Daily Tech News 5 March 2026

Top Story

As expected from recent leaks, Apple today introduced the new relatively low cost MacBook Neo. (MacRumors)

It uses the A18 processor found in the iPhone and... Well, the iPhone 16, basically.

It's available with 8GB of RAM expandable to... Not expandable at all, even at purchase time, because the A18 only has 8GB of RAM. And 256GB of 512GB of storage.

I/O consists of one USB3 port and one USB2 port, plus a headphone jack, and that's it. Screen is a 2408x1506 13" model with sRGB colour, though the specs don't mention what percentage of the sRGB colourspace it covers. Presumably no more than 100%.

It's... Fine, probably. 8GB of RAM is truly painful on Windows 11, but Linux runs just fine and I assume MacOS should do okay with lighter tasks.

Tech News

Google is ending its 30% cut of everything on the Play Store, reducing it to 20% or less for new purchases and a relatively reasonable 10% for subscriptions. (Engadget)

Thanks to Epic Games, whose lawsuit forced this upon a very unwilling Google.
Your car can be tracked everywhere you go by your tire pressure sensors. (Dark Reading)

Which transmit unique identifiers, unencrypted, readable by anyone withing a 50-meter range.
Speaking of which, a new Android app detects anyone nearby wearing smart glasses. (Tech Crunch)

Assuming the glasses are sending a Bluetooth signal, which is what the app detects. So in fact it lets you detect any device in range with Bluetooth enabled, and there are a lot more of those than smart glasses wearers.
The CEO of Qualcomm said the thing. (Fortune)

Literally:
"If you actually believe in the AI revolution, 6G will be required. Resistance is futile."
It may also turn people into animals.

Micron has announced 256GB SOCAMM2 memory modules, as used in some - a total of two so far, I think - recent laptop models. (Tom's Hardware)

For servers, not for you.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei is in a slap fight with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. (Tech Crunch)

Again.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: There is a planet in the Solar System inhabited entirely by robots.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Morning!

Posted by: Pete Bog at March 05, 2026 04:00 AM (eBSBx)

2 Morning all

Posted by: Tuna at March 05, 2026 04:00 AM (lJ0H4)

3 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:01 AM (1o8D5)

4 w00t

Posted by: m at March 05, 2026 04:01 AM (+YA9H)

5 430 FWP: 4AM hypersonic missile launches. I feel bleh!
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 01:09 AM (1o8D5)

Stay safe, Biden's Dog!

Posted by: m at March 05, 2026 04:05 AM (+YA9H)

6 Entry MAC is probably fine for 95% of people as we have essentially migrated back to PC’s being dumb but occasionally mobile terminals. Heaven forbid the network goes down.

Where will I spend my bitcoin?

Posted by: Pete Bog at March 05, 2026 04:05 AM (eBSBx)

7 Thanks. Apparently no harm or damage done.

Meanwhile, things all over Iran keep on getting blown to bits.

Our youngest pup just received his (expected) call-up order.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:07 AM (1o8D5)

8 2 drones, not 1:

Open Source Intel @Osint613
6m
NEW 🔴

Azerbaijan says Iran launched 2 drones into its territory, injuring 2 civilians, and summoned the Iranian ambassador.

And to think just last week we had good friends over who told us of their coming vacation plan to take a tour of Azerbaijan. Not gonna happen!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:09 AM (1o8D5)

9 Per NY Post:
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged President Trump to “take care of Iran for good,” praising the bold military action – Operation Epic Fury – that resulted in the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Posted by: Tuna at March 05, 2026 04:11 AM (lJ0H4)

10 Processing 0.0, elapsed 0.007 seconds.
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Posted by: TheCatAttackedMyFoot at March 05, 2026 04:12 AM (jrgJz)

11 Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged President Trump to “take care of Iran for good,” praising the bold military action – Operation Epic Fury – that resulted in the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Posted by: Tuna at March 05, 2026 04:11 AM (lJ0H4)
-

Not a Rice fan but at least she's intelligent.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:14 AM (1o8D5)

12 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at March 05, 2026 04:18 AM (L1JuH)

13 Very special gesture:

Blake Neff @BlakeSNeff
9h

Two people sent Erika (Kirk) their Purple Hearts.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:28 AM (1o8D5)

14 Catching up on the ONT; here's some good news!

83 Wife is officially in labor, looks like tonight could be the night, Little girl is on her way.
Posted by: Inogame at March 04, 2026 10:24 PM (fcoLq)

Posted by: m at March 05, 2026 04:30 AM (+YA9H)

15 G'Day everyone
What a strange night

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 04:31 AM (Ia/+0)

16 10 Processing 0.0, elapsed 0.007 seconds.
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Posted by: TheCatAttackedMyFoot

7 whole milliseconds?!

