decried.
(3) “We’ve the instruments.
Politics
“So lots of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in reality a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles
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2024
Lower than a 12 months to go!
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Trump (R): “Why nobody will lend to Trump” [Edward Luce, Financial Times]. Sorry for the prolonged quote, however there’s so much right here. “For Donald Trump, it could not be seven occasions a appeal. His first six bankruptcies all came about earlier than he went into politics. Most of those occurred in two phases: within the early Nineteen Nineties after he had over-extended on a clutch of Atlantic Metropolis casinos, then on varied properties earlier than and after the 2008 crash. America’s Chapter 11 chapter safety bought him out of bother. Since then, Trump has largely made cash by licensing his model title. However there isn’t a simple means out from the $454mn that he owes in damages to the New York authorized system. Not like banks, the legislation doesn’t take haircuts. There may be nothing to cease Trump from being broke and successful the White Home. He already had that historical past of chapter when he received in 2016. However his monetary woes create two novel complications — one for him, and one for America. For Trump, it undermines his popularity for being wealthy, which he and his base worth extremely. Revisions to his internet value lower it from the $10bn he claimed in 2016 to $2.6bn on Forbes’ newest estimate. However these are educated guesses. As a non-public firm, the Trump Group doesn’t disclose its liabilities. Even when that quantity proves appropriate, most of his wealth is locked up in illiquid property, mainly actual property reminiscent of his landmark towers in New York and the golf golf equipment. The prospect of bailiffs seizing all of the bling they might discover from Mar-a-Lago would give schadenfreude to tens of millions. It will additionally deal a blow to Trump’s thought of himself. He was raised on the prosperity gospel that claims your wealth is a measure of your ethical value. To the Maga base, Trump’s wealth can be a yardstick of his crafty. Trump is estimated to have inherited the equal at the moment of $413mn from his father, Fred Trump. 1 / 4 of a century after Trump Sr’s demise, his son appears unable to cowl roughly that quantity. A few of Trump’s supporters are puzzled that he has not but been bailed out by one in all his rich donors. The reply is that he has a historical past of not paying what he owes. From the world’s largest banks to America’s smallest contractors, Trump is professional at stiffing collectors. That’s not to say the class-action winners of those that paid exorbitant charges to check at Trump College, the dissolution of the Trump household’s charitable basis for a ‘surprising sample of illegality’, and the truth that roughly $50mn in Trump 2024 marketing campaign funds has gone to pay his authorized payments. Trump’s donors desire his insurance policies to these of Joe Biden, who has vowed a billionaire tax in his second time period. Of their private dealings, nonetheless, they appear to validate the previous New York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s view that with Trump he is aware of ‘a con after I see one.’ All of which makes Trump extra of a legal responsibility to America. As each spy company is aware of, essentially the most at-risk staff are those that are closely in debt. Presidential candidates are supplied intelligence briefings throughout the election. Trump is going through a much-postponed trial for allegedly secreting troves of extremely categorized materials at Mar-a-Lago. It doesn’t take nice deductive ability to see that Trump’s monetary quandary poses a nationwide safety threat. If insurance coverage corporations and pleasant billionaires assume he’s too large a credit score threat, who may assist him out as a substitute? What kind of collateral might Trump provide in return? Even by America’s latest requirements, this creates a brand new type of headache.” • NC commenter DCBlogger instructed me, way back, pre-2016, that the one factor that might take Trump down could be proof that he was not wealthy. And now it appears that evidently Trump faces one thing akin to a capital strike, along with already going through an expert providers strike. As for Luce’s psychological studying of the American voters, I’m not so positive. (“Prosperity gospel” is preached by a very noxious American Protestant sect; Trump’s childhood minister was Norman Vincent Peale, additionally noxious however not a member of that sect.) “Trump was wealthy till crooked Democrats stole all his cash” is one type of cope which may assist, notably for the aggrieved who really feel that what they worth has been taken by Democrats as nicely. “So what, if Trump is the one to most harm the system” is one other.” We’ll see. 2024 is definitely not with out curiosity or drama!
