2:00PM Water Cooler 10/5/2022 | bare capitalism


By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Fowl Tune of the Day

Assorted Solitaire, Darién, Panama. “Gen. Local weather: Humid. Cowl Density: Medium.”

* * *

Politics

“However what’s authorities itself, however the biggest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51

“Right here’s meals for thought, had Ahab time to assume; however Ahab by no means thinks; he solely feels, feels, feels” –Herman Melville, Moby Dick

“The logic of the insult and the logic of scientific classification symbolize the 2 excessive poles of what a classification could also be within the social world.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles

Biden Administration

“Biden’s Operation Warp Pace revival stumbles out of the gate” [Politico]. “They even had a reputation for the hassle: Mission Covid Protect. However months later, it’s barely taken off — stymied by fading political curiosity in prolonging a battle in opposition to a pandemic that even the president has declared “over.” Mired in a standoff with Republicans over extra Covid response cash, the administration has but to take a position closely in any of the promising vaccine targets it’s recognized. The delay has compounded concern contained in the White Home over Individuals’ vulnerability to future variants. Extra not too long ago, administration officers have grown alarmed that the U.S. immediately trails rival China within the international pursuit of latest scientific breakthroughs geared toward curbing Covid. ‘The notion we’re going to sit down on the sidelines and watch different nations construct these items ought to be completely anathema to us,’ White Home Covid-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha instructed POLITICO. ‘I consider this very a lot as a biosecurity challenge in addition to a pandemic preparedness challenge.’” • Possibly they need to name within the former man to seek the advice of. At the least he knew the best way to get the job executed.

See, no matter is “emotional” is genuine and good:

Normalizing fascism is what that is. Nothing else. I hope these guys have been instructed to take off their Accomplice battle flag patches…..

2022

* * *

“Why Vicente Gonzalez might not be secure in his solidly Democratic district” [Texas Tribune]. “In a twist, Gonzalez, a three-term congressman, just isn’t the incumbent the place he’s working, since he opted to run in a brand new district after redistricting. That distinction goes to Republican U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, who gained her particular election and flipped the district purple in June after a tsunami of help from nationwide Republicans hopeful to make South Texas their new stomping grounds. Emboldened by that win, Republicans are relentlessly going after Gonzalez’s verbal gaffes and portraying him as an out-of-touch creature of Washington. Gonzalez’s aggressive spending within the race reveals that he’s not taking something as a right. His marketing campaign has spent $2.2 million as of the top of June on a strong floor sport — practically twice the bills of his previous two campaigns mixed — and that’s earlier than he launched his first TV advert in late September. With over $1.4 million in money available, he’s on his method to surpassing his 2016 spending of $2.3 million. This 12 months is his most strong operation since he first ran for Congress in 2016, he mentioned. To Republicans, it’s an admission that their forays into the normal Democratic stronghold of South Texas are scaring Democrats and that Flores’ particular election was not the one-time, low season fluke they’ve made it out to be. Flores stresses her message of onerous work, religion and border safety enchantment to the socially conservative values of the area, saying Democrats took South Texas Latinos as a right even because the social gathering grew to become more and more out of step with their values.” • Hmm.

2024

“Senate Dems face brutal 2024 map with no less than eight undecided incumbents” [Politics]. “Even because the caucus pushes to develop a 50-50 majority this fall, it’s bracing for a battle to defend 23 seats to the GOP’s 10 within the subsequent election cycle — lots of them in purple and purple territory. Towards that backdrop, no less than eight members of Chuck Schumer’s caucus are agonizing over whether or not to run once more, and a pair hail from states that could be misplaced to the GOP if the incumbent bows out. A number of senators are ready to see how the midterms shake out in a month earlier than making any strikes, in keeping with interviews and statements from 22 of the 23 sitting Democrats up in 2024. And holding the bulk this fall in a tricky setting may assist hold some incumbents happier about working for reelection.”

