I am seriously wondering how long before Trump dissolves the Congress, seeing as he and the US AG now decide what laws mean.
Archive
February 2025
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 →
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 →
The media will be our downfall, normalization edition: Stop Analyzing Trump’s Unhinged Ideas Like They’re Normal Policy Proposals. Think of how many folks you know who use The New York Times as a reference point to form their opinions. That’s why we will never, ever move forward (by that …
Feelin’ Good Friday, #2: A two-gear, two-chain bike. It’s small inventions like this which have a huge impact on the lives of folks who have to make do with what they have. If you are unfamiliar with Buffalo (I was), this overview explains the logic behind the original design (the first link above …
Feelin’ Good Friday, #1: We’re making headway on some kinds of cancer!
Yeah, I hope we’ll be OK.
Why don’t I have more faith in humanity? We still don’t know how to wear masks properly. Mouth and nose should be covered. How do you still think your honker hanging out is effective? How do people not understand this? And the reason I’m writing this at all now is I just saw a woman on the subway …
January 2025
Our media will be our downfall, Term 2.
In an effort to celebrate the wins, big or small, I am happy to say I made an outstanding cup of coffee today. It’s one of those cups that you wish would never run out.
Today, of all days, I recommend listening to “Kid Logic” episode 605 of This American Life. Act one has moved me to tears nearly every time I have listened to it. If you haven’t heard it, I think you’ll enjoy it. Also, kids are awesome.
My library has a small exhibit about James Baldwin. One quote from Baldwin stood out to me: The greatest danger is “when the loveless come to power.” That is the perfect description of what is happening now in the United States of America.
Since everyone is up in arms about it, I would like to go on the record that I did not donate to Trump’s inauguration. And I find it ever more distasteful to learn of those that did.
December 2024
For a long time one of the activities we’ve done during supper (as a family and now as just a couple, since the kiddos are off at college) is to watch the “news” with Late Night with Seth Meyers or Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue. Since the election, however, we’ve bascally stopped. …
November 2024
With the acquisition of Pixelmator, I wonder if Apple is going to make a Pro bundle software subscription to live under what it called Services. You’d have Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, and then this pro level photo editing package (maybe called Layers or Pixels?).
I have never been so wrong about anything than the way I told my family and all my friends to not be so anxious about the election, Harris was going to win. Both of my children were eligible to vote in this election and I was (and am) proud they both did vote, but wow was I wrong. I was wrong about: …
October 2024
I have yet to see a single Apple Intelligence ad that isn’t 100% cringe. The ads are either super misleading or showing the worst people using them to be lazy. Basically, the ads are a really lousy depiction of the work done by folks at Apple.
The LA Times and The Washington Post have both chosen to decline to endorse a candidate for president. At this time of the election cycle? In this political climate? At this time of need? Localized entirely around billionaires? Our media will be our downfall, indeed.
Thanks to early voting in NYC, we just voted. Please, please don’t let this be the last election.
Did Elon Musk just invent the bus? I really wonder if he thinks that. Wait until the tech bros realize they can string a bunch of ‘em together!
EVs aren’t catching as much not because charging is hard and not because the range isn’t there, they are simply too expensive. When a new model comes out, I no longer first check range, instead I check price. Oh, look, the new Polestar 3 is very close to coming out. It’s $73,000. To start?! I know …
I don’t think of John Amos as the father from Good Times or Kunta Kinte from Roots, but as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from The West Wing. RIP.
Why in the world are these new postal trucks constantly labeled as goofy while current F-150s, Silverados, and RAMs aren’t? You need a step to get into these machismo trucks, can’t reach the truck bed from the side, and, most importantly, you can’t see kids or passenger cars from the driver’s seat! …
September 2024
Thursday, September 26, 2024 →
Adams indicted today. Giuliani disbarred in D.C. today. When is the last time NYC has had a good mayor?
Thursday, September 26, 2024 →
Granted it’s only been a few days, but I agree with this article iPhone 16 Pro not being new, but everything is better. I likely should have gotten the non-pro iPhone 16, but I did want the other lens since I have no other camera. My only criticism of the iPhone 16 Pro is size and weight, but …
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 →
I’ve decided to combine more of my streaming services into bundles to save a little money. So I had to cancel Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Now HBO Max Max. Only Max was subscribed via Apple’s services and cancelling was, as promised, a simple two-click operation. The other services? I swear it was 5 …
I am glad to read the iPhone 16 now has the highest repairability rating of any iPhone ever. I wrote in 2019 that I hoped it would be easier to replace batteries, and I’m glad to see Apple has done it. Finally. Let’s hope this is a better design trend not a one-off design.
I so wish Apple would abandon the Image Playground feature it’s working on for iOS 18. This kind of creation is what people are best at so let it alone. Have the machines do some analysis or whateverthehell, but leave image creation to people. It’s more likely to go poorly than not, anyway.
I would like to propose an amendment that allows Tim Walz, once he’s elected to be vice president, to also be my governor and mayor because Hochul and Adams are both terrible at it.
I got the new COVID shot (2024-2025 MODERNA, SPIKEVAX), and wow is it still kicking my butt. I’m about 50 hours since the shot and I am still feeling pretty low-energy, Heck, last night I woke up covered in sweat from the low fever I was feeling before I went to bed. Even if you never experienced …
August 2024
If Apple is going to make the Mac minier, now’s a good time to use that hydraulic press.
Each week I read Mike Monteiro’s Good News newsletter. And each week I’m better off for it. I bet you’d like it, too.
July 2024
Now that Harris is going to be the Dem nominee, I think she should pick Gretchen Whitmer. She is the best choice and so that ticket would be a hell of a contrast to the GOP.
Well, the rich got what they wanted, right? The NYTimes made this happen and the Washington Post was a super-close second.
My rebellion against Prime Day is to use public transportation to visit a friend I haven’t seen in years. We might buy sandwiches, but not from a chain store.
I am willing to bet a lot of this “Joe Biden must drop out” nonsense if because of this: IRS reports collecting $1 billion from rich households’ back taxes. The IRS reported Wednesday that it has collected $1 billion in taxes and penalties owed by hundreds of wealthy households who …
June 2024
I just watched Perfect Days. It was simply excellent. I can’t recommend it enough.🍿
Supreme Court essentially killing regulation is bad, NY Times saying Biden should resign because of one bad debate while saying nothing about Trump and his convictions is insane, and Martin Mull was great on VEEP.
I can’t recall the last time we had a Spring this pleasant in NYC.
Kathy Hochul’s decision to “pause” congestion pricing in NYC is cowardly, disingenuous, and wrong. It reminds me of the decision Michael Bloomberg (of whom I am no fan) made banning smoking in bars and restaurants. The critics all came out saying it would hurt those businesses. Of course, the …
May 2024
Feels like Blogrolls could be the solution to bad search engines.* “Here are some vetted, trusted sources even if they are deindexed from the search engines.” Especially the ones telling you to eat rocks.
The battery alone in this new Chevy must weigh more than non-EV cars in total.
Paul Waldman’s post on The New York Times is right on the money. The Times has an outsized amount of influence and I really wonder why it wields it the way it does.
April 2024
Not sure how this particular video popped up in front of me of, but holy hell do I love Peep Show. I think it’s time for a re-watch.
I’ve found that if you want to know how Apple works and what Steve Jobs thought about a topic, just listen to him. He really did explain it all very clearly. It’s also something to listen to Swisher’s dumb questions/comments.
I’ve never wanted to be a librarian more.
TIL I am not capable of working at The Waffle House. I just sat down from separating the laundry because it was overwhelming.
It’s funny that Amazon is giving up on walking out when Apple stores have had it for years.
March 2024
“This is some bullshit!,” Merrick Garland, presumably.
Our media will be our downfall. Part whocankeeptrack?
A lot of people (all smarter than me) are very perplexed by the Apple lawsuitt brought forth by the U.S. DOJ. I wonder if this office shutting down is the answer to this and many other confusing statements by members of Congress when it comes to technology.
“This is some bullshit!," Merrick Garland, presumably.
A quick follow-up to a post I wrote about years ago: Joni Mitchell et al., return to Spotify. Ah, well.
We watched American Fiction last night. It was excellent. Jeffrey Wright was so damned good. 👍
💪💪💪 Good for these folks. I hope to see more unions in the tech and publishing space.
Kids today! Are so awesome!
February 2024
I just finished reading The Stand by Stephen King. It was long, but good. Rating: 👍 📚
January 2024
Jon Stewart coming back to The Daily Show once a week got me thinking. It would be great if there were 20 hosts and they each did one show a month. The Daily Show would always be fresh and all these awesome hosts/staff wouldn’t be burdened with coming up with so much of the same material. I know I’m …
We do love our children so part 293845. So many of our elected leaders are monsters.
December 2023
Some months ago (I guess about nine at this point), I, along with thousands of other brilliant people, backed a Kickstarter project called Shift Happens. Since then, we’ve taken a journey with the author (and even his editor, Glenn) about not only the work behind the book but the work behind its …
Uh oh.
November 2023
Our media willl be our downfall, part sigh. Nice work by CJR.
Super gross that Apple still advertises here. It’s also pretty terrible that reporters are stilll using this service to post about their work but, for now, I’d rather punch up to Apple.
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 →
Idiocracy is coming on fast.
We are led by the best and the brightest, aren’t we?
Right! Our media will be our downfall, Inquirer!
October 2023
People: Can we get affordable EVs? Toyota: Best we can do is a fake transmission.
How many GOPers are wearing their assault rifle pins still?
If you had asked me at any point in my life up until this week, “Would attempting to illegally invalidate a federal election result in prison time?” I would have said yes. I would have been wrong. The answer is, mostly, bygones.
People: Can we have a single-payer healthcare system? Government: Can’t afford it. People: Fully funded schools? Government: Can’t afford it. People: More trains so people don’t have to own cars? Government: Can’t afford it. People: What can we afford? Government: Best we can do is war.
September 2023
Saturday, September 30, 2023 →
The last few months I’ve made a concerted effort to do brain things like Wordle and crossword puzzles. Conclusion: I am sad.
Thursday, September 28, 2023 →
America’s priorities are something else. Some Houston school libraries will become disciplinary spaces and Cost of building a super-size Alabama prison rises to more than $1 billion
The media will be our downfall part infinity. As little as I have loved Republicans the past few years, coinciding with the rise of our own little autocrat, at least Donald Trump knows how to dress. I can’t imagine that even he would demean his office or his country by dressing down, as is now the …
Saturday, September 23, 2023 →
As I’ve written in the past, if Earth was described in a science fiction story, it wouldn’t be believed. Look at these pictures: The Earth is wonderful. And these photographers are so awesome at their jobs. Thanks, photographers!
Thursday, September 21, 2023 →
If this quote is accurate We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. -Tim Cook, 2009 Hardware Intel: Apple makes its own CPUs NVIDIA: Apple makes its own GPUs …
Thursday, September 14, 2023 →
We do love our children so.
