The Turbo Times

Image description: Heat map using CDC data, highest transmission described in the post. More details: Data note: The CDC made a major update to how it processes and provides wastewater data on Friday, August 15. The changes include the following: 1) There are some inconsistencies in label descriptions on the website (e.g., top of the page says "Very Low" or "Low" but graph says "Moderate"). 2) They have reclassified how they bin states into categories, which may put more states in the Very Low or Low categories than before. 3) They have switched from "normalized" data that accounts for confounders like rainfall levels to non-normalized data. The overall effect of this nationally appears minimal, but it may reduce data quality at the state or site level. The changes came as we were about to release Version 3.0 of the forecasting model, which now requires additional effort. We hope to have the next dashboard update on August 25, have provided this week's updated heat map on the website, and include the graphics and report from last week on the website too. At present, new daily infections appear to top 700,000 in the U.S., but we will not know for a week or two whether real-time reports from the CDC are still reasonably reliable. The uptick the past week was very large, meaning the situation is much worse if the data hold. Stay tuned.

PMC COVlD Update, August 18, 2025

Very High Transmission: Alaska, Guam, Hawai'i, Nevada, Texas, Utah

High Transmission: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina

More details in ALT text.

Data note: The CDC made a major update to how it processes and provides wastewater data on Friday, August 15. The changes include the following: 1) There are some inconsistencies in label descriptions on the website (e.g., top of the page says "Very Low" or "Low" but graph says "Moderate"). 2) They have reclassified how they bin states into categories, which may put more states in the Very Low or Low categories than before. 3) They have switched from "normalized" data that accounts for confounders like rainfall levels to non-normalized data. The overall effect of this nationally appears minimal, but it may reduce data quality at the state or site level. The changes came as we were about to release Version 3.0 of the forecasting model, which now requires additional effort. We hope to have the next dashboard update on August 25, have provided this week's updated heat map above, and include the graphics and report from last week below. At present, new daily infections appear to top 700,000 in the U.S., but we will not know for a week or two whether real-time reports from the CDC are still reasonably reliable. The uptick the past week was very large, meaning the situation is much worse if the data hold. Stay tuned. -Dr. H.

No U.S COVID Update This Week

There’s no update this week because the CDC made a major change to how it processes and publishes wastewater data on August 15.

The next update is expected on August 25 with new graphics and adjusted reporting.

Source: pmc19.com/data/

Check out this timelapse of the turbulent shelf cloud rolling over the city // #Chicago #ILwx

California’s hidden homeless children: living in garages, doubled-up and unseen Student homelessness in Monterey county soars as families struggle with high rent and scarce housing amid funding cuts

The fastest-growing homeless population in America? School-age children.

Last year, student homelessness in California—where rents continue to soar past wages—rose by 20,000, reaching its highest level in a decade.

But sure, keep insisting homelessness is all about mental illness and addiction.

Map of the U.S. rip current risk from Florida to Maine. A majority of the Atlantic coastline is colored red, designating a "high risk" of rip currents this week.

A large portion of the Atlantic coastline will see the risk for high surf and rip currents this week due to #Erin.

🟥Risk of Rip Currents is High🟥
Life-threatening rip currents are likely. Swimming conditions are unsafe for all levels of swimmers. Stay out of the water.
nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/grap...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appears to have landed at Joint Base Andrews ahead of the meeting with Donald Trump and JD Vance tomorrow, Faytuks Network reports.

BREAKING: Mandatory evacuation issued for all of Hatteras Island in North Carolina amid flooding from Hurricane Erin; state of emergency issued for all of Dare County.

Unbelievable footage from NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters inside the eye of Hurricane Erin.

Simply incredible.

U.S. rip current risk map for August 17–18, 2025, showing high risk along much of the Florida and mid-Atlantic coasts, moderate risk for parts of the Southeast and Northeast, and lower risks elsewhere. Hurricane Erin is shown in the Caribbean as the source of elevated rip current danger.

Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days.

A demon sits on top of a sleeping woman who cannot wake

Who is your sleep paralysis demon?
The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli

An inside look at Hurricane Erin’s astounding rise to Category 5 - The Weather Network Hurricane Erin is only the 43rd Category 5 storm ever observed in the Atlantic Ocean

Hurricane Erin is the Atlantic's fifth Category 5 hurricane since 2022—continuing an astonishing pace of high-end storms across the ocean basin.

Breathtaking video from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the stadium effect inside the eye of Hurricane Erin from last night’s pass

These observations are crucial for improving forecasts and keeping people safe

In response to this unprecedented seizure of power, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday morning seeking to restrain Bondi’s takeover of the local police. His suit stands a very strong chance of success. No one doubts that the federal government has significant authority over the District, far more than it has over any state. And everyone agrees that President Donald Trump may temporarily compel D.C.’s police to provide “services” for “federal purposes.” But Congress has not given the president a sweeping power to commandeer the District’s police, replace its chief, or repeal its policies. Nor does the Constitution vest any such power in the president or his appointees. To the contrary, the Constitution assigns ultimate authority over D.C. to Congress. The Trump administration’s bid to blow past those limits is patently illegal.

The executive branch simply has no authority—under federal statute or the Constitution—to replace D.C.'s police chief or alter the force's policies. Yesterday's takeover of MPD is an utterly lawless violation of the Home Rule Act and the Constitution. It's not a close call. slate.com/news-and-pol...

not really

I joined @democracydocket.com this week to discuss how this moment of crisis requires political courage. I was elected to serve the people of New Jersey’s 10th to give them a seat at the table—no matter who the president is.

tim robinson I think you should leave friday night

f r i d a y n i g h t

student raises hand

teacher already knows what question is about and doesn't want to talk about that

2025

this rightwing mindset i think is what made elon musk to make the cybertruck completely bullet proof as if the average person is driving through war zones, because conservatives like this think they actually are

📢 It’s day 15 of #31DaysOfAction, Friends and Family Friday!! RFK Jr. is a danger to science & democracy. Tell your friends, family and EVERYONE to sign our petition. We’re NOT trading innovation for ideology. Sign & share: zurl.co/JPPol

6 crushed Cybertrucks on one truck bed is so fucking funny. they’ve been out for like a year!

YouTube video by Sean Sublette Sean Sublette - Meteorologist for Congress: Welcome to Virginia

This is an unprecedented time in our nation's history.

Conspiracies, lies, and gaslighting are running amok.

We need more scientists in Congress.

I was born and raised here, and I am running to represent all Virginians from Chesterfield County to the Chesapeake Bay.

The 51st is a new local DC outlet with a bunch of longtime DC reporters on staff. Essential follow if you're tracking what's going on in DC.

Hurricane #Erin Advisory 17: Erin Becomes the First Hurricane of the 2025 Season. Expected to Pass Near Or North of the Leeward Islands On Saturday. hurricanes.gov

Mamdani on Cuomo: "I don't need to do much to make the governor appear extremely dislikable."

A serious study from a Harvard University political scientist presents a statistic worth remembering: Around the world, once 3.5% of the population became engaged in sustained, non-violent campaigns of resistance, change has always happened.Democracy is inevitable, when the people are determined.

He has kept among us in times of peace Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution & unacknowledged by our laws.

New lawsuit challenges Trump's federal takeover of DC police department as crackdown intensifies Washington is challenging President Donald Trump’s takeover of its police department in court after his administration increased federal control over the city.

BREAKING: Washington, D.C., files a lawsuit challenging Trump's federal police takeover after his administration moves to intensify control.

Practically frictionless so fuckin cool