“DeSantis takes over the nationwide dialog” [The Hill]. “Nobody has been on the forefront of the nationwide dialog extra within the final month than Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). DeSantis, seen as a prime contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is firmly on the heart of the nationwide information cycle. He made headlines initially by selection when he had dozens of migrants flown from Texas to Martha’s Winery, Mass., in a bid to grab consideration within the battle over the border. As that controversy continued to unfold, DeSantis discovered himself on the heart over his state’s preparations after which response to Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida onerous. Since then, DeSantis has remained within the nationwide consciousness with each day information conferences carried reside on nationwide information networks, piquing the curiosity of viewers who are usually not solely within the aftermath of the storm but additionally within the governor himself. ‘In politics, you need visibility nearly greater than the rest,’ one Democratic strategist acknowledged of the governor’s fixed presence on the political stage in latest weeks. ‘And it’s secure to say he’s gotten that visibility greater than nearly any nationwide determine as of late.’ ‘Individuals know who he’s,’ the strategist added. ‘That’s the candy spot.’” • I want I knew what “the nationwide dialog” was. I’ve by no means seen one, or participated in a single.

Democrats en Déshabillé

Affected person readers, plainly individuals are truly studying the back-dated publish! However I’ve not up to date it, and there are lots of updates. So I should try this. –lambert

I’ve moved my standing remarks on the Democrat Celebration (“the Democrat Celebration is a rotting corpse that may’t bury itself”) to a separate, back-dated publish, to which I’ll periodically add materials, summarizing the addition right here in a “reside” Water Cooler. (Hopefully, some Bourdieu.) It seems that defining the Democrat Celebration is, in actual fact, a tough downside. I do assume the paragraph that follows is on level all the way in which again to 2016, if not earlier than:

The Democrat Celebration is the political expression of the category energy of PMC, their base (lucidly defined by Thomas Frank in Hear, Liberal!). ; if the Democrat Celebration didn’t exist, the PMC must invent it. . (“PMC” modulo “class expatriates,” in fact.) Second, all of the working components of the Celebration reinforce one another. Go away apart characterizing the relationships between components of the Celebration (ka-ching, however not fully) these components comprise a community — a Flex Internet? An iron octagon? — of funders, distributors, apparatchiks, electeds, NGOs, and miscellaneous mercenaries, with property within the press and the intelligence group.

Notice, in fact, that the category energy of the PMC each expresses and is proscribed by different courses; oligarchs and American gentry (see ‘industrial mannequin’ of Ferguson, Jorgensen, and Jie) and the working class spring to thoughts. Suck up, kick down.

* * *

#COVID19

• ”WashU COVID-19 nasal vaccine know-how licensed to Ocugen” (press launch) [Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis]. The deck: “Purpose is for commercialization in U.S., Europe, Japan” Extra: ” A nasal vaccine for COVID-19 – primarily based on know-how developed at Washington College in St. Louis – is on the trail to turning into accessible within the U.S., Europe and Japan. The college has licensed the rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize its proprietary COVID-19 vaccine in the US, Europe and Japan to Ocugen Inc., a U.S.-based biotechnology firm centered on creating and commercializing novel gene and cell therapies and vaccines…. Ocugen intends to work intently with U.S. authorities businesses tasked with pandemic preparedness and response to provoke medical trials and manufacture the intranasal vaccine. The corporate is also within the potential for the nasal vaccine to be a common booster, no matter an individual’s earlier COVID-19 vaccination historical past…. The Washington College nasal vaccine know-how was beforehand licensed to Bharat Biotech Worldwide Restricted in 2020 for growth in India and restricted components of the world. This September, well being authorities in India permitted the vaccine for emergency use in that nation, making it the world’s first intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 to be permitted.” • After all, if the eugenicist molasses-brained Biden Administration had constructed on the previous man’s Operation Warp Pace, we would have made the “photographs in arms” paradigm out of date by now. However then Pfizer wouldn’t like that, would they? So we’ll see how this goes.

