Y’all are awesome!
If you needed a better look at how DIRTY Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson’s game winning goal was
Yawn…
It’s been kinda boring out there in tech news land. Here are a few interesting articles I’ve found in the last couple of days.
Facebook’s next project: American inequality
“Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is quietly cracking open his company’s vast trove of user data for a study on economic inequality in the U.S. — the latest sign of his efforts to reckon with divisions in American society that the social network is accused of making worse.”
There is no question we have severe economic inequality in America and around the world. But IMHO, invading peoples privacy isn’t the way to go about solving it.
The Case Against Google
“Google has succeeded where Genghis Khan, communism and Esperanto all failed: It dominates the globe.”
A very long article that basically makes the point that Google is acting just like Microsoft did in the 90’s. Bonus points for comparing Google to and managing to link Genghis Khan, communism and Esperanto. Impressive!
Man Sues Microsoft Seeking New Copy of Windows 7 After Forced Windows 10 Upgrade
Go get’em bro!
Google begins replacing Android Pay and Google Wallet with new app
“Google Pay — Google’s new unified payments service, which combines Google Wallet and Android Pay — is finally rolling out today with a new app for Android devices.”
Drinking alcohol key to living past 90
“When it comes to making it into your 90s, booze actually beats exercise, according to a long-term study.”
50 year old 5 time Olympic swimmer Dara Torres ab workout.
Samsung 960 EVOs On Sale
I’ve got these in my new PC. I have no idea when this sale ends.
Samsung 960 EVO Series – 500GB NVMe – M.2 Internal SSD
20% off. Normally $250 on sale for $200. (I paid $240 for this)
[Read more…] about Samsung 960 EVOs On Sale
Random Weekend Stuff…
Reap The Whirlwind Intel
Intel facing 32 lawsuits over Meltdown and Spectre CPU security flaws. Shareholders also allege insider trading.
FYI, I’m part of one lawsuit.
Speaking Of Meltdown And Spectre
You’ll be happy to know more attack vectors have been found.
Next Win10 Upgrade Date
Early April opines one reporter. Win10 updates are just plain getting tiresome.
Google Chrome Ad Blocking
Some folks are complaining about the fact that Chrome is going to start blocking ads. Cry me a river.
Greatest U.S. Cyber Security Risk?
It is the people in this country and government ignoring the risk from “what U.S. intelligence agencies call the “big four”: Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran.” Yet we still have people calling those who can see the threats “xenophobic”.
Government Contractors A Big Security Risk
“Nearly 50 percent of contractors have a BitSight grade below C for the Protective Technology subcategory of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.”
You know… There are thousands of military veterans out there like me who have proven themselves security wise. But, if you’ve been out of the service for more than a year (I think?) you need a sponsor (a company) to get a security clearance. No clearance no job.
Windows 10 Ultimate Performance Power Mode
I woke up this morning and a number of sites are all giddy talking about the new Win10 Ultimate Performance Mode.
Windows Blog – Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17101 for Fast & Build 17604 for Skip Ahead
A new power scheme – Ultimate Performance: Demanding workloads on workstations always desire more performance. As part of our effort to provide the absolute maximum performance we’re introducing a new power policy called Ultimate Performance. Windows has developed key areas where performance and efficiency tradeoffs are made in the OS. Over time, we’ve amassed a collection of settings which allow the OS to quickly tune the behavior based on user preference, policy, underlying hardware or workload.
This new policy builds on the current High-Performance policy, and it goes a step further to eliminate micro-latencies associated with fine grained power management techniques. The Ultimate Performance Power plan is selectable either by an OEM on new systems or selectable by a user. To do so, you can go to Control Panel and navigate to Power Options under Hardware and Sound (you can also “run” Powercfg.cpl). Just like other power policies in Windows, the contents of the Ultimate Performance policy can be customized.
The Ultimate Performance Power plan is selectable either by an OEM on new systems or selectable by a user. To do so, you can go to Control Panel and navigate to Power Options under Hardware and Sound (you can also “run” Powercfg.cpl).
As the power scheme is geared towards reducing micro-latencies it may directly impact hardware; and consume more power than the default balanced plan. The Ultimate Performance power policy is currently not available on battery powered systems.
We’ll continue to tune and evaluate the power plan settings. To submit feedback please use the Feedback Hub and file your feedback under Power & Battery > Setting category.
My take. Microsoft is going to fix the High Performance Power Scheme because it was still turning things off even though you told it not to. High Performance is just that. “Ultimate High Performance” is just a marketing ploy.
Wednesday Morning News
New Intel Graphics Driver
v15.65 for Win10 has a new gaming settings tweaker. Yeah, I don’t know anyone who games with the Intel GPU either.
Google Chrome Updated
“The stable channel has been updated to 64.0.3282.167 for Mac & Linux, and 64.0.3282.167/168 for Windows…This update includes 1 security fix.”
