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By Lambert Strether of Corrente
Hen Music of the Day
Unusual sounds from Oz!!!
Politics
“However what’s authorities itself, however the biggest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51
“That they had realized nothing, and forgotten nothing.” –Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
“When the going will get bizarre, the bizarre flip professional.” –Hunter Thompson
Capitol Seizure
“‘Doobie Smoker’ sentenced for position in Jan. 6 riot” [NBC]. “A person who stormed the U.S. Capitol throughout the Jan. 6 assault and dubbed himself the “Doobie Smoker” on social media after he smoked marijuana within the rotunda was sentenced to 2 years’ probation Thursday. Federal prosecutors had pushed for Eduardo Nicolas Alvear Gonzalez, whom the federal government described as a ‘self-employed social media influencer,’ to be sentenced to a few months in jail, arguing that his frequent self-promotion and public statements describing the riot as ‘stunning’ raised severe issues about his respect for the rule of legislation.” • And whow amongst us is not a “self-employed social media influencer”?
“Anger and insults: Paperwork present DOJ pushed again bluntly at Trump effort” [The Hill]. “[T]he committee supplied depositions with prime Trump-era DOJ officers who converse candidly in regards to the now-infamous January 2021 assembly the place many threatened to resign as Trump mulled putting in mid-level DOJ legal professional Jeffrey Clark, one in all his allies, as performing legal professional basic to ahead an investigation. That features feedback that Clark ‘wouldn’t even know the way to discover his method to [FBI Director] Chris Wray’s workplace, a lot much less march in there and direct the FBI what to do.’ Then-acting Legal professional Normal Jeffrey Rosen and his deputy, Richard Donoghue, had for days been pushing again in opposition to a president more and more fixated on meritless election fraud claims and baffled by his grumblings he ought to set up Clark. However they have been nonetheless shocked to get an e mail from Clark shortly thereafter selling ‘varied theories that gave the impression to be derived from the web,’ in keeping with Donoghue. They included a principle that the Chinese language authorities might have hacked into Dominion voting machines by means of a wise thermostat. That was adopted with a request for an intelligence neighborhood briefing on the matter together with the request to have the Justice Division ship a letter to Georgia asking it to stall certification of its election outcomes pending a DOJ investigation. Donoghue stated he needed to learn the letter greater than as soon as to digest what Clark was proposing, noting that the e-mail made Rosen — a longtime colleague of Clark’s — ‘just a little offended.’ Donoghue referred to as Clark, who throughout a dialog between the 2 males stated that he had been doing his personal investigation.”
“Barr says Trump accountable for Jan. 6 riot ‘within the broad sense of that phrase’” [The Hilll]. “Throughout an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt, which is scheduled to air in full on Sunday, Barr was requested if the previous president was accountable for what occurred on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. ‘I do assume he was accountable within the broad sense of that phrase, and that it seems that a part of the plan was to ship this group as much as the Hill. I feel the entire concept was to intimidate Congress, and I feel that that was flawed,’ Barr responded. Holt famous throughout the interview that Trump supplied a three-page response to the community over Barr’s remarks, by which he referred to as his former legal professional basic a ‘coward,’ ‘an enormous disappointment’ and ‘lazy.’ He additionally stated Barr’s forthcoming memoir, ‘One Rattling Factor After One other: Memoirs of an Legal professional Normal,’ was ‘pretend.’ In an excerpt of that response to NBC Information, which was obtained by The Hill, Trump claimed that earlier than the Jan. 6 rally, he had advised that troops be stationed in Washington, D.C., and on the Capitol constructing, however that Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) weren’t .” • “Steered.” In writing? On tape?
Biden Adminstration
A couple of orts and scraps on Ukraine:
“The Biden administration is ‘actively discussing’ sending Kamala to Romania and Poland within the coming days to point out ‘solidarity’ with Ukraine as Putin continues his relentless assaults” [Daily Mail] (07:42 GMT) and “White Home discussing sending Harris to Poland and Romania” [CNN] (17:11 GMT). • Arduous to see why this hasn’t occurred. I imply, do they need to resolve the issue, or not?
Obama the realist:
President Obama, in 2016, on Russia, Ukraine and the US. He was being pressed by the neoconservative editor of @TheAtlantic, @JeffreyGoldberg, on why he refused to “stand as much as Putin” by arming Ukraine. This is what Obama stated. Nicely value studying. This was after Crimea annexation: pic.twitter.com/mxzPg7I1Uf
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 1, 2022
Clarifying:
Let’s get our phrases straight, earlier than the Left rewrites the rattling dictionary. There are oligarchs, and there are billionaires. One actually dictates state coverage through monopolistic monetary affect. The opposite does this too however with a Russian accent which frightens me personally.
