{"id":9053,"date":"2025-07-04T18:04:42","date_gmt":"2025-07-04T18:04:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uang69.id\/?p=9053"},"modified":"2025-07-04T18:04:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T18:04:43","slug":"200pm-water-cooler-10-3-2024-naked-capitalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uang69.id\/?p=9053","title":{"rendered":"2:00PM Water Cooler 10\/3\/2024 | naked capitalism"},"content":{"rendered":"


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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.<\/p>\n

Extremely patient readers, I\u2019m afraid brunch got utterly out of control. So this is quite skeletal, although I will add in as much as I can, as fast as I can! In the meantime, talk amongst yourselves! \u2013lambert<\/p>\n

Bird Song of the Day<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Blue Mockingbird, along the canal, Oaxaca, MX (17,2, -96,751), Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/p>\n

Boeing and Longshoremen strikes.
\nUCLA tools up.<\/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

2024<\/p>\n

Less than forty days to go!<\/p>\n

Friday\u2019s RCP Poll Averages:<\/p>\n

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This week\u2019s crop of flag-of-convenience Democrat celebrities and generals didn\u2019t turn the tide either. Despite the micturition and lamentation (very much including my own) about the Trump campaign dogging it when the election is theirs to win (see Gallup, \u201c2024 Election Environment Favorable to GOP\u201d on the issues) do note the steady deterioration in Kamala\u2019s position in the (aggregated) top battlegrounds. (Of course, we on the outside might as well be examining the entrails of birds when we try to predict what will happen to a subset of voters (undecided; irregular) in a subset of states (swing), and the irregulars especially might as well be quantum foam, but presumably the campaign professionals have better data, and have the situation as under control as it can be MR SUBLIMINAL Fooled ya. Kidding!.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Kamala (D): \u201cOpinion: Vance is right. Harris and Walz are a threat to Americans\u2019 free speech\u201d [Jonathan Turley, USA Today]. On \u201cfire in a croweded theatre: \u201c[Walz] cited a case in which socialists Charles Schenck and Elizabeth Baer were arrested and convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917. Their \u2018crime\u2019 was to pass out flyers in opposition to the military draft during World War I. Schenck and Baer called on their fellow citizens not to \u2018submit to intimidation\u2019 and to \u2018assert your rights.\u2019 They argued, \u2018If you do not assert and support your rights, you are helping to deny or disparage rights which it is the solemn duty of all citizens and residents of the United States to retain.\u2019 They also described the military draft as \u2018involuntary servitude.\u2019 Holmes used his \u2018fire in a theater\u2019; line to justify the abusive conviction and incarceration. At the House hearing, when I was trying to explain that the justice later walked away from the line and Schenck was effectively overturned in 1969 in Brandenburg v. Ohio, [Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y.] cut me off and said, \u2018We don\u2019t need a law class here.\u2019 In the vice presidential debate, Walz showed that he and other Democratic leaders most certainly do need a class in First Amendment law.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Trump (R): \u201cTrump calls Jack Smith filing \u2018pure election interference\u2019 \u201d [NewsNation]. \u201cFormer President Donald Trump called the unsealing of documents in his election interference case by special counsel Jack Smith a \u201cweaponization of the government\u201d during an exclusive interview with NewsNation on Wednesday in Houston, Texas. The Republican nominee was at a private fundraiser when he told NewsNation\u2019s Ali Bradley that Smith is a \u2018deranged person\u2019 following the dismissal of his separate classified documents case in July. \u2018This was a weaponization of the government \u2026 and released 30 days before the election,\u2019 Trump said of Wednesday\u2019s developments. \u2018My poll numbers have gone up instead of down. It is pure election interference.\u2019 The interview came after prosecutors, in a court filing unsealed Wednesday, said Trump \u201cresorted to crimes\u201d after losing the 2020 election by disregarding the advice of his vice president and other aides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Realignment and Legitimacy<\/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 (wastewater); 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, KidDoc, 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

