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By Lambert Strether of Corrente
Hen Tune of the Day
Scarlet Tanager, Sugarloaf Mountain, Frederick, Maryland, United States. I’ve at all times cherished the identify “Scarlet Tanager,” however for as soon as I really acknowledge the tune!
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
“Right here’s meals for thought, had Ahab time to assume; however Ahab by no means thinks; he solely feels, feels, feels” –Herman Melville, Moby Dick
Capitol Seizure
“Lady who flew on personal jet to Capitol riot pleads responsible” [Axios]. “Katherine Schwab of Fort Value, Texas, pleaded responsible to knowingly coming into a restricted constructing or grounds. She’s the final of three co-defendants to both plead responsible or be sentenced.” • American gentry.
Biden Administration
“Biden retains pupil mortgage debtors in suspense over fee pause” [The Hill]. “President Biden is protecting pupil mortgage debtors in suspense over whether or not he’ll resolve to once more lengthen a freeze on repayments with lower than two weeks to go till the Aug. 31 cutoff date. It’s the smallest window of time debtors have had to date because the pause in federal mortgage repayments started firstly of the COVID-19 pandemic, with lawmakers and advocates pressuring the administration to decide that revolves round essential monetary planning…. The delay in saying a choice and the approaching midterm election raises questions over if the information will embody greater than a fee pause extension and probably a long-awaited resolution to forgive some quantity of such debt. The freeze has been prolonged six occasions since mortgage funds had been first placed on maintain in March 2020 underneath former President Trump.” • Kudos, President Trump [snicker].
“Biden to host summit on countering hate-fueled violence” [The Hill]. “President Biden plans to host a summit in mid-September centered on stamping out the results of hate-fueled violence in america in furtherance of his marketing campaign pledge to unify the nation….. ‘The United We Stand Summit will convey collectively heroes from throughout America who’re main historic work of their communities to construct bridges and handle hate and division, together with survivors of hate-fueled violence,’ [White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre] stated.” • Maybe some members of the Azov battalion will attend? (To not denigrate the work of precise, floor stage “heroes” — Ferguson supplied many examples — this appears like an NGO magnificence contest, to me.
2022
* * * GA: “Senators Warnock, Ossoff, and Reed go to Robins Air Drive Base” [WFXL]. • I hope they bought the chance to fireside off some weaponry! Additionally, the place’s my 600 bucks?
GA: “‘Gross sales job’: Warnock hits the highway to advertise federal finances regulation” [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]. ” As U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock praised a newly signed tax, well being and local weather change regulation underneath a rain-soaked pavilion, he was interrupted repeatedly by a handful of viewers members — not by hecklers, however supporters shouting ‘thanks.’ The senator is racing to advertise the bundle and different current Democratic legislative victories as history-making achievements earlier than Republicans and different critics of the far-reaching regulation outline the narrative surrounding the measure first.” • Completely spontaneous!
MD: “Frederick County Democratic committee narrowly picks incumbent in disputed race” [Maryland Matters]. “After a re-tabulation of votes and recount within the District 3 Democratic contest earlier this month, Keegan-Ayer misplaced to Di Cola by a single vote: 2,297 to 2,298. Simultaneous with the recount, Keegan-Ayer filed a lawsuit in Frederick County Circuit Court docket difficult whether or not Di Cola met the residency requirement for the council seat. After a one-day listening to, Di Cola was disqualified from operating.” • Commentary:
So Dems on this more and more Latino MD exurb kicked the Latina winner of a *very* shut main off the poll bc of a residency requirement. Unmentioned is she was in a brand new condo bc of an abusive associate and her opponents had been stalking her for months https://t.co/FtRRGd34rV
— Dan Greene (@Greene_DM) August 19, 2022
Let the therapeutic start! (Background. Can Maryland readers develop on this?)
MN: “Democrats blast Minnesota GOP candidate’s ‘vote with bullets’ remarks” [NBC]. “Democrats on Thursday accused a Republican-endorsed candidate for the Minnesota Senate of condoning political violence, when he talked in regards to the want for ‘voting with the poll earlier than we now have to vote with bullets.’ The candidate, Stephen Lowell, countered that he wasn’t advocating violence however as a substitute merely warning about what can occur when folks lose religion of their authorities…. ‘We have to develop our enamel again. Quick,’ Lowell instructed the group. ‘So, a part of these enamel, on this explicit set of phrases, is voting with the poll earlier than we now have to vote with bullets. As a result of on the finish of the day, when folks don’t imagine that their elections are steady, they don’t imagine that police will defend them, they cease utilizing the democratic, of any type, technique. … And so we now have to convey again that religion, and we now have to return out and vote.’” • Is that this the Republican model of the Democrat “vote more durable”?
