Thanks for the Memories, Vic

askvic.us now returns a 404. I am grateful for all the time, energy, and shared perspective over the years Vic!

The last post in google cache.

Update: Looks like the google cache didn't persist, here's Vic's last post in the wayback machine.

Political Neighbors!

 

This is really interesting! I wonder what the data makeup is and how accurate?

New Normal Temps

 

The USA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just published new normals. Hotter and wetter seems to be the findings.

Beeing Thoughtful

 

Will my LAYENS SWARM TRAP KIT / STARTER HIVE, 7-FRAME work?

Will I even need the hive?

You want Fry's with that? Too bad!

By way of Slashdot, news that Fry's Electronics is shutting down.

American Life Expectancy Dropped By A Full Year In 1st Half Of 2020

 

I mean, you know it had to be having an impact but moving life expectancy down a whole year? Wow.

Roller Skating!

 Well, this was fun!

Communications Silos - It Isn't Just Liberal and Conservative

 
This is interesting analysis. Basically a word heat map of the tickers of MSNBC, Fox, and CNN with axes for the frequency.

I expected Fox to be different, but CNN and MSNBC? That's quite a spread.

I wonder if anyone is researching gathering information for all channels for all communication-- written, spoken, non-verbal-- to come up with automatic fact checking or political spectrum identification or emotional leaning or ? Taking this to the absurd, can you tell if the editor or camera operator are having a bad day based on the product? 

It isn't hard to imagine building intermediate software then edit requested info from multiple sources in to derivative product as requested by the consumer. The days of, "Hey Siri, I want to listen to the political news for today, make sure it thoughtfully shares multiple perspectives and that there are some optimistic stories included." don't seem that far off. 

Could this would help make people aware when they are living in a single perspective echo chamber?

Chess Puzzlers!

OK, I'm addicted to LiChess puzzles. Maybe if I keep doing a few every day I'll stop being terrible at a game I like!

Peek in to Google Tracking

 

https://adssettings.google.com/ is an interesting peek inside how google picks adds for a given google account. I can tell sometimes my kiddos are searching where I'm logged in!

The future of the Packers?

The first question from Ask Vic today is what came to mind immediately for me in the aftermath:

Ray from Clark, NJ
All in or blow it up?
Let's think on it a little bit.

 There's wisdom in that Vic.

Future for those called the Sedition Caucus? The language is extreme...

...but so is support for undermining our democracy:

Fifteen Wisconsin legislators signed a Jan. 5 letter calling on Vice President Mike Pence to refuse to certify the 2020 presidential election results. The letter amplified the lies and conspiracy theories that were advanced by Trump and the rioters he incited as they sought to block the certification of Electoral College votes from states such as Wisconsin that had backed Joe Biden for president.

The Wisconsin legislators who signed the letter were state Reps. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls; Rob Brooks, R-Saukville; Rick Gundrum, R-Slinger, Cody Horlacher, R-Mukwonago; Dan Knodl, R-Germantown; Gae Magnafici, R-Dresser; Dave Murphy, R-Greenville; Jeff Mursau, R-Crivitz; Timothy Ramthun, R-Campbellsport; Joe Sanfelippo, R-New Berlin; Michael Schraa, R-Oshkosh; Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers; Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac; Chuck Wichgers, R-Muskego. State Sen. André Jacque, R-De Pere, also signed on to the letter, according to the Wisconsin Examiner.

Personally, I don't doubt these folks believe there were irregularities but where we seem to disagree in that the they were big enough to make any difference in the outcome. When someone wants to believe something so badly, it becomes a distortion field. Everyone has experienced this.

Contrast this behavior with the prior election where foreign interference with the information flowing to and through the body politic seems to be unquestioned by those in the know. Once the votes were counted, were there dozens of lawsuits and political maneuverings? (By the way, can we please think about some proportional responses to anything provable the Russian government and/or oligarchs may have done in the past four years now?)

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out. This president values cooperation among elected but also party building and, therefore, partisan organizing. He's going to reach out where he can to cooperate. Will the old guard Republicans engage or will it be more decisiveness? There are more liberals in our country than republicans, they just don't vote every election. Beware waking up the presidential cycle majority to the fact that there are other elections with consequences.

Is the Spotify Podcast Strategy Paying Off?

 

I didn't even realize Spotify was really a big player until they signed an exclusive licensing deal with Joe Rogan, the biggest podcaster of all time.

CNBC points out the pivot to podcast content doesn't seem to be paying off.

On Light and Health

 

 

How to optimize light for health | Dan Pardi | TEDxMarin

Cah leee fohrrrr nya

 

The writing, the production values, the emotional impact... 

I don't disagree but I immediately wonder what's he running for now? 

I heard Gov. Newsome was threatened with a recall? Will Arnold again win the CA governorship in a recall as he did with Gray Davis?