{"id":89239,"date":"2025-01-04T02:18:28","date_gmt":"2025-01-04T02:18:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/04\/200pm-water-cooler-1-3-2025-naked-capitalism\/"},"modified":"2025-01-04T02:18:28","modified_gmt":"2025-01-04T02:18:28","slug":"200pm-water-cooler-1-3-2025-naked-capitalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/04\/200pm-water-cooler-1-3-2025-naked-capitalism\/","title":{"rendered":"2:00PM Water Cooler 1\/3\/2025 | naked capitalism"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div wp_automatic_readability=\"620.78372923459\">\n<p><em><strong>By Lambert Strether of Corrente.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>More soon! \u2013lambert<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bird Song of the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/macaulaylibrary.org\/asset\/149828831\/embed\" height=\"300\" width=\"640\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Brown Thrasher, Washburn University Vicinity, Shawnee, Kansas, United States. Busy, busy.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><strong>In Case You Might Miss\u2026 <\/strong> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#table\">New Covid charts<\/a> drop, with Christmas hospitalization up in New York.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#benz\">Mike Benz<\/a>: X censorship and deplatforming.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#mangione\">Mangione<\/a>: murder and social murder.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#nasal\">Nasal sprays<\/a>: state of the market today.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#class\">Teen Vogue<\/a> on \u201csalting.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\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>Spook Country<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"10.912698412698\">\n<p>\u201cFBI shares new details of suspect in D.C. pipe bombs plant on Jan. 6 eve\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2025\/01\/03\/fbi-pipe-bombs-jan-6-capital-riot-new-footage\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Axios<\/a>]. \u201cNearly four years after pipe bombs were planted outside the Democratic and Republican parties\u2019 headquarters in Washington, D.C., the FBI on Thursday released new information and footage on the suspect\u2026. The Committee on House Administration\u2019s oversight panel said in its report the FBI initially \u2018yielded a promising array of data and revealed numerous persons of interest.\u2019 Then resources were later diverted and \u2018there has been little meaningful progress toward the apprehension of the suspect,\u2019 according to the report.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Biden Administration<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"16.743257820928\">\n<p>\u201cEyeing Potential Bird Flu Outbreak, Biden Administration Ramps Up Preparedness\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/DeAqF\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Times<\/a>]. \u201cThe Biden administration, in a final push to shore up the nation\u2019s pandemic preparedness before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, announced on Thursday that it would nearly double the amount of money it was committing to ward off a potential outbreak of bird flu in humans. Federal health officials have been keeping a close eye on H5N1, a strain of avian influenza that is highly contagious and lethal to chickens, and has spread to cattle. The virus has not yet demonstrated that it can spread efficiently among people.\u201d And if it does\u2026 We can only hope that won\u2019t be too late. And here we go: \u201cIt has also awarded $176 million to Moderna, a major maker of coronavirus vaccines, to develop a similar vaccine using mRNA technology against H5N1.\u201d \u2022 Oh, swell. Learned nothing, forgotten nothing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Trump Transition<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"55.408279220779\">\n<p>\u201cMike Johnson reclaims speakership\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/live-updates\/2025\/01\/03\/congress\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Politico<\/a>]. \u2022 Too bad. MAGA misses an opportunity to throw a punch.<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Fort Bragg nexus?<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"4.3324022346369\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"11.027932960894\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Breaking: It appears Matthew Livelsberger, who was incinerated in the Tesla explosion in Vegas, and Shamsud-din Jabbar (the man behind the New Orleans attack) were both stationed at Fort Bragg at one time and may have even overlapped<\/p>\n<p>H\/T <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ComradeOhio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@ComradeOhio<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xheBhYJZIo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/xheBhYJZIo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7UOI4RX5AN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/7UOI4RX5AN<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ParaPower Mapping (@KlonnyPin_Gosch) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KlonnyPin_Gosch\/status\/1874710298843824356\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Yes, <em>that<\/em> Fort Bragg:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.530612244898\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.8979591836735\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Reread this yesterday. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dmP0Sj1o1F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/dmP0Sj1o1F<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Words Matter (@WordsMa30048486) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WordsMa30048486\/status\/1875143703477751841\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>If I were a spook, I wouldn\u2019t see Fort Bragg as a hellscape of abuse, but a target-rich environment, rife with opprtunities for blackmail, honeytraps, and so forth. It would be irresponsible not to speculate! And then of course\u2013<\/p>\n<p>\u201cU.S. Military Service Is the Strongest Predictor of Carrying Out Extremist Violence\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/2025\/01\/02\/military-veterans-extremism-attack-new-orleans-vegas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Intercept<\/a>]. \u201cFrom 1990 to 2010, about seven persons per year with U.S. military backgrounds committed extremist crimes. Since 2011, that number has jumped to almost 45 per year, according to data from a new, unreleased report shared with The Intercept by Michael Jensen, the research director at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, or START, at the University of Maryland. Military service is also the single strongest individual predictor of becoming a \u2018mass casualty offender,\u2019 far outpacing mental health issues, according to a separate study of extremist mass casualty violence by the researchers.