High temperature record and other hot takes

Chicago's official temperature at O'Hare hit 35°C about two hours ago, tying the record high temperature set in 1994. Currently it's pushing 36°C with another hour of warming likely before it finally cools down overnight. After another 32°C day tomorrow, the forecast Friday looks perfect.

While we bake by the lake today, a lot has gone down elsewhere:

• The Federal Reserve raised its target interest rate range 75 basis points to 1.50–1.75%, the largest single-day increase since 1994 and the highest rate target since the pandemic began.
• The Economist looks at the labor-vacancy rate and thinks the Fed is playing it too safe, while it raises the alarm about the ECB's increasing difficulties fighting inflation in parts of Europe.
• Alex Shephard wishes the media could discuss the failed January 2021 coup as clearly as the January 6th committee has done.
• As part of their 175th-anniversary story series, the Chicago Tribune last week published a history of our expressway system, and all the politics that came with it.
• Microsoft has finally, after 27 years, ended support for Internet Explorer. By this time next week, IE6 will have rendered the page.

Finally, apparently John Scalzi and I have the same appreciation for Aimee Mann.