Straight from the horse’s mouth: Jen Psaki & Dr. Fauci at 1:30 Eastern
While we wait, Alexandra Petri: Woman savoring last few hours before getting turned back into vessel
Those 49 years had flown by. But when the court’s clock struck, her run would in all likelihood begin to end. She would stop being a person with autonomy over her own body that the law was bound to respect. She would go back to being a vessel that might potentially contain a person, a vessel whose rights ended once that possibility was considered.
It had been so nice, thinking that she could go anywhere in the United States and the laws would have to acknowledge her right to decide whether she wanted to be pregnant, that any doctor who treated her could give her correct information about what risks she faced, that if her life were threatened, her life would carry weight.
…
She sat on a bench and watched the leaves fall. It had been nice while it lasted, being a person. Getting turned back into a vessel would be unfortunate. But maybe she would not stay a vessel long.It was a little surprising they thought they had the power to do it.
She could see them salivating already at the prospect of having so many people transformed so quickly, and overnight. They seemed to think it was a real possibility.
As if they got to decide. As if she would not fight.
“As if she would not fight.” Read the whole thing.
WaterGirl
“They will begin shortly!”
Darkrose
The link to Petri’s piece is bad.
mali muso
Can’t get the link to work. :(
Spanky
WaPo link.
lowtechcyclist
Try this link: Opinion | Woman enjoys last hours before Supreme Court abortion case turns her back into vessel – The Washington Post
WaterGirl
@Darkrose: @mali muso: @lowtechcyclist:
All better!
WaterGirl
I hear rustling sounds so I think this might be about to start.
Oh, I hear Jen, I think.
Another Scott
Fauci is up, Omicron is detected in California.
Cheers,
Scott.
Betty Cracker
@Another Scott: I wish we knew more about this variant. Tough to say what we can or should do differently at this point. Life is easier for my state’s governor. The answer is: do nothing and stop anyone else from doing something.
mali muso
Just got my booster shot a little over an hour ago at the local walk-in vaccine clinic. Was pleased to see a steady stream of people lined up to get their jabs. Kiddo is getting her first next week. So I guess we’re doing what we can and just hope for the best.
Another Scott
@Betty Cracker: It’s a bit of a contradiction at the moment. The two people in Hong Kong were asymptomatic but supposedly had high viral loads. Rapidly increasing hospitalizations in southern Africa, but from low levels and still low total numbers compared to the West.
Fauci says that the California case was “mild” and the person is recovering. Fully vaccinated, but no booster.
So, my personal feeling at this point is that it MAY be more infectious, but there’s little evidence SO FAR to indicate that it is more dangerous for fully-vaccinated people. I assume that we will know much more before the month is out.
Cheers,
Scott.
JMG
@Another Scott: There are two major institutions in American life that cannot ever ever tolerate a situation where the only rational course of action is “we have to wait and see.” One of them is the stock market. The other, unfortunately, is the news media.
WaterGirl
@Another Scott: Yep, Dr. Fauci keeps saying we will know more in 2.5 to 3 weeks. Unfortunately for holiday planning, by his prediction on timing, we will know more maybe only 2-3 days before Christmas
As we all know, the laws of physics do not respond to our calendars and timetables.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@WaterGirl: Ashish Jha, one of the voices I have come to trust, said on the O’Bros most recent podcast that he is not changing his holiday plans, still trusting in masks and vaccines. And I’ve been oddly reassured that public health people who have always struck me as less-than-optimistic– Laurie Garett, Michael Olsterholm and Peter Hotez– all say that they’re more concerned about Delta.
zhena gogolia
Doocy’s worried about those border crossers. What about all those anti-vaxx Rethugs?
Cermet
So the Wash-Post had some experts answer questions; most is I don’t know but a few nuggets did come out that might be useful – so far, zero reported deaths despite a number of identified cases; that tells me it certainly isn’t super deadly and likely, no worse and could be less. Antidotal evidence indicates it doesn’t produce illnesses any worse then Delta. South Africa wasn’t having a Delta wave (I didn’t know that) so the fact that Omicron has occurred there is absolutely no proof it can infect better than Delta (though, of course, it might – just hasn’t been shown to be.)
So the media is trying to talk out its ass and scare the public to get eyes – at least the Post put some experts out and answered readers questions.
zhena gogolia
They keep asking about rules, mandates, requirements. The idea that they should amplify the message that people NEED TO DO IT THEMSELVES — just not in their vocabulary. Whatever happened to “PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY”?
NotMax
Nutjobs frantically changing their Googling from “horse paste” to “elephant paste.”
//
Ksmiami
@Another Scott: I hope it’s horrible for unvaxxed people- sorry not sorry
opiejeanne
Doocy continues to be a massive idiot, and Psaki let him have his soapbox far longer than I would have. She is amazing, and I will be sorry to see her go.
different-church-lady
Everything sucks EMO.
Chetan Murthy
@Ksmiami: You have nothing to be sorry for. I related a story of someone I know who got exposed to covid by an antivaxxer in-law at a T-day feast. The friend to whom I related the story *immediately* responded with “I hope he dies”. Just like that. And y’know, I agree with my friend.
