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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. November 20, 2023:

A senior fellow at think tank Brookings Metro is predicting that New York State’s impending congestion pricing tax will spread to cities throughout the state and nation in virtually no time, laying the groundwork for additional driving taxes all across the U.S., the group Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free today reports. 

In a controversial 1,440-word piece in Bloomberg last week, Brookings senior fellow Adie Tomer writes: “…chances are the idea will quickly spread to other cities. Residents and officials in Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon are already considering congestion pricing.” He continues: “Once congestion pricing gets off the ground, it can unlock the Holy Grail of transportation pricing: vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees, which would charge for every mile driven, not just those in specific zones.” 

Mr. Tomer’s piece follows a November 7 article in The Atlantic in which environmental activist and former Transportation Alternatives leader Charles Komanoff suggests that the congestion pricing tax should eventually be raised to $100 per trip, per vehicle. “I am a total incrementalist,” he said. The current congestion pricing tax estimate has a $23 cap to enter Manhattan south of 60th Street by vehicle. 

“The public needs to know what’s about to hit them, and their pro-Congestion-Pricing-Tax legislators are doing everything in their power to keep them in the dark,” said  spokesman Joshua Bienstock. “The Congestion Pricing Tax has nothing to do with congestion, air quality, or progressivism; it’s all about sucking additional tax dollars out of already beleaguered New Yorkers. If New York’s Congestion Tax goes through, just watch how many personal transportation taxes will follow all over the state and nation.” 

Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free argues that a Congestion Pricing Tax is unfair and unnecessary. The tax would disproportionately target lower-income New Yorkers, increase dangerous particulate matter in inner city communities already struggling with some of the highest asthma rates in America, and it would slow the revival of Manhattan’s core business districts. The City and State have reported that hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues have been lost following workplace changes prompted by the Covid 19 Pandemic. 

Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free

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	View in browser Outbreak Outlook – Northeast – November 20 RSV rising quickly NOV 20 READ IN APP Welcome to the Northeast edition of Outbreak Outlook! It is only available to paid subscribers. If you wish to become a paid subscriber and access region-specific information, please click the Subscribe Now button below. Thanks for reading! -Caitlin Rivers Subscribed Respiratory diseases Influenza-like illness The past week has seen a general rise in influenza-like illness (ILI) rates across the Northeast. On average, ILI rates in the region have increased from 2.6% to 2.9%, which is similar to the national average. Multiple states are already near or above 4%, including New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. New Jersey posted the largest increase at +0.9%, followed by Connecticut at +0.4%, and New York at +0.4%. Nearly all Northeast states experienced rising ILI, except for Rhode Island which saw a small 0.1% decline. Flu season is definitely underway in the region. Northeast Region: ILI Activity Percent of doctors visits for ILI symptoms Covid-19 Although the Northeast currently has the highest Covid-19 hospitalization rates in the nation, most states in the region are seeing a decline in activity. The regional weekly admission rate dropped from 5.3 to 4.9 per 100,000. The recent summer peak was 7, for reference. Multiple states saw notable declines, including New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. New Hampshire posted the largest decrease. Nearly all Northeast states experienced falling hospitalization rates except for Vermont, which saw a 1.2 increase in hospitalizations per 100,000. Northeast Region Weekly change in key health indicators. COVID: new hospitalizations per 100,000.   I have something new for you this week! The plot above shows how Covid-19 activity changed for each state from one week to the next. The points at the start and the end of the arrow are the hospitalization rates during each of the weeks. The number given in a percent is the percent change. Love it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments. RSV RSV continues to make rapid gains across the Northeast—activity increased another 2 percentage points in the past week. Test positivity is now 10%, up from 8% last week and 6% two weeks ago. Nearly all states in the region are reporting increases this week. Those trends have been sustained for several weeks now.  Massachusetts continues to report the highest case positivity in the region at 15.8%. Pennsylvania has increased to 11.4%, up from 9.4% last week. Maine, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey are all reporting PCR test positivity rates of 6-8%. Vermont continues to stand apart, with a low test positivity of 1.3%; there is insufficient data for Rhode Island. There is no suggestion that RSV has peaked in the region yet; last year test positivity rose to nearly 20% test positivity before declining. As cases continue to rise, remember to wash your hands frequently, clean frequently touched surfaces, and avoid touching your face. Northeast Region: RSV Activity Test Positivity, Percentage Other Respiratory + Stomach Bugs I’m keeping an eye on several other respiratory and stomach bugs, but overall things are looking relatively quiet at the moment in the Northeast. Seasonal coronavirus activity remains low in the Northeast; this past week the numbers dipped a little, although that is likely just a blip, given that this is the time of year when we typically start to see sustained increases in cases. Human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza and adenovirus activity remains low. Over the past two weeks, norovirus (stomach bug) activity has slightly increased, reaching 5.7%. We might be seeing the start of a period of increased spread, which would be in keeping with seasonal trends from the past few years. Northeast Region: Norovirus Activity Test Positivity, Percentage Food recalls The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items: New this week: Multiple brands of pet food – dog, cat, and catfish food (more info here and here) (Note: this poses a risk to pets and to the people that care for them, since Salmonella can be acquired via handling of the contaminated pet food and/or contact with infected animals. Several human cases, including in infants, have been tied to the pet food.) Previously reported: Tyson chicken nuggets (more info) Fresh cantaloupes sold under Malichita label (more info) Multiple brands of Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree (more info) If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts and USDA alerts for foods with undeclared allergens. In Other News An outbreak of Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis has led to the deaths of approximately 155,000 juvenile salmon. These fish were being raised at a Maine fishery focused on breeding endangered Atlantic salmon for wild release. TThe disease was detected shortly before the scheduled release of the fish. To avoid risking infection of the endangered wild population, the year’s stock was destroyed. The outbreak represents a setback to conservation efforts

