2:00PM Water Cooler 4/17/2024 | bare capitalism

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Chook Tune of the Day

Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Bull Rock Street, Essex, New York, United States.

In Case You Would possibly Miss…

(1) Mayorkas impeachement articles delivered to Senate.

(2) Tesla halts supply of these stupid-looking vehicles.

(3) Wastewater testing expands its scope (however largely in wealthier nations).

Politics

“So most of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are the truth is a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles

The Constitutional Order (Rebel)

“Prosecutions of Faux Electors for Trump Acquire Floor in Swing States” [New York Times]. “The chairman of the Nevada Republican Social gathering has been indicted. So has the previous chairman of the Georgia G.O.P. In Michigan, a former co-chairwoman of the state celebration is dealing with fees. As Donald J. Trump goes on trial within the New York legal case, different investigations and prosecutions in 5 essential swing states are persevering with to scrutinize the steps that he and his allies took in attempting to avoid the desire of voters after the 2020 election. The investigations focus largely on the plan to deploy faux electors in states that Mr. Trump misplaced. Paperwork rising from the state circumstances spotlight divisions amongst Trump advisers after the 2020 election about whether or not to make use of hedging language within the phony certificates that they despatched to Washington purporting to designate electoral votes for Mr. Trump. In addition they undercut claims by some Trump aides that they performed little function within the fake-electors plan. Georgia, Michigan and Nevada have already introduced fees in opposition to a complete of 25 faux electors, together with present and former Republican Social gathering leaders in these states. ”

2024

Lower than a 12 months to go!

RCP Ballot Averages, April 5

★ Right here this Friday’s RCP ballot. Trump continues to be up in all of the Swing States (extra right here), main with one exception: PA. I’ve highlighted it once more, (1) as a result of BIden is now up there, and (2) it’s an outlier, has been for weeks. Why isn’t Trump doing properly there? (I’ll work out a greater method to do that, however for now: Blue dot = transfer towards Biden; crimson dot = transfer towards Trump. No dot = no change (presumably as a result of state polls usually are not that quite a few so removed from election day).

* * *

Trump (R) (Bragg): “Trump’s False Information Case Teeters on a Fragile Tax Platform” [Bloomberg Law]. “Bragg apparently is pursuing [state] tax fees in opposition to Trump based mostly on a fragile, interlocking triad of legal statutes. To achieve success, he’ll should show every ingredient of every alleged crime, together with Trump’s private involvement and intent at each synapse of a sophisticated scheme, the place the underlying alleged tax fraud is itself topic to at the least some debate…. Bragg seems to be alleging that Trump schemed with the Trump Group to falsify its enterprise information and file false devices with New York’s tax authorities in order that he may safe, not directly, an in any other case impermissible private tax deduction. Trump may argue in response that he was entitled to take the deduction. Though it’s tough for many particular person taxpayers to argue that they’re engaged in a commerce or enterprise, he presents an uncommon case: A lot of his earnings reportedly pertains to licensing his identify. Question whether or not the Trump model is a commerce or enterprise, wherein case .” • I’m not a tax maven, so maybe one such will chime in. (As I clarify right here, Bragg can elevate Trump’s alleged enterprise information misdemeanors to felonies if he can present they had been falsified in furtherance of “different crime(s).” One such crime is perhaps state tax violations (“may” as a result of Bragg, amazingly to me, doesn’t specify the “different crimes” in his indictment).

Trump (R) (Bragg): “Alvin Bragg Struggles to Persuade Folks Donald Trump’s Responsible” [Newsweek]. “In whole, 35 p.c of People consider Trump acted illegally on this case, whereas 31 p.c mentioned they believed he acted unethically, however not essentially illegally. Fourteen p.c mentioned he did nothing fallacious, whereas 19 p.c mentioned they have no idea sufficient in regards to the case to decide. It stays to be seen whether or not extra People will change their thoughts about whether or not Trump is responsible because the case heads to trial within the coming weeks when prosecutors will make their case to a jury in regards to the alleged crimes.” • I don’t assume sufficient People may have understood the case sufficient to know what Trump is responsible of — one thing, after all — particularly since Bragg has not but defined what “different crimes” elevate the enterprise information misdemeanor fees to felonies. (One more reason why the “hush cash” framing is so damaging; it does nothing to advertise understanding of the case.)

