Month: February 2021

Categories
Health

David Katzenstein, AIDS Researcher With Deal with Africa, Dies at 69

David Katzenstein, AIDS Researcher With Focus on Africa, Dies at 69

This obituary is part of a series about people who died from the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

Dr. David Katzenstein was perhaps a dreamer, “with sometimes brilliant and sometimes a little aloof ideas,” said a colleague recently. But from the start he was in a biosphere that spawned new undiscovered and casual killers, not an ivory tower researcher looking at the world through a microscope.

After studying medicine, he did an internship at the University of New Mexico, where his work with indigenous peoples became a permanent commitment to helping underserved populations prevent and control infectious diseases.

As a virologist and clinician, he has not only contributed to advancing the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV and AIDS for 35 years. He also made these techniques available to middle- and low-income patients in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Katzenstein, professor emeritus of infectious diseases and global health at Stanford Medicine, California, died on January 25 in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he had moved after retiring in 2016. He was 69 years old. The cause was Covid-19, said his stepdaughter Melissa Sanders-Self.

“Imbued with a passionate belief in social justice, David Katzenstein had an overwhelming influence on the fight against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Dr. Lloyd Minor, dean of Stanford University medical school, in a statement.

David Allenberg Katzenstein was born on January 3, 1952 in Hartford, Connecticut, to physicist Henry Katzenstein and clinical psychologist Constance (Allenberg) Katzenstein.

He graduated from the University of California at San Diego in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and received a medical degree there in 1977.

He married Sharon Mayes, who died in 2007. In addition to his stepdaughter, his sisters Ruth Souza and Amy Harrington survive him. his brother Rob Katzenstein; two bootlegs; and a step great-granddaughter.

After his stay in San Diego, Dr. Katzenstein at the University of California at Davis and the University of Minnesota until 1986.

While at the University of California, the International Antiviral Society-USA said he established a relationship with the Department of Medical Microbiology at the University of Zimbabwe Medical School and became “one of the first US-based HIV researchers to do the committed to work in this region around the world. “

From 1987 to 1989, Dr. Katzenstein as Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research of the Food and Drug Administration.

In 1989, he moved to Stanford Faculty as Assistant Clinical Professor of Infectious Diseases and was appointed Assistant Medical Director of Stanford’s AIDS Clinical Trial Unit, which, among other things, conducted clinical trials of antiretroviral drugs that prolong the lives of people with HIV

He focused on the challenges posed by resistance to HIV antiviral drugs and was one of the first researchers to publicize the problem in Africa.

In Zimbabwe, he directed the Institute of Biomedical Research and Education in Harare, where he trained clinical researchers, introduced advanced diagnostic and monitoring techniques into community health programs, and continued to publish research studies until his death.

Categories
Business

Robert Altman, Video Recreation Mogul Who Survived Scandal, Dies at 73

Robert Altman, Video Game Mogul Who Survived Scandal, Dies at 73

Mr. Altman’s survivors include Mrs. Carter and her son, a daughter, Jessica Carter Altman, a singer and lawyer; and two sisters, Susan and Nancy Altman.

After giving up banking and the law, Mr. Altman founded ZeniMax, based in Rockville, Md., In 1999 and then worked with a software developer, Christopher Weaver, of Bethesda Softworks until a dispute arose.

As the parent company of Bethesda, ZeniMax has devoured other brands. When concerns about violent video games were raised, he filled the company’s advisory board with political figures, including Robert Trump, the former president’s younger brother and Terry McAuliffe, the former Democratic chairman.

For a man whose entire professional life has been shaped by just one person, Mr. Altman’s successful career transition may not have been as steep as it seemed. James Altman quoted ZeniMax General Counsel Grif Lesher as saying that his father was so convinced of his own creativity that he would not hesitate to rewrite Shakespeare because he insisted “it can be improved.”

Devoting almost a decade to self-defense has freed Mr. Altman from further ambitions in banking, corporate law or capital power politics.

“Until your picture is on the front page of the Washington Post, until you are charged and many false allegations are made, it is very difficult to understand what it is,” he said in a television interview with Charlie Rose in 1993.

No wonder Fallout 3, one of the video games his company developed, invited gamers on a 23rd-century adventure to the ruins of post-catastrophic Washington when he switched careers. His favorite, his son said, was The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrm, which gives players the opportunity to “live a different life in a different world” and play “any type of character imaginable.”

Categories
World News

U.S. is ‘nonetheless struggling to maneuver away from fossil fuels’ 

U.S. is 'still struggling to move away from fossil fuels' 

The world’s largest carbon-emitting nations have lagged far behind their competitors in tackling a “global climate emergency”, according to new research.

The Green Future Index, released by MIT Technology Review late last month, measures and rates 76 nations and territories for their progress in building a low-carbon future. It found that China and the United States continue to lag behind Europe and other parts of the world in decarbonization.

“Europe is fast becoming a leading climate company with 15 of the top 20 countries in the index,” Claire Beatty, editorial director at MIT Technology Review Insights, told CNBC.

The open assessment underscores the slow progress that major polluters are making in their efforts to decouple their energy systems and economies from fossil fuels, despite new pledges to prioritize clean technology, industry and infrastructure in their post-pandemic recovery plans.

At the top of the Green Future Index is Iceland, a nation with a strong track record in clean energy generation and carbon capture technology. This is followed by Denmark (2nd), Norway (3rd), France (4th) and Ireland (5th).

The index takes into account five pillars, including carbon emissions, the share of renewable energies in energy consumption, environmentally friendly initiatives of a society, innovations in decarbonization and the effectiveness of national climate policy.

“Many of these countries, especially in Northern Europe, are very ambitious in decarbonising and building green infrastructures into their energy and transportation industries,” said Beatty.

Beyond the European bloc, the survey reveals a far more troubling history of global efforts to address the global climate challenge.

Great country ranking

The largest carbon emitting nations in the world had poor results. India (21st) was well ahead of the US (40th) and China (45th) in overall decarbonization efforts.

Despite strong emissions growth, India said India was “rapidly adopting renewable energy and building some of the world’s largest solar systems”. Even so, India still relies heavily on coal for cheap power generation and jobs.

Researchers said the United States, responsible for 15% of global emissions, “is still struggling to move away from fossil fuels and carbon-intensive agriculture.” The Joe Biden government pledges to reverse the rolling back on environmental regulations and make the US a 100% clean energy economy with net zero emissions by 2050.

“The lack of political leadership in the US on climate and energy over the past four years has been very problematic,” Kurt Waltzer, executive director of the research organization Clean Air Task Force, told CNBC.