Democrats en Déshabillé
I’ve moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Get together (“the Democrat Get together 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 “reside” Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It seems that defining the Democrat Get together is, in truth, 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 Get together is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Pay attention, Liberal!). ; if the Democrat Get together didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. . (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” after all.) Second, all of the working elements of the Get together reinforce one another. Go away apart characterizing the relationships between parts of the Get together (ka-ching, however not completely) 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.
Notice, after all, 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.
Realignment and Legitimacy
Enjoyable with HR at Vox:
There’s quite a bit happening right here, beginning with the cheerful assumption that poking HR within the eye with a pointy stick by not filling out their lavish instance of successor ideology is a job-winning technique. I cross over in silence “Establish my ___ id” (which leaves open the intriguing if barely recursive chance that my recognized id shouldn’t be my precise id). What actually frosts me, although, is the one entry for “White.” I not solely determine as a “White Anglo-Saxon Protestant” (WASP), I am one. And but HR throws me into the identical bucket as “white trash.” That is violence.
As soon as once more, whoever threw this over the transom, take a bow!
“‘Completed nothing’: Choose admonishes Michael Gableman’s 2020 election evaluate, bars attorneys from case” [Journal-Sentinel]. “For a lot of months, former Supreme Court docket Justice Michael Gableman’s taxpayer-funded evaluate of the 2020 presidential election that has not produced any proof of substantive voter fraud ‘achieved nothing,’ based on a Dane County choose. Gableman didn’t preserve weekly progress stories as required by the Wisconsin State Meeting. He carried out no witness interviews. And he gathered ‘no measurable knowledge’ over at the least a four-month span in 2021, the choose discovered.”
#COVID19
Lambert right here: The choice on the best way to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic has turned out to be that advocated by the Nice Barrington Declaration crowd of democidal loons: Let ‘er rip. It appears fairly clear that this collective resolution on behalf of society wasn’t made at any stage of “our democracy,” however…. increased up, by an elite that hates masking, thinks capsules and injections can provide them invulnerability, and likes to socialize at conferences and different such superspreading occasions. The “let me see your smile” angle comes from the highest.
• Resign, Walensky!
After studying that @CDCDirector @CDCgov workers nonetheless working at house to guard themselves from Covid, somebody despatched me this publish from a MA mum or dad describing the outrageous hypocrisy displayed by Jha and Walensky who made positive their youngsters’ faculty was well-ventilated. https://t.co/C9zDomPpZZ pic.twitter.com/j9Dfu7QsdN
— Dana Parish (@danaparish) August 18, 2022
Notice each the WFH and college air flow conditions are lined by Invariant #1 of “Neoliberalism Expressed as Easy Guidelines“: “The principles of neoliberalism don’t apply to those that write the foundations.” Extra:
“From day one, we paid consideration to the science and had been in fixed contact with public well being and infectious illness consultants together with NPS dad and mom, Drs. Rochelle Walensky and Ashish Jha.”
— Dana Parish (@danaparish) August 18, 2022
So each Walensky and Jha are absolutely conscious of what it takes to guard themselves and their youngsters in rich Newton, and so they ensure it occurs, whereas denying that the identical protections are wanted for the remainder of the nation. Please clarify to me, then, why “eugenics” shouldn’t be an acceptable label for lliberal Democrat Covid coverage? Too imflammatory? (I adore it that each Walensky and Jha are from the identical city. That’s simply too excellent.)