\u201d \u2022 Oh.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cQuestions remain about soldier\u2019s motive in Cybertruck explosion outside Trump\u2019s Las Vegas hotel\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/cybertruck-explosion-trump-hotel-las-vegas-6c85af85255753db497f2cd344fb2ace\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Associated Press<\/a>]. \u201cInvestigators have identified the Tesla driver \u2014 who was burned beyond recognition [oh?] \u2014 as Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret from Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Clark County coroner\u2019s office said his death was a suicide caused by the gunshot wound.\u201d \u2022 The question I have is how he blew up the truck after shooting himself in the head. Timer? And why. Musical interlude (<a href=\"https:\/\/genius.com\/Graham-parker-and-the-rumour-hey-lord-dont-ask-me-questions-lyrics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">surprisingly topical lyrics<\/a>):<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Don&#039;t Ask Me Questions (Live)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/O9ETF7JL4sw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>UPDATE here is a cui bono buried in this statement:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.6929133858268\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"5.4173228346457\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8 BREAKING: Donald Trump releases new statement <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/r7rpOV9FrB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/r7rpOV9FrB<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/bennyjohnson\/status\/1874691437805318599\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p><em>Cui bono<\/em> being the statement one should always ask, even if the answer is not always clear. UPDATE: Or, upon rereading this today, a veiled accusation (\u201cYou and I both know why you won\u2019t investigate this\u201d).<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>\u201cRFK Jr. Is Trying to Write Himself Out of 2019 Samoan Measles Epidemic\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.snopes.com\/news\/2024\/12\/31\/rfk-jr-samoa-measles-epidemic-2019\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Snopes<\/a>]. \u201cIn 2019, Samoa experienced a measles outbreak caused by low vaccination coverage. Following Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s nomination to be President-elect Donald Trump\u2019s health and human services secretary, the talking point that Kennedy caused this outbreak via his activism re-emerged. The measles outbreak in Samoa was not \u201ccaused\u201d by Kennedy. A tragic accident in 2018, in which two infants died from incorrectly mixed vaccines, and the controversial pause in vaccination that followed, bear primary responsibility for creating those conditions. This does not exclude the possibility that Kennedy exacerbated these existing conditions. Kennedy\u2019s assertion that he \u2018had nothing to do with people not vaccinating in Samoa\u2019 is not credible. It is undermined by his direct engagement with the Samoan government on the topic of vaccines, his direct engagement with the Samoan anti-vaccine movement before, during, and after the epidemic, and his platforming of the two primary influencers advocating against vaccination in Samoa.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Our Famously Free Press<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"12.219038817006\">\n<p><a name=\"benz\"\/>Starter video that will become extremely important from Mike Benz on X deplatforming and censorship:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"3.9773371104816\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"10.606232294618\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I&#8217;ve been working on a very detailed &amp; formal 2 hour video going over my investigation into the free speech &amp; censorship concerns that played out here on X this week. Need to attend a family trip now but wanted at least something up b4 leaving, so cobbled this 18 min placeholder <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8wFsbeHoWT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/8wFsbeHoWT<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mike Benz (@MikeBenzCyber) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MikeBenzCyber\/status\/1875214258046193880\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Worth a listen, though I will wait for the presentation with the slides. (Benz seems surprised that Musk enshittified his own platform by censoring people who bugged him and taking their subscribers and accounts away. But all platforms enshittify; it\u2019s their life-cycle under captialism.) The occasion of this Tweet is the Las Vegas bombing, but it seems like there\u2019s pattern here:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.701244813278\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"8.103734439834\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Any libertarian who defends <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/elonmusk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">@elonmusk<\/a> after he casually handed over personal data including faces and telemetry data to authorities without a warrant should rethink their whole life.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 ChudsOfTikTok \ud83d\udda5\ufe0f (@ChudsOfTikTok) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChudsOfTikTok\/status\/1874794831534530827\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Democrats <em>en d\u00e9shabill\u00e9<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"11.895652173913\">\n<p>\u201cDemocrats paid the price for abandoning moderate Clinton-era policies\u201d [Mark Penn, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/opinion\/democrats-paid-price-abandoning-moderate-clinton-era-policies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FOX<\/a>]. \u2022 The Democrats paid the price for letting brain genius Obama, The Wizard of Kalorama\u2122, heave Sanders over the side, and replace him with a cognitively challenged thousand-year-old man. \u201cThose who made Bernie impossible made Trump inevitable.