{"id":82641,"date":"2024-07-30T21:19:18","date_gmt":"2024-07-30T21:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/30\/200pm-water-cooler-7-30-2024-naked-capitalism\/"},"modified":"2024-07-30T21:19:18","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T21:19:18","slug":"200pm-water-cooler-7-30-2024-naked-capitalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/30\/200pm-water-cooler-7-30-2024-naked-capitalism\/","title":{"rendered":"2:00PM Water Cooler 7\/30\/2024 | naked capitalism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em><strong>By Lambert Strether of Corrente<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Patient readers, I feel I\u2019ve been neglecting Covid in favor of electoral politics (\u201cthe tyranny of the urgent\u201d). I will add more political news in short order. \u2013lambert<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bird Song of the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/macaulaylibrary.org\/asset\/512395911\/embed\" height=\"431\" width=\"640\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Blue Mockingbird, Calle Lirios Bosque, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. \u201cLifer!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><strong>In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>(1) <a href=\"#idpol\">Democrat idipol<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>(3) <a href=\"#olympics\">Covid at the Olympics<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>(2) <a href=\"#amazon\">Amazon a distributor<\/a>, now responsible for recalls.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><strong>Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\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><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>2024<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Less than one hundred days to go!<\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/free.timeanddate.com\/countdown\/i8ubjj5e\/n179\/cf100\/cm0\/cu1\/ct0\/cs1\/ca0\/cr0\/ss0\/cac000\/cpc000\/pcfff\/tcfff\/fs100\/szw320\/szh135\/tatTime%20left%20to%20Election%20Day%2C%202024\/tac000\/tptTime%20since%20Event%20started%20in\/tpc000\/mac000\/mpc000\/iso2024-11-05T00:00:00\/bo2\/pd2\" allowtransparency=\"true\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"322\" height=\"137\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p> <a name=\"swing\"\/>Friday\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">RCP<\/a> Poll Averages:<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rcp_2024-07-26.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"638\" height=\"1082\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-275750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rcp_2024-07-26.png 638w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rcp_2024-07-26-177x300.png 177w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rcp_2024-07-26-604x1024.png 604w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/rcp_2024-07-26-624x1058.png 624w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>First poll with Harris at the top of the Democrat ticket; Trump\u2019s position deteriorates (and any advantage he gained from the assassination attempt has been wiped away. Nevertheless, he still leads, albeit within the margin of error. NOTE RCP used to have two pages of swing states; I always used the first one. Now there is only one, which I take as an indicator that Harris v. Trump polling is not all that widespread.<\/p>\n<p>Vibe shift:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Unbelievable vibe shift in the US with Kamala Harris <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/LAZoglUMHW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/LAZoglUMHW<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/rrMisGHLbu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/rrMisGHLbu<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Albert Pinto (@70sBachchan) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/70sBachchan\/status\/1816818691431878958\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 26, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><br \/>\n<center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"trail\"\/><em><strong>The Campaign Trail<\/strong><\/em>:<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"idpol\"\/>Kamala (D): \u201cIdentity Groups Are Mobilizing for Kamala Harris. That Shows Progress\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/7005092\/kamala-harris-identity-groups-zoom-calls\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Time<\/a>]. \u201cThis enthusiasm is significant as Harris heads into the final months of the campaign, but given that American culture discourages this kind of \u201cidentity politics,\u201d many people will see this list of identity-specific calls and think, \u201cIf you want to support Harris, do it, but why all this separation?\u201d Why gather in specific groups?\u2026 However, it is equally encouraging to see white women and white men organize as white women and white men. Despite all the ways American culture teaches them that whiteness hasn\u2019t determined their life chances, and in stark contrast to the way white women, primarily, congregated in a \u201csecret\u201d Facebook group before the 2016 election, these Harris supporters are insisting upon publicly acknowledging the specificity of experience. Doing so doesn\u2019t automatically erect barriers between them and people of color. Instead, it facilitates an honoring of differences that makes those differences strengths.\u201d \u2022 Of course, plenty of \u201cNot that way!\u201d when identity groups do it wrong; the Azovs, for example. The pecking order as expressed in the rollout timing is interesting: First, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-07-22\/how-44-000-black-women-galvanized-support-for-kamala-harris-on-sunday-night\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Black Women<\/a>. Second, <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/07\/29\/us-news\/celeb-led-white-women-for-kamala-is-cringe-city\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">White Women<\/a>. Third, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/cp0843v200lo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">White Men<\/a>. Fourth, Latino Men:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"zxx\" dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/GRaNYudlzF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/GRaNYudlzF<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Julie Chavez Rodriguez (@JulieR2022) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JulieR2022\/status\/1818103126420791749\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p> On the bright said, the organizers didn\u2019t use \u201cLatinx.\u201d I suppose the Asian verticals are yet come. NOTE \u201c[As activist author Audre Lorde explained decades ago] urged Americans to become more practiced in \u2018relating across our human differences as equals\u2019 so that what distinguishes us from each other would cease to be \u2018misnamed and misused in the service of separation and confusion.