* * *<\/p>\n

TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/p>\n

Lambert here: At last, the wastewater data looks improved. Apparenltly, we dodged a \u201cBack to School\u201d bullet, at least at the national level. The wastewater drop is reinforced by the positivity numbers as well.<\/p>\n

Wastewater<\/p>\n

This week[1] CDC September 23<\/p>\n

Last Week[2] CDC (until next week):<\/p>\n

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Variants [3] CDC September 28<\/p>\n

Emergency Room Visits[4] CDC September 21<\/p>\n

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Hospitalization<\/p>\n

New York[5] New York State, data October 1:<\/p>\n

National [6] CDC September 7:<\/p>\n

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Positivity<\/p>\n

National[7] Walgreens September 30:<\/p>\n

Ohio[8] Cleveland Clinic September 26:<\/p>\n

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Travelers Data<\/p>\n

Positivity[9] CDC September 9:
\nVariants[10] CDC September 9:<\/p>\n

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Deaths<\/p>\n

Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11]CDC September 21:<\/p>\n

Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12]CDC September 21:<\/p>\n

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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. Much less intense!<\/p>\n

[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n

[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* very popular. XEC has entered the chat.<\/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.<\/p>\n

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). <\/p>\n

[7] (Walgreens) Big drop continues!<\/p>\n

[8] (Cleveland) Dropping.<\/p>\n

[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Up, though lagged.<\/p>\n

[10] (Travelers: Variants).<\/p>\n

[11] Deaths low, positivity down.<\/p>\n

[12] Deaths low, ED down.<\/p>\n

Stats Watch<\/p>\n

Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Initial Jobless Claims\u201d [Trading Economics]. \u201cThe number of people claiming unemployment benefits in the US rose by 6,000 from the previous week to 225,000 on the period ending September 28th, surpassing market expectations of 220,000 to mark a new three-week high. The rise in claims kept initial counts above the averages recorded earlier this year, reinforcing the trend of a softening labor market and supporting predictions that the Federal Reserve will implement rate cuts in each remaining decision this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Employment SItuation: \u201cUnited States Challenger Job Cuts\u201d [Trading Economics]. \u201cUS employers announced 72,821 job cuts in September 2024, slightly down from 75,891 in August, but 53% higher than 47,457 a year earlier. Technology announced the most job cuts\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manufacturing: \u201cUnited States Factory Orders\u201d [Trading Economics]. \u201cNew orders for US manufactured goods eased by 0.2% from the previous month to $590.4 billion in August of 2024, trimming the downwardly revised 4.9% jump in the previous month, and missing forecasts that it would have remained unchanged.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone Is Getting the Dockworkers Strike All Wrong\u201d [Salon]. \u201cYes, it\u2019s a story about modern-day labor anxieties and union leverage\u2014but it\u2019s also about something far more complex than your typical workers-vs.-bosses toss-up\u2026. But the dockworkers of today have to be skilled, knowledgeable, and dexterous enough to ensure that the incoming freight trucks, the hefty equipment, the potentially hazardous cargo, and the boats themselves operate safely and smoothly throughout all steps of the process\u2026 That premium on skill and labor, added to the union\u2019s historic strength, makes these dockworkers \u2018the highest-paid blue-collar workers in the country,\u2019 as the American Prospect notes\u2026 The main sticking point, however, is displacement. The business interests in charge of the ports want to embed more self-propelling technology within dock work, whether that constitutes automated trucks, gates, or cranes. This trend has taken off at dozens of ports across the world. Still, multiple studies and real-world examples have shown that full or semi-automation does not actually do much to reduce costs or increase efficiency at the docks, although in certain applications, it can help to ensure human safety. And therein lies another primary conflict about tech at the docks: The Maritime Alliance is interested in leaving some leeway for automation, but the dockworkers want absolutely none. The work may be grueling, but it\u2019s among the few organized blue-collar professions that can offer its employees a solid lifestyle and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manufacturing: \u201cBoeing Jet Catches Fire Before Takeoff, Prompting Airport Closure\u201d [Men\u2019s Journal]. \u201cAlmost 200 travelers were evacuated from a Boeing jet as walls of flames spewed from one of the engines, video shared to X (formerly Twitter) shows. The incident occurred early on Wednesday morning at Italy\u2019s Brindisi Airport shortly before a Boeing 737 operated by Ryanair was scheduled to take off. Smoke filled the cabin as crews quickly responded and evacuated the jet, but not before one passenger captured footage of the flames licking the plane\u2019s window.\u201d \u2022 Whoops. (Reuters mentions \u201cfumes.\u201d)<\/p>\n