— Dr. Gibson McFuck, Esq. (@GibsonMcFuck) March 4, 2022
“People Worry Financial Affect of Ukraine Battle” [Rassmussen]. “The most recent Rasmussen Experiences nationwide phone and on-line survey finds that 74% of American Adults imagine the Russian invasion of Ukraine is prone to damage the American financial system, together with 40% who assume it’s Very Doubtless the invasion shall be unhealthy for our financial system. Solely 14% don’t anticipate the Russia-Ukraine struggle to harm the U.S. financial system, whereas one other 12% usually are not positive.” • The query: “How probably is it that the Russian invasion of Ukraine will damage the American financial system?”
Dudes, come on:
They appear… fragile to me. Musical interlude:
(Large X fan right here. And heck, it’s Friday.)
* * * “Biden’s State of the Union Did One thing New” [James Fallows, The Atlantic]. URL extra to the purpose: “was-bidens-state-union-speech-good.” • That is value a learn, as a result of Fallows goes by means of it line by line — as I do, once I placed on my yellow waders — and annotates it. I skipped proper to the Covid half. It’s extremely weak. Fallows protection isn’t even half-hearted. Fallows thinks the speech is nice, nonetheless.
“Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, With Lengthy COVID Himself, Introduces Analysis Invoice” [NECN]. “Almost two years after getting COVID-19, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine says he nonetheless has delicate signs. Kaine joined two fellow Democratic senators, Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, in introducing a invoice Wednesday to fund analysis aimed toward higher understanding lengthy COVID-19. ‘I inform individuals it seems like all my nerves have had like 5 cups of espresso,’ Kaine toldThe Washington Put up in describing a ’24/7′ tingling sensation. The Complete Entry [***cough***] to Assets and Training (CARE) for Lengthy COV
ID Act would centralize knowledge about affected person experiences and fund analysis into the effectiveness of therapies. It additionally would increase sources accessible to assist these with lingering signs. Kaine’s flu-like signs started in March 2020 and went away inside weeks, however the nerve tingling by no means stopped. He examined constructive for coronavirus antibodies in Could 2020. The little-understood phenomenon by which signs linger for weeks or months after a coronavirus an infection may have an effect on hundreds.” • I want our elected representatives didn’t need to expertise issues personally to know their significance. However right here we’re. Lengthy Covid, nonetheless, impacts thousands and thousands, not “hundreds.”
Democrats en Déshabillé
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 put up, 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, in reality, 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 Celebration is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Pay attention, Liberal!). ; if the Democrat Celebration didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. . (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” in fact.) Second, all of the working elements of the Celebration reinforce one another. Depart apart characterizing the relationships between parts of the Celebration (ka-ching, however not solely) these parts comprise a community — a Flex Web? An iron octagon? — of funders, distributors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with property within the press and the intelligence neighborhood.
Be aware, in fact, that the category energy of the PMC each expresses and is restricted by different courses; oligarchs and American gentry (see ‘industrial mannequin’ of Ferguson, Jorgensen, and Jie) and the working class spring to thoughts. Suck up, kick down.
* * *
Republican Funhouse
A nasty piece of labor:
Holy hell.
Sen. Toomey quietly slipped in an modification to BAN postal banking into the Postal Service Reform Act.
This consists of cash orders, which @USPS sells $21 BILLION value of per yr.
We will’t let this occur. Name your Senator now!
— Public Citizen (@Public_Citizen) March 3, 2022
2022
* * * “Hispanic girls emerge as huge winners in Texas GOP major” [Politico]. “The GOP noticed continued robust turnout within the state’s southernmost border counties within the newest show that Trump’s positive aspects amongst Hispanic voters have been no anomaly. However that was solely a part of the story. When the mud clears after the Could 24 runoffs, as many as eight Latinos — together with six girls — may finally be Republican nominees for congressional seats throughout Texas. Within the Rio Grande Valley alone, at the least two Latinas will carry the GOP nod.” • As you may see, Sanders did very effectively in South Texas in 2020:
You’ve gotta surprise what the mind gemiuses within the Democrat management did to show South Texas Hispanics into Republicans, however right here we’re.
