By Lambert Strether of Corrente<\/p>\n
Patient readers, I feel I\u2019ve been neglecting Covid in favor of electoral politics (\u201cthe tyranny of the urgent\u201d). I will add more political news in short order. \u2013lambert<\/p>\n
Bird Song of the Day<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Blue Mockingbird, Calle Lirios Bosque, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. \u201cLifer!\u201d<\/p>\n
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In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/p>\n
(1) Democrat idipol.<\/p>\n
(3) Covid at the Olympics.<\/p>\n
(2) Amazon a distributor, now responsible for recalls.<\/p>\n
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Politics<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital.\u201d \u2013Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles<\/p>\n
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2024<\/p>\n
Less than one hundred days to go!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s RCP Poll Averages:<\/p>\n
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First poll with Harris at the top of the Democrat ticket; Trump\u2019s position deteriorates (and any advantage he gained from the assassination attempt has been wiped away. Nevertheless, he still leads, albeit within the margin of error. NOTE RCP used to have two pages of swing states; I always used the first one. Now there is only one, which I take as an indicator that Harris v. Trump polling is not all that widespread.<\/p>\n
Vibe shift:<\/p>\n
Unbelievable vibe shift in the US with Kamala Harris pic.twitter.com\/rrMisGHLbu<\/p>\n
\u2014 Albert Pinto (@70sBachchan) July 26, 2024<\/p>\n
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The Campaign Trail:<\/p>\n
Kamala (D): \u201cIdentity Groups Are Mobilizing for Kamala Harris. That Shows Progress\u201d [Time]. \u201cThis enthusiasm is significant as Harris heads into the final months of the campaign, but given that American culture discourages this kind of \u201cidentity politics,\u201d many people will see this list of identity-specific calls and think, \u201cIf you want to support Harris, do it, but why all this separation?\u201d Why gather in specific groups?\u2026 However, it is equally encouraging to see white women and white men organize as white women and white men. Despite all the ways American culture teaches them that whiteness hasn\u2019t determined their life chances, and in stark contrast to the way white women, primarily, congregated in a \u201csecret\u201d Facebook group before the 2016 election, these Harris supporters are insisting upon publicly acknowledging the specificity of experience. Doing so doesn\u2019t automatically erect barriers between them and people of color. Instead, it facilitates an honoring of differences that makes those differences strengths.\u201d \u2022 Of course, plenty of \u201cNot that way!\u201d when identity groups do it wrong; the Azovs, for example. The pecking order as expressed in the rollout timing is interesting: First, Black Women. Second, White Women. Third, White Men. Fourth, Latino Men:<\/p>\n
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\u2014 Julie Chavez Rodriguez (@JulieR2022) July 30, 2024<\/p>\n
On the bright said, the organizers didn\u2019t use \u201cLatinx.\u201d I suppose the Asian verticals are yet come. NOTE \u201c[As activist author Audre Lorde explained decades ago] urged Americans to become more practiced in \u2018relating across our human differences as equals\u2019 so that what distinguishes us from each other would cease to be \u2018misnamed and misused in the service of separation and confusion.’\u201d When 90% of humanity has to sell their labor power to survive, 1% buys it, and 10% helps the 1% get that done, \u201crelating across our human differences as equals\u201d isn\u2019t possible; the material differences cannot be erased by wishful thinking. Ya know, it\u2019s almost like the identity verticals were like\u2026. were like a\u2026. were like a bundle of sticks, only strong when bound together\u2026. <\/p>\n
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Syndemics<\/p>\n
\u201cI am in earnest \u2014 I will not equivocate \u2014 I will not excuse \u2014 I will not retreat a single inch \u2014 AND I WILL BE HEARD.\u201d \u2013William Lloyd Garrison<\/p>\n
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Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot; includes many counties; Wastewater Scan, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); \u201cIowa COVID-19 Tracker\u201d (in IA, but national data). \u201cInfection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts\u201d (especially on hospitalization by city).<\/p>\n
Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put \u201cCOVID\u201d in the subject line. Thank you!<\/p>\n
Resources, United States (Local): 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 reports); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur d\u2019Alene; 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).<\/p>\n
Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (Government of Canada).<\/p>\n
Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux us\u00e9es); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).<\/p>\n
Hat tips to helpful 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, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). <\/p>\n
Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n
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Look for the Helpers<\/p>\n
Progress can be made:<\/p>\n
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Maskstravaganza<\/p>\n
\u201cPersonal protective effect of wearing surgical face masks in public spaces on self-reported respiratory symptoms in adults: pragmatic randomised superiority trial\u201d [BMJ]. \u201cThe most reported adverse effects were unpleasant comments from other people.\u201d <\/p>\n
This is good, I hope, because I\u2019ve thought of ACT-UP as a touchstone for what Covid Cautious might be:<\/p>\n
2\/6 pic.twitter.com\/vmea64xAWC<\/p>\n