I listen to the Apple New Today podcast every day. I find it to be the best of the <10 min morning news summaries. I have noticed that in the last few months ANT has been adding more and more sound bites from ESPN. With all the talk about Apple buying Disney, I wonder if Apple in particular wants …
August 2023
I have no good feelings for Mitch McConnell. At all. On any level. That being said, when he froze up and then regained a bit of lucidity, his assistant asked reporters, “Any more questions?” 1) That’s incredibly callous, bordering on eldercare abuse and 2) How was the very next …
McConnell not doing something while he is clearly declining really represents America at the moment.
We do love our children so, part 6,291.
We’re at a hotel’s freebie breakfast and some dad just walked by with a cup of sausages.
Mrs. Bob and daughter announced at supper tonight they are going to see Barbie on Tuesday (the day after we drop the boy off at college). I turned to him and started to say, “Tuesday is me and you, bud” but I stopped myself half way through. I couldn’t swallow. I couldn’t …
This Cadillac mocks the whole green movement.
So, I was reading this article about curvy walls and it, of course,* made me remember a scene from Veep (best. show. ever). *At least how my brain works.
July 2023
Ever since I switched my #wordle starting word to AUDIO I’ve been far more successful than in the past.
How I measure a successful weekend now: I used $25 Target gift certificate that’s been sitting in my inbox since 2016.
I just got back from vacation and am announcing here first that I’m to marry Glacier National Park. #nationalpark
So I’ve given up on Instagram, Twitter, and now Reddit. Just a little more to go.
June 2023
Murder! Our media will be our downfall.
I complain a lot about the world (rightly so!), but this weekend was excellent. My family made a really nice Father’s Day(s) for me and I feel really good.
I finally got around to fixing up my Piggy. The stabs were overlubed and now they are just right. This is the Piggy with White on Lilac in the DSA profile. The switches are Emerald Silks which are unfortunately no longer available, but these NovelKeys silks are the same, just in a different color.
It’s like the show Extrapolations outside my window here in NYC.
Tech sites: Man, traffic is down, ad sales are down… Maybe Apple will create something we can all have hot takes on. Intern: Even without using the thing? Tech sites: Yes. Apple: Here’s our idea for a new kind of computing. Intern: I wrote up 1,000 words about how this will make us all …
Apple was dreaming of Apple Silicon since Steve Jobs came back to Apple. Heck, many of their products were built as if they were already using their own chip design: Power Mac G4 Cube, original MacBook Air, 2013 Mac Pro. Can you imagine if the cylinder Mac Pro came out today with Apple Silicon? What …
May 2023
The United States’ answer to “why can’t we?”
We do love our children so, chapter 128.
I came across this tweet about a basking shark. Amazing. I stand by my long-time stance that if Earth was written about in science fiction it wouldn’t be believed. It would be a step too far. How many languages? How many species of animals and insects? How much water? How much land? How much beauty?
The Clean Water Act is now a problem?
If any politician paid tribute today to the children killed in Uvalde while also not moving legislation ahead to ban guns, well… they can fuck right off.
Someone needs to make an app that makes it easy to subscribe and unsubscribe to streaming services. I think I could save a lot of money it was easier to turn these services on and off. You know, kind of like how you can toggle off a subscription on an iPhone.
Our media will be our downfall: SCOTUS edition.
I just finished reading The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. Bob summary: This is a fun way to get into summer reading. Rating: Thumbs up.
Why are they still a company? Why is no one in jail?
“Why didn’t we host the Trump town hall?” -NYTimes, presumably
Our media will be our downfall: CNN edition. How how how are people surprised CNN is a POS? How?! The only time I go to CNN is to check my internet connection.
I used to say that if you wanted to kill someone in America and get away with it, use a car. Now, apparently, if you choose the victim carefully, you don’t have to even do that.
Our media will be our downfall, CNN edition.
About to have the last parent teacher conference ever (they aren’t called that any longer) and I’m having feelings.
April 2023
As a surprise, I took my son to see Singing in the Rain in the cinema. I will never tire of that movie. It’s about as perfect as a musical can be.
Our media will be our downfall, on-going edition.
Watched the movie The Artist tonight. It was excellent. I knew John Goodman, of course, but I would have bet money I had seen the actor, Berenice Bejo before. I have not.
Did I mention that our media will be our downfall? Well, Our Media Will Be Our Downfall.
March 2023
I miss John. I feel bad I didn’t listen to For Better, or Worse while John was still around. Not that he would have known or cared, but I feel like I somehow dismissed his work. I do this with artists all the time. You know, I somehow stopped listening after a certain date and just let the …
Too few of us seem to care the entire GOP is a bunch of grifting hypocrites. But I do. And I hope you do, too.
Re: SVB. All I know is they better not bail out those damn kids getting educations.
I am not sure exactly how I thought it worked, but when I was first dipping my toe into the world of mechanical keyboards, I just didn’t believe (not couldn’t mine you, didn’t) believe people were paying this much for a keyboard. I knew they cost some amount of money, but not the …
685 days ago I ordered a mechanical keyboard. It arrived on Feb 28, 2023. It was the very first mechanical keyboard kit I had bought. Ever. Now I’ve spent [redacted out of embarrassment] and have made many friends mostly thanks to RelayFM’s membership/Discord rooms. This is what the …
February 2023
Reading I am currently reading The Angel on the Roof by Russell Banks. This American Life recently included an old segment featuring Banks. I got the book from the library and they had to dig it out of the archives. That made me a bit sad. It’s slow reading for me, but I am enjoying the …
New GOP plan for retirement: keep working. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told NBC News one day after Biden’s speech to Congress “We want to strengthen Social Security by ending a lot of those government checks to people staying at home rather than going to work.” My brain …
I missed this book when it came out but thanks to good ol eBay I now have it. I’m so happy.
January 2023
I find great pleasure in planning the meals for the week. You know: planning the meals. making the list, clearing out the fridge and wiping down the shelves, going shopping (this varies as to how insane the Food Coop is), and repacking the fridge. It feels like an honest-to-goodness privilege to be …
When people say they hate big government, they mean they hate spending money on non-white people. Otherwise they love them some big government. Meanwhile, it’s the contractors in his state that are making out like bandits, now closing in on nearly $900 million of border wall contracts, Texas …
Can you imagine living amongst (and having to serve) the very people who actively signed a petition to stop your raise?
The Age of No Consequences: Meta reinstated former President Donald Trump’s social accounts on Wednesday following a two-year suspension over his role in praising the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg wrote in a blog post that the …
Now that this is becoming a regular occurrence, I wonder if I have any classified documents in my home! A lawyer for Pence, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, found the documents during a search of the former vice president’s Carmel, Ind., home, according to letters to the National Archives. …
More power to them!
I’m starting to come around to loving this guy. The latest revelation about Santos’s seemingly never-ending list of lies that was reported by Politico on Friday centered around an old Wikipedia user biography that appears to belong to him and that claims he appeared in the Disney channel show …
I know, I know. I complain on this blog (likely to a void… hello, no one!), but I try to get it out of my system so I don’t explode. Anyway, in Edition 53,721 of Our Media Will Be Our Downfall is this article about how the new White House person is ineffective. The more I think about …
It’s clear now the right isn’t interested in causing problems which only it can solve with its own take on the situation, it’s purely going cause problems and have the solution be them literally stopping themselves from causing the problems. It’s like protection money but for the whole country. When …
My son and I watched The Last of Us and, as expected, it was excellent. I wish my son and I had more comedies to watch together, but I’ll take any good TV that helps us spend more time together.
The American Taliban are still here.
Wait wait wait. You can arrest people who attack the capital the day it happens?! That’s unpossible!
I recently finished Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It’s a short story that was recommended by Jason Snell in Episode 439. What a fun read about space travel and why the Prime Directive is so important. Thumbs up. Oh, it doesn’t have anything to do with Star Trek and the Prime …
Watched The Banshees of Inisherin and while it’s listed as a black comedy, I think it should have been “Quite a dark, dark comedy.” This film had excellent acting and I give it a thumbs up. Years ago my family and I walked along Inishmore which is part of the Aran Islands and the …
Kevin 15 it is then.
If McCarthy does end up as speaker, he really needs to be called Kevin “(number of times it took to vote him in)” Tries. So, you know, Kevin Thirty Tries. The only exception should be if the number ends in a seven in which case he would Kevin Forty-Seven.
Good lord. Why stop at two?
December 2022
We watched the new Will Ferrell movie Spirited and it was actually a lot of fun. Yay! Ferrell just needs one more Christmas movie for the trifecta. We also watched The Muppet Christmas Carol and I’ve decided it’s the best version of all of the different A Christmas Carol I’ve seen. …
It’s amazing to me the people of Texas will continue to put up with a state government that refuses to make a better power grid. It feels like, in the case of Texas, it’s inevitable the grid will fail when it’s most needed.
People trash talk the Post Office’s new mail truck, but I absolutely love its look. I wish more cars and trucks had such good visibility and low step-in height. And they’ll be more of them sooner than later.
How do you ruin Twitter? Slowly, then really, really fast. Holy cow is the grifter ruining it quickly.
As far as I can tell, my last post on Instagram was Feb, 19, 2022. Instagram was something I really liked, but the more people I followed (that I actually knew) the sadder I became. There were simply too many posts with staged setups. Maybe it was jealousy over what they were portraying as their …
Wednesday, December 14, 2022 →
As far as I can tell, my last: Original tweet was Feb 25, 2022 Retweet was Nov 18, 2022 Last reply to someone (Xeni) was Oct 21, 2022 I haven’t checked it in about a month and it’s honestly pretty easy. I know it’s harder for folks who depend on it for exposure/work and have …
November 2022
Our media will be our downfall… part 3 of what will surely big a big number.
The Car-Free Dream.
GOP will get behind Trump indictment just so they don’t have to consider him anymore.
I told friends and neighbors there’d be no red wave and while I’m glad that was indeed the case, I am still so bummed out for Stacey Abrams. She’s the real deal and would have been a great help to Georgia. And I’m not even religious but I can’t help but be offended that GA voters made the …
October 2022
Everyone has good and bad day. I’m trying to remember the good ones and, if nothing else, learn from the bad ones. Yesterday was a good day. My son and I went to see Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. I didn’t tell him what we were seeing and by sheer luck the Nitehawk’s marquee didn’t have it …
Our media will be our downfall. This was an attempted assassination of the speaker of the house. Right before an election. How is this not bigger news?
Our media will be our downfall. In case that link goes away, here’s a screenshot
As a fan of science fiction, I am in a TV wonderland right now. The Star Wars series have been great (The Clone Wars, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, Obi-Wan) and now with Andor. Andor is just excellent. Dammit, it’s soooo good. I’ve also been enjoying Star Trek: Lower Decks. Lower Decks is …
Nine rings were gifted to the Race of Men, who above all else desire power.
