By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Hen Tune of the Day

Northern Mockingbird, 34 Peregrine Crossing, Chatham, Georgia, United States.

In Case You Would possibly Miss…

1. Trump presser.
2. AOC loses key vote. If any.
3. Thriller drones.
4. Disaster hotline for CEOs.

Politics

“So lots of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in truth a rational administration of symbolic capital.” –Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles

Trump Transition

“Freewheeling Transparency: Trump Holds First Publish-Election Information Convention” [RealClearPolitics]. “Donald Trump couldn’t assist himself. ‘We are going to take a couple of questions,’ the president-elect advised reporters assembled at Mar-a-Lago for an announcement a couple of $100 billion funding from the Japanese know-how firm SoftBank. He answered practically two dozen questions in an hour. What was billed as a press assertion grew to become a sweeping press convention, his first since profitable the election, signaling the return of Trump’s model of free-wheeling transparency. His workers had summoned reporters to speak up the brand new funding, however Trump fortunately fielded questions on every little thing from the border wall (the sale of unused materials was ‘virtually a legal act’) to the alleged hyperlink between autism and vaccines (‘there’s something improper and we’re going to discover out about it’). 5 weeks earlier than Inauguration Day, all three of the main cable networks took Trump stay. And the president-elect made information off-the-cuff. Trump mentioned of the drones sighted on the East Coast, ‘The federal government is aware of what is going on,’ contradicting claims from the Biden administration and condemning them for not commenting on their origin. He added that drones had been noticed over his Bedminster property in New Jersey, and ‘I made a decision to cancel my journey.’” • Properly. The distinction between the 2016 and 2024 transitions couldn’t be better.

* * *

“Elizabeth Warren asks Trump to set conflict-of-interest guidelines for Musk” [WaPo]. “The letter despatched by electronic mail from the Democrat’s Senate workplace to Trump’s transition staff notes that common members of the Trump Vance 2025 Transition Workforce function underneath an ethics coverage that requires them to ‘keep away from each precise and obvious conflicts of curiosity.’ These guidelines, which have been printed by the Common Providers Administration, embody prohibition from transition staff members working ‘on explicit issues involving particular events that have an effect on’ their pursuits. Musk, who’s price $474 billion in response to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index, spent greater than $250 million to assist elect Trump president and has since embraced the label ‘first buddy’ to explain his function. He has been a frequent presence at Trump’s facet, advising on authorities formation and taking a lead function in a brand new effort to chop federal spending. It’s not clear what ethics guidelines, if any, Musk, has agreed to comply with in his function as a Trump adviser. ‘Placing Mr. Musk able to affect billions of {dollars} of presidency contracts and regulatory enforcement and not using a stringent battle of curiosity settlement in place is an invite for corruption on a scale not seen in our lifetimes,’ Warren wrote. ‘As your Transition Workforce Ethics Plan makes clear, the function of presidency is to not line the pockets of the wealthiest People; a powerful, enforceable ethics plan for the world’s richest man is a essential first step for delivering on that promise.’” • Properly, I’m glad she’s in there punching. And “First Buddy”? Pricey Lord. However certainly a billionaire in authorities is confliced by definition?

“Trump’s for-profit presidency” [VOX]. “”Victory” cologne and fragrance. ‘Crypto President’ watches. Restricted-edition ‘American Eagle’ guitars. T-branded golf footwear and ‘Combat Combat Combat’ high-top sneakers. These are only a pattern of the numerous merchandise licensed to bear President-elect Donald Trump’s model, together with some that he has promoted on his social media web site Fact Social simply weeks earlier than his inauguration. If he continues to hawk his merchandise after returning to the White Home, that might increase moral considerations.” • “Don, I hold tellin ya. Arrange a Basis!”

* * *

“Trump passes over RFK Jr.’s daughter-in-law for CIA’s No. 2 job” [WaPo]. “President-elect Donald Trump has advised shut aides he’s now not contemplating Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s daughter-in-law to function deputy director on the CIA, after a marketing campaign by Republican lawmakers who [Yeah, who wants that?], in response to individuals acquainted with the matter…. Cotton, a staunch supporter of subversive espionage operations overseas who up to now has advocated the overthrow of Iran’s authorities, is without doubt one of the most hawkish voices on overseas coverage in Congress and is anticipated to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee subsequent 12 months.” • Hmm….