However their inventory trades:
🚨BREAKING🚨
Rep. Tom Suozzi discloses a bunch of shares trades SUPER LATE with some over 4 years late.
The penalty? $200.
That is inexcusable.
See his purchases at https://t.co/lodTLftEbF
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) March 4, 2022
Tom Suozzi (D-NY3). (Oh, wow, Steve Israel‘s seat. Proud heritage.)
2024
“Trump Simply Endorsed an Oath Keeper’s Plan to Seize Management of the Republican Celebration” [ProPublica]. “The plan, referred to as the ‘precinct technique,’ has been repeatedly promoted on Steve Bannon’s well-liked podcast. As ProPublica detailed final yr, it has already impressed hundreds of individuals to fill positions on the lowest rung of the get together ladder. Although these positions are low-profile and infrequently vacant, they maintain essential powers: They assist elect higher-ranking get together officers, affect which candidates seem on the poll, end up voters on Election Day and even employees the polling precincts the place individuals vote and the election boards that certify the outcomes.” • So the scheme is to have activists… be part of the Republican Celebration? And exert political affect on it? And it’s inevitable it will work, as a result of no person else is prepared to do the work of the get together?
Realignment and Legitimacy
No:
I’ve made the “Axelrove” joke myself. And for the low, low worth of $16.05 per 30 days…
No:
5 years in the past the New York Occasions referred to as Each day Caller content material “actually vile.” At present they employed a Each day Caller reporter https://t.co/6kvNPSwgE5
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) March 3, 2022
#COVID19
Case depend by United States areas:
Fellow tapewatchers will notice that “up like a rocket, down like a stick” section is completed with, and the case depend is now leveling out. At a degree that, a yr in the past, was thought of a disaster, however we’re “over” Covid now, so I suppose not.
NOTE I shall most definitely not be utilizing the CDC’s new “Neighborhood Stage” metric. As a result of CDC has mixed a number one indicator (instances) with a lagging one (hospitalization) their new metric is a poor warning signal of a surge, and a poor method to assess private danger. As well as, Covid is a illness you don’t need to get. Even if you’re not hospitalized, you may undergo from Lengthy Covid, vascular points, and neurological points. For these causes, case counts — identified to be underestimated, attributable to residence check kits — deserve to face alone as a quantity to be tracked, irrespective of how a lot the political operatives in CDC management want to obfuscate it.
The official narrative was “Covid is behind us,” and that the pandemic shall be “over by January” (Gottlieb), and “I do know some individuals appear to not need to surrender on the great pandemic, however you understand what? It’s over” (Invoice Maher) was fully exploded. What a shock! This time, it might be completely different. However who is aware of?
MWRA (Boston-area) wastewater detection:
Flattened out, continues encouraging (and impartial from the CDC).
The Massachusetts Water Assets Authority (MWRA) service space consists of 43 municipalities in and round Boston, together with not solely a number of faculty programs however a number of massive universities. Since Boston is so very education-heavy, then, I feel it may very well be a very good main indicator for Covid unfold in colleges typically.
I’m simply ready for CDC to discover a method to jigger the wastewater statistics:
Biobot CEO & Cofounder @MarianaMatusG on the equitable nature of #wastewater-based epidemiology 👉 https://t.co/VBWLGlGVWM
“The ability about wastewater knowledge is that everybody has a voice… It’s the nice equalizer!” #publichealth #equity @AmFamInstitute
— Biobot Analytics (@BiobotAnalytics) March 2, 2022
From CDC Neighborhood Profile Experiences (PDFs), “Speedy Riser” counties:
See at “WTF.” I’d name Nebraska a knowledge downside, besides re-infections are nonetheless actual infections, should you’re involved with actual individuals. (I do know, I do know; assumes details not in proof.) This appears to me just like the CDC baseline is method too low, if each state counted like Nebraska is. Readers, are you able to discuss me off the ledge? (Do not forget that these are fast riser counties. A county that strikes from crimson to inexperienced isn’t covid-free; the case depend simply isnt, effectively, rising quickly.)
The earlier launch:
“Well being replace: Vermont’s COVID-19 outlook improves” [Vermont Public Radio]. “COVID-19 case charges, hospitalizations and deaths are declining in Vermont, and well being officers say they anticipate the numbers to maintain falling. , there are nonetheless questions on the way to preserve older Vermonters and people with compromised immune programs secure.” • Superb how “the endemic section” as a result of typical knowledge with out, as far as I can inform, any scientific justification in any respect. Is it wishful pondering? Is it MBAs pondering their spreadsheets rule the world, as an alternative of the opposite method spherical? It’s weird. Like a lot else.
