By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Chicken Track of the Day

American Robin, Libertytown, Frederick, Maryland, United States. “Very quiet vocalization at shut vary. Daybreak tune.”

In Case You Would possibly Miss…

(1) Beekeeper helpers.

(3) Williamson quotes LOTR.

(2) Barnett’s legal professionals launch the (redacted) textual content of his grievance, making Boeing’s Charleston plant appear to be a hellhole.

Search for the Helpers

“Conserving Beekeeping within the Household” [The Tablet]. “After watching his son create buzzing colonies of honeybees on Staten Island, [Jonathan] Landes was hooked. Upon his return to Melbourne a couple of weeks later, Landes gathered up 4 of his lifelong associates and based a small city beekeeping firm referred to as Chevra Honey, named for the Hebrew and Yiddish phrase for a society or close-knit group…. The thought was easy: In a metropolis like Melbourne, the place most individuals are inclined to stay in homes with ample area and backyards, the chevra would assist to arrange beehives to encourage city beekeeping. The hives Landes units up are made of excellent high quality wooden. Profitable placement within the city atmosphere requires vital concerns. ‘You say howdy and go meet the particular person [who wants to host the hive]. You do an analysis of the backyard and neighborhood. It’s important to ask questions, resembling if there may be anybody who’s allergic to bees. You ask who the same old guests to the home are, or if they’ve pets,’ he mentioned, itemizing the guidelines he runs by way of with potential hosts. ‘It’s not like a cat or one other pet. Individuals can get careworn about bees. You should be capable of handle the colony.’… At present, a decade on, Chevra Honey manages round 40 hives round Melbourne… ‘Beekeeping fits me,” mentioned Landes. “I actually get pleasure from it. Individuals are so good. They’re very engaged in making the city atmosphere wholesome with bees. It’s a very good gig.’”

My e mail handle is down by the plant; please ship examples of “Helpers” there. In our more and more determined and fragile neoliberal society, on a regular basis regular incidents and tales of “the communism of on a regular basis life” are what I’m searching for (and never, say, the Pink Cross in Hawaii, and even the UNWRA in Gaza).

Politics

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

The Constitutional Order (Revolt)

2024

Lower than a yr to go!

* * *

Trump (R): “GOP primaries flash warning indicators for Trump” [The Hill]. “In main elections in Ohio and different states, a large variety of GOP voters nonetheless forged ballots for former rivals to the ex-president. That’s doubtlessly a giant drawback for Trump, as a result of it suggests not all GOP main voters are warming to him… A handful of states forged ballots Tuesday within the presidential primaries, together with Ohio, Florida and Arizona. Trump received Ohio and Florida by roughly fourth-fifths of the vote, however former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley notched round 14 % in every.”

Trump (R): “Trump has an early lead on Biden. However issues are piling up round him” [Politico]. “‘The one one that can beat Donald Trump is Donald Trump,’ mentioned David City, a former senior Trump marketing campaign adviser. ‘I don’t suppose we’re there but.’ Regardless of all of it, Trump stays in an enviable place, main Biden in early polls because the incumbent president clocks in with traditionally unhealthy approval scores. However Trump’s benefit can also be lower than 2 share factors — hardly a commanding lead — and he’s nonetheless sitting beneath 50 %. Within the earliest days of the overall election marketing campaign, Trump’s usually improvised remarks distinction along with his opponent’s extra rigorously scripted marketing campaign outings — and that strategy brings some downsides, as evidenced in current days.”