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Realignment and Legitimacy<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"48.735831234257\">\n<p>\u201cLuigi Mangione\u2019s Apologists Are Undermining the Pursuit of Social Justice\u201d [Xavier Symons, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepublicdiscourse.com\/2025\/01\/96766\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Public Discourse<\/a>]. The journal of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Witherspoon_Institute\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">the Witherspoon Institute<\/a>. Fascinating lead: \u201cI am an ethics professor, and in my moral philosophy classes, I often appeal to the universal belief in the immorality of murder to show why moral relativism\u2014the view that morality is contextual and subjective\u2014is mistaken. My expectation until now has been that students will agree with me. After witnessing the public response to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione, I am no longer that confident.\u201d \u2022 Given the sort of student who self-selects into Witherspoon, that\u2019s pretty amazing. Symons, at least in this post, doesn\u2019t seem to think that social murder, unlike murder, can be categorized within any system of ethics. Feels kinda like mainstream macro\u2026. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour letters: Mangione family, religious freedom and an angry Advent\u201d [Dr. Therese Craione Bertsch, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncronline.org\/opinion\/letters-editor\/your-letters-mangione-family-religious-freedom-and-angry-advent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">National Catholic Reporter<\/a>]. \u201cIn reading the story of Luigi\u2019s life and family we are reminded of the essential vulnerability we all have. Luigi perceived that he could act on behalf of the oppressed by shooting someone who represented untold suffering. What sparked the dark turn from community social action to individual violence we may yet discover. Whatever the case, no one is invulnerable to the darkness. This event reveals the hopelessness Americans feel as the wealth produced from their labor travels to the millionaires and health services are held captive by insurers. It is scandalous usury, and it oppresses us in much the same way as interest rates and school tuition. This article provided a space to recall we owe Luigi\u2019s family a great deal, and we feel the profound grief for the loss of a young executive\u2019s life who was socialized in a capitalist system that directs all efforts to profit and transaction, objectifies human beings and is at the heart of all of violence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2018New York Post Presents: Luigi Mangione Monster or Martyr?\u2019 gives inside look into shocking UnitedHealthcare murder\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2025\/01\/02\/us-news\/ny-post-documentary-gives-inside-look-at-luigi-mangione-case\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York Post<\/a>]. \u2022 The movie really seems to be about the Post newsroom, which is pretty lively place. This is good, because we need more newsrooms; individual contributors are not enough.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMangione Tragedy: Pain, Isolation, and the Survival Response\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/sg\/blog\/anxiety-another-name-for-pain\/202412\/mangione-tragedy-pain-isolation-and-the-survival-response\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Psychology Today<\/a>]. \u201cFeeling trapped, especially by pain, causes a physiological threat response leading to anger. In an angry state the higher levels of function in the neocortex are downregulated. Luigi Mangione was not only suffering but not shown a way out. Breaking free from chronic pain is not difficult and is what makes his story especially tragic.\u201d \u2022 Not so sure about that last claim, though.<\/p>\n<p>This argument seems reasonable to me:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.2721893491124\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"6.8165680473373\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A lawyer says Luigi Mangione&#8217;s criminal complaint is garbage and doesn&#8217;t make sense <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PERmKRWIrR\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/PERmKRWIrR<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/davenewworld_2\/status\/1874439758849716506\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>The New York State charges are based on the items in Mangione\u2019s possession <em>in Pennsylvania<\/em>. How can we be sure they were the items actually used in the alleged crime?<\/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:\/\/skylab.cdph.ca.gov\/calwws\/\" 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\/sars-cov-2-in-wastewater\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">wastewater<\/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, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). <\/p>\n<p>Stay safe out there!<\/p>\n<p>Look for the Helpers<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"5.7766749379653\">\n<p>I don\u2019t like Hoerger\u2019s model, but this is very good suggestion:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"5.7313432835821\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"14.328358208955\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Since HEPA filters help improve home health, they can be a higher priority than other appliances. Apparently, it&#8217;s common to offer discount codes, but this 100% discount was rare &amp; popular.<\/p>\n<p>I would suggest that organizers reach out to their regional energy companies.<br \/>4\/<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA (@michael_hoerger) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/michael_hoerger\/status\/1875052020434080211\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Transmission: Nasal Sprays<\/p>\n<blockquote wp_automatic_readability=\"23.125544899738\">\n<p>Makes you wonder why the United States remains so primitive:<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/nasal_spray.