&#8217;\u201d When 90% of humanity has to sell their labor power to survive, 1% buys it, and 10% helps the 1% get that done, \u201crelating across our human differences as equals\u201d isn\u2019t possible; the material differences cannot be erased by wishful thinking. Ya know, it\u2019s almost like the identity verticals were like\u2026. were like a\u2026. were like a bundle of sticks, only strong when bound together\u2026. <\/p>\n<p>Kamala (D): \u201cKamala Harris says she has \u2018not yet\u2019 chosen her running mate \u2013 live\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/live\/2024\/jul\/30\/kamala-harris-vp-trump-election-politics-updates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Guardian<\/a>]. \u2022 This is the stupidest timeline, so I imagine if Raimondo were male they\u2019d be the pick. Ditto Buttigieg modulo gender. Shapiro is also stupid, because winning PA to lose the Muslims in the Upper Midwest is stupid. Walz would not be stupid, so it won\u2019t be Walz. Maybe surprises are in store! How about John Podesta?<\/p>\n<p>Kamala (D): \u201cCommentary: Kamala Harris is being called \u2018brat\u2019. What the sigma?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.channelnewsasia.com\/commentary\/kamala-harris-brat-gen-z-gen-alpha-slang-us-election-4511266\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Channel News Asia<\/a>]. \u201c[\u201cBrat\u201d song author] Charli said that \u2018brat\u2019 means \u2018that girl who is a little messy and likes to party \u2026 maybe says dumb things sometimes \u2026 who feels herself but maybe also has a breakdown but parties through it \u2026 is very honest, very blunt, a little bit volatile.\u2019 The Guardian provides an explainer: \u2018Brat is not just a name, but a lifestyle, one inspired by noughties excess and rave culture.\u2019\u2026 As far as I know, Harris has not used the word \u201cbrat\u201d in any of her speeches, because that would have been \u201ccringey\u201d. Instead, she has let Gen Z do its thing, while she has focused on using plain English to promote her policies and to take down Trump.\u201d \u2022 Interesting stuff on slang, though probably obsolete, the youth move so fast: \u201cRizz\u201d for \u201ccharisma.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kamala (D): \u201c\u2018Fearless\u2019 or \u2018failed?\u2019 Kamala Harris launches TV ad to define her record and so does Trump\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/elections\/2024\/07\/30\/fight-define-kamala-harris-tv-ads\/74598368007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">USA Today<\/a>]. \u201cA 60-second ad from the Harris campaign introduces Harris to a broader electorate by saying, \u201cThe one thing Kamala Harris has always been: fearless.\u201d The ad traces her career as a prosecutor \u201cputting murders and abusers behind bars,\u201d as California attorney general going after \u201cthe big banks\u201d and as vice president going after \u201cthe big drug companies.&#8217;\u201d \u2022 Here it is:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">BREAKING: Kamala Harris just released her first ad as the presumptive Democratic nominee for President. Retweet so all Americans see who Kamala Harris is and what she stands for. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/SnAdi5STDz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/SnAdi5STDz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Kamala\u2019s Wins (@harris_wins) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/harris_wins\/status\/1818261413774643364\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Very much in tune with Democrat loyalist @drvox\u2019s call for \u201cdominance play,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/07\/kamalas-campaign-blasts-off-with-an-explosion-of-snark.html#drvox\">described at NC here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Kamala (D): \u201cWhy the Kamala Harris of Four Years Ago Could Haunt Her in 2024\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/ZXfkf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Times<\/a>]. Oh noes! \u201c\u2018The archive is deep,\u2019 said Brad Todd, a Republican strategist and ad maker who is working with David McCormick, the G.O.P. Senate candidate in Pennsylvania, among other campaigns. \u2018We will run out of time before we run out of video clips of Kamala Harris saying wacky California liberal things. I\u2019m just not sure that the rest of this campaign includes much besides that.\u2019 But wait! There\u2019s hope! More: \u201cMatt Bennett, a co-founder of Third Way, a moderate Democratic think tank, said he was not worried that Ms. Harris had once espoused left-wing ideas. She has evolved, he said, into a Biden-style Democrat with more centrist views.\u201d \u2022 Let\u2019s do a little oppo of our own. It\u2019s not hard\u2013<\/p>\n<p>Kamala (D): \u201cKamala Harris Didn\u2019t Just Flip-Flop on Medicare for All\u201d [Eric Levitz, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/D0UOT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Magazine<\/a>]. Kamala was a co-sponsor of Sanders\u2019 single payer bill. \u201c[O]n Monday night, Harris went on national television and called for the abolition of the private insurance industry\u2026. \u2018Who of us has not had that situation, where you\u2019ve got to wait for approval (for medical care) and the doctor says, well, I don\u2019t know if your insurance company is going to cover this?\u2019 she asked. \u2018Let\u2019s eliminate all of that. Let\u2019s move on.&#8217;\u201d You\u2019ll never guess what happened next! More: \u201cOne day \u2014 and much <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/o\/D0UOT\/https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/29\/politics\/kamala-harris-medicare-for-all-eliminate-private-insurers-backlash\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">billionaire hand-wringing later<\/a> \u2014 CNN published a story titled, \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/o\/D0UOT\/https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2019\/01\/29\/politics\/kamala-harris-medicare-for-all-eliminate-private-insurers-backlash\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Kamala Harris is open to multiple paths to \u2018Medicare-for-all.\u2019<\/a>\u2018 This headline briefly put the universe back in order. Harris\u2019s equivocation was belated but inevitable. She wasn\u2019t going to run as an unusually forthright and unapologetic advocate of single-payer. After all, the elimination of private insurance isn\u2019t merely opposed by powerful corporate lobbies, <a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/o\/D0UOT\/nymag.com\/intelligencer\/2019\/01\/kamala-harris-would-end-private-health-insurance.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">but by a large majority of Americans in the Kaiser Family Foundation\u2019s polling<\/a>. This is not a position a savvy operator like Harris would wish to champion. From here on out, the senator would say the three magic words (Medicare for All) but avoid defining them whenever possible.\u201d \u2022 \u201cFearless,\u201d my sweet Aunt Fanny. (The normal level-headed Levitz urges that Kamala\u2019s \u201cmultiple paths\u201d language is not a flip-flop. As a long, long-time single payer advocate, I\u2019m here to tell you that\u2019s exactly what it is. When language like \u201cI\u2019m for cake\u201d turns into \u201cI\u2019m for cake, but also for cookies. Anything sweet, really\u201d that\u2019s a flip-flop.