Manufacturing: \u201cBoeing\u2019s Frail Finances Give Strikers All the Power\u201d [Bloomberg]. \u201cThe company is in a dire financial position, burning through billions of dollars of cash and teetering at the edge of having its credit rating cut to junk. The company has floated the idea of raising $10 billion or more by selling shares, which wouldn\u2019t happen until the strike is resolved. The approximately 33,000 machinists on strike know this. Time is on their side. \u2026 Boeing needs to reach a deal with its striking workers and crank up aircraft production. The backlog of aircraft orders is piling up. This is cash and financial relief just waiting to be unlocked. No doubt a hefty pay raise will squeeze future profit margins, but it\u2019s unlikely the company, being in such as weakened state, can outlast the determination of its workers\u2026. It\u2019s time for new Chief Executive Officer Kelly Ortberg to settle this strike and begin to repair labor relations. Without buy-in from its workforce, the company can\u2019t begin to change a factory-floor culture that had eroded on safety and quality to the point where the Federal Aviation Administration had to intervene.\u201d<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Fear & Greed Index: 67 Greed (previous close: 68 Greed) [CNN]. One week ago: 68 (Greed). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Oct 3 at 1:53:13 PM ET.<\/p>\n

Zeitgeist Watch<\/p>\n

Surely not?<\/p>\n

friend saw this guy on the apps lol pic.twitter.com\/NuwYYp4CNv<\/p>\n

\u2014 mindy\ud83c\udf37 (@mindyisser) October 3, 2024<\/p>\n

Gallery<\/p>\n

For Alma-Tadema stans, thread worth reading in full:<\/p>\n

This is a 1436 painting by Flemish master Jan van Eyck, of Mary, Jesus, and saints.<\/p>\n

You might think it’s just an ordinary devotional painting \u2014 think again\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/lgcGoYNnu9<\/p>\n

\u2014 Culture Critic (@Culture_Crit) October 2, 2024<\/p>\n

Groves of Academe<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents and faculty object to UCLA\u2019s purchase of more military hardware\u201d [Los Angeles Public Press]. \u201cThe University of California Regents approved the purchase of military equipment at September\u2019s UC Regents meeting at UCLA. The unanimous vote took place behind closed doors while the UCLA Police Department (UCPD), dressed in riot gear, forced those who came to give public comment outside of the building. The approved purchases include 3,000 rounds of pepper munitions, 500 rounds of 40mm impact munitions, 12 drones, and nine less-lethal launchers across six University of California campuses.\u201d \u2022 Oh.<\/p>\n

News of the Wired<\/p>\n

No:<\/p>\n

Call me old-fashioned, but I thought we\u2019d pretty much sorted the design of the cup. pic.twitter.com\/zP1tmG9Mtd<\/p>\n

\u2014 Henry Moeran (@henrymoeranBBC) October 2, 2024<\/p>\n

Make that holder coin-operated, and you\u2019ve got a rentier\u2019s cup.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

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 TH:<\/p>\n

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TH writes: \u201cThis is one of those that might drive you crazy. Vertical lines are correct and even the horizontal railing is good, but the breakwater just above it gives an illusion of off-kilterness (word?).\u201d Readers?<\/p>\n

* * *<\/p>\n

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. Material here is Lambert\u2019s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. 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

\"Print<\/div>\n<\/div>\n