On Kennedy at HHS:

I want Trump + RFK had caught to MAHA (“Make America Wholesome Once more”), which was an amazing and even encouraging concept. This appears like throwing purple meat the bottom.

* * *

“Choose rejects Trump’s bid to toss hush cash conviction due to Supreme Courtroom immunity ruling” [Associated Press]. The nugatory Bragg case lives on: “A choose Monday refused to throw out President-elect Donald Trump’s hush cash conviction due to the U.S. Supreme Courtroom’s latest ruling on presidential immunity. However the general way forward for the historic case stays unclear. Manhattan Choose Juan M. Merchan’s choice blocks one potential off-ramp from the case forward of the previous and future president’s return to workplace subsequent month. His attorneys have raised different arguments for dismissal, nevertheless. It’s unclear when — or whether or not — a sentencing date may be set. Prosecutors have mentioned there ought to be some lodging for his upcoming presidency, however they insist the conviction ought to stand.” • You’ve gotta give credit score to the New York Bar — Bragg, Merchan, and naturally the agency of Paul, Weiss — for being deeply dedicated to the bit.

2024 Publish Mortem

“The Electoral School votes to verify outcomes for the 2024 presidential election at the moment. Right here’s what to know” [CBS]. “At state capitols throughout the U.S. Tuesday, the presidential electors might be gathering to solid their electoral votes, formalizing President-elect Donald Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris within the 2024 election.

“13 2020 pretend electors will solid actual Electoral School votes for Trump on Tuesday” [CNN]. “13 Republicans who participated within the 2020 pretend electors plot, together with some who’re dealing with legal costs, will solid actual Electoral School votes Tuesday for President-elect Donald Trump, as electors within the states finalize his victory. These Republican activists hail from Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada – crucial battleground states that Trump carried this 12 months, after shedding all of them in 2020. 4 years in the past, they signed pretend certificates falsely claiming Trump received. They had been picked once more by Republicans to be electors this 12 months, and can signal the genuine certificates.” • I don’t settle for the “pretend” framing. A few of the “contingent” electors signed in good religion, persauded by the much more culpable Republican attorneys.

Democrats en déshabillé

“AOC loses key vote in Home Oversight race to Gerry Connolly” [Axios]. “Home Democrats’ Steering and Coverage Committee voted to advocate Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) as rating member of the Home Oversight Committee, a number of sources acquainted with the vote advised Axios. It’s an enormous blow to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) hopes of main the high-profile panel, although the total Democratic caucus nonetheless has to vote to approve steering’s decide. It’s uncommon for the caucus to buck the suggestion of steering – which is carefully aligned with Democratic management – nevertheless it has occurred earlier than. Connolly defeated Ocasio-Cortez 34 to 27 on Monday, in response to a number of lawmakers current. Ocasio-Cortez mentioned after the vote that she’s going to proceed to contest the function when it goes to a vote of the total caucus. The battle between Ocasio-Cortez, 35, and Connolly, 74, got here as a number of committee rating members have fallen to challenges from comparatively youthful colleagues.” • The total caucus does nonetheless have to vote, however as of now, it appears like all that sucking up didn’t purchase AOC a factor. Which is a disgrace, since she’s an amazing pure expertise. Let that be a lesson to you all! (I don’t care about her age: The Democrat management must be dismantled with a jackhammer, and I don’t a lot care the way it’s performed. Simply think about, Pelosi orchestrating the entire thing from a hospital mattress in Paris. Commentary:

* * *

“Senate Democrats push plan to abolish Electoral School” [The Hill]. • This is their focus? Actually? Don’t ever change, Democrats!

