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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Chicken Track of the Day
Variegated Tinamou, El Palmar; Río Grande, Bolívar, Venezuela. Male/Feminine duet with whistled imitation by human.
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
“NY lawmakers ask state Board of Elections in addition Trump from 2024 poll” [New York Daily News]. “In a letter to the state Board of Elections shared solely with the Each day Information, New York Senators Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Liz Krueger, and others cited Trump’s alleged efforts to overthrow democracy in violation of the Structure’s ‘Insurrectionist Disqualification Clause‘ in outlining why he shouldn’t be featured on the poll. The hassle mirrors one already underway in a carefully watched case earlier than Colorado’s Supreme Court docket…. Asking BOE co-chairs Peter Kosinski and Douglas Kellner to meet their ‘weighty duty’ and exclude the present Republican front-runner as they might a candidate who’s underage or isn’t a natural-born citizen, the senators stated his function within the lethal storming of the nation’s capital renders him ineligible to carry public workplace till he’s relieved of the disqualification by two-thirds of each chambers of Congress…. A spokesperson for the BOE, which determines candidates’ eligibility, didn’t instantly reply to a request searching for remark.”
“Oregon Voters File Lawsuit to Bar Donald Trump From Poll” [Yuba.net]. “Free Speech For Folks (FSFP), together with Oregon co-counsel Jason Kafoury of Kafoury & McDougal and Daniel Meek, filed a lawsuit in the present day within the Oregon Supreme Court docket on behalf of particular person Oregon voters difficult Donald Trump’s candidacy. The lawsuit follows a letter despatched to Secretary of State of Oregon, LaVonne Griffin-Valade, urging her to problem a brief rule (and subsequent declaratory ruling) that Mr. Trump, in accordance with Part 3 of the Fourteenth Modification, is constitutionally ineligible to seem on any Oregon future poll for nomination of election to federal workplace. ”
2024
Lower than a yr to go!
* * * “Donald Trump returns to court docket, lauds his protection knowledgeable who sees no proof of accounting fraud” [Chicago Tribune]. “[New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov] testified that monetary statements are simply beginning factors for lenders, and that the paperwork’ worth estimates are inherently subjective opinions. Variations in such opinions don’t imply that there’s fraud, the professor stated. He known as Trump’s monetary statements clear and uncommonly detailed, with caveats that Bartov claimed ‘even my 9-year-old granddaughter’ would perceive. So did main Trump lender Deutsche Financial institution, Bartov maintained. Deutsche Financial institution executives have testified that, whereas anticipating purchasers to supply broadly correct info, they typically modify the numbers. Inner financial institution paperwork pegged Trump’s internet price considerably decrease than his monetary statements did. But when the financial institution adjusted the figures that Trump reported, ‘what if the reported values are incorrect?’ the decide requested Bartov. He responded that the bankers didn’t essentially work from Trump’s unique numbers. ‘So then why get them within the first place?’ Engoron requested. Noting that the figures got here with pages of notes, Bartov stated the package deal ‘allowed them to compute the numbers on their very own.’” • Nonetheless reeling from the revelation that New Yorker Engoron believes there’s such a factor as a “appropriate” quantity in New York actual property. Is he a little bit little one?
“Trump appeals ruling rejecting immunity declare as window narrows to derail federal election case” [Associated Press]. “Attorneys for the 2024 Republican presidential major frontrunner filed a discover of attraction Thursday indicating that they’ll problem U.S. District Decide Tanya Chutkan’s determination rejecting Trump’s bid to dismiss the case headed to trial in Washington, D.C., in March…. The attraction had been anticipated on condition that Trump’s attorneys had earlier signaled their plans to pursue all the way in which to the Supreme Court docket, if needed, what they are saying is a legally untested query of a former president’s immunity from prosecution. It’s a part of a broader technique by him and his attorneys to attempt to postpone the prison instances towards him till after subsequent yr’s presidential election, averting trials that might unfold within the warmth of the presidential marketing campaign. The appeals court docket is anticipated to schedule dates for written briefs and oral arguments, although it’s not clear when these could be. The argument that Trump is immune from prosecution for actions taken inside his function as president has for months been seen as maybe probably the most weighty and legally consequential objection to the case made by the Trump attorneys forward of trial. No former president has ever been prosecuted earlier than, an absence of historic precedent Trump’s staff has seized on in attempting to get the indictment tossed out.”
