2:00PM Water Cooler 3/25/2024 | bare capitalism

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Affected person readers, I had to deal with Trump’s newest escape. They actually shouldn’t break tales simply as I’m beginning Water Cooler. Extra quickly. –lambert

Fowl Music of the Day

Purple-winged Blackbird, Southards Pond Park, Suffolk, New York, United States. “Many songs and eight or so forms of name notes in three cuts from the identical chicken.”

In Case You May Miss…

(1) E-book accumulating among the many youth.

(2) Boeing executives auto-defenestrate. Or so we’re instructed.

(3) Historical past of blotter.

(4) The place Starbucks is.. And the place it isn’t.

Search for the Helpers

“Some younger individuals have change into Colorado ebook collectors with out realizing it. Right here’s their likelihood to win $1,000.” [Colorado Sun]. “The deadline for the Kirkpatrick Prize for Colorado ebook collectors underneath the age of 30 is nearing. Wait. What? Are you critical? There are sufficient underneath 30 ebook collectors in Colorado to warrant a contest and $1,000 prize? Apparently. However right here’s the factor, the contestants typically don’t notice they’ve slipped into the world of ebook accumulating. They, like many, are inclined to mistakenly imagine that it’s the province of rich older males who put on jackets with patches on the elbows and maybe berets on their heads — you understand, form of professorial, form of eccentric. And so they’re referred to as antiquarians, clearly a reputation that doesn’t invoke ‘underneath 30.’ That group actually makes up a little bit of the world of ebook collectors, Taylor Kirkpatrick mentioned, however within the final decade he’s seen a rising curiosity amongst younger individuals. He began the competition 4 years in the past to encourage that curiosity. ‘There’s an annual Rocky Mountain E-book and Paper Truthful and I might say 10 years in the past whenever you went the inhabitants of attendees was of their 50s to 80s,’ he mentioned. “In case you go now, I might let you know the demographic is that it does draw a youthful crowd, particularly for the ephemera and specialty objects.’… He began the Kirkpatrick Prize to maintain that curiosity rising and to encourage younger collectors, who doubtless take into account themselves ebook lovers, however not collectors. Whereas there have been fewer than 15 entrants in every of the primary three years, Kirkpatrick, who’s 51, mentioned he hopes to have greater than 15 this 12 months — and for the quantity to continue to grow.” • So good for Kirkpatrick. There’s loads to be mentioned for books, moreover the actual fact you possibly can drop them within the tub. They work when the Web goes down. They don’t trigger the identical eye-strain that screens can. Plus, you possibly can personal them.

My e-mail deal with is down by the plant; please ship examples of “Helpers” there. In our more and more determined and fragile neoliberal society, on a regular basis regular incidents and tales of “the communism of on a regular basis life” are what I’m in search of (and never, say, the Purple Cross in Hawaii, and even the UNWRA in Gaza).

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

2024

Lower than a 12 months to go!

I had deliberate to publish this chart each Friday. However that is Monday. In any case, the message is similar as final Friday. (If I have been the Trump marketing campaign, I’d be apprehensive about Pennsylvania, referred to as “the Keystone State” for good motive. Fetterman confirmed how one can win it: “Each county, each vote.” Does the Trump marketing campaign assume they’re going to win Pennsylvania with the air warfare?)

* * *

Trump (R): “N.Y. appeals courtroom reduces Trump’s bond in his civil fraud case to $175 million, a victory for the previous president” [NBC]. “A state appeals courtroom dominated that Donald Trump and his co-defendants within the New York civil fraud case have 10 days to publish a $175 million bond, down from the $464 million judgment that was initially due Monday. The Eleventh-hour ruling from a panel of state Appellate Division judges, all appointed by Democratic governors, is a significant victory and aid for the previous president, whose attorneys had mentioned developing with the bigger bond was a “sensible impossibility.” The ruling additionally means state Lawyer Common Letitia James’ workplace can not but start accumulating on the judgment. ‘I vastly respect the choice of the appellate division and I’ll publish the $175 million in money or bonds or safety or no matter is important in a short time inside the 10 days, and I thank the appellate division for performing shortly,’ Trump mentioned in entrance of cameras after he left a New York courtroom for a listening to within the hush cash case.” And: “The choice Monday additionally places a keep on the a part of the unique judgment that barred Trump from serving as a public officer of an organization, in addition to the prohibitions positioned on Weisselberg, McConney, Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump.” • Hmm. What’s up with that?

