Life on the Wicked Stage: Act 3

Time To Put More Wood Behind The Arrows

No time for quivering

You could feel a large collective exhale across the USA this week following the midterm election results, signaling that there’s still some life left in the old republic. It was such a rush I’m surprised the leaves still hanging on the trees remain attached. The sound we all heard was out of a medieval war movie when archers loose their arrows. We continue to live in historic moments and there’s no question this was one of them. One that felt good, after so many that haven’t. It’s also one that needs backing up because the job is far from done.

Strange happenings nX DMeJ_Od4 unsplash. A sculpture of two large arrows shot into the ground along Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona

Those rushing winds will indeed blow in a new U.S. Congress, crucial changes in state legislatures, and a few courts across the country. I was impressed by a statistic that may be true (I’m not completely sure — but I want to believe it) that enough governors races changed the map so that beginning next year 75% of the American population will live in states with a Democratic governor at the helm. I’m even more pleased that so many are women.

That bodes well for the future. But only if take care of today and continue to fight and back up the election results with enough muscle to make it truly meaningful. As the saying goes we need to put more wood behind the arrow if we want to really strike home.

After folks breathing began to calm, there was a collective gasp at the end of the week when the old man in what’s left of the White House appointed the architect of so much cruelty and the walking definition of inhumanity, Stephen Miller, as chief of staff. I sincerely hope no one was surprised at the move. I further sincerely hope no one is going to be surprised by the damage Miller is about to inflict.

What remains of the White House is a cage full of wounded animals, backed up against walls filled with faux gold filigree, ready to strike back. What still remains of a country that leveled the playing field with their votes is the question of how much we are willing to back those votes up in response to whatever is going to come down the pike. The first test was the election. We’re about to be tested further. Again, this should come as no surprise. But needs to be met with resolve.

My prediction is that in the end, appointing Miller is one of the moves that will accelerate the end of this terrible turn of history, but not without much damage being done before it’s over. And not without stiff opposition. We have the majority at the moment, but we are still the opposition.

I’m hoping that those pissed off enough to vote the way they did get even more so once Miller’s marauding begins. We need to get to that tomorrow that Tuesday’s results hint at but don’t guarantee.

As to the squabbles currently going on in Congress over who will lead the new majority opposition, I hope that debate only intensifies in the next few weeks. The people said enough is enough and it would be naive to think they voted for something rather than against something worse.

The only license the vote results yielded is one that opens a door to change across the board. The leaders we need have to match the fervor of those who spoke with their votes. If it were up to me, I’d replace Schumer and Jeffries with those not tainted with the timidness of the past. If you ask me the time to make those type of changes is now. The bad guys on all fronts are off-kilter, the Miller move is indicative of that. Time to take advantage of the chaos.

Every vote in this election was an arrow loosed. The vast and overwhelming majority struck home. We’ll need more wood for more arrows in the days ahead. That was always going to be the case. Now is no time for quivering.

(Image from Strange Happenings on Unsplash)

Thanks for reading. You can subscribe to this blog if you care to. You can also find more of my writings on a variety of topics on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. I can also be found on social media under my name as above. This site does not use affilate links.

Tesla Winding Down Production of Cybertrucks

Laughing at the comparison to the Edsel

Winding down is a nice way to spin a big goof. It sounds business-like and responsible. It ignores the foolishness and the hubris that launched the idea to begin with.

A woman with a thumbs down reaction to a Tesla Cybertruck

Elon Musk announced that Tesla is winding down its Cybertruck production line to make room for manufacturing more Cybercabs. It must be nice to have that much “fuck you money” to burn.

I laughed that in the article linked above that Bloomberg is quoted as comparing the Cybertruck to the Edsel. Intriguingly we’ve seen a few more of these locally in the last few months.

Even so, a flop is a flop, even if you can afford it.

UPDATE: I have to add a link to this Wired article just because the subhead is top-of-the-line. The headline ain’t bad either. Because of the paywall here’s a screenshot that includes both.

A screenshot from Wired saying RIP Cybertruck. You Were Unloved, Unwanted, and Utterly Absurd. The subhead says The Decision to halt production of Tesla's polarizing polygonal pickup marks the end of an error.

Midterm Election Rout: Point All The Fingers Of Blame At Trump

No need to reflect on this Midterm election madness

You can point many fingers at many targets to try and explain the reasons for the seismic political earthquake that Tuesday’s election turned into. Pundits and political pros are working overtime to do so. They can slow their roll. It’s easy. You only need one finger aimed at one target. Donald Trump.

Michelangelo Caravaggio's Narcissus staring at his reflection

Yes, there’s the Iran War. The economy. Corruption. Data centers. ICE. Cruelty. Racism. Health care. Dismantling the rule of law. Tariffs. The dismantling of international relations. Elon Musk trying to buy elections. Toxic masculinity. There’s something for everybody.

But, if you hover that finger over any of the targets you don’t have to drill down too far to see Trump is ultimately and completely to blame for those issues bubbling up into a toxic smelling political stew that just became more than folks wanted to stomach, much less smell.

The pushback is indeed glorious in its magnitude. And it flips such a multitude of table tops upside down that I’m not sure we’ll be able to come to grips with the scale of that magnitude for some time to come.

The one I’m the most hopeful about is that it appears there’s a chance to turn the political divisions away from what’s been a battle between red and blue, particularly the cultural issues, into one that’s top vs bottom focusing on the bottom line. There’s no doubt that the war, which led to higher gas prices, exacerbating an already failing and debt-ridden economy weakened by tariffs, reached directly into the pocketbooks of so many.

What appears to be the possible outcome (I say possible) is that Trump’s unrepentant bragging about how so much money was being made by his Mar-A-Lago cronies and too-quick-to-capitulate corporate hangers on and political pall-bearers has finally led some, hopefully enough, of those on the lower rungs of economy to actually pay attention and feel those greedy hands reaching directly into their wallets. Here’s hoping the Democrats can draw that line in a big, bold, bright stroke.

Add to that equation the polling data that showed 90% of voters recognized and despised the rampant corruption this gang of thieves exuberantly embraces. Extend that big, bold, bright line into how this corruption affects your pocket being picked and you’re on to something.

Some of the new blood that just won elections are doing so. Those chosen to lead the charge going forward need to follow that lead. And if they don’t, they don’t deserve the chance to capitalize on the gift they’ve just been given from the one man who always wants the spotlight on him.

My excitement is only tempered by the fact that this one man is still a malignant narcissist who lets his wounds fester until he can strike back. He’s proven it over and over again and proven to be as unpredictably predictable in the ways he chooses to do so, even if it brings more harm to him and those around him. Until he’s no longer giving tours of his ridiculous ballroom and reflecting pool renovation I’ll always urge caution.

But I do keep in mind how Narcissus eventually wasted away by the side of his own reflecting pool.

The USA Stands Up and Survives A Near Death Experience

Relieved, encouraged, but still wary

I didn’t sleep well Monday night. Actually I haven’t slept well the previous few nights. I was very anxious heading into the mid-term elections here in the U.S. That anxiety actually led to me getting sick to my stomach Monday morning. Certainly, if you have a pulse you know why I was anxious.

A news banner announcing a blue wave of Democrats taking the U.S. Senate and U.S House of Representatives to rebuke Donald Trump

Last night, following an unmistakable electoral rebuke of all things MAGA, I didn’t sleep well either. Not from anxiety, but from trying to come down from the series of highs and rushes throughout the night as it appeared enough Americans in enough places stood up and voted to stop the bleeding that was quickly draining the life out of this country and the republic that governs it. Ben Franklin would be proud.

Across the country in races for the House of Representatives, the Senate, governors’ mansions, and state houses, Democrats did what we’re supposed to do and took back control. They said enough. Enough of the madness. Enough of the corruption. Enough of the abuse. Enough of the dividing line between the haves and the growing number of have-nots.

The big story will be the Democrats taking control of both chambers of Congress. Perhaps as it should be, because that’s where the headline battles in the last two years of the Trump administration will be fought. And it will be a fight. There are no veto-proof super majorities in either party. Basking in the glow of a stupendous victory is one thing, trudging through the hard work to deliver results will see that glow quickly fade. It’s a a very temporary currency.

The governors’ races are just as important as are the various state house races, because like it or not, those power centers will have as much influence as what goes on in the U.S. Capitol and in the elections to come. In fact, those victories may influence more in Washington than those that are bringing so many new and, more importantly, younger members to serve there.

And make no mistake, there’s a wounded, somewhat caged beast still desecrating the White House or what remains of it. It would take a complete reversal of character for him not to strike back hard and with all the cruelty he can summon. To be frank I’m worried more about his subdued, seemingly humbled reactions so far than I would be if he continued punching back the way we’ve sadly grown accustomed to.

The other story that I hope gets focus in the rushing aftermath of so much happening is the strike back at big money (largely tech) players and the political mechanics who tried to gerrymander their way into hanging on to power. These victories didn’t erase the disgrace and disaster of Citizens United, but they provide some hope that its illicit and fictional foundations don’t hold up as much as some think they should.

There’s a fight ahead. A big one. Actually, many big ones. If there’s one thing we’ve learned it’s that the small frame of these two-year election cycles can provide enough room for all sorts of chaos, agony, and destruction. The Democrats have an enormous challenge ahead. Anger swept many of them in. That anger will not subside when the hangover of victory eases. The young voters that have now brought many of them to power want to see not just action, but retribution. I sincerely hope those now burdened with governing and cleaning up the mess we’re in can find the balance for both. Because both are needed.

Am I happy. Yes. Ecstatic. I don’t know many of the winning candidates well, but to my eye it seems like decency won last night. Decency matters. Or it should.

I’m also humbled by all those who stood up, were measured and were not found wanting when it counted. I’ve lived through more turbulent history in the last decade plus than I have for the six decades that came before. I don’t think the turbulence is over by any stretch of the imagination. The one thing I learned in those seemingly, but not actually less trying times, when progress seemed to be steadily made, is that it can all be undone more quickly than it can be built. My fervent hope is that those who stood up remain standing, keeping the pressure up so this historic victory and more than deserved rebuke and near-thing resurrection will pay off.

Perhaps I’ll take a nap today.

Sunday Morning Reading

Treats

Sunday Morning Reading is on hiatus this weekend as we’re a bit exhausted following a night of Halloween tricking and treating with the grandkids.

Sunday Morning Reading will be back next week.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to subscribe if you want. It’s free. If you’re interested in just what the heck Sunday Morning Reading is all about you can read more about the origins of Sunday Morning Reading here. If you’d like more click on the Sunday Morning Reading link in the category column to check out what’s been shared on Sunday’s past. You can also find more of my writings on Medium at this link, including in the publications Ellemeno and Rome. This site does not use affilate links.

Bryan Adams Dives Into Protesting With New Song “Lake Ontario”

We need more of this

If you read anything here at all you know I love a good protest song. Well, Bryan Adams has just released a new one tossing water on Donald Trump’s propensity for naming things called Lake Ontario.

I’d love to hear more songs like these. You can check it out below. Spread it around.

Apple’s Slew Of New Products Bode Well For A Broader Based Future Built On Niches

Choices are always a good thing

You can’t say Apple hasn’t been busy. That’s certainly the case given the slew of new products announced and released this fall, with some yet to still hit store shelves later this month. In some ways it feels like it’s an inventory clearing of hardware products that have been waiting for the software side of things to catch up. In some ways it points to a more diversified product lineup and broader user base in the future.

Apple PR Image of a young woman using a touch screen MacBook Pro with a city skyline at night in the background c8gxlalyqeie large 2x.

Either way I’m glad to see products like the iPhone Duo and the insanely named MacBook PROLED XDR Display (I wonder if they used Apple Intelligence for that — I hope that’s the excuse) even though they aren’t products I’m interested in. I’m also glad to see familiar hardware form factors continue to receive incremental improvements. Although the price increases for some of the familiar home products will put them further out of the reach for many.

As for the iPhone Duo and… I’m just going to call it the MacBook Touch, these both look like specific niche products that time will tell if their respective niches will be big enough to warrant the initial investment. Regardless of what the bottom line future holds, my hunch is that they will each develop an ardent and passionate user base.

And that is as it should be.

Apple is not only broadening the number of products it sells, it is also broadening the number of ways users can interact with its products and its vision of computing. Apple is often criticized for its narrow and opinionated view of how computers and technology should work. That will still happen because Apple is indeed still opinionated and critics will always be critics. But it will happen within a larger universe of product possibilities that doesn’t feel quite as one size fits all or how one device in a category has to cater to every possible type of user.

As to the price point problem everyone in consumer tech is facing, I don’t think you have to look any further than the introduction of the NEO last spring to understand where Apple is headed. While those initial NEO prices have increased due to chip costs, and the next version will probably do the same, it looks to me that Apple is further segmenting, while still expanding its customer base by including a larger array of price point options.

I am thoroughly puzzled by the $299 price point of the Apple TV though. It seems oddly out of place. I, and several others I know were looking forward to upgrading that device this year. But at that price point most I’m talking to are, like me, sitting tight with what they currently have.

Going forward, a lot of the coverage is going to focus on the new and shiny iPhone Duo and MacBook Touch. That’s understandable. But I think the bigger story is going to be about the entire lineup and how those new products fit in and expand Apple’s user base.

The Death Of The Internet? Some Think So.

Nothing lasts forever. But what follows?

Some savvy folks are donning mourning clothes as they proclaim the death of the Internet, while simultaneously getting all dolled up, hoping for something new to rise from its digital ashes. And some wish it would just go away. I’d argue that whatever phase of life the Internet is in it is certainly safe to say it is a sickly one.

I’ve seen what I’m linking to here pass through my feeds this week and last, some via RSS, some via social media, some via an email subscription. All while I’m online fighting Medicare with the assistance of one of my doctors over some changes to prescription drug charges. No one takes a phone call these days. It’s online or bust. So I think that while the Internet might need some intervention or reinvention, I doubt seriously most of the real world is ready for that. But then again, the real world wasn’t ready for the Internet in the first place.

In my opinion, how you view the possible end of the Internet largely depends on what you put in and what you take out. Strangely enough, just like life.

I think Dave Winer is more accurate in calling it the web rather than the Internet. I mean we fight shooting wars using “the Internet” these days. Winer points to a fascinating article from Ben Thompson called The End of The Internet, that provides not only Thompson’s thesis but also excellent context on the entire discussion. Winer also points to Marco Arment’s search for Community that I referenced earlier in a previous post. I encourage you to read all mentioned above.

Communication, Connection, and Commerce

The three “C’s” in that subhead are, to me, what the Internet boils down to. They coexist, they collide, they sometimes cradle each other and can also cause each other to crash and burn. The Internet is like any other human invention or innovation. Once whatever is created becomes about the cost of sustaining that creation, conflicting tensions boil up. Just ask any major church or organized religion, local farming co-op, computer company, or small local chorale. Capitalism takes over and history proves nothing ever created by humankind is immune to the compromises that come with it.

Winer, Thompson, and Arment haven’t quite given up the ghost just yet. All three see potential for something new. That’s not quite the case with Miles Klee, whose piece also caught my eye this morning. In Please Let The Internet Die. Klee highlights a book by John West called The Internet Will Die, and So Will You: On Learning To Live In Our Digital Age. This quote caught my eye:

If the internet is much smaller and less solid than imagined, West’s book suggests, then it’s crucial to recognize the forces that determine how those deaths unfold, or which pieces are preserved while others crumble. Because the market has falsely sold us the web as a comprehensive library of accumulated wisdom, each transient phase of this global network comes to define the present, for better and worse.

And this:

These shifting sands are a far cry from the flawless, collective, permanent memory that internet users originally believed they were building. “‘Forever’ is such a strong word, and it’s the wrong word,” West says. Online spaces are memento mori, the same as individuals who self-promote across them.

I was also intrigued by this quote from Thompson:

This is where I come back to de Tocqueville: the Internet is an American invention, and has long been defined by American mores; the individuals who thrive on the Internet, no matter their nationality, come across as very American in their iconoclasm and cringe.

I think Thompson’s thought is not only accurate but also uncannily diagnostic. It is timely context coming at a time America itself, with the rest of the world looking and moving on, is questioning its own existence 250 years in.

Omnia praetereunt.

(Image from AnnaStills on Shutterstock)

Fondling Apple’s Folding iPhone Duo

First impressions leave a mark.

Anticipating Apple’s now released iPhone Duo I spent a morning earlier this past summer checking out Samsung’s latest folding smartphones. I’d never been interested in the folding form factor before and thought it was time to feel them out for myself. I wrote about that here.

The iPhone Duo in close mode Yesterday on a series of errands I convinced my wife to join me in doing some hands-on time with the iPhone Duo in a local Apple Store. Not only did I want to check the device out myself, but my wife is unflinching in her response to all things tech. Her responses are always genuine, occasionally surprising, and often unflinching. With her it’s a quick like/don’t like, and her first impressions rarely change even as she slowly adopts something new.

She was a reluctant iPhone user, only coming on board once manual keyboards disappeared from the scene. And her favorite iPhone was the iPhone mini. Even though she’s using an iPhone 17 now, she still curses Apple for discontinuing that form factor. Daily. Sometimes multiple times a day. I distinctly remember how unhappy she was the day she traded in the second of her iPhone 13 minis.

Back in the day when video reviews of gadgets began to be a thing I’d put her in front of a camera for GottaBeMobile to see how she responded to things. The results were often hilarious as she’d make up her own terms for things, but in the end, always telling.

Before I get to my initial reactions to fondling the device, let me say straight up my wife was not impressed. When she first picked up the device she emphatically said, “This is too heavy. I wouldn’t put that in my purse.”

Almost immediately followed by “What kind of case do you put on this thing?” She drives the tech she uses hard. So hard, I’m glad Apple Care exists.

I encouraged her to fold and unfold the device, check out its different orientations and open a few apps. Her negative impression of the device’s weight paled in comparison to her reaction when she realized she couldn’t fully reach across the screen in the closed position to type on the keyboard with one hand. She could get close, but not close enough to feel comfortable.

She was surprised at how difficult it was to open and close. “You have to use two hands to do anything on this,” she exclaimed. “I feel like I’m going to break it. For something so solid and heavy it feels too fragile.”

First impressions leave a mark. Hers were as indelible as a tattoo.

I have to admit mine were only different by degree.

Even though I’d read about how heavy the iPhone Duo is, I was surprised at the weight in my hand when I picked it up. Opening and closing the device needed more heft than I wanted it to, much like the Samsung devices I checked out this past summer.

While the premium builds of these foldable devices feel solid when you pick them up, the central premise and promise of unfolding the screen feels far too adventurous in my limited hands on time. I’ve noticed that some reviewers are searching for the right place to put your thumb on the larger screen when you close the device after the news of some screens cracking due to a hinge fault. To a degree it smacks of “you’re holding it wrong.” Or is that folding? There’s a Kenny Rogers gambling joke in there somewhere.

I very much like the larger display and can see its attractiveness. So much so that my gut feeling after reading and watching reviews was confirmed once I held the device. I wish Apple had released a folding iPad mini.

Though as someone who uses an iPad as a primary tool in theatre rehearsals, without a good case solution I find it hard to image using what is a very nice thin display in what can be a bit of a hectic and chaotic environment of tech tables filled with other equipment. But a suitable case solution defeats and diminishes the effect of this very nice smaller screen. At least in my mind.