I'll have to work harder.

Posted by: Minx 0.8 beta at March 05, 2026 04:33 AM (BLOW1)

17 It's... Fine, probably. 8GB of RAM is truly painful on Windows 11, but Linux runs just fine and I assume MacOS should do okay with lighter tasks.

At $599 for the base model with 256GB storage it's not a bad deal for somebody who just wants to use it for web browsing, email, light office tasks.

It won't be as snappy as a Macbook with a M-chip and 16GB RAM but it should be fine with 8GB as long as you don't open 50 tabs in the browser at the same time.

As near as I can tell it's a Liquid Retina screen and the whole package comes across as an iPad/Macbook Air hybid with a built-in keyboard and trackpad. You have to upgrade to the 512GB/$699, model to get the fingerprint sensor as well.

It could use a touchscreen, which Apple is rumored to be working on for next year in some of their laptops, a first for them as Steve Jobs always hated the idea of touchscreens on laptops ("Nobody wants to touch their screen").

If I was in the market for a cheap student/media consumption laptop I'd consider one, especially with the pricing on computer parts these days. Apple's RAM pricing looks normal, or even a decent deal, in comparison now.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 04:40 AM (6ydKt)

18 7 Thanks. Apparently no harm or damage done.

Meanwhile, things all over Iran keep on getting blown to bits.

Our youngest pup just received his (expected) call-up order.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:07 AM (1o8D5)

I will repeat my demand that you and your spawn remain healthy and whole throughout this... malarkey.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:44 AM (I40wl)

19 Not a Rice fan but at least she's intelligent.
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:14 AM (1o8D5)

She really is much too smart to be in government service of any kind.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:45 AM (I40wl)

20 Your car can be tracked everywhere you go by your tire pressure sensors. (Dark Reading)

Which transmit unique identifiers, unencrypted, readable by anyone withing a 50-meter range.

Thankfully the things break so often a lot of people don't have to worry about it.

Like me, with the "tire pressure sensor" warning light on in my car dashboard for awhile now.

Considering they charge you an arm and a leg just to replace them I think I'll let that light stay on awhile longer.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 04:46 AM (6ydKt)

21 I'm never sure why being tracked by some entity is so threatening. It's not like I'm doing anything nefarious. Honestly, why should anyone care that I pay my bills and go to the grocery store? And I seriously doubt they give one solid crap that I drove to the liquor store last week.

Good luck monetizing that.

Most people, including myself, are boring as hell.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:47 AM (I40wl)

22 “The main reason [OpenAI] accepted [the DoD’s deal] and we did not is that they cared about placating employees, and we actually cared about preventing abuses,” Amodei wrote.

Yes, I've been so impressed by Silicon Valley preventing any and every government from abusing their technologies for about thirty or forty years now.

They invent this stuff that can enable things they don't want (government surveillance) and then give them the ultimate tool (like AI) to do just that, and then say: "But we don't want you to use it like that when we sell it to you."

Good luck on putting all of those genies back in the bottles, boys, bots, & girls.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 04:51 AM (6ydKt)

23 I will repeat my demand that you and your spawn remain healthy and whole throughout this... malarkey.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:44 AM (I40wl)
-

Thanks. And you watch out for grizzlies!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:53 AM (1o8D5)

24 G'morning, all!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 04:55 AM (iMotb)

25 SecWar basically told folks that drones are indeed a significant challenge to defend from.

The Poor Man's Air Force is pretty damn cost effective.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 04:57 AM (iMotb)

26 SecWar basically told folks that drones are indeed a significant challenge to defend from.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 04:57 AM (iMotb)
-

The world is only going to be a much worse place with drones.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:59 AM (1o8D5)

27 There's a new numbers station transmitting into Iran.

Shortwave Observer
@shortwave78
·
11h
The Farsi-language Numbers-Station broadcast again, today at 18:00 UTC.

