Wednesday, December 16, 2020
My last 24 hours have been a personal microcosm of the state of our country. I found myself trying to explain parts of the U.S. healthcare payment system to an international friend via text. Many texts, to be sure. Second, I learned that someone attempted to file for unemployment benefits using my identity. (Of course, it may be a very sublime way to get fired, but I am reasonably sure I am still employed since email works). And last night, I spent 3+ hours as part of my committee work for the American Medical Association/Renal Physicians Association, helping define the costs and labor associated with COVID care in the physician office setting for CMS. (Things in the U.S. are only real when they have a price, right?) I have mixed feelings about the "best" structure for U.S. healthcare and the social safety-net system. But, selfishly, it is clear I would have more cell minutes, less paperwork, and more free time under alternative models of care and welfare.
-----Latest Data---
Nothing good here. You may want to just skip to the articles.
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
-----
Today's theme: Sentient, bipedal sapiens will win in time (Darwinian-ly speaking). But it still feels pyrrhic.
My favorite Twitter thread of the day yesterday - state dashboards are adding the # of vaccine doses administered!
https://twitter.com/alexismadrigal/status/1338946949144141826
Moderna's vaccine is making its way to an emergency use authorization.
https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/15/fda-scientists-endorse-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-as-documents-provide-new-hints-on-efficacy/
And, the data is looking good
https://twitter.com/VincentRK/status/1338886391468580868
Sometimes cats win better than homo sapiens. But I think we knew that.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/cats-recover-from-covid-19-very-quickly-scientists-want-to-find-out-why-652102
Dogs seem to win differently, too (assuming you find sniffing human armpits winning). More on COVID sniffing dogs. I am waiting for mine.
https://www.studyfinds.org/dogs-detect-covid-by-sniffing-armpits/
I think bats were the losers this year. Indeed, they are leaving 2020 as my least favorite mammal.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/12/where-did-coronavirus-come-from-covid
Your coffee read of the day - The 12/14 Atlantic article on How Science Beat the Virus. Enjoy.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/01/science-covid-19-manhattan-project/617262/
Infographic(s) of the day: Periodic Table of Disappointment and Irony
My kids have a poster of the periodic table of the presidents. Ironically, it offers no additive structure or understanding of U.S. history. One spends more time figuring out the author's logic in shoe-horning our presidents into a periodic table structure.
It turns out someone collects periodic tables, in all forms:
https://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php?Button=Non-Chemistry+PTs
Amongst the hundreds, the periodic table of meat drew my attention. WTF?
https://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php?PT_id=320
Sadly, none of these capture the subtlety and impressive organization that the actual periodic table conveys.
Here is some useful background:
https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/periodic-table-its-more-just-chemistry-and-physics
----Bonus Round - Monthly Boxes
In 2019, Universal Yums, a monthly gift subscription box of snacks from various countries, started arriving at our house. In the last 12 months, we have sampled the contents of quick-mart shelves from Italy, Russia, Colombia, Egypt, Thailand, the U.K., the Philippines, Scandinavia (not a country!), Brazil, France, and Poland.
https://www.universalyums.com/snacks
Two themes prevail:
1) If the potato chip origin story of being a U.S. or U.K. invention is true, Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples missed this cultural weapon of mass consumption. Every. Country. Sells. Weird. Potato. Chips. Lamb and jelly, paprika, chicken. The world could unite on this item alone.
https://www.eatthis.com/weirdest-potato-chip-flavors/
2) Wafer cookies are ever-present. And, apparently, the easiest mass-produced dessert.
It turns out you can buy other, even more esoteric gift boxes this holiday season:
Monthly box for those that love and raise chickens - from Henny and Roo
https://hennyandroo.cratejoy.com/
Sniffz for Whipz, a U.S. made car air freshener of the month club. This company differentiates itself on the number of fresheners and unique scents. I would not want to smell their target audience.
https://sniffzforwhipz.com/
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
My last 24 hours have been a personal microcosm of the state of our country. I found myself trying to explain parts of the U.S. healthcare payment system to an international friend via text. Many texts, to be sure. Second, I learned that someone attempted to file for unemployment benefits using my identity. (Of course, it may be a very sublime way to get fired, but I am reasonably sure I am still employed since email works). And last night, I spent 3+ hours as part of my committee work for the American Medical Association/Renal Physicians Association, helping define the costs and labor associated with COVID care in the physician office setting for CMS. (Things in the U.S. are only real when they have a price, right?) I have mixed feelings about the "best" structure for U.S. healthcare and the social safety-net system. But, selfishly, it is clear I would have more cell minutes, less paperwork, and more free time under alternative models of care and welfare.