Trump (R): “Cannon’s jury instruction order might crush Jack Smith’s case” [MSNBC]. “[R]ecall that the decide’s newest transfer comes in opposition to the backdrop of Trump’s declare that, underneath the Presidential Data Act, he might have deemed no matter delicate authorities data he wished to as ‘private’ after which taken them with him from the White Home, precluding the federal government from prosecuting him over the retention. It’s a nonsensical place that Cannon might have rejected outright, however she selected to carry a listening to on it final week. And now, in an order Monday, she instructed the events to submit proposed jury directions associated to the costs alleging that Trump unlawfully retained nationwide protection data. (The order doesn’t deal with the obstruction-related counts.) The Presidential Data Act [PRA] shouldn’t issue into figuring out whether or not Trump’s conduct was felony, however Cannon’s order nonetheless laid out two “competing situations” for the prosecution and the protection as they trend their proposals.” • Unlikely as it could appear, and topic to correction by those that have truly mastered this materials, MSNBC could possibly be proper. Since Trump is being charged underneath the Espionage Act (that comes with its personal set of issues), it’s arduous to see the relevance of the PRA. An explainer; the Act (whose definitions web page contains “private”).
Trump (R): “Turley: I Can’t See How You Can Decline To Cost Biden And Go Ahead On Prices Towards Trump On Categorised Docs” [RealClearPolitics]. “[Special Prosecutor Hur] talked about how Biden instructed somebody that he discovered categorized paperwork in his basement, learn from a few of these paperwork to a 3rd occasion; how proof was destroyed by this ghostwriter when it comes to an audiotape. How the White Home intervened to attempt to get information eliminated to border the report in a collection of contradictions of not simply what Joe Biden has stated prior to now however what he stated after the interview. And so you’re left right here considering wow this was pretty much as good of a case I might think about and Hur stated look, I simply don’t assume given his diminished psychological colleges that we might assure or have a certainty or probability of conviction. Now, one can settle for that as a result of I’ve bought to inform you, Hur got here off as extremely credible {and professional}. The issue is the opposite disconnect with the Trump case. I can’t see how you possibly can decline these expenses and, but, go ahead on the categorized paperwork expenses in opposition to Trump. And, in fact, you have got two completely different particular counsels. However, that distinction is extra obtrusive at the moment than it has ever been.” • Nicely, presumably, if you happen to settle for Hur’s logic, as a result of Trump’s psychological colleges aren’t diminished (despite the fact that some Democrats at the moment are, copycat-style, claiming that they’re).
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Biden (D): “Biden’s lawfare joke” [Washington Examiner]. “No felony trial has begun, however the swarm of Democratic authorized actions has already price Trump dearly. After all, that was the thought, or a minimum of a part of the thought. And it’s one thing that Biden himself not directly acknowledged in a latest speech. It occurred in Washington on the Gridiron Dinner, a elaborate white-tie gathering of main media figures and the highest politicians they cowl. Biden delivered a speech that was half comedy routine and half inspirational discuss to his media base. And this can be a joke Biden instructed, in accordance with information accounts: ‘Our large plan to cancel pupil debt doesn’t apply to everybody. Simply yesterday, a defeated-looking man got here as much as me and stated, ‘I’m being crushed by debt. I’m utterly worn out.’ And I stated, ‘Sorry, Donald, I can’t enable you.” Ha ha ha. The media viewers, in fact, laughed. With one joke, Biden acknowledged the work his occasion’s lawfare warriors have finished within the Trump matter. And the way might Biden not be grateful? He’s trailing Trump within the polls, is going through an voters that largely believes he’s too outdated for a second time period, and is underwater in approval scores for his dealing with of most points. Little doubt Biden’s joke about bankrupting Trump displays his satisfaction that the lawfare effort is beginning to work. However Biden desires extra. In February, Politico reported that Biden has ‘grumbled to aides and advisers that had [Attorney General Merrick] Garland moved sooner in his investigation into former President Donald Trump’s election interference, a trial might already be underway and even have concluded.’” • The joke is definitely fairly humorous; however the lawfare isn’t a joke in any respect. Might we charactertize the Biden marketing campaign as a “complete of presidency” method? Pondering again to RussiaGate; it’s one factor to throw pork round in an election 12 months; it’s fairly one other to get the organs of state safety concerned, not merely in guarding the candidates, however with tales planted or suppressed within the press, having them authenticate elections, and so forth (one excellent motive for hand-marked paper ballots, hand-counted in public, is to get the spooks out of that enterprise completely. I imply, you’ll be able to see it: “9 of seventeen intelligence companies assess [hate that word] that the Presidential election of 2024 was ____ in ___ states [insert swing states here].”)
