Daily Tech News 16 March 2025

Top Story

Amazon has announced Alexa+, which updates the existing voice assistant to... Something something generative AI something. (Liliputing)

What's the catch?
The option to have your smart devices not transmit everything you say straight to Amazon HQ will be removed on March 28. (Ars Technica)

George Orwell did not dream of this.

Tech News

64GB DDR5 DIMMs have hit retail.

Still a little scarce but showing up already on Amazon UK and Germany. And there's no significant price bump for the new chips.

This lets you install 128GB with a dual-channel kit and 256GB in a standard desktop motherboard. I'm considering a 128GB kit for my new desktop; that's more memory than I really need but that's preferable to less memory than I need.

SODIMMs for laptops are expected to follow.
Super Flower's 2800W Leadex power supply is here for $899. (Tom's Hardware)

Never mind why, I want to know what you're supposed to plug this thing into. That's not only more than a standard US wall socket can provide, it's more than a standard AU 230V wallet socket can provide.

There are 15A AU sockets - and matching 16A IEC cables - that could drive this beast, but curiously there are no photos anywhere that show that side of the power supply so that I could tell if that's what they've done.

Guess you can plug it into your stove or dryer outlet if nothing else works.
CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers. (Pale Moon)

Yes, Pale Moon is one of those, and so are SeaMonkey, Waterfox, and LibreWolf. That last one is run by crazy people and shouldn't be used, but it's still a big problem that they can't access sites behind CloudFlare's overly-protective wing.
The best alternatives to Skype, which will go away in early May. (Tech Crunch)

Mind you, all of the alternatives are bad.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Discord on the left of me, Slack on the right. Here I am, stuck in the middle with Zoom.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:04 AM (hoCmQ)

2 Nooded.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:04 AM (hoCmQ)

3 Morning!

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 04:05 AM (BLOW1)

4 I hit the button a couple of minutes ago but the server burped.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 04:05 AM (BLOW1)

5 Currently 47. Going to high of 50 today. 25 degrees cooler than Friday.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:06 AM (hoCmQ)

6 I tried poking the bear couple of times to help. Maybe that caused the burp.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:07 AM (hoCmQ)

7 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 16, 2025 04:09 AM (gcUgZ)

8 w00t

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 04:10 AM (CQE5S)

9 Expecting thunderstorms this afternoon in Babylon DC. Need the rain anyway.

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 16, 2025 04:12 AM (gcUgZ)

10 such norms and virtues...

@HistoryBoutique 2h
We just got SWATTED.
I am shaking. I cannot believe someone would do this to anyone but especially a family with kids.

@matt_vanswol 2h
I am being swatted right now.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at March 16, 2025 04:14 AM (mlg/3)

11 >>>The best alternatives to Skype, which will go away in early May. (Tech Crunch)

I've never used any of them, Skype included. Yay!

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 04:17 AM (CQE5S)

12 Mornin' Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 04:18 AM (O7YUW)

13 @MSHPTrooperGHQ
Tornado Recovery Update - March 15 - 3:30 pm

One additional storm related death has been reported which occurred in St. Louis County. The 12 fatalities now include:

Three fatalities, Ozark County
One fatality, Butler County
Six fatalities, Wayne County
One fatality, Jefferson County
One fatality, St. Louis County

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:18 AM (hoCmQ)

14 @CBSEveningNews
At least 31 people are dead after violent tornadoes spawned from an enormous storm system, and touched down in at least seven states from Friday night into Saturday.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:21 AM (hoCmQ)

15 Good morning, good people, from the Adirondacks which still just are where they were 1 hour ago.

But first, may all effort by you this day and ALL other days be rewarded with maximal benefit. And may there be maximal grief for the leftwit fungi who annoy us each day.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at March 16, 2025 04:21 AM (hKoQL)

16 I fervently hope I never get swatted, with my luck I'd find out who.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at March 16, 2025 04:24 AM (hKoQL)

17 4 I hit the button a couple of minutes ago but the server burped.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 04:05 AM (BLOW1)

Rude server!

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 04:31 AM (CQE5S)

18 From the Alexa article: "However, anyone with their Echo device set to “Don’t save recordings” will see their already-purchased devices’ Voice ID feature bricked."

Ms Harding, author of the article, and apparently a "Senior Technology Reporter" should know that "bricked" has a very specific meaning in the technology world, and "a feature not working" isn't even remotely close to it.

Bricked means: My device is now completely dead (or uncontrollable or useful in any way.) "This thing is now about as useful to me as a brick."

If you firmware flash a device, and the flash goes badly, such that you can't even try again... That's generally considered "bricked".

I now have another misuse of a term to despise the media over.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 04:31 AM (O7YUW)

19 15 Good morning, good people, from the Adirondacks which still just are where they were 1 hour ago.
Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at March 16, 2025 04:21 AM (hKoQL)

It's nice to have something dependable in one's viewshed.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 04:35 AM (CQE5S)

20 @JasonMiller
Great move here. This is one giant waste of money.

“Voice of America staff put on leave, Trump ally says agency 'not salvageable'” | Reuters
-----------

How long until judge issues TRO?

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:38 AM (hoCmQ)

21 18 From the Alexa article: "However, anyone with their Echo device set to “Don’t save recordings” will see their already-purchased devices’ Voice ID feature bricked."
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 04:31 AM (O7YUW)

From the Alexa article
-->
From the Ars Technica article

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 04:38 AM (CQE5S)

22 PDT has ordered VOA and all the Radio Free affiliates to shut down their broadcasts, turn in their press credentials, vacate their offices and return the equipment.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 16, 2025 04:40 AM (j6NlC)

23 Super Flower's 2800W Leadex power supply is here for $899.

Hah. I'd have to upgrade my panel to run that.

Posted by: Ace's liver at March 16, 2025 04:44 AM (B9Dv5)

24 Ooops, Houthi missile lands in Egypt.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 16, 2025 04:49 AM (j6NlC)

25 Morning, Ben Had.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:54 AM (hoCmQ)

26 Had to reboot laptop. Keyboard locked up. Does that occasionally. Very frustrating.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 04:55 AM (hoCmQ)

27 olddog, good morning to you and yours.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 16, 2025 04:59 AM (j6NlC)

28 @21/m: Argh, there were two Alexa articles. Hadn't had coffee yet.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 05:04 AM (O7YUW)

29 The US is continuing to punch Yemen in the face. 43 dead and many injured. PDT says this can go on for days or weeks.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 16, 2025 05:04 AM (j6NlC)

30 29 @21/m: Argh, there were two Alexa articles. Hadn't had coffee yet.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 05:04 AM (O7YUW)

It's a team effort.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 05:07 AM (CQE5S)

31 Oops, forgot... First!

And... Nooded.

Posted by: olddog in mo at March 16, 2025 05:11 AM (hoCmQ)

32
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at March 16, 2025 05:11 AM (tljrc)

33 AltonJackson, good morning. Hope you and the kiddos are well.

Posted by: Ben Had at March 16, 2025 05:18 AM (j6NlC)

34 Evening to Sunday toilers, morning to the early risers, condolences to the insomniacs! (There; I think I've covered most of the bases. In this game there are much more than three.)

Big black Stirlling cat is on the kitchen counter; little Dagny is sitting on my briefcase on the chair. Neither seems to have had any ill effects from the Pet Armor flea treatment yesterday, so there's that.