Trump (R): “Thus Far, Trump Has Enormous Coattails. The Finest Coattails.” [The American Conservative]. “President Donald Trump’s victories in final evening’s primaries in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, and Ohio had been foregone conclusions. All of Trump’s challengers have already exited the race and, for the third straight presidential cycle, Trump has secured the Republican nomination. This alone suggests Trump’s takeover of the GOP is close to complete, however there’s much more proof down poll. On Tuesday, Trump’s chosen candidates beat expectations. Nowhere was that clearer than in Ohio’s senate main. The businessman Bernie Moreno bested state Sen. Matt Dolan by almost twenty factors. Moreno acquired greater than 50 % of the vote and carried each county within the Buckeye state….For now, nevertheless, Trump continues to be king and, for smaller realms throughout the nation, kingmaker. Trump has made 88 endorsements within the primaries so far. Not a single candidate for federal workplace has misplaced their main with Trump’s backing. Solely three Trump-endorsed state legislative candidates have misplaced. Throughout state and federal primaries, Trump is 58 for 61 so far. When November rolls round, the 58 winners could have the additional benefit of Trump on the highest of the ticket as soon as once more.”

* * *

Williamson (I):

“All that’s gold doesn’t glitter,
Not all those that wander are misplaced;
The outdated that’s sturdy doesn’t wither,
Deep roots should not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a hearth shall be woken,
A lightweight from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was damaged,
The…

— Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) March 20, 2024

* * *

Republican Funhouse

“As Medicare Benefit’s shortcomings echo within the press, key legislators nonetheless push to denationalise conventional Medicare” [Trudy Lieberman, HEALTH CARE un-covered]. “[Rolling Stone’s Andrew] Perez factors out that one merchandise buried within the 887-page Heritage Basis blueprint written to tell a possible new Trump administration has attracted little consideration to this point. It’s a scheme to ‘make Medicare Benefit the default enrollment choice’ for people who find themselves newly eligible for Medicare, he wrote. David Lipschutz, affiliate director of the Heart for Medicare Advocacy, says the Heritage plan would hasten privatization. ‘Upon changing into eligible for Medicare now everybody begins with conventional Medicare because the default however can decide out of that program and later select an Benefit plan,’ Lipschutz says. The Heritage proposal, nevertheless, would have individuals begin with Medicare Benefit plans, apparently with the chance to opt-out. With this association, you’ll be able to see how straightforward it might be for Medicare, as we all know it, to ‘wither on the vine’ since many individuals new to Medicare should not nicely versed within the distinction between the 2 choices and as a substitute are swayed by the TV promoting beckoning them to Medicare Benefit plans.” • Mission 2025 taking a cue from nudge idea. Swell.

Democrats en Déshabillé

“Working class Dems who marketing campaign on economics beat Trumpists in elections” [Pluralistic]. “The Democratic Celebration Pizzaburger Idea of Electioneering is: half the citizens needs a pizza, the opposite half needs a burger, so we’ll give all of them a pizzaburger and make all of them equally dissatisfied, thus successful the election… However nobody needs a pizzaburger. The Biden administration’s strategy of letting the Warren/Sanders wing decide the antitrust enforcers whereas maintaining judicial appointments within the Manchin-Synematic universe is a disaster during which progressive Dem regulators (who serve one time period) are thwarted by corporatist Dem judges (who serve for all times)… Jacobin teamed up with the Heart for Working-Class Politics, Yougov and the Heart for Work and Democracy at ASU and analyzed [the 2022 midterms]: Their conclusion: candidates from working-class backgrounds who campaigned on financial insurance policies like high-quality jobs, increased minimal wages, a jobs assure, ending offshoring and outsourcing, constructing infrastructure and bringing manufacturing again to the US received with a 50% share of the vote in rural and working-class districts. Dems who didn’t misplaced with a 35% share of the vote.” • Nicely, now the liberals have one other goal for decapitation, similar to the 50-state technique, or the Sanders marketing campaign(s)…

#COVID19

“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

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 knowledge). “An infection Management, Emergency Administration, Security, and Basic Ideas” (particularly on hospitalization by metropolis).

Lambert right here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To replace any entry, do be happy to contact me on the handle 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 (dashboard); 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, 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!

Covid is Airborne

Possibly engineering has unhealthy vibes?

Do you know? It is solely attainable to manage airborne respiratory viruses. ASHRAE has a typical that spells out for HVAC engineers the necessities for controlling infectious aerosols.

