2:00PM Water Cooler 1/7/2025 | bare capitalism

By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Chicken Music of the Day

Brown Thrasher, Hammonasset Seaside SP, New Haven, Connecticut, United States.

In Case You May Miss…

1. Trump to vary “Gulf of Mexico” to “Gulf of America.”
2. “FBI Is Nonetheless Hiding Particulars of Russiagate”: Aaron Maté.
3. HPMV in China.

Politics

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

Trump Transition

“Coming quickly: Gulf of America” [Politico]. “‘We’re going to be altering the identify of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a stupendous ring. That covers loads of territory,’ Trump stated. ‘The Gulf of America. What a stupendous identify. And it’s applicable.’ It marked Trump’s newest pledge to broaden the US’ attain all through the world, following statements about annexing Canada and Greenland.” • Monroe could be proud. I’m not positive how toponyms are standardized in the US, or internationally, however little question there may be an entity to which Trump may handle his considerations.

“Trump’s Going Locations With Vitality, however Biden’s the Backseat Driver” [RealClearInvestigations], “Trump has made it clear he needs to realign U.S. power coverage towards low cost, ample power and away from costly, rising renewable sources, lots of which depend on authorities subsidies. However consultants say his choices could also be restricted in circumstances the place Congress authorised spending payments, contracts had been signed, and even the place he encounters pushback from reluctant ‘inexperienced’ enterprises which have relied on authorities largesse within the push for a ‘NetZero’ future. ‘Congress must repeal a few of that,’ stated Travis Fisher, the director of power and environmental coverage research on the libertarian Cato Institute, referring to a whole bunch of billions in climate-relate funding, together with within the Inflation Discount Act and different laws handed over the last 4 years. ‘The query in some circumstances can be, ‘Do you attempt to enhance what’s been completed or repeal it?’ After which, if there are grants which have already gone out the door, these could be exhausting to claw again. However there are nonetheless loads of targets for fast modifications on day one.’ Some Trump supporters assume the avenues which might be open to a brand new administration, in addition to Trump’s observe report, give trigger for optimism for individuals who wish to cut back authorities spending or let the markets decide power costs and accessibility. ‘When Trump guarantees one thing he normally delivers, and I’d count on to see important modifications in power coverage with him,’ stated Geoffrey Pohanka, the 2023 chairman of the Nationwide Car Sellers Affiliation.” • Car sellers. Traditional American gentry.

I’m so outdated I bear in mind when “our democracy” was at stake!

Is there a single individual in DC or media performing as if Literal Adolf Hitler is about to imagine energy in 2 weeks in an effort to finish American democracy, set up fascism, and create a white supremacist dictatorship?

Is it doable those that stated this for years by no means believed it?

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 6, 2025

Lawfare

“FBI Is Nonetheless Hiding Particulars of Russiagate, Newly Launched Doc Reveals” [Aaron Maté, RealClearInvestigations]. “In response to a Freedom of Info request filed by RealClearInvestigations in August 2022, the FBI on Dec. 31, greater than two years later, launched a closely redacted copy of the doc that opened an explosive and unprecedented counterintelligence probe of the sitting president as an agent of the Russian authorities…. The Digital Communication, dated Could 16, 2017, claimed to have an ‘articulable factual foundation’ to suspect that Trump ‘wittingly or unwittingly’ was illegally performing on behalf of Russia, and accordingly posing ‘threats to the nationwide safety of the US.’” So Trump may have been “unwittingly” a Russian spy? Isn’t that slightly over-broad? “The investigation of Trump was undertaken on the behest of then-acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, one week after Trump had fired his former boss and mentor, James B. Comey…. In keeping with the declassified doc, McCabe’s choice was authorised by FBI Assistant Director Invoice Priestap, who had additionally signed off on the opening of Crossfire Hurricane; and Jim Baker, the FBI basic counsel. Baker was a longtime pal of Michael Sussmann, a lawyer for the presidential marketing campaign of Hillary Clinton, and a key determine within the dissemination of Clinton-funded disinformation to the FBI that falsely tied Trump to Russia… After leaving the FBI, Baker served as deputy basic counsel at Twitter, the place he backed the corporate’s censorship of reporting on the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop computer, primarily based on one more conspiracy idea that the laptop computer information had been Russian disinformation.” • And that’s just the start of the story.

