By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Fowl Track of the Day
Northern Mockingbird, Spencer, Indiana, United States. “Nonetheless singing incessantly by way of the night time. All these audios recorded from rest room window at 3:27, 3:33, 3:58, and 4:01 (final one does have passing automobile–superb how a lot noise it makes). As I used to be leaving might hear one other particular person singing off to the E.”
In Case You May Miss…
- Trump, the world’s biggest troll.
- Hegseth et al. nonetheless alive.
- “RuissiaGate Remnants”;
- The Claims Adjuster roundup.
Politics
“So most of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in actual fact a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles
“The Governor of the Nice State of Canada” 😂 pic.twitter.com/CeJHB3i9w8
— Financelot (@FinanceLancelot) December 10, 2024
World’s Biggest Troll (2):
Listed here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I name them Battle, Battle, Battle, as a result of they symbolize us WINNING. Nice Christmas presents for the household. Go to https://t.co/8O1nm58fxA. Merry Christmas, and Joyful New 12 months!
Donald Trump Fact Social 01:11 PM EST 12/08/24… pic.twitter.com/JYamMQeHYr
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Fact Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 8, 2024
* * * “Trump allies undertake new technique for nominees: Make the doubters pay” [Politico]. “Donald Trump’s transition group entered a vital week of nomination conferences on Capitol Hill with a brand new head of steam, emboldened by a swarm of grassroots help and a strain marketing campaign that has revived Pete Hegseth’s hopes for Protection secretary and given them confidence about different controversial nominees, too. In current days, allies of Trump adopted an strategy that isn’t novel for the president-elect and his followers: Make life extraordinarily uncomfortable for anybody who dares to oppose him. The swarm of MAGA assaults that Sen. Joni Ernst has skilled is a warning of what’s in retailer for others who categorical skepticism of his personnel decisions.”
“Rising momentum for Cupboard picks who might outline Trump’s second time period” [CNN]. “he Cupboard affirmation drama round Donald Trump’s most provocative picks [is] largely about Trump himself, and the form of presidency he desires, the one he’ll find yourself getting, and the hopes of his MAGA motion that he’ll stand agency on his vow to shake the federal administrative state to its core and enact his and their revenge.” As for Ernst: “The Iowa Republican had confronted warnings on social media that she’d encounter a main problem in 2026 if she didn’t shelve her reservations about Hegseth. The president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr., final week, for example, amplified a put up on X that identified that Ernst had been amongst virtually all GOP senators who voted to substantiate President Joe Biden’s Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin, saying that anybody who did so after which criticized Hegseth was perhaps ‘within the incorrect political celebration!’”
“‘I Help Pete’: Ernst Modifications Tune Following Second Hegseth Assembly” [The Federalist]. “Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, indicated she is going to verify Pete Hegseth as the subsequent secretary of protection on Monday. The announcement marks a stark pivot for Ernst, who has been main a behind-the-scenes effort to tank Hegseth’s nomination. ‘I respect Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the method,’ Ernst stated in a press launch. ‘Following our encouraging conversations, Pete dedicated to finishing a full audit of the Pentagon and deciding on a senior official who will uphold the roles and worth of our servicemen and girls — primarily based on high quality and requirements, not quotas — and who will prioritize and strengthen my work to forestall sexual assault throughout the ranks. As I help Pete by way of this course of, I look ahead to a good listening to primarily based on reality, not nameless sources.’”
“Key GOP senators start to fall in line to help Kash Patel and hold door open for Pete Hegseth” [CNN]. “High GOP senators on Monday signaled help for Donald Trump’s plan to oust the present FBI director in favor of firebrand loyalist Kash Patel, whereas holding the door open for Pete Hegseth, who faces a slate of misconduct allegations, because the president-elect’s choose to run the Pentagon…. It’s nonetheless early within the vetting course of for Trump’s Cupboard nominees and affirmation votes received’t happen till subsequent 12 months. However it’s clear that GOP senators are being cautious to select their battles and cautious of how they strategy the president-elect’s alternatives.”
* * * “Chilly Shoulder: Democrats Ignore Tulsi Gabbard’s Request To Meet” [CNN]. Worst of all, Gabbard was a DNC vice-chair, however resigned to endorse Sanders. “There may be some proof that skepticism of a muscular overseas coverage has gained traction amongst youthful Democrats and independents within the final 4 or 5 years. When Hillary Clinton questioned Gabbard’s logic and loyalty, Gabbard punched again. In a collection of tweets, she referred to as the previous secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee “the queen of warmongers” and “personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Social gathering.’” • The place’s the lie?