\u2014 ACT UP NY (@actupny) July 30, 2024<\/p>\n
Is it too much to ask that DSA straighten itself out, too? Or are they too brunch-adjacent by now?<\/p>\n
Vaccines<\/p>\n
\u201cCOVID-19 in Pediatric Populations\u201d (excerpt) [Clinics in Chest Medicine]. Summary:<\/p>\n
\u2022 SARS-CoV-2 will continue to circulate through communities with novel variants emerging over time.<\/p>\n
\u2022 While most children experience mild illness, some can develop severe acute COVID-19 or post-COVID complications.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for all children 6 months and older.<\/p>\n
\u2022 If infected, efforts should be made, in accordance with local and national guidance, to avoid spreading infections to others.<\/p>\n
Love that last bullet point (that we even have to say it). I\u2019m not a vax maven, so I\u2019m not aware of pediatric studies for Covid vaccines (mRNA and otherwise). Perhaps readers will chime in.<\/p>\n
Morbidity and Mortality<\/p>\n
\u201cHow COVID-19 has Affected Mortality in 2020 to 2023\u201d [Actuaries Institute]. Australia. \u201cThere were 8,400 more deaths in Australia in 2023 than predicted had the pandemic not occurred \u2013 less than half of the almost 20,000 excess deaths estimated for 2022\u2026. The steep decline in excess deaths in 2023 was primarily due to the number of people dying from COVID-19 falling to 4,600 in 2023 from 10,300 in 2022. While Australia\u2019s excess mortality rate had dropped substantially, it remains significantly higher than the 1-2% excess observed in years of high flu deaths prior to the pandemic. When analysing the excess mortality of 40 countries from 2020 to 2023, Australia\u2019s excess mortality over the four-year period (5%) was low by global standards (11%).\u201d \u2022 Despite Gladys\u2019s best efforts!<\/p>\n
Celebrity Watch<\/p>\n
\u201cCovid hits British Olympic swimming star who had close contact with U.S. athlete\u201d [NPR]. \u201cBritish sports officials say one of their star swimmers, three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, has tested positive for COVID. The announcement comes a day after Peaty competed in the 100-meter breaststroke final, mingling closely with other athletes in Paris, including American Nic Fink. \u2018In the hours after the final, (Peaty\u2019s) symptoms became worse and he was tested for COVID early on Monday morning,\u2019 Team Great Britain said in a statement issued Monday afternoon Paris time. \u2018He tested positive at that point.\u2019 The statement confirmed Peaty was experiencing symptoms of illness on Sunday prior to competing and interacting with other athletes. \u2018Adam Peaty was feeling unwell on Sunday ahead of his men\u2019s 100 meter breaststroke final,\u2019 the statement said. NPR has attempted to contact Team GB to ask why Peaty wasn\u2019t tested sooner, or isolated, with no response\u2026.. There are no COVID-specific health rules for the Paris Summer Olympics. That\u2019s a break from strict restrictions implemented at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. On the medal podium Sunday night, Peaty hugged Italian gold medalist Martinenghi and Fink, who won silver in the event.\u201d \u2022 Oh. From WaPo, a caption: \u201cBritain\u2019s Princess Anne, left, congratulates Adam Peaty, of Britain, after winning the silver medal in the men\u2019s 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France.\u201d Presumably Princess Anne will get tested.<\/p>\n
\u201cOlympics volunteers resign over lack of Covid-19 precautions\u201d [The Sick Times]. \u201cEarlier this month, a group of Olympic volunteers demanded Covid-19 precautions at the 2024 Paris Olympics, stating they would resign if precautions weren\u2019t implemented. \u2018Covid-19 pandemic threat denial is not an antidote to contamination,\u2019 the volunteers wrote in a press release. \u2018If no steps are taken, we will collectively resign from our assignments, and will not show up on the Olympic and Paralympic sites we have been staffed.\u2019 Since their statement was issued on July 15, the group has not received a response from the 2024 Olympic organizers, a member of the group told The Sick Times in a phone interview. The volunteer, Thomas, who wished to omit his last name, said the group had around one hundred members, some of whom have already resigned. More than 10,000 athletes arrived this month in Paris and a handful had already tested positive for Covid-19 prior to the games\u2019 start on July 26, including five members of the women\u2019s Australian water polo team. Around 15 million people are predicted to travel to Paris, including 2 million international travelers, at a time when the country is seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases, according to World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris. Still, organizers and teams continue to downplay the spread of the disease. Australian team chief Anna Meares told Reuters: \u2018I need to emphasize that we are treating Covid no differently to other bugs like the flu.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CDC\u2019s test for bird flu works, but it has issues\u201d [News Medical]. \u201cThe agency has quietly worked since April to resolve a nagging issue with the test it developed, even as the virus swept through dairy farms and chicken houses across the country and infected at least 13 farmworkers this year. At a congressional hearing July 23, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) asked about the issue. \u201cBoy, that rings of 2020,\u201d he said, referring to when the nation was caught off guard by the covid-19 pandemic, in part because of dysfunctional tests made by the CDC. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC\u2019s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, responded that the agency rapidly developed a workaround that makes its bird flu test reliable. \u2018The tests are 100% usable,\u2019 he later told KFF Health News, adding that the FDA studied the tests and came to the same conclusion. The imperfect tests, which have a faulty element that sometimes requires testing a sample again, will be replaced soon. He added, \u2018We have made sure that we\u2019re offering a high-quality product.’\u201d That just needs to be used twice instead of once. More: \u201cStill, some researchers were unnerved by the news coming four months after the government declared a worrisome bird flu outbreak among cattle. The CDC\u2019s test is the only one available for clinical use.\u201d \u2022\u00a0We learn nothing\u2026. <\/p>\n
