"It Just Works!"

Except, of course, when it doesn't.

Shortly after that post bemoaning my continuing keyboard woes, the situation worsened. One key was consistently typing double letters and another wouldn't type at all unless I pressed down really hard.

Reluctantly, yesterday afternoon I made an appointment to take the machine into the Genius Bar, resolving myself to the fact that I'd be without my Mac for a few days.

With little else to do this morning however, I started poking around YouTube. Even if it wasn't obvious from Apple's own forums, the sheer number of videos posted about these keys not working properly was confirmation that my problem wasn't by any means unique. Also, it seems these new keyboards aren't as unfathomable as I'd feared.

After watching the video I figured I had nothing to lose by trying this. After all, I already had an appointment scheduled at Apple. Taking a deep breath, I slowly pried off the first keycap. I got out my trusty can of compressed air and gave the mechanism in the key socket a good dusting and carefully snapped the key back on. Viola! No more double letters. I repeated the procedure with the other offending key and afterward it was once again fully functional.

I haven't cancelled my 5:45 pm appointment just yet; I'm waiting to see how this plays out the rest of the day. But right now, things are back to normal.

While I still feel this is a huge design blunder on Apple's part (the tolerances are now so tiny that the slightest bit of dust or dead skin cells or whatever can apparently muck up the mechanism), it's nice to know that the fix is relatively easy and straightforward—and while I sure don't look forward to doing this again, it certainly beats Apple having to send the fucking machine out for an entire top case replacement.

I bought a silicone keyboard cover right after I got the laptop because my anal-retentiveness hates the way the keys eventually wear down and get all shiny. But wasn't a perfect fit, it bunched up, and I didn't much care for the way it felt while typing. But if it prevents stuff getting down into the key mechanism, I may just have to live with it.

#firstworldproblems

To Paraphrase Rex Huppke…

…conservative political columnist at the Chicago Tribune [emphasis mine],

"I write about this president often, and I'd like to write about him less, but I can't, because he never stops behaving in a way that degrades our humanity. He never finds a bottom. And that's not OK."

If 45's intention was to be the center of the news cycle every damn day, then I would say he's succeeded—spectacularly. You cannot escape him. Even in formerly safe tech blogs, he's crept in. Anti-trump memes are filling Instagram. Everywhere you turn it's Trump, Trump, Trump! It's INSANITY, and it's making us all crazy. But we cannot stop talking about him because we are appalled by his behavior—and the fact that so many of our fellow citizens are apparently just fine with it.

Does he have to actually launch a nuclear missile before someone drags him from the White House? Because it sure as hell seems like that's what it's going to take to remove the demented, traitorous piece of shit from office—and even then I'm not sure it would happen.

Stepping Into The Matrix

We went out to Arrowhead Mall yesterday because Ben needed new shirts for work and JC Penney was having a huge sale. He also wanted to go to the Apple Store to look at MacBooks; he has become increasingly disenchanted with his decision to leave the Church of Jobs earlier this year and wanted to check out the new models.

While Arrowhead has had an Apple Store forever, they have remodeled and now have one of the new designs:

That's right. The new stores are like stepping into one of the "artificial constructs" of the Matrix. I even had to look to find the iconic Apple logo outside the store.

Anyway, the model Ben wants is the 15-inch 2.9/16/512 Touchbar, that even with his education discount comes in at $2500—twice what he paid for his Lenovo Yoga with similar specs a few months ago—so it's not happening any time soon.

Even then I'm in no hurry for him to switch back. While Ben loves technology, Ben is also one of those Technology Cursed. He has issues with pretty much every piece of gear he buys, and with my own ongoing problem with the keyboard (yes, it's happening—albeit with different, random keys this time—on the replacement machine I got) on my new Mac, I don't want him jumping into that shark pool until Apple fixes this mess. (If I could do it over, I would go back and get the 2015 pre-butterfly key model because this is really starting to piss me off. There's no logic to it; like with the first one I had, the h-key went wonky. Then it cleared up and the g-key lost its mind. Now it's the n-key. Hardware? Software? Sun spots? Apple will repair it, but from what I understand it will have to be sent out because the entire fucking top case needs to be replaced and I'll be without a machine for a week—and there's no guarantee the problem won't recur. I'm not yet to the point where I'm ready to go without but if it gets any worse I may reconsider that stance.)