Trump (R): “Trump faces contempt movement after social media posts about New York trial” [Guardian]. “The Manhattan district legal professional, Alvin Bragg, filed a movement in papers made public on Tuesday to carry Trump in contempt of court docket for violating a partial gag order within the case. Prosecutors mentioned that Trump had already violated his gag order 3 times, posting in regards to the witnesses Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels on social media. They requested the decide to advantageous Trump $3,000 for the violation. Merchan mentioned he’ll maintain a listening to on the alleged violations on 23 April…. Although Merchan subjected Trump to a gag order earlier than the trial started, it solely extends to prosecutors apart from Bragg, witnesses, court docket staff, jurors and their households. Trump is free to criticize Merchan himself, although it’s going to in all probability not assist Trump win the favor over the decide, who will determine on Trump’s sentence if the jury finds him responsible. Earlier than the trial, Merchan prolonged the gag order to cowl his household and Bragg’s household after Trump posted about Merchan’s daughter, who labored for an organization that helped Democratic candidates with digital campaigns. Trump and his attorneys have twice tried to get Merchan recused from the case, to no avail.” • Merchan’s daughter didn’t “work for” Genuine Campaigns; she was the agency’s President (!). “Genuine Campaigns’ web site includes a record of purchasers, which incorporates Biden and Harris’ 2020 campaigns. Federal information point out that Harris’ marketing campaign paid the agency greater than $7.5 million in 2019 for digital consulting and buying contact lists, and that Biden’s marketing campaign paid the agency greater than $2.1 million in 2020 for digital promoting and inventive consulting.”

Trump (R): “Who’s Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg? Prosecutor has battled Donald Trump in court docket earlier than” [USA Today]. “In 2022, Bragg’s workplace received convictions in opposition to two elements of the Trump Group and its chief monetary officer. Allen Weisselberg was sentenced to 5 months in jail after pleading responsible to fifteen fees in a scheme to keep away from taxes. Two Trump companies had been fined a mixed $1.6 million for convictions of 17 felonies…. Bragg has mentioned he sued Trump greater than 100 occasions when he labored in the state Legal professional Common’s workplace, together with efficiently focusing on the Trump Basis for misuse of charitable funds for private and political functions.” • So Bragg is aware of the terrain. It could be he’s acquired one thing up his sleeve on “different crimes.” Let’s wait and see.

Trump (R): “Littwin: As Trump’s legal trial begins, it could take greater than a verdict to find out whether or not Trump wins or loses” [Colorado Sun]. “If Trump didn’t lose in 2016 when Entry Hollywood was contemporary in voters’ minds, why would listening to a prosecutor learn from the transcript — Decide Juan Merchan dominated that truly displaying the video is perhaps prejudicial — change something at the moment?” • No, however that isn’t what the trial is about (except the press decides that it’s).

* * *

Biden (D): “Biden visits his Pennsylvania hometown to name for extra taxes on the wealthy and forged Trump as elitist” [Associated Press]. “President Joe Biden made a nostalgic return to the home the place he grew up in working-class Scranton on Tuesday, kicking off three days of campaigning throughout Pennsylvania by calling for increased taxes on the wealthy and casting Donald Trump as an out-of-touch elitist. When the Democratic president wasn’t attempting to blunt the populist attraction of his Republican predecessor’s comeback bid, he appeared to savor his journey down reminiscence lane. He lingered longer than anticipated at his childhood house, the place an American flag [no doubt] waved softly within the wind [of course] on the entrance porch [pure poetry] and neighbors crowded the sidewalk underneath flowering bushes and a pale blue sky. The president later posed for photographs with youngsters, some sporting faculty uniforms, within the yard.” • Did he sniff any of them?

Biden (D): “In shock, Biden faces actual menace from Trump with Hispanic voters” [The Hill]. “Biden’s assist amongst Hispanics — notably younger Latino males — is lukewarm. And in some circumstances, polls present he’s dropping assist among the many key Democratic voting bloc. On the similar time, Trump seems to be gaining assist from Hispanics. A New York Instances/Siena School survey out this week confirmed Biden with 50 p.c assist amongst Hispanics — which is traditionally low for a Democrat. In the meantime, Trump’s assist amongst Hispanics has grown to 41 p.c, which is on the upper finish for a Republican. Final week, an Axios/Ipsos survey confirmed Biden’s assist amongst Hispanics dropping by 12 factors from 53 p.c to 41 p.c over the past three years. And whereas assist for Trump continues to be low at 32 p.c, the previous president has gained about 8 factors with Hispanic voters for the reason that 2021 ballot.”