“DNC chair hopeful Martin O’Malley says Dems will proceed to lose if celebration doesn’t join with working class” [FOX]. • This received’t assist:

Realized nothing, forgotten nothing:

The NYT proudly says Biden’s award of presidential medals of freedom to folks like Hillary, George Soros, The Carlyle Group’s David Rubenstein “indicators his assist for the institution Trump needs to tear down.”

In different information, the NYT asks why Dems “misplaced the working class.” pic.twitter.com/VeIQ2hKk0h

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) January 5, 2025

Gawd is aware of I’m all for civilty and in opposition to violence…

Because of this Dems maintain shedding. pic.twitter.com/Y80AZnxg9Q

— The Emo Dragon (@midwestem0guy) January 3, 2025

However I want Sanders had punched her out. Kamala, after her butchery of the 2024 marketing campaign, has no standing to make enjoyable of anyone.

“Bernie Sanders Plans to Drive Vote on H-1B Reforms” [Lee Fang]. “Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., plans to shake issues up with a brand new political combat over the controversial H-1B visa program. What started as a dispute on social media during the last week will quickly hit the halls of Congress. A supply near his workplace instructed me that the senator is drafting a number of amendments to enhance this system radically – together with elevating earnings ranges for overseas employees taking jobs by means of the H-1B visa and mountain climbing the applying charges for companies using this system. The push is a reprisal of comparable 2007 amendments Sanders supplied in the course of the debate over the Bush immigration invoice. Throughout that interval, he labored carefully along with his Republican colleagues. The brand new amendments can be connected to main laws supplied over the approaching weeks — primarily forcing lawmakers to go on the report. Sanders is at the moment in talks with potential cosponsors and expects to deliver a singular pro-American labor coalition of Democrats and Republicans collectively to crack down on H-1B abuse. The Vermont senator, now a rating member of the Committee on Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions, could profit from a reshuffle in committee assignments. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., two Republican opponents of visa applications utilized by firms to import overseas employees, have joined the committee this 12 months.” • A Sanders-Tuberville H-1B reform alliance wasn’t on my Bingo card….

“New Dem additions to a plum panel are spurring personal angst” [Politico]. “An under-the-radar choice so as to add Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and about half a dozen different members to the Home Vitality and Commerce is inflicting some angst amongst Home Democrats, in keeping with three folks conversant in the matter who had been granted anonymity to element personal discussions. In an uncommon transfer, the Steering and Coverage panel stuffed six out of the seven open slots on the Vitality and Commerce Committee Tuesday morning and left the final place open for a 10-way race. The spots had been extremely aggressive, and a few lawmakers are questioning why sure members like Ocasio-Cortez had been chosen whereas others had been left to compete for the final open spot…. Since [2020], Ocasio-Cortez has claimed an inside observe within the caucus, paying dues to the caucus’ marketing campaign arm and making up with different lawmakers. She additionally backed away from assist for major challenges when she mounted an unsuccessful bid to be the highest Democrat on the Oversight Committee final month. The committee has broad jurisdiction over well being care, power, know-how and different coverage areas that can be within the highlight within the new Congress, because the GOP takes full management of Washington. The panel chaired by Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) has an extended custom of bipartisanship.”

NY: “The Democratic Panic in New York” [Washington Magazine]. “Torres, an outspoken critic of ‘woke politics,’ has change into essentially the most fascinating politician in New York. He has positioned himself as a centrist different for governor in 2026, lambasting Hochul as ‘the brand new Joe Biden’ for being tender on crime and endangering public security. In a post-election interview with Hanna Rosin of The Atlantic, Torres recognized himself as pro-immigration however blamed the Biden administration for letting the border disaster get uncontrolled. ‘So we are able to blame the voters. We are able to declare that the voters are misogynist and white supremacist. We may blame Fox Information and the New York Submit. However these establishments have all the time been with us in current political historical past,’ he stated. When pressed on his imaginative and prescient for Democrats, Torres replied, ‘Economically populist, proper? We have now to convey the sense that we’re combating for working folks and that we’re holding highly effective pursuits accountable, proper?… Folks do care about border safety. Folks do care about public security. We have now to make sure that we’re on the middle of these points whereas doubling down on financial populism.’” • Any New Yorkers wish to touch upon Torres?

Realignment and Legitimacy

“State governments by celebration management, 2025” [Axios]. “‘Republicans notched the 2 largest legislative victories’” of Election Day 2024, per Cook dinner’s Matthew Klein: Flipping Michigan’s Home of Representatives and splitting the Minnesota Home.” • Helpful map:

“Luigi Mangione Courtroom Case Hit With Delay” [Newsweek]. “On Monday, prosecutors and protection attorneys collectively requested extra time to organize the case for trial, additional delaying proceedings. Attorneys for either side agreed in a letter to the courtroom to increase the deadline for indicting the accused, Luigi Mangione, from January 18 to February 17. Mangione, 26, is at the moment charged by means of a legal grievance, a preliminary doc filed in opposition to people earlier than a proper indictment is issued. Prosecutors said that they consulted with the protection crew and agreed on the necessity to prolong the indictment deadline, citing the significance of permitting “each events sufficient preparation for pretrial proceedings and the trial itself.’ • The Federal case, which presumably the incoming administration must get a deal with on.

“Luigi Mangione visited gun vary on Thailand trip months earlier than UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killing: report” [New York Post]. “Accused killer Luigi Mangione hit up an costly gun vary throughout a visit to Thailand — simply months earlier than he allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson within the Huge Apple, his journey buddies have claimed. The 26-year-old accused murderer visited the gun vary after leaving the US on a solo Asia journey early final 12 months, two German vacationers who met him throughout his travels instructed TMZ’s new ‘Luigi Mangione: The Thoughts of a Killer‘ documentary. Mangione opted to skip a seashore day and head to the vary as a substitute, in keeping with the chums — who had been solely recognized as Paul and Max… The pair, who stated they traveled extensively with Mangione by means of Asia, additionally claimed he was obsessive about Indian writer Jash Dholani’s ebook “Hit Reverse: New Concepts From Previous Books,” which examines philosophical viewpoints from a variety of authors. He even apparently bought 400 copies of the ebook and flew to Mumbai to attempt to give the writer his private suggestions, the German vacationers stated.” • Hmm.

Syndemics

“I’m in earnest — I cannot equivocate — I cannot excuse — I cannot 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 Normal Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).

Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be at liberty to contact me on the handle given with the vegetation. 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 studies); 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 (wastewater); 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, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, sq. coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).

Keep protected on the market!

Transmission: HPMV

“China’s newest virus surge is the human metapneumovirus (HMPV), which has additionally seen spikes within the U.S. Listed here are the signs and whether or not it might be the following pandemic” [Fortune]. “However HMPV shouldn’t be new, and the U.S. has additionally seen spikes, which receded, most just lately in spring of 2023. HMPV is ‘in all probability far more widespread than we all know,’ Dr. Georges Benjamin, govt director of the American Public Well being Affiliation, beforehand instructed Fortune. ‘We’re discovering it extra actually because we’re testing folks for respiratory illnesses post-COVID and RSV,’ he says. Human metapneumovirus is a number one reason behind acute respiratory an infection, in keeping with the American Lung Affiliation. As with RSV, most people have been contaminated with HMPV by age 5. Whereas the overwhelming majority will fare high quality at dwelling, as many as 10% of pediatric hospitalizations are on account of decrease respiratory infections attributable to the virus, in keeping with the Nationwide Library of Medication. A 2010 examine discovered that it was the one of the crucial widespread viruses amongst 256 kids hospitalized with respiratory illnesses, second solely to RSV. In relation to aged adults, about 22 in each 10,000 are hospitalized with the virus annually—significantly seniors with heart problems, in keeping with a 2013 article within the journal Viruses. Signs are just about similar to different respiratory viruses, and testing is critical to inform them aside. As with its relative, RSV, HMPV has the potential to hit tougher for the younger and the aged, in addition to for these with weakened immune techniques.”