“Sanctuary cities resist Trump’s deportation plan. It might value their residents” [USA Today]. “Whereas a post-election ballot by YouGov for CBS Information reveals {that a} huge 73% of adults need President-elect Donald Trump to prioritize the repatriation of unlawful migrants, the [Denver Mayor Mike Johnston] pledged to not solely have Denver police ‘stationed on the county line to maintain (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) out’ but additionally that ‘you’d have 50,000 Denverites there.’ Johnston stated it will be like a ‘Tiananmen Sq. second’ and answered sure when questioned whether or not he’d be able to go to jail. That second quickly handed, nonetheless, as attorneys apparently defined to the mayor that armed resistance to the federal authorities is commonly referred to as – anticipate it – rebellion.” • Oopsie.
Democrats en déshabillé
“Russiagate Remnants” [Michael R. Caputo, Racket News]. “All of us agree the unique Russiagate conspiracy continues even right this moment. The Russia hoax was created by Hillary Clinton aide Jake Sullivan, who carries on along with his lies right this moment as President Joe Biden’s nationwide safety advisor. Christopher Steele, the British spy employed by Clinton to create the dodgy file, and his Fusion GPS co-conspirator Glenn Simpson are nonetheless doing the identical work for comparable shoppers. Andrew Weissmann, Peter Strzok, John Brennan, and extra nonetheless peddle their lies. Components of the unique conspiracy had been woven into Ukrainian meddling within the 2016 American election, then bogus Trump impeachments, January sixth prosecutions, anti-Trump lawfare, and Particular Counsel Jack Smith’s Mar-a-lago raid. FBI Director Patel can show the unique 2016 conspiracy continues right this moment. A lot of the proof stays in federal and public databases. Preemptive pardons apart, which means Sullivan, Weissmann, Mary McCord, Steele, Simpson, Victoria Nuland, Alexander Vindman, Eric Ciaramella, Smith, and others should be within the jackpot. We agree with lawyer Mike Davis: these perpetrators probably violated 18 U.S.C. § 241 and 242, federal civil rights statutes that prohibit conspiracies to violate the rights of others.” • Value studying in full.
Syndemics
“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
Covid Sources, United States (Nationwide): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot; contains many counties; Wastewater Scan, contains drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); “Iowa COVID-19 Tracker” (in IA, however nationwide knowledge). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Normal 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 (wastewater); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV (wastewater); WY (wastewater).
Sources, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).
Sources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usées); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).
Hat tricks to useful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, sq. coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).
Keep protected on the market!
Airborne Transmission
“AirFanta 3Pro Evaluation – A Excessive-Efficiency But Inexpensive Air Air purifier” [BreatheSafeAir]. “After having the 3Pro arrange inside my workplace for over two weeks now, I’m joyful to have the ability to current my full assessment of the machine. For anybody unaware, this air purifier is designed to filter an enormous quantity of air (we are going to focus on the CADR and extra quickly!) at a comparatively reasonably priced worth. It does this by being primarily a pre-assembled CR (Corsi-Rosenthal) Field – a type of air air purifier that was itself created because of the want for reasonably priced and efficient air purification gadgets. Whereas the 3Pro doesn’t embrace the everyday DIY facet of conventional CR Containers, it has the benefit of getting confirmed efficiency (no want to fret about whether or not your DIY field is efficient!) and being able to exit of the field. Nonetheless, maybe my favorite facet of this machine over conventional CR Containers is how simply obtainable it’s. Whereas this most likely isn’t a difficulty for anybody within the U.S. or Europe, I discover it laborious to supply good HEPA filters in New Zealand at an reasonably priced worth. The 3Pro ensures I don’t run into this problem.” • Value a learn should you’re available in the market. Perhaps a Christmas present to a liked one you wish to hold alive and mind damage-free?
TABLE 1: Every day Covid Charts
Lambert: CDC’s wastewater web page loaded. No Thanksgiving surge that I can see.
| Wastewater | |
| This week[1] CDC December 2 | Final week[2] CDC (till subsequent week): |
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| Variants [3] CDC December 7 | Emergency Room Visits[4] CDC November 30 |
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| Hospitalization | |
| ★ New York[5] New York State, knowledge December 9: | Nationwide [6] CDC December 5: |
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| Positivity | |
| Nationwide[7] Walgreens December 9: | Ohio[8] Cleveland Clinic November 23: |
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| Vacationers Information | |
| Positivity[9] CDC November 19: | Variants[10] CDC November 4: |
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| Deaths | |
| Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] CDC November 20: | Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] CDC November 20: |
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LEGEND
1) ★ for charts new right this moment; all others should not up to date.