Andrea Borgnino IW0HK
@aborgnino
·
18h
Strong jamming from Iran on Radio Farda. The shortwave site for jamming is still operating.

作家崔成浩
@cuichenghao
·
Mar 3
Translated from Chinese
A company in mainland China released a video claiming that a batch of small, remotely controllable tracked "agricultural machinery" was urgently packed and shipped to Iran. (Autonomous gun platforms)

Posted by: 13times at March 05, 2026 05:00 AM (Kz8X6)

28 Most people, including myself, are boring as hell.

Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:47 AM (I40wl)

It's not a big problem now for most of us, but I can see a future where the government starts charging taxpayers by miles driven every year and at the point they'll know everywhere you've ever driven.

It's always incremental tyranny in the West to get to the Big Brother sureveillance state so many leftists desire.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:03 AM (6ydKt)

29 "Translated from Chinese
A company in mainland China released a video claiming that a batch of small, remotely controllable tracked "agricultural machinery" was urgently packed and shipped to Iran. (Autonomous gun platforms)"

Translated from English:

' If you need it, TEMU has it''

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:04 AM (iMotb)

30 I was delighted to see that Ace's Quick Hits yesterday touched on some of the corruption in Baltimore.

It's one of those places that slide under the radar, but can put the Chicago Way to shame.

Thanks, Ace!

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:06 AM (iMotb)

31 Posted by: tcn in AK at March 05, 2026 04:47 AM (I40wl)

Socialists will never, ever stop trying to get absolute power over everyone forever; that is just too big of a prize to abandon. And Big Data plus AI gives them false hope of overcoming the Impossibility of Social Calculation, since they never understood that problem in the first place. To them, your prosaicness doesn't make you uninteresting; it makes you easier to predict, and from there to control.

Their premise is wrong anyway; collecting and collating all the data won't actually solve the problem. The threat is not that they will know it all and be able to scientifically manage society, but that they will fool themselves into thinking they can; the danger is that they will overcome their rational insecurity, and fallaciously rationalize their Will To Power. The more data we can deny them or pollute, the harder it will be for them to sell the socialist lie to themselves and their marks.

Posted by: SciVo at March 05, 2026 05:07 AM (Sy6m/)

32 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at March 05, 2026 05:07 AM (2Ez/1)

33 The world is only going to be a much worse place with drones.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at March 05, 2026 04:59 AM (1o8D5)

It's kinda frightening what the drones will be like once they make them autonomous with AI.

It'll be like a Black Mirror horror story at some point.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:08 AM (6ydKt)

34 Birdbath is field stripped, cleaned and reassembled, with the pump and spray working well.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:08 AM (iMotb)

35 New Heat Pump gets put in today.

New 75 inch TV arrives Monday.

Finally, after 6 years of being here, I installed the key safe, so we can keep track of the many dozens of keys we have collected over the decades.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:10 AM (iMotb)

36 AND...

When South Carolina went to Constitutional Carry back in 2024, they also put into law that if you wished to also get a CWP, the State would be required to offer the CWP course at no cost, at a minimum of twice per month in every county in the State.

And with our Church standing up their physical security, it's time to do the deed.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:13 AM (iMotb)

37 And Jesus said that the poor will always be with us.

Canadian government said 'Hold my beer'

https://tinyurl.com/3ffynmd2

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:16 AM (iMotb)

38 >>>Your car can be tracked everywhere you go by your tire pressure sensors.

>Ha! First time I tried to calibrate all stems after a blowout, the system refused to recognize the new tire, so I let the whole system fail. Now, like when I got my learner's permit so many years ago, I do a visual, and screw the useless automobile geek tech.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 05, 2026 05:17 AM (jS10z)

39 New 75 inch TV arrives Monday.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:10 AM (iMotb)

At that size in Mini-LED that thing will probably weigh over 100 pounds with the stand on it.