Ksmiami
@Chetan Murthy: the only way to defeat the evil Rt wing is to ensure more of them die
Fair Economist
@Another Scott: The reports so far of mild disease among the vaccinated are somewhat encouraged *but* most of those so far are travellers and so likely healthier and less prone to serious disease. Combine with the excellent protection from serious disease from the vaccines and even if Omicron is substantially worse we might still have seen only mild disease so far – just not that many cases. It does remind us that the vaccines are quite good and it shows Omicron isn’t an insurmountable risk for the vaxxed, but we still could be substantially worse off than with Delta. Or maybe not! We’ll have a better idea In a few weeks.
On a *personal* level in the US, Omicron isn’t a big issue for the holidays. There’s not enough time for it to spread. On a societal level, perhaps, because public health measures now might make it worse when it does become high frequency, but that requires a societal approach. A minority being super-cautious won’t help much with general spread.
Nobody in particular
Some reporter asked Fauci, or was it Biden, anyway, “What about the mask while we’re eating?”
That’s our media. Dumb as stumps, most of them. We’re doomed. Embrace the suck. Biden, I think, and he said, “Not unless you have a special mask I don’t know about.”
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
“Then she went and voted for Republicans because she was worried about her children hearing CRT.”
Matt McIrvin
@Cermet: Well, they had just HAD a Delta wave, and it had died down. So it’s likely that Omicron is either more transmissible or is capable of some immune escape in people whose resistance comes from prior infection with Delta.
That’s not to say that there would be as much immune escape for vaccinated/boosted people. Even if the antibodies are a worse fit, there’s much more of them.
Gravenstone
@zhena gogolia: Doocy’s only worried about his paycheck. The continued willingness to utter assinine questions ad nauseum reflects that concern.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Nobody in particular:
I just started the “Get Back” Beatles sessions on Disney. Some idiot asks them if there was anything left that any wanted to achieve.
One of the guys clearly was out of fucks to give and said “yeah, maybe I’d like to be an astronaut”. Such a stupid question….
Reverse tool order
We all want to know, and can’t, what the story is on this variant. For most or all of us, what we can do to change that rounds to nothing point nothing nothing. We’re on standby and it all pays the same.
So, a fitting and perhaps amusing diversion to ponder: How do you keep a turkey in suspense?
Your turn.
germy
trollhattan
Stacy Abrams announced she’s running again for GA governor.
Nobody in particular
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
I’m house and dog sitting for a friend for 10 days in December. She has Disney Plus and that is one program I want to see.
Paul was saying just last week or so, in response to another stupid question, about the Stones-Beatles rivalry He said something like, “The Stones are a very competent Blues/Jam band. ”
I’m sure it was good-natured. Apples and Stones. No comparison is warranted. Both great bands in their own right. My favorite Stones album is response to Sgt. Peppers: His Satanic Majesty’s Request
TheTruffle
@trollhattan: Good news! I know people wanted her to run the DNC, but I think she always had her eyes on the governorship, and who could blame her?
Immanentize
@trollhattan: Is that election in 2022 (with Warnock?) Or in 2024? I would guess next year because it is way too early to announce for 2024. That will help Warnock.
Nobody in particular
Brief History of Vaccines from the good government of New Zealand.
Considering the development of inoculation and vaccination, there was something to fear, over 100 years ago. Variolation was the first. Smallpox. They popped the smallpox blisters, dried them until it was a powder, then blew it up the nose. Killed quite a few 200 years ago.
You are a superstitious fool not to partake of this wonderful western science.
different-church-lady
I’ve checked again, and, yes, everything continues to suck.
different-church-lady
@Nobody in particular: The Stones: brilliant singles, lousy albums. BOX!
zhena gogolia
@Nobody in particular: I am mesmerized by Get Back. I only have time / energy to watch a half hour at a time, but it’s the greatest movie ever made.
ETA: The way the psychology of each of the four of them emerges over the course of it is totally hypnotic. At first I found it irritating, but now (almost through part 1) I am ADDICTED!
I have enormously increased respect for McCartney. And Ringo.
trollhattan
@different-church-lady:
Hmm, dukes offered.
These three-album arcs from the two groups were pinnacles of the era:
Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers (the EMI releases, none of that Capitol Yesterday and Today mess)
Beggars Banquet, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers. (Many think the next, Exile on Main Street, is the Stones’ best but I’m not in that camp.)
Ruckus
@Gravenstone:
You may be right.
However.
It is wise to leave open the possibility that he really is that evil – and stupid.
Sam
When the Court overturns Roe and Casey, there will be some protests. It will not change things. The change time is at the ballot box. White women voted for Trump, how to read this as other than they got what they wanted?
brantl
@Ksmiami: Goddammit, stop doing that; let them be the monsters! I would like to retain clear contrast, between us and them. If they kill themselves, we obviously can’t stop them, but we become monsters IF WE REVEL IN IT! Knock it the fuck off!
dww44
@Sam:I happen to think there is a substantial # of white women who don’t mind relinquishing their personal reproductive agency. Somehow this has never been a huge determinant of how white women vote. Maybe a large minority/small minority is okay with voting for an R candidate at any and all times because, even if subsconciously , they’re not gonna vote for a D candidate under any circumstances.
That’s the truth down here in Stacey Abrams land. Just so everyone is prepared, it’s gonna be a steep hill to climb to achieve the closeness of the 2018 race. Those recently passed restrictions on voting have already shown their effectiveness to Republicans. There was a huge increase in the number of rejected Absentee ballots in the Atlanta Mayoral Race and runoff. The turnout was bad. And that was a given to be won by a Democrat of color. Hopefully she will be able to motivate voters of color, just as she did for Warnock and Ossof last year.