Realignment and Legitimacy

“People Go Judgment on Their Courts” [Gallup]. • Helpful chart:

Syndemics

“I’m in earnest — I can’t equivocate — I can’t excuse — I can’t retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.” –William Lloyd Garrison

Covid Sources, United States (Nationwide): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot; consists of many counties; Wastewater Scan, consists of drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); “Iowa COVID-19 Tracker” (in IA, however nationwide information). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Common Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).

Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be at liberty to contact me on the deal with given with the crops. Please put “COVID” within the topic line. Thanks!

Sources, United States (Native): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin, dashboard; Stanford, wastewater; Oakland, wastewater); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater experiences); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur d’Alene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard); NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard); PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (wastewater); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV (wastewater); WY (wastewater).

Sources, Canada (Nationwide): Wastewater (Authorities of Canada).

Sources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usées); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater).

Hat tricks to useful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, sq. coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3).

Keep protected on the market!

Airborne Transmission

Air flow priorities for the following airborne syndemic:

Colleges, for instance, are v efficient propagators of outbreaks:
– Massive numbers of contacts
– Indoor air high quality typically poor
– Lengthy length of publicity
– Common attendance
– Youngsters do not stay alone: they stay in households with different age teams -> group unfold.

2/

— Amanda Kvalsvig (@AmandaKvalsvig) December 13, 2024

TABLE 1: Day by day Covid Charts

[1] (CDC) Seeing a little bit extra purple, however nothing new main worldwide hubs. Curiously, Calculated Threat is watching wastewater too.

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

[3] (CDC Variants) XEC takes over. That WHO label, “Ommicron,” has performed an amazing job normalizing successive waves of an infection.

[4] (ED) A bit uptick.

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Leveled out.

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC). Leveling out.

[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.

[8] (Cleveland) Up!

[9] (Vacationers: Positivity) Leveling out.

[10] (Vacationers: Variants). Positivity is new, however variants haven’t but been launched.

[11] Deaths low, positivity leveling out.

[12] Deaths low, ED leveling out.

Stats Watch

Retail Gross sales: “United States Retail Gross sales YoY” [Trading Economics]. “Retail Gross sales in the USA elevated 3.8% year-on-year in November 2024, the largest annual rise since December final 12 months, and following an upwardly revised 2.9% acquire in October.”

Manufacturing: “United States Industrial Manufacturing MoM” [Industrial Production]. “Industrial manufacturing in the USA fell by 0.1% from the earlier month in November of 2024 to increase the 0.4% contraction in October, and contrasting with market expectations of a 0.2% rise. The consequence was in step with different surveys that pointed to softness in US manufacturing, unveiling the sector’s battle forward of potential tariffs by President-elect Trump subsequent 12 months.”

Capability: “United States Capability Utilization” [Trading Economics]. “Capability utilization within the US fell to 76.8% in November 2024, the bottom studying since April 2021, from a downwardly revised 77% in October and beneath forecasts of 77.3%. The speed is now 2.9 proportion factors beneath its long-run common.”

Manufacturing: “One Boeing manufacturing facility has been protected from layoffs and is about to start out hiring” [Quartz]. “Though Boeing (BA) has been sluggish to restart manufacturing of the planes constructed by its unionized workforce and has been laying lots of them off amid a 12 months of struggles, the corporate introduced it could be making an enormous funding in a non-unionized plant. The planemaker mentioned final week that it could be sinking $1 billion within the South Carolina plant the place it builds 787 Dreamliners and creating 500 jobs there.”

Right this moment’s Concern & Greed Index: 52 Impartial (earlier shut: 56 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 47 (Impartial). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Dec 17 at 1:39:53 PM ET.

Thriller Drones

“Drone detectors in New Jersey have discovered ‘little or no proof’ of wrongdoing, governor says” [Associated Press]. “Murphy advised reporters in Trenton that there have been 12 sightings of suspected drones within the state on Saturday and one on Sunday. He declined to enter element in regards to the detection tools, however mentioned it was highly effective sufficient to disable the drones, though he added that’s not authorized on U.S. soil… Federal officers, together with Homeland Safety Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, have repeatedly mentioned there aren’t any indicators that any drone operators have proven unhealthy intent, neither is there proof of overseas involvement.” • So, that’s alright then.