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Reservations are NOT accepted over the phone. Customers must reserve via the website at:

https://www.westchestercountyairportparking.com/

This link is found from the County airport website by going to: Airport link at the bottom of “Departments” tab

–          Departments

–          Westchester County Airport (way bottom)

–          Ground Transportation (left side bookmarks)

–          Parking Areas (left side bookmarks)

–          Only link there under “Airport Overflow Lot”

On-airport parking phone number for customer service (NOT reserving parking):

914-946-0843. Available 4:30am to last arriving flight (with enough time for customers to get through front of terminal).

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Flu season starts + important recall

Influenza-like illness exceeds baseline. Cinnamon applesauce pouches recalled due to lead contamination.

BY DR. CAITLIN RIVERS NOV 14 ( REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION)

READ IN APP

Good morning! I am writing with a quick, mid-week update of Outbreak Outlook to share some important information.

Influenza-like illness

I was not able to include influenza-like illness (ILI) in my update on Monday because of delays due to the Veteran’s Day holiday. Well, ILI data has now been released, and it confirms that we have crossed the threshold that marks the onset of flu season.

As of the week ending November 4, 2.9% of doctor visits nationwide were for symptoms like fever, cough, or sore throat, up from 2.7% the previous week. This is the second earliest start of the flu season in the past six years.

As usual, children aged 0-4 are the most affected, with 9.3% of their doctor visits being for ILI symptoms. The next most affected age group is people aged 5-24, with 4.7% of doctor visits for ILI symptoms. For older age groups, the percentage of doctor visits for ILI symptoms is 2.2% or lower.

Source: CDC

The Southern region is most affected, with multiple states in the Southeast experiencing “high” or “moderate” levels of ILI. In Florida, for example, around 5% of visits to the doctor were for ILI symptoms. In Georgia, it’s 4.3%.

Alaska, Puerto Rico, and New Mexico are also seeing high levels of activity. In fact, Puerto Rico has declared an influenza epidemic following the hospitalization of at least 1,048 people due to flu. Around half of cases (not hospitalizations, but cases) are in children. Puerto Rico has also already recorded 42 deaths, mostly in unvaccinated older adults.

I suspect that other areas in the U.S., currently showing “low” ILI activity, will see an increase in the upcoming weeks. Get your flu vaccine if you are among the 65% of adults who has not done so yet!

Source: CDC

Important recall

I also want to highlight a significant recall of cinnamon applesauce pouches. While I’ve mentioned this recall in my recent weekly updates, new information has emerged that underscore the recall’s importance.

Several brands of cinnamon applesauce squeeze pouches are being recalled due to dangerously high levels of lead. So far, at least 22 toddlers across 14 states have suffered from lead poisoning from these pouches. The brands currently known to be affected are WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis. However, as investigators continue to trace the source of the contamination, more affected products may be identified.

Lead poisoning is not always obvious. If you think your child has eaten an affected product, talk to your pediatrician about a blood lead test.

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Force of Infection is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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TOURING BATTLE HILL (ON FOOT) SHOWING SITE OF ONE OF THE BATTLE OF WHITE PLANS  WITH 3-wall feature with map of where YOU ARE IN WHITE PLAINS (Top of screen) at The OPTIMUM IGLOO THIS MORNING.