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>Trump (R): \u201cInside JD Vance\u2019s Short-Lived Career as a Venture Capitalist\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/elections\/vp-pick-jd-vance-short-career-venture-capitalist-b3d941e1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wall Street Journal<\/a>]. \u201cIn 2016, [Vance] left the biotech firm to join [Peter Thiel\u2019s] Mithril as a junior investor. Vance\u2019s memoir was published that summer and became a bestseller with its unrelenting portrayal of poverty in working-class America. In the year Vance worked at Mithril, a former colleague said he never once saw him in the office. Another colleague said he remembers seeing Vance at the office, although he did travel a lot to promote his memoir. Neither remembered significant deals that Vance drove during his time at Mithril. In March 2017, Vance left Mithril to join Revolution, an investment firm founded by Steve Case, a co-founder of AOL. Vance was hired to focus on the Rise of the Rest initiative, a seed fund within Revolution that looked for investing opportunities outside the typical tech ecosystems of Silicon Valley, New York and Boston. He joined Case for several stops on a bus tour through cities like Chattanooga, Tenn., and Louisville, Ky. During Vance\u2019s time at Revolution, he was the lead partner or co-lead on 14 deals, according to a person familiar with the deals. They included California-based defense tech startup Anduril Industries, North Carolina-based artificial-intelligence startup Pryon, as well as AppHarvest. Vance joined Pryon\u2019s board in June 2019. Pryon\u2019s chief executive, Igor Jablokov, said Vance was an engaged investor who helped the company forge connections with venture capitalist Jim Breyer and Chase Koch, the son of billionaire libertarian tycoon Charles Koch.\u201d \u2022 Hmm. Quite the networker.<\/p>\n<p>Trump (R): Stoller comments on Trump\u2019s recent lack of mojo:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A lot of right-wingers are upset by this statement from Trump. Quietly he&#8217;s screwing up all over the place, showing how aligned he is with certain parts of the establishment. <\/p>\n<p>Bannon&#8217;s absence is getting louder and louder. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ugVpJJkK4b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/ugVpJJkK4b<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/matthewstoller\/status\/1817918872487403637\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>In a way, Trump 2016 vs. Trump 2024 reminds me of Sanders 2016 vs. Sanders 2020. In each case, the populist and very popular message in the first campaign, was diluted by the ideological commitments of staff (whether idpol for Sanders, or a barnacle-like encrustration of right-wing tropes for Trump). Stoller points to Bannon\u2019s disappearance \u2014 the Democrats jailed him, a successful example of lawfare \u2014 but I\u2019m not so sure; it\u2019s no surprise that Trump jetting round the country in his own airplane doing A\/B testing with the crowds was more in touch with voters than Trump subjected to the wiles of Susie Wiles (a professional, in the good and the bad senses of the word).<\/p>\n<p>Trump (R): \u201cBehind the Curtain: The battle for Trump power\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2024\/07\/30\/trump-cabinet-shortlist-vance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Axios<\/a>]. \u201cThe two biggest changes in staffing since the first term are the increased power of populists compared to Trump\u2019s original West Wing, which included such establishment powers as former Goldman Sachs exec Gary Cohn. You could see this dynamic in the sway Don Jr. and Tucker Carlson had in pushing Vance over the finish line for V.P. It\u2019s not a coincidence that Don Jr. wants to screen top officials for loyalty. Second, Trump realizes he has to staff further down in the agencies and departments if he\u2019s going to work his full will. This is all contingent on actually winning a second term, and some Republicans think the Trump team is acting too over-confident. But Trump insiders realize that the more prepared they are for a transition, the more power can stay concentrated with Trump loyalists \u2014 and the less would go to outsiders.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMarianne Williamson Ends Longshot 2024 Presidential Bid\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-07-29\/williamson-ends-longshot-2024-bid-as-harris-poised-to-be-nominee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Bloomberg<\/a>]. \u201cMarianne Williamson said she failed to meet the deadline to challenge Vice President Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination, effectively ending her longshot bid. \u2018We did everything possible to stand for a blitz primary, an open convention and so forth. Yet the way things worked there truly was no way, and all we could have done is create noise,\u2019 Williamson said Monday in a post on X. Williamson did not register her intention to run with the Democratic National Committee by Saturday evening, which would have pitted her against Harris. The vice president last week became the party\u2019s likely nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race and the party quickly coalesced around her. Williamson did not endorse Harris, but said she believes it is an \u201curgent task\u201d to make sure Republican nominee Donald Trump does not return to power.\u201d \u2022 Too bad.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Spook Country<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cU.S. intelligence official: Russia and Iran likely seeking to influence election outcome\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/security\/russia-will-likely-use-propaganda-support-trump-harris-us-intelligence-rcna164136\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NBC<\/a>]. \u201cThe U.S. intelligence community believes the Kremlin will direct its propaganda efforts to support former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election, an intelligence official indicated on a media call Monday. Iran is likely to continue to try to denigrate Trump, the official said, and China doesn\u2019t appear to have a preference in the presidential race but may try to interfere in congressional races. The call, held by the Foreign Malign Influence Center, one of the few arms of the U.S. government devoted to countering foreign propaganda campaigns, elaborated on an agency alert about foreign propaganda campaigns released Monday afternoon.\u201d \u2022\u00a0Oh, an \u201cintelligence official.\u201d I confess I\u2019ve never heard of the \u201cForeign Malign Influence Center\u201d (great name). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dni.gov\/index.php\/nctc-who-we-are\/organization\/340-about\/organization\/foreign-malign-influence-center\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spun up in 2022<\/a>. The leadership: \u201cBefore leading FMIC, Jessica [Brandt] was policy director for the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology Initiative at the Brookings Institution and a fellow in the Foreign Policy program\u2019s Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology. Her research interests and publications focused on foreign interference, digital authoritarianism, and the implications of emerging technologies for liberal democracies, according to the FMIC site, which has some interesting omissions: \u201cJessica Brandt was head of policy and research for the Alliance for Securing Democracy [ASD] and a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund [GMF] of the United States\u2026. Jessica is a member of the Advisory Council of the American Ditchley Foundation and a David Rockefeller Fellow of the Trilateral Commission. She was a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Next Generation Fellow at the Center for a New American Security.\u201d \u2022 I haven\u2019t heard the Trilateral Commission mentioned in a dog\u2019s age! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/alliance-for-securing-democracy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The ASD and the GMF were responsible for the ridiculous Hamilton68 dashboard<\/a> (an early part of the Censorship Industrial Complex, demolished by Taibbi). So both FMIC and Brandt are <em>perfect<\/em>, and I think we can expect to hear more from them.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Republican Funhouse<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHow the crypto industry is buying political support with 202 million U.S. dollars\u201d [Judd Legum, <a href=\"https:\/\/popular.info\/p\/how-the-crypto-industry-is-buying\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Popular Information<\/a>]. \u201c15 years after Bitcoin was created, there are still few legitimate use cases. Today, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are primarily used for financial speculation and to facilitate organized crime. The broader crypto industry, meanwhile, has been rocked by scandals, including the spectacular implosion of FTX and criminal charges against Binance. But crypto lobbyists still have one ace up their sleeves: lots of money. The industry\u2019s primary Super PAC, Fairshake, has raised over $202 million in the 2024 election cycle. Most of this money was collected in the form of 8-figure contributions. \u2026. Coinbase alone has donated $70 million so far, and crypto investors like Ben Horowitz, Marc Andreessen, and the Winklevoss twins have written multi-million dollar checks. The largest individual donors are also supporting Trump\u2019s candidacy. This money dwarfs the spending by Sam Bankman-Fried in the 2022 election cycle. Of the approximately $45 million Fairshake and its subsidiaries have expended thus far, two-thirds was used to attack Democrats or support Republicans. The cash stockpile positions the industry to be one of the most powerful forces in politics over the next 100 days.\u201d \u2022 Oh, good. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Syndemics<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\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><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#county-view?list_select_state=all_states&amp;list_select_county=all_counties&amp;data-type=Risk&amp;null=Risk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>); Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>, <del><a href=\"https:\/\/biobot.io\/data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Biobot<\/a><\/del>; includes many counties; <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wastewater Scan<\/a>, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/businesssolutions\/covid-19-index.jsp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a>); \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/iowacovid19tracker.org\/hospitals\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Iowa COVID-19 Tracker<\/a>\u201d (in IA, but national data). \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/icemsg.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts<\/a>\u201d (especially on hospitalization by city).<\/p>\n<p>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<p>Resources, United States (Local): AK (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/af2efc8bffbf4cdc83c2d1a134354074\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/6d2771faa9da4a2786a509d82c8cf0f7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AR (<a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/633006d0782b4544bd5113a314f6268a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); AZ (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.azdhs.gov\/covid19\/data\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); CA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdph.ca.gov\/Programs\/CID\/DCDC\/Pages\/COVID-19\/CalSuWers-Dashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.marinhhs.org\/surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Marin, dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/healthalerts.stanford.edu\/covid-19\/wastewater-dashboard\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Stanford, wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/?v=SC2_N&amp;l=Oakland%2C+CA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Oakland, wastewater<\/a>); CO (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.colorado.gov\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/d79cf93c3938470ca4bcc4823328946b#utility=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); CT (<a href=\"https:\/\/data.ct.gov\/stories\/s\/COVID-19-data\/wa3g-tfvc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); DE (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.delaware.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); FL (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/5b9d75ba683849928dc1a49c39ab0b1c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); GA (<a href=\"https:\/\/dph.georgia.gov\/ga-nwss-wastewater-surveillance-reports\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); HI (<a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); IA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmmwra.org\/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=57\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater reports<\/a>); ID (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Boise; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.idahopublichealth.com\/district-2\/novel-coronavirus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/data.wastewaterscan.org\/?plantId=1056f05c-0e46-4e3d-b007-c0453ba7dc0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Central Idaho; <a href=\"https:\/\/publichealth.verily.com\/#:SARS-CoV-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Coeur d\u2019Alene; dashboard, <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.srhd.org\/topics\/spokane-county-case-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Spokane County<\/a>); IL (<a href=\"https:\/\/iwss.uillinois.edu\/wastewater-treatment-plants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); IN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.in.gov\/indiana-covid-19-dashboard-and-map\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); KS (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov\/160\/COVID-19-in-Kansas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/4456bae8a38f4b6180e008477382fff9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Lawrence); KY (<a href=\"https:\/\/louisville.edu\/envirome\/thecoimmunityproject\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>, Louisville); LA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ldh.la.gov\/coronavirus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/info-details\/covid-19-wastewater-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MD (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.maryland.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); ME (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/dhhs\/mecdc\/infectious-disease\/epi\/airborne\/coronavirus\/data.