“Drones newest: FBI addresses thriller lights over East Coast as public warned to not shoot them down” [Independent]. “‘Having carefully examined the technical information and ideas from involved residents, we assess that the sightings to this point embody a mix of lawful industrial drones, hobbyist drones, and regulation enforcement drones, in addition to manned fixed-wing plane, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones,’ the federal companies mentioned.” However not planets? Extra: ‘ and don’t assess the exercise to this point to current a nationwide safety or public security danger over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or different states within the northeast.’ The FBI workplace in Newark has in the meantime moved to warning the general public in opposition to making an attempt to shoot down the unmanned units, warning they may injure themselves.”

“Don’t panic – these thriller drones over New Jersey won’t be so mysterious in spite of everything” [Techradar]. A brand new principle: “There was a bigger drone take a look at performed both by the native or federal authorities or an organization that needed to see how nicely a supply fleet operated at evening. Since 2021, the FAA has approved some drone evening flights, although the drones nonetheless have to stay at elevations underneath 400 ft. Which will account for why these drones have been so seen. They’re bigger and can’t break the foundations by flying in air house reserved for airplanes.” These could be the SUV-sized drones (see NC right here). And: “After that preliminary flight (and possibly a couple of subsequent ones), undiscerning eyes began to suppose that any gentle within the sky that they may not determine was additionally a drone. Drones of the scale most individuals declare they’re seeing, by the way in which, will not be simple to fly, and evening flights would require much more experience.”

“Navy knowledgeable says ‘authorities is aware of the supply’ of drones amid thriller sightings” [Hindustan Times]. Extra theorizing: “[Col. William] Dunn, an assault helicopter pilot who spent 33 years within the Marine Corps, mentioned that he believes the ‘drones originate from contained in the US’ as a result of ‘it’s very troublesome to fly an airplane the scale of a car into the USA with out being detected.’ He went on to say that ‘a big drone has bought to be refueled,’ suggesting that the drones that had been just lately noticed in New Jersey will need to have been refuelled someplace inside the nation.” • These are, once more, the SUV-sized drones (and never the brilliant lights within the sky, that are planes, or planets).

“Thriller as radioactive cargo goes lacking in New Jersey amid drone invasion” [Daily Mail]. “A bit of medical tools used for most cancers scans was shipped from the Nazha Most cancers Middle in Newfield on December 2 for disposal, however the ‘transport container arrived at its vacation spot broken and empty.’ The gadget, generally known as a ‘pin supply,’ contained a small quantity of Germanium-68 (Ge-68) that’s used to calibrate a medical scanner’s accuracy. If dealt with with out correct gear, it may trigger radiation poisoning.” • Should you purchase the seek for radioactivity principle, the timeline is improper: The massive (HPGe), SUV-sized drones first appeared in November 18. In any case, the dosage from the medical tools is small, disproportionate to the trouble.

Annals of Faith

“Survivors search a reckoning as FBI investigates little one intercourse abuse in little-known Christian sect” [Associated Press]. I’m submitting this right here due to the headline, however in truth it’s the institutional construction of the sect that pursuits me: ” Practically each element in regards to the non secular group Lisa Webb’s household belonged to was hidden from the surface world. Its followers met in houses somewhat than church buildings. Its management construction was exhausting to discern, its funds opaque. [The group known as the ‘Two by Twos’] didn’t even have an official identify…. [T]he sect has largely averted authorized repercussions, protected by its decentralized construction, hidden funds and state legal guidelines that restrict the timeline for legal costs…. The sect, additionally recognized to its members as ‘The Means’ or ‘The Fact,’ was based in Eire in 1897 by William Irvine, who railed in opposition to the existence of church buildings. The one technique to unfold Christianity, he argued, was to do as Jesus instructed within the E book of Matthew: to ship apostles out to stay amongst these they sought to transform… [T]he sect’s aversion to property leaves it with out obvious property that may be used to pay settlements, authorized specialists say…. The sect grew as volunteer preachers — generally known as employees — went “two by two” to stay within the household houses of followers for days or even weeks at a time. Sect historians say there have been up to a couple million members just some a long time in the past, however present estimates put the determine at 75,000 to 85,000 worldwide…. Employees are imagined to shun worldly possessions, counting on followers for meals, shelter and transportation.”