Biden (D): “Tony Bobulinski: Joe Biden Was ‘the Model’” [Wall Street Journal]. Written testimony of Tony Bobulinski earlier than the Home Oversight and Accountability Committee: “I wish to be crystal clear: From my direct private expertise and what I’ve subsequently come to study, it’s clear to me that Joe Biden was ‘the Model’; being offered by the Biden household. His household’s international affect peddling operation—from China to Ukraine and elsewhere—offered out to international actors who had been looking for to realize affect and entry to Joe Biden and the US authorities. Joe Biden was greater than a participant in and beneficiary of his household’s enterprise; he was an energetic, conscious enabler who met with enterprise associates reminiscent of myself to additional the enterprise, regardless of being buffered by a fancy scheme to keep up believable deniability.” • My metaphor for the way the Biden clan operates is as follows (and it’s very completely different from the “complicated scheme” utilized by the Clinton’s. There’s a “Biden River” with many many tributaries, giant and small. If you happen to “contribute” to a tributary, regardless of how a lot or how little, or how far upstream or down, your contribution finally flows into Biden Lake (having gone via a fancy of locks and canals and dams (like heaps and many financial institution accounts and enterprise entities, and Biden relations making loads of mysterious loans to one another). Regardless that your contribution to Biden River is blended in with the circulate of all the opposite contributions, nonetheless you’ll later be permitted to dip into Biden Lake (having handed some kind of inspection to find out the quantity of your authentic contribution)
Biden (D): “Biden Has Huge Marketing campaign Money Lead Over Trump as Common Election Begins” [Wall Street Journal]. “Trump has retained a slight benefit in polls in battleground states, the place skinny margins will probably resolve who wins the presidency in November. Cash additionally doesn’t essentially equal assured victory; Hillary Clinton bested Trump within the 2016 cash race however nonetheless misplaced the White Home. And Trump’s fundraising is prone to choose up now that he has changed the management on the RNC and shaped a joint-fundraising committee. Nonetheless, Biden’s fundraising benefit lays naked the dangers that Trump has going into spring and summer time, when he’ll settle for his occasion’s nomination on the Republican Nationwide Conference. His monetary well being may additionally mirror the section of Republicans who say they’ll refuse to vote for Trump even when he had been the nominee, in accordance with surveys of GOP main voters by AP VoteCast. Whereas the Biden crew reported including $25 million to its whole money holdings in February, Trump’s money—throughout the marketing campaign account, the RNC and two PACs—elevated by $9.2 million.” • Useful chart:
Biden (D): “Biden SHOULD be indignant and anxious — his re-election prospects stink” [Rich Lowry, New York Post]. “[A] loss to Trump would immediately vaporize what was to be Biden’s most necessary legacy — stopping Trump and supposedly saving American democracy. On his phrases, Biden can’t afford to go one-for-two on this endeavor. Historical past isn’t normally type to one-term presidents. A defeat could be notably dangerous for Biden. It will expose his choice to run once more for president at age 81, when he’s visibly in decline, as a historic blunder ensuing from selfishness and an utter lack of realism. It’d turn into simple that his choose of Kamala Harris, which helped preserve Democrats from pushing for him to step apart, was a horrible mistake, and Democrats could be prepared to say so. Briefly, given the private and political stakes for Biden and the way daunting the panorama appears to be like in the mean time, Biden could be well-advised to be indignant and anxious — very indignant and anxious.” • I nonetheless preserve that given the extremely weak Democrat bench, Biden was the only option (and from the purely occasion perspective, a brokered conference could be a wonderful final result for grandees and apparatchiks, as a result of their energy (a few of them, a minimum of) could be enhanced, whether or not or not their candidate received. In some methods, that was the lesson of Clinton’s dropping marketing campaign in 2016; definitely key parts of the Clinton equipment — press, spooks, occasion apparatchiks, newly class-conscious PMC — emerged from the debacle with powers enhanced, not diminished).
