covid and cambium
In the midst of a global pandemic, it is natural that journalists would want to get their hands on any and all data to help contextualize the virus and its spread. But not all data is good data, especially with the U.S. government not serving as a reliable clearinghouse for covid data.
There’s a lot of great efforts out there to pull together data on various aspects of covid at the federal level (notably the Covid Tracking Project) being done by folks toiling away and trying to build quality data from the ground up. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s a necessary one.
It allows reporters to best communicate about covid with citizens. One service that reporters have been doing well with the data is explaining what it means — and doesn’t — to readers. Derek Thompson did a great job last week of explaining what we know about the data as it relates to deaths. “The case-death gap remains a bonfire of unknowns. And, as we’ve seen, uncertainty is a cavity where propaganda can breed.”
Aside from the data on the virus’ spread, the public finally got a glimpse of some of the data that news organizations have been suing for on loans disbursed to small businesses looking to keep jobs through some of the pandemic. The data was quite dirty, but otherwise, it appeared to be all there. But what was there may be worse than just dirty data.
Reporters from outlets across the country have noted conversations with businesses have found that records in the data may be wrong. Some businesses say the loans that they recieved were too big. Others said they did not recieve or even apply for loans through the program.
Keep an eye out for more of these stories, as there appears to have been no one at the federal level checking this data for accuracy prior to its release. While the federal government has many dedicated public servants working on its data, this one clearly slipped through the cracks.
One of my current projects in the woodshop is for Caitlin Gibson, a friend and coworker who had to have a 150+ year old red oak tree taken down in her yard and wanted a piece of it to remain in her home. So after it was cut down, I hauled about 600 pounds of trunk back to my woodshop and let it sit for awhile to dry out.
Dealing with the trunks is not something I am used to doing. The lumber I usually get is already (relatively) flat, either in squared boards or live-edge planks. I don’t normally get to see the tree horizontally and the circles of the wood truly are lovely.
In trunks, the obvious focus for most is on the wood grain, with a secondary focus on the bark, when it’s still intact. But I’m struck what holds it all together: the cambium.
The cambium is the part of a tree that produces new wood and bark. It’s what allows a tree to continue to grow and thrive. It’s not a glamorous job, but it’s a necessary one.
It’s the reason that Caitlin and her family got to enjoy that tree, even though none of them was around when it was planted. It shaped the tree for years without taking away the focus. And it’s why it will play a part in the final build.
datawork
How the coronavirus exposed health disparities in communities of color — “As states across the United States began publishing preliminary coronavirus case and death data, a pattern emerged. In cities like New York, Chicago and the District, coronavirus deaths were disproportionately affecting black and brown communities. Additional data suggested that certain chronic health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes and others, were associated with complications from covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. What once was perceived as a disease that affected only the elderly in a few areas was now wreaking havoc in the bodies of 20- and 30-year-old people of color across the nation.” [The Washington Post]
'Code blue': Texas COVID deaths higher than publicly reported - and spiking — “In the early months of the pandemic, it seemed as if Texas as a whole, and Houston specifically, was mostly spared the worst of the crisis, especially compared with the Northeast. In a city and state so big, the number of cases remained relatively small. So, too, did the number of dead, with about 3,100 reported in Texas so far. Overrun hospitals and makeshift morgues happened elsewhere — not in a city with the largest medical center complex in the world. But Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows Texas is one of 24 states that publicly reports only confirmed COVID-19 deaths, not “probable” ones. And with rampant testing shortages in Texas, many patients likely died without being screened for the disease, experts said.” [Houston Chronicle]
Is Your State Doing Enough Coronavirus Testing? — “The number of daily coronavirus tests being conducted in the United States is only 36 percent of the level considered necessary to mitigate the spread of the virus, as many states struggle to ramp up testing and catch up to the recent surge in cases. An average of 656,000 people per day were tested over the past week, according to data collected by the Covid Tracking Project, far below the current nationwide target of 1.8 million daily tests. The target, which is based on a methodology developed by researchers at the Harvard Global Health Institute, is different for each state and varies over time as infection rates change.” [The New York Times]
At Least 120 Nursing Homes, 1,000 Deaths Removed From Public List of COVID Outbreaks — “To date, the state has removed at least 120 outbreak facilities and the deaths of more than 1,000 residents and staff from the online list. In the fine print, the state explains that facilities are removed from the list when 14 days have passed with no new cases. Never mind if existing residents are still infected or if dozens have died in the past few weeks or months.” [NBC4]
Explore the SBA data on businesses that received PPP loans — “The Small Business Administration and Treasury Department disclosed loan-level data showing 660,000 loans on Monday, offering an in-depth look at one of the biggest economic stimulus programs ever assembled. The Paycheck Protection Program disclosure includes the names of 660,000 small businesses and nonprofit organizations that received at least $150,000 in funding. Although that is less than 15 percent of the total number of loans, it is the most detailed disclosure yet on one of the largest economic stimulus packages created by the federal government, part of the $2 trillion Cares Act.” [The Washington Post]
woodwork
If you got down this far, I’d love to know what you thought. This is my first foray into the newsletter game so I’m far from an expert on it. If you have any feedback, please let me know. Thanks for reading!
Enjoyed reading, and I look forward to more.
One thing I would like to see is more outbound links with relevant information about wood/woodworking. For example, after reading this, I did my own search to find out how or if cambium is different from sapwood and how that might potentially incorporate into a design. I'm a pre-novice woodworker (15 years of dreams have materialized in a single book purchase, plus several loaded and emptied shopping carts) and always appreciate something that directs me to new and useful information. Often, it seems what I find already assumes a base level of knowledge I don't yet have or is simply trying to sell things to people who don't know better.
This is great, man. And thanks for highlighting my colleague's story on Texas/Houston COVID deaths.