The Upside Roundup – 5 Things I Like, November 13
Biden’s Action Plan, The Rise of Parler, and Alex Trebek’s Replacement
On Monday, Pfizer and German partner BioNTech announced that they had made significant progress on developing a vaccine that is 90% effective. Even with this promising news, we are still several months away from this vaccine being able to be consumed by the masses. A chief executive at Pfizer said that they would be capable of producing 30 million doses of the vaccine before the end of the year, which would be enough to serve for 15 million people. The treatment using the vaccine would involve taking an initial shot followed by a booster three weeks later. People with the highest risk of infection and those that are most susceptible to the virus would get first priority for the vaccine. Production could potentially reach over a billion doses a year by next year.
1. Google Maps is Kinda Creepy
· Google Maps is an incredibly useful app that has over a billion monthly active users. With its powerful ability to embed itself into every single person's life, it has the ability to compile a staggering amount of information about its users. While the convenience afforded by the app has been life-changing, users must ask how much of their personal data they are willing to sacrifice for that luxury. Google seeks to create a personalized experience for its users, and its algorithms save 18 months of data to curate profiles. Privacy is simply not valued with Google Maps the way it is with alternatives like Apple Maps. And if users attempt to restrict the data they send to Google, they will have a subpar experience. Google wants to know everything about you and wants you to think you are doing them a favor by offering unrestricted access.
2. Biden’s First Day Checklist
· Now that – we think – Joe Biden has been effectively confirmed as the President-elect, it’s time to start pondering on how he can move this country forward. Despite the fact Biden earned more votes in an election than any other candidate in history, it's clear that the country is divided. The growing effect of echo chambers is making things more polarized and harder than ever to unite. Millions of people are going to be skeptical about Biden's ability to perform the duties of the Presidency, but looking through his most urgent to-do items will provide context on where we're going in January. Most of the first priorities will focus on reversing particularly unpopular Trump actions. Among the most important things Biden plans to do include rejoining the WHO and Paris climate accord.
3. The New Social Media App Rising Up The Charts
· Known as the "free speech" social network, Parler advocates for two rules. The first one is no criminal activity and the second is no spam. Conceived largely as a result of the growing moderation taking place on Facebook and Twitter, conservatives are migrating to Parler where activity has increased 20x and it has occupied the top spot on both the Apple and Google app stores since Election Day. The app has been around since 2018, but is experiencing a resurgence as tensions continue to escalate between liberals and conservatives. Parler has many similarities to Twitter with a list of accounts that you can follow, echo (retweet), and vote (like). Politicians like Ted Cruz and Devin Nunes have been hyping the platform in an effort to avoid the censorship taking part on more mainstream social networks.
4. Can US Men’s Soccer Be Fun Again?
· It's been a rough couple of years for the United States Men's National Soccer Team (USMNT), but the team has made a committed transition to going younger in the hopes of lighting a much-needed fuse. In their first game in eight months, last night, the USMNT was back in action against Wales featuring six players making their debut. Although the scoreline was a disappointing 0-0 snoozer, there are reasons for optimism about where this team is headed. Playing without their best player and leader Christian Pulisic, the USMNT still managed to execute and play with a flair that lends itself to plenty of goals in the future. In the lead-up to last night's match, the team only had two practices. When the team finally gets the time to train and play together regularly, they might actually be able to qualify for the World Cup. After the debacle in 2018, that can no longer be taken for granted. The average of the squad was just over 22 years old, making it the fourth youngest ever.
5. The Only Successor to Alex Trebek is…
· After spending the last 36 years as host of Jeopardy!, Alex Trebek's death has left a gaping hole that must be filled. Trebek tragically passed away from pancreatic cancer last weekend, but still managed to film enough episodes to last until the end of the year. His presence is so synonymous with the show that many fans would say they would stop watching if he wasn’t the host. A number of contenders have been offered as replacements, but if this sportsbook is to be believed, the choice is obvious: Ken Jennings. Vulture and fans of the show agree. Considered one of the best Jeopardy! players of all-time, Jennings had a 74-game winning streak on the show in 2004 and won over $4.5 million during his appearances. He has signed on as a consulting producer in September in a move that could be foreshadowing an increased presence as the future host.