“The US has seen significant growth in renewable energy, but it started from a very small base. To truly move to a decarbonised energy system, the US needs to set clear requirements in conjunction with energy innovation strategies that will keep all sectors out of emissions cause, “Waltzer added.

China, responsible for 28% of global emissions, has pledged to hit net carbon zero by 2060, but progress is slow. Coal continues to play a key role in China’s energy mix.

“National climate ambitions are currently too low – an issue that will be the main theme of COP26 later this year – but it is important that we do not treat all countries equally,” said Waltzer.

“The industrialized countries should lead with mandates and innovation policies that create decarbonised energy markets. Developing countries must incorporate innovation into economic development and plan longer-term routes to net zero,” he added.

Middle East Progress

The Middle East’s petroeconomics also underperformed, even if the rich Gulf states continue to push ahead with their climate plans.

Morocco (26th) was the highest ranking country in the Middle East and North Africa. Over 40% of the country’s electricity is now generated from renewable sources.

Israel (38th) took second place in the region and promised to get 13% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025. The UAE (43rd) took third place.

Petrostats like Saudi Arabia (61st), Russia (73rd) and Iran (74th) were classified as “climate protection” because of “a lack of progress and commitment to the development of a modern, clean and innovative economy”. Qatar was ranked 76th at the bottom of the index.

The report said the pressure on oil revenues associated with Covid-19 would likely delay national economic diversification programs and further stall emissions reduction efforts.

Categories
Health

What you possibly can and may’t do after getting the Covid vaccine, in response to Dr. Kavita Patel

What you can and can't do after getting the Covid vaccine, according to Dr. Kavita Patel

Even after being fully vaccinated against Covid, some public health precautions will still be needed before further data can be collected on the vaccines, said Dr. Kavita Patel told CNBC on Friday.

It is clear that Pfizer and Moderna’s two-shot vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness and death from Covid-19, Patel said in a “Squawk Box” interview. Currently, it is less known how well the vaccines reduce coronavirus transmission.

In other words, someone who has been vaccinated has greatly reduced their risk of actually getting the coronavirus, but Patel claims that precautions will still be needed in the coming months when a small group gathers and one person in this one Group was not vaccinated.

“When you are in a household with young children [who don’t yet qualify for the vaccine] or even children at increased risk … or even yourself, if you are at increased risk despite being vaccinated, you should take precautions indoors while wearing masks. If possible, stay outdoors with people, ”said Patel, a Washington, DC family doctor and non-resident of the Brookings Institution.

“The only reason I’m saying this is that we need more data to understand the risk of transmission,” she added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week updated their quarantine guidelines for people who have been fully vaccinated. Both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines require two doses for complete protection. The CDC now says people exposed to the coronavirus won’t need quarantine within three months of being fully vaccinated if they don’t develop symptoms.

Like Patel, the CDC recognizes that the risk of one vaccinated person passing the virus on to another is “uncertain”. The reason for the modified quarantine policy, according to the CDC, lies in the vaccines, which are highly effective in preventing the development of symptomatic Covid.

This is important because, according to the CDC, it is believed that people with Covid symptoms transmit the virus more than asymptomatic people. Because of this, the agency said a fully vaccinated person who shows no symptoms does not need to be quarantined.

The CDC defines full vaccination as two weeks after receiving the second vaccine with two doses, or two weeks after receiving a vaccine with a single vaccine. Johnson & Johnson has filed for emergency approval for its single-dose vaccine and an advisory panel will look into it at a meeting later this month.

Patel said she believes the CDC quarantine guide could be updated again if more Americans are vaccinated. But at this stage of the pandemic, she said, the US is in “an interim period.” Although she said roughly one in three Americans has either been vaccinated or developed natural antibodies to coronavirus because of a previous infection, “the other two people still have plenty of opportunities to encourage the virus to spread, especially given these more communicable variants. ” . “

To illustrate this, Patel offered insights into her personal approach to aspects of life after she was vaccinated. The former Obama administration official said she continues to wear a mask in public even though she is confident she will not get sick and die from Covid.

“I’m still doing all the things we’ve talked about – which we’re pretty tired of – until we have more data that I can’t give [the virus] someone who was not vaccinated, said Patel, who served as director of politics with the Obama White House Bureau of Interstate Affairs and Public Engagement, where she worked on health initiatives.

However, Patel said there are reasons to be optimistic and mentioned how she is thinking about the possibility of seeing her parents soon. “Because I’ve been vaccinated and after they went in a few weeks after that second dose, I’ll be more comfortable talking about risks because it’s not 100% that they don’t catch the virus, but I feel comfortable when I have a little meeting with them when we are all vaccinated together, “she said.

While vaccine availability is currently limited, Patel noted recent comments from Dr. Anthony Fauci on NBC’s “TODAY” Show. The nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases expects it to be “open season” for Covid vaccinations by April. If Fauci’s forecast comes true, Patel believes that by the summer more Americans will be able to gather together safely.

“As the months go by, more people in your household, and possibly in another household, like your parents or grandparents, will be vaccinated, which could make smaller gatherings safer,” said Patel. “We can look forward to that because we’ve been holding back for over a year, some of us, to see older parents and relatives at high risk.”

Categories
Business

How NASCAR plans to get well from a tough 2020

How NASCAR plans to recover from a rough 2020

# 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet driver Bubba Wallace prepares for the NASCAR Cup Series Super Start Batteries 400 presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas on July 23, 2020 .

Jamie Squire | Getty Images

A welcoming environment.

This is what NASCAR President Steve Phelps said when speaking to CNBC about how the sport wants to be perceived after its defining moment in 2020

“That has been Bubba’s mantra all the back of the season since June,” Phelps said. “It’s inviting and inclusive.”

Phelps did his media rounds before NASCAR returns on Sunday with one of its key events, the Daytona 500. In his third year as president, Phelps is tasked with repairing the organization that once drew 11 million viewers to its signature race.

NASCAR hit the headlines in 2020 when it banned the Confederate flag last June. It was behind driver Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, who had a backlash after calling for the ban. And then Wallace was at the center of a noose accusation.

Previously, driver Kyle Larson used a racist arc when engaging with a live video game community. This brought NASCAR into the spotlight, which no sports company wants. It had to face its problems to move forward.

“It was the most challenging year in our sporting history, but I would say it was the most enjoyable and successful in our sporting history,” said Phelps.

Now comes the challenging part: creating a welcoming environment by considering race and diversity issues and thereby repairing NASCAR’s business.

Former NBA Chicago Bulls Guardian Michael Jordon held the crowd high during pre-race ceremonies prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 22, 2010 in Concord, North Carolina.

John Harrelson | Getty Images

Bubba, Jordan, Pitbull and… Snoop Dogg?