Whassup?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 05:23 AM (omVj0)

35 2800W power supply:

Going over to Super Flower's site, I can't even find this thing, but the closest they have is their 2000W Leadex Platinum, which does indeed spec out at 230V, 15A, 50 or 60Hz, so yeah, you're going to need a special cable and a special outlet for that.

Newegg's site has the 2800 watt version up for a promotional pre-order and has these bullet points listed:

- Operating Voltage: 200~240Vac
- This item requires a specially designated medical grade power cord, therefore, please refer to the following term :
1. Please purchase the PSU from Super Flower official seller store (Medical grade power cord included).
2. Do not use this item purchased from other countries.

I don't think I'd want to see my electricity bill running that power supply.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 05:24 AM (O7YUW)

36 Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. There was supposed to be a parade yesterday here, but they canceled or postponed it because of expected "severe weather" -- which ended up attacking the northern shore of the lake, and delivered only some spotty rain late in the afternoon. So much for the life of a weather prognosticator.

Now: 63 F., little wind, humidity down.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 05:24 AM (omVj0)

37 "The US is continuing to punch Yemen in the face. 43 dead and many injured. PDT says this can go on for days or weeks."

Congress take note.

Posted by: pawn, RIP Vic at March 16, 2025 05:25 AM (QB+5g)

38
g'mornin', Ben Had

Posted by: AltonJackson at March 16, 2025 05:25 AM (tljrc)

39 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at March 16, 2025 05:27 AM (dg+HA)

40 I hit the button a couple of minutes ago but the server burped.
Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 04:05 AM (BLOW1)

Rude server!
Posted by: m

Pull my finger.
My router

Posted by: Bruce at March 16, 2025 05:27 AM (B32Is)

41 Cleanup! On aisles 24 and 35.

Posted by: Elderly Git at March 16, 2025 04:47 AM (kV++U)

Posted by: Butch at March 16, 2025 05:18 AM (kV++U)

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 05:28 AM (CQE5S)

42
Voice of America staff put on leave, Trump ally says agency 'not salvageable'” | Reuters
-----------

How long until judge issues TRO?
Posted by: olddog

============

"Trump Ends Free Speech"
--headlines everywhere, oddly

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at March 16, 2025 05:30 AM (lCaJd)

43 I do not want any electronic devices talking to me except for the phone giving me directions when I'm driving.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:30 AM (3oVMj)

44 You let your cats get on the kitchen counter?

Gross.

Do you let them plop down and lick their ass on your kitchen table, too?
Posted by: What The Fuck at March 16, 2025

***
I tried valiantly for many years to keep my cats off surfaces I didn't want them on. Nothing worked, and I realized also that even if they complied while I was home, they wouldn't when I was gone. Simpler to clean off the surfaces periodically, which is a good idea anyway, than to battle with the cats.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 05:32 AM (omVj0)

45 Only going to be about 71 as a high today. I figure I'll do most of my usual Sunday chores before and during the Book Thread. Then, in the afternoon, I'll have time to wash the car and make a start on detailing the hood and maybe the trunk. Those are surfaces that get the sun and weather the most.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 05:35 AM (omVj0)

46 I use jitsi for personal video calling.

https://meet.jit.si/

You can set it for end-to-end encryption as well.

Posted by: Richard Cranium at March 16, 2025 05:38 AM (8mudf)

47 Man from South Africa who had a difficult night sleeping reflects on receiving new strength from the Lord. Gospel reading Matthew 26:36-46:

https://tinyurl.com/mr36rvk6

This guy has a very German name . Pray for the persecuted white minority in South Africa.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:38 AM (VDgjV)

48 I see we have some odd, trolling people here today. Ugggh

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:40 AM (VDgjV)

49
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:40 AM (VDgjV)

========

Same hash, different nics. Same troll over and over

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at March 16, 2025 05:43 AM (lCaJd)

50 Older couple dancing. Video. From FaithPot site;

https://tinyurl.com/yan2ckrk

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:45 AM (VDgjV)

51
Wolfus, you're talking to troll. Ignore.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at March 16, 2025 05:45 AM (lCaJd)

52 Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at March 16, 2025 05:43 AM (lCaJd)

Sounds like-as one of our old hymns says- he's "standing in the need of prayer."

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:51 AM (lo5Wl)

53 Wolfus, you're talking to troll. Ignore.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia's phone at March 16, 2025

***
I thought it was just one of the regulars being obscenely funny. My apologies.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 05:55 AM (omVj0)

54 Boy in England cleans tombstones and donates part of the money to charity:

https://tinyurl.com/5curtrmn

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 05:56 AM (5zhhh)

55 I am looking forward to church today. We are taking a break from Lent and I am talking about St. Patrick- who was probably Welsh- since his first name was actually Maewyn - and was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a teen. We will be looking at spiritual lessons from his life- and then welll have corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 06:00 AM (5zhhh)

56 “Voice of America staff put on leave, Trump ally says agency 'not salvageable'” | Reuters
-----------

Now do NPR.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 16, 2025 06:02 AM (dg+HA)

57 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: The long, wide nematode.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:11 AM (6K6Eu)

58 Wait, Librewolf is from crazy people? I didn't know this. I thought it was the only decent privacy respecting browser aside from Brave, and the only one for the Firefox UI. I've been promoting it like crazy. Ugh.

More details on this please? Why should I uninstall?

Posted by: Qwinn at March 16, 2025 06:14 AM (nhQcH)

59 So, how about Judge Boasberg? What a guy.

In fact, the entire DC district lineup of judges are all pretty awful, insofar as they believe in judicial rule. They're all wannabe Presidents.

Posted by: Hal 9000 at March 16, 2025 06:15 AM (vkMfW)

60 I just read last week the the VOA was giving hope to the people of the world that America was there for them. So I am confused, is it bad or good. I think its more useful than NPR, but what do I know, please tell me where I'm wrong.

Posted by: Colin at March 16, 2025 06:18 AM (wlQdF)

61 Pixy, does that mean LibreOffice is run by crazy people, too?

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 06:21 AM (PiwSw)

62 Congressman Brandon Gill @RepBrandonGill

I’ll be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week.

———

Sean Davis @seanmdav

James Boasberg, the judge who is now lawlessly running interference for literal terrorists, was a member of the corrupt FISA court that rubber-stamped the illegal spy warrants against Trump during the Russiagate hoax.

But that doesn’t begin to show how dirty and corrupt Boasberg is.

Remember Kevin Clinesmith, the FBI attorney who fabricated evidence in those very FISA warrants Boasberg’s court rubber-stamped? Clinesmith was convicted for that crime, but he never served a day in prison.

Do you know why?

Because Boasberg personally sentenced Clinesmith and made sure he never saw the inside of a jail cell, despite Clinesmith’s attempts to overthrow the elected U.S. government via fake evidence and fabricated warrants that Boasberg’s FISA court okayed.

So this conspiracy to provide aid and comfort to criminals and enemies of the United States isn’t Boasberg’s first rodeo. He has a long, sordid history of violating his oath and ignoring the law in his service to America’s enemies. And it’s long past time for him to answer

Posted by: 13times at March 16, 2025 06:22 AM (FawAu)

63 Morning peeps.

Hope anyone in the mid-west and down south survived the storms yesterday. That was something else. Over in Owensboro, KY there was baseball sized hail reported and 60+ MPH winds.

