Month: September 2021

Debt Limit – Non-stop

If we keep borrowing money and only repay the interest, aren’t we saying that we don’t intend on paying it back? I don’t see a way out of this and we’re just kicking the can down the road. Fiscal responsibility used to be part of conservative ideology.

Yellen wrote “This uncertainty underscores the critical importance of not waiting to raise or suspend the debt limit. The full faith and credit of the United States should put at risk.”

I think the full faith and credit are already at risk. As long as we can’t touch entitlements, we are not pursuing a responsible solution. Someone is going to have to break the news, someone preferably in their last term of their job and not concerned with being re-elected.

Gadgets 09/25/2021: Fold 3, Galaxy S22/22+ advance view, $150 off 2020 Macbook M1 13″, Noku Canvas wall planter, Nest Everyday Adventure Backpack

My new tech days are comprised of today’s deals and then upcoming tech that I think kewl.

The Fold 3 doesn’t seem to have the same problems as the prior versions (the Fold 1 in particular broke upon much folding). I really like the pinned taskbar for multi-tasking. I think that further adds to a Windows/Mac taskbar experience. But the crease issue could be reason for waiting for maturity of the tech. (My friend j0mb13 said he’ll wait for it to become more durable/less trendy.) This is a very popular review.

Look forward to Samsung Galaxy 22/22+ – The Ultra model will have a S-Pen!
https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s22-plus-ultra-design-leaks-144617511.html

2020 Apple MacBook Air Laptop: Apple M1 Chip, 13” – rare deal with $150 off, costing just $850
https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MacBook-13-inch-256GB-Storage/dp/B08N5LNQCX/

The Noku Canvas: bring your walls to life. This would add to Zen ambiance, or future city night soundtrack.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shirinoku/the-noku-canvas-bring-your-walls-to-life

Nest: The Everyday Adventure Backpack
This backpack has some great organization/modular ecosystem for your gadgets. I still prefer my leather laptop case, which is made for a 17″er.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tropicfeel/nest-the-everyday-adventure-backpack

 

Considering the Crush

PUBLISHED 
Travel restrictions are still in place in a number of countries around the world. But I am taking time to consider what I am really missing out on.

My last international trip was to Italy, which currently has curbs on any non-essential travel, and when I was in Rome, I realized that I can no longer be on vacation in Europe without realizing I am vacationing. Turning the corner with my smartphone map, we ran into the crush to shoot photos at the Trevi Fountain. Everyone shooting the same photo and posting it instantly. Look where I am!

Who really is “winning” this one? Continue reading “Considering the Crush”

Ransomware: best practices

Still the preferred attack against businesses, education, and governments. As a home user, the cyber policies below still go a long way to securing your computers against attacks:

“The FBI and CISA’s recommendations echo best practices for most cybersecurity situations: Don’t click on suspicious links. Make an offline backup of your data. Use strong passwords. Make sure your software is up to date. Use two-factor authentication. If you use Remote Desktop Protocol—a Microsoft product that has historically proven a popular entry point for attackers—proceed with caution.”

Out of Order

So typing with one hand is not impossible, but the flow of words is slower.

Anyway, I’ve still been making notes while I read. That’s what I always do. I go through old articles or books and see notes for which I don’t remember the context. I also have the stack of papers wherein I have a lot of my ideas for articles.

Some of these are not good either, but sounded good at the time. I think it coincides with those “great ideas at night.” Though I have tried, through writing them down, to stop forgetting those, that still happens.

But my activities being a little more sequestered, I am thinking more long-term. I hope to bring some of those projects online soon.

I have my first doctor’s follow-up this afternoon.