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vgr's profile
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
Venkatesh Rao
@vgr

Tweets

Venkatesh Rao

@vgr

Conversational account. For work follow @ribbonfarm, @breaking_smart, @artofgig. Tweets are 90% vacuous views, apathetically held. Mediocritopian. IKEA builder.

Los Angeles, CA
venkateshrao.com
Joined August 2007

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    1. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 5
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      Back to Hydrogen Sonata with Look to Windward cued up tight after. I’ve decided I’ll be working through Iain M. Banks Culture series no matter what happens. Feels very zeitgeisty. Happy little killer spaceships.

      8 replies 0 retweets 39 likes
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    2. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      Well looks like Biden’s edged ahead in the PA, GA counts and trending irreversibly at least in the former. I guess ultimately the AZ drama will be moot. Still unclear why Fox/AP called that early, but I’m guessing the anomalous split of mail-in ballots confused the projections?

      1 reply 0 retweets 8 likes
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    3. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      I guess the media has to be cautious, but since I’m not a bluecheck, I can proceed on the assumption Biden’s got this in the bag. I’d say we slipped into the litigious 3-month tinpot dictatorship portion of the show overnight.

      2 replies 2 retweets 31 likes
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    4. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      Trump’s already isolated from his formal political allies and both mainstream media and the news side of Fox. But the far-right grifter crowd with careers linked to his political survival is already gearing up for an ugly rearguard action.

      2 replies 1 retweet 23 likes
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    5. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      The formal media projection and official county-certified results will come in when they come in. The timeline to track now is: Biden claiming victory, Biden calling McConnell (probably the most important signal of Act 2 starting) and Trump’s first transition scorched-earth move.

      1 reply 1 retweet 16 likes
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    6. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      From what we’ve seen so far, legal ammo he has available to try to undermine the results are too specious even for highly sympathetic courts to work with. And his recent allies have no incentive to help. So I’m guessing the main threat is perception of illegitimacy by his base.

      6 replies 1 retweet 14 likes
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    7. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      It is notable that in 2016, the Dems went for foreign interference and collusion cases rather than casting doubt on the electoral process itself. They had way more probable cause and the thing fell apart for being too weak rather than fictitious.

      1 reply 2 retweets 31 likes
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    8. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      There’s going to be attempts to argue an equivalence here, but it’s important to keep in mind that even the Republican senate intelligence committee signed off on the Russia case. Whatever Trump makes up will be flimsy fiction. But his base will buy it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2016_United_States_elections …

      3 replies 1 retweet 18 likes
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    9. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      For the record, I personally believe the interference had an effect, but not enough to affect result. It merely fed existing sentiment a bit. Trump won legitimately enough, and the biggest distortion came from domestic media coverage choices (ugly but not illegal) not Russia.

      4 replies 0 retweets 23 likes
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    10. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      My problem with Trump regime was not its legitimacy, nor even its ideological leanings or low-grade self-dealing/profiteering. It was with their open attempt to destroy institutions, hold them hostage with ransomware tactics, and putting a bunch of foxes in to guard henhouses.

      2 replies 1 retweet 61 likes
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      Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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      Venkatesh Rao Retweeted Ethereal bisexual who wears mostly black

      Cute, but let's maybe not do this? Process, memorialize, move on. This is borderline nyanyanyha territory.https://twitter.com/Travon/status/1324766589804142594 …

      Venkatesh Rao added,

      Ethereal bisexual who wears mostly blackVerified account @Travon
      Thank you Pennsylvania and Georgia. Now can someone make some blue "PAGA" hats for us to wear for the next four years?
      11:33 AM - 6 Nov 2020
      • 17 Likes
      • .petros 🌐𝓣𝓱𝓮 Neoliberal Rat Goddess🌐 Ben Udit Mavinkurve Space Pirate johnny cash's thigh high boots 🔫 Michael Keenan DAVID SUGARMAN
      1 reply 0 retweets 17 likes
        1. New conversation
        2. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Commercial break: This portion of the livetweet thread is brought to you by renowned knight of the Trump table Sir Ben Shapiro, and is dedicated to his unrequited courtly love for the Lady Alexandria who still won’t debate him, an Arthurian legend for our times.pic.twitter.com/YTNYZOipC3

