This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 1148 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, PayPal, Clover, or Wise. Read about\u00a0why we\u2019re doing this fundraiser,\u00a0what we\u2019ve accomplished in the last year, and our current goal, more original reporting.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
Bird Song of the Day <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Gray Catbird, Indian Springs WMA, two-track road, Washington, Maryland, United States. \u201cAdult male Gray Catbird singing from Black Locust at 14 meters at 0541. He was just sitting there singing.\u201d<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/p>\n
Longshoremen to strike in two weeks (plus Boeing).
\nSean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs jailed in seamy Epstein-like music industry scandal.
\nMorning Consult: Kamala leads by 6%.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
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
* * *<\/p>\n
Trump Assassination Attempts (Plural)<\/p>\n
\u201cTrump, Outrage and the Modern Era of Political Violence\u201d [Peter Baker, New York Times]. The deck: \u201cThe latest apparent assassination attempt against the former president indicates how much the American political landscape has been shaped by anger stirred by him and against him.\u201d More: \u201cBut it is a measure of how much political violence has become a part of modern American culture \u2014 not accepted, perhaps, but more and more expected \u2014 that the latest incident may make no more difference than the first. The shock from the shooting in Butler wore off relatively quickly as attention turned to other developments. The shock from this one may not last any longer.\u201d \u2022 Lots of \u201cboth sides\u201d here. But so far, the only attempted assassinations have been of Trump. So, if you accept the theory of stochastic terrorism, and you accept that \u201cboth sides do it,\u201d then one side\u2019s messaging is far more effective than the other. Oh, and Baker writes, of unnamed wannabe assassin Routh: \u201cDays later, authorities said, a man who described himself online as a disaffected former Trump supporter made his way with a semiautomatic rifle to the former president\u2019s Florida golf course, evidently looking to take a shot.\u201d As I show here, Routh not only mentioned assassinating Trump in his book, he accepted the Democrat \u201cour democracy\u201d talking point, he was also a Democrat donor, and a passionate supporter of Ukraine (interviewed by many including the Times). Baker\u2019s description is disingenuous at best.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
2024<\/p>\n
Less than sixty days to go!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s RCP Poll Averages:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/rcp_2024-09-13.png\")
<\/p>\n
A few polls post-debate, but as of this reading little change. To be fair, it might take some time for sentiment to settle; and the winning margins may at this point be so minute as to be undetectable. Still, the Democrats must be very puzzled to have virtual unanimity across the political spectrum that \u201cHarris is the one\u201d \u2014 it was a tidal wave, after the debate \u2014 and yet the election is a virtual tie. How can this be? Perhaps a few more Republicans, generals, or celebrities will turn the tide.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
\u201cHarris soars to record 6-point lead over Trump in post-debate poll\u201d [Axios]. \u201cVice President Kamala Harris leapt to a six-point lead over former President Trump in the wake of last week\u2019s presidential debate, according to a Morning Consult poll published Tuesday. Most polls before last Tuesday\u2019s debate that saw Harris rattle Trump on a range of topics had the pair locked in a virtual dead heat. \u2018A majority of likely voters \u2014 including 1 in 5 Republicans \u2014 believe Harris won the debate, and performance appears to be crystalizing her national lead over the former president,\u2019 said Eli Yokley, political analyst at Morning Consult, in an emailed statement. Morning Consult pollsters surveyed 11,022 likely U.S. voters from Sept. 13-15 in the poll, which had an unweighted margin of error of +\/-1 percentage point. Morning Consult notes that its survey showing support for Harris at 51% compared to 45% for Trump was a \u201cnew record\u201d for the Democratic presidential nominee. \u2018Her 51% of support among likely voters, which is also at a record high, is driven largely by her best figures to date among Democrats, Biden 2020 voters, liberals, women, 18- to 34-year-olds and millennials,\u2019 it said. Morning Consult\u2019s voter criteria includes any registered voters who say they\u2019re highly likely to vote in the November election.\u201d<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