Anybody who’s telling you mass illness is not preventable is mendacity #LongCovidAwarenessDay pic.twitter.com/o8XhL6Q7sD

— Nick #AirborneCovidExhaustsTCells😷 Anderegg (@NickAnderegg) March 15, 2024

An infection

About these personalk danger assessments:

Sequelae

About mind harm:

Here’s a hyperlink to “this thread.”

TABLE 1: Day by day Covid Charts

LEGEND

1) ★ for charts new at the moment; all others should not up to date.

2) For a full-size/full-resolution picture, Command-click (MacOS) or right-click (Home windows) on the chart thumbnail and “open picture in new tab.”

NOTES

[1] (Biobot) Our curve has now flattened out on the stage of earlier Trump peaks. Not an excellent victory. Observe additionally the world “beneath the curve,” in addition to taking a look at peaks. That space is bigger beneath Biden than beneath Trump, and it appears to be rising steadily if inconsistently.

[2] (Biobot) Midwest ticks up.

[3] (CDC Variants) As of Could 11, genomic surveillance knowledge shall be reported biweekly, primarily based on the supply of constructive check specimens.” “Biweeekly: 1. occurring each two weeks. 2. occurring twice every week; semiweekly.” Seems to be like CDC has chosen sense #1. In essence, they’re telling us variants are nothing to fret about. Time will inform.

[4] (ER) “Charts and knowledge supplied by CDC, updates Wednesday by 8am. For the previous yr, utilizing a rolling 52-week interval.”

[5] (Hospitalization: NY) Seems to be like a really gradual leveling off to a non-zero baseline, to me.

[6] (Hospitalization: CDC) Nonetheless down. “Maps, charts, and knowledge supplied by CDC, updates weekly for the earlier MMWR week (Sunday-Saturday) on Thursdays (Deaths, Emergency Division Visits, Check Positivity) and weekly the next Mondays (Hospitalizations) by 8 pm ET†”.

[7] (Walgreens) Leveling out.

[8] (Cleveland) Flattening.

[9] (Vacationers: Posivitity) Now up, albeit within the rear view mirror.

[10] (Vacationers: Variants) JN.1 dominates totally.

Stats Watch

Employment State of affairs: “United States Preliminary Jobless Claims” [Trading Economics]. “The variety of individuals claiming unemployment advantages within the US fell by 2,000 to 210,000 on the week ending March sixteenth, 2024, beneath market expectations of 215,000. On the identical time, persevering with unemployment claims had been comparatively unchanged at 1,807,000 for the sooner week. The info continued to indicate that the US labor market stays tight, aligned with the Federal Reserve’s newest evaluation and including leeway for the central financial institution to delay the beginning of charge cuts.”

Manufacturing: “United States Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index” [Trading Economics]. “The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index within the US decreased to three.2 in March 2024 from 5.2 in February however got here above market estimates of -2.3. It was the second consecutive expansionary studying for the reason that index for shipments ticked up 1 level to 11.4, and the index for brand spanking new orders turned constructive for the primary time since October.”

Antitrust: “U.S. Sues Apple, Accusing It of Sustaining an iPhone Monopoly” [New York Times]. “The Justice Division joined 16 states and the District of Columbia to file an antitrust lawsuit in opposition to Apple on Thursday, the federal authorities’s most vital problem to the attain and affect of the corporate that has put iPhones within the palms of greater than a billion individuals. In an 88-page lawsuit, the federal government argued that Apple had violated antitrust legal guidelines with practices that had been supposed to maintain prospects reliant on their iPhones and fewer more likely to swap to a competing gadget. The tech large prevented different corporations from providing functions that compete with Apple merchandise like its digital pockets, which may diminish the worth of the iPhone, the federal government mentioned. Apple’s insurance policies damage customers and smaller corporations that compete with a few of Apple’s providers, within the type of “increased costs and fewer innovation,” the lawsuit mentioned. ‘Every step in Apple’s course of conduct constructed and bolstered the moat round its smartphone monopoly,’ the federal government mentioned within the lawsuit, which was filed within the U.S. District Courtroom for the District of New Jersey.”