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"936\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-284950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/nasal_spray.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/nasal_spray-192x300.png 192w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Dr. Leshan does not say, but the spray is Covitrap (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.medrxiv.org\/content\/10.1101\/2022.10.04.22280574v1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">study here<\/a>). It does not seem to be available outside Thailand, though <a href=\"https:\/\/www.probiocdmo.com\/hibiocy-genscript-probio-collaboration-press-release.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">international marketing was attempted<\/a> in 2022 (just another mark of insanity in the West\u2019s approach to Covid).<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"nasal\"\/>More on \u201cbarrier\u201d nasal sprays:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"6.692082111437\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"16.25219941349\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Quick \ud83e\uddf5on the current state of Iota-carrageenan nasal sprays: Efficacy, safety, Betadine shortages, buying options for US &amp; Can. markets.<\/p>\n<p>I-C sprays are the only option on the market that have a real-world randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study backing them up. 1\/14<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Biff #SARSisAirborne \ud83c\udf49 (@Biff248824) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Biff248824\/status\/1875129162933104994\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>The idea of Iota-<a href=\"https:\/\/mrmjournal.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/2049-6958-9-57\/metrics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">carrageenan nasal sprays<\/a> is that the carrageenan \u201cgums up the works\u201d by creating a barrier that viruses do not penetrate. Betadine, which we have long recommended, was first, but there are others. (Betadine oral spray is iodine, also effective, but not carrageenan, there\u2019s a little brand confusion here). This valuable thread shows that Betadine is in trouble \u2014 \u201cWell, there\u2019s your problem. It works!\u201d \u2014 but there are retail alternatives.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"table\"\/><strong>TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lambert here: A little more orange and red around Ohio; no rise at JFK, EWR, ORD, LAX. A post-Christmas jump in New York hospitalization, right on time. I\u2019m guessing it\u2019s not the result of LB.1 from international flights because JFK and EWR wastewater is static. So I think it\u2019s Christmas travel from upstate, where they have been having a little surge of their own:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-state.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-284948\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-state.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-state-300x199.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody wp_automatic_readability=\"11.419889502762\">\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Wastewater<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6470588235294\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> This week[1] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 30<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Last week[2] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#wastewater-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> (until next week):<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284945\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-300x187.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\" style=\"align: left; margin-left: 0px !important; padding: 9px 0 9px 0;\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-ww-natl-4-300x211.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6712328767123\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong> Variants<\/strong> [3] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery#variant-proportions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 21<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> <strong>Emergency Room Visits<\/strong>[4] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#trends_select_7dayeddiagnosed_00\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 28<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-variants-natl-1-300x177.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-er-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-er-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-er-natl-1-300x172.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Hospitalization<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"4.8409090909091\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> New York[5] <a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.health.ny.gov\/daily-hospitalization-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">New York State<\/a>, data December 31:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span>  National [6] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-ncov\/covidnetdashboard\/de\/powerbi\/dashboard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> Janurary 2, 2005:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalization-nyc.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284947\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalization-nyc.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-ny-hospitalization-nyc-300x189.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalization-natl.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284942\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalization-natl.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-hospitalization-natl-296x300.png 296w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Positivity<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"2.75\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> National[7] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walgreens.com\/healthcare-solutions\/covid-19-index\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Walgreens<\/a> December 30:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Ohio[8] <a href=\"https:\/\/clevelandcliniclabs.com\/respiratory-virus-surveillance-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Cleveland Clinic<\/a> December 28:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284949\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-walgreens-positivity-states-300x169.