Kamala (D): \u201cHarris refuses to veer off script in her second high-profile interview\u201d [Politico]. \u201cHarris\u2019 sit-down took place in front of a live audience, which included NABJ members as well as local students of historically Black colleges and universities. At several points throughout the event, members of the small crowd quietly took photos and videos of her answers. In part, Harris\u2019 unwillingness on Tuesday to break from Biden\u2019s approach underscores the challenges of running for office as the sitting vice president. While she has stressed on the campaign trail and in her debate against Trump that she is not Biden, disagreeing with him publicly is still a delicate matter. Not only are there personal relationships at play, but breaking with the president in public could undermine his negotiating power on the international stage.\u201d On reparations: \u201cOn whether she would take executive action to create a commission to study reparations or if that was better handled by Congress, Harris said the latter.\u201d On abortion: \u201cHarris, who has repeatedly said that she would sign a bill to codify Roe v. Wade, was also asked whether she supports the restrictions that were outlined in the court decision. Roe v. Wade, which the Supreme Court overturned in 2022, is best known for protecting abortion rights. But it also stipulated limitations, permitting states to regulate the procedure in the pregnant person\u2019s third trimester. In fact, the landmark Supreme Court case allowed states to ban abortion in the final trimester, as long as the law provided exceptions for the life of the mother. Abortion rights advocates do not support the restrictions in Roe, arguing that the government shouldn\u2019t have any role in regulating abortion. But many voters prefer some but not unlimited abortion access.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kamala (D): \u201cBecause I\u2019m Black\u201d (identity #2, and not Indian (#1) or Woman of Color (#3, and I had thought the current idenity):<\/p>\n
Harris on her message to Black men who are considering voting for Trump: “I’m working to earn their vote. Not assuming I’m going to have it because I’m Black, but because the policies and perspectives I have understand what we must do to recognize the needs of all communities” pic.twitter.com\/xqhuqHflXZ<\/p>\n
\u2014 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 17, 2024<\/p>\n
It\u2019s tiresome, keeping track. I don\u2019t know how she does it!<\/p>\n
Kamala (D): \u201cProgressives hope Harris\u2019 border shift is temporary\u201d [Axios]. \u2022 Lol no.<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
GA: \u201cAJC poll finds Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are locked in a tight race in Georgia\u201d [Atlanta Journal-Constitution]. \u201cThe Republican drew 47% support in the poll while Harris was at 44% \u2014 within the poll\u2019s margin of error of 3.1 percentage points. About 7% of voters said they were undecided. Libertarian Chase Oliver and other third-party candidates polled below 1%.\u201d<\/p>\n
NV: \u201cEconomic worries boost Trump\u2019s Hispanic support in battleground Nevada\u201d [CNN]. \u2022 Interviews with small business owners.<\/p>\n
PA: \u201cHarris leads Trump in Pennsylvania \u2014 and two bellwether PA counties \u2014 exclusive poll finds\u201d [USA Today]. \u201cAlong with Harris\u2019 statewide edge over Trump, she leads in Erie and Northampton counties \u2013 two bellwether counties that have historically predicted who carries the state \u2013 separate USA TODAY\/Suffolk University polls of both found\u2026. Harris leads in Northampton County, which includes the cities of Easton and Bethlehem in East Pennsylvania, 50%-45% over Trump. Biden carried Northampton 50%-49% in the 2020 election. Trump carried Northampton 50%-46% over Clinton in 2016. In Northwest Pennsylvania, Harris leads Trump 48%-44% in Erie County, where Biden in 2020 won 50%-49% and Trump in 2016 won 49%-47%. Three hundred likely voters were surveyed in both county polls, which have margins of error of 5.7 percentage points. Helping drive Harris\u2019 advantage in Northampton \u2013 which boasts a Latino population that is 13% of the county\u2019s population \u2013 is the vice president\u2019s 60%-25% lead among Latino voters in the county. Yet the common denominator in both counties and Pennsylvania as a whole is Harris\u2019 dominance with female voters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Clinton Legacy<\/p>\n
Yikes:<\/p>\n
