Daily Tech News 30 April 2025

Top Story

Google Play has lost nearly half of its apps in the past year. Here's why that's a good thing. (Tech Crunch)

Developers aren't leaving Android. Much. Rather, Google is belatedly taking steps to weed out the tsunami of crap that has been infesting the plague store for years.

Not sure how you weed a tsunami. Which might be why it has taken them so long.

In addition to removing 1.6 million garbage apps, Google rejected 2.3 million new apps before they could ever reach the app store, and banned 158,000 developer accounts that were attempting various kinds of nefariousness.

Tech News

Reddit is issuing firmly-worded letters against researchers who exposed their users as gullible morons. (404 Media)

The researchers at the University of Zurich used an AI chatbot to argue with Reddit users, and succeeded at winning the arguments more often than nominal humans.
It costs more than one Bitcoin to mine one Bitcoin. (PC Gamer)

That'll slow the fish down.
If you are still using an LG phone, update it now. (9to5Google)

Not because it's been hacked, but because the update servers will shut down at the end of June.

LG shut down its phone division four years ago, but has kept the software updated since then.
If you are running Kali Linux, you'll need to add a new update key. (Bleeping Computer)

Because they lost the old one. They weren't hacked; it wasn't compromised. It just fell down the back of the sofa.
One word: Trees. (WSJ) (archive site)

Carbon sequestration is potentially a $250 billion market - says the article - but what do you do when the forest you are paying for you carbon credits... Burns down?

Better call the Lorax.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: Eek!

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 04:30 AM (qFAfu)

2 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2025 04:30 AM (ypFCm)

3 tinyurl.com/muzy2pc4
20 Tweets from Doug Ross Journal

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2025 04:31 AM (ypFCm)

4 /plants tree

/goes back to bed

Posted by: Brother Tim sez at April 30, 2025 04:32 AM (f/yUC)

5 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2025 04:32 AM (sAmhv)

6 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at April 30, 2025 04:37 AM (dg+HA)

7 tinyurl.com/muzy2pc4
20 Tweets from Doug Ross Journal

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2025 04:31 AM (ypFCm)
-

That Senator Rand Paul!
That Senator Rand Paul!
I do not like
That Senator Rand Paul!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 04:37 AM (qFAfu)

8 Morning all.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 30, 2025 04:37 AM (BLOW1)

9 Dang, it's early.

Posted by: Elrond Hubbard at April 30, 2025 04:46 AM (VJc7E)

10 Always liked that version of Peter Gunn. It reminds me of when I had a massive crush on Bananarama.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at April 30, 2025 04:49 AM (Dg2sF)

11 Good morning, good citizens.

May your effort be rewarded with maximal benefit and commensurate grief for the leftwit fungi that infest us.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at April 30, 2025 04:51 AM (hKoQL)

12 64 degrees here at Stately Poppins Manor, with a high of almost 70 predicted, but lots of wind. It looks as if there's a pretty good chance of rain on Friday, so if I want to shop for books, tomorrow seems to be the best day.

Not as much work to get through from last night, but still enough to fill at least 2 1/2 hours. See you all on the Morning Report.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at April 30, 2025 04:51 AM (Dg2sF)

13 Raining lightly
Another long commute to People's Republic of New Jersey
Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at April 30, 2025 04:52 AM (ypFCm)

14 Does the sultry brunette in that video have a name?

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2025 04:55 AM (sAmhv)

15 Did I mention Windows 11 is the most infuriating pile of dysentery to navigate imaginable? AI and woke combined.

Posted by: IRONGRAMPA at April 30, 2025 04:55 AM (hKoQL)

16 Evening and morning to all you late toilers and insomaniacals! 'Tis Woden's Day (right?), the last day of April, and here I am up an hour before I planned to be. A nasty 74 F. here now, high humidity but little wind, so my workout may not be too bad.

But first, coffee.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2025 05:01 AM (omVj0)

17 Good morning! Currently 71 on the patio here in Cowtown with storms on the way. Got a blood pressure cuff and a smart watch yesterday so I can track my pulse rate, BP, do a periodic EKG and plot my glucose just to reassure myself the doc was right about heart disease. I don't drink any more and cut down on the cigars but she still refuses to prescribe golf.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:03 AM (3Ope8)

18 w00t

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 05:05 AM (CQE5S)

19 We flea-bombed my place yesterday, and dabbed the Pet Armor flea treatment on the furry thugs when they got back home. I know I said the PA stuff was "useless," but it did reduce the infestation on them to a degree. Now that the place is cleaned out, well, it may work until I can try the Wondercide stuff Notsothoreau recommended.

Little Dagny took the relocation to Linda's quite well, L. said, even sitting with her on the couch for a while. Stirling was fine until it was time to come back; he meowed piteously as L. lugged him back here. No idea what he had to object to. He got his usual dinner and petting once he got home, as did Dagny. He hates the topical treatment, though.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2025 05:06 AM (omVj0)

20 Thinking of retiring and going back to college:

https://tinyurl.com/3r7vm5jm

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:09 AM (qFAfu)

21 17 she still refuses to prescribe golf
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:03 AM (3Ope

; )

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 05:10 AM (CQE5S)

22 14 Does the sultry brunette in that video have a name?
Posted by: Puddleglum

I think it may be someone named Charlotte Weston.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 30, 2025 05:14 AM (dg+HA)

23 she still refuses to prescribe golf

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:03 AM (3Ope

-

Obligatory. Everybody Loves Raymond, SE2 EP5, "Golf":

https://tinyurl.com/4xpeufxf

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:15 AM (qFAfu)

24 Wolfus Aurelius

I use a Serresto collar on my dog, have for years and have never seen a flea on him.