Trump (R): “New York appeals courtroom cuts Trump’s bond to $175M” [Axios]. “It’s an enormous win for the previous president, who was staring down the prospect of a devastating monetary and private blow if he was unable to publish the practically half-billion-dollar bond by the Monday deadline…. A spokesperson for James in a press release on Monday mentioned that ‘Trump remains to be dealing with accountability for his staggering fraud.’ ‘The $464 million judgment – plus curiosity – in opposition to Donald Trump and the opposite defendants nonetheless stands.’”

Trump (R): “Trump Bond Lowered to $175 Million as He Appeals NY Superb” [Bloomberg]. “The choice means Trump might be able to push forward together with his attraction with out the danger of his property being seized by New York Lawyer Common Letitia James for lack of cost.”

Trump (R): “Individuals of the State of New York vs. Donald J. Trump et al.” (PDF) [Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, First Judicial Department]. In related half: “It’s ordered that the movement is granted to the extent of staying enforcement of these parts of the Judgment (1) ordering disgorgement to the Lawyer Common of $464,576,230.62, conditioned on defendants-appellants posting, inside ten (10) days of the date of this order, an enterprise within the quantity of $175 million {dollars}….” • No rationale given.

Trump (R): “In the present day Is the Day That fifty Years of Grifting Lastly Involves an Finish” [David Cay Johnston, The New Republic]. • Untimely triumphalism, excusable in a author, not in an editor.

Trump (R): “Eric Trump, in Brutal Self-Personal, Says Insurance coverage Firms ‘Have been Laughing’ as He Tried to Safe $464M Bond for Donald Trump” [Mediaite]. Eric Trump: “I went after the most important sureties on the planet, the most important sureties within the nation. They mentioned, ‘Eric, the final time we’ve seen a bond that dimension is once we did the Huge Dig of Boston, which was a $25 billion building challenge that lasted virtually 25 years!’ They’re attempting to place my father out of enterprise, they’re attempting to take all his assets that he’s attempting to place into his personal marketing campaign for the presidency…. Leticia James campaigned on this promise, and now they’re making him do one thing that’s not bodily potential! Placing up half-a-billion-dollar bond — bonds that dimension don’t exist on this nation. A $10 million bond is a big bond. A $15 is million bond is a gigantic bond. A half a billion greenback bond? Maria…that is ‘lawfare..’” • The headline appears misleading to me, once I take a look at the quote (assuming Trump Fils is telling the reality).

* * *

Trump (R): “Trump to Israel Hayom: Solely a idiot would haven’t acted like Israel on Oct. 7” (interview) [Israel Hayom]:

Q: I need to current you with a query I feel each world chief has to reply. How would you react in case your youngsters or grandchildren have been kidnapped by Hamas and underwent the identical atrocities many Israelis have skilled since Oct. 7?

[TRUMP:] “I might say I might act very a lot the identical means as you probably did. You would need to be loopy to not. Solely a idiot wouldn’t try this. That was a horrible assault.”

Q: In case you have been president once more, how would you counter the wave of antisemitism within the wake of the warfare’s outbreak?

[TRUMP:] “Nicely, that’s since you fought again. And I feel Israel made a really huge mistake. I needed to name [Israel] and say don’t do it. These pictures and pictures. I imply, transferring pictures of bombs being dropped into buildings in Gaza. And I mentioned, Oh, that’s a horrible portrait. It’s a really dangerous image for the world. The world is seeing this…each evening, I might watch buildings pour down on individuals. It might say it was given by the Protection Ministry, and mentioned whoever’s offering that that’s a nasty picture.”