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Kennedy (I): “Who’s afraid of RFK?” [The Hill]. “[Kennedy is] polling at a gentle 15 % common nationally, and even higher in some essential states. He’s performing notably sturdy with key demographics like Black and Latino voters, in addition to younger voters — even beating each Biden and Trump in some polls in that class. ‘It appears clear that in any of those battleground states the place the margins are going to be skinny, the extra candidates within the race, the more serious for Biden,’ Tom Bevan, founding father of RealClearPolitics, instructed me. ‘A degree or two within the large six battleground states might make the distinction, relying on the place they make the poll.’ (Trump edges Biden within the RCP common in a two-way race, however he performs even higher when RFK is included.) ‘Making the poll’ is a key ingredient to this. Proper now, Kennedy is formally on the poll in solely 4 states, and getting shut in one other 15 or so. However that’s not going to make the seismic affect he desires, or wants. So take note of what occurs over the subsequent two months. ‘A part of the rationale he’s selecting a operating mate now could be that some states don’t enable a presidential candidate on the poll with out a operating mate,’ Chris Stirewalt, host of ‘The Hill Sunday,’ instructed me. ‘With the Libertarian nomination, he would have the prospect to concentrate on campaigning. With out it, he can be essentially centered on poll entry greater than anything.’” • Not a nasty factor, if in reality RFK organizes a mass signature-gathering effort (run by his personal group not outsourced to petition gatherers), a la “Clear for Gene” in 1968.
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Democrats en Déshabillé
“Why Democrats Are Dropping Their Grip on Latino Voters” [Wall Street Journal]. “As long as Democrats had been considered because the occasion of the working class, they might financial institution on successful giant Hispanic majorities. The issue Joe Biden and his occasion face this 12 months is rising numbers of Hispanics and different nonwhite working-class voters view Democrats as out of contact. White voters with out a faculty diploma have been quitting the Democratic Get together in earnest for the reason that Obama presidency. Democrats didn’t anticipate to see Hispanics comply with, however that’s what has occurred. To the shock of most political observers, the development accelerated because of Donald Trump. Democrats carried the Hispanic vote by 38 factors in 2016. By 2020 that margin had shrunk to 21 factors, and amongst Hispanic males it was right down to 17 factors. ‘In 2020, Democrats assumed that they’d simply win the Hispanic vote in opposition to a president with a historical past of vitriolic statements in opposition to Mexico and Mexican Individuals and hostility towards unlawful immigration,’ Mr. Judis and Mr. Teixeira write. As an alternative, Mr. Trump carried out considerably higher amongst Latinos than he had 4 years earlier. Few predict that the GOP will win a majority of the Latino vote this November, however these inroads have good Democrats terrified.” • After all, the Democrats might all the time do one thing like go a 32-hour work week; however at finest, they’ll handle to not go it, resulting from a “revolving villain” (Manchin; Sinema); the filibuster; the Senate Parliamentarian; and, in all circumstances, these darn Republicans! However vote for us, as a result of we’re “combating for”!
#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
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Sources, 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 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 deal with given with the vegetation. Please put “COVID” within the topic line. Thanks!
Sources, 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).
Sources, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).