Biden (D): “Impeachment ‘Whistleblower’ Was within the Loop of Biden-Ukraine Affairs That Trump Needed Probed” [RealClearInvestigations]. “The ‘whistleblower’ who sparked Donald Trump’s first impeachment was deeply concerned within the political maneuverings behind Biden-family enterprise schemes in Ukraine that Trump needed probed, newly obtained emails from former Vice President Joe Biden’s workplace reveal. In 2019, then-Nationwide Intelligence Council analyst Eric Ciaramella touched off a political firestorm when he anonymously accused Trump of linking army support for Ukraine to a requirement for an investigation into alleged Biden corruption in that nation. However 4 years earlier, whereas working as a nationwide safety analyst hooked up to then-Vice President Joe Biden’s workplace, Ciaramella was an in depth adviser when Biden threatened to chop off U.S. support to Ukraine except it fired its high prosecutor, Viktor Shokin, who was investigating Ukraine-based Burisma Holdings. On the time, the corruption-riddled power large was paying Biden’s son Hunter hundreds of thousands of {dollars}. These funds – together with different proof tying Joe Biden to his household’s enterprise dealings – acquired little consideration in 2019 as Ciaramella accused Trump of a corrupt quid professional quo. Neither did subsequent proof indicating that Hunter Biden’s associates had recognized Shokin as a ‘key goal.’ These issues at the moment are a part of the Home impeachment inquiry into President Biden. ‘It now appears there was materials proof that will have been used on the impeachment trial [to exonerate Trump],’ mentioned George Washington College regulation professor Jonathan Turley, who has testified as an skilled witness within the ongoing Biden impeachment inquiry. ‘Trump was alleging there was a battle of curiosity with the Bidens, and the proof may have challenged Biden’s account and established his son’s curiosity within the Shokin firing.’… Camella’s function – together with high-level discussions with high Biden aides and Ukrainian prosecutors – is just now coming to mild because of the latest launch of White Home emails and photographs from the Nationwide Archives….. But there isn’t a proof Ciaramella raised alarms in regards to the questionable Biden enterprise actions he witnessed firsthand, which is in sharp distinction to 2019. In that occasion, he was galvanized into motion after being instructed by White Home colleague Alexander Vindman of an “improper” cellphone name between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the course of the name, Trump solicited Zelensky’s assist in investigating Burisma and Hunter Biden’s function within the firm.” • Unsurprising.

* * *

MI: “Michigan Democrats win particular elections, regain full management of state authorities” [MarketWatch]. “Democrats received again a majority within the Michigan Home and restored their celebration’s full management of state authorities Tuesday because of victories in two particular elections. Mai Xiong received the particular election within the thirteenth District, which covers Warren and a part of Detroit, whereas Peter Herzberg received within the twenty fifth District, which incorporates the cities of Wayne and Westland. Each candidates had been favorites within the closely Democratic districts.”

MI: “Dearborn ‘Uncommitteds’ plan to make ‘instance’ of Biden, flip celebration in opposition to Jewish state” [FOX]. “‘Biden is the instance,’ Lexis Zeidan, one of many lead organizers and the spokesperson for Take heed to Michigan, instructed Fox Information Digital. ‘Telling the Democratic Social gathering, placing them on discover that even for down poll elections, for these congresspeople that aren’t pro-Palestinian and calling for ceasefires, their positions are at stake.’ The feedback come as Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, has turn into a key heart of resistance to Biden’s bid for re-election. Throughout final month’s Michigan main, greater than 100,000 voters marked ‘uncommitted’ on their ballots as a substitute of supporting Biden because the Democratic nominee, a quantity Zeidan mentioned far exceeded her group’s expectations. ‘We went into the primaries anticipating or aiming to get 10,000 uncommitted votes, which was Trump’s margin of victory in 2016,’ Zeidan mentioned. ‘And we ended up with over 101,000 uncommitted votes, the place we additionally landed two delegates in district 12, in district six who can be headed to the nationwide conference.’”