After Wallace’s departure from Richard Petty Motorsports, basketball icon Michael Jordan formed the 23X1 racing team together with well-respected driver Denny Hamlin. They recruited Wallace as a top driver.

I am a good move for NASCAR, which is betting that Jordan will spark new interest.

“We’re thrilled to have Michael here,” said Phelps. “I think this will generate considerable interest in itself. Like most owners, Michael only wants to be successful on the track,” he added.

The 23X1 team has already won top brand sponsors including McDonald’s, Toyota and DoorDash.

Wallace has not yet recorded a victory in his career. It has to be successful for NASCAR to get its Tiger Woods-style PGA Tour moment that draws in minority fans. He had a strong night qualifying for the Daytona 500 in 2021, finishing second in Duel 2 and finishing sixth on the grid on Sunday.

One person who spoke to CNBC about Wallace’s influence cited Danica Patrick as an example of how things can go when Wallace doesn’t win. The person asked not to be identified due to sensitivity to the subject.

Patrick set records in the sport as a driver in 2012 and cast a positive light on diversity, the person said. Despite being well known, she struggled and finally decided to leave for a full day in 2017.

NASCAR has the ability to increase viewership and engagement by using Wallace as an entry point. Pop star Pitbull is also a NASCAR team partner. He joined the Trackhouse Racing Team in January.

“I’m very optimistic about NASCAR this season,” said Dan Cohen, senior vice president of Octagon’s global media rights advisory group. “You’re back on your schedule. You have Bubba Wallace – a good storyline. You have got celebrity owners involved, which adds a little flair.”

A former NASCAR team owner, who spoke to CNBC on condition of anonymity, said NASCAR should attract even more celebrity owners. Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg was mentioned by name.

Phelps said, “There are some names that have been thrown away. I don’t know if any of them will be used.”

Bubba Wallace, driver of the # 43 Victory Junction Chevrolet, takes a selfie with NASCAR drivers that put him at the top of the grid as a token of solidarity with the driver ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 on June 22nd at Talladega Superspeedway. 2020 in Talladega, Alabama.

Chris Graythen | Getty Images

NASCAR marketing strategy

In addition to celebrities and Wallace’s potential success, NASCAR needs a marketing strategy that targets a minority, suggested longtime marketing director Tony Ponturo.

How will Phelps and the company sell NASCAR to more diverse communities? What will it do to attract newer fans onto the track?

Ponturo, the former vice president of global media sports and entertainment marketing for Anheuser-Busch, suggested that NASCAR avoid “overcomplicated things” like the playoff system.

“I think they confuse more people than they educate,” said Ponturo. “As a sports fan, I couldn’t tell you how your entire system really works.”

He said a simplistic approach should work, adding, “You have to go to red and blue states and urban communities so that consumers have a reason to spend time playing the sport. And you have to work hard on that.”

George Pyne, CEO and founder of Bruin Sports Capital, agreed. Pyne served as NASCAR’s chief operating officer, helping him finalize a $ 4.5 billion media legal pact before leaving the sport in 2005

“You have to market the sport to them and a driver, a team that could make it more relevant to them,” said Pyne. “And you have to talk about why this product is interesting.”

Pyne suggested better storytelling as a method. He said NASCAR’s promotion for Wallace could be action, and NASCAR could tell the audience what goes into building a car by showing more engagement behind the scenes.

Presenting more stories that aren’t drivers could help NASCAR as well. In 2018, Brehanna made Daniels story when she joined a top NASCAR pit crew and became the first black woman to join a team.

“You have to tell the story about people,” said Pyne. “And when you can do all of this, things get interesting. The human part of it is a big part too.”

Ryan Newman, driver of the # 6 Koch Industries Ford, drives during the 62nd Annual NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 on February 17, 2020 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Mike Ehrmann | Getty Images

Back to business

Building a new fan base takes patience and time and starts with Daytona.

Like other sports leagues, NASCAR touts its metrics, suggesting that its unique audience has grown by 17%. But money is made through sponsorship support and television viewers. And Daytona has suffered a loss in the past ten years.

In 2002 the number of spectators rose to over 18 million. In 2017 it was around 11 million and in 2019 9 million. A weather-related postponement forced the 2020 race to last two days and attracted an average of 7.3 million viewers.

Marketing managers and NASCAR experts point out various things, including the failed “Car of Tomorrow” project and a charter system that turned off long-time fans. The great recession was to blame and affected participation, while NASCAR retired stars like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

It created a lack of interest and the number of viewers fell.

Worse still, the decision to move NASCAR to the Fox Sports and NBC Sports cable channels contributed to the loss of television exposure. It might help now that NBC shift its races to the USA Network, which reaches 86 million households, compared to NBCSN’s 80 million. The current $ 4.4 billion rights deal runs through 2024, after which NASCAR could run elsewhere.

According to advertising company MediaRadar, marketers have also declined. The company submitted data to CNBC showing 865 advertisers (for a total of $ 182 million) served NASCAR programs in 2020, up from 946 ads ($ 291 million) in 2019. MediaRadar collects advertising data from marketers through a variety of media channels including TV and online.

To counter this, NASCAR is aiming to attract attention by returning a dirt road across the Bristol Motor Speedway. Sport hasn’t seen this in over 50 years. And expect more marketing for popular drivers like 2020 champion Chase Elliott. Even the return of Larson, who was suspended for his mistake, engenders intrigue.

“The sport has a lot of momentum,” said Phelps. “And I think that will continue in 2021.”

The outside executives trust Phelps to deliver on time.

“Phelps is a smart marketer, a smart businessman,” Cohen said. “He understands – they have to change and adapt and adapt. He understands that they have to be different.”

Pyne added, “He’s a good person; a sincere person. I think he’s committed to doing the right thing.”

It’s the new NASCAR: a large, welcoming environment.

“We’re going to be disruptive,” said Phelps. “And we’ll be brave. And we’ll do it in our own authentic way. We’re not the NFL. We’re not the NBA. We’re NASCAR.”

Categories
Politics

McConnell will vote to acquit Trump as impeachment trial nears finish

McConnell will vote to acquit Trump as impeachment trial nears end

Senate Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell arrives at the U.S. Capitol on February 5 of the second impeachment trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump on February 13, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Almond Ngan | AFP | Getty Images

Mitch McConnell, chairman of the Senate minority, emailed his Republican counterparts on Saturday that he would release Donald Trump in the former president’s second impeachment.

“During a close conversation, I am convinced that impeachments are primarily an instrument of elimination and therefore we have no jurisdiction,” wrote McConnell. The Kentucky Senator also stated that criminal misconduct by a president during his tenure after he has left office can be prosecuted.