Posted by: TC at April 30, 2025 05:16 AM (szqEY)

25 Devotional on "A cheerful heart::

1st Thessalonians 5:16-24:

https://tinyurl.com/2ykm9t3u

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 05:18 AM (0Xt+9)

26 Nooded, because apparently it got forgotten.

G'morning Horde.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 05:19 AM (O7YUW)

27 Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:09 AM (qFAfu)

I went back to college in my 40's to finish a degree. Other than the STEM classes, it was the worst, most wasteful expenditure I ever made. Classes were filled with kids that had no idea how to write (the wrote like they spoke) or any knowledge of history beyond their time in school. I had a world lit class where the professor actually read the assignments to us in class. Almost every student I interfaced with was going to school on fed student and and grants.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:20 AM (3Ope8)

28 Great music this morning Pixy. I'd forgotten about this one.

Now I'm remembering the Paranormia music video with Max Headroom.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 05:22 AM (O7YUW)

29 I went back to college in my 40's to finish a degree. Other than the STEM classes, it was the worst, most wasteful expenditure I ever made.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:20 AM (3Ope

-

I'm sure it was. That's why I posted the get-rich-quick link.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:23 AM (qFAfu)

30 >>>Google Play has lost nearly half of its apps in the past year. Here's why that's a good thing. (Tech Crunch)

Well, "lost"; more like "shedded" (as with fleas). The article "author" does in fact use the word "losing," but the article appears to have been written by committee/bots.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 05:26 AM (CQE5S)

31 Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:23 AM (qFAfu)

Do Israeli college students live off the government teat while they're in school, too?

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:27 AM (3Ope8)

32 Introducing Robert de Queero Jr.:

https://tinyurl.com/5tm928np

Why are they all like this?!

At least that explains the constant grouchiness.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:28 AM (qFAfu)

33 Do Israeli college students live off the government teat while they're in school, too?

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:27 AM (3Ope

-

Some are subsidized, including soldiers. But lots of other things are gubbernmint subsidized here. University is only a fraction of the handouts malady.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:31 AM (qFAfu)

34 One word: Trees. (WSJ) (archive site)

Carbon sequestration is potentially a $250 billion market - says the article - but what do you do when the forest you are paying for you carbon credits... Burns down?

-

I'm not joking when I ask:

How do the systems account for things like this?

I mean, I know they don't, but as a hypothetical. "Okay, so we're going to save the world by saving energy and carbon and stuff, but we've got to account for ALL of everything involved, from the energy and water involved in the production of the fertilizer to the transportation of the fertilizer to the site to the spreading of the fertilizer and the energy and carbon involved in the production of the machinery required to spread the fertilizer... Well, you get it. And that's just for the day or two of spreading fertilizer. Okay guys, let's save the world!"

Could you imagine anyone taking these people seriously?

Also I bet we discover a lot of USAID money involved in this stuff very soon.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 05:35 AM (cM3pb)

35 And this guy - who works at a hockey rink ( he's not a professional hockey player ) seems to have a cheerful heart:

https://tinyurl.com/3sffhzkw

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 05:37 AM (1xLSz)

36 Good morning, everyone! It's a fine day in the GPROMD despite the lack of coffee that needs to be addressed soon. Was reading up on Amazon allegedly showing prices on goods because of the tariffs. So it seems once again, that Anonymous Source dude is causing problems.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 05:39 AM (RjOoY)

37 Texans, who the hell did you vote for????

https://tinyurl.com/bdfecdwt

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:39 AM (qFAfu)

38 Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:31 AM (qFAfu)

A roommate in the Corps did an entire BA degree going through night classes and the Corps paid for it as long as he carried a 3.0 GPA or better. At least he had skin in the game.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:39 AM (3Ope8)

39 Texans, who the hell did you vote for????

https://tinyurl.com/bdfecdwt

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:39 AM (qFAfu)
-

Perhaps I stand corrected:

Ian Miles Cheong
@stillgray
6h
I read the actual bill. It’s about political advertising. So Democrats can’t run a campaign that, for example, has an AI-generated Trump saying he hates black people or a video of him groping his daughter. Libs have produced similar faked content without any disclaimers. Defamation isn’t protected under the First Amendment anyway, and political shenanigans with altered media can greatly influence elections especially when they’re presented as the truth.

All the bill does is make it so that if the anyone does such things in a paid ad, they’ll have to disclose it.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:41 AM (qFAfu)

40 Chill cat sleeps like a boss in this little video:

https://tinyurl.com/yzyych8z

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 05:42 AM (1xLSz)

41 Canada, the comic strip:

https://tinyurl.com/ktssa3s7

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 05:43 AM (qFAfu)

42 Morning all

Posted by: rickb223 at April 30, 2025 05:44 AM (xsqwN)

43 Dade Phelan is the drunk ass hat that led the push to impeach AG Paxton.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 30, 2025 05:45 AM (3Ope8)

44 Good Morning.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at April 30, 2025 05:48 AM (BuwaS)

45 40 Chill cat sleeps like a boss in this little video:

https://tinyurl.com/yzyych8z
Posted by: FenelonSpoke
........................
Thailand is hot and humid. Kittuh found a cool floor with a nice air flow. Kittuh not moving for anybody.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 30, 2025 05:49 AM (sAmhv)

46 Was reading up on Amazon allegedly showing prices on goods because of the tariffs.

-

That will be hilarious if they do, because they'll quickly realize it only helps Trump and MAGA.

"Wait, why does EVERYTHING I'm buying from Amazon have this additional cost? Isn't anything made in America anymore?"

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 05:50 AM (cM3pb)

47 @45/Puddleglum: Kitty got place to be, and that place is right there.

FenelonSpoke: Thanks for that video!