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284946\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cleveland-positivity-oh-300x217.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Travelers Data<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.6417910447761\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Positivity[9] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 16:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; color: gold;\">\u2605<\/span> Variants[10] <a href=\"https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#traveler-genomic-surveillance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> December 16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284943\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-positivity-travelers-300x184.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284944\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/covid-cdc-variants-travelers-300x212.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr colspan=\"2\">\n<td valign=\"top\"><strong>Deaths<\/strong><\/td>\n<td\/>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.7647058823529\">\n<td valign=\"top\"> Weekly Deaths vs. % Positivity [11] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronavirusdisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> November 20:<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\"> Weekly Deaths vs. ED Visits [12] <a href=\"https:\/\/health.hawaii.gov\/coronadisease2019\/what-you-should-know\/current-situation-in-the-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CDC<\/a> November 20:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-positivity-natl-1-300x161.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td valign=\"top\">\n<p><span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<span class=\"Apple-tab-span\">\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-natl-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"310\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-284303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-natl-1.png 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/covid-cdc-deaths-ed-natl-1-300x183.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<td wp_automatic_readability=\"160.22421524664\">\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) Seeing more red and more orange, but nothing new at major hubs. <\/p>\n<p>[2] (CDC) Last week\u2019s wastewater map.<\/p>\n<p>[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, \u201cOmmicron,\u201d has done a great job normalizing successive waves of infection.<\/p>\n<p>[4] (ED) A little uptick.<\/p>\n<p>[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Slow and small but steady increase.<\/p>\n<p>[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[8] (Cleveland) Continued upward trend since, well, Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>[9] (Travelers: Positivity) Leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[10] (Travelers: Variants). Positivity is new, but variants have not yet been released.<\/p>\n<p>[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.<\/p>\n<p>[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stats Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Employment Situation: \u201cUnited States ISM Manufacturing PMI\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/business-confidence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Trading Economics<\/a>]. \u201cThe ISM Manufacturing PMI rose by 0.9 points from the previous month to 49.3 in December of 2024, ahead of market expectations of 48.4. The result reflected the softest pace of contraction in the US manufacturing sector since the 50.3 recorded in March, which was the sole period of expansion in the industry since September of 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p><a name=\"boeing\"\/>Manufacturing: \u201cBoeing is making yet another promise to do better. Can the prodigal child finally return?\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.firstpost.com\/world\/boeing-is-making-yet-another-promise-to-do-better-from-can-the-prodigal-child-finally-return-13849717.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">FirstPost<\/a>]. \u201cIn its latest announcement, Boeing highlighted investments in workforce training, including enhanced programs for mechanics and quality inspectors. It also pointed to efforts to simplify production processes and reduce defects, particularly in the assembly of its 737 aircraft, a model that has been at the center of many controversies. The timing of Boeing\u2019s statement is notable. Sunday (January 5) marks the anniversary of the near catastrophe aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a stark reminder of the company\u2019s struggles. While Boeing has acknowledged its shortcomings and pledged reforms, it remains to be seen if these efforts will restore confidence in the once-dominant aerospace giant.\u201d \u2022 Boeing\u2019s efforts seem, in large part, to \u201cinspect quality into the product.\u201d But <a href=\"https:\/\/deming.org\/inspection-is-too-late-the-quality-good-or-bad-is-already-in-the-product\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Deming argues that can\u2019t be done<\/a>. We\u2019ll see\u2013<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cBoeing Adds More Surprise Quality Checks in Its Factories\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/kccRT\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Wall Street Journal<\/a>]. \u201cAmong the new procedures are another layer of random quality checks where plane parts are commonly removed and then put back. In the case of the MAX involved in last January\u2019s incident, workers failed to replace bolts needed to hold a door-plug in place. The plug had been opened to repair faulty rivets. Other measures include inspecting fuselages made by supplier Spirit AeroSystems before they leave Spirit\u2019s factory, additional worker training, confidentiality safeguards for employees who report problems and simplified instructions for building 737s.