September 2022
The Keyboard Meetup: I went to my first ever keyboard meetup in Manhattan yesterday. I am going to guess there were about 50 people in attendance with about 60 keyboards while I was there. Being an introvert I didn’t really speak with anyone other than a hello or excuse me as I invariably bumped into people. Overall …
July 2022
I guess it’s been a year and a half now that I’ve gotten deep into the mechanical keyboard hobby. Mostly, of course, the hobby consists of spending money and then waiting for something to be made. I’ve met (“met”) so many friendly, helpful, supportive people in this hobby—some my age, some half, …
My son and I just finished Season 1 of Strange New Worlds and I think it’s my favorite Star Trek series. Anson Mount is excellent as Captain Pike, Ethan Peck is perfect as Spock, and I definitely swooned over Jess Bush as Nurse Chapel. Nurse Chapel is already a much better character than in TOS and …
If the Dems put as much effort into getting things done (hell, even trying) as they do asking me for money, we might not be in such dire straights. I’m still getting emails from James Carville! WTF, Dems?
May 2022
This feel like a 70% appropriate punishment for punching out the teeth of a flight attendant. I would have added in: You no longer get to fly in the United States. And, before the 3-year probation begins, you have to pass a college-level biology class with a perfect grade.
This is a Piggy. It’s a mechanical keyboard I built using Matcha Latte switches (they are sorta kinda green).
April 2022
I can feel the withdrawal of Twitter happening (this is day 3, but not yet full days since Monday I was using it for reading). It’s going to stick this time, just like leaving Instagram behind stuck. The silly thing is all I did was remove the app from my Mac’s dock and hid the app on my …
March 2022
I think it’s high time we remove United from the name of our country. We’re so far from united at this point the name just looks silly. Suggested name: Disparate States of North America. Motto: But we all hate Ted Cruz, so we have that going for us.
If yachts are going to be seized, can we start with Joe Manchin’s?
February 2022
My son turned on C-Span and watched UN ambassadors plea for peace. While he was watching, a graphic appeared on TV stating Russia had begun the attack. One can’t help but wonder if World War III is starting. And I’m not sure which side half of our country is on.
Is 950,000 a lot?
It’s an interesting experiment that of “What if everyone acted like dicks, everywhere, all the time?” I don’t like this experiment, but we’re living through it anyway.
This is the Class 65 keyboard from MM Studio (the studio is based out of China). I was lucky enough to get into the first small in-stock sale of 50 units and got it straight away. The Class 65 only went into Interest Check in November so it’s remarkable I have it already. There was no build guide, …
January 2022
Neil Young, Joni Mitchell… I can’t quite work it up yet, but it’s like they are going on strike against Spotify. It’s not a boycott since it’s more than they aren’t using the service itself. They are no longer letting their music work for Spotify. The part I can’t work up is there’s a lesson about …
Is 850,000 a lot?
Finally went to the movies. My son and I are vaccinated and boosted and just needed a bit of semblance of a normal life. We wore our N95 masks and didn’t eat anything. It’s been 26 months since we were at the movies. Curse this virus for taking this away from us. Anyway, Spider-Man: No Way Home was …
Ikki Aurora 68: As I avoid the news (which I am doing so very poorly), I’m trying to focus my energy on keyboards. They are silly amounts of fun. This is an Ikki Aurora 68 in Charcoal. I used Red Silk switches from NovelKeys along with Cherry Taro keycaps which are also from NovelKeys. I’m a little …
December 2021
America, in all its sadness: Teachers forced to grab money for their under-funded schools while the crowd cheers. Every student in America should go on strike.
I’m trying so hard to ween myself from social media. Mostly from Instagram. I do use Twitter but mostly for news consumption, but I do get enough news from RSS, so I could see Twitter going away before too long. I once again removed Instagram from visibility in my iPhone. It’s there, but hidden. I …
November 2021
Murder as grift, that’s a new one.
Today I built my first mechanical keyboard. In the travails of life, it’s so incredibly minor it hardly qualifies as worth mentioning. But I’m mentioning it because it means something to me. As I’ve mentioned in the past I’ve had a thing for these old-fashioned keyboards. Well, I guess they’re not …
When all is said and done, it’s America that’s guilty. #shame
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 →
Speaking of that opening scene in Wall*E, I watched that new Apple TV+ movie Finch and there were several scenes that reminded me of bits of Wall*E. There was a scene on the elevated highway and a scene about the storm (the first one) where sensors went off, etc. I’m sure there were other scenes, …
Is 750,000 a lot?
October 2021
I used to think that opening scene in Wall*E depicting all the junk in space was a bit of an over exaggeration, but between SpaceX’s internet satellites and now Amazon’s planned satellites, I’m thinking it was pretty prescient.
The other day I was going to write about libraries. They are my favorite place in the whole wide world. I think I was going to say something along the lines of not only would the idea of starting libraries today be laughed at if they did not already exist, the very idea libraries don’t ask you buy …
I try to stay positive, I swear. But reality… Oh, newspapers.
I just celebrated a pretty mundane birthday (not a big one or anything). But my family and friends made it so special (mostly my wife, but everyone went along) that it might be one of the best birthday weekends I’ve ever had. I am so incredibly grateful.
September 2021
Thursday, September 23, 2021 →
We are brainwashed, part 1 In fact, almost 9 out of 10 respondents surveyed said choosing their work device was of importance to them (87%) and they’d even be willing to sacrifice part of their salary (89%) to be empowered to choose their technology. We are brainwashed, part 2 Some of the …
Wednesday, September 22, 2021 →
We do love our children so, food edition.
Yes, America loves ALL the children everywhere.
We do love our children so. Part four hundred billion. With each passing month of the pandemic, Lilley has grown increasingly concerned that COVID-19 is linked to a massive increase in new diagnoses of pediatric diabetes throughout Mississippi.
Wednesday, September 15, 2021 →
Whenever I hear something is too hard or “impossible” I remember we, collectively as an American society, had a car on the moon FIFTY YEARS AGO! Yeah, I know, it wasn’t a car with a radio and cup holders (or doors for that matter), but come on. We CAN do great things if we all work together.
I finally read a James Baldwin book: If Beale Street Could Talk. I had heard of James Baldwin much of my adult life but I had never read any of his books. I took a picture of this passage: People make you pay for the way you look, which is also the way you think you look, and what time writes in a …
Saturday, September 11, 2021 →
Is 650,000 a lot?
We do love our children so. The email said that “if an instructor is notified by a student that the student has covid-19, the instructor may not tell the class that someone has tested positive for covid-19.”
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 →
We are now entering the lawless phase of American Democracy.
We do love our children so. Three schools in Vancouver, Washington were put under lockdown on Friday after a group of people protesting COVID mask mandates in schools attempted to come onto one of the campuses in the district.
Forgetting for a moment how fucked up the Texas abortion law is… How does Texas have all this money for bounty hunters? I bet schools, social programs, etc are wondering.
August 2021
We took a trip to the MOMA today to see two exhibits. One was called Automania and the other was a wonderful collection of drawings by Cezanne. The car exhibit was much smaller than I would have liked, but the Cezanne exhibit was tremendous. In fact, it was overwhelming (but in a good way). My wife …
We’re going to just go ahead and send all the kids who aren’t eligible for vaccines back to school, aren’t we? I have to imagine Oct will not look at good as now (and now doesn’t look so good).
It’s amazing Afghanistan is dominating the news while the worst health crisis is still destroying so many lives. It’s also amazing news outlets are not using banner headlines about deranged governors outlawing mandates to protect public health. US news outlets are sad the war is ending and the GOP …
Mississippi Quarantines 20,000 With 5,993 Students Positive For COVID; Teen Deaths Rise No one should be surprised by this… we did nothing after Sandy Hook. Still, it’s upsetting.
July 2021
The Tomorrow War was terrible. I’m giving everyone in it a pass because there’s a pandemic and everyone’s gotta eat. But mercy did it stink. And there’s talk of a sequel? (Faints in time travel)
We sure do love our children so. I have no idea why I read the news.
May 2021
America is a cruel, cruel country. The proposed MCPS policy says families that do not qualify for federal free and reduced-price meal programs but have a lunch debt of more than $35 would get “alternative meals” — usually a sandwich rather than a hot meal — until the debt is paid. But we do love …
April 2021
🍔👩🏾🦱🖕 USDA announces free lunch for all of next school year (2021-2022). Yay! Wait a minute… We could have done this all along but chose not to? Death cult is gonna death cult. #politics
☠️☠️☠️ I took a three-hour walk today with a friend. I was gone for just three hours. I came home to rest and read the news (which is never, ever restful). I used to say things like “The NRA is a death cult” or “The GOP is a death cult.” But you know what? The more I think about it and realize we …
Best pandemic hobby!
I said to my wife tonight, “The only woman I’d leave you for is Jen Psaki.” And she said, “Yeah, that’s fine.” I married, and would leave, the right woman.
March 2021
👴🗒📰 I watched President Biden’s press conference today and I have never been more embarrassed watching our national press than I was today. Our national press writes about whatever the GOP wants to make the main issue of the day. What a joke.
Is 550,000 a lot?
Congratulations to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. The best time to have her in this position was a long time ago, but the second best time was now. I’m so glad it happened. #Politics
⌨️⌨️⌨️ New clicky keyboard!
💉👩🏻👍🏻 I got my first vaccination today. It was run so efficiently I was out of there in under 25 min (with the 15 min reaction wait included). Well done folks!
👩🏻🦰💪❤️ My word is Jen Psaki awesome. Awesome isn’t even the right word. She’s a true professional and I honestly can’t think of any other press secretary as good as she is. Or one who even comes close. I am most impressed with her ability to not say “You are full of you know what and you know it.”
It was years ago when McCain picked, somehow, Palin to be his running mate I began to hear the phrase “lame stream media.” While Palin (and her ilk) didn’t mean it the same way, our main stream media is lame as hell. Take The New York Times. They suck. I’ll leave it at …
If I swoon any harder over Jen Psaki I’m gonna pull a muscle. Please keep kicking ass, Jen.
How anyone can see the GOP as anything other than a death cult is beyond me. Hasn’t this guy overseen enough death?
February 2021
America.
We sure do love our children so. (Narrator: They do not love their children so.)
Is 450,000 a lot?
January 2021
GOP lawmakers seek to end mask mandate, public health emergency. Looks like there’ll be cheap land in Wisconsin soon.
🇺🇸🏛🤦 Is two a lot?
🇺🇸🏴☠️🇺🇸 The start of a civil war doesn’t get a date until history looks back on it. I’m guessing it’ll be around Jan 6, 2021, though.
🖕🖕🖕 No Republican is dumping Trump because they’ve suddenly found a conscience. He’s dead weight, so they’re cutting him loose. They still think like him. He’s lied, they’ve lied.
Is he still, you know, president?
Using the American flag to beat the police who are trying to protect the Capitol building.
❤️📱❤️ I’ve been seeing a bunch of articles lately about how the iPhone 12 mini isn’t selling as well as the other iPhones. Likely that’s true. But everyone I know who owns one loooooooooves it. I don’t think the iPhone 12 mini will go away for a long while.
☠️☠️☠️ The GOP is a death cult.
Is 350,000 a lot?
First day of the new year and I’ve already stayed up too late.
December 2020
Wednesday, December 30, 2020 →
💲= ☠️ The policies which allow this to happen will, eventually, look as barbaric as doctors not washing hands between patients.
📚 I finally read Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut. I have no idea why I hadn’t read this before, but that’s fixed now. Rating: 👍
🍿 I watched two movies recently. Rating as such: The Midnight Sky: 👎 Soul: 👍
Laying on the bed explaining how to wrap presents while my wife actually wraps the presents is going over as well as could be expected.