Woke up 30 minutes ago here to thunder.

Spring in the mid-Ohio valley will be lit this year. ⛈️

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 16, 2025 06:22 AM (Q4IgG)

64 Rumor has it that a Federal Judge will declare himself President and there is nothing we can do about it.

Posted by: Colin at March 16, 2025 06:22 AM (wlQdF)

65 60 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: The long, wide nematode.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:11 AM (6K6Eu)

The long and winding nematode
That leads
To your door

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:26 AM (CQE5S)

66 67 Rumor has it that a Federal Judge will declare himself President and there is nothing we can do about it.
Posted by: Colin at March 16, 2025 06:22 AM (wlQdF)

heh

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:27 AM (CQE5S)

67 Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:26 AM (CQE5S)
-----------
Yes, that's it.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:28 AM (6K6Eu)

68 65 Sean Davis @seanmdav

James Boasberg, the judge who is now lawlessly running interference for literal terrorists, was a member of the corrupt FISA court that rubber-stamped the illegal spy warrants against Trump during the Russiagate hoax.

But that doesn’t begin to show how dirty and corrupt Boasberg is.
Posted by: 13times at March 16, 2025 06:22 AM (FawAu)

Sean Davis is about the most sober, calm, non-dramatic poster on twitter, so this is really something.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:31 AM (CQE5S)

69 Good morning! Currently 46 on the patio here in Cowtown, headed for 75. It's gonna be a bright sunshiny day. The grandkids spent the night and we have blueberry/cranberry muffins for breakfast before we head out to the nursery to find some plants for the hanging baskets on the patio.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at March 16, 2025 06:33 AM (3Ope8)

70 - currently 29° wind NW at 14.
Going to a high of 58°,,, according to they them.
Back into the thermals.

Service will be, um, interesting today. In Luke 21. Covered vs 1-4 last week.
Today, the passage that preterists tend to point to and say 'see, it's all already happened,' while ignoring Matt 24 and Mark 13.

The guy who is handling interim pastor duties, while not "seminary trained" is pretty good. We'll see.
Only been attending this church for three weeks. My guess would be that, like most, there are very few preterists but most are so pre-70th week of Daniel indoctrinated they can't let go.

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 06:33 AM (LajFB)

71 70 Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:26 AM (CQE5S)
-----------
Yes, that's it.
Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:28 AM (6K6Eu)

I am currently drinking

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

so I have Special Powers.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:34 AM (CQE5S)

72 I am currently drinking

Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

so I have Special Powers.
Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:34 AM (CQE5S)
-----------
*fistbump*

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:35 AM (6K6Eu)

73 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at March 16, 2025 06:35 AM (AN2gy)

74 preterism:

Preterism is a Christian eschatological view or belief that interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already been fulfilled in history.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:36 AM (CQE5S)

75 G'Day everyone
Really only been cat napping since the Australian Grand Prix got over

Posted by: Skip i at March 16, 2025 06:37 AM (fwDg9)

76 @61/Qwinn: "Wait, Librewolf is from crazy people? I didn't know this. I thought it was the only decent privacy respecting browser aside from Brave, and the only one for the Firefox UI. I've been promoting it like crazy. Ugh.

More details on this please? Why should I uninstall?"

Here's what I found...

It boils down to "a difference of ideologies". See here (17 minute video):
https://youtu.be/AyjiOBWH91s

But let me sum it up for you: "They're very woke and ban people from their various platforms or social media if they find out they're not." The video does mention a few other side-points though if you're interested in spending the time on it.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 06:37 AM (O7YUW)

77 Byeee...

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea, Radioactive Knight, Concertina Czar at March 16, 2025 06:40 AM (6K6Eu)

78 George Orwell did not dream of this.

Heh. You did see that they made the area outside of one of Orwell's homes a 'good behavior zone', didn't you?

Fucking hell. Can Britain be a bit more on the nose?

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 06:41 AM (bss/y)

79 - m. Pretty much sums it up.

Partial preterism - everything except Christ's 2nd coming happened in 70AD.

Full preterism - everything, including in the Book of Revelation, has already happened. Many who hold to this also hold the heretical view that the church has replaced Israel. Replacement theology.

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 06:43 AM (LajFB)

80 AoSHQ:

Come for the Tech discussions
Stay for the eschatology

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 06:45 AM (PiwSw)

81 Thanks, TeeJ.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:46 AM (CQE5S)

82 83 AoSHQ:

Come for the Tech discussions
Stay for the eschatology
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 06:45 AM (PiwSw)

We're Morons of Many Parts.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 06:46 AM (bss/y)

83 "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery."
~ Thomas Jefferson

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 16, 2025 06:47 AM (dg+HA)

84 61 Wait, Librewolf is from crazy people? I didn't know this. I thought it was the only decent privacy respecting browser aside from Brave, and the only one for the Firefox UI. I've been promoting it like crazy. Ugh.

More details on this please? Why should I uninstall?
Posted by: Qwinn

Right, I'll post something about it tomorrow.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 06:47 AM (BLOW1)

85 AoSHQ:

Come for the Tech discussions
Stay for the eschatology
Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 06:45 AM (PiwSw)

https://tinyurl.com/yu5tv9ma

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 16, 2025 06:48 AM (ExV1e)

86 - btw m, your long and winding road reference...
Kind worries me for ya. In that your brain, in a way, does the same thing as mine.
A phrase someone says leads to a song in your head.

An earlier comment caused mine to...
Woke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962-oo-oo

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 06:49 AM (LajFB)

87 @64/Shadout Mapes: "Pixy, does that mean LibreOffice is run by crazy people, too?"

LibreOffice = The Document Foundation
www.documentfoundation.org
And the office suite was forked from OpenOffice in 2010.
They own the trademark on "LibreOffice" and could, theoretically, go after LibreWolf for use of a name too similar if they think they could prove an infringement on their trademark, and likely only would do this if LibreWolf gets a widespread bad reputation.

LibreWolf = A project over at codeberg.org and social media on something called Matrix. First release in 2020.

I don't think they're associated at all.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 06:49 AM (O7YUW)

88 Oh, I see Grumpy and Recalcitrant already linked to the Lunduke video.

I don't always care for the way Lunduke presents these things, but he ain't wrong. If a browser group bans his name - or anyone's name - they've gone off the deep end.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 16, 2025 06:50 AM (BLOW1)

89 89 - btw m, your long and winding road reference...
Kind worries me for ya. In that your brain, in a way, does the same thing as mine.
A phrase someone says leads to a song in your head.
Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 06:49 AM (LajFB)

Morons!

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:53 AM (CQE5S)

90 Pixy: Please mention it in tomorrow's post anyway?

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 06:54 AM (O7YUW)

91 eschatology
noun
the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind: Christian hope is concerned with eschatology, or the science of last things.

ORIGIN
mid 19th century: from Greek eskhatos ‘last’ + -logy.

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 06:55 AM (CQE5S)

92
Stranded astronauts:

https://tinyurl.com/424c7k4w

Posted by: Ciampino - perverted alien remarks welcome at March 16, 2025 06:58 AM (KjLnc)

93 >The best alternatives to Skype...