Hope you got somebody to help you set it up because you'll definitely need four hands to move it around.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:19 AM (6ydKt)

40 Article out of Malta about a man's successful lawsuit against Al Gayeda.

https://www.christianpost.com/news/christian-man- prosecuted-for-ex-gay-testimony-found-not-guilty.html

Posted by: NR Pax at March 05, 2026 05:22 AM (RjOoY)

41 Now, like when I got my learner's permit so many years ago, I do a visual, and screw the useless automobile geek tech.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 05, 2026 05:17 AM (jS10z)

Mine is still warning me when pressure is low.
I guess they still work even when it tells you to replace them?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:23 AM (6ydKt)

42

66.8 pounds with stand.

So Mrs VIA only needs to be able to lift about 34 pounds.

And it's a low 24" lift, so together, I think we can get it.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:25 AM (iMotb)

43 And with that...time for the morning walk.

BBIAB

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:27 AM (iMotb)

44
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at March 05, 2026 05:28 AM (tljrc)

45 37 And Jesus said that the poor will always be with us.

Canadian government said 'Hold my beer'

https://tinyurl.com/3ffynmd2

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:16 AM (iMotb)

The poor guy looking to suicide because he can't find a place to live is bad enough but the tweet further down the page where the guy sued to barber for not having a "Non-binary" selection on the website is nuts.

Claims he couldn't work for a year and a half because the lack of a Non-binary choice precipitated a mental crises. Then he sues the barber for $12,000.

How long can a society last when over 50% of the population are outright mentally ill, con-artists, grifters & criminals?

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:31 AM (6ydKt)

46 LOL tech from the ONT:

306 You haven't lived until a tall glass of coke tips over, hits a bong, and both poured into the keyboard. With nothing to lose I carried it carefully to the sink, dumped it out, ran it under the hot water rinsing it out, took it out to the garage and blew it out with compressed air. let it dry overnight. Damn thing worked fine.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at March 04, 2026 11:51 PM (snZF9)

Posted by: m at March 05, 2026 05:31 AM (+YA9H)

47 >>>Mine is still warning me when pressure is low.
I guess they still work even when it tells you to replace them?

Posted by: SpeakingOf

>I get a 'check tire monitor system' every time I start the engine. I just hit ack.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at March 05, 2026 05:32 AM (jS10z)

48 Mar 3
Translated from Chinese
A company in mainland China released a video claiming that a batch of small, remotely controllable tracked "agricultural machinery" was urgently packed and shipped to Iran. (Autonomous gun platforms)
Posted by: 13times at March 05, 2026 05:00 AM (Kz8X6)

Remotely controllable and autonomous? Clearly a military intelligence operation. Now we get AI Chingish?

Whatever it may (or may not) be, if it isn't there already, how's it getting in?

Posted by: Bilwis Devourer of Innocent Souls, I'm starvin' over here at March 05, 2026 05:33 AM (w/O5Q)

49 New TVs don't weigh much

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:36 AM (Ia/+0)

50 Wrt to the low cost Mac, I don’t see them selling the 599 version when for 100 bucks you can upgrade to the 512gb ssd model.

Also for comparison, you can get a renewed 13 inch M1 Mac Book Pro with 16gb and 1tb for 699.

Which is essentially going to get you i9 performance for the same price.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 05, 2026 05:37 AM (XV/Pl)

51 And it's a low 24" lift, so together, I think we can get it.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at March 05, 2026 05:25 AM (iMotb)

The new TV I got is only around 50 lbs, so I could handle it myself but the thing was top-heavy as all get out, scared me a few times just maneuvering it because it wanted to move around on me at the top end.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:39 AM (6ydKt)

52 Glad I no longer own a TV.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 05, 2026 05:40 AM (2Ez/1)

53 49 New TVs don't weigh much

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:36 AM (Ia/+0)

True for most of them, but the bigger-sized (60"+) Mini-LEDs can get hefty due to all of the components in them, they're also thicker for the same reasons.

OLEDs, and typical Edge-Lit LCDs aren't as heavy unless you get up to 75" or more.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 05:42 AM (6ydKt)

54 Evening and morning to late toilers and early risers on this Thor's Day!

I'm caught up on sleep. First dream I can recall in a while: Miss Linda for some reason was driving my car, which somehow was a white '66 Chevy Impala Super Sport coupe. I was walking alongside it. Suddenly she takes off along a lousy cracked Uptown street and continues on through a muddy field as if she were ramming a truck off-road in a Chevy TV commercial. Ignoring my outraged yells (I'd just washed the car), she turned a corner and was gone. And just like that my dream was gone too.