Manufacturing: “Airline CEOs Search Assembly With Boeing Administrators to Tackle Manufacturing Issues” [Wall Street Journal]. “A bunch of airline chiefs not too long ago requested a gathering with Boeing’s board to specific concern over the Alaska Airways accident and manufacturing issues which have upended the trade’s plans, individuals accustomed to the matter mentioned…. The request to satisfy with Boeing’s administrators is an uncommon signal of frustration with the producer’s issues and its chief, David Calhoun. The Boeing CEO isn’t anticipated to attend the deliberate conferences.” And this: “Boeing was taking extra measures to scale back so-called traveled work, the place issues with components or plane are moved alongside its manufacturing traces and addressed later. That effort will even sluggish manufacturing, which West mentioned would improve later within the yr.” I don’t suppose Edward Deming woudl approve of “travelled work” in any respect. Who selected that? And a straw within the wind: “Kayak permits customers trying to find flights to exclude particular plane. Utilization of that choice has elevated not too long ago. A spokeswoman mentioned Kayak plans to introduce a brand new badge that can show the plane mannequin in flight leads to response to current buyer requests.”

Manufacturing: “Boeing whistleblower’s lawsuit in opposition to aerospace large continues regardless of dying” [WCSC]. “The Charleston County Coroner experiences Barnett died from an obvious self-inflicted gunshot wound, however has not formally dominated on a explanation for dying.” In the meantime, the swimsuit continues, and Barnett’s legal professionals have launched “a redacted copy of the Amended Criticism (filed Could 4, 2021) and the Courtroom’s Could 31, 2022 choice denying Boeing’s Partial Movement to Dismiss.” And:

These complaints within the swimsuit embody:

• Boeing maintained an “unlawful” program not authorised by the FAA “that allowed mechanics to examine and approve their very own work” often called “Multi-function Course of Performer” to satisfy deadlines; Barnett’s efficiency ranking later went from a 40 to 16.
• Managers “pushing Barnett to work exterior of the right procedures”
• Components had been “stolen” from one airplane and put in in one other with none documentation; all corrective motion was “canceled” with out an investigation
• In August 2014, the corporate failed to scrub up titanium slivers from fasteners used to carry down floorboards that littered wire bundles and electrical elements regardless of potential electrical shorting. Barnett was later faraway from the undertaking after complaining.
• In September 2014, Barnett discovered he was issued a corrective motion plan for documenting course of violations in writing one month later in opposition to firm guidelines to instantly notify staff claiming it was a “shock assault.”
• In July 2016, Barnett was ordered to “let it go” after objecting to shut out greater than 400 nonconforming Store Order Occasion components with out investigation whereas discovering 200 that had been “pencil whipped” or fabricated.
• In August 2016, Barnett was criticized and faraway from an investigation into emergency passenger oxygen tanks the place it’s estimated roughly 25% in 787s should not purposeful, after he pushed for management to analyze.
• In September 2016, Barnett was eliminated as a group chief after discovering that each one beforehand delivered airplanes and lacking/incomplete/incorrect serial quantity knowledge after urging corrections and notifications to prospects had been wanted
• That very same month, Barnett’s supervisor reportedly “took a faulty half” from the scrap bin and had it put in on one other airplane with none documentation or rework in opposition to FAA necessities and the corporate’s procedures. Barnett claimed he was blocked from a 737 Propulsion High quality Supervisor place after submitting an HR grievance, which Boeing discovered was “unsubstantiated”

WCSC is a neighborhood South Carolina TV station. In the meantime, the one story on Boeing from the prize-winning Submit and Courier is a reprinted transcript from The Road: “Boeing expects main monetary influence from current incidents.” Priorities! In the meantime, from a second TV station–