* * *

“Paul Krugman Is Proper Concerning the Economic system, and the Polls Are Unsuitable” [Jonathan Chait, New York Magazine]. “The difficulty right here is that polling finds loads of public optimism in regards to the economic system in contexts apart from asking folks how the American economic system is doing. An Axios ballot earlier this 12 months discovered 63 p.c of People charge their private monetary state of affairs as ‘good,’ a determine consistent with historic ranges. That can be mirrored in folks’s spending practices — they’re behaving as if the economic system had been booming, even when they don’t assume it’s. A Wall Avenue Journal ballot final month of seven swing states discovered a huge disconnect between the general public’s view of financial circumstances in their very own state and within the nation as a complete. Fifty-four p.c of respondents consider financial circumstances of their state are glorious or good. However solely 36 p.c of respondents mentioned the identical of financial circumstances within the nation…. What this implies to me is that public evaluation of the economic system displays one thing apart from an goal evaluation of financial circumstances. Folks assume they’re doing properly and their state is doing properly however the nation is doing horribly. Should we assume some deep knowledge underlies these seemingly irreconcilable beliefs? Typically folks, even with the advantage of shut private expertise, simply consider issues that aren’t true.” • “Would it not not be be easier, If the federal government merely dissolved the folks And elected one other?” –Bertolt Brecht

Republican Funhouse

“Combatting cannibalism and jailing librarians: Idaho Democrats see alternative in excessive GOP agenda” [Politico]. “Democrat Loree Peery is aware of she’s a long-shot candidate for the Idaho Legislature. However when her state Home consultant launched a invoice in February increasing an anti-cannibalism regulation — motion prompted by a prank video — Peery determined she needed to attempt to oust the far-right incumbent, Heather Scott.” • Will any individual please ahead this basic video on to Scott:

This one’s fairly good too:

Maybe it was the “prank video”?

Democrats en Déshabillé

“H.Res.863 – Impeaching Alejandro Nicholas Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Safety, for top crimes and misdemeanors” [Congress.gov]. • “The Border.” How come no one from both celebration talks about fixing this labor market concern on the agency?

“Senate leaders haggle over Mayorkas impeachment deal as trial begins” [Politico]. “Whereas many senators anticipated Democratic management would shortly eliminate the trial by a movement to desk or dismissal, which solely require a easy majority to move, plenty of weak Senate Democrats haven’t publicly dedicated to supporting these choices. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) has been essentially the most watched vote on the matter, as he insists he must overview the articles earlier than he decides after beforehand saying he’d assist a movement to dismiss…. Senators will reconvene Wednesday afternoon and be sworn in as jurors — and that’s when parliamentary shenanigans may ensue. Majority Chief Chuck Schumer has repeatedly declined to publicly share his plans for the trial except for eager to cope with it ‘expeditiously.’”

“Unique: Mayorkas’ latest weapon in opposition to the explosion of on-line baby intercourse exploitation” [USA Today] • Once they say it’s in regards to the youngsters, it’s by no means in regards to the youngsters.

Pandemics

“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; consists of many counties; Wastewater Scan, consists of drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); “Iowa COVID-19 Tracker” (in IA, however nationwide information). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Common Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).

Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be happy to contact me on the handle given with the crops. 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 experiences); 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!

Testing and Monitoring

“What bogs can reveal about COVID, most cancers and different well being threats” [Nature]. “There are at the moment greater than 4,600 websites all over the world the place wastewater is being collected for SARS-CoV-2 testing, and a number of the analysis groups concerned are investigating different potential purposes, resembling monitoring illicit drug use and even the prevalence of most cancers. However whether or not this has the potential to be an efficient public-health technique continues to be a matter of debate. Leo Poon, a colleague of [Tong] Zhang’s at HKU’s College of Public Well being, says that extra analysis must be executed earlier than well being businesses broaden their sewage testing programmes and make this surveillance a part of their routine budgets. ‘There’s nonetheless lots unknown,’ he says, notably by way of testing for pathogens apart from SARS-CoV-2. ‘I believe there’s a steep studying curve in the meanwhile: after we detect one thing, what does it imply?’ … Impressed by case research resembling these, the sector has grown drastically over the previous 4 years, with tons of of analysis groups now testing in 72 nations, based on the COVIDPoops19 dashboard maintained by environmental engineer Colleen Naughton and her colleagues on the College of California, Merced (see ‘Uneven protection’).”