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/coronavirus\/stats\/wastewater-surveillance\/dashboard\/sentinel-wastewater-epidemiology-evaluation-project-sweep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/gisportal.state.mi.us\/portal\/apps\/insights\/index.html#\/view\/52bbb104ed574887918f990af9f3debe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.state.mn.us\/diseases\/coronavirus\/stats\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); MO (<a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/f7f5492486114da6b5d6fdc07f81aacf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); MS (<a href=\"https:\/\/msdh.ms.gov\/page\/14,0,420.html#Mississippi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>MT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/MapSeries\/index.html?appid=7c34f3412536439491adcc2103421d4b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; NC (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.ncdhhs.gov\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard)<\/a>; ND (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hhs.nd.gov\/health\/coronavirus\/cases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NE (<a href=\"https:\/\/atlas-dhhs.ne.gov\/Atlas\/Respiratory_Illness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NH (<a href=\"https:\/\/wisdom.dhhs.nh.gov\/wisdom\/dashboard.html?topic=covid-19&amp;subtopic=recurring-updates&amp;indicator=covid-19-wastewater#tabnavbarid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); NJ (<a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.nj.gov\/forms\/datadashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NM (<a href=\"https:\/\/cvprovider.nmhealth.org\/public-dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); NV (<a href=\"https:\/\/nvhealthresponse.nv.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/empower.unlv.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>, Southern NV); NY (<a href=\"https:\/\/mbcolli.shinyapps.io\/SARS2EWSP\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OH (<a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.ohio.gov\/dashboards\/other-resources\/wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); OK (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/51657c21386d4f1a962b1853c76ec589\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); <del>OR (<a href=\"https:\/\/public.tableau.com\/app\/profile\/oregon.health.authority.covid.19\/viz\/OregonsCOVID-19DataDashboards-TableofContents\/TableofContentsStatewide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>)<\/del>; PA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.pa.gov\/topics\/disease\/coronavirus\/pages\/Cases.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); RI (<a href=\"https:\/\/ri-department-of-health-covid-19-data-rihealth.hub.arcgis.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SC (<a href=\"https:\/\/scdhec.gov\/index.php\/covid19\/covid-19-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); SD (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.sd.gov\/COVID\/Dashboard.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TN (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tn.gov\/health\/cedep\/ncov\/data.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); TX (<a href=\"https:\/\/txdshsea.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/4ae43eefd0f641d59d35c3df82ee59cc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); UT (<a href=\"https:\/\/avrpublic.dhhs.utah.gov\/uwss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); VA (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/coronavirus\/see-the-numbers\/covid-19-in-virginia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); VT (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthvermont.gov\/disease-control\/covid-19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WA (<a href=\"https:\/\/doh.wa.gov\/emergencies\/covid-19\/data-dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/covid19.bfhd.wa.gov\/cases-and-roadmap-to-recovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">dashboard<\/a>); WI (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.wisconsin.gov\/covid-19\/wastewater.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); WV (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/oehs.wvdhhr.org\/news\/oehs-coivd-19-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>); WY (<del><a href=\"https:\/\/covidwastewatermonitor.wyo.gov\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a><\/del>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (<a href=\"https:\/\/health-infobase.canada.ca\/covid-19\/wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Government of Canada<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publichealthontario.ca\/en\/Data-and-Analysis\/Infectious-Disease\/COVID-19-Data-Surveillance\/Wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); QC (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inspq.qc.ca\/covid-19\/donnees\/eaux-usees\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><em>les eaux us\u00e9es<\/em><\/a>); BC (<a href=\"https:\/\/bccdc.shinyapps.io\/respiratory_wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>); BC, Vancouver (<a href=\"https:\/\/metrovancouver.org\/services\/liquid-waste\/testing-for-the-covid-19-virus-in-wastewater\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>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<p>Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>Look for the Helpers<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Progress can be made:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/hope.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"622\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-275933\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/hope.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/hope-289x300.png 289w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Airborne Transmission<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Somebody should ask Kamala and Trump if they support this bill (given that it\u2019s bipartisan):<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">WASHINGTON, DC \u2014 Congressman Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) announced the introduction of their Indoor Air Quality and Healthy Schools Act, bipartisan legislation that would protect the public from poor indoor air quality (IAQ).<\/p>\n<p>Learn More:\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tJ6cCTdLay\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/tJ6cCTdLay<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Adam Van Bavel (@AdamVanBavel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AdamVanBavel\/status\/1817607323247903227\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 28, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Transmission: Covid<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>How it started, how it\u2019s going:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Tale of two stories.<\/p>\n<p>July 24th: Comic-Con is finally back to normal.<\/p>\n<p>July 28th: Comic-Con creators come down with COVID.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSan Diego sustains significant rise in COVID. Attendees, including creators, isolate in hotels after testing positive for COVID.\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/KABvRvHQNk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/KABvRvHQNk<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/2awMCDimTW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/2awMCDimTW<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jammer (@AcrossTheMersey) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AcrossTheMersey\/status\/1817679684252897617\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 28, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Maskstravaganza<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cPersonal protective effect of wearing surgical face masks in public spaces on self-reported respiratory symptoms in adults: pragmatic randomised superiority trial\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/386\/bmj-2023-078918\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">BMJ<\/a>]. \u201cThe most reported adverse effects were unpleasant comments from other people.