Sources, 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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Vaccines
“An intranasal mixture vaccine induces systemic and mucosal immunity in opposition to COVID-19 and influenza” [Nature]. Since CDC threw Covid and the flu into the identical bucket, the vaccine business responded, which I’m tremendous with if it really works. Mouse examine. From the Summary: “Regardless of extended surveillance and interventions, the extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses proceed to pose a extreme world well being burden. Thus, we developed a chimpanzee adenovirus-based mixture vaccine, AdC68-HATRBD, with twin specificity in opposition to SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus. When used as a standalone vaccine, intranasal immunization with AdC68-HATRBD induced complete and potent immune responses consisting of immunoglobin (Ig) G, mucosal IgA, neutralizing antibodies, and reminiscence T cells, which protected the mice from BA.5.2 and pandemic H1N1 infections. When used as a heterologous booster, AdC68-HATRBD markedly improved the protecting immune response of the licensed SARS-CoV-2 or influenza vaccine. Subsequently, whether or not administered intranasally as a standalone or booster vaccine, this mix vaccine is a priceless technique to reinforce the general vaccine efficacy by inducing strong systemic and mucosal immune responses, thereby conferring twin strains of immunological defenses for these two viruses.”
An infection
No, Covid isn’t “over.” Biobot’s year-on-year chart:
(That is a substitute for the Biobot chart I take advantage of, “Whole Outcomes,” which I desire as a result of it offers the historical past of the pandemic at a look. The info is similar.)
“Gentle” signs:
These “delicate signs” you check with…
…that cough, runny nostril or sore throat…
These are the preliminary signs of extremely infectious illnesses like Covid, measles, whooping cough.
The recommendation to ship children to highschool with these signs is extremely irresponsible. pic.twitter.com/8RjM270wsL
— Cat within the Hat 🐈⬛ 🎩 🇬🇧 (@_CatintheHat) March 22, 2024
Sequelae
“GoPros, gummies, reckless abandon: Why ski slopes are getting extra harmful” [Los Angeles Times]. “However former ski patrollers, emergency medical technicians and hospital workers in mountain cities confirmed they’re seeing an increase in accidents — and place the blame on just a few main components. One is a rising recklessness on the slopes that appears to have emerged post-pandemic, conduct usually exacerbated by folks ingesting pot gummies, magic mushrooms or copious quantities of alcohol earlier than hitting the slopes.” • Lack of government perform.
Coverage
“We Had the Instruments” [The Guiness Pig Diaries]. From 2023, nonetheless germane, and value studying in full. The character names (“like Common Supervisor Tim”) are from a superb prolonged metaphor of a ironmongery shop: “[A] authorities or well being officers [will say we have the tools to deal with Covid-19. No we don’t. We had the tools. All we have now are the memories of those tools. We (and by we, I mean collectively, societally we) blew it. We threw the tools away. We traded them in for something we believed was so much better. Why? Because the very leaders we are supposed to trust to look out for our best interests, like General Manager Tim, told us to. They gave us permission. They told us it was more important to get back to normal than to rely on those tools. So many who heard that message took it and ran with it. Like Liz, they twisted it into something much more extreme to fit their own agendas. Not only are masks not required in public anymore, they’re now banned in some places because they remind people that Covid is still a threat, and that’s bad for the economy. Wearing one has become so stigmatized it can get you harassed or assaulted. And then there’s remote work. Not only is it discouraged, it is shamed. There are message campaigns circulating throughout the media about how remote work is bad for productivity, bad for teamwork, bad for the health of remote workers. Speaking of messaging, we don’t have ANY consistent, trustworthy messaging to inform our decisions about Covid anymore. We have ‘you do you.’ Which is essentially the ‘customer is always right’ mantra in the world of Covid. Believe whatever the fuck you want, do whatever the fuck you want, and regardless of the consequences for yourself or others, no one can hold you accountable. No one can tell you that you’re wrong. This is now a DIY pandemic. Good luck. When we discovered that there were consequences to sh*tting all over our tools and throwing them away, we wanted them back, like Josh. Covid patients who ended up fighting for their lives in the hospital would beg for the vaccine that they had loudly and proudly refused before they got sick. People who thought vaccines were all they needed to stay well refused to continue masking. Then they found themselves ill with Covid and begged for treatments like monoclonal antibodies, which stopped working a long time ago as variants evolved to escape them. We played dumb when reminded that experts had cautioned us this would happen. We insisted we did everything right. We pretended to be victims when we knew better. We can’t get a lot of those tools back now. It’s too late.”