\u201d \u2022 Surely \u201cremoved and then put back\u201d raises the possibility of introducing new errors? Reading Deming, above, it seems that Boeing\u2019s approach to quality has been wrong for decades; like a bumblebee that should not be able to fly, but does, Boeing\u2019s quality assurance was performant. Perhaps it was Boeing\u2019s workforce that made the impossible, possible? A workforce that Boeing managerment systematically assaulted, degraded, and decimated? Just asking questions\u2026. <\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cOutgoing FAA Chief Says Boeing\u2019s Safety Turnaround \u2018Not a One-Year Project&#8217;\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/outgoing-faa-chief-says-boeing-safety-turnaround-not-a-one-year-project-8768670\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Investopedia<\/a>]. \u201cApproaching one year since the Alaska Airlines (ALK) incident that saw a door panel detach from a Boeing (BA) plane in midair, outgoing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Mike Whitaker said the plane maker\u2019s safety turnaround plan is \u201cnot a one-year project.\u2019 Whitaker wrote in a Thursday blog post that the agency\u2019s \u2018enhanced oversight is here to stay\u2019 ahead of his departure from the FAA when U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated later this month. \u2018But this is not a one-year project,\u2019 Whitaker wrote. \u2018. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part.&#8217;\u201d \u2022 Hmm. <\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: \u201cThis Is What Whales Are Betting On Boeing\u201d [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.benzinga.com\/insights\/options\/25\/01\/42791299\/this-is-what-whales-are-betting-on-boeing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Benzinga<\/a>]. \u201cWhales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Boeing. Looking at options history for Boeing we detected 34 trades. If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 35% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 52% with bearish.\u201d \u2022 Hmm.<\/p>\n<p>Manufacturing: Maybe Tesla\u2019s stupid touch screen is dangerous, besides being stupid:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"2.7860696517413\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"7.9601990049751\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Why the surprising number of collisions involving Teslas might be a problem with its design (source: Declan Hackett, Quora): <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/jdgRvIABaV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/jdgRvIABaV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Alan Baxter \u265b (@AlanBixter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlanBixter\/status\/1874939389585100978\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 2, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center><br \/>\n<center>* * *<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Today\u2019s Fear &amp; Greed Index: 26 Fear (previous close: 27 Fear) [<a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/data\/fear-and-greed\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CNN<\/a>]. One week ago: 33 (Fear). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated Jan 2 at 1:24:36 PM ET.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"zeitgeist\"\/><strong>Zeitgeist Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/histoftech\/status\/1874725296139817296?s=12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">a terrific thread<\/a> on the account\u2019s Russian studies course, but it\u2019s long. Excerpting from it:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"650\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-284903\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_1.png 500w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_1-231x300.png 231w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Narrowing the focus to Covid:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"618\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-284904\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_2.png 500w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/russia_2-243x300.png 243w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Here is W.H. Auden\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/poets.org\/poem\/fall-rome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The Fall of Rome<\/a>.\u201d Not sure about those reindeer, I gotta admit. (I could have filed this under Elite Maleficence, in the Syndemics section, but the implications seem to be (even) broader.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Gallery<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It takes a moment to spot the subject:<\/p>\n<p><center wp_automatic_readability=\"1.0714285714286\"> <\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" wp_automatic_readability=\"3.4285714285714\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Punch and Judy <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/xX6DkZagVK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">https:\/\/t.co\/xX6DkZagVK<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/D9agT6yIgL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">pic.twitter.com\/D9agT6yIgL<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 L. S. Lowry (@lowryartist) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lowryartist\/status\/1875162211041042903\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">January 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Today, the Punch and Judy show would be enormous, and loom over the tiny assembled figures.<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"class\"\/><strong>Class Warfare<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat Is Salting, the Organizing Tactic Spicing Up the Labor Movement?\u201d [Kim Kelly, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.teenvogue.com\/story\/what-is-salting-organizing-tactic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Teen Vogue<\/a>]. \u201cThe resurgence of the American labor movement is being led in no small part by a cohort of young, diverse, fired-up workers around the country. Union density remains embarrassingly low overall, but last month the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, released some genuinely inspiring numbers that suggest the perceived upswing in union activity is more than just a vibe. During the 2024 fiscal year, which ended in September, the number of union petitions filed jumped 27% compared with 2023 \u2014 and was more than double what the agency received in 2021. Why does this matter? Basically, filing these petitions is a concrete sign that more people are trying to unionize their workplaces\u2026 This new generation of organizers is embracing all sorts of strategies, including one of the oldest tactics in the pro-union handbook: salting. Salting is an organizing tactic in which a person gets a job at a specific workplace with the goal of unionizing their coworkers. This kind of shop-floor organizing has a long history within the labor movement, and was once so common it was thoroughly unremarkable; if you were a young worker with socialist or progressive ideas in, say, the early 1900s, it was the most normal thing in the world to start talking to your coworkers about unionizing as soon as you\u2019d learned their names.