Daily Tech News 14 April 2024

Top Story

Google just announced at its big annual Cloud event that it is all-in on ethnically diverse Nazis. (Tech Crunch)

Cloud is old hat. You don't want cloud. You want Nazis.

Says Google.

It's no coincidence that one of my projects at work right now is to extricate our app currently running on Google Cloud and move it to old-fashioned dedicated servers that cost one tenth as much.

Tech News

Scientists think they have found a way to double the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries. (Science Daily)

Lithium-ion batteries wear out a little each time they are recharged (and have another flaw that if you keep them on the charger full-time they can swell up and destroy your expensive gadget entirely).

In testing the effects of different charging patterns, researchers found that charging with high-frequency AC power caused half as much wear as regular DC power.

It should be cheap and simple to implement as well.
Yes, Virginia, the CPI is bullshit. (Forbes)

Ace might have covered this previously - the Forbes article is undated, but the research paper came out in February.

Calculating the CPI using the same approach used up until 1982, annualised inflation in the US peaked at 18% in 2022, more than double the official number, and worse than the darkest days of the Carter Era.

So no, you're not imagining it. Anyone who has been inside a grocery store in the past five years knows that, but some economists now also know it.
Apple executives have defended the company's practice of selling expensive laptops with just 8GB of RAM and no possibility of ever upgrading that unless you learn surface-mount resoldering techniques and probably not even then. (WCCFTech)

I looked up the cost of the chips themselves, and the 8GB RAM upgrade that Apple charges you $200 for - only at the time you order the machine, since it can never be upgraded afterwards - appears to cost the company less than $5.

Apple's markup on memory upgrades is between 2000% and 4000%, depending on the model.

That's why they won't let you add memory yourself.

Their markup on storage is tame by comparison - about 600% over retail SSD pricing, likely 1000% on wholesale prices.

Disclaimer: Up with which I will not put.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:04 AM (o3SCB)

2 Must. Fetch. Coffee.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:06 AM (o3SCB)

3 Yeah, grocerie$ are thru the roof! FJB

Posted by: JQ at April 14, 2024 04:07 AM (njWTi)

4 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 14, 2024 04:08 AM (fwDg9)

5
Appull and Goggle
Sitting in a tree
K I S S I N G
First comes love
Then comes marriage
Then comes Goggle in a
"Cain't ever show no why peepo"
Baby carriage

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 14, 2024 04:10 AM (eMh+A)

6 It's no coincidence that one of my projects at work right now is to extricate our app currently running on Google Cloud and move it to old-fashioned dedicated servers that cost one tenth as much.

That was my experience in my last, big telecom job. Cloud makes a lot of sense for a small company that's either going to grow by leaps and bounds or fail. You can't afford to hire people to manage a bunch of servers, so you go with AWS or Google Cloud, and if you strike it rich it's more important to be able to ramp up quickly than save money on your infrastructure.

But if you're a big, established tech company with stable needs it's way, way cheaper to hire the IT team you need to manage your own, dedicated servers.

As was typical, my employer managed to have the worst of both worlds. It tried to build an internal cloud with people who didn't really know what they're doing, and tried to migrate my very CPU heavy app onto it. It didn't go well at all

They ended up keeping the dedicated servers and migrating the internal cloud to AWS. Last I heard they were franticly rewriting stuff to get off AWS because it was breaking the bank.

Posted by: Ace's liver at April 14, 2024 04:15 AM (B9Dv5)

7 Any brand-new glass parking lots in the ME yet?

Wake me then....

Posted by: JQ at April 14, 2024 04:16 AM (njWTi)

8 Poetry? A poem/lyric from the Pet Thread:

"The sun is riz, the sun is set...
And here I is in Texas yet."

And heh via linguistlist listserv:

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/
ads-l/2007-February/067434.html

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:18 AM (o3SCB)

9 Just because I'm really tired- ( spouse and I spent a long time getting reading for a memorial service yesterday and there was a luncheon afterwards) I am posting a cartoon which always make me laugh, "Ali Baba Bunny" with Bugs and Daffy. It would probably be considered politically incorrect now:

https://tinyurl.com/4rkr54sn

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 14, 2024 04:21 AM (XkYcA)

10 Israel live updates

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388424

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:26 AM (o3SCB)

11 current time in Israel

11:28am

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:28 AM (o3SCB)

12 Trying to decide aging if I should get up or not

Posted by: Skip at April 14, 2024 04:30 AM (fwDg9)

13 God knows our needs- a Christian devotional based on a passage from the Gospel of Matthew:

https://tinyurl.com/2vw8j96d

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 14, 2024 04:33 AM (XkYcA)

14 >>>Scientists think they have found a way to double the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries. (Science Daily)
It should be cheap and simple to implement as well.

