By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
Chook Music of the Day
Northern Mockingbird, Damon-Garcia Sports activities Area, San Luis Obispo, California, United States.
In Case You Would possibly Miss…
- Trump border czar beats chest..
- Resistance 2.0 funders and NGOs
- Mathematical pondering .
Politics
“So lots of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in actual fact a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles
Trump Transition
“Trump Border Czar: If Sanctuary Cities Do Not Help, We Will Go Into The Group To Discover Felony Unlawful Immigrants” (transcript) [Laura Ingraham, RealClearPolitics]. “Incoming Trump “Border Czar” and former appearing director of ICE Tom Homan laid out his plan to deport unlawful immigrants in an interview with FOX Information host Laura Ingraham.” • Homan might certainly be an efficient administrator, however there’s nothing on this chest-beating interview to show it. Since “sanctuary cities” are an up to date model of Calhoun’s nullification doctrine, I oppose the idea. However I’m gonna should get my knee seen to, the best way Ingraham and Homan are pounding on it.
* * * The “chaos” speaking level, a hardy perennial:
“Trump’s every day chaos circus is already again in full drive” [Aaron Rupar, Public Notice]. “Voters might have been prepared to threat all of it for barely decrease egg costs, however no matter what they thought they have been doing, they’re getting a chaos machine — and that form of factor will get exhausting fairly shortly.”
“Chaos reigns supreme in Trump’s Washington” [Axios]. “Trump has achieved historic political success by following his instincts — and his instincts are likely to favor most chaos…. If previous is prologue, the tempo of chaos is unlikely to relent even after Trump will get his Cupboard in place.”
Lambert right here: Possibly I didn’t get the memo, however is there something extra chaotic than risking World Conflict III by attempting to realize escalation dominance over a nuclear energy, in their very own again yard? And the way about genocide? Is genocide chaotic or no?
The #Resistance
“Billionaire Musk foe bankrolls second Trump resistance” [Washington Examiner]. A maze of NGOs: “Pierre Omidyar, the founding father of eBay and a backer of progressive teams spearheading anti-Elon Musk campaigns, is behind a brand new initiative led by Democrats aiming to champion the second Trump resistance, information reveal. The initiative, referred to as Governors Safeguarding Democracy, was profiled within the New York Occasions final week as a newly-formed automobile for Govs. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL), Jared Polis (D-CO), and different governors to ‘shield the rule of regulation’ in states and push again on the insurance policies of President-elect Donald Trump. On its web site, GSD calls itself a “nonpartisan alliance” of leaders, although it’s unclear what Republican officers, if any, are concerned with the group. However, in accordance with nonprofit donation software program information, GSD is just not technically a stand-alone group. Quite, the Trump resistance operation is below the umbrella of a Governors Motion Alliance mission sponsored by International Influence, a Virginia-based charity. In September, Omidyar’s Democracy Fund, a personal basis steering the left-wing billionaire’s fortune, routed $500,000 to the Governors Motion Alliance to help ‘coordinating and strengthening the work of governors to handle particular threats to American democracy,’ Democracy Fund’s grants database reveals. Omidyar’s ties to the Trump resistance group, which operates below its mother or father umbrella alongside an effort referred to as the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, is a window into how billionaire progressives are ramping up campaigns to fight speculated GOP plans on abortion, immigration, and different challenge areas. Democrats are enlisting high-powered attorneys, whereas , the New York Occasions additionally reported.” And: “Omidyar’s group routed $750,000 in April to a mission referred to as Free Election Fund, which is related to Marc Elias, the Democratic superlawyer who pushed the discredited Steele File aiming to hyperlink Trump to Russia falsely in 2016… The Free Election Fund was once referred to as the Democracy Docket Authorized Fund. It’s housed below the Hopewell Fund, a bunch managed by an influential Democratic-aligned consulting agency referred to as Arabella Advisors. In 2020, Omidyar’s Democracy Fund additionally granted $1.5 million to the Elias-linked authorized group ‘to detect and fight suppressive voting legal guidelines and practices by litigation,’ information present. GSD, the group co-chaired by Pritzker and Polis, says on its web site that it’s going to ‘.’ The group may even purpose ‘to guard government businesses, elections, state courts, and different core democratic our bodies,’ GSD provides on its web site.” • Oh, playbooks [musical interlude].