\u201d \u2022 It\u2019s great that Teen Vogue has a labor beat, but why only Teen Vogue?<\/p>\n<p><a name=\"wired\"\/><strong>News of the Wired<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy does modern life often feel like the seven circles of digital hell?\u201d [Margaret Sullivan, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/commentisfree\/2025\/jan\/03\/digital-life-frustration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Guardian<\/a>]. Dante\u2019s Hell has nine circles, not seven, so what is she on about? <\/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\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-2-2025.html\">here<\/a>. From KM:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/park.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-284940\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/park.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/park-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"\/><\/p>\n<p>KM writes: \u201cMy morning run at the local park offered me this striking view yesterday. We had our first, much needed rainfall since back in late September overnight and it felt like all the colors had been washed away with the rain- but this golden hued maple tree is hanging on and from my view from the trail, it looked like a golden arched portal into Narnia.\u201d Wow. I wish I could do landscapes (like this one).<\/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. Material here is Lambert\u2019s, and does not express the views of the Naked Capitalism site. If you see a link you especially like, or an item you wouldn\u2019t see anywhere else, please do not hesitate to express your appreciation in tangible form. Remember, a tip jar is for tipping! <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!<\/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<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .entry-content --><\/p>\n<footer class=\"entry-meta\">\n\t\t\tThis entry was posted in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/guest-post\" rel=\"category tag\">Guest Post<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/category\/water-cooler\" rel=\"category tag\">Water Cooler<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/200pm-water-cooler-1-3-2025.html\" title=\"2:00 pm\" rel=\"bookmark\"><time class=\"entry-date updated\" datetime=\"2025-01-03T14:00:05-05:00\">January 3, 2025<\/time><\/a><span class=\"by-author\"> by <span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/author\/lambert-strether\" title=\"View all posts by Lambert Strether\" rel=\"author\">Lambert Strether<\/a><\/span><\/span>.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"author-info\" wp_automatic_readability=\"20.197005056398\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-avatar --><\/p>\n<div class=\"author-description\" wp_automatic_readability=\"35.467911318553\">\n<h2>About Lambert Strether<\/h2>\n<p>Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (\u201cBecause markets\u201d). I don\u2019t much care about the \u201cism\u201d that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don\u2019t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nTo me, the key issue \u2014 and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me \u2014 is the tens of thousands of excess \u201cdeaths from despair,\u201d as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics \u2014 even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton\u2019s wars created \u2014 bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow \u2014 currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press \u2014 a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let\u2019s call such voices \u201cthe left.\u201d Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn\u2019t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I\u2019ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- .author-link\t-->\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-description -->\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!-- .author-info --><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- .entry-meta --><br \/>\n\t<!-- #post --><\/p>\n<nav class=\"nav-single\">\n<h3 class=\"assistive-text\">Post navigation<\/h3>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-previous list-posts-older\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nakedcapitalism.com\/2025\/01\/elite-college-money-woes-wall-street-journal-notes-but-underplays-the-level-of-negligence.html\" rel=\"prev\"><span class=\"meta-nav\">\u2190<\/span> Elite College Money Woes: Wall Street Journal Notes but Underplays the Level of Negligence<\/a><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nav-next list-posts-newer\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/nav>\n<p><!-- .nav-single --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #comments .comments-area --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #content --><br \/>\n<!-- #primary --><\/p>\n<p>\t<!-- #secondary --><\/p>\n<footer id=\"colophon\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t\t<!-- .site-info --><br \/>\n\t\t<\/footer>\n<p><!-- #colophon --><br \/>\n\t\t<!-- #main.wrapper --><br \/>\n<!-- #page --><br \/>\n<!-- .mobile-menu-wrap --><\/p>\n<p><!-- Blog Reader Pooling - removed 09\/16\/2015 by M. 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Busy, busy. *<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":89240,"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-89239","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\/89239","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=89239"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89239\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89240"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}