\u201d \u2022 Here is <a href=\"https:\/\/afludiary.blogspot.com\/2024\/07\/bmj-personal-protective-effect-of.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Avian Flu Diary<\/a> on this article.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo N95 Face Masks Expire?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/smartairfilters.com\/en\/blog\/do-n95-masks-expire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">SmartAir<\/a>]. \u201cThe answer is yes if you\u2019re talking about disposable masks. Disposable face masks will have a best-by date on the packaging, just like food. While this period is likely to be several years away, it is important to use the masks before then to get the best protection. Reusable face masks are washable and safe to reuse, making them an excellent choice to stock up on. For the best results, wash the masks according to the instructions on the package and hang them to dry. Researchers at the University of North Carolina and the EPA tested brand new and 10-year-old expired 3M N95 face masks. The oldest masks had expired 11 years before the study. And if the expiration lifespan is 5 years, that means the oldest masks were 16 years old. Importantly, the researchers tested the masks on real people\u2019s faces, rather than manikins. These fit tests are important because they take into account the part that people most suspect would degrade\u2013the straps and other pieces that influence fit. Surprisingly, the expired N95 masks were within one percent as effective as the brand-new masks\u2013essentially indistinguishable.\u201d \u2022 Good news!<\/p>\n<p>This is good, I hope, because I\u2019ve thought of ACT-UP as a touchstone for what Covid Cautious might be:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"und\" dir=\"ltr\">2\/6 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/vmea64xAWC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/vmea64xAWC<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ACT UP NY (@actupny) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/actupny\/status\/1818116828658328022\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 30, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Is it too much to ask that DSA straighten itself out, too? Or are they too brunch-adjacent by now?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Vaccines<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cCOVID-19 in Pediatric Populations\u201d (excerpt) [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0272523124000212\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Clinics in Chest Medicine<\/a>]. Summary:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u2022 SARS-CoV-2 will continue to circulate through communities with novel variants emerging over time.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 While most children experience mild illness, some can develop severe acute COVID-19 or post-COVID complications.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Vaccination against COVID-19 is recommended for all children 6 months and older.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 If infected, efforts should be made, in accordance with local and national guidance, to avoid spreading infections to others.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Love that last bullet point (that we even have to say it). I\u2019m not a vax maven, so I\u2019m not aware of pediatric studies for Covid vaccines (mRNA and otherwise). Perhaps readers will chime in.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> Infection<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cSARS-CoV-2 correlates of protection from infection against variants of concern\u201d (excerpt only) [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41591-024-03131-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Nature<\/a>]. From the Abstract: \u201cWe find that, in the Delta wave, D614G nAbs mediate 37% (95% confidence interval: 34\u201340%) of the total protection against infection conferred by prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and that protection decreases with waning immunity. In contrast, Omicron BA.1 nAbs mediate 11% (95% confidence interval: 9\u201312%) of the total protection against Omicron BA.1 or BA.2 infections, due to Omicron\u2019s neutralization escape. These findings underscore that correlates of protection mediated through nAbs are variant specific, and that boosting of nAbs against circulating variants might restore or confer immune protection lost due to nAb waning and\/or immune escape. However, the majority of immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 conferred by natural infection cannot be fully explained by serum nAbs alone.\u201d \u2022 If any readers have a subscription to Nature, I\u2019d be interested in what you have to say. Here is a thread devoted to it\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBig picture, these findings are bad for EVERYBODY, but ESPECIALLY for those still clinging to the fantasy of \u2018natural immunity&#8217;\u201d [@NickAnderegg, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/07\/@NickAnderegg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ThreadReader<\/a>]. \u201cThe takeaway? It\u2019s unclear if ANYONE has strong immunity to COVID infection!\u2026. You know what the virus CAN\u2019T evade? Electrostatically charged fibers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Morbidity and Mortality<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cHow COVID-19 has Affected Mortality in 2020 to 2023\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.actuaries.asn.au\/public-policy-and-media\/our-thought-leadership\/reports\/how-covid-19-has-affected-mortality-in-2020-to-2023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Actuaries Institute<\/a>]. Australia. \u201cThere were 8,400 more deaths in Australia in 2023 than predicted had the pandemic not occurred \u2013 less than half of the almost 20,000 excess deaths estimated for 2022\u2026. The steep decline in excess deaths in 2023 was primarily due to the number of people dying from COVID-19 falling to 4,600 in 2023 from 10,300 in 2022. While Australia\u2019s excess mortality rate had dropped substantially, it remains significantly higher than the 1-2% excess observed in years of high flu deaths prior to the pandemic. When analysing the excess mortality of 40 countries from 2020 to 2023, Australia\u2019s excess mortality over the four-year period (5%) was low by global standards (11%).\u201d \u2022 Despite Gladys\u2019s best efforts!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Celebrity Watch<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><a name=\"olympics\"\/>\u201cCovid hits British Olympic swimming star who had close contact with U.S. athlete\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/07\/29\/nx-s1-5055889\/covid-british-olympic-swimmer-adam-peaty\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">NPR<\/a>]. \u201cBritish sports officials say one of their star swimmers, three-time Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty, has tested positive for COVID. The announcement comes a day after Peaty competed in the 100-meter breaststroke final, mingling closely with other athletes in Paris, including American Nic Fink. \u2018In the hours after the final, (Peaty\u2019s) symptoms became worse and he was tested for COVID early on Monday morning,\u2019 Team Great Britain said in a statement issued Monday afternoon Paris time. \u2018He tested positive at that point.