I'm wondering to which service I should port my heavily-used Skype number.

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 07:04 AM (NezMn)

94 >>Stranded astronauts:

The headline there is confusing. I thought I had missed their return splashdown.

Very informative article, however.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 07:08 AM (Y1sOo)

95 I don't think they're associated at all.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 06:49 AM (O7YUW)

Thanks!

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 07:09 AM (PiwSw)

96 CloudFlare is blocking smaller browsers. (Pale Moon)

Yes, Pale Moon is one of those, and so are SeaMonkey, Waterfox, and LibreWolf. That last one is run by crazy people and shouldn't be used, but it's still a big problem that they can't access sites behind CloudFlare's overly-protective wing.

I’ve been using Waterfox on desktop and laptop exclusively for about nine years now, ever since Mozilla added Pocket to Firefox and that browser started getting more and more bloated and slower.
Waterfox just gets it done quicker for me.

Here in the last few months I’ve had a problem here and there with a few websites refusing to connect after a bot-check. They would just constantly loop the check and never open the webpage.

I just closed them and moved on.
Go back a day or two later and they magically worked again with the bot-check.

So I don’t know if this is Pale Moon specific but Waterfox seems to work with the vast majority of sites I visit, who knows how many are being protected by Cloudflare as it’s not easy to tell until something goes wrong.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 07:11 AM (6ydKt)

97 Amazing how 'Muh democracy' isn't in play when Ds control everything. What happened to bipartisanship?

https://tinyurl.com/2cyxpyfr

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're hard players at March 16, 2025 07:11 AM (KjLnc)

98 99
So I don’t know if this is Pale Moon specific but Waterfox seems to work with the vast majority of sites I visit, who knows how many are being protected by Cloudflare as it’s not easy to tell until something goes wrong.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 07:11 AM (6ydKt)
----
I've also been using Waterfox for a very long time, since it became the first ****Fox browser to offer 64-bit versions. No problems there. For example TinyURL is a CloudFare site and I use it to post links here every day.

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:16 AM (KjLnc)

99 Whenever I hear a left-wing type use the phrase "Our Democracy", what I hear is:

"Our power, not yours, and you should never be allowed to have it, because shut up, and we'll hurt you if you try to complain about it."

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 07:18 AM (O7YUW)

100 Too gusty for golf today in South Florida, so the President will just have to make some news instead.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at March 16, 2025 07:18 AM (vkMfW)

101 Wait, Librewolf is from crazy people? I didn't know this. I thought it was the only decent privacy respecting browser aside from Brave, and the only one for the Firefox UI. I've been promoting it like crazy. Ugh.
-

Mullvad browser.

If you're really interested in privacy, that's the one.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 07:21 AM (V0m8t)

102 103 Too gusty for golf today in South Florida, so the President will just have to make some news instead.
Posted by: Huck Follywood at March 16, 2025 07:18 AM (vkMfW)

PDT's in golf clothes here--but maybe all of these photos are from yesterday?

https://nitter.net/magills_

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:23 AM (CQE5S)

103 I do not want any electronic devices talking to me except for the phone giving me directions when I'm driving.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke

-

The more irritating aspect for me is that they're listening.

Which I'm still surprised law offices, doctors offices, etc haven't had a trillion dollar lawsuit over that and put an end to it.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 07:23 AM (V0m8t)

104 97
Apologies for the vague heading. I have just woken up and probably not firing on all cylinders.

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:24 AM (KjLnc)

105 Louis Rossman was recommending LibreWolf on his YouTube video a few weeks ago where he castigated Mozilla for changing the ToS for Firefox allowing them to sell user data.

People in comments were telling him that LibreWolf is being developed by a bunch of woke loons.

I’d never even heard of the browser, much less tried it, but it sounds like I don’t want to.

I hope this problem doesn’t get worse, because I’d hate going back to Firefox or, God forbid, I have to start using Chrome, which I have never liked for a variety of excellent reasons.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 07:26 AM (6ydKt)

106 Full preterism - everything, including in the Book of Revelation, has already happened. Many who hold to this also hold the heretical view that the church has replaced Israel. Replacement theology.
Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 06:43 AM (LajFB)

This was a surprisingly common view in 19th century Britain and America, a part of the boundless optimism and self confidence of the Victorian error. None of them could or would believe that we were destined to destroy ourselves.

The horrors of the 20th century killed most of that kind of thinking.

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 16, 2025 07:28 AM (T+ixL)

107 - ... and probably not firing on all cylinders.

At least you eventually get there.
I, on the other hand...

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 07:28 AM (LajFB)

108
103 Too gusty for golf today in South Florida, so the President will just have to make some news instead.
----

It would be a nice day to eliminate CAFE standards...

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 16, 2025 07:28 AM (dg+HA)

109 >>Apologies for the vague heading.

No, the headline of the article at Salon is what confused me.

"NASA astronauts return home after major delay"

It makes it appear as though they are already back on earth. They're still up there.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (Y1sOo)

110 Good morning Horde. A happy Sunday to all. Thx Pixy.
Split Enz was very underrated. I Got You ( sometimes I get frightened) is a great song. Tim Finn layer joined his brother in Crowded House

Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (bVN1m)

111 Did you watch the docking, etc.? Did you see the one welcoming astronaut wearing an alien mask? LOL.

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (KjLnc)

112 113 Good morning Horde. A happy Sunday to all. Thx Pixy.
Split Enz was very underrated. I Got You ( sometimes I get frightened) is a great song. Tim Finn layer joined his brother in Crowded House
Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (bVN1m)

Neil Finn + Mike Campbell = Lindsey Buckingham

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at March 16, 2025 07:30 AM (PiwSw)

113
They went full speed preterist.
Never go full speed preterist.

Posted by: The Society of Falf-Fast Preterists at March 16, 2025 07:32 AM (dg+HA)

114 Happy Sunday

Posted by: rhennigantx at March 16, 2025 07:32 AM (gbOdA)

115 Better nic.

Posted by: The Society of Half-Fast Preterists at March 16, 2025 07:32 AM (dg+HA)

116 I've also been using Waterfox for a very long time, since it became the first ****Fox browser to offer 64-bit versions. No problems there. For example TinyURL is a CloudFare site and I use it to post links here every day.
Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:16 AM (KjLnc)

— —

It’s a good browser fork, for sure.
I was using it before the 64bit conversion and for the longest time the guy was developing both versions, the New and Classic versions, as Mozilla was making the switch.

He’s generally behind Mozilla by a few months as they update their end but the thing works great and you can still use Mozilla Sync, which I love.

No more saving bookmarks.html files to transfer from old to new system - which I had to do for years.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 07:33 AM (6ydKt)

117 114 Did you watch the docking, etc.? Did you see the one welcoming astronaut wearing an alien mask? LOL.
Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (KjLnc)

I'm not finding a link. Help?

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:35 AM (CQE5S)

118
*It’s a good browser fork, for sure.*

The browser fork is placed closest to the plate and used to devour cookies when the main browsing session is finished.

Posted by: Amy Vanderbilt's Book of Internet Etiquette at March 16, 2025 07:37 AM (dg+HA)

119 >>>I'm not finding a link. Help?

