Posted with a significant sense of foreboding: Current 538 Election Forecast
Latest COVID-19 statistics (Johns Hopkins University): US | World | Trends
Go here to figure out how to vote: vote.org
Whatever your political leanings, I think we can all agree on one simple thing: we should totally get as many Republicans out of office as we can this year. Here, you can give some money to these guys to help do that: 45tofire45.com | secure.actblue.com/donate/getmitch
I went ahead and voted by dropping off my mail in ballot at my local library. Now I get to wear my sticker around and enjoy having folks tell me how dope I am.
~ news & notes ~
Raspberry Pi released the Compute Module 4. I was never able to figure out how to use the SODIMM form factor for the previous CM versions so maybe the new form factor will work better for me. Offhand, I really like that they have simplified the power supply requirements (just +5V now) and they have versions with built in wifi. Here is another blog post on how they made it. Datasheets and stuff can be found on the CM4 product page.
The Washington Post: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez played ‘Among Us’ in a bid to get out the vote This was fun - my kid and I tuned in for a couple of matches last night. AOC was playing with Rep. Ilhan Omar and a bunch of youtubers who I didn't recognize (but my kid did). The entire archived stream can be found here.
My Apple Watch has started acting kind of funny. Maybe it needs a firmware update or something. Update: It turns out Apple has a screen replacement program available for certain Apple Watch models. I called Apple and my watch version seemed to qualify so I guess they are going to fix it. The only bit of weirdness is I had to make an appointment to an Apple Store to drop it off, and the soonest appointment was like a week off. In the meantime I just have to stare at the sad remains of my watch and consider how, while a broken clock may be right twice a day, a broken Apple Watch is never right.
The Verge has a neat “where-are-they-now?”-type article on that dumb Foxconn deal that Scott Walker made for Wisconsin in 2017. That article got me thinking about that Carrier plant that Trump saved or whatever in 2016. Here's a New York Times article on that Carrier plant from 2018. Politifact calls the Carrier plant thing a “Promise Kept” by Trump because the plant is still open in 2020 and still employs 700 employees (down from 1,400 in 2016). Politifact notes:
Carrier says it invested $26 million in a variety of areas, "including adding production capabilities for additional product lines." Some of those investments will lead to fewer line workers in the future, but for right now, the jobs and the plant remain. We rate this Promise Kept.
The entire thing feels like a shell game to me, but of course the reason that shell games still exist is there continues to be no shortage of folks willing to be taken in by them.
So you know that car chase scene in Fletch with that awesome “Fletch, Get Outta Town” song by Dan Hartman? I was delighted to discover recently that that song also had a real music video. The entire thing is terrifying - Chevy Chase’s discomfort throughout the proceedings is palpable.
The New York Times: Sacha Baron Cohen: This Time He’s Serious
