TweakHound

Computer stuff...

Eric (a.k.a. TweakHound)

Patch Tuesday

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Win10 Updated
Security updates
2004 & 20H2 – March 9, 2021—KB5000802 (OS Builds 19041.867 and 19042.867)

Wise Disk Cleaner 10.4.3
A few fixes and improvements.
Download (I use portable) | Release Info

O&O ShutUp10 1.8.1419
NEW: Disable the possibility of suggesting to finish the setup of the device
FIX: Determining registry key permissions has resulted in fewer displayed settings on some Windows systems.
Download | Changelog

Microcenter – Intel Core i9-9900K LGA 1151 Boxed Processor $249.99
PICKUP ONLY – This is $375.99 at Amazon right now.

Thursday Random Stuff…

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PowerToys v0.33.1
Fixes and improvements.
“We’ll be doing a 0.34 experimental release week of March 8th. We feel we are near ready to add in Video Conference mute into the stable release pending feedback from the pending 0.34 experimental release.”
Download & Info

Intel Graphics Windows 10 DCH Drivers
Version: 27.20.100.9316. Fixes for a few games.
Download & Info

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Microsoft: Chinese Cyberspies Used 4 Exchange Server Flaws to Plunder Emails
“The company says all four flaws are being actively exploited as part of a complex attack chain deployed by a previously unidentified Chinese cyber espionage group.”

Harvard study says 2 fruits, 3 vegetables ‘right’ number of daily servings for a longer life
“The American Heart Association recommends filling at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal”
Does pickle, onion, and jalapeno on my burger count?

U.S. Navy is Liable for Mass Software Piracy, Appeals Court Rules
Sorry, I couldn’t resist:

Nicholas J. Bernelis

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OFF TOPIC

I was stationed at Kriegsfeld Army Depot (aka North Point), 1985-1987. My unit was the 558TH Military Police Company and we were “Tower Rats”. A Tower Rat’s main duty was to spend 24 hour shifts on a “special weapons” site guarding those weapons. In our case this included two, four hour shifts alone in a steel box 20 to 40 feet in the air. If you think this sounds a lot like solitary confinement, you’re correct.
[Read more…] about Nicholas J. Bernelis

Tuesday Random Stuff…

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O&O ShutUp10 1.8.1418
Freeware, portable privacy app. Another small update. I do recommend downloading and running it. I’ve found recent Windows Updates have changed a couple of settings Like “Disable Telemetry”.
Download | Changelog

Macrium Reflect v7.3.5672
– Macrium Task Scheduler
A scheduled backup that sleeps or hibernates the PC after completion could wake the PC a short time after completion. This has been resolved.
Missed scheduled backups for the same backup definition may not honor the Full/Diff/Inc order of precedence when starting causing an Incorrect number of backups to run. This has been resolved.
– Retention Purge
Differential retention could report an incorrect number of Differentials found in the backup log. This has been resolved.
Download | Release Notes | Thanks AG!

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

The LastPass Android App Contains 7 Trackers From Third Party Companies
“When it comes to account security, using a password manager is generally a good idea. But what happens if that password manager is tracking what you’re doing and not even telling you? According to security researcher Mike Kuketz, the LastPass Android app has seven embedded trackers, and LastPass may not know what data they collect.”
Geeze…Glad everyone has ditched this by now!

First Fully Weaponized Spectre Exploit Discovered Online
“It targets Spectre, a major vulnerability that was disclosed in January 2018.”
Over 2 years ago the chicken littles told us we needed to patch everything immediately or else. Also, it was disclosed to us in January of 2018. Intel had informed the Chinese Government before anyone else.

Four ‘New’ Beers Have Been Added to the Brewers Association Style Guidelines
“Kentucky Common Beer, Belgian-Style Session Ale, and New Zealand-Style Pale Ale and India Pale Ale.”
Sounds really interesting:
“Characteristic Ingredients: Six-row barley malt was used with 35% corn grits to dilute the excessive protein levels along with 1 to 2% each caramel and black malt. Native American hops, usually about .2 pounds per barrel of Western hops for bittering and asimilar amount of New York hops (such as Clusters) for flavor (15 minutes prior to knock out). Imported continental Saazer-typehops (.1 pounds per barrel) were added at knock out for aroma”

Can You Name the World’s Most Expensive Toll Road?
“the most expensive toll road on earth isn’t in Switzerland, California, or Germany. It’s in…”
Around here, I-95 in Virginia has optional express lane tolls lanes and the price fluctuates based on traffic.
The biggest toll I can think of per mile here is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel. It is 17.6 miles long and costs $14-18 to cross.

