Slowly working on updating the Win10 tweak guide. No ETA.
In the meantime, here are my current O&O ShutUp10 settings:
(click on image for full size)
Tuesday Random Stuff…
Google Chrome Updated
“The stable channel has been updated to 66.0.3359.181 for Windows, Mac, and Linux”
Download
Google One Replacing Google Drive
Includes changes, improvements, more plans, and lower prices.
source: Google Blog
Off Topic
14 Energy-Draining Everyday Habits To Avoid
Short article, good stuff. Bookmark it and pass it on.
10 toast-worthy craft breweries owned by veterans
There are a lot more than 10. I’m working on a list.
36%% Off! – Sandisk Ultra 64GB Micro SDXC UHS-I Card with Adapter
List Price: $24.99
Deal of the Day: ends today
You Save:$9.00 (36%)
I’ve got the 32GB & 64GB models. The 128GB model is on sale at 44% off, only 70 cents more than the 64 gig.
“anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum housing is waterproof to 200 meters, vibration-resistant, and shock-resistant.”
Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive
List Price: $61.99
Price: $34.99
You Save: $27.00 (44%)
Samsung’s newest, fastest SSDs are in stores.
Samsung 970 EVO 250GB – NVMe PCIe M.2 2280 SSD $109.99 (My top pick)
Samsung 960 PRO Series – 512GB PCIe NVMe – M.2 Internal SSD $309.45
Recommended Non-NVMe SSDs
Samsung 860 EVO 250GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD $79.99
Samsung 860 PRO 256GB 2.5 Inch SATA III Internal SSD $124.99 (My top pick)
Monday Random Stuff…
Adobe Updates
Bunch of vulnerabilities in both these products.
APSB18-17 Security updates available for Adobe Photoshop CC
To update open the app and go to Help > “Updates.”
APSB18-09 Security updates available for Adobe Acrobat and Reader
Download
Off Topic
15 Veteran-Owned Gear Brands You Should Know | HiConsumption
Boob Tube To YouTube
The NYT opines on Why Traditional TV Is in Trouble. They mean traditional broadcasters. Basically they say old farts are watching and youngsters aren’t.
My short list:
– Cable is expensive. The “TV packages” are made to make max money and make no sense.
– Low quality and irrelevant programming.
– Too many commercials. And, most of them range between bad and insulting.
– Binge watching is a far more enjoyable way to enjoy TV.
Single? Smile, But Don’t Be Happy
Some PhD says that smiling will get you la.. um…makes you more attractive. The advice for ladies is stop posing like a model. Not mentioned but I’ll just throw out, stop with the fish lips.
Dudes, apparently a prideful but not happy smile does the trick. All you single swipers out there, you’re welcome and you owe me bros.
Watch Harrison Ford Surprise Young Han Solo Alden Ehrenreich During ET Interview
Email Encryption Vulnerable
“A group of European security researchers have released a warning about a set of vulnerabilities affecting users of PGP and S/MIME. EFF has been in communication with the research team, and can confirm that these vulnerabilities pose an immediate risk to those using these tools for email communication, including the potential exposure of the contents of past messages.“
Attention PGP Users: New Vulnerabilities Require You To Take Action Now
Officially called “EFAIL”: https://efail.de/
A number of platforms are said to be vulnerable.
Quotes include, “Email is no longer a secure communication medium” and “can confirm that these vulnerabilities pose an immediate risk to those using these tools for email communication, including the potential exposure of the contents of past messages.”.
IMHO there seems to be a bit of hysteria going on about this this morning. On the other hand, I’m no security expert so what do I know.
Protonmail has stated,
“ProtonMail is safe against the efail PGP vulnerability. The real vulnerability is implementation errors in various PGP clients. PGP (and OpenPGP) is fine. Any service that uses our @openpgpjs library is also safe as long the default settings aren’t changed.”
I dunno, I never really believed anything on a computer was 100% secure or private and tend to conduct myself accordingly. Of course I’m just an average, boring dude so I’ve no idea why someone would waste the effort to read my email.
There is gonna be a lot more to read on this in the coming days.
Weekend Random Stuff…
This site was down yesterday morning. Something went FUBAR at my webhost. All seems to be good now.
Google Grapples With ‘Horrifying’ Reaction to Uncanny AI Tech
Wednesday I commented at Google screwing with us. Seems I wasn’t the only one commenting.
“Outside the Google technology bubble, critics pounced. The company is placing robots in conversations with humans, without those people realizing”
“Horrifying,” Zeynep Tufekci, a professor and frequent tech company critic, wrote on Twitter about Duplex. “Silicon Valley is ethically lost, rudderless and has not learned a thing.”