          4 replies 2 retweets 24 likes
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        3. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Still counting for godot. Where did I read that trump is the sort of golfer who will move his own ball if he can get away with it, but won’t ever concede the putt if you’re inches away? Is this true of his literal golfing btw?https://www.liveabout.com/conceded-putt-1564034 …

          5 replies 5 retweets 50 likes
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        4. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Venkatesh Rao Retweeted Kelly Digges

          Update: he tried to rake his putt Tuesday night, got called on it. Now he’s trying to kick the ball or something. This is not even a metaphor. It’s a full-blown allegory for this race.https://twitter.com/kellydigges/status/1324862184074043393?s=21 …

          Venkatesh Rao added,

          Kelly Digges @kellydigges
          Replying to @vgr
          He literally cheats at literal golf in literally that exact way, yes. https://golf.com/lifestyle/celebrities/how-why-president-trump-cheats-golf-playing-tiger-woods/ …
          2 replies 2 retweets 24 likes
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        5. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          CNN doomscroll time. Biden’s apparently waiting for media to call it. Media is slow-walking it. I guess they want to truly Trump-proof the call.

          2 replies 1 retweet 6 likes
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        6. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Still fascinated by the golf allegory. Most states are finishing the city+mail-in last, so those are the putts. The non-urban and in-person votes were the drives. In a few states that mapping is mangled. But yeah he’s trying to rake the putts everywhere at a point he was ahead.

          1 reply 0 retweets 7 likes
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        7. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          This is the worlds most annoying golf course, where the 18 holes are the 18 swingiest states.

          2 replies 0 retweets 9 likes
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        8. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Taking these screenshots in case the kids challenge me in 2040 with ‘pics or it didn’t happen’ (though by then the standard will be 3d imagery and neural scans and thus shot will be like daguerreotypes today.pic.twitter.com/uara5PeZCO

          2 replies 0 retweets 9 likes
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        9. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          I was in two minds about whether to live tweet this but now I’m really glad I did. I’ll have the best technically possible prosthetic memory possible. And maybe I’ll be able to port it to the pensieve whenever iOS releases it.pic.twitter.com/I8FIrttOdQ

          2 replies 0 retweets 13 likes
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        10. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          The raw nature of a livetweet thread makes it suitable for playback. I think once I compile and blog this (which I plan to) I’ll be able to relive this by reviewing. Those of you followed along live and know me well enough may be able to use it the same way.

          1 reply 0 retweets 6 likes
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        11. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Jake Tapper: we’re pretty sure where this is going not just because Biden’s ahead in all 4 states but because with one exception Trump’s promised legal challenges are frivolous or even preposterous (rough quote)

          1 reply 0 retweets 3 likes
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        12. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          They’re now talking about how Trump is mad his legal team (Giuliani, Bondi) isn’t “effective” and demanding more effective “killer” lawyers. Tapper wonders out loud whether Trump has considered that that’s because there’s no real case, not because his lawyers suck.

          1 reply 1 retweet 6 likes
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        13. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          The one non-frivolous case I think Tapper is referring to is the Pennsylvania vote segregation procedural thing which apparently is a rounding error in terms of votes affected. Alito just sorta threw them a bone in that.

          1 reply 0 retweets 4 likes
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        14. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          GOP legal eagle Ben Ginsberg came on and made the point that a real all-star legal team cane out to bat for GWB in 2000 (including current scotus justices Kavanaugh and Barrett apparently) but nobody is coming out to bat for Trump. Ben says it’s because there’s no there there.

          2 replies 0 retweets 5 likes
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        15. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Dana Bash points out that tTrump’s legal team is not just second rate but that a lot of good GOP lawyers like Ben himself simply dislike Trump and don’t want to fight for him anyway. Interesting if true. How much do you have to suck to not get even lawyers to take your money?