2) For a full-size/full-resolution picture, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Home windows) on the chart thumbnail and “open picture in new tab.”
NOTES
[1] (CDC) Excellent news!
[2] (CDC) Final week’s wastewater map.
[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, “Ommicron,” has achieved a terrific job normalizing successive waves of an infection.
[4] (ED) Down.
[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Leveled out.
[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Truly improved; it’s now one of many few charts to indicate all the course of the pandemic to the current day.
[7] (Walgreens) Down.
[8] (Cleveland) Down.
[9] (Vacationers: Positivity) Leveling out.
[10] (Vacationers: Variants). Positivity is new, however variants haven’t but been launched.
[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.
[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.
Stats Watch
Small Enterprise Optimism: “United States NFIB Enterprise Optimism Index” [Trading Economics]. “The NFIB Small Enterprise Optimism Index within the US jumped to 101.7 in November 2024, the very best studying since June 2021, in comparison with 93.7 in October and beating forecasts of 94.2. It’s also the primary time in 34 months that the studying is above the 50-year common of 98, in response to the presidential election. “The election outcomes sign a significant shift in financial coverage, resulting in a surge in optimism amongst small enterprise homeowners. Important Avenue additionally grew to become extra sure about future enterprise circumstances following the election, breaking a virtually three-year streak of report excessive uncertainty. Homeowners are notably eager for tax and regulation insurance policies that favor robust financial development in addition to reduction from inflationary pressures. As well as, small enterprise homeowners are desperate to broaden their operations”, NFIB Chief Economist Invoice Dunkelberg.”
Manufacturing: “Unique-Boeing restarts 737 MAX manufacturing a month after strike ended, sources say” [Reuters]. “Manufacturing resumed on Friday, stated one of many sources, who all spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of they weren’t licensed to talk with media. Boeing declined to remark. The manufacturing restart had not been beforehand reported. The top of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, instructed Reuters on Thursday that Boeing had not but resumed 737 MAX manufacturing however deliberate to take action later this month.”
Manufacturing: “Boeing shares bounce as 737 MAX manufacturing reportedly resumes” [Sharecast]. “The inventory was up almost 5% at $164.80 by 1034 in New York, buying and selling at ranges not seen since late-August.”
Tech: “AI slop is already invading Oregon’s native journalism” [Oregon Public Broadcasting (PI)]. “The Every day Tidings seems to be the primary time an Oregon information outlet has stolen the identities of actual journalists to trick native readers with AI-generated content material. The aim is outwardly to deceive Oregonians into giving clicks — and the ensuing advert income — to whoever is behind the web site.” • Horrid element. Theft and fraud all the best way down.
The Bezzle: Controversy–
However “the aim of a system is what it does” (Stafford Beers). The entire thread is price studying.
Right now’s Concern & Greed Index: 51 Impartial (earlier shut: 49 Impartial) [CNN]. One week in the past: 56 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Dec 10 at 10:48:20 AM ET.
Gallery
Appears like a parrot’s feathers:
Celebration by Vincent van Gogh pic.twitter.com/b9R2azkOe7
— Impressions (@impression_ists) November 28, 2024
Healthcare
Don’t neglect to smile.https://t.co/OC9BvQfZtt
— Donald Ward (@WardoftheStates) December 9, 2024
Inconsistencies abound:
has this man ever worn the identical jacket twice? pic.twitter.com/C9jhKNYdqW
— derek man (@dieworkwear) December 9, 2024
A J6er weighs in:
There’s no means you actually consider they discovered the United Healthcare CEO’s killer 5 days later & he’s nonetheless carrying the identical precise garments, has the murd3r weapon on him, & has a written manifesto in his pocket.
Simply chillin at McDonald’s with the weapon & manifesto 😂
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) December 10, 2024
Why the heck not?
❌ No, Burger King did not put up “We do not snitch.” https://t.co/8livSt5wBw pic.twitter.com/0Ltj4PRSlo
— snopes.com (@snopes) December 10, 2024
Character reference:
FWIW, we spent many of the chat discussing this essay: https://t.co/ObAVw06NTr
— Gurwinder (@G_S_Bhogal) December 9, 2024
What do our docs suppose?
1/
My retired orthopedic surgeon dad:
“By no means, ever, EVER let anybody minimize your again.