How in the world has Trump not been impeached again? Also, at this point, I also have no idea why our constitution has the 25th amendment. Did the folks who wrote and ratified that amendment have someone worse in mind?
For about a third of the episodes of The Mandalorian I’ve literally stood up to watch. I would go from sitting back on the couch, to sitting up straight(ish), to sitting on the edge, to standing. What a fantastic series.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020 →
Looks like I’ve just become a fan of someone I’ve not heard of until right now. Some advisers close to President-elect Joe Biden are frustrated over a Glamour magazine interview in which incoming White House deputy chief of staff Jen O’Malley Dillon referred to Republicans on Capitol Hill as …
So Trump and the GOP spent money on a wall to protect from a made-up problem and passed on buying a vaccine to a problem that is literally killing thousands of us a day?
Only one side doing this.
Only one side doing this.
The Mandalorian is such a good TV show that 1) I can’t believe it’s a TV show and 2) If it was a person, I’d hug them. It really puts the prequels and sequels to shame. We really need a lightsaber emoji. And Mandalorian helmet.
One quibble with this It’s impossible to overemphasize just how much the White House has failed all of us. Everyone left to fend for themselves. War-scale death. No support. No help. Nothing. Is it wasn’t just the White House. It was the GOP. Every damned single one of ‘em.
I don’t understand why so many Dems retweet (or rebroadcast) those on the right. Even when you agree with the sentiment, these are the folks that got us to where are today. They will take us back in that direction as soon as they can.
November 2020
My daughter is home from college and is thrilled about being back here with us. That reinforces we did an OK job making a decent home1. In this trying time, I proud of my little family for making a good home. I’ve had my share of poor parenting moments… Really. ↩︎ …
I’ve long said NYC isn’t as pedestrian-friendly as it should be. When the pandemic first took hold here it was actually much easier to walk around. Not that I want the pandemic to come back as it was (it’s still here), but it was quieter and safer to be outside with fewer cars.
Every time I read about spikes in COVID cases I get super paranoid. Then I realize many (not all, of course) of these places are super anti-mask and I worry a little less. We all wear our masks when we leave and most everyone we pass on the street does too. It’s so easy to do.
My dilemma is to keep ranting about politics or … Naw, I’m going to keep ranting (and voting) until things get better. Well, I’ll keep voting if it gets better. :)
I’ve had to adjust my expectations for Thanksgiving. It’s just my immediate family. The pandemic is terrible and I wish it hadn’t happened, but I do like just being with my family.
Wednesday, November 25, 2020 →
Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow. And that means instead of a gathering of 25+, we’ll be just us four. And a call or two (Zoom/FaceTime) because we’re being responsible and not trying to kill anyone. I’m optimistic that Thanksgiving 2021 will be as wonderful as it should be.
Wednesday, November 25, 2020 →
I love it when a tweet sums up my feelings. The right still controls the narrative.
I think every trip to the grocery store has to include non-perishable provisions. If I can carry it, I’ll get it.
When I went to the grocery store this evening for a forgotten ingredient, I noticed more and more seating built along the street. Wood frames, plexiglass-type windows, ceilings, lights… these structures will capture COVID just like indoor seating. Don’t use these!
Our collective activity is bordering on insanity.
During my walk around Brooklyn yesterday I came across two huge lines of people waiting to get tested for COVID. I’ve not seen that happen ever while this pandemic was going on. I assumed they were getting ready for travel. Today, there’s more parking around my neighborhood than I’ve …
I’m going to bed at 9pm on a Saturday. If autumn does this to me already, I worry what winter will do. Zzzzz…
Today marks one full week with the iPhone 12 mini and I have absolutely no buyer’s remorse. It might very well be my favorite iPhone, but if it’s not, it’s in the top 2 or 3. Nostalgia plays tricks on the mind and so maybe I’m remembering the first iPhone because it was so revolutionary rather than …
I hope this time will never fade from my memory or the memory of my children. I want them to always remember who allowed this to happen and is allowing it to get worse every day.
If those supporting or attempting to perpetrate a turnover of the election results are not punished for their actions, they will continue these attempts until they are successful. Then democracy will have failed in the United States. Seventy-one million voted for Trump after seeing what he was like …
This person might be the worst possible choice for Secretary of Transportation. I’m not saying Biden is going to pick Rahm… But if he does… He couldn’t pick a worse person. Rahm is a terrible person in every meaning of the word.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 →
Is 250,000 a lot?
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 →
When Apple begins to act up, I always take a step back to reassess my dependence on their products and services. I’m glad today’s step, however small, was in the right direction.
By the time I retire from day-to-da y work, I hope I can ride an expanded train system in the United States.
My mind is having a hard time finding memories. I’m not worried that I’m losing my mind, it’s just with so much going on I can’t easily keep track of when events happened.
Fox News is very bad. In fact, I used to think it was the worst. But Facebook is far worse. Not only it is easier to amplify a message, folks interact and they can (and do) organize. The hates spreads faster and builds and builds. For the record, Twitter isn’t much better.
I am not sure this counts as spooky… maybe more as eerie Or just sad. The New York Times’s Twitter account about war is shutting down before the wars end.
My guess was right: This iPhone 12 mini is very good. I’m still unsure of the battery, but it’s new so I’ll give it a few days to get itself together.
I think the most surprising aspect of my Apple Watch is that it’s not been an issue to wear it. I really thought I’d hate feeling something on my wrist.
Wednesday, November 11, 2020 →
Say what you want, but a few months of $100… and I have a new Mac mini. Hmm…
Because of this administration, this election cycle, and the current shenanigans, I don’t just feel old and tired, I feel elderly. I wake up at night and can’t get back to sleep for hours and hours. I actually feel like I’m going mad.
So… are we the people going to force Trump to leave the White House or will he use the military to force us to shut up?
Why was the Secretary of Defense fired? This seems so odd to me.
The DCCC doesn’t move to the left, they are going to find themselves in a bind come election time.
NYC didn’t celebrate this much when Obama won either time. This is really something. There was an inflated sense of dread earlier this week and this win really deflated it. Whew!
It’s puzzling the media haven’t called the election. If Trump we’re in the lead the election would have been called.
Growing up in the suburbs of NJ we’d have garage sales but didn’t own a garage. Now living in the city we have stoop sales but don’t have a stoop. I also realized recently where I live now is the longest I’ve ever lived at one place.
Gonna need to listen to a lot of John Prine today. Thanks to his wonderful music and stories he’ll always be near.
I’m honestly astonished this is at all a close election. I get folks have different views on topics, but how in the world is there this much hate?
After I vote tomorrow I hope I can concentrate on work. But it might be a lost day…
It’s a dreary day here and I’m sick over the upcoming election, but today we’re focusing on making our home as comfortable as possible for whatever comes our way. Today: Finishing up painting the foyer and hallway. What are you doing to make your home as comfortable as you can?
October 2020
If Biden wins this election and Dems don’t immediately take steps to: Abolish the electoral college, make voter registration automatic at 18, and move to grant DC and Puerto Rico statehood, then we know this will happen again. We can’t make people vote, but we certainly have to make it far easier to …
Apple Engineer Novall Khan feels spiritually related to AOC. Both super smart women trying to make the better world. I bet they do make it better, too.
🍿 We watched The Way I See It and, after being annoyed at how good of a photographer Pete Souza is, we enjoyed it.1 In not too long a time we’re going to see, literally see, a stark contrast from Barack Obama to the Orange Turd. Oh, I suppose I’m wrong now that I think about it. We’re literally not …
📷 A northeast path from Prospect Park West into Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. 8:31pm. Late evening walks make for a less crowded park which is, under the circumstances, a more appealing prospect. #adayinthelife
Not only am I still in disbelief American newspapers aren’t running banner headlines demanding the president resign, I can’t understand how the hell people are still showing up for work at the White House. The president is sick with COVID-19 and does NOT give a shit about you. He will get you sick …
Trump got the nuclear football guy sick? Trump has gotten more military personnel sick than, I imagine, any terrorist could have hoped to do themselves.
September 2020
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 →
📰 I can’t believe I didn’t know the Newseum app, Today’s Front Pages, existed. This is the kind of thing I’ve dreamed about. It’s available for Android too!
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 →
While two old white men argued last night… Greenland’s ice sheet got smaller and smaller.
“Folks, talk about whatever you like because I have no control over this.” -Wallace
I’m a bit embarrassed to say that all it took for me to forget about Instagram was moving the app to a folder on my second home screen. I haven’t opened it in days and forgot about it enough that Instagram sent an email saying “Your friends have new posts!”
$750.
Saturday, September 26, 2020 →
I don’t agree often with Marco Arment but I completely agree there are too many scams in the App Store. Maybe it’s time for an App Store within the App Store. That’s where the curated apps would completely checked by Apple. The others are there, just with fewer checks.
Saturday, September 26, 2020 →
DeSantis is like the Florida of governors.
Thank Ted It’s Friday!
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 →
Nothing, on any level, will ever get better in the United States until the United States adopts a single-payer health care system. Everything revolves around that.
As I watch the West Coast burn, I am reminded of the show Newsroom and this scene about climate change. Now, sure, it was fiction. The West Coast being on fire is not.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020 →
📰 Woodward had recordings since February and we’re only hearing about them now?!
New rule: Ted Lasso needs to be on 52 weeks a year. We’re in a pandemic and it’s incredibly important to see some optimism on a weekly basis.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 →
I keep seeing headlines that read (I’m paraphrasing) Biden campaign brings in $300 million (Clinton brought in $150 million in same time frame) The fact this kind of money is needed to win anything is depressing1 because I imagine there are many folks out there with fantastic, live-changing …
📰 Every single newspaper should be calling for Trump to resign1. Who is controlling Biden? “People that you’ve never heard of, people that are in the dark shadows.” This is the talk of a person unfit for office. Everyone knows it, but no one is saying it. As soon as one big newspaper prints it, …
August 2020
Justin Townes Earle: I have two stories about meeting Justin Townes Earle. They aren’t amazing stories and I guess I’m writing them down so I remember (or at least remember what little I remember). The first time I “met” Justin was... I actually don’t remember. It was about 20+ years ago in Manhattan. Jen and I went to …
🍔🍟☠️ I wonder how many died as a result of not listening to health experts? Do the people responsible for this feel any guilt? Haha, just kidding. They have no feelings other than rage and hate.
😍🎶👩🏻 I just watched Linda Rondstadt: The Sound of My Voice and damn it was great. If you are not familiar with Linda Rondstadt, you are in for a treat. Not only are you going to hear some fantastic music and get a crush on a woman (the from the 1960s on), you’re also going to see what a real singer …
🏫👩🏾🦱📓 Reopening in-person teaching in grade schools now is premature. There is no vaccine and there aren’t enough treatments of symptoms. I’m fully aware of the hardships parents face and I understand young children could see some social developments hindered. Nevertheless, opening schools in …
I dropped off my daughter (she’s the oldest) at college today. It was a weird feeling of being proud, being the sad kind of happy, and being anxious because the United States is full of fucking morons about this virus. She decided to take what’s probably considered a low class load of four classes. …
Even with a vaccine (which is still only a maybe), 2021 will be another lost year.