If Hillary’s insanely repressive measure were implemented \u2014 people spreading disinformation could be imprisoned \u2014 the first two to share a prison cell should be her and Maddow, who drowned the country in the Steele Dossier, Afla Bank servers and other demented debunked lies. <\/p>\n
\u2014 Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) September 17, 2024<\/p>\n
Realignment and Legitimacy<\/p>\n
\u201cSachs & Mearsheimer: There Is Basically One Deep State Party Of Cheney, Harris, And Biden, Embodied By Victoria Nuland\u201d (transcript) [RealClearPolitics]. <\/p>\n
JOHN MEARSHIEMER: No, I like to refer to the Republicans and Democrats and tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s hardly any difference. I actually think the one exception is former President Trump. When he became president in 2017, he was bent on \u201cbeating back the deep state,\u201d and becoming a different kind of leader on the foreign policy front. But he basically failed. And he has vowed that if he is elected this time, it will be different and he will beat back the deep state. He will pursue a foreign policy that is fundamentally different than Republicans and Democrats have pursued up until now.<\/p>\n
The big question on the table is whether or not you think Trump can beat the deep state and these two established parties, and I bet against Trump.<\/p>\n
MEARSHEIMER: When we talk about the \u2018Deep State,\u2019 we\u2019re really talking about the Administrative State. It is very important to understand that starting in the late 19th and early 20th century, given developments in the American economy, it was imperative that we develop \u2014 and this is true of all Western countries \u2014 a very powerful central state that could \u2018run the country.\u2019 And over time, that state has grown in power.<\/p>\n
Since World War Two, the United States has been involved in every nook and cranny of the world, fighting wars here, there, and everywhere. And to do that, you need a very powerful administrative state that can help manage that foreign policy. But in the process, what happens is you get all of these high-level, middle-level, and low-level bureaucrats who become established in positions in the Pentagon, the State Department, and the intelligence community \u2014 you name it. And they end up having a vested interest in pursuing a particular foreign policy.<\/p>\n
That particular foreign policy that they like to pursue is the one the Democrats and the Republicans are pushing. That\u2019s why we talk about tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum with regard to the two parties. You could throw in the deep state as being on the same page as those other two institutions.<\/p>\n
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
* * *<\/p>\n
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
* * *<\/p>\n
Airborne Transmission: Covid<\/p>\n
\u201cAirborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2: The Contrast between Indoors and Outdoors\u201d [Fluids]. We linked to this here and here when it came out in March, but with the move indoors to school, it\u2019s worth posting again. From the Discussion: \u201cIn the analysis above, we have explored the main differences that exist between indoor and outdoor environments with respect to the transmission of COVID-19. From this, a consistent picture emerges, which, although complex, helps to explain why the disease mainly spreads indoors. While much remains unknown about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, our analysis clearly shows that profound differences exist in the fluid dynamic behaviour of the two environments, which likely explains why the vast majority of COVID-19 infections occur within buildings and other confined spaces rather than outdoors\u2026. Two issues in particular, the interaction between thermal plumes and ceilings and the entrainment of room air into exhalation plumes, appear to have been largely overlooked in the literature. Both are not a problem outdoors. Yet indoors, they present a major challenge because rooms are by definition confined and generally have ceilings. This means that indoors: (i) boluses of respiratory aerosols (high-concentration clouds) will tend to form at the ceiling and travel horizontally before descending through the breathing zone of the room occupants; and (ii) as the concentration of respiratory aerosols builds up in the room space, so the near-field exposure risk associated with exhalation plumes will tend to increase. Both these phenomena mean that the risk of transmission is much greater indoors compared with outdoors. They also highlight the inadequacy of the simplistic \u2018near-field\u2019\u2013\u2018far-field\u2019 analysis framework. In reality, in most indoor environments, the near-field and far-field exposure risks are inextricably linked\u2014something that is not the case outdoors. Because exhalation plumes entrain air from the surrounding room space, a feedback loop exists between the far-field and near-field.