Syndemics
“I’m in earnest — I can’t equivocate — I can’t excuse — I can’t retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.” –William Lloyd Garrison
Covid Assets, 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 Basic Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).
Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be happy to contact me on the deal with given with the vegetation. Please put “COVID” within the topic line. Thanks!
Assets, 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).
Assets, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).
Assets, 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, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).
Keep secure on the market!
Morbidity and Mortality
“Oil and fuel effectively proximity linked to increased charges of COVID-19 mortality” [Phys.org]. “However a brand new examine by Timothy Archer and colleagues is the primary, to the authors’ data, to check whether or not proximity particularly to grease and fuel improvement may be linked to increased charges of COVID-19. The researchers studied COVID-19 case and demise charges through the first yr of the pandemic (February 2020 to January 2021), specializing in California communities positioned inside 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) of energetic oil and fuel wells. Along with COVID-19 case information, the researchers…. In communities inside 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of an actively producing effectively, COVID-19 instances have been 34% increased and mortality charges have been 55% increased within the first 4 months of the pandemic. Although the outcomes didn’t present a big affiliation between effectively manufacturing and COVID-19 instances over your complete yr, mortality charges have been increased within the areas with the very best manufacturing.” • Hmm.
TABLE 1: Each day Covid Charts
| Wastewater | |
| This week[1] CDC November 11 | Final Week[2] CDC (till subsequent week): |
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| ★ Variants [3] CDC November 23 | Emergency Room Visits[4] CDC November 9 |
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| Hospitalization | |
| ★ New York[5] New York State, information November 21: | ★ Nationwide [6] CDC November 21: |
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| Positivity | |
| Nationwide[7] Walgreens November 18: | Ohio[8] Cleveland Clinic November 16: |
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| Vacationers Information | |
| Positivity[9] CDC October 28: | Variants[10] CDC October 28: |
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| Deaths | |
| Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] CDC November 2: | Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] CDC November 2: |
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LEGEND
1) ★ for charts new right now; all others should not up to date.
2) For a full-size/full-resolution picture, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Home windows) on the chart thumbnail and “open picture in new tab.”
NOTES
[1] (CDC) Excellent news!
[2] (CDC) Final week’s wastewater map.
[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* nonetheless well-liked. XEC has entered the chat. That WHO label, “Ommicron,” has executed an ideal job normalizing successive waves of an infection.
[4] (ED) Down.
[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Steadily down.
[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Truly improved; it’s now one of many few charts to point out your complete course of the pandemic to the current day.
[7] (Walgreens) Down.
[8] (Cleveland) Down.
[9] (Vacationers: Positivity) Down.
[10] (Vacationers: Variants). Now XEC.
[11] Deaths low, positivity down.
[12] Deaths low, ED down.
Stats Watch
There aren’t any official statistics of curiosity right now.
Manufacturing: “FAA eyes new Boeing 737 MAX pilot directions after smoke emergencies” [Seattle Times]. “The Federal Aviation Administration is weighing whether or not to require all pilots of 737 MAX plane to take off with the air circulation from the primary engines into the plane’s inside turned off — to keep away from a threat of smoke flooding the airplane if one of many engines hits a fowl. Such a change in takeoff process for pilots can be momentary till Boeing comes up with a everlasting repair. Devising that might additional delay certification of the Renton-built MAX 7 and MAX 10 fashions. The FAA stated in an announcement Thursday that it ‘will convene a Corrective Motion Assessment Board within the coming weeks to look at the information and develop a path ahead’ and assess the choices to forestall the danger of smoke getting into the cockpit or passenger cabin. Within the meantime, the FAA stated that as a result of pilots have been alerted to the process they need to comply with if smoke enters the airplane, ‘this isn’t an instantaneous flight-safety challenge.’ The proposed FAA motion is a response to the protection threat uncovered by two severe incidents on Southwest Airways MAXs final yr. In these two incidents, a fowl collided with an engine throughout takeoff and the harm brought about an oil leak. The oil ignited within the sizzling engine, sending heavy smoke and fumes into the inside of the airplane. Airflow off an plane’s engines — often known as “bleed air” — is often directed to the airplane inside and handed by air-con packs to regulate the air strain and temperature inside.” • Nonetheless nothing from Gates or the Seattle Occasions on Ortberg’s “cease bitching” pep discuss. Odd!