This is such bullshit. The school system is only reversing her suspension because it makes them look bad, not because they truly believe they were wrong about it in the first place. The student in question should demand it stay on there. It’s a sign of making good trouble. And, by the way, good for …
The olds are scared. Lower it to 16, I say.
July 2020
Is 150,000 a lot?
🖕 Those playing a game know to protect their own and sacrifice the pawns first. The amount of fuck and you can’t be combined fast enough for these puckered anuses.
“These kids have got to get back to school,” Parson told Cox. “They’re at the lowest risk possible. And if they do get COVID-19, which they will — and they will when they go to school — they’re not going to the hospitals. They’re not going to have to sit in doctor’s offices. They’re going to go home …
🖕 A designer played a part in this. Boils my blood and reminds me of a zine by my close personal friend, Mike1. Not a close personal friend :( ↩︎
While it’s true the amount of Black history I don’t know could make for a… long podcast, this episode of 99% Invisible1 Freedom House Ambulance Service is simply eye opening. It’s 100% worth your time. I’m Roman Mars. ↩︎
[Ron DeSantis is responsible for a lot of death.] (https://news.trust.org/item/20200716143306-y6l4u) And I here I thought Rick Scott was a fuckup.1 Oh he sure as fuck is. ↩︎
☠️☠️☠️ Fuck the death penalty.
👱🏼♀️🏫☠️ If school districts insist on opening without an honest-to-goodness plan in mind that centers around the health of everyone (teachers, paraprofessional, staff, and students), then the entire country’s teachers’ union should go on strike. What the hell is the point of a union if it can’t, if …
If people wear masks, we’ll be able to make it long enough to deal with the virus. If people quit Facebook, we’ll be able to make it long enough to deal with what’s happened to our democracy.
June 2020
My daughter is supposed to start college in the fall (2020). All the schools are talking about going back into session (that is, having students back in campus) but I honestly don’t see how it’s going to happen. Same for all schools (not just college). No vaccine, no in-person learning.* It’s really …
Turns out 2016 was the most important election.
Dear Satan, how can I be more evil? (Satan whispers in ear.) OK, I’ll do it!
Wouldn’t it be something if hospitals were as prepared to help us as police departments were to beat the shit out of us?
May 2020
Also look at the military equipment the police have! Who the fuck are they anticipating to come across? If you think the police are here for you and me, I don’t know what to tell you. They are protecting the rich. And we’re paying for it. Medicare for all? Fuck off. Tanks for police? Yep.
Anyone remember the pandemic?
I don’t get it. Landlords are going to kick people out because they can’t pay rent only to leave these apartments empty? Who the hell do they think is going to be able to move in?
We’re going to go from “Teachers should be paid $1 million a day!” to “Tax revenues are down, so the teachers have to go. What else can be done?”
The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
Barbershops are open in Georgia, but elections are cancelled. We really are governed by the worst people.
Any podcast about libraries is my kind of podcast. Well, in this case, an episode about libraries will do. Libraries will always be my favorite place in the world. I can’t wait my local branch to reopen.
An alternative headline could be: More real estate to be available in Platteville, WI in June.
Trump is more afraid of real questions from reporters than he is of the virus.
Of course states are going to reopen despite thousands dying every day. We didn’t do a fucking thing about guns when little kids were slaughtered… Why would do anything about this virus?
When I read the news I wonder if we should even bother with a vaccine. I know that most people (the vast vast majority) are doing the right thing under difficult circumstances… But wow, reading the news. When I get really down like this I still want a vaccine if for no other reason that I can …
I’m not claiming the Dems are always on the side of the working class (because they are most definitely not), but there really is only one side actively trying to screw over those whose pockets aren’t fat with cash.
April 2020
There is no way Apple isn’t working on the next generation of Smart Connector that does fast charging and fast data transfer. Once it’s done and out, we’ll see all kinds of cool magnetic docks for the iPad line. Perfect for the big iPad that also has to be coming, right?
There are far more sociopaths in our society than I thought there were.
The Bird of Third is keeping me up at night. This time it started up at 2am rather than his more regular time of 3am.
What have you got to lose indeed.
Uh oh. Sounds like some Republicans are worried about a Biden presidency. Else why would they pretend to give a shit about the country’s debt? It’s all forecasted in the Old Republicans’ Almanac.
It’s clear to some, but not enough, that our medical system is a criminal grift. If you are rich it’s maybe OK, but for the rest of us?
Florida opened beaches on 17 April? So, the hospitalizations and death will be in… Mid May? We’re ruled by the dumbest people.
Checks have been sent out? Here comes the looting.
Apple should buy the LA Times.
Just because we are, in fact, flattening the curve, does not mean we are in any way in the clear. As many people are going to get this virus as before we self quarantined. Millions of people are going to get this until there is a vaccine. SO the “reopen the country” people need to cut it the fuck …
So the Biden plan to get asses to the polls is to say to young voters “I’ll lower the eligible age of Medicare to 60. Well, it’s either that or you get more Trump.” Great choice.
Not John! Time to turn the lights down low, put on his music, and have a slice of meatloaf.
Got this email: LOL, you mean how you take my $1 and supply $.74 of healthcare? Like that?
This is a real quote from the White House site: You can call it a germ, you can call it a flu, you can call it a virus. You know, you can call it many different names. I’m not sure anybody even knows what it is. No one knows what it is. It’s unknowable, apparently.
This 240,000 number floating around is huge. But something doesn’t seem right. I really think there might be a missing zero (or closer to adding a zero than not). Blood is all over the hands of the GOP.
📰🤦♂️🖕There’s a reason I stopped subscribing to NYTimes years ago and started donating to Pro Publica. I hope you’ll do the same.
March 2020
I don’t agree with all the people proposing to thank, applaud, put on a parade for the world’s essential workers. The people proposing that are doing it for themselves—to feel like they are doing something when, in fact, they are not doing anything. No, what I propose is voting for …
Since right after a school shooting is, apparently, not the time to talk about gun violence, is now the time to talk about? Our children are dying and we should get rid of all these guns.
When Biden beat Bernie in several primaries a few weeks ago: And now this. Boy, can’t wait to vote for this guy.
Man, I love cooking for my family.
📰 Every single newspaper needs to begin running as its main headline: Donald Trump is Unfit as President; Resign Now I hope it doesn’t take millions of dead Americans before they all do that.
🍎😷👎 This is terribly irresponsible. Apple shouldn’t do this until trusted health officials give the okay.
They really do want to kill us, don’t they?
As this pandemic continues, we’re going to be reading about government, corps, and individuals doing great things to help out one another. Then we’re going to wonder, “Wait, we could have been doing this all along?!”
Is Joe Biden around?
🏛💰🖕 Senators Richard Burr and Kelly Loeffler are despicable people. By Friday morning there better be two open seats in the Senate.
😷👨⚕️🤦♂️ I just realized I got notes from local businesses (pizza, wine stores) about the virus before my regular doctor.
📰😦😭 The front pages of newspapers look like movie props from B movies.
Capitalism is the real snowflake.
I wonder if everyone still likes their health insurance.
How has there not been a nationwide curfew enacted?
Trump to USA, “Drop Dead” President Trump told a group of governors on Monday that they should not wait for the federal government to fill the growing demand for respirators needed to help people diagnosed with coronavirus.
⌚️🚶♂️😡 Yes, Apple Watch, I know my exercise rings are usually further along! Where’s the “There’s a pandemic!” dismiss button?
🍪🍪🍪I need to social distance myself from these cookies.
🤪😭🤬 These were the wrong people to have in charge during good times. No fucking way they can handle anything remotely bad.
🏛👱🏼♂️🖕 “I don’t take responsibility at all.” Donald Trump, March 13, 2020, in regards to the government’s mishandling of the response to the COVID-19 virus. How in the world is there not a massive call for the resignation of this inept and dangerous president?
The election is in jeopardy.
🤔😷☠️ The Unites States is not making good decisions for future generations.
The Dem's Response to COVID-19: Why aren’t the Dems stepping up to lead since there is no real leadership coming from the White House? While the Dems can’t enact policy alone, they could have a site where they list the reliable sources, explain who the unreliable source are, advice on how to steps to take to avoid …
🗓❓❓ 2020 is going to end up being called the lost year.
😷🚑🏨 I wonder why other countries with single payer healthcare systems haven’t put pressure on the U.S. to adopt the same kind of program (you know, the way folks are told vaccines are good for the herd, etc). We must send a lot of sick Americans around the world potentially putting others at risk …
💸💵🏦 I keep reading that Michael Bloomberg spent between 300 - 500 million dollars on his campaign. I wonder how long it’ll take him to recoup that money. I bet all that money will be back in his accounts well before the election.
🎸🤒😷 Wasn’t there a song in the 80s: When I think about Coronavirus I touch my face? You’d thought we’da learned from that.
February 2020
😷🏨☠️ Heckuva job, Trumpy.
🏨🚑👍🏻 Let’s all pay for healthcare for each other.
📲👎☢️ Folding phones are like 3D TV: We can make ‘em, but no one will want them. Also, they mostly suck. I just would really like to see Apple (and others!) come out with an iPhone 5-sized phone with all the iPhone X crap shoved in there.
January 2020
💩💩💩Oh, I get it now. Crimes on the odds days of the month, misdemeanors on the even days.
🤦♂️📒✏️ It’s a damn sad state of affairs we’re about to enter another war while we can’t supply schools with the needed materials. Oh, also, I wonder if fiscally conservatives folks will bring up the cost of this upcoming military action (seeing as how we can’t supply students with …
💔💀☠️ If you thought Medicare for All was too expensive, wait until you see what war with Iran will cost.
🪕 I somehow missed Justin Townes Earle’s 2017 album Kids in the Street. I mean, I know I knew it was out, but never gave it a listen. Hot damn is it a good set of tunes. It’s been looping for many weeks now. If I think I get bored I just go to his 2019 album The Saint of Lost Causes …
🤬👎🩹 As my first act of the new year, I closed a window on my finger. Yes, yes, I know. Impressive as it is painful.
December 2019
🏨💸💰 I read this tweet about overnight hospitals stays and for the love of Mr Peterson could everyone stop using the word free? Nothing is free! The people of these countries paid taxes for these services. They pre-paid! There may be low-to-no-cost at the point of service, but they did pay. Why folks …
☠️🔫📇 When I came across this tweet of a New Zealander giving up his gun I immediately thought “I can’t imagine this ever ever ever happening in America.” But, after thinking about it some (and doing a little searching to confirm it), I knew I was wrong. Look at this guy destroying …
November 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019 →
🍎🗽❓ Apple bows to China by censoring Taiwan flag emoji Apple Removes App That Helps Hong Kong Protesters Track the Police Russia Wants To Be Seen As The Owner Of Crimea. Apple Just Recognized Them. It is a very dark road Apple is going down. One that might not have a path back. And, if Apple does …
🧓🏨🤦♂️ Who could have expected this turn of events? Sigh. She didn’t even wait until she got the nod.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 →
New Keyboard Smell: 🍎⌨️😶 It always struck me that Apple, simultaneously, makes a great keyboard and a terrible keyboard. But Apple has seen the light and is now striving to make more customers happy with a new 16-inch MacBook Pro that has a redesigned keyboard. While it definitely took too long, it’s fixed and …
🍎📺➕ I suppose even if folks are complaining about Apple’s TV shows, it’s a win for Apple because people are talking about them.