* * *

• A layered technique:

Two nits: I’m not so positive about “non-contact” providers, if meaning cost. Money cost make the road transfer quicker, and meaning much less shared are. Additionally, “masks” and “respirators” are handled as two separate issues, complicated, I consider, to the layperson. In any other case, sure. Extra like this! (And I believe we are able to safely get rid of an precise picture of Swiss Cheese? I perceive the metaphor that if the virus will get by way of a gap in a single layer, the following layer gained’t have a gap in the identical place, however I believe it’s just a little strained. Nothing works 100% of the time and I believe folks know this. I suppose, although, that that is on a par with “the dreaded life-style change” mentioned to assist folks drop pounds. However we should attempt, and modifications like this do occur (see smoking), although slowly.

• Maskstravaganza: “A number of Massachusetts schools lengthen masks mandates indefinitely” [New York Post]. “Three Massachusetts schools are extending their COVID-19 masks mandate — and a fourth is placing it to a vote — whilst masking necessities are disappearing across the nation. Mount Holyoke School, Smith School and Hampshire School have all prolonged their masks mandates indefinitely, in keeping with releases made up to now month. ‘I’m sorry to say that due to the comparatively excessive confirmed COVID-19 case counts on campus (roughly 50 per week because the begin of the semester) we might want to proceed our indoor masks mandate till additional discover,’ Mt. Holyoke’s president, Beverly Daniel Tatum, mentioned in an open letter final week. ‘It’s clear that the present ranges of an infection have taxed our campus well being care system and residential providers to the restrict.’” • Is smart, given wastewater and hospitalization knowledge.

• Maskstravaganza:


* * *

• “Attempting to find Pi – the following variant after Omicron – in the bathroom” [GAVI]. “Illness detectives are looking out for the following variant of COVID-19 and because the virus remains to be in such excessive circulation worldwide the virus is consistently mutating. This implies it may very well be evolving to raised evade vaccines and assault our immune techniques. Though Omicron was milder than the variants got here earlier than it, scientists have warned the following variant – which can in all probability be referred to as Pi – may very well be much more lethal…. As SARS-CoV-2 will be shed in faecal matter for weeks after the respiratory signs clear, wastewater is an apparent place to search for new variants…. Dr Marc Johnson, a virologist on the College of Missouri in Columbia, is working with O’Connor to hint wastewater lineages in Wisconsin. With their colleagues, they’re searching so-called ‘cryptic lineages’, that are viral lineages in wastewater that didn’t match something in international databases of hundreds of thousands of sequences. These cryptic lineages have been vital in that they typically had a number of mutations within the spike protein that SARS-CoV-2 makes use of to enter our cells – and which our immune system targets. Dr O’Connor instructed Nature that such lineages may assist forecast macro developments in SARS-CoV-2 evolution, which may in flip assist the event of variant-proof vaccines and coverings. For these virologists, rather a lot is using on early detection of the following main COVID-19 variant. ‘Lots of the lineages we’re discovering make Omicron look pedestrian,’ mentioned Dr Johnson.” • Oh.

The virus is attempting onerous to flee:

To this point, it’s had good success. And the final time Biden declared the pandemic was over, Omicron occurred. That’s why I proceed to look at these items….

* * *

• Took lengthy sufficient. And the tweet remains to be up, persevering with to wreck and kill:


* * *

• Don’t fear, be completely satisfied:


* * *

• ”Excessive-Contact Object and Floor Contamination in a Family of Individuals with Monkeypox Virus An infection — Utah, June 2022″ [Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, CDC]. Case research from a two-person family. “Among the many 30 specimens, 21 (70%) yielded optimistic real-time PCR outcomes, together with these from all three porous objects (i.e., material furnishings and blankets), 17 of 25 (68%) nonporous surfaces (e.g., handles and switches), and one in every of two blended floor sorts (i.e., chair) (Desk). No specimen yielded a optimistic viral tradition consequence. Through the interval of isolation each residents of the house reported showering a couple of times every day, performing hand hygiene roughly 10 occasions each day, laundering bedding and clothes weekly, and performing routine family cleansing (e.g., mopping and each day use of a multisurface spray on most high-contact surfaces). The cleansing spray used was not listed on the Environmental Safety Company’s Checklist of Disinfectants for Rising Viral Pathogens. Monkeypox virus DNA was detected from many objects and surfaces sampled indicating that some stage of contamination occurred within the family setting.” • In order that’s fomites. Now do aerosols.