Manufacturing: “Legal professionals for Boeing whistleblower launch full grievance in opposition to the corporate” [WCBD]. A extra detailed and prosy model of the grievance. On the “Multi-function Course of Performer”: “Throughout this time, Barnett claims that Boeing higher administration pushed for high quality to deviate from the foundations in order that manufacturing would meet deadlines. A method, particularly, is thru the Multi-function Course of Performer (MFPP) program. The MFPP program allowed Boeing mechanics to examine and approve their very own work, Barnett claimed. This program was allegedly carried out with out FAA approval and was in direct violation of Boeing’s Manufacturing Certificates from the FAA pursuant. The Senior High quality Management Supervisor objected to the MFPP program and pushed for Boeing to observe the foundations. Barnett claims that in response to the Senior High quality Management Supervisor’s objections, he was threatened with termination by superiors. The grievance says that this Senior High quality Management Supervisor then reached out to contacts in Seattle and was transferred with a downgrade in 2012 again to the state of Washington. In 2012, Barnett additionally protested in opposition to the MFPP program, saying it was unlawful; nevertheless, no investigation was carried out.” • As soon as agaim, nothing from the Submit and Courier. Actually, any individual ought to contact administration… And from one other native TV station–

Manufacturing: “Boeing whistleblower’s retaliation grievance revealed after mysterious dying in Charleston” [ABC4]. “The following month, Barnett filed an ethics grievance in opposition to management for retaliation, a hostile work atmosphere, and being blacklisted from buying different positions, in keeping with the lawsuit paperwork. It additionally says he requested his grievance be investigated by somebody exterior of BSC. He was advised it might be dealt with exterior of BSC, however was . The grievance says that very same month, he despatched an e mail to Boeing Company Ethics in Washington, D.C. and voiced his issues concerning the dealing with of his grievance. After being assured Barnett’s issues could be correctly investigated, it was as soon as once more in South Carolina, in keeping with the grievance.” • Apparent stress from the pinnacle workplace. And Is the pinnacle of HR in Charleston the Submit and Courier’s editor’s brother-in-law, or what?

Manufacturing: “Whistleblower John Barnett claimed Boeing managers spied on him earlier than his alleged suicide” [New York Post]. “Boeing whistleblower John Barnett claimed the corporate’s administration had been spying on him within the bombshell court docket case he was engaged on when he was mysteriously discovered useless…. One other part of the lawsuit said: ‘In June 2014, Barnett submitted a grievance to Company Ethics in opposition to [redacted] for violating procedures, ignoring course of violations, pushing Barnett to ‘work within the gray areas,’ and …. ‘That’s the best way it’s accomplished there. There have been at all times moles who would throw you beneath the bus to look good to the large bosses. They weren’t about group unity; you by no means know who you can belief,’ a Boeing mid-level supervisor, who requested to stay nameless over worry of dropping their job, advised The Submit Wednesday.” And: “‘It’s a felony felony offense to not correctly doc the construct document of an plane. By pressuring Barnett to not observe processes … Boeing was ordering Barnett to commit a felony offense.’” • Seems like a hellhole. No marvel Qatar Airways refused to purchase 787s made in Charleston (preferring Everett, WA).

Manufacturing: “Allegations of staggering criminality by Boeing spelled out in grievance by whistleblower John Barnett, launched by legal professionals after his dying” [WSWS]. “Police, to this point, have additionally from the Vacation Inn the place Barnett was staying. Within the authentic police report, the cops acknowledged that the resort had safety cameras put in and dealing with the car parking zone the place Barnett’s automobile and physique had been positioned.” • Haven’t seen this on the cameras elsewhere, nevertheless.