McConnell had refused to initiate impeachment proceedings before President Joe Biden was inaugurated, stating that there was insufficient time. McConnell said in his email that he still regards the verdict as a “vote of conscience”.

The final vote on Trump’s conviction was due to take place on Saturday afternoon, less than a week after the trial began and a month after the House indicted Trump on an article inciting the January 6 riot in the U.S. Capitol.

Senators initially voted 55-45 on Saturday morning to call witnesses to the trial, an unexpected development that would likely have delayed the verdict. The Senate then reversed course and will now move forward to end the trial without a witness.

Democrats need two-thirds of the Senate to vote for a conviction, which means that at least 17 Republicans would have to vote with all Democrats and Independents to convict Trump. Only six out of 50 Republican senators believed the trial should take place at all.

In this screenshot from a webcast by congress.gov, a roll-call vote is being held on a motion to summon witnesses on the fifth day of former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol on February 13, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Congress.gov | Getty Images

All Democratic Senators voted to hear witnesses along with five Republicans: Susan Collins from Maine, Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, Mitt Romney from Utah, and Ben Sasse from Nebraska.

The call for testimony came after further details of an explosive dispute between House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and Trump emerged on a phone call Friday night as the Capitol uprising unfolded in which Trump appears to be on the side of the United States Rioters stood and said they were more “angry” with the election results than McCarthy.

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, DR.I. suggested that the process be halted to remove McCarthy and Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala. Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Supported Whitehouse’s call in a tweet on Saturday morning. Senator Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said he would also endorse witnesses if both sides ask.

“One way to clear it up? Suspend the process to oath McCarthy and Tuberville and get facts,” Whitehouse wrote in a tweet. “Ask intelligence to submit communications to the White House for review regarding VP Pence’s safety during the siege. What did Trump know and when did he know?”

In this screenshot from a webcast from congress.gov, Senior House Impeachment Head Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) speaks on the fifth day of former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol on February 13, 2021 in Washington, DC.

Congress.gov | Getty Images

During the trial, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., The chief impeachment manager called to subpoena Rep. Herrera Beutler, R-WA, to inform her of her testimony regarding her communication with McCarthy.

Trump attorney Michael van der Veen responded by saying “We should close this case today” and that the call for witnesses shows that the House has not properly investigated the riots.

Bruce Castor, one of Trump’s defense lawyers, said Saturday he would call “many” witnesses. The Senate is still working on the next steps, as dismissing witnesses can take days or even weeks.

The process was unprecedented in many ways. No president before Trump has ever been tried and tried twice, and a former president has never been tried in the Senate. If the process closes as expected this weekend, it will be the shortest impeachment process ever recorded.

It is also noteworthy that the senators serving as the jury in the trial are themselves witnesses to the events that, according to prosecutors, instigated Trump.

Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) questions Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta as he testifies during a House Appropriations Committee hearing on the fiscal year 2020 working budget on April 3, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Al Drago | Getty Images

The break-in at the Capitol forced a joint session of Congress to vacate their chambers, ruining the process of confirming President Joe Biden’s electoral college victory. Five people, including a US Capitol police officer, died as a result of the attack.

Before the siege began, Trump held a rally in front of the White House calling on a crowd of his supporters to march to the Capitol to protest the election results and to pressure Republicans, including then Vice President Mike Pence, for them To question results.

“If you don’t fight like hell, you will have no more land,” Trump said at the rally, one of many statements before, during and after the uprising that the Democrats took as evidence of incitement.

Nine House Democrats selected as impeachment managers in the process argued that Trump has direct responsibility for the invasion. Led by Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., The executives presented within two days that Trump should be convicted and disqualified for ever holding federal office again.

Trump laid the groundwork for the attack over the months by relentlessly spreading the “big lie” that the 2020 elections were stolen by widespread electoral fraud. Managers said Trump set his “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 as the final stand to reverse the election result, then whipped his supporters and directed them to the Capitol.

“He had gathered thousands of violent people, people he knew to be violent, people he had considered violent,” property manager Madeleine Dean said at the trial. “And then he pointed to us, lit the fuse and sent an angry mob to fight the supposed enemy – his own Vice President and members of Congress – when we confirmed an election.”

Their presentation contained never-before-seen video and audio evidence, including security footage in the Capitol that showed lawmakers running to safety from the mob.

Trump’s lawyers denied that the former president had instigated the attack and placed particular emphasis on his use of the words “peaceful and patriotic” during his speech at the pre-insurrection rally. Trump’s rhetoric, they said, was a fully protected speech under the First Amendment and no worse than what Democrats have said in the past.

The urge to expel Trump from the future office amounts to a “culture of constitutional repeal,” said defense attorney Michael van der Veen.

The defense team also had problems with the legal process. They argued that the impeachment process itself was unconstitutional as Trump was a private citizen and no longer a president. They also said the process was rushed and Trump was deprived of procedural rights.

Van der Veen warned that the process would transform the impeachment power of Congress into a “mechanism for enforcing state control over which individuals can and cannot become president”.

They started their presentation on Friday noon; They finished less than three hours later, although they had up to 16 hours to represent their case.

Trump’s legal roster was released less than two weeks before the first day of the trial when the Senate met to review and vote on whether it had jurisdiction over the former president.

Castor received scathing reviews from Democrats and Republicans for making a tortuous, tangential argument. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican who had previously voted to dismiss the trial on constitutional grounds, voted with the Democrats after listening to Trump’s lawyers.

In Trump’s first impeachment trial, only one GOP senator, Mitt Romney of Utah, voted to condemn Trump.

That process, in which the Senate examined articles on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in connection with Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son, took nearly three weeks – allegedly the shortest in US history.

If Trump’s second trial ends on Saturday, it will have lasted five days.

Categories
Business

Silicon Valley’s Secure House – The New York Occasions

Silicon Valley’s Safe Space - The New York Times

More than 7,500 people signed a petition urging The Times not to publish his name, including many prominent figures in the tech industry. “The petitioners gave his full name on The Times and said” would seriously damage public discourse by preventing private individuals from blogging their thoughts. “On the Internet, many in Silicon Valley believe that everyone has the right not only to say what they want, but also to say it anonymously.

In this context, I spoke to Manoel Horta Ribeiro, a computer scientist who deals with social networks at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. He was concerned that Slate Star Codex, like other communities, was allowing extremist views to invade the influential tech world. “A community like this gives marginalized groups a voice,” he said. “It provides a platform for people who hold more extreme views.”

But for Kelsey Piper and many others, the main problem was the name and attachment of the man, professionally and legally known as Scott Siskind, to his influential and controversial writings as Scott Alexander. Ms. Piper, who is herself a journalist for the news site Vox, said she disagreed with everything he wrote, but she also felt that his blog was wrongly painted as an upsurge in radical views. She feared his views could not be reduced to a single newspaper story.