* * *

Lambert right here: Walgreens, it appears, is useless. That’s unlucky as a result of now there’s no knowledge on positivity and no examine on CDC’s variant knowledge. The interagency entity that produced speedy riser counties and hospitalization knowledge is lowering publication to as soon as per week. Johns Hopkins will even reduce on its feeds. I suppose that is how a pandemic ends, with websites merely going darkish with no clarification? I’m bummed. In any case, on the finish of the week, I’ll should reconfigure this part, sadly. This part is lots of work, however I did really feel it was an effort that might convey some security to readers of their “private threat administration.” So it goes.

Case Rely

Case rely for the US:

Instances are undercounted, one supply saying by an element of six, Gottlieb pondering we solely choose up one in seven or eight.) Therefore, I take the nominal case rely and multiply it by six to approximate the true stage of instances, and draw the DNC-blue “Biden Line” at that time. The earlier rely was ~45,800. At this time, it’s ~43,300 and 43,300 * 6 = a Biden line at 259,800. (Bear in mind these knowledge factors are weekly averages, so each day fluctuations are smoothed out.) The black “Fauci Line” is a counter to triumphalism, because it compares present ranges to previous crises. Should you have a look at the Fauci line, you will note that regardless of the bleating and yammering about Covid being “over,” we’ve got solely only recently reached the (nominal) case stage of the primary surge in New York, within the spring of 2020 (after which the Occasions printed the photographs of the 100,000 who died, contemplating that a big quantity, because it was on the time).

Regional case rely for 4 weeks:

The South:

Florida’s japery continues.

The South (minus Texas and Florida):

Frankly. the regular drop amongst all this smallish Southern states collectively offers me extra hope than the rest.

The West:

This drop is the explanation the nationwide figures dropped. Each time there’s been a drop this massive, it’s been revised away.

Wastewater

Wastewater knowledge (CDC), October 1:

Lambert right here: I’m happy to see that there are actually some reside websites in New York Metropolis.

For grins, September 30:

An alert reader advised having a look at the MWRA knowledge from the Boston space, and lo and behold:

Lambert right here: Notice that this rise is per an increase in hospitalization within the Northeast.

It is a seven-day common, thoughts you, so the rise isn’t any fluke. (MRWA is split into north and south sewersheds. Each are rising.) Allow us to additionally keep in mind that the Boston space just isn’t solely the house of many, many college students, it’s additionally a PMC heart, and we’ve got already seen one ginormous superspreader occasion from the convention in Boston. Boston additionally has a serious worldwide airport, one other explanation for unfold.

Positivity

SITE DOWN From the Walgreen’s check positivity tracker, September 21:

-0.5%. Not a lot down, as fluky. One thing appears to have nuked the structure.

Transmission

NOTE: I shall most actually not be utilizing the CDC’s new “Group Stage” metric. As a result of CDC has mixed a number one indicator (instances) with a lagging one (hospitalization) their new metric is a poor warning signal of a surge, and a poor method to assess private threat. As well as, Covid is a illness you don’t wish to get. Even if you’re not hospitalized, you may endure from Lengthy Covid, vascular points, and neurological points. For these causes, case counts — recognized to be underestimated, on account of dwelling check kits — deserve to face alone as a quantity to be tracked, irrespective of how a lot the political operatives in CDC management wish to obfuscate it. That the “inexperienced map” (which Topol calls a “capitulation” and a “deception”) remains to be up and being taken severely verges on the legal. Use the group transmission instantly under.

Right here is CDC’s interactive map by county set to group transmission. (That is the map CDC needs solely hospitals to have a look at, not you.)

Lambert right here: I’ve to say, I’m seeing extra yellow and extra blue, which continues to please. However is the pandemic “over”? Nicely….

Speedy Riser knowledge, by county (CDC), October 4:

Earlier Speedy Riser knowledge:

Hospitalization knowledge, by state (CDC), October 4:

See the NOTE under. It’s mind-boggling that this report is being reduce at a time when hospitalization is rising within the Northeast. I imply, I assumed hospitalization was what these guys cared about?