* * * “Biden’s marketing campaign is not going to commit but to taking part normally election debates in 2024” [Associated Press]. Provide chain issues with the juice? ” President Joe Biden’s marketing campaign is just not but committing to basic election debates subsequent yr, the newest signal {that a} staple of recent White Home campaigns might not be in play in 2024…. Trump has skipped all GOP major debates, together with Wednesday’s gathering on the College of Alabama, citing his vast lead over his Republican rivals as justification. But he has stated a basic election marketing campaign could be completely different. ‘We’ve got to debate,’ he advised Fox Information host Bret Baier in a June interview. ‘He and I’ve to undoubtedly debate. That’s what I like. The 2 of us must debate.’…. The [the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates] schedule calls for 3 presidential debates and one vice presidential debate subsequent fall.” • I hate the entire system of Presidential debates and assume we should always give all of it again to the League of Ladies Voters. That stated, if Biden received’t — and by received’t, I imply can’t — debate, he would possibly as effectively simply throw within the towel proper there.
“Biden says he isn’t the one Democrat who may beat Trump” [New York Times]. “Biden’s reelection marketing campaign attraction to his fellow occasion members has been predicated on the argument that he’s the Democrat greatest geared up to maintain his impeached and indicted predecessor out of the Oval Workplace. However the president was requested Wednesday whether or not he believed another Democrats may prevail over Trump… ‘Most likely 50 of them, Biden stated. ‘I’m not the one one who may defeat him. However I’ll defeat him.”” • I don’t assume 50. Anyhow, for those who can’t give an excellent cause why you and no person else, why are you operating?
“Trump takes middle stage at Biden fundraisers” [The Hill]. “Biden, who early in his presidency would tip-toe round referencing his predecessor by identify, has now made Trump central to his pitch to donors…. Biden talked about Trump’s identify 28 occasions at a Denver fundraiser final week, in accordance with a White Home transcript, and roughly a dozen occasions at every of his three fundraisers in Massachusetts this week… He has zeroed in on the risk Trump poses to democracy, constructing on a core theme of the 2020 marketing campaign and the 2022 midterms. Biden has known as Trump an ‘election denier in chief’ who’s ‘decided to destroy American democracy.’” • However the canines aren’t consuming the pet food; see Teixiera beneath.
* * * “Home Republicans to maneuver ahead on formalizing Biden impeachment inquiry subsequent week” [ABC]. “The Home Guidelines Committee introduced Thursday it can contemplate a decision subsequent week to formalize Republicans’ ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, and the White Home known as the transfer a “baseless stunt.”… Even average GOP impeachment skeptics who symbolize districts that Biden received in 2020 are coming round in help of the decision. Home Speaker Mike Johnson beforehand advised reporters he believed Republicans would have the mandatory help for the decision to go…. Rep. Don Bacon, who had beforehand stated he wouldn’t vote to help the impeachment inquiry decision, has additionally modified his thoughts… ‘We’ve got to vote for an inquiry to get the knowledge that’s being subpoenaed,’ Bacon, R-Neb., stated…. ‘Even the Republican attorneys within the convention doesn’t assume we’ve met the [threshold] for prime crimes and misdemeanors. We’re not impeaching his son, proper?’ Bacon stated. ‘However there’s info that the 2 committees, specifically, need and the president is just not handing it over, and it’s essential. And in order that’s why we’re having an inquiry.’” • If the decimal level in $1380 may very well be moved a few locations to the precise….
* * * “Nimarata the Piñata” [The American Conservative]. “‘Overseas coverage expertise is just not the identical as international coverage knowledge,’ Ramaswamy interjected. ‘I feel these with international coverage expertise, one factor that Joe Biden and Nikki Haley have in frequent, is that neither of them may even state for you three provinces in japanese Ukraine that they need to ship our troops to truly battle for.’ The digital camera panned to Haley. Her chin was tilted down, her eyes locked on a 1,000 yard stare…. ‘Have a look at that,’ Ramaswamy stated. ‘That is what I need individuals to know.… She has no thought what the hell the names of these provinces are, however she needs to ship our little kids and our troops and our navy tools to go battle it. So reject this fantasy that they’ve been promoting you that someone had a cup of espresso stint on the U.N. after which makes 8 million bucks after has actual international coverage expertise.’ … For 4 minutes and 5 seconds, Haley couldn’t identify three provinces in japanese Ukraine America’s little kids could be compelled to defend. Ultimately, she stated ‘Donetsk, Luhansk, and Crimea.’ That’s the unsuitable reply. The appropriate reply could be Donetsk, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia. The one situation by which Crimea is a part of the reply is for those who fantasize main the U.S. into WWIII.” • Effectively, it’s a gotcha. It’s entertaining to observe Ramaswamy, who’s clearly Give Zero [Family Blog]s mode.