Tech: AI enshittification (1):

Tech: AI enshittification (2):

Tech: AI enshittification (3):

Tech: AI enshittification (4):

Tech: “Pluralistic: The Coprophagic AI disaster” [Pluralistic]. “The query is, why the fuck would anybody write the online if the one “particular person” who can discover what they write is an AI’s crawler, which ingests the writing for its personal coaching, however has no real interest in steering readers to see what you’ve written? If AI search ever turns into a factor, the open internet will change into an AI CAFO and search crawlers will more and more find yourself imbibing the contents of its manure lagoon…. There’s a sure intuitive case for this being a nasty thought, akin to feeding cows a slurry fabricated from the diseased brains of different cows…. However “The Curse of Recursion: Coaching on Generated Information Makes Fashions Neglect,” a current paper, goes past the ick issue of AI that’s ate up botshit and delves into the mathematical penalties of AI coprophagia: Co-author Ross Anderson summarizes the discovering neatly: ‘utilizing model-generated content material in coaching causes irreversible defects.’” • I’ve been muttering about AI autocoprophagia for a while, and if it’s lastly propagated, I’m a cheerful camper.

At present’s Concern & Greed Index: 76 Excessive Greed (earlier shut: 72 Greed) [CNN]. One week in the past: 72 (Greed). (0 is Excessive Concern; 100 is Excessive Greed). Final up to date Mar 21 at 12:23:14 PM ET.

Holier than Thou

Cf. Matthew 23:1-7:

Zeitgeist Watch

“The fun of divorce” (poem) [Michael Smith, Crying in the Wilderness]. “Nothing like cash, makes you hate somebody–”

Class Warfare

“The Keys to a Lengthy Life Are Sleep and a Higher Eating regimen—and Cash” [Wired]. “The highest 10 % in each the UK and the US stay over a decade greater than the underside 10 %. It’s not even that they stay extra, they stay extra wholesome lives. Why is that? Nicely the poor usually don’t have the possibility to train, their diets are sometimes poor, they usually work a number of jobs and have issues with sleep. All this stuff we predict we are able to do, they’re more durable when you’re poor and need to juggle jobs, youngster care, et cetera. One fear I’ve is that if we uncover subtle interventions—like turning on stem cells and so forth, or having to provide transcription elements to individuals intravenously—relying on the sophistication of the intervention solely the wealthy may be capable of afford them. That will make the disparity even worse. Not solely are the wealthy dwelling longer, they’re going to stay even longer and more healthy.” • Yep.

“File numbers of rich Individuals are searching for methods to stay abroad” [Business Insider]. “‘With political divisions and societal tensions at an all-time excessive, American traders, entrepreneurs, and rich households are more and more hedging their bets and pursuing backup citizenship or residence overseas, signaling declining religion within the home outlook,’ [Mehdi Kadiri, the head of North America at Henley & Partners] mentioned within the report. ‘We anticipate comparable sturdy demand in 2024,’ Kadiri added, ‘as extra high-net-worth people throughout the political spectrum search to hedge uncertainty.’”

Information of the Wired

“Flying Is Bizarre Proper Now” [The Atlantic]. The URL is extra pointed: “boeing-737-safety-air-travel.” “Flying has, in a historic sense not less than, by no means been safer…. So what’s actually happening? I believe it’s a confluence of two distinct elements. The primary is that though air security is getting markedly higher over time, the expertise of flying is arguably worse than ever…. All of that’s now coupled with a rise in passenger quantity: In 2023, flight demand crept again as much as close to pre-pandemic ranges, and staffing has not caught up. It’s also an particularly costly time to fly. Pile on unruly passengers, system outages, baggage charges, carry-on restrictions, meager drink and snack choices, and the trials and tribulations of merely coexisting with different vacationers who insist on lining up on the gate 72 hours earlier than their zone boards and you’ve got a superbly flamable scenario.” • After which there’s all that rattling coughing. Actually kills the vibe.

“Annoyed guests sue Nationwide Park Service over cashless insurance policies” [SFGate]. “Three individuals sued the Nationwide Park Service earlier this month for its coverage to not settle for money funds at a rising variety of places…. The park service instituted cashless insurance policies at roughly 29 places, in keeping with the lawsuit. The plaintiffs mentioned money funds had been refused at websites in Arizona, New York and Georgia.” • Good. Extra like this please. Is money authorized tender, or not?

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