Huh.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 05:44 AM (wzUl9)

55 Well a 70' will get you almost life size TJM in your living room

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:44 AM (Ia/+0)

56 @51/SpeakingOf: Anchor that thing at the top somehow, especially if you have animals. Go look up videos of cats and dogs jumping at screens if small critters are featured in the video stream.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 05:46 AM (O7YUW)

57 "Well a 70' will get you almost life size TJM in your living room."
---
Did I mention I'm glad I don't own a TV?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at March 05, 2026 05:46 AM (2Ez/1)

58 My MacBook Air from 2014 only has 8 GB, and it performs fine. Of course I'm not doing heavy calculations or playing games on it.

The desktop iMac, almost as old, also has 8 GB. That one I believe is upgradeable to 16, and I want to get that done. It's not a model with a little hatch in the back where you can pop in a new memory module, so I need to take it to the shop nearby and get a quote on that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 05:47 AM (wzUl9)

59 I am liking TJM's videos

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:48 AM (Ia/+0)

60 I do like movies, its what Ii watch the most. But rarely even know who made it.

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:50 AM (Ia/+0)

61 “ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. “

Matthew 5:44-45

Posted by: Marcus T at March 05, 2026 05:52 AM (aZ9eR)

62 I do like movies, its what Ii watch the most. But rarely even know who made it.
Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026

***
Today (and tonight) is Film Noir Day on the over-the-air Movies! Channel, Skip, if you get it:

https://moviestvnetwork.com/ You can enter your zip code and see what TV channel in your area carries it. If any.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 05:54 AM (wzUl9)

63 @46/m: That method can work... but more likely that keyboard is going to develop more problems over the next month and will need to be replaced. (Keys won't register, etc...)

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 05:54 AM (O7YUW)

64 I have an 18 year old car with the tire pressure monitoring system still functioning within normal operational parameters.

It's a Toyota.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 05, 2026 05:55 AM (qFwJc)

65 I'm seeing 68 F. here, high humidity, low wind. In contrast to yesterday, when I crawled out of bed short on sleep and feeling as if I'd put in a shift at a coal mine, I'm feeling pretty darn close to human. Another coffee, feed the furry thugs, change and stretch, and I'll be ready to go.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 05:56 AM (wzUl9)

66 remotely controllable tracked "agricultural machinery"

Now reminded of John Wick visiting the Sommelier for weapons.

Posted by: NR Pax at March 05, 2026 05:56 AM (RjOoY)

67 Another Hank Williams Sr. song, "I heard my savior calling me":

https://tinyurl.com/yrkp48s8

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 05:56 AM (Nx5jP)

68 I think Mac really wants to become the de facto laptop across the board.

I might have to buy some more stock.

And since they aren't really going full crazy with ai, could be a refuge for Win 11 users tired of MicroSlop.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 05, 2026 05:58 AM (2KnB1)

69 I get Movies, mostly sad in my upgrade to HD lost TCM,it only goes to their HD channel so won't go to the other cable channel. Yet Movies has no HD so can get it

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 05:58 AM (Ia/+0)

70 I am convinced saw Hank Williams Jr once when I was a very young kid. We went to a fairground to see him.

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 06:00 AM (Ia/+0)

71 G'mornin' everyone!

Friday eve, woohoo!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 05, 2026 06:00 AM (MIIRH)

72 A few days ago, my first pair of children got on the bus and sat directly behind me, as they do. One of the two was coughing pretty badly. (Greaaaaat.)

Sure enough, I now have it. I don't recover from this stuff nearly as quickly as the kids do. *sighs*

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 06:01 AM (O7YUW)

73 Romans 5:1-5. Strength from struggle. Our Daily Bread Devotional:

https://tinyurl.com/4hkme9we

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:01 AM (Nx5jP)

74 Last night I met with the free IRS-sponsored tax help lady. At first she tried to tell me I made too much last year to qualify for aid. I pointed to my gross income; I'm $5K *under* the limit. Then she said I had too many documents (W-2, etc.) and that my return would be too complicated for her to do in half an hour.