\u2019 The statement confirmed Peaty was experiencing symptoms of illness on Sunday prior to competing and interacting with other athletes. \u2018Adam Peaty was feeling unwell on Sunday ahead of his men\u2019s 100 meter breaststroke final,\u2019 the statement said. NPR has attempted to contact Team GB to ask why Peaty wasn\u2019t tested sooner, or isolated, with no response\u2026.. . That\u2019s a break from strict restrictions implemented at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Games in 2022. On the medal podium Sunday night, Peaty hugged Italian gold medalist Martinenghi and Fink, who won silver in the event.\u201d \u2022 Oh. From WaPo, a caption: \u201cBritain\u2019s Princess Anne, left, congratulates Adam Peaty, of Britain, after winning the silver medal in the men\u2019s 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France.\u201d Presumably Princess Anne will get tested.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOlympics volunteers resign over lack of Covid-19 precautions\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/thesicktimes.org\/2024\/07\/29\/olympics-volunteers-resign-over-lack-of-covid-19-precautions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Sick Times<\/a>]. \u201cEarlier this month, a group of Olympic volunteers demanded Covid-19 precautions at the 2024 Paris Olympics, stating they would resign if precautions weren\u2019t implemented. \u2018Covid-19 pandemic threat denial is not an antidote to contamination,\u2019 the volunteers wrote in a press release. \u2018If no steps are taken, we will collectively resign from our assignments, and will not show up on the Olympic and Paralympic sites we have been staffed.\u2019 Since their statement was issued on July 15, the group has not received a response from the 2024 Olympic organizers, a member of the group told The Sick Times in a phone interview. The volunteer, Thomas, who wished to omit his last name, said the group had around one hundred members, some of whom have already resigned. More than 10,000 athletes arrived this month in Paris and a handful had already tested positive for Covid-19 prior to the games\u2019 start on July 26, including <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/davewessner\/2024\/07\/25\/covid-outbreak-among-olympic-athletes-serves-as-a-pandemic-reminder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">five members of the women\u2019s Australian water polo team<\/a>. Around 15 million people are predicted to travel to Paris, including 2 million international travelers, at a time when the country is seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/olympics\/story\/_\/id\/40622911\/officials-downplay-covid-athlete-tests-positive-olympics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">according to<\/a> World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris. Still, organizers and teams continue t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/olympics\/story\/_\/id\/40622911\/officials-downplay-covid-athlete-tests-positive-olympics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">o downplay the spread of the disease<\/a>. Australian team chief Anna Meares told Reuters: \u2018I need to emphasize that we are treating Covid no differently to other bugs like the flu.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Elite Maleficence<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThe CDC\u2019s test for bird flu works, but it has issues\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-gb\/health\/other\/the-cdc-s-test-for-bird-flu-works-but-it-has-issues\/ar-BB1qI5Ct\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">News Medical<\/a>]. \u201cThe agency has quietly worked since April to resolve a nagging issue with the test it developed, even as the virus swept through dairy farms and chicken houses across the country and infected at least 13 farmworkers this year. At a congressional hearing July 23, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) asked about the issue. \u201cBoy, that rings of 2020,\u201d he said, referring to when the nation was caught off guard by the covid-19 pandemic, in part because of dysfunctional tests made by the CDC. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the CDC\u2019s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, responded that the agency rapidly developed a workaround that makes its bird flu test reliable. \u2018The tests are 100% usable,\u2019 he later told KFF Health News, adding that the FDA studied the tests and came to the same conclusion. The imperfect tests, which have a faulty element that sometimes requires testing a sample again, will be replaced soon. He added, \u2018We have made sure that we\u2019re offering a high-quality product.&#8217;\u201d That just needs to be used twice instead of once. More: \u201cStill, some researchers were unnerved by the news coming four months after the government declared a worrisome bird flu outbreak among cattle. The CDC\u2019s test is the only one available for clinical use.\u201d \u2022\u00a0We learn nothing\u2026. <\/p>\n<p>Thanks, Jeff:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">An example of how Google is killing independent sites like ours<a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3TxALxDCKG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/3TxALxDCKG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 HouseFresh (@ThisHouseFresh) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ThisHouseFresh\/status\/1818012165271601662\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>Lambert here: New York hospitalization leveling out, and now WalGreens positivity down for two weeks, are the first positive signs I\u2019ve seen in a long time. Wastewater still going strong, though!<\/p>\n<p><strong>TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>LEGEND<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>1) <span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> for charts new today; all others are not updated.<\/p>\n<p>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<p><strong>NOTES<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[1] (CDC) This week\u2019s wastewater map, with hot spots annotated. Keeps spreading.<\/p>\n<p>[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n<p>[3] (CDC Variants) KP.* very popular.<\/p>\n<p>[4] (ER) Worth noting Emergency Department use is now on a par with the first wave, in 2020.<\/p>\n<p>[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Leveling off. Doesn\u2019t need to be a permanent thing, of course. (The New York city area has form; in 2020, as the home of two international airports (JFK and EWR) it was an important entry point for the virus into the country (and from thence up the Hudson River valley, as the rich sought to escape, and then around the country through air travel.)<\/p>\n<p>[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). The visualization suppresses what is, in percentage terms, a significant increase.<\/p>\n<p>[7] (Walgreens) An optimist would see a peak.<\/p>\n<p>[8] (Cleveland) Slowing. Comment on the Cleveland Clinic:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Why is the Cleveland Clinic building a new facility for a professional basketball team? These hospitals are not &#8216;nonprofits&#8217; they are ridiculously profitable monopolies with an endless cash gusher to point at whatever they want. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/1REM2LMLjd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/1REM2LMLjd<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Matt Stoller (@matthewstoller) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/matthewstoller\/status\/1817948450908258696\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 29, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p>Ka-ching.