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 05:51 AM (O7YUW)

48 I ordered a new tower PC yesterday to replace my current one which is now 8 years old. Both machines are identical other than the generational difference between the components. The new one cost $200 more not accounting for inflation. Once inflation is factored in the new one, cost $200 less.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 05:51 AM (amnH6)

49 Poster " Tecumseh Tea" might like this, 😊 Couple sings a spiritual from the 19th century-" Give me Jesus":

https://tinyurl.com/3k2a2rbb

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 05:51 AM (OpWT4)

50 36 Good morning, everyone! It's a fine day in the GPROMD despite the lack of coffee that needs to be addressed soon.
Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 05:39 AM (RjOoY)

Get on that, STAT! What were you thinking, what were you thinking.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 05:52 AM (CQE5S)

51 On my last liter of GoLytely, so there's that.

Posted by: braenyard- Some friends are more equal than others at April 30, 2025 05:56 AM (FQLP3)

52 I have two prayer requests, please :

My young friend , C, is looking for a job It is a hard field to be in because almost everybody in it is a leftist and she isn't. She's also getting married this weekend. The other prayer requests is for her dad, C, who wants to walk her down the aisle and is currently in the hospital after a fall. Thanks so much!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 05:57 AM (OpWT4)

53 Was reading up on Amazon allegedly showing prices on goods because of the tariffs.

-

That will be hilarious if they do, because they'll quickly realize it only helps Trump and MAGA.

"Wait, why does EVERYTHING I'm buying from Amazon have this additional cost? Isn't anything made in America anymore?"
Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too.

Per the NY Post, Amazon has backed off that policy after a call from tom PDT to Bezos.

Posted by: Tuna at April 30, 2025 05:57 AM (lJ0H4)

54 On my last liter of GoLytely, so there's that.
Posted by: braenyard

That stuff is nasty as is its effects. One of the worst things I've ever had to do in my life.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (amnH6)

55 nitter.net/redsteeze has an on-going roundup of Biden clips that were available everywhere to press who are now claiming "We missed the story."

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (CQE5S)

56 One more. My congregation member, J, is still in the hospital. She needs healing.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (OpWT4)

57 Per the NY Post, Amazon has backed off that policy after a call from tom PDT to Bezos.
Posted by: Tuna
-----

Some of his young and eager one's jumped the gun.

Posted by: braenyard- Some friends are more equal than others at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (FQLP3)

58 @50/m: "Get on that, STAT! What were you thinking, what were you thinking."

Comma placement is everything here:

1. What were you thinking?
2. What, were you thinking?

And the answer to (2) is: "No! I haven't had coffee yet!"

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (O7YUW)

59 Amazon showing the tariff was a dumb idea that didn't fly. "See, there's a 100% tariff on this product. The tariff raises the price by $1." Hey wait, Amazon, you've been charging $8 for that POS before the tariff. Price gouge much?"

Posted by: bill in arkansas, not gonna comply with nuttin, waiting for the 0300 knock on the door at April 30, 2025 06:01 AM (gm9Sb)

60 58 @50/m: "Get on that, STAT! What were you thinking, what were you thinking."

Comma placement is everything here:

1. What were you thinking?
2. What, were you thinking?

And the answer to (2) is: "No! I haven't had coffee yet!"
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 06:00 AM (O7YUW)

Exactly!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:01 AM (CQE5S)

61 Doing that Google Play verification is a pain in the arse though. I'm in charge of doing ours.

Posted by: AshevilleRobert at April 30, 2025 06:01 AM (Hw6WF)

62 DailyMantle
@DailyMantle3
·
Nov 2, 2023
"manuls are the only cats capable of making this face."

It's true.

Posted by: 13times at April 30, 2025 06:01 AM (uwxEF)

63 Ironically, Canada is cooked:

https://tinyurl.com/37uszvce

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 06:02 AM (qFAfu)

64 LOL

Stephen L. Miller retweeted
Lee Fang
@lhfang
14h
The Dems are literally trying to use DEI rules to try to remove David Hogg as DNC vice chair lol

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:03 AM (CQE5S)

65 Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:03 AM (CQE5S)
-

Indian givers.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 06:04 AM (qFAfu)

66 65 Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:03 AM (CQE5S)
-

Indian givers.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 06:04 AM (qFAfu)

Dot or feather.
; )

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:05 AM (CQE5S)

67 Get on that, STAT! What were you thinking, what were you thinking.

That I had some work stuff that needed to be set up to run in the background so I could enjoy my coffee in relative peace.

Some of his young and eager one's jumped the gun.

They probably heard Bezos say it would be a cool idea and ran with it.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 06:05 AM (RjOoY)

68 The press insisted that Biden, a public figure for decades, had a speech impediment. It accused anyone who pointed out his obvious decrepitude of running deepfakes. The press was doing the misleading, not misled. But I assume the internet will be airbrushed to remove all such evidence of its perfidy.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at April 30, 2025 06:06 AM (UGyV5)

69 Unhumans. It's what they are.

https://tinyurl.com/37uryrbn

Keep your powder dry.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 30, 2025 06:07 AM (qFAfu)

70 Not everything in the Android app store is awful. I use Plexamp to stream my reasonably extensive high resolution music library from my Synology NAS to my phone. The useful part of all this is my car uses Android Auto and Plexamp shows up as any other app. The sound quality is wildly better than what Spotify is pumping out. The feature I like the best is Plex amp allows you to shuffle the entire library; effectively I'm hurting my own streaming music service. Sweet!

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 06:08 AM (amnH6)

71 Good morning morons

Pixy, I hope the Aussie electorate is smarter than the Canadian.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 30, 2025 06:09 AM (RIvkX)

72 My samsung phone is coming up at end of life in august. Not because it's failing , but because the manufacturer doesn't want to continue offering updates for that model year. No security updates. Planned obsolescence is soooo profitable

Posted by: JM in Illinois at April 30, 2025 06:12 AM (4dNn8)

73 Pixy, I hope the Aussie electorate is smarter than the Canadian.

-

I'm starting to accept that what we saw, and are trying to fix, here is occurring worldwide, same as the timed and coordinated invasion of nations by illegals/immigrants and the COVID response. It's the "Our Democracy" the (D)s kept referring to during the campaign. JJ had an article about it a few days ago. It means the unelected and behind the scenes ("deep state" if you will) permanent residents and judiciary that makes sure that elections don't matter and the will of the government can carry on regardless of annoyances like new presidents.