Shower Thoughts

We should be asking kids, "What kinds of problems do you want to solve?" when helping them consider future careers instead of, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

Vintage Audio Porn

Sony STR-V6

Probably the last line of "good" Sony equipment before they descended—like all the rest of the Japanese audio giants—into the disposable silver and black plastic hell that's plagued us since the 80s.

Quote of the Day

The President told everyone that only he could do the job and he would drain the swamp. Instead, he's dammed up the swamp, put a party boat on it, and has turned his attention to Twitter." ~ Erick Erickson, conservative radio host and blogger.

You know you're in trouble when your own supporters start calling out your bullshit. But of course that requires a certain amount of self-awareness, doesn't it?

It Starts With Just a Trickle…

…for the dam to break.

From AMERICAblog:

GOP Senator Lindsey Graham threatened Donald Trump today with "the end of the Trump presidency" should Trump try to fire special counsel Mueller, who is investigating the extent of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia.

Graham first noted that there will be no confirmation hearings for a new attorney general in 2017. Trump has made clear on Twitter of late that he wants sitting attorney general Jeff Sessions to resign. Sessions has reportedly refused. Among the reasons Trump wants Sessions gone: Sessions recused himself from the Russia investigation, and thus can't help Trump kill it; Sessions hasn't been vigorous in investigating leaks (per Trump); and Sessions hasn't yet launched an investigation of Hillary Clinton.

"There will be no confirmation hearing for a new attorney general in 2017. If Jeff Sessions is fired, there will be holy hell to pay. Any effort to go after Mueller could be the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency."

Graham then said that if Trump tries to fire Mueller, it may be the beginning of the end of his presidency. That likely means Graham is threatening to impeach him and remove him from office. That's a large threat.

There's more. It's pretty great:

Now, Lindsey Graham is only one Senator, but in this Senate every vote counts, and Trump barely has enough votes to get his agenda through, as we're seeing on health care reform. Trump can't afford even one Republican Senator saying he's had enough.

This throws a real wrench in Trump's plans to get rid of Sessions. Having said that, Republicans like Graham talk a good talk, but they rarely act. Graham is happy to investigate Benghazi till the cows come home, but let's see if he ever truly and finally takes on Donald Trump.

Again, the comments are great, and will give Trump pause. But until we see some real action, Graham and the rest will still be tarred with Trump's excesses.

Contacting My Representatives

It couldn't be easier. Text RESIST to 50409 (details at Resistbot) and follow the prompts.

This is what I sent:

As you are quite aware someone has announced that Transgender persons are no longer welcome to serve our country. Then, while the media is having a firestorm over that sudden announcement and as the senate GOP are dramatically playing out their "take the healthcare away from the poor and give the money to the rich" scheme, it seems the Department of Justice decides to submit an amicus brief stating that all LGBT Americans simply aren't covered under the 1964 civil rights act because of who we are and who we love. I know that you and all of this nation's governors, senators and representatives want to be on the right side of history. For that reason I urge you all to put party politics aside and work towards a just, fair and equal society for all of us. I ask that you stand up and fight for all of our rights as equal citizens no matter our sex, religion, race, sexual orientation, skin color, beliefs, age, pre-existing condition, income, or social status. Please do this for us, for yourselves, for our children and for our country. We need you.

Thanks to Fearsome Beard for providing the majority of the text. He very eloquently put into words what I wanted to say.

And This Government Is Failing Miserably

The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped." ~ Hubert H. Humphrey