My wife and I drive almost the same model of Audi, separated by a couple of years. One still has physical buttons for infotainment and one has a touch screen, but both support Android Auto and CarPlay.
I prefer the physical controls for it, because I can glance at the screen and know "turn right two clicks and press down" to get where I want, and then look back at the road while I do it.
The current administration is advocating for a ceasefire while Trump is literally on the other line with Bibi trying to thwart the negotiation. These things are not the same.
As a developer for 15 years: there's no reason to put up with any bullshit in this field. They need us more than we need them. This field is mercenary as fuck.
I've switched jobs on average every 2 years, except for one that I went back to for a second stint and one that was just a great place to work (remote). My salary has quadrupled in those years and I've learned never to stick around out of fear that there isn't something better: there always is, and if the next job isn't the one, get another one after that (and probably another raise).
If I had to make a wild guess as to why it's designed that way? Cleaning flat buttons seems way easier than cleaning knobs. And no moving parts. Maybe more resilient (can be made with cheaper parts) considering the flimsy electronics that would be underneath the knobs compared to the more industrial (robust?) kind under an electric range.
The next upgrade is Synergy (the software) so you can run both systems side by side with the same keyboard and mouse. Been using it for probably well over ten years now and it's become something I can't live without.
Scheduled pick-up is already a thing on ride shares.
I recall they only had like 8 months of a super majority (if you include Manchin) before Ted Kennedy died in office and was replaced by Scott Brown.
I think that's setting the context for the claims they make, not a claim in itself.
I see the couch memes as an extension of "I can see Russia from my house" memes.
The Darkness.
Also, Prototype, but someone already mentioned that.
I saw on one of the newscasts on election night that the overturning of Chevron deference is going to come back to kneecap the whole GOP agenda because they'll have to pass all their (de)regulatory changes through Congress which will be, as you say, closed.