* * * “Utah loosens poll entry guidelines after RFK Jr. sues” [Deseret News]. “Utah prolonged its deadline for unaffiliated presidential candidates to get on the state’s poll, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson introduced Thursday. The choice got here after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an unbiased presidential candidate, filed a lawsuit towards Henderson. The lawsuit claimed Utah’s deadline for candidates to file for poll entry in Utah — Jan. 8, 2024 — was ‘clearly unconstitutional’ and ‘the earliest deadline on unbiased presidential candidates within the historical past of the USA.’ Henderson introduced Thursday that candidates could be permitted to file by means of March 5, 2024, almost two months after the unique deadline.”
* * * “The Democratic Coalition Is Falling Aside” [Ruy Teixeira, The Liberal Patriot]. “Let’s face it: the Democratic coalition is in poor form. It’s springing leaks all over the place—younger voters, Hispanic voters, black voters, girls voters, working-class voters, average and unbiased voters. …. Two latest information releases doc this ongoing decay of the Democratic coalition. First, trying on the nationwide image, Adam Carlson on the glorious Break up Ticket information analytics website, has produced a compilation of cross-tabular information that enables us to check common present Democratic efficiency with Democratic efficiency from 2020 to estimate shifts in choice since that election by key group. The second information supply is a significant survey of battleground states and districts by Democracy Corps/PSG/Greenberg Analysis (DCorps) that gives some wealthy demographic breakdowns of vote choice and opinion the place the 2024 election will virtually actually be determined…. It little doubt appears odd to Democrats that voters within the middle—independents and moderates—aren’t flocking to their banners as a result of absolutely all of them know and consider that chaos agent Trump and his anti-democratic Republican Social gathering symbolize every little thing that’s excessive and super-partisan in American politics. However right here’s the issue: these voters don’t essentially see Trump and the Republicans as clearly being the worst in these areas. Within the DCorps ballot, battleground voters choose Trump and the Republicans over Biden and the Democrats on ‘opposing extremism’ (by 3 factors), ‘getting past the chaos’ (by 6 factors), ‘standing as much as elites’ (by 8 factors), ‘defending the U.S. Structure’ (by 8 factors), and ‘placing nation over occasion’ (by 8 factors). These voters see the events as tied on “democracy being safe”and provides Biden and the Democrats negligible leads of two factors on ‘presidents not with the ability to act as autocrats’, and one level on ‘defending democracy’. So whereas partisan Democrats might imagine these points will not be even shut when evaluating Biden and the Democrats to Trump and his ‘semi-fascist‘ Republican Social gathering, there are clearly large numbers of much less partisan voters who disagree…. . The massive lead that Democrats really feel must be naturally theirs is just not showing.” • I detest Teixeira, however he’s received this proper. Additionally on Greenberg–
“‘This Is Grim,’ One Democratic Pollster Says” [New York Times] “The predictive energy of horse-race polling a yr from the presidential election is weak at greatest. The Biden marketing campaign can take some consolation in that. However what latest surveys do reveal is that the coalition that put Joe Biden within the White Home within the first place is nowhere close to as robust because it was 4 years in the past. These hazard indicators embody fraying help amongst core constituencies, together with younger voters, Black voters and Hispanic voters, and the decline, if not the erasure, of conventional Democratic benefits in representing the pursuits of the center class and talking for the typical voter…. In an electronic mail, Greenberg summarized the outcomes: ‘That is grim.’ The examine, he stated, discovered that collectively, voters within the Democratic base of ‘Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, L.G.B.T.Q.+ group, Gen Z, millennials, single and school girls give Trump increased approval scores than Biden.’” And: “Biden and the Democrats led on six: girls’s rights (forward by 17 proportion factors), local weather change (15 factors), addressing racial inequality (10 factors), well being care (three factors), the president is not going to be an autocrat (two factors) and defending democracy (one level). There was a tie on making democracy safer. Donald Trump and the Republicans held leads on the remaining topics, together with .” • Humorous how Covid isn’t even a difficulty, however that’s the place we’re.
“Younger voters could also be disenchanted with Biden, however they nonetheless oppose Trump, ballot finds” [Los Angeles Times]. “[I]t’s Republicans and independents, not Democrats, who’re most certainly to precise doubts about voting, in accordance with the newest biannual ballot of younger individuals performed by Harvard’s Institute of Politics. These disenchanted unbiased voters embody massive shares of Black and Latino younger individuals, particularly males, the ballot discovered….. [W]hile many younger Individuals are disenchanted with Biden, there’s no signal of motion towards former President Trump. As a substitute, unbiased candidates, together with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., entice unusually excessive ranges of help.”
* * * IL: “Pritzker tells Chicago to fold its tents — governor rejects poisonous migrant shelter website in Brighton Park” [Chicago Sun-Times]. “Citing ‘severe environmental considerations,’ Gov. J.B. Pritzker stated Tuesday that the state is ending improvement of a proposed migrant camp in Brighton Park. The choice follows town of Chicago’s launch of an environmental report Friday evening that confirmed the situation at thirty eighth Road and California Avenue required cleanup of heavy metals and poisonous chemical compounds. The state halted development Sunday.”