Thanks, Jeff:<\/p>\n
An example of how Google is killing independent sites like ours<\/p>\n
\u2014 HouseFresh (@ThisHouseFresh) July 29, 2024<\/p>\n
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Lambert here: New York hospitalization leveling out, and now WalGreens positivity down for two weeks, are the first positive signs I\u2019ve seen in a long time. Wastewater still going strong, though!<\/p>\n
TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/p>\n
LEGEND<\/p>\n
1) \u2605 for charts new today; all others are not updated.<\/p>\n
2) For a full-size\/full-resolution image, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Windows) on the chart thumbnail and \u201copen image in new tab.\u201d<\/p>\n
NOTES<\/p>\n
[1] (CDC) This week\u2019s wastewater map, with hot spots annotated. Keeps spreading.<\/p>\n
[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n
[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* very popular.<\/p>\n
[4] (ER) Worth noting Emergency Department use is now on a par with the first wave, in 2020.<\/p>\n
[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Leveling off. Doesn\u2019t need to be a permanent thing, of course. (The New York city area has form; in 2020, as the home of two international airports (JFK and EWR) it was an important entry point for the virus into the country (and from thence up the Hudson River valley, as the rich sought to escape, and then around the country through air travel.)<\/p>\n
[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). The visualization suppresses what is, in percentage terms, a significant increase.<\/p>\n
[7] (Walgreens) An optimist would see a peak.<\/p>\n
[8] (Cleveland) Slowing. Comment on the Cleveland Clinic:<\/p>\n
Why is the Cleveland Clinic building a new facility for a professional basketball team? These hospitals are not ‘nonprofits’ they are ridiculously profitable monopolies with an endless cash gusher to point at whatever they want. <\/p>\n
\u2014 Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) July 29, 2024<\/p>\n
Ka-ching.<\/p>\n
[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Up. Those sh*theads at CDC have changed the chart so that it doesn\u2019t even run back to 1\/21\/23, as it used to, but now starts 1\/1\/24. There\u2019s also no way to adjust the time rasnge. CDC really doesn\u2019t want you to be able to take a historical view of the pandemic, or compare one surge to another. In an any case, that\u2019s why the shape of the curve has changed.<\/p>\n
[10] (Travelers: Variants) Same deal. Those sh*theads. <\/p>\n
[11] Deaths low, but positivity up.<\/p>\n
[12] Deaths low, ED up.<\/p>\n
Stats Watch<\/p>\n
Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Job Quits\u201d [Trading Economics]. \u201cThe number of job quits in the US decreased to 3.282 million in June 2024 from a downwardly revised 3.403 million in May, reaching the lowest level since November 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Retail: \u201cFederal regulator says Amazon can be held responsible for faulty goods sold on its marketplace\u201d [CNBC]. \u201cIn a landmark order, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the agency unanimously agreed Amazon \u2018fits squarely\u2019 within the definition of a distributor of goods and bears responsibility for the recall of faulty products. The decision addresses a thorny issue faced by Amazon for years, with the company arguing it\u2019s merely a conduit between third-party sellers and shoppers. A judge said Amazon\u2019s fulfillment program for sellers give it \u201cfar-reaching control\u201d over the products sold on its platform.\u201d \u2022 I assume this will end up in the Courts\u2026 Still, good for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission!<\/p>\n
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Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 41 Fear (previous close: 45 Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 54 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jul 30 at 12:48:21 PM ET<\/p>\n
The Gallery<\/p>\n
Time to break out my boat shoes:<\/p>\n
Sailing, 1911 pic.twitter.com\/7ufO8AQFjH<\/p>\n
\u2014 Edward Hopper (@artisthopper) July 27, 2024<\/p>\n
Zeitgeist Watch<\/p>\n
News of the Wired<\/p>\n
\u201cWas the Internet Designed To Survive a Nuclear Attack?\u201d [Silicon Folklore]. \u2022 No, and in reality, not just according to Betteridge\u2019s Law.<\/p>\n
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Contact information for plants: Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) find out how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal and (b) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. From AM:<\/p>\n
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AM writes: \u201cThe state of the backyard on June 24, 2024. Roses out, rhododendrons coming on strong, climbing hydrangeas at or near peak. Not sure what the yellow ones are. Doesn\u2019t take much space to create an oasis.\u201d Lovely!<\/p>\n
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Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So if you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn\u2019t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I\u2019m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for three or four days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals:<\/p>\n
Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:<\/p>\n
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If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!\n<\/p>\n
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