Drinking The Koolaid
Microsoft Build was last week. Developers and the Microsoft press were there.
Premium Paul Thurrott said. “Microsoft, Back on Track” (pay-walled)
iVerge, “But mixed within all of that were some exciting announcements: new Windows features, improvements for voice assistants, and helpful new cloud services.”
Cnet, “It’s all about AI and the web now.”
I don’t like here Windows is headed. I don’t like where Microsoft is headed. I don’t like where AI is headed.
‘Bout Time
IBM is banning removable media use for most employees, most of the time. IMHO most companies and government agencies should have done this a decade or more ago.
Off Topic
Stuff I bookmarked the last few days.
Yes, Pluto is a planet (great comment at Slashdot)
What Sunscreen Numbers Mean? Top-Rated SPF Products For This Summer
Map: The States That Drink The Most Beer In America (2018). I’m very disappointed in my state.
George Dickel Tennessee Whisky Releases New TABASCO® Brand Barrel Finish – A Partnership Made In The South. 2 of my favs, bourbon and Tabasco. Not sure how I feel about te combo but I gotta try it once. Did you know Tabasco is aged in barrels just like bourbon?
Cap2Cap Bike Ride
I’ve mentioned this before but we are fortunate in Virginia to have several great bike trails. The best one nearest me is called the Virginia Capital Trail.
“The Virginia Capital Trail is the product of a successful public-private partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF).
The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation (VCTF) is a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3) organization, with a mission to enhance, promote, and advocate for the continued development of the Virginia Capital Trail, a 52-mile dedicated multi-use trail connecting Richmond and Williamsburg along the beautiful and historic Route 5 corridor.“
Yesterday was the annual fundraiser Cap2Cap ride. Distances of 15, 25, 50, and 100 miles are options. I did the 25 miler. Granted it was only about my 6th ride of the year but I don’t know how you guys manage to do 100 miles. My hats off to you!
Android Scan To PDF
I needed a way to scan contracts to my phone. Google search brought up several options, Adobe, Camscan, and others. They either wanted yet another account for decent options or wanted you to buy a premium version. Turns out the best option for me was right there all along.
Google Drive has scan to PDF built in. I didn’t know so I thought I would share.
Scan documents with Google Drive (Android)
Scan documents with Google Drive (iPhone) – “You can’t scan documents with Google Drive on iPhone and iPad.” ROTFL
Google Chrome Updated
“The stable channel has been updated to 66.0.3359.170 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, which will roll out over the coming days/weeks…This update includes 4 security fixes.”
Download
Wednesday Random Stuff…
***Patch Now***
Backup your computer with a disk image and run Windows Update.
Critical bugs are being actively exploited. These bugs were patched yesterday.
New Nvidia Drivers
Nvidia Geforce Game Ready 397.64 WHQL Drivers are out.
“Provides the optimal gaming experience for Destiny 2: Warmind, Conan Exiles, and Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire”
Download | Release Notes
Roger, Over And Out
Some dude asked, “Is Google crossing a line with new AI that pretends to be human?“.
Crossed the line? They cut the line into little shreds and torched it.
You’ve Got To Be Sh**ing Me
Someone is upset because people aren’t talking nice to Amazon Alexa.
“When you’re a child, you should respect a grown-up — even if she’s in a little black cylinder”
It’s not a grown-up, it’s a fracking box.
“Hearing a child boss around a digital assistant could be disconcerting”
Off Topic
KIX Celebrates 30th Anniversary Of ‘Blow My Fuse’ With ‘Fuse 30 Reblown’
Firefox 60
Firefox 60 released.
Download:
EN-US 64-bit
All Firefox Versions
Release Notes
Firefox now has ads on the new tab page for U.S.A. users. How patriotic of you Mozilla.
Instructions on disabling below.
[Read more…] about Firefox 60
Patch Tuesday
Windows Updates Available
You got Windows, you got updates. (Microsoft Security Update Summary for May 8, 2018) below)
May 8, 2018—KB4103721 (OS Build 17134.48)
*Until further notice my advice is to wait a week or so to see what the fallout is over the latest updates. It seems every single update breaks something anymore.
Of Course
What would Patch Tuesday be without Adobe patching another flaw in Flash Player?
APSB18-16 Security update available for Adobe Flash Player
Version 29.0.0.171 is out.
for Firefox, Opera
for Internet Explorer
Flash for Edge, IE 11, and Chrome update automatically with the browser.
Off Topic
Equifax confirms data breach included driver’s licenses and passports
Jail. Someone needs to go to jail.
The average American works more hours than a medieval peasant
I wonder if it is all worth it? Some synonyms for peasant: boor, bumpkin, hayseed, hick, oaf, peon, rube, serf.