“CNA Explains: What’s HMPV, why are circumstances rising in China and must you be frightened?” [Channel News Asia]. “Professor Paul Tambyah, a Senior Advisor on the Nationwide College Hospital’s (NUH) Division of Infectious Illnesses, famous that Chinese language well being officers have tremendously stepped up surveillance of acute respiratory infections with higher diagnostics and deployment of know-how. ‘It’s not shocking that extra HMPV infections are being picked up. This does occur in China each winter frequently, particularly in northern China,’ Prof Tambyah stated. ‘The underside line is that we shouldn’t be overly involved as there aren’t any studies of a significant public well being impression from the elevated detection in Northern China (however) in fact, all this might change with extra information,’ he added. Public well being consultants have famous important variations between each [HMPV and SARS-CoV-2], with HMPV typically much less extreme with a decrease mortality charge.”

Musical Interlude

Flubs and all, from a dwell efficiency:

Fairly the rhythm part, Wyman and Watts. Wyman is mostly buried to this point down within the combine you don’t hear him…

Public Well being

“Fluoride Publicity and Kids’s IQ Scores: A Systematic Overview and Meta-Evaluation” [JAMA]. Meta. “This systematic evaluate and meta-analysis discovered inverse associations and a dose-response affiliation between fluoride measurements in urine and ingesting water and kids’s IQ throughout the massive multicountry epidemiological literature. There have been restricted information and uncertainty within the dose-response affiliation between fluoride publicity and kids’s IQ when fluoride publicity was estimated by ingesting water alone at concentrations lower than 1.5 mg/L. These findings could inform future complete public well being risk-benefit assessments of fluoride exposures.” • Maybe some sort reader who’s actually professional in methodology will have a look,

Information of the Wired

“Mistletoe” [Anderson Valley Advertiser]. “[John Lee, MD, a family practitioner in Mill Valley, back in 1967] was then enhancing the Marin Medical Society Bulletin and on the look-out for matters for his month-to-month column. He got here throughout an article in a Harvard alumni publication describing the pagan rituals of the Celts who lived within the British Isles within the millennium earlier than Christ. For his or her winter solstice celebration, the Celtic clergymen -Druids- would accumulate berries from bushes bearing mistletoe. Coincidentally, Lee had simply learn an merchandise within the Journal of the American Medical Affiliation stating that mistletoe incorporates a compound similar to progesterone. He had an perception: ‘The berries had been life in the course of that chilly European winter, when all the pieces else was bleak and apparently lifeless. The Druids known as mistletoe ‘a present from the gods.’ They’d take these berries and blend them with sizzling mead [an alcohol drink made from fermented honey] and they might all have a weeklong celebration the place items had been exchanged and they might have fun that the solar was going to return and winter wouldn’t imply the top of the world. ‘When a girl takes progesterone after which quits, a interval is induced. I noticed the mead laced with mistletoe would lower everybody’s inhibitions and enhance everybody’s libido for his or her four- or five-day celebration. It was free intercourse! And after 4 or 5 days of celebration they might stop. All the ladies would have their durations, and no infants would happen. No surprise they known as it ‘a present from the Gods!’ Lee compares the invention that mistletoe prevented being pregnant to the invention that limes prevented scurvy -a main advance within the annals of medication. ‘The sailors didn’t realize it was Vitamin C. The Celts didn’t realize it was progesterone. They only knew it labored.’” • And loads of medication remains to be that approach, for good or sick…