Daily Mail's top headline right now.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 07:38 AM (Y1sOo)

120 120 114 Did you watch the docking, etc.?
Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:29 AM (KjLnc)

I'm not finding a link. Help?
Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:35 AM (CQE5S)

Found one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qssZAbaYkA

(CNET)

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:40 AM (CQE5S)

121 They're not stranded. We're the most trusted name in cable news. WE'RE THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CABLE NEWS.

Posted by: CNN at March 16, 2025 07:41 AM (PiwSw)

122 The more irritating aspect for me is that they're listening.
Which I'm still surprised law offices, doctors offices, etc haven't had a trillion dollar lawsuit over that and put an end to it.
Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 07:23 AM
Current joke going around:
“My wife asked why I always spoke so quietly in our house. I said it was because I don’t like Zuckerberg listening in on my conversations.
My wife just laughed. Then I laughed.
Then Siri laughed.
Then Alexa laughed.”

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 16, 2025 07:42 AM (T+ixL)

123 btw m, your long and winding road reference...
Kind worries me for ya. In that your brain, in a way, does the same thing as mine.
A phrase someone says leads to a song in your head.

An earlier comment caused mine to...
Woke last night to the sound of thunder
How far off I sat and wondered
Started humming a song from 1962-oo-oo
Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025

***
High Noon is on Grit right now, and the opening song, "Do not forsake me, O my darling" triggered a Book Thread-type memory. The line in the song, "Oh, to be torn 'twixt love and duty, s'posin' I lose my fair-haired beauty . . ." is quoted by Robert Parker in an early Spenser novel. That part of the lyric floats through Spenser's head as he waits to have a modern-day shootout with two deadly thugs. Some of the best writing Parker ever did.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 07:43 AM (omVj0)

124 122 >>>I'm not finding a link. Help?

Daily Mail's top headline right now.
Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 07:38 AM (Y1sOo)

Thank you!

https://tinyurl.com/y3rnx63p

(Daily Mail)

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:43 AM (CQE5S)

125 - @109

Still far too many of them around, Tom. Both partial and full.
And that includes some names many would recognize.

And just as dangerous to the church as the doctrine that teaches that the church won't endure the time of great tribulation, which begins with the abomination of desolation, until it is cut short (won't last the full 2nd half of the 70th week) for the sake of the elect.

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 07:43 AM (LajFB)

126
They're not stranded. We're the most trusted name in cable news. WE'RE THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CABLE NEWS.
Posted by: CNN

So they can pack up a bindle, put on a coat, go to the front door and announce, "Well, I'm off for the Earth's surface!" before stepping outside?

Morons.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 07:44 AM (xG4kz)

127 @125/Tom Servo:

"...Then Siri laughed.
Then Alexa laughed."

Then we both pulled out our sidearms and shot the Siri and Alexa devices. More laughter, but not from the devices.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 07:46 AM (O7YUW)

128 129
They're not stranded. We're the most trusted name in cable news. WE'RE THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CABLE NEWS.
Posted by: CNN

So they can pack up a bindle, put on a coat, go to the front door and announce, "Well, I'm off for the Earth's surface!" before stepping outside?

Morons.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 07:44 AM (xG4kz)

Hey.
--AoSHq Morons

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:47 AM (CQE5S)

129 120
https://youtu.be/WjQYdA8Bk8A?t=13198

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:47 AM (KjLnc)

130 I hate people. It is nice that they think it might be a good idea (five years on) to 'let' people ask questions rather tha just ignore and silence them.

Miss, I cannot help but notice your nervous laughter when talking about this. Are you uncomfortable?

https://tinyurl.com/4j6jz4b4

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 07:48 AM (bss/y)

131
Hey.
--AoSHq Morons
Posted by: m

'Pologies

Idjits

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 07:48 AM (xG4kz)

132 130 @125/Tom Servo:

"...Then Siri laughed.
Then Alexa laughed."

Then we both pulled out our sidearms and shot the Siri and Alexa devices. More laughter, but not from the devices.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 07:46 AM (O7YUW)

*golfclap*

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 07:48 AM (bss/y)

133 My wife just laughed. Then I laughed.
Then Siri laughed.
Then Alexa laughed.”
Posted by: Tom Servo

-

I'm wondering what the next intrusive element that becomes perfectly normal and accepted/acceptable will be. I think that's why they're working so hard on the neurolink stuff. It's not to help disabled people, although it will be a nice secondary or tertiary benefit if it does. It's to be able to beam ads directly into the brain. And maybe use those brains output, too.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 07:49 AM (iv5Pb)

134 132 120
https://youtu.be/WjQYdA8Bk8A?t=13198
Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 07:47 AM (KjLnc)

hahahahaha
Thank you!

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 07:50 AM (CQE5S)

135 George Orwell was "old school."

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 16, 2025 07:50 AM (ZmEVT)

136 Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 07:43 AM (omVj0)

Pulled it up on ewetub. That guy needs to find a key and stay in it.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 07:51 AM (bss/y)

137 I hate people. It is nice that they think it might be a good idea (five years on) to 'let' people ask questions rather tha just ignore and silence them.

Miss, I cannot help but notice your nervous laughter when talking about this. Are you uncomfortable?

https://tinyurl.com/4j6jz4b4
Posted by: Aetius451AD

-

Gosh, it's so wacky how basic science continues to hold up.

Quick, change every single thing and attack the non-believers!!!

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 07:51 AM (iv5Pb)

138 So there's no way not to be spied on by either your I-phone or computer while you're on them, unless I suppose , you shut off your phone when you're not using it and putting it in another room?

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 16, 2025 07:51 AM (/OSCZ)

139
https://tinyurl.com/4j6jz4b4
Posted by: Aetius451AD

Why has Wen not had her piehole permanently closed with unremovable duct tape?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 07:52 AM (xG4kz)

140 Pulled it up on ewetub. That guy needs to find a key and stay in it.
Posted by: Aetius451AD

-

This is from the dawn of the internet but worth watching at least once. Language warning. Also key warning. And tempo warning. And greenscreen warning.

Make it at least to 2:30, although I suspect it will be hard to turn off.

"It's So Cold in the D"

https://tinyurl.com/2scrcctr

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 07:55 AM (iv5Pb)

141 "Stranded astronauts:

https://tinyurl.com/424c7k4w"

Nope. I am not tired of winning.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 16, 2025 07:56 AM (ZmEVT)

142 olddog in mo - I saw that there were deaths in Poplar Bluff. How is Cape Girardeau?

Posted by: grammie winger - cheesehead at March 16, 2025 07:56 AM (SfhV1)

143 So there's no way not to be spied on by either your I-phone or computer while you're on them, unless I suppose , you shut off your phone when you're not using it and putting it in another room?
Posted by: FenelonSpoke
-

You can buy a faraday bag, but the problem is that it stops communication along with surveillance.

It's funny how manufacturers don't offer a physical off/on microphone switch, isn't it?

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 07:57 AM (iv5Pb)

144
Pulled it up on ewetub. That guy needs to find a key and stay in it.
Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025

***
Tex Ritter, I think, John Ritter's father. Old-style "country & Western" artists tended to warble and twang. Which was what their audience wanted, I guess.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 16, 2025 07:57 AM (omVj0)

145 "It's So Cold in the D"

https://tinyurl.com/2scrcctr
****
Lafayette Coney > American Coney

Fight me.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 07:59 AM (Y1sOo)

146
Those two stranded astronauts should make s public vow not to travel in any aircraft made by Boeing ever again.

"Hey, they fooked us over once. We won't get fooled again."