It hardly ever offers reduction.
It virtually at all times makes issues worse.
It is the Vietnam of orthopedic surgical procedure.” https://t.co/Afl4JCMQX8— BrowningMachine, Rubbish Nazi! (@BrowningMachine) December 9, 2024
The Pelosi connection:
Breaking: the UHC assassination suspect’s grandpa—WWII Navy vet & actual property dev Nick Mangione—was a good friend of Nancy Pelosi’s father, the forty first Mayor of Baltimore, who defended him as “big-hearted” regardless of human rights violation investigations & regulatory nook chopping https://t.co/4Q5Bea4FCD pic.twitter.com/ESJvCGH5T5
— ParaPower Mapping (@KlonnyPin_Gosch) December 10, 2024
“The Gradual, Quiet Demise of American Romance” [The Atlantic]. “As a reporter overlaying fashionable courting, I’ve spoken with plenty of women and men who’ve reluctantly given up the seek for love. I consider that individuals can have wealthy, fulfilling lives with or with out companions; I additionally know that courtship has by no means been simple. However analysis helps the concept that, in recent times, the USA has seen a very pronounced disaster of religion in romance. The Pew Analysis Middle, in an evaluation of census knowledge, discovered that as of 2019, 38 p.c of adults had been unpartnered—that’s, not married or dwelling with a associate—in contrast with 29 p.c in 1990. In a survey Pew performed that very same 12 months, half of single adults stated they weren’t looking for dates. When Pew divided that end result by gender, it discovered that 61 p.c of single males stated they had been trying to date or discover a relationship whereas solely 38 p.c of single ladies stated the identical. In different phrases, straight partnerships appear to be going out not with a 4B-style bang however with a whimper. And nonetheless refined the shift might sound, it has big implications for women and men: how they deal with one another, whether or not they’re prepared to belief one another, and the way they’ll construct their futures—collectively or aside.” • Hmm.
“Anger at plan to show Nazi tunnels into bunker for super-rich” [Yahoo News]. Higher there than within the corridors of energy on the EU and NATO. Oh, wait…. “A German property developer has sparked outrage with a plan to show a World Warfare II tunnel system right into a luxurious bunker for wealthy survivalists who worry the outbreak of World Warfare III. Kinfolk of the jail labourers who constructed it below the Nazis are aghast on the enterprise enterprise that’s providing a crypto-currency referred to as ‘BunkerCoin’ as entry tokens to the promised apocalypse shelter.” • After all, Crypto.
“The Tech Baron Looking for to Purge San Francisco of ‘Blues’” [Gil Duran, The New Republic]. April 2024. “‘What I’m actually calling for is one thing like tech Zionism,” [Balaji Srinivasan] stated.” • Oh.
“Color within the Center Ages” [Medievalists.net]. “Michel Pastoureau writes that “the true medieval reverse for white was not a lot black as pink.” This may be seen in the best way Europeans tailored chess. When the sport was adopted in Europe, the items and chessboard had been painted in white and pink, contrasting with the black and pink units widespread in India and the Center East. It was solely in direction of the tip of the Center Ages that the white versus black dichotomy grew to become extra favoured. A key issue on this shift was the arrival of printing, the place black ink was used on white paper, reinforcing the notion of those colors as pure opposites.”
“Don’t throw away your printed books: A meta-analysis on the results of studying media on studying comprehension” [Educational Research Review] 2018. From the Dialogue: “The outcomes of the 2 meta-analyses within the current research yield a transparent image of display inferiority, with decrease studying comprehension outcomes for digital texts in comparison with printed texts, which corroborates and extends earlier analysis (Kong et al., 2018; Singer & Alexander, 2017b; Wang et al., 2007). These outcomes had been constant throughout methodologies and theoretical frameworks.” And: ” our outcomes point out that the display inferiority impact has elevated up to now 18 years, and that there have been no variations in media results between age teams. These shocking findings recommend that we can’t idly anticipate display inferiority to vanish as youngsters are uncovered to digital gadgets earlier and earlier of their lives, as adults achieve extra expertise with the expertise, or as expertise improves. The information recommend that display inferiority is a significant problem throughout age teams that turns into extra extreme because the presence of expertise will increase.” • Actually conforms to my priors!
Contact info for vegetation: Readers, be happy to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn how to ship me a examine in case you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn how to ship me pictures of vegetation. Greens are superb! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! If you’d like your deal with to seem as a credit score, please place it at first of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize through the use of your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From EM:
Mild on the finish of the tunnel?
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