An infection

“Sustained Human Outbreak of a New MPXV Clade I Lineage in Jap Democratic Republic of the Congo” (preprint) [medRxiv]. From the Summary: “The Kamituga mpox outbreak unfold quickly, with 241 suspected circumstances reported inside 5 months of the primary reported case. Of 108 confirmed circumstances, 29% had been intercourse staff, highlighting sexual contact as a key mode of an infection. Genomic evaluation revealed a definite MPXV Clade Ib lineage, divergent from beforehand sequenced Clade I strains in DRC. Predominance of APOBEC3-type mutations and estimated time of emergence round mid-September 2023 recommend latest human-to-human transmission. Pressing measures, together with strengthened, expanded surveillance, contact tracing, case administration assist, and focused vaccination are wanted to comprise this new pandemicpotential Clade Ib outbreak.” And: “These sufferers had been from rural areas and had been temporally and geographically distinct, with no epidemiological linkage. Due to this fact, it’s doubtless that these circumstances arose from zoonotic spillover, suggesting that this lineage is endemic in regionally based mostly animal reservoir(s). And: “Frequent journey happens between Kamituga and the close by metropolis of Bukavu, with subsequent motion to neighboring nations resembling Rwanda and Burundi. Furthermore, a substantial variety of intercourse staff working in Kamituga are foreigners and incessantly return to their nations of origin, though at current, there isn’t a proof of wider dissemination of the outbreak. The extremely cell nature of this mining inhabitants poses a considerable threat of outbreak escalation past the present space and throughout borders.” Lastly: “With out intervention, this localized Kamituga outbreak harbors the potential to unfold nationally and internationally. Pressing measures have to be carried out, together with intensifying native surveillance, enhancing referral methods and case administration, and implementing focused mpox vaccination for people at high-risk, resembling contacts of index circumstances, HCWs, intercourse staff, and males who’ve intercourse with males. 20 Given the latest historical past of mpox outbreaks in DRC, we advocate for swift motion by endemic nations and the worldwide neighborhood to avert one other international mpox outbreak.” • I all the time prefer to hyperlink to the unique article after I can, so kudos to The Telegraph for the hyperlink.

Sequelae: Covid

“Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Lengthy COVID: A Blended Methodology Systematic Assessment” [Environmental Research and Public Health]. Blended-methods systematic overview. From the Summary: “General, the standard of reporting throughout the research included on this second overview was average to poor. The pathophysiological mechanisms with sturdy proof had been immune system dysregulation, cerebral hypoperfusion, and impaired fuel switch within the lungs. Different mechanisms with average to weak proof had been endothelial injury and hypercoagulation, mast cell activation, and auto-immunity to vascular receptors. Conclusions: LC is a posh situation affecting a number of organs with numerous scientific shows (or traits) underpinned by a number of pathophysiological mechanisms. A ‘treatable trait’ method could assist determine sure teams and goal particular interventions. Future analysis should embody understanding the response to intervention based mostly on these mechanism-based traits.” • With this useful diagram:

Determine 3. Proposal causal community map for LC. Crimson for mechanisms properly supported on this overview and elsewhere, black for much less sturdy proof. Signs in inexperienced.

Elite Maleficence

“The dairy trade actually, actually doesn’t need you to say “chicken flu in cows”” [Vox]. “The present, extremely virulent pressure of avian flu had already been ripping by hen and turkey farms over the previous two years. Because it jumped to US dairy cows for the primary time final month, it’s contaminated greater than 20 dairy herds throughout eight states, elevating alarms amongst public well being authorities about attainable unfold to people and potential impacts on the meals provide. One Texas dairy employee contracted a light case of chicken flu from one of many impacted farms — the second such case ever recorded within the US (although one in every of tons of worldwide over the previous twenty years, most of them deadly).” Oh. Extra: “However the American Affiliation of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), a corporation of beef and dairy veterinarians, declared in an announcement (condemned by public well being specialists) final week that it doesn’t consider chicken flu in cows must be thought of chicken flu in any respect. ‘The AABP will name this illness Bovine Influenza A Virus (BIAV),’ the affiliation’s government director Okay. Fred Gingrich II and president Michael Capel mentioned in an announcement, encouraging federal and state regulators to do the identical…. Naming infectious ailments is all the time political. On this case, the cattle trade seems determined to distance itself from the chicken flu information cycle and keep away from the notion that it’s contributing to human illness threat. However animal agriculture is without doubt one of the high drivers of zoonotic ailments — and rising international demand for meat, dairy, and eggs could also be placing us at ever-greater threat of latest outbreaks… So long as international meat manufacturing expands… each low-density and manufacturing facility farm-style animal agriculture entice us with rising illness threat.” • Price a learn.