NOTE: From CDC: “Efficient September 23, 2022, the Group Profile Report will solely be up to date as soon as per week, on Fridays. We apologize for any inconvenience attributable to the delayed add for 09/30/2022.” At prime proper, the Obtain is labeled “Up to date: October 4, 2022.” The file title: “Community_Profile_Report_20220929.pfd.” Even within the smallest issues, CDC simply lies and lies. To be honest, this file is admittedly produced by “an interagency crew with representatives from a number of businesses and places of work (together with the US Division of Well being and Human Companies, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and the Indian Well being Service. So that they’re all mendacity, not simply the CDC. “The best way to regulate and direct a mentat, Nefud, is thru his data. False data–false outcomes”. -Baron Harkonnen.

Variants

Lambert right here: It’s past irritating how sluggish the variant knowledge is. I regarded for extra charts: California doesn’t to a BA.4/BA.5 breakdown. New York does however it, too, is on a molasses-like two-week cycle. Does no one within the public well being institution get a promotion for monitoring variants? Are there no grants? Is there a single lab that does this work, and everyone will get the outcomes from them? Further sources from readers welcome [grinds teeth, bangs head on desk].

SITE DOWN Variant knowledge, nationwide (Walgreens), September 10:

Nonetheless no signal of BA.2.75 at Walgreens, regardless of its look in CDC knowledge under.

Variant knowledge, nationwide (CDC), September 10 (Nowcast off):

Deaths

Loss of life fee (Our World in Information):

Whole: 1,085,366 – 1,085,060 = 306 (306 * 365 = 111,690, which is at the moment’s LivingWith™* quantity (fairly a bit larger than the minimizers would really like, although they will speak themselves into something. Fluctuates fairly a bit, however even the low numbers are dangerous). I’ve added an anti-triumphalist black Fauci Line.

It’s good that for deaths I’ve a easy, each day chart that simply retains chugging alongside, in contrast to every little thing else CDC and the White Home are screwing up or letting go darkish, good job.

Stats Watch

Companies: “United States ISM Non Manufacturing PMI” [Trading Economics]. “The ISM Companies PMI got here in at 56.7 in September of 2022, falling from 56.9 in August however beating market forecasts of 56, and nonetheless pointing to the expansion above the historic common of 55.”

* * *

Tech: “Newest Updates: Elon Musk, Twitter Proceed Talks About Closing Deal” [Wall Street Journal]. “Elon Musk has provided to shut his $44 billion deal to purchase Twitter Inc. on the phrases he initially agreed to. Twitter confirmed receipt of the proposal and mentioned it intends to shut the transaction on the authentic value of $54.20 a share. Ought to the events agree to take action, the proposal would allow them to avert a five-day nonjury trial set to start Oct. 17. There aren’t any ensures they are going to attain a deal and the trial may nonetheless go ahead as deliberate.” • Ya know, for all of the liberal Democrat sneering at Rumble, and Fact Social, Gab, Parler, and so forth., no less than the appropriate wing loons bootstrapped the platforms. It will likely be fascinating to see if liberal Democrat aghastitude if, say, Musk offers Trump his Twitter account again will prod liberals into doing the identical. I’m guessing now; liberal Democrats will proceed to depend on censorship.

The Bezzle: I found this collection of interviews by Mark Blyth (see right here and right here) the opposite day:

Nicely value a pay attention!

Manufacturing: “Engine components makers should cross ‘valley of dying’ to succeed in EV period” [Reuters]. “Auto engine components makers eyeing the promising electric-vehicle market are coping with a extreme case of delayed gratification. Till EVs actually take off, engine components makers face a deadly few years the place they have to make investments closely in new equipment, whereas battling falling gross sales of fossil-fuel automobiles.”