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TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts
LEGEND
1) ★ for charts new today; all others are not updated.
2) For a full-size/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and “open image in new tab.”
NOTES
[1] (Biobot) Our curve has now flattened out on the degree of earlier Trump peaks. Not an important victory. Word additionally the realm “underneath the curve,” in addition to peaks. That space is bigger underneath Biden than underneath Trump, and it appears to be rising steadily if erratically.
[2] (Biobot) Midwest ticks up.
[3] (CDC Variants) As of Might 11, genomic surveillance knowledge can be reported biweekly, primarily based on the provision of constructive check 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.
[4] (ER) “Charts and knowledge supplied by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous 12 months, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.”
[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Seems like a really gradual leveling off to a non-zero baseline, to me.
[6] (Hospitalization: CDC) Nonetheless down. “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] (Walgreens) Leveling out.
[8] (Cleveland) Flattening.
[9] (Vacationers: Posivitity) Now up, albeit within the rear view mirror.
[10] (Vacationers: Variants) JN.1 dominates totally.
Stats Watch
There aren’t any official statistics of curiosity at the moment.
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Manufacturing: “Barnett – First Amended Criticism 5-4-21_Redacted” [Scribd]. A random choice: “[The late Boeing whistleblower John] Barnett frequently insisted on the correct procedures being adopted. Barnett complained about numerous situations the place elements had been being stolen from one airplane and put in on an incomplete airplane with none documentation, traceability or engineering evaluate. Generally, the mechanic would come to work to search out that the elements s/he put in the day earlier than had been gone. Higher Administration ignored the stolen elements downside and insisted that Barnett cease documenting them in e-mails and on CA’s (corrective motion EPDs). All corrective motion EPD’s for stolen elements had been cancelled per Management path with none investigation or corrective motion. (Ethics hast he data).” • Uploaded by Stay 5 Information, and never the prize-winning native paper, the Put up and Courier, which hasn’t run one single story on Barnett’s assassination demise for the reason that authentic story on March 13. Little doubt their crack workers is ready on the police report, however when the native paper maintains full radio silence, that makes me fear the repair is in on the police division. I imply, couldn’t they a minimum of have run a human curiosity story on Barnett’s household?
Manufacturing: “Alaska Airways blowout passenger reveals terrifying second his socks and footwear had been ripped off and his physique was ‘lifted up within the howling wind’ as he sues airline and Boeing together with seven others” [Daily Mail]. • Commentary:
“When one door closes, one other one opens.”
–Boeing
— John Paul (@IAm_JohnPaulAF) March 21, 2024
Manufacturing: “Boeing Confirms Disappointing Replace on 737 Max Engine Concern” [MSN]. “Within the newest chapter of Boeing’s ongoing saga, the aerospace large faces a big setback with its 737 Max collection. An engine concern will sideline the fleet for as much as a 12 months, additional delaying the certification of the eagerly awaited 737 Max 7s and Max 10s fashions…. [A] glitch within the 737 Max’s anti-ice system, which poses a threat of overheating and damaging the engine. Regardless of the potential severity of the problem, the airplane manufacturing large assures that it has by no means occurred in flight. Nonetheless, the theoretical threat of elements breaking off mid-air has prompted a swift and critical response…. The corporate’s earlier estimates had set the restore timeframe at 9 to 12 months. This restore work is not only a matter of changing elements however includes a deeper understanding of the engine’s air consumption dynamics and its broader implications on plane efficiency and security…. The ramifications of the engine concern prolong past technical repairs. Certification delays for the 737 Max 7s and Max 10s affect Boeing’s timeline and have an effect on main airways’ operational plans. As an illustration, Southwest Airways, with its all-737 fleet, has needed to revise its 2024 capability projections and earnings forecasts in mild of those delays.” • That is the problem the place pilots needed to remind themselves to show off the anti-ice system in time with a sticky observe on their instrument panel.