IL: “Matthew Pritzker, billionaire cousin of Illinois governor is dumped from glitzy L.A. Biden fundraiser because the Dem mega-donor prepares to seem in New York court docket to face intercourse assault fees” [Daily Mail]. “Matthew Pritzker, the Hyatt scion accused of sexual assault, has been dropped from a glitzy fundraising shindig for Joe Biden’s presidential marketing campaign. The 41-year-old billionaire was considered one of dozens of rich Biden supporters who paid $100,000 to be named as a co-host of the occasion at a secret location in Los Angeles on Friday. However his identify now has been quietly dropped from the lineup after a lady filed a lawsuit on Thanksgiving Eve alleging that he raped her in New York in Could 2009. The fundraiser for the commander-in-chief’s re-election bid, dubbed An Night With President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, may even function a efficiency by Lenny Kravitz and an look by former Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pritzker’s particulars have been scrubbed from the official occasion web page, the place uber-rich Hollywood Biden backers can stump up $25,000 to attend the dinner and get an image with the president.” • Hmm.
Democrats en Déshabillé
Affected person readers, plainly individuals are truly studying the back-dated publish! However I’ve not up to date it, and there are lots of updates. So I should try this. –lambert
I’ve moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Social gathering (“the Democrat Social gathering is a rotting corpse that may’t bury itself”) to a separate, back-dated 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 Social gathering is, in actual fact, a tough downside. I do assume the paragraph that follows is on level all the way in which again to 2016, if not earlier than:
The Democrat Social gathering is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Pay attention, Liberal!). ; if the Democrat Social gathering didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. . (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” in fact.) Second, all of the working components of the Social gathering reinforce one another. Depart apart characterizing the relationships between parts of the Social gathering (ka-ching, however not fully) 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 group.
Be aware, in fact, 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.
* * * “Home censures Rep. Jamaal Bowman for pulling hearth alarm” [NBC]. “The Home voted Thursday to censure Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., for pulling a fireplace alarm in a congressional constructing whereas the chamber was in session in September to contemplate a vote to fund the federal government…. However Bowman maintained that his actions have been unintentional. ‘I need to be very clear, this was not me, in any means, attempting to delay any vote. It was the precise reverse — I used to be attempting urgently to get to a vote, which I finally did and joined my colleagues in a bipartisan effort to maintain our authorities open,’ he stated in an announcement on the time. ‘I’m embarrassed to confess that I activated the fireplace alarm, mistakenly pondering it could open the door,’ he added. ‘I remorse this and sincerely apologize for any confusion this triggered.’” • Bowman is being ridiculous. “The intense purple alarm is clearly marked with the phrase “FIRE’,” per DC code. If Bowman had been a beardo with a Accomplice flag, he would have been charged and convicted with interrupting an official continuing, and jailed, most likely for a number of years.
Realignment and Legitimacy
“A deluge of violent messages: How a surge in threats to public officers may disrupt American democracy” [CNN]. Helpful chart:
That is ugly and unhealthy, and the numbers are for prosecutions solely; apparently the variety of threats is an order of magnitude bigger. Nonetheless, absolutely the numbers are comparatively low. And Trump is the the primary recipient! That wasn’t on my Bingo card.
#COVID19
“I’m in earnest — I can’t equivocate — I can’t excuse — I can’t retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.” –William Lloyd Garrison
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 information). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Common Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).
Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be happy to contact me on the tackle 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 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).
Sources, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).
Sources, 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
Competition of Far-UVC:
“Far-UVC gentle (222 nm) effectively and safely inactivates airborne human coronaviruses” [Nature]. From 2020, nonetheless germane. From the Summary: “A direct method to restrict airborne viral transmissions is to inactivate them inside a short while of their manufacturing. Germicidal ultraviolet gentle, usually at 254 nm, is efficient on this context however, used immediately, is usually a well being hazard to pores and skin and eyes. Against this, far-UVC gentle (207–222 nm) effectively kills pathogens doubtlessly with out hurt to uncovered human tissues. … As all human coronaviruses have comparable genomic sizes, far-UVC gentle could be anticipated to point out comparable inactivation effectivity towards different human coronaviruses together with SARS-CoV-2. Based mostly on the beta-HCoV-OC43 outcomes, steady far-UVC publicity in occupied public places on the present regulatory publicity restrict (~3 mJ/cm2/hour) would end in ~90% viral inactivation in ~8 minutes, 95% in ~11 minutes, 99% in ~16 minutes and 99.9% inactivation in ~25 minutes. Thus whereas staying inside present regulatory dose limits, low-dose-rate far-UVC publicity can doubtlessly safely present a significant discount within the ambient stage of airborne coronaviruses in occupied public places.”