<\/p>\n<p>[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Up. 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 rasnge. 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<p>[10] (Travelers: Variants) Same deal. Those sh*theads. <\/p>\n<p>[11] Deaths low, but positivity up.<\/p>\n<p>[12] Deaths low, ED up.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stats Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States Job Quits\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/job-quits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Trading Economics<\/a>]. \u201cThe number of job quits in the US decreased to 3.282 million in June 2024 from a downwardly revised 3.403 million in May, reaching the lowest level since November 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"amazon\"\/>Retail: \u201cFederal regulator says Amazon can be held responsible for faulty goods sold on its marketplace\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/07\/30\/cpsc-says-amazon-responsible-for-faulty-goods-sold-on-its-marketplace.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNBC<\/a>]. \u201cIn a landmark order, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the agency unanimously agreed Amazon \u2018fits squarely\u2019 within the definition of a distributor of goods and bears responsibility for the recall of faulty products. The decision addresses a thorny issue faced by Amazon for years, with the company arguing it\u2019s merely a conduit between third-party sellers and shoppers. A judge said Amazon\u2019s fulfillment program for sellers give it \u201cfar-reaching control\u201d over the products sold on its platform.\u201d \u2022 I assume this will end up in the Courts\u2026 Still, good for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s Fear &amp; Greed Index: 41 Fear (previous close: 45 Fear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/data\/fear-and-greed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>]. One week ago: 54 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jul 30 at 12:48:21 PM ET<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Time to break out my boat shoes:<\/p>\n<p><center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Sailing, 1911 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tOQyuhwku7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/tOQyuhwku7<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7ufO8AQFjH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/7ufO8AQFjH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Edward Hopper (@artisthopper) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/artisthopper\/status\/1817242581392138299\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">July 27, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><\/p>\n<p><strong>Zeitgeist Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy doesn\u2019t advice work?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/dynomight.substack.com\/p\/advice\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Dynomight<\/a>]. \u201cMy theory of procrastination is that a guy named Jim lives in your head. Before you try to do something, Jim calculates how hard it will be and what benefits it\u2019s likely to bring. If he doesn\u2019t like the ratio, he adds a \u2018tax\u2019 that makes it very hard to do the thing. Jim is stubborn and not very bright. But Jim Theory, if correct, explains more than just procrastination. A childhood friend of mine always wanted to be a programmer. He did it for fun as a teenager and was good at it, but in college he had to major in something else for financial reasons. Afterwards, he felt stuck in a career he didn\u2019t like very much. I was sure he could still transition into programming. I begged him to try taking a night class, or get a low-level tech support job, or get some kind of online certification, or start an open-source project. I promised him that he could surely find <em>someone<\/em> who would pay him a below-market salary to do something programming-related. As I said these things, he would nod his head, but in his heart I think he never <em>felt<\/em> it could work. So he never did anything. It\u2019s incredibly hard to do things when Jim isn\u2019t on board.\u201d \u2022 I think I know this Jim guy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>News of the Wired<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWas the Internet Designed To Survive a Nuclear Attack?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/siliconfolklore.com\/internet-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Silicon Folklore<\/a>]. \u2022 No, and in reality, not just according to Betteridge\u2019s Law.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact information for plants<\/strong>: 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) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/07\/200pm-water-cooler-7-29-2024.html\">here<\/a>. From AM:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/backyard.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-275930\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/backyard.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/backyard-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>AM writes: \u201cThe state of the backyard on June 24, 2024. Roses out, rhododendrons coming on strong, climbing hydrangeas at or near peak. Not sure what the yellow ones are. Doesn\u2019t take much space to create an oasis.\u201d Lovely!<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"donate\"\/><strong>Readers<\/strong>: Water Cooler is a standalone entity <em>not<\/em> covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So 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! <em>Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I\u2019m on the right track with coverage<\/em>. 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<p>Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-226891\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"606\" height=\"384\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution.png 606w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/contribution-300x190.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 606px) 100vw, 606px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>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<div class=\"printfriendly pf-alignleft\"><a href=\"#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"border:none;-webkit-box-shadow:none; -moz-box-shadow: none; box-shadow:none; padding:0; margin:0\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.printfriendly.com\/buttons\/print-button-gray.png\" alt=\"Print Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"\/><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2024\/07\/200pm-water-cooler-7-30-2024.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Lambert Strether of Corrente Patient readers, I feel I\u2019ve been neglecting Covid in favor of electoral politics (\u201cthe tyranny of the urgent\u201d). I will<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":82642,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[153,183],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-spotlight"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82641"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82641\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82642"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}