HOME OF BEYOND HUMAN INTELLIGENCE on 2^nd floor of the library

WPCNR TOMORROW AND BEYOND. By John F. Bailey. November 13, 2023:

Forget about whatever you read about artificial intelligence.

There is nothing artificial about it.

It is reality, beyond imagination.

Never did I ever think a machine could write for me!

This can!

APPROACHING CHATTERTON HILL CLIMATIC BATTLE OF WHITE PLAINS SITE

I saw the Optimum Igloo artificial  intelligence three-wall wraparound studio this morning demonstrated by Austin Olney, Digital Media Specialist of White Plains Public Library.

I saw a miracle performing with everything I saw.

Mr. Olney swept away any skepticism I have about “artificial” intelligence being something to fear.

It is a miracle.

The new is always feared.

Because it is a threat to power and the status quo.

The OPTIMUM makes research, writing, design, art, engineering, medicine diagnosis, faster, saving time and money LOTS OF IT.

Story about checkers created by Chatbot by the Igloo “BRAIN IN THE ROOM”

“Beyond Human Intelliegence,” as I call it, has the infinite possibility to stretch the envelope of creative genius in all fields far beyond where man and woman have ever gone before. It will enable the mind to do more with this computer assistant, a superbrain to test,try,invent, faster and more often.

I  would call it “Beyond Human Intellgence” for the way it is stirring the blowing of winds of change, progress,  possibilities of ultimate creative, research and discovery accelerating at warp speed.

It uses Chatbot, the fastest growing internet product ever, (Mr. Olney said) grew in a month faster than any internet launch. Midjourney is the other program that teams with Chatbot for graphics. Mr. Olney describes the two programs as “top of the line.”

Olney showed how chatbot creates a definition of  one word such as a checkers, and comes up with a definition in a second or two.

I remember the hour or so I used to spend coming up with short punchy headlines when I was in advertising. My tongue was hanging out seeing this.

The “beyond human brain” can build on rough advertisng copy or news article if asked to “enhance it.”

In less than 20 seconds  it fleshes out a new article in punchy easy flowing copy that weeds out the sometimes awkward phrasing written in the heat of a deadline.

The awesome brain in a room makes every creative person able to create faster in any field.

Mr. Olney then showed how I could instruct chatbot to create a story and then and then…a short play with dialogue,  based on the rough story the machine had created out of a rough story there– it appeared.  

And there it was in seconds…better than Brenda Starr!

I cannot tell you how hard writing is, the revising, the agonizing over words.

The miracle in a room  can take your rough idea and give you a start, load in facts and background, then cut it for you.

The Optimum Igloo is being demonstrated monthly and it is worth seeing.

This miracle thing I saw today is so good The New York Times is suing it over copyright.

Chatbot and Midjourney collect content and store it and add to the store of knowledge billions and billions of facts, pictures, that can be incorporated faster than you can say “Jack Robinson.” You pick and choose.

This Giant Brain in a room will shake copyright law up. I have often  thought that if you  disseminate copyrighted material on a website for example it is fair use to copy portions of it. The Times for example makes you pay for access to their website. So if you pay for access to the material on their website or by their paper you should be able to copy it because it has already been disseminated to you for pay.

Chatbot prohibits  political material, discussion or dissemination of violence, and sexually oriented content from being created. Something many platforms refuse to do effectively.

Olney pointed out that Chatbot does not verify facts. So if you include them you need to do your own checking.

The Midjourney graphics creates wraparound three-dimensional sequences. Mr. Olney is currently creating scenic tours of The Battle of White Plains with it. Which brings the terrain of that epic battle alive.

I no longer fear artificial intelligence.

Neither should you.

It is great for training, I can see it being used for aviation, the military, police training

MR. OLNEY DRIVING A ROUTE IN WHITE PLAINS DRAMATICALLY GIVING A REALITY  WRAP AROUND VIEW

It will dramatically enhance the way children learn in schools that will adapt to it. It is adaptible to cellphone technology,  I think, at-home learning, etc.

It will teach good writing by example.

It will demonstrate math by graphics and ultimately throw out those geometric formulas on regents by demonstrating with graphics.

It will teach English grammar faster.

It will revolutionize entertainment, bring stars of the past who have  now passed away back to life in new movies, scripts, sitcoms and concerts of artists touring the world. Humphrey Bogart will be back in his glory. Barbara Stanwyck, John Wayne.

Chatbot is now free.

I have got to try this and so should you.