AirPods Pro: 📱🎧🎤 The moment I saw version one of the AirPods I knew I wanted them. I had already had enough of my EarPods getting caught in a fellow commuter’s tangle. The moment an earbud gets ripped out of ear is jarring enough (enough to induce insta-rage), but it’s another when you have to start …
📺👱🏼♂️🏛 It’s been years since I watched The West Wing. Has it been 20? Boy, have I forgotten what ideals felt like. I know, I know, it’s fiction. And no one speaks in the way Aaron Sorkin turns a phrase. But in a time of “speeches” from a worm-eaten brain, inept cronies, and …
🎥📺👍 It’s been a banner week in our world of entertainment for me and the boy. We went to see Joker, then I watched one episode of See and both watched two episodes of For All Mankind. In order: Joker was excellent. Holy crap. Totally worth seeing (although I don’t think you need to see …
October 2019
🍎😠👎 I expect more out of Apple in absolutely everything they do. I also expect restraint. Just because you can do something with a web page Doesn’t Mean You Should
🍎 💻🤮 It’s hard to overstate how badly Apple has failed with its current line of portable Macintosh computers. I’ve been using a 2017 MacBook Pro for about 2 1/2 years and it’s near the worst Mac portable I’ve ever used (only the PowerBook 5300cs was worse). It’s gotta …
One of my favorite things about using an iPad is when I can’t find it, it’s usually on the kitchen counter under a dish towel or some papers. It really is an appliance that doesn’t need it’s own room or desk. It’s just here all the time. Meanwhile, there’s no iPad …
🧓👩⚕️🚫 My guess is that if Elizabeth Warren gets the Dem nod, she’ll begin to back away from her Medicare-for-all plan. Regardless of what her as-dem-running-for-president plan ends up being called, it will not be the single-payer system we need: health, eye, and dental. I like Elizabeth …
🍊🏛⚖️ If Dubya wasn’t charged and prosecuted for crimes, then no U.S. president ever will be. Trump is not going to go to jail. Trump is going to resign under a deal where he won’t be prosecuted. Then we all get to see what horrible crimes the next evil president comes up with. Because, …
September 2019
👶👧🏻🧒🏼 The climate change walkout on Friday got me thinking. First, it got me thinking kids today have their heads on much straighter than their many of their parents. Second, I wonder what would happen if all kids said, “Fuck it, no more going to school until you assholes start fixing the …
Saturday, September 14, 2019 →
⏱📱💪 As time marches on, it feels (literally) like the iPhones are going in the direction of cars. Heavier, bigger, and more expensive. The iPhone 11 Pro weighs as much as the iPhone 7 Plus. The smallest iPhone for 2019 is bigger than the biggest iPhone from 2016. I know that’s good for some …
🤱🏫🖕There isn’t any bridge that’s too far to cross, is there? No war crime too horrendous to prosecute: Bush. No killing of children too great to enact real gun control: Sandy Hook. No raping of children too heinous to accept money from the rapist: MIT and Harvard and Bard High School …
August 2019
🚀📚😐 I finished The Last Astronaut by David Wellington. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, I found the second half to be slow and, overall, none of the characters ever developed enough for me to care about any one of them. I thought it was going to be a mix of The Martian (which I …
☠️☠️☠️ There’s not a single person running for president who is talking about repealing the second amendment. They’ll talk about compromise, but compromise is how we got here.
July 2019
📺🤰🤯 Has anyone else watched the documentary [The Handmaid’s Tale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale_(TV_series)? It’s good.
🖕🖕🖕Hey person in charge of upholding the law but is actually a pretty terrible person who often says awful things on social media. Good news! We’ll delete it for you. I posted recently about living in the novel 1984, and boy was I right. This scrubbing of social media literally is the Memory …
👳🏽♀️👨🦳🇺🇸The president of the United States regularly leads two minutes of hate. Well done right wing nut jobs.
🍿😂😢 Defying Hollywood’s long-standing precedent of sequels being the pits, Toy Story 4 knocked it out of the ballpark. I didn’t think Pixar could come close to Toy Story 3 (which was so good I didn’t think the series needed another), but I am glad to be wrong. What a delight.
🤬 🤓 🛠 With Jony Ive gone, Lisa Jackson needs to throw some face around to impress upon engineering to make the next round of Macs easier to upgrade and therefore end up lasting longer.
🧑🧑🏽👱♀️ I think we’ll see a Warren/Harris ticket for Dems. Maybe be Warren/Castro ticket, but Warren/Harris is probably better. I also think it doesn’t matter because Trump will win the electoral vote but not popular. The more interesting idea I have is that Trump won’t pick Pence as running mate. …
☠️☠️☠️ Where are the mass graves?
June 2019
🤒🤷♂️🏛 Dementia makes for a better Manchurian candidate.
🏫👫❤️Many months ago I wrote about traditions. I guess it’s hypocritical of me to have poked fun at the idea of them when, holy hell, I make them too. For almost their entire school lives, on the last day of school, I’ve taken my children to have lunch by the fountain in Grand Army Plaza. …
🗽☠️⛺️ How long before we’re invaded because of our concentration camps?
💩👎🤷♂️ Wait wait wait. Huawei thought if this didn’t go well it could “destroy its reputation”? are you telling me it got close enough to production and then someone wondered if this could ruin them? How the frak is this company run?!
💸🏫🖕Boomers pay just $10 per college credit. Nice! Now how about the rest of us?
👋🇺🇸🤒 Thanks to John Stewart for convincing Congress to do the right thing. Now how about the rest of us?
🍓🤤❤️ My local grocery store (Park Slope Food Coop) has the good strawberries right now and I honestly can’t get enough of them. They’re only here for three to four weeks per year and ever since I discovered them, I long for the season while also dreading how short it is. I never ate strawberries …
🤓🖥💪 It would be something if the folks who clamored for a pro Mac find the computer they actually want is the iMac Pro.
May 2019
🤕 👩⚕️ 🖕 Holy forking shirtballs! This is NOT awesome. It’s the perfect example of how forked our healthcare system is. Need a walker? Go the Home Depot. Need a wheelchair? Go to AutoZone. Need new intestines? Go to the plumbing supply store.
🏛 🍪 🖕 Here’s the deal: There is no talking to right wingers. They are not arguing in good faith. They. Don’t. Give. A. Shit. California Representative Katie Porter explained to HUD Secretary Jokester Carson what REO is and how it applies to HUD. Now, if I’m being generous, I am willing to give …
📱 Apps are, for the most part, dirt cheap. I do admit when I was first buying apps for iOS I was a little weird about it all. “I don’t know, is this worth $2?” Really Bob? I bring this up because I read a post from Becky Hansmeyer saying app developers should raise app prices. …
🇺🇸 Republicans aren’t afraid of socialism. They’re afraid of democracy.
☠️ When it comes to gun violence, we have let our children down to the point they are now sacrificing themselves in order to save others. Kendrick Castillo should not have had to do what he did to save others. We adults should have and we all let him down. We’ve let so many down. We’ll …
📺 I gulped down the Netflix series Dead to Me. I enjoyed it very much. The series starred two actors who, in my opinion, could never get enough screen time: Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini. They are both excellent and way under used.
🧒 We sure do love our children. I’ll say this until things change: Everyday I’m thankful the children don’t turn again us. However, I’m a little disappointed too.
🚗 Flying cars will not save us from climate change. Unless, I guess, they fall out of the sky in such great numbers they reduce the population of humans. I worry a lot of people are banking on the idea that autonomous vehicles (think Tesla, etc) will save us. Not only is the tech not there (on ANY …
☠️ This used to be a big deal. Now you (and I) can’t recall the one before the most recent one.
🛠 The right to repair is so obvious it’s hard to believe we have to even discuss it. Apple is absolutely on the wrong side of this fight. Products will get used longer if they can be repaired. When a product gets used longer, it means less waste. And if Apple is going to push Lisa Jackson up …
April 2019
📰 I mentioned recently that I went to school for journalism but didn’t pursue it as a career. The reason wasn’t because newspaper people, on average, are paid poorly. Or receive intense scrutiny. Or work long hours. Or sometimes get killed doing their job. The reason was: I never felt I …
📽 I watched movie Obit. While it’s maybe not your typical Saturday night movie, it was engaging and brought back a lot of memories. I went to college for journalism, but never pursued it as a career. I don’t regret not going into that field, but I do miss the energy of a newsroom. While …
🚀 I worry about getting older. Not scary health things (though I’ve had at least one I remember and I guess they do worry me), but I’m more worried about the everyday. You know, walking, hearing, etc. I’ve been fortunate that I can still walk wherever I want in any condition …
🏫 The GOP is not working towards a better America. The GOP is working towards a dumber, more ignorant, more at-risk America. An America where they can continue to take advantage of the less educated (and, really, all of us).
📻 The splintering of podcasting is here and it’s disheartening.
👳🏽♀️ The president’s attack against Ilhan Omar is awful, yet predictable. Still, it’s gross, reprehensible, and only aimed at riling up people to harm her. If I was from Minnesota I would be proud she’s my representative. Since I’m not, I’m proud she is an honest member of …
🛠 Now that Lisa Jackson has gone on the record saying Apple wants its products to last longer (iOS 12 kicked serious ass on that front), it’s time to address the areas that often need repairing: screens, batteries, ports, and cameras. Don’t get me started on the whole notebook keyboard …
🤭 I finally decided, after years, that Instagram doesn’t make me happy. At least when I follow people I know. So I unfollowed people and now follow accounts of non people (mostly). What’s weird is I still like these people. I guess I don’t like the world they present? I feel bad about …
March 2019
My mom and I didn’t get much time together as adults. Well, as two adults. So I never got a lot of wisdom that I was able to take with me into my adulthood. I do remember two things she said to me in regards to politics (and it wasn’t a ‘sit-down’ kinda talk, just …
🗽 If voting is to be meaningful, here’s what America would do in regards to voting: Have same day registration Abolish electoral college Voting age lowered to 16 These things scare the hell out of politicians and I can’t imagine any of these happening in the next 20 years (let alone …
📰 I sure do like all the new doodads Apple has been releasing lately, but I think this is likely to have a bigger and better long-term impact.
February 2019
🤮 I remain completely confident that Facebook will go down as a net negative on the world. Twitter too. It’s not that social media is bad, it’s that these companies are bad.
🖥 When there’s a big acquisition like Amazon buying Eero (sigh), there’s always talk about FAANG buying up small companies and ruining them. But when I look through Apple’s acquisitions, I can’t find one that remotely caused outrage or concern like the Eero purchase. Did I …
Wednesday, February 13, 2019 →
📱 I know Apple is a big corporation that I clearly have too much invested in (mentally and otherwise), but I do appreciate the fact that of all the big tech giants, Apple is the easiest to walk away from. Critics of the big tech companies are often told, “If you don’t like the company, don’t use …
📺 I’m now following all the cast members of Travelers on Instagram in some weird way, I guess, to hang on to the show a little longer. But rather than being sad the show is over, I’m just going with the idea they’re all just following Protocol 5.