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 07:59 AM (xG4kz)

147 I now have another misuse of a term to despise the media over.

Fighting for the preservation of the meaning of words is a losing battle. The battle for definition is lost, now its merely for meaning.

I find myself asking people far too often "What do you mean by ____". In this case, we would need to clarify "what do you mean by bricked?".

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:00 AM (a4flb)

148 Mission Control Houston: "... as the ISS orbits 17,500 miles per hour, over the earth"

!!!

Posted by: m at March 16, 2025 08:00 AM (CQE5S)

149 BOING!

פורים משולש שמח מירושלים הבירה

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 16, 2025 08:01 AM (lRY8a)

150 Lafayette Coney > American Coney

--

(does an internet search for what this is referring to, first result)

"Beloved Lafayette Coney Island reopens after rat infestation"

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 08:01 AM (iv5Pb)

151
I find myself asking people far too often "What do you mean by ____". In this case, we would need to clarify "what do you mean by bricked?".
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure

I find myself often saying, "Define (whatever term the other party used whose meaning I am confident is not the same for them as it is for me)"

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:04 AM (xG4kz)

152 - You can buy a Faraday bag,...

Ran a test some months back. Wrap a couple of layers of aluminum foil, at the least, prevents calls from coming through.
My guess would be that it also prevents a signal from going out.

Don't depend on my guesses if you exhibit the following symptoms...

Posted by: TeeJ at March 16, 2025 08:04 AM (LajFB)

153 It's funny how manufacturers don't offer a physical off/on microphone switch, isn't it?

For Alexa devices, the video switch is physical, as in coving the lens, but for the microphone, the switch only tells the software that the user is requesting that the application stops listening/recording.

That always leaves the opportunity open for any application, including the ones you have authorized to just ignore your requests.

Changing the color of the light bar to "orange" because I pressed a button, doesn't mean it has stopped listening/recording/transmitting.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:04 AM (a4flb)

154 iv5Pb)
144 "Stranded astronauts:
https://tinyurl.com/424c7k4w"

Nope. I am not tired of winning.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 16, 2025 07:56 AM (ZmEVT)

Here…. Am I sitting in a tin can
Far above the world
Planet Earth is blue, and there’s nothing I can do

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 16, 2025 08:05 AM (T+ixL)

155
Beloved Lafayette Coney Island

Beloved by the rats, certainly.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:05 AM (xG4kz)

156 >>"Beloved Lafayette Coney Island reopens after rat infestation"

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Not sure how American Coney avoided the same tag as they are on the same street in the D, in the same building, right next to each other.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 08:05 AM (Y1sOo)

157 121 *It’s a good browser fork, for sure.*

The browser fork is placed closest to the plate and used to devour cookies when the main browsing session is finished.
Posted by: Amy Vanderbilt's Book of Internet Etiquette at March 16, 2025 07:37 AM (dg+HA)

— —-

I use it to eat pizza, with a knife.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 08:07 AM (6ydKt)

158 158 “Beloved Lafayette Coney Island reopens after rat infestation.”

Beloved by the rats, certainly.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:05 AM (xG4kz)

Headline I would love to see: “Beloved Europe reopens after Arab infestation.”

Posted by: Tom Servo at March 16, 2025 08:08 AM (T+ixL)

159 156
Combine that thought with the term "client-side scanning" for Artificial Ignorance and it paints an ugly picture

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:09 AM (O5Fkf)

160 G'mornin' everyone!

"It's funny how manufacturers don't offer a physical off/on microphone switch, isn't it?"

my old PinePhone actually had one !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 16, 2025 08:09 AM (bh/mF)

161 my old PinePhone actually had one !
Posted by: sock_rat_eez
-

Yeah, I remember looking at those a couple of years ago for that very reason.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 08:10 AM (iv5Pb)

162
For a time, I responded to unwanted phone calls that I had answered by telling the offending party, "I'm putting you in time out" and then I'd immediately put the phone under a pillow on the couch. It amused me.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:10 AM (xG4kz)

163 Re: PinePhone

I wonder how much money phone manufacturers forgo by not selling that type of collected microphone data. It would have to be billions.

(goes to see if the PinePhone folks still exist)

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 08:11 AM (iv5Pb)

164 Morning Horde...How goes it?

Power Outage Day 2 update...

Still no power at home, but plenty of water. It got down to near freezing temps outside, but I was warm enough, even though the thermostat said 64 degrees inside.

Local grocery store has had power restored and they have a plentiful supply of non-perishable goods. All dairy products have been removed, though. The surrounding neighborhood is still without power and won't get it back for a while. Power poles are still a mess.

Have a great day!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at March 16, 2025 08:11 AM (7fElN)

165 Tornado death toll now at 32.

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 08:12 AM (KjLnc)

166 Tornado death toll now at 32.

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 08:12 AM (KjLnc)

Devastating.

Posted by: grammie winger - cheesehead at March 16, 2025 08:14 AM (SfhV1)

167 LOL. I used to get robo calls. I would just set the phone down and do something else. If I hang up, they move on. If I stay on the line, they are wasting their time.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 16, 2025 08:16 AM (ZmEVT)

168
The option to have your smart devices not transmit everything you say straight to Amazon HQ will be removed on March 28. (Ars Technica)

The option not to acquire said smart devices remains in effect.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:16 AM (xG4kz)

169 In an email sent to customers today, Amazon said that Echo users will no longer be able to set their devices to process Alexa requests locally and, therefore, avoid sending voice recordings to Amazon’s cloud. Amazon apparently sent the email to users with “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” enabled on their Echo. Starting on March 28, recordings of everything command spoken to the Alexa living in Echo speakers and smart displays will automatically be sent to Amazon and processed in the cloud.

-

It's weird to accept that, like the design of phones and modern browsers, faster internet speeds are no longer for the users.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Teach your daughters that men and women can't be friends at March 16, 2025 08:18 AM (iv5Pb)

170 The Lafayette Coney vs American Coney rivalry:

https://tinyurl.com/3dapdxyy

Actor Jon Hamm is an idiot. They are NOT the same.

Posted by: one hour sober at March 16, 2025 08:19 AM (Y1sOo)

171 Everything on every device is public record and feeds the AI Beast.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:19 AM (O5Fkf)

172
A face made for radio and a voice made for mime.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:20 AM (xG4kz)

173 Come to think of it, the phone manufacturers should offer camera & mic on/off switches.

Most laptops, and some all-in-one desktops, have slides that block the lens and mic off switches.

They could do it easily.

But they won’t.
They’ll tel you it’s too difficult to engineer or that they have to take into account less tech-savy people who will turn their mics off accidentally and not know how to get their phones working again.

But we all know the real reason:
Because they don’t won’t to pass up the opportunity to make money by listening to your conversations and sending you advertisements based on what they’re hearing.

I think it’s happened to enough people by now where you say you need some product near your phone and suddenly you’re getting ads for that product in your browser.