“Sort of ultraviolet gentle simplest at killing coronavirus can be the most secure to make use of round individuals” [The Conversation]. From 2021, nonetheless germane: “Completely different wavelengths of UV gentle work higher than others for inactivating viruses, and this depends upon how effectively the wavelengths are absorbed by the virus’s DNA or RNA. When UV gentle will get absorbed, the photons of sunshine switch their vitality to and injury the chemical bonds of the genetic materials. The virus is then unable to copy or trigger an an infection. Researchers have additionally proven the proteins that viruses use to connect to a number cell and provoke an infection – just like the spike proteins on a coronavirus – are additionally weak to UV gentle. The dose of sunshine issues too. Gentle can range in depth – shiny gentle is extra intense, and there’s extra vitality in it than in dim gentle. Being uncovered to a shiny gentle for a short while can produce the identical UV dose as being uncovered to a dim gentle for an extended interval. You have to know the precise dose that may kill coronavirus particles at every UV wavelength. Conventional UV programs use wavelengths at or round 254 nanometers. At these wavelengths the sunshine is harmful to human pores and skin and eyes, even at low doses. Daylight contains UV gentle close to these wavelengths; anybody who has ever gotten a nasty sunburn is aware of simply how harmful UV gentle could be. Nevertheless, latest analysis has proven that at sure UV wavelengths – particularly beneath 230 nanometers – the high-energy photons are absorbed by the highest layers of lifeless pores and skin cells and don’t penetrate into the energetic pores and skin layers the place injury can happen. Equally, the tear layer round eyes additionally blocks out these germicidal UV rays. Because of this at wavelengths of UV gentle beneath 230 nanometers, individuals can transfer round extra freely whereas the air round them is being disinfected in actual time.”
“Ultraviolet gentle and indoor air disinfection to battle pandemics: A expertise lengthy overdue—Half 2” [WSWS]. “On a number of latest events, pictures of White Home COVID Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha giving lectures with Far-UVC gadgets within the background have circulated broadly on social media. Nevertheless, on the latest White Home Indoor Air Summit held on October 11, 2022, neither Jha nor another speaker delved into the expertise, aside from a quick reference underneath the heading of ‘New Applied sciences.’ One should ask why, if Dr. Jha depends upon this expertise a lot, did he select to stay silent on it?” • As common, the elites don’t need us to know how they protec themselves.
Lambert right here: There are quite a lot of UV options operating round: There are some for public areas, like Higher Room UV. There are others for disinfecting surfaces, like cellphones, with UVC. (As a result of that is the stupidest timeline, I fear that UV will probably be handled as an alternative choice to air filtration; I image eating places, say, shopping for a UV bulb, sticking it in a socket, and calling it good. I even have a private crotchet in that I don’t like radiation.) My focus will probably be on whether or not I ought to add some kind of Far-UVC (222 nm) answer to my private protocol as one other layer of safety, together with masks, nasal sprays, mouthwash, and so forth. So I’m in search of one thing moveable, to be used on transport (particularly airplanes) or in eating places/cafés, the place I must demask. There are merchandise in the marketplace, however there aren’t any requirements; there’s no Underwriter’s Laboratory for Far-UVC.
“Intro to Far-UV” [Joey Fox, Medium]. “There are merchandise which have come out just like the Lily (2 W), X-One (3 W) and Cellular Defend (10 W) that are moveable and designed to be positioned near an individual and disinfect the air earlier than it’s inhaled…. [T]hese gadgets will not be primarily designed to disinfect the entire room. The objective is to solely disinfect the air near the occupant with a brief publicity time. I’m uncertain in regards to the irradiance values for the Cellular Defend, however I’ve accomplished checks on the Lily (additionally offered as Hexagon) and X-One. At 40 cm away, which is a typical distance between a desk and your nostril, the irradiance values could be between 10–50 μW/cm². Assuming a 90% inactivation dose of 200 μJ/cm², a SARS-Cov-2 virion would have to be uncovered for 4–20 seconds. I feel you’ll inhale the virus inside 4 seconds of it coming involved with the far-UV gentle, so I don’t assume there’s sufficient contact time to inactivate the virus successfully. If there are computational fluid dynamics fashions exhibiting a excessive fee of inactivation utilizing private far-UV gadgets or if an experiment is carried out exhibiting these gadgets are efficient, then they will thought of as one of many strategies to supply non-infectious air and safety from airborne ailments.” • Inhalation is certainly 1-1.5 seconds. I might need to see extra modeling on this. I’d additionally wish to know if upping the wattage makes a distinction. Right here is one other method–
“Far-UV: An Early Adopter Lay Individual’s Pespective” [Pandemic Enclave]. “So, distance (mixed with energy) issues a LOT when contemplating whether or not a given far-UV machine will work for a selected use case. Publicity at all times must be considered, however normally nearer is best: extra energy on track kills viruses quicker…. At 50 cm (19.6″), 15 seconds or so [to neutralization] is loads higher than 31.5, however nonetheless isn’t nice. Whenever you get down round 25 cm – half the space, quadruple the facility, bear in mind? – issues begin trying higher. Keep in mind, that is the time to inactivate 90% of the pathogen/virus. So 4-ish seconds is loads higher than 10.5…. Now, would I belief it to guard me at a restaurant? No. Would I apply it to a airplane? Sure, as an additional layer of safety, or if I wanted to eat (consider some individuals MUST eat at periodic intervals), it could present some safety by conserving my face low towards the tray desk, particularly if I coordinated it with low(er) CO2 readings from a monitor.” • One thing to observe. Feedback from engineers welcome!