I assured her that my goal was to report with rigor and fairness on the blog and the rationalists. However, she felt that it might be unfair to discuss both critics and supporters. What I had to do, she said, was to somehow statistically prove which side was right.

When I asked OpenAI’s Mr. Altman if talking on sites like Slate Star Codex could lead people to toxic beliefs, he said he had “some empathy” for those concerns. But he added, “People need a forum to discuss ideas.”

In August, Mr. Siskind restored his old blog posts on the Internet. And two weeks ago he restarted his blog about Substack, a company with ties to Andreessen Horowitz and Y Combinator. He gave the blog a new title: Astral Codex Ten. He hinted that Substack paid him $ 250,000 for a year on the platform. And he stated that the company would give him the protection he needed.

In his first post, Mr. Siskind shared his full name.

Categories
Health

U.Ok. Virus Variant Is Most likely Deadlier, Scientists Say

U.K. Virus Variant Is Probably Deadlier, Scientists Say

LONDON – UK government scientists are increasingly realizing that the variant of coronavirus, first discovered in the UK, is more deadly than the original virus. This is a devastating trend that highlights the serious risks of this new phase of the pandemic.

The scientists said last month that there was a “realistic possibility” that the variant would be more deadly. Now a new document states that it is “likely” that the variant is associated with an increased risk of hospitalizations and death.

The UK government has not made the updated results public. These are based on about twice as many studies as their earlier assessment and include more deaths due to Covid-19 cases caused by the new variant B.1.1.7. The document was posted on a government website on Friday and was reviewed at a government advisors meeting the previous day.

The variant is known in 82 countries, including the USA. American scientists recently estimated that it was spreading rapidly there, doubling about every 10 days, and said it could be the dominant version of the virus in the United States by March.

“The calculation of when we can lift restrictions has to be affected,” said Simon Clarke, Associate Professor of Cell Microbiology at the University of Reading, of the new findings. “It provides additional evidence that this variant is more deadly than the one we looked at last time.”

Most Covid-19 cases, including those caused by the new variant, are not fatal. And government scientists relied on studies that looked at a small fraction of the total deaths, making it difficult to determine exactly how much increased risk might be associated with the new variant.

Updated

Apr. 13, 2021 at 10:00 PM ET

However, the strongest studies they relied on estimated that the variant could be 30 to 70 percent more deadly than the original virus.

And the government scientists, who are part of a committee known as the Advisory Group on New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats, wrote that the latest studies have helped them control factors like the impact of congested hospitals.

This enabled “increasing confidence in the association” of the new variant “with increased disease severity”.

The variant is thought to be 30 to 50 percent more transmissible than the original virus, although some scientists now believe it is even more contagious. The first sample of it was collected in the south east of England in September and quickly became the dominant version of the virus in the UK. It now accounts for more than 90 percent of cases in many parts of the country.

As it spread, hospitals have been overwhelmed by the pace of new infections. Doctors and nurses treated almost twice as many hospital patients as they did at the height of last year. A strict lockdown has since slashed the number of new coronavirus cases in the UK.

As an example of the growing evidence of the variant’s lethality, government scientists cited a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. In January, this study looked at the deaths of 2,583 people, 384 of whom are believed to have had cases of Covid-19 caused by the new variant. The study estimated that people infected with the new variant had a 35 percent higher risk of death.

An updated study by the same group relied on 3,382 deaths, of which 1,722 were believed to be from the new variant. This study suggested that the variant could be associated with a 71 percent higher risk of death.

Professor Clarke said the new findings confirmed the UK government’s decision to raise an alert about the variant in December and then release evidence last month that it was potentially more deadly. Some outside scientists initially rejected the warnings.

“You didn’t withhold the data,” said Professor Clarke. “They were very open about how insecure things were.”

Categories
Business

CVS and Walgreens have an opportunity to make Covid vaccine rollout extra equitable

Widespread Covid vaccines will be available in the spring, says Walgreens exec

Dr. Virginia Banks, eine Spezialistin für Infektionskrankheiten, gehört zu einer Gruppe schwarzer Ärzte und Wissenschaftler, die sich auf Möglichkeiten zur Lösung von Disparitäten im Gesundheitswesen konzentrieren.

Dr. Virginia Banks

Dr. Virginia Banks sagt, wenn die USA die Pandemie wirklich beenden wollen, werden sie mobile Transporter mit Impfstoffen in Gegenden nehmen, in denen die Menschen keinen Transport haben – und sogar in Friseursalons und Friseurläden schießen.

Da Tausende von Apotheken diese Woche Dosenlieferungen erhalten und Impfungen in ihren Läden beginnen, unternimmt das Land einen bedeutenden Schritt, um mehr Amerikaner zu erreichen. Beamte und Anwälte des öffentlichen Gesundheitswesens sagen jedoch, dass dies in Gemeinden, in denen die Menschen am kranksten waren, nicht weit genug gehen wird.

Weitere schwarze und hispanische Amerikaner wurden ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert und starben an Covid-19. Sie sind oft auch mit größeren Hindernissen konfrontiert, um Impfstoffe zu erhalten: Mangel an Transportmitteln. Ein Jonglieren mit mehreren Jobs. Zögern wegen Misshandlung durch die medizinische Gemeinschaft in der Vergangenheit.

CVS Health und Walgreens werden eine größere Rolle bei den Bemühungen spielen, da ein Bundesprogramm Dosen an mehr ihrer Geschäfte und die anderer Einzelhandelsapotheken versendet. Die Erweiterung stellt eine Geschäftsmöglichkeit für die beiden größten Apothekenketten des Landes dar, da sie für jeden Impfstoff bezahlt werden und mehr Fußgängerverkehr in die Geschäfte bringen. Der Impfstoff-Rollout wird auch das Engagement der Unternehmen für die Ausweitung des Zugangs zur Gesundheitsversorgung in schwarzen und hispanischen Gemeinden testen.

Banks, ein Arzt für Infektionskrankheiten in Ohio, ist Teil einer Interessengruppe der Infectious Diseases Society of America, die sich aus schwarzen Ärzten, Wissenschaftlern und Beamten des öffentlichen Gesundheitswesens zusammensetzt, die sich mit der Beseitigung von Disparitäten im Gesundheitswesen befassen. Sie sagte, dass Gesundheitsdienstleister kreativ werden und Engagement zeigen müssen. Sie sagte, sie sollten Kliniken an vertrauten Orten wie Kirchen einrichten und “vertrauenswürdige Boten” wie Pastoren und Gemeindevorsteher gewinnen.