Manufacturing: “Boeing in ‘final likelihood saloon’, warns Emirates head” [Financial Times]. We already linked to this, however to bolster: “[Emirates Airline President] Sir Tim Clark instructed the Monetary Occasions he had seen a “progressive decline” in Boeing’s requirements, which he put right down to long-running administration and governance mis-steps, together with prioritising monetary efficiency over engineering excellence….. Clark stated Boeing’s earlier administration had made repeated mis-steps, together with outsourcing elements of its manufacturing and shifting elements of its 787 manufacturing to South Carolina to chop prices following battles with unions at its main base north of Seattle, Washington. Boeing finally moved all of its 787 manufacturing to South Carolina in 2021 however the web site has struggled with manufacturing challenges. Clark stated Boeing had misplaced ‘expertise and competencies’ via the transfer.” • When the Emirates President says it’s union-busting….
Manufacturing: “Boeing’s large inexperienced catastrophe” [Heated]. “The 737-Max was not the airplane Boeing initially supposed to make. In 2011, the corporate introduced it was planning to develop a completely new airplane to switch its getting old and fuel-guzzling 737 fleet. This new, extra fuel-efficient airplane would price billions of {dollars} and take practically a decade to make. However Boeing’s then-CEO stated it could be value it. ‘It’s our judgment that our clients will await us,’ he stated. Shortly after that announcement, nonetheless, Boeing’s CEO was confirmed mistaken. The corporate’s unique buyer, American Airways, introduced it was defecting to Boeing’s rival airplane producer, Airbus. And Airbus was not making new planes–it was placing new, extra fuel-efficient engines on outdated planes. So with a view to compete, Boeing rapidly scrapped its plan. As an alternative, it too determined to place new engines on outdated planes. The 737 Max was born. From a sustainability perspective, Boeing’s change in path was disappointing, stated [Dan Rutherford, an aviation and sustainability expert with the International Council on Clean Transportation]. Whereas the extra fuel-efficient plane engines had been higher for the planet than the older ones, a brand new airplane, he stated, would have delivered much more advantages. ‘If you happen to have a look at the applied sciences that can be utilized to enhance the gasoline effectivity and scale back emissions for plane, it’s principally three large buckets,; he stated. Producers might have made the airframe lighter through the use of light-weight supplies, improved the aerodynamics of the airplane to scale back drag, and added extra superior engines. That ‘clean-sheet design’, because it’s recognized by the business, would have used much less gasoline and produced much less emissions. A brand new airplane would even have been safer, each in design and since pilots would have been required to coach on the brand new plane. However a brand new design would have price Boeing and the airways far extra money. So whereas the technique might have been good for short-term revenue, finally, ‘Boeing’s technique was dangerous for the setting and for shoppers,’ Rutherford stated…. And as soon as accidents and tragedies started to plague the 737 Max—largely as a result of the brand new engines compromised the aerodynamics of the airplane [for which the disastrous MCAS system was a kludge]—the corporate’s sustainability advertising soared additional.” • Due to course it did.
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At this time’s Worry & Greed Index: 72 Greed (earlier shut: 74 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 72 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Mar 22 at 12:56:25 PM ET.
Holier than Thou
“Christian group is ‘luring’ college students with free pizza at lunch, Clovis mother and father say” [Fresno Bee]. “Three mother and father with youngsters attending Reyburn Intermediate and Clovis East Excessive faculties stated their youngsters had been supplied free pizza to go to the lecture corridor in teams of three to 5 throughout their lunch interval. Upon arrival, mother and father stated a consultant from the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meets with college students. After praying and listening to about Christianity, mother and father stated college students then obtain their free pizza in yellow containers. “I really feel that they’re doing mistaken,” one mother or father with a pupil at Clovis East instructed The Fresno Bee. “They’re principally luring in children which might be underneath 18, which might be nonetheless looking for themselves and are nonetheless attempting to discover.” The mother and father who spoke to The Bee requested to stay nameless, fearing retaliation in opposition to them or their youngsters. Additionally they stated they weren’t notified through e-mail, textual content, permission slip or requested for his or her consent for the FCA to method their youngsters.”