January 2019
👩 Casey Smitherman did the right thing and if she gets any punishment for this, well… It’s horseshit. This is the kind of action I would want a person who is watching over my children to take. Ms Smitherman, you did the right thing.
👏 Now this is how to write about these bullshit Apple stories. It’s like arguing with much of the right now: It’s not in good faith. We know why: these articles aren’t trying to establish a pattern of accurate, reliable reporting; they’re merely fluff content blown out to …
👩🏻🎤 I bumped into my son’s kindergarten teacher the other night. At the time my son was in kindergarten, I had a very flexible schedule and was able to spend quite a bit of time in the room helping the teachers at lunch time, etc. Seeing the teacher brought back memories that mixed with my …
👩⚕️ A lot of people are talking about Apple’s next big thing. Many people are claiming there’ll be nothing as big as the iPhone. It’s a good argument. A portable computer that came around at just the right time with just the right capabilities at a somewhat affordable price is …
🎥 I just saw the latest Spider-Man movie with my son. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is such a fun, incredibly well-made movie that I’m labeling it a must see. I’m not the biggest fan of the whole super hero thing, but if I’m picking one super hero, I’d pick Spider-Man. …
💔 I gotta wonder how well this article from The Verge is going to age. Because I can’t imagine this story about the Apple Watch will be the only one we end up reading. See?
📲 Apple so needs to up its game when it comes to the App Store. This kind of crap is exactly what shouldn’t be in the App Store and, if it’s going to be, then let me take my chances side loading apps (which I know Apple won’t allow). So up your game, Apple.
👩🏽🦰 We’re going to impeach the motherfucker?! Oh no, get me to the fainting couch, stat! How awesome 1) there is video of it and 2) She is not backing down or apologizing for it! I still stand by my idea, however, that I’d trade a Trump impeachment for Paul Ryan being in jail forever. …
📷 I know it’s incredibly old school and kinda weird, but I’ve been so happy messing around with my photo blog (an import of Instagram) that I want to pick up my camera again (yeah, the camera I knew would get all dusty from disuse).
December 2018
⌨️ I’ve run into a weird bug with my clicky keyboard when using it with my iPad Pro. When I wake the iPad from sleep while the iPad is connected to the keyboard (connected via Apple’s USB-C to USB-A adapter), the iPad can’t connect to internet without first unplugging the keyboard. …
⌨️ Hobbies are a weird thing. Some of us get totally into some obscure area of interest while others don’t even know the whatever even exists. I’ve been hovering on going deeper into the world of mechanical keyboards for a while now. The more I read about them and the more I see …
🥤 I have begun my first attempt at cold brew from scratch.* I bought my first-ever burr grinder and some OXO cold brew pitcher contraption. Burr grinders, for those that don’t know, make a big ol mess. *Well, semi scratch. I didn’t grow the danged beans.
📺 If there is not a fourth season of Travelers then the world is shite and I don’t want to watch TV any longer. I haven’t loved characters this way since Firefly.
🤝 I spent some time on Friday and Saturday trying to get a Drafts action working, although honestly I had no idea what I was looking at. So I found the person who wrote the action and he explained the problem and how to get it working for me. The internet has such a wonderful capability to be a …
☠️ It’s shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone the United States of America would let a little girl die in custody when it’s the same callous country that’s done nothing about it’s horrendous lack of gun control which led to the killings of nearly two dozens little children (I refer to those …
☠️ Now we’re killing the children we’ve kidnapped. How anyone -anyone at all- can remain members of the Republican Party is beyond me.* They have blood on their hands that will never wash off. *It’s been over 30 years since I could understand how people could be members of the Republican …
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 →
💻 Here’s the thing, Jeff with a G, the best products aren’t always the most expensive. I bought the 11" iPad and, man, it feels like I got a deal. It’s smaller than my old 11" MacBook Air (which I still love, despite it getting quite dusty). It’s also lighter. And …
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 →
🖥 I hope others are worried the one company which controls much of what’s seen on the internet is about to control how we see it too. For a little bookkeeping: I meant to post this to this blog when I posted it to my other one. Oh, technology… How does it work?
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 →
🏛 For years now I’ve been going on and on* about how we should lower the minimum age for president and also lower maximum age for president. Most people think I’m nuts and being ageist. All y’all might want to reconsider my idea. *I go on and on about everything, I know. Also, we …
🛰 Voyager 2 has entered interstellar space. If I had a vocabulary that was more majestic or breath-taking rather than proletariat, I’d be able to say something other than holy shitballs this is amazing. All the folks involved in this project are part genius and part hacker. But all scientist.
🤓 I used my new 11" iPad Pro without the keyboard folio this weekend. It’s so incredibly light. It continues to remind me of the iPhone 5 (that’s the model that it felt hollow to me). Anyway, this iPP is a really neat little machine. I have absolutely no buyer’s remorse.
🚗 Of course cars are a problem. If/when (OK, it’s really just IF) I ever leave NYC and my beloved Brooklyn, it would only be for a far less-expensive city, but not any less-expensive city. It has to have as high a walking score (roughly) as Brooklyn. Otherwise, I’m not interested. …
🤓 I don’t get jealous about non-Apple tech all that often, but this NUC that my friend got is getting to me. It’s the Mac Mini I wish Apple had built. That being said, the update to the Mac Mini is really, really good.
💡 I’ve reached the point where my watch needs a software update (and sometimes restarted) but also my lightbulbs need a software update. Up to one hour per bulb… During which they might turn off. If I end up sitting in the dark unaware of the time, it’s all my own fault.
🖕 Believing both sides of the science is like saying “I believe Tom Petty is alive and dead.” I wonder if she could have any motivations to believe the few studies that deny human-made climate change.
⚖️ Welcome back to the game of Worst State of the Union. Florida is still in the lead, but a new challenger is coming up fast. After having their governor make the worst business deal in the world, they’ve now taken away powers from the incoming governor and attorney general. I guess Wisconsin …
⚖️ When things like this happen, it feels like the truth doesn’t matter at all anymore.
💻 I agree it’s a cute ad poking a little fun at the iPad, but why in the world would MS show its store as empty? Is this a spin on the whole truth in advertising?
💀 American football should be banned from schools. It’s literally hurting children every day and it should be banned.
📷 I received a picture of my father today. It was sent to me by my cousin and I didn’t think to ask how he came upon it. I guessed it was from the late 50s or early 60s, but it was 1970. Two things stick out to me when looking at the picture. Pictures from 1970 look really old to me now. And I …
🗽 I’ve learned more about how Congress works from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Instagram account than from anything else. Well almost anything else. I hope you consider following her on Instagram and on Twitter. Thanks, Alexandria.
November 2018
☠️ What am I supposed to say here? Things are going swimmingly and everyone will be okay? I wonder if there’ll be a day when I don’t feel sick to my stomach from waking to sleeping.
😬 Google subsidiary doing a thing. That by itself gives me pause, even if it’s a bit (or totally!) unfair. But another – possible less controversial – tactic is to tweak the pathogens that attack mosquitoes, like Wolbachia bacteria, which can be bred into to male mosquitoes (who …
Wednesday, November 28, 2018 →
📲 Thanks to Jason Snell’s site for pointing out this great post criticizing the App Store. It’s freshing to read real honest issues about Apple (rather than the endless bullshit that gets posted each and every single day). In fact, it looks like all of David’s posts are well …
😞 I was one of the people who crapped all over Monica Lewinsky during the whole stupid Clinton affair. I don’t exactly remember my thought process at the time, but it was along the lines of “Come on, Monica, you had to have known better!” There are so many flaws in my logic that I …
💻 Engadget asks Do you really need a tablet? By tablet they mean, of course, iPad. There’s no tablet market to speak of. There’s just iPad. That’s not me saying so, the market speaks for itself. The question that should be asked is, Do you need a legacy laptop? For most people most …
☠️ Romaine lettuce needs to ask the NRA for tips to find out how it can keep being sold regardless of how many it kills.
📲 Out with the old and in with the new. My 12.9" iPad Pro and our old 2011 MacBook Pro left Brooklyn today and a new 11" iPad Pro has entered. While I was waiting to buy my new iPad Pro, two more were sold. I know it’s purely anecdotal, but it feels like the 11" iPad Pro with …
🎥 I think it’s funny I fell asleep during the movie Inception and am therefore a little confused about the ending. Others in the family don’t find it funny.
☠️ All I want to do is write how I’m thankful for my family and friends, but, really, I’m nothing but angry and sad much of the time. I’m so tired of politicians talking about sensible gun laws. Ban the things before every single one of us is dead.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 →
🤓 My big tech purge project is coming to a close. While the goal wasn’t to go without using a Mac as my main personal computer, it will be the end result. In a way it’s not totally fair since I have access to a MacBook Pro (my wife’s computer), but I’m excited to have gotten …
💪 In the world of superpowers everyone picks invisibility or flying, right? I never thought of “No sense of shame” as a superpower, but clearly Trump has that. And it is serving him well. He’s likely the world’s biggest hypocrite and, when his hypocracy is pointed out to him, …
📺 We just finished the series House of Cards and, while I loved the series overall, I really didn’t like how it all ended. Frig.
🤔 How come we never see things like this posted about Apple? I am genuinely curious. Is it that Apple doesn’t donate at all, doesn’t get outed for donating to questionable people, or do they just not donate to terribly gross people like this?
📰 Thanks to Kate Aronoff for pointing out that those on the “left” opposing the progressive plan of a New Green Deal are getting money from… the planet-ending fossil fuel industry. First, fight these people and, second, get them out of office.
🏛 This has to be the most positive I’ve felt about politics in years, maybe decades. When I saw that protestors were holding up signs to sitting (and newly elected, I guess) Dems saying “What’s your plan?” showed me they have no illusions things are magically going to get …
🎂 My son turned 13 today and now there’s no getting around he’s not my little boy… I love each phase of my children’s lives, but boy I wish the years would slow down.
👊🏻 The right would ignore Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez if they weren’t afraid of her. But they are. And she’s coming for you boys.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018 →
👩🏾🦱 A week ago I was almost inconsolable. Then I saw this picture and I saw the future of America and I immediately felt better. I hope these people work as hard as I believe they will and get the respect they deserve. I know they will make the changes we all need. They will kick ass.
💻 I was so close to buying an 11" iPad Pro until Jason Snell posted the perfect picture in his review of the new iPad Pro models. Now I am not sure if I can deal with the smaller version. I’m not a pro user. I putter around doing my day-to-day nonsense (looking at animals and/or getting …
🗳 While I certainly appreciate the sentiment, I am not sure this is something that can happen on a federal level. But because some states are all goofed up, I could see fun relocation slogans being created: “Want Your Vote to Count? Move to Vermont!” “Move to Florida: Where We …
👩🏻💼 ❤️ 🇺🇸 If Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t cut out this do-gooder crap, she’s going to wind up getting elected president of the United States.
