Shiny Objects November 3, 2022November 3, 2022 As much as we may be focused on the election and finding ways to help, we’re all human; and, well, distractions abound: 1. I couldn’t help notice that PRKR showing signs of life, climbing from 18 cents Monday to 38 cents Tuesday before settling back to 30 cents. What happened? My guess: PRKR’s new board member. Given his credentials and background, one imagines he didn’t lend his name to the company lightly, thinking it would fail. It may fail of course; but the Intel trial is set to begin 13 weeks from now. And eventually the Qualcomm suit may be reinstated on appeal. Someday in our lifetime, having enforced its patents, the company might even be able to bring new technology to market, getting paid this time. So it remains a bet only for money we can truly afford to lose; but I still like the odds. 2. TV can cause dementia (or so suggests a 12-year study of 146,651 subjects). Brain HQ can prevent it (or so suggests a 10-year study of 2,800 patients). Carve 15 minutes from your weekly TV viewing for brain exercise? Or suggest this to your parents? 3. Finally, an unusual way to make music that’s likely to brighten your day. It did mine. OK. Break over. Back to encouraging people to vote. Inflation may last another year or three (I hope not!); but autocracies, once entrenched, can last for centuries. Next Tuesday, if the election deniers take power, would be a huge step down that path. Putin would be thrilled. Trump would be thrilled. Q-Anon would be thrilled. Giuliani would be thrilled. Tucker Carlson would be thrilled. But what about the Greatest Generation, who fought so hard to preserve democracy? What about their kids and grandkids? Like me?