Groves of Academe
“Larry Summers was ousted as Harvard president. He has so much to say about what’s mistaken with the college now” [Boston Globe]. Hilarity ensues. “It’s a extremely uncommon breach of protocol for a former faculty president to brazenly undercut his successors and denounce his longtime educational dwelling. And observers observe the irony of Summers lecturing college leaders on public diplomacy whereas he was pressured to step down as president after alienating Black students and suggesting ladies are innately inferior at science and math.” Mind genius Summers additionally misplaced the endowment $1.8 billion. Let’s not neglect that! Extra: “Referred to as a superb economist and a prime financial adviser to the Clinton and Obama administrations whose steerage has been sought out by bankersMR SUBLIMINAL Scammers, hedge fund managersMR SUBLIMINAL Scammers, and extra just lately synthetic intelligence pioneersMR SUBLIMINAL Scammers, Summers has by no means been shy about providing his opinion, whether or not publicly or behind the scenes, at Harvard and different organizations with which he’s concerned.” Summers criticism: “We’ve stepped away from benefit and excellence.” • I feel that’s a good criticism. What isn’t wonderful about setting $1.8 billion on fireplace and throwing it up within the air?
Healthcare
“Intermittent fasting linked to 91% improve in threat of demise from coronary heart illness, examine says” [Fortune (Furzy Mouse)]. “The protection of intermittent fasting, a well-liked technique to shed weight by limiting meals consumption to sure occasions, was known as into query by a shock discovering from analysis introduced at a medical assembly. Limiting mealtimes to a interval of simply eight hours a day was linked to a 91% improve in threat of demise from coronary heart illness within the examine, which was launched on Monday in Chicago. The American Coronary heart Affiliation revealed solely an summary, leaving scientists speculating about particulars of the examine protocol. The examine was reviewed by different consultants previous to its launch, in accordance with the AHA. Life-style interventions geared toward weight reduction have come underneath scrutiny as a brand new era of medicine assist folks shed kilos. Some medical doctors questioned the examine’s findings, saying they might have been skewed by variations — reminiscent of underlying coronary heart well being — between the fasting sufferers and the comparability group, whose members consumed meals over a day by day interval of 12 to 16 hours.” • I initially misinterpret the headline to suggest lower, not improve, so I’m actually operating this in case that occurs to anyone else. That stated: Thumbs down on a narrative pushed from a convention summary. And thumbs up on the dreaded life-style change, versus Large Pharma’s newest. At the least in my expertise, consuming much less — particularly fewer sweets — actually does trigger weight reduction, therefore elevated agility, normal feeling of health. Readers might differ of their views. Limitless are the arguments of dieticians!
Guillotine Watch
“Millionaire biohacker Bryan Johnson (who already has a cult-like following) plans to start out his personal NATION for anti-agers… the place pizza, donuts and alcohol could possibly be unlawful” [Daily Mail]. • Can anyone get a passport? Might this be Mr. Lee’s Better Hong Kong?
Class Warfare
I don’t know what’s gotten into Stoller, however I’m right here for it:
This evil predatory scheme is the results of non-public fairness billionaire Tom Gores, and he used the income from it – in addition to different acquisitions – to purchase the Detroit Pistons.
— Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) March 21, 2024
(“Evil” is powerful language — and used accurately on this case.) NOTE Yeah, yeah, China. We’re none of us good.
Information of the Wired
Derek Man on males’s clothes is one in all my responsible pleasures on the Twitter:
Rogers is most recognized for his cardigans, however his apparel on the present was truly composed of tailoring (fits, sport coats, and blazers), which he wore when he arrived “dwelling.” He then took that off and turned into a cardigan to sign he had “gotten dwelling from work.” pic.twitter.com/arZEz9Ik5i
— derek man (@dieworkwear) March 22, 2024
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Contact data for vegetation: 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 vegetation. Greens are tremendous! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! If you would 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 through the use of your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From TH:
TH writes: “I’m not constructive, however I consider this can be a camelia. It, like so lots of my latest submissions, lives on the Sherman Library and Gardens (Corona Del Mar, Newport Seashore, California).”
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Right here is the display screen that may seem, which I’ve helpfully annotated:
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