Class Warfare

“New Disaster Hotline for CEOs?” [Ken Klipperstein]. Differrent from the political events? “New York state is contemplating making a particular hotline completely for CEOs to report perceived threats, CNN reported this morning. Good little reminder of simply how responsive authorities may be relating to company executives…. The shortage of any concrete risk hasn’t stopped officers from getting ready for one. Final Thursday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul advised MSNBC’s Morning Joe about her plans to carry a “proactive” assembly on Tuesday with 175 company representatives in addition to Homeland Safety and counterterrorism officers to debate tips on how to share intelligence with company safety, in response to Kathy Wylde, CEO of the Partnership for New York Metropolis…. ‘Demonization of company executives will not be new,’ Wylde advised Politico final week. ‘It was a part of the rhetoric within the monetary disaster of 2008-09.’” • Bear in mind within the S&L disaster, when company executives truly went to jail? That was earlier than Obama, in fact.

“Shock ballot: 41 p.c of younger voters discover killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO acceptable” [The Hill]. “The survey from Emerson School Polling discovered 68 p.c of all respondents discovered the actions of the one who shot and killed Thompson unacceptable. However a startling 24 p.c of these aged 18-29 discovered it ‘considerably acceptable,’ and 17 p.c of that group discovered it utterly acceptable.” • Hoo boy.

“MIT examine explains why legal guidelines are written in an incomprehensible fashion” [MIT News]. “Authorized paperwork continuously have lengthy definitions inserted in the midst of sentences — a characteristic generally known as ‘center-embedding.’ Linguists have beforehand discovered that this sort of construction could make textual content far more obscure. ‘Legalese one way or the other has developed this tendency to place buildings inside different buildings, in a method which isn’t typical of human languages,’ [Edward Gibson, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences] says. Simply as magic spells are written with a particular fashion that units them aside from on a regular basis language, the convoluted fashion of authorized language seems to sign a particular sort of authority, the researchers say. ‘In English tradition, if you wish to write one thing that’s a magic spell, individuals know that the way in which to try this is you set loads of old school rhymes in there. We predict possibly center-embedding is signaling legalese in the identical method,’ Gibson says.”

“90-hour-a-week Wall Avenue bankers snorting traces of Adderall at their desks” [The Telegraph]. • Our capital allocation goes nice.

“Absinthe: From Inexperienced Fairy to Ethical Panic” [History Today]. “Underlying absinthe’s dramatic fall from grace was a change in customers. As soon as the costly drink of the French bourgeoisie and artists, absinthe grew to become extra inexpensive within the second half of the nineteenth century, whereupon employees, girls and people within the French colonies, from North Africa to Indochina, started ingesting it. Consequently, absinthe got here to be blamed for working-class criminality usually and, extra particularly, for the acts of the revolutionary Communards after the siege of Paris in 1871. The creator Maxime du Camp, for instance, described these Communards in his 1881 guide Convulsions of Paris, as ‘knights of debauchery and apostles of absinthe’.”

Information of the Wired

“U2’s Larry Mullen Jr: my dyscalculia makes ‘counting like climbing Everest’” [The Times]. “Larry Mullen Jr, the U2 drummer, has revealed that he can’t depend or add numbers as a result of he suffers from dyscalculia — a studying incapacity that impacts numeracy…. ‘When individuals watch me play generally, they are saying, ‘you look pained’. I’m pained as a result of I’m making an attempt to depend the bars,’ Mullen mentioned. ‘I needed to discover methods of doing this — and counting bars is like climbing Everest.’… About 6 per cent of the UK’s inhabitants suffers from dyscalculia, in response to the Dyscalculia Community.” • 6%? Actually?

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Tennesseewaltzer writes: “Fall Pumpkins–at all times an indication of the change of season.”

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