Sturgis Stupidity

⇐ 21-8-29 Predictably, the defiantly unwise Sturgis rally proved to be a super-spreader event.

⇐ 21-8-31 Worsening in South Dakota and
nearby states, but easing slightly in southeastern states

⇐ 21-9-1 Further worsening in South Dakota and nearby states, worsening in southeastern states. Florida's DeSantis fudging numbers downward

⇐ 21-9-3 Further worsening in South Dakota's nearby states, static in southeastern states (until Louisiana contacts during Ida increase numbers).

⇐ 21-9-9 Further worsening in South Dakota, slight improvement in some southeastern states (until Louisiana contacts during Ida increase numbers).

⇐ 21-9-9 Cases rising in low-vaccination states adjacent to South Dakota, slight improvement in some southeastern states. The USA has reached ~ 659,000 deaths.

                                                                              ⇐ 21-9-14 Worse and worse, alas.              

⇐ 21-9-14 States close to South Dakota are paying an increasing price for low vaccination rates. Fortunately, epidemics are easing in southern states, but low-vaccination states in the central east are worsening.        

USA as of 21-9-23:

42.5M cases; 680K Deaths

⇐ 21-9-29 States close to South Dakota are still paying a price for low vaccination rates. 

⇐ 21-10-3 States close to South Dakota continue to pay a price for low vaccination rates. 

⇐ 21-10-15 Under-vaccinated states close to South Dakota continue to pay the price of obdurate stupidity.

⇐ 21-10-21 And on it goes in unvaccinated areas. 

⇐ 21-10-27 And on, and on. 

⇐ 21-11-7 And on, and on. New Mexico appears paradoxical because it has relatively high vaccination rates. Within NM, cases are highest in 20-29 yr-olds and the Hispanic-Latino population.

⇐ 21-11-26 Sturgis-initiated wave finally diminishing in north western states --- just as Omicron is identified in South Africa. Omicron's infectivity appears to be higher than Delta, but virulence and mortality are not yet determinable.

USA as of 21-11-26 

Cases 48.1M +30,853
Deaths 777K +377

⇐ 21-11-30 Baseline before Omicron variant announced in USA

https://vp.nyt.com/video/2021/10/21/96723_1_covid-waves-hp-promo_wg_720p.mp4 .

⇐ 21-9-1 Deaths are inversely correlated with vaccination rates as defiant wrong-wingers insist on "freedom" to spread COVID-19 and thus increase hospitalization and death.

⇐ 21-9-9 Deaths are still inversely correlated with vaccination rates as defiant wrong-wingers continue to insist on "freedom" to spread COVID-19 and thus increase hospitalization, death, and possibility of an even worse mutation (human copying error).

⇐ 21-9-14 Little improvement 

⇐ 21-9-29 Again, little improvement 

⇐ 21-10-21 Vaccination rates continue to be inversely correlated with functional IQ.

The maps above demonstrate that stupidity correlates with red states, and is not confined to South Dakota.

21-10-1 U.S. Covid Death Toll Surpasses 700,000 Despite Wide Availability of Vaccines:

An overwhelming majority of Americans who have died in recent months were unvaccinated, with the latest COVID-19 deaths concentrated in the South.
The new and alarming surge of deaths this summer means that the coronavirus pandemic has become the deadliest in American history. [Remember the fuss that Americans made over almost 3,000 killed on 9/11?]

October 14, 2021 USA Total cases 44.8M +88,895 Deaths 722K +2,031

October 21, 2021 USA Total cases 45.2M +86,592 Deaths 732K +3,112 (= 9/11 per week)

⇐ 21-8-31 USA close to less-developed nations in infection and death rates.

⇐ 21-8-31 USA close to less-developed nations in infection and death rates.

⇐ 21-9-29 USA still close to less-developed nations in infection and death rates.

⇑ 21-10-21 Finally, the USA has improved, but the UK and Brazil remain problematic, and Russia is worsening.

⇐ 21-11-30 Nations reporting early cases of Omicron variant

⇐ 21-11-30 Global infection rate before all nations report early cases of Omicron variant

ὂ μικρόν

Omicron literally 'small o': όμικρον > . 

Omicron (/ˈoʊmɪkrɒn, ˈɒmɪkrɒn, oʊˈmaɪkrɒn/; uppercase Ο, lowercase ο, literally 'small o': όμικρον from ὂ μικρόν ò mikrón, micron meaning 'small' in contrast to omega) is the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 70. This letter is derived from the Phoenician letter ayin: . In classical Greek, omicron represented the sound [o] in contrast to omega [ɔː] and ου [oː]. In modern Greek, omicron represents the mid back rounded vowel /o̞/ , the same sound as omega. Letters that arose from omicron include Roman O and Cyrillic O.

Pinkies, Take Note

2021 It might Break Your Pinky Heart. Namewee, Ft.Kimberley Chen > .

Explanation: 15:26 Song mocking China's [pathetic] online troll army goes viral > .