“Man muss sich aus kultureller Sicht ansehen, wo wir sind.” und komm zu uns “, sagte sie.

Mehr als Fairness

Die Einführung des Impfstoffs in den USA war langsam und komplex. Die Nachfrage nach Dosen hat die Anzahl der Schüsse, die zum Einstechen in die Arme zur Verfügung stehen, bei weitem überwogen. Online-Terminsysteme waren schwierig zu navigieren und wurden von starkem Verkehr blockiert. Bisher haben nur zwei Impfstoffe eine Notfallgenehmigung der Food and Drug Administration und müssen bei kalten und ultrakalten Temperaturen gelagert werden. Und nur einige Amerikaner qualifizieren sich für den Schuss, wobei jeder Staat leicht unterschiedliche Kriterien hat, um Faktoren wie Alter, Gesundheitszustand oder Arbeit einer Person abzuwägen.

Laut den Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wurden in den USA bis Freitag etwa 48,4 Millionen Impfstoffe verabreicht. Fast 12,1 Millionen Menschen haben beide Dosen des Impfstoffs erhalten – nur ein kleiner Teil der 331 Millionen Menschen, die in den USA leben

Das Ziel des Landes ist es, zwischen 70% und 85% der US-Bevölkerung – oder etwa 232 bis 281 Millionen Menschen – zu impfen, um eine Herdenimmunität zu erreichen, so Dr. Anthony Fauci, der Chefarzt des Präsidenten.

Personen ohne Termin stehen an, um möglicherweise eine Dosis des Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19-Impfstoffs zu erhalten, nachdem alle Termine am Donnerstag, dem 11. Februar 2021, an der Impfstelle des Sun City Anthem Community Center in Henderson, Nevada, verabreicht wurden.

Roger Kisby | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Der chaotische Rollout hat dazu geführt, dass einige Aufnahmen gemacht haben und andere nicht. Laut einer CDC-Studie waren die meisten der fast 13 Millionen Menschen, denen innerhalb des ersten Monats nach der Verteilung der Medikamente mindestens ein Schuss eines Covid-19-Impfstoffs verabreicht wurde, Frauen im Alter von 50 Jahren oder älter und wahrscheinlich nicht spanisch und weiß.

Bei der Verteilung von Impfstoffen ist Gerechtigkeit nicht nur eine Frage der Fairness. Dies ist auch ein entscheidender Weg, um die Ausbreitung in Gemeinden zu verlangsamen, in denen Covid-19-Fälle, Krankenhausaufenthalte und Todesfälle häufiger auftreten. Schwarze und hispanische Amerikaner werden nach Angaben der CDC Ende November 3,7-mal und 4,1-mal häufiger aus Covid ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert als weiße Amerikaner. Beide Minderheiten sterben 2,8-mal häufiger an der Krankheit als weiße Amerikaner.

In einem stark betroffenen Viertel kann die Wirkung jedes Schusses noch größer sein – Menschen erreichen, die einem höheren Risiko ausgesetzt sind, wenn sie in Lebensmittelgeschäften oder an anderen Arbeitsplätzen an vorderster Front arbeiten oder in einer dichten Wohnung oder in Haushalten mit mehreren Generationen leben.

Das Zögern bei Impfungen ist auch bei Schwarzen und Braunen höher, was auf die Geschichte der medizinischen Gemeinschaft zurückzuführen ist, in der Minderheiten misshandelt und weniger Gesundheitspraktiken in ihrer Nachbarschaft eröffnet wurden. Eine von der Association for a Better New York durchgeführte Umfrage unter New Yorkern ergab, dass 78% der Einwohner von White den Impfstoff so schnell wie möglich einnehmen würden, verglichen mit 39% der Einwohner von Black, 54% der Hispanics und 54% der Asiaten .

“Setzen Sie ihr Geld, wo ihr Mund ist”

Für Anbieter wie CVS und Walgreens ist es eine Geschäftsmöglichkeit, mehr Dosen des Impfstoffs zu haben. Sie werden für jeden Impfstoff bezahlt und die Regierung übernimmt die Kosten, wenn eine Person nicht krankenversichert ist. Jefferies schätzte, dass jeder Schuss eine Bruttomarge von 13 bis 15 US-Dollar haben wird und im nächsten Jahr einen zusätzlichen Bruttogewinn von etwa 1 Milliarde US-Dollar für CVS bringen könnte.

Beide Drogerieketten haben ihre Strategie festgelegt, mehr Gesundheitsdienstleistungen von Kliniken für Grundversorgung zu Diabetes-Screenings hinzuzufügen. Sie haben auch ihre Verpflichtungen zur Beseitigung von Rassenungleichheiten als Reaktion auf George Floyds Mord und landesweite Proteste verstärkt. CVS plant, über einen Zeitraum von fünf Jahren fast 600 Millionen US-Dollar zu investieren, um politische Initiativen und interne Bemühungen zu unterstützen, z. B. die Betreuung schwarzer Mitarbeiter und kostenlose Gesundheitsuntersuchungen auf Blutdruck und Cholesterin in Geschäften.

Walgreens startete ein Pilotprojekt in der Region Chicago, das darauf abzielt, die Krankenhausaufenthaltsraten zu senken, indem es Patienten erleichtert wird, ihre Medikamente einzunehmen, kostenlose Verschreibungen zu erhalten und regelmäßiger mit Angehörigen der Gesundheitsberufe über ihren Gesundheitszustand in Kontakt zu treten. Das Unternehmen hat kürzlich den ehemaligen Chief Operating Officer von Starbucks, Roz Brewer, als nächsten CEO eingestellt. Wenn sie Mitte März in die Rolle eintritt, wird sie nur eine schwarze Frau sein, die ein Fortune 500-Unternehmen leitet.

Karyne Jones, Der CEO des National Caucus and Center on Black Aging in Washington, DC, sagte, die Ausweitung von Impfstoffen auf schwer betroffene Gemeinden sei eine Möglichkeit für CVS und Walgreens, “ihr Geld dort einzusetzen, wo ihr Mund ist”. Ihre Organisation ist Gründungsmitglied des Covid-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project, einer Koalition von gemeinnützigen Organisationen und Handelsgruppen, die vom Impfstoffhersteller Pfizer unterstützt wird.

Jones sagte, sie würde gerne sehen, wie CVS und Walgreens rund um die Uhr Impfstellen öffnen und Zelte in Gegenden aufbauen, in denen die Menschen keinen Transport haben.

“Wenn Sie wirklich gute unternehmerische Verantwortung zeigen wollen, ist dies die Zeit zu sagen, dass wir Ressourcen einsetzen müssen, um diese Pandemie zu lindern”, sagte sie.