Right here is CDC’s interactive map by county set to neighborhood transmission:
Persevering with gradual enchancment, assuming the numbers aren’t jiggered.
Hospitalization (CDC Neighborhood Profile):
Sea of inexperienced as soon as extra. From the viewpoint of our hospital-centric well being care system, inexperienced all over the place means the emergency is over (and to be honest, that is strengthened by case depend and wastewater). Nonetheless, neighborhood transmission continues to be pervasive, which implies that lengthy Covid, plus persevering with vascular harm, are not over. (Be aware pattern, whether or not up or down, is marked by the arrow, at prime. Admissions are offered within the graph, on the backside. So it’s attainable to have an upward pattern, however from a really low baseline.)
Demise charge (Our World in Information):
Complete: 981,729 979,725. I’ve added an anti-triumphalist Fauci line.
Covid instances in prime us journey locations (Statista):
The surplus deaths chart seems weekly, on Friday.
Take a look at the {qualifications} in that drop-down. And the ginormous typo, helpfully highlighted, has been there for weeks. CDC, should you’re studying this, please ship a sign by getting this fastened. After which throw some paperwork over the transom. In full confidentiality!
Stats Watch
Employment Scenario: “United States Non Farm Payrolls” [Trading Economics]. “The American financial system added 678K jobs in February of 2022, essentially the most in seven months and method above market forecasts of 400K. Job development was widespread, led by leisure and hospitality (179K), specifically meals providers and consuming locations (124K) and lodging (28K); skilled and enterprise providers (95K), primarily short-term assist providers (36K), administration of corporations and enterprises (12K) and administration and technical consulting providers (10K); well being care (64K); and building (60K). That leaves employment 2.1 million jobs beneath its pre-pandemic degree and plenty of economists imagine the job market may recuperate all of the pandemic losses this yr.”
Employment Scenario: “United States Unemployment Price” [Trading Economics]. “The US unemployment charge edged down to three.8 p.c in February of 2022 from 4 p.c within the earlier month, a brand new pandemic low and beneath market expectations of three.9 p.c. The variety of unemployed individuals edged down by 243 thousand to six.270 million. In February 2020, previous to the coronavirus pandemic, the unemployment charge was 3.5 p.c, and the variety of unemployed individuals was 5.7 million. In the meantime, the labor pressure participation charge edged as much as 62.3 p.c in February, the very best degree since March 2020.”
At present’s Worry & Greed Index: 18 Excessive Worry (earlier shut: 22 Excessive Worry) [CNN]. One week in the past: 33 (Worry). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Mar 4 at 1:17pm.
The Gallery
I have a look at most of Max Ernst dutifully, however I actually like this one, maybe due to the blue texture:
Sanctuary, 1965 #maxernst #surrealism pic.twitter.com/JZzvYpZ7Qg
— Max Ernst (@artisternst) March 4, 2022
Ernst was huge on birds, so I appeared however didn’t spot one. I do see a cage….
Feral Hog Watch
Absolutely these “very important seed distributors” usually are not feral hogs?
Jav-a good day! Javelina (say J as H) having breakfast close to our wetland, btw the Rio Grande & levee, the place #borderwall is being constructed. These very important seed distributors that make sure the survival of treasured native plant species shall be severely restricted in vary by silly wall. pic.twitter.com/BjpvLLf9LS
— Nationwide Butterfly 🦋 (@NatButterflies) March 4, 2022
In any case, the Nationwide Butterfly Middle has extra vital idiocies to fret about:
#BidenssBorderWall building arrives on the western fringe of our property. This concrete & metal cleaver by means of the LRGV Wildlife Conservation Hall destroys a fragile remnant of native habitat, however doesn’t cease human migration b/c it’s construct miles contained in the U.S. #NoWall pic.twitter.com/3n7zDuMz9b
— Nationwide Butterfly 🦋 (@NatButterflies) February 28, 2022
Our Famously Free Press
Hmm:
I wrote a humorous, romantic ebook that underscores the challenges of marriage and paints my husband because the hero of the story, and from the NY Occasions overview to the tabloid protection to The View, it has been warped to “Spouse Is Complete Bitch.” https://t.co/61qnbMx2da
— Heather Havrilesky (@hhavrilesky) March 3, 2022
I’m undecided I’d purchase the writer’s ebook. However I positive purchase the outline of what our famously free press did to her.