21-11-26 Why has China banned a viral pop song? - Digging > .

50 Cent Party, 50 Cent Army and wumao are terms for Internet commentators who are hired by the authorities of the People's Republic of China to manipulate public opinion and disseminate disinformation to the benefit of the governing Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It was created during the early phases of the Internet's rollout to the wider public in China.

The name is derived from the allegation that commentators are paid ¥0.50 for every post. They create favourable comments [aka, LIES] or articles on popular Chinese social media networks that are intended to derail discussions that are unhelpful to the Communist Party, they promote narratives that serve the government's interests, and they write disparaging comments and misinformation about political opponents and critics of the Chinese government, both domestic and abroad.

Authors of a paper published in 2017 in the American Political Science Review estimate that the Chinese government fabricates 488 million social media posts per year. In contrast to common assumptions, the 50 Cent Army consists mostly of paid bureaucrats who respond to government directives and rarely defend their government from criticism or engage in direct arguments because "... the goal of this massive secretive operation is instead to distract the public and change the subject." Around 80% of the analysed posts involve pro-China cheerleading with inspirational slogans, and 13% involve general praise and suggestions on governmental policies. Despite the common allegation of the commentators getting paid for their posts, the paper suggested there was "no evidence" that they are paid anything for their posts, instead being required to do so as a part of their official party duties.

Research indicated a "massive secretive operation" to fill China's Internet with propaganda, and has resulted in some 488 million posts written by fake social media accounts, representing about 0.6% of the 80 billion posts generated on Chinese social media. To maximize their influence, such pro-government comments are made largely during times of intense online debate, and when online protests have a possibility of transforming into real life actions. The colloquial term wumao has also been used by some English speakers outside of China as an insult against people with perceived pro-CCP bias.

Five Older White Women

The useless piece-of-excrement swerved, presumably to target the Dancing Grannies. For the sake of public safety, I hope the multiple-offender serves consecutive life terms.

21-11-23 Five older white women and a 8-year-old white boy. Tragic :(

The OPPOSITE of Narcissistic Me-Again and Supply

.The latest Madam Me-Again (2:9) - Spitting Image > . pt2 > .

Japan's former princess Mako arrives in New York after giving up title: Japan's former princess Mako has arrived in the US with her new "commoner" husband, Kei Komuro, after leaving the royal family.

Under Japanese law, female imperial family members forfeit their status upon marriage to a "commoner". Mako, who took her husband's name when they got married, is reportedly expected to find a job in the city. Mr Komuro is currently working as a legal clerk.

The move to the US has drawn comparisons with British "royals" Me-Again and Prince Harry, earning the newlyweds the nickname "Japan's Harry and [Me-Again]".

Tragic Irony

This tragedy reminds me of Yuri Gagarin, Mike Hawthorn, and Dar Robinson ... surviving more dangerous challenges only to die in regular accidents.

Glen de Vries: William Shatner's spacecraft partner dies in plane crash: A US businessman who blasted into space with Star Trek actor William Shatner has died in a plane crash less than a month later. Glen de Vries, 49, was aboard a single-engine aircraft which crashed in woodland in the US state of New Jersey on Thursday (21-11-11). The other person on the flight, Thomas Fischer, 54, was also killed.

Pro Liberal Epistemology - Enfin!

ώ The Great Awokening with Bari Weiss | Goodfellows - Hoover > .

University of Austin: New University Launch | Niall Ferguson - Lex > .

University of Austin, a new university devoted to civil discourse - Pano Kanelos > .

Restoring Civil Discourse in Higher Education | Pano Kanelos - heterodox > .

High time!

Universities devoted to the unfettered pursuit of truth are the cornerstone of a free and flourishing democratic society.

For universities to serve their purpose, they must be fully committed to freedom of inquiry, freedom of conscience, and civil discourse.

In order to maintain these principles, UATX will be fiercely independent—financially, intellectually, and politically.

UATX - Liberalism Resurgent ⇻

FreeDUMB to be Malevolent

.The United States of Freedom - Betty Bowers > .

Go Back to School, Greta

COP26: Greta Thunberg tells protest that COP26 has been a 'failure': 

Considering that uncooperative, obdurate, COP26-shunning China is the worst climate-crisis culprit, then COP26 was somewhat doomed. Further, participating nations are scarcely able to snap their fingers and implement the ""immediate and drastic" cuts to emissions" that madam demands.

There is a point where criticism-for-criticism's-sake is either useless or counter productive. Greta, if you don't have anything constructive to say (and you clearly don't), then you have outlived your usefulness to the climate. It would be more useful to shift your attention to China's dependence on coal for industrial productivity and the possibility of boycotts and sanctions against a nation that is unlikely to cut back on CO2-emissions unless forced to do so. 

Media, until Greta finds a useful line of attack, drop the excessive coverage of this demanding pint-sized 'activist'.