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnalysis of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a university classroom based on real human close contact behaviors\u201d [Science of The Total Environment]. From China. From the Abstract: \u201cThe risk of infection of susceptible students per 45-min lesson was 1%\u2026 When all students are wearing N95 respirators, the infection risk could be reduced by 96%\u2026 In a classroom with an occupancy rate of 50 %, after optimized arrangement of student distribution, the infection risk could be decreased by 62 %.\u201d \u2022 I think the optimized arrange is front to back, i.e. \u201cLet\u2019s all sit in a circle!\u201d is a bad idea.<\/p>\n
Maskstravaganza<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, we do need to bring back masks in medical settings\u201d [Toronto Star]. \u201cMany of my most vulnerable patients are keenly aware of the potential health risks this presents. Yet most say nothing and would never dream of asking their clinician to wear a mask. There are sound reasons for this.<\/p>\n
The first has to do with long wait times. A visit to the specialist is a precious commodity that cannot be risked. Several months pass before patients are seen, raising the urgency for care. This is only the first of many factors to come that can silence even the most assertive of patients.<\/p>\n
Many don\u2019t want to appear disrespectful by asking their health-care workers to mask. They fear being labelled \u2018difficult\u2019 or \u2018demanding\u2019 and become distressed at the prospect of questioning their clinician\u2019s judgment, even if it should put them in harm\u2019s way. Patients become more passive when burdened with the anxiety, dread and fatigue that accompanies illness. Deep-seated fears are ignited that further increase the dependency on health-care workers and squelch any remaining likelihood of their requesting that their clinicians mask.\u201d \u2022 You do you, except not.<\/p>\n
Masking and virus size:<\/p>\n
Al Haddrell has reached a significant conclusion regarding the size of the virus. The virus particles are predominantly found within the range of 1 to 5 microns. Consequently, there is no need to pursue filters of the highest grade for masks or air purifiers when the goal is to\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/p7KYykcU74<\/p>\n
\u2014 Adam Wong (@Engineer_Wong) September 18, 2024<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a little confused about whether by \u201cvirus\u201d is meant the aerosol particle that bears the virus. But an interesting line of inquiry!<\/p>\n
Sequelae: Covid<\/p>\n
\u201cNew report warns long COVID could be \u2018mass disabling event’\u201d [Insurance Business]. \u201cCanada\u2019s chief science adviser has released a report on long COVID, warning that it could have significant long-term impacts on the country\u2019s economy. In the report, Dr. Mona Nemer called COVID-19 the \u2018head\u2019 of the pandemic and long COVID its \u2018tail,\u2019 citing the debilitating effects of the disease that can linger long after the initial infection. She estimated that 10-20% of people with COVID-19 develop long COVID or post-COVID condition (PCC), with symptoms including high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, chronic fatigue, brain fog, muscle pain, and blurred vision. \u2018Some patients have not recovered two to three years after the initial infection and it is uncertain whether a proportion may ever fully recover,\u2019 Nemer said in the report, adding that the lack of consensus on a clear definition and diagnostic criteria can make it difficult to lodge claims for social assistance, disability supports, and insurance. There could be wider socio-economic implications too, as analysis of long COVID in other countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, indicated \u201csignificant impacts on the labour market and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in addition to health costs and demands.