The Economic system: “Most CEOs are already getting ready for a recession, with plans together with shedding employees and slicing spending on environmental points, a serious survey reveals” [Business Insider]. “Most CEOs are already getting ready for a recession, which they assume will slash earnings and stunt progress, in keeping with a brand new survey by KPMG. Measures firms plan to take to climate the recession embody slicing ESG spending and shedding employees, the survey, which canvassed the opinions of the CEOs of 400 American firms with annual revenues of no less than $500 million, confirmed. The overwhelming majority of CEOs – 91% – mentioned they thought there can be a recession inside the subsequent 12 months, and solely a 3rd mentioned it could be delicate and brief. 80% mentioned they thought it could have an effect on their group’s anticipated progress over the following three years. Goldman Sachs analysts mentioned in August that there was a 30% likelihood that the US would enter a recession over the following 12 months, however {that a} recession within the Euro space was twice as probably. However knowledge from the Bureau of Financial Evaluation reveals that Individuals have already spent nearly a 3rd of their pent-up financial savings, which Pantheon Macroeconomics mentioned reveals ‘the danger of recession is larger than we beforehand thought.’”

* * *

At this time’s Worry & Greed Index: 32 Worry (earlier shut: 30 Worry) [CNN]. One week in the past: 19 (Excessive Worry). (0 is Excessive Worry; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Oct 5 at 1:46 PM EDT.

Picture Ebook

“‘A typical floor for the development of pictures’: Aperture celebrates 70 years” [Christies]. “This September, Aperture celebrates 70 years since its institution in 1952. The founders have been a consortium of photographers, thinkers and champions of the medium, together with Ansel Adams, Dorothea Lange, Barbara Morgan, Nancy and Beaumont Newhall, and Minor White. The mission, as acknowledged within the inaugural challenge of the journal, nonetheless resonates at the moment: “‘Aperture has been originated to speak with severe photographers and inventive folks all over the place, whether or not skilled, newbie or scholar… Aperture is meant to be a mature journal by which photographers can speak straight to one another, focus on the issues that face pictures as occupation and artwork, share their experiences, touch upon what goes on, descry the brand new potentials. We, who’ve based this journal, invite others to make use of Aperture as a standard floor for the development of pictures.’” • I keep in mind when my favourite bookstore on Brattle Avenue had a complete shelf of Aperture Books, squarish, with white covers. Robert Frank. André Kertèsz. Weegee. Many others. Superb stuff. Anyhow, an fascinating interview.

Sports activities Desk

“Pair accused in fishing scandal gained hundreds of {dollars}, boat in string of wins” [The Hill]. “The world of aggressive fishing, the place anglers battle for money and prizes, is being rocked by a dishonest scandal that unfolded at a match in Cleveland on Saturday. The match to crown the perfect walleye fishermen on Lake Erie took a scandalous flip when the native match director found that the 2 fishermen thought-about the crew to beat inflated the load of their catch by stuffing the fish with lead sinkers after which padding the within of the walleye with fillets, stopping judges from discovering the added weight. Cleveland fisherman John Stewart witnessed the cheaters being caught purple handed. ‘That was the surprising half, like ‘oh wow, you actually did that.’ Like, it was simply so blatant. It was similar to they didn’t have a care on this planet,’ Stewart mentioned.” • First chess, now fishing. What subsequent?

Zeitgeist Watch

“Why Everybody Is Abruptly Slamming Vitality Drinks” [Wall Street Journal]. “Vitality-drink gross sales within the U.S. have been 17% larger in August in contrast with a 12 months in the past, and up 56% since summer season 2019, in keeping with analytics agency NielsenIQ.” • The next re-assuring photograph seems with the article:

Down, boy!

Video games

I’m stunned it took so lengthy for one thing like this to look:

Or perhaps I simply missed it?

Groves of Academe

Appropriate, unhappy to say:

My impulse is to roll every little thing again. I want I knew what a “roll ahead” would seem like. As a result of that’s what’s going to occur.

Police State Watch

All just isn’t nicely in Newton, MA:

Zoom in on that “sufferer assertion” at left.