TABLE 1: Each day Covid Charts

LEGEND

1) ★ for charts new at the moment; all others usually are 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] (Biobot) Our curve has now flattened out at a stage far above valleys underneath Trump. Not a terrific victory. Notice additionally the realm “underneath the curve,” apart from 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) No backward revisons….

[3] (CDC Variants) As of Might 11, genomic surveillance information can be reported biweekly, based mostly on the supply 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) CDC appears to have killed this off, for the reason that hyperlink is damaged, I believe in favor of this factor. I’ll attempt to affirm. UPDATE Sure, depart it to CDC to kill a web page, after which announce it was archived a day later. And heaven forfend CDC ought to clarify the place to go to get equal information, if any. I favored the ER information, as a result of it appeared actually exhausting to sport.

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Flattening out to a non-zero baseline. I suppose to a tame epidemiologist it appears to be like like “endemicity,” however to me it appears to be like like one other tranche of lethality.

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

[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.

[8] (Cleveland) Flattening.

[9] (Vacationers: Posivitity) Nonetheless down.

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

[11] Appears just like the Instances isn’t reporting loss of life information any extra? Perhaps I want to return to The Economist….

Stats Watch

There are not any official statistics of curiosity at the moment.

Tech: “It’s not simply you: Reddit is taking up Google” [Business Insider]. “Final August, Google rolled out an enormous replace to Search that appeared to kick this into motion. Reddit, Quora, and different discussion board websites began getting extra visibility in Google, each inside the conventional hyperlinks and inside a brand new “discussions and boards” part, which you might have noticed in the event you’re US-based. The timing of this Reddit bump has led to some conspiracy theories. In February, Google and Reddit introduced a blockbuster deal that will let Google practice its AI fashions on Reddit content material. Google mentioned the deal, reportedly price $60 million, would ‘facilitate extra content-forward shows of Reddit info,’ resulting in some hypothesis that Google promised Reddit higher visibility in change for the dear coaching information. Just a few weeks later, Reddit additionally went public. A Google spokesperson instructed BI: ‘Our settlement with Reddit completely didn’t embody rating its content material increased on Search.’” • So it did, then?

Manufacturing: “Tesla reportedly halts ALL Cybertruck deliveries on account of deadly flaw that causes EV to speed up to high speeds” [Daily Mail]. Tesla has reportedly halted all Cybertruck deliveries on account of a probably deadly flaw that causes the accelerator pedal to turn into caught. Many shoppers claimed to have acquired messages from Tesla and automotive dealerships, notifying them that their supply appointment had been canceled, with some messages saying shipments is not going to start till after April 20. Dan Ives, managing director at New York’s Wedbush Securities, instructed DailyMail.com ‘We aren’t assured this can be resolved the subsequent few weeks.’ The recall comes after a brand new Tesla proprietor shared the design flaw in a video, claiming the pedal cowl slipped ahead and wedged the accelerator underneath the inside that was held down 100%. It’s extra distress for Tesla as 1,400 staff had been laid off, a lot of whom work on the Texas Gigafactory the place the Cybertruck is produced. ”

Manufacturing: A hellish office produces hellish airplanes:

“I’d have killed somebody.” Hmm. “Will nobody rid me of this turbulent high quality management engineer?”

In the present day’s Worry & Greed Index: 36 Worry (earlier shut: 37 Worry) [CNN]. One week in the past: 54 (Impartial). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Apr 17 at 1:29:46 PM ET.

Information of the Wired

“PHYS771 Lecture 9: Quantum” [Scott Aaronson]. • I acquired misplaced early on, however solely as a result of I used to be too rushed take all of it in. What do readers assume?

Magritte can be proud:

Contact info for crops: 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 crops. Greens are advantageous! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary crops! If you need 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 by utilizing your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From JG:

JG writes: “Hello Lambert, right here is an outdated photograph. Maybe the chocolate pepper is simply too darkish to point out up properly. I now not have photoshop. As soon as we had sufficient solar in a small a part of the yard the place my mate grew stunning peppers and tomatoes. Alas, grandma’s cobalt bowl is lengthy gone. I took this a few years in the past with a Canon Powershot.” Attractive shade!

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