I’m too lazy to search out the quote, however IIRC that was how Trump framed the pointlessness of the Iraq Warfare, in 2016; the destruction of buildings genuinely appears to get to him. And on (per Mearsheimer) The Foyer:

[TRUMP:] Some 15 years in the past, Israel had the strongest foyer. In case you have been a politician, you couldn’t say something dangerous about Israel, that might be like the top of your political profession. In the present day, it’s virtually the alternative. I’ve by no means seen you may have AOC plus three, these lunatics, frankly. However you may have AOC plus three plus loads of others. And all they do is speak badly about Israel, they usually hate Israel, they usually hate the Jewish individuals. And they’re open about it. Check out a few of these, Rashida Tlaib, what she says the best way she talks, they usually actually hate the Jewish individuals. And 15 years in the past, that might have been unthinkable to be doing that. So Israel has to get, Israel has to get higher with the promotional and with the general public relations, as a result of proper now they’re in smash. They’re being damage very badly. I feel in a public relations sense.

* * *

Biden (D): “Biden’s money benefit over Trump can’t be ignored” [The Hill]. “Biden’s money benefit over Trump — presently sitting at roughly $40 million — could show decisive in a race largely hinging on turnout and whichever marketing campaign can successfully attain and mobilize voters…. On prime of that, outdoors teams have pledged greater than $1 billion to help Biden’s reelection bid…. It’s simple to grasp why donors are hesitant to offer to the candidate or his committees. The majority of Trump’s spending isn’t going to the marketing campaign however to his authorized charges.” In different phrases, Democrats imagine that lawfare works (similar to they imagine the Pied Piper technique works, regardless of 2016). So they may maintain doing it. Extra: “Biden’s deep pockets imply the president can open many extra marketing campaign workplaces in the important thing swing states, making certain a strong grassroots outreach and get-out-the-vote operation all through the states that may determine the competition.” • Possibly. It could even be that, simply as in 2016, a Trump greenback stretches farther than a Biden greenback (quite like the Huge Mac index).

Biden (D): “How Biden can win within the swing states by studying from New York Metropolis’s subways” [James Levine, The Hill]. “Warning that Donald Trump is a ‘risk to democracy’ is simply too summary a message to sway many voters to vote for President Biden. As an alternative, his marketing campaign wants to indicate voters how the 2021 Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act will profit them within the years forward — particularly within the swing states…. In its ‘Right here’s what’s coming’ marketing campaign, the New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) is displaying subway riders the longer term impression of their metropolis and state tax {dollars}. Large billboards alongside the walkway in direction of the shuttle prepare from Grand Central Station to Occasions Sq. make the approaching enhancements and advantages tangible: higher lighting for security, elevators to make entry simpler for all, and extra. Biden is beginning to try this with in-person visits, resembling his Jan. 25 journey to Wisconsin’s Blatnik Bridge on the shores of a bay close to Lake Superior. He instructed residents that with out the infusion of $1 billion from the infrastructure funding the bridge was doomed to fail by 2030. However the Biden marketing campaign must ship its ‘coming sights’ through each out there type of visible media in a sustained, overwhelming method. In print which means billboards on highways and different roads, at prepare stations, airports and waterways. On social media, which means brief video clips displaying each potential space of impression.” • Concrete materials advantages. What an idea.

* * *

Kennedy (I): “What the Polls Say In the present day: RFK Jr. Now Hurting Biden, Serving to Trump” [Ed Kilgore, New York Magazine]. “[M]ore latest polling has most frequently proven him serving to Trump greater than Biden, each nationally and within the battleground states…. There are three huge elements which will nicely have an effect on the dimensions and form of Kennedy’s vote sooner or later. First, his veep reveal on March 26 may probably higher outline his candidacy and its attraction. Second, and extra importantly, he’ll virtually actually be the article of unfriendly consideration from the camp of the major-party candidate (in the intervening time, Joe Biden) he appears to be hurting. This might come within the type of assaults on his credibility, his ideology (maybe to make him extra enticing to voters from the opposite main social gathering), or his impact on the end result (i.e., for Democrats, the profit Trump may obtain). Third and maybe most vital would be the extent to which RFK Jr. good points poll entry, a laborious and costly course of.”

Kennedy (I): “RFK Jr. seeks main enhance with VP announcement” [The Hill]. “Staff Kennedy’s seek for a No. 2 has gotten consideration for the unconventional names it’s produced. Whereas many imagine Kennedy is probably going to decide on Nicole Shanahan, a lawyer and mega-donor, others have been privately mused about, with combined reactions.” • Shannahan — “a West Coast lawyer, who has deep ties in Silicon Valley and is the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin” — could be, to say the least, a false word.

Kennedy (I):

My Uncle Jack in West Virginia in 1960 on his technique to successful a state he was instructed he couldn’t due to the robust anti-Catholic sentiment. pic.twitter.com/FLkd9Pn5Ck

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) March 25, 2024

First Presidential election I bear in mind…

Kennedy (I): This nine-minute (!) video is getting some play:

Kennedy (I): On BitCoin and CBDCs:

Bitcoin Journal requested me about Central Financial institution Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and I shared my main concern: that the Fed’s proposed digital money may very well be used as an instrument of management — much like China’s oppressive social credit score system — quite than as a instrument of empowerment. pic.twitter.com/qXzrpjmdy7

— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) March 24, 2024

* * *

Newsom (D): “Transfer to Defend California’s Indoor Staff From Warmth Upended by Value Questions” [KFF Health News]. “Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration unexpectedly yanked its help from a sweeping proposal that might have protected tens of millions of California’s indoor staff from harmful warmth, saying it may possibly’t endorse it with out realizing the projected prices to the state. However the board that oversees employee security instantly defied the administration Thursday by unanimously approving new requirements meant to guard individuals who work in poorly ventilated warehouses, steamy restaurant kitchens, and different indoor job websites. The showdown represents a setback to the state’s local weather and labor coverage objectives, and throws the destiny of the principles into unknown territory. They’d been anticipated to take impact by summer time. The transfer by the Democratic administration angered board members, who referred to as it a ‘last-minute stunt’ that undermines their regulatory course of. It additionally sparked a protest by warehouse staff, who quickly shut down the assembly as they waved indicators declaring that ‘Warmth Kills!’ and loudly chanted, ‘What do we wish? Warmth safety! When do we wish it? Now!’” • Gavin Newsom, the employee’s buddy.

* * *

“Biden and the social gathering of ‘democracy’ are scared of third-party candidates and voter selection” [Jonathan Turley, New York Post]. “[T]he DNC is in search of to dam third-party candidates from ballots — Robert Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein. All three are liberal and are thought-about a risk to Joe Biden. This effort will doubtless embody any ticket put ahead by the No Labels group, in search of a reasonable various to the 2 events. Mary Beth Cahill, the previous interim DNC CEO, and DNC operative Ramsey Reid will lead this effort. Based on media reviews, former Buttigieg marketing campaign aide Lis Smith may also be a part of. This effort contains not only a public marketing campaign in opposition to Kennedy and Stein as spoilers, however ‘authorized motion’ to unravel the issue by denying voters a selection…. The contradiction is spellbinding. On the identical websites promising to oppose the third-party candidates, the DNC and different teams push the narrative that solely the Democrats are working to guard the proper to vote…. The DNC is reportedly to be joined on this effort by a well-financed array of teams together with the liberal assume tank Third Approach (which has filed complaints with secretaries of states); American ridge (a Democratic opposition operation), and Clear Selection (an excellent PAC composed of ‘allies of President Biden’).” • You possibly can hardly blame them. Nonetheless, that proscribing poll entry and lawfare are the very best and greatest makes use of for Democrat marketing campaign {dollars}, versus making the case for his or her candidate…. Nicely, that claims one thing.

Our Famously Free Press

“Led by NBC, U.S. company media is studying to reside with Trump” [Semafor]. “For weeks earlier than NBC Information journalists exploded into open revolt Sunday over the community’s rent of a prime Donald Trump supporter, the media firm that controls three of the highest U.S. information networks had been quietly rebuilding its ties to the previous president. Community insiders seen on March 5, when, throughout MSNBC’s Tremendous Tuesday broadcast of Trump’s main wins, host Rachel Maddow indicated to producers off-camera that viewers had heard sufficient from the previous president. MSNBC president Rashida Jones instructed manufacturing employees that she needed to stick with his speech. Maddow mused reside in regards to the challenges of taking Trump’s feedback on the fly and ‘permitting any individual to knowingly lie in your air.’ Six days later, CNBC welcomed the previous president again to Squawk Field for a phone-in interview primarily carried out by right-leaning host Joe Kernen.” • So presumably the Ronna McDaniel flap will die down, even when McDaniel herself seems to be a sacrificial sufferer.

Democrats en Déshabillé

“James Carville, the Cajun Who Can’t Cease Ragin’” (interview) [Maureen Dowd, New York Times]. “‘A suspicion of mine is that there are too many preachy females’ dominating the tradition of his social gathering [Carville says]. ‘Don’t drink beer. Don’t watch soccer. Don’t eat hamburgers. This isn’t good for you.’ The message is simply too female: ‘All the pieces you’re doing is destroying the planet. You’ve acquired to eat your peas.’ ‘In case you hearken to Democratic elites — NPR is my go-to place for that — the entire speak is about how ladies, and ladies of coloration, are going to determine this election. I’m like: ‘Nicely, 48 p.c of the folks that vote are males. Do you thoughts if they’ve some consideration?’” • Hmm.

#COVID19

“I’m in earnest — I cannot equivocate — I cannot excuse — I cannot retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.” –William Lloyd Garrison

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 at liberty to contact me on the deal with given with the vegetation. Please put “COVID” within the topic line. Thanks!

ake impact by summer time. The transfer by the Democratic administration angered board members, who referred to as it a ‘last-minute stunt’ that undermines their regulatory course of. It additionally sparked a protest by warehouse staff, who quickly shut down the assembly as they waved indicators declaring that ‘Warmth Kills!’ and loudly chanted, ‘What do we wish? Warmth safety! When do we wish it? Now!’” • Gavin Newsom, the employee’s buddy.

Sources, United States (Native): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin, dashboard; Stanford, wastewater; Oakland, wastewater); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater reviews); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur d’Alene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard); NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard); PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (dashboard); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV (wastewater); WY (wastewater).

Sources, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).

Sources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usées); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).

Hat tricks to useful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, sq. coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).

Keep protected on the market!

Immune Dysregulation

“A prognostic mannequin for SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough an infection: Analyzing a potential mobile immunity cohort” [International Immunopharmacology]. “. After breakthrough an infection with SARS-CoV-2, there was a lower in effector T cells and a rise in naïve T cells. The evaluation of mobile immunity previous to breakthrough an infection can function a prognostic instrument for SARS-CoV-2 an infection.” • Hmm.

“As Princess of Wales reveals prognosis, medical doctors warn of mysterious most cancers ‘epidemic’” [Daily Mail]. “There may be important confusion amongst researchers as to what is perhaps inflicting the pattern, though most agree it’s unlikely to be right down to a single issue…. Researchers are additionally starting to show their sights on potential adjustments to the microbiome to clarify the pattern…. Nonetheless, regardless of rising theoretical enthusiasm, scientists are hindered by the issue in conducting the mandatory long-term cause-and-effect research wanted to attract a hyperlink between what individuals eat and their threat of the illness…. Fashions primarily based on international information predict that the variety of early-onset most cancers circumstances will improve by round 30 per cent between 2019 and 2030, a markedly sooner improve than the earlier 30 years.” • Huh. Since 2019. Huh.

Variants

Life is simply too brief to chase variants. However KP.2?

KP.2 displaying a really robust progress benefit of 14% per day over different BA.2.86.* (together with JN.1.*) since February https://t.co/HKtGwZOOw1

— CoronaHeadsUp (@CoronaHeadsUp) March 13, 2024

Let’s see if it begins displaying up….

Elite Maleficence

This appears odd:

CDC eradicating all of the COVID-19 remedy tips on Aug 16, 2024 at https://t.co/2UUVQ23hrT Removing of remedy tips in use by medical doctors and the general public whilst hundreds are dying weekly from the illness. pic.twitter.com/mYZUkVBabD

— Lorri (@lorriberri) March 24, 2024

Does CDC take away remedy tips routinely?