Class Warfare

“Railroad executives wish to get rid of conductors — and exhausted rail staff are terrified” [Freight Waves]. “Norfolk Southern, like most Class I railroads within the U.S., is seeking to whittle down crews to 1 particular person. Most freight trains within the U.S. at present have a conductor and engineer on board. The conductor usually screens and levels freight automobiles, whereas the engineer screens the velocity and situation of the engines pulling these automobiles.” One man working a mile-long prepare? That is nuts. Extra: “A latest research commissioned by the AAR explored these instances to point out that one-person crews will be secure. Taking a look at collisions, derailments, and different worker accidents or fatalities, the research concluded that ‘main European operators utilizing single-person crews seemed to be as secure as Class I multiple- particular person crew operations.’ Nevertheless, there are key variations between these trains and Class I freight trains that make the latter probably tougher to function with only one employee. These trains are hardly ever so long as the ever-expanding Class 1 freight trains. And people trains are typically far lighter, too — with the common European prepare round a sixth of the standard weight of a U.S. prepare.” • Freight Waves on the facet of the angels, right here. The article consists of this photograph:

“Maine Lobster Union Factors the Method for Organizing Gig Economic system Staff” [Bloomberg]. “Lobstering is an inherently individualistic pursuit. Most boats are crewed by simply two or three folks, and a few captains go it alone. They depart harbor earlier than daybreak, spend the day hauling traps up from the seafloor , then motor again to the dock to promote the creatures for the perfect value they will get. It’s onerous work that attracts rugged, self-reliant folks—in different phrases, not your typical union members. That’s what makes Native 207—the one lobstering union within the US—so uncommon. The last decade-old group in Maine represents about 200 lobstermen (as males and most ladies within the enterprise name themselves). The union members personal three 18-wheel vehicles, a pair of smaller automobiles for hauling the produce from wharves, and a so-called tank room, a warehouse full of tubs of refrigerated ocean water by which the crustaceans spend a ultimate few days in one thing resembling their dwelling setting earlier than reaching their final destiny: a fast plunge right into a vat of boiling water. ‘We work for the fisherman,’ says Jason Rizzitano, supervisor of the tank room close to Bar Harbor. The lobster union provides a possible mannequin for gig financial system staff in search of to push again in opposition to massive firms that siphon off the majority of earnings in lots of trades, says Rebecca Lurie, a professor of Labor Research on the Metropolis College of New York. By working collectively, such teams have organized Uber drivers, dwelling health-care staff, and cable-internet technicians. Furthermore, they will get a giant enhance from organized labor, which ‘provides unparalleled help, in addition to an air of legitimacy,’ she says. The union—extra also known as “Lobster 207”—received its begin after a crash in costs 10 years in the past.” • Dirigo!

“NYC’s Monetary District now blighted with spiking crime, vagrants” [New York Post]. “As soon as one of many hottest neighborhood in NYC, the Monetary District is now merely a dumpster fireplace, residents and staff instructed The Put up. In early September no less than 4 trash fires have been set alongside Cliff, William and Water streets.” • Sure, now the trash is on the surface. That’s the downside.

Class battle will be fractal:

Information of the Wired

Wow:


* * *

Contact data for vegetation: Readers, be at liberty to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, to (a) learn how to ship me a examine if you’re allergic to PayPal and (b) to learn how to ship me pictures of vegetation. Greens are fantastic! Fungi and coral are deemed to be honorary vegetation! If you need your deal with to look as a credit score, please place it at the beginning of your mail in parentheses: (thus). In any other case, I’ll anonymize by utilizing your initials. See the earlier Water Cooler (with plant) right here. From JU:

JU writes: “Fall colours, Three Rivers, CA.”

Readers, I may nonetheless use extra plant photographs (and honorary plant photographs, like fungi or coral). Fall colours, backyard yield, no matter you’ve received!

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not lined by the annual NC fundraiser. So in case you see a hyperlink you particularly like, or an merchandise you wouldn’t see wherever else, please don’t hesitate to specific your appreciation in tangible type. Bear in mind, a tip jar is for tipping! Common optimistic suggestions each makes me really feel good and lets me know I’m heading in the right direction with protection. After I get no donations for 5 or ten days I get fearful. Extra tangibly, a continuing trickle of donations helps me with bills, and I think about that trickle when setting fundraising objectives:

Right here is the display screen that may seem, which I’ve helpfully annotated:

Should you hate PayPal, you may e mail me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I gives you instructions on the best way to ship a examine. Thanks!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email



RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR