CNN is reporting that local Sinclair stations will be broadcasting a COVID-19 Conspiracy theory video that has been banned by both YouTube and Facebook.

Local TV stations across the country set to air discredited ‘Plandemic’ researcher’s conspiracy theory about Fauci

Ran across this quote by Joseph Conrad today.

“I’ve seen the devil of violence, and the devil of greed, and the devil of hot desire; but, by all the stars! these were strong, lusty, red-eyed devils, that swayed and drove men — men, I tell you. But as I stood on this hillside, I foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of that land I would become acquainted with a flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly. How insidious he could be, too, I was only to find out several months later and a thousand miles farther.”

― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

Went out to do some yard work and saw this crossbow arrow halfway through my fence.  This is a fence about 25 yards inside of my property.  Looks like it came from the geniuses who live behind us.  Decided it was best to let the police discuss it with them.  My excitement for the day.

A columnist for Bloomberg, Joe Nocera, apologies for weeks of promoting the policies of Florida governor DeSantis on COVID-19.  I suppose it is good that Mr Nocera realized the error he made.  Perhaps even better that he owned up for it publicly.  I am not satisfied, though.  People are dead and more are dying. This person used his professional position to promote one side of an argument that was not only wrong, but terribly wrong.  It ignored people with expertise in this area in favor of people with personal and political agendas.  I don’t plan on reading any more of Mr Noceras writings.  From Bloomberg.

I Was Wrong About Florida’s Response to Covid-19

I gave Governor Ron DeSantis more credit than he deserved for the low death rate in his state.

By Joe Nocera
July 23, 2020, 5:00 AM CDT

I started this blog as a sort of protest alternative to Facebook.  It is just a place for my content and really made for a few close friends and family.  Originally it was meant to be photos from travels and maybe links to a few unusual stories.  Maybe document some of my tech projects like the Raspberry Pi desktop experiment.

It seems the world had other plans.  Not much travelling and really the only story of interest is the unfolding pandemic and the US response.   I suppose one day I can look back on this page and recall these extraordinary times.

I guess that still leaves projects.  I seem to be starting more than I finish.  Right now I’m trying to clear out the back third of an acre that I had loaded up with a few brush piles over the years.  My Landroid robotic mower broke down and I have an ongoing battle to get the parts to fix it.  Seems parts are no longer available, so I’m going to have to improvise.  Started cutting back some trees that I had ignored for too long, to the detriment of my lower back.  Still thinking about converting my old riding mower to electric.  Also considering making my own Raspberry Pi sprinkler controller.  I guess I have plenty of time around the house but it is a bit hot right now for yard work.  On top of fun techie projects there is the usual repairs (broken sprinkler head today, leaky pool pump seal one day soon).  Cooking a lot.  Maybe I need to pick one project and finish it off.  But then I think, what’s the hurry?

A really good interview with a Democratic data analysis guy.  Explains some of the mathematical and demographic issues in US politics that I haven’t seen other places.  From New York magazine.

David Shor’s Unified Theory of American Politics

From the New York Times

From CNBC.  A good graph of what is going on state by state.

It looks like the White House is making a grab to control COVID-19 data via a Peter Thiel project.  It is pretty clear that deaths are already under reported (my own ballpark guess is the numbers should be about a  third higher).  The only reason I can see for this change is to cook the books and further under report COVID-19 cases and deaths.  From The Verge.

White House reportedly orders hospitals to bypass CDC during COVID-19 data collection

The Department of Heath and Human Services may collect the data in a central database

Because the internet needs cat pictures now more than ever.