TABLE 1: Day by day Covid Charts

LEGEND

1) ★ for charts new at this time; all others aren’t 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] (Biobot) Our curve has now flattened out on the stage of earlier Trump peaks. Not an awesome victory. Be aware additionally the realm “underneath the curve,” moreover taking a look at peaks. That space is bigger underneath Biden than underneath Trump, and it appears to be rising steadily if erratically.

[2] (Biobot) Backward revisions, I hate them.

[3] (CDC Variants) As of Could 11, genomic surveillance information will probably be reported biweekly, primarily based on the provision of optimistic check specimens.” “Biweeekly: 1. occurring each two weeks. 2. occurring twice per week; semiweekly.” Appears like CDC has chosen sense #1. In essence, they’re telling us variants are nothing to fret about. Time will inform.

[4] (ER) “Charts and information offered by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous 12 months, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.”

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Appears like a really gradual leveling off to a non-zero baseline, to me.

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC) Nonetheless down. “Maps, charts, and information offered by CDC, updates weekly for the earlier MMWR week (Sunday-Saturday) on Thursdays (Deaths, Emergency Division Visits, Check Positivity) and weekly the next Mondays (Hospitalizations) by 8 pm ET†”.

[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.

[8] (Cleveland) Flattening.

[9] (Vacationers: Posivitity) Now up, albeit within the rear view mirror.

[10] (Vacationers: Variants) JN.1 dominates totally.

Stats Watch

The Economic system: “United States Chicago Fed Nationwide Exercise Index” [Trading Economics]. “The Chicago Fed Nationwide Exercise Index edged as much as a three-month excessive of 0.05 in February 2024 from a downwardly revised -0.54 in January, signalling a slight improve in financial progress.”

Manufacturing: “United States Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index” [Trading Economics]. “The Federal Reserve Financial institution of Dallas’ normal enterprise exercise index for manufacturing in Texas decreased to -14.4 in March 2024, down 3.1 factors from -11.3 within the earlier month.”

Finance: Is there wheel repo?

Manufacturing: “Boeing CEO to Step Down in Overhaul Sparked by Security Disaster” [Bloomberg]. “CEO Dave Calhoun will depart the corporate on the finish of 2024, whereas Chairman Larry Kellner won’t stand for re-election, Boeing mentioned in a press release. Stan Deal, who leads Boeing’s business airplanes division, may also retire instantly. Chief Working Officer Stephanie Pope [came up through finance] will tackle Deal’s function, the corporate mentioned.” And the airways haven’t even met with the Board but! Extra: “The adjustments come amid rising buyer frustration with Calhoun and Deal as a disaster centering on the planemaker’s manufacturing high quality and security exhibits no indicators of receding practically three months after a fuselage panel blew out of an airborne 737 Max in January.”

Manufacturing: “Boeing CEO, different executives stepping down amid security disaster” [NBC]. “What number of occasions can ‘gained’t occur once more’ occur once more?” Financial institution of America Corp. analyst Ronald Epstein wrote in a report in January. ‘Each Boeing and [Boeing parts supplier] Spirit [AeroSystems] want a drastic cultural overhaul. This cultural change gained’t come from FAA mandates, congressional hearings, inside memos, or one-hour all fingers conferences. For tradition to maneuver from company jargon to being embodied within the habits and minds of each workforces, we see it as mandatory for Boeing and Spirit to drastically rethink the methods they’ve operated.’” • So, defenestration.

Manufacturing: “Boeing whistleblower John Barnett was spied on, harassed by managers, lawsuit claims” [FOX]. “The lawsuit, filed to the U.S. Division of Labor, says in January 2017, Barnett was notified that his title was ‘1 of 49’ listed in an e-mail on a supervisor’s desk titled ‘.’” • Oh, proper. Not that sort of hit record.

Manufacturing: “Blind Objects Revealed #4” [Crazy Days and Nights]. “A detective who thinks a really latest whistleblower dying isn’t a suicide says somebody tried to not too long ago kill him. John Barnett/Boeing.” • This can be a gossip web site, so take with a truckload of salts. Nonetheless:

Manufacturing: Crapification:

My father purchased a Bakelite electrical espresso grinder in 1964. Nonetheless going robust. I believed I’d get one thing a little bit extra up-date, purchased a streamlined Braun espresso grinder at Macy’s, once we had Macy’s. It lasted a 12 months. So it goes!