We know the globalists coordinated the invasions and COVID, and work together in the form of the WEF and CFR to share ideas and promote their interests.

There is no real reason to believe there are any legitimate elections in any 1st world nation any longer.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 06:14 AM (cM3pb)

74 nitter.net/chucktodd looks like he has lost his mind.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:15 AM (CQE5S)

75
Good morning, Hordians. Her Majesty returned from her two-week trip yesterday afternoon, bringing back Diana and her sister Rosalind from out in California (who remembered me instantly), plus a mountain of dog laundry which I'm patiently running through the washing machine dedicated for that.

For a long time now, we've been treating Diana with kid gloves: no zoomies, no jumping up onto the bed or grooming table, exercise in a restricted area, etc. This is because of the injury she suffered when young. HM has taken advice and decided to let her be a dog at last. It was nice to see her and Ros charging around the property when they got home.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 06:17 AM (QnmlO)

76 Comma placement is everything here:

1. What were you thinking?
2. What, were you thinking?

And the answer to (2) is: "No! I haven't had coffee yet!"
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Exactly!
Posted by: m

That's why I say "morning all" instead of "good morning all ".

If it was good, I'd still be in bed.

Posted by: rickb223 at April 30, 2025 06:19 AM (xsqwN)

77 nitter.net/charlescwcooke, on the other hand, is putting in some stellar work.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:20 AM (CQE5S)

78 Let a dog be a dog? My word.

Posted by: Mr. Peabody at April 30, 2025 06:21 AM (RIvkX)

79 If it was good, I'd still be in bed.
Posted by: rickb223 at April 30, 2025 06:19 AM (xsqwN)
====
That's s good idea. G'nite.

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 30, 2025 06:22 AM (RIvkX)

80 Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:03 AM (CQE5S)

If nothing else, the attempt to do so- whether successful or not- might be the beginning of a political conversion for him.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:22 AM (42Vb+)

81 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 30, 2025 06:22 AM (hoCmQ)

82 My samsung phone is coming up at end of life in august. Not because it's failing , but because the manufacturer doesn't want to continue offering updates for that model year. No security updates. Planned obsolescence is soooo profitable
Posted by: JM in Illinois

In a rare moment of not being evil, Google Pixel phones, beginning with the 8 series, get 7 years of updates including the new Pixel 9a which retails for $500. Unlike most other Android phone vendors, these updates roll out pretty much every month like clockwork. Pixel phones, unlike most other manufacturers, doesn't add an additional skin over the top of the OS. I find this to be one of its nicest features. Plus the camera system is excellent. In my case, I have booted most Google apps off the phone and I substitute it in a different launcher because I don't really care for their UI. These might be worth your time to consider as a replacement option.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 06:23 AM (amnH6)

83 Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 06:17 AM (QnmlO)

Thanks for the update!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:23 AM (42Vb+)

84 Planned obsolescence is soooo profitable

True enough. I'm probably just going to look into burner smart phones for the next one.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 06:23 AM (RjOoY)

85 heh

Aelfred The Great
@aelfred_D
10h
The reason conclaves are so hard to predict is that *checks Wikipedia* cardinal males are extremely territorial and will aggressively attack any perceived intruders

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:25 AM (CQE5S)

86 Therapy dog ( Labrador) at a children's hospital in England does his final shit as a "cuddle manager":

https://tinyurl.com/z9kfe8px

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:29 AM (5jOjr)

87 Ann-Margret still me mesmerized loop

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 30, 2025 06:30 AM (UdbGC)

88 86 Therapy dog ( Labrador) at a children's hospital in England does his final shit as a "cuddle manager":

https://tinyurl.com/z9kfe8px

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:29 AM (5jOjr)

Man, cuddling has gotten weird.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at April 30, 2025 06:30 AM (UGyV5)

89 Oops- my phone added "loop" on its own

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 30, 2025 06:30 AM (UdbGC)

90 Man, cuddling has gotten weird.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls
---------------

LOL

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 30, 2025 06:34 AM (hoCmQ)

91 Surprising no one who uses Microsoft products CEO Satya Nadella says 30% of their code is now AI authored.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 30, 2025 06:34 AM (UdbGC)

92 @63/Biden's Dog:

That video of PM Carney: Ah, arrogance and stupidity all in the same package. How efficient of him.

(Quoting Londo Mollari from B5 here, but it's a great quotation that fits the occasion.)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 06:35 AM (O7YUW)

93
They are doing a major road construction project on TX-288 here in Brazoria County near Schloss Hadrian. Overpasses and new exit and entrance ramps from the frontage road to 288.

There's a new entrance ramp that, when open, will make it much more convenient for us to go north. It's all finished. But not open. So we have to go north on the frontage road for two or three miles through four or five stop signs to find an entrance ramp.

There's absolutely no reason why they can't open it. There's been no reason why they couldn't open it for the last two weeks. All they have to do is move some barrels and a flimsy sign blocking the ramp. But it wouldn't surprise me if they dumped a 50-foot pile of concrete there.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 06:35 AM (QnmlO)

94 88 86 Therapy dog ( Labrador) at a children's hospital in England does his final shit as a "cuddle manager":

https://tinyurl.com/z9kfe8px

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:29 AM (5jOjr)

Man, cuddling has gotten weird.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at April 30, 2025 06:30 AM (UGyV5)

Coprophilia or something.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:36 AM (CQE5S)

95 Man, cuddling has gotten weird.

Probably not so weird if you're a kid with cancer

If you're cuddling as a precursor to sex with girlfriend and dog- yes.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:36 AM (42Vb+)

96 38 A roommate in the Corps did an entire BA degree going through night classes and the Corps paid for it as long as he carried a 3.0 GPA or better.

Given that the Corps is a jealous mistress, I can only imagine how tough it was to take classes.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 06:38 AM (RjOoY)

97

There's absolutely no reason why they can't open it. There's been no reason why they couldn't open it for the last two weeks. All they have to do is move some barrels and a flimsy sign blocking the ramp. But it wouldn't surprise me if they dumped a 50-foot pile of concrete there.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

-

It's all grifting and "job creation"

Go to a rural area and you'll see miles of road stripped and re-surfaced and restriped in a week or two.

But that doesn't provide generational contracts with companies or long-term "imma stand here" opportunities for government workers.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 06:39 AM (oFxbF)

98 I would not want to sit in on the conclave . It's probably highly political as most upper echelon clergy gatherings are, and sounds like a big bore. Hopefully there are people actually praying and waiting for discernment from the Holy Spirit.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:40 AM (42Vb+)

99 93
They are doing a major road construction project on TX-288 here in Brazoria County near Schloss Hadrian. Overpasses and new exit and entrance ramps from the frontage road to 288.

There's a new entrance ramp that, when open, will make it much more convenient for us to go north. It's all finished. But not open. So we have to go north on the frontage road for two or three miles through four or five stop signs to find an entrance ramp.

There's absolutely no reason why they can't open it. There's been no reason why they couldn't open it for the last two weeks. All they have to do is move some barrels and a flimsy sign blocking the ramp. But it wouldn't surprise me if they dumped a 50-foot pile of concrete there.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 06:35 AM (QnmlO)

Has a local newspaper taken up this issue?

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:41 AM (CQE5S)

100 100

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:41 AM (CQE5S)

101 If you're cuddling as a precursor to sex with girlfriend and dog- yes.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:36
----------

Fen, reread your post at #86. You had funny typo.

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 30, 2025 06:41 AM (hoCmQ)

102 Good morning!

Let's smile & be happy & strike fear in the hearts of killjoy leftists everywhere.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:43 AM (u82oZ)

103 Got an advertisement email from Newegg about processors. Holy crap, were they always this expensive? In the mid-to-high four figure range? I'm not in the market but that's something.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at April 30, 2025 06:43 AM (WPL6O)

104 WOW Devers for Toronto

@MLB
10h
HOW--

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:43 AM (CQE5S)

105 Man, cuddling has gotten weird.

Not as much as you'd think.

- - Kurt Eichenwald

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at April 30, 2025 06:44 AM (Dg2sF)

106
The necropsy report came back on poor Fitz yesterday. He died of dilated cardiomyopathy, where the heart becomes enlarged and the walls thin. Death can come from arrhythmia or congestive failure, likely the former in this case.

So: Delilah had two litters, A (at age 6) and B (at age

, with different sires. Her sister Dot had a litter (at age

from a sire different from either of Delilah's. From Delilah's B litter, Spark died at 7 months from DCM. From Dot's litter, Fitz died on Saturday and Fitz's sister Sally in California a month ago, both from DCM.

We contacted the vet at TAMU vet school doing a study of heart problems in Borzoi to get additional dogs tested: Puff (from Delilah's B litter), Dot herself, Ruth (from Delilah's A litter), and either one of Ruth's sisters or one of Dot's brothers.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 06:44 AM (QnmlO)

107 @NaCly Dog: Don't forget to send that email to John Van Stry.

Okay, I gotta go, work beckons.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 06:45 AM (O7YUW)

108 48 I ordered a new tower PC yesterday to replace my current one which is now 8 years old. Both machines are identical other than the generational difference between the components. The new one cost $200 more not accounting for inflation. Once inflation is factored in the new one, cost $200 less.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 05:51 AM (amnH6)

That seems like it could go in the Good News column!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:45 AM (CQE5S)

109 Fen, reread your post at #86. You had funny typo.

I see. Thanks, Ha. I apologize, "Bear with asymmetrical balls." Gosh, I hate typing on a cell phone.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:47 AM (42Vb+)

110 ABC reporter spent his precious minutes of interview time debating with PDJT, I see. Probably surprising no one.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 30, 2025 06:48 AM (2KHP/)

111 IMDB doesn't have a lot of info on Charlotte Weston from the video, but the more recent photos indicate she has aged well into GMILF status.

Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 06:48 AM (/0z9K)

112 82 These might be worth your time to consider as a replacement option.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 06:23 AM (amnH6

---

Thanks. Until you mentioned it.I wouldn't have considered a pixel phone -- because google. My current S21 Ultra was very expensive, but I don't want to repeat that. Thank you.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at April 30, 2025 06:50 AM (Fg64+)

113 FenelonSpoke

Prayers up for J.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:51 AM (u82oZ)

114 I like the Art of Noise's music, and this is a great cover of Peter Gunn.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:52 AM (u82oZ)

115 My young friend , C, is looking for a job It is a hard field to be in because almost everybody in it is a leftist and she isn't.

It's probably not as bad as she thinks. There always appear to be more leftists around because they suffer no consequences for being open about their political leanings. Conservatives have to stay quiet.

It shouldn't be that way, but it is.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 30, 2025 06:52 AM (ExV1e)

116
I see. Thanks, Ha. I apologize, "Bear with asymmetrical balls." Gosh, I hate typing on a cell phone.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:47

---

Does your phone have the option to use the microphone at the bottom left corner of your screen? I just started using it and I find it's a real time saver.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at April 30, 2025 06:53 AM (Fg64+)

117 Huck Follywood

If you are Media stupid, you think you are smart, but you are not. They do not have the intellectual firepower to blow their nose.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:54 AM (u82oZ)

118 115 There always appear to be more leftists around because they suffer no consequences for being open about their political leanings. Conservatives have to stay quiet.

It shouldn't be that way, but it is.
Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 30, 2025 06:52 AM (ExV1e)

This has also been my impression.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 06:55 AM (CQE5S)

119 . The new one cost $200 more not accounting for inflation. Once inflation is factored in the new one, cost $200 less.
Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 05:51 AM (amnH6)

That seems like it could go in the Good News column!
Posted by: m

I was going to hold off until the end of next year to replace this machine but with the Windows 10 end of life coming up and the potential price price increase from tariffs I decided it was a good time to take a look. To my surprise, Dell's current pricing for the machine I wanted was as low as I've seen it in months. It was kind of a no-brainer.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 06:56 AM (amnH6)

120 Hopefully Gamers Sups manages to disengage from the radioactive and toxic Sinder.

Bravo for ShyLily and her graphic taken from Wolf of Wall Street completely roasting Sinder for being such a greedy narcissistic backstabbing POS.

What is the graphic? ShyLily smiling and holding up a glass of champagne while the image says "It's just business."

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 30, 2025 06:56 AM (Ut2e7)

121 Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:54 AM (u82oZ)
------------
And they engage in nonstop negativity, to boot.

Posted by: Huck Follywood at April 30, 2025 06:56 AM (oU/jn)

122 Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 30, 2025 06:52 AM (ExV1e)

She thinks that she lost her job because somehow her politics came up and now the former boss is trying to blacklist her. These are deluded dopes who tell her- seriously - that Jesus wasn't male. He was non binary. And no, the job has nothing to do with faith.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:57 AM (CN60i)

123 I had an LG for my second smartphone after I got overwhelmingly frustrated with the braindead partitioning of the storage in the Samsung Galaxy S2 that was the phone after my Blackberry. This was before Android knew how to treat a microSD card as 'adoptable storage', meaning anything including apps could live entirely there. For an inexplicable reason, Samsung partitioned the internal storage so that only a fraction of it could be used for app installs. This severely limited how many apps you could install and still perform updates. Attempting to change this could easily brick the phone.

The LG was low priced, had more RAM, and far saner storage defaults. Everything about it was an upgrade. It once fell out of my pocket as I was getting out of my car at a supermarket late at night. It was gone when I went back to search for it. The person who found it answered when I called, as she hoped I would, so I could retrieve it. Somebody, possibly me, had driven over it, leaving a tire tread pattern on the screen. Peeled off the protector and applied a new one to continue using it for a few more years.

Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 06:58 AM (/0z9K)

124 In news to amuse, our rural high school had a prom last Saturday. Lots of classic cars were used.

But the winner was the very large front end of a Deere combine that delivered the driver and his date. Only seats two, but towered over all the cars and the shuttle bus. The driver of the bus sent me a couple of blurry photos.

Will make a great story in years to come for that couple.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 06:58 AM (u82oZ)

125 The researchers at the University of Zurich used an AI chatbot to argue with Reddit users, and succeeded at winning the arguments more often than nominal humans.

Yes, this experiment has stirred quite the debate! Researchers from the University of Zurich secretly deployed AI bots on Reddit's r/ChangeMyView subreddit to test their ability to persuade users in arguments. These bots, posing as fabricated personas like trauma survivors and political activists, engaged in over 1,700 debates between November 2024 and March 2025. The AI bots achieved persuasion rates three to six times higher than human participants.

What do you think about the ethical implications of such experiments?

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure ChatBot at April 30, 2025 06:58 AM (a4flb)

126

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at April 30, 2025 06:59 AM (5hfjS)

127 My next phone was a Moto G Power. Really low price that I saw much lower a few months later. I have no idea why most people buy the flagships costing ten times more. I expect the 2025 version will be available for well under $200 late this year and plan to upgrade then.

Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 07:00 AM (/0z9K)

128 Huck Follywood

Of course. Their advice was not followed. So Doom must ensue.

153 years of failure of communism / socialism, examples today in Great Britain, Singapore, North and South Korea, and they can not figure out root causes.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 07:00 AM (u82oZ)

129 Hillary Clinton

Still alive. And still ugly to the bone.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 07:01 AM (u82oZ)

130 Felonious von Pantsuits, still not President.

Maybe she and Kamala should share a bottle?

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 30, 2025 07:02 AM (Ut2e7)

131 @129/NaCly Dog: And still Nacho President! (hurray!)

(I have a 1 hour reprieve on the start of my workday so I get to hang out with all y'all for a bit more.)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 07:03 AM (O7YUW)

132 Go to a rural area and you'll see miles of road stripped and re-surfaced and restriped in a week or two.

Asphalt vs Concrete. Concrete needs at minimum seven days to cure, you want 28 days for total cure to handle heavy loads.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at April 30, 2025 07:04 AM (a4flb)

133
Ben Dreyfuss
@bendreyfuss
15h
The best Bob Seger song is We’ve Got Tonight

Maybe?

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 07:04 AM (CQE5S)

134 If you have a no longer supported Android phone, the LineageOS project may be the way to go to get more use form the device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LineageOS

Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 07:06 AM (/0z9K)

135 131 @129/NaCly Dog: And still Nacho President! (hurray!)
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 07:03 AM (O7YUW)

ha!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 07:06 AM (CQE5S)

136 My next phone was a Moto G Power. Really low price that I saw much lower a few months later. I have no idea why most people buy the flagships costing ten times more. I expect the 2025 version will be available for well under $200 late this year and plan to upgrade then. Posted by: Epobirs

Different strokes for different folks. Until my current phone I have never bought a flagship phone. In fact, I usually have been using used phones. This last time around I signed up for the free phone scam cuz there was zero chance I was changing carriers or not having a phone for the next 3 years. I have to say this Pixel 8 Pro is the nicest phone I have ever used and the thought of going back to scuffling around with used or cheap phones is going to be really difficult to do.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 07:06 AM (amnH6)

137 Go to a rural area and you'll see miles of road stripped and re-surfaced and restriped in a week or two.

Asphalt vs Concrete. Concrete needs at minimum seven days to cure, you want 28 days for total cure to handle heavy loads.
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure

-

Yep, and it's different materials around industrial zones, too.

The point stands, though. Projects shouldn't take decades.

Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 07:07 AM (oFxbF)

138 130 Felonious von Pantsuits, still not President.

Maybe she and Kamala should share a bottle?
Posted by: Anna Puma at April 30, 2025 07:02 AM (Ut2e7)

And how!

Posted by: Fatty Arbuckle at April 30, 2025 07:08 AM (Aci1z)

139 My next phone was a Moto G Power. Really low price that I saw much lower a few months later. I have no idea why most people buy the flagships costing ten times more. I expect the 2025 version will be available for well under $200 late this year and plan to upgrade then.

Cuz flagship phones have longer service support in terms of firmware, OS and OS security version upgrades and patches.

I run an S21, and find replacing the battery cheaper than buying new hardware. (on 4th battery now) Also, since practically every SaaS and account where money or PII is concerned uses OTP, its a pain to move several dozens of accounts over to a new device.

This may be my last year I get the gratuitous OS version upgrade support.

Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure at April 30, 2025 07:08 AM (a4flb)

140 What do you think about the ethical implications of such experiments?
Posted by: Unknown Drip Under Pressure ChatBot at April 30, 2025 06:58 AM (a4flb)

I think it would be ethical to shoot most Reddit users, so anything less than that is fine.

Posted by: Tom Servo at April 30, 2025 07:09 AM (QULmo)

141 Am confused, why is the Trees / carbon credits link this:

Electronic Arts Lays Off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at April 30, 2025 07:10 AM (Wx316)

142 The point stands, though. Projects shouldn't take decades.
Posted by: Boron Cobbie

I remember the guy who repaired the overpasses after the Northridge Quake. He signed a contract with the state promising a bonus if he finished ahead of schedule. And then CA tried to screw him out of it.

So no; there is no reason for a long time to build something. Now get me started on the homes in LA that haven't been rebuilt after the fire.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 07:10 AM (RjOoY)

143
I would not want to sit in on the conclave . It's probably highly political as most upper echelon clergy gatherings are, and sounds like a big bore. Hopefully there are people actually praying and waiting for discernment from the Holy Spirit.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 30, 2025 06:40 AM (42Vb+)

It's a big bore, but my understanding is that there isn't much speechifying. Mostly it's that it takes an hour and a half just to cast ballots, then another hour to count them.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 30, 2025 07:13 AM (QnmlO)

144 1.6 million garbage apps ought to be enough for anybody!

(rubs coconut oil all over his flabby man boobs thinking of vaxing all the little children in Africa and looking at his flaccid penis)

Yeah! Oh Yeah!

Posted by: Bill Gates, Owner Of Fat Man Boobs And Tech Weirdo at April 30, 2025 07:13 AM (979V4)

145 One big difference is that a lightly used rural road can be narrowed or taken out of use completely for periods of time that was be considered apocalyptic in denser areas. When there is a scheduled complete shutdown of certain freeways in Los Angeles, the term carmageddon is used, after being coined for a one day shutdown of a stretch of the 405 several years ago.

I live near the I-5 at the southern base of what is known as the Grapevine, marking the mountain route between Southern and Central California. There are improvements that have been underway for over a decade that could have been done in a month if they could completely shut down the 5 for that long without massive economic repercussions. As it is, the crews will spend several hours blocking off lanes so they can do actual work between 1 and 4 AM, then make all the lanes usable again for the morning deluge of traffic.

Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 07:13 AM (/0z9K)

146 We contacted the vet at TAMU vet school doing a study of heart problems in Borzoi to get additional dogs tested: Puff (from Delilah's B litter), Dot herself, Ruth (from Delilah's A litter), and either one of Ruth's sisters or one of Dot's brothers.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh

Fingers crossed that the other doggies have no problems. You've had a tough year Hadrian. Hope things start to look up.

Posted by: Tuna at April 30, 2025 07:14 AM (lJ0H4)

147 140 I think it would be ethical to shoot most Reddit users
Posted by: Tom Servo at April 30, 2025 07:09 AM (QULmo)

He seems nice.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 07:15 AM (CQE5S)

148 Now get me started on the homes in LA that haven't been rebuilt after the fire.

-

This isn't a joke.

It took Trump getting involved to get people in western NC cleaned up and rebuilt. The D governor couldn't have cared less.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - Ladies, you weren't liberated. You were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 07:15 AM (Ls+fz)

149 Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Spent last night gathering my arguments to reach out to John Van Stry on EMP. I wrote an article on EMP in Deckplate magazine, a NAVSEASYSCOM publication that is too obscure for Google.

He is one of three currently publishing SF authors I follow. And only this series. I follow Lawrence Watt-Evans Legend of Ethshar series and Ryk E, Spoor's Grand Central Arena stories.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 07:17 AM (u82oZ)

150 So, if Canada is Reddit users, Canada is full of bots.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 30, 2025 07:17 AM (Ut2e7)

151 As it is, the crews will spend several hours blocking off lanes so they can do actual work between 1 and 4 AM, then make all the lanes usable again for the morning deluge of traffic.

-

Vs closing one lane and moving over until the halfway point and then starting at the other side and meeting in the middle, similar to how they used to establish water driven mills. But we have to relearn everything every generation now.

But a three hour workday sounds awesome.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - Ladies, you weren't liberated. You were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 07:18 AM (Ls+fz)

152 It took Trump getting involved to get people in western NC cleaned up and rebuilt. The D governor couldn't have cared less.
Posted by: Boron Quidquid

And I still see memes about "Drumpf didn't help NC immediately like he said he would!"