Not to mention how much more difficult it will be for the NSA, CIA, and the FBI to listen in if they get that itch, and you can just shut off power to the camera and microphone when you’re not using the phone.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 08:20 AM (6ydKt)

174 LOL. I used to get robo calls. I would just set the phone down and do something else. If I hang up, they move on. If I stay on the line, they are wasting their time.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 16, 2025 08:16 AM (ZmEVT)

I set my phone to not ring through for numbers not in my phone book. If they're legit, they'll leave a message.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 16, 2025 08:21 AM (ExV1e)

175 Prayers for our fellow Americans and Horde members who have been and are in the path of those storms. We're just supposed to get rain and winds about 20mph later this afternoon and tonight

Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 16, 2025 08:21 AM (bVN1m)

176 What was it I read ...about CCP creating some kind of AI that is a million times faster, or smarter than anything available so far. Is that another CCP fake ?

Posted by: runner at March 16, 2025 08:24 AM (g47mK)

177 Combine that thought with the term "client-side scanning" for Artificial Ignorance and it paints an ugly picture

I have been thing thinking about the trends in data quality in AI. In software, depending on the service, I can tell where its been mining its data. For instance, .NET Named Pipes should have plenty of code to pick from and be useful, but its not because few people do system level work.

When Alexa+ and Google Assistant and Siri have billions of customers to eavesdrop on, they are listening to the irrational and stupid most of the time. Sit in a restaurant or listen in to gossip wherever it takes place, and the mind numbing stupidity and ignorance that you are hearing is the Gospel of Truth to an AI ingestion engine.

Alexa+ intends to infer context. This is critical. Soft of like praying to Mary or something. People don't often provide context so how does a saint translate fragments of thoughts expressed in thousands of languages often at the same time? This is what eavesdropping software is trying to do.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:24 AM (a4flb)

178 Looking at a photo of Suni Williams, the female astronaut stranded on ISS, she does not look well before she lifted off. Certainly doesn't look well on ISS.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at March 16, 2025 08:26 AM (Q4IgG)

179 BOING!

פורים משולש שמח מירושלים הבירה
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 16, 2025 08:01 AM (lRY8a)

so...Liberman is running for PM. Does he have a chance? Because I think he is a bit "Trumpian"...am I wrong ?

Posted by: runner at March 16, 2025 08:26 AM (g47mK)

180 What was it I read ...about CCP creating some kind of AI that is a million times faster, or smarter than anything available so far. Is that another CCP fake ?
Posted by: runner at March 16, 2025 08:24 AM (g47mK)

Yes. Everything Red China does is a fake out as they have an inferiority complex from having really small penises.

Posted by: Fang Fang at March 16, 2025 08:28 AM (R/m4+)

181 180
Somehow the thought of AI having a bullshit detector is even more concerning than without it after a bit of reflection on the idea.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:29 AM (O5Fkf)

182 I think it’s happened to enough people by now where you say you need some product near your phone and suddenly you’re getting ads for that product in your browser.

A lot of that is presuasion, that is, something that marketers wanted you to think about keeps showing up subliminally in news topics, the though will be somewhere in the story, ads that have a headline of one thing and an image of another, imbeds in another ad, product placements, etc.

We get bombarded by that all day everyday, some of it sticks and all it takes is one over time to make you think that someone is spending tons of money and time listening to our airhead thoughts and mundane conversations.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:29 AM (a4flb)

183 @179/runner: Communist, therefore lying.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 16, 2025 08:30 AM (O7YUW)

184 The option not to acquire said smart devices remains in effect.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at March 16, 2025 08:16 AM (xG4kz)

I have two smartphones (one personal, one issued by work) and that's bad enough. I've never need to order something from anywhere online badly enough to where I couldn't just go to my computer, sit down for five minutes and order it.

Also, when I'm alone and thinking through problems or trying to brainstorm, I have a tendency to talk to myself out loud. Alexa would have sent dudes in white coats to my door a loooooong time ago...

Posted by: Vanya at March 16, 2025 08:31 AM (g1h/9)

185 178 Prayers for our fellow Americans and Horde members who have been and are in the path of those storms. We're just supposed to get rain and winds about 20mph later this afternoon and tonight
Posted by: Smell the Glove at March 16, 2025 08:21 AM (bVN1m)

—

We’re under a Tornado Watch until this afternoon here in SC.

Not that unusual for March weather.
It just reminds me I have about a month or two until 90% humidity, sigh.

Hopefully any tornadoes will be waterspouts off the coast today and we’ll just get some needed rain.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 08:32 AM (6ydKt)

186 Whatever can be done with AI will be done with AI.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:32 AM (O5Fkf)

187 A lot of that is presuasion, that is, something that marketers wanted you to think about keeps showing up subliminally in news topics, the though will be somewhere in the story, ads that have a headline of one thing and an image of another, imbeds in another ad, product placements, etc.

I know that after spending the day here I often think of boobs.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 16, 2025 08:32 AM (ExV1e)

188 Somehow the thought of AI having a bullshit detector is even more concerning than without it after a bit of reflection on the idea.

I have a friend, who some time ago was commissioned to build a system that would determine if "users" in dating websites/applications were 'bots or otherwise not who they say they are. (most dating sites are held by the same parent company).

One of the tools was to scour social media (there were others), I once did social media other than here and while the computations were complex, the software came to the conclusion that I was a 'bot. Mostly because I curated a set of friends and connections that had no rhyme or reason to it, things like Calvinists and devout proselytizing Muslims, farmers and tech CEOs. Motorheads and quilters.

What I thought was having great sources to teach me things, the algorithms considered it noise.

Monkey wrenching works.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:34 AM (a4flb)

189 >156 For Alexa devices, [...] for the microphone, the switch only tells the software that the user is requesting that the application stops listening/recording.

I physically remove the battery for the Alexa-enabled remote control unless I'm operating it. If anyone starts to enter the room while I'm operating it, I remove the battery (I've noted people entering the room often have already begun talking as they open the door). It's a complete pain, but it's better that than suffering the deluge of ads for things I may or may not have wanted.

I get nasty-grams from the device for doing this.

Crazy world.

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 08:34 AM (NezMn)

190 185 A lot of that is presuasion, that is, something that marketers wanted you to think about keeps showing up subliminally in news topics, the though will be somewhere in the story, ads that have a headline of one thing and an image of another, imbeds in another ad, product placements, etc.

We get bombarded by that all day everyday, some of it sticks and all it takes is one over time to make you think that someone is spending tons of money and time listening to our airhead thoughts and mundane conversations.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:29 AM (a4flb)

—

Yup, a lot is cookies.
I can search for something in Amazon and then every other ad I see on other websites is an ads for that or a similar product.

And I use AdBlock, uBlock Origin, and Ghostery in my browser and the stuff is still leaking through to cookies.

I’m sure Amazon has a team whose only job is getting around cookie-blocking extensions.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 08:36 AM (6ydKt)

191 lot of that is presuasion, that is, something that marketers wanted you to think about keeps showing up subliminally in news topics, the though will be somewhere in the story, ads that have a headline of one thing and an image of another, imbeds in another ad, product placements, etc.
-

A lot of it is, but that doesn't change the fact that the phones are listening and serving ads based on what they hear.

Talk about needing something fairly uncommon. Something that doesn't come up in conversation and that you haven't searched for. Not a stump grinder (since it's being fed to your phone here) but something similar. Something people don't routinely talk about. Discuss needing one, looking into buying or renting one, etc. Do it for a few days.