In the present day’s Worry & Greed Index: 68 Greed (earlier shut: 71 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 69 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Mar 25 at 12:55:59 PM ET.

Rapture Index: Closes up one on Meals Provide. “Many countries have a scarcity of meals” [Rapture Ready]. File Excessive, October 10, 2016: 189. Present: 187. (Keep in mind that bringing on the Rapture is good.) NOTE on #42 Plagues: “The coronavirus pandemic has maxed out this class.” Extra trustworthy than most! •

Healthcare

“Landmark Examine Confirms Persistent Fatigue Syndrome Is ‘Unambiguously Organic’” [ScienceAlert]. “In 2016, years earlier than lengthy COVID was a factor, the US Nationwide Institutes of Well being, the most important single public funder of medical analysis on the planet, launched a research right into a long-neglected and puzzling situation: persistent fatigue syndrome (CFS), often known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS. Eight years later, the outcomes of that research are lastly out. In some of the thorough investigations so far, researchers took a deep dive right into a small group of 17 individuals who developed ME/CFS after an an infection and located distinct organic variations in comparison with 21 wholesome controls. ‘Total, what we present is that ME/CFS is unambiguously organic, with a number of organ techniques affected,’ neurologist Avindra Nath, lead researcher of the research and medical director of NIH’s Nationwide Institute of Neurological Problems and Stroke (NINDS), mentioned in an interview with JAMA.” • So that ought to cease the gaslighting [hollow laughter]. Now do Lengthy Covid (and don’t take eight years. Or blow one other billion).

The 420

“For Good Shade: Packaging the First LSD Blotter” [The MIT Press]. “In distinction to at this time, when psychedelics are imagined to be medicines, social gathering favors, or indigenous sacraments, many LSD customers within the Nineteen Sixties imagined their favourite substance as a form of media. Just like the more and more technological media of the postwar world, LSD filters, transforms, and amplifies non-drug phenomena. Ghost performed with this affiliation by disguising his acid as movie inventory promising “good coloration.” Every sheet was wrapped inside mylar, which not solely protected the acid from damaging UV mild, but additionally discouraged suspicious events from opening the bundle on a whim, doubtlessly destroying unexposed movie. This “medium is the message” concept permeated acid discourse and advertising and marketing. Different examples embody “Window pane,” “Clearlist,” and among the first printed LSD blotters, which featured electrical mild bulbs.” • Like this:

Class Warfare

“Playground bullies do prosper – and go on to earn extra in center age” [Guardian]. “Kids who displayed aggressive behaviour at college, resembling bullying or mood outbursts, are more likely to earn more cash in center age, based on a five-decade research that upends the maxim that bullies don’t prosper. They’re additionally extra more likely to have greater job satisfaction and be in additional fascinating jobs, say researchers from the Institute for Social and Financial Analysis on the College of Essex. The paper, printed at this time, used information about virtually 7,000 individuals born in 1970 whose lives have been tracked by the British Cohort Examine. The analysis staff examined information from main faculty lecturers who assessed the youngsters’s social and emotional abilities after they have been 10 years previous in 1980, and matched it to their lives on the age of 46 in 2016.”

Information of the Wired

In case you’re contemplating inside exile, right here’s a useful map:

Contact info for vegetation: Readers, be at liberty to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn the way to ship me a examine in case you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn the way to ship me photographs of vegetation. Greens are high quality! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! In order for you your deal with to seem as a credit score, please place it firstly 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 SR:

SR writes: “Shot in Staunton River State Park in distant southern Virginia.” Autumn leaves, however what’s revealed after the snow melts, too.

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not coated by the annual NC fundraiser. So should you see a hyperlink you particularly like, or an merchandise you wouldn’t see anyplace else, please don’t hesitate to precise your appreciation in tangible type. Keep in mind, a tip jar is for tipping! Common optimistic suggestions each makes me really feel good and lets me know I’m heading in the right direction with protection. After I get no donations for 5 or ten days I get apprehensive. Extra tangibly, a relentless trickle of donations helps me with bills, and I consider that trickle when setting fundraising objectives: