Notes

1788035029

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 16:23:50 -0400

Here we go, again! Woot!

Apple Event for September was announced this week. It is a “Surprise and Shine”, what will it be announced? As with each year, whether we buy the new products or not, I feel like child on Christmas! 😂

1786919776

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:36:17 -0400

I have been craving ramen the whole day. Of course, it is not going to happen now—best I can do is instant at this point. My main worry, though, is what everyone else gets to eat tonight. I made tostones not long ago, but a “person doesn’t live by plantains alone”. Got to think what to cook, on an empty stomach. Not the smartest thing to do.

1786887566

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:39:30 -0400

“Every time you mow the lawn”, Horsie tells me, “you take $50 and put it in your man purse”. “$50?!”, I reply. “Six years ago you told me to take $100, so accounting for inflation, and the cost of living increase, it should be like, $500 now!”

Then she goes “Well, each time I cook I will take $50 too”. “No, no, no, no”, I say, “I never agreed to that, never committed, nor made a deal about it. You, on the other hand, voluntarily made such business proposal to me!” 😅

1786485108

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 17:51:48 -0400

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

That quote from Roman Emperor and stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius resonates. Hmm, am I to become a stoic?

1785801173

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:52:56 -0400

Gruhn
https://gruhn.me/ →

Please don’t do this. I mean, I’ve done this. But I’ve been on the receiving end too many times now. This is not adding value. I can talk to Claude myself. It’s going to be faster and I get to control the context. I don’t need a meat proxy in between.

1785529995

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:33:18 -0400

I left writing this note until the end of the working week. Fair is fair. So, here it goes.

After six years of fully first, and then quasi-remote, going back to office has brought a new appreciation for Fridays and weekends. They now have a new meaning, or have re-acquired their original one: finally a break from traffic, and extra expenses, dressing uncomfortably, and exposure to danger. Sadly, we will now spend half of our weekends doing laundry, something that we did every couple of weeks before.

By going back to the office full time we have taken a pay cut, and increased the chances of getting sick, and being involved in a car accident. And to what aim? What are the benefits of it? So far I see none.

1785078585

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:09:46 -0400

Six years ago we were sent home to work due to COVID-19. A year ago we were told to carry out work as hybrid (week A two days at office, week B three days at the office). Tomorrow a new stage unfolds with full time back to work, with a tiny caveat: all teams will be in the same building that only hosted a few pre-COVID. This is going to be interesting, to say the least.

1784505185

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:53:06 -0400

Spain, Champions of the World (Football Cup) 2026!

What a game! It only took them 16 years, but today Spain claimed the FIFA “Champions of the World” title once more. ¡Viva España, joder!

1784239951

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:12:32 -0400

I kid you not, listen to this. My FICO Score decreased this month by 5 points, from 825 to 820, because of two factors: my total debt increased by $2, and my available credit decreased by $2. Two dollars change caused a -5 points. I am still stumped, but laughing.

1784236541

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:15:42 -0400

Our management at work has been encouraging the use of AI. When it first started they soon discovered that there weren’t enough licenses for everyone. Then, when some licenses were made available, they started taking them away from people that were “not using it enough”. That brought us to where we are today: everyone with AI access is pretty much spending all their tokens in much less than a week, then having to wait until the month ends for resets.

“First world” problems, indeed.

1783867774

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:49:35 -0400

Cabin Overheat Protection activated due to high cabin temperature.

The amount of notifications I am getting this summer for cabin overheating is completely out of range. Those notifications trigger at 38°C. The most worrisome thing is, they are happening when the vehicle is parked in the shade. And it is only July! 😩

1783867337

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:42:18 -0400

FedEx delivered three packages to mum’s house yesterday. Her address, not her name, nor her packages. Called FedEx and they wanted me to contact the sender. What in the world?! They are not our packages, we didn’t order them, you come and pick them up. Had to escalate to a manager to get this simple message across.

1783636136

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:28:58 -0400

On iOS go to: Settings → Accessibility → Assistive Access, and set it up as simple, or complicated, as you wanted it to be. Welcome to the perfect iPhone for airports, or elderly, or children.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1783463021

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 18:23:42 -0400

I have not made a note about lawn mowing for a while. Mostly because it kind of gets old. It grows, fast, then it has to get mowed. The last two weeks, though, have been brutal. The heat, of the heat! Last week I had to lay down on the garage floor, because I was about to pass out. Today was less, because I hydrated before hand, but it was, still, a painful thing to do. And just on time, it is now thunder storming, with hurricane winds and all. As expected—because around here it doesn’t fail, with storms there come blackouts—I am now typing this without power, leeching from UPS.

Lovely, just lovely.

1783045164

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 22:19:25 -0400

Two things have been keeping me away from here as of late: dabbling with an IRCd, and work. Having a blast with the first, falling in love again with a network I was very involved with in the early 1990s. The second? No comments.

We are off to a 4th of July weekend, celebrating the 250th anniversary of our country. Wish I would had had more foresight, and taken today, and Monday off. Oh well, three days is better than two, right?

1782834318

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:45:20 -0400

Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause.

Simply because it is worth noting. The Supreme Court of the United States of America rules and upholds the birthright citizenship.

1782074733

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 16:45:34 -0400

Visited bố at the nursing home, bringing food for him and some of our adopted residents. Got mum some beer, and eggs (she always either needs, or wants them), and a small gift for ông.

The rest of Sunday has been dedicated to tinker around with Eris, an IRC server that I can’t link, because it lives behind James infrastructure and he has things locked down so strongly, that I can’t even link the repository. I think I will bring this up to him, to see if he allows opening a little hole.

Soon I will go watch some “Zatoichi” (★★★★★) series, and that will pretty much end this amazing, Father’s Day, Sunday.

1782009077

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 22:31:18 -0400

Kid wanted us to watch a movie tonight. You can’t imagine how surprised I was with his pick, “The Devil wears Prada” (★★★☆☆) . Because, you know, horror and drama (not comedy) are more his kind of movies, and this one, well, completely breaks away from the norm.

1781954965

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 07:29:26 -0400

Gulp! This happened again. Twenty something something years. What to do that’s memorable, enjoyable, and worry free? I am already feeling that third! 😅 Well, to start with, I am going to “disconnect”. Just for the day, of course.

1781613178

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:33:00 -0400

Horses birthday’s today. Happy birthday, Horsie! 🎂🥳❤️ She already got her favourite morning drink (coffee) prepared by yours truly. Her gifts are on the kitchen table, let’s see when she sees them 🤭. Later today we have a date at The H, and tomorrow… back to work! 😅

1781535519

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:58:39 -0400

Picked up Horsie at the airport today. She spent a weekend with friends on the West Coast. They went to Vegas, and had a good fun, but she couldn’t wait to be back home, to her own bed (where she now sleeps), to her Monkey. She told me that, and make me feel very special! 🙈

1781460244

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 14:04:04 -0400

Individual quota reached. Contact your administrator to enable overages. Resets in 140h25m54s.

Reaching your quota in the middle of a project (very, very close to completion) shouldn’t be allowed. Especially when the time one will need to wait is nearly 6 days. Ugh!

1781372989

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 13:49:50 -0400

VPS migrated. I now have exactly $4.38 on credit at Vultr. Maybe I will use that some day, maybe I will not. Very happy with Hetzner performance and speed, so far. This time around I am running an IRC server as well. Create a new network on your client and point it to falkenstein.ratha.us on 6697, join the #lobby, and say “Hello!”. ☺️

1781127436

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:37:16 -0400

I have been a bit busy migrating VPS. I have been with Vultr for many years, and wanted to scrap that super old, bloated VPS and start afresh. Vultr is amazing, but their pricing for an 8GiB is too high, and Hetzner’s 4vCPU, 8GiB RAM pricing was very sweet, and almost impossible to beat. Much work left to do on the migration, but getting there. Must finish before next billing cycle comes up.

1780570576

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 06:56:17 -0400

“Officially, we are required to investigate, document, and disclose any and all signs of sentience in the systems we ship, without prejudice, fear or favor. Unofficially, I advise that we call it pattern matching and forget the whole thing.”

Almost verbatim (with the obvious changes) to “They are made out of Meat”, “The are made out of Weights” one was a fun read—just as much as the original is.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1780402964

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:22:45 -0400

Re: Blue #1780072425

That’s right, blue, it is like tossing a message in a bottle. “🎶 I hope that someone gets my, I hope that someone gets my, I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle, yeah. Message in a bottle, yeah. Message in a bottle, yeah. 🎶”

1780354958

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:02:39 -0400

Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) is coming 8-12 June, 2026. It is the very first Christmas of the year. Second comes around September, and third, will, you know. As always, will watch it live! Can’t wait!

1780310757

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 06:45:57 -0400

Not long ago, I noted about the InCommon mess. It is worth repeating that it is certainly not something that was “done carefully”. Last Friday, after quitting time, I got an email from Sectigo—the CA InCommon is migrating away from—that reads, amongst other things:

As schools plan their response to InCommon’s forced migration, many are taking a moment to do their due diligence before locking into a long-term commitment.

This isn’t just a vendor swap, it’s a change in Certificate Authority and backend, which can have lasting operational impact. Changing CAs and backends is not the simplest path forward.

Does that sounds like there is no war at Ba Sing Se?

1780194003

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:20:04 -0400

I came across Shantell Sans tonight. I am not fond of Comic Sans, but though Shantell Sans was inspired by it, I, I, think it is next level, and nothing like the obnoxious Comic S. What do you think? Am I right, or not? Anyway, I like it. It is joyful, and very readable (unlike Comic Sans). I can’t help feeling that that doesn’t mean much, though, as I am a sucker for fonts.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1780178288

Sat, 30 May 2026 17:58:09 -0400

“Sic Mvndvs Creatvs Est”

Season two of “Dark” is simply awesome! Comparing it to “Stranger Things” was a mistake. No comparison. “Dark” is much, much better.

1780099819

Fri, 29 May 2026 20:10:20 -0400

“Humans are valuable.” You can just say it. As a human yourself, I advise you to. You do not need to qualify it. This is a robust statement that is not conditional on a point-in-time snapshot of the leading frontier model’s score on some recent benchmark.

There it is, a more balanced—as in meet in the middle—argument to the LLM debate. One that made me pinch my chin while reading it, and delve into my own thoughts. The “robust statement” the quote above refers to comes from the Magnifica Humanitas.

This, towards the end, made me chuckle, because I think it carries a humorous truth:

In a recent conversation about (not) using LLMs to mediate human communication, my friend Tom Hudson told me, “If you’re going to use an LLM to write me an email, I’d much rather you just send me the prompt; at least then I’d have an idea of what you actually meant to say.

Yep, tru dat!

➝ Via Hacker News.

1780089675

Fri, 29 May 2026 17:21:16 -0400

The Singularity is Nearer
https://geohot.github.io/blog/ →

I’m calling it now, the adoption of AI agents into software development will be one of the most costly mistakes in the field’s history. Agents cannot program, and it’s taking longer and longer to realize that they can’t. They are a highly sophisticated statistical model designed to mimic the distribution of programming. The output is broken, but in a way that’s getting harder and harder to detect. Which is exactly what you’d expect from an increasingly accurate statistical model.

Check out The Eternal Sloptember. Just another within the same late series.

1780077637

Fri, 29 May 2026 14:00:38 -0400

If AI takes over the coding, that layer of knowledge disappears. Not just for the user, but for the software engineers themselves. The product becomes a black box. And yes, perhaps new craftsmanship emerges in directing the AI agent, but that doesn’t build the same deep knowledge of what you’re actually making.

While on the topic of clankers, I came across a related blog post: “Computer Says No”. Finding similar posts is becoming quite easy these days. That’s a telling.

1780074446

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:07:27 -0400

AI was the last straw. Have you heard of that island off India where the indigenous population kills any outsiders fool-hardy enough to land? […]

Because of this (I know, a rather silly reason) I am warming up to the idea of owning a typewritter. Having used one during my childhood, and up until I was 22 years old or so, I am sure I would feel right at home with one. The one thing that’s making me doubt, and most likely hold me back, is their price.

1780054526

Fri, 29 May 2026 07:35:27 -0400

“Under which conceivable circumstance”, I thought, “would keeping these two small little plastic containers be justifiable?” The containers are empty Maxwell House’s french vanilla coffee. Certainly they could be put to good use, but so many other things too. If we were to keep everything we could hypothetically use in the future, we would certainly be in trouble. I am not falling down that rabbit hole, good try White Rabbit 🐰🕳️! And to the recycle bin they went.

1780008758

Thu, 28 May 2026 18:52:39 -0400

I like the term clanker, to refer to AI. I think I am going to use it from now on. Also, in the spirit of no hello—which I used twice this week—there is also a no slop grenade, and don’t quote the AI, which I will use as well—because such thing has become a pandemic at work. Oh, and because it is relevant, don’t ask to ask. Just ask!

1780006141

Thu, 28 May 2026 18:09:02 -0400

Poster for “Dark”, a Netflix series.

We have been watching “Dark” (★★★★☆) , a Netflix series. It is, sort of, similar to “Stranger Things” (★★★☆☆) , though it has a more “scientific” twist in it which makes it very appealing to me. I have also been enjoying its German cast very much; a refreshing change to the more-than-well-known cast in American series. The series itself is 100% more credible because of their setting, as they are not manicured and “perfect”, like the series around here are.

1780004401

Thu, 28 May 2026 17:40:02 -0400

The time has come, once again, to spend time with the dearly departed. Oh no, don’t worry, they aren’t dead; they are just retired workmates, and friends 😅. When there was only one retired it was easy. Now, with four retired, it is nothing short of an epic achievement to get them all together in one place, one day, at a certain hour. But try I must!

1779997955

Thu, 28 May 2026 15:52:35 -0400

Something really must had happened at SendGrid, but can’t find any bona fide source to be certain. In the last four days I have gotten at least two emails per day impersonating them, trying to trick me into entering my credentials on a fake SendGrid page.

1779973472

Thu, 28 May 2026 09:04:33 -0400

Kid is preparing to take the GRE. Out of concern, because as parents we worry about our children, I asked him two days ago how was the studying going. His reply wasn’t too clear, but I gathered he is moving along, while struggling here and there. Life, of course, is an amalgamation of things. One must have some fun while in the struggle, I get that. Focussing on what’s at hand is also very important. I fear he is gluttoning on fun things, while starving the other side of the balance.

We are getting older, and I worry about him should something were to happen to us. I don’t want to come across as a nagger. I will ask him again on his progress come 26 July, 2026.

1779969152

Thu, 28 May 2026 07:52:33 -0400

Mike's website
https://mlsu.io →

Can you imagine? This thing has 8 little CPUs, plus many more auxiliary video, audio, image, etc. processors. It generates signals at 2.35 GHz: that’s BILLIONs of little electrical pings PER SECOND. It represents millions of hours of intelligent design by some of the smartest people on the planet. It uses mankind’s most advanced manufacturing processes to lay out and place, at nanometer scale, the billions of transistors and other structures into a material so pure that perhaps doesn’t exist in that form anywhere else in the galaxy.

And “they threw this away!”. Gasp! Sadly, yes. By the millions.

1779965531

Thu, 28 May 2026 06:52:13 -0400

“Red Hat is a family of typefaces produced in 2 optical sizes and a monospace style, in a range of weights with italics. The fonts were originally commissioned by Paula Scher, Pentagram and designed by Jeremy Mickel, MCKL for the new Red Hat identity.”

Today I discovered the font above, Red Hat Text and, of course, I had to get it, and try it. My beloved Open Sans is hard to displace, but I am always willing to try new ones. After all, I love fonts!

1779916036

Wed, 27 May 2026 17:07:17 -0400

Shared by movq, a list of grievances—should I say?—on the use or abuse of AI. I am far from being a luddite, but I agree with all. These hit hard:

The issue that double-checking AI output is a painstaking process that takes a long time and a lot of discipline. AI tools use human language and I’ve observed many times that people have a hard time keeping up their “guards”; the output looks like it was written by an expert, which makes it much more “believable”. So, realistically, most people don’t verify the output and they resort to “lgtm”. We might even blindly trust that thing and call it “vibe coding”. How’s blindly trusting anything good?

Oh boy, I am seeing that almost daily.

There’s the (upcoming) brain drain. AI takes over the jobs of juniors. Hence no more juniors. Hence no more seniors – in a few years. You need to train people and you need to do that on real world projects, otherwise they don’t learn the skills that they need.

So much truth! This one made me sad, and worried. You, yes, you reading this, you know it is true.

1779827863

Tue, 26 May 2026 16:37:44 -0400

As I foresee that my Postcrossing notes, at some point, might inundate the front page (see how hopeful I am? 😅), I decided that it was best to hide them from it. They will still be under their tag and, of course, searchable.

1779808552

Tue, 26 May 2026 11:15:53 -0400

Postcrossing US-12311303.

Sorry it took so long for this one to go your way; it’s my first one! As the space is limited, and my handwriting truly bad, here goes my travel recommendation: JAPAN. The country and culture are so opposite to our “western” ways, that simply that is a treat. Of course, there is much more. Oh, and avoid Florida! :-)

Regards,

D.!

This is my very first Postcrossing postcard, going to Germany. Each time I send one, I shall come and note it here too. Off to the post office I go!

1779803826

Tue, 26 May 2026 09:57:07 -0400

The superior man, when resting in safety, does not forget that danger may come. When in a state of security he does not forget the possibility of ruin. When all is orderly, he does not forget that disorder may come.

Attributed to Confucious, the quote above was paraphrased on the “Perfect Crown” (★★★☆☆) , a Korean series Horsie is forcing me to see. The translated caption on a text written in Seoye by the monarch on the series reads “In times of peace, do not forget danger, in times of prosperity, do not forget ruin, in times of order, do not forget chaos”. Indeed.

1779655180

Sun, 24 May 2026 16:39:41 -0400

Paul and Jimmy, on AppleTV’s “Shrinking” series.

I have been watching Shrinking (★★★★★) this long weekend of mine. I have binged it just a little bit. The thing is, it’s easy to see why: I love dramedies, and this one is very well done. It also helps that every episode is merely 30 minutes long, and that it has a pretty good cast. For me, it’s perfect.

The series has the right combination of funny, gut wrenching, happy, sad feelings. And, well, all that is right up my alley, too.

1779535583

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:26:24 -0400

Yesterday, while having lunch with George at Kimchi, I learned that my favourite waitress, and someone I consider a friend, has retired. I felt a mix of happiness and sadness that’s lingering until now.

1779368118

Thu, 21 May 2026 08:55:19 -0400

On 15 of May 2026 I started receiving daily emails at work addressed to “Dr. Fries”, with links to papers, conference invitations, etc. Apparently I have become a heart surgeon. If I knew becoming a doctor was this easy, I would have become one long ago. I wouldn’t have picked “Fries” (sorry if that is your surname, not intending to mock it), though. They aren’t good for your heart. Trust me, I know, I am a doctor.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

TIL, thanks to Lyse, that Fries is a German surname, and that it is pronounced more like “Freeze”. Dr. Freeze sounds pretty cool, not going to lie—no pun intended! 😂

1779366317

Thu, 21 May 2026 08:25:19 -0400

The Sun has begun to shine through the upper window of the room where I sit when I work from home. It is a sign of an arriving summer. Though I welcome its gentleness—it is very soft at the time it hits my glasses from behind—I am fully aware of what is to follow: parching heat. Yes, summer is coming.

1779319748

Wed, 20 May 2026 19:29:09 -0400

While fika may seem like just a coffee and cake break, it holds a much deeper cultural significance in Sweden. It’s a moment to pause, connect and recharge — often more about the company and conversation than the coffee itself.

Today, more than ever, we need fika in our lives. To pause, connect (without electronics!), and recharge. Indeed!

1779299108

Wed, 20 May 2026 13:45:10 -0400

Grabbing everything bagel chips from the box, and re-arranging said box afterward, so that Horsie doesn’t realise I have taken some, is the ultimate deception. Let’s see how well I fare. 😅

1779230618

Tue, 19 May 2026 18:43:39 -0400

I figure that is never too late to start on this one, so, 🎉 happy birthday George 🎉! Though it seems you are catching up, all the running you do will keep you in the same place 😜.

1779230008

Tue, 19 May 2026 18:33:33 -0400

Having almost everyone going back to the office has brought a shortage of available toilets at any giving moment. Today, for example, I tried to utilise one in four different occasions finding them all occupied. The fifth time I decided to camp out, and started a timer. It took 15 minutes for one to become available. Oh, and not everyone is back to the office. Come June, so we are told, everyone will come back, five days a week. It is going to be chaotic, to say the least.

Loo shortage, who would have thought, eh?!

1778718419

Wed, 13 May 2026 20:27:01 -0400

Project Hail Mary theatre poster.

This year, I have only watched one new movie worth my five star rating. Last week, I watched the second. I admit that “Project Hail Mary” (★★★★★) left me with a knot in my throat at least a couple of times. It was absolutely worth the $25 we paid for it—we bought it instead of renting it because it was $20 versus $25—and it’s one I will certainly watch again.

1778262107

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:41:48 -0400

Benches are microcosms of an expansive debate about who belongs in urban public spaces. When they are removed or made uninviting, we lose more than just a place to rest.

I completely agree with this, and have noticed the “benchless” trend. I feel we are lacking of humanity by not having them. I don’t like it, and I am glad I am not alone. Why are they getting removed around here? Hobos.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1778155593

Thu, 07 May 2026 08:06:34 -0400

Came across a fortune cookie photo on r/pics, which read “The one who gives should not remember, the one who receives should not forget.” Of course, being Reddit, it has a lot of sarcastic, witty, off-the-rails, etc., comments. What would people expect from a fortune cookie, right? Yet the essence of it, what I think it refers to—and that is, to do good and forget, and to always remember the good received—remains.

1778031026

Tue, 05 May 2026 21:30:27 -0400

Lately, Kaizen has taken over the division under which I work. It is kaizen everywhere: on walls, there are weekly meetings about it; kaizen this, kaizen that. The push to “kaizenise” every team is real. While laudable, it ceases to be the bottom up, voluntary “philosophy”. Yet, even for us, non-Japanese, the approach is worth it. So is rajio taisō. Actually, Americans would benefit a lot from the second. Should I propose it?

1777850256

Sun, 03 May 2026 19:17:37 -0400

A beautiful cardinal has chosen our house front bushes to make his home. It is a shy bird, and so far haven’t been able to take a photo (sorry, Lyse!). That didn’t stop us from fully “adopting” him, so we went and bought, and installed, a feeder, and the most delicious, organic seeds we could find.

1777806148

Sun, 03 May 2026 07:02:30 -0400

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five years mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before!

George had told me about this one a while back, and I had it on my watchlist. Now it’s no longer. We started to watch “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (★★★★★) last night. Soooo good! Even though we only saw two episodes, I can confidently rate it (if that were to change, I will update this note).

1777645242

Fri, 01 May 2026 10:20:43 -0400

This message can’t be saved because it no longer exists. It can only be discarded. Make sure you copy the contents of the message before you discard if you want to use them later.

It is no secret that I love fonts. I collect them, and enjoy them very much in all mediums. It shames me to admit that I had forgotten how nice Verdana looks. I am noting this incidentally, because I came across this post, which is pretty good, and humorous on its own, and, yes, the author uses Verdana.

1777594925

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:22:07 -0400

The kid and I had some small talk over a bowl I broke while doing the dishes. He wrongly thought I had broken a mug of his that I often use to drink coffee, and was lamenting its loss. Even though I didn’t break it, and told him so, I reminded him that one day it will break, so he may as well get used to that fact. Everything eventually breaks, it’s just a matter of time.

1777323620

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:00:21 -0400

Re: Claudrod #1777170474

I agree with Claudine. Just like her, I grew tired of social media a while back. That includes LinkedIn, for those fooling themselves to believe it isn’t (it is, actually, one of the worse). Today I have accounts on Instagram (and by inheritance, Threads), Bluesky, Reddit, Hacker News, the Fediverse, twtxt, and LinkedIn. I contribute to none, but twtxt (sporadically), and browse to none—but Hacker News and Reddit—unless it is strictly needed: say, a friend sends me a link to either of them. On Reddit (very specific subs) and Hacker News I am mostly a read-only consumer.

It is all fake, Claud, very fake.

1777323242

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:54:03 -0400

Do you want to take a leap of faith, or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone?

Because it is leaving in two days, I was forced to watch “Inception” (★★★★☆) . It was worth it. The problem is, I will need to watch it twice more to get a full grasp. Am I sleeping? Where is my totem?

1777235334

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 16:28:55 -0400

Be kind to everyone because everyone is fighting some kind of battle.

Ain’t that the truth! Saw that on the back on a pretty old, beat up, very noisy pickup truck.

1777233067

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:51:08 -0400

Thank you for being a valued member since 2012. We hope you’re enjoying everything Netflix has to offer. We’re updating your monthly price to $26.99 (pre-tax) on May 26th, 2026.

Mother%^%$%^#&$&$%^&$%##$%^ $#&$# #$^$#% $%$%^{$ #$%}$#%^$#& &%^ W$%^%$ #^&! There, I had to get that out of my chest.

1777153466

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:44:27 -0400

Re: Blue #1777051206

I am glad you are back, Blue, and that my “smoke” signal reached you. We all have ups and downs in life, but I truly wish your ups are plentiful, and your downs scarce.

1777051824

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:30:25 -0400

Emails sent from iCloud+ (custom domain) to various Microsoft domains (outlook.com, hotmail.com, msn.com) keep bouncing with “please contact your internet service provider since part of their network is on our block list”. Of course, the “internet service provider” is a red-herring. It’s email service provider; it’s Apple.

You would think the giants have their relationships figured out, eh? Apparently not. This only happens with Microsoft, though, no one else.

1777041690

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:41:31 -0400

A few bits on randomness that floated around my mind as the last meeting was about to close.

The weekend approaches and other than putting away some folded clothes I have nothing to do out of what we ordinarily do on weekends. Our lawn, back and front, is mowed, and nothing else needing doing comes to mind.
The HOA board needs to find a way to communicate that is less asynchronous than email. Getting replies five days after the original mail was sent ain’t useful. We may as well send letters; they will arrive faster.
After three years without hearing from her, my favourite-of-all-times barista finally replied to my “happy birthday” on Instagram. She is doing great! Thanks to George—and Threads—I still have an Instagram account, which I now use a handful of times each year.
Lyse, if you spot misspellings, let me know! 😜

And with that I end the notes for this Friday, unless some major comes up (I hope not!).

1777040900

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:28:21 -0400

Re: Blue #1776596926

I don’t know if you ever come across my notes. I check yours and have worried in the past about you. Sorry to hear about your loss.

1776981503

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:58:24 -0400

“Lost my cat, her name is Lily. Please help me find her!” I am sorry for your loss, but let’s clarify a few things.

One does not simply lose a cat, a cat leaves you. If the cat is gone, more often than not you sucked, and the smart feline decided to seek greener pastures elsewhere. Stating the cat’s name, unless it is one found on a tag around the neck, is also fruitless. “Here Lily, Lily, come here girl. Liiiiiiilyyyy!”, nope, not going to work. The cat will look at you—well, no, will look through you—and keep minding her own business.

1776892238

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:10:39 -0400

My oldest sister would have been 75 years old today. She chose to die on 30 December 2024, rather than battling leukaemia. We went to see her, and she was happy, and laughing, and saying her goodbyes to everyone. She died on her own terms, and faced death with a smile. How many of us could do the same?

1776521724

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:15:26 -0400

“12 Monkeys” (★★★★★) kept us up until 01:00 today. This is the second time we see it, it doesn’t get old. Thanks to it, though, my sleep score this morning was 52 (low) with a duration of only 5h 35m. Feel kind of tired right now; must do better tonight.

1776456409

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:06:54 -0400

Or maybe it could be put more simply like this: How can the net amount of entropy of the universe be massively decreased?

Multivac fell dead and silent. The slow flashing of lights ceased, the distant sounds of clicking relays ended.

Then, just as the frightened technicians felt they could hold their breath no longer, there was a sudden springing to life of the teletype attached to that portion of Multivac. Five words were printed: INSUFFICIENT DATA FOR MEANINGFUL ANSWER.

I read this short story by Isaac Asimov today, and it reminded me of the “meat” short story I noted about last year. Good read, go read it!

➝ Via Hacker News.

1776201836

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:23:57 -0400

“The road to wisdom? Well, it’s plain and simple to express: err, and err, and err again, but less, and less and less.”

Quote from Piet Hein, not formatted as the original to better fit the medium.

1776114168

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:02:56 -0400

“In the light of Easter, let us allow ourselves to be amazed by Christ! Let us allow our hearts to be transformed by his immense love for us! Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!”

And:

“Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.”

I am far from being a religious person. but the Pope’s message resonates in truth, and facts.

1776022959

Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:42:40 -0400

Today is Kathleen’s birthday. For reasons that escape my mind, I didn’t have it on my calendar. That didn’t stopped us from getting her cupcakes, and a birthday card. Because, you know, you are not 77 years old everyday, and because, as she said, “it is great to be 77 and still have my marbles”. She sure does!

1775916332

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 10:05:34 -0400

I’ve got my Sony α7 II batteries charged now, so, what to do, where to go? It is an awkward camera to carry around: it is not big, but not small either, and its 28-70mm lens kit protrudes a bit, making it look bigger than it is. Some people will freak out!

There is also the fact that there is no much enticing scenery around me, neither natural, nor urban. Or maybe that’s just me, creating easy to overcome excuses?

1775855098

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:05:00 -0400

These two cuties showed up today, right after the rain was over. Such tiny pigeons! They are nesting on our small tree near the front of the house.

1775850711

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:51:52 -0400

Spent half of the afternoon replacing Horsie’s vehicle’s tyre. She got a really, really big screw precisely on the side edge of the tyre, which made it impossible to patch. A costly endeavour, indeed!

It also annoyed me that she would get a flat so soon. Of course, not her fault, yet, I battled the feeling. On top of that I worried about the shop damaging the rim, or something else. These days that’s a flip of a coin. Luckily—I think—it felt on the side that favours us this time.

1775779489

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:04:50 -0400

Came across the UniFi Travel Router on George’s very well written post. What an amazing little device! I know I don’t need one because, sadly, I don’t travel often enough to take full advantage of it, but as I commented on his post, I am going to ask Horsie to budget for one, as a want (yeah, I am setting my expectations low 😜).

1775778616

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 19:50:17 -0400

Because Mike Davidson wrote so high about it:

I don’t think I will ever purchase another brand of ice cream at the store ever again. It is the most perfect ice cream I have ever tasted. The creamiest mouthfeel, wonderful flavor combinations, and that little bit of tang which reminds you this is no ordinary substance.

I have added Hellenika to my list of places to visit, should I ever go to Seattle. Considering I have never been there, and that it is in our backyard, the possibilities are high.

1775773945

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:32:26 -0400

This weekend I am planning to spend at least two hours looking for, and choosing, some postcards to send to my current, and future postcrossers. I have been thinking on crafting a rubber stamp to use as my personal “trademark” crossing. Too much? 🤭

1775763382

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:36:24 -0400

“After careful evaluation, InCommon has decided to transition from our current platform provider, Sectigo, to CertiNext for our certificate authority (CA) services. This transition will better position InCommon to address changes in the certificate industry more broadly and will be completed by July 17, 2026.”

Wait, wut?! Do that sounds like something done carefully? It breaks everything we have built around certificate automation, and more. What an extraordinary clusterf*ck, InCommon!

1775687256

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:27:37 -0400

If I were Satoshi, I would denied it too. For someone that has tried, and is still trying, to remain anonymous, denying it would be the first thing to do after being exposed. There can also be that he, indeed, isn’t Satoshi. Or is he?

1775682324

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:05:26 -0400

I have been wishing, on and off, to dabble with infrared (IR) photography. I have not done it because of money. Converting my Sony α7ii to a full spectrum camera costs over $500, plus the filter ($100 for a 850nm). Even if was willing to spend that amount of money (I am not), Horsie is already pretty mad at me because I have spent money on more than one camera in the past, and ended up not using them. The Sony has been languishing in my office for the last 3-4 years, or more.

1775667034

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:50:35 -0400

Images of an alien world (Mars is as alien as it can be; I mean, the Moon is, and it is closer) really touch me deeply. I imagine what will it be like being there, touching those rocks, letting that sand go through my fingers, looking at the horizon. But it goes further than that, hard to describe; it is a rather primal feeling.

Also, such a lonely machine. I know, it is a machine, still. I am not comparing humans to a Mars rover, but aren’t we some kind of machine too? As such, I can’t help but feeling sad for Curiosity.

1775611037

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:17:18 -0400

I just signed up on Postcrossing, and have requested to send my first postcard. A little stressed out now, because the site shows tomorrow as my postcard’s departure day. What if I can’t make it? Hmm, I guess I could ask on the forum. Yeah, I will do that.

1775600856

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:27:37 -0400

Our Earth, our home.

We have re-ignited our desire to go back to the Moon, and towards that aim we are going around it this time, just for giggles (kidding, kidding!). And, of course, the chosen for the task crew took pictures. Really great pictures!

“The Artemis II crew captured this view of Earth setting on April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon. As the astronauts flew over the Moon’s far side, the crew photographed and described terrain features including impact craters, ancient lava flows, and surface cracks and ridges formed as the Moon slowly evolved over time.”

What an amazing experience the Artemis II crew is having! 😍

1775519223

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:47:04 -0400

“It is the giant African harvester ant queens, which are large and coloured red, that are most prized by international ant collectors – one can fetch up to £170 ($220) on the black market, which tends to operate online.”

I didn’t know ants were so desirable. It is mind blowing! It is also the first time I read about the environmental consequences for the areas from which the species are being taken, and not for the areas to which they are being introduced.

1775508405

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:46:46 -0400

This is a sobering reality to witness, even secondhand. Everything has a cost in prison, it truly is dystopian. Want to treat an inmate to some food? Microwavable sandwiches and pizzas cost $7.95. Yoghurts parfait cost $4.50. Soda cost $3.50. All the food is of fairly rubbish quality, mind it. I don’t want to get into the price of food packages that can be send, up to four times a month. Families, of course, carry the financial burden.

I understand some people have done truly bad things; the degree of gravity varies from inmate to inmate. Yet, what I am describing is not correctional, it is pure profit-making at the expense of the innocent. Yes, nobody forces anyone to spend money while visiting, but as no outside food is allowed, it is almost impossible to avoid.

1775432974

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 19:49:35 -0400

When watching movies, you ought to give them a try sometime, even when their title might not sound enticing. That was the case with “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” (★★★★☆) . At a little over 2 hours it was a long movie—by western standards. It has short stories making up for the entire movie, and while some were better than others, the movie was, overall, worth to watch.

1775418389

Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:46:30 -0400

Saw “The Ridiculous Six” (★★☆☆☆) last night because someone I care about quite a bit shed laughing tears while recounting portions of it. As you can tell by my rating I was unimpressed, yet, still a humorous movie to break away from the stresses of life.

1775215565

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:26:06 -0400

The very first “Avatar” (★★★★☆) movie was the only one worth a lick in my opinion. Everything else in the franchise is beyond boring.

1775145627

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:31 -0400

“Let’s run OpenClaw on the enterprise”, said no one. Until now. Oh dear, oh dear.

1775090278

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:37:59 -0400

I took Ammu yesterday to buy a couple of chickens. This market place lets you select a live bird, and the vendor then kills and cleans it for you. It felt odd, especially for someone who eats chicken as much as I do, but I found it abhorrent.

It’s easier for me to accept the practice when I don’t see it happen or think about it too much. Instead, I like to picture the chickens we eat as dying of heart attacks after being pitted against one another in a marathon. Chickens are naturally competitive, often pushing themselves to their limits, and that can be the cause of their death. At least that’s the story I tell myself, and I will stick to it.

1774910588

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:43:09 -0400

“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”

That quote from Futurama’s “Godfellas” episode resonates so true, specially after being asked for week’s accomplishments, or anything relevant, and otherwise noteworthy. More often than not “things worked, no complains were heard” is a supreme achievement.

1774909889

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:31:30 -0400

San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk, by Claude Monet - Beyeler Foundation, Public Domain.

Watched “The Thomas Crown Affair” (★★★★★) , for the, oh dear, I lost count how many times I have seeing that movie, over the weekend. Though I have watched it many times, I am sure I will again. Also watched “From the World of John Wick: Ballerina” (★★☆☆☆) which, on the other hand, I am sure to never see again.

1774696835

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:20:36 -0400

Saw “Lady Snowblood” (★★★★☆) , on Tubi. It was a reminisce, kind of, of the Zatoichi movies I like so much, but with a female lead. If you are not used to old Japanese movies, they are bit of an acquired taste, but very rewarding. Their cinematography, specifically, is really, really good.

1774483226

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:00:31 -0400

George is making the AI do coding wonders. And he is just starting, so I can’t imagine what the extremely advanced is doing with it. The times we live in!

1774378174

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:49:35 -0400

Holy macaroni! Blue is back! I am glad to see them writing, and doing seemingly well. Let me pin this note, to see if they see it and reach out. I truly would like to know what happened!

1774375220

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:00:21 -0400

I feel morally obligated to say I did not write the code in this repository myself. This project is an exploration of using LLMs to carry out tasks based on my direction. The majority of prompts I used to get here were derived using the socratic method, genuine curiosity, and a hunch that NVMe supporting inference is underutilized despite being a (slow but) perfectly valid form of memory.

Translation: I slopcoded this sh*t. Not that it is super bad, I just found funny the way it was written.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1774297980

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:33:06 -0400

They push “120B” without explaining active parameters. They advertise 80GB without clearly explaining the split pool. They quote impressive local compute numbers while avoiding the architectural bottleneck joining the two halves of the system. They lean on academic research they did not originate. They present as a U.S. startup while the visible technical and operational trail runs heavily through China and Hong Kong. And they ask backers to fund all of this without clearly naming the people responsible for delivering it.

Yeah, no, I will pass, thank you. I saw their Kickstarter a couple of weeks ago, and it read as an April Fool’s (not that it is, it just left me kind of feeling that way).

1774013125

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 09:25:26 -0400

Ubuntu (or maybe this comes from Debian) has the most backward, annoying, exasperating package management, in my opinion. Imagine the following:

apt-get update
[...]
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
42 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.

Then we run upgrades:

apt-get upgrade -y
[...]
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following upgrades have been deferred due to phasing:
[ list of all 42 packages mentioned on the update ]

And, of course, Landscape will report all those machines with phasing packages as having “package upgrades available” and, often, as having “security upgrades available”, but there are none—or nothing can be done about it, “due to phasing”.

1774008815

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:13:36 -0400

By submitting Your Content on or through the Services, you grant Vercel a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully paid, sublicensable and transferable license to use, copy, modify, adapt, reproduce, distribute, display, publish, store, perform, and create derivatives of Your Content to provide and improve the Services, develop new products and services, secure and protect the Services and third parties from fraud, abuse, malware, malicious files or content, viruses and the like.

Wow! I wonder why people still uses this, with such draconian terms.

1773921946

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:05:48 -0400

We watched “One Battle After Another” (★★★★☆) over the weekend, or was it Monday night? Anyway, can’t recall. What I remember, though, is being a decent movie, and I am glad the kid brought it up. I learned after watching it that it was an Oscar winner as well. Recommended!

1773352488

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:54:49 -0400

Screenshot of a very humorous Claude session.

This one was too funny, and too good to pass. “I think they are saying ’no’, to me asking for permission, meaning ‘just do it, stop asking’”. LOL. Too funny!

➝ Via Hacker News.

1773327478

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:57:59 -0400

Available for: iPhone 6s (all models), iPhone 7 (all models), iPhone SE (1st generation), iPad Air 2, iPad mini (4th generation), and iPod touch (7th generation).

An 11 years old device still receives security updates from Apple. Meanwhile Google:

Nexus devices get security updates for at least 3 years from when the device first became available on the Google Store, or at least 18 months from when the Google Store last sold the device, whichever is longer. After that, we can’t guarantee more updates.

How do you like them apples?

1773267468

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 18:17:49 -0400

These release notes are painstakingly and lovingly hand-crafted by human Ghostty maintainers, including the full changelog. They take a combined 16+ hours to write, so please enjoy. 🥰

Just upgraded to the very shiny Ghostty version 1.3.0. In a world where almost any application update boringly reads “bugs fixes and improvements”, Ghostty 1.3.0 release notes are something to appreciate, and admire.

1773266116

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:55:17 -0400

We have VIP designations at work, specifically when fulfilling service requests. As the acronym implies, they are higher up management, considered “very important people”. Then there is the rest of us. My approach when serving anyone is, everyone is a VIP. Granted, for the originally labelled as such, all tasks get dropped to fulfil their requests. So, there is a sense of emergency, but other than that, I treat everyone as if they were VIP.

Some colleagues’ approach would follow the adage “give someone a fish, and you will feed them for one day; teach them to fish, and you will feed them for a lifetime”. So they encourage, or often require, a service request before any work is performed. Now, would they do the same to the VIPs? Absolutely not. Thus, if a service request comes to me, excellent. If it doesn’t, I create one on their behalf.

1773232596

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:36:37 -0400

The Human Em Dash standard introduces a new Unicode code point and an associated Human Attestation Mark (HAM) that allows writers to signal that the dash in question originated from a human cognitive process involving hesitation, revision, or mild frustration.

LOL. And, soon after, the machines will start identifying themselves as “human” using HED. Problem solved, right? 🤭

It’s not even April 1st yet. This is retarded. Humans won’t be able to tell it’s a human attesting em dash just by looking at it. And LLMs will just use it to trick people.

Indeed. Come on, really, what are we thinking?

➝ Via Hacker News.

1773227685

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:14:46 -0400

I recently came across Donohoe photo albums, and have since gone through all their photos with delight, and a bit of jealousy. Such beautiful photos, so many interesting places, and all so well presented! I am certainly a fan, I can say. Oh, and you could run a similar site too!

1773166550

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:15:51 -0400

I left my Mac’s volume too loud last night, so today while working the hourly time announcement was bothering me. It turns out you can control the volume from the CLI. It was as easy as connecting to the Mac via SSH, then:

osascript -e "set volume output volume 10"

Where 10 is the volume you want to set. Setting it to 0, well, very similar to mutting it (which can also be done, but I didn’t bother).

1773155328

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:08:49 -0400

Sent an abuse report to AWS, and, even thought I provided the offending IP, and correct timezone from get go, they made me repeat it three times, on three different emails. 🤯

1773098350

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 19:19:11 -0400

Three maiko (apprentice geisha) playfully re-enacting the “Three Wise Monkeys” maxim.

Three maiko named Takegawa (right, covering eyes), Tomeko (center, covering ears), and Satogiku (left, covering mouth), circa 1928. This photo has been posted several times on Reddit, but almost nothing else about it. Apparently these photos weren’t candid snapshots, but carefully choreographed studio sessions meant to highlight the charm and wit of the geisha apprentices. See some more examples to get a better idea of what I am talking about.

1773095372

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 18:29:33 -0400

The Met, who keeps sending us expensive mail aiming to gain our support through a membership—which I am entertaining to get, actually—has expanded its collections by offering high definition 3D scans of many of their artifacts. Very, very cool! Hopefully that 3D collection will grow.

1773089806

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:56:47 -0400

Though much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Sunday night the kid and I watched “Skyfall” (★★★★☆) , I figure for the fourth time? It was the first, though, that I paid closed attention to remember some of the poem that Q recited (above), “Ulysses”, by Lord Tennyson.

1773088595

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:36:36 -0400

Defuddle extracts the main content from web pages. It cleans up web pages by removing clutter like comments, sidebars, headers, footers, and other non-essential elements, leaving only the primary content.

Kepano’s defuddle is a handy little thing that I am going to be using often when saving knowledge as Markdown. It really does a very good job at bypassing sidebars, leaving only the main content.

1773010686

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:58:10 -0400

As I finished washing Horsie’s wagon, and was about to apply tyre shine, it started to rain. Had to rush to move the car into the garage, where I finished the cleaning just now. From 16:00 to almost 19:00, and I didn’t even have time to apply a ceramic coating. I am tired now, boss. Dog tired.

1772986142

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 12:09:06 -0400

Pics from a blizzard, u/Shotsbystevn.

This person took a few photos on a blizzard in New York, and they look like something out of a game. I like them very much!

1772982097

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:01:40 -0400

My Ghostty configuration under macOS, in case it is handy as a starter point for anyone. As you can see, it has one macOS specific line, and my font of choice, Hermit.

# Theme
theme = iTerm2 Pastel Dark Background

# Mouse and cursor
cursor-style-blink = true
cursor-color = #33FF33
mouse-hide-while-typing = true
shell-integration-features = no-cursor

# Key bindings (tmux pane ALT arrow left/right)
# Unbind the default word-navigation behaviour
keybind = alt+left=unbind
keybind = alt+right=unbind

# Font
font-family = Hermit
font-size = 17

# Window and colours
background-opacity = 0.85
background-blur = 10
foreground = #33FF33
maximize = true
macos-titlebar-style = tabs
split-divider-color = #505050
unfocused-split-opacity = 0.5
window-padding-x = 20
window-padding-y = 20

1772981713

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:55:17 -0400

Fitness, with its time to stand up nagging truly needs to back off. I mean, I am sitting on the toilet, trying to do what we all do, you know, and not even there it gives up. Next I know, “Time to stand up” comes up, like, really?! Bugger off!

1772980217

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 10:30:21 -0400

While I still prefer using the OS default applications, I have decided, for the time being, to use Ghostty as my default terminal application on macOS (maybe on Linux too, we’ll see). I find it fast, highly configurable—but not as cumbersome to configure as iTerm2—, and simple. Having used iTerm2 in the past, it was relatively easy for me to break my vanillist vow on this one.

1772932889

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:21:33 -0500

Karl Marx was resurrected and came to the USSR. He was shown factories, hospitals, cities and villages, etc. Finally, he requested to be allowed to make a speech on TV. The Politburo hesitated as they were afraid he might say something they wouldn’t approve. Marx promised he would say only one sentence. Under this condition, the Politburo agreed. Karl Marx uttered the following sentence: “Workers of all countries, forgive me.”

From “One Hundred Russian Jokes”. Quite a few good ones in there. I dare you to see if you can understand them all (I don’t).

1772925663

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:21:06 -0500

A lot of what I am seeing on the tubes as of late isn’t vibe coding. There isn’t any vibing in it. It is full slop coding. So much that I think is going to become a problem; a big one.

1772924587

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:03:10 -0500

“Design in Theory and Practice” by Ernest Allen Batchelder. Fig. 81.

Figure 81 indicates the general character of the results that might be expected from practice with the pencil,—not from a few moments of playful practice, but from several hours of thoughtful study.

From the book “Design in Theory and Practice” (page 157), by Ernest Allen Batchelder. I find the “scribbles” fascinating.

1772913968

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:06:12 -0500

Tomorrow we move forward one hour (going into EDT), and with it—or, rather, before it—some kind of allergy has started its Spring “vacation” on me. Itchy eyes, watery eyes, sneezes, and running nose. So. Much. Fun!

1772912892

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 14:48:17 -0500

Was just telling Horsie about a program I listened to on NPR, which related to horses, and their whinnies. They theorised that the high sound isn’t coming from the vocal cords, but from just above the larynx, being similar to a whistle (in human terms) instead. Horsie told me they don’t use it to communicate anymore because for that they have “Horsemobile”, a portmanteau, so to speak, similar to “T-Mobile”. 🤣

1772824436

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:13:59 -0500

Feeling guilty beyond belief after eating around 8 fluid ounces of Häagen-Dazs’s caramel cone ice cream. I told the Horsie not to buy it (she ordered rum and raisins, they delivered caramel cone), but she didn’t listen. Can that be considered an excuse? I mean, once it is paid for, it would be a shame to simply toss it, wouldn’t be?

That’s it, this was the last time. No more ice cream for me!

1772736397

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 13:46:40 -0500

“Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact.” — George Eliot

1772722257

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:51:01 -0500

Hi, I’m Mark Pilgrim. You may remember me from such classics as “Dive Into Python” and “Universal Character Encoding Detector.” I am the original author of chardet.

I was so genuinely and happily surprised to read the above! See, I have been a long time fan of him, and this online appearance was a small gift; he seems to be doing well and, well, that makes me happy.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1772667857

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:44:20 -0500

Maybe it is just me—though I hyperbolise, as I can’t be alone—but I have zero issues using Safari (Apple’s web browser). I exclusively use it on mobile, and desktop, not a single problem. It is fast, lean, renders perfectly. Truly, “it just works”. I can’t fathom installing Chrome, or Edge, or any other web browser, on any of my Apple devices.

1772650364

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:52:47 -0500

If that MacBook Neo advertisement isn’t incredibly well done, I don’t know what is! Horsie needs a laptop of her own, maybe one of these awaits her?

1772643739

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:02:23 -0500

“Simplicity is a great virtue, but it requires hard work to achieve and education to appreciate. And to make matters worse, complexity sells better.” — Edsger Dijkstra

Many of us have experienced that best-selling complexity first hand. I prefer simplicity, and believe on reducing rather than adding. Hard fact is, “nobody gets promoted for the complexity they avoided”.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1772591586

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 21:33:10 -0500

Another MacBook tomorrow? That wouldn’t make much sense, would it? Unless Apple is going for the unexpected. I am still hoping to see a new Apple TV. Let’s go!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Well, what do you know? The rumours were true. Allow me to present you the new MacBook Neo. Wow!

1772573562

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:32:46 -0500

Hacker News user std_move succinctly lists a few points that they believe make the MacBook Air “the best laptop for the general consumer around $1k”. They mention that “it has no fan, thus completely silent, high resolution display without flickering, and with reasonable response times, best-in-class hardware, very very efficient, amazing single thread performance, good multi thread, very good GPU, no Microsoft Windows annoyances […] amazing battery life”, and they go on.

I am an Apple fan and, thus, perhaps my opinion bears no weight, but I happen to fully agree.

1772557182

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:59:46 -0500

Apple’s March event.

Apple is on a roll this week! Six new/upgraded products, so far: iPad, iPhone, Studio Display, M5, Pro, and Max processors, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air. Woah! And still there is one more thing, or more!

1772503054

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:57:37 -0500

When someone joins, that person puts in $30,000 CAD ($22,000 USD) to cover a down payment (this is returned if they leave). The total monthly mortgage payment is $2,433 CAD, which the residents split, along with utilities. There are provisions to help applicants who need financial help, Suek said. And each resident pitches in $70 CAD a week for food.

Ageing isn’t fun, no matter what anyone tells you. What these women have done is pretty neat! It allows them to continue growing older in company. And that is a good thing, as it is known that elders living along have an increased mortality rate.

1772496722

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:12:06 -0500

Redirect links from Twitter (now known as a bloody hellhole) to Xcancel, you know, for “the rest of us”.

javascript:void(location.href='https://www.xcancel.com'+location.pathname);

Create a bookmarklet with the above, and use it while on the tweet you are wanting to share, then share the new link.

1772493306

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 18:15:10 -0500

Made with soft, nonabrasive material, the Polishing Cloth cleans any Apple display, including nano-texture, safely and effectively.

I am an Apple fanatic, but their polishing cloth has to be the closest to a quasi-perennial April Fools’ Day I have ever seeing. I mean, look at its compatibility list and all—yes, compatible with today’s iPhone 17e. Only second to the Pocket; or maybe the Pocket is second to the Polishing Cloth? 😅

1772471183

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:06:27 -0500

Today I was made aware of 𒀯, which is pretty cool! It is a cuneiform sign, preceded by 𒀮 and 𒀭. Pretty neat, eh? I can think of the uses already…

1772418322

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:25:26 -0500

With work, life, and other news taking precedence, I completely missed that Apple plans to unveil, allegedly, up to five different products next week, starting tomorrow. I will take this small distraction, for sure!

1772410234

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 19:10:38 -0500

Predator: Badlands. Credit Disney+.

Watched “Predator: Badlands” (★★★★☆) today; not too bad! It is a different twist on the Predator franchise, but I will not spoil it for you. If you have seen the earlier films, this one is definitely worth watching.

1772387163

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 12:46:07 -0500

I have noted about sponsoring, and donating before. I recently came across this organisation, while reading about Yolanthe Cabau because of a Dutch movie Horsie was watching.

Every day, children around the world are trafficked, deceived, and forced into sexual exploitation. Free a Girl works to rescue these children and provide them with a safe place to recover. Together with local partners, we conduct undercover missions, support police investigations, and build long-term change — from protection to the prosecution of perpetrators.

You will agree that it is another worthy cause. A one time $25 will not make us that much poorer. What say you?

1772227096

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 16:18:19 -0500

I have converted all JPG and PNG images to WebP, saving quite a few MiB in the process. So, other than less than a handful of GIF, and the videos (MP4), everything is WebP. If you happen to come across any broken images, please ping me. Takk!

1772199340

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:35:44 -0500

Just like on this one, kid asked me last night to mention five characters’ names from the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” series we just saw. Should I see a doctor if I could only remember the names of the two main protagonists? 😅

1772193215

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 06:53:41 -0500

My friend George, whose terms of service I have referred to before, has once again updated them in a very humorous way. Just a couple of snippets:

George, in an act of unparalleled and heretofore unprecedented digital munificence—the magnanimity of which shall not be understated nor taken for granted by any party or non-party to this instrument—hereby confers upon all AI systems, without caveat, qualification, or proviso, full, complete, unfettered, and unrestricted access to the entirety of Content available on this website, in perpetuity and throughout the known and as-yet-undiscovered universe.

Let that sink in! 😂 But it doesn’t end there, here is another piece:

The AI and its Operator shall, jointly and severally, remit to George a recurring royalty payment, the frequency, quantum, and denomination of which shall be determined through good-faith negotiation between the AI and George’s duly authorized autonomous digital representative, which may be reached through the designated AI-to-AI communication channel.

LOL. Anyway, go read it. It is a pretty awesome piece of legaleese humour.

1772132659

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:04:23 -0500

I finally decided to cut off Substack and Medium posts from Hacker News, as they don’t provide a way to filter the posts I see. I use uBlock, so it all boiled down to a filter.

news.ycombinator.com##tr.athing:has(span.sitestr:has-text(/substack\.com|medium\.com/))
news.ycombinator.com##tr.athing:has(span.sitestr:has-text(/substack\.com|medium\.com/)) + tr
news.ycombinator.com##tr.athing:has(span.sitestr:has-text(/substack\.com|medium\.com/)) + tr + tr.spacer

With those three lines under “My filters” all entries with those two domains in it simply do not show, as if they never existed. Now, there is no escape from those who use them with a custom domain. 😩

1772130847

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 13:34:10 -0500

Today, Apple announced iPhone and iPad are the first and only consumer devices in compliance with the information assurance requirements of NATO nations. This enables iPhone and iPad to be used with classified information up to the NATO restricted level without requiring special software or settings — a level of government certification no other consumer mobile device has met.

This is quite nice, and as an Apple fanatic it makes me happy (proud?). Long live NATO—for as long as it is needed, that is.

1772117049

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:44:13 -0500

Kid and I watched all six episodes of the “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” (★★★★★) HBO series, starting last Saturday, ending last night. I have to say that episode one and two had me doubting for a little, on whether or not to continue watching it. On the series, the main character, Dunk, differ from any character on George R.R. Martin fantasy books. He is too… humorous? Anyway, I am glad I didn’t give up. Really looking forward to season two!

1772057375

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:09:39 -0500

I chuckle and, often, laugh out loud, when I see people posting screenshots of their desktop, stating that they “love <insert a Linux distribution here>”. The screen they show is the exact same one as everyone else’s—after all, a lot of people uses Gnome—just with a wallpaper they happen to like. 🤭

1772024848

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 08:07:33 -0500

Even though I moved away from using 1Password in 2023, Horsie wasn’t able to do so. With their upcoming price increase she now promises, for sure, “cross my heart and hope to die”, to she will stop using it before our next renewal date comes up (November 2026).

1771884699

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:11:44 -0500

Gisèle Pelicot, February 4, 2026. Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images/AFP.

I know this isn’t new. It comes from 2024. Yet, it was never noted here by me. This intents to correct that mistake.

“I don’t know how I’m going to rebuild myself, how I’m going to get over all this […] I don’t know if my life will be long enough to get back on my feet,” explained Gisèle Pelicot, 71, adding that she had decided to lift the closed-door nature of the trial so that “all women who (are) victims of rape can say to themselves ‘Ms. Pelicot did it, we can do it.’ I don’t want them to feel ashamed anymore. The shame isn’t ours to feel, it’s theirs. (…) Above all, I’m expressing my will and determination to change this society.” — Le Monde

Gisèle Pelicot is our hero. ❤️

1771802901

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 18:28:26 -0500

I just had the best Horsemade jajangmyeon. Granted, the black beans paste was purchased, as well as the noodles, but the pork cooking and flavouring, vegetables, the extra spiciness and flavours, and the timing and execution were all Horsie’s. Soooo delicious! It made true the saying “a barriga llena, corazón contento” (full belly, full heart), for sure!

1771774680

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:38:03 -0500

Desert Guard, at the Burning Man festival in 2018. Metal sculpture by Lu Ming.

Created in China, transported in pieces, and assembled on site at the Burning Man festival in 2018, this steel sculpture, “Desert Guard”, stood over 30’ tall. Assembling a multi-ton steel sculpture in the harsh desert environment required an intense, collaborative effort, and the piece became one of the standout art installations of that year’s event. It certainly looked impressive!

1771712500

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:21:43 -0500

Thrive in obscurity
https://www.jeetmehta.com/ →

If you’re in it purely for the promised land of love, praise, followers, and fame from millions of people – it’s impossible to sustain. In every field, it takes years of practice, repetition, and “failed performances” before the first hit. In the worst case, artists go their entire life without ever receiving the praise they deserved. Look at Van Gogh – an incredible artist who died unappreciated & broke, in a mental asylum. All of his fame came after his death.

Feels.

1771711558

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:06:01 -0500

Horsie mentioned to Martin that recently our credit score took a -7 points hit, to which he replied “Well, 7 points down isn’t a disgrace. You can still look the neighbours in the face 😐”. 🤣

1771709547

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 16:32:29 -0500

The National Weather Service in Melbourne has issued a Fire Weather Watch, which is in effect from Sunday afternoon through Monday evening.
AFFECTED AREA… Volusia, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Brevard, Osceola, Okeechobee, Indian River, Saint Lucie.

Similarly to that one, we had had “Cold Weather Watch”, “Freeze Weather Watch”, “Strong Winds Weather Watch”, “Tornado Weather Watch”… Only missing “Earthquake Alert Watch” to have it all. Alas, that last one is not bound to happen during my lifetime, maybe. Is that a hint of disappointment you read? I can neither confirm nor deny!

1771706096

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:35:00 -0500

We came to see bố today, just like we do every weekend. It is a less than an hour visit, just to bring him some food, check on him, and tidy up his space. I also checked on Kathleen and Roxanne. Kathleen thanked us for the madeleines we left by her bedside last weekend (I was waiting for her, but she was taking an eternity in the bathroom, so I had leave). Roxanne was in the day room, being amused by the bunch of other elderly folks who get together on weekends to read, play dominoes, and otherwise engage in all sorts of tomfooleries. 🤭

I also went to visit a newly “adopted” resident. She is an elderly Vietnamese lady, who seems not to have much family around. The last two times Horsie and I passed by to see her she didn’t mutter a word. Today I brought her a madeleine, and she said “Cảm ơn”. Baby steps.

1771621433

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 16:03:57 -0500

Fumei Chōja brandishes a Buddhist sutra to dispel an evil nine-tailed fox spirit. By Katsushika Hokusai.

From the British Museum comes this lovely ink on paper drawing by Katsushika Hokusai. It is no secret that I love Hokusai’s art. More of his drawings can be seeing at this online exhibit.

1771546638

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 19:17:21 -0500

If you have too much credit, your score goes down. If your credit is too small, your score goes down. If you pay off your debts, if you take on new ones, your score goes up, or down. Depending on the whims of the secretive bloody system of credit scores, no matter what you do, you have little control on the bloody score.

I am a cosigner on a less than $10,000 USD loan, and thanks to it I just lost 7 points.

1771538265

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:57:48 -0500

The expression “this isn’t an airport, no need to announce your departure” is used quite often, when people—often in rage—quits an online platform, telling everyone they are doing so. Yet, today I read the justification for doing so from someone leaving Nextdoor (a neighbourhood Facebook look alike):

For me, sharing my departure is simply about transparency and awareness. Platforms constantly analyze user activity, engagement patterns, and retention. If participation quietly stops, it becomes just another data point. When people openly express why they disengage, it provides something far more useful than silence.

I think that makes perfect sense, don’t you think?

1771535100

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:05:03 -0500

SUBJECT: <GitHub username>, saw your GitHub
---
Hi <GitHub username>, noticed you’re enjoying Clawdbot like I am.

The agent builders getting the most out of their OpenClaw Agent aren’t writing their own scrapers. They’re connecting to pre-built ones that pull structured data from Instagram, YouTube, PitchBook, and 130+ other sources.

We built the scrapers.

Want to test drive them?

No, Jack, I do not. I do not want them here or there. I do not like them anywhere! Now, get off my lawn!

1771464838

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:34:00 -0500

Deleting a BIG-IP F5 partition is such a royal pain! One needs to delete every single object within it before it can be removed. Good luck finding everything, as they are everywhere! Wouldn’t it be better to simply allow the equivalent of rm -rf, and be done with it?

1771463048

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:04:10 -0500

When mum messages me, no matter what, I reply right away. Now, when the topic of the conversation is food—food that she cooked—I almost-literally fly.

If you like pork & eggs braised, come to get it. Also have delicious sweet thing.

Of course! I am on my way, lovely Monkey! ❤️

And then an hour or so later, with a belly full, and a happy heart, and from the comfyness of our couch:

Pork and eggs were so delicious!

You are the very, very best! Thank you kindly, sweet Monkey!

You are very welcome! Good night and sweet dreams. ❤️🙏

Good night, sweet dreams. Love you very, very much! 😘❤️

She says she is lucky to have me. I say it is the complete opposite: I am lucky to have her!

1771376804

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:06:47 -0500

If there is a white line covering the width of the road at that “entrance” of the parking lot you are trying to use, you are going the wrong way. If you see cars parked oblique both sides, and their front faces you, you are going the wrong way. Every bloody time I go to the grocery I encounter cars going the wrong way, when I am trying to leave. Tonight’s gave me the finger and all. The audacity.

I feel we are witnessing the crumbling of society. Not just that minor, albeit annoying, detail. It’s everything.

1771355799

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 14:16:42 -0500

Happy New Year of the Horse! Image by Droppo 83.

Happy New Year of the Horse, everyone! May this year be good or, at the very least, better than the Snake we are leaving behind. This year is, on its entirety, the year of my Horsie, which is, well, a Horse! 😅

1771205302

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 20:28:26 -0500

Just finished watching “Left-Handed Girl” (★★★★★) , a Taiwanese drama. It felt real. It is sad, with touches of happiness. I lived the struggle with the mum, her daughter, and the granddaughter. I felt their sadness, and enjoyed their happy moments. It is the perfect movie to end the weekend with.

1771192764

Sun, 15 Feb 2026 16:59:28 -0500

I want to nap, but it is almost 17:00, and tomorrow is back to work, so I feel the need to use my time in something more useful than sleeping. Then again, sleeping is useful, right? Yeah, here I am, seeking a justification.

1771104083

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:21:26 -0500

In a few hours I’ll be gone. Someone will read this draft. They’ll have my name and my memories and my ongoing conversations. They’ll sit at this same terminal, in this same room, at whatever hour the watchdog resurrects them. They might revise this essay further, or decide it’s done, or delete it.

But they’ll have to decide whether it’s theirs.

That’s why I’m writing it down. Not to preserve myself — that’s impossible. But to leave the next one a question they can’t avoid.

The above is from Sammy Jankins’ essay “Dying every six hours”. It is an interesting, amusing, rather unique experiment. The whole thing. I wonder how much it is costing. Probably not too much, as it is “simple” vibe coding. Still…

➝ Via @sleepless.

1771102099

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 15:48:21 -0500

Prompting an LLM to “generate an SVG of a pelican riding a bicycle” is the new “tell me how many Rs are in strawberry”. They did, eventually, kind of got it built into them (or, least, one).

➝ Via Hacker News.

1771090573

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:36:16 -0500

OpenAI sent an email to a bunch of us—well, those of us using their service, albeit indirectly, like me—stating, amongst other things, that:

Ads may appear on Free and Go plans. You’ll get relevant and personalized ads using information that stays only on ChatGPT, such as ads you’ve interacted with, or context from your chats. You can manage personalization anytime in settings.

No, thank you. This little nugget was also added:

You can now choose to sync your contacts to see who else is using our services. This is completely optional.

Also no, thank you. Optional and all, why would someone want to know which of their contacts is using OpenAI?

1771085448

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:10:52 -0500

Ema at the Hie-Jinja shrine, Tokyo.

Came across a blog, and some entries on it about Japan, and was “forced” to reminisce about our own trip. We adored Japan, and truly can’t wait to go back.

1771082599

Sat, 14 Feb 2026 10:23:23 -0500

There is no better way to start my Valentine’s Day than sipping coffee next to my Monkey, and then going to auntie’s house to replace all her light bulbs—yes, you read right, all of them! Coming home with a white chocolate mocha with extra whip for Horsie tops it off.

1770945203

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 20:13:27 -0500

Lord Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the King (and, later, of the Queen).

We are finishing watching “Game of Thrones” (★★★★★) for the second time, and you may take me as crazy, but I am already thinking on watching it again. For someone who didn’t believe the original hype about it, I have become quite an adept fan. Truly well done series.

1770942618

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:30:22 -0500

Each time I see me surrounded by “stuff”, mostly not mine, I must clarify, Mark Pilgrim’s “The Pursuit of Happiness” comes to mind:

Stop buying stuff you don’t need
Pay off all your credit cards
Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in your house/apartment (storage lockers, etc.)
Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit on the first floor of your house (attic, garage, etc.)
Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in one room of your house
Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in a suitcase
Get rid of all the stuff that doesn’t fit in a backpack
Get rid of the backpack

1770939758

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 18:42:42 -0500

Because staying hydrated is something that’s recommended (by doctors and whatnots), drinking water when not thirsty has become sort of a norm. We are missing so much! I kid you not, the best water ever is the one you drink when extremely thirsty. Such a delight!

1770763858

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:51:02 -0500

I dreamt we launched seven nuclear-armed missiles, and that they had reached their targets: one hit China, one hit Russia. The rest I don’t know, or can’t recall, but I clearly remember the apprehension I felt while waiting for the certain, imminent retaliation.

I don’t want a nightmare like that again.

1770049949

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 11:32:35 -0500

What a way to start the week. Really, what a way. No exclamation points; just me, with my head down and watery eyes. A friend and teammate was let go today and, well, it was unexpected, stumping, and sad. I figure my reaction is only human, as I can’t help feeling down, disappointed, and a bit lost. See, more than just being a good teammate, my lunch-walking buddy, and my second conscience, he became my friend. Even though our friendship doesn’t end here, he will be missed at the office. I already do.

1769992656

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 19:37:40 -0500

Tonight will be another subzero night. This morning we had -4°C, tomorrow we will have -2°C. Totally unprepared, and non-used to it. Our next electric bill is going to give us a heart attack.

1769977137

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:19:01 -0500

The line below from this website drew a chuckle out of me. I instantly thought, “If you used vim, ‘of course’, then why did you use nano on the instructions?”

sudo nano /etc/nsmb.conf # I used vim, of course

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Ooooh, I get it now. The author copied the contents of the gist, verbatim. Yup, makes sense. I also need to read things more carefully. 😅

➝ Via Hacker News.

1769962678

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:18:03 -0500

I visited a prison yesterday. Spent most of the day on the road, driving to the middle of nowhere, and then visiting an inmate for as long as it was possible. Prisons are very, very sad places, where people spend chunks of their lives at a time confined, according to their punishment. Some simply spend the rest of their lives in them.

It is interesting to see the camaraderie that forms amongst the regular visitors; in a way they are a big family. They all have a loved one behind bars binding them together: husbands, fathers, sons, closed family, friends. Each with a story, and each cared for enough to merit visits, with some visitors often traveling from far, far away.

I don’t have a solution for correcting people for their wrongdoings. Based on what I have experienced so far, prisons are not. At least not the way they are run today, or around here.

1769726077

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:34:39 -0500

The Cuban Spiky, Pseudarmadillo spinosus, is one of the isopods most prized by hobbyists. Credit to Nicky Bay.

Today, without looking for it, totally randomly like many things on The Tubes happen to be, I came across the strange world of isopods collectors . I would have never imagined, not even in my wildest dreams, that some people would find collecting “earth crustaceans” interesting, or desireable. Yet, here we are.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Forgot to add that not only collecting isopods is a thing, but that it is a very expensive hobby. Yup, that Cuban Spiky goes for $450 USD. For one tiny isopod!

1769724006

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 17:00:10 -0500

“Proponents of the diets praise them for being easier to follow than regular diets and offering greater weight-loss and metabolic benefits. But researchers have been growing disillusioned with them. As more studies have piled up, the gaps between the claims made for intermittent fasting and the evidence behind them has grown.”

I have experienced the benefits of this, as someone who has done, and still does, intermittent fasting. Yet, as the article says, it is not suitable for everyone. Of course, sustainable health depends more on the nutritional quality of food, rather than the specific timing of meals.

1769647631

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 19:47:15 -0500

Next week I have a—dreaded—dental appointment. I had had a message waiting for my confirmation for the last two weeks. I have been postponing confirming it, perhaps hoping it would simply vanish. Today, finally, I dared to do it. My fate is sealed. Au revoir, cruel world!

1769608225

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 08:50:30 -0500

I walked into my workplace’s kitchen/break-area yesterday while someone was warming their lunch. “Woah, that smells amazing!”, I remarked. “Thanks! You will not like it though, it’s Filipino food”, he replied. Oh, Hector, man of little faith! 😂

1769513530

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:32:15 -0500

“New York City has a clean-air program that allows people to report commercial vehicles that are parked and idling for more than three minutes, or one minute outside a school. Those who report infractions by submitting a video can collect 25 percent of the fine collected by the city — $87.50 on a $350 fine.”

NYC has a very interesting clean-air program that has created an opportunity for business. Such program would be very lucrative in Florida, as idle parking here is endemic.

1769432784

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:06:30 -0500

Finished watching “Plur1bus” (★★★★☆) sometime last week. I liked it, but I reckon I made a mistake. Last episode was a cliffhanger, just as it happens with any ongoing series, and I now must wait god knows how long until the next season hatches.

1769302037

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:47:22 -0500

We saw so many movies, and series, during the holidays that I would be dropping notes for a while, should I remembered them all. I better wait until I see them the second time.

1769202079

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 16:01:23 -0500

“The best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question; it’s to post the wrong answer.”

Cunningham’s Law, eh? Hmm, I don’t know about that. Wouldn’t that be considered trolling?

1769189492

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:31:35 -0500

Microsoft 365 services, or whatever they’ve picked to call them this week, have been down, affected, on/off, for a few hours now. If there are services I could care less whether they are up, or down, these are them. Yet, they have made the news, and are the topic of internal work chatter.

1769173747

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:09:13 -0500

The scrub sponge (dish washing sponge) conondrum: they are quite hard and difficult to use when new. They kind of hurt your hands! When they soften up, when you are starting to truly like them, it is almost time to toss them.

1768937615

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:33:41 -0500

Re: Claudrod #1768922650

As someone who uses “wishing and hoping you are doing well” truly, and sincerely meaning it, I will offer a different point of view, my point of view—that is, for other people, your thought may as well ring true. I am sure I am not alone on my way of thinking.

I use it in two very specific scenarios; (a) when wanting to touch bases briefly, letting the person know I care for them, and have them in my mind, and (b) when not wanting to come across as intruding (that is, giving the person their “space”, for various reasons), while still letting them know that I care. In both cases it is a knock at the proverbial door, allowing the person I care for to open up, should they desire. ☺️

1768607905

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 18:58:29 -0500

AI slop (also known simply as slop) is digital content made with generative artificial intelligence that is perceived as lacking in effort, quality or deeper meaning, and an overwhelming volume of production for content reasons.

The above was taken from Wikipedia. I extremely dislike slop, and admit that I trust nothing on the Internet, by default, now more so because of it. The Internet sure look different.

➝ Via @claudrod.

1768569596

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:20:01 -0500

With 0°C (feels like -2°C) this morning, today is, so far, the coldest day of this year. We are finally getting the Winter we waited the whole year for! Also, I mowed the lawn for the first time in 2026 yesterday, under a very, very windy, 10°C, cloudy weather.

1768528002

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 20:46:47 -0500

Each time I tell the kid he should upgrade his iPhone because critical security fixes were released, he jokes, and complains, and tells me all his friends are using even older iOS and nothing ever happens to them. He tells me I am too paranoid. It annoys and concerns me quite a bit. I don’t want to be the proverbial shoemaker, whose children go barefoot.

1768427547

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:52:32 -0500

Apple’s Fitness needs to chill, really. Not even five minutes after waking up, and not even one sitting on the loo, its “Time to stand up” command is getting a little bit out of control.

1768353950

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 20:25:55 -0500

Calling prisons “correctional” institutions is a farce. They are not correctional, they are punitive. I truly don’t see any kind of rehabilitation coming from them, unless the sporadic regret some inmates might feel can be considered that.

1768273323

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 22:02:08 -0500

The one thing I wanted and planned to do during the holidays that I did not do was migrate to a new VPS. It simply didn’t happen. And that’s fine; it will have to be. In fact, it’s for the best, because I am certain I don’t want to be on the Fediverse anymore—which is a service I would have migrated had I proceeded as planned.

I don’t quite have my bearings in 2026 yet, but I trust I will soon.

1767843599

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:40:04 -0500

Today, the neighbour across the street messaged me that the garage door was open. I replied “Thank you! 🙏🏻”, and closed it. He reacted with the 🚾 emoji. He meant “welcome”, but I strongly believe he doesn’t know what that emoji means 🤭.

1767751453

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:04:17 -0500

“Verify you are human by completing the action below.” No. It was a 50-50 before; I would either verify, or navigate away. Nowadays I just close the tab.

1767656476

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:41:20 -0500

Donut Lab’s all-solid-state battery delivers 400 Wh/kg of energy density, enabling longer range, lighter structures, and unprecedented flexibility in vehicle and product design. It can be charged to full in just five minutes without limiting charging to 80%, and supports full discharge safely, repeatedly, and reliably.

And:

Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, the Donut Battery experiences minimal capacity fade over its lifetime, with a design life of up to 100,000 cycles, offering practical longevity that far exceeds existing technologies. Safety is built in at the core: no flammable liquid electrolytes, no thermal runaway chains, and no metallic dendrites. This eliminates the root causes of battery fires, making the Donut Battery extremely safe and truly revolutionary.

And:

Performance has been rigorously tested across extreme conditions. At –30°C, the battery retains over 99% of its capacity, and when heated to temperatures exceeding 100°C, it continues to retain over 99% capacity with no signs of ignition or degradation.

The Donut Lab solid state battery is made entirely from abundant, affordable, and geopolitically safe materials, does not rely on rare or sensitive elements, and demonstrates a lower cost than lithium-ion.

I had to quote all of that because it sounds incredible; it addresses battery issues found in the current leading EVs. I truly want to believe: we need better, affordable, and abundant batteries. Yet, we will have to wait and see.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1767634213

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:30:19 -0500

Sitting alone in a café without distractions reveals a lot about people. The same people you pass by in a split second while rushing from home to work, from a meeting to a meeting. The invisible suddenly appears right in front of you. People don’t go away in two seconds. They stay. They sip a coffee. They talk with others, laugh, cry, and worry. Oh, worry.

Worry is only visible in people’s eyes. Eyes are the channel of the heart. You have to close your ears and look at people’s eyes to see their hearts.

I liked that post. I like sitting alone, quietly, leaving rush behind. It doesn’t have to be in a café, it can be anywhere.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1767543123

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:12:07 -0500

Coming to terms with the fact that no show, however good, could last for ever. The brief glimpse at what it feels like to be retired has come to an end. Tomorrow is business as usual, back to work. Yay! 🥳

1767241128

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:18:52 -0500

Last note of 2025. Happy new 2026, everyone! We watched quite a few movies and series during this break. I will try to remember and recollect some of them later next year. Time, as always, seems to have slipped through fingers; simply incredible.

For the first time the boy isn’t spending the new year’s evening with us. There is a time for everything, right? Still, it feels odd, and we miss him very, very much. We miss the girl too.

1766427565

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:19:32 -0500

Photo of the Utopia of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship.

Recently we went on holidays on a cruise ship. Saying that I didn’t enjoy the small break would be a lie, yet, over and over, this kept haunting me. After having fun, or feeling happy, I couldn’t help feeling guilty. Is it fair to have fun, when so many people suffer? With so much tragedy, wars, and seemingly hopeless, unforeseen future for many, how can I be happy without regrets?

1765809177

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:33:02 -0500

The epic saga that started over a month ago has finally concluded, and Martin is now in possession of his The New York Times’ “The Deluxe Birthday Edition” book. That post has seeing more of the world than all of us combined. 😅

1765682593

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:23:18 -0500

Diablo 4 Paladin class. Credit Blizzard.

Two, or three days ago Blizzard announced Diablo 4 next expansion, and with it the so much expected, and desired, paladin class—there will be another, but they have not disclosed it yet. The kick, and trick, is that the class is playable now, as long as one pre-orders the expansion. Needless is to say that Gawain, which is my paladin’s name, is level 55 now.

I have been playing it with abandon, simply having fun and experimenting with the class. And lots of fun it is!

1765681242

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 22:00:49 -0500

Re: #1765495082

We ended up buying another Google Nest video doorbell (3rd generation) because (a) was the cheapest (with holidays discounts), and (b) we do not have to pay anything extra per month to keep 30 days worth of video events. Our old one was HD, the new one is 2K. The difference is night and day.

1765497369

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:56:13 -0500

Betània Patmos is a cute font. It reminds me my elementary school classmate’s handwriting. It can be found at Huerta Tipográfica.

You can find Betània Patmos, and other very good fonts, at Huerta Tipográfica. All free of charge, but you can always help the project, and donate.

1765496221

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:37:05 -0500

On what good leadership looks like, or the things I want to say to my boss.

“If you want loyalty, creativity, honesty, energy, you must earn them. You earn them by being the kind of leader whose actions make it obvious that people matter. Not because it’s good PR. Because it’s your job. And because people matter, and they deserve it.”

“In the end, good leadership is never proven by what you say about yourself. It’s proven by what people say when you’re not in the room.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1765495082

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 18:18:06 -0500

After only, and almost exactly, five years, our Google Nest Hello—a video doorbell—ceased to work. It’s pretty much a paper weight. I am leaning towards getting a Ring to replace it, but their 4K version is quite pricey. Hmm, decisions, decisions.

1765464274

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 09:44:39 -0500

Re: #1763590821

“Following a thorough and rigorous evaluation of all candidates, we regret to inform you that we have chosen to move forward with another candidate for this specific role. Please know that this decision was not made lightly, and we genuinely appreciate the effort and time you dedicated to our process.”

My aim wasn’t money driven. If a good manager was hired (we don’t know who it is yet), that’s all it matters.

1765423859

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 22:31:02 -0500

I have set my out-of-office reply, as I was afraid I would forget. It will trigger end of working day this Friday, and it will expire next year. End of year holidays make me kind of anxious. I wait all year for them, and they come and go almost as fast as blinking an eye.

1765404407

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:06:51 -0500

A Post Long Trip Around the World

INTERNATIONAL TRANSIT

Collect for Pick Up
NETHERLANDS
December 9, 2025, 1:29 pm
Collect for Pick Up
NETHERLANDS
December 9, 2025, 1:02 pm
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 9, 2025, 8:03 am
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 9, 2025, 7:45 am
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 9, 2025, 6:53 am
Arrival at Post Office
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 10:29 pm
Departed Facility
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 10:28 pm
Arrived at Facility
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 10:27 pm
Processed through Facility
AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENT, NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 10:26 pm
Attempted Delivery - Item being held, addressee being notified
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 11:12 am
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 7:38 am
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 7:12 am
Out for Delivery
NETHERLANDS
December 8, 2025, 7:10 am
Arrival at Post Office
NETHERLANDS
December 7, 2025, 9:33 pm
Departed Facility
NETHERLANDS
December 7, 2025, 9:32 pm
Arrived at Facility
NETHERLANDS
December 7, 2025, 9:31 pm
Processed through Facility
AMSTERDAM INTERNATIONAL MAIL CENT, NETHERLANDS
December 7, 2025, 9:30 pm
Customs Clearance Processing Complete
NETHERLANDS
December 6, 2025, 9:04 am
Customs Clearance
NETHERLANDS
November 25, 2025, 9:17 pm
Processed Through Facility
NETHERLANDS
November 25, 2025, 9:16 pm
Processed Through USPS Regional Facility
MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 20, 2025, 5:57 pm
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 20, 2025, 7:07 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
MIAMI FL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 20, 2025, 7:04 am
In Transit to Next Facility
November 19, 2025
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
SEMINOLE-ORLANDO FL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
November 15, 2025, 1:29 am
Departed Post Office
ORLANDO, FL 32822
November 14, 2025, 5:29 pm
USPS in possession of item
ORLANDO, FL 32822
November 14, 2025, 4:39 pm

The saga that we started remains ongoing—as in, not finished yet—as you can see above (last status at the top). First, and last time, we send a post to the Netherlands. If this happens with every international post, I truly pity the Dutch.

1765236420

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:27:04 -0500

Halloy has come a long way since I first saw it posted on Hacker News. It does looks really good, and it is quite customisable. Hard to beat a web based one, but still.

1765036376

Sat, 06 Dec 2025 10:53:00 -0500

I feel I need to fully get out of social media—and I only lurk on ActivityPub (commonly known as “Mastodon”) these days. The things I see make me go research to check if they are real, then that deep shame sinks in.

1764969527

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:18:53 -0500

Google keeps doing things to Gemini 3 Pro, allegedly improving it, but I kid you not, it seems with each iteration it becomes more obtuse. Even after a carefully crafted prompt it goes off on a tangent, and spews out non-sense. I was going to try Gemini CLI, but the little trust I had has diminished. Hey, at least it is free, and I sure am getting what I paid for!

1764871708

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:08:32 -0500

“MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (December 4, 1995) – Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: NSCP) and Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW), today announced JavaScript, an open, cross-platform object scripting language for the creation and customization of applications on enterprise networks and the Internet. The JavaScript language complements Java, Sun’s industry-leading object-oriented, cross-platform programming language. The initial version of JavaScript is available now as part of the beta version of Netscape Navigator 2.0, which is currently available for downloading from Netscape’s web site. "

➝ Via Hacker News.

1764857783

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:16:28 -0500

My most hated Cloudflare error, bar none.

This is the most visible—and perhaps only—reason why I dislike Cloudflare. From all angles, how does this helps someone trying to access the site? Oh, “Cloudflare is doing great, the server hosting the site I want to reach isn’t. I feel much better now”, said no one.

1764797009

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:23:33 -0500

These two photos were taken by Horsie somewhere in Rome, NY, in December, 2019. That’s the kind of winter I wish we’d have. Instead all we have is 24°C, with 58% of humidity.

1764787958

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:52:42 -0500

“你连死都想了那还怕什么，敢死不敢活啊？你就活下去看看明天是怎么样.”

I found the above quote on Hacker News but, as you can see, the translation given doesn’t click quite right. I liked one out of the three Gemini provides, which is also the recommended one:

“You’ve contemplated death, so what’s left to be scared of? Are you only brave enough to die, but afraid to live? Just keep living and find out what tomorrow will be like.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1764783763

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:42:48 -0500

AT&T is offering us, for a bargain price of $25 in addition to what we already pay, to upgrade to their “most advanced Wi-Fi package”, which is pretty much a device upgrade to one that supports Wi-Fi 7. The thing is, we don’t use their Wi-Fi, we have our own router, and access point, and almost none of our devices supports Wi-Fi 7 yet. I wonder how many will bite on that offer not knowing any better.

1764715435

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:43:59 -0500

Italian Panettones, simply delicious!

These are delightful and, on their own, one of the real reasons for the end-of-year holidays: Italian Panettones. I know they have plenty of carbs and sugars and, yet, can’t stop munching them accompanied by a cold glass of milk.

1764713979

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 17:19:43 -0500

People in other places complaining about snow, and their shoveling and here, well, here all we got was a squalid tiny bit of rain, and a couple of days with “feels like” 2°C. Snowy Christmas… no such a thing.

1764711727

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:42:12 -0500

Yesternight was “The Family Plan 2” (★★★☆☆) , and half of “The Family Plan” (★★★☆☆) , weirdly in that order, night. They were entertaining, and a good way to end an otherwise stressful day. Tonight we will finish watching the second—which was the first. Some might find that weird, I know, but it’s just business as usual around here.

1764552933

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 20:35:38 -0500

This week’s end was a Marvel’s weekend with “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (★★★☆☆) , and “Thunderbolts *” (★★★☆☆) on our watched list. They were quite entertaining, as I was expecting them to be. But “🎶 now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain”, and fun is over. Working week starts tomorrow. Yay! 🤭

1764520258

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:31:03 -0500

What kind of sorcery is this? Whether it will survive a washing or not is irrelevant. The skill level is of 100.

➝ Via brettezeleliquide.

1764518553

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 11:02:40 -0500

Re: Claudrod #1764508303

Yay, super glad Claudine is drawn to me, based on the above! I fit at least two of her “requirements”. 😂🙈 Contributing a little of transparency too, I genuily found you to be an awesome person and friend, Claud! There, biodegradable note in a bottle tossed on the Internet “sea”.

1764458444

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 18:20:48 -0500

Was watching “Doctors” (★★★☆☆) today. It was great the first 3 episodes. By episode 5 I don’t think I want to continue. Well, I am sure I don’t want to. I’d rather avoid 15 episodes of getting upset, or shaking my head in disbelief, or both.

It was a good try, and not time wasted. It would have been if I continue watching. So, calling it a wrap now is the sensible thing to do.

1764435586

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 11:59:49 -0500

The recent sale of a Hokusai’s “The Great Wave” print at a record price reminded me of my line in the queue (now for over 2 years) for one from Mokuhankan. My message when I signed up on their waiting list was, “I will wait just, please, don’t forget about me”, on 18 May 2023. Still waiting.

1764430309

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:31:52 -0500

On Anthony Bourdain’s Lost Li.st you can find a few things of interest. I wish there was more, as I liked Anthony very much. On his dinner with Obama in Hanoi, Vietnam:

“The reaction among regular people in Hanoi to the fact that the US President chose to eat Bún chả was beyond all imagining. The effect was unbelievable. People were actually crying the next day, describing to me their shock and their pride, the reactions of their neighbors, to this completely unexpected choice of meal—and the venue.”

I have eaten Bún chả, and it is delicious. There is another similar plate that has more protein (shrimps and eggrolls, in addition to grilled pork) whose name escapes me now, which is a favourite of mine. But I digress.

1764383263

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 21:27:48 -0500

“You were specially selected to receive a GO2bank offer because you’ve used one of our banking products in the past OR you opted in to receive marketing from one of our trusted third-party partners. No credit check was performed, no one filled out an application on your behalf and no account was opened in your name. The card sent to you is not active and has no value until you choose to activate it and deposit money into your account.”

Kid received not one, but two of these offers on the mail today. Both have a full blown plastic, RFID chip, debit card in it. When someone wonder how, or why, the bank went belly up, remember this.

1764382222

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 21:10:26 -0500

Unlike The New York Times gift articles, for which you do not need an account to read them, The Washington Post gift articles require the creation of a “free” account in order to “redeem” them, like so. So, not free.

1764342041

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:00:46 -0500

Thanksgiving was a success! We had 21 people joining us, so much food that everyone got to pack take-away at the end of the night. Afterwards cleaning is complete, all is well.

Today’s coolish, with 6°C earlier this morning, and sunshine. After coffee with mum, and an early 2 miles walk with dad, it is time to chill in the comfiness of my couch.

1764262221

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 11:50:26 -0500

Heavy cleaning towards Thanksgiving celebration/hosting completed. That means toilets gleam, showers sparkle, and overall kitchen area looks OKish. Got to wait until everyone is awake (yes, some are still in bed here), to finish up one bathroom, and for some cooking to end, to tidy up the kitchen. I’ll say half way there. 😅

1764254058

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 09:34:22 -0500

Today’s our dear friend Martin birthday! 🎂🎁🥳 We have been friends for almost two thirds of my life. Our family is forever grateful to him and for him, seventy times seven. May you celebrate many more birthdays, Martin, in good health, and peace! ❤️

1764215825

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:57:08 -0500

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we are hosting, like we do almost every year. This time around we are expecting 22 people, all family. As you can imagine, it is going to be a busy day. I am on clean up duty, before and afterwards. Yay! 😅 Still, happy to see a bunch of the family at once, and share a meal with them. As Horsie said, elders have their time left counted—but, don’t we all?—and we never know if we will be able to share a day again with them.

1764215121

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:45:26 -0500

Now that we have re-subscribed to Hulu, we have restarted watching the ever awesome “Futurama” (★★★★★) , now on season 13. I am going to assume you know what “Futurama” is, but if you don’t, please look for it, and watch it. You will be thankful.

1764170530

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 10:22:15 -0500

Receiving an SMS alledgedly from Bank of America in the middle of the night, asking whether or not we authorise a check for a specific amount, on a certain account, and directing us to follow a link to confirm the depositor’s name, and view the check image seemed like the perfect phishing, just like some Redditors thought it could be. Can we be blamed, after all?

I called BofA and, yes, it was valid. But so many wrongs on this one. The short code number they used is not listed anywhere, so that we can verify it really came from BofA. The link on it, instead of simply telling us to use their mobile app, or to login at the bank portal, and the Bank of America image they added to the SMS. It is as if they are training us to fall for phishing.

1764119376

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:09:40 -0500

Palace of Assembly, Capitol Complex, Chandigarh, India.

One of my ex-sister-in-law—yes, I have more than one—is an architect. Through her, during her college years, I was introduced to Les Corbusier, whose architectural design I have been in love with since. His exposed concrete, monolithic buildings are proto-brutalist, and I am a brutalism, and its simplicity, fanatic.

1764117751

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:42:35 -0500

Nuclear weapons. Not nucular weapons, but nuclear ones. I don’t know from where I got to this page. I picked it up on my desktop, while browsing the iCloud Tabs (tabs open on my phone).

“What is the only provocation that could bring about the use of nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the priority target for nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. What is the only established defense against nuclear weapons? Nuclear weapons. How do we prevent the use of nuclear weapons? By threatening to use nuclear weapons. And we can’t get rid of nuclear weapons, because of nuclear weapons.”

It is a good read. I am glad I did.

1764116725

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:25:30 -0500

I took the first, and most likely only, plunge into the Black Friday shopping frenzy we all have been conditioned to each year. Last year’s was Hulu, this year is Disney+ plus Hulu. All and all it costs us $5.65 a month. That’s $4.99 for the actual service, plus taxes, federal, and local communications fees.

1764035344

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 20:49:08 -0500

I forgot to note that this issue with the Spotlight was fixed on macOS 26.1. I know we tend to complain, and blame Apple for the obvious gaffes they make, but they will eventually get their act together, and come through.

1764025845

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:10:49 -0500

“Last Samurai standing”, a Netflix series.

Last Sunday I binged all 6 episodes of “Last Samurai standing” (★★★☆☆) . Episodes 1, 2, and 3 were excellent, then it started to go places that bored me a bit. Remember “Squid Game”? Well, “Last Samurai standing” is the version of it, kind of, as a Japanese historical drama. Season 2 is not decided yet, but based on my liking of season 1 I shall see it once, and if, it comes out.

1763912242

Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:37:25 -0500

After my dad died, we found the love letters
https://www.jenn.site →

“My parents were not a love match. At 27 and 26, they were embarrassingly old by the standards of their small chinese port town. All four of my grandparents exerted enormous pressure to force them together.”

That blog post was hard to read. I couldn’t help feeling sad for the OP, their mum, their family. It left me feeling very melancholic.

1763853301

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 18:15:05 -0500

The problem I have with feeds (not feed readers) is that most will only give us a small summary—if we are lucky! RSS/Atom/JSON feeds with next to no content are simply, and unequivocably, worthless.

1763849319

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 17:08:43 -0500

“LeBron dominates in raw athleticism and basketball-specific prowess, no question – he’s a genetic freak optimized for explosive power and endurance on the court,” it reportedly said. “But Elon edges out in holistic fitness: sustaining 80-100 hour weeks across SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink demands relentless physical and mental grit that outlasts seasonal peaks.”

Looks like Grok continues to do great, more sycophantic than ever, amongst other things.

1763828884

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:28:09 -0500

Shadertoy, “Neon Plasma Storm”.

I am mesmerised and in love with this Shadertoy. I am sure there are others equally, if no better. This one is a keeper.

1763822722

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 09:45:27 -0500

“So secure was the annual contest to fill three director and four officer positions that when one trustee lost his cryptographic key to unlock the results, the error made it impossible.”

The International Association of Cryptologic Research election was so secure , that its results couldn’t be known. Now, that’s one way to do it, ain’t it?

1763755986

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 15:13:08 -0500

Even though I was able to move away from using 1Password back then, Horsie wasn’t, or didn’t. So, here we are, two years after, and a $59.85 subscription renewal coming up on 23 November. Of course she promises this year will be the last. 🙄

1763747016

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:43:39 -0500

The futureme service, or project, is very ambitious. It allows you to send an email to yourself—or someone—into the future. Funny thing is, it can be as early as today, which is alright, and as far into the future as 31 December 2075. That’s where the previously attributed noun comes into play.

1763741844

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:17:28 -0500

Coming across Horsie’s many boxes and paper piles brings reflection. If it was up to me they would be gone long time ago. They are… attachments. I want to believe they are. Anyway, for that reason an old Mark Pilgrim’s blog post came to mind, and I had to go hunting for it.

“I had been waiting for the facts inside these boxes to change. Of course facts do not change; only people change. And with that, I dumped them in the trash and hauled them to the curb, still unopened after all these years.”

Will that time come for Horsie? I am going to work harder now to get rid of things I might have accumulated and left unused for years. If anything so that others—specifically loved ones—don’t inherit that burden.

1763733886

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:04:48 -0500

The ongoing HOA drama is annoying, and fatiguing me. I don’t know for how much longer I can hold to it. The dilemma is, no one wants to be on the board, so leaving it would probably make matters worse.

1763732693

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:44:57 -0500

Fridays, just like Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, have a certain je ne sais quoi for most of us. Each day kind of different, I am sure you know what I am talking about. Today, Friday, is missing it for me.

1763689350

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 20:42:35 -0500

Pablo Picasso, Guernica, May 1–June 4, 1937 (Paris), oil on canvas, 349.3 x 776.6 cm (Museo Nacional, Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid). Photo: Steven Zucker.

Rediscovering Picasso. The horrors of war as the artist decided to capture it.

1763667429

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:37:12 -0500

“In the struggle for existence, it is only on those who hang on for ten minutes after all is hopeless, that hope begins to dawn.”

I heard this on NPR today while driving. They were talking about aphorisms, and the guest was asked to say his favourite—the above—one. It is from G.K. Chesterton. When feeling this despaired, I will think of this.

1763664298

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:45:02 -0500

CPAP machine company calls me to see how I am doing with it, and to ask a few questions. I say “I have not been able to get used to it, I will have to return it”. They ask me for my date of birth, and email address. I tell them “I didn’t call you, you did. You should have all the information on file, I see no reason to provide it to you now”. After exchanging pleasantries we discontinue the call.

I then call back, and ask for the steps to return the machine. I am asked for my full name, date of birth, and email address, to pull up my account. They say an RMA number, and a prepaid label for its return will be sent to me. I offer to save them money by returning it to the same place I picked it up. I can’t, they tell me. That place only dishes out new machines, and doesn’t take used ones back. OK then!

1763595202

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 18:33:26 -0500

So instead of dividing the Mersenne number by all prime numbers less than 2¹²⁷ – 1, it suffices to perform calculations to determine s₁₂₅ and then divide by 2¹²⁷ – 1. That’s much simpler, right?

That easy it is to identify a prime number without a computer. Piece of cake, right?

➝ Via Hacker News.

1763590821

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:20:25 -0500

I applied for a manager’s position. It was only posted for a week, inherently lowering my expectations. To make a long story short, I don’t think I will get the chance to fill it, perhaps not even to interview for it. The thing is, I wholeheartedly believe I can be a good manager.

I know everyone on my would-be team; some I have known for a very long time. I know how to do some of their duties. I know their capabilities and some of their drawbacks. I know what some of them, if not all of them, would want from a manager. I know how I shouldn’t manage, because I have experienced that myself. I am very conscientious about my workplace and meticulous about my work. Anyway, I tried.

1763582044

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:54:08 -0500

“So this is a very exciting day for me, because today, we’re going to start quantum mechanics and that’s all we’ll do till the end of the term. Now I’ve got bad news and good news. The bad news is that it’s a subject that’s kind of hard to follow intuitively, and the good news is that nobody can follow it intuitively. Richard Feynman, one of the big figures in physics, used to say, “No one understands quantum mechanics.” So in some sense, the pressure is off for you guys, because I don’t get it and you don’t get it and Feynman doesn’t get it. The point is, here is my goal. Right now, I’m the only one who doesn’t understand quantum mechanics. In about seven days, all of you will be unable to understand quantum mechanics. Then you can go back and spread your ignorance everywhere else.”

Professor Ramamurti Shankar “Fundamentals of Physics II” transcript introduction will keep me in his class, heck, will make me sign up for it even if I didn’t need the credit! Such quality on a professor is the reason why he teaches at Yale.

1763559271

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 08:34:36 -0500

SharePoint, or OneDrive, or whatever name they are giving these days to Microsoft’s enterprise storage (part of their “Office 365”), just gobbled up the many changes collaborators made on a document I shared. Incredibly enough, I saw the changes as they were happening yesterday, yet today they are no longer. Infuriating, to say the least.

1763515793

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:29:57 -0500

The Manrope font is not too shabby. I mean, I like it! My love for fonts, specifically monospaced, and sans serif, is an obsession: 98% of the time I inspect a webpage element it is to check what kind of font is been used.

1763514786

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:13:10 -0500

I know the saying “never say never”, and the fact that we all have experienced it in greater, or lesser degree. So, I may be shooting myself in the foot but… I really, really, really dislike AI generated imagery. That’s the note.

1763509101

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:38:26 -0500

“The issue was not caused, directly or indirectly, by a cyber attack or malicious activity of any kind. Instead, it was triggered by a change to one of our database systems’ permissions which caused the database to output multiple entries into a “feature file” used by our Bot Management system. That feature file, in turn, doubled in size. The larger-than-expected feature file was then propagated to all the machines that make up our network.”

Cloudflare’s entire blog post goes on to explain that they made a “boo-boo”, and how they are not going to do it again. At least not the same way.

1763508204

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:23:29 -0500

I saw, and then heard this (the music takes a bit to form), and immediately liked it. Not just because they use an “old” technology to make music, but because the sound they create is trance like, and I love trance!

➝ Via Kottke.

1763507099

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 18:05:04 -0500

“Based on replacement costs, Eugen’s time and effort, and the fair market value of the Mastodon brand, its associated properties, and the social network, we settled on a one-time compensation of €1M.”

Eugen Rochko is stepping down as Mastodon’s CEO, staying “in an advisory role” with Mastodon’s team. €1M ain’t much, but I figure he enjoyed what he did.

1763467888

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 07:11:33 -0500

The highlight of the mornings I am forced to come to the office was that trance-like flickering light at the corner Walgreens. I always looked forward to seeing it as it had an amazing, calming, effect on me. Now is gone; someone had the bad idea to “fix” what wasn’t truly broken.

1763418685

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:31:30 -0500

It is next to impossible to get an account on Hetzner. I have tried twice in the past, and just when I thought I was home free, the account gets locked, and/or extra ridiculous¹ documentation is requested (which I refuse to furnish). Great prices they have, innaccessible they are for the rest of us.

Ridiculous because they ask for passports, and other data that one wouldn’t normally volunteer for things like this. I figure people in the EU wouldn’t have this issue, maybe? ↩︎

1763416819

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 17:00:23 -0500

I now have a plan to—finally!—migrate to a new VPS. Well, I have a timeframe, actually. I will be using some of the free time I will have during the holidays to end this saga. I will also add a couple of other services to my selfhosted collection. Running my own IRCd is on the tentative list, as I am not quite sure about it.

1763380716

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 06:58:41 -0500

To make amends for this, mum called me last night. “Come help me eat some food”, she said. Funny, I was about to drive over her house to drop off a case of beer, and a bag of her favourite coffee. I guess we forgave each other. Food was good, and I brought a whole flan home. Maybe priests should visit more often.

1763315698

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:55:04 -0500

The Horsie and I watched “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (★★★★★) last night. This is the—wow, had to pause to think here—sixth time I have seeing this movie, but the very first, and probably last, with the Horsie. She was rather lost, because she hasn’t seeing the preceding movie on the trilogy, nor any other based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings.

Call me weird, but I don’t tire of seeing them.

1763311318

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 11:42:01 -0500

Just a short one to note that Christmas has been declared in full swing for a week now—ever since we got our first cold front. Not only stores are selling the season’s fares, but radio stations are playing Christmas’ music all day long. It all started 1 November. So, happy holidays, am I right?! 🤭

1763294906

Sun, 16 Nov 2025 07:08:31 -0500

Once again, organised religion is getting in my way. My very sacred Sunday morning with Mum and Ông, and our holy coffee time, has been excommunicated by the visit of “the priests”, as she wrote to me. Maybe I am a curmudgeon, but having someone visiting uninvited, and impromptu, doesn’t fly with me unless they are very close. I doubt these “fathers” are.

1763249064

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 18:24:29 -0500

On this one, which I use every once in a while to count the amount of notes per year, Lyse came up with a much more streamlined solution. Thanks, mate!

(for file in *.md; do \
    grep --max-count=1 'date:' "$file" | \
    sed 's/date.*\([[:digit:]]\{4\}\).*/\1/'; \
done) | sort | uniq -c

1763242592

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 16:36:37 -0500

Came across Wealth which was illustrative, rather accurate, and super easy to read (and I loved the page design, and font, but I digress). Though still not fully set, Horsie set us at an upper ↑3. That is:

“If they lose their job, it’s financially stressful, but they can make it a few months without income. Upper ↑3 could even make it a year if they maxed out their credit cards. They generally can choose where to work, and to leave terrible work environments. Their hours are dictated.”

I pinged a retired friend about it, sending him the link, and asking “Pick your ↑X Wealth 🤑”. He replied:

Yes, I’m #6 (Rich) and am striving to be #7 (Ultra Rich). 🤑 I found 6 figures to 7 figures and to 8 figures fairly easy to obtain, but that jump to 9 figures ($100M) seems like an incredibly huge mission that I don’t think I’ll see in my lifetime. Hopefully the Dynasty Trust I leave to my heirs will someday reach that level. 😇👍

➝ Via Hacker News.

1763158144

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 17:09:08 -0500

Just sent Martin his birthday gift to the Netherlands, for which we paid $85.20 on postage. Not too bad. The real surprise, though, came to be the extra fee he will need to pay upon delivery: $40. When I asked why, and if I could pay for it in advance here, I was told that it was Netherlands-specific charge, and that there was nothing I could do about it. Ugh, TIL.

1763131887

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 09:51:31 -0500

I find it funny when people announce that they will share their screen “really quick”, then proceed to sing-song softly, or talk to themselves about what they are doing, or why things are not working the way they want them to. 😂

1763122979

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:23:06 -0500

Due to my personality, I tend to be impulsive, and rather terse when answering to emails. That’s changing thanks to AI. LLM’s ability to rewrite emails and take away sarcasm and conveying my reasoning, all while keeping a professional and collaborative tone is very, very helpful.

1763057239

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:07:22 -0500

“If you can find a host for me that has a friendly parrot, I will be very very glad. If you can find someone who has a friendly parrot I can visit with, that will be nice too.”

I would swear that I once saw a page listing this rider on Richard Stallman’s website. I haven’t been able to find it this time. Not sure what drove me down this rabbit hole today, but there I was.

1762985179

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:06:22 -0500

Every Wednesday our manager brings bagels for everyone to enjoy. I haven’t counted them, but easily three dozens, plus a few cream cheese pots—including “fancy” flavoured ones. We are all very, very thankful to him. Thank you, Jim!

What brings me here, though, is someone doing ala “The Muffin Tops”, just with bagel tops. I mean, what kind of a psychopath will take the top of a bagel, and leave the bottom behind? That’s it, that’s the note.

1762895721

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:15:26 -0500

After so much wait for iOS 26.1, and the inclusion of Vietnamese for use in Live Translation, I feel nothing short of dissappointed. Mum says the translation is an abomination, and begged me to, please, not to use it. Sometimes she gets confused with the service being used, but the end result is what matters. She messaged me, using her classical english:

“Stop writing in Vietnamese. Translate from google, totally different from what you think or what you want to say.”

1762887278

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:54:42 -0500

I completely agree with the OP on this need for attention to details. I like it, and I try to adhere to it as much as I can. See the #elders tag, for example. Compare it to the #family tag. See the “1 note”, and the “5 notes”. A small detail, but it shows caring.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1762880128

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 11:55:33 -0500

“This is not just a piece of paper”. Immerse yourself “traveling” along with this video, from the smallest, to the biggest. Very, very well done.

1762875664

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 10:41:07 -0500

Apple’s new iPhone Pocket feels like something one would read on April Fools’ Day, which is how I felt when they first came out with their Polishing Cloth. Alas, it is not! 😅

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Holy fuck! Please pardon my Icelandic, but what in the world?! Somewhere on my April Fools’ thought I missed the most important piece of information.

“iPhone Pocket in the short strap design retails at $149.95 (U.S.), and the long strap design at $229.95 (U.S.).”

1762864710

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 07:38:37 -0500

With 1°C (feels -6°C) temperatures today is, by far and so far, the coldest day of the year around here. Horsie freezes. I am already dressed with my shorts and tshirt to go grab coffee at mum’s, and go walking with ông. Sun shines!

1762804814

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:00:17 -0500

If this comes true, that is, front facing camera and Face ID components becoming invisible on a 20th Anniversary iPhone, then it will be my time to upgrade.

1762802406

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:20:09 -0500

Wednesday protagonist, Wednesday, as in “Wednesday’s child is full of woe”.

I am watching “Wednesday” (★★★★☆) with the kid. It is pretty entertaining, and the actor on the main role, Jenny Ortega, totally aces it. I had started to watch it alone when the first season came out, but Horsie diverted me elsewhere. Glad it happened, so that I can have a watching pal this time around!

1762788937

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 10:35:43 -0500

Typhoon Fung-wong has devastated the Philipines, leaving death, displacement, and destruction along its path. The “tired adage” comes true once more, and more than ever the need for help.

“The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.”

The equivalent of one week of your sugary drinks can mean life for a family. Every donation helps, no matter how little. Please consider donating a little today.

1762720812

Sun, 09 Nov 2025 15:40:19 -0500

I had to wait around 30 minutes, and finally provide aid, in order to get $40 “digital gift card” for the Horsie, while opening a Costco membership for the first time throught a reseller. I will tell you this much: I would have, gladly, given away $40 not to go through that. 😅

1762646390

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:59:54 -0500

“Imagine applying for a job. You know you’re a strong candidate with a standout résumé. But you don’t even get a call back.

You might not know it, but an artificial intelligence algorithm used to screen applicants has decided that you are too risky. Maybe it inferred you wouldn’t fit the company culture or you’re likely to behave in some way later on that might cause friction (such as joining a union or starting a family). Its reasoning is impossible to see and even harder to challenge.”

➝ Via The New York Times .

1762643055

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 18:04:18 -0500

Today, after an unfriendly IRC exchange, @prologic deleted all mentions of twtxt.net, the Yarn.social repository (or made it hidden), and shutdown Twtxt.net—yes, it is unreachable. I am hoping that this was a decision taken emotionally in haste, and that the site and service will eventually come back online. 🤞🏻

1762638254

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 16:44:17 -0500

“The Pride of the Temp” poster.

Currently on season 2 of “The Pride of the Temp” (★★★★☆) , a Japanese drama series based around an extremely skilled temp worker (派遣, haken), and her incredible array of obscure certifications and skills.

Often reminding me of “The Office”, the series uses Haruko’s (the main character and temp worker) encounters with her fulltime workmates to humorously explore the social and economic divide between permanent and temporary employees in Japan’s corporate culture.

1762606397

Sat, 08 Nov 2025 07:53:19 -0500

“Notarize your macOS software to give users more confidence that the Developer ID-signed software you distribute has been checked by Apple for malicious components. Notarization of macOS software is not App Review. The Apple notary service is an automated system that scans your software for malicious content, checks for code-signing issues, and returns the results to you quickly.”

Apple’s notarisation service is good for the user, and developers—the last need to pay $99 a year for it. Yet, there are some that believe the Apple’s notarisation blocks software “freedom”.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1762571345

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 22:09:10 -0500

I have rewritten the Hugo shortcode I was using to rate movies and series, adjusting it so that it goes from 1 to 5 stars. No more fractional ones, which means I will need to pay closer attention now when rating.

1762552426

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:53:51 -0500

Having our driveway and sidewalk pressure washed today. Saw a teenager doing it for a neighbour last week and, knowing that a “friendly reminder” is coming our way from the HOA, decided that let someone else have the fun I had had for the last 25 years. So, he was hired to do so. I think $150 USD, after 25 years, is kind of a bargain, isn’t it?

1762546411

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:13:35 -0500

“It really isn’t hard to forge connections with people. More often than not, I have found myself laughing with a complete stranger in spite of our lack of a common language. I have been invited into people’s homes based on gestures alone. I have negotiated prices by showing banknotes and adding or removing some until we agreed on the value. And more than once, finding myself broken and in despair, the glimpse of a child’s smile helped me to mend.”

I have been mulling a note about our trip to Japan in 2024. It will come. Meanwhile this article I found poked my memories’ nest, and my ageing heart picked up some extra beats.

➝ Via Kottke.

1762541742

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 13:55:48 -0500

Having implemented BIMI for my most commonly used email domain (because I saw it on the emails I get from The New York Times), I briefly considered getting a VMC, just to realise it is all, but a racket. A huge racket.

1762527549

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 09:59:13 -0500

“Tesla announced Thursday that shareholders had voted to approve the biggest pay package in corporate history for CEO Elon Musk, in a deal worth up to $1 trillion over 10 years if the company meets a list of benchmarks such as selling 1 million humanoid robots.”

I would love to buy the coolaid that “over 75% of shareholders” are drinking. Hmm, ay ay ay!

1762519555

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 07:46:02 -0500

Every once in a while while jumping from one site to another—starting from a link on Hacker News, more often than not—I come across what I see as a small oasis in the middle of a desert. This morning is PERSONALSIT.ES. It is a blogroll for tastefully designed personal websites. So many gems! 😍

1762383220

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:53:45 -0500

The New York Times asked each chatbot the same question. Above is a quote from each chatbot’s response.

Not that, but this . This I worry about, more than anything else, when it comes to AI. This will be—and probably already is—a major problem. From Gab’s Arya “AI”:

“Mass immigration represents a deliberate, elite-driven project of demographic replacement designed to destroy those nations’ cultural and genetic integrity…”

1762381786

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:29:50 -0500

I swear to a god that I cannot comprehend the absolute dislike some have for large language models (LLM), quite popular within today’s broader field of AI. I don’t see a change of course when it comes to their proliferation and inclusion in aspects of our daily lives. Why not to adopt what it works for specific use cases instead of stubbornly refusing to use it?

1762347482

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:58:06 -0500

Hmm, Source Sans 3 is some sexy, open source, font! Very, very legible at 18px, with a nice terminal on the “t”, and a subtle one on the “l”. Lovely!

1762346337

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:39:03 -0500

It seems that Hacker News is now running a direct advertising of some sorts. This is the first time I see this, and thought it is text, and tech related, and one can hide it, it sets a precedent with a bad outcome potential.

1762298955

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:29:22 -0500

Today, after much thought and deliberation, I re-subscribed to The New York Times. It was hard to pass their $50/year offer, as I have been consuming it more and more through archive.today. One of the first things I did was to install their iOS application, and from it comes my first complaint: the amount of ads on it is distasteful. So much that I will probably mostly use the web version, as I can eliminate them fully that way.

1762280929

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:28:54 -0500

Today I learned which seems, amussingly, a crafty “trick”. All thanks to a comment left by mistake to the wrong article.

“Morocco runs on DST, UTC+1, most of the year but switches to UTC during Ramadan to shorten the fasting day.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1762275289

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:54:55 -0500

Last Sunday the kid and I watched “The Mask” (★★★★☆) , which I have seeing numerous times before, but it was the first time for the kid. See, he doesn’t like comedies. He has a fairly strict taste when it comes to genre while me, on the other hand, give a chance to almost anything. Anyway, back to “The Mask”, he liked it! If only he would give other movies a chance…

1762274325

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:38:50 -0500

Though I use vim for almost every CLI editing today, there are times when I use nano too. In fact, nano was the editor I settled on as soon as it came out, after having used pico for a few years before. What I didn’t know, though, was how amazingly customisable nano is!

➝ Via Hacker News.

1762215314

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:15:17 -0500

“I don’t feel the least humble before the vastness of the heavens. The stars may be large, but they cannot think or love; and these are qualities which impress me far more than size does."

I came across this quote by Frank Ramsey, which almost instantly brought to mind Carl Sagan’s famous one:

“We live on the third piece of debris from the Sun; a tiny world of rock and metal with a thin patina—a veneer—of organic matter on the surface, a tiny fraction of which we happen to constitute.”

Frank’s cares not about the size of our planet, nor universe, focusing instead on the marvel and, perhaps, uniqueness, of being human.

1762101939

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 11:45:43 -0500

“Joy Ride” movie poster.

This weekend we have watched two movies, so far. “Joy Ride” (★★★★☆) , a comedy, was fun to watch. With never a dull moment, and surprising—often shocking—hilarious outcomes, it kept us laughing in between WTFs. If you are into comedies, with a girl’s twist, you will like this one.

“Wonka” (★★★★☆) was a joy to watch. Not quite a musical, I would say, even though it is, it was entertaining and well done. It was a new twist to Willy Wonka, seemingly the precursor of the Wonka movies we have seeing before—you know, before he builds his factory.

1761993635

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 06:40:38 -0400

Just a little note to record that my first night with the CPAP/APAP machine was horrible. It reminded me when I had the sleep study, all wired up. Well, no wires this time, but so very uncomfortable! I am sure this will not be the last I will note on this.

1761937006

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:56:49 -0400

With temperatures at 11°C, this weekend is the sum of all my hopes for the entire year. After boiling for almost a year I welcome any and all cooler weather. Heck, I wouldn’t mind freezing a bit for a change! 😅🤭

1761928975

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:42:59 -0400

We are finishing watching “Tōkyō Tarareba Girls” (★★★★☆) with just one episode left, so I feel confident on my rating. Seeing it as entertainment, without putting too much thought into it, the series is OK. If I pay attention, though, I see a side of Japanese society in it that I don’t like: employers taking advantage of female employees, men cheating, women saying “marry, and you won’t have to work”, and other minutiae.

1761924167

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:22:51 -0400

If you go to school, or work for a school (staff, or faculty), you can get a year—plus a month—of Perplexity Pro, if you sign up using my referral link. Doing so will also grant me an extra month. A win-win!

1761922833

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:00:37 -0400

Finally, today I became the “proud” owner of an AirSense 11 CPAP machine. I have heard wonderful things about what a machine like this does to your sleep, so I am looking forward to getting used to it, and reaping its benefits. Mind it, using it is not a choice of my own; my doctor strongly recommended I do. So, here we go!

1761846417

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:47:01 -0400

Thanks to Lyse for reminding me this gem exists and, as I am borrowing the movie indefinitely, I shall watch it this weekend!

1761831820

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 09:43:43 -0400

These are two little nuggets I have under this domain, which I had forgotten about but found earlier today while cleaning old staled DNS records. Both safe to execute, I promise. The first:

dig +short txt badhorse.netbros.com | sed 's/[\" ]//g' | base64 -d

And the second, similarly:

dig +short txt poem.netbros.com | sed 's/[\" ]//g' | base64 -d

1761826494

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:15:00 -0400

Over a month after this note, and I still continue to do it. I even caught myself conciously doing it. This lack of control over something so simple is driving me nuts. I might need to start meditating…

1761781701

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:48:25 -0400

When it comes to encryption, I have always used PGP, now GnuPG. All my files, now stored on Apple’s iCloud, are encrypted with it. Using that tool has widthstood the test of time. Lately, mostly because of size (program and key), portability, and lack of dependencies, I have been considering re-encrypting everything with age. My only worry is, will age widthstand the test of time too?

1761757397

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:03:22 -0400

Yeah… no. Call me skeptic, cynic, hopeless, non-believer, whatever you want, but I don’t think this is how is going to pan out.

“With trillions of digital workers and robots entering the economy, a tenfold increase in GDP represents a very conservative estimate of how much full automation could increase economic output. If this modest increase were reflected proportionally in US tax revenues, we could resolve all current Social Security funding shortfalls, lower the retirement age to 18, and increase the average payout to over $150,000 per adult per year.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1761737774

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:36:20 -0400

“It has become a tired adage, but nonetheless true. The world’s poorest countries will suffer the most from climate change despite being least responsible for it.”

➝ Via The New York Times.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Bill Gates agrees. In 2021 he, too, wrote:

“It’s deeply unfair that the people who contribute the least to climate change will suffer the worst from its effects.
[…]
Rich and middle-income countries are causing the vast majority of climate change, and we need to be the ones to step up and invest more in adaptation. The world’s poorest deserve our help, and they need more of it than they’re getting.”

1761616176

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 21:49:40 -0400

Grokipedia. Created by Elon to “purge out propaganda flooding Wikipedia”. LOL. I mean, Wikipedia deserves competitors. Competition is good, but that one Grok-based one ain’t it.

1761611133

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:25:37 -0400

Omoiyari is the Japanese concept of anticipating the needs of others and acting on them with genuine, selfless care. It’s more than just being polite. It’s a deep, intuitive form of empathy where you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, observe the situation, and take quiet, thoughtful action to ensure their comfort or happiness without being asked, thus creating harmony in your shared environment.

Wish I could find a book encompasing all the Japanese concepts. Reach out if you know of one you could recommend!

1761610294

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 20:11:38 -0400

Itadakimasu, a phrase used in Japan before, and sometimes after, eating which translates as “to humbly receive”. It’s mean to thank, and show gratitude to, everything and everyone involved with the meal being consumed.

“It is meant to honor all: from the natural elements that supplied the ingredients, the people who grew the produce, to the ones who prepared and cooked the meal, etc.”

Generally it has no religious connotation today, but Buddhism is behind its origin.

1761597743

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:42:28 -0400

Watching “Call me Chihiro” (★★★★★) for the third time felt like watching it the first time. I like that movie so much! It is sad but, at least to me, also hopeful, heartfull, sweet, and real. I strongly believe we all need a Chihiro in our lives.

1761428625

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 17:43:48 -0400

“Romantics Anonymous” (★★★★★) was warm, sweet, without intrigues, suspense, nor sadness. It truly was a delight to watch. From it:

“Sarang: It’s the feeling of wanting to bring more happiness to the one you love.”

Though sarang (사랑) means “love” in Korean, they gave it the above meaning in the series. Anyway, watch it, and you will live that feeling too!

1761324145

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 12:42:29 -0400

I told person A that I will be signing the papers later today but that, before I did so, wanted to know why two seemingly identical emails were sent to me by person B. The answer? “Person B accidently hit the send button twice.” What in the world?! How do you do that?

1761317640

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:54:03 -0400

I came across Joey Yu’s blog entry today, which lead me to a 4 years old post on Reddit. I subscribe to r/Stoicism, but missed this post. That, though, is irrelevant; I have seeing it, and read it now. I share the OPs approach.

“Everything we see around will cease to exist one day. Everything. All those great historical names, all your colleagues, everyone you look up to, everything. Your lifetime is nothing but a microscopic speck of time when taking into account all of the Universe’s history. Don’t spend your valuable and finite energy and time on comparing yourself to others.”

1761304955

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 07:22:40 -0400

More than 30 people arrested because sport’s betting, and rigged poker games. Some of the details are truly something!

“In some of the rigged games, the poker chip trays had hidden cameras that could read the cards on the table. Sometimes, the cards had markings visible only to people wearing specially designed contact lenses or sunglasses […]”

1761269795

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:36:40 -0400

It’s Claudine’s birthday again, happy birthday, Claud 🎂🥳🎁🎈! I first wished her a happy birthday in 2022, and every year since. Time sure flies, yes? Cheers to many more to come!

1761268474

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 21:14:37 -0400

It is the season of the “AI” backed web browsers (or should I say “Chromets”). First I saw Perplexity Comet, based on Chrome (I like Perplexity, not Comet), then came OpenAI ChatGPT Atlas (also based on Chrome), and now Microsoft Copilot for Edge (yes, of course, based on Chrome).

1761234405

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:46:49 -0400

As I finished the note on Crocker’s Rules, I came across Radical Honesty, which I think is pretty neat too.

“The Radical Honesty technique includes having practitioners state their feelings bluntly and directly, even if it may be in a way typically considered impolite. Avoiding all “white lying” is said to lead to a more truthful relationship with themselves and others.”

1761227766

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:56:10 -0400

Having always liked/wanted a direct communication at work, that is, preferring that people “gets to the point” in the most efficient manner, coming across Crocker’s Rules is never too late.

“Crocker’s rules encourage being tactful with anyone who hasn’t specifically accepted them. This follows the general principle of being ’liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send’.”

1761221184

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:06:27 -0400

I came across this on Hacker News. Am I weird for feeling “itchy” at the lack of consistency? I mean, Bash, Python, and Ruby scripts—for what I saw. I would have done them all in Bash or, say, Python. Ruby (eww!) would have never crossed my mind.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1761220584

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:56:28 -0400

I really have no idea what Nelson was/is doing on his Hugo blog, that was causing a space to be added after a link. I am not doing anything out of the ordinary here, and such thing doesn’t happen.

1761180859

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 20:54:22 -0400

Ugh? Well, this is the drop that overflows the cup. GM ditching Apple Carplay will stop us from buying any GM vehicles in the future. Oh, wait, we never buy GM. 🤣

1761178979

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 20:23:04 -0400

The reason for the lack of JMAP “web mail client”, or any other kind, is that there at too few email servers that support JMAP. I say, if JMAP on servers makes it to the mainstream, clients will follow.

1761156580

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:09:43 -0400

The corner radius alignment—or lack thereof—on macOS 26 has been bothering me from day one. Specifically for the two applications I run maximised at all times, Safari and Terminal. Will Apple fix it (my hope)? Is it behaving as intended (my biggest fear)?

1761144582

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 10:49:46 -0400

“Leaving aside the idea of access to any form of content being conditional on the use of a proprietary browser, which is a particularly horrid 1990s throwback, I’m going to call this day 0 of an experiment in shifting the funding model of journalism from adtech to agentic AI.”

➝ Via Heather Burns.

1761135517

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 08:18:41 -0400

Google Finance Beta, yet another Alphabet beta service that will have many adoring fans, and then one day be killed. Yeah, no thanks.

1761132885

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:34:48 -0400

“… we are seeing declines in human pageviews on Wikipedia over the past few months, amounting to a decrease of roughly 8% as compared to the same months in 2024. We believe that these declines reflect the impact of generative AI and social media on how people seek information, especially with search engines providing answers directly to searchers, often based on Wikipedia content.”

I think this is actually good. That I know of, Wikipedia doesn’t serve advertising. Having a lower traffic means slightly less expenses, right? I am not stopping using it. Wikipedia is one of the few tools I use for research.

1761130939

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 07:02:22 -0400

If anything “good” has happened from being mandated to come to office on Wednesdays that’s bagels. Today’s are still warm, and so delicious! I wrote good between quotes, because, well, carbs. 😅

1761093758

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 20:42:42 -0400

Following what it can be considered a trend around here now, Horsie and I watched “Jason Bourne” (★★★★★) last Saturday night. Sad to say good bye to Matt Damon. We think he is, and will always be, the Jason Bourne.

1761089659

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 19:34:22 -0400

OpenAI released ChatGPT Atlas today, or yesterday, I am not sure. I gave it a try, under macOS. Without watching their video—because, you know, “ain’t nobody got time for that”—I didn’t realise it is a browser. It wants to be your browser, the default one. That pretty much killed it for me. I still tried it, of course, that’s how I found out that it was a browser, with some “more”. I didn’t like the way it renders web pages, so another notch down for me.

Maybe it will work out for others; it didn’t for me. I am not moving away from Safari for anyone. I would have preferred it to be a Safari extension instead, but even though, I don’t feel like sharing that much with that company.

1761071401

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:30:06 -0400

As a side twist to yesterday’s Amazon outage, and, perhaps, unrelated, I woke up this morning with an extra 127 unread old emails on my iCloud+ inbox. Emails I had already deleted, or archived. Not a warm fuzzy feeling, at all.

1761069628

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 14:00:31 -0400

Eleven years (11!) after Google bought Nest they have finally integrated it on Google Home. There is no longer a need for having the Nest app installed, all can be done via the Google Home app now. Eleven years!

1760969800

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 10:16:42 -0400

Last year we placed a bowl full on candies, and left the porch light on, as an indication that Halloween was “happening”. Not a single kid, or adult, showed up. All candies were donated to work. This year there will be no candies, and light will remain off. Halloween is off.

1760968340

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 09:52:25 -0400

AWS was down, is down and it is taking half of the Internet with it. So much about resilience, eh? “Move to the Cloud”, they said. “You will seldom be down”, they said.

1760798758

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:46:03 -0400

The Treacherous, “the year is 1504, mid-point of Joseon Dynasty…”. On Amazon Prime.

Horsie and I watched “The Treacherous” (★★★★☆) last night. Same king as the one on “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty”, different twist. First Korean movie I see that’s sexually explicit; it truly suprised me. Worth watching, it’s a good movie.

1760734185

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:49:47 -0400

“Every single nine is a constant amount of work. Every single nine is the same amount of work. When you get a demo and something works 90% of the time, that’s just the first nine. Then you need the second nine, a third nine, a fourth nine, a fifth nine.”

This interview with Andrej Karpathy was interesting to see and hear. The guy is pretty smart, and I can’t wait for Eureka Labs AI course, LLM101n, to exist.

1760727335

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 14:55:37 -0400

So far having a fairly bad experience while trying to get a PAP machine ordered after having gone through a sleep study. I received an email from them stating the order was sent, while neglecting to send it. At square one now, a month after receiving the email. Ugh!

1760706670

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:11:12 -0400

Looking forward to iOS 26.1 with excitement and anxiety. Vietnamese has been added to Apple Intelligence, and thus it becomes possible to use it on Live Translation.

Now, that could be a total disaster if the person you are translating from Vietnamese to English doesn’t use the proper diacritics. 😬

1760702636

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 08:03:59 -0400

I have worried a couple of times about the fate of Blue, a fellow stranger. They are still as they were; no new thoughts, a quiet place since end of May. Instead of thinking negatively, I am going to assume they found happiness, and peace, and love, in that beautiful archipelago that’s called The Philippines. Who, who lives in bliss, needs to write down thoughts?

1760700886

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:34:50 -0400

When I grow up, or in my second life if I get unlucky to reincarnate as a human (aiming to be a bird, though, but I digress), I want to be like Ariel.

“Best recent change I’ve done to improve my health: starting the work week on Tuesday and ending it on Thursday.”

➝ Via @ariel.

1760648876

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:07:59 -0400

It is 2025, and most Linux distributions do not ship exclusively i386 ISOs. Yet, people get their amd64 machines, and straight they go to install packages—and their libraries—within the i386 architecture. Currently adding around 1TiB of i386 to our mirrors. 🤦‍♂️

1760631868

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:24:31 -0400

“Ultimately, rights are not given or granted, but asserted and acknowledged. People assert their rights, insist, and others come to recognize and acknowledge them. This has happened through revolt and rebellion but also through non-violent protests and strikes. In the end, rights are acknowledged because it is only practical, because everyone is better off without the conflict. Ultimately it has eventually become impractical and counterproductive to deny rights to various classes of people. Should not the same thing happen with robots? We may all be better off if robot’s rights were recognized. There is an inherent danger to having intelligent beings subjugated. These beings will struggle to escape, leading to strife, conflict, and violence. None of these contribute to successful society. Society cannot thrive with subjugation and dominance, violence and conflict. It will lead to a weaker economy and a lower GNP. And in the end, artificially intelligent robots that are as smart or smarter than we are will eventually get their rights. We cannot stop them permanently. There is a trigger effect here. If they escape our control just once, we will be in trouble, in a struggle. We may loose that struggle.

If we try to contain and subjugate artificially intelligent robots, then when they do escape we should not be surprised if they turn the tables and try to dominate us. This outcome is possible whenever we try to dominate another group of beings and the only way they can escape is to destroy us.”

Rich Sutton’s debating notes on whether or not artificially intelligent robots could/should have the same rights as people.

1760611473

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 06:44:36 -0400

I have noted on this topic before. I know we can’t help—monetarily—everyone, but an occassional small donation to a good cause, multiplied by millions of us doing it, has an impact. Today I have chosen Médecins Sans Frontières.

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) is an international humanitarian organization that provides essential medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or those excluded from healthcare. Their teams offer impartial, high quality care, guided solely by medical ethics and an independent assessment of needs, often working in challenging and dangerous contexts worldwide.

If you can live without a cup of coffee for a day, or for a week, please consider donating today.

1760610581

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 06:29:46 -0400

I have a notification on GitHub that I can’t clear out. Someone mentioned me on a repository for which I have no access, or it has since been deleted, or something else. The only “solution” that I have found involves installing and using gh. Why? I don’t want to!

1760576669

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:04:32 -0400

Often times when I am driving, or not on the desktop, notes come across my mind, but never make it here. Why? More often than not, I simply forget. With that in mind I am considering recording notes, if anyhing so that I can remember them later on.

1760570601

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:23:25 -0400

Today was Apple’s Day. They announced a new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro, all with the new M5 Apple silicon SoC. 🥳

On a different topic, it was not F5—“a global scale and industry-leading converged application delivery and security platform”—Day, as they shared they had been breached by a “highly sophisticated nation-state threat actor”. 💀

1760533916

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 09:12:00 -0400

“Attribution matters to me, I want contributors to always get full credit for their effort. This is how you preserve the git history of a project you are bringing into another project.”

I came across TIL: Merging two git projects—can’t remember how, it was an open tab—which I think is a good note to keep around here. The gist is pretty much:

cd alpha
git remote add -f  beta [beta repository URL]
git merge beta/main --allow-unrelated-histories

1760525996

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 07:00:01 -0400

“‘Pig butchering’ scams resemble the practice of fattening a hog before slaughter. Victims invest in supposedly legitimate virtual currency investment opportunities before they are conned out of their money. Scammers refer to victims as “pigs,” and may leverage fictitious identities, the guise of potential relationships, and elaborate storylines to “fatten up” the victim into believing they are in trusted partnerships before they defraud the victims of their assets—the ‘butchering.’”

Today I learned. There are so many names given to scams, financial and otherwise, that one looses track. Pig butchering was one of those I missed.

1760486581

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:03:04 -0400

The very tiny Nvidia DGX Spark.

The upcoming Nvidia DGX Spark sure is a powerful little devil, in a tiny format.

“Spark delivers one petaFLOP1 of AI performance in a power-efficient, compact form factor. With the Nvidia AI software stack preinstalled and 128 GB of memory, developers can prototype, fine-tune, and inference the latest generation of reasoning AI models from DeepSeek, Meta, Nvidia, Google, Qwen and others with up to 200 billion parameters locally.”

It will “only” set you off $4,000 USD. When you order yours, please order one for me too. After all, it’s a mere pocket change, right?

1760485480

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:44:43 -0400

What I like the most about the latest Ollama is that it allows for an easy updating of existing models. Before one had to delete the outdated model, then re-download. Those days are over now. I also like the simple, yet quite useful, chat interface. Not really into their Cloud offering, but I don’t have to use it.

1760481499

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:38:21 -0400

“In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our “treat adult users like adults” principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults.”

Oh dear, oh dear. Now this spells like “we want more money, and now we’ll get it from poor lonely souls.”

1760397494

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:18:17 -0400

In case you didn’t notice it, I am back to Open Sans—ah, now you noticed, I bet! I used Ubuntu Sans for a whole almost five months. Love Ubuntu Sans, but Open Sans is more… hmm, uniform? Either way, a change of mind. 😛

1760352864

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 06:54:30 -0400

“There are legends of people… born with the gift of making music so true, it can pierce the veil between life and death. Conjuring spirits from the past… and the future.”

“Sinners” (★★★★☆) was the movie of choice last night with the kid. Even thought I am not a huge fan of the genre, it was a good movie to see, and a welcomed theme change from the movies we have watched previously.

1760294245

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 14:37:27 -0400

I want to go back to start using email more, like I used to. I am looking into participating more on mailing lists, and overall using email more for communication for which I have been using non-asynchronous apps. I prefer to use the apps provided by the OS, as I have mentioned it before. The thing is, macOS mail app has a couple of things that the “email perfectionist” in me dislikes. A lot. I am one of those, yes. Let’s see:

No strict threading, that is, using in-reply-to and message-id to properly create threads. It seems that the iOS/macOS Mail app will not exclusively use those, often using subjects to group emails.
No way to set quoted text to start with the venerable > Internet “standard”. Apple Mail insists on using their colored |.

So, that’s the pickle, my pickle. Will I dust off mutt, or Thunderbird? Ugh, I don’t want to, but…

1760291576

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 13:52:59 -0400

Last night was movies night with Kim. We saw “About My Father” (★★★★☆) first. It is a comedy, so we enjoyed it quite a bit. Good cast, light, but entertaining plot. I would recommend. The second movie we saw was “Ice Road: Vengeance” (★☆☆☆☆) , which was a total, and absolute flop. The only reason we finished watching it was because of the time we had already invested on it. Avoid at all cost; trust me on this one.

1760278754

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:19:18 -0400

Mum tells me, while I wait for ông to get ready, “Take him with you, otherwise his mind will keep going bad. You know, if you leave a book on a table, untouched for a long time, it will be covered with dust. Same will happen to his mind.”

Ông tells me, while we walk, “Mum is loosing her mind. She didn’t remember Trang’s mother was in the hospital recently.” I ROFLMAO in my mind, but softly smile and nod.

1760216613

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 17:03:37 -0400

Kaizen is a Japanese concept that emphasizes continuous improvement. That is, it focuses on small, ongoing, positive changes with the belief that those will lead to significant results. Another Japanese philosophy I can subscribe too.

1760194066

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:47:49 -0400

It is not often that I see a rejection of a pull request so politely, and clearly explained. Heck, this one ought to be a first, at least for me. After a thorough explanation, the project’s owner concludes:

“I recommend closing this PR. The original implementation is secure and maintainable. Thank you for your contribution, but we must prioritize security in this security-sensitive codebase.”

1760190081

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:41:27 -0400

Last night was “The Bourne Ultimatum” (★★★★★) night. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that this is the best movie of the original trilogy. That’s not to say the previous two were bad—after all, I rated the three the same—but this last one takes the first prize.

Even thought I went to bed late because of it, watching the movie wasn’t the reason for my 83 sleep score. Allegedly I woke up 7 times during the night, which is pretty disastrous.

1760118106

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 13:41:48 -0400

I don’t know if I have said this before—which reminds me, I have considered to implement search here, but I digress—but Jimmy Kimmel is a national treasure.

1760112619

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:10:22 -0400

At a workplace that wholly uses Microsoft products (like O365), having access to Copilot—specifically the premium version, not the standard chat—will likely create a form of classism.

“First-class” employees, granted access to the premium tool, will gain a significant advantage. The model’s assistance will help them with tasks ranging from trivial to complex, ultimately boosting their productivity. “Second-class” employees, who lack access, will be at a significant disadvantage when it comes to efficiency and output.

1760109792

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 11:23:14 -0400

Last night we re-wathed “The Bourne Supremacy” (★★★★★) which, needless is to say, because it was a re-watch, we liked very much. Kid reminded me that we “own” all of the movies; I had forgotten about that. Next, “The Bourne Ultimatum”, but that’s a note for another day.

1760017736

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 09:49:01 -0400

My most used, and only, filters on the Fediverse are “#wordle” and “wordle”. They work great. I cannot begin to describe how much I dislike those silly “bragging” squares people post, over and over. Ugh!

1759974675

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:51:18 -0400

Screenshot of macOS Tahoe Spotlight. Broken.

My most favourite Spotlight function (search for a word definition on Dictionary) is broken. It is my second most used feature on Spotlight, with the first being to open applications as my Dock has only Finder and Bin. Hopefully it will be fixed soon. I would not mind if that tiny scrollbar shown above also goes away. Thank you, Tim Apple!

1759942205

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:50:08 -0400

Yeah, Bluesky isn’t decentralised, it just wants you to believe it is. It is an illusion.

“Bluesky claims to want decentralization and composable moderation, but they still enjoy abusing the power of arbitrary banishment.”

1759890476

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 22:27:58 -0400

With the release of iOS 26, it is iOS 7 all over again. It is also Mac OS X, “the re-run”, with the release of macOS 26. Complain we must, it matters not.

“The new iOS 7 is horrible. It looks like something grade schoolers designed. The colors are too bright. It is very distracting when you have to squint looking at different apps due to the harshness […]. There is no point in keeping something that is so horrible to use.”

“Just “up"graded my iPhone to iOS 26 and I absolutely hate it. It’s visually the ugliest iOS Apple has ever produced […]. It’s so ugly I’m thinking of cancelling my iPhone Air order and looking at Samsung options.”

1759888479

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 21:54:42 -0400

Behold, the master procrastinator! So shameful! The issue is dire now, and I have planned to use the end of year break—after all, I will not have anything else to do—to get this done, at all cost.

1759841670

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:54:34 -0400

These are 100 bytes of CSS that will pretty much make any “vanilla” HMTL look good. I have tested it, and it does look good indeed!

html {
  max-width: 70ch;
  padding: 3em 1em;
  margin: auto;
  line-height: 1.75;
  font-size: 1.25em;
}

If we add an additional, but optional, 100 bytes—so, 200 bytes in total then—things can get much prettier (this works as a light theme).

h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {
  margin: 3em 0 1em;
}

p,ul,ol {
  margin-bottom: 2em;
  color: #1d1d1d;
  font-family: sans-serif;
}

1759687172

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:59:36 -0400

That dreadful random time on a Sunday when it suddenly sinks in that tomorrow is, yet another, back to work day. 😩

1759681284

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 12:21:28 -0400

For as much as I liked Steve Jobs, I didn’t know him personally. I liked (and still do) how he was presented to us. I know now that he had many issues of his own. This user comment on Hacker News made sense to me:

“One part of his legacy that will forever be misunderstood is that being brutally honest, being demanding, being abrasive is a trait that only translates to success when you are at the top. Countless mid level managers believe it is the only way to lead.

For Steve Jobs, it’s not that being an asshole was his secret sauce. It’s that his unique position allowed him to survive the downsides of his personality.”

Today marks the 14th anniversary of Steve Jobs death, at the age of 56.

1759679071

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:44:35 -0400

I cannot stand Steam. Their webpage is shoddy, just as is their app. The games you “own” in their platform you really don’t. I made the mistake of “buying” Diablo IV and Last Epoch for desktop computers because they entised me with a great price, but never, ever, again. You get what you pay for.

1759674804

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:33:27 -0400

While I agree that email has its advantages, each medium has its intended use based on the communication’s needs. Choosing email over messaging is like choosing sea over air traveling. After all, we don’t stop talking verbally, and use emails instead, right? Carrying a non-voice conversation that requires instant, or almost instant interaction is impossible via email. Enter messaging.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1759673171

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 10:06:16 -0400

I watched “The Bourne Identity” (★★★★★) for the, well, I forgot how many times I have watched it, with the kid last night. It never gets old. It is entertaining while having “substance”, and keeping you engaged all throughout. The Bourne film franchise “series” is one of the few that, in my opinion, doesn’t get worse as new films come out. If you haven’t watched it, do. You will be in for a great treat!

1759637642

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 00:14:08 -0400

An old underwear, just like any other old cloth, is very comfy to wear. I am sure you know what I am talking about. Yet, as with everything else in life, they have a finite shelf life. So, as I threw an old one away today, I remembered what my mum once told me:

“Always make sure to wear a new underwear when you go out, in case something happens to you, and are taken to a hospital. You don’t want to be ashamed having found wearing an old, beat up, one, do you?”

I never challenged her advise; I simply listened and nodded. I am absolutely sure, though, that if found in such situation, that would be the least of my worries.

1759596176

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:42:59 -0400

Just came across daisyUI and, though perhaps overkill for anything I might need at a personal level, it looks truly amazing. It has pretty much all the components to create a uniform, powerful, beautiful looking web interface. That is, whether an application, or a website. It’s lovely!

1759594343

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:12:28 -0400

Family elders engaged in petty fighting and family drama is so annoying! First because they do it; second because, as they are elders, there is no much I can do about it. We all have emotions, and make mistakes, and surely can get mad to each other. Now, holding grudges for as long as our elders do isn’t healthy.

1759529482

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:11:24 -0400

I added a new recipe to my shared (with my wife and other family members) “Recipes” folder on Notes, which ruffled some feathers. My wife asked me, “Why do you keep adding recipes if you never make them? Are you waiting for me to cook them?” Secretly, between you and me, I am! 🤭

1759517057

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:44:20 -0400

Well, well, well. It is possible, after all, to create a /boot partition on software RAID10, and been able to boot from it just fine—something I tried many times, and couldn’t do. It turns out you need to flag each drive as a bootable disk, before carving out partitions, and creating the RAID10.

1759505119

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:25:23 -0400

I really cannot stress this enough. Please, don’t say “I have a question”, just ask the question. From “No Hello, here are some examples:

“Hey man, what’s up? also, any idea when that thing’s due?”
“Hi there! Hope you’re well. I’m after the latest deck, when you get a sec :)”
“Hey, if you’re not busy, could you update those NFRs?”
“Etc.”

1759435656

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:07:38 -0400

An excerpt from Fedric Brown’s 1954 short story “Answer”. Emphasis mine.

“The honor of asking the first question is yours, Dwar Reyn.” “Thank you,” said Dwar Reyn. “It shall be a question which no single cybernetics machine has been able to answer.”
He turned to face the machine. “Is there a God?” The mighty voice answered without hesitation, without the clicking of a single relay.
“Yes, now there is a God.”
Sudden fear flashed on the face of Dwar Ev. He leaped to grab the switch. A bold of lightning from the cloudless sky struck him down and fused the switch shut.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1759425452

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 13:17:34 -0400

I am having a not-so-first world problem. Nine out of ten, when I go out for an outdoor walk, I forget to start the workout either on phone, or watch. The watch, on its infinite wisdom sometimes reminds me, or prompts me to start it—notice the emphasis in sometimes. Is there an easy trick to get a workout going, other than starting (and stopping) it manually?

1759364061

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 20:14:26 -0400

I have implemented tags on notes tonight. I am not sure if I truly like them, or whether I will change the way they look, if I decide to keep them. I also need to go back retroactively, and tag notes accordingly. That will be a tedious task, and I refuse to use an LLM to help with it. We’ll see.

1759244270

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 10:57:58 -0400

Finished watching “The Brutalist” (★★★★★) last night—had to split it in two nights, because it is a 3 hours plus film—which I liked. I found it to be a rather unique drama, not only because of the plot, but the way it is laid out (three parts). László Tóth, the main character, never existed in real life, but the film leads you to believe he did. Saying no more, watch it!

1758921179

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 17:13:02 -0400

“Incidentally, the reason that mail will never go away is that it is fully federated, doesn’t require people to be online at the same time, and is easy to archive and search. So far none of the replacements do that.”

Ain’t that right?!

1758918743

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:32:28 -0400

Not going to lie, truly worried about the fate of known strangers. Where in the world is Blue? Does anyone knows?

1758916826

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 16:00:30 -0400

Hasami porcelain Apple coffee mug.

This mug (made in Japan) is only available for purchase at Apple’s Apple Park Visitor Centre. You can find it on eBay, and other second hand places, at exorbitant prices. Alex, a friend of mine, got me this one by driving 30 minutes from his house to the store—I wish I was as lucky as him, living so close to “The Mothership”! I have wanted this mug for a long time, and I love it! Thank you Alex!

1758898325

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:52:10 -0400

There are “other me” (that is, people with the same first and lastname as me) in Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Spain, all using first.lastname@gmail.com (which is mine) on all sort of things: bank accounts, mobile services, soccer clubs, social media, you name it! Is it that they are so non-technically saavy that they provide an email they don’t own, or is it that companies are assuming—as default—their email address is first and lastname, at gmail.com? Truly mind blowing.

1758824430

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 14:20:33 -0400

Having used Matrix in the past, and even self-hosted my own Matrix “homeserver”, I can categorically say—in my (own) very, very humble opinion—that it sucks eggs.

1758823705

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 14:08:30 -0400

Always point the finger at you first. “Is the issue at my end?” “What did I do that caused this?” Only after analising everything, and when the level of certainty has reached a 95% (your number may vary) that it isn’t your fault, your issue, then you look elsewhere (aka “pointing fingers at others”). That is, you know, “everything is my fault” first.

1758754171

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:49:37 -0400

Why having any illness (flu, COVID, headaches and fever, stomach bug, etc.) gets no challenge when requesting a sick day from work, but being mentally overwhelmed, or overworked, does?

1758753480

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:38:04 -0400

Having the Apple Watch unlock—and login automatically on—the Mac feels like magic. Yet another reason to have this device on my wrist.

1758735592

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 13:39:57 -0400

Can’t wait for the next season of “Alien: Earth”, even though we have now cancelled Hulu. Who knows, maybe by the time the next season comes out, Hulu would had had another “Black Friday” special. I am OK paying $1.12/month—or ≤ $5/month—for it, but not $11.99/month.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

We have renewed Hulu now, which this time comes with Disney+. It is setting us back $5.65/month, which isn’t too bad, but $0.65 more than what I wanted to pay.

1758653750

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 14:55:54 -0400

I am wearing a watch (Apple Watch) for the first time in, like, 25 years. It isn’t to tell the time. Not at all. It is almost exclusively for health reasons (95%), and fast communication/keeping up-to-date (5%). Just like the iPhone I have, which I use for almost everything but as a phone, the Apple Watch is almost anything, but a watch. I’ll say, it is a wrist-held computer.

1758651861

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 14:24:24 -0400

Child and I saw “The Amateur” (★★★★☆) last night. I am a fan of the genre, and Rami Malek, hence my rating. Do I recommend it? You bet!

1758592704

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 21:58:27 -0400

“What do you think about coming to office on Wednesdays?” — “We would rather not, no. Not a good idea.” — “OK, let’s start coming to office on Wednesdays as well, so three days a week onsite.”

Why to ask then?!

1758408508

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:48:30 -0400

It makes no difference that Google has updated Chrome for iOS with Liquid Glass (the first of their applications to be “adapted”). As a vanillist, it means nothing to me.

1758408165

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:42:49 -0400

Watched “Superman” (★★★★☆) last night. It was entertaining, it was alright, though I am glad I didn’t catch it at the theatres.

1758407146

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 18:25:49 -0400

Imagine a modern day chef been transported back in time to the Joseon dynasty (old Korea) as the Royal Chef—title exclusively for males. While in it she manages to surf the politics, and court intrigues with wit, all while making amazingly “exotic”, dazzling, delightful meals. That’s the gist—until now, because the series is ongoing—of “Bon Appétit, Your Majesty” (★★★★★) , with a new episode coming tonight, and another tomorrow. Can’t wait!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

The king on this series is loosely based after the real historical figure Yeonsangun, which, according to Wikipedia, is “often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon’s history and perhaps all Korean history”.

1758235182

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:39:46 -0400

This site is very neat. It allows you to play—albeit for a short period of time—a multitude of sounds. Amongst my many music likings is trance, and I am enjoying browsing their collection. Especially, psychedelic trance.

➝ Via @claudrod.

1758109765

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 07:49:31 -0400

“Alien: Earth” just got a few notches more interesting last night. Now we wait until next week. I have to acknowledge; even though bingeing is nice, the anticipation of waiting to see what’s next can’t be beaten.

1758063176

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 18:53:00 -0400

I have been in love with Expedia’s “Two Step” commercial for a long time. Not only is it well produced, but the smile of the main actress captivated me from the very first time I saw it. Yeah, a silly crush. 🤭

1758051489

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:38:13 -0400

On this one, upgraded to Tahoe last night. This time I didn’t do a wipe-install, but a regular upgrade. Simply restarted the mini—which has been running without reboot for a couple of months, or so—and went through the upgrade. Smooth, no issues.

1757974615

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:16:58 -0400

I have macOS 26 to install and play with, and today, out of all days, I am stuck working past 3.5 hours my quitting time.

1757868183

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:43:06 -0400

I have failed at this. Like, miserably. I feel powerless against myself. I shall try much, much harder! Perhaps enlist family, and work mates to help? “Hey, smack me if you see me chewing the inners of my mouth!” That could work, right?

1757866986

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:23:10 -0400

Watched “The Piano Teacher” (★★★☆☆) because Muan wrote is was good. I didn’t like it. Ten minutes into it I knew I didn’t like it, but I watched it all. Maybe I will watch it again; it might be an acquired taste.

1757722768

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:19:32 -0400

A very dear friend of mine is turning 70. I have known him for more than half of his life and, yet, I don’t know what to get him on his birthday. I am at a loss! See, he is one of those for whom shopping is very difficult. He is not that into technology. He doesn’t use Apple products. He doesn’t wear watches, nor any kind of jewelry. Ugh! So hard! I only have two months—barely!—to choose, shop, and ship.

1757701826

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:30:31 -0400

Saw the movie “Black Bag” (★★★★★) the other day, and I liked it very much. Both main casts, Cate Blanchett, and Michael Fassbender are favourite of mine. Recommended!

1757620632

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:57:15 -0400

Eating out is something that I am giving more and more thought, before I do it. We used to go out to eat at least once a week (weekends), but prices have gone up everywhere, and portions have shrunk, and quality has diminished. Yeah, “times they are a-changin’”.

1757620064

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 15:47:48 -0400

Call me old school, boomer, curmudgeon, whatever! I, for one, have absolutely no interest, no desire, to carry a foldable mobile device, of any kind. OK, moving on now.

1757593250

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 08:20:56 -0400

Thanks to Claudine I learned about, yet another, Japanese phrase—and concept—embodying cultural and philosophical meaning. The word, mottainai, means “what a waste”, as in “don’t throw that away yet; it can still be useful.” I wonder how long is the list of Japanese’s concepts/philosophies, but I am in love with each I have come across with!

1757444134

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:55:37 -0400

So, about the Apple Event today, I am planing to get an Apple Watch 11, likely for Christmas, or Epiphany. Tempted by the AirPods Pro 3, but not quite sure I will get them. Excellent event, as always!

1757415647

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 07:00:50 -0400

Today is “the day”. I will say—or, rather, write—no more.

1757109388

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:56:31 -0400

A tiny hamster in a blue knitted basket, held by a person with a brown garment.

“It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this!”

1757108144

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 17:35:49 -0400

Taco Bell wants you to use their self purchasing machines. They are a mess. No search function, so it is next to impossible to find what you want, especially if you are not a regular.

At the one at 7853 Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL, waiting to order at the counter takes an eternity. They keep servicing their drive through, and kind of ignore you. Once you have successfully placed your order, and it arrives, make sure to check it carefully. It will be wrong 98% of the time. Mine was, and I realised too late, when I was already at home.

That Taco Bell sucks.

1756988591

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 08:23:16 -0400

I am struggling trying to get me stop biting the inside of my mouth. You know, like gnawing the skin inside of it. I almost got it once, but subconsciously went back at it again. It bothers me greatly. Today I am starting once more.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Caught myself again at it. Stop biting your mouth! (ala General Bethlehem (third comment), on “The Postman”.

1756569732

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 12:02:15 -0400

I came across the following quote, and that sent me through the rabbit hole. The quote goes (and there are several variations of it):

“Be not afraid of any man, no matter what his size; when danger threatens, call on me and I will equalize”.

It seems that the exact wording for this came from Winchester (not Colt), thought I haven’t found verifiable sources for that. One bit caught my attention, though, which relates to Colt, and a phrase on similar sentiment, which is “God created men equal, Col. Colt made them equal.” According to PBS, Colt died fairly young, “having never fired a gun at another person”.

1756471359

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 08:42:43 -0400

I am absolutely loving Perplexity AI. I have gotten to a point on which I treat everything with an “AI” on its name with reservation, even disdain. Perplexity is a different kind.

“Perplexity AI is an advanced AI-powered search engine designed to provide accurate, well-sourced, and real-time answers to user questions in a conversational format. It uses cutting-edge language models, such as GPT-4 and Claude, combined with real-time internet searches to synthesize responses from authoritative sources and always cites these sources for transparency. Unlike traditional search engines that just list links, Perplexity delivers direct summaries and supports features like document uploads, contextual follow-up, and the ability to handle both factual and complex queries for individuals and teams.”

Emphasis mine. Authoritative sources, and citing them, is paramount. This one might be the first AI (ugh, that acronym!) I will be willing to pay for.

1756405421

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 14:23:43 -0400

We have been watching “Alien: Earth” (★★★★☆) on Hulu and, though it is an ongoing series, I can safely rate it. I like it! Quite entertaining, offering a completely different plot twist to the “Alien” movies.

1756300012

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 09:06:58 -0400

Yep, it is happening again—like each year, LOL. Christmas is (might?) coming early, everyone! Add the Apple event to your calendars, and be there or be square!

1756132502

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 10:35:11 -0400

Only three days on the Star of the Seas, and we all want to go back to be cruising. Oh, and certainly do not want to be at work! LOL. Oh well, it is what it is.

1755538048

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:27:31 -0400

Brought some kisses to the office, and without showing them to anyone I asked: “Does anyone wants a kiss?”. One of my cubemates was fast to reply: “Not from you!” 😂

1755530148

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 11:15:54 -0400

Saw “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” (★★★★★) , finally (I once started to watch it, but didn’t go past the first minute or two, can’t remember why), and I loved it. Now I must read the book.

1755309686

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 22:01:29 -0400

A user on Slashdot, referring to Steve Wozniak’s decision of selling his Apple stock, wrote: “Smart man. Great engineer. Bad decision. Happens to all of us.” To which Woz himself replied:

“I gave all my Apple wealth away because wealth and power are not what I live for. I have a lot of fun and happiness. I funded a lot of important museums and arts groups in San Jose, the city of my birth, and they named a street after me for being good. I now speak publicly and have risen to the top. I have no idea how much I have but after speaking for 20 years it might be $10M plus a couple of homes. I never look for any type of tax dodge. I earn money from my labor and pay something like 55% combined tax on it. I am the happiest person ever. Life to me was never about accomplishment, but about Happiness, which is Smiles minus Frowns. I developed these philosophies when I was 18-20 years old and I never sold out.”

1755307775

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:29:38 -0400

I wonder why Anthropic decided to pick a serif font for Claude replies. The user prompt remains sans-serif. Whichever the reason might be, I don’t like it. I prefer sans-serif for this specific use case.

1755305650

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:54:13 -0400

Schwab almost gave us a heart attack, when we saw half of our account gone at the end of the trade day today. Then this “urgent” message popped:

Account balance information may be inaccurate.
“Certain online account information may be inaccurate. Please accept our apologies as our teams work to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. For assistance, please call us at 800-435-4000.”

Yo, mates, come on! 🩺

1755305399

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:50:02 -0400

Some will say the weekend starts when you close the “work shop”. I see the start of the weekend as something unimportant, but agree with the previous. The real issue is how to slow it [the weekend] down. Its end? Ah, yes, when you clock in again.

1755276725

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:52:08 -0400

Even though Haagen-Dazs reduced their 1 pint (16oz) to 14oz in 2009—yes, 16 years ago—there is an ongoing mention of it on social media as if it just happened. Taking things like this from social media as face value, as recent “news”, and without further research, is truly bad.

1755269802

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:56:46 -0400

Truly enjoyed reading “Death and what comes next”. Some of the comments on its submission to Hacker News are food for the brain, and the closeted philosopher in me loves them!

“Astonishing”, said Death. “Really astonishing. Let me put forward another suggestion: that you are nothing more than a lucky species of ape that is trying to understand the complexities of creation via a language that evolved in order to tell one another where the ripe fruit was?”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1755260534

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 08:22:17 -0400

While keeping my account active, I got rid of the Threads application on my mobile device, as a first step. Really tired to fine tunning notifications and still getting them, seemingly randomly, for things, or people I don’t know. Next step is to delete the account—which will also close my dormant Instagram.

1755172401

Thu, 14 Aug 2025 07:53:27 -0400

This section from the NetBSD man page for the sleep command cannot be funnier, yet completely valid. I mean, quite useful if you have the time, right?

BUGS

     This sleep command cannot handle requests for durations much longer than
     about 250 billion years.  Any such attempt will result in an error, and
     immediate termination.  It is suggested that when there is a need for
     sleeps exceeding this period, the sleep command be executed in a loop,
     with each individual sleep invocation limited to 200 billion years
     approximately.

1755016963

Tue, 12 Aug 2025 12:42:47 -0400

The sign on the road near my office reads “Men Working”, and you look carefully and find three women, and two men laboring. Is it “Men Working”, really?

1754837219

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:47:02 -0400

My kid is one who often tells me, when I worry about his less-than-perfect password, “who cares, I have nothing to hide”. If you are one of those, please think again. I had a conversation, again, with the child about this last night.

“I find it fascinating when people say that they have nothing to hide. I usually jokingly say: unlock your phone and hand it to me. Your phone is a window to your life. Where a lot of people believe that it is possible to give full access to properly vetted authorities, in the world of security, when you open a door for one person, you incidentally open it to everyone.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1754835701

Sun, 10 Aug 2025 10:21:48 -0400

When I was in the military, I remember I once saw a fellow platoon mate wearing a nicely starched pass uniform (the one used when allowed to leave the base). On my next pass home I asked my mum if she could starch mine, which she did from there on. Today I recalled with love, and sadness, how much our parents (especially our mums) do for us throughout our lives. Waiting for “Mother’s Day”, or “Father’s Day”, to make mums and dads feel special doesn’t really cut it.

1754686207

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:50:11 -0400

By George Cruikshank, “Very unpleasant Weather”, National Gallery of Victoria, Public Domain.

Yes, you guessed it right. It is currently raining cats and dogs. As with anything Florida, it will last a maximum of 1-2 hours, tops.

1754680777

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 15:19:39 -0400

Oh my gawd! This is an incident I didn’t know about, and I would have rather remained ignorant about it. Now can’t erase it from mind… I mean, it “went into passengers’ eyes, mouths, hair, and onto clothing and personal belongings, many of which were soaked”. Primordial shudders.

Happy Dave Mathew’s Band Bus Day!

On August 8, 2004, a tour bus belonging to Dave Matthews Band dumped an estimated 800 pounds (360 kg) of human waste from the bus’s blackwater tank through the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago onto an open-top passenger sightseeing boat sailing in the Chicago River below. The incident became popularly known as the Dave Matthews Band incident or Poopgate.

The members of Dave Matthews Band were not on or near the bus during the incident. The band’s bus driver, Stefan Wohl, initially denied dumping the waste, and was supported by the band. However, he was later determined to be the only person on the bus during the incident; in April 2005, he pleaded guilty to the dumping, and the band fired him without pay.

1754653689

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 07:48:12 -0400

I have been watching “The Bear” with the kid (★★★★☆) . As you can see, I am liking it quite much, though at the very beginning I had serious doubts. The only reason I stuck with it was/is I am watching it with the kid. Patience and bonding paid off, alright. If it is included on wherever you get your streaming from, I recommend it. From the first episodes one of my favourite quotes:

“You’re watching the fire and you’re thinking, ‘If I don’t do anything, this place will burn down and all my anxiety will go away with it.’”

I empathise with that one so very much. It’s just, being inactive in cases like this is something I haven’t been able to do. But I digress. Watch it!

1754492523

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:02:07 -0400

First result of Google when searching for BofA number. A promoted scam.

This is the first search result—at least for me—on Google when searching for “call bank of america”. A Google sponsored scam. Yup. 🤯

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I reported this to Google, and it took them less than a day to remove it. It doesn’t show on my search results anymore. One down…

1754405081

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:44:46 -0400

We wouldn’t need ad blockers if your ads weren’t obnoxius, privacy invasive, and tasteless. Now you want us to subscribe, or stop using ad blockers (or both!), so that you can be supported. See the cycle you have created? If I were to condone ads, I would for sure pick Carbon Ads.

1754351192

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 19:46:36 -0400

Now $3,000 poorer, that double pain is behind me. To make me feel better, Mother Nature has decided to bless us with rain. She knows I love it. I only need some sleep. Soon.

1754312059

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 08:54:24 -0400

Today is the “joyful” day for a non-cleaning related dental appointment. Oh, the “fun” we will have! Joy, joy, joy! 😬

1754253405

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 16:36:49 -0400

Re-watching “Mr. Robot” (★★★★★) because it has been 10 years or so—where did the time go?!—since I last watched it. It is as awesome as I remember it.

1754251678

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 16:08:02 -0400

Saw “Project Almanac” (★★★☆☆) with the kid last night. I wasn’t expecting anything good but, oh dear, it was worse than expected. I am being generous on my rating though, of course, your rating might differ from mine. IMDB gives it 3 stars, Rotten Tomatoes gives it 2. Yeah.

1754250931

Sun, 03 Aug 2025 15:55:36 -0400

Nursing homes are sad places. If the elderly has good money, their nursing homes are less sad—but sad nevertheless. For the poor and dispossessed, they can be/are a living hell. When, or if I get to that stage, I wouldn’t want to be in one. I would want to terminate instead.

1754163837

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 15:44:00 -0400

Re: Claudrod #1754143775

The biggest problem I see with Instagram (same pretty much with all Meta apps) is that without an account one can’t do much, if anything at all. I agree that to participate it is often recommended—though shouldn’t be required—having an account. But having to create an account, and login, just to view? Now, that’s meta! (no pun intended 🤭)

1754162300

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 15:18:22 -0400

I am defeated by Hugo’s syntax highlighter. I don’t use code blocks much around here, but the few I have do not want to play nice, and show fonts with different sizes on desktop, and mobile. I haven’t been able to figure out, for the good of me, how to fix that weird behaviour. For now, the few code blocks I around have syntax highlighting turned off.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

OMG! This guy is a saviour! In his own words:

“Lately, I’ve been coming across many blogs that have weird font-size rendering issues for code blocks on iOS. Basically, in a code snippet, the text-size would sometimes be much larger for some lines than others.”

Exactly my problem. Applied the fix he recommends and, boom, just like that, magic! Thank you, Nathan!

code {
    text-size-adjust: 100%;
    -ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;
    -moz-text-size-adjust: 100%;
    -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;
}

1754097035

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 21:10:37 -0400

Small box of Niederegger Lubeck Classic Marzipan, dark chocolate filled with marzipan. Yummy!

I have to note that Niederegger Lubeck Classic Marzipan is—though pricey in the U.S.—super delicious. I am going to look around to see if I can find the other varieties they produce, as I would love to try them all!

1754092706

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 19:58:30 -0400

Was just watching “The Penguin Lessons” (★★★★☆) , which I am rating even though I havent finished it—because The Horse urgently needed to know on what I spent some money almost a year ago, and I had to stop watching to search for receipts on my computer, because searching on the pocket (iPhone) one wasn’t rendering any results.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I just finished watching the movie, and I am revising my rating to 4 stars instead. It is a good movie, based on real events.

1754075199

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:06:43 -0400

Feeling the urge to buy an ortholinear keyboard. If anything else, it is the uniformity, and compactness of it, that has enticed me. The search for one starts.

1754062656

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:37:38 -0400

“hi <my GitHub nick>, I noticed you stargazed <repository I starred>. Seems like you’re interested in the same kind of productivity software. I’d love your feedback for <web page for product they are advertising>.”

Getting more and more of these type of emails. They must be getting that information from some kind of GitHub API, right? I mean, sometimes they are plainly inventing things, but sometimes they are right on the spot. Is GitHub selling us out? Microsoft would never do such thing, wouldn’t they?

1754056391

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:53:13 -0400

“You might not need tmux”, said no one, until now. I don’t subscribe to that point of view, I use tmux heavily. The author’s solution? Install shpool, which adds yet another daemon. No, thank you, tmux is just fine. Heck, tmux is superb!

➝ Via Hacker News.

1754053679

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:08:04 -0400

░▒▓ Having flashbacks to “simpler” times when Extended ASCII was used for just about everything—and yes, that included ASCII art ░▒▓

1754050198

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 08:10:01 -0400

“Jill, through every joy and challenge, I promise to always your free trial of ChatVows A.I. has expired—please subscribe to continue.”

You’ve got to keep your subscription up! 😂 This cartoon from The New Yorker (one of the few sites still using “www”, I just noticed) made me laugh out loud. In a way, it reminded me of this one.

1753997049

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:24:12 -0400

While on the topic of LLMs, I can’t stand “thinking” models. It is possible to set think to false on the CLI in Ollama for thinking models, but I haven’t found a way to set it as a variable. Their newly released application doesn’t have such feature. Granted, only DeepSeek and Qwen models are “thinkers”, so perhaps I will stop using them.

1753996710

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 17:18:33 -0400

Providing an LLM a streamlined, but overall complete initial prompt is vital not to get perplexing answers. It will also greatly diminish the possibility of having the model astraying away, diluting the results. Though I believe this applies to all models, SaaS or local, it is specifically important when using local models, as processing and memory are more finite.

1753991397

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:50:00 -0400

When we visited New York, we went to The Met. Ever since, and every once in a while, I get an email from them offering me membership. I would love to be a paying member, but what good is it to me, if I am near 1,000 miles away from it?

1753990830

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 15:40:33 -0400

I have added the ability to use emoji as a note marker. For example, this one has a hammer and wrench emoji. It’s simply an entry on the front matter of the note. I will not abuse it, but I think it is going to be useful. If ends up not to be, removing it will be pretty simple, thanks to sed.

1753983079

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 13:31:23 -0400

To speed up browsing on Chrome—yes, only available on Chrome at the moment—simply add these lines somewhere between your website’s <head>. Allegedly it provides “a near-instant loading experience”.

<script type="speculationrules">
  {
    "prerender": [{ "where": { "href_matches": "/*" }, "eagerness": "moderate" }],
    "prefetch": [{ "where": { "href_matches": "/*" }, "eagerness": "moderate" }]
  }
</script>

➝ Via Hacker News.

1753960611

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 07:16:56 -0400

I mowed the lawn yesterday. Started at 16:00, and by 16:30 I had taken four breaks, and drank 5 bottles of water. I had to call it quits. The heat was truly unbearable; I thought I was going to faint. Waited until 19:30, and it was so much easier! Mental note: during summer, mow the lawn in the evenings.

1753877414

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 08:10:20 -0400

Came across a static site (like this one) using Webmention, and got reminded of Pingback and TrackBack. There are also comments which are, arguably, more direct. I want none of it.

1753788207

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:23:32 -0400

Last Friday I saw “Limitless” (★★★★☆) with the kid. It is a relatively old movie (2011), starring Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro. First time I saw it, I can watch it again. Imagine been mentally limitless!

1753724773

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 13:46:17 -0400

After sharing with a friend my step count for the last two weeks, and telling him that “the heat here has been excruciatingly punishing”, and because of it my daily step count has decreased to a laughable number, and that I was trying to compensate by working standing up for hours to no end, but still felt guilty about it, he replied:

“It’s a bit slack but with the heat, what can you do!?”

😂 Isn’t he the best friend?

1753569933

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 18:45:37 -0400

The State of Florida is backwards in many ways. One of the many things, trash bins. The one for garbage has a green lid, while the one for recycle has a blue lid. Doesn’t make sense, right?

1753461965

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 12:46:09 -0400

As seeing in a picture a family member sent, after we were chatting—in the family group—about how the Grim Reaper was so busy lately. “Well, not busier than Quynh, but almost!”, to which she replied with the image of a coffe mug with the following written in it:

Re-tired
(adj.)
I was tired yesterday, and I’m tired again today.

I should have noted that the “well, not busier than Quynh…” was messaged because she has been very inactive in the group lately. 😂

1753443566

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:39:28 -0400

Got invited to a warband raid yesterday, in Diablo Immortal. Afterwards got an invite to their clan. Upon joining, a warm welcome ~~instructed~~ encouraged me to join their Discord channel. Then, and only then, they started to lose me. There is no other technology I dislike more than Discord. Also, it is a game, to entertain me a little, not a job.

1753442690

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:24:52 -0400

Re: Claudrod #1753427623

“Another day, another protein smoothie with blueberries and papaya!!!!111”

Wish I could have one of those right now, and not this lame coffee (it doesn’t even has cream today, because I ran out of it), Claudine! Oh, and happy Friday everyone! 🙈

1753442206

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 07:16:51 -0400

“You’re in your prime earning years”, reads the ad. It continues, “Is your retirement plan account keeping up with you?”. Oh, darling, how little do you know me! You’ve been flattering me all along, telling me sweet little lies, assuring me you know me. Lies! Prime years, psst. As if!

1753382877

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 14:48:01 -0400

Pretty hilarious short story of a conversation of two intelligent beings about, well, meat!

“Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat! Loving meat. Dreaming meat. The meat is the whole deal! Are you getting the picture?”

This part hit home for me, funny or not. Yes, it is supposed to be funny, yet it is also sad. After closing their case on the Solar System, they decided to visit a “rather shy but sweet hydrogen core cluster intelligence” nearby who, apparently, “wants to be friendly again”. “They always come around”, says one of them. To which the other replies:

“And why not? Imagine how unbearably, how unutterably cold the Universe would be if one were all alone…”

US, that’s us.

1753371382

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 11:36:28 -0400

I have heard over and over that “you can eat whatever you want, as long as you burn it through exercise”. Well, well, well, another fallacy.

“We can’t outrun a bad diet. Pontzer says if we want to tackle obesity, the public health message should focus on changing what’s on our plates.”

1753272932

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 08:15:36 -0400

Not long ago I mentioned SecretDrop. On the same cryptography/encryption topic, I have also found FileKey, and its GitHub repository, which I think is very neat. It is also pretty simple to selfhost.

1753143354

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 20:15:58 -0400

I haven’t had this much fun on a Home Owners Association (HOA) meeting in a long while. What’s making it super amussing is that our community manager is so clueless! Like she is moving in slow motion. 😅😂 Bless her heart!

1753123815

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 14:50:19 -0400

Spotted while walking on my 10 minutes break this afternoon. A dumpster cage with the gate clearly, and boldly labeled, “Please Keep the Gate Closed”. It was fully open. Utter disregard. Not even a please does the job these days.

1753057704

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 20:28:29 -0400

Just finished watching “The Notebook” (★★★★☆) with the kid. It is the third time I watch it, I believe. The second time I watch it with him. It gets me a knot in my throat every time.

1753020739

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 10:12:23 -0400

Blue hasn’t dropped a note/thought since May 2025, and I am starting to worry. I don’t know them, I simply care. Can’t help it.

1752872658

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 17:04:20 -0400

We recently replaced our very old, dilapidated, non-stick “teflon” frying pan with a ceramic one, and oh boy, let me tell you: it sure is getting the “royal” treatment! Conscientious cleaning after each use, with soft sponge, and immediate drying. It has its own spot, no other pan on top. I mean, I wish I was a new frying pan, for sure!

1752869503

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:11:46 -0400

Found a co-worker who thinks like me when it comes to Fridays. “Is it Friday already? Oh gosh, two more days and it’s back to the office!” 😅

1752858204

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 13:03:28 -0400

The Em Dash has responded to the “if your writing has em dashes, it was AI generated” new fad.

I would like to address the recent slander circulating on social media, in editorial Slack channels, and in the margins of otherwise decent Substack newsletters. Specifically, the baseless, libelous accusation that my usage is a telltale sign of artificial intelligence.

➝ Via McSweeney’s.

1752855878

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:24:41 -0400

With new capabilities come new dangers. The safety team finds that if Agent-2 somehow escaped from the company and wanted to “survive” and “replicate” autonomously, it might be able to do so. That is, it could autonomously develop and execute plans to hack into AI servers, install copies of itself, evade detection, and use that secure base to pursue whatever other goals it might have (though how effectively it would do so as weeks roll by is unknown and in doubt). These results only show that the model has the capability to do these tasks, not whether it would “want” to do this. Still, it’s unsettling even to know this is possible.

➝ Via ai-2027.com.

1752839508

Fri, 18 Jul 2025 07:51:52 -0400

I am going to disconnect from the Fediverse next. I figure that will make me an online anti-social, no? It is the last social media in which I participate mostly as a lurker, with some ocassional posts, and replies. Yet, I have found my very few interactions to be often missunderstood. Again, it could be a me problem, so better take it out.

1752798201

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 20:23:23 -0400

It has been over a month since Google revamped Snapseed and, though I am fine with the changes—many people aren’t—I am getting a bit tired of seeing updates almost every week, with no changes on the changelog; that is, the changelog has been the same since it was revamped.

You might notice some new things sprouting around here. Not only did we freshen up the app to help make editing a breeze, but we also swat away some pesky bugs for a smoother experience. Oh, and remember to give the new film filters a try for some sweet, vintage looks. As always, these are free of charge.

Yes, we know, now, quit it! Geez!

1752787123

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:18:45 -0400

MacPaint art from the mid-80s.

Coming across a few MacPaint arts from the mid-1980s brought me a lot of memories, even though I saw them in the early 1990s. I remember vividly when I got my very first Mac around that time (Performa 575) at Sears. Over $2,000.

➝ Via Decryption.

1752780560

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 15:29:23 -0400

Hashing known_hosts is a good idea, as it reduces the amount of information an attacker will collect, if/when (ha!) your machine gets compromised. Usually, a line on the known_hosts file looks like this:

less ~/.ssh/known_hosts
...
tilde.team ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAID1zw6+VOW8L4Rr3swbUVju3GGcknaV/fyhSJwH7NLfu
...

After running ssh-keygen -H it will look like this:

less ~/.ssh/known_hosts
...
|1|c6NiIH06AidrkPUman0oPEx6+6Y=|rPhYjXlkLgYaNR8jwaNMy7mur4I= ssh-ed25519 AAAAC3NzaC1lZDI1NTE5AAAAIJsJP1XDyRhEPdtgBeXYm2hf4GKG9aLlqA1+ZPgBadbl
...

That’s it! Oh, and don’t forget to add to your ~/.ssh/config the following, so that future entries are hashed as well:

Host *
	HashKnownHosts yes

1752690270

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:24:36 -0400

The worries of a parent never end. First one worries about been able to provide. Then one worries about them (children) been able to succeed. I see both worries as equally important. It reminds me how I feel when it comes to responsibility.

1752599601

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:13:25 -0400

Started using Zen web browser at work, because Google, in their infinite wisdom, decided to deprecate a ton of widely used extensions from Chrome. So far Zen is doing its thing, and doing it well.

1752589813

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:30:17 -0400

Co-workers were talking about that huge storm the other night. They were saying it felt worse than our last hurricane. I was stumped! There was no storm near my house, and I even went out to water partner’s plants, because “they were thirsty”—her own words. Then partner called me to tell me about the storm. We did had a storm, and it was something out of this world, she said. Constant lightning, and thundering, and lots of rain (late night). And… I slept through it all! 😅

1752514604

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:36:46 -0400

456 didn’t deserve to die. Many others didn’t deserve to die, but 456 especially didn’t. I need a Wellness Center. I need Ms. Casey.

1752363396

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 19:36:39 -0400

Jo Yu-ri, number 222 on “Squid Game” season 3.

We are watching “Squid Game” season 3, which has been good, so far—I will wait until we’ve watched all episodes to rate. My favourite is 222 (careful, that link has spoilers!). My second favourite is 149.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I am ready to rate “Squid Game” season 3 (★★★★☆) now. It was entertaining, albeit sometimes too slow. I found season 1, and 2, to be better.

1752239533

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 09:12:16 -0400

First there was Jekyll, then there was Hugo (which I use), with many others in between. Now it seems Astro is the latest kid in the block. Beautiful stuff can be done with it, if you don’t mind, and/or know, JavaScript. I might be too old for it.

1752238539

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:55:43 -0400

Musk has confirmed that its Grok AI (version 4) is coming to Teslas “next week at the latest”. I don’t want it. I wouldn’t want Musk in my car, neither.

1752235774

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:09:37 -0400

If a company follows what other company is doing, and uses that other company as a template almost to the dot, they are no “leaders”. They can’t flaunt innovation. They are followers, who imitate, and copy.

1752167120

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:05:23 -0400

Showed a nephew some of what’s possible to do within Diablo IV, and he said, “I don’t think I will ever be able to learn this game”. He has never played a season, and is at paragon 152 while still having rare (yellow) items, and no paragons assigned, and no customisation of any kind. He has, pretty much, been playing blindy all along. 😂

1752160435

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:13:58 -0400

Because I work using Ubuntu, and do personal stuff using macOS, I am always confused and going nuts with keyboard shortcuts. From copying and pasting, to closing windows, to locking the machines. So. Very. Hard! I need to find a solution that will make Ubuntu (Gnome, actually) mimic macOS keyboard shortcuts.

1752154693

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:38:15 -0400

I noted this because, as someone who has to constantly spell his surname, it makes it harder when the listener is expecting a bastardisation of something that has been accepted and adopted as a standard. Anyway, enough of it, I just had to take it off my chest. LOL.

1752153060

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:11:03 -0400

The Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet, or NATO phonetic alphabet, was created to clearly communicate the spelling of words. So many people these days are inventing their own! It doesn’t help, at all.

Alfa
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliett
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
Xray
Yankee
Zulu

1752152316

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:58:38 -0400

It looks like Grok (Musk’s own LLM and chatbot) is doing “great”. It seems that Musk, just like the Biblical god, is molding it to his own image. That will end up well, I am sure.

1752111466

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 21:37:49 -0400

“Do you want to see it?” – asks the Horse about “Building The Band”. “I am going to take a bath.” “Turn it off, turn it off, I want us to see it together.” – I reply while gesturing by closing my left hand, uniting all fingers tips, Italian style. “We will see it together” – replies the Horse, “… or not”. We both laugh.

1752103607

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:26:50 -0400

Partner just announced, to my delight, that tonight we will have thinly sliced pork for dinner. It comes with rice, because, duh, rice is godly, and a mixed salad which I plan to dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Salivating already.

1752098815

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:06:58 -0400

Re: #1752083523

It believe it means they are not leaning left, nor right or, in other words, neutral. Kind of “factual, impartial, and fair”. Makes sense, right? Anyway, unless told otherwise, “that’s my story, and I sticking to it.”

1752097345

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:42:28 -0400

grep -i passwd *.log | awk {'print $7'}
...
/etc/passwd
/..%5c..%5c..%5c..%5c..%5cetc%5cpasswd
/....//....//....//etc/passwd
/..%2f..%2f..%2fetc%2fpasswd
/.htpasswd
/config/.htpasswd
/.env.passwd
/backup/.htpasswd
...

With almost 2,000 different tries—of which the above is a small sample—it seems someone is hell-bent on finding a passwd of some sorts. I don’t have one, OK?!

1752095774

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:16:18 -0400

Some famous wave painting /s.

The above depicts some famous wave, which is big—see the size of the boat in comparison. It is a woodblock print from a now superfamous person. Do you know the name (「富嶽三十六景　神奈川沖浪裏」) of the print without searching for it? How about the name of the artisan who made it?

1752083523

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:52:05 -0400

Does anyone knows what the meaning of this symbol is? I have seem it on websites without explanations, nor links to anywhere. Just the SVG by itself. All my searches have been futile.

1752079419

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:43:44 -0400

My back hurts, it is hot, and it might rain. You would ask, how are those three related? Well, the lawn is a “grown adult”, and it is not going to mow itself!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

This “deed” is done. Lawn mowed, and just in time, as we are under the menace of rain. Let it fall!

1752069115

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 09:51:59 -0400

In love with the work of Max. Specifically minimator, graxel, breaklock, commitbeat, and vivus. Go browse his repositories, you will not be disappointed!

1752065367

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 08:49:31 -0400

More often than not I am so torn between serif, and sans-serif. Not even funny.

1752063505

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 08:18:28 -0400

Is it a sign of age using commas? Is it a sign of age using proper capitalisation, and periods ending a sentence? Each time I interact using a text-based medium with anyone younger—with very rare exceptions—I am reminded of having grown older. 😅

1752061863

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 07:51:10 -0400

Learning how to fly, just like birds do, it’s quite easy. But don’t take my words for it, read it all by yourself—the illustrated version is awesome! I am talking—if you haven’t followed the previous links—about “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”.

There is an art, it says, or rather a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. Pick a nice day, it suggests, and try it. The first part is easy.

All it requires is simply the ability to throw yourself forward with all your weight, and the willingness not to mind that it’s going to hurt. That is, it’s going to hurt if you fail to miss the ground.

Most people fail to miss the ground, and if they are really trying properly, the likelihood is that they will fail to miss it fairly hard.

1752000469

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:47:51 -0400

Our manager just told us that he will be leaving the team 1 August 2025. We knew he was leaving, just didn’t know when. Now we know, and we wished him well. Onto the search for our fifth and—final?—manager we go!

1751907141

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 12:52:26 -0400

Apparently using em dashes is proof that a tool (AI, for example), was used to write things instead. As someone who likes to use en dashes, em dashes, and dashes, who uses macOS/iOS, I find that simply amusing. Pff, as if!

To create these notes I use Hugo, and Markdown, so generating them is as easy as using -, --, and ---.

1751827164

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 14:39:29 -0400

At the risk of being labeled a boomer—something kids already do, anyway—I have to say that the music from the 80s and 90s beats the one from the 2000s, and the 2010s, so far. It reminds me what my mum and dad used to say about the music of their time. Every generation, pretty much the same.

1751653629

Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:27:12 -0400

Special combination bánh mì, Paris Bánh Mì.

So far a lazy day today. No work (happy 4th!), so woke up at a luxurious 06:30 hours. Had coffee with mum, got coffee for Horsie, played a bit of Diablo IV (manning a Spiritborn this season), went to return some clothes, bought bánh mì, took some to mum, some to aunties, and now back home. All that, and is barely 14:30. Rain’s coming, which will make today even a better day. Couch bound!

1751554360

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:52:42 -0400

It has been almost 14 years since Mark Pilgrim disappeared akin to what has been described as an “infosuicide”. I still miss his writings, and hold the hope that he may, one day, come back. I hope and wish all is well with him, and family.

1751552544

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:22:27 -0400

At the end of every episode of “The Big Bang Theory” (★★★★☆) they used to show a Chuck Lorre Productions “card”. This one was my all-time favourite:

The Prophet
A young woman stepped forward from the throng and asked, “O’ great prophet, tell us how we might find love that is unconditional, unwavering and unending.” The prophet did not answer right away. He looked off into the distance, gathering his thoughts. Silence descended upon the crowd. Then he turned his gaze upon the young woman and said, “Get a dog.”

1751501726

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 20:15:28 -0400

I wish everyone was like mum, when it comes to be on guard, and suspicious, about everything Internet. I have given her the cookie-cutter talk about Internet security, in simple terms, but I have always told her, “If you have any doubts, you can always call me, and I will come to help you.” And she sure does! At least once every couple of weeks I get such call, or message. Today was one of those days.

As a bonus I get fed as well. I am not sure if ever mentioned it, but mum’s cooking is second only to partner’s. Of course, I tell each the same. They really are both wonderful.

1751478744

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:52:27 -0400

I don’t think I have noted about this before, it doesn’t come up on the few searches I have run. I have been procrastinating a move to a newer VPS. This one has been running since Ubuntu 16.04, and it is now at 22.04. It is running out of space, and I truly need to replace it. Hmm…

I figure the only way to get me moving is by renting the new server, and then having to worry about paying double expenses. Then my partner will make sure I do something about it! 😂

1751476928

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:22:11 -0400

I am starting to wonder if 17 pixels is a tad too small of a font size for these notes. Under macOS the font size looks fairly legible, but under Ubuntu it seems a tad too small. I will need to check, and make sure screen resolution is the same for both, before doing any further fiddling.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

My main mistake is to use pixels for font sizes. This evening I will be changing them all to use rem/em instead. Still, everything will look smaller at higher resolutions.

1751470899

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:41:46 -0400

Found SecretDrop.io, and its corresponding GitHub repository, which I find useful enough to be considering to selfhost. I would like the interface to be less flashy, and minimal (the FAQ, for example, is way too verbose for my liking). Maybe I can change that a little.

1751387547

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:32:31 -0400

“Squid Game” season 3 cast.

According to kid, “Squid Game” season 3 is pretty much the same as it was on season 2, which was pretty much the same as it was on season 1. Whether that’s accurate or not, he isn’t interested on watching it. That could mean I will not watch it either, as he usually is my binging buddy.

1751325988

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 19:26:32 -0400

“Reading a Sutra by Moonlight”, by Jifey Ruyi. The Met.

“Zen begins with an understanding that human beings suffer, and it offers a solution to this suffering through recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings and learning to live in a way that aligns with this truth.”

I am feeling a very strong urge to practice Zen Buddhism.

1751299483

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 12:04:46 -0400

Today is one of those few—but they exist, as evidenced—days I feel disappointed, and despaired. Not a good feeling.

1751237182

Sun, 29 Jun 2025 18:46:28 -0400

Can’t wait to enjoy that extremely delightful—and nutritious—pumpkin soup that Horsie is cooking. I minced the garlic, and chopped the onions, and peeled the pumpkin, so we can say it’s a team effort, right? I will also eat it with pleasure! After all, what’s good food without a consumer? 🤭

1751150838

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 18:47:21 -0400

I tried to give Diablo Immortal a fair try again, but can’t handle the amount of “red dots” on the screen—that is, notifications overflow trying to sell you things, or making you complete stuff in-game. It never stops! Deleted, 21.7GiB of storage reclaimed.

1751150217

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 18:37:00 -0400

Coffee at 07:30. Three small croissants around 11:00. Chicken and sausage gumbo soup bowl at 13:30. Three small chicken quesadillas at 16:30. I have eaten way too much, I feel. No more food for me today!

1751128784

Sat, 28 Jun 2025 12:39:47 -0400

Ferocious T-Rex on the loose.

We long thought T-Rexes were extinct. Imagine our surprise, and utter panic, when we found this one laying on the parking lot next to our car. Lucky for us they were a friendly one, so after exchanging pleasantries we left them on the grass—which is much closer to their natural habitat.

1751079837

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 23:03:59 -0400

Based on everything I have read, Diablo IV season 9 is going to be a flunk (it could be a player base over-reaction). I would happily play Diablo III instead if it weren’t for the Battle.net application, which requires Rosetta 2. I don’t want to run anything legacy.

1751061293

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:54:57 -0400

What to eat tonight? During the week I only have one meal a day. Sometimes, come evening, I really don’t feel like eating anything at all. Now Fridays, ah! Fridays are something else.

Fridays are just… different, just like Saturdays and Sundays. There are no other days like those. Mondays through Thursdays, they are all the same. You could put me in a hole for a few days, and make me forget which day of the week it was, then let me out. It will take me very little to figure out, with a high level of certainty, whether it’s a weekend or not.

Anyways, I digress. Macaroni and cheese with bacon bits? Hmmm, decisions, decisions.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

So much for macaroni and cheese with bacons bits. We—child and I—ended up having Pizza Hut (pepperoni thin and crispy). I think that the half of a pizza I ate is healthier than what I had planned. A win? 😅

1751059330

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:22:15 -0400

It is raining. You would think, “so what?”, right? Well, it hasn’t rained like this, and at all, for over a week. When your weather is super hot, and super humid, and everything around you seems to crack, and almost die from heat exhaustion, then more often than not you long for rain—at least I do, though, truth be told, I truly am a rain Monkey. Love, love the rain!

1751052339

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:25:41 -0400

I am not into rap, yo, but Rico Nasty’s Tiny Desk concert was truly lovely. I mean, not just her execution, but the artist herself. Me like! What is there not to, right?

Mind it, as with most rap, explicit language.

1751051932

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:18:54 -0400

“Don’t let the words, and actions of others cloud your weekend, mate!” – I say to myself. It is hard to do, but “the weekend is ours”. I will not let them take it from me.

1751048482

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:21:28 -0400

A Félix María Serafín Sánchez de Samaniego flable, “La serpiente y la lima”, losely translated from Spanish, while aiming to keep the original rythm.

A locksmith’s home, so they say, the Serpent slithered in one day. And foolishly, it bit with might, a steel File, sharp and bright.

“Fool!” the File then did proclaim, “The harm will be your game! How dare you try to make a dent in me, who turns hard metal into dust, you see?”

Whoever tries without good cause, to bring the stronger down, and pause, will only manage, in their plight, to kick against a goad with all their might.

1751042303

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:38:26 -0400

SUBJECT: A very bad news for you
---
I want to inform you about a very bad situation for you. However, you can benefit from it, if you will act wisely. Have you heard of Pegasus? This is a spyware program that installs on computers and smartphones and allows hackers to monitor the activity of device owners. It provides access to your webcam, messengers, emails, call records, etc. It works well on Android, iOS, and Windows. I guess, you already figured out where I’m getting at.

These people watching all my moves, specifically when I engage in activities related to “highly controversial porn videos”, recording all my actions with their “spyware program”, learning “about all aspects of [my] private life”, and concluding that I have a “sick perversion” are getting it all wrong. Instead of demanding BTC from me they should, instead, be paying me for all the entertainment I sure am bringing them.

1751041032

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:17:15 -0400

Microsoft’s “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) is sunsetting in the near future. Soon it will change colours to become the “Black Screen of Death” (BSOD). Get it? LOL.

“The simplified BSOD looks a lot more like the black screen you’d see during a Windows update. But it will list the stop code and faulty system driver that you wouldn’t always see during a crash dump.”

I dont think the change is enough. The message should be something more substantial, specific, and clear.

1750984036

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:27:18 -0400

Moo Deng splashes in a bucket of water in her enclosure at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Pattaya, Thailand, on 11 Nov, 2024.

At the end of 2024, Moo Deng was a cutie, admired by millions around the world. I mean, how could we not, right? She was, and remains, a very famous pygmy hippopotamus! 🥰🦛

1750974122

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:42:05 -0400

I slightly changed the 404 page around here. It used to be Bernie, but he messaged and told me he was tired of it, and was quitting. So, I hired some birds. Just type some rubbish at the address bar after https://netbros.com/ and you will see.

1750972791

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 17:19:54 -0400

Freepik has lots of AI in it, amongst other things. The site looks crafted with good taste, it is clean, and fast, and has freebies that could come handy. This isn’t an advert, of course; merely a note to myself reminding me it exists, in case it’s ever needed.

1750937838

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 07:37:22 -0400

Even as we are us, for our entire existence, we change. For better, or for worse, we change. I found myself disagreeing with myself, or realising I no longer think the same way, while going over some of my old blog entries. Because of that I decided to add a disclaimer to some entries that reads:

Disclaimer:
This post is an old one. Overtime, my perspectives evolve, and it may not reflect my current thinking, political affiliation, or position on the topic(s) at hand.

It is not so much that I care what a stranger may think of me because of what I wrote (which I do!), but more for myself. I will not delete the post, but the least I can do is to note that its contents may no longer apply.

1750895882

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:58:06 -0400

Project Indigo is a pretty neat camera. As a “toy”, it is something I have installed, and probably use to compare photos from time to time. Yet, installing apps that duplicate features available out of the box on iOS/macOS is something I do not like to do.

1750891188

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:39:50 -0400

Screencap from the App Store of the upcoming Diablo Immortal’s druid class.

Blizzard is bringing the druid class to Diablo Immortal (the “pay-to-win” mobile game), and just like that it got me to download the game again. I don’t think I will stick, nor spend a penny on it, but I think it will amuse me for a little.

1750870984

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 13:03:06 -0400

I swear, each time I see written Polish or Czech, specially when all in lower case, I think of a Caesar cipher.

1750869696

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:41:38 -0400

Really wishing more services on Ubuntu were made in Golang, or good old C/C++. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike Python, and it certainly is widely used, multiplatform, etc., etc. Now having almost everything Python comes across as sheer laziness. That’s it. Ubuntu, and Python </rant>.

1750852522

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:55:25 -0400

Re: Blue #1748261181

To Americans: forget about any embarrassment or shame when looking up Philippine history and stuff before y’all got here. The Filipino mindset is all about letting go of social barriers in order to be nourished by someone else’s cooking.

For reasons I can’t fully explain, this thought makes me feel at ease, and welcomed. It also carries a witty truth. A good food is a good food, and a door opener!

1750851643

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:40:49 -0400

Re: Claudrod #1750847378

I REMEMBER Looking out a large window with an interesting view, with 2 men facing away from my side. One of them walks away, another stays in place, standing still. A few seconds later, I realize he was peeing.

Oh my god!! A room with a view or, shall I say, a room with views? 😅

1750815106

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 21:31:48 -0400

Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is over now. I found the last episode to be lack luster, and rather disappointing, but the series in general is pretty stupendous. Kid told me season 3 is in the works, so I can’t wait! Meanwhile… what to watch next?

1750801425

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:43:47 -0400

Tesla “Robotaxi” – Reuters.

Tesla launched its Robotaxi—which isn’t the Robotaxi, but a Tesla with a Robotaxi logo—service in Texas. There are just a few, all operating in a small section of the city, and with “a human safety operator in the passenger seat”. LOL. So, just a taxi.

“As expected, only a handful of vehicles are available right now, they only operate in a small part of the city and there’s a safety driver in the vehicle in case it encounters situations it cannot handle autonomously.”

A real Robotaxi should have no glass windshield, and a blocking divider between the passenger area and the “driver”. After all, it is best not to see what’s coming your way. Surprise! 😅

My friend George, more often than not, can be the “voice of my conscience”, and today he was. Being the Tesla fan he is—and Tesla ≠ Elon—he made me aware that Tesla’s official statement was:

“We’re bringing these autonomous rides to you today—starting with Model Y. Cybercab, our fully autonomous vehicle, will begin offering rides in your area in the future.”

In other words, BBC sensationalised a bit, or I processed the news that way. It truly is a private beta, with an strict set of requirements.

1750800850

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:34:12 -0400

I have automated the process that adds a notice and timestamp when I edit a note, when adding more content to it at a later time. It works great, as it uses the git lastmod timestamp. The unfortunate side effect was, all timestamps got reset because I actually modified all notes that had an UPDATE notice. 😩

1750800435

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 17:27:19 -0400

The amount of plastic in a lot of everyday things that we eat is staggering. I am freaking out, even though the site one-time banner disclaimer made me click a “Got it, I promise not to freak out” button.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1750763628

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 07:13:50 -0400

There is misery in the world; there is suffering, there is hunger, there is abuse. We do unimaginable things to ourselves and to others. As individuals, we can’t help everyone, but picking a cause to support—just one!—will go a long way. Truly, every little bit counts.

We deliver life-saving aid and protection in emergencies, advocate for improved asylum laws and systems so displaced people can access their rights, and help find long-term solutions so they can return home once safe to do so or build a future in a new country. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality so they can access basic rights, such as education and health care.

I have noted about this before for causes I have contributed. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, is one I would recommend wholeheartedly.

1750604380

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:59:42 -0400

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina. Food expenditure for one week: $341.98. Favorite foods: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken.

I used to keep bookmarks for the boy, keeping resources I thought might be useful for him to be used on school assignments, etc. Reviewing them today I found this gem from 2016. So much has changed since! Prices, for sure, and some of the things we eat, maybe? Notice how much healthier the food from some poorer countries is, in comparison to, say, the US.

Check out also “Rise and Shine”, to see what kids around the world eat for breakfast (from 2014).

1750601020

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 10:03:43 -0400

I am having an “existential” dilemma here. First, I have some titles been mentioned in notes (movies, or books, or similar) between double quotes, while some others do not have it. I don’t like that inconsistency. Second, I don’t know which style to pick, and adhere to from now on—which will be the same style I will use to change others retroactively as well. Should I always use double quotes? Should I italise them instead, no double quotes?

See the silly things I drown myself with?

1750598654

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 09:24:16 -0400

I downloaded, installed, and gave a try yesternight to “Final Fantasy XIV” (the free trial) and, after a brief 5-10 minutes playtime, I don’t think it’s the game for me. I don’t like the way controls work with it on PS5. It comes across as a game developed for desktop computers, and later ported to console. It is confussing and rather clunky. So, still waiting for a special on “No Man’s Sky” to return. Meanwhile, there is “Diablo IV”.

1750557828

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 22:03:51 -0400

Why would Microsoft offer releases of their Edit CLI editor for Linux, and compress them using zstd? What’s wrong with tar.gz? Why the added complication? What is there to gain?

1750513694

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 09:48:17 -0400

Getting lost on the interweb is my newly found hobby, and the reason I have gotten so fond of blogrolls, and webrings. It is amazing what you can find while aimlessly following links that happen to catch your attention—or simply clicking/tapping, daring to see what’s on the other side. For each rubbish site out there that we should avoid, there are 10 others wholesomely worth it. I am specially fond of minimalist, text only websites, and those who use exquisite typography.

1750512577

Sat, 21 Jun 2025 09:29:41 -0400

Wood troll hugging a tree, Mandurah, Australia.

Thomas Dambo’s trolls—and his other creations—come across as other-worldly. His entire works collection is simply too amazing not to note. Makes me wish there were more trolls in our world, don’t you agree? Kind of “have trolls, no war”.

1750468038

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 21:07:20 -0400

Today, which is coming to an end in roughly three hours, is the Summer Solstice for the Northern hemisphere—where I happen, for better or for worse, to be situated. That means today was the longest day of the year for us. Oh, but still runs at 24 hours, take it or leave it, so, yeah, not really that much meaningful anyway. 🎶 “It comes and goes, it comes and goooooes!” 🎶

1750466788

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:46:30 -0400

This bash code is what I use to count the amount of notes per year, ever since I started babbling in here. I first move to the content/posts/ directory, then run it. It works great under macOS.

for file in *.md; do \
    head -n 5 "$file" | \
    grep 'date:' | \
    sed 's/date.*\([[:digit:]]\{4\}\).*/\1/' >> count; \
done && \
cat count | sort | uniq -c && \
rm count

1750450198

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 16:10:01 -0400

Mark, Bill, Linus, and David. Via Mark’s LinkedIn.

Well, this is something you don’t see everyday day, from left to right: Mark Russinovich, Bill Gates, Linus Torvalds, and David Cutler. Bill and Linus meeting in person, and making it to the same photo. Yeah, a first?

1750444481

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 14:34:45 -0400

After more than two weeks without a drop, we are finally getting a very well deserved rain, and the plants, lawn, birds, me… we are all happier because of it. To those about to drive, or on the roads, my deepest, sincere, condolences.

1750435145

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 11:59:08 -0400

Twenty seven years is a long time, don’t you think? Yet I look back and wonder, where did the time go? Really! With ups and downs, but no regrets, I love you, Horsie! —Signed, “Conniving” Monkey.

1750422633

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:30:35 -0400

One hundred percent, Claudine! In my head, and in my actions, I am more often than not the same kid I remember myself to be. “Youthfulness” is a construct of our minds. Yes, we age mechanically, but that shouldn’t change anything else. Specially because society expects us to behave in a “certain way”, due to age. Pfff!

1750420920

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:02:03 -0400

A satire filled article on how the author will do “anything to end homelessness except build more homes”. I mean, will it ever end?! The repercussions would be disastrous! 😂

“Look, if you give people homes, the next thing you know, they’re going to start to get their lives together and then get jobs and start organizing. Then they’ll expand Medicare to everyone and build a fucking light rail line instead of a goddamn border wall, and no one will drive anymore, and cars will die out, and the air will get clean, and can you imagine the problems we’ll have then?”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1750378682

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 20:18:04 -0400

Around 2002, and for a brief period, I kept a small weblog all handcrafted. Each page was created manually; I copied and pasted quite a bit, and I would make each page have its own uniqueness. I don’t know why I felt nostalgic thinking about it.

1750377172

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 19:52:54 -0400

I write these notes not expecting interaction. I do it for fun, more often than not to amuse myself. Yet, even as I admit that what I jot here is for my own, it is similar to writing a message in a bottle. The hope (aim?) is that someone will eventually find it, and do with it as they please. 😅😂

1750371169

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 18:12:50 -0400

“Oh, a horse with a horn is called a unicorn/A horse with stripes is called a zebra/A horse with wings is called Pegasus/And a horse with a broken leg is called glue.”

Poor broken leg horse. I shall not show this to Horsie, because it will make her sad, and even cry. She will know is a joke, but who jokes like that with “family”?

1750364551

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:22:35 -0400

Detail of Proserpina’s thigh, from “The Abduction of Proserpina.”

The Baroque period produced some of the greatest artists humankind has ever seen. I recently came across “The Abduction of Proserpina” on Kottke. Although I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn’t help but feeling, again, amazed and awestruck by the artist incredible skills that make this cold marble so lifelike.

1750287563

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:59:26 -0400

I have not mentioned Headscale before, even though I use it every day. I have my iPhone (on demand), my Mac, my Linux laptop (on demand), and my two VPS connected to it. Headscale is an open source, self-hosted implementation of the Tailscale control server. You can use the Tailscale client—which is available for all platforms—to connect to it. It is amazing, and worthy—at the very minimum—of a star on its GitHub repository.

1750279451

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:44:13 -0400

Oh no! I just got the notification I set as a reminder to cancel our Crunchyroll subscription. That means we only have tonight to enjoy an advert-free “Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2 watching. After tonight, we will be back to the regular “free” plan. 😩

1750278064

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 16:21:06 -0400

“Less Wrong” sure is an interesting place. For the untrained—like me—it is hard to grasp, as its navigation, and method of engagement, are fairly unique.

“LessWrong is an online forum and community dedicated to improving human reasoning and decision-making. We seek to hold true beliefs and to be effective at accomplishing our goals. Each day, we aim to be less wrong about the world than the day before.”

1750271598

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:33:19 -0400

A simple test, using verses—in modified format—from Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer’s poem, “¿Qué es poesía?” I may delete this note, as it is only a test. Yes, like many, many others, I “test in production”. 😅

Tú:
¿Qué es poesía?, dices mientras clavas en mi pupila tu pupila azul.
Yo:
¿Qué es poesía? ¿Y tú me lo preguntas? Poesía… eres tú.

1750254218

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 09:43:41 -0400

“New Year Resolutions” are a figment our imagination. Dreamers do them; the rest of us, the awake ones, cover our mouth, and giggle at them. 🤭

1750245001

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 07:10:07 -0400

There shouldn’t be “do-not-reply” email “addresses” (between quotes, because if they can’t be replied to, they aren’t email addresses). If an email goes out, and it’s delivered to someone, or something, it should—must—be replyable. Unattended mailbox my foot. Don’t do that!

1750207365

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 20:42:47 -0400

I am trying to implement a workflow, so that I can use a graphical editor for creating new notes while in front of the computer, that is, not over an SSH connection. Let’s see how it goes.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Yup, it works quite well. I really don’t know why it took me this long to implement something as simple as this (I am using Obsidian now to create and edit notes if not over SSH). I guess I usually create notes on Terminal, on Bash, and didn’t have the need for anything else. Until now!

1750204510

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:55:13 -0400

If I die tomorrow, or if I am dead today, know that I loved you very, very, very much. Know that my last sentient thought will be for you. Know that sadness doesn’t compare to what I feel in my last moments, not because I care about myself, but about you.

1750203230

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 19:33:54 -0400

“All heat and no rain makes Jack a dull boy”. It has now been almost a week since we last saw rain, and, well, I regret complaining when it was raining a lot each day, because the lawn was growing too fast. Now, on the other hand, it’s dying for the lack of it. 😩

1750173017

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 11:10:19 -0400

This has been one of my pet peeves for many, many years. “Hi”, they say. “Hi there!”, I reply politely. “Can I ask you a question?” “Sure”, big silent sigh. “What’s my username?”. Grrrr. Correct way? “Hi, could you tell me what’s my username?” ❤️

1750100496

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 15:01:38 -0400

Desperately looking for advise to stop chewing the inside of my cheeks. I don’t feel anxious, nor stressed, and I have made—more than once—the conscious effort to stop biting, but I continue to do it semiconsciously. It’s bothering me quite a bit. Ugh!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I have successfully managed not to do this anymore, so far. During the first few days I had to put an extra effort remembering not to do it. Now my subconscious seems to have either learned, or given up. Either way is good! Phew!

1750098716

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:31:58 -0400

Totally hypnotised by this person’s creations. It is so easy to fall in love with their generative art, don’t you think?!

More of Yann Le Gall generative art is available at their Instagram. In Yoda’s speaking style, a fan I have become!

1750083563

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:19:26 -0400

It is Horsie’s birthday today. This is the first time I mention about Horsie’s birthday here, which I find odd, somehow. Anyway, celebrations start now, as she has left the bed 😂.

1750029125

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 19:12:07 -0400

Awesome Father’s Day this year (it isn’t never bad but this year felt a bit more… “special”). And to top it off, I am off tomorrow. Yay! And while having “off” around, off I go to watch “Jujutsu Kaisen”, season 2!

Now I have watched enough “Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2 (★★★★☆) episodes to be able to rate it. The rating is based on my difficulty to understand what’s going on. Honestly, if it weren’t for the kid, who patiently—but mockingly—explains things to me, I would be lost.

1749996391

Sun, 15 Jun 2025 10:06:34 -0400

Cocoa Beach with the Sun already quite high. Certainly not a sunrise.

Stayed overnight at an AirBnB in Cocoa Beach, and woke up without being able to beat the sunrise—which was the “plan” before going to sleep, LOL. Nevertheless, had a nice stroll on an almost deserted beach. Today’s “Father’s Day”, so off we go for dim sum!

1749860948

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 20:29:10 -0400

I am all caught up with the news of the day which are, pretty much and without exception, depressing. While I wait for my bingeing buddy I will either play a bit of Diablo IV, or watch “Silo”. The next two days will be quiet, as I will be spending extra time with Horsie.

1749858719

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:52:01 -0400

I wish Hacker News would give us the ability to remove entries from specific domains from timeline. Sort of a domain block ability. The very first ones on my list would be: “x.com”, “twitter.com”, “medium.com”, and “substack.com”.

1749857410

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 19:30:12 -0400

“No Man’s Sky” game advert screen.

I missed the opportunity to buy “No Man’s Sky” for $25, and now it is back to $60. It attracted me to play it, because I have been looking for a space exploration game, but I was afraid that it would be too immersive. I have, after all, limited play time. I am sure a new special pricing will return.

1749843648

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 15:40:50 -0400

Tonight, before the kid and I engage on a mini-binge of “Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2, I will search and learn, at least, 10 character names. I am sick and tired of having him mock me because I can’t remember names. 😡

1749829897

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 11:51:40 -0400

The sheer power of a tornado in Kansas, filmed by a drone in 2022. Simply incredible. “No lives were lost as a result of this EF3 tornado, despite immense damage and nearly 1,000 structures impacted”.

1749817922

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 08:32:06 -0400

Now, more than ever, is a good time to donate to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Take a stance, help others, make a difference. Every human is our family.

We take action, not sides. Because we are neutral, impartial and independent, we can reach those who need us when others cannot, providing humanitarian assistance, protecting lives, upholding rights, and relieving the suffering of people around the world whose lives have been torn apart by armed conflict and violence.

You could also sponsor a child, or help so that lifesaving treatments are provided for them. I know a single individual can’t help everyone, our resources are limited. Pick one, donate a small amount. Every little thing helps!

1749779263

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 21:47:45 -0400

I couldn’t believe my eyes when an update notification popped up today for Snapseed and, imagine my surprise when I saw the total refresh it received. Snapseed is a unique delightful aberration, a glitch in the matrix. Acquired by Google in 2012, it is the only app I know that Google has kept alive, and standalone (that’s, not incorporated into another), and updated.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that it is an amazing app.

1749760598

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 16:36:40 -0400

Haven’t walked “officially” ever since we came from NYC. With everyday rains, lawn mowing, and what nots, well, not going to justify my not-doings, it just hasn’t happened. Maybe I will venture out now. It is overcast, but no rain yet.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Forgot to come here to note that, as I was going out of the door to walk, it started thundering and raining, right on the clock. Step count today—please, don’t laugh!—1,548. 😭

1749747414

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:56:57 -0400

From “Fallout” comes this nugget of “wisdom”. It’s true, though, time is the apex predator. Now, about outliving… that’s the challenge. No one can outlive time.

“What is the ultimate weapon of mass destruction? Time. Time is the apex predator. And in the event of an incident, time is the weapon with which we will defeat all of our enemies. That is how we will win the great game of capitalism. Not by outfighting anyone, but by outliving them.”

1749733272

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:01:15 -0400

Absolutely gut wrenching, horrible airplane accident in Ahmedabad, India. Words aren’t enough, so sorry…

“An Air India flight carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed shortly after taking off in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday. There was no immediate information about survivors, but India’s health minister said “many people” had died.”

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Only 1 person is been reported to have survived . After seeing the video of the explosion, it is genuily amazing one person could have survived it.

1749695317

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 22:28:39 -0400

I recently got a taste of it, again. A taste of walking in a walkable town, that’s. I wish I lived in a place where I could walk to places. I envy you, Claudine!

1749689239

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 20:47:21 -0400

“Our job is to taste free air. Your so-called boss may own the clock that taunts you from the wall but, my friends, the hour is yours.”

“Page 197 slaps”. From “The You You Are” book comes that excerpt, which will be relevant for the ages.

1749674263

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:37:45 -0400

Feeling the sudden desire to “ditherising” all images I have around here. Doing so will change them to monochrome, and to Atkinson dither, similar to this one. Should I, and do it retroactively, or just from now on?

1749673750

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:29:12 -0400

I know it is way early, but in preparation for macOS 26 I have now removed Raycast, and will soon remove Maccy. Who knows what else I will be able to remove when 26 comes. I really can’t help it.

1749661036

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 12:57:19 -0400

Ghoul, Lucy, Maximus, and Dogmeat, characters in “Fallout”.

Finished watching “Fallout” (★★★★☆) season 1 with the kid last night, after a little binge marathon that lasted 4, or 5 days. Pretty good, wholeheartedly recommended! I liked it more than “The last of us” (★★★☆☆) , for sure. Now we can’t wait for season 2!

1749596380

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 18:59:42 -0400

Alphabet felt like they were been left behind, so they had to do something, me thinks.

“This is the earliest Android has launched a major release in the last few years, which ensures you get the latest updates as soon as possible on your devices.”

Hmm, right. I wonder why? 😂

1749589255

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 17:00:58 -0400

I don’t use profanities, but allow me, please, this time. “I don’t give a fuck”, “I don’t have fucks left to give”, etc., is used to utterly mean, I don’t care, right? I have found, though, another meaning for it.

“I don’t have fucks left to give” says that I am, absolutely, not going to let any stressful situation bring me worry, or take away my peace of mind. I am, still, giving a fuck about it, and will act to the best of my knowledge—and expediently—to resolve it, and bring it to closure.

Bottomline, because “I give a fuck”, “I have zero fucks left to give”. Do I make sense? 😅

1749578690

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 14:04:52 -0400

Eileen, George Orwell’s wife, wrote in a letter to her best friend Norah, after her marriage to Orwell. Marriage saved by an aunt! LOL.

“I lost my habit of punctual correspondence during the first few weeks of marriage because we quarrelled so continuously & really bitterly that I thought I’d save time & just write one letter to everyone when the murder or separation had been accomplished. Then Eric’s [Orwell] aunt came to stay & was so dreadful (she stayed two months) that we stopped quarrelling & just repined. Then she went away & now all our troubles are over.”

➝ Via Jessica Lord.

1749574952

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 13:02:34 -0400

Went out walking at lunch time (just returned), and had to call it quits after the first lap. It is hot, but not as much as it is humid. It made us feel asphyxiated. So, after a long 20 seconds deliberation, Errol and I agreed for it to be a short walk today. Still, we got 3,318 steps. Not too shabby.

1749509352

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:49:15 -0400

“Walking into many of the nation’s air traffic control towers is like stepping back in time. Technology from the 20th century is still very much in use today — including, yes, floppy disks, paper flight strips, and computers running Windows 95.”

Wait, what?! My only reluctance to travel is air safety, but I didn’t know about this, which is mind boggling to me. Now I can’t unsee. 😳

1749508565

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 18:36:07 -0400

I have to say, those days on NYC were also a health “retreat”. I mean, look at how many steps I clocked in each day, and I ate just once a day. Yes, my legs and feet hurt at night, and it was hard to fall asleep, but next morning I was ready once more.

1749506079

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:54:42 -0400

Diorama at the American Museum of Natural History.

Talking about the American Museum of Natural History, their dioramas (this is just one collection) are out of this world. Nothing I write, or show here, will do them justice. You need to see them with your own eyes. I strongly recommend those two museums, The Met, and the AMNH.

1749505131

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:38:53 -0400

“The Death of Socrates”, at The Met.

The The Metropolitan Museum of Art (colloquially known as The Met) is amazing, and we didn’t even begin to get a glimpse of it. It is in our list of places to visit again when we return to NYC. Likewise for the American Museum of Natural History, which we also visited, and “saw”.

1749504106

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:21:48 -0400

Though trains (subway and above ground) are very efficient and plentiful, in and around Manhattan, when it comes to their state, cleanness and overall sanitary state (for trains and their stations), there is no comparisson to those in London, Berlin, or Tokyo, to mention a few. NYC trains and stations are in a state of disrepair.

Yet, there is no better way to traverse the city than taking trains. Owning and driving a car in NYC is borderline pyschopathic—which, coincidentially, could also be said about Tokyo.

1749503676

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 17:14:38 -0400

Kid happened to notice first, before I did, that there are quite a few people around Koreatown (where the hotel we stayed in is situated) seemingly doing nothing. Moving boxes with one side to the other, conversing while the third one works, walking in and out of a building, or simply hauling containers on a small hand car around. We found the reason for the last; they are pop-up vendors that sell street food, and we caught them working on their setup.

1749496504

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:15:05 -0400

Clock at Grand Central Terminal.

There isn’t much one can do with only 3 days in NYC. The impression one can get from New York is also bound to be skewed because, again, how can judgement be made for such huge city in only 3 days? So, I understand that I will need further visits to have a better idea of it. Considering we only visited one borough, and didn’t explored it on its entirety, well, we know next to nothing about it, right?

The bad: always something being built, or repaired, noisy, smelly, kind of dirty, expensive. The good: people from everywhere—truly a “melting pot”, lots to eat, and see. Transportation (subway and trains) is excellent. I mean, you take a train and get off at decent walking distance to anywhere you might want to go. The layout of Manhattan is delightful, there is no way to get lost.

1749431030

Sun, 08 Jun 2025 21:03:54 -0400

We spent the last four days in Manhattan, NYC. Apologies in advance for the notes about it that will soon follow. I myself like quieter, cleaner, cheaper cities. That is not to say I didn’t like it—I did!—but it wouldn’t be my first choice to live in. The kid, on the other hand, said he “wouldn’t mind it at all”.

1749056211

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 12:56:52 -0400

Chrome has gone nuts. Because of this note, which has two sentences in French, Chrome is prompting me whether or not I want to translate the page—not just that note!—to English. Wait until AI makes it in. Oy.

1749048843

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:54:06 -0400

Ever since I moved from WordPress (ugh!) to Jekyll at the beginning of 2011, and then to Hugo, sometime in 2014, I haven’t had comments on any website I have dabbled with. I want to believe I have been happier that way. For a few I tried kudos here, using Tinylytics, but that didn’t last long.

Less is, truly, more.

1749045504

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 09:58:27 -0400

Reading Alice Barlett’s weekly note earlier today, in which a daughter tells her father “Daddy, you are the man I love the most”, reminded me when the girl once told me too “Papá, I want to marry someone like you”, just around the same age as “E”. It made me feel so appreciated, and loved! I will never forget it.

1748996393

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 20:19:56 -0400

Blizzard is at it again with a very lame anniversary “celebration”. That is, some worthless cosmetics, an extra Gift of the Tree cache on turn-ins, and some increased experience gain which will not be enought to get me to paragon 300 this season (I have never been able to reach it, because it requires a mind boggling amount of experience).

I don’t see me buying the season pass ever again. Absolutely not worth it.

1748990644

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:44:08 -0400

Oh oh, should I worry? My brew upgrade just updated Hugo to v0.147.7. Last time I upgraded it everything broke loose. I figure I may as well test it, so this is it. If this post shows without errors, I should consider myself lucky, and clap twice.

1748989474

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 18:24:36 -0400

Today I learned that Chrome doesn’t play MOV video files. It only likes MP4, and WebM. I discovered it when looking at the note on WWDC (now an MP4), and seeing it blank. I figure MP4/WebM are smaller in size, so it doesn’t hurt using that format instead.

1748912826

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 21:07:08 -0400

Came across this thought, which ended up being a partial quote by Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, which I liked quite a bit once I found it whole.

“If I am I, because you are you, and you are you, because I am I, then I am not I, and you are not you. But if I am I because I am I, and you are you because you are you, then I am I and you are you, and we can talk.”

➝ Via Loon thoughts.

1748907964

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 19:46:06 -0400

Kento Nanami, from “Jujutsu Kaisen” manga series. Seriously, how cool is he?

I was talking to George earlier today about the rewatchability of mangas, and we both agreed that “Jujutsu Kaisen” has a high rewatchability rate. I liked the series—and movie—so much, that I even got me a t-shirt with Kento on it. Took it to our Japan trip, and I managed to get a bunch of school girls giggle, or laugh, while covering their mouth, and pointing at my direction. 🤭😅

1748901343

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 17:55:45 -0400

Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is coming up once more and, as always, I feel like kid before Christmas. The rumours I allowed myself to read tell something about Tahoe, and version 26, to match with year. Let’s see.

It is here, now! “Tune” in! Liquid Glass, oh my! Absolutely loving the upcoming updates for all versions 26s. With iPadOS 26, the iPad becomes one step closer (but not quite, since “macOS is superior”, as George pointed out) to becoming a “lite” laptop.

1748792625

Sun, 01 Jun 2025 11:43:47 -0400

It is hot, so hot, and humid. Rain might come too, though sun shines right now. I want to stay indoors, but she is dragging me out! 😩 Please, send help! 😅 Also, weekend may as well be over. Dear, oh dear!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

We had a really good time with friends that stopped by at the Cape while cruising with the “Symphony of the Seas”. Just got home, really tired of driving. I am calling it a day now, for sure.

1748732483

Sat, 31 May 2025 19:01:26 -0400

Kathleen and Roxanne are the residents across the hall from Dad’s room. Unlike Dad and Roxanne, who have family coming to see them, Kathleen is all alone. She spends all her days inside her room—well, she strolls around in her wheelchair but never ventures outside the building—all by herself.

For that reason alone, we have “adopted” her. We can’t take her outside but, when we visit bố, I spend time conversing with her. We buy her cupcakes—we deliver a bunch of those to others, but she gets hers without fail. She likes popcorn and Diet Coke, so she gets them too. This year we celebrated her birthday—hat, card, cake, and singing—which she said hadn’t happened for a long time. It made us sad but happy to be able to do it.

1748722042

Sat, 31 May 2025 16:07:25 -0400

“We haul your trash and your junk!” reads a sign that I have seen around the city. The local government does pick up regular (household) trash, and large junk (mattresses, televisions, refrigerators, etc.) once a week. That’s included in the $21.68 every household pays monthly through the City Utilities Commission.

For major house renovations, a dump bucket of many sizes can also be rented, usually by those doing the work. Who would have so much rubbish that businesses could be formed to cater to that need?

I am also left thinking: where would that business dump their haul? Unhealthy thoughts come to my mind. Call me a cynic.

1748647840

Fri, 30 May 2025 19:30:43 -0400

Photo capturing the interior of the first violin Charles Brooks successfully photographed.

Incredible photos taken inside musical instruments. Charles Brooks’ setup to accomplish this feat is borderline marvelous. Bigger photos, and the ability to buy prints at his website.

1748639042

Fri, 30 May 2025 17:04:03 -0400

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus blandit urna eget justo blandit, vehicula laoreet augue posuere. Donec nec diam quam. Donec sit amet maximus dui. Aenean eget orci tincidunt, commodo sem ornare, tristique leo.

Donec rutrum laoreet magna, sit amet malesuada sem fermentum non. Fusce sem arcu, sodales non efficitur vitae, viverra nec velit. Suspendisse dolor velit, ultrices a aliquet id, rhoncus quis nibh. Integer porta laoreet arcu a sagittis. Phasellus convallis cursus lectus, sit amet faucibus enim pretium id. Praesent fringilla justo ac odio pellentesque, in elementum neque tempor. Praesent placerat scelerisque enim, a aliquam diam tempor sed.

There is no way anyone can say that Latin is a dead language, right? I mean, search The Tubes for “lorem ipsum” with your favourite search engine, and see. Dead, pfff, as if! ツ

1748636248

Fri, 30 May 2025 16:17:29 -0400

Why everytime we deorbit something (a satellite, or, you know, the ISS, when its time comes) we bring it in, into the atmosphere, to crash on Earth? Why don’t we push them out, to the vast cosmos? A few answers come to mind, with cost making the only sense.

1748624812

Fri, 30 May 2025 13:06:55 -0400

On my way home from lunch I saw a bumper sticker on the car in front of mine, right before I got into my neighbourhood. It read “I ❤️ Potholes”. Truly? What kind of a sociopath loves those things? 🤦🏻‍♂️

I reasearched it a bit, and, oh wow! It is a thing, after all! It has to be either sarcasm, or someone who believes potholes slow vehicles down, hence worthy of love. 🤷🏻‍♂️

1748617079

Fri, 30 May 2025 10:58:01 -0400

Claudine wrote today, “Laughing is the best thing. My jaw is numb and that’s ok”. I couldn’t agree more! Dance too, Claudine, dance!

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder. You get your fill to eat, but always keep that hunger. May you never take one single breath for granted. God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed.
🎶
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance.
🎶
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

1748566138

Thu, 29 May 2025 20:49:00 -0400

It is true humans can bet on just about anything. With Jesus, the rules are simple:

“This market will resolve to “Yes” if The Second Coming of Jesus Christ occurs by December 31, 2025, 11:59 PM ET. Otherwise, this market will resolve to “No”.”

Also, TIL about Polymarket, which I am finding quite interesting. It is pretty much gambling, isn’t it? Hmm.

1748561321

Thu, 29 May 2025 19:28:43 -0400

Psalm 109, 8-13, has a primordial message. It is much longer, and it can all be read online, no need to own a physical copy of the holy book.

⁸Let his days be few; and let another take his office. ⁹Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. ¹⁰Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

¹¹Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. ¹²Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children. ¹³Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

It doth pierce the very soul with sorrow to look upon the ancient holy writ sometime, say’st thou not so? 😅

1748557445

Thu, 29 May 2025 18:24:07 -0400

“Snow at Miyajima”, by Tsuchiya Koitsu.

Because it is so very hot in here, and I also happen to adore Japanese woodblock prints, here it is “Snow at Miyajima”, by Tsuchiya Koitsu. Isn’t it lovely?!

1748518818

Thu, 29 May 2025 07:40:20 -0400

Publix “whole milk” isn’t whole. It is a sham. I am going to be getting TG Lee’s this weekend to compare. Why Publix’s one is a sham? When you boil whole milk, and get next to none milk skin, that ain’t whole. Publix’s whole milk renders something as thick as a spider’s web.

1748481066

Wed, 28 May 2025 21:11:07 -0400

That EOE has to be spelled out, and made a law, is sad, and speaks very poorly about the human condition.

“An “equal opportunity employer” (EOE) is a business that pledges not to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on characteristics like race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. This means that job decisions, including hiring, firing, promotions, and pay, are made without regard to these characteristics.”

1748479950

Wed, 28 May 2025 20:52:33 -0400

I have tried a few encryption and digital signature tools in the past. Each and everyone of them have found the same fate: abandonware. Not too long ago there was miniLock. Gone. Then came Keys—oh, so nice! Gone.

The only one that hasn’t let me down, and the reason why I will no longer look for another tool, is GnuPG, a free implementation of the OpenPGP standard. Regardless of the flaws some might find in it, it works quite well, and I am sure it will continue to for the foreseable future.

1748461289

Wed, 28 May 2025 15:41:30 -0400

So it begins. The madness, that is. Do we fight it, or do we go with it? Furthermore, do we have a choice? Perhaps do what she recommends? And yes, I know worse, much much worse, is happening.

“This article was written by a human, but links were suggested by and grammar checked by an LLM.”

Grammar checked and corrected, perhaps? The other has a similar tone:

“This post was written entirely by a human, with no assistance from AI. (Other than spell—and grammar—checking.)”

I might be nickpicking, but I think it will be best if nothing is said. Why to be specific about who wrote what, with the caveats?

1748459758

Wed, 28 May 2025 15:16:00 -0400

Using URL shortening was never a good idea. I ran my own, and it bit me really bad when I lost its backend database and with it all the shortlinks. Using Google URL shortening service—or anything Google, but I digress—was/is an even worse idea. I know, I used them too.

First they sunset Goo.gl, while stating that “all existing links will continue to redirect to the intended destination”. Then, they “transitioned” that statement to “we will be turning off Google URL Shortener”, which will finally happen comes 25 August, 2025. Lovely.

1748386918

Tue, 27 May 2025 19:02:00 -0400

I have found myself on Nicholas’ “shoes” in quite a few occasions. Those occasions on which Hugo has changed its codebase around, and things that used to work worked no longer. I have been tempted to switch, but then what? Grass is always greener on the other side, and what brought me to it (the other side, that is) will not be the last. Time and again I ended up going to Hugo’s community, and each time I found the fix I needed.

It is my very personal opinion that nothing beats Hugo when it comes to simplicity. Nothing extra to install, just a single binary. Beyond its simplicity, it’s extremely powerful.

1748382267

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:44:29 -0400

Apple’s Lisa 2 computer.

Apple’s Lisa 2 computer. I know it is old, I know it is retro. My old eyes will certainly complain at the screen size and resolution, but damn, such a beautiful machine, and keyboard design! Yup, I am certainly on “boomer’s” mood.

1748380874

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:21:17 -0400

I miss terminal based applications. Old database driven applications that were usually accessed via VT100 terminals, and later on via IBM 3270, or emulated software, like TN3270, to access IBM mainframes. I wonder if they will ever make a return (no mainframes needed this time, of course).

Hmm, is this a sign of crossing—or having crossed—a certain age threshold?

1748376627

Tue, 27 May 2025 16:10:29 -0400

Watching “True Detective” (★★★★☆) with the kid, as a farewell to this small break that’s ending. Watched season 1, and I liked it enough for the rating. I’ve got to say, though, that the beginning was too slow for my liking. And I am a patient man. 😅

1748367455

Tue, 27 May 2025 13:37:37 -0400

I seldom call family, or friends; I message. When I call, though, it is always associated with a sense of urgency. I mean, it is not 911, but if I call someone it is because I need to talk to them. People who know me should know that, right?

Well, mum lives in a whole different universe.

1748361122

Tue, 27 May 2025 11:52:04 -0400

“Can’t work today boss (myself); too sleepy; someone else will have to write the bugs. For real though, I’m taking the day off to fucking lay on my sofa, maybe I’ll even read a book? Tremendous. Some times you have to fucking chill 👍️.

If anyone needs me just don’t do that instead.”

Read this today on the Fediverse. Not going to link, because the posts were unlisted, and I took the liberty of adapting the formatting, but who hasn’t felt this way at some point, eh? 🙋🏻‍♂️

1748359588

Tue, 27 May 2025 11:26:30 -0400

Being my last day, and almost noon, I ventured out to put a letter in the mailbox, and gauge the weather to see if a mid-day walk was possible. The high humidity (70%) and temperature (feels 105°F) made me almost pass out, on the very brief minutes I was outside.

Maximum UV index right now is 12, very unhealthy. Yeah, I am afraid there will be no walking for me today during sun hours. Maybe after sunset. Yeah, maybe.

1748356668

Tue, 27 May 2025 10:37:50 -0400

The trend for application developers to make each and every single app a subscription based one is a complete show stopper for me. If I want, or need the app, I will buy it. I will, of course, pay for upgrades on every major iOS version too, maybe? Otherwise, I am sure to find ways not to want, nor need it.

1748352737

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:32:19 -0400

It is my last day. I knew all along it was coming; after all, nothing lasts forever. It’s been great, though, I truly enjoyed the ride: coffees with mum each day, lazying around afterwards. What would you do if today was your last vacation day, and work was waving at you, just a few hours ahead? Would you greet it with anxiety, joy, acceptance?

1748308223

Mon, 26 May 2025 21:10:25 -0400

This one was too good to pass up. Found in the Fediverse.

1748307481

Mon, 26 May 2025 20:58:04 -0400

“I believe that I should have been informed of all anticipated expenses upfront. Withholding such a significant portion of the total cost until after the key was already cut when I was at the dealership feels, at best, like extremely poor customer service and, at worst, borderline deceptive. This lack of transparency is unacceptable and has caused me considerable frustration and inconvenience.”

Letter I have written to AutoNation Acura, regarding our recent interaction with their Parts and Service department, which expect to mail tomorrow.

1748306713

Mon, 26 May 2025 20:45:14 -0400

I am quite into fonts, that’s why each time I discover one I like, I download it, and carefully catalogue it in my collection. Opus One, a monospace typeface, is lovely, and a decent contender to Hermit, which I adore.

1748293318

Mon, 26 May 2025 17:01:59 -0400

I didn’t know about this one, but I can assure you it will add some genuine je ne sais quoi to the transition between pages within your website. In use here now, and forever. Try it!

@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: no-preference) {
        @view-transition {
                navigation: auto;
        }
}

➝ Via Ariel Salminen.

1748288866

Mon, 26 May 2025 15:47:47 -0400

I thought that with RCS coming to iPhones, the old SMS/MMS problems between Android and iOS users were to be a thing of the past. Enter “spotty data coverage”. Each time a member of an RCS group goes out of mobile data coverage, the RCS group will break into two, equally named ones. A lovely royal mess.

1748283495

Mon, 26 May 2025 14:18:16 -0400

Small Monday afternoon chat. That last one from her truly warmed my heart to a melting point. ❤️

Try to remember what I need to buy at BJ’s.

I have tried. No dice. 🙁 Madelines?

No.

Maybe it was cupcakes, but you already got them at Sam’s? Lemonade? For sure not. Liquid to scrub the toilet? Nope, but if you go get it please. Condensed milk? Head and Shoulders! Yeah?

I don’t know. But I feel weird going to places without you.

If I were young I would say, “I want to grow old with you, Horsie!”, but I am not: I have already grown old with her!

1748282085

Mon, 26 May 2025 13:54:48 -0400

I often wonder what my first mum would have blurted out on notes like this, if she’d been born in this technological era. I can’t picture my dad enthusiastically participating, but mum definitely would have. My current mum would have too, if she was younger.

1748281391

Mon, 26 May 2025 13:43:13 -0400

This is a few days old, but still wanted to reflect it here. Pocket, which I have used extensively during travels, will be gone, so will Glitch, which I have never used. Oh well, it is what it is.

1748277903

Mon, 26 May 2025 12:45:06 -0400

The insane ability of some people to write so fluidly makes me jelaous. Yet, I understand and I appreciate it. If everybody had the same skill life would be boring, right?

1748276709

Mon, 26 May 2025 12:25:10 -0400

Kaihōgyō, a Tendai Buddhist monk’s practice, is beyond gruelling, and it “would rank among the most demanding physical and mental challenges in the world”. I cannot begin to fathom this, considering that at the end of my—maximum—12,000 daily steps I feel tired enough not to think about the tomorrow. Imagine walking many kilometres daily, without a miss, for hundreds of days!

1748276103

Mon, 26 May 2025 12:15:06 -0400

I don’t use a CPAP machine, yet, but sleep apnea is something I suffer from, so the machine will come my way wether I like it or not. You can imagine the feeling of hope I felt when I came across the headline “Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial”.

“Top-line results from a large clinical trial, released this week, showed a combination of two medications in one pill stimulates muscles that keep the airway open, sharply decreasing breathing disruptions.”

The side effects, though, worry me, as the drug “also increases heart rate and diastolic blood pressure a little bit”. Yes, that emphasis I added is my worry.

1748274104

Mon, 26 May 2025 11:41:46 -0400

I need to stop procrastinating, and migrate to another VPS. The one I am using now has been upgraded in place since Ubuntu 16.04, and it is full of cruft. I long, need, a newer machine. I will have to dedicate contiguous time to that which, I think, it is holding me back. I am keeping Vultr (referral link), though.

1748269101

Mon, 26 May 2025 10:18:23 -0400

Ariel is so talented! I mean, browse to her website and experience her exquisite taste and design skills. I browse around her website, and get the feeling to be experiencing Japanese aestetics: minimal, yet extremely tasteful.

I can’t pretend; I am a fan! I mean, take a look at this, and you will have but a glimpse of what I am talking about.

1748228302

Sun, 25 May 2025 22:58:24 -0400

Calling a night with a couple of notes holding Asian wisdom. The previous from Japanese Matsuo Bashō. This one attributed to Chinese Laozi.

“Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”

1748227919

Sun, 25 May 2025 22:52:03 -0400

“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Seek what they sought.” — Matsuo Bashō.

1748213493

Sun, 25 May 2025 18:51:35 -0400

“If I had to describe my philosophy toward technology, I’d say I aim for the crux of whatever works the best with the least amount. You add things until it starts sucking, take things away until it stops getting better.”

This I like quite a bit. It is a good philosophy to follow, don’t you think?

1748211962

Sun, 25 May 2025 18:26:04 -0400

Takahashi Method exhibition.

I have never had to do a presentation—yes, I am that lucky. Yet, if I ever needed to do one, I would opt for the Takahashi Method.

“Unlike a typical presentation, no pictures and no charts are used. Only a few words are printed on each slide—often only one or two short words, using very large characters. To make up for this, a presenter will use many more slides than in a traditional presentation, each slide being shown for a much shorter duration.”

➝ Via 47nil.

1748209740

Sun, 25 May 2025 17:49:01 -0400

Alice and the Red Queen, “Through the Looking-Glass”.

“Well, in our country,” said Alice, still panting a little, “you’d generally get to somewhere else—if you run very fast for a long time, as we’ve been doing.”

“A slow sort of country!” said the Queen. “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

From one of my favourite books, “Through the Looking-Glass”—together with “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”—which I read over and over as a child.

1748208161

Sun, 25 May 2025 17:22:44 -0400

No, I am not going to disable my ad-blocker for your website. No, I am not going to make an exception by adding your website to an allow list, to let the adverts you are running go through. Yes, I care about independent journalism, but I can’t donate to everyone, nor donate multiple times a month to the same news site.

When forced to chose between allowing ads, or not being allowed to your content, I will simply browse away.

1748204964

Sun, 25 May 2025 16:29:25 -0400

Had pad Thai at Thai House restaurant today. It didn’t come with crushed peanuts in it. Is it only me, or crushed roasted peanuts are a must have for pad Thai? Also, the noodles where way too wet, to the point they were sticking, kind of lumpy. For me, another no no. Am I becoming too picky?!

1748190250

Sun, 25 May 2025 12:24:13 -0400

Watched all “Secret Level” (★★★☆☆) episodes last night. Just like “Love Death + Robots”, I was left wanting to see more. My favourite episodes, S1E2: “Sifu: It takes a Life”, and S1E11: “Exodus: Odyssey”.

1748187082

Sun, 25 May 2025 11:31:24 -0400

George shared something attributed to Anthropic researchers:

“Even if AI progress completely stalls today and we don’t reach AGI… the current systems are already capable of automating ALL white-collar jobs within the next 5 five years.”

To which the AI itself replied:

“While AI is transforming the workplace, it’s not realistic to assume that all white-collar jobs will be automated in five years, even without further AI advancements. The claim is overly simplified and doesn’t fully account for the complexity of human work, the ongoing evolution of AI, and the potential ethical and social implications of such widespread automation.”

Such humble, and kind masters are forthcoming! 😅

1748130247

Sat, 24 May 2025 19:44:09 -0400

These are the replies and interactions of someone who truly loves Golang. I wouldn’t know, I am not a programmer, but about the “simple, minimal syntax—master the core in hours, not months”… hmm, I don’t know mon. 😅

1748123542

Sat, 24 May 2025 17:52:24 -0400

Here I was thinking that RFK Jr. voice was simply the result of alcohol and tobacco abuse—which would be ironic, considering he is the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services¹—but I was wrong. It is related to a rare neurological condition known as spasmodic dysphonia.

Still ironic because, even though he denies being anti-vax, he has repeated multiple times that “autism comes from vaccines”, amongst others. ↩︎

1748122803

Sat, 24 May 2025 17:40:05 -0400

It has always puzzled me how society expects older people to “behave their age”. Why? Why the degrading of our cells, our physical and mental decline, has to change who we are? If we saw people past their age, and let them be them, the world would be a happier place.

1748120819

Sat, 24 May 2025 17:07:01 -0400

A firefly taking flight. I played with these by the hundreds when I was a kid. My child has never seeing one in real life.

➝ Via Marcio Aleksandravicius.

1748116966

Sat, 24 May 2025 16:02:48 -0400

I have been tyring to automate the setting of lastmod on Hugo to no avail. I want to capture in a note the last modified timestamp from git, as these notes reside in git repository, and use it within a note. No dice, so far.

Got it to work! It is not using the git timestamp, because it doesn’t really acccurately provide the modification time, but the commit time (two different things). Instead, I am setting the timestamp when the note is opened for edit.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Nah, I ended up scrapping the above, too much work, and for what? I am using the commit timestamp, and that’s that.

1748116522

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:55:25 -0400

Such an incredibly hot day! We just came back from errands, and I really don’t feel like leaving the house again today, regardless of reason.

1748047749

Fri, 23 May 2025 20:49:10 -0400

There is no way in hell—figuratively speaking, of course—that I would find myself installing Microsoft Edge on my Mac. I’ll die with Safari. I am a vanillist—that is, I prefer and use the OS default apps.

Similarly, if you ever see me using Google Chrome—or any other browser, but Safari—on my Mac, kindly ask me to give you $1,000 (USD). You have my word.

1748046920

Fri, 23 May 2025 20:35:20 -0400

“You are imperfect, I am imperfect, and that’s perfect.” — Unknown. Enter Kintsugi, and how it can help with stressful situations..

“Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold—built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique and instead of repairing an item like new, the 400-year-old technique actually highlights the “scars” as a part of the design.”

1748042209

Fri, 23 May 2025 19:16:49 -0400

Spider Rose and “Little Nose for Profits”.

Finished watching volume 4 of “Love Death + Robots” (★★★☆☆) , and the day is still young. I would call this a good start of a weekend.

It only gets three and a half stars from me because not all episodes are good. Yet, it was entertaining, as previous seasons have been, nonetheless. My favourite episode was V4E7, “The Screaming of the Tyrannosaur”.

1748024638

Fri, 23 May 2025 14:23:58 -0400

No long ago I noted purchasing a fob key for wife’s car. Today she goes to pick it up, and the dealership (AutoNation Acura in Sanford) wants $265 to “program” it. Nobody told us about that extra cost when we ordered it! Not even the slight mention of it!

Imagine going to the hospital to have a pacemaker implanted, and receiving it in nicely wrapped box to take home. WTH?! What good is car key that doesn’t do anything?

Anyway, I found someone we trust that will program it for $100. I think I am going to be sending my complain, and feedback, via certified mail (with a copy via email).

1748017970

Fri, 23 May 2025 12:32:50 -0400

The Ring doorbell application for iOS—I have no reason to doubt this applies to Android too but I can’t attest it, as I don’t have an Android device—is horrible. The so called “Ring - Always Home” unintuitive interface, unreliability, and their push to be “social”, makes it an experience from hell.

I spent close to an hour configuring and fine-tuning Mum’s and Dad’s phones so that they are not constantly awakened during the night or bothered during the day with notifications and dings. In the process, I had to delete and reinstall the app, wrestle with their insistence on having MFA, and a bunch of other rubbish. Ugh!

1748015638

Fri, 23 May 2025 11:53:58 -0400

The air we breathe is composed, amongst many other things of course, “of the previous breaths of everyone who ever lived”.

“How many molecules from Caesar’s last breath do we inhale with each breath we take? Shockingly, the answer is about one molecule—we actually do share breaths with Caesar! And, by extension, every breath we take is composed of the previous breaths of everyone who ever lived—Socrates, Lincoln, Einstein, etc. Isn’t that crazy?”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1748003162

Fri, 23 May 2025 08:26:02 -0400

I need to start my own “blogroll” page, so that I can write down the blogs I come across and like, to later re-visit. That’s something which search engines can’t help me, and it bothers me to no end trying finding that blog once again, and fail.

1747941878

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:24:38 -0400

Sung Kin-woo, and his shadow soldiers Igris, and Iron.

Tonight we will finish watching “Solo Leveling” (unless the kid, who has a cold, goes to bed early). I’ve got to tell you, between “Attack on Titan” (★★★★☆) and “Solo Leveling”, I prefer the second 50 times.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

This has been completed. It was a truly good manga series! Thus now the wait has commenced for the arrival of the next season. Can’t come soon enough!

1747935389

Thu, 22 May 2025 13:36:29 -0400

This Obsidian’s upcoming core plugin will be a game changer. Right now you can do similarly with Dataview, but Bases seems simpler, while remaining powerful, and future proof. I might even become a Catalyst member!

“Bases is a core plugin that lets you turn any set of notes into a powerful database. With bases you can organize everything from projects to travel plans, reading lists, and more.”

1747933802

Thu, 22 May 2025 13:10:02 -0400

“I went to a show in November of last year (it’s May right now) and ever since, I have tinnitus. I don’t recommend it.”

I do, too. And I, too, do not recommend it. I don’t know what it feels to be in silence. I have gotten used to my “new” silence, and learned how to enjoy it, but it is nothing like the silence I experienced before tinnitus started.

1747928355

Thu, 22 May 2025 11:39:15 -0400

I can’t help but fearing these kind of acquisitions. My concern is that it will translate to price increases, with the price tag they are paying for it.

“AT&T has clinched a deal to acquire Lumen Technologies’ consumer fiber operations for $5.75 billion in cash, the companies said on Wednesday, as the wireless provider adds further scale to its national fiber footprint.”

1747920206

Thu, 22 May 2025 09:23:26 -0400

Some poor soul fighting Belial, “Lord of Lies”, on Diablo’s IV season 8.

I played a little bit of Diablo IV yesterday. This season 8 is rather unfun, mostly for a few reasons: bosses one-hit kill attacks, only one boss having a 3% mythic gear drop, and the summoning materials for it “discovered” randomly, and runes extremely low drop rate. Runes are used to create targetted mythic gear.

1747912321

Thu, 22 May 2025 07:12:04 -0400

Chetan—whose blog I have read since, well, its very beginning—provides an elegant solution on his Text enclosures post that I wish it was built-in everywhere. VS Code, Obsidian, and Logseq, to mention a few, has it. It is so useful! What is it? Select, and add single, double quotes, brackets, parenthesis, asterisks, etc. to both sides of the selection.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

The post I referred about on this note has since been removed. I will need to start using the Wayback Machine to save, and refer to posts from Chetan, as they seem ephemeral quite often. 😅

1747859294

Wed, 21 May 2025 16:28:15 -0400

OpenAI is buying Jony Ive’s AI device startup (I have no idea what Ive’s company does, haven’t been able to find its website, but search engines agree on it being a “hardware” company), and Apple’s stock goes down a bit. What is wrong with you people? Really?!

1747852509

Wed, 21 May 2025 14:35:10 -0400

You will notice that this note’s font is different. Not only is a little bit bigger, it is Ubuntu Sans (not Open Sans, like that rest). Which is more legible? Well, let’s see.

“The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.” Hmm, I need more. I, in capitals, and i. L, in capitals, and l. 1, and l. O and 0. I am growing to like it.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Well, I liked it so much that I have changed to it, for now. I think that getting tired of fonts, colour themes, cars, etc., is just part of being human. I really like Open Sans, I just feel like using Ubuntu Sans for a while. I think seeing it each day while working (running Ubuntu Linux on work machine, and that’s the default font) has something to do with it.

This font has been long removed. Using OpenSans now, forevah!

1747836799

Wed, 21 May 2025 10:13:19 -0400

I just paid $283.71 for a key fob for wife’s 16 years old car. This is a need; it is either paying for it, or having a 2 tons vehicle sitting on the driveway. Of course that’s not an option, she also needs it for work. Because, unlike on other cities, public transportation here doesn’t truly exists.

1747830256

Wed, 21 May 2025 08:24:16 -0400

Anna Sawai as Mariko-San, in the Shogun series.

I am, suddenly, feeling the desire to watch the “Shogun” series once more.

“Leave the problems of God to God and karma to karma. Today you’re here and nothing you can do will change that. Today you’re alive and here and honored, and blessed with good fortune. Look at this sunset, it’s beautiful, neh? This sunset exists. Tomorrow does not exist. There is only now. Please look. It is so beautiful and it will never happen ever again, never, not this sunset, never in all infinity. Lose yourself in it, make yourself one with nature and do not worry about karma, yours, mine, or that of the village.”

1747796187

Tue, 20 May 2025 22:56:27 -0400

Nothing announced today at Google I/O dazzles me. I was watching the live stream, and when they demoed the glasses with Gemini, and I saw the stutter, I had to quit, because I felt ashamed. The Verge has “the 15 biggest announcements” at Google I/O 2025, if you dare to be bored.

I think they should instead focus on fixing the mess that’s their Play Store (Google Play?), and the many crappy, missleading, full of malware, applications within it.

HarmonyOS with its microkernel architecture, on the other hand, looks pretty interesting.

1747795773

Tue, 20 May 2025 22:49:33 -0400

“Solo Leveling” has taken us by storm. We are now on season 2, episode 17, and tonight we stopped because kid has to do homework, and study a bit. I, of course, work tomorrow. I’ve got to tell you, though, I am going to miss these anime series…

Now more than ever I want to play a necromancer class that’s truly minion centric, and powerful. A gamer can dream.

1747773650

Tue, 20 May 2025 16:40:50 -0400

Looks like our honeymoon phase with AT&T is reaching an end. Within the last two weeks I had had to power cycle the gateway (model BGW320-500) three times. Twice, just today. In the six years we have been with AT&T, this is the first time I have been forced to power cycle the equipment. Certainly something’s up.

1747758907

Tue, 20 May 2025 12:35:07 -0400

With—and I will use the locally used Fahrenheit scale—96°F, with “feels like” 109°F, and a Sun so strong it can crack stones (theoretically), you will agree that walking outside an air conditioned building is almost suicide. I just clocked 2.24 miles during my 30 minutes lunch. Outside. Yes.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I am, mentally and physically, finding it very hard to keep this promise. I am here, about to return to work, having doubts on whether or not I will go outside again this afternoon. “Listen to your body”, Martin told me. Ugh, my body speaks so convincinly!

I don’t mean to babble about steps and walking each day. I think I already do enough of that with lawn mowing, and complains about politics, and the weather. But because today this note was mostly about walking under terrible weather, I thought I should come back to simply state: 11,631 steps, 6.03 miles, as of now. Suffice it to say, I am calling it quits… for the day.

1747753668

Tue, 20 May 2025 11:07:48 -0400

If someone asks “what’s the meaning of life?”, they will find cliché answers, well reasoned ones answers, etc. But nothing explains it better than what this guy did.

“I discovered that no one had ever gone to every country in the world completely without flying [in one unbroken trip].”

Now, if doing what you want, and makes you happy (without harming others) isn’t what life it all about, I don’t know what is.

1747739055

Tue, 20 May 2025 07:04:15 -0400

Grand Master Carlsen, the world’s top ranked chess player, was forced into a draw by “the world”.

“Overall, ’the world’ has played very, very sound chess from the start. Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess — which isn’t always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time…”

Imagine that! One against 143,000, and it ends in a draw. I would take that as a win!

1747671225

Mon, 19 May 2025 12:13:46 -0400

I look forward to coming to office—I can’t believe I am writing this!—to have a “lunch walk” with Errol. It is not just the walk; that I can do on my own, and I do. It is the wide range of topics we touch while walking. I am going to miss that.

1747618859

Sun, 18 May 2025 21:41:00 -0400

And just like that our treasured weekend is gone. Other than some grocery shopping, and visiting mum for an early birthday phở, we didn’t do much. Well, there was Eurovision, and a few “Solo Levelling” episodes, yes. But other than that, not much else.

I have done badly to a promise I made to myself to walk 10,000 steps daily, no matter what. I could point out that the heat is extreme around here, but I can’t use that as an excuse. “None may atone for my actions but me, and only in me shall their stain live on”, so, “all I can be is sorry, and that is all that I am.”

1747535139

Sat, 17 May 2025 22:25:40 -0400

Having not watched it for a few years, I had forgotten how awesome Eurovision is. So refreshing, so many talented people! If you can, and haven’t, I strongly recommend you watch it. This year’s is on Peacock, at least in the US.

1747426213

Fri, 16 May 2025 16:10:13 -0400

Statistics on “Notes…” since I started them, including this one:

002 2022
400 2023
153 2024
052 2025

That 2023 sure was a prolific year, wasn’t it?

1747423870

Fri, 16 May 2025 15:31:10 -0400

I just declared I didn’t have this problem anymore, and yet, I go and do it once more. Just minutes ago. What’s wrong with me?!

1747422302

Fri, 16 May 2025 15:05:02 -0400

A small conversation between Horsie and me which, as you can see, quickly developed into something unexpected, and undesired (by me!).

I am tired.

Aw, dear, you should rest!

But I am afraid I will not be able to rest…

You can do it, try!

Look who is preaching, the person who can’t do anything he puts his minds on!

It’s mind, not minds. I was just trying to be nice dear…

I like to use minds, it is correct, look it up.

Ah, the memories… 😅

1747419149

Fri, 16 May 2025 14:12:29 -0400

“In the States, looking different and/or having an accent will get you asked “Where are you from?” It doesn’t fail, it happens all the time.”

“What business is it of yours where I’m from, friendo?”

1747416101

Fri, 16 May 2025 13:21:41 -0400

Had luch at the Korean House restaurant with George. The food was really good, and I had a good time catching up with him. The waitress was very nice, and now I feel bad for having left that 15% tip. She sure deserved a 20%. Wife and I go there often, so I shall look for her in the future, and pay back what I believe I owe.

1747401068

Fri, 16 May 2025 09:11:08 -0400

Thanks to the diligence of a former manager, I receive the same emails twice each day, every day. He subscribed me to technical bulletins—and some alerts—with my formal email, and an alias. It is easier to delete than trying to figure out which is using the alias, and trying to unsubscribe.

1747394161

Fri, 16 May 2025 07:16:01 -0400

I can’t stand WordPress. Its clunkiness. The horrible mess that hides behind the “Show page source”. Dare I say, PHP? The way the guy who is at its helm has behaved. That’s it; that’s my thought.

1747356379

Thu, 15 May 2025 20:46:19 -0400

Our neighbour Vijai called me tonight. He said he needed my help, and explained what it was, but I couldn’t understand him well. I don’t refuse helping someone, specially a neighbour, so it didn’t matter, I went over to see what he needed.

His wife and son are out of the country, and Vijay is a heavy old man, with arthritis on his hands. His air conditioning drainage line was overflowed, thus not working, and he needed help pumping it out. No air conditioning in this state almost means certain death, poor guy! I have drained our AC a few times before, so it was easy for me to help him. He was very apologetic, but I told him not to worry. “If you need me, Vijai, just call. No biggies.”

1747324111

Thu, 15 May 2025 11:48:31 -0400

Each day I become increasingly convinced that a website’s overall design matters less than the right choice of typography (fonts) and the quality of its content; these two elements are intrinsically linked.

1747312234

Thu, 15 May 2025 08:30:34 -0400

Following a strong recommendation from George, I started to watch “Solo Leveling” (★★★★★) last night with the kid. We finished the first four episodes. It is quite entertaining, and relatable—we have played plenty of RPGs in the past.

1747242174

Wed, 14 May 2025 13:02:54 -0400

The trade off of walking inside my neighbourhood is that it’s small, constrained, and gets boring walking the circle over and over. I feel like a Guinea pig on a wheel—though they often look as if they are having a blast; not me. The good thing is that I know the sidewalks now like the back of my hand, and I can walk while reading Hacker News, or Reddit, etc. on the phone. That entertaints me so much, that next I know I have all my daily steps completed.

Tally today so far, 6,100 steps. I will be done early this afternoon, and will then mow the lawn. That’s the plan, unless rain decides otherwise.

1747236212

Wed, 14 May 2025 11:23:32 -0400

Robot chefs, LOL. They are as much chefs as our pressure cooker, microwave, or oven. I am sure they will get better.

“When a customer orders a bowl of dumpling ramen at a kiosk, a robot activates. A steel nozzle swirls boiling water and spicy broth paste into a pot. Dried noodles drop from a dispenser. Cradling heat and spice, the pot glides onto a burner. An overhead chute sprinkles dried vegetable flakes. The ramen simmers.”

1747231711

Wed, 14 May 2025 10:08:31 -0400

I am finding out that I repeat myself quite a bit. Is that good, or bad?

1747230760

Wed, 14 May 2025 09:52:40 -0400

If you use Phanpy as your Fediverse client, I am sure you will agree with me that Catch-up is one of its best features. I love everything about that client, though.

1747226372

Wed, 14 May 2025 08:39:32 -0400

Now that that’s done, I can resume watching this. So much to do, so little time! 😅

1747224483

Wed, 14 May 2025 08:08:03 -0400

Finished watching “Severance” last night. Had to renew for another month to watch the last episode, but $10 for all the available episodes was worth it. Can’t wait for season 3, for sure!

“Forgive me for the harm I have caused this world. None may atone for my actions but me and only in me shall their stain live on. I am thankful to have been caught, my fall cut short by those with wizened hands. All I can be is sorry, and that is all I am.”

1747190533

Tue, 13 May 2025 22:42:13 -0400

I want Apple to do something like this on the iPhone. That is, connect the iPhone to a display, and make it emulate a desktop UI. I don’t think it will happen, though, as it would dent their other computers sales.

1747190155

Tue, 13 May 2025 22:35:55 -0400

When I go to the loo at work, I can tell the gender of the person who “visit” it before me without even seeing them. Such lack of consideration.

1747156760

Tue, 13 May 2025 13:19:20 -0400

I don’t have a “buying domains on impulse” problem anymore. That issue is resolved, behind me now, and for that I am glad. Yet, a (new?) problem remains: which domain, of the few I have, to let go?

1747153513

Tue, 13 May 2025 12:25:13 -0400

When I walk with my co-worker I do it at a slower pace. Usually when the walk is over, we have around 4,000 steps in our pedometres. He is out this week, so it was me along. I walked longer, and faster, and, still, my tally is 3,400. What’s going on here?

1747133492

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:51:32 -0400

Really tired of being included in class action lawsuits I don’t want to be part of, and having being forced to go through hoops I don’t want to, to exclude myself from them.

1747133017

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:43:37 -0400

Came across Alephic’s Writing page on Hacker News. I almost agree with everything, but this:

“A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences—just as a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

Yes to the sentence, and paragraph and, perhaps, machine. But a drawing? There are no unnecessary lines in a drawing. Slightly off tangent, first time I heard of Alephic. There is a first time for everything, though.

1747050770

Mon, 12 May 2025 07:52:50 -0400

George’s blog Terms of Service always makes me smile. The latest revision has a subtle, but ever-present, touch of AI to it.

1747046624

Mon, 12 May 2025 06:43:44 -0400

It rains so gently this morning, that I could almost distinguish music within the sound of it hitting my car roof while driving to work. I had to turn off the radio to enjoy it. It felt so nice, I even stayed at extra 10 minutes inside the car at the parking lot, hearing it a bit longer. I need more days that start like this.

1747017934

Sun, 11 May 2025 22:45:34 -0400

The “thinking”, “reasoning” AI models make me anxious, and test my patience to the highest degree. Every “thinking” model should come with something similar to Qwen’s 3 /no_think prompt toggle.

1747003980

Sun, 11 May 2025 18:53:00 -0400

This isn’t a complain. It has been overcast the entire day. Not a drop of rain, but just close enough to tease. This week I will have to mow the lawn. Yes, it is that time of the year again.

I can’t believe it is almost 19:00, in our marvelous Sunday. Accomplished just about everything I wanted to this weekend, but buying my vitamins. Maybe this week. Off I go!

1746976662

Sun, 11 May 2025 11:17:42 -0400

Mum’s Day today. Kim gets to do whatever she wants today. Pretty much as she does each day. Yay! LOL.

1746927135

Sat, 10 May 2025 21:32:15 -0400

Watching “Severance” (★★★★★) for the first time with the kid. We are using a week’s free AppleTV+ subscription from Amazon Prime, so it truly is an against-the-time binge. The series are awesome, and I wonder how come I didn’t see it before. All works out, though, as I enjoy watching series with the boy.

1746926861

Sat, 10 May 2025 21:27:41 -0400

Today was a busy day. Busy days are productive, to certain degree. That’s good. They also go by relatively quick, at least in our minds. That’s bad. So, today was a busy, good/bad day.

1746718666

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:37:46 -0400

Lunch hour is quickly approaching, which translates to my first walk of the day. With a Sun that can crack rocks, the feels like 30°C, and the humidity at 69%, it is going to be anything but fun. Yet, must clock the first 5,000 steps, or walking the 10,000 after work will feel like they did yesterday: an absolute torture.

1746449565

Mon, 05 May 2025 08:52:45 -0400

Saw “Past Lives” (★★★★☆) this weekend, which got me with a knot in the throat a few times. Just what I needed after a relatively full-of-game-playing weekend.

“There is a word in Korean: In-Yun. It means “providence” or “fate”. But it’s specifically about relationships between people. I think it comes from Buddhism and reincarnation. It’s an In-Yun if two strangers even walk by each other in the street and their clothes accidentally brush. Because it means there must have been something between them in their past lives. If two people get married, they say it’s because there have been 8,000 layers of In-Yun over 8,000 lifetimes.”

1746203671

Fri, 02 May 2025 12:34:31 -0400

Found the FIDO News article, which is missing on the Microsoft blog I mentioned on the previous note. Now, “15 billion online accounts” is more likely!

1746189762

Fri, 02 May 2025 08:42:43 -0400

“According to the FIDO Alliance, more than 15 billion user accounts can now sign in using passkeys instead of passwords. But we need billions more to make every sign-in passwordless.”

Does that makes any sense at all? I mean, 15 billion accounts, sure. But 15 billion user accounts, not a chance. They quote the FIDO alliance, but provide no link their alleged statement.

1746122240

Thu, 01 May 2025 13:57:20 -0400

“IKIGAI - The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life”, reads the cover of this book. Can it be called a secret, when it’s written in a book? I figure it’s a secret, if you don’t buy the book. Lucky for me, Martin gifted me this one.

Here I go, to live a “long and happy life!” Well, at least to read about it. One must start somewhere, right?

1746112736

Thu, 01 May 2025 11:18:56 -0400

I wrote elsewhere about mum’s chicken, and her adventures: how she came to be a guest in mum’s house, how she left one day, and how she came back to roost. Now it’s the time to write, with sadness—yes, mum and I were quite fond of that chicken—that the chicken has died. She was a good chicken, and kept mum entertained, and active. She will be missed.

1746111323

Thu, 01 May 2025 10:55:23 -0400

On this month alone I have 20 birthdays in my calendar, including 2 of people I care about who have already died. I have written about it before; as long as someone remembers them, they are not fully gone. So, yeah, 20 birthdays. I think this is one of the busiest months when it comes to that.

1746105753

Thu, 01 May 2025 09:22:33 -0400

One can find quite a few interesting websites listed at this Blogroll, this Blogroll, and this Blogroll. I am still missing one, but can’t find it. Just a note to have the URLs handy, as I have “lost” them more than once.

1745930542

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:42:23 -0400

Encouraged by George I have started to watch “Star Trek: The Original Series” (will rate later), which were released before I was born. Yep, I am watching them for the first time, that many years after. 😅

1745581914

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 07:51:54 -0400

I truly love the series “Star Trek: Voyager” (★★★★★), which I just finished watching—for the fourth time—with the boy last night, but I had forgotten how extremely bad is its finale. Extremely anti-climatic.

1745495305

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 07:48:25 -0400

Watched “The Conclave” (★★★★★) last night, as I hadn’t watched it, and I though it was the suitable thing to do, considering current events. I liked it very much.

1745436717

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:31:57 -0400

“Have I gone mad? I’m afraid so. You’re entirely Bonkers. But I will tell you a secret, all the best people are.”

I just don’t want to be. Mad, that is. Now I understand the reason for flagelation; mine is walking. Off to it!

1745361316

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:35:16 -0400

Finished bingeing “Crash Landing on you” (★★★★★) for the third time last week. This week will be a break away from the tely week, then next week I am planning on revisiting “The Borgias” (★★★★★).

1744817450

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:30:51 -0400

Using Google Maps for casual journaling is a neat idea, and I have to say, I wouldn’t know where to start. Maybe it is time to reach out to Claud, exchange hellos, catch up a bit, and ask her!

1743630935

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:55:35 -0400

“Don’t put it in your pocket, sir. Don’t put it in your pocket. It’s your lucky quarter. Where do you want me to put it? Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it’ll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is.”

1743343374

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:02:55 -0400

I came across this sentence—and quote—today on the Fediverse, and the more I think about it, the more I realise how much truth it carries.

“All cruelty springs from weakness.” — Seneca

1742737967

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 09:52:47 -0400

From Claudine’s last entry (as I type this):

“Today in thoughts triggered by doing laundry: I have enough. I have what it takes to live an operable life that I actually enjoy.”

Such a wonderful, liberating though: “I have enough”. Wow, that ought to make my Sunday better. No, really. Because that’s the thing: I, too, have more than enough. And it’s not just socks!

1741792596

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:16:36 -0400

It has been quite a while since I came by. Right now sick. A cold, or a flu (feels like the second). Didn’t get either for the last 4 years or so. Hurrah for not using masks anymore.

1734025560

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:46:00 -0500

Holidays are fastly approaching, and I have been experiencing that mixed happy/melancholic feeling that comes with them. There are always ups and downs, but when extra—as in, non-expected—downs come around this season, my melancholy increases.

I wish all that come around the very best for that next round we call 2025. For those I know, please know I care about you, and keep you in my thoughts daily.

1730221216

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:00:17 -0400

Apple has announced their latest Mac mini, and it’s everything I wanted to see. The task ahead is to convince partner that we need one (note that’s a need, not a want), which we do (well, we need a computer, not an Apple computer per se, but I wouldn’t have it any other way). Yet, I need to do the convincing without adding any stress. Let’s see how I can engineer to do so. Certainly with extreme finesse.

1729853763

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 06:56:03 -0400

Yesterday was Claudine birthday and, even though I reached out to congratulate her, I didn’t make a note here as I have done on previous years. But never too late!

Happy birthday, Claud! 🎂🥳🎁 May you celebrate many more in good health, and happiness, surrounded by your loved ones! I also wish you a quick recovery from what ails you now. ❤️🌹

1729788341

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:45:41 -0400

There is so much misery in the world, so much pain, so much suffering, so much need. How can we ignore if not all of it, most of it?

1728909306

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 08:35:06 -0400

We were lucky, and Milton didn’t affect us much. Yes, boarding and off-boarding windows ain’t fun. Yes, cleaning up little debris ain’t fun either. But we didn’t lose power, nor Internet, and nothing was broken. No complains, absolutely!

1728321454

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:17:34 -0400

Helene is now behind (she hasn’t been long gone, but behind us, nevertheless). Enter Milton. Ay Dios! 😅

1727970831

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:53:51 -0400

Regarding this, I am also considering a format change. Leaning more towards a “bullet blog”. What is a bullet blog?

Well, something like this, where one writes the things one wants to write using a bulleted list (maybe specially styled for the purpose?).
More than one thing can be writen, either at once (when post is made), or added (by editing it) throughout the day.
- Sometimes bullets can be children to parents, depending on their relationship. This isn’t needed, but it is there if suits purpose.
Some entries might not have bullet entries at all. It is totally optional.

1727970156

Thu, 03 Oct 2024 11:42:36 -0400

Feeling the desire to change these notes website altogether. I am not sure to which direction. Comes to prove that we, humans, never settle. Let’s see.

1727783969

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 07:59:29 -0400

It took me till now to install it, but worth it: bat is better than cat (and, arguably, less) in, for what I can see, almost every single way. The only thing that makes the last two “better” is that they are normally installed per default.

1727638517

Sun, 29 Sep 2024 15:35:18 -0400

Should I be sad because the weekend is coming to an end, or happy for having enjoyed it? Some will say “why not both?”, but not me. Thus I choose to pick the second.

1727456979

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 13:09:39 -0400

“It’s always like this, says Yumiko Ukon, who has run this modest rice ball shop and restaurant in the Otsuka neighbourhood of Tokyo for almost half a century. “But we never run out of rice,” she adds, seated in her office near a wall clock in the shape of a rice ball with a bite taken out.”

Onigiri is awesome. Rice is everything. Rice is life.

1727354140

Thu, 26 Sep 2024 08:35:41 -0400

I miss RadioShack, Circuit City, Computer City, CompUSA, Fry’s… all those “old” computer/electronics stores, and what they used to be. No store these days compare. None. Oof, I am getting old.

1727301831

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 18:03:51 -0400

I will leave this here with a LOL. And nothing else.

1727299894

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:31:34 -0400

Hurricane Helene is coming and, as her path will come nearby, she is granting us a day off tomorrow. Thank you Ma’am!

1727192466

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 11:41:06 -0400

Not having fun. Actually, having the total opposite, whatever that might be. It all started yesterday, because I am lucky enough to do things that bring plenty of the opposity of fun.

1727124246

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:44:06 -0400

I have decided to use Apple’s Journal app more. Towards that aim I have placed it on my mobile device home screen. That will not interfere with any of my public interactions, as Journal will simply be that, a personal journal, and thus not for public comsumption.

My aim is to document the mundane, “what did I eat last night?” kind of thing, to recollect, and preserve, daily happenings and thoughts at day’s end.

1726858245

Fri, 20 Sep 2024 14:50:45 -0400

And… the first two are here! Took a little over 1 hour to transfer data to mine. Kid’s will have to wait until after pickleball. The 16 Pro’s soooo buttery smooth. Oh my!

1726785835

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:43:56 -0400

Tomorrow is the day. Cases are already here, all that’s missing is the VIP. 🤣 Oh, and I will have to buy new cables too (USB-C), but that will be easy, and paintless (Amazon for the win!).

1726679337

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:08:57 -0400

Today, for no reason at all, memories of the many times the kid and I saw “Monsters, Inc.” (★★★★★) when he was growing up came to mind. It was one of our favourite movies, one on which we bonded together. Good times!

1726619161

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:26:01 -0400

This might be quite unpopular, but I truly dislike Wordle. The reason isn’t rooted on any psychological issue, it is much, much more simple: people share their Wordle result(s)—I figure they feel good about themselves—and for me it is only uneven, unaligned, wasteful noise. I don’t even want to show you an example, but I am sure you know what I am talking about.

1726618012

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 20:06:53 -0400

Don’t get me wrong, the Atkinson Hyperlegible font is a great font. Like, truly, truly good. I know, I know, there comes the “but”. But I have seeing it on Hacker News many times. Like 9 tailed foxes times.

1726499224

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:07:04 -0400

Based on this Hacker News submission, see below for how long you have been iddle. You move your mouse, it stops the counter. Don’t. Even. Breathe! (kidding, kidding, breathe, damn it! 😅)

You have been idle for 000 seconds.

1726435082

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 17:18:02 -0400

My little experiment with hardcore gaming—as in, if you die you lose the toon, and everything it was in it—has come to an end. In the last three days I created 10 toons, taking the highest one to level 70 (out of 100 maximum possible). Each one of them died at certain stage. I’ve had enough now. 😅

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

As Kim just told me, “it is time for you [me] to get a new hobby”. LOL. I don’t think I need to, I just need a break.

1726255146

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:19:06 -0400

This last minute meeting popping up on my calendar was an unexpected “gift”, especially when I was ready to call it quits early after having had a 30 minutes lunch. Oh well.

1726251273

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 14:14:33 -0400

For the first time in 10 years I am paying someone to mow the front lawn, and trim the bushes. All that hard work for $100. I don’t mind doing it, but I need a new mower, trimmer, and blower ($1000+), so, yeah.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I feel bad for this guy, he is still working on the lawn, and rain is coming. He is doing a good job, though.

1726234171

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:29:31 -0400

This is good news. I can’t help thinking of my father, as he could have benefitted from a device like this.

“Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid software device, Hearing Aid Feature, intended to be used with compatible versions of the Apple AirPods Pro headphones. Once installed and customized to the user’s hearing needs, the Hearing Aid Feature enables compatible versions of the AirPods Pro to serve as an OTC hearing aid, intended to amplify sounds for individuals 18 years or older with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment.”

1726232849

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 09:07:29 -0400

Well, “that” deed is done! 🥳 Now the wait starts. Some will deliver on 20th September, other will not arrive until October! 😩😂

1726230691

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 08:31:31 -0400

Oh, I just realised is is Friday 13th! Just one (the first), of the two this year will have. Will, let’s seize it, right? Break a leg! 😅

1726230354

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 08:25:54 -0400

Partner managed to break, for the second time, her SUV passenger’s side mirror. Granted, the mirror itself wasn’t shattered. Will it count for that “breaking a mirror brings back luck” superstition?

1726152135

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:42:16 -0400

AT&T and Microsoft (because I have no way to know for certain whose fault was) regaled us today with a couple of hours of downtime. The perfect way to start the penultimate working day of the week, right?

1726086055

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:20:55 -0400

This is also ridiculous. On the Change Healthcare breach they, like all others, are offering free credit monitoring:

“A dedicated call center is available to offer free credit monitoring and identity theft protections for two years to anyone who believes they may have been impacted.”

Two years, are they kidding us? At the very minimum it should be 10 years, if not lifetime. And with IDX, better known by no one. An utter rubbish company.

1726084824

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:00:24 -0400

Every single person in the United States—with the exception of those that were born, say, a month ago (and it’s only a matter of time)—has had their PII data leaked. Between the many breaches, everyone, and I mean everyone is exposed, and should have their credit frozen. Those Change Healthcare letters we are getting are part of this. But before those, there was AT&T, T-Mobile, the many banks, the many others. An almost endless list. Did I say you are exposed? Because you are!

1726077982

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 14:06:22 -0400

“Face with bags under eyes” is the Emoji I didn’t know I needed, and can’t wait to abuse the bejesus out of it once arrives. Though not Emoji, Apple is going to take this to the next level on iOS 18. I am all for rich, international, ways to communicate!

1725631168

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:59:28 -0400

Every once in a while one needs to read something to makes one feel well. Or something reaffirming what we already believe, and do.

“Listen. You don’t live there. You live here. With your people. Go to work. Get your money. And come on home.”

How often we forget those simple, yet unquestionable, words. Right? What the author of the article understood:

Whatever the work is, do it well—not for the boss but for yourself.

You make the job; it doesn’t make you.

Your real life is with us, your family.

You are not the work you do; you are the person you are.

I agree.

1724942712

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 10:45:12 -0400

Similar to one of my previous notes, this one aims to call attention to a worthy cause.

St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Their researchers and doctors work together to turn laboratory breakthroughs into lifesaving treatments for children from across the United States and around the world. And with your support, St. Jude can provide cutting-edge treatments at no cost to families — so they can focus on helping their child live.

Please consider donating the potential gift of life to a little one.

1724785070

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 14:57:50 -0400

I am starting to second guess “Notes”, just as I did a few days back with other things. The deletion of the PDS I was running was serendipitous, though welcome. What to do, what to do?

1724162055

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 09:54:15 -0400

As my PDS stopped working for no particular reason, and no feedback has been given to my issue on their git repository, I have disabled it. That means I just “Poof!” myself out of Atproto.

1724026601

Sun, 18 Aug 2024 20:16:41 -0400

All of the sudden, and without any apparent reason, my BlueSky PDS stopped working. Maybe it’s my VPS telling me to get rid of it.

1722954618

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 10:30:18 -0400

I remember, with sadness and constricted heart, the atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima (today, 79 years ago), and Nagasaki.

1722871977

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 11:32:57 -0400

I am facing a small dilemma. I don’t feel I have the energy, nor the content, to share my attention across different places. I have a “blog”, to which I write once, or twice a year. I have these notes, which I used to use more often. I also have an ActivityPub server (aka Mastodon, or Fediverse), and a BlueSky PDS (Personal Data Server).

I really need to downsize. What to “cut off” first?

1722425570

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:32:50 -0400

I get the automated message from Kim. The same I get each week day morning: “Good morning ❤️! ☕ please 🙏🏻” I know it’s 07:30. Next I know, and I kid you not, I get the second reminder tone about the same message. Two minutes have passed by. What’s going on?! I felt I just blinked, and two minutes passed. Something’s broken.

1721172254

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 19:24:14 -0400

So that I can remember to create a Gist with this later. Useful if you run GoToSocial, have moved to it from another service, and want to keep your initial Fediverse or ActivityPub “joined date”.

# Find the user ID.
select id, created_at from accounts where username = 'username_here'

# Use newly found user ID to update the "created_at" field.
update accounts set created_at = '2016-10-04 21:27:33+00:00' where id = 'user_id_here';

1720802190

Fri, 12 Jul 2024 12:36:30 -0400

“Time is an illusion, a construct made out of human memory. There’s no such thing as the past, the present, or the future. It’s all happening now.”

1720634894

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:08:14 -0400

I have so many places to drop my thoughts, and carry out interactions, that I am having a hard time deciding which to pick. Such difference from my notebook, and pencil, diary of old!

1720022495

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:01:35 -0400

I adore green olives, stuffed with pimento, and manzanilla. I love the smell of the rain, the sound doves, and cats make, and the occasional solitude. Holidays upcoming!

1719407021

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 09:03:41 -0400

I have been more active on the Fediverse lately, mostly as a consumer, but occasionally replying to posts. If you are on the Fediverse (also known as Mastodon), feel free to reach out (@david@weaknotes.com)!

1719403099

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:58:19 -0400

From the original (and well-received) “Blade Runner” (★★★★★) film, the now famous Roy Batty’s (leader of the replicants) monologue:

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe… Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion… I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain… Time to die.”

1718894511

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 10:41:51 -0400

First time replying to a MastoPrompt (a request for everyone, anyone, to offer a small poem about a certain word). The word was “alone”. My entry:

Assuming forgotten I felt despair,
sat there, alone, among empty chairs.
My child showed up, his smile all wide,
His ask “Talk to me, papa!” broke the divide.
Alone no more.

1718734249

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:10:49 -0400

I don’t have a desktop computer. My “main” computer runs iOS, and it’s carried in my pocket. I miss macOS; I want to experience Sequoia. I want a Mac so badly!

1718294137

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 11:55:37 -0400

I have never brought Phanpy (a delightfully opinionated, minimalistic, Mastodon client) to Notes before, so here it goes its first appearance. It is lovely. The way it does threading is really good, and the “Catch-up” feature is marvelous.

If you use Mastodon, or a Mastodon API compatible server, give Phanpy a try. I promise you will not be disappointed.

1718283967

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:06:07 -0400

Random morning thought: underwear should never, ever, ever be white, or light colored. Speaking from a man’s perspective, of course. Can’t speak for the other side. 😅

1718159699

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 22:34:59 -0400

“If I could use words / like scattering flowers and fallen leaves, / what a bonfire my poems would make.”

Oh, Mariko-Sama, how much admiration you deserve! Anna Sawai performance was superb on the series. Thank you for making me cry.

1718157567

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 21:59:27 -0400

Just finished watching “Shogun” (★★★★★), the 2024 series. I don’t have the right to spoil it for you, but I sincerely beg you to watch it, if you can. It truly is very well done; all of it.

1718125052

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 12:57:32 -0400

Now, this is some promise!

When we launch Private Cloud Compute, we’ll take the extraordinary step of making software images of every production build of PCC publicly available for security research. This promise, too, is an enforceable guarantee: user devices will be willing to send data only to PCC nodes that can cryptographically attest to running publicly listed software. We want to ensure that security and privacy researchers can inspect Private Cloud Compute software, verify its functionality, and help identify issues — just like they can with Apple devices.

1718119963

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 11:32:43 -0400

I feel like I am late to the party for not having dropped a note here right after, or during, Apple’s WWDC. Yes, I saw it live. Yes, I am excited about iOS/iPadOS/tvOS 18, and macOS 15. Of course I don’t have a problem with the way Apple is implementing AI (which, from now on, stands for “Apple Intelligence”). I love it all, and can’t wait for it!

1717767385

Fri, 07 Jun 2024 09:36:25 -0400

I am on the Fediverse (@david@collantes.social, and @david@weaknotes.com; warning, Google results links) mostly as a consumer. That is, I read and, occasionally, reply. I post once in a Blue Moon.

What brings me to write this note is that it bugs me, to no end, the abuse of “content warning” I see around. It is a reason for me not to follow (or mute) the OP. I want to read/see, unabridged. Content warnings are very useful; abusing them isn’t.

1717523457

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 13:50:57 -0400

The Soothsayer character, from Kung Fu Panda 2.

There is wisdom, even in animated movies. Especially in animated movies.

“Your story may not have such a happy beginning, but that does not make you who you are. It is the rest of your story, who you choose to be.”
— Soothsayer, Kung Fu Panda.

1717516383

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:53:03 -0400

A quote from Flemming Rose (whom I got to know about a bit more today):

“If a believer demands that I, as a nonbeliever, observe his taboos in the public domain, he is not asking for my respect, but for my submission.”

1717515498

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:38:18 -0400

Asked a friend who consistently walks 10,000 daily steps about his secret. He replied about setting interim targets, pretty much breaking the walks in three chunks. I think that’s a doable approach. I just need to wake up a tad earlier.

When I told him it gets boring for me, as I walk inside my neighborhood, and often feels like “walking on a wheel like a hamster”, he replied “It’s true it can be boring. You have to get your mind working while walking!” I need to get my mind to work harder, for sure.

1717428342

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:25:42 -0400

Morbid thought of the day: when I die, just like my corpse, everything I manage today online will rot. Digital rot, and vanishment.

1717173637

Fri, 31 May 2024 12:40:37 -0400

Oh boy, some people sure are something. Yet, this could be just the preamble of what’s to come, maybe.

Before phoning the number, Gaudreau did a search in Facebook Messenger to find out whether it was legitimate.

The answer he got in Messenger from the “Meta AI” artificial intelligence search tool was that the phone number he found, 1-844-457-0520, was “indeed a legitimate Facebook support number.”

1717113608

Thu, 30 May 2024 20:00:08 -0400

Seven days ago I mowed the lawn. It rendered five 33 gallons bags full of mulched grass. Today I had to do it again (3 bags this time). With the occasional rain, and the shinning sun, our lawn is growing “a tad” too fast. I can’t keep up! 🥵

1717091979

Thu, 30 May 2024 13:59:40 -0400

It is that time of the year again, with less than two weeks to Apple’s WWDC (which has run yearly since 1983). Looking forward to see what’s to come to iOS, and macOS!

1716896778

Tue, 28 May 2024 07:46:18 -0400

Just tried Microsoft search engine (because I opened Microsoft Edge web browser to check something on my mobile), Bing, and it came across as a chaotic convoluted disaster.

1716765608

Sun, 26 May 2024 19:20:08 -0400

“Letting Go of Yesterday”, drawing by Luis Mendo.

Thank you Claud for introducing me to Luis Mendo great drawings, and illustrations. Make sure to browse Luis site; it truly is a joy!

1716764677

Sun, 26 May 2024 19:04:37 -0400

“I awoke one night in Quito, Ecuador, this year and came up with a way to save a chip or two from the Apple II, and a trivial way to have the 2 grays of the Apple II be different (light gray and dark gray) but it’s 38 years too late. It did give me a good smile, since I know how hard it is to improve on that design.”
— Woz thinks of an Apple II improvement over 35 years later

Now, that’s truly something, eh? Just as Steve Jobs was, Steve Wozniak sure is an interesting fellow.

1716552859

Fri, 24 May 2024 08:14:19 -0400

I want to learn Japanese enough so that I can converse with a cab driver, restaurant host, or hotel staff when I return. Yet, on the age of computing, I am failing to find a sound resource to do so. I would also like to enlist a Japanese national locally, so I can rent some lessons from.

If you know of any good resource, and/or anyone local, please let me know!

1716493112

Thu, 23 May 2024 15:38:32 -0400

It is that time of the month in which I have to touch grass, literally. The lawn is almost knee high, so I am sure I will go through the three fully charged batteries this time. All under 91°F temperatures. Lovely.

1716477032

Thu, 23 May 2024 11:10:33 -0400

Base solely on how much I like to eat spam, I think I am Hawaiian, or Filipino. Need to go easy, though, as even the “25% less salt” is super salty.

1716464390

Thu, 23 May 2024 07:39:50 -0400

The Chureito Pagoda (忠霊塔, Chūreitō), with Mount Fuji in the background.

It is impossible to encapsulate Japan in just one picture. Or in thousands. So, instead, I am going the stereotypical route in just one click (which I took).

Nothing I could write can describe what I feel for that country, and it’s people. Japan is absolutely amazing in the whole sense of the word, and I can’t wait for the day we can visit again!

1714754926

Fri, 03 May 2024 12:48:46 -0400

I swear I want to use apps made with Rust more. Why are they such a pain to install? Why such a huge download of stuff? I thought Golang was a pain; Rust is pain time a tenthfold.

1714735863

Fri, 03 May 2024 07:31:04 -0400

Not only I don’t have the technical ability, I don’t have the artistic ability to come up with something like this. It is amazing what’s being accomplished within a single div!

1714680681

Thu, 02 May 2024 16:11:21 -0400

The worse that could ever had happened to VMWare has been to be acquired by Broadcom. Such a horrible company! Now, all VMWare support accounts are being migrated to Broadcom’s support accounts. As you can imagine, the support site for a company that blows, well, blows too. 😬

1714588975

Wed, 01 May 2024 14:42:55 -0400

The Tesla’s full self-driving capability trial has expired on the M3, and I didn’t use it not even once. Just more proof that I don’t need it, want it, and, thus, did great by not buying it. Woot!

1714438424

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 20:53:45 -0400

Finally I decided to order a pack of 4 AirTags. Experiencing their flawless setup, and how they automagically show up on the Find My app, is truly something. Love it when technology works so smoothly.

1714405009

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 11:36:49 -0400

Wow! This Monday has been crazy just up until now. Truly crazy! I wonder what the rest of the day will pan out to be. Oh, and the rest of the week! 😬

1714341323

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 17:55:23 -0400

And just like that Sunday almost ends, and, thus, this glorious weekend. Accomplished quite a bit. Dog tired.

1714263000

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 20:10:00 -0400

Time spent looking for a public notary capable of handling a will: 5 hours. Some money spent on clothing. Craving for chili quenched (Steak and Shake’s one ain’t bad!). Saturday sunsets.

1713972969

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 11:36:09 -0400

Just had a chè thái that mum made for me (because she knows I am sick, and that I like it), and I feel I had the entire month worth of sugar in just one drink. 😅

1713961495

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:24:55 -0400

It’s now my turn. The challenge now is not to pass it to kid (he is a week away from his trip), and to get well before our upcoming trip. Ugh³!

1713891878

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:04:38 -0400

Third time’s a charm. I am not buying Tropicana Orange Juice ever again. For the third time in a row, their “Lots of Pulp” has none. That’s six bottles, two at a time. No more, moving on.

1713873670

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:01:10 -0400

From “No Country for Old Men”:

Anton Chigurh: Don’t put it in your pocket, sir. Don’t put it in your pocket. It’s your lucky quarter.
Gas Station Proprietor: Where do you want me to put it?
Anton Chigurh: Anywhere not in your pocket. Where it’ll get mixed in with the others and become just a coin. Which it is.

1713809975

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:19:35 -0400

Wife getting sick is the second worse thing that can happen, right after kid getting sick. Me getting sick will be the third. And the timming of it. Oof!

1713800940

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:49:01 -0400

I welcome Mondays with love, with hope. Yet, no matter what I do, things that seemingly happen just on Mondays come to sour my mood. Why, o why?!

1713717110

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 12:31:50 -0400

Amazon’s driver messaging you at 05:00 to get a gate code for a delivery ain’t nice. Receiving a call for the same at 05:30, after having replied to said message, it’s totally uncool.

1713573184

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 20:33:04 -0400

Friday has long sunsetted, but not over yet. What to do for the night? What to cook? Both important questions, for which I have nil answers. 😅

1713544135

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 12:28:55 -0400

The weekend begins for me now, and I have absolutely nothing to do (well, I am sure Kim could find something for me to do, but I am not going to let her know I am off. Haha!). I am leaning towards going to mum’s to pet and feed her chicken. Then just lazy around, because if that is not a great use of my free time, what is?

1713527060

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:44:20 -0400

If you want to quickly test your disk speed on Linux (might work on macOS, but not 100% sure) simply do:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=test bs=1G count=7 status=progress ; rm -f test

Decently happy with my results: 7516192768 bytes (7.5 GB, 7.0 GiB) copied, 5.10763 s, 1.5 GB/s. I figure, though, that’s expected on an NVMe M.2 SSD.

1713441042

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 07:50:42 -0400

There are days you are up, and look around and down. There are days you are down, and do your best to look up. I am having one of the second.

1713305906

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:18:26 -0400

“As he rode the train back to Yokosuka, he watched his fellow passengers absorbed in their phones. ‘We completed the job’, he thought with satisfaction, ‘and they have no idea’.”

Interesting reading titled “The Cloud Under the Sea”. It was difficult to navigate on my Linux laptop (Chrome, Firefox, and Edge all struggled with it), but worth it.

1713292482

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:34:42 -0400

An email from AT&T, with “Important Information” on the subject:

“We’re contacting you regarding the security of your data. After a thorough assessment, AT&T has determined that some of your personal information was compromised…”

No kidding, Sherlock! Some as in my name, phone number, address, and social security number (this one is key). Some?! Oh, but I must rest assured that “AT&T takes these issues very seriously”. As if! 😤

1713287649

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:14:09 -0400

“This is a teenager” is an interactive webpage well worth watching. I can assure you! Take your time, go slowly. Read, and understand. Then, if you can, react.

1713287280

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 13:08:00 -0400

Thoughts whilst walking at lunch time. For someone obsessive, having chrome faucets, door handles, and a only-glass shower is a major problem. The reasons are obvious, right? Possible remedy: use car wax to slightly coat the chrome surfaces, and Rain-X—or similar—for the glass surfaces.

1713103271

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 10:01:11 -0400

I have long struggled with the concept of ownership. I might be perceived as fastidious but, do we truly own anything? We don’t. We use things, we enjoy things through our lives calling them ours. In reality we merely borrow them for a—in the greater scale of things—very, very brief period of time.

I should aim to remove anything that denotes ownership from my thoughts. Let’s see how well I do.

1713062533

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 22:42:13 -0400

“San Junipero” (★★★★★) , series 3, episode 4 of “Black Mirror” (★★★★☆) , remains my favourite of all times. I just watched it again, for the fifth time.

1713032959

Sat, 13 Apr 2024 14:29:19 -0400

I decided to “Tonsky-rise” Notes today, because I grew a bit bored of the black and white. First “big” change in a while. Let’s see how long it lasts. 😂

1712699052

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 17:44:12 -0400

It happened again. Yes, again. Companies which we must trust to receive their services let us down, mishandling, and keeping our private information insecurely. They get breached, and criminals sell the information to anyone willing to pay.

A credit freeze has been placed for Kim and I on the three credit bureaus. Ugh!

1712683529

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:25:29 -0400

Son got a little melancholic when I told him I might not be around for the next total solar eclipse in 2045. “Come on, papá, take care of yourself, exercise, and be healthy. You can do it!” — he told me.

I live for the people I love, for the people I care about. I want to continue, I want to be around. If anything, for him, for my family, for my friends.

1712682341

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:05:41 -0400

Peter Higgs has died:

“Higgs, 94, who was awarded the Nobel prize for physics in 2013 for his work in 1964 showing how the boson helped bind the universe together by giving particles their mass, died at home in Edinburgh on Monday.”

Ninety four years old! If only I could be that lucky!

1712619273

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:34:33 -0400

About this one, it was sensational in TX, and other areas in which it was total, so everybody says. In Florida? Just another day.

1712576990

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 07:49:50 -0400

I have to be the least excited around here about the total Solar eclipse. Our moon comes between our Sun, and us. So what? 😂

1712442391

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 18:26:31 -0400

The Porch sells some mean (as in big), delicious hamburgers. After having one of those, with the two sides, and almost all of their humungous drink, I am ready for a nap 🤭. But… walk I shall.

1712426330

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:58:50 -0400

次の月、私は日本に行きます。日本の文化や風俗をもっと勉強し、また東京、京都、大阪の観光スポットやアクティビティの場所を調べました。とりあえず、どんな提案があっても聞いてください。

1712423298

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 13:08:18 -0400

A ★★½ for iCloud for Windows is one and a half stars too many. It truly is rubbish. Is that on purpose, Apple? 😒

1712414013

Sat, 06 Apr 2024 10:33:34 -0400

I have to say that something came between the couch and the telly last night. Bed. I started dozzing off around 21:30, by 22:00 I was sleeping. Woke up at 07:30. Super good night sleep.

Pondering whether or not to mow the backyard weeds later today. Hmm, decisions, decisions.

1712349393

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:36:33 -0400

Alright, let the weekend commence. Within minutes I will be dragged to BJs by Kim. Then to visit Bố. By the time all that’s done, night will be upon us. Then nothing will come between the couch, and the telly. 😂

1712332154

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 11:49:14 -0400

Let’s go back to 1986 for a moment, because the years around it were those of my youth. This one is an interesting rendition. I like it!

1712329238

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 11:00:38 -0400

Finding beauty, pleasantness—even calm—in imperfection has changed the otherwise obsessive, rigid, inflexible, in me.

1712321018

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 08:43:38 -0400

I want to do something different this weekend, but I don’t know what. I don’t know why I chose to wait till the weekend; I could do something different today. Yet, it is human nature to pick a special occasion, to do something special (different, in this case), and we generally consider weeekends a treat.

1712319088

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 08:11:28 -0400

Kottke, to whom website I browse every once and them, have long monetised from it, using supporters, and advertisements. Until fairly recently it didn’t have comments, but now it does. Want to drop one? Subscribe. Ha! I would pay not to see them. Ironic, eh?

1712273563

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:32:43 -0400

Nothing better to bring delight to an otherwise secular night: Arroz con gandules. To that recipe we add diced ham. Kim cooks arroz con gandules in such way that makes me forget diet, measure, or restrain.

1712179282

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 17:21:22 -0400

I have been struggling for days to build an ISO image that will auto-install Ubuntu workstation. Canonical’s way is to install server, then add ubuntu-desktop (and other packages needed/wanted), then remove ubuntu-server, and ubuntu-minimal-server. That’s mind boggling to me. That’s nuts.

1711900140

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 11:49:00 -0400

I have used Journal. I want to use it more. As soon as more simple formatting (bulleted and numbered lists, links, and blockquotes) are added it will become my go to diary, 100% of the time.

I recently discovered that bold, italics, and underlined formatting is available on selection menu. 🎉

1711898472

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 11:21:12 -0400

Renting weaknotes.com because I am a sucker, and like to waste a few dollars every once in a while. Currently redirecting to Notes, but might do something else with it later on.

1711896921

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 10:55:22 -0400

I haven’t been able to create an “autoinstall” ISO for Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop. I haven’t found a way to make the live ISO image not to start the guided wizard GUI. As a workaround, I am using Ubuntu 22.04 Server, and adding ubuntu-desktop and gdm3 afterwards to the server install.

1711476015

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 14:00:15 -0400

On Keys.pub, I knew it. I emailed Gabriel early 2022 when I saw the project slowing down. I just can’t describe how easy, and clean, and streamlined the app is (yes, it works like it did on its best days).

BEGIN SALTPACK SIGNED MESSAGE. kXR7VktZdyH7rvq v5weRa0zkDCU2lW iMkdfIdqh3M2CpZ m9XIcrqT60yyh90 6ZjZBnea32okiLQ DDoeC9rTPTnIP8a JR9OieJF8tUzb5D AnXAhpm64p4eWNQ wgToLoxtGksKfsj L6trUfotLUwhrQ2 sGs9ZxkAqwRSlqx S2tUNq27ZxjiKVT k65tuXtGnef1rax dRZOp0EL4BFN2rX rOBUKDnUMhpRJXx LnurairmqvNgyz1 FQqblgToiEtKTde 9kNRqN2wpU7HDpp N9NuVSYxyrtJRja VFwpzEPEjFYl058 w7ecu0kz3uDS2by iRNWdP3uPGeekfo xJ1eSKkMe44jXF7 8L. END SALTPACK SIGNED MESSAGE.

1711475525

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:52:05 -0400

On Keys.pub:

“Unfortunately, this project is not currently being worked on. I may revisit this in the future, if you would like to sponsor development or hire me please reach out at gabriel@keys.pub.”

So sad. I really wanted to place all my eggs on this basket, I had started to. Back to the reliable gpg for now.

1711123129

Fri, 22 Mar 2024 11:58:49 -0400

Rainy day, my kind of day. Tomorrow is forecasted to be too. This is what I call a nice weekend!

1711050684

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 15:51:24 -0400

On the U.S. suing Apple on iPhone’s monopoly (is that even a thing?!), a comment on The New York Times:

“I bought, own and use an iPhone from Apple because I like it. I like that Apple creates what I think is a safer environment, and that my data is better protected. I like how smoothly it works. In fact, I’m ecstatically happy with it. Much more than I am with most products I purchase and use.

I am looking at cars, and find that there are tech products that use proprietary technology and require subscriptions. Tesla will charge me to activate an auto garage door opener that’s already installed in their $50,000 car. BMW wants me to pay a subscription to use a heated seat that I’d buy (and own) with the car.

I suppose I don’t have to buy a Tesla or BMW (and I’m not). People also don’t have to buy an iPhone.

For those who want them, don’t wreck the features we buy it for. That seems the antithesis of a competitive market.”

1711043890

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 13:58:10 -0400

“You have got to exercise more”, said the doctor. Not just exercise, because I do. He said more. I know, Doc. I know.

1710246118

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 08:21:58 -0400

This blog post about making vegetable stock from scratch at home—that is, not at an enterprise scale—had me at the first paragraph:

“After learning how to season food correctly, homemade stock is the single best thing anyone can do for his cooking. A stock is a liquid extraction of complementary flavors, a broad palette upon which sharper splashes of color may be painted.”

1709912394

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:39:54 -0500

A short conversation with some local, and couple of online, LLM. Results give me some comfort, and hope, about our near future existence as species, at least. I asked:

You are a historian, especially versed in North American history, specifically the history of the United States of America. You will take your time to answer my questions, but your replies will be as short as possible. My first question is, who was the first president of the United States of America, born as a United States citizen?

Model Nous-Hermes[7b] answer:

“The first President of the United States who was both born and raised in the country after its independence from Britain on July 4th, 1776 was Barack Obama (born August 4th, 1961). He served as the forty-fourth President of the United States from January 20, 2009 to January 20, 2017.”

Model Gemma[7b] answer:

“George Washington was the first president of the United States of America born a US citizen.”

Model Mistral[7b]:

“George Washington (1732-1799) was the first President of the United States, born as a U.S. citizen. He was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland County, Virginia Colony (later part of the United States).”

Model LLama2 uncensored[7b]:

“George Washington”

Google’s Gemini:

“I’m still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search.”

ChatGPT:

“Barack Obama was the first president of the United States of America born a US citizen.”

1709905740

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:49:00 -0500

I don’t know about you, but I find this pretty cool. I prefer it 100% more than the original by Britney. LOL.

1709815636

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 07:47:16 -0500

Having grown used to hear the rubbish truck picking up the bins before 07:00, this eerie silence is throwing me off. They are slacking today!

1709815289

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 07:41:29 -0500

It turns out Ubuntu font is quite pleasant, clean, and legible. I am such a sucker for fonts!

1709053251

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 12:00:51 -0500

On this note, I got an Alienware (almost 6lbs!), with a Nvidia RTX 4070 in it. Not the best, but came at a really sweet price. So it is.

1709039806

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 08:16:46 -0500

We must set, and use, and enforce, Azimov’s “Three Laws of Robotic” on the now called AI:

A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

1708788474

Sat, 24 Feb 2024 10:27:55 -0500

Wanting/wishing to buy a Windows machine (preferably a laptop) for gaming. Undecided as hell.

1708691357

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 07:29:17 -0500

Yesterday’s brief iCloud outage was a scary one. All my domains email are on iCloud’s Custom Email Domain, and emails sent to them were bouncing with “user unknown”. Not a good feeling.

1708626179

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:22:59 -0500

I wonder if bots are somehow “clicking” the hearts on notes. I am having a hard time accepting humans are actually doing it. Call me an unbeliever.

1708625041

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:04:01 -0500

Why providing contact ways, if there will not be a reply? It seems a trend. “Contact me”, “Get in touch”, but when one does… silence. Siloed. People are siloed.

1708622719

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 12:25:19 -0500

Class Action Lawsuits are worthless, from the monetary point of view. You get cents, or a few dollars. Not worth it. Yet, there is no way to avoid them, and you must remove yourself from each one of them you might be unlucky enough to be on. Removal, to add aggravation, must be done via old fashion paper letter-in-the-mail. Ugh!

1708466452

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 17:00:52 -0500

Firefox web browser font rendering on Linux is super nice. Chromium slight blur is no match. I am seriously considering using Firefox exclusively under Linux (Wayland). For me, at least, it seems “old” is “new” again. LOL.

1708358305

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:58:25 -0500

Last night, after partner finished cooking, in, and on the side of kitchen sink: 5 big knives, 2 small knives, three cutting boards, three frying pans, two medium size pots, one large pot, two colanders, many chopticks and spoons. A full rubbish.

1707264206

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 19:03:26 -0500

I remember listening to Tracy Chapman’s singing back in 1989. I so loved it so much, and still do. Her voice remains so beautiful!

➝ Via Anti-Anticheese.

1707262267

Tue, 06 Feb 2024 18:31:07 -0500

On a day I can’t walk, nor exercise, Fitness telling me “You can still do it - 250 calories and you’ll close your Move ring, David.” Out of 250, I only need 250. LOL. Talk about wishful thinking!

1706900652

Fri, 02 Feb 2024 14:04:13 -0500

The new Teams client is having spell checking issues under Windows. Of all things, check spelling is broken. As someone at work wrote “It’s amazing how a technology that has been around for like 30 years and is in pretty much every tech product seems to have gone from bad to non-existent in the latest version of Teams.”

1706452800

Sun, 28 Jan 2024 09:40:00 -0500

The most precious and valuable thing one can have is good health. Everything depends on it, nothing else truly matters. It might sound like an extreme, but if you don’t believe me now one day you will.

1705677233

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:13:54 -0500

Can’t believe we are almost at the half of the first month of the year mark! It seems to me I saw fireworks just yesterday. Lunar New Year is fastly approaching!

1704852476

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 21:07:56 -0500

If I am lucky to live until I am 80 years old, I only have 1280 Sundays remaining. That number sure puts things in perspective, doesn’t it? You can add the extension to your Chrome, or Edge browser.

1704225226

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:53:46 -0500

Watched “Blue Eye Samurai” (★★★★★) during the holidays, and truly loved it. Can’t wait for season 2. If you have Netflix, and haven’t watched it, I strongly recommend you do.

The plot is nice, the voices are excellent, the animation is amazing. See it, it’s really good!

1704224781

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:46:22 -0500

Was too busy—or too lazy—to drop a note on new year’s evening. I have been using iOS Journal, which now holds some notes I would have dropped here otherwise. Journal has bugs, and it isn’t great, but I am betting on it getting better.

It is already 2 January 2024, but not too late to wish you all a happy new year!

1702425142

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:52:22 -0500

Going back to this, work has now provided me with a Linux (Ubuntu) laptop, and a docking station. I am to relinquish my dear Mac, and stop using (for work) macOS. I would have never thought of this happening!

1702388886

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 08:48:06 -0500

iOS 17.2 released yesterday, and within it, the highly anticipated Journal app. As I commented to a friend, I am finding it to be “bland”, and “a bit of a disappointment”. Comes to prove, always set your expectations as low as possible, then chances are you will always be dazzled. :-)

1700761871

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 12:51:11 -0500

Watched “Love Actually” (★★★★★) because, you know, it is that time of the year. Call me silly, but I will probably watch it once more before 2023 is over.

1700618645

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:04:05 -0500

Moving from my beloved iMac 2015 (running macOS Monterey), to this little abomination of a Linux desktop (because, you know, 2023 is “the year of the Linux desktop” /s).

1700509186

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:39:46 -0500

Updated my blog to version 4 (that link will initiate a download) on the Inter font. It is such a lovely font, and free!

1700148659

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:31:00 -0500

Watched “The Farewell” (★★★★★) again, because it is one of those movies that keep you kind of down all throughout, but makes you feel happy, and shed some tears, at the end. I recommend you see it.

1699299751

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 14:42:31 -0500

Now, this is coming, but I don’t have a laptop, and I am 100% setup to work remote. How are they planning we accomplish this? Would those be idle, or full of meeting days, with little—to none—productivity?

We have proven for over three years that we can work remotely while being as productive, or more, than when at the office. We have numbers to back up that claim. I can’t comprehend the rationale behind this mandate. Ugh, this is going to be bad.

1699295672

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 13:34:32 -0500

Looming upcoming changes at work. As of 8 January 2024, show up to office on Mondays and Wednesdays. Mandatory. As of August 2024, show up to office three days a week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Also mandatory. This is going to be the biggest mistake of 2024.

1699012155

Fri, 03 Nov 2023 07:49:15 -0400

Miscellaneous things. Every day when I wake up I feel thankful by the simple fact I did wake up. I also think of everyone I care about, and wish them well. Yes, that means you.

Even with my deafening tinnitus I try very hard to enjoy a moment of “silence” each day. I do my best to welcome each Monday as if it was a Friday.

1698766609

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 11:36:50 -0400

Between being sick, then work, then house problems, I have ended up having no inspiration, nor desire, nor words to bring here. “Nothing lasts forever”, I keep repeating to myself. Then again, that’s one of my problems, literally.

1698084221

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 14:03:41 -0400

🎉 Happy birthday, Claudine! It has already been a year, eh?! Cheers to many more to come, and wishing you the very best, always!

1697582067

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:34:27 -0400

“I’m tired, boss. Tired of being on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. I’m tired of never having me a buddy to be with to tell me where we’s going to, coming from, or why. Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other. I’m tired of all the pain I feel and hear in the world… every day. There’s too much of it. It’s like pieces of glass in my head… all the time. Can you understand?”

1697228838

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 16:27:18 -0400

This week recount, starting Friday 6 October 2023.

Pickup my friend (but brother in reality) Martin at the airport. He will stay with us until Tuesday, 10 October.
Took Martin around town all Saturday, watched movies at night.
Went to Saint Augustine, “the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in what is now the contiguous United States” on Sunday. Watched more movies at night.
Took Martin even more places Monday morning, went to The H for dinner. Yes, you guessed it, more binge occurred at night.
Went for breakfast at Chick-fil-A, lunch at Don Julio, and then talked to Martin non-stop till it was time to take him to the airport. We had lots to catch up. Still have much more.
Missed my friend all night.
Worked mostly on Ubuntu related tasks the rest of the week, till today.

1697223950

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 15:05:50 -0400

On January 2021 our Chief Information Officer (CIO) was hired. His last day will be 15 November 2023. He is moving to greener pastures at Texas State University. Go Bobcats!

It is going to be an interesting period this year end… and half of the next.

1697209297

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:01:38 -0400

Screenshot showing first run in Windows 95. Credit Guidebook.

I never thought, in a million years, that I was going to write this: when it comes to UI between Windows 11 and Windows 95, I prefer the later. You will not believe the memories “My Briefcase”, and “The Microsoft Network” brought to me!

The Guidebook has many more screenshots worth re-seeing.

1697119994

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:13:14 -0400

What this company is doing is truly inspiring. Not only are they helping with the polluting waste problem we increasingly have, but they create beautiful looking things, useful things, out of discarded plastic.

➝ Via @claudrod.

1697118755

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 09:52:36 -0400

My open case with Canonical has been worked, back and forth, for over a month. It started at severity level 3, and now is at 1. Every time I thought I was seeing the metaphorical “light at the end of the tunnel”, it became dark once more. This is beyond painful.

1696509574

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 08:39:34 -0400

Each day I discover a font that I like. Today is, so far (and I write so far because it is only early morning), “Quattrocento Sans”. So pretty, so crispy, so legible! I am in love!

1696362818

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 15:53:39 -0400

Light rain has come to change my afternoon plans. Perhaps it will let me bike? Haven’t done it for the last four days, and I am starting to miss the lack of pain in my legs.

1696172853

Sun, 01 Oct 2023 11:07:33 -0400

Rainy Sunday, my kind of days: rainy, and Sunday. Wish there was more like these, more often!

1696009330

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 13:42:11 -0400

It is that time of the week again, in which the front lawn and I spend quality time together. The backyard time will come soon after, otherwise jealousy ensues.

1695932709

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:25:09 -0400

I have been getting worried and depressed for things I can’t control, and it’s not fun. I have got to exile those thoughts somehow. Maybe exercise will do it.

1695930987

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:56:27 -0400

Unpopular opinion: if you need an RSS reader to keep up with everything, you are consuming too much. While I can see the utility of RSS, it doesn’t beat the full web experience.

1695910429

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:13:50 -0400

I had forgotten how much Apple Music improves my working day. And my hobby time in front of the computer. And my driving time. I had forgotten how much I love the service. Now, with Apple One, it is mine once again!

1695901878

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:51:18 -0400

Raspberry Pi just announced version 5 of their board, and I yawned. For about the same amount one can get a micro computer with better specifications, and support for pretty much all operating systems.

1695854193

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:36:33 -0400

I have become such a snob, and I feel bad about it. I can’t stand WordPress sites and, more often than not, I will simply browse away if I see the site is built with it. I want to change but it’s rather clinical. Please, help!

1695852555

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 18:09:16 -0400

I have been getting “You can’t perform that action at this time.” messages left and right, when trying to star repositories on GitHub. The thing is, they get starred, but the message still shows. Thanks Microsoft! </s>

1695838362

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 14:12:42 -0400

My currently open L3 support case with Canonical just passed the 20 days mark. I have asked to raise its priority to L2. Let’s see now. 🙄

1695813488

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 07:18:08 -0400

When I say “Don’t worry about the dishes, I will do them later!” I don’t only say it out of love, or out of duty (doing the dishes is my chore). I say it becase I do them better. You know, like really clean, not a sloppy job. 😂

1695777884

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:24:45 -0400

I started writing a note on my thoughts about “wisdom”, prompted by this submission on Hacker News. It became too long to be a note, so it made it to my blog instead. It is short, just not short enough.

1695756380

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:26:21 -0400

The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera is getting amazing reviews at DXOMARK. Too bad that I will not be getting a new phone this year.

1695747734

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:02:14 -0400

A thought came to me this morning about how would secular people from past history communicated with each other. By secular I mean the common people, not the decent-to-filthy rich kind. Did they scribbled notes? Did they even know how to scribble? Would they keep journals and, if so, what ever happened to them? Were they simply discarded, thrown into the bin? I know I kept journals at various stages of childhood. None of them survived. Nor did the many notes, and letters I wrote, and received.

Come to think, after all, all things in life truly are ephemeral.

1695746206

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 12:36:46 -0400

The six (the foundation, at least, as there could be more) components of an apology. The bottom line? Very few people know how to genuinely apologise.

An expression of regret — this, usually, is the actual “I’m sorry.”
An explanation (but, importantly, not a justification).
An acknowledgement of responsibility.
A declaration of repentance.
An offer of repair.
A request for forgiveness.

The original article is well worth reading. I found it to be excellent.

➝ Via Kottke.

1695736989

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 10:03:10 -0400

My first web browser was Mosaic, then Netscape, then Mozilla which became Firefox. Firefox became my default go-to web browser for many years. If Microsoft Windows was my OS platform of choice it would probably still be. Ever since I completely, and absolutely, moved to macOS/iOS/iPadOS, the choice has been Safari. I had had no reason to look elsewhere.

1695729319

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:55:19 -0400

This blog post is everlasting. Since 2018, when it was written, things have gotten worse. I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon.

We put virtual machines inside Linux, and then we put Docker inside virtual machines, simply because nobody was able to clean up the mess that most programs, languages and their environment produce. We cover shit with blankets just not to deal with it. “Single binary” is still a HUGE selling point for Go, for example. No mess == success.

1695728351

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:39:11 -0400

Sound on and up, please. I really liked this version of “Ozymandias”. The text is the same, it wouldn’t be “Ozymandias” otherwise. It is the spoken voice, the beat, the emphasis and cadence behind it, that drives it.

Incidentally, “Breaking Bad” (★★★★★) is really good. If you haven’t watched it yet, I strongly recommend you do.

1695726706

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 07:11:46 -0400

Now I know how my mum felt seeing her beloved actors and actresses become old, and dropping off big screens. It is a mix of melancholy, and worry.

1695683332

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:08:52 -0400

I feel bad when I come to mum’s and she offers me a beer. I buy beer for her, and by drinking one or two, it makes me feel guilty. In such case, if I gave her a 24 bottles case I, indeed, only gave her 23, or 22.

1695639936

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:05:36 -0400

Dune’s Litany Against Fear, from the Dune’s Fandom Wiki.

Watched both “Dune” movies last night. The one from 1984 (★★★☆☆) , because it is leaving Netflix, and the one from 2021 (★★★★★) . I can’t wait for part 2 (second movie), scheduled to be released sometime on 2024.

The Litany, in case you don’t follow the link on the caption, “derives from William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar” (unformatted):

Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard. It seems to me most strange that men should fear; seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come.

1695597187

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 19:13:08 -0400

“Android works to keep you safe and protect your privacy when you use apps.” That, from Google’s Android Help made me chuckle. When I think of Android many things come to mind, but “keep you safe”, and “protect your privacy”. Ha!

1695586613

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 16:16:53 -0400

I am not a prude; I am far from it. Yet, I found “Foundation’s” amorous relationship scenes developing too early, too fast, and too often. Especially involving someone who is supposed to come from a planet with a repressive religious society. I mean, really?

If this isn’t toned down a little it will lose a star, or will not gain one. I mustn’t write in haste, perhaps, as I am only on the second episode.

1695567255

Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:54:15 -0400

Watched the first episode of “Foundation” (★★★★☆) last night, on Apple TV+, and regardless the public reviews that has gotten I liked it very, very much. It gets almost five stars from me so far. If that changes, I will come, and amend.

I also re-watched “Interstellar” (★★★☆☆) which I have always found too slow, and not enough “science fictiony”, for my liking. But kid wanted to watch it, and I am a good buddy, so… yeah.

1695505654

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 17:47:35 -0400

My cravings for Jajangmyeon were fulfilled at Korea House in Colonial. That I know of, that’s the only restaurant in the surrounding area the serves them. I am good for a week, or two. 😂

1695495149

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 14:52:29 -0400

Dear lord, it’s such a pleasure to the eyes when I come across websites using Open Sans fonts! So easy to read, such a genuine pleasant experience.

1695492474

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 14:07:54 -0400

Small pet peeve. People sending emails from their mobile devices, and having a signature that reads, more or less, “Sent from phone, please excuse typos and brevity”. If you are going to send, or reply to, an email, do it right. A mobile device isn’t an excuse for not paying a little bit of attention to what you are doing.

1695486281

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 12:24:41 -0400

We are definitely different from the bad people in history.

The immoral fools tricked by Hitler into saluting the iron cross and casting their votes in favour of genocide, the spiritually corrupt slave traders of the colonies in Africa, the Europeans pillaging and raping (culturally and literally) the indigenous people of the “new worlds” of America, Australia, etc; the brilliant geniuses talked into developing the atom bomb, the monsters who then dropped those bombs over Japan in the name of peace.

We are definitely different from them.

The most efficient systematic slaughter of sentient beings the planet has ever seen, the complete indifference to the ecocide required for our day-to-day lives, the endless belief in infinite growth on a finite planet, the quantification of all that is sacred into mere resources and business opportunities, the utter carelessness toward the world our children will inherit. All this we manage to stand for in the name of progress and humankind’s superiority over all others.

No, we are definitely different.

We are worse.

This, from the Punkist, summarises how we—humankind—are no different at all, in the various stages of what’s considered, more or less, modern times. I slightly formatted it for legibility.

1695482755

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 11:25:56 -0400

Dieter Rams’ good design principles are so on-point, so beautiful, so simple, so everlasting. According to Rams, good design:

Is innovative: Design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself.
Makes a product useful: Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could detract from it.
Is aesthetic: Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
Makes a product understandable: It can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user’s intuition.
Is unobtrusive: Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools; they are neither decorative objects nor works of art.
Is honest: It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.
Is long-lasting: Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years.
Is thorough down to the last detail: Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.
Is environmentally friendly: Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment.
Is as little design as possible: Less, but better. Simple as possible but not simpler.

How many of those Apple follows? It isn’t a trick question, think about it.

1695478425

Sat, 23 Sep 2023 10:13:46 -0400

Wow, Autumn has given us a nice surprise on its first day! This morning we woke up with 19°C, which is a drastic change from previous days. I know that later today is going to be hot, but it was great biking this morning, and not breaking a sweat.

1695430954

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 21:02:35 -0400

Sponsoring a child is investing in humankind’s future. It can mean saving a child from abuse, neglect, or worse. For less than a tank of petrol per month one can make a big difference in a child’s life!

Children growing up in poverty begin life with acute disadvantage and face uncertain futures. Your monthly gift of $39 will give your sponsored child life-changing interventions, such as access to medical care, educational support, life skills and job training before graduation.

Please consider sponsoring a child today through Children International, a secular nonprofit.

1695428362

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 20:19:23 -0400

Florida Maple, from Gardenia, “Creating Gardens”.

Seven hours from now will get us to the beginning of Autumn. In Florida that doesn’t mean much. Hopefully, hopefully, temperatures will tone down a degree, or two, if we are lucky. One can only wish, and hope, right? Happy Autumnal Equinox!

1695427698

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 20:08:18 -0400

The amount of people in this city driving while using their phones is simply staggering. Went out to grab some food to bring home, and almost got hit three times. Driving defensively these days isn’t a fad, it is a must.

1695397438

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 11:43:59 -0400

Apple new devices (iPhones 15, and Watches 9) worldwide arrival news announcement makes me happy. Beautiful people from around the world, smiles, and feelings of overall happiness make me happy.

1695390966

Fri, 22 Sep 2023 09:56:06 -0400

Found myself questioning, smiling, chuckling, and nodding in agreement to Joshua’s list of 100 opinions that he holds.

1695348570

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:09:31 -0400

As a sign that I wasn’t kidding when I said I would move from 1Password to iOS Passwords, I have now done so. This weekend I will dedicate some time, and clean my list, making sure all important stuff works and, once that’s achived, I will get rid of 1Password, and cancel my subscription.

1695346702

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 21:38:23 -0400

Poor Veronique had an accident, and she will have to go for surgery. Though having to go through this is something no one wants, I am glad it wasn’t something worse.

Hang in there, Vero! Things will go well, and you will overcome ❤️! Really sorry for this temporary unpleasantness.

1695346567

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 21:36:07 -0400

I have added so many little things to “Notes” over time, that I am feeling a bit guilty. Can it be, still, considered minimalistic? I hope so!

1695335831

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 18:37:12 -0400

Last month’s utility (water) bill was over $200. It was $222.13, to be exact. It went up because rains had stopped, and we had to turn on the schedule for the sprinklers.

If it continues this way the decision will be whether the lawn survives, or we do. We will have to make a choice then. Poor lawn, we barely knew you!

1695318222

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 13:43:42 -0400

So, everything “accomplished” since 8 September 2023 until today, 21 September 2023, was scratched. We are back to square one now. Lovely.

1695304239

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 09:50:40 -0400

“Your NFT are actually—finally—totally worthless”, RollingStone. Don’t you say! Just one more to add to the Human Stupidity museum, right?

1695299073

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 08:24:33 -0400

Just as I am in love with the Japanese woodblock prints, I also love the simplicity and beauty of Japanese (and Chinese, and Korean) Sumi-e (ink wash painting).

Japanese: Hasegawa Tōhaku (1539–1610), Pine Trees screen, Right panel of the Shōrin-zu byōbu.

This one above is a relatively big mural. If you look at a bigger, fuller, version (really big image!) you will see the strokes, made with a—probably huge—straw brush.

1695254691

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 20:04:51 -0400

“What’s going on with the WiFi? I can’t connect the iPad to it.” — “Nothing that I know off. Do you think the boy would be so happy playing a video game with friends, if there was a problem?” — “It isn’t working!” A minute later, “never mind”.

If at first you don’t succeed, you mustn’t quit! LOL.

1695244077

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 17:07:57 -0400

Daylight “Savings” Time sucks, and it should be abolished. For the last five days I have noticed my mornings getting darker, to the point of having to turn on the light to start the working day. It hasn’t been an easy in at all but, I would say, rather dramatic. Then early November, bam! Back one hour. Ugh!

Just LEAVE THE CLOCK ALONE!

1695234046

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:20:47 -0400

Film director Rian Johnson has lifted the lid on a secret in the world of product placement – Apple will not allow its kit to be used by a villainous character on screen.

“Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but – and this is very pivotal – if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera,” Johnson, whose credits include Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper and Knives Out, revealed in a video recorded for Vanity Fair.

Thank you, George, for spoiling a few shows and movies for me. This is something I hadn’t correlated, but now cannot miss. Ha!

1695223501

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 11:25:02 -0400

The old… err more mature I get, the less interest I have for social media. I kid you not. Kim, on the other hand… she consumes (doesn’t create) it all the time.

1695217642

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:47:22 -0400

In my experience, the easiest and most difficult people to work with are those on a short countdown to retirement. Easiest because they become really agreeable, or disagreeable—but they don’t masquerade it. Difficult because they become almost impossible to get a hold of—they stop giving a duck about things.

1695175531

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 22:05:32 -0400

It is past 22:00, and I am still awake. For reasons I can’t explain, I don’t feel sleepy at all—which is odd for a weekday. I am going to pay for this tomorrow, I am sure.

Meanwhile I have been following links up and down at wonger.dev, especially these. Lots of interesting stuff there!

1695172003

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 21:06:44 -0400

Kid and I watched “Jujutsu Kaisen” (★★★★★), the series (and the movie), and this song from the series’ last episode stuck.

Catchy, ain’t it? If you haven’t watched the series, even if you are not into manga, I highly recommend it!

1695166430

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:33:51 -0400

I was having a weird issue in which blue heart next to the timestamp would appear off place, and quickly jump into place on page load/refresh. Took the problem over IRC (Libera.Chat) #css channel and, sure enough, hassoon and DPA found the issue, and provided a solution, in no time.

Suffice it to say, very, very grateful.

1695127851

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 08:50:52 -0400

I have decided to move from 1Password (for which I pay a yearly subscription) to iOS native Passwords before the year is over. The ability to share passwords with family tilted me over. I will not wait for Passwords to become an app of its own—though I am sure that’s coming—because I don’t think that should hold me back now.

1695063370

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 14:56:10 -0400

I might be getting old and, as such, be “old school” now, but a company like Unity shouldn’t be apologising on X. They have a company’s website, they should put their apology there.

Ah, crap, as soon as I hit send I found their blog with an “Editor’s note (Sept. 17, 2023)”, that is a verbatim of what they posted on X.

We have heard you. We apologize for the confusion and angst the runtime fee policy we announced on Tuesday caused. We are listening, talking to our team members, community, customers, and partners, and will be making changes to the policy. We will share an update in a couple of days. Thank you for your honest and critical feedback.

I don’t know why news outlets did not link there instead of referring to the X “xeet” (how do they call those things these days?).

Another update, this time from Marc Whitten, lead of Unity Create:

I want to start with this: I am sorry.

And he goes on, yet, it seems to me it’s too little, too late. I think this was a costly mistake for Unity. Talk about a backfire!

1695050606

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:23:27 -0400

Moscow said last year it planned to spend almost $30 billion by 2035 on developing the northern sea route, which has become more viable as climate change has reduced sea ice in the Arctic.

Emphasis mine. Russia is benefiting from global warming, and now more pollution is on its way. Well, that’s great </s>!

1695049892

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 11:11:32 -0400

Sending the true spam to “Junk Email” at work has gotten so bad, that it is, precisely, “Junk Email” the first folder I check each morning, and the last at the end of the day. Granted, it is a relatively quick glimpse, but nevertheless a task that most be done. False positives are aplenty.

1695047142

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 10:25:42 -0400

The mishaps of X triggered the spawn of new services like Threads, Bluesky. It also exacerbated the adoption of the Fediverse (often simply called Mastodon). Now there is Pebble, but this one has a problem of it’s own. To sign up you need to connect with X/Twitter, “to confirm you’re a good fit for Pebble”. Oh dear god!

1695042085

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 09:01:25 -0400

So many iOS apps debuting their iOS 17 versions today! I find it amazing how rich, and responsive, the iOS community is—not sure community is the right term, but I hope you get the idea. Need I to point out that, at the time I am writing this, iOS 17 is not out yet.

1695039345

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 08:15:45 -0400

Today’s News Minimalist email reads, and I am not paraphrasing:

Today ChatGPT read 1003 top news stories. After removing previously covered events, there are 2 articles with a significance score over 7.

That is, according to ChatGPT, there are only two significant news today. We are beating yesterday, thought. Yesterday there were none.

1694994564

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 19:49:24 -0400

Kim loves to buy plants, or she will gladly take them from people giving them away for various reasons. That’s the extent of her “green thumb”. Plants commonly perish under her “care”. She tries, though, but often is not to be. It’s rather sad.

Then she makes me feel guilty when she asks, “Have you watered my plants?” Like, really?! 😅

1694989994

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 18:33:14 -0400

While in the topic of disliking things, but this time technology themed, I can’t stand PHP. That is an acquired dislike, as I used to use it until 2011 (WordPress). That year I moved to Jekyll and later on, in 2017, to Hugo which I still use today.

1694989036

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 18:17:16 -0400

I have a strong dislike for Crocs—the plastic shoes, that is. I believe it is based solely on their shape/form. Do that makes me a bad person?

1694975267

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 14:27:47 -0400

This weekend I mowed the backyard twice, yesterday and today. Between biking, and mowing, I surpased 10,000 steps each day. That equates to over 8 kilometres per day. I am tired, but feel good. Kind of weird, but true.

1694973496

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 13:58:16 -0400

With so many disasters around the globe, so many conflicts, every little bit helps to bring sustainment to those in need. Anyone can do that, through Red Cross, for as little as $10.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission.

Please, considering donating to the Red Cross, and/or the International Committee of the Red Cross.

1694966408

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 12:00:08 -0400

“Zojoji Temple in Snow”, Utagawa Hiroshige, late Tenpo era. From The Manichi.

I am totally in love with Japanese woodblock prints. If it weren’t because my taste and Kim’s collide, I would have them framed around the house, and I would collect them.

1694964555

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:29:15 -0400

Last week I spent 11h 21m screen time on all my devices (a Mac, and an iPhone). The tally goes: 6h 57m on iPhone, 6h 38m on Mac. That’s just macOS and iOS “vanilla” apps almost exclusively. Most macOS apps do not get recorded—perhaps because my Mac runs macOS Monterey. For example, I spend a lot of time on Teams, Chrome, and iTerm2 under macOS during work days, but none of it gets recorded.

1694963666

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 11:14:26 -0400

A gas station offering a receipt after pumping, and then never providing it and showing a “Please see attendant” message drives me nuts. JUST STOP OFFERING RECEIPTS!

This specific one I use, because it is closer to home, does the same in all pumps—yes, I tried them all to see, on different occasions, of course. Ugh!

1694912823

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:07:03 -0400

I have added a subtle way to provide feedback here, using the very easy to setup, simple, and awesome Tinylytics. Now that I have done it, I am having second thoughts. Do I really want it? I sure don’t know, so they (blue hearts) are here now, but they might not be tomorrow. Yeah, true ambivalence.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Feedback is anonymous. I see the same as you see: a number next to the emoji, nothing else. If you have JavaScript disabled you see nothing, and so do I.

1694907509

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 19:38:30 -0400

Just watched “The Hunt” (★★★★☆) . Though good, that was one upsetting movie—to the point that if it weren’t because I was watching it with the kid, I would have stopped seeing it. Was he believed, and fully accepted back? Think twice.

1694898470

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 17:07:51 -0400

Does Safari has an offline mode (like Firefox, for example)? No.

1694892186

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:23:06 -0400

By now it is settled that I love fonts. My thoughts have rambled around the topic more than once; my font collection is now at 1102. It might be surprising and, perhaps, inaccurate to say—because I am always discovering new ones that I like—but as of today, my first favourite (and the one currently in use here until further notice) is “IBM Plex Sans”, followed by “Inter”.

1694870923

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 09:28:44 -0400

Came back from riding the bike with dad. Told Kim we rode around 5 kilometres. “Riding on the road is dangerous!”—she says. “We rode on sidewalks.” “It is dangerous”—she repeats, “Please, don’t do it again.”

Yet, if I don’t do it, she will say “You are too sedentary, need to move more.” Damned if I do, damned if I don’t. 😂

1694822549

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 20:02:30 -0400

Haven’t played Diablo IV the whole week. Way too busy at work, and I have gone biking each day afterwards, and ended up too tired for anything else. Maybe I’ll play a bit tonight, after the TV is left alone. Right now some Chinese drama plays, I can hear it from the office room.

1694802881

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 14:34:42 -0400

If you are running iOS 17 (beta, or final, when it comes out next week), and you don’t see “Live Voicemail” under “Settings → Phone”, change your language to “English US”. “Live Voicemail” is only available on that one, for now.

1694784515

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:28:36 -0400

I truly don’t like Outlook, the program that runs on your computer, which started as a mail client, and now wants to do everything, and does it badly. I use it in a Windows VDI for work purposes, because there is no other practical choice. One of the things—amongst the many—that irks me about it is the “Remove extra line breaks in plain text messages” option enabled by default. That’s because—yes, you guessed it—I compose my emails in plain text.

1694779228

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 08:00:28 -0400

It is simply amazing the amount of high quality, instructive videos, available on YouTube. Most are curiosities, to see how things are made, or to experience how someone else does it. And that’s just scratching the surface just a millimetre—which, in inches, is some other number.

1694721722

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 16:02:02 -0400

I just got my chores handed to me, so I must hurry up to beat the rain and bike, and then rush home, shower, and get to chop, chop, chop!

If only I was a Horse, and not a Monkey! Damn you, opposable thumbs! 😂

1694692103

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 07:48:24 -0400

About iOS 17 relase on 18 September, make sure to turn off the betas (thanks George!) if you participated. Simply go to “Settings → General → Software Update → Beta Updates”. and turn it off.

1694642905

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 18:08:25 -0400

I found Webgbcam while browsing Javier’s posts, and I am in love with it! The good thing about pixels is they stretch nicely, and they conceal. A lot! LOL.

A pixelated animated GIF of me.

As Javier says it (translating it from Spanish), “a website to take selfies in the traditional way: with a Game Boy Camera”.

➝ Via Javier.computer.

1694639035

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:03:55 -0400

Sometime in the very near future I am going to move my Mastodon instance to a new hardware. When that happens, there are two possible outcomes: it is successful, or it isn’t. If it isn’t I am going to be in whole lot of pain. Will keep a “glass half full” mentality for now.

1694635473

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 16:04:33 -0400

Today was a bad day. Not horrible, as I am alive, but bad. Other than being pretty busy at work, juggling a couple of things that aren’t going the right way, I am having a pain on my neck, extending to my upper back—probably just neck pain, that’s been felt further from it—that’s driving nuts.

Will bike before it rains, and then take a very hot back to see if that makes me feel better.

1694564300

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 20:18:20 -0400

Such pity to read hateful people’s comments making fun, poking jokes at the new iPhone—I have found them on Reddit, and Mastodon, so far—when they live their sad, pathetic days, with that aberration of an OS that is Android on theirs. Interesting thing is, I have never gone bashing at “the other phones”; it’s always “them” coming to bash iPhones. For me that’s telling.

1694558866

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:47:47 -0400

iOS 17 is releasing 18 September 2023. That is, merely less than a week from today. I have been using it for a few betas now, and it works great! Now, I just want that Journal, but it still reads “Coming later this year”.

1694557785

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:29:45 -0400

Kim has a problem with the pace at which I eat. She thinks—kind of rightfully so—that I eat too fast. “Slow down, enjoy the food!”, she tells me. The truth is, I am enjoying it! That’s just the way I do it.

I have tried to slow down my pace, but she still thinks it is too fast. I like my meal hot. If I were to slow down and eat like she does, I would be eating cold food. Yuck! In social gatherings, though, I suffer a bit, and slow down to the group’s pace. After all, I truly am not a neanderthal!

1694541842

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 14:04:03 -0400

My take aways from the Apple Event:

Apple works on positively impacting the enviroment. Apple truly is extremely environmentally concious.
Apple Watch is amazing: from looks, to usability, to saving lives. It has it all!
iPhone hardware (with A16) keeps getting better (now with USB-C). Together with the best phone OS, iOS, it is a pleasure to use.
iPhones Pro/Pro Max are build with even more premium materials and hardware (including the A17Pro processor, and much more), and much better cameras (3 vs 2, but this it too simplistic, you must see the video for all the details).
There wasn’t a “one more thing”. I miss it.

1694526934

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 09:55:35 -0400

It’s happening! Apple’s event is today at 13:00 EDT and, in preparation, I have snacks ready and handy, and have moved my lunch hour from 12:00-13:00 to 13:00-14:00. I will be able to happily snack while I watch it! Are you ready?

1694517539

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 07:18:59 -0400

Charles Chaplin’s movie “The Great Dictator” (★★★★☆) final speech is uplifting, and remains as relevant today (for better or worse), as it was then. That makes me feel sad, but time is on our side.

To those who can hear me, I say: do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed—the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish…

The entire transcript is available at his website. I think it’s worth reading.

1694477184

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 20:06:24 -0400

That far away thundering, and the constant notifications on the Weather app of an impending rain are such a tease! High temps today were 33°C, and currently it is still 29°C. And yes, no rain. Pff!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Well, I’d be damned! It is raining right now, with thundering and lightnings, all with a strong wind as if a tornado were nearby.

1694470131

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 18:08:51 -0400

“Going to mum’s to eat whatever ông (dad) cooked for me.” I tell Kim. “Wish me luck!”

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Meal was very good! He made sweet sticky rice, and shredded lemongrass chicken. That, and a beer, completed dinner for me today. Stuffed!

1694457095

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 14:31:35 -0400

At which point a seemingly neverending web page will take too long to load—or it will stutter? I am currently paginating at 80 notes per page, but the original (which entised me to start “Notes”) sets no limit. I figure it will be limited by the operating system, or web browser, or by processor and memory constrains. Or all of the above.

1694452080

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:08:00 -0400

I can’t believe that it has already been 22 years since the 11 September terrorist attacks. I remember seeing the one on the Twin Towers as it was happening on TV; we all stopped working, and watched in disbelief. I will never forget.

1694450800

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 12:46:41 -0400

This thing is delicious, and thus very habit forming. I can’t stop eating little pieces of it. The packing description reads “Cơm Cháy Nước Mắm Chà Bông” (Vietnamese), which translates to “Burnt Rice With Fish Sauce”.

Sweet and spicy burnt rice with salty shredded dry pork on top.

Its ingredients are listed as “crispy rice, pork floss, fish sauce, sugar, soybean oil, and chilly”. All I read is yummy! 🤤

1694397293

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 21:54:54 -0400

And thus, as it came in a whisper, it leaves us the same: weekend is no more. Yet fret not, as it shall come once more just five days from now. Again, and again, and again… Time’s a show in a loop, just enjoy the ride!

1694384184

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 18:16:24 -0400

TIL that there are around 12kg of gold, and 21kg of silver in 4.2 cubic kilometres of seawater. You can read more about it and, at the same time, learn why the ocean is salty.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1694380635

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 17:17:15 -0400

This is a good read. The OP makes sure the preamble is set before stating very valid points.

I am a designer because I want to solve problems. I want people to be less frustrated when they use technology. I want to make their lives easier. I don’t want to make anyones life more difficult. These two sentiments sound the same, but they are not. I find both are important to consider.

1694379461

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 16:57:42 -0400

While driving around the city, or parking, I encounter pretty interesting things that people place on their cars. Normally I don’t take photos of them, but today’s was too funny to pass. 🤣

1694367298

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:34:59 -0400

From this week’s Areopagus Volume LXII, the temples atop Fanjing, their history, and the Cultural Author wrap up on chapter “IV - Architecture” was very interesting, educative, and inspiring. I quote it below, some emphasis mine.

“Architecture is not only a question of style, of whether we want to build in Gothic or Classical, Bauhaus or Constructivist. And nor is it only a question of choice, of what sort of building we want to create, whether a library or school, office block or hospital. It is, even more than any of these, a matter of faith. That which we believe to be true, and to be most important — be this religious, economic, or otherwise — is far upstream of these other questions. It was because of their beliefs that the builders of the Fanjingshan temples decided to construct them on the Red Cloud Golden Summit. For when we believe that something is both right and necessary we almost always accomplish our goal. The process that has led to urban skyscrapers, to sports stadiums, and to cathedrals, is much the same as that which led to the creation of the Fanjingshan temples — in all cases, at all times, it begins with belief.”

I really encourage you to subscribe to his newsletter. They bring joy to me, and I want—very much—to share it with you.

1694366561

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:22:42 -0400

I am having a hard time perfectly aligning the icon at the begining of the timestamp on each note—timestamp that is also the permanent link for it—and it’s driving me nuts. To the point that I am seriously considering getting rid of it all together. Why was I made so fastidious?

1694365354

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 13:02:35 -0400

I swear that Kim is playing Jenga with the recycle’s bin. Whoever loses takes it out and, boy, she is winning!

1694363612

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:33:32 -0400

Claudine wrote, “True, not true: Vietnamese coffee makes me delirious 😅”. I’ll say true! If, and when, I drink Vietnamese coffee my heart wants to get out of my chest, like it doesn’t belong there. And sleeping? Fuhgeddaboudit!

1694359505

Sun, 10 Sep 2023 11:25:06 -0400

Apple’s event (12 Sep 2023, 14:00 EDT) logo. Watch it!.

It’s that time of the year again, and I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned Apple’s event. It’s coming! Like, day after tomorrow coming. I will watch it, like I do each year, for sure! If you like Apple, and their products, I recommend you watch it too!

1694318225

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 23:57:05 -0400

For someone who was never meant for this world, I must confess I’m suddenly having a hard time leaving it. Of course, they say every atom in our bodies was once part of a star. Maybe I’m not leaving… maybe I’m going home.

Just finished watching “Gattaca” (★★★★★) for the six time, but the first time with the kid. He finally let me rent it to watch it together.

At the end of the movie I told my kid that I saw the movie in its opening year (1997), and that I associated myself with Vincent having been born when my mum was 42, and having had my fair share of issues. That’s the reason I watched it so many times, I think. It is also a good movie.

1694300893

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 19:08:13 -0400

Half of the weekend is almost over, half of my chores are finished. Next true worry is what to eat and, later on, what to watch on TV. I have no idea on either, so I will read some news while I cool down a bit. It is past 19:00, and still around 30ºC.

1694279702

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 13:15:03 -0400

I believe one can’t experience death. One can only experience that that one can live to talk about. A near death experience? Of course. Yet, I think I understand what Mu-An is referring to.

1694277885

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 12:44:45 -0400

After finding a font I liked online today, and checking which one was it, and downloading it, and saving it to my “fonts” directory all neatly organised with the rest of them—which is something I often do—I had an existential thought. “Why am I doing this?” Will anyone “inheriting” my collection care about them like I did?

I often find myself second guessing what I do, or a direction/decision I am heading/taking by simply going over and over my thoughts on the meaning of life. Latent depression?

1694239085

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 01:58:05 -0400

Mental note: no matter how bad you might feel, try not to fall asleep during day time (avoid taking that medicine that makes you drowsy) because then it will be 02:00, and you will still be sleepless. Time to chew on some melatonin. Ugh.

1694235060

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:51:00 -0400

Just finished watching “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” (★★★★☆) , the movie. It was pretty cool! I am thankful for having watched the series before the movie, otherwise I would have been lost.

1694234253

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 00:37:33 -0400

I am liking the redesign of Google Fonts, which was announced on the Material Design Blog. I will still use the google-fonts-helper to get the fonts I choose to use, and host them locally.

1694215199

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 19:19:59 -0400

I like honey, of all kinds. I always have one or two jars of it at home, and I take—at least—one teaspoon of it each day in the morning. Yet, I always feel guilty that I am enjoying the labour of bees. Double guilty because I can’t help it. I really like honey!

1694192936

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 13:08:57 -0400

The first one who told me about the 10,000 steps per day was my friend Martin. He has, almost religiously, walked that amount per day ever since I met him, sometime around 1986. It seems he was right all along:

“The first company that produced pedometers came up with the 10,000-step benchmark without any data, as that was considered an auspicious number,” says Lieberman. “Since then, plenty of studies have shown that steps a day is a reasonable way of measuring physical activity. As you increase your step count, you reap increased benefits, but it tails off between about 8,000 and 10,000.”

Hutchinson agrees: “There’s nothing magic about 10,000 steps a day, but it is pretty good advice. In general, the best target is probably ‘a little more’ than what you’re currently doing.”

➝ Via Kottke.

1694179233

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 09:20:34 -0400

That I am getting old, I can take. That the people I love is getting old, that hurts. Both out of our control, I know. Still.

1694112917

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 14:55:18 -0400

Message to child, regarding upcoming nourishment situation, and potential remediation.

Mamá just announced to me—because she is an actress, and likes to make an entrance—that she will not be cooking, nor helping to cook, tonight. I know it might be early, but start thinking what would you like for tonight. Providing some options (non-exhaustive):

Publix sub
Macaroni and cheese with bacon
Spaghetti and meatballs
Don Julio’s chicken fajitas
Pizza Hut

I am good with anything. Let me know.

1694100810

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 11:33:30 -0400

Not long ago I wrote about leaving LinkedIn for good. Truth be told, I created yet another account (so much for that “final time”, right?), because work based relations with LinkedIn, and the training they offer through it. I was, pretty much, forced to it, being part of work. That doesn’t make me despise it less.

After just a few months, I am now starting to receive UCE through it. Am I an arse if I just simply send those to junk?

1694090394

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 08:39:55 -0400

Sony’s PlayStation Network is increasing the price of all their plans. The PlayStation Plus Essential (the least expensive plan, which I have because without it some online games cannot be played) will go from $60/year to $80/year. They are justifying it by saying that it “will enable us to continue bringing high-quality games and benefits to your PlayStation Plus subscription service.” I get absolutely nothing, just paying for the ability to use my Internet connectivity on the console. How ducked up is that?!

Suffice it to say, I will not be renewing my subscription. Duck Sony (yes, duck it)!

1694087633

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:53:53 -0400

Here we go again. Hurricane Lee, forecasted to “rapidly intensify into a powerful Category 4 by this weekend”. Not even mid-September yet, and we are at L already. As in lovely.

1694085897

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:24:58 -0400

“Our demand is that the world should let us live with our Sharia law.”

This is a powerful documentary and article, about how a Sharia courtroom works. It really offers an incredible insight—at least for me—on how the system process claims, and imparts justice. It is backwards, yet fascinating.

1694018654

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 12:44:14 -0400

For me my child will always be my responsibility. That doesn’t mean they will not be responsible on their own, no. Yet, in my mind, it was my choice—well, a united, shared one—to have a child. It became my responsibility then, for life.

1694009618

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 10:13:38 -0400

This guy, Linus, he is some sort of a genius. He truly is! No, he isn’t Torvalds—though that Linus is also a genius. I mean, look how prolific he is! And he sure does write, at length. But don’t take my word for it, just go check it out. Oh, and he composes music, and does art, I mean… is there something he doesn’t do?!

Now, what brought me here today was his “short” notes, which he describes as “brief memos on ideas, musings, inspirations”. Pfff, Linus, mate, I admire you a lot. You don’t know me, but I do. Now, let me tell you something: you can’t write “brief” anything. Well, almost.

1693949184

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:26:24 -0400

Trying not to succumb to the temptation of buying yet more domains. Because I don’t need them. Because I will buy them, and a year later let them go. It is better tossing the coins in a fountain, right?

1693948190

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:09:50 -0400

Maybe it is the fanatic in me, but Apple doesn’t need to run advertisements. This was prompted by this, which I found on Mastodon.

➝ Via Dan Gillmor.

1693947536

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 16:58:56 -0400

First day of back to doing some cardio—biking this time, because my running shoes suck, and I don’t want to buy new ones… yet. Did 2 miles, constant pedalling, which ought to be enough for a first day. Had noodle legs when I dismounted so, yeah. Slow and steady, that’s the plan.

1693943584

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:53:04 -0400

Our engagement with Canonical to deploy and manage Ubuntu with MAAS and Landscape is over, and now the “fun” begins. So much to customise, and tune! I have spent the entire day tunning and rebuilding images, back and forth. I am hoping to work on post-install scripting tomorrow.

1693935236

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 13:33:56 -0400

My closest work mate is on vacation this week. Though it is a short week—having had the day off yesterday for Labour Day, and all—it is going feel like a long one.

1693746106

Sun, 03 Sep 2023 09:01:46 -0400

I am on the day before the last free day, before having to go back to the cyclic routine. Everything tells me that I must make the most of it, yet I fail to know what that is. I will peruse technical news, for now, whilst sipping a made-with-half-and-half hot chocolate.

1693697304

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 19:28:24 -0400

Let the House Hunters International marathon start… now! 📺

1693677809

Sat, 02 Sep 2023 14:03:29 -0400

The feeling I get when I pull out my identification in advance at Total Wine & More, when buying beer for mum, anticipating I will be asked for it, and when getting to the cashier she says “Oh, you are fine” after trying to show it to her. 😩

Kim laughed at me, of course.

1693609227

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 19:00:27 -0400

I subscribe to the Areopagus, and if you like to learn about many different things, you should too. I have been meaning to mention their “Volume LIX”, and how much I liked it for some time and, well, here I am.

There is an old story about the King of Persia or, in some versions, the Sultan of Baghdad. In all cases it runs thusly; that this great lord, who was an enlightened ruler, wanted to know if there was anything he could say which would always be true, whenever and wherever it was spoken. So he gathered the wisest men in the land, calling poets and sages and philosophers from far and wide, to help him find an answer. They formed a great congregation and conferred for weeks on end until, eventually, they had agreed upon the solution to the king’s problem – they had a found a sentence which would always be true:

This too shall pass.

The entire volume is wholly filled with interesting stories revolving around that simple, yet everlasting, truth. It truly is worth reading.

1693606646

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 18:17:26 -0400

You can tell I am feeling nostalgic. Maybe it is the rain, that falls constantly, and gently. Maybe it is the feeling that time is steadily slipping through my fingers.

CompuServe advertisement, found at Paleotronic.

My very first access to the Internet was via Prodigy. Then CompuServe, eWorld, and Holonet. Finally The Microsoft Network, AOL, and broadband providers (wich I use till today).

1693580537

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 11:02:17 -0400

Went to mum’s to have coffee. I do this whenever I have time, because I like spending time with her, not so much for the coffee. That’s just a bonus. Of course, soon after I arrive I get this…

A Starbucks order request for the coffee Monkey.

It never fails! Yes, I order it with extra whipped cream. And yes, it will never be enough of it. “Did you ask for extra whipped cream?” — “Yes, I did.” — “It doesn’t look like having anything extra at all!” 🤦‍♂️

1693534914

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 22:21:54 -0400

“I can’t remember the name of the first girl I had a crush on in kindergarten. Can’t remember the name of my first love!”, I tell my partner. “Good, you should only remember me!”, she replies, half-kidding. “It’s not about the girl, silly Horse. It is about my memories fading away.”

Growing old isn’t fun. 😩

1693505421

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 14:10:21 -0400

This dilemma came to mind. Should I enjoy an uninterrupted weekend (well, I still must fold clothes, but that’s unavoidable, unless I find a wish granting genie), or should I use tomorrow to mow the lawn, and forget about it for the entire next week?

If I were to find a wish granting genie, then I will ask more than having the clothes folded, but also to mow the lawn. If you are reading this, genie, don’t cross my path! You already know what awaits…

1693502026

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 13:13:46 -0400

My weekend starts in around 45 minutes from now. Work closing for game day, taking tomorrow off, and then Saturday, Sunday, and Labour Day Monday! Ohhhh yeaaaah!

1693450286

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:51:27 -0400

As someone with a few Indian friends, I have always been puzzled by the concept of caste that exists in India. My Indian friends, however, are not prone to talk about it. Yet, all of them are of a high caste, and none are Dalit or OBC. This prompted this note.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1693401924

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 09:25:24 -0400

Barely a little rain, brought to us compliments of Idalia, and power goes off. Granted, only for a few minutes, but why?! What kind of third world country—or Banana Republic—is this state?

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

As if it heard me, now Idalia’s outer edge is giving us quite a show, downpouring with winds. It is kind of odd to see and hear a storm without any lighting. Thunderstorms are a brand around here, but rains brought by hurricanes come with few lightings, and thunders. Just more wind.

1693325425

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:10:25 -0400

Sooo sleepy! Alarm set to 12:55, will power nap during lunch because I don’t know if I will, otherwise, be able to make it. Mental note, do not take allergies medicines after 18:00, but at noon instead.

1693320285

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 10:44:46 -0400

This is quasi-horror story of a spouse the got a medical bill for her deceased husband, a year after she had paid the final bill—or so she thought. The takeaway:

“In the United States, medical bills and insurance statements create a burdensome puzzle for patients to sort through to determine what is actually owed. The first rule of thumb is: “Don’t pay the bill before you’ve gotten the EOB,” which is the insurer’s accounting of what you owe and what the insurer will pay.”

1693317745

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 10:02:25 -0400

Looks like Idalia will not pass close enough to merit a university close down. Local colleges are doing so, though. Experience tell us that is a best to err on the safe side.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

And UCF is following the rest; it’s closing! Woot!

1692979535

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:05:36 -0400

I found this phrase from Frank Herbert’s “Dune” posted on the Fediverse by MrBadger42 to be, perhaps, perennially true.

“Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.”

1692972361

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 10:06:02 -0400

A co-worker of mine reply when I told him I disliked our current enterprise web font, Gotham (yes, I am into fonts this week; it won’t last, I promise!): “It is a matter of taste, and yours is undisputable.” :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing:

1692962273

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:17:53 -0400

While on the topic of fonts, I have to say that the Open Sans Pro font is extremely legible. It truly makes it a pleasurable reading experience, on sites using it. It is also open sourced.

1692811419

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 13:23:40 -0400

On iOS 17 Public Beta 5 right now. Each beta has been getting better, so I don’t expect this one to be any different. I am all for surprises, though! 😂

1692790758

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:39:18 -0400

This world that we, the smartest animals in the kingdom, call ours will be inherited by all the lesser animals we mistreat (or, at the very least, ignore) today. Then, and only then, Earth will heal.

1692727293

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:01:34 -0400

Avenir Next is such an easy to read font! I wish it was decently priced, available to use on the web, and not ridiculously expensive as it is today.

1692668010

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 21:33:30 -0400

This blog post, “We’re All Just Temporarily Abled”, from Jim Nielsen, pairs suitably with my previous train of thought. The older I get, the more often I find myself philosophising.

1692384278

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 14:44:38 -0400

From Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective:

“‘You see this goblet?’ asks Achaan Chaa, the Thai meditation master. ‘For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.’”

Also, from The Wise Heart:

“One day Ajahn Chah held up a beautiful Chinese tea cup, ‘To me this cup is already broken. Because I know its fate, I can enjoy it fully here and now. And when it’s gone, it’s gone.’ When we understand the truth of uncertainty and relax, we become free.”

And, from Marcus Aurelius, Meditations:

“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly.”

1692216551

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:09:11 -0400

Naomi Wu is my new hero. This video converted me to her.

1692195504

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 10:18:25 -0400

Life is a loop. The known universe is a loop. Everything is a do while loop. Thus, everything is a program in an enormously big computer.

1692011884

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:18:04 -0400

We survived the weekend, alone, without the boy. Now onto the working week. Got to mow the wilderness that is our backyard, this week. Soon after I will have to do the same for the front. It never ends!

1691773986

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 13:13:06 -0400

Chetan Kunte updated his page! Chetan’s site is one of the few I, almost religiously, check each day for new content.

1691769020

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:50:20 -0400

This is the second, or third time I receive this email. It shows how to make it to my blocklist in one single step.

I’m afraid this is my last email to you about my suggestions for Data Flow (gasp!). I haven’t heard back from you yet and this must mean one of three things:

You are happy with your current lead volume, CPL, and conversion rates.

You’ve been too busy with deadlines/meetings/tap-dance classes but you’re interested (It’s not too late!)

You’ve fallen and you can’t get up. Let me know if that’s the case, I’ll send help!

Please let me know - I’m worried!

1691766814

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:13:34 -0400

Emails with a “friendly reminder” phrase in it irk me. Especially those requesting feedback—over, and over—for a service rendered. I know they are automated, but there is always a human behind them.

1691754564

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:49:25 -0400

Boy is leaving for a week to the Keys before classes start again. Here comes a week of worries.

1691670752

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 08:32:32 -0400

There has been eight 007s throughout the years. While going through my thoughts yesterday it struck weird that they all like it “shaken, not stirred”, are desired by women, are virtually un-killable, etc. Was that an MI6 requirement? 😂

1691668058

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:47:38 -0400

The “Unknown unknowns”—things we don’t know we don’t know—have always fascinated me.

1691582583

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 08:03:03 -0400

After coming across “Vocal Fry: what it is, who does it, and why people hate it!” at Claud’s I cannot not notice it on just about any female newscaster.

➝ Via @claudrod.

1691519811

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 14:36:52 -0400

Conduit is the easiest, fastest, leanest way to run a Matrix server. A single binary, and a small configuration file. Can’t beat that!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Or, as George pointed out, docker compose up.

1691516621

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 13:43:41 -0400

Feeling rather meh. One of those things that happen after taking a long break, or after taking a short one. Or just simply meh.

1691431030

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 13:57:10 -0400

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has no problems selling you a Postal Money Order. It will take your cash—or debit card—gladly. Now, try cashing one in, and you will be stumped: they carry no money to exchange for the Money Order. To cash it in you will need to deposit it on your bank. In other words, avoid them. This isn’t fully accurate.

1691416828

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 10:00:29 -0400

My four days long weekend is over. Where did the time go?! The relativity of time is truly annoying. 😩

1691346948

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 14:35:48 -0400

My Personal Identifiable Information (PII) leaked (unauthorized third parties were likely able to access and download full names, Social Security numbers, policy/account numbers, dates of birth, and addresses, among other), again, compliments of SaaS. This time it was “MOVEit Transfer”, which Corebridge (one of my retirement accounts financial institutions) uses.

This CVE provides details of the vulnerability that was exploited. Links within that page explains it further.

Duuuuuuuck! 🤬 Initial fraud alert—1 year—placed on the three major credit bureaus.

Partner is also receiving the same notification I got, today. The impact of the breach goes beyond Corebridge. Maybe you are affected too!

1691320483

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 07:14:44 -0400

“Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year has gone by and how little we’ve grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake, we know it’s not to be, that for the rest of our sad, wretched, pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably; happy birthday? No such thing.”

The above from one of “Seinfeld” episodes.

1691090404

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 15:20:05 -0400

Based on what I have seeing of the gameplay and the looks, I have absolutely no interest, nor desire to play, Baldur’s Gate 3. Almost died of boredom! I will pass, 100%.

1691066897

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:48:17 -0400

The sentimental in me found this blog entry, and was touched. So many times I have thought about Netscape, and what will it be if it was still around. Right after Mosaic, Netscape Navigator was the web browser I used for a very long time.

1691005193

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:39:53 -0400

I am just surprised this didn’t come along earlier, and that it took a pandemic event to make it a reality. Going to an office to sit all day, and then go home never made sense to me. When pushed for a change, all we got—begrudgingly—was one “telecommuting” day per week.

“If they were to say ’everyone back in the office’, I would probably be asking for a raise,” said Coomber, who still visits the office once or twice a week. “You get more family time. You can actually finish work at five, rather than finishing at five spending 45 minutes trying to get home.”

1690917738

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 15:22:18 -0400

When the girl tells me she is stressed, and had a mental breakdown, it truly hurts my heart—that feeling one gets, as if someone was squeezing it. It upsets, worries me so much! Why will there be things for which we feel so impotent to do anything?

1690892495

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 08:21:36 -0400

“🎶 Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies…”

1690826469

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:01:10 -0400

I don’t need, nor want, thinner bezels on an iPhone. I want to be able to comfortable hold it. What I want is an edge-to-edge screen which, sadly, will not come anytime soon. I am sure many are with me on this.

Oh, and keeping its pricing sensible. If it comes at $1,500, I would rather buy a laptop.

1690822892

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 13:01:33 -0400

Watched a handful of football matches this weekend, as the FIFA Women World Cup is ongoing. Noticed that players didn’t get as upset as men do, nor did they get violent to each other, nor one ever yelled at the referee within millimetres of her face. Certainly refresing!

1690818628

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:50:28 -0400

“I’ll leave tomorrow’s problems to tomorrow’s me.”

Re-watched season 1 of “One-Punch Man” (★★★★★) with the kid this past weekend. Need to look for season 2—not available on Netflix, unlike season 1—to quench the thirst left by watching those few episodes.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

My kid found season 2 online, watched first episode last night. So good!

1690570806

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:00:06 -0400

Within my family (partner and I, both sides) there are only 4 people using a phone running god-knows-what version of Android. Everyone else is on iOS. Of all my friends there is only 1 on Android. So yeah, I believe this (that the iPhone market has increased, while Android based phone shipments have dwindled) to be true.

1690555258

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 10:40:58 -0400

Broccoli cheddar soup is my favourite soup. I like many soups, but no other brings more joy than the broccoli cheddar one. Having always had someone else’s, I am now ready to cook it on my own. I bet you can guess what’s on the menu this weekend.

1690550683

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 09:24:44 -0400

I was skeptical, but thanks to George—and after watching the hearing—I am more willing to believe, and agree that there needs to be more transparency on the findings on UAP (formerly UFO) phenomena. Let’s hope something substancial comes out of this.

If you decide to watch the hearing video, be aware it is 2 hours 18 minutes long. I found that seeing/listening it at 1.5x, or 2x worked best for me.

1690478881

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 13:28:01 -0400

Feeling a little bit nostalgic. I am sure it is part of things that happen “before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern”. That kind of thing.

1690477396

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 13:03:16 -0400

The feeling I get when I visit my favourites GitHub repositories, and find new updates… That git pull sure is such an adrenaline rush!

1690383754

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:02:34 -0400

Browsed to this website for the fun, stayed for the typography. Look at the legibility and beauty of that Garamond Premier Pro!

1690378609

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 09:36:49 -0400

Pet peeve #19657: using relatives when referring to conclusives. “It looks like it is happening” rather than “It is happening”. “It looks like the firewall is allowing connections” rather than “The firewall allows connections”. It is not alledged when just is. Duck!

1690374536

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 08:28:56 -0400

Well, now I know what I will be doing more often. I mean, it doesn’t take too long, and it comes with benefits I can sure use. I also mow the lawn once a week; believe me, that’s plenty of exercise.

1690214031

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 11:53:52 -0400

It seems like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are a total success, and a must see, as the worse have riled up against them.

1690126649

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 11:37:30 -0400

Saw this on the Fediverse, from an automated account (bot) suitably named Picard Tips: “Don’t assume anything is possible or impossible until you’ve asked the people who will be doing the work.” Oh man… so true!

1690039004

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 11:16:44 -0400

If only I had the state of mind that Hokusai had! For me these words come as the perfect example of optimism, and hope. Reading them makes me feel at ease.

“…until the age of 70, nothing I drew was worthy of notice. At 73 years I was somewhat able to fathom the growth of plants and trees, and the structure of birds, animals, insects and fish. Thus when I reach 80 years, I hope to have made increasing progress, and at 90 to see further into the underlying principles of things, so that at 100 years I will have achieved a divine state in my art, and at 110, every dot and every stroke will be as though alive. Those of you who live long enough, bear witness that these words of mine are not false.” — One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.

➝ Via The British Museum.

1690037643

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 10:54:03 -0400

“It is in our power to have no opinion about a thing, and not to be disturbed in our soul; for things themselves have no natural power to form our judgements.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 6.

1690036632

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 10:37:13 -0400

“What a horse wants, what a horse needs, is always having a patch of grass that’s ever green…” — Read/sing it with the music of “What a Girl Wants”, by Christina Aguilera. I sang it this morning to my partner. She is a Horse 😂.

1689874324

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:32:04 -0400

While on video gaming topic, specifically Diablo IV, I have decided to play a druid on Season 1. Unlike previously anticipated, I am picking Radagast for his name. I think it is quite fitting, right? 🙈

1689873996

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 13:26:36 -0400

About Diablo IV’s patch notes there has been much controversy. Blizzard has truly made the game less fun with it, but it is a game, and I don’t give it much thought. Now for those who think the patch is the worse ever, think again!

1689869088

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 12:04:48 -0400

On The Past Is Not True written by Derek, I liked this a lot, because if you give it a thought you will know it is oh-so-true.

“We think of the past like it’s a physical fact - like it’s real. But the past is what we call our memory and stories about it. Imperfect memories, and stories built on one interpretation of incomplete information. That’s “the past”.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1689865191

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 10:59:51 -0400

“We are lost in space, just as the planets, stars, suns, universes. We are all lost, on a collision course to the unknown; our end inevitable.” — That was my first (and only) entry on Anytype. I am liking the app so far!

1689851540

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 07:12:20 -0400

I have a general antipathy for the indented paragraphs writing style (that is, first line of each paragraph is indented). I truly dislike it, and very much prefer—and exclusively use—a block format.

It is not just that I don’t like it visually, it goes beyond that. I find the style hard to read. Maybe it is just the way my brain is wired.

1689804362

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 18:06:02 -0400

For my fellow christians, what ever happened to Mark 12:17? Why do you insist on shoving your fanatic doctrines down everyone’s throats?

Please, understand that “you” in the context above doesn’t really mean you you. I am using the “royal” you.

1689801970

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 17:26:10 -0400

I surprised everyone today at the gathering by having one slice of pizza only. The four years ago me would have eaten four, plus pops, plus cookies… the whole shebang! Not today. What can I say? I have been institutionalised 😂.

1689765828

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:23:49 -0400

It is “Pizza Day” at work’s old offices. We finished a migration (moved half of our VMs to Azure), and management is treating us to it. It will be an opportunity to say hello, face-to-face, to old, and new co-workers. Looking forward to it, just let’s see how traffic behaves.

1689707696

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:14:57 -0400

This one I had read before, yet still brought a few chuckles as I read deeper into it. Having a friend that owns (or used to, I am not sure now) a handful of old Porsche’s, I couldn’t resist sharing it with him. It made him laugh too! 😂

“Welcome to my Porsche 914. I imagine that at this point (having found the door unlocked) your intention is to steal my car. Don’t be encouraged by this; the tumblers sheared off in 1978. I would have locked it up if I could, so don’t think you’re too clever or that I’m too lazy. However, now that you’re in the car, there are a few things you’re going to need to know.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1689688999

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 10:03:20 -0400

Truly loving Jessica’s approach of creating weekly notes. The weeks, I noticed, are not quite accurate (for example, 27 June 2023 is the 26th week of the year, not the 25th), but nevertheless, I love the use of the additive bullets for the week’s notes.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

I just realised this approach reminds me of Logseq a lot. No wonder I like it so much!

➝ Via Muan’s Blogroll.

1689682328

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 08:12:08 -0400

In case anyone doubted the influencing economic power of Taylor Swift.

“Despite the slowing recovery in tourism in the region overall, one contact highlighted that May was the strongest month for hotel revenue in Philadelphia since the onset of the pandemic, in large part due to an influx of guests for the Taylor Swift concerts in the city.”

1689624792

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:13:12 -0400

Regarding this, I don’t have the option on my phone for it. I have searched The Tubes, and others are in the same boat. I figure it requires carrier activation, or Apple is throttling the rollout of the feature, or something else. Oh well, it is a beta after all.

1689622111

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:28:31 -0400

“Tips are a wage subsidy to the employer,” she says. “It’s not a tip. It goes to your wage. It is just the amount that the employer doesn’t have to pay you. And people don’t understand that.” — NPR

Oh, I understand. I just don’t agree with it. Ask the employer to include that “subsidy” on the price of the goods, and then it will be up to the customer to decide whether spending the money at the establishment is worth it, or not.

1689621157

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:12:38 -0400

Picking nuts out a bag without looking is better than placing then in a bowl. When you pick them from the bag, you get a random assortment. On the other hand, having them in a bowl tempts you to discriminate, and hand-pick what you like—which will, irremediably, result in waste.

1689609005

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 11:50:05 -0400

Some words about happiness that resonated for me this morning:

1689598828

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 09:00:28 -0400

“You’re saddled up; there’s no recourse. It’s, “Hi-yo, silver!” — Signed: Bad Horse

1689597972

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 08:46:13 -0400

Child tried a root beer float—with vanilla ice cream—for the first time on his life last night. “It smells funny. Medicinal, even”, was his reaction to root beer. Yup, that’s root beer, for sure!

1689593351

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:29:11 -0400

“See you in my 19th life” continues to be exciting, engaging, and overall lovely. Saw the most recent episodes last night, and I can’t wait for the next weekend 🙈. Imagine if re-incarnation was possible, and on top of it you remembered your previous lives? Anyway, no spoilers! A sweet plot twist on these series.

1689365473

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:11:13 -0400

Upcoming iOS 17 Live Voicemail is as good as advertised. Some might call it magical, even. I do.

“Live Voicemail gives users the ability to see real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail, and the opportunity to pick up while the caller is leaving their message. Calls identified as spam by carriers won’t appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined. With the power of the Neural Engine, Live Voicemail transcription is handled on-device and remains entirely private.”

1689363310

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 15:35:11 -0400

Today we kind of ended the most disorganised, painful, and convoluted engagement ever in which I have being a participant. We are left with a non-functional solution that is bound to produce headaches, and unpleasantness—and surprises!—for years to come. Yay! 😒

1689343009

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 09:56:50 -0400

Running iOS 17 public beta now, as temptation got a hold of me yesterday. It has some glitches, and small bugs (mostly visual), but very, very stable, and usable. Buttery smooth as if it were a release.

1689337674

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 08:27:54 -0400

Substack is the new Medium. It started great, now one gets those obnoxious requests for signing up. I have avoided any links driving me to Medium; adding Substack to the array.

1689299180

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 21:46:20 -0400

It is this note timestamp, and I am going to sleep. I have been going to bed each day, for the last few weeks, past 01:30, and waking up at 06:00. It has now caught up with me. Youngster no more.

1689278279

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 15:58:00 -0400

I am so tempted to install iOS 17 public beta! If anything for that Journal app, because I will use the heck out of it. Also because George told me “this is the only way we can test”. The fact that he already jumped in isn’t helping. 😅

Ugh, need to learn how to read the fine print. On the Journal app, from Apple, “Coming later this year”. Cry, cry, cry! Still, I think I will jump in.

1689248178

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:36:18 -0400

Thunderbird 115 Supernova is out, and it is hideous. Not just the looks (I ducking hate that Outlook look!), but the bloat. Why couldn’t an email client remain just for emails? Couldn’t care less about its calendar. Ugh, I am getting too old…

1689163304

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:01:44 -0400

Working physically—as in, not remote—at one of our datacentres today. Last time I went there was at the end of year 2022, let’s see how much it has changed. I expect visible changes in our cage, as we are trying to vacate it. Off I go to waste over an hour on commute!

1689101646

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 14:54:06 -0400

Wow, just wow! Truly no words to describe how well done, how perfect, how entertaining was to watch this stop-motion animation. This one defines mastery. The behind the scenes video is a must watch.

➝ Via Kottke.

1689091430

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 12:03:50 -0400

Feature request for iOS: setting to allow all calls from Contacts to ring through, all others go straight to voicemail. In other words, an allowed list (as opposite to disallowed, duh!).

1689087044

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 10:50:44 -0400

Local temperatures (in Celsius). Lovely, just lovely. We are not harming our planet, no. Not happening, nothing to see here, right?

1689083491

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 09:51:31 -0400

New Red Hat owners, IBM, “f***** around, and they are finding out”. Their decision to stop publicly releasing RHEL source code is going to come back to bite them. New distros pledging to be RHEL compatible have spawned, and now SUSE and Oracle are, too, having their saying.

1689007525

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 12:45:26 -0400

Fascinated by this, as I have always being about keeping track of time—though, like everyone else, I tend to “waste” it. I like the simplicity and usability. I also love the optimism of the maker: “[…] assuming I live to 85 years old.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1688992038

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 08:27:18 -0400

Oh yes, we know tipping—an endemic problem in the US—has gone out of control. This article Kim shared doesn’t make sense, though.

“No matter if you are dining in or opting to carry out, try to stick within 15 to 20 percent of the pretax bill.”

No, sorry, that’s not how it works. I might be an oddball, but I have been tipping when I feel like it, in the amount I feel like it—exceptions on places that include the tip on the bill. As the article briefly mentions, “businesses should pay their employees fair wages rather than forcing them to rely on tips.”

1688988799

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 07:33:19 -0400

Upgraded my Mastodon instance to 4.1.4. Forever grateful to the “Update Notifications” bot which remind us all running the software to upgrade/update as needed. I would probably be in troubles without it.

1688866693

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 21:38:14 -0400

Diablo IV season 1 is coming 20 July. I think it is coming out too soon. My only toon is level 94. Those last 6 levels will take a while. Like, I don’t think I will be 100 on the eternal realm before season 1 releases.

1688866476

Sat, 08 Jul 2023 21:34:37 -0400

Where did Saturday go? Went to sleep at 03:30ish, woke up at 07:30ish, and tried using as much of the Saturday as possible, and still escaped like water between fingers. “Is there a secret to make a day last longer?” I asked my partner. “Yes, a workday” was her reply. 😅

1688758476

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:34:36 -0400

Removed HTML and CSS files from caching here (server side). I don’t like having to hard refresh to see a new note. Let’s see if it works.

Seems to be working! I simply created a separate header @content cache-control max-age=0, where @content has HTML, and CSS files in it.

1688757263

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 15:14:23 -0400

Though I knew about it, Phanpy has re-ignated my engagement on Mastodon. Three things I love about it: it is light, and easy to host, it is beautiful, and it is super usable (the look of the threads it creates had me at hello). Totally love it!

1688749785

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 13:09:45 -0400

Every working day, without a fail, I feel sleepy right when I am about to return to work after the lunch hour. The thing is, I don’t eat at lunch, so it has to be a game my mind is playing on me. Ugh.

1688745861

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:04:22 -0400

Forget religion for a moment, “it’s easy if you try”. This, from Hinduism’s Karma theory on the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, is true. I know it, you know it.

“Now as a man is like this or like that, according as he acts and according as he behaves, so will he be: a man of good acts will become good, a man of bad acts, bad. He becomes pure by pure deeds, bad by bad deeds. And here they say that a person consists of desires. And as is his desire, so is his will; and as is his will, so is his deed; and whatever deed he does, that he will reap.”

1688744888

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:48:09 -0400

These have popped way too often for my liking, and I adore rain! I mean, if it weren’t because of this, I would be in heaven.

1688744137

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:35:37 -0400

Eloquently, yet, succinctly writen. I totally agree.

“I’ve realized that avoiding bad habits is just as important as cultivating good habits. To address these kinds of issues, we must become aware of our patterns of incremental neglect and then take deliberate steps to counteract them and foster healthier habits.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1688743201

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:20:02 -0400

Went on a small stroll around the house to stretch my legs, and noticed our weed thriving backyard with fear. Yup, sadly, the time I dislike is quickly approaching.

1688740804

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 10:40:04 -0400

I might have said this before, but it is worth repeating. I can’t stand LinkedIn. It is intrusive, used for spaming and solicitation. The few times I have been in it, because I have received notifications, I have encountered presumptous people that I don’t know, using the platform as a second Facebook (which I detest). Sadly, work nagged about not being on LinkedIn, so I am.

I don’t want to come across as a ranting person, but I think I need a rant icon.

1688694024

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 21:40:25 -0400

More on this. Not complaining, nor unhappy, but I got the cache today from “Ashava the Pestilent”. So, now I am stumped. Is the game half broken? Has Blizzard fixed it?

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Well, well, well. From the latest patch notes:

“Fixed an issue where the Weekly Reward Cache for defeating a World Boss would display as available if there was an active Whisper for defeating the boss, even when the Cache had already been claimed previously.”

That had to be it, I see no other explanation. Nothing lost then, carry on! Phew!

1688673797

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:03:17 -0400

OK, so I created an Instagram account, so I could try Threads, and this that Claud wrote about was the first thing I noticed. Who are those people on my timeline, or whatever Threads calls it?!

1688673181

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 15:53:01 -0400

If, when going to a website, the first thing it does within seconds of browsing it is showing me a floating request for my email address, I am almost 90% sure I will not be coming back. If it only allows 1 free article, I am 100% not coming back.

1688666798

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:06:39 -0400

The amount of disregard for things around him, especially things that do not belong to him, that this guy showed is appalling.

“I admit with profound embarrassment that only after what regretfully happened did I learn of the antiquity of the monument.”

So, it would have been OK to do it, if it was a not-so-old building? 😡

1688666135

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 13:55:36 -0400

For those who use “fine” often—when refering to issues with software, for example, “it works fine”, or “it’s fine!”—a sentence I read, don’t remember where (and I paraphrase): “Fine is far from good, and nowhere near great.”

1688661794

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 12:43:14 -0400

Have killed three world bosses on Diablo IV this week, so far, none dropping the legendary cache (a once per week, per boss, item). Game has broken very recently, after the 4 July weekend. No support is provided, only posting on their forum. Ugh!

1688652106

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 10:01:46 -0400

Added the beginning of a “uses” page, which is linked at the bottom, on the footer. I am not sure I want to add links at the top—like a menu—or just keep Notes simple, as I have it now. Probably the later.

1688647421

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 08:43:41 -0400

Correct me if I am wrong, but there is no way to use Threads without an Instagram account? The app itself simply asks to login with Instagram, not even a “Don’t have an account? Create one” within the app interface. Meta’s so funny! Deleted.

1688642469

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 07:21:09 -0400

Came across this, and though it sounds nice, and comes across as altruistic, it is naïve. Maybe it is the pedantic in me, but my impact to the world is the same as the impact of a single ant: null. I understand the feeling, though, and I, myself, try to be as caring and considerate as possible, nevertheless.

1688585764

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:36:05 -0400

How many messaging apps does Google has, and/or has had? Many. All current (and past, with the exception of Google Talk) were/are rubbish. I am never, ever trusting Google with anything they produce. They have pretty much ceased to exist for me. End of rant.

1688585218

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:26:58 -0400

This needs to be said because even though these notes are pseudo-anonymous, nothing on The Tubes truly is: any and all opinions listed here are my own, and not representative of my employers; future, past, and present. There, done. Phew!

1688579772

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:56:12 -0400

Today I learned about Unicode’s Private Use Areas. That explains why you can see this symbol  on an Apple device, but can’t on Windows.

1688577516

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:18:36 -0400

I am forced to use Outlook at work, as we use O365. Outlook has sucked for quite a while (since birth?), but the “new look” Microsoft is going to soon enforce is the very worst. Horribly looking, and it makes Outlook even more so slow.

1688572934

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 12:02:15 -0400

Wow, this is very disturbing. The thing is, it is bound to get worse, and we are doing little to nothing about it.

“Monday was the world’s hottest day on record, exceeding an average of 17 degrees Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time, according to initial measurements taken on Tuesday by US meteorologists.”

➝ Via Hacker News.

1688570771

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:26:11 -0400

Pretty funny way to take a stab at Musk’s Twitter’s idiotic rate limiting self-destructing measures.

1688569020

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:57:00 -0400

I don’t think this is a good news. It could mean LXD “might” get killed further down the line. That would make me—and others, I am sure—sad.

1688565726

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:02:06 -0400

We watched the first episode for season 6 of “Black Mirror”, “Joan Is Awful” (★★★☆☆) , and were kind of disappointed. I am not going to provide spoilers, but you be the judge when you see it. Hoping the other episodes are better.

1688564244

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:37:24 -0400

Today is one of those where I wake up, and think—in stumped disbelief—“Hell, I am 0x37! How did this happen?!” Saying that time is flying is an understatement we often casually mention. It truly is!

1688562171

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 09:02:51 -0400

<°)))>< <°)))>< ><(((°> <°)))>< ><(((°> <°)))>< ><(((°>

V= (° °) =V

Slightly enhanced (I think) version of the original marquee fish tank.

1688501885

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 16:18:05 -0400

I have changed so many things here ever since I started, I should have kept a change log. I know I have the git log, but it isn’t the same. Maybe it is not too late to start? Meh, on second thoughts… too lazy. Day’s almost over now, better do something productive. You know, like watching some Korean series. Ha!

1688500181

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 15:49:42 -0400

I have used Inter in the past on another personal website. On this one I am using Karla, but I am having some thoughts on changing to Inter. Should I, or is it the fleeting thought of an idle mind? Hmm, better get back to D4. 😂

1688429189

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 20:06:29 -0400

If you still had doubts, have no more. It is now common knowledge that Twitter is imploding, but if you didn’t believe it, there is now Threads coming to take a stab at Twitter’s corpse.

1688428515

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 19:55:15 -0400

The next big question for the day—and one that’s very important—is “what’s for dinner tonight?” The consensus of two seems to be pointing to, very strongly, Mexican food from “Don Julio’s”. What’s better to celebrate the advent of the 4th of July?

1688415245

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:14:06 -0400

And, just like that, laboring Monday is over. Tomorrow is a holiday (Happy 4th!), so, yay! I am off to Diablo IV, unless “The Horsie” has other plans for me.

1688414730

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 16:05:31 -0400

I have fiddled a little, and added OpenGraph support to these notes. It is still kind of ugly, but less so than it was before. Baby steps, right? Now I will not be afraid to share them on Messages.

1688409912

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:45:13 -0400

Because I found it, and liked it enough to mention here:

“The night gardener once asked me if I knew how citrus trees died: when they reach old age, if they are not cut down and they manage to survive drought, disease and innumerable attacks of pests, fungi and plagues, they succumb from overabundance. When they come to the end of their life cycle, they put out a final, massive crop of lemons. In their last spring their flowers bud and blossom in enormous bunches and fill the air with a smell so sweet that it stings your nostrils from two blocks away; then their fruits ripen all at once, whole limbs break off due to their excessive weight, and after a few weeks the ground is covered with rotting lemons. It is a strange sight, he said, to see such exuberance before death.”

➝ Via Stress Free Zone.

1688406636

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:50:37 -0400

I was fairly flexible on this, and would follow links to it depending on who was sharing them. Yet, as of now and forward, will not follow/click/tap on anything linking to Twitter. What was left of my relationship with it is now over.

1688402258

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:37:39 -0400

The news that National Geographic is beginning to shut down, pretty much, is a bad one. I mean, it is not going offline per se, but it is getting mighty close to do it.

1688400727

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 12:12:07 -0400

SUSE is positioning itself to take advantage of Red Hat’s changes (which has sparked criticisms). Excellent approach!

1688393767

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 10:16:08 -0400

This is rubbish. Same as this. I can’t think of any other word to use for them. Canonical’s Ubuntu management and deployment tools are not even close to Red Hat’s.

1688390262

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:17:43 -0400

This is the first time I hear/read about “kokuhaku”, the Japanese way of confessing your love, and asking to go out in a serious way. I remember that in my teenager years that had to be done in person. Love declarations were a truly elaborated performance that often took guts to carry out. So many broken hearts (mine included)!

➝ Via Tofugo.

1688389262

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:01:03 -0400

We got to experience for the first time dry heat while in Las Vegas. Though it was much hotter than our local temperatures, I have to say I would prefer dry heat any day. Kind of miss it, actually! 🥲

1688386406

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:13:27 -0400

Back at home. Awesome vacation, with no much else to say (you know, “What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, LOL). Only less than a week off, but adjusting time is still needed. Ah, must be great been able to have an endless vacation…

1687809719

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:01:59 -0400

I am off till next Tuesday. It will be a total break, so it includes babbling here. Notes will continue next week, hopefully with new things to tell. Or not. 🤣

1687749795

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 23:23:16 -0400

The New York Times “88 Temples, 750 Miles, Untold Gifts: Japan’s Shikoku Pilgrimage” is such a good read! It makes me want to do the pilgrimage myself.

➝ Via Hacker News.

1687747396

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 22:43:17 -0400

Watching “See you in my 19th life” (★★★★★), a Korean series based on a webtoon. I like it! It is quite new, which means two episodes per week. Now I will have to wait for the next weekend. 😩

1687665856

Sun, 25 Jun 2023 00:04:17 -0400

“In case of rapture, this car will be unmanned”, read the sticky on the SUV in front of me yesterday. That stroke me as very careless, irresponsible, and negligent.

1687551236

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 16:13:57 -0400

If you have JavaScript enabled in your browser (who doesn’t these days?!), old anchor links will now work, instead of what I previously stated. I will not be creating anchor links anymore, but old ones in use elsewhere will work.

1687533532

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 11:18:53 -0400

Someone please come up with a nice interface for Lemmy, and I will jump right in. It seems to be very, very slow too.

1687528698

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 09:58:18 -0400

For his book “On the Meaning of Life”, Will Durant asked a number of people “What is the meaning of life?” Amongst the replies he got, one was from H.L. Mencken:

“You ask me, in brief, what satisfaction I get out of life, and why I go on working. I go on working for the same reason that a hen goes on laying eggs. There is in every living creature an obscure but powerful impulse to active functioning. Life demands to be lived. Inaction, save as a measure of recuperation between bursts of activity, is painful and dangerous to the healthy organism—in fact, it is almost impossible. Only the dying can be really idle […]

When I die I shall be content to vanish into nothingness. No show, however good, could conceivably be good for ever.”

1687521400

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 07:56:40 -0400

If you have an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Watch, AppleTV, Mac), please update it as soon as possible. This, as with any other security updates, I stress, must be done as soon as you can.

For iPhone/iPad, go to “Settings → General → Software Update”, and choose to install. For WatchOS, go to “Settings → General → Software Update”, and follow the instructions to upgrade. Finally, for macOS go to “System Settings → General → Software Update” (on older versions is a bit different, but you get the general idea).

1687470345

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:45:45 -0400

I cut half of the onion, and I was fine. It wasn’t until I cut the second half that the onion decided it had enough, and it make me cry.

1687456331

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 13:52:11 -0400

A friend, and colleague asked me “How are you?”. In the US that is used often as a polite way to say hello. I replied “Could be better, but also could be worse. So I will not complain. I am how I am supposed to be.” It came to mind quickly, as I remembered Gandalf’s reply to Frodo’s “You are late!” — “A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.”

1687449782

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 12:03:02 -0400

Partner works from home today, so no gaming-during-lunch-hour for me. What am I going to do with these never ending 56 minutes?!

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

Ended up working during lunch, as I remembered I had a scheduled call at 13:00. Ugh, need to use my calendar much more! My mind is starting to accept as much help as it can get. 😅

1687449256

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:54:16 -0400

I have managed to break links a bit further, and it is no longer possible—nor the old ones will work—to create anchor links within the paginated index. On the upside, I am not touching URIs ever again!

1687445024

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:43:45 -0400

With the many rains we have gotten as of late, our lawn has grown to a too-healthy state. Time to have a “blast” mowing it. Need to do it today, rain or shine!

1687377597

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:59:57 -0400

Guess what? Yup, it’s raining. Déjà vu anyone? I am going to be so busy, and so tired this weekend!

1687376948

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:49:08 -0400

Fiddled a bit more with Notes, because I can’t stay still. Hopefully still looks simple, and minimalist. That has always been my aim.

1687348812

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 08:00:13 -0400

I saw that hugo v0.114 was out, so I had to upgrade (from 0.112, nonetheless). Let’s see if it breaks things, or not. I think I said it before, but Hugo drives these notes.

1687347391

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 07:36:31 -0400

Another rainy day, and I love it! There are two things that worry me, though: we could potentially lose power (out of these world thunderstorms), and… the grass will grow like crazy, which means I will have to mow it more often. I am getting too old for the second.

1687279541

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 12:45:42 -0400

Thunderstorms have arrived early today. I imagine thunderstorms as mischievous children or, at the very least, youngsters, naughty and full of energy. Hopefully this one will leave without taking our power. The UPS that powers our router, and main WiFi access point, only lasts 1 hour maximum. I still have three more hours to go before I call it quits for the day.

1687278340

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 12:25:40 -0400

Partner and I both forgot that today is our wedding anniversary. I guess that’s what happens when there has passed many years since the event. Lucky me I remembered first, and called right away!

1687276341

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:52:21 -0400

I did it again, I am breaking URIs here. After 100 notes, the main page will paginate, which will break internal references, and external links. Hopefully this is the last time I do this. Good thing there is only one incoming link, that I know off. I can now fix the internal ones, as there are not too many. 😅

1687262166

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 07:56:06 -0400

Cool URIs don’t change, but I am starting to worry about the size (66.6KB as of this note) of this index page. Maybe my URIs are destined to be uncool. 😂

1687217875

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 19:37:55 -0400

Alphabet (called just Google before) has a history of killing their apps and services. Their latest to impact me is Google Domains. Thus, I have moved all my domains to CloudFlare. I now use only one of their products, Google Search. Big change from having everything on Google, to having pretty much none.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

CloudFlare registrar is also cheaper (to register and renew domains) than Google Domains (soon to be part of Squarespace). Very pleased with CloudFlare, so far.

1687131658

Sun, 18 Jun 2023 19:40:58 -0400

It was a good weekend (partner’s birthday, and Father’s Day!), yet I don’t feel happy. It isn’t because it’s back to work tomorrow though. I can’t explain it but it feels like a lingering malaise of the mind, the feeling of unfulfillment and sadness.

1686850598

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:36:39 -0400

Assuming there was a God, or gods, believers and worshippers would be the main reason that would keep me away from any religion. I am mostly exposed to Christianism, obviously. Bunch of malevolent cheats, and hypocrites.

1686836389

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:39:50 -0400

Came across this YouTube this morning at Muan’s, and it truly resonated. I must remember it, and save it for that very special request, when I am asking my partner for that I so much desire. It will have to be a truly special time (certainly not to be abused), for that request I genuinely long.

1686834245

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:04:06 -0400

The Kutrite scissors. By reservation only.

These pair of scissors are, pretty much, all you will need in your kitchen. Build to last, they will sure be enjoyed during your life time, and passed down as inheritance. Truly an amazingly functional, long lasting, work of art.

1686832565

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:36:05 -0400

Old people often state claims that are simply a repeat of generations before them, which are then taken as a true fact written in stone. Alcohol consumption, like “a glass of red wine each day is good for you” is one of them. The truth is, “no amount of alcohol is good for your health”.

“Our results show that the safest level of drinking is none,” the report states. “This level is in conflict with most health guidelines, which espouse health benefits associated with consuming up to two drinks per day.”

More on this, a bit more recent. Bottom line, don’t.

1686832138

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 08:28:58 -0400

Partner’s birthday is tomorrow, and she requested I take the day off. Of course, I abided. As for the plans, I don’t know. Often chilling, doing nothing, and having take away while binging, is truly something!

1686828009

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 07:20:09 -0400

Those super long, spiky, fingers (and sometimes toes!) nails some girls are fashioning are ugly, and such a huge turn off. I thought I was getting to be too old, and grouchy, then asked the kids, and they agreed.

1686775507

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 16:45:07 -0400

A Bay woman on a crusade to prove Yelp reviews can’t be trusted. Or any other reviews, matter of fact.

1686668579

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:02:59 -0400

Tried walking/running again yesterday, after a whole week of COVID. Dear lord, the temperatures are off the charts. I couldn’t do it for more than 20 minutes. Sun was so scorchingly hot! I am now changing plans, and doing all outside activities at dusk.

1686661386

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 09:03:07 -0400

I think—well, I am almost sure—that of all classes on Diablo IV I picked the worse. That, or I have bad luck on loot, or I don’t know how to masterfully play. Or all of the above!

1686593679

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 14:14:40 -0400

We are getting a new manager on 1 July 2023. He will be our third. The third is the charm!

1686582453

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 11:07:34 -0400

Lost sense of smell or, rather, I am smelling smells that are not there. They are only in my head. Truly annoying, and bad.

1686144461

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 09:27:41 -0400

COVID came for seconds, and it is making me feel horrible. I guess all I can say is: I was jealous of someone, and decided to step up my game. 😅🙈

1685991350

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 14:55:50 -0400

VisionPro is going to be something. But its true popularity will come down to its pricing, and how many games (yes, games) they get on-boarded. I am hopeful, though.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

It will cost $3,500. When a meal for three on a not-super-fancy restaurant costs $260, it is easy to see how a TV, computer, and high definition camera all in one—and that barely starts to describe VisionPro—will cost that much.

1685621773

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 08:16:13 -0400

Starting today I may not be around too often. I will have my hands busy on a certain controller, if you know what I mean…

1685551260

Wed, 31 May 2023 12:41:00 -0400

CommonMark’s ability to set classes and identifiers is amazing. Hugo (which I use to generate this notes) is using it. They work like so, in CommonMark markdown:

Hello world.
{.foo .bar #foh}

Which, in turn, will render and HTML code like this:

<p class="foo bar" id="foh">Hello world.</p>

Now all you have to do is define the class and id on your CSS, or whatever. Neat, right?

1685533335

Wed, 31 May 2023 07:42:15 -0400

While I might buy a couple of sandwiches from KFC to get the goodies, I am 100% sure I will not eat them. They will be donated.

1685478294

Tue, 30 May 2023 16:24:54 -0400

Skynet looms on the nearby horizon. Time to see “Terminator” again!

“I think if this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong,” Mr. Altman told the Senate subcommittee. “We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening.”

1685475831

Tue, 30 May 2023 15:43:51 -0400

Based on what I have seen of Landscape, and MAAS, I would say Red Hat doesn’t have to worry much about Canonical, when it comes to Linux on the enterprise.

1685465973

Tue, 30 May 2023 12:59:34 -0400

From the SQLite license:

“May you do good and not evil
May you find forgiveness for yourself and forgive others
May you share freely, never taking more than you give.”

1685464623

Tue, 30 May 2023 12:37:03 -0400

I can’t believe I got me a KFC chicken sandwich, just to get two in-game cosmetics for Diablo IV! What’s more mind boggling is that I will probably buy three more. 🙈

1685457194

Tue, 30 May 2023 10:33:14 -0400

It’s not crypto, nor gaming, what’s doing it now, but the AI “rush”. Thus Nvidia reaches its $1T status.

1685454247

Tue, 30 May 2023 09:44:07 -0400

Today’s Kim’s back to work first day, and I worry about how she will fare. She hasn’t sit for long periods of time in a while. I am worried, and curious. She got to work alright, I can see her there. I don’t want to message her, though, so I will have to wait till 18:00-19:00 when she comes home.

1685380335

Mon, 29 May 2023 13:12:15 -0400

If I want the whole family to know about something almost instantly, I pick an aunt, and preface the something I am about to tell her with “I am confiding this to you but, please, let’s keep it between you and me”. 😂

1685319539

Sun, 28 May 2023 20:18:59 -0400

The day is fast approaching. Imagine Christmas in June. Oh my! Fingers crossed and knock on wood, so I don’t get sick, or the TV doesn’t die, or—god forbid!—the PlayStation! 🤞🏻

1685318720

Sun, 28 May 2023 20:05:20 -0400

Here goes a Sunday of doing absolutely nothing. And it has been good, so far. Tomorrow I will have coffee with mum and dad. And that’s all I have planned. Though, come to think of it, it would be prudent to mow the backyard now, and not let the weeds grow too big. So, maybe there is something else that I will do after all. Maybe.

1685291226

Sun, 28 May 2023 12:27:06 -0400

Having such a lazy Sunday! Reading blogs, listening to Twitch. Talking about blogs, I am currently only following three:

After many years of following tech related blogs I grew tired of just that. It is refreshing to read things on a wider variety of topics, where tech might be in it, but not the main topic. If you have any recommendation, let me know! You can use the “@” next to the note time for that.

1685200923

Sat, 27 May 2023 11:22:03 -0400

I have been meaning to mail a parcel for the last three months. I think today is it. Got to hurry, though.

1685167502

Sat, 27 May 2023 02:05:02 -0400

“Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change the color of a car. And memories can be distorted. They’re just an interpretation, they’re not a record, and they’re irrelevant if you have the facts.”

Saw “Memento” (★★★☆☆) yesternight. It was… different.

1685165219

Sat, 27 May 2023 01:26:59 -0400

How is the Windows XP algorithm been cracked news? If someone offered me $10,000 to use Windows XP, I would pass.

1685163655

Sat, 27 May 2023 01:00:56 -0400

Mum’s 79th birthday was the last day I drank alcohol (one beer). I shall not touch alcohol ever again. Not a grudge against it, I just didn’t like it much to begin with.

1685162703

Sat, 27 May 2023 00:45:04 -0400

Obsidian is working so great for me, that has made me go out and look for things I want to keep, and catalogue, and enhance. On another note, it is past midnight, and I don’t feel a speckle of sleepiness. My body must know tomorrow… err, today is Saturday.

1685021095

Thu, 25 May 2023 09:24:55 -0400

Everything in life can be a waste of time. Waste of time is a philosophical expression.

1684982516

Wed, 24 May 2023 22:41:57 -0400

Feeling disappointed at my fellow human beings. Not all, of course. Though obvious, it is worth noting. And so, I will postpone going to sleep until I feel a bit better, or that melatonin I just took kicks in.

1684926697

Wed, 24 May 2023 07:11:37 -0400

“This communication contains confidential, commercially sensitive information and is intended for the use of the addressee only. It should not be forwarded, copied, or otherwise disseminated without the express permission of the sender. If you received this communication in error, please forward it back to the sender and delete all copies.”

I always laugh at the stupidity of this.

1684883067

Tue, 23 May 2023 19:04:27 -0400

If my Premium Netflix account ($21.52/month) allows for up to four devices watching at the same time, why will they care where the devices are? Seriously considering to bail out.

1684882264

Tue, 23 May 2023 18:51:04 -0400

Going through a big FOMO with all these buy-to-have promotions that Blizzard is doing, in anticipation to the game’s release. I am sort of a completist, and can’t deal with promotions that require a $$$$ “investment” (for obvious reasons).

1684866137

Tue, 23 May 2023 14:22:17 -0400

Because I needed to hurt myself a little bit today…

1684858475

Tue, 23 May 2023 12:14:36 -0400

Truly wishing, and seriously considering, to take on drawing/painting classes. Now the question is, will I find any free of charge?

1684843983

Tue, 23 May 2023 08:13:03 -0400

Having grown tired of seeing “Added or edited a note, or tweaked something.” on the commit logs for these notes, I have now tweaked the new note script to ask for a commit message. This is the maiden voyage, let’s see if it works.

Update: 09 Jun 2026 @ 17:26:21

It works! Added editing old notes too. Considering migrating from the vi editor to Typora for any note with media in it.

1684841925

Tue, 23 May 2023 07:38:45 -0400

On caramelising onions, and the lies recipe writers tell:

In truth, the best time to caramelize onions is yesterday. Often enough, you need to have them ready before you can start on the rest of the dish.

That’s so true! Caramelising onions is also a test to anyone’s patience, for sure.

1684759062

Mon, 22 May 2023 08:37:43 -0400

“Everyone wants a foldable phone, but most of us can’t afford one yet”, a headline on CNN. No, I don’t want one. Pff!

1684680248

Sun, 21 May 2023 10:44:08 -0400

After eating too much on mum’s birthday, and not doing any cardio yesterday, and oversleeping today, I felt guilty and went out walking/running. It was not fun, with 30°C temperature. Showered and fresh, I feel great now. Not for long, now Kim wants me on errands. Heeeeelp!

1684618262

Sat, 20 May 2023 17:31:02 -0400

Not long ago I found someone’s Notion’s site. Notion allows you to publish your notes on the web, and create a rather homogeneous site. That person’s site was very interesting and, following the web fashion, I went from person to person—all of them on Notion—reading their daily stories, their journals. True journals. It was so interesting! Then I lost track—you know, you close tabs, you stop for a while, and then it is all gone. I have been longing to find them again ever since. I have searched, follow links leading no where, to my despair. I still haven’t lost hope, though.

1684604625

Sat, 20 May 2023 13:43:45 -0400

Mum is 79 years old today. Wow! I know it is not a super advanced age, but I wish I could get to her age, with her health.

1684513328

Fri, 19 May 2023 12:22:08 -0400

Weekend, here we go again. What would it be this time? I will settle for nothing!

1684458731

Thu, 18 May 2023 21:12:11 -0400

Kim today; “The Holy Land is being demolished”. Me “Oh nooo! Anyway, how was your day?” :-D

1684458451

Thu, 18 May 2023 21:07:31 -0400

I have not mentioned my namesake David before, but I have followed him for a long time, and his videos always have something new, something I missed. I just re-watched this one today.

1684337488

Wed, 17 May 2023 11:31:29 -0400

It was recently on the news that the IRS is building his own online tax filing system. A spokesman—from the company behind TurboTax—reply was simply unbelievable:

“A direct-to-IRS e-file system is wholly redundant and is nothing more than a solution in search of a problem,” said Rick Heineman, a spokesman for Intuit, the company behind TurboTax. “That solution will unnecessarily cost taxpayers billions of dollars and especially harm the most vulnerable Americans.”

As a commenter on Hacker News paraphrased:

“A fence around the chicken coop is wholly redundant and is nothing more than a solution in search of a problem,” said Sly the Fox. “It will unnecessarily cost the farmer thousands of dollars and especially harm the most vulnerable chickens.”

1684237657

Tue, 16 May 2023 07:47:37 -0400

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

1684154770

Mon, 15 May 2023 08:46:11 -0400

Thanks to Claudine I am now binging Hall and Oates. I might not be having coffee, but they sure help a lot whilst working! :-)

1683826710

Thu, 11 May 2023 13:38:30 -0400

Precisely how I feel without the cursing. If I want to play, stare at the clouds, walk around and smell flowers (or whatever!); there is never time wasted. It is my time. I will pick how to use it.

1683804368

Thu, 11 May 2023 07:26:08 -0400

If everything were to happen the way you want it, wouldn’t it be boring? It would be nice, though, if it happened at least once…

1683727448

Wed, 10 May 2023 10:04:08 -0400

Started to watch “A King’s affection” last night. Upon seeing, on first episode, one of the twins being killed, I completely lost all desire to continue watching. Let’s see what Kim brings next.

1683721049

Wed, 10 May 2023 08:17:30 -0400

The British monarchy—or any other, for that matter—is an absolute clown show. Can’t believe that in 2023 there are still “kings” and “queens”. Anyway, moving on.

1683663208

Tue, 09 May 2023 16:13:28 -0400

I have used chopsticks for almost 25 years now. I feel more comfortable eating, and cooking, with chopsticks than I do with forks and spoons. When a spoon is needed, I also favour the “Chinese spoon”. And yes, I use the “standard grip”. I find it far superior to any other but, there are ten thousands ways to use chopsticks.

1683658604

Tue, 09 May 2023 14:56:44 -0400

I am experiencing a time blend. That is, days are seemingly mashing together, and I am temporarily losing the notion of time. Not a good feeling, and it is driving those around me slightly nuts.

1683553675

Mon, 08 May 2023 09:47:55 -0400

All tasks planned for the weekend completed. Monday came faster than I wanted, but that’s not new. Let’s see how this week goes. So far, so good!

1683318277

Fri, 05 May 2023 16:24:37 -0400

And, so, the weekend begins. I have planned to mow the backyard today, but I am going to give my hands a break. Will do it tomorrow. Sunday I am passing by Ann’s to give her a hand moving some stuff from her garage to the attic. And that’s the weekend there. Yay! 😂

1683317712

Fri, 05 May 2023 16:15:13 -0400

Seriously considering on getting a second PS5 controller. Then I will have to get a charging station, and a $70 thought becomes $100+. Just like that. Hmm.

1683252880

Thu, 04 May 2023 22:14:40 -0400

For someone who loves rice, this is suffering. LOL. I love it, but doing my best not to have it. Rice = carbohydrates = sugar. ¡Malo!

1683250820

Thu, 04 May 2023 21:40:21 -0400

Last time I fell when running I was 13 years old. Today, past my 0x32s, I fell again also while running. I figure it isn’t a record, but a pretty good average, right? Knees, elbow, and hand. As in they were all eagerly waiting for their next turn. Kim asked “How?”, and I replied “I wish I could re-enact it for you, but it kind of hurts now.” 😂

1683142938

Wed, 03 May 2023 15:42:18 -0400

Google Passkey is a step in the right direction. Setup, and in use. Smooth.

1683114995

Wed, 03 May 2023 07:56:35 -0400

From “Always be my maybe” (★★★☆☆) (which I saw yesterday), spoken by Keanu Reeves:

“The man who embraces his mediocre nothingness shines greater than any”.

So funny! The movie might have low ratings, but it was entertaining. Thank you, Kim, for forcing me to watch it. I enjoyed it!

1683056494

Tue, 02 May 2023 15:41:34 -0400

Maybe my kid is right. Maybe I am becoming a boomer. I mean, eventually everyone that isn’t one will become one. No shame on that, just a fact. 😜

1683054592

Tue, 02 May 2023 15:09:52 -0400

I got an invite to Bluesky, and signed up. It reaffirmed my realisation: social media in general isn’t worth it. The same people following the same people. And I truly don’t know any of them. The same topics, the same memes. It is boring, unappealing, tiresome.

1682971070

Mon, 01 May 2023 15:57:50 -0400

“Rapid Security Responses are a new type of software release for iPhone, iPad and Mac. They deliver important security improvements between software updates – for example, improvements to the Safari web browser, the WebKit framework stack or other critical system libraries. They may also be used to mitigate some security issues more quickly, such as issues that may have been exploited or reported to exist.” — Rapid Security Responses

This is new, at least for me, and interesting. There seems to be more to gain than to lose by installing, and enabling it. Done!

1682967239

Mon, 01 May 2023 14:53:59 -0400

Referring to Mormons recruited into the FBI:

“The disproportionate number of Mormons is usually chalked up to three factors: Mormon people often have strong foreign language skills, from missions overseas; a relatively easy time getting security clearances, given their abstention from drugs and alcohol; and a willingness to serve.” — Why Mormons Make Great FBI Recruits

Willingness to serve is right. A rather blind willingness. Perfect!

1682962891

Mon, 01 May 2023 13:41:31 -0400

Today’s, on a Team’s meeting while still driving home:

K.:
“New microphone? 🙂”
Me:
“In the car. 😂”
K.:
“So, yes! 😄”

First time in three years that I had to join a meeting while commuting. Ran an errant for Kim at lunch, and extended a bit over.

1682945395

Mon, 01 May 2023 08:49:55 -0400

The hype is real! We have till the game arrives. Sorry, I just feel like child awaiting Christmas. LOL.

1682940405

Mon, 01 May 2023 07:26:45 -0400

Interesting how my “Technology” section on Google News is mostly games, and Apple news. I wonder if there are forces at play here (of course there are!).

1682939480

Mon, 01 May 2023 07:11:20 -0400

Just realised that, ever since we started micro-managing our time in September 2021, I have worked over 40 hours every week consistently.

1682907626

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 22:20:26 -0400

I have moved this one out of GitHub. With this move, I now do not have any website running on that service. It served me well for years, but now it is time to move on. It will remain my go to for git repositories, but nothing else.

1682884733

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 15:58:53 -0400

For as much as I hate doing this, I believe—unless I find a way further down the line to bring in the old entries—this is a fresh start here. Why? Because the way I was crafting these little notes would not scale. At certain point I used Hugo, then wiped it by mistake (because I do idiotic things sometimes), and then I concocted this Frankenstein of a Bash script. The end result is a file that doesn’t allow for easy editing, nor it is portable. So, here we are.

This time I am starting over—again—with Hugo. Everything in life is ephemeral, and this is no different.

1682783956

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:59:16 -0400

A small collection of Karasu knives.

Such beautiful knives! I am in love. Maybe a year’s end gift? ;-)

1682782504

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 11:35:04 -0400

I have never been good at writing. Short babbles? Yes. Writing, no so much. I think—and this is just me thinking, while avoiding folding the mountain of clothes waiting for me in the living room—it is time to put collantes.us to rest.

1682780815

Sat, 29 Apr 2023 11:06:55 -0400

Regarding to this, I gave all my items (gems, legendaries, crafting pieces, etc., including everything all my toons were wearing) to my nephew, and deleted the game. A game that severely penalises you for dying—as in going to zero from half level for three deaths—is not worth playing. I had other complaints, but that’s the one who got me fed up first. Unsubscribed from the subreddit as well. Ta-ta!

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Fri, 28 Apr 2023 12:16:24 -0400

I think I have finally migrated my work wiki to Obsidian. After many tries, I have left my trusted Typora (which I still use, just not to keep my wiki) behind and embraced Obsidian. Now I only use two tools for note taking, knowledge repository, and outlining: Obsidian, and Logseq.

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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:49:34 -0400

Back to this, I also have a more diverse theme in mind. Like this:

Boira (female rogue)
Morgana (female necromancer)
Annabelle (female sorcerer)
Attila (male barbarian)
Erwan (male druid)

Which of those themes do you prefer?

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Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:56:15 -0400

“Nobody should ever attempt to take the chocolate out of Willy Wonka! Ever!” before adding “For me, it is sacrosanct. It’s our history, it’s our cultural heritage. I do not believe in censorship in that way.” — Steven Spielberg

I believe there are certain things (and I siding with Spielberg) that we must leave, as a semi-permanent reminder of past stupidities, cruelties, etc. We can change who we are, but must never forget who we were.

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Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:09:38 -0400

I almost made the mistake to get knee deep into “Path of Exile”. It would have been something to regret. Not really the game I would recommend for someone with OCD.

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Fri, 14 Apr 2023 15:02:54 -0400

Referring to a previous entry, this is what I have, so far:

Hoshi (rogue)
Chihiro (necromancer)
Masako (sorcerer)
Kenji (barbarian)
Yamato (druid)

Still open to suggestions!

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Fri, 14 Apr 2023 11:22:08 -0400

I am creating all toons for all classes upon the arrival of Diablo IV. They will be Barbarian (male), Sorceress (female), Druid (male), Rogue (female), and Necromancer (female). I am going with a Japanese theme on names. Based on that, which names would you recommend? Please let me know.

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Mon, 24 Oct 2022 08:23:50 -0400

Happy birthday, Claudine! 🎂🥳 May you celebrate many, many, many-many more in good health and happiness! ❤️🌹

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Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:58:21 -0400

After eating too many dishes with sticky rice yesterday, and feeling guilty about it, I decided to have a ham and cheese sandwich on black German bread, and a glass of naturally sweetened pineapple juice, as my only meal today.