Three or so days later...

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 08:36 AM (V0m8t)

192 I know that after spending the day here I often think of boobs.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 16, 2025 08:32 AM (ExV1e)

This.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at March 16, 2025 08:37 AM (bss/y)

193 Also, when I'm alone and thinking through problems or trying to brainstorm, I have a tendency to talk to myself out loud. Alexa would have sent dudes in white coats to my door a loooooong time ago...

I usually reserve those common moments to solitary walks down abandoned or rarely travelled oil field roads.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:38 AM (a4flb)

194 Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 08:34 AM (NezMn)

When you get to the point where you feel compelled to remove batteries to hide your conversations from your remote control, wouldn't it be easier to just not have it?

Posted by: Vanya at March 16, 2025 08:39 AM (g1h/9)

195 Random grab

"According to a report by 404 Media, a marketing firm has confirmed that smartphones are not just tracking users' online activity—they are also listening to what you say out loud, near your phone.

Smartphones might indeed be listening to our conversations, thanks to a technology known as “active listening.”

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 08:40 AM (V0m8t)

196 Talk about needing something fairly uncommon. Something that doesn't come up in conversation and that you haven't searched for. Not a stump grinder (since it's being fed to your phone here) but something similar. Something people don't routinely talk about. Discuss needing one, looking into buying or renting one, etc. Do it for a few days.

I have. I deliberately do that. I have several concurrent building and home improvement projects that I frequently talk about out loud. Calling out very particular services and supplies that I need. Dittos with a particular two brands of car, openly debating about an SUV or a truck. Also speak openly in discussions around Android phones, iPads and Alexa about an in-law with substance abuse problems and how to remedy.

Not One Single Advertisement in Weeks.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:41 AM (a4flb)

197 Perfesser,

I hope everything is relatively okay back in alma mater-land.

I noted the local parade went as-planned despite the damage.

Funny how the local news tries to stir up controversy about that. They note that at least one large community up the highway canceled its parade. (Said large community has an infamous nuclear waste-infused creek running through it, so there may be substantially more to that community's action than the local news let on).

Given its importance to the university community, I don't think anyone should be surprised they pressed with the parade.

Stay safe!

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 08:42 AM (NezMn)

198 martphones might indeed be listening to our conversations, thanks to a technology known as “active listening.”

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 08:40 AM (V0m8t)

They will hear short conversations about high school softball tournaments and what's on the list for Walmart. Oh, and "take off your shoes".

Posted by: grammie winger - cheesehead at March 16, 2025 08:42 AM (SfhV1)

199 186 Whatever can be done with AI will be done with AI.
Posted by: Don

Yup

Posted by: vmom deport deport deporte at March 16, 2025 08:43 AM (rT96s)

200 >194 When you get to the point where you feel compelled to remove batteries to hide your conversations from your remote control, wouldn't it be easier to just not have it?

Long story, and the answer is both yes and no.

Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 08:44 AM (NezMn)

201 Perfesser,

I hope everything is relatively okay back in alma mater-land.

I noted the local parade went as-planned despite the damage.

Funny how the local news tries to stir up controversy about that. They note that at least one large community up the highway canceled its parade. (Said large community has an infamous nuclear waste-infused creek running through it, so there may be substantially more to that community's action than the local news let on).

Given its importance to the university community, I don't think anyone should be surprised they pressed with the parade.

Stay safe!
Posted by: SPinRH_F-16 at March 16, 2025 08:42 AM (NezMn)
---
Yep. I went down to check it out for a few minutes. It's a good reminder that despite everything that happened, life still goes on and we should celebrate it. It was a subdued parade compared to previous years (it was also cold), but I think the town needed it, if only as a reminder that we are all in this community together.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at March 16, 2025 08:45 AM (7fElN)

202 >I know that after spending the day here I often think of boobs.

And guns.

Posted by: davidt at March 16, 2025 08:46 AM (i0F8b)

203 "According to a report by 404 Media, a marketing firm has confirmed that smartphones are not just tracking users' online activity—they are also listening to what you say out loud, near your phone.

I must be doing something wrong. I can list off many marketable products and services that I would like to have but no go.

On the other hand, if I ask Alexa to add something to my shopping list or play a particular radio station, or surf arodun on Amazon's website, I will be inundated with relative ads and suggestions.

I'll be impressed when Alexa hears someone fart and it automatically turns on the exhaust fan.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:46 AM (a4flb)

204 Whatever can be done with AI will be done with AI.
Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:32 AM (O5Fkf)

I wonder what's going to happen when someone at the government figures out how to build a tax schedule for AI 'labor'.

Posted by: Vanya at March 16, 2025 08:46 AM (g1h/9)

205 I'll be impressed when Alexa hears someone fart and it automatically turns on the exhaust fan.
_-_-_-_
That goes on the quite board.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:48 AM (O5Fkf)

206 QUOTE board.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:48 AM (O5Fkf)

207 When you get to the point where you feel compelled to remove batteries to hide your conversations from your remote control, wouldn't it be easier to just not have it?

Snowden, upon acquisition of a new mobile device, immediately performs surgery on it and completely disconnects the microphone. He then uses a connected bluetooth headset or wired rig to use a phone like a traditional phone.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:48 AM (a4flb)

208 AI is great especially for code generation, I'm using it to build an app with a NodeJs/React/Vite front end and amysql backend for Project Management.

It can get you about 85-90pct there. The hard part is figuring out where it screwed up the code in the other 15 pct.

That's what linters and debuggers are for.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 16, 2025 08:49 AM (XV/Pl)

209 Watching the SpaceX video on YouTube.

Talk about cramped conditions.

I’d be scared to move around the ISS.
There’s so much equipment jam-packed in a tiny area I’m scared I’d try and grab hold of something to stop floating and rip a computer off the wall or an air hose.

And get these astronauts a tanning bed, the Indian lady should never look that pale!

You gotta think a little “sun” during the “day” might help their circadian rhythms and immune systems, as well.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 16, 2025 08:50 AM (6ydKt)

210 have several concurrent building and home improvement projects that I frequently talk about out loud. Calling out very particular services and supplies that I need. Dittos with a particular two brands of car, openly debating about an SUV or a truck.
-

try it with things people don't commonly need.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - single moms, your children are a detriment, not a benefit at March 16, 2025 08:51 AM (kfODM)

211 Teacher thinks he's a cat

https://tinyurl.com/ys3t3jbw

Posted by: Ciampino - see, we're creatures of habit at March 16, 2025 08:56 AM (KjLnc)

212 Early book nood.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at March 16, 2025 08:57 AM (ExV1e)

213 try it with things people don't commonly need.

How many people have an immediate need to install 3" brush seals for a roll-up door?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at March 16, 2025 08:57 AM (a4flb)

214 207
They make a retro telephone handset with a 3.5mm jack that adds comedic value.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at March 16, 2025 08:57 AM (O5Fkf)

215 Though I shouldn't be shocked by the Leftists and so-called "independents" who cheered or tacitly supported the Biden/FBI/social media's insidious assault on free speech of conservatives claiming that kicking out a scumbag alien terrorist fomenting Jew hatred is somehow a First Amendment infringement.... I'm not shocked.

Posted by: Ordinary American at March 16, 2025 08:59 AM (ZlOcj)

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