I’m not as enamored of the closed face. Again, in limited hands-on testing I agree with those who say there’s too little screen real estate when a keyboard is on the screen to feel comfortable. Everything feels crowded. Certainly not pleasing to the eye.

All of that said I’ll say what I said about Samsung’s foldables. I can see the attraction for this category of smartphones. But it’s not something I’m interested in. Even ignoring the price points they feel more like luxury devices, than they do everyday practical devices. They require too much hands-on effort for those of us who’ve gotten used to the grab-and-go way we use our smartphones. I’m sure I could get used to quickly taking a photo with practice, but I bet it would still take longer than doing so on my current iPhone. My grandkids move too fast for that kind of action.

I also can’t imagine quickly folding and unfolding an iPhone Duo to take notes or review a script in rehearsals to avoid those chaotic tech tables. Moments move too quickly for an action that feels so painstaking.

These are first impressions. First impressions leave a mark and you don’t often get a chance to change them. Samsung and others have been attempting to reverse that trend for years now, and I imagine they hope Apple’s entry into the foldable market will be a big enough boost to help the entire segment. That may prove to be true down the road, but I think foldable smartphone makers still have some distance to travel before everyday users feel comfortable wrapping their hands around folding phones.

One other quick note. Talking to an Apple store employee I’m familiar with they said interest quickly waned after a small rush on release day last Friday. My wife and I were the only two people anywhere near the two iPhone Duos the store had on display for the hour or so we were in the store, though admittedly it was on a Monday afternoon.

The iPhone Duo and Lack Of Liquid Glass Seem Confusing To Me

A curious design choice or a clueless observer?

It’s been interesting to watch coverage of the new iPhone Duo. Regardless of how you feel about the device it is certainly something different and I dare say exciting to talk about.

Siri ai hero c59xcl4s2n2a large 2x. I haven’t seen or fondled the device in person as of yet. I’m planning a trip to a local Apple Store at some point early this week to see and touch it for myself. I’m sure my reactions will be similar to most. It’s a cool new piece of tech that has some first generation issues.

Regardless of how that visit pans out, I still don’t think the device is something I’m interested in. Perhaps in a future evolution. Perhaps one that is a folding iPad mini without all of the phone guts. I’d find that appealing. I’m guessing we’re at least a couple of years off from Apple and the carriers finding a way to make the Handoff feature, that seems obviously designed to attract folks who might want to own both a traditional slab phone and a folding phone, work as smoothly as Apple wants it to be. I certainly don’t want to pay for another phone line even as an add-on.

One thing I’ve noticed in reading and watching reviews is the right margin separation that Apple has segregated for the dock and controls, which I believe is the case in most orientations. I have seen images of some apps that also have controls on the left side when the device is open and showing two apps side-by-side. But that’s certainly not the case on the closed front screen. Even so, those I’ve seen seem to adhere to that separate toolbar (for lack of a better descriptor) approach. Apple chalks this up to a lack of vertical display space requiring these controls being located on the margins.

(See the update on the above below.)

When I look at it and hear complaints from others about how that leads to wasted space, it makes me wonder why the choice. Certainly in the context of what the original promise of Liquid Glass was all about. It just seems natural to me that any of those controls could overlay content in a liquidly-glassy sort of way. I’m not saying that would be ideal, but to my eye it sure seems logical.

I could be off base completely and there may be some tech or design reason I’m not understanding. Although I do note that there is talk (rumors?) that Apple is working on ways to make Safari feel less cramped, and give developers more freedom in designing their apps.

There’s an interesting article by Lavande that relates to this that might be worth your time if your’e as curious or clueless as I am.

The only thing I’m sure of is whatever the second generation of the iPhone Duo turns out to be, I bet we’re in for some changes given the excitement around the new device and both the positive and negative feedback Apple has received so far.

Update: I did take that trip to the Apple Store. And at least one Apple app, Maps, does look more like what I would expect apps (at least Apple’s) to look like with Liquid Glass with the controls overlaying the content. I’ll write up more about my iPhone Duo fondling experience in the next day or so.