Manufacturing: “Boeing inks contracts price greater than $4B for KC-46s, P-8s” [Breaking Defense]. “The Pentagon this week awarded Boeing a pair of separate contracts for 15 KC-46A Pegasus tankers and 7 P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance plane, offers which are collectively price greater than $4 billion. Though each contracts had been anticipated below current plans, getting the offers signed is sweet information for Boeing, whose protection arm logged $2 billion in losses for its final fiscal quarter and which is going through company-wide layoffs…. ‘This $1.67 billion contract for seven extra P-8A Poseidons not solely reinforces the U.S. Navy’s dedication to sustaining a strong maritime presence but in addition highlights Boeing’s dedication to delivering secure, dependable platforms that improve the Navy’s operational capabilities, readiness and effectiveness,’ [said] Tory Peterson, vice chairman and P-8 program supervisor at Boeing.” • “Undefinitized”? Is {that a} phrase?
The Bezzle: “An ideal storm is brewing for Bitcoin” [CoinTelegraph]. “Bitcoin is the world’s most reflexive asset right now. The US Securities and Change Fee not too long ago permitted choices for a number of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). As soon as issued, these choices result in gamma squeezes, appearing like reflexivity. Collectively, that’s reflexivity squared, resulting in unprecedented worth actions…. Monetary markets are deeply influenced by human conduct. George Soros famously coined the idea of “reflexivity” to explain the round relationship between notion and actuality in monetary markets. Bitcoin exemplifies this idea greater than some other asset: As its worth rises, the asset garners rising consideration, which results in additional funding, driving costs even increased. Distinguished traders reminiscent of Jamie Dimon and Warren Buffett have criticized Bitcoin due to its reflexive nature. They’ve argued that it lacks intrinsic worth as a result of its worth appears to maneuver primarily based on notion. However that’s exactly the purpose: Bitcoin is probably the most reflexive asset as a result of its provide is genuinely finite, extra finite than treasured metals or top-performing equities. The shortage of Bitcoin is what makes it essentially useful.”
Tech: “‘A spot of pleasure’: why scientists are becoming a member of the push to Bluesky” [Nature]. “Within the two weeks for the reason that US presidential election, the platform has grown from near 14 million customers to almost 21 million. Bluesky has broad enchantment largely as a result of it seems to be and feels loads like X (previously often known as Twitter), which turned vastly well-liked with scientists, who used it to share analysis findings, collaborate and community. One estimate means that no less than half one million researchers had Twitter profiles in 2022…. Daryll Carlson, a bioacoustics researcher on the College of New Hampshire in Durham, says she seen the biggest inflow of customers on Bluesky after the US election. Musk has change into carefully aligned to president-elect Donald Trump. For Carlson, Bluesky provides an area to have interaction with different scientists, in addition to artists, photographers and most people. ‘I’d actually prefer it to proceed to be a spot of pleasure for me,’ she says.” • Identical to the Kamala marketing campaign…
At this time’s Concern & Greed Index: 61 Greed (earlier shut: 57 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 51 (Impartial). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Nov 22 at 1:12:19 PM ET.