• “Cease Telling Individuals That They’re ‘Bored with Covid’” [The Nation]. “As well being fairness professional Anne Sosin lately commented, US pandemic coverage is being formed by ‘acceptance of a excessive demise toll quite than the aspiration to scale back it.’” Once more, any individual please clarify why “eugenics” is the improper phrase for liberal Democrat Covid coverage. Extra: “Over current months, official efforts to steer messaging away from the pandemic and roll again Covid protections have been justified with claims that might appear to be widespread sense: that the general public is ‘drained‘ and ‘burned out‘ and experiencing ‘pandemic fatigue‘; that we discover Covid measures ‘burdensome.’” Naturally, they’re mendacity: “[T]he knowledge on public opinion and the pandemic counsel that ranges of concern in regards to the pandemic haven’t declined considerably. Whereas it’s true that some opinion polls have steered excessive ranges of public frustration concerning Covid, solely a barely bigger fraction of respondents imagine Individuals ought to ‘be taught to reside with the pandemic’ than imagine we must always ‘do extra to vaccinate, put on masks, and take a look at.’ More moderen polls counsel that 70 % of Individuals see the pandemic optimistically—as ‘an issue, however manageable’—probably suggesting widespread assist for preventive measures. A ballot final week discovered {that a} majority of each Republicans and Democrats assist vaccine and masks mandates in faculties.” And the apparent: “America’s leaders have lengthy understood that fashionable opinion is way from mounted, and that public sentiment will be whipped up when needed.” • Effectively value studying in full.
• ”‘Most have thrown their arms up’: has the US forgotten about Covid?” [Guardian]. “Arghavan Salles, a medical affiliate professor at Stanford College’s College of Medication, expressed her frustrations over how officers and the general public seems to be shifting on from Covid-19, which continues to place healthcare employees underneath big pressure. “It feels considerably like a private affront, like all our sacrifices imply completely nothing as a result of in the long run, nobody cares,” stated Salles, who labored at ICUs in the course of the top of the pandemic.” • To my data, Biden has not as soon as acknowledged the tens of tens of millions of Individuals who adopted non-pharmaceutical interventions like masks or Corsi-Rosenthal containers. That silence is about as large a “[family blog] you” as will be imagined. Particularly from one of many adults within the room who was presupposed to be higher than Trump.
• Twitter now censoring any detrimental inforrmation on Covid, even when it’s “the science”?
I’ve reached out to Twitter for touch upon the platform’s current spate of eradicating tweets and banning folks’s accounts for sharing factual info, scientific analysis, and mainstream information articles in regards to the risks of COVID-19 https://t.co/t0Nll6hwB0
— Taylor Lorenz (@TaylorLorenz) August 19, 2022
The Twitter assist notes on the a number of examples are idiotic. These items shouldn’t be simple, as this humble blogger is aware of!
• Right here is one other instance:
I’ve watched a member of the family get a coronary heart assault earlier than my eyes after covid!
Why precisely is @farid__jalali being focused @Twitter/@TwitterSafety?
What he writes is 1) properly revealed in prestigious journals 2) an space of his experience!
It is not even controversial! pic.twitter.com/xW4j84HHXX
— Katrin Rabiei, MD PhD (@DrKatrin_Rabiei) August 18, 2022
I imagine it was IM Doc (please appropriate if improper) who coined the phrase that “Covid is a vascular illness that presents as respiratory.” So what the account says is completely cheap.
• ”Air and floor sampling for monkeypox virus in UK hospitals” (preprint) [medRxiv]. Strategies: “We investigated environmental contamination with MPXV from contaminated sufferers admitted to isolation rooms within the UK, to tell an infection prevention and management measures. Floor swabs of high-touch areas in isolation rooms, of healthcare employee private protecting gear (PPE) in doffing areas, and from air samples collected earlier than and through bedding change had been analysed utilizing MPXV qPCR to evaluate contamination ranges. Virus isolation was carried out to verify presence of infectious virus in key optimistic samples.” Outcomes: “Considerably, three of 4 air samples collected throughout a mattress linen change in a single affected person’s room had been optimistic (Ct 32·7-35·8). Replication-competent virus was recognized in two of 4 samples chosen for viral isolation, together with from air samples collected in the course of the mattress linen change.” • The CDC Monkeypox case report kind can’t seize aerosolization throughout altering mattress linens. I’d say this was unbelievable, if it had been.
• Monkeypox exhibits up in New Haven wastewater:
I neglect who to credit score for this hyperlink. Take a bow in feedback!
In the event you missed it, right here’s a publish on my queasiness with CDC numbers, particularly case rely, which I (nonetheless) contemplate most essential, regardless of what Walensky’s psychos at CDC who invented “group ranges” assume. However these are the numbers we now have.