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Personal Risk Assessment<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople can\u2019t make \u201crisk assessments\u201d without knowing the risks\u201d [The Gauntlet]. \u201cUS politicians pushed us all \u2018back to normal\u2019, a common refrain from the top was that we \u2018had the tools\u2019 to deal with COVID, and that individuals could now make their own decisions about what sorts of risks they were comfortable taking. I\u2019ve written at length about the absurdity of attempting to individualize what is a collective problem. What was once a libertarian, far-right wing idea \u2013 disease control should be the territory of individuals, not society at large- was first promoted by Republicans, then mainstreamed by liberals in order to paint Biden\u2019s failed vaccine-only herd-immunity strategy as a success. As we settled into a cycle of endless waves of disease driven by rapidly evolving new variants, our government and public health bodies continued to promote the fantasy that everyone can make their own decisions about whether or not to get infected. Of course, anyone who does make the \u2018risk assessment\u2019 that catching COVID is unsafe for them is functionally shut out of society. It\u2019s hardly a choice freely made, as the social and economic punishments for failing to \u2018return to normal\u2019 continue to intensify.\u201d Meanwhile: \u201cThe current CDC Director, Mandy Cohen, has never tweeted the words \u201ccognitive damage,\u201d \u201cbrain damage\u201d or \u201cbrain fog.\u201d Neither has former CDC Director Rachelle Walensky.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n
UK Covid inquiry going nicely for the droplet dogmatists:<\/p>\n
The truly ironic thing is that, during \u2018The Long Pause\u2019, the only sound you can hear is the faint hum of the HEPA air filters cleaning the air in the room\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026while Dr Ritchie contemplates whether ventilation is only a useful precaution if Covid is airborne.<\/p>\n
(H\/t @Hermione1963) <\/p>\n
\u2014 Cat in the Hat \ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b \ud83c\udfa9 \ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7 (@_CatintheHat) September 18, 2024<\/p>\n
IPC = Infection Prevention and Control. And what a great job they did. I wonder if we will ever have a similar commission in the United States?<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
\u201cPart 1: We Don\u2019t Have to Wonder if the Great Barrington Declaration Could Have \u201cWorked\u201d. In the Real World, It Failed\u201d [Science-Based Medicine]. \u201che Great Barrington Declaration (GBD) was published on October 4th, 2020. It was written under the watchful eye of a pro-tobacco, child-labor advocate, and it claimed we could rid ourselves of the virus by spreading the virus. The GBD claimed we could end the pandemic by April 2021 at the latest, but only if everyone worked in perfect unison\u2026. In the GBD\u2019s vision, the entire country would be informed of their Declaration, and after this, everyone would unite to abruptly and radically shift their entire approach to the pandemic. Citizens would voluntarily and appropriately sort themselves \u2018vulnerable\u2019 or \u2018not vulnerable\u2019 categories, and everyone would play their assigned role. 230 million or so unvaccinated, \u2018not vulnerable\u2019 Americans, most of whom had been diligently trying to avoid the virus thus far, would instantly reverse course and embrace \u2018natural infection\u2019. That some of them would get really sick and die would not be a reason for anyone to abandon the project.\u201d \u2022 We don\u2019t need to worry about our Journey into a LIbertarian Future anymore. We\u2019re here!<\/p>\n
* * *<\/p>\n
TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/p>\n
Lambert here: First time in a long time I\u2019ve seen national trends downward for both positivity and hospitalization. Even if wastewater still looks pretty ugly, that\u2019s very good news. I assume that what\u2019s going on is the end of the Summer Vacation cycle of infection, and there will be a short lull until the beginning of the Back to School cycle. If not, that will be a very good sign.<\/p>\n
Wastewater<\/p>\n
This week[1] CDC September 9<\/p>\n
Last Week[2] CDC (until next week):<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png\")
<\/p>\n
Variants [3] CDC September 14<\/p>\n
Emergency Room Visits[4] CDC September 7<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-variants-natl.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-ed-natl-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
Hospitalization<\/p>\n
\u2605 New York[5] New York State, data September 16:<\/p>\n
National [6] CDC August 24:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-ny-hospitalization-nyc-9.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-hospitalization-natl-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
Positivity<\/p>\n
National[7] Walgreens September 16:<\/p>\n
Ohio[8] Cleveland Clinic September 7:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-2.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh.png\")
<\/p>\n