Home Fires
My wife and I streamed this show recently on PBS/Masterpiece/Amazon Prime. Decent show, I was drawn to it because I’m into WWII history.
“Home Fires is a British period television drama about the life of Women’s Institute members on the Home Front during the Second World War. Set in a rural Cheshire community called Great Paxford, the series is produced by ITV, and launched its first series in May 2015. The first series is set between September 1939 and early 1940.”
Wikipedia – Home Fires (British TV series)
Although not typically even close to my kind of music, I very much like the theme song:

Wednesday Random Stuff…

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Win10 Optional Updates
“This non-security update includes quality improvements.” Couple dozens fixes.
20H2 & 2004 – February 24, 2021—KB4601382 (OS Builds 19041.844 and 19042.844) Preview

New Intel Drivers (v22.30.0)
Windows 10 Wi-Fi Drivers for Intel Wireless Adapters
Intel Wireless Bluetooth for Windows 10

Off Topic

I ordered 2 key fob batteries for my wife’s SUV from Amazon. Good news, it was early!
And just look at the packing efficiency!

Tuesday Random Stuff…

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Google Chrome Updated
“The Stable channel has been updated to 88.0.4324.190 for Windows, and 88.0.4324.192 for Mac”
Download | Release Info

Tiger Woods In Car Accident
https://www.google.com/search?&q=tiger+woods
As of this writing there isn’t much in the way of details and those we’ve been given (like the jaws of life statement) are being proven wrong. Always loved watching Tiger. In a sport that was full of pretentious pri, uh, people, he made the sport worth watching for me. I hope he gets through this.
[Read more…] about Tuesday Random Stuff…

Tuesday Morning Random Stuff…

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Firefox 86 Is Out
Several improvements including:
“Today, Firefox introduces Total Cookie Protection to Strict Mode. In Total Cookie Protection, every website gets its own “cookie jar,” preventing cookies from being used to track you from site to site…Notable performance and stability improvements are achieved by moving canvas drawing and WebGL drawing to the GPU process.”
Security fixes too.
Download | All New Downloads | Release Notes | Security Vulnerabilities fixed in Firefox 86
Related: Mozilla laid off 250 people, and the company overhaul is just beginning

Tails 4.16
“This release fixes known security vulnerabilities. You should upgrade as soon as possible.”
Download | Release Info

WACUP Build #7170
Download & Info | Changelog

GPU-Z v2.37.0
“GPU-Z is a lightweight utility designed to give you all information about your video card and GPU.”
Download & Info

AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 21.2.3 Optional
Support for DIRT 5 Energy Content Pack, HDMI fixes
Download | Release Notes

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Privacy faces risks in tech-infused post-Covid workplace
“But what I would worry about is employers using the pandemic to pluck and store information in a systematic way beyond what is necessary to protect health.”

A Case Against the Peeping Tom Theory of Privacy
“It is our purpose to consider whether the existing law affords a principle which can properly be invoked to protect the privacy of the individual” Louis D. Brandeis
The topic of privacy has always been important to me. I remember spending hours in the library combing through books and doing a paper for college entitled “The Right To Be Let Alone” based in large measure on Louis Brandeis’s arguments. I think I still have that paper in a box somewhere.
“The Right to Privacy”, Warren and Brandeis, Harvard Law Review. Vol. IV December 15, 1890 No. 5
“Recent inventions and business methods call attention to the next step which must be taken for the protection of the person, and for securing to the individual what Judge Cooley calls the right “to be let alone” Instantaneous photographs and newspaper enterprise have invaded the sacred precincts of private and domestic life; and numerous mechanical devices threaten to make good the prediction that “what is whispered in the closet shall be proclaimed from the house-tops.” For years there has been a feeling that the law must afford some remedy for the unauthorized circulation of portraits of private persons; and the evil of invasion of privacy by the newspapers, long keenly felt, has been but recently discussed by an able writer. The alleged facts of a somewhat notorious case brought before an inferior tribunal in New York a few months ago, directly involved the consideration of the right of circulating portraits; and the question whether our law will recognize and protect the right to privacy in this and in other respects must soon come before our courts for consideration.”
This absolutely brilliant piece of work was written in 1890. EIGHTEEN NINETY folks. Remember that when some talking head says all these issues are new and the law can’t keep up.

To be let alone: Brandeis foresaw privacy problems
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Right_to_Privacy_(article)