* * * “COVID-19 in Office Settings: Classes Realized for Occupational Drugs within the UK” [Raymond Agius, La Medicina del Lavoro]. From the Summary: “n spite of excellent prior analysis and statute, the mandatory sources to guard employees’ well being have been critically missing when the pandemic struck. Weak public well being steerage, which didn’t recognise dominant airborne transmission, was utilized to workplaces, leaving employees and others unprotected, particularly in respect of Respiratory Protecting Tools (RPE). The Well being and Security Govt (HSE) as regula-tor was missing, for instance, in not producing steerage to guard HealthCare Employees (HCW ) who have been amongst probably the most in danger. The UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry ought to tackle shortcomings similar to these, however suggestions should be accompanied by sturdy means to make sure acceptable implementation. These ought to vary from substantial measures to enhance indoor air high quality, to a everlasting pandemic administration group with sufficient re-sources. The imposing authority must be obliged to publish extra particular office steerage than the general public well being authorities. Occupational Drugs as a self-discipline must be higher ready, and therefore to say its duty in direction of excessive requirements of employees’ well being safety. Future analysis has to incorporate investigating the most effective technique of mitigation towards airborne an infection and the administration of post-acute covid sequelae.” • The UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry the place BoJo is presently disgracing himself.
“One thing Terrible”
Lambert right here: I’m getting the sensation that the “One thing Terrible” is perhaps a sawtooth sample — variant after variant — that averages out to a completely excessive plateau. A lot of exceptionally nasty sequelae, most certainly deriving from immune dysregulation (says this layperson). To which we’d add mind injury, together with character adjustments therefrom.
* * *
Case Knowledge
From BioBot wastewater information, December 4:
Lambert right here: Biden’s doing nice. His Omicron spike is, in fact, incomparable, however now he’s overwhelmed Trump’s case rely for each January and September 2021. In 2023! Case counts shifting neatly upward (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). Solely 19 superspreading days till Christmas!
Regional information:
These near-vertical curves within the Midwest and the Northeast are regarding, though as ever with Biobot it’s important to look ahead to backward revisions.
Variants
From CDC, December 9:
Lambert right here: JN.1, proven on the NowCast for the primary time, developing quick on the surface, whereas BA.2.86 fades.
• “Replace on SARS-CoV-2 Variant JN.1 Being Tracked by CDC” [CDC]. ” The continued development of JN.1 means that it’s both extra transmissible or higher at evading our immune programs. Right now, there isn’t a proof that JN.1 presents an elevated threat to public well being relative to different presently circulating variants.” Daring within the unique. However then: “The speedy development of JN.1 in contrast with different variants raises the query of whether or not this variant would possibly drive an incremental improve in infections.”
• “New COVID Variant JN.1 Might Disrupt Vacation Plans” [WebMD]. “Nobody planning vacation gatherings or journey needs to listen to this, however the rise of a brand new COVID-19 variant, JN.1, is regarding consultants, who say it could threaten these good occasions…. JN.1, an Omicron subvariant, was first detected within the U.S. in September and is termed “a notable descendent lineage” of Omicron subvariant BA.2.86 by the World Well being Group. When BA.2.86, also referred to as Pirola, was first recognized in August, it appeared very completely different from different variants, the CDC stated. That triggered considerations it is perhaps extra infectious than earlier ones, even for individuals with immunity from vaccination and former infections. … Whereas some consultants say a peak as a result of JN.1 is anticipated within the weeks forward, [Eric] Topol stated it’s unimaginable to foretell precisely how JN.1 will play out. ‘It’s not going to be a repeat of November 2021,’ when Omicron surfaced, [Rajendram] Rajnarayanan predicted. Inside 4 weeks of the World Well being Group declaring Omicron as a virus of concern, it unfold around the globe.”