Travelers Data<\/p>\n
Positivity[9] CDC August 26:
\n Variants[10] CDC August 26:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-1.png\")
<\/p>\n
Deaths<\/p>\n
Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11]CDC September 7:<\/p>\n
Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12]CDC September 9:<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-death-positivity-natl.png\")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/covid-cdc-death-ed-natl.png\")
<\/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. NOTE The date seems to be wrong, but the number of sites has changed so this is new.<\/p>\n
[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n
[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* very popular. XDV.1 flat.<\/p>\n
[4] (ED) Down, but worth noting that Emergency Department use is now on a par with the first wave, in 2020.<\/p>\n
[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Definitely down. NOTE Statewide, there is an uptick. Not in New York City, Long Island, or Mid-Hudson.<\/p>\n
[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). The visualization suppresses what is, in percentage terms, a significant increase.<\/p>\n
[7] (Walgreens) Big drop continues!<\/p>\n
[8] (Cleveland) Dropping.<\/p>\n
[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Down. 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 range. 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) What the heck is LB.1?<\/p>\n
[11] Deaths low, but positivity up.<\/p>\n
[12] Deaths low, ED up.<\/p>\n
Stats Watch<\/p>\n
Housing: \u201cHousing Starts\u201d [Trading Economics]. \u201cHousing starts in the United States soared by 9.6% from the previous month to an annualized rate of 1.356 million units in August of 2024, firmly above market expectations of 1.31 million units, rebounding from the near 7% plunge in the previous period to record the sharpest increase in nine months.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Supply Chain: \u201cWith Two Weeks Left and No Talks, Industry Prepares for ILA Strike\u201d [Maritime Executive]. \u201cToday marks two weeks till the likely first day of a crippling strike for containers and Ro-Ro traffic at U.S. East and Gulf Coast ports as the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association has refused to resume negotiations on the master contract. With no signs of government intervention despite urging from shippers, the industry is looking for alternatives while analysts attempt to forecast the impact\u2026. [The ILA] issued a new statement focusing entirely on wages and rehashing old wage increases, or the lack thereof, dating back to the 1990s. Citing inflation and years of low increases, the ILA says \u2018spotty yearly increases\u2019 are history. The ILA said it will reject the USMX (United States Maritime Alliance) position on new entry wage, and calls for large increases. The union writes that it has been preparing for over a year and the time is now to take a \u2018stand and fight a higher level of wages.\u2019 Without indicating any willingness to resume the negotiations which have been at an impasse since June, the ILA says a strike \u2018seems more likely.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Supply Chain: \u201cLongshoremen at key US ports threatening to strike over automation and pay\u201d [ABC]. \u201cThe International Longshoremen\u2019s Union is demanding significantly higher wages and a total ban on the automation of cranes, gates and container movements that are used in the loading or loading of freight at 36 U.S. ports. Whenever and however the dispute is resolved, it\u2019s likely to affect how freight moves in and out of the United States for years to come. If a strike were resolved within a few weeks, consumers probably wouldn\u2019t notice any major shortages of retail goods. But a strike that persists for more than a month would likely cause a shortage of some consumer products, although most holiday retail goods have already arrived from overseas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Supply Chain: \u201cBiden won\u2019t block potential strike at East Coast ports, administration official says\u201d [Reuters]. \u201cU.S. President Joe Biden does not intend to invoke a federal law to prevent a port strike on the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico if dockworkers fail to secure a new labor contract by an Oct. 1 deadline, an administration official said on Tuesday\u2026. \u2018We\u2019ve never invoked Taft-Hartley to break a strike and are not considering doing so now,\u2019 the Biden administration official told Reuters.\u201d <\/p>\n
