Revisting UW IHME’s Covid-19 projections
This part of the post was written on September 4th, but not published until December 30. On September 4th, the UW IHME disease modeling team projected 410,000 deaths in the…
ISS Astronauts communicate with school kids via ham radio
The conversations are a treat for the astronauts as well. “You’re talking to someone and looking right down at where they are,” NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold II said. Over the…
Instagram’s new Data Policy – And why I deleted the Instagram app yesterday – Social Panic
I deleted my last FB/IG app from a device yesterday. I still had IG running on one Android tablet but I no longer view use of FB/IG apps as safe.…
Facebook Ad targeting said to be fraudulent
True: …Facebook has been selling them ad targeting that is unreliable to the point of being fraudulent. The documents feature internal Facebook communications in which managers appear to admit to…
Study: Travel restrictions only effective in first few weeks of pandemic, after that, useless
Travel restrictions, lock downs and face masks forever! Because reasons! Models have found that strict border closures could have helped limit viral transmission in the pandemic’s early days. But once…
If you want to feed the conspiracy theorists, this is how you do it
I’m so old, I remember posting this a week ago: 15 days to flatten the curve! Oh, may be a month Two months Okay, at least 3 months Well, until…
CDC announces priorities for vaccinations in Phase 1a, 1b and 1c
This information comes from the CDC ACIP recommendations updated on December 20, 2020. The suggested dates, in parenthesis, are my estimates based on best available information. See here for my…
DJI can no longer buy components from the US for its drones
DJI products can still be sold in the U.S., but DJI is prohibited from buying parts from U.S. suppliers. Thus, this only hurts U.S. companies but ya know, we are…
Shortage of semiconductors effecting EV production
Source: Volkswagen facing ‘massive’ shortage of electronic parts And laptop computers and smart phones. I’ve had one electronics related item on order since September. It’s original October ship date has…
Government will loan you your future income: “Americans call slimmed down $600 stimulus checks a ‘disgrace'”
Not saying this is good or bad – only that few seem to understand that “stimulus” checks are the government borrowing your future income, which you will then pay back…
Wow. Breath taking journalsim about the decay rocking Seattle
This is off topic for this blog but WOW. Incredible journalism. Stunning story. A city dying due to its own leaders. Just wow. Must watch this.
Thank you: Microsoft will continue paying wages of hourly vendor workers that have not been able to work since March
Very, very cool: First, Microsoft will continue to pay the wages of hourly workers of vendors that provided services on the company’s campuses before the pandemic but who have not…
Good or bad idea? : The gamification of financial service/trading apps
Probably not a good idea: “I liken it to giving the keys of a sports car to a 12-year-old,” said Tara Falcone, a certified financial planner and the founder of…
Questions asked: “Electric cars are on the rise in cities. Can power grids cope?”
As electric vehicle sales rise across Europe, more charging stations are needed. Power grids are trying to meet increasing energy demands as they keep pace with government carbon reduction targets.…
Space: Chinese capsule returns to Earth carrying moon rocks
Awesome! BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese lunar capsule returned to Earth Thursday with the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 40 years. Source:…