Case Rely
Case rely for america:
Instances are undercounted, one supply saying by an element of six, Gottlieb considering we solely decide up one in seven or eight.) Therefore, I take the nominal case rely and multiply it by six to approximate the true stage of circumstances, and draw the DNC-blue “Biden Line” at that time. The earlier rely was ~ 99,800. At the moment, it’s ~93,500 and 93,500 * 6 = a Biden line at 561,000 per day. First case rely under (nominal) 100,000 for a very long time. (Keep in mind these knowledge factors are weekly averages, so every day fluctuations are smoothed out.) The black “Fauci Line” is a counter to triumphalism, because it compares present ranges to previous crises. In the event you take a look at the Fauci line, you will note that regardless of the bleating and yammering about Covid being “over,” we now have solely only in the near past reached the (nominal) case stage of November 1, 2021, and really removed from that of July 1, 2021. And the true stage is far worse.
• ”Excessive plateau”:
We’re on this excessive plain plateau of #COVID19 within the U.S. We’re not seeing the massive mountain peaks and valleys. It is on this very excessive plateau, the place COVID is the quantity 4 reason for demise. https://t.co/G3bcJFyAtN
— Michael Osterholm (@mtosterholm) August 18, 2022
Regional case rely for 4 weeks:
The South:
The South (minus Texas and Florida):
The West:
Positivity
From the Walgreen’s take a look at positivity tracker, August 17:
-0.4%.
Transmission
Here is CDC’s interactive map by county set to community transmission. (This is the map CDC wants only hospitals to look at, not you.)
Speedy Riser knowledge, by county (CDC), August 19:
I suppose that if case counts are certainly stage, it’s doubtless there can be few fast risers.
Earlier Speedy Riser knowledge:
Hospitalization knowledge, by state (CDC), August 19:
Flat calm on the hospital entrance. In the event you’re CDC, and that’s all that issues to you — as a result of Lengthy Covid isn’t a factor, and all people who is absolutely sick can get to a hospital — you’re most likely feeling good proper now.
Variants
Lambert right here: It’s past irritating how gradual the variant knowledge is. I seemed for extra charts: California doesn’t to a BA.4/BA.5 breakdown. New York does nevertheless it, too, is on a molasses-like two-week cycle. Does no person within the public well being institution get a promotion for monitoring variants? Are there no grants? Is there a single lab that does this work, and all people will get the outcomes from them? Extra sources from readers welcome [grinds teeth, bangs head on desk].
NOT UPDATED Variant knowledge, nationwide (Walgreens), August 6:
Full takeover by BA.5/BA.4. I’m wondering what’s coming subsequent?
Variant knowledge, nationwide (CDC), July 30 (Nowcast off):
BA.5/BA.4 shifting alongside properly.
Wastewater
Wastewater knowledge (CDC), August 15:
For grins, August 14:
Seems unchanged. What I’m actually anxious about is a rise in gray dots (“no current knowledge”). as a result of that may imply the trouble is being shut down or defunded.
Lambert right here: How come no new websites over the previous week? The (nominal) case numbers are exhibiting drops in Florida and Texas, however we’ve bought no means of crosschecking with wastewater!
Deaths
Dying fee (Our World in Knowledge):
Lambert right here: If in truth the drop in circumstances is actual, as CDC appears to imagine, we must always begin seeing deaths, which lag, drop round September 1.
Whole: 1,064,780 – 1,064,207 = 573 (573 * 1120 = 641,760; at this time’s LivingWith™* quantity. Fluctuates fairly a bit, however even the low numbers are dangerous). I’ve added an anti-triumphalist black Fauci Line. It’s good that for deaths I’ve a easy, every day chart that simply retains chugging alongside, not like every part else CDC and the White Home are screwing up or letting go darkish, good job. NOTE * Maybe YouGenix™ can be higher? Though given the givens, maybe MeGenix™ (Slogan: “I by no means thought it might occur to Me!”) can be extra consistent with the occasions.
The Gallery
Class Warfare
“UPS Says No to Air Conditioning, However Right here’s a Surveillance Digital camera” [Labor Notes]. “The agitation and momentum we had generated by Security Not Surveillance introduced a whole bunch extra members out to our marketing campaign kick-off occasions, together with some reporters who had initially reached out due to our security marketing campaign. UPS has now put in followers in some vans and apologized publicly for failing to put in them earlier than.” • Nice, however “some”? Commentary:
Simply one other instance of @UPS Cool Options “coaching” … D.A.D. 🥵 pic.twitter.com/fU9AwLz3LZ
— Matt Leichenger (@mattleichenger) August 19, 2022
It’s your individual fault!
Information of the Wired
Dad.
— memes i want i might tag my cat in (@memesiwish) August 19, 2022
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