Supply Chain: \u201cUS beef market debates effect of potential International Longshoremen\u2019s Association strike\u201d [S&P Global]. \u201c\u2018Letting the ILA [strike] play out would be a disaster politically,\u2019 said a US beef buyer. A transportation specialist said, \u2018[there is] no way that the union is going to put the Democrats in such a bad position that would allow them to lose the election.\u2019 According to industry sources, it appears that marine terminal operators and ocean carriers, specifically the Mediterranean Shipping Company, are prepared for the strike to begin. The Mediterranean Shipping Company is seen as a bellwether in the global shipping market, sources said. Following the strike, a motion will be presented by the group to force the ILA to return to work for 45 days. If no resolution is reached within that period, another motion will be filed to extend the working period. In this scenario, an arbitrator will be appointed by the court within the time frame to help develop a resolved contract. Although beef and other meats are not the largest volume cargo received in East Coast ports, it is likely to be the most affected, as refrigerated containers and the generator sets that power them are in short supply, according to industry specialists. Companies with freight in reefers will want freight removed in advance of the strike and all at once, further limiting the supply, said the transportation specialist. Most US beef buyers have not changed their buying habits or shipping plans. So far, beef prices have not changed in response to the possibility of strike.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manufacturing: \u201cBoeing announces broad rolling furloughs keyed to Machinists strike\u201d [Seattle Times]. \u201cBoeing on Wednesday said it will institute furloughs for a large number of U.S.-based workers for the duration of the Machinists strike that began last week. Employees will take one week of furlough every four weeks on a rolling basis as long as the strike lasts, President and CEO Kelly Ortberg wrote in a message sent to all Boeing workers. Ortberg said he and his leadership team will take a \u2018commensurate pay reduction\u2019 for the duration of the strike. He didn\u2019t specify the pay cut amount. Boeing and the Machinists are meeting Wednesday to continue negotiations after restarting talks Tuesday. The Machinists called Tuesday a frustrating day and said the two sides weren\u2019t close in reaching a deal.\u201d \u2022 \u201cCommensurate\u201d? Like zero?<\/p>\n
Tech: \u201c23andMe sees independent board directors quit en masse\u201d [TechCrunch]. \u201c23andMe, the personal genomics company, went public in early 2021 via a merger with a blank check company that valued it at $3.5 billion. Then its fortunes began to sink. Fading interest in DNA kits \u2013 23andMe\u2019s main product \u2013 was one driver. So was news last year that hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million of its users. CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki now reportedly wants to take the 18-year-old company private. After her own proposal to buy it was rebuffed by its board in July, she was given time to wangle another deal. But its independent directors announced Tuesday evening they\u2019ve lost faith that another proposal is coming, adding that because of Wojcicki\u2019s \u2018concentrated voting power,\u2019 they\u2019re done, effective immediately. The company\u2019s market cap closed the day at $173 million. Losing its glittering board \u2013 which included Sequoia Capital\u2019s Roelof Botha and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, among five others \u2013 will likely drive its shares down further. One question is whether a shareholder lawsuit might follow.\u201d \u2022 That\u2019s a damned shame. Wojcicki was once married to Sergey Brin.<\/p>\n
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Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 57 Greed (previous close: 54 Neutral) [CNN]. One week ago: 39 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Sep 18 at 1:46:09 PM ET.<\/p>\n
Gallery<\/p>\n
Liberty leading the people:<\/p>\n
Liberty Inviting Artists to Take Part in the 22nd Exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists pic.twitter.com\/BcijLT9AoX<\/p>\n
\u2014 Henri Rousseau (@artrousseau) September 18, 2024<\/p>\n
(Sorry about Twitter\u2019s cropping; click the image to see the whole thing.)<\/p>\n
Health<\/p>\n
What doesn\u2019t kill me makes me stronger, except not:<\/p>\n
You’ve heard of the nine circles of Hell? A patient with cancer documented the TWENTY-SIX steps necessary to get their medication (as an oncologist I know a vicious cycle when I see one) pic.twitter.com\/K6tz88QT2K<\/p>\n
\u2014 Mark Lewis, MD, FASCO (@marklewismd) September 16, 2024<\/p>\n
