2:00PM Water Cooler 9/12/2024 | bare capitalism

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Chicken Music of the Day

Grey Catbird, Customer’s Heart, Becker, Minnesota, United States. “Maybe a unique male Grey Catbird singing at daybreak alongside Bruce Blvd.”

Search for the Helpers

The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge was a railroad bridge. It’s iconic in Nashville, and so usually seems in music movies:

Additionally, historical past rhymes.

My electronic mail deal with is down by the plant; please ship examples of there (“Helpers” within the topic line). In our more and more determined and fragile neoliberal society, on a regular basis regular incidents and tales of “the communism of on a regular basis life” are what I’m on the lookout for (and never, say, the Pink Cross in Hawaii, and even the UNWRA in Gaza).

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

2024

Lower than 100 days to go!

Friday’s RCP Ballot Averages:

I might say the bloom is off the rose for Harris, apart from an upward blip in Georgia. Seems like the big liberalgasm afte the Conference was confined to get together loyalists. The Kamala marketing campaign have to be sore as boils Trump is inside hanging distance, not to mention tied with them. What may account for it? Maybe that’s why the pivot to RussiaGate. Bear in mind, nonetheless, that every one the fluctuations — in actual fact, all of the leads, high to backside — are throughout the margin of error.

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The debates:

Affected person readers, I need to hustle alongside and write a put up, so I will be unable to combination practically as lots of the scorching takes on the Kamala vs. Trump debate as I would really like. Nonetheless, I’ve not seen official opinion, throughout the spectrum, as loudly united on one view (“Harris received, it’s over for Trump”) since, properly, Iraqi WMDs, or that Clinton would win in 2016, or RussiaGate.

“Harris, Trump goal swing states after fierce debate” [Agence France Presse]. “[I]t stays unclear whether or not Harris’s punchy efficiency, seen by 67 million viewers throughout america, will transfer the dial in a race that’s nonetheless neck-and-neck with lower than two months to go… ‘Finally this debate most likely strengthened every candidate with their base voters,’ stated Wendy Schiller, a political science professor at Brown College. ‘However I give the sting to Harris in taking the chance to attraction to unbiased voters and likewise showcase Trump’s vulnerabilities.’”

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Trump (R): “Behind the Curtain: Trump’s massive, unfixable, obvious glitch” [Axios]. “Right here’s what troubles former President Trump’s advisers most: He knew that with precision and preparation, Vice President Harris would bait him on issues like crowd dimension, and buck dialogue about her energy at the moment and liberalism previously. He knew precisely the way to attempt to flip every second in opposition to her. However he blew it badly … repeatedly … predictably. He merely can not assist himself, Trump insiders begrudgingly admit. No follow, pleas or sage recommendation maintain Trump from being Trump. It’s a function — not a correctable bug. There’s a straight, illuminating through-line from Trump’s post-assassination-attempt conference speech and his debate efficiency Tuesday night time. Return in time. Return to the seconds after he was shot at in Pennsylvania. The second Trump rose, ear bloodied, fist held excessive, American flag flying behind, and mouthed: ‘Combat!’ It was an iconic second, an unforgettable picture, a political reminiscence cash can’t purchase. And, Trump’s staff believed, a sure-bet ticket to successful in November.” • That’s what I believed; an opportutniy for Trump to show right into a Face after being a Heel. Extra: “All he needed to do, they instructed him, was use the second to say he took a bullet for America, and felt like a modified man prepared to tug the nation collectively. For a number of days, he did … till 28 minutes into his prime-time conference speech on July 18. Trump knew — and was instructed — he may stroll off the conference stage up double digits within the polls if he exploited the assassination try and minimize the grievance crap. However identical to Tuesday’s debate, he merely couldn’t assist himself. He went on for 60 extra rambling minutes in that conference speech, rehashing his best grievance hits.” • I believe that is psychologically acute. On the 30,000-foot stage, the tendency of our ruling class to psychologize every thing drives me nuts; they do this with every thing (like Zelensky’s chillingly silly invasion of Kursk, justified as a result of it humiliated Putin). It’s as vicious and petty as a battle of highschool cliques. Pragmatically, does this matter? Trump is, in spite of everything, a identified amount. His voters, for instance, may need grievances too; like their private economies being higher off beneath Trump than Biden. So does this matter?

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“Many children are nonetheless lacking class after COVID reshaped how dad and mom view college” [Colorado Sun]. And the deck: “With college attendance charges nonetheless decrease than earlier than the pandemic, state and district officers say it’s taking time for households to “renorm” their attendance monitor file.” • The UK is having the identical panic, however worse. However simply possibly — observe me intently, right here, college adminsitrators — poor attendance is going on, for the nice majority, as a result of children are always getting contaminated, and for the minority, as a result of they know poorly ventilated faculties are loss of life traps.

“Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 within the murine central nervous system drives viral diversification” (excerpt) [Nature]. “Increased ranges of viral divergence have been noticed within the [Central Nervous System (CNS)] than the lung after intranasal problem with a excessive frequency of mutations within the spike furin cleavage web site (FCS).”

“COVID-19 lockdown results on adolescent mind construction counsel accelerated maturation that’s extra pronounced in females than in males” [PNAS]. • A number of well-deserved derision for this Bezos-funded dreck:

“This work was funded by a grant from the Bezos Household Basis.” Not publicly funded.

Maybe has one thing to do with why main newspapers are choosing this up by the dozen regardless of it making utterly invalid claims that ought to have by no means been printed. No different funders. https://t.co/tTOChulIQZ

— Blake Murdoch (@BlakeMMurdoch) September 10, 2024

Elite Maleficence

It’s as if the world world is one large problem experiment:

And, if not required to guard contributors and selves from a extreme, life-altering, probably disabling or lethal sickness, ought to they not have to supply a authorized disclaimer of some kind. Like “take part on this analysis at your personal danger and a few of you would possibly die”
2/ pic.twitter.com/HZrN41uE1y

— Jackie Seidel, PhD (@JackieSeidel1) September 10, 2024

Social Norming

“Be a Thermostat, Not a Thermometer” “[Lara Hogan]. “As I’ve realized extra about how people work together with each other at work, I’ve been repeatedly reminded that we’re very simply influenced by the temper of these round us…. People, like most different mammals, mirror one another. After I change my tone or my physique language, there’s some chance that your tone and physique language will change in response. So now we’ve received a compounding state of affairs—I’m having a foul day, so I’m giving off unusual vibes, then you definitely’re giving off unusual vibes since you’re choosing up on my dangerous day. We depart the one-on-one and go meet with different individuals, and now they’re choosing up on our unusual vibes…. I like to make use of the metaphor of a thermometer and a thermostat for this concept. When you’re on the lookout for indicators about how somebody is feeling, it’s form of such as you’re making an attempt to take their emotional temperature. You’re being a thermometer…. Relatively than let that cycle play out subconsciously, you might have a possibility to turn out to be the thermostat as quickly as you discover that one other individual’s temperature has modified. You get to set the brand new temperature of the room, in a optimistic and wholesome manner…. Since people are inclined to mirror one another, you possibly can deliberately change the vitality within the room, setting the thermostat to a extra comfy temperature.” • Hmm.

TABLE 1: Every day Covid Charts

LEGEND

1) ★ for charts new at the moment; all others are usually 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) This week’s wastewater map, with scorching spots annotated. Retains spreading. NOTE The date appears to be mistaken, however the variety of websites has modified so that is new.

[2] (CDC) Final week’s wastewater map.

[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* highly regarded. XDV.1 flat.

[4] (ED) Down, however value noting that Emergency Division use is now on a par with the primary wave, in 2020.

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Positively down.

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). The visualization suppresses what’s, in proportion phrases, a major enhance.

[7] (Walgreens) Massive drop continues!

[8] (Cleveland) Dropping.

[9] (Vacationers: Positivity) Down. These sh*theads at CDC have modified the chart in order that it doesn’t even run again to 1/21/23, because it used to, however now begins 1/1/24. There’s additionally no technique to modify the time vary. CDC actually doesn’t need you to have the ability to take a historic view of the pandemic, or examine one surge to a different. In an any case, that’s why the form of the curve has modified.

[10] (Vacationers: Variants) What the heck is LB.1?

[11] Deaths low, however positivity up.

[12] Deaths low, ED up.

Stats Watch

Employment State of affairs: “United States Preliminary Jobless Claims” [Trading Economics]. “The variety of individuals claiming unemployment advantages within the US rose by 2,000 from the earlier week to 230,000 on the interval ending September seventh, according to market expectations. The determine remained properly above the averages seen earlier this 12 months, reflecting the continued pattern of a softening labor market, additional emphasised by the weak August payrolls information.”

“United States Producer Value Inflation MoM” [Trading Economics]. “Manufacturing facility gate costs within the US elevated 0.2% mother in August 2024, following a downwardly revised flat studying in July and above forecasts of 0.1%. Costs of providers elevated 0.4%, after a 0.3% drop in July, led by a 4.8% rise in guestroom rental.”