Super cool.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:36 AM (o3SCB)

15
While at our daughter and boyfriend's new house with loads of "potential" yesterday, I saw a Palestinian flag spray painted on one of the rail cars. For some reason that pissed me off to no end.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 14, 2024 04:42 AM (eMh+A)

16
... rail cars on a passing train

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 14, 2024 04:43 AM (eMh+A)

17 BBC News, Chief international correspondent

"Iran has cast this as a limited, carefully calibrated strike. It caused limited damage, but here in Israel and amongst its allies, they're now looking at this strike."

This is the current quality of BBC news.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:44 AM (o3SCB)

18 Evening and morning to all the early birds, late lizards, and highly intelligent mammals!

This lithium-ion business . . . does this mean that leaving my Android phone plugged in while I'm home *shortens the phone's life* and can destroy it?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 04:45 AM (omVj0)

19 Krebs, google

patel bakersfield

for a feel-good story after the fact

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:45 AM (o3SCB)

20 Finally saw the video of the Chinese immigrant schooling David Hogg on gun control and Mao's China. "Legal Inurrection " site has it:

https://tinyurl.com/3yjmhkj5

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 14, 2024 04:48 AM (XkYcA)

21
We got an impromptu tour of what remained of the USS' Homestead Works blast furnaces the other day (Carrie Furnace, for those in the know). Their size was a wonder to behold. There is an active metals casting art community that is helping to maintain the site and demonstrate moderate scale metal casting projects. We may return to witness such a casting in the fall.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 14, 2024 04:50 AM (eMh+A)

22 18 This lithium-ion business . . . does this mean that leaving my Android phone plugged in while I'm home *shortens the phone's life* and can destroy it?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 04:45 AM (omVj0)

That has been my understanding; I have a very old android still chugging along and I occasionally drain it and then it recharges to 100%. I think some of the battery problems come down to bad luck.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 04:52 AM (o3SCB)

23 Anyway! Up earlier than I planned. I took my first (non-THC) CBD gummy last night about thirty minutes before bed. No bad reactions, but no great ones; five hours' sleep is about average for me these days. The fellow at the CBD store warned me that it might not take the first time or two. We'll see.

MeTV has the Custer/Little Bighorn episode of Time Tunnel on. It's from the same year as Trek started, and so it's not strange to see guest stars from that like Paul Comi and Lawrence Montaigne (who were both in "Balance of Terror"). And, naturally, Lee Meriwether. The episode's portrait of Custer as a man determined for glory and refusing to listen to advice about the Indians he's about to face seems spot on. The writer, Carey Wilber, did the teleplay for the famous episode of ST, "Space Seed."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 04:55 AM (omVj0)

24 Generally I pug them in at end of day unless down to nothing anyway. Phone rarely gets down to 9, tablet often does

Posted by: Skip at April 14, 2024 04:56 AM (fwDg9)

25
patel bakersfield

for a feel-good story after the fact
Posted by: m

FA executed. Here's hoping that her FO is appropriately severe.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 14, 2024 04:57 AM (eMh+A)

26 That Indian American woman threatening the Town council in Bakersfield over their refusal to demand a cease fire in Gaza sure sounds like a left wing nutcase:

Among her comments, Patel said the council members were such “horrible human beings” that “Jesus probably would have killed you himself.” Later, she expressed hope that oppressed people might “bring the guillotine.” She concluded her public statements by saying: “We’ll see you at your house. We’ll murder you.”

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 14, 2024 04:59 AM (XkYcA)

27 Generally I pug them in at end of day unless down to nothing anyway. Phone rarely gets down to 9, tablet often does
Posted by: Skip at April 14, 2024

***
I plug the phone in when I get home and unplug when I leave for work or errands, so it's on the charger for about twelve hours. This laptop, a MacBook Air, is about ten years old. I plug it in when I'm going to use it, but either let it sleep or shut it down when I'm not. Maybe that would be a better method for the phone?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 05:01 AM (omVj0)

28 hiya

Posted by: JT at April 14, 2024 05:04 AM (T4tVD)

29 18 Evening and morning to all the early birds, late lizards, and highly intelligent mammals!

This lithium-ion business . . . does this mean that leaving my Android phone plugged in while I'm home *shortens the phone's life* and can destroy it?

It shouldn't shorten the battery life, but it can destroy it.