Download
Autoruns v13.82 & Process Monitor v3.50
Autoruns: “This Autoruns release shows Onenote addins and fixes several bugs”
Process Monitor: “Process Monitor now includes a /runtime switch…and includes numerous minor improvements and bug fixes”
Other Software
CCleaner 5.40
EMDB 3.11
One [H]ard Mini Motherboard
“If a smaller footprint is a consideration in your next build, you would be foolish not to put the ASUS ROG STRIX Z370-I Gaming motherboard of your short list. The fact that you get this many features and impressive stable overclocking ability for only $189.50, is only tempered by the fact that you have to give up all but one of your PCIe x 16 slots.”
ChiComs In The News
“The heads of six major US intelligence agencies have warned that American citizens shouldn’t use products and services made by Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE.”
&
“Speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee alongside the heads of other US intelligence agencies, Wray told Senators that China is using a host of methods to undermine American military, economic, cultural, and informational power across the globe that rely on more than just China’s state institutions.”
Olympics
I can’t watch everything but here are some of my favorite moments so far.
[Read more…] about Olympics
Patch Tuesday
I’m not patching. See the previous post: Patch Tuesday, Part 1 as to why.
Windows 10: February 13, 2018—KB4074588 (OS Build 16299.248)
Warning – Windows 7 Users, KB2952664 Is Back
It has been moved to “Important” again. We Geeks don’t like it because it is telemetry related.
KB2952664 – Compatibility update for keeping Windows up-to-date in Windows 7
In Windows Update you can right-click and hide this.
My script to block this and other sneaky updates: https://www.tweakhound.com/2015/11/01/remove-and-block-gwx-in-windows-7-2/
Microsoft Security Update Summary for February 13, 2018
I post this for your info when Microsoft sends it to me.
[Read more…] about Patch Tuesday
New Microsoft Win10 Docs
New or updated official Microsoft docs.
Shortcut keys for Windows 10
Getting to know Windows 10
Use Reset to restore your Windows 10 PC
Using AutoVPN to connect remotely
Cortana
Getting the most out of Microsoft Edge
Patch Tuesday, Part 1
Let’s try this again shall we?
Today is patch Tuesday. My advice from last Patch Tuesday holds,
“Unless you are a masochist you shouldn’t be updating any Windows machine today.“
I’ll post more info this afternoon.
Over at AskWoody they are MS-DEFCON 2
“Last month’s Patch Tuesday (and Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday) should prove, once again, that knowledgeable Windows users need to turn off Automatic Update.”
More from Woody here:
Get Windows Update locked down in preparation for this month’s problems
“If February turns out half as bad as January, you’ll thank your lucky stars if you take a few minutes now and make sure Windows Update is turned off. Temporarily, of course.”
New AMD Drivers
Listed as “Optional”, AMD has released the Radeon Adrenalin Edition 18.2.2 drivers.
Support for Final Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age and a couple of minor fixes. Download
Adobe Reader Updated
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC 2018.11.20035. Download and Release Notes
GET OFF OF FACEBOOK
A Facebook employee asked a reporter to turn off his phone so Facebook couldn’t track its location — and it reveals a bigger problem within the company
“Whether Facebook actually does track its employees this way doesn’t matter. The fact an employee would think such an option was on the table is telling of the culture at the company.”
Facebook is illegally collecting user data, court rules
“A German court today ruled Facebook was collecting data illegally from its users…Facebook hides default settings that are not privacy-friendly in its privacy center and does not provide sufficient information about it when users register…This does not meet the requirement for informed consent.”
Wired – Inside Facebook’s Hellish Two Years—and Mark Zuckerberg’s Struggle to Fix it All
“Facebook has essentially told media to kiss off,” Franklin Foer wrote in The Atlantic. “Facebook will be back primarily in the business of making us feel terrible about the inferiority of our vacations, the relative mediocrity of our children, teasing us into sharing more of our private selves.””Facebook will start to boost certain publishers—ones whose content is “trustworthy, informative, and local.”
Less-cool Facebook losing youth at fast pace: survey
“With mom, dad and grandma signing up in increasing numbers, Facebook is losing younger users in the United States at a faster pace than previously estimated”
They stopped actually using Facebook with their friends a longtime ago. When you were 16 would you hang out where your parents were?
Do Not, I Repeat, Do Not Download Onavo, Facebook’s Vampiric VPN Service
“Facebook is not a privacy company; it’s Big Brother on PCP. It does not want to anonymize and protect you; it wants to drain you of your privacy, sucking up every bit of personal data. You should resist the urge to let it, at every turn.”
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Yellow Jacket 12/3 Heavy-Duty Contractor Extension Cord with Lighted Ends, 50-Feet
$30 . That is 30% off. Killer deal. I just bought one. EXPIRED