Wir haben Apothekenwüsten. Wir haben Wüsten für Lebensmittelgeschäfte. Wir haben keine kirchlichen Wüsten.

Dr. Virginia Banks

Spezialist für Infektionskrankheiten

Banks, der Arzt für Infektionskrankheiten, sagte, er werde über den Tellerrand hinaus Strategien verfolgen, wie beispielsweise die Umleitung von Buslinien zu Impfkliniken. Sie wies auf eine Anstrengung hin, bei der sich Apotheker mit Friseurläden zusammengetan hatten, um Bluthochdruck zu erkennen, als schwarze Männer einen Haarschnitt machten – eine klinische Studie, die half, den Zustand zu erkennen und früher einzugreifen.

Sie sagte, sie hoffe, dass der Johnson & Johnson-Impfstoff – der nur eine Dosis benötigt und leichter transportiert werden kann – die Verteilung verändern und es einfacher machen könnte, Schüsse dort abzugeben, wo sich Menschen befinden. Das Unternehmen hat letzte Woche bei der FDA eine Genehmigung für den Notfall beantragt.

“Wir haben Apothekenwüsten”, sagte sie. “Wir haben Wüsten für Lebensmittelgeschäfte. Wir haben keine Wüsten für Kirchen.”

Dosen in mehr Stadtteilen

Walgreens und CVS haben in Tausenden von Pflegeheimen und Einrichtungen für betreutes Wohnen Covid-Impfstoffe verabreicht. Sie haben in einigen Geschäften Schüsse verabreicht, nachdem sie Impfstoffdosen von Staaten erhalten hatten. Mit dem Bundesprogramm werden sie Aufnahmen in mehr Stadtteilen anbieten.

Walgreens hat Covid-Impfstoffe in Geschäften in 15 Bundesstaaten und zwei weiteren Gerichtsbarkeiten, New York City und Chicago. Im Rahmen des Bundesprogramms werden Aufnahmen in 1.800 Filialen gemacht – oder rund 20% der US-Filialen, sagte eine Unternehmenssprecherin.

CVS hat sie in 18 Staaten und Puerto Rico. Ab Freitag werden rund 420 der rund 9.900 Filialen die Aufnahmen mit Dosen eines staatlichen oder föderalen Programms machen, sagte ein Unternehmenssprecher.

Beide Apothekenketten gaben an, Geschäfte in Gegenden mit größerem Bedarf ausgewählt zu haben. Etwa die Hälfte der Geschäfte jedes Unternehmens mit Covid-Impfstoffen befindet sich in medizinisch unterversorgten Gebieten oder an Orten, die auf dem CDC-Index für soziale Anfälligkeit einen hohen Stellenwert haben. Dieser basiert auf Faktoren wie der Verbreitung von Armut, mangelndem Zugang zu Fahrzeugen und überfüllten Wohnungen.

Mit Walgreens können Personen auch Termine persönlich oder telefonisch vereinbaren, sodass Personen nicht ausgeschlossen werden, wenn sie kein Internet oder keinen Computer haben, sagte Rina Shah, Vizepräsidentin der Walgreens-Gruppe für Apothekenbetriebe. CVS hat eine 1-800-Nummer als Alternative zur Online-Buchung.

Walgreens ging eine Partnerschaft mit Uber ein, um Menschen, die in unterversorgten Teilen von Großstädten wie Atlanta und Chicago leben, kostenlose Fahrten zu Impfungen zu ermöglichen. Wohltätige Partner helfen bei der Identifizierung von Personen, die Transport benötigen.

CVS unternimmt proaktive Schritte, um sicherzustellen, dass die Einheimischen Impfstofftermine in ihrem nahe gelegenen Geschäft erhalten können, sagte Chris Cox, Senior Vice President für Pharmazie des Unternehmens. Er sagte, dass Mitarbeiter einige Kunden anrufen, um ihre Termine zu vereinbaren, insbesondere diejenigen, die ein niedrigeres Einkommen haben und älter sind.

Zusammen mit der Anwerbung von Apotheken wird die Biden-Regierung nächste Woche Dosen an kommunale Gesundheitszentren liefern, die Millionen von Amerikanern dienen, die unterhalb der Armutsgrenze leben und rassische Minderheiten sind.

Das Impfprogramm ermöglicht es CVS, eindringlich zu demonstrieren, wie es Gesundheitsversorgung an Orten anbieten kann, an denen es normalerweise nicht zugänglich ist, sagte Cox.

“Alles, was wir tun, ist wirklich mit der Absicht, Menschen auf ihrem Weg zu einer besseren Gesundheit zu helfen”, sagte er. “Diese Gelegenheit bietet uns wirklich, unseren Patienten und anderen Interessengruppen zu demonstrieren, was wir seit mehreren Jahren sagen. Das heißt, dass die Gemeinschaftsapotheke eine große Rolle im Gesundheitswesen spielt.”

Viele Patienten sehen ihre Apotheker häufiger als ihre Ärzte, da sie Bluthochdruckpillen oder andere Erhaltungsrezepte abholen müssen, sagte er. Diese häufigen Wechselwirkungen bedeuten, dass CVS eine größere Rolle dabei spielen kann, sicherzustellen, dass Menschen ihre Medikamente richtig einnehmen, oder vor möglichen Komplikationen eingreifen kann.

Da Walgreens mehr Angebot erhält, wird Shah seine Arbeitszeiten verlängern und an Wochenenden Aufnahmen für Leute anbieten, die keinen Arbeitstag auslassen können. Es wird Kliniken in Gemeindezentren eröffnen, wie es bei Grippeschutzimpfungen der Fall ist.

Shah sagte, dass seine Apotheker eine Schlüsselrolle bei der Aufklärung und Beantwortung von Fragen spielen können, so dass die Leute eher auf die Aufnahmen gespannt sind als besorgt. Aber sie sagte, das Unternehmen brauche letztendlich mehr Versorgung, um mehr Menschen in Minderheitengemeinschaften zu erreichen.

“Unsere größte Chance ist es, mehr Impfstoffe zu bekommen”, sagte sie.

Categories
Entertainment

Chick Corea: Hear 12 Important Performances

Chick Corea: Hear 12 Essential Performances

Chick Corea, the pioneering keyboardist and bandleader who passed away Tuesday at the age of 79, will forever be seen as a key architect of jazz-rock fusion.

It’s a fitting one-line homage. Whether alone, as the leader of the Return to Forever collective or as a companion for giants like Miles Davis (on pioneering albums such as “In a Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew”), Corea has enriched the jazz lexicon and its harmonic language with heaviness merged (and strengthened) rock and funk. But no description, not even so broad, can encompass such a limitless vision.