Manufacturing: “Boeing’s CEO is begging his machinists to not strike” [Quartz]. “‘I do know the response to our tentative settlement with the IAM has been passionate,’ he reportedly instructed the employees. ‘I perceive and respect that zeal, however I ask you to not sacrifice the chance to safe our future collectively, due to the frustrations of the previous.’” IOW, “What might be, unburdened by what has been.” Extra: “Ought to they do a piece stoppage, there could be precedent: That final contract was not ratified earlier than the union walked off the job. In July, the union stated they’d be prepared to do it once more, with 99.9% voting in favor of the tactic. Boeing wants these staff to place collectively its key 737 Max jetliners, which IAM [local] 751 manufactures in Washington. Although the Federal Aviation Administration has capped the variety of the planes that Boeing can construct after a door plug blowout earlier this 12 months uncovered high quality management issues, the planemaker nonetheless must crank out each unit that it could actually.”

Manufacturing: “Boeing 737 deliveries to China attain highest month-to-month charge since 2019” [Flight Global]. “Boeing in August delivered its highest month-to-month complete of 737 Max jets to China for the reason that Covid-19 pandemic overturned the airline trade. The airframer stated on 10 September that it handed over 9 737s to Chinese language prospects final month, probably the most since December 2019, when Boeing delivered 15 737s to China. The ramp-up follows a two-month supply pause earlier this summer time, prompted by Chinese language aviation regulators’ issues about the usage of lithium batteries in cockpit-voice recorders. In complete, Boeing shipped 40 plane in August, in contrast with figures of 43 in July and 44 in June. The comparatively regular interval follows a primary half of 2024 marred by a virtually catastrophic incident involving a 737 Max 9 operated by Alaska Airways, a dramatic manufacturing slowdown and turnover among the many firm’s senior management. ”

Immediately’s Concern & Greed Index: 43 Concern (earlier shut: 43 Concern) [CNN]. One week in the past: 47 (Impartial). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Sep 12 at 1:20:16 PM ET.

Well being

“Metformin decelerates growing older clock in male monkeys” (excerpt) [Cell]. “Metformin prevents mind atrophy, elevating cognitive operate in aged male primates. Metformin slows the tempo of growing older throughout numerous male primate tissues. Metformin counterparts neuronal growing older, delivering geroprotection through Nrf2 in male primates. Our analysis pioneers the systemic discount of multi-dimensional organic age in primates via metformin, paving the best way for advancing pharmaceutical methods in opposition to human growing older.” • Why, I’m a male primate! Since that is solely an excerpt, I can’t say why feminine primates weren’t included.

E book Nook

Little Ladies is certainly nice:

Gallery

And now for one thing utterly totally different:

Public Well being

“Embodiment: studying Krieger via Merleau-Ponty” [Closed Form]. “Although this isn’t its most vernacular that means, ‘embodiment‘ has a second life as a time period of artwork in a marginal subdiscipline of epidemiology, so-called ‘social’ epidemiology. Relying on the day and my temper, I may articulate social epidemiology because the inheritor to some form of actual public well being, earlier than molecular medication received in the best way, or because the a part of epidemiology that traffics probably the most cynically and shamefully in trauma questionnaires and DEI ambulance-chasing.” And after extended albeit entertaining meandering: “[One of] my objections to social epidemiology as such proper now [is] that there’s not likely a lot ‘there’ there. True that every thing is linked to every thing else. True that we’re not remoted laboratory topics. So what? What are we presupposed to do with this data?” And: “Put one other manner, you actually are your physique. I’m most within the crude distinction between the ‘goal’ and ‘lived’ physique. The lived physique is the physique of expertise (how I expertise a chunk of artwork or music) or the physique of behavior (the physique that is aware of the way to do all of the operations to make a cup of espresso with out pondering an excessive amount of about it). The target physique is the biometric physique of statistics and public well being: my top, weight, blood strain, eye shade, and so forth.” • It appears to me that Bourdieu is laboring in the identical winery with “habitus” and “discipline,” and with the identical quantity of satisfaction, at the very least to his readers.

Zeitgeist Watch

“Tech billionaire pulls off first non-public spacewalk excessive above Earth” [Associated Press]. • Bringing to thoughts:

Information of the Wired

“The Cell Cellphone and Its Double” [The Anarchist Library]. “The concept is to have two telephones, a civilian cellphone or “civ cellphone”, that makes use of solely Wi-Fi, and is proscribed in use to particular occasions and locations away from the person’s place the place they usually sleep (their dwelling) and another digital signatures, together with their different burner cellphone and telephones of buddies.” • Hmm.

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Contact data for crops: Readers, be at liberty 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 crops. Greens are effective! Fungi, lichen, and coral are deemed to be honorary crops! If you would like your deal with to seem as a credit score, please place it firstly of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize through the use of your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From MB:

MB writes: “Christmas fern, maple, and moss. Piedmont, North Carolina.”