It's called "battery bloat", caused by a buildup of hydrogen, and I've lost two expensive tablets and one cheap phone to it.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 14, 2024 05:12 AM (BLOW1)

30 new CEO of NPR
via @redsteeze

Katherine Maher
@krmaher
31 May 2020
I mean, sure, looting is counterproductive. But it’s hard to be mad about protests not prioritizing the private property of a system of oppression founded on treating people’s ancestors as private property.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 05:12 AM (o3SCB)

31 The INvaders episode is set in New Mexico, and features Barbara Hershey (who knew she'd have such a long career?) and Ed Asner, two years before his career-changing turn as Lou Grant. His "gruff teddy bear" image from that has obscured his convincing portraits of a lot of tough characters, cops and criminals, prior to his casting as LG.

Here he plays the owner of a bar in a small NM town. His daughter was given a crystal by one of the Invaders before he died, turned red, and vanished; she thinks it was a miracle. Apparently it was something the Invader race will kill to get back. . . .

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 05:14 AM (omVj0)

32 Good morning morons

Wolfus, I understand CBD is like melatonin, it takes a few days to build up in your system.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:14 AM (RIvkX)

33 29 18 This lithium-ion business . . . does this mean that leaving my Android phone plugged in while I'm home *shortens the phone's life* and can destroy it?
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 14, 2024 04:45 AM (omVj0)

It shouldn't shorten the battery life, but it can destroy it.
It's called "battery bloat", caused by a buildup of hydrogen, and I've lost two expensive tablets and one cheap phone to it.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 14, 2024 05:12 AM (BLOW1)

I've seen photos online of phones destroyed that way. Phat phones!

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 05:14 AM (o3SCB)

34 Police officers surprise couple with groceries:

https://tinyurl.com/4ndux8xp

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 14, 2024 05:15 AM (XkYcA)

35 new CEO of NPR
via @redsteeze

Katherine Maher
@krmaher
31 May 2020
I mean, sure, looting is counterproductive. But it’s hard to be mad about protests not prioritizing the private property of a system of oppression founded on treating people’s ancestors as private property.
Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 05:12 AM (o3SCB)

She sounds like a banana.

Posted by: JT at April 14, 2024 05:22 AM (T4tVD)

36 The Patel chick in Bakersfield doesn't understand what constitutes free speech and what constitutes terroristic threats.

To borrow a phrase, her speech is violence.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:23 AM (RIvkX)

37 I think the wind has stopped.

FINALLY !

Posted by: JT at April 14, 2024 05:23 AM (T4tVD)

38 Nothing I've seen to date referring to battery life extension has proven viable. Looks as if battery life and capacity remain the spoilers.

Again, unless a process comes that eclipses ALL the advantages of the current system, it'll remain in use.

Posted by: irongrampa at April 14, 2024 05:24 AM (KATBx)

39 I understand CBD is like melatonin, it takes a few days to build up in your system.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:14 AM (RIvkX)

Like a tick burying itself in your flesh....

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 14, 2024 05:24 AM (A3700)

40 Patel was arrested and charged by Bakersfield police with threatening public officials.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:25 AM (RIvkX)

41 in case anybody here missed this; Fetterman's sittin' on a bench, taking a break, drinking a soda:

Pennsylvania Maps
@PAMapper
Apr 12
“Senator I always thought you were an anti-racist but it seems like you value Israeli lives more than Palestinian lives, is that true?”
FETTERMAN: “Still with Israel”
“So you think an Israeli life is more valuable than a Palestinian life?”
FETTERMAN: “Okay”

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 05:26 AM (o3SCB)

42 Like a tick burying itself in your flesh....
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at April 14, 2024 05:24 AM (A3700)
====
Heh!

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:27 AM (RIvkX)

43 40 Patel was arrested and charged by Bakersfield police with threatening public officials.
Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 14, 2024 05:25 AM (RIvkX)

Stephen L. Miller
@redsteeze
15h
Well it's a good thing for her defense that there is not a lot of video evidence to convict her.

Posted by: m at April 14, 2024 05:27 AM (o3SCB)

44 Nood is up. Everything known and speculated the Israel strikes.

Posted by: Picric at April 14, 2024 05:30 AM (13tTk)

45
It's called "battery bloat", caused by a buildup of hydrogen, and I've lost two expensive tablets and one cheap phone to it.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 14, 2024 05:12 AM

Good to know. I have a portable solar panel and a 2k lithium ion phosphate battery. I always try to end charging it at 97 to 99% of capacity. When there's a big temperature differential between the outside and inside temperature I've noticed that the charge display will increase by 1% when brought inside. Not sure it would be a good thing for it to be at 100% then brought inside.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 14, 2024 06:40 AM (RKVpM)

46
@sentdefender
The Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami has stated that last night’s Attack has marked a New Chapter in Iran’s Confrontation against Israel; with him claiming that now anytime that Israel decides to conduct an Attack against Iranians, they will Face this Exact Response by the IRGC.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 14, 2024 06:50 AM (RKVpM)

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