          2 replies 0 retweets 12 likes
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        16. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Venkatesh Rao Retweeted James Musk

          Ah so electoral college vote is match play but popular vote is stroke play.https://twitter.com/muskjames/status/1324887755378184192?s=21 …

          Venkatesh Rao added,

          James Musk @muskjames
          Replying to @vgr
          In stroke play tournaments (you add up your score on each hole and get a total - lowest total wins) players don't concede putts. In match play tournaments you compete against an opponent in a head to head match and try to win the most holes - your opponent can concede your putt.
          2 replies 0 retweets 3 likes
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        17. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          This damp squib legal full-court press is possibly the farce to 2000’s Florida tragedy.

          3 replies 0 retweets 8 likes
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        18. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Venkatesh Rao Retweeted Kelly Digges

          This is now a golf thread. The best part of this story is the name of Trump’s opponent: Ted Virtue. Cannot make this shit up.https://twitter.com/kellydigges/status/1324893347018764289?s=21 …

          Venkatesh Rao added,

          Kelly Digges @kellydigges
          Replying to @kellydigges @vgr
          This is my favorite Trump golf story. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-golf-cheating-10-year-old-boy-mar-lago-a8909011.html …
          2 replies 0 retweets 8 likes
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        19. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Trump’s missing his putts in AZ. New batch only whittles Biden’s leas by ~7000pic.twitter.com/Pf0DTpnuEc

          1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes
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        20. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          The geographic segregation of voting patterns is utterly remarkable. What is it about cities that makes people reliably Democrat past a critical size/density? And to what extent is coastal blueness explained by greater urbanization (almost entirely I suspect)

          15 replies 0 retweets 27 likes
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        21. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Waiting for Bidenot to come out an speak. In the meantime,... Commercial break: this portion of the live tweet is brought to you by Covid19, the world’s favorite pandemic.pic.twitter.com/eSZlmFwQuW

          3 replies 0 retweets 10 likes
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        22. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Bidenot speaketh! He seems tired.pic.twitter.com/gkWZFOro7s

          1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
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        23. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          He’s basically giving the victory speech and Covid and stuff without explicitly claiming victory.

          1 reply 0 retweets 5 likes
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        24. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Aaaand update from the White House is that Mark Meadows has Covid 🙄 This is a damn telenovella. Expect a long-lost twin to appear and someone to get amnesia 125k cases today. Fatalities are under some control due to better treatment knowledge but a surge will still kill night.

          1 reply 1 retweet 18 likes
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        25. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          CNN speculating that the campaign war room might have been a superspreader event

          2 replies 0 retweets 11 likes
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        26. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Screenshot for the highlights reel: TV screen showing simultaneous Covid and election data, with Covid data helpfully coded red-scale. The Trump virus. Biden said cases could cross 200k/day in the next surge. Hold on to your ventilators. Winter’s gonna be rough.pic.twitter.com/sEjboHJYqy

          1 reply 1 retweet 10 likes
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        27. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Okay calling it a night. I’m guessing the networks will call it sometime tomorrow and Biden will do an actual victory speech and Trump will tweet “see you in court.” I’ll be able to end this interminable counting-for-Godot thread. We will then start a transition hell thread.

          1 reply 0 retweets 13 likes
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        28. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 6
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          Back to the hydrogen sonata. What are the Gzlit really up to?

          3 replies 0 retweets 2 likes
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        29. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 7
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          Day for of Counting for Godot. The news headlines are Cauchy converging on a Biden victory projection via Zeno’s paradox. Wish I’d taken screenshots. CNN is currently on “Biden nears victory.” Fox is on “America (still) waits.” NYT is on “Biden edges closer to victory.”

          1 reply 0 retweets 9 likes
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        30. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 7
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          * Day four Trumps Twitter feed right now is a flood of RTs of sketchy allegations of ballot fraud, plus a bunch of flagged tweets. He really thinks there’s a way out via some loophole. I suspect he’s applying intuitions from tax or real estate law which have way more loopholes.

          3 replies 2 retweets 16 likes
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        31. Venkatesh Rao‏ @vgr Nov 7
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          Strikes me there are two kinds of games: 1. games designed by idealists to make cheating hard 2. games designed by self-dealing elites to make cheating easy He’s used to type 2 and elections are type 1. It takes a lot long-term more work (eg gerrymandering) to cheat in type 1

          2 replies 5 retweets 45 likes
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