Tuesday, November 10, 2020
I was able to take calls from our new patio yesterday. The view of autumn colors and falling leaves are far more appealing than the small basement bedroom window, visually dwarfed by my desk and monitors. The scenery certainly frames my conversations differently. It reminded me of how important it was to hear about the potentially successful vaccine data with a smaller shadow of the election and from a company that did not accept Warp Speed money. Neither of those is inherently bad, but the context offers an amplified level of credibility and hope.
-----Latest Data---
Cases and deaths are still rising. Cases are at an all-time high.
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 US Regionally - NY. 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.
-----
The vaccine development news was very uplifting yesterday. It is critical to temper our expectations, but Pfizer put a substantial reputational stake in the ground with a press release claiming some very compelling results.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/11/09/covid-vaccine-in-december/
The scientists who run the German company BioNTech (Pfizer's partner in this vaccine) are married and immigrants from Turkey. They sound like lovely people. Their story offers lessons about opportunity, migration, and hard work.
NThttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-biontech-ceo-newsm-idUSKBN27P1ON
MMWR offered yet more impetus to protect ourselves and our loved ones while we wait for a vaccine. The readmission rate amongst hospitalized COVID-19 patients was 9% in early 2020, with the risk of readmission increasing with age. COVID is not a benign illness.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6945e2.htm
And there are still shocking and unbelievable displays of terrible judgment (with consequences!) by people who should know better.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/09/hud-secretary-ben-carson-tests-positive-for-coronavirus.html
While this study is preliminary and limited, the use of commercially-available wearables for more rigorous clinical data gathering is a trend we need to watch. There is a lot of value in understanding the limitations of this study and pondering the potential. There is also the potential for abuse. Understanding this data (how to use, analyze, and understand the predictive value) is a double-edged sword.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.06.20226803v1
A good overview:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201109/Heart-rate-data-from-wearable-devices-helps-predict-SARS-CoV-2-infection.aspx
related: https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/11/09/fda-approves-apple-watch-app-nightware-to-treat-ptsd-nightmares
Infographic(s) of the day: Useless and amusing
http://www.blameitonthevoices.com/2010/12/am-i-horse-flowchart.html
Less useless, less amusing, but evokes a longing for travel
https://i.redd.it/fcpcdhy556x51.jpg
Bonus round--- Cutting corners in the name of dental hygiene.
I have to go to the dentist this morning. My risk/reward calculations have reached a threshold of action. As a result, I will skip on the more philosophical bonus round (compared to, say, military manuals on pigeoneering) and offer up some Monty Python.
In the 1970s, Terry Gilliam made a how-to video describing his sources and techniques for stop-frame animations employed in movies and the Flying Circus. More interesting, he details how using paper and mixed media drove design choices that informed his aesthetic and style. It is an excellent reminder of so many basics - analog animation techniques, humor, and using limitations to your advantage. It is 15 minutes well-spent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otV22Pe4yiM
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
I was able to take calls from our new patio yesterday. The view of autumn colors and falling leaves are far more appealing than the small basement bedroom window, visually dwarfed by my desk and monitors. The scenery certainly frames my conversations differently. It reminded me of how important it was to hear about the potentially successful vaccine data with a smaller shadow of the election and from a company that did not accept Warp Speed money. Neither of those is inherently bad, but the context offers an amplified level of credibility and hope.
-----Latest Data---
Cases and deaths are still rising. Cases are at an all-time high.
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 US Regionally - NY. 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.
-----
The vaccine development news was very uplifting yesterday. It is critical to temper our expectations, but Pfizer put a substantial reputational stake in the ground with a press release claiming some very compelling results.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/11/09/covid-vaccine-in-december/
The scientists who run the German company BioNTech (Pfizer's partner in this vaccine) are married and immigrants from Turkey. They sound like lovely people. Their story offers lessons about opportunity, migration, and hard work.
NThttps://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-biontech-ceo-newsm-idUSKBN27P1ON
MMWR offered yet more impetus to protect ourselves and our loved ones while we wait for a vaccine. The readmission rate amongst hospitalized COVID-19 patients was 9% in early 2020, with the risk of readmission increasing with age. COVID is not a benign illness.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6945e2.htm
And there are still shocking and unbelievable displays of terrible judgment (with consequences!) by people who should know better.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/09/hud-secretary-ben-carson-tests-positive-for-coronavirus.html
While this study is preliminary and limited, the use of commercially-available wearables for more rigorous clinical data gathering is a trend we need to watch. There is a lot of value in understanding the limitations of this study and pondering the potential. There is also the potential for abuse. Understanding this data (how to use, analyze, and understand the predictive value) is a double-edged sword.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.06.20226803v1
A good overview:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20201109/Heart-rate-data-from-wearable-devices-helps-predict-SARS-CoV-2-infection.aspx
related: https://appleinsider.com/articles/20/11/09/fda-approves-apple-watch-app-nightware-to-treat-ptsd-nightmares
Infographic(s) of the day: Useless and amusing
http://www.blameitonthevoices.com/2010/12/am-i-horse-flowchart.html
Less useless, less amusing, but evokes a longing for travel
https://i.redd.it/fcpcdhy556x51.jpg
Bonus round--- Cutting corners in the name of dental hygiene.
I have to go to the dentist this morning. My risk/reward calculations have reached a threshold of action. As a result, I will skip on the more philosophical bonus round (compared to, say, military manuals on pigeoneering) and offer up some Monty Python.
In the 1970s, Terry Gilliam made a how-to video describing his sources and techniques for stop-frame animations employed in movies and the Flying Circus. More interesting, he details how using paper and mixed media drove design choices that informed his aesthetic and style. It is an excellent reminder of so many basics - analog animation techniques, humor, and using limitations to your advantage. It is 15 minutes well-spent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otV22Pe4yiM
Clean hands and sharp minds,
Adam
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