“After all, formal styles are just an afterthought – a result of the creative impulse,” Corea told the New York Times in 1983. “Nobody sits down and decides to specifically write in a given style.” A style is not something you learn, but something you synthesize. Musicians don’t care whether a particular composition is jazz, pop or classical music. They only care if it’s good music – if it’s challenging and exciting. “

For more than five decades Corea has modified his sound to follow this simple maxim – whims from bebop to free jazz to fusion to contemporary classical music. He recorded almost 90 albums as a band leader or co-leader. And he’s always prioritized melody and musicality over calorie-free showmanship (though few have matched his raw skills on the Fender Rhodes).

Here are 12 of his elite studio and live performances.

Corea and Joe Zawinul form a wall of Rhodes on this creeping, funky cut from Miles Davis ‘”Bitches Brew,” punctuated by John McLaughlin’s ice pick guitars and Davis’ sighing trumpet. The rhythm section is so dense that you can hardly enjoy everything: two electric basses (Dave Holland and Harvey Brooks), two drum sets (Don Alias ​​and Jack DeJohnette) and the congas by Juma Santos. Good thing it takes 14 minutes. The keyboard players switch from question mark to exclamation mark – one moment that hits the groove, the next that plays solo in colorful bursts of noise. “Trust yourself,” Corea said in 2020, was Davis’ philosophy. “When he says, ‘Play what you can’t hear,’ he means, trust your imagination. Trust yourself to say, “I don’t know what I’ll do next, but I’ll only do it because it’s fun. Because I love it. ‘”

Corea sprinkles this nine-minute monster with an electric piano from Larry Coryell’s “Spaces”, a pillar of the early fusion. The arrangement seems to fluctuate between structure and improvisation, straight groove and cosmic freedom. The line-up is the definition of a supergroup: Corea and Coryell as well as John McLaughlin on guitar, Miroslav Vitouš (later from Weather Report) on double bass and Billy Cobham on drums.

“Spain”, the rare fusion melody with a durability as a jazz standard, remains Corea’s characteristic composition – covered by artists like Stevie Wonder and Béla Fleck. The original of Return to Forevers “Light as a Feather” is untouchable: The keyboardist’s hands pirouette happily over Rhodes for almost 10 minutes, his melodious melodies match Flora Purim’s calm coo and Joe Farrell’s fluttering flute. The choir, with its truncated keyboard phrases and enthusiastic hand clapping, is one of the catchiest moments in the history of the merger, along with Weather Reports’ main theme “Birdland”.

Return to Forever was in its infancy with the intensity of most rock bands of the 70s. But it sounded positively massive on his third album, added two new recruits (powerhouse drummer Lenny White and guitarist Bill Connors) and made Stanley Clarke switch to electric bass. The group showed off their full dynamic range on this two-part track from Return to Forever’s “Anthem of the Seventh Galaxy,” which began with Corea’s dreamy Rhodes theme before breaking out into tightly packed funk. Connor’s bloody guitar and Clarke’s distorted bass drift into the realm of psycho-rock – but even when the keyboardist leans back a little, his steady chords remain the ensemble’s heartbeat.

Corea’s acoustic piano enters lush New Age territory in the first half of these tracks of Stanley Clarke’s “Journey to Love,” which features fanfare with Clarke’s Bowed bass and John McLaughlin’s acoustic guitar. The group strikes an intense Latin groove in the second half, with McLaughlin and Corea triggering fireworks. In the liner notes, Clarke dedicated the two-part piece to John Coltrane – and it does justice to the bill.

The final Return to Forever line-up – Corea, Clarke, White and guitarist Al Di Meola – split up after the 1976 album “Romantic Warrior”. But as this funky odyssey proves, they almost went out at the peak. White is considered a composer here, and his fidget drum groove definitely keeps the engine running. But Corea also finds “Sorceress” in its most versatile, keyboard-technical form – weaving in atmospheric pads, straightforward synth leads and Latin American themes on acoustic piano.

Corea has always been influenced by Latin music, and in 2019 he told Billboard that “that flavor is mostly in everything I do”. “It’s part of me. I don’t know how to tell the difference. “But he never went deeper than on his 10th solo LP” My Spanish Heart “. The record reaches its climax with this four-part whiplash suite, which ranges from elegant string and brass instruments to acoustic piano interludes and the tastiest jazz-rock rave-ups on this side of Steely Dan’s “Aja”.

This mini-epic was composed by Corea for the solo debut album “Land of the Midnight Sun” by his band colleague Di Meola and uses his virtuoso lightning bolt – both players sound as if they could drift off their instruments into the sky. But there are many graceful melodies in those five and a half minutes. Halfway through, Corea slips into a gentle chord composition while Di Meola ascends and descends the scales. Corea can even show off his marimba skills and add extra drama to a climatic boom.

Corea and Herbie Hancock, two of the Fusion’s elite keyboardists, embarked on an acoustic duo tour in 1978, and the pair, both veterans of the Miles Davis bands, make amazing use of the two live LPs that resulted from these dates are. A highlight is a 19-minute version of “Homecoming” by “CoreaHancock”, in which your instruments are expertly brought together to form an organism. You move from beauty to ugliness in the twinkling of an eye – halfway the piece turns into a section of guttural grunts, percussive knocks and prepared piano madness.

Like most fusion giants who survived through the mid-80s, Corea took on the colors and contours of the time and formed his Elektric Band with drummer Dave Weckl, bassist John Patitucci and alternating guitarists Scott Henderson and Carlos Rios. The rhythm section runs freely on this neon-coated track from “The Chick Corea Elektric Band”, defined by its twisted, zappa-like rhythms and Corea’s weirdly bright synthesizer.

Corea stretched “Spain” out over the decades like Taffy and kept his interest by reworking it for various settings and band configurations. (“In 1976 or so I got tired of the song,” he told The Atlantic in 2011. “I started playing really perverted versions of it – I would relate to it for just a second, then I would go” on an improvisation . ”) One of his most impressive later interpretations is this acoustic live duet from“ Play ”with singer Bobby McFerrin, who breathes new life into the piece with its divine falsetto, rumbling bass lines and body percussion. For all sublime engineering, the greatest revelation is that these two giants snap into place in perfect symmetry with the main theme.

Corea teamed up with vibraphonist Gary Burton on the Grammy-winning double-CD live LP “The New Crystal Silence,” which is largely based on revised tracks from Corea’s back catalog. The duo had worked together for decades, and the music here feels appropriately natural and alive – even full-blown Zen, like the expanded version of Crystal Silence. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is recorded with razor-sharp fidelity at the studio level using the trading phrases and counterpoint patterns of Corea and Burton and rounds off the airy conversation.