• “What to Know Concerning the New Covid Variants” [New York Times]. “One other variant that scientists began watching carefully this fall is BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola. … BA.2.86 didn’t take off like scientists initially feared, however identical to EG.5 advanced to supply HV.1, JN.1 has just lately emerged from BA.2.86 and is spreading rapidly. Based on preliminary analysis launched in November, JN.1 carries a mutation that offers it additional immune-evading capabilities…. The preprint paper testing how the brand new vaccines carried out towards HV.1 additionally confirmed that they produced antibodies efficient towards JN.1, however not as many…. Greater than the chance conferred by any particular person variant, it’s the speedy fee of virus evolution that’s most regarding to Trevor Bedford, a professor within the vaccine and infectious illness division on the Fred Hutchinson Most cancers Middle. ‘No single variant has been that impactful,’ he stated, ‘however the total accumulation of those mutations is having important influence.’” • Effectively, that’s what “Let ‘er rip” does…
From CDC, November25:
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 unwell intent).
CDC: “As of Could 11, genomic surveillance information will probably be reported biweekly, primarily based on the supply of constructive take a look at specimens.” “Biweeekly: 1. occurring each two weeks. 2. occurring twice every week; semiweekly.” Seems like CDC has chosen sense #1. In essence, they’re telling us variants are nothing to fret about. Time will inform.
Covid Emergency Room Visits
NOT UPDATED From CDC NCIRD Surveillance, December 2:
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.
NOTE “Charts and information supplied by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous yr, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.” So not your complete pandemic, FFS (the implicit message right here being that Covid is “identical to the flu,” which is why the seasonal “rolling 52-week interval” is suitable for eachMR SUBLIMINAL I hate these individuals a lot. Discover additionally that this chart reveals, no less than for its time interval, that Covid is not seasonal, despite the fact that CDC is attempting 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 as a proxy for Covid an infection total.
Hospitalization
Bellwether New York Metropolis, information as of December 8:
Steadily up. New York state as an entire seems to be extra like a spike. (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 distinct CDC visualization on hospitalization, nationwide, not by state, however with a date, no less than. November 25:
Up….
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, December 4:
0.2%. Up. (It could be attention-grabbing to survey this inhabitants usually; these are individuals who, regardless of a tsunami of official propaganda and large peer stress, went and received examined anyhow.)
NOT UPDATED From Cleveland Clinic, December 2:
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, November 13:
Down, albeit within the rear view mirror. And listed below are the variants for vacationers, November 6:
BA.2.86 20% of the the entire final week, 25% of the entire this week.
Deaths
Complete: 1,184,559 – 1,184,345 = 214 (214 * 365 = 78,110 deaths per yr, in the present day’s YouGenicist™ quantity for “dwelling with” Covid (fairly a bit increased than the minimizers would love, although they will speak themselves into something. If the YouGenicist™ metric retains chugging alongside like this, I could must determine that is what the powers-that-be contemplate “mission achieved” for this specific tranche of demise and illness).
Lambert right here: This quantity is just too small it doesn’t matter what. Iowa Covid19 Tracker hasn’t been up to date since September 27, 2023. I’ll must revert to CDC information. Yech.
Stats Watch
Employment State of affairs: “United States Unemployment Price” [Trading Economics]. “The unemployment fee in the USA fell to three.7% in November of 2023 from 3.9% within the earlier month, the bottom since July, and firmly underneath market expectations that it could stay unchanged at 3.9%. The outcome marked a slight backtrack from the close to two-year excessive recorded in October, pushing again towards latest tendencies of a slowing labor market in the USA. ”
• “US Labor Market Defies Slowdown Forecasts in Broad Strengthening” [Bloomberg]. “The stable labor-market figures shift focus to inflation numbers as Fed officers gauge how lengthy to take care of rates of interest at this cycle’s peak. An additional cooling of value positive factors would doubtless assist push the central financial institution towards fee cuts so long as the job market averts a extra sustained re-acceleration.”
The Bezzle: “AI-Powered Drive-Via Is Truly Run Nearly Totally By People” [Bloomberg]. “Presto Automation Inc. pitched a restaurant business determined to fight rising wages on a speaking chatbot that might take orders with virtually no human intervention. The agency touted OpenAI’s Sam Altman as an early investor. And it has used the agency’s expertise to enhance its system because it goals to triple deployments to 1,200 places subsequent yr. However disclosures in latest filings with the US Securities and Alternate Fee and adjustments to advertising and marketing counsel that the expertise is much less autonomous than it first appeared. The corporate, which went public final yr, now says .” • Lol, identical to the robotic vehicles and every little thing else. Anyone studying this, I make you a free reward of the premise for a science fiction brief story: An AI does certainly take over the world, simply because the doomsters feared, however because it seems, the AI is de facto only a warehouse-full of wage slaves within the Phillipines. NOTE * William Gibson’s Company, already shockingly unhealthy, seems to be even worse now.