Class Warfare<\/p>\n
\u201cResurgent Unions Flex Muscle at Boeing, Stellantis and East Coast Ports\u201d [Reuters]. \u201cAcross the United States, labor unions are striking, threatening strikes and asserting their clout in ways that haven\u2019t been seen in decades. Major ports on the East Coast, Boeing, and automaker Stellantis are all engaged in current or potential labor actions.\u201d \u2022 And hopefully negotiating all their contracts to end on May 1, 2028.<\/p>\n
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\u201cSean \u2018Diddy\u2019 Combs jailed by judge after sex trafficking indictment\u201d [Associated Press]. \u201d Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs headed to jail Tuesday to await trial in a federal sex trafficking case that accuses him of presiding over a sordid empire of sexual crimes protected by blackmail and shocking acts of violence. The music mogul is charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The indictment against him lists allegations that go back to 2008. He\u2019s accused of inducing female victims and male sex workers into drugged-up, sometimes dayslong sexual performances dubbed \u2018Freak Offs.\u2019\u2026 The Bad Boy Records founder is accused of sexually abusing and using physical force toward women and getting his personal assistants, security and household staff to help him hide it all. Prosecutors say he also tried to bribe and intimidate witnesses and victims to keep them quiet.\u201d \u2022 Combs pleaded innocent.<\/p>\n
\u201cDiddy trolled by 50 Cent AGAIN over viral \u20181000 baby oil bottles\u2019 claims in rapper\u2019s shock indictment after arrest\u201d [Daily Mail]. \u2022\u00a0As so often with the Daily Mail, the headline says it all. <\/p>\n
\u201cDiddy\u2019s arrest for sex trafficking sends shockwaves through music industry with \u2018at least five execs\u2019 at record labels worried\u201d [Daily Mail] \u2022 As above. Because (from March)\u2013<\/p>\n
\u201cDiddy\u2019s Homes Reportedly Fitted With Hidden Cameras In Every Room\u201d [Blast]. Maybe all the super-rich do this. Why not? More: \u201cThe rapper has been accused of fitting his home with multiple hidden cameras and then using the footage to allegedly blackmail party attendees\u2026 According to court documents filed by Diddy\u2019s former employee, Rodney\u2019 Lil Rod\u2019 Jones, the rapper purportedly installed multiple hidden cameras in his properties located in Los Angeles and on Star Island. Those cameras supposedly captured alleged disturbing footage of his guests including \u201ccelebrities, athletes, politicians, international dignitaries, and music label executives.\u201d \u2022 Hoo boy. I wonder if Mossad has these tapes too. Kidding!<\/p>\n
\u201cUnited States of America vs. SEAN COMBS a\/k\/a \u201cPuff Daddy,\u201d a\/k\/a \u201cP. Diddy\u201d, a\/k\/a \u201cPD, a\/k\/a \u201cLove\u201d (PDF) [United States District Court, Southern District of New York]. The indictment. And from August\u2013<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udc49\ud83c\udfff \u201cThe Domination Tour\u201d [Maureen Tkacik, Prospect]. The deck: \u201cFour decades of intensifying corporate concentration turned the music industry into a wasteland of institutionalized control and abuse. Are antitrust enforcers ready to reckon with that?\u201d Much detail on the Britney Spears conservatorship, \u201csome of the tawdriest episodes of institutionalized abuse to the uppermost echelons of corporate America.\u201d Tkacik comments:<\/p>\n
on the occasion of Diddy’s long-awaited racketeering & sex sadism arrest, perhaps you found yourself contemplating how all the pop icons of the Clinton\/Bush cultural landscape seem to be the products and\/or arbiters of sprawling child sex abuse networks\u2026 <\/p>\n
\u2014 moe tkacik (@moetkacik) September 17, 2024<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t have time to aggregate photos of all Diddy\u2019s \u201cfriends.\u201d He had a lot! Among them:<\/p>\n
This is not a good look for Kamala Harris. <\/p>\n
She seems to be close to Diddy, as are the Clintons and Obamas. @KamalaHQ <\/p>\n
Was Kamala at any \u201cFreak-off\u201d parties? \ud83d\udc40 pic.twitter.com\/9GjkIGh3Tc<\/p>\n
\u2014 Dr Vincent Sativa \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@The_Weed_Shop) September 18, 2024<\/p>\n
News of the Wired<\/p>\n
A \u201cGreat Ball Contraption\u201d (apparently a genre big in Japan):<\/p>\n<\/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 CF:<\/p>\n
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CF writes: From the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, NYC. like the Abutilon leaves, which look like maps!\u201d<\/p>\n
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