Permaculture
“The World’s Oldest Forest Is Right here within the Hudson Valley” [Hudson Valley]. “On the ground of an deserted quarry in Cairo, in Greene County, researchers have discovered the earliest tree fossils but found wherever on the earth. Courting again roughly 387 million years, the discover has totally rewritten the story of the origins of timber. One researcher referred to as the invention nothing lower than ‘mindblowing.’… After starting research within the area in 1993, the collective made vital inroads in 2007 and 2008 once they discovered to acknowledge the bases of two forms of fossil timber. In line with [Christopher] Berry, one is the massive rooting system of the Archaeopteris tree, whereas the opposite is the dish-like imprint of the Cladoxylopsid tree, which incorporates a whole bunch of radiating roots… It’s no exaggeration to say that this is without doubt one of the most necessary issues that has occurred within the historical past of the world. These early timber absorbed carbon dioxide from the ambiance, which led to a fast cooling favorable to extra sophisticated types of animal life. The shade offered by the broad, flat leaves of taller timber protected critters on the bottom from the solar, and the roots restricted soil erosion. ‘The arrival of those forests was the creation of the fashionable world,’ Berry informed Smithsonian Journal.” And: “Ultimately, the stays of these early vegetation and timber, compacted over a whole bunch of hundreds of thousands of years, turned the coal deposits that fueled the Industrial Revolution, returning the carbon that they had absorbed into the ambiance, thereby triggering the current age of world warming.” • Oh. Anyhow, right here’s an image of a fossilized root system:
“Salmon return to put eggs in historic habitat after largest dam removing mission in US historical past” [Oregon Public Broadcasting]. “A large feminine Chinook salmon flips on her facet within the shallow water and wriggles wildly, utilizing her tail to carve out a nest within the riverbed as her physique glistens within the daylight. In one other second, males butt into one another as they jockey for a great place to fertilize eggs. These are scenes native tribes have dreamed of seeing for many years as they fought to convey down 4 hydroelectric dams blocking passage for struggling salmon alongside greater than 400 miles (644 kilometers) of the Klamath River and its tributaries alongside the Oregon-California border. Now, lower than a month after these dams got here down within the largest dam removing mission in U.S. historical past, salmon are as soon as extra returning to spawn in cool creeks which have been lower off to them for generations.” • Lower than a month!!
Gallery
“Man who spent $6.2 million on banana duct-taped to wall says he’s going to eat it” [NBC]. Grocery inflation simply hit its peak after a single banana was bought for $6.2 million Wednesday. Cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Solar dropped over $6 million on the piece of produce — as a result of it was duct-taped to a wall. The banana is a part of a chunk of paintings referred to as Comic, created by the Italian artist and satirist Maurizio Cattelan. ‘Within the coming days, I’ll personally eat the banana as a part of this distinctive inventive expertise, honoring its place in each artwork historical past and well-liked tradition,’ he stated. Solar’s snacking gained’t change the worth of his funding, nevertheless. His $6.2 million buy awarded him a roll of duct tape, directions on ‘set up’ the banana correctly and, most significantly, a certificates of authenticity guaranteeing the paintings, when reproduced by Solar, as an authentic work of Cattelan’s, CNBC reported. The soon-to-be devoured banana wasn’t included in his winnings, because the fruit tends to rot shortly. However the worth of the paintings isn’t within the banana itself — it’s derived from the certificates accompanying the acquisition.” • I’m undecided this enterprise scales.
Information of the Wired
“Mathematical Considering Isn’t What You Suppose It Is” [Quanta]. “In line with [mathematician David Bessis], the best way math is taught at school emphasizes the logic-based a part of this course of, when the extra necessary ingredient is instinct. Math needs to be considered a dialogue between the 2: between purpose and intuition, between language and abstraction. It’s additionally a bodily observe of kinds, like yoga or martial arts — one thing that may be improved by coaching. It requires tapping right into a childlike state and embracing one’s creativeness, together with the errors that include it.” BESSIS: “Once you do math, you’re uncovered to the human thought course of in a method that’s actually pure. It’s not nearly understanding issues, however about understanding issues in a really infantile, deep, naïve, tremendous clear, apparent method. It’s superb coaching for creativity. It’s a scaffold in your creativeness.” • Bessis is French, and the article is accompanied by images of Paris (and Bessis) which are so Parisian I need to discover an artwork home cinema and begin watching Truffaut films. And begin smoking cigarettes.
Contact info for vegetation: Readers, be happy to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn the way to ship me a examine if you’re allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn the way to ship me pictures of vegetation. Greens are wonderful! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! If you’d like your deal with to seem as a credit score, please place it initially of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize by utilizing your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From TH:
TH writes: “I made a decision to attempt opening this e-mail account on my dying pc since I used to be ready to make use of it’s Picasa on some images, and what have you learnt? At this time it’s working. That is Thunbergia rising in a beautiful backyard on Naples Island in Lengthy Seashore (CA).”
Type readers, we’re nearly there with plant images. Thanks! However one factor: I’m largely seeing handles or e-mail addresses that I already know. In the event you haven’t despatched in a plant photograph to Water Cooler, why not attempt it? It’s simple, it’s enjoyable, and also you get some good compliments! (In the event you want instructions, see beneath.)
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