A journal of various casual notes and thoughts, collected and edited throughout the day.
The end of Poilievre
Why has a strong Conservative riding in rural Alberta, heading for a by-election on August 18th, dropped 7% support in the past week? Because Pierre Poilievre is running, and there is a strong Independent alternative.
According to 388canada, from July 27 to August 3, CPC support dropped 7 from 80% to 73%. Liberals are down 4 to 11%, NDP are stable at 4%. Who got these votes? Not shown in the graph, but Independent went up 11%. I think most of that has gone to the Independent, Bonnie Critchley. I’ve followed her for a bit, she sounds like a good alternative for the riding - she even got money from me, an NDP supporter in Ontario. Check her out. Maybe some of those Conservative votes also trickled down to the other 200+ candidates on the ballot - we’ll see after the votes are counted.
And where is Poilievre? He did attend the forum of ten of the candidates, supported by a group of bused-in fans, but hasn’t been in the news much. I think he figures this election is his to lose. He will get a majority, but this drop will be a factor in his leadership review in January. He nd will return to Parliament as the same yappy little attack dog, with nursery rhyme slogans and grandiose dreams. It worked last year against Trudeau, but it’s not last year, and he’s facing Carney. Pierre has already shown he can’t pivot from his decades-old persona, so he is bound to falter. In January, he will be judged and found wanting. At least he has a full pension.
Podcasting record process
Just as an FYI.
Set up room - A/C off. Balcony door closed, fan on for a bit of white noise
Mic - Blue Yeti - set about 6 inches away, pointing at my mouth, but at an angle so I speak past it. Less plosives and sibilance it seems.
Mic volume at minimum, Audacity input is 3 dB down.
Copy pre-read for timing, word pronunciations, and any minor edits to make more listenable, such as the occasional he said, she said.
Record right through, just repeat any phrases/sentences where I stumble and carry on.
Save my recording to my current podcasting folder
Apply effects - noise reduction (take sample), then compression, then de-ess (6/11?)
Replay from the start, snipping out any repeats, coughs, sneezes.
Export the audio - edit Metadata to show episode info
Save, then close Audacity.
Then there’s a process to get it into my SubStack - details later.