💻 I just stopped at the Apple Store (Downtown Brooklyn) to touch the new MacBook Air and the new iPad Pro models. A couple things struck me: The MBA looked and felt great. You know: beautiful screen, keys felt great, very responsive. Now, to be fair, this wasn’t some real test. I just typed a …
🥃 Whenever I have one of those weeks (or days), I get into a cleaning mode. Since I can’t really run away, I decide that cleaning and getting rid of things is a form of running away. I have created an account on Swappa to see if I can clear out some old tech I have that works perfectly well, …
👩🏻💻 Thanks to Jason Snell for introducing me(1) to more women in tech through his podcast Download.(2) I’ve been listening to Carolina Milanesi for months (maybe over a year) and she’s super smart. (1) Not literally. I was going use the word exposing but that seemed problematic too. (2) …
🏛 I’ve spent a lot of the last 24 hours being angry about the outcome of the election. Stacy Abrams and Andrew Gillum would have been fantastic governors for their states. And while a doorstop would be better than Ted Cruz, Beto O’Rourke would have made Texas proud. Meanwhile, I’m incredibly excited …
🗳 I voted today and it felt great. As soon as I was done, the pit in my stomach came back and I’ve felt like it’s been there all day. Now I’m hesitant to read the news.
🗳 I’m so excited to vote tomorrow I can barely stand it. I know things won’t radically change (they might not even change at all), but I am hopeful more folks than ever before will come out to vote.
🌎 On Friday (November 2), during my lunch break, I decided to take a long walk to clear my thoughts before wrapping up a week’s work. I live in a big city so endless noice is part of my life and it’s generally not a problem. On my walk along Prospect Park West there was some minor …
⚖️ I keep reading about people who have never voted and it blows me away. I’d love to read stories not just about first-time voters, but why they never voted in the first place. What circumstances led them to a life that voting was never something they needed to do? Was it never mentioned …
☕️ My superpower is being able to (continue to) drink coffee at the opposite temperature it was served.
🎃 When I was younger I used to think traditions only came from people trying to relive the past. My wife’s tradition of insisting we watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on Halloween is now going on for four or five years. At first I didn’t like it. I’m not anti-Tim Burton, but his …
October 2018
💻 My daughter is in need of a newer computer for school. When it comes to schoolwork, it makes complete sense, in my mind, an iPad is the right machine for the job. Why an iPad? It simply feels like the future compared to Mac (it hurts less than I thought it would to say that). And with new iPads …
💻 I am insanely jealous of everyone who has already ordered an iPad Pro. But I am super happy for everyone who got something of what they wanted today. These prices, however, have never felt more premium to me then right now. I reject the label of luxury when it comes to Apple, but there is no doubt …
📚 I am not sure how I came across this app, but boy is Libby a piece of cake to set up, use AND (here’s where I’m going with this) get books from the library. Audio books too. It even sent the book straight to my (dusty-from-sitting-on-my-nightstand) Kindle. I remember using an early …
📱 If you watched me use my XR you’d think I miss the home button. Muscle memory is a hard thing to break.
📻 I love podcasts. I listen to podcasts more than watch movies or shows, more than listen to music, more than read books (sorry, Ma). Every once in a while, a podcast episode comes along and does that mind blowing kinda thing that’s best represented by 🤯. I must have stopped this podcast five …
📱 I haven’t had my iPhone XR 24 hours and it’s my favorite phone since the iPhone 5. I’ve had 5 iPhones and my most recent one, the iPhone 8 Plus, has been my least favorite. The XR is close in size and weight, yet feels totally different. I bet it ends up being a big home run.
📷 I wonder if I could do this with my X-100F which, predictably, sits on my nightstand as another object gathering dust. I mean, I could just decide to use only the viewfinder and not look at the images until I get home. Right?
📚 I’ve been reading Arthur C Clarke’s book The Nine Billion Names of God. I read that particular short story in high school and it’s never left my mind. I guess because while it’s science fiction, it’s not the kind science fiction people immediately think of when they …
💻 I find most of the complaints about Apple to be nonsense. It’s typically done for clicks: Put Apple in a headline and folks read the article. Now @BradleyChambers wrote an article about Apple’s hypocritical stance on privacy that is excellent and something worth pushing Apple to fix. …
September 2018
🚀 I’m with my son and we’re about to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic. I can barely contain my excitement. Update: (11pm) What a show! To hear the score and some additional sounds all performed by an orchestra and/or chorus was goosebumpy. I mean, to …
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 →
⌚️ The Apple Watch Series 4 feels like the beginning of something much bigger than a notifcation system slash fitness tracker. A device that has the ability to track falls and help monitor your heart is device you learn to trust and never be without. It becomes intertwined with your view of (and how …
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 →
📱 I’ve been hoping for colors for all the products for a while now. I guess I’ll jump on the iPhone Xr wagon. Let’s try yellow.
❤️ The Apple Heart Study has ended. I submitted 1,560 heart rhythm data points. In the big picture I know it’s not much, but I feel good about it.
📚 I finished two books while on vacation. The first one was Unlocked by John Scalzi. I have no idea why I read this before his other book Lock In but I don’t think it was really necessary to read them in order. I’ll get around to Lock In before too long. The book’s style reminded …
🔥 I built my first campfire last week. It was pretty decent for a city slicker. We made s’mores.
August 2018
🚙 The second row behind the passenger in a modern minivan is the secret to a wonderful vacation. I have two arm rests, my own AC vent, a shade for my enormous window, a cup holder… I even lost my shoes in this thing! Seriously, I feel like I’m on vacation from my vacation.
📷 Jason Snell’s Six Colors site offers tips from time to time and I always find them to be super helpful. This article about organizing photos from multiple people is no different. But it’s not something you can do on an iPad. Apple: Let Photos on iOS become this powerful.
I like Seattle.
When Old Friends Visit: I’m using all my powers to get Rob to move back to NYC.
Go @Marco, Go!
📚 I just finished reading Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. I liked the story, but the writing didn’t feel authentic. Everyone came across as too clever. The ending was also a little too neatly wrapped up. But the topic of racism isn’t talked about enough and that makes me give the …
Apple should absolutely remove the Infowars app from App Store. It makes no sense delist the podcast and still keep the app. Apple, remove the app.
📰 I am so glad to support Pro Publica each month. This reporting is the kind of work I only dreamed of doing in college. Anyway, who the hell is really running the VA?
🇺🇸 Even if they don’t all win, this is what the future looks like. And it sure as hell doesn’t look like the Republican party.
🖕 Apple removing Alex Jones from its database is the first step (and one that was long overdue) in what I hope is a march towards removing his far-reaching soapbox. His hate can spew from his hole like it did in days past: On a street corner with his pants around his ankles.
📚 I just finished The Heart’s Invisible Furies, by John Boyne. It was a lot of story. Despite so much sadness, I give it my just-made-up-now rating of Recommend.
🎧 I just thoroughly cleaned out my AirPods and I think I have PTSD.
💻 Apple must realize not only is 5GB an embarrassingly small amount of storage to offer as its free tier, it’s also not enough for its customers to get fully invested into what it can do for them. If Apple wants folks to see how important iCloud storage is, it needs to give them enough to …
☢️ Wow, hell of a grift. And so many fell for it.
July 2018
💻 Between age and better technology, I am finding it harder and harder to use my 11" MacBook Air. I think it’s the new way macOS Mojave renders fonts, but it is what is and my eyes are what they are. It’s been my favorite Mac for five years now, but after using retina-quality …
☢️ While it may bring some joy, as a whole, Facebook is detrimental to society.
June 2018
📲 iOS 12 Public Beta is a little pokey on iPad Mini 2, but perfectly serviceable. I think it’s even faster than under iOS 11.x. Impressive considering it’s over 4 1/2 years old.
🏨 As part of being a U.S. citizen, it’s now become necessary to tell our government to NOT do bad things. So, here goes: Dear Government, Don’t take health coverage away from us. -Citizen Bob
🏛 Do we really have to call our elected officials to let them know we don’t support putting children in cages? If that’s the case, we already lost.
⚖️ It will take a lifetime to undo just 18 months of this administration. The world is listening.
🏛 I just completed jury duty and, because Brooklyn is awesome, got a ton of work done thanks to court-supplied Wi-Fi.
May 2018
🚘 Can you imagine if people walking on sidewalks acted the way many do while driving? You’d be walking, get up behind someone, and yell, at the top of your lungs, “GET THE EFF OUT OF MY WAY!” But no one does that. I wish everyone thought about that while driving.
👨🏾 On May 9, I had a small medical issue which resulted with me falling down some of an escalator at DeKalb on Flatbush Ave. A stranger helped me to my feet and made sure I had my belongings back. Thanks unnamed stranger. NYC is the best, biggest small-town yer going to find.
April 2018
💻 Today is the first time (ever!) that I’ve gotten bitten by the “Apple changed the screws on a notebook to prevent you from doing anything fun.” Way to kill the fun, guys.
📺 The second season of A Series of Unfortunate Events is far darker (so far) than season one. Far less fun despite the acting being quite good. I can’t really say I want to watch more of it.
✊🏻 My son and daughter each walked out of their schools on Friday to protest gun violence. My daughter got four days of detention because of it. They are both learning to make good trouble.
🏫 💻 Apple created a Pro Workflow Team to study how professionals work in order to make better products. It’s time Apple do the same in education by starting its own school. This first-hand experience will identify gaps in products and allow key services to stay in Apple’s system.
📺 Using a scale of thumbs up/thumbs down I’d give the Netflix version of Lost in Space a thumbs up. No episodes were as good as BSG’s first season, but now that’s LiS is done I’d be up for another season. While I grew to like some characters, I found Dr. Smith to be lacking.
⚖️ Now this what change looks like (before it actually changes). These meddling kids are going to make things happen!
🏛 It’s one thing to be upset at the current administration, but this has been going on for decades. Seriously, why don’t we care about public education? Endless budget cuts, blame for society’s ills, and public humiliation, I can’t image why anyone would go into public teaching.
📺 I watched the rebooted Lost in Space on Netflix tonight. Meh. I watched it because I’ll watch any danged thing that is sci-fi, but this was a snoozer. I’ll give it another episode or two, but the acting was only okay, so I’m not yet attached to any of the characters.
🏫 My time to help my children pay for college is rapidly approaching. I am fortunate enough to be able to pay for at least some of their college costs. I know many others are not in that position. What a difficult choice some are going to have to face: Go to college and come out with a …
💻 News of the Mac Pro not coming until 2019 doesn’t affect me at all, but I sure am glad they are still updating folks on the Mac Pro’s status. More worrisome is the absolute silence on the Mac Mini. The need for the Mac Mini as it was once conceived is long gone which means the marketing …
💻 I love Apple Pay, but I am not sure I’ve convinced anyone else to enable it. These ads that Apple posted are fun, but are absolutely the wrong way to show off Apple Pay. Apple needs to show how it works and why it’s secure.
March 2018
📺 David Letterman’s show on Netflix is such a pleasure to watch. I wish it was weekly rather than monthly.