I said, "If I can do it, you can. Just check the entries and see if you get the same answer. I don't need you to submit the return, just check my answer." But no, she couldn't help me. "Why didn't you tell me that on the phone?" I demanded. No answer but a shrug. So much for "free" help.

Hell with it. I'll recopy everything onto a fresh form in ink, sign it, and send it off. If I have something wrong the IRS will certainly tell me.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 06:02 AM (wzUl9)

75 Good morning to everyone. 51 degrees in western NC with more warm weather today. I need to get off my butt start some yard work. Have a nice.

Posted by: Rufus T. Firefly at March 05, 2026 06:03 AM (t14i3)

76 Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 06:00

That's neat, Skip!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:05 AM (Nx5jP)

77 In 1972 two young women found a baby in a shopping cart. Fifty three years later she found them. "Sunny Skyz" site:

https://tinyurl.com/2ej75ehh

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:07 AM (Nx5jP)

78 Light rain and foggy again
See you when JJ is up

Posted by: Skip at March 05, 2026 06:08 AM (Ia/+0)

79 I have an 18 year old car with the tire pressure monitoring system still functioning within normal operational parameters.

It's a Toyota.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at March 05, 2026

***
My Buick is ten, and I've had to replace three of the TPMS sensors over the six years I've had the car. The TPMS on this car and on the previous Regal have each warned me of a serious loss of pressure in a tire while driving -- so I find the system to be very useful.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 06:10 AM (wzUl9)

80 Good morning!

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

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:12 AM (u82oZ)

81 @74/Wolfus: There's too many people that just want to occupy a chair and get paid without actually doing any work. That tax "help" lady sounds like one of them.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 06:14 AM (O7YUW)

82 @80/NaCly Dog: G'morning to you.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 06:14 AM (O7YUW)

83 Man steps in to give boy without a dad a lovely birthday. Sunny Skyz site:

https://tinyurl.com/muk4jm55

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:14 AM (Nx5jP)

84 22, lol, no kidding.
another pack of liars, like we needed more ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 05, 2026 06:17 AM (MIIRH)

85 74, free help! guaranteed to be worth what it costs!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 05, 2026 06:18 AM (MIIRH)

86 84 another pack of liars, like we needed more ...
Posted by: sock_rat_eez

It's funny how the sheltered tech folks talk about fighting "fascism" as to why they won't let the US Government use their sacred products but take Chinese money without hesitation.

Posted by: NR Pax at March 05, 2026 06:19 AM (RjOoY)

87 50 Wrt to the low cost Mac, I don’t see them selling the 599 version when for 100 bucks you can upgrade to the 512gb ssd model.

Also for comparison, you can get a renewed 13 inch M1 Mac Book Pro with 16gb and 1tb for 699.

Which is essentially going to get you i9 performance for the same price.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at March 05, 2026 05:37 AM (XV/Pl)

I think Apple wants to compete with Chromebooks and sell these things by the truckloads to school districts across the country. Anything else is gravy.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 06:23 AM (6ydKt)

88 Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Good morning. Sorry the little germ dispensers got to you.

Why I always had the fan on me, the side window cracked, and the opposite rear window down one notch. Air flow helped. And 50 mg of zinc glutamate.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:24 AM (u82oZ)

89 Hmm.. Sounds like Apple wants a slice of the student/casual/ 'chromebook' market, but with a SoC that is light-years beyond the lowend ARM packages out there from MediaTEK/Rockchip/Allwinner/etc.. (Qualcomm/Samsung being the exceptions rather than the rule) and a far better OS to boot. Godspeed, Apple..

Posted by: General Turgidson at March 05, 2026 06:25 AM (koFAO)

90 for certain values of funny, which look like blind optimistic ignorance when viewed from other angles ...
(yes, i'm being generous, they might just be whores)

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at March 05, 2026 06:26 AM (MIIRH)

91 Has Iran surrendered yet? I got one more day in my bet before the new leader is vaporized, and we need another new leader.

B-52s are allowing rapid advancement by new hires.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:26 AM (u82oZ)

92 56 @51/SpeakingOf: Anchor that thing at the top somehow, especially if you have animals. Go look up videos of cats and dogs jumping at screens if small critters are featured in the video stream.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 05:46 AM (O7YUW)

Luckily no critters or kids here, or I'd definitely follow that advice.