The Agony Column
I suppose I’ll file this right here as a result of Fesshole (one in all my favourite accounts):
I have been promoted twice since 2020 regardless of averaging 4-5 hours of Soccer Supervisor every day. I delegate boring duties to my crew and share it to my bosses as big successes. I even watch pretend Youtube vids of convention calls to make my Mrs assume I am in conferences.
— Fesshole 🧻 (@fesshole) March 4, 2022
Be aware that in Normal Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord’s classification scheme for officers, this poster is “certified for the very best management duties.”
Video games
“A Transient Historical past of a Doorway in Purple Dwarf (1989-96)” [Dirty Feed]. • I learn the phrases, however they don’t imply something to me. Maybe any person familar with tv, apparently, can clarify. I orginally thought it was a sport, however apparently not.
Class Warfare
“‘Foxhole’ logistics union ends 49-day strike after calls for met” [NME]. “A union of logistics gamers in Foxhole have ended their basic strike after 49 days, following Siege Camp’s announcement that it will likely be implementing most of the organisation’s requested modifications. Again in January, 1,800 logistics Foxhole gamers beneath the banner ‘Logistics Organisation for Normal Enhancements’ launched an in-game basic strike to spotlight points with the logistics system inside the sport. Their actions meant front-line troopers struggled to be resupplied. In February, Siege Camp held a developer stream to stipulate what was subsequent for the sport, together with modifications to the logistics. The introduced modifications included an elevated quantity of ‘unstuck’ makes use of per struggle, faster pull occasions, and different modifications designed to make enjoying a logistics position much less cumbersome. A number of of those modifications appear to particularly deal with the ten level open letter that the L.O.G.I. despatched to builders in January.” • Jonah Furman is a wonderful lanor reporter:
Truthfully this appears actually cool. It feels like from some cursory studying that they principally made the sport unplayable (or at the least much less playable) by refusing to do one of many core capabilities of the sport playloop.
— Each day Union Elections (@UnionElections) March 4, 2022
To me, this is essential: I’ve been ready, a bit like a cat at a mousehole, to see when politics and gaming would merge. Right here is the primary instance I’m conversant in — and it’s an in-game basic strike (!!!).
Clearly, the Occasions must get higher at union-busting:
The New York Occasions Tech Guild is absolutely operating up the rating, regardless of the NYT’s marketing campaign urging these staff to not unionize. pic.twitter.com/NVSRzFNbmj
— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt) March 3, 2022
“New York REI Employees Have Voted to Unionize Amid a Rising Wave of Retail Unions” [Footwear News]. “86% of staff on the REI Co-Op in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood voted to affix the Retail, Wholesale and Division Retailer Union (RWDSU) in a vote performed by the Nationwide Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on March 2. The preliminary outcomes of the vote have been 88-14, although official outcomes are anticipated be tallied within the coming days, REI stated…. The brand new union will characterize 116 staff on the retailer, together with all full- and part-time gross sales specialists, technical specialists, visible presentation specialists, delivery and receiving specialists, licensed technicians, operations leads, gross sales leads, and delivery and receiving leads. The union will characterize these staff in contract negotiations set to start later this yr.”
“Mountaire Farms stated North Carolina employee complaints a few poisonous chemical have been ‘bogus.’ The state DOL simply fined the corporate for severe violations.” [The Counter]. • Over/beneath on the dimensions of the fantastic?
Information of the Wired
Yves and I quote this from Dune typically:
“Then, as his planet killed him, it occurred to Kynes that his father and all the opposite scientists have been flawed, that .”
For instance:
Gonna use this, from George Katsiaficas’ essay on Marcuse, as the brand new excuse as to why I don’t drive pic.twitter.com/B46nrje8Zg
— lewis hodder (@lewishodder_) November 17, 2020
I don’t drive both, and the world is a greater place for it.
A tremendous thread on rebuilding soil:
Not simply timber however forests programs together with salmon rivers and bear habitat & flying squirrel habitat .
The coastal previous development forest of British Columbia additionally evapotranspiration big quantities of water making it attainable for that water to succeed in the dry inside. 2/ pic.twitter.com/CdDBL5pzn0
— BUILD SOIL; Plant Chestnuts! (@BuildSoil) November 15, 2021
I want Biden would cease speaking in regards to the “soul” of America, no matter that’s, and begin speaking in regards to the soiil of America. He may do some precise good.
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