-----Latest Data---
Nothing good here. You may want to just skip to the articles.
Global-View:
https://www.ft.com/content/a2901ce8-5eb7-4633-b89c-cbdf5b386938
Nationally:
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-chart/?areas=usa&areas=gbr&areasRegional=usny&areasRegional=usca&areasRegional=usfl&areasRegional=ustx&areasRegional=usco&cumulative=0&logScale=0&perMillion=1&values=cases
Also, look at https://covidtracking.com/data
The U.S. Regionally - N.Y. Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html
About the data:
https://covidtracking.com/about-data/visualization-guide is the best resource to understand data visualization and data integrity.
-----
Today's theme: Sentient, bipedal sapiens will win in time (Darwinian-ly speaking). But it still feels pyrrhic.
My favorite Twitter thread of the day yesterday - state dashboards are adding the # of vaccine doses administered!
https://twitter.com/alexismadrigal/status/1338946949144141826
Moderna's vaccine is making its way to an emergency use authorization.
https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/15/fda-scientists-endorse-moderna-covid-19-vaccine-as-documents-provide-new-hints-on-efficacy/
And, the data is looking good
https://twitter.com/VincentRK/status/1338886391468580868
Sometimes cats win better than homo sapiens. But I think we knew that.
https://www.jpost.com/health-science/cats-recover-from-covid-19-very-quickly-scientists-want-to-find-out-why-652102
Dogs seem to win differently, too (assuming you find sniffing human armpits winning). More on COVID sniffing dogs. I am waiting for mine.
https://www.studyfinds.org/dogs-detect-covid-by-sniffing-armpits/
I think bats were the losers this year. Indeed, they are leaving 2020 as my least favorite mammal.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/12/where-did-coronavirus-come-from-covid
Your coffee read of the day - The 12/14 Atlantic article on How Science Beat the Virus. Enjoy.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/01/science-covid-19-manhattan-project/617262/
Infographic(s) of the day: Periodic Table of Disappointment and Irony
My kids have a poster of the periodic table of the presidents. Ironically, it offers no additive structure or understanding of U.S. history. One spends more time figuring out the author's logic in shoe-horning our presidents into a periodic table structure.
It turns out someone collects periodic tables, in all forms:
https://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php?Button=Non-Chemistry+PTs
Amongst the hundreds, the periodic table of meat drew my attention. WTF?
https://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php?PT_id=320
Sadly, none of these capture the subtlety and impressive organization that the actual periodic table conveys.
Here is some useful background:
https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/periodic-table-its-more-just-chemistry-and-physics
----Bonus Round - Monthly Boxes
In 2019, Universal Yums, a monthly gift subscription box of snacks from various countries, started arriving at our house. In the last 12 months, we have sampled the contents of quick-mart shelves from Italy, Russia, Colombia, Egypt, Thailand, the U.K., the Philippines, Scandinavia (not a country!), Brazil, France, and Poland.
https://www.universalyums.com/snacks
Two themes prevail:
1) If the potato chip origin story of being a U.S. or U.K. invention is true, Churchill's History of the English Speaking Peoples missed this cultural weapon of mass consumption. Every. Country. Sells. Weird. Potato. Chips. Lamb and jelly, paprika, chicken. The world could unite on this item alone.
https://www.eatthis.com/weirdest-potato-chip-flavors/
2) Wafer cookies are ever-present. And, apparently, the easiest mass-produced dessert.
It turns out you can buy other, even more esoteric gift boxes this holiday season:
Monthly box for those that love and raise chickens - from Henny and Roo
https://hennyandroo.cratejoy.com/
Sniffz for Whipz, a U.S. made car air freshener of the month club. This company differentiates itself on the number of fresheners and unique scents. I would not want to smell their target audience.
https://sniffzforwhipz.com/
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
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