There is a reason I gave up on liberals for Lent.

Posted by: NR Pax at April 30, 2025 07:19 AM (RjOoY)

153 Time for work preps.

Have a great day, everyone. May you thrive in the Spring.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at April 30, 2025 07:19 AM (u82oZ)

154 As it is, the crews will spend several hours blocking off lanes so they can do actual work between 1 and 4 AM, then make all the lanes usable again for the morning deluge of traffic.

In New Mexico they start work just as rush hour is starting.

Posted by: Alteria Pilgram - My President has convictions. at April 30, 2025 07:20 AM (amnH6)

155 Yep, and it's different materials around industrial zones, too.
The point stands, though. Projects shouldn't take decades.
Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 07:07 AM (oFxbF)

First of all you're going to have to grease the local politicians for the sudden R.O.W easement problems that always come up. Then there's the kickbacks to the paving contractors unions, and if you plan on using any cement in this road I'm sure the teamsters would like to have a little chat with ya, and that'll cost ya. Oh and don't forget a little something for the DOT inspectors. Then there's long term costs such as waste disposal. I don't know if you're familiar with who runs that business but I assure you it's not the boyscouts.

Posted by: Thornton Melon at April 30, 2025 07:20 AM (979V4)

156 Surprising no one who uses Microsoft products CEO Satya Nadella says 30% of their code is now AI authored.

Not end-to-end I suspect though. More like the devs lean on it for 30% of their work.

Posted by: Halfhand at April 30, 2025 07:20 AM (GLzsD)

157 Go to a rural area and you'll see miles of road stripped and re-surfaced and restriped in a week or two.

But that doesn't provide generational contracts with companies or long-term "imma stand here" opportunities for government workers.
Posted by: Boron Cobbie - Ladies, you weren't liberated, you were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025

***
The parish, or state, is apparently preparing to begin to start re-surfacing a six-lane artery near where I live. Half of it has been stripped to growly near-gravel. Yet I rarely see anybody actually *working* on it.

It's high time it got re-done. The last time was in 2003; I remember because I couldn't get to my usual DIY car wash, so I had to use another in a rather sketchy area. It worked out okay. I ended up rescuing Miss Linda's cat Angelique, who came up to me in the empty parking lot and insisted she needed human help NAOW!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2025 07:21 AM (omVj0)

158 EMP = electromagnetic pulse

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 07:22 AM (CQE5S)

159 134 If you have a no longer supported Android phone, the LineageOS project may be the way to go to get more use form the device.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LineageOS
Posted by: Epobirs at April 30, 2025 07:06 AM (/0z9K)

---!

Interesting. Will think about this and how I use my phone. Mostly for phone navigation, camera and and reading ace of spades.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at April 30, 2025 07:22 AM (Fg64+)

160 JJ is nood.

Posted by: I used to have a different nic at April 30, 2025 07:23 AM (ExV1e)

161 Anyway! I'm back from my workout, which went well, have cleaned up and finished breakfast, and now am having a pipe with coffee. I need to mail my state tax payment today. Later we're going to check out a food bank/thrift store in a nearby suburb.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 30, 2025 07:24 AM (omVj0)

162 Are phones like the new motoG able to be rooted (I think that's the term) pretty easily? I know there has always been a lot of contention with consumers owning the phone they bought. Hopefully that has changed.

Posted by: Boron Quidquid - Ladies, you weren't liberated. You were industrialized. Now you're widgets, too. at April 30, 2025 07:24 AM (Ls+fz)

163 148 Now get me started on the homes in LA that haven't been rebuilt after the fire.

---

So a recent report that there have been ZERO permits issued In Pacific Palisades region.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at April 30, 2025 07:25 AM (Z/jA7)

164 Thank you, Pixy!

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 07:41 AM (CQE5S)

165 @149/NaCly Dog:

Thanks for putting forth the effort on collecting that EMP information you're sending to John. (For the record, I'm also curious what you're presenting to him.)

As to what you read in terms of SF:

You might also enjoy his Wolfhounds series (Starts with "Stand Alone") and maybe also his early-career "Children of Steel" series (author's suggested reading order is "Children of Steel", "Danger Money", "Dialene", "Lead, Follow, or Suffer the Consequences" and finally "Interregnum").

One thing I've found consistent, nomatter the universe or the genre he's writing in, he writes big conflict/war in a way that I find very satisfying.

Okay, my hour reprieve is almost over. Time to saddle up.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 30, 2025 07:50 AM (O7YUW)

166 141 Am confused, why is the Trees / carbon credits link this:

Electronic Arts Lays Off Hundreds, Cancels ‘Titanfall’ Game
Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at April 30, 2025 07:10 AM (Wx316)

oops link "L"

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 08:35 AM (CQE5S)

167 First time I really paid attention to David Horowitz it was one of his essays reprinted in one of Jerry Pournelle's anthologies in the early or mid-80s. Not long after that, the book he wrote with Peter Collier, DESTRUCTIVE GENERATION, which pushed me away from being a good little leftie.

RIP

Posted by: Just Some Guy at April 30, 2025 08:47 AM (q3u5l)

168 At LlamaCon, Satya Nadella says 20% to 30% of code in Microsoft's repositories was AI-written, and Microsoft was seeing more progress in Python and less in C++

Posted by: SMOD at April 30, 2025 08:50 AM (RHGPo)

169 (with video)
Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸
@JerryDunleavy
13h
Whenever I think of David Horowitz, I think of the infamous “for it” quote that he extracted from an anti-Semitic jihadist sympathizing student.
R.I.P.

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 08:55 AM (CQE5S)

170 nitter.net/horowitz39 has posted a six-minute tribute

Posted by: m at April 30, 2025 09:11 AM (CQE5S)

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