As is, the only thing I'm worried about with it is an earthquake.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 06:26 AM (6ydKt)

93 by: NR Pax at March 05, 2026 05:22 AM (RjOoY)

That was a good article and a good name for these militant LBGT groups: Al Gayda.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:27 AM (Nx5jP)

94 >87
Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 06:23 AM (6ydKt)
............

Spot on..

Posted by: General Turgidson at March 05, 2026 06:28 AM (koFAO)

95 The best Saint Crispin's Day speech in Henry the V:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvFHRNGYfuo

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:30 AM (u82oZ)

96 @88/NaCly Dog: Thanks. There isn't enough airflow available with how full my bus is. If they've got something, I'm likely going to get it, and whatever this is, it is absolutely rocketing through our schools right now. (I've always been susceptible to chest colds, even when I was a wee tot.)

I'm told that I'll eventually have an armour-plated immune system. Pull the other one, it plays "Jingle Bells".

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 06:30 AM (O7YUW)

97 >they won't let the US Government use their sacred products but take Chinese money without hesitation.
.................

A Chinese money shot is what gives them the will to keep on living..

Posted by: General Turgidson at March 05, 2026 06:32 AM (koFAO)

98 The desktop iMac, almost as old, also has 8 GB. That one I believe is upgradeable to 16, and I want to get that done. It's not a model with a little hatch in the back where you can pop in a new memory module, so I need to take it to the shop nearby and get a quote on that.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at March 05, 2026 05:47 AM (wzUl9)

If you're not scared by it, there are kits you can buy to replace the glue strips under the screen to do upgrades yourself.

That's the bad thing about the newer iMacs without access hatches for upgrades; you have to remove the screen to get to anything.

There are also YouTube videos out to show you how to do it.
You can upgrade RAM, replace an old Hard Drive with an SSD to speed things up (a lot), or if a fan goes bad and needs replacement.

It's an option.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at March 05, 2026 06:34 AM (6ydKt)

99 Grumpy and Recalcitrant

Good luck. Just past the head is all the air flow you really need.

But there are a lot of sick kids this tear. Immigrants, or biowarfare?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:37 AM (u82oZ)

100 Matthew 5:44-45

The one I truly struggle with these days, Marcus.

Posted by: Halfhand at March 05, 2026 06:37 AM (H0yun)

101 100

Posted by: m at March 05, 2026 06:37 AM (+YA9H)

102 m

Still got it.

Poor Grumpy and Recalcitrant. He was poised to get the high score recently then a troll got zapped, and he missed it by this much. ][

Posted by: NaCly Dog at March 05, 2026 06:39 AM (u82oZ)

103 Heating pad and Mucinex, aka guaifenesin, helps with the chest cold. So does a small heating pad.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at March 05, 2026 06:40 AM (inQnA)

104 @91/NaCly Dog: "B-52s are allowing rapid advancement by new hires."

We're experiencing explosive growth in our leadership development program!

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at March 05, 2026 06:41 AM (O7YUW)

105 Okay, maybe it does not help that much. I meant to type "Fisherman's Friend" and other strong lozenges.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at March 05, 2026 06:42 AM (inQnA)

106 The one I truly struggle with these days, Marcus

It's really hard. Only the Lord helps with that. I continue to struggle but I find-at least with people I know personally to say "The Lord's Prayer " but put their name in such her or his father who art in heaven " may ___hallow your name. Give ____this day her daily bread. That way you're saying it for yourself and also for them.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at March 05, 2026 06:47 AM (guLpK)

107 Wolfus: you may want to go to Macsales.com or some similar site and look up your model imac number to see what's available before taking it to the shop.

I have an imac that's about 16 years old, and when I called around a shop here in Houston back in 2022, for upgrading the hard drive, the guy gave me a "I don't wanna do it" price.

I have 10 gb of ram in it or it would be unusable.

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain at March 05, 2026 06:57 AM (gHSfI)

108 Oh, and I was just reminded by one of the other posts: If your imac has firewire or thunder-whatever, you can just plug in a hard drive and boot from that and run linux if you want to.

Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain at March 05, 2026 06:59 AM (gHSfI)

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