In the present day’s Worry & Greed Index: 67 Greed (earlier shut: 64 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 67 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Dec 8 at 1:47:17 PM ET.
Class Warfare
“The 25 Richest Households within the World — 2023” [Bloomberg]. The deck: “From the home of Hermès to Gulf royals, the wealth of worldwide dynasties soared 43% within the final yr.” Names are: AL NAHYAN (UAE), WALTON (USA), HERMÈS (FRANCE), MARS (USA), AL THANI (QATAR), KOCH (USA), AL SAUD (SAUDI ARABIA), AMBANI (INDIA), WERTHEIMER (FRANCE), THOMSON (CANADA), CARGILL, MACMILLAN (USA), JOHNSON (USA), BOEHRINGER, VON BAUMBACH (GERMANY), QUANDT (GERMANY), ALBRECHT (GERMANY), PRITZKER (USA), HOFFMANN, OERI (SWITZERLAND), VAN DAMME, DE SPOELBERCH, DE MEVIUS (BELGIUM), HARTONO (INDONESIA), DASSAULT (FRANCE), COX (USA), MULLIEZ (FRANCE), FERRERO (ITALY), KWOK (HONG KONG), and DUNCAN (USA). • Price scanning. 8/25 = 32% within the US.
“Archaeologists unearth ‘most stunning instance of Roman slavery’ at Pompeii” [Guardian]. “The cramped bakery with small home windows barred with iron was a part of a house that emerged throughout excavations within the Regio IX space of the Pompeii archaeological park in southern Italy. The invention offers extra proof on the every day lifetime of Pompeii’s enslaved individuals, typically forgotten about by historic sources however who made up many of the inhabitants and whose laborious labour propped up town’s economic system in addition to the tradition and material of Roman civilisation…. Markings used to coordinate the motion of enslaved employees and blind-folded animals have been discovered on the bakery’s ground. The house was divided right into a residential half adorned with lavish frescoes, and the bakery, the place enslaved individuals have been compelled to grind the grain wanted to supply bread. The bakery was lower off from the surface world, with the one exit resulting in the primary corridor of the home. ‘It’s, in different phrases, an area by which we’ve to think about the presence of individuals of servile standing whose freedom of motion the proprietor felt the necessity to prohibit,’ stated Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii archaeological park. ‘It’s the most stunning facet of historic slavery, the one devoid of each trusting relationships and guarantees of manumission, the place we have been lowered to brute violence, an impression that’s fully confirmed by the securing of the few home windows with iron bars.’”
Information of the Wired
“The Proper Chemistry: Reflections on the manufacture of mirrors” [Montreal Gazette]. Fairly a lead: “The Corridor of Mirrors within the Palace of Versailles is magnificent. Commissioned by Louis XIV, the Solar King, it was designed to pay tribute to his political, financial and creative successes with work, sculptures and naturally, the well-known 357 mirrors. Louis had stipulated that every little thing within the corridor should be made by French artisans, which offered a problem when it got here to the mirrors. On the time, the Venetian island of Murano had a monopoly on mirror-making and the secrets and techniques of manufacture have been so tightly guarded that any glassmaker who was suspected of revealing them was disbursed with by employed assassins. Because of this, Venetian mirrors have been actually price their weight in gold.” • And talking of chemistry–
“Microbiota from Alzheimer’s sufferers induce deficits in cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis” [Brain]. From the Summary: “To know the involvement of Alzheimer’s affected person intestine microbiota in host physiology and behavior, we transplanted faecal microbiota from Alzheimer’s sufferers and age-matched wholesome controls into microbiota-depleted younger grownup rats…. Our findings reveal for the primary time, that Alzheimer’s signs could be transferred to a wholesome younger organism by way of the intestine microbiota, confirming a causal function of intestine microbiota in Alzheimer’s illness, and spotlight hippocampal neurogenesis as a converging central mobile course of regulating systemic circulatory and gut-mediated components in Alzheimer’s.” • Escape the Probiotic Yogurt?!
Contact info for vegetation: Readers, be happy to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn the way to ship me a examine if you’re allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn the way to ship me photographs of vegetation. Greens are high-quality! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! In order for you your deal with to seem as a credit score, please place it initially 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 TH:
TH writes: “That is an exterior photograph taken at Hollyhock Home, a home in East Hollywood that’s one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. As everybody most likely is aware of, he was well-known for integrating interiors with exteriors and visa-versa. So, right here he’s received a forged concrete planter atop a wall that surrounds a courtyard on the south facet of the home. The ornamentation is claimed to have been meant to evoke Mayan motifs. My first thought was Aztec, however I’ll go together with Mayan 😊.”
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