Sosyal Climbers (2025 Movie on Netflix)

If you want to tip your toes into the water of Fillipino romantic comedy, Soysal Climbers is a good place to start, although it's more of a romance and morality story than it is a comedy. Stuck with a massive debt after falling for a scam, two wannabe socialites create elaborate fake identities and schemes to swindle the rich out of their money. They are very likeable characters, performed admirably by Maris Racal and Anthony Jennings, so you root for them. And you don't feel sorry for those they swindle, especially given the over-acting (as often is the case) by Carmi Martin. If you do watch, be sure to stay through all the final credit rolls.

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Beeper: Putting All Your Chat Apps in One Place

Beeper  is a universal chat app. With Beeper, you can send and receive messages to friends, family, and colleagues on over 10 different chat networks (including Instagram, X, Facebook and many more) all from a single app. Beeper is free to use, with an optional paid subscription. You can use Beeper on all your devices — your messages sync seamlessly. 

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We Are Living in the Most Guilded Age Ever

As this WSJ article reports, with the ranks of global billionaires having swelled in recent years, a new category of ultrarich has emerged—the super-billionaire. Musk is one of just 24 people worldwide who qualify for that distinction (you can see them listed in the article), defined as individuals worth $50 billion or more. As of early February, those super-billionaires’ fortunes accounted for more than 16% of all billionaire wealth, a dramatic increase from 4% in 2014. Their combined net worth totaled $3.3 trillion, equivalent to the nominal GDP of France. Of the 24 people, 16 qualified as centi-billionaires, meaning they have a net worth of at least $100 billion. Two ironies cannot be missed: (i) Wealth does not insulate one from being a totally evil moron, ravenous greed, and ass-kissing toady sycophant when a Trump pops onto the scene; and (ii) there would clearly be a far simpler, more obvious way, to save (collect) $2 trillion than dismantling the federal government.

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Turn Off Fire Stick's Video (and Audio) Autoplay

Your Fire Stick (like most streaming devices and services) will autoplay previews, clips, trailers, and advertisements if you navigate to them for more than a moment. It makes browsing content irritating when everything you scroll to autoplays for half a second before you scroll away. What was meant to be an improvement in user experience has mostly resulted in general annoyance. Fortunately, you can turn Fire Stick autoplay off. To disable autoplay, navigate to the Settings menu and select Preferences. Click on Featured Content, select All Video Autoplay, and turn it off. While you're at it, you can also do the same thing with Audio Autoplay. From then on, the only content that will play is the content you intentionally select, as it should be.

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Skype Is Shutting Down in May

Microsoft has announced it is shuttering Skype in May. It suggests using Teams instead. We suggest using Google Meet. It's simpler and easier than Teams (and Zoom).

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Pagglait (2021 Movie on Netflix)

Pagglait is a morality story, but not for everyone. Actually, probably not for anyone. Widowed soon after marriage, a young woman grapples with an inability to grieve, quirky relatives, and a startling discovery about her late husband. While the overarching theme is universal, there is so much interlacing of Indian culture that, unless you really understand it, much of the film will be as lost on you as it was on me. It was hard to take many of the characters seriously or see them as real. My advice: skip this one.

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Sign That AI Is Getting Smarter

A big difference between smart people and dumb people is that smart people have a keen sense of what they don't know, while dumb people think they know stuff when in reality what they think they know is wrong. Put another way, smart people, in sharp contrast to dumb people, do not hesitate to say, "I don't know." As the WSJ reports, despite their ability to solve some of the world’s most complex math problems and convincingly simulate human relationships, AI chatbots regularly get basic facts wrong. In that context, the latest development is teaching AI models to say three words they seem to hate: “I don’t know.”

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One Less Vaccine to Worry About

The Trump administration has canceled an upcoming meeting of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine advisory committee, a move that could complicate efforts to produce flu shots in time for the upcoming season. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, which evaluates immunization data for the FDA, had planned to meet in March to discuss the composition of next season’s flu vaccine. The meeting is a routine but critical step in ensuring manufacturers have sufficient time to produce doses ahead of the next flu season. The meeting had been tentatively scheduled for March 13, but several committee members were notified late Wednesday afternoon that it had been canceled. “That was the word” that was used, said Paul Offit, a professor of pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital Philadelphia and a member of the advisory panel who received the email Wednesday at 4:18 p.m. No reason was provided, and there was no indication of whether it would be rescheduled, Offit and two other panel members said. The FDA didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The timing of the meeting is crucial because flu vaccine production is a lengthy process, with some doses still made using chicken eggs. Each year, FDA advisers meet to formally decide which flu strains to include, typically aligning with recommendations from the World Health Organization. Once selected, manufacturers need about six months to produce large quantities of the vaccine. Any significant delay in this process could mean the vaccine isn’t ready in time for the next flu season. 

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Common Wine Drinking Mistakes

One of the things that drives us nuts is watching what amateurs do with their wines. Folks, when it comes to wine, it's not difficult to do stuff right. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then please read this highly informative article so that you will stop: popping champagne corks like a dope; serving white wine too cold and red wine too warm; storing it improperly; and being a packaging snob (screw tops not only are fine, they have real advantages).

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Reclaiming 15 GB of Free Gmail Storage

If you want to keep your inbox from becoming crowded, you should get into the habit of deleting old messages and unsubscribing from unwanted mailing lists. However, it can be tough to keep your inbox tidy when you have to sort through thousands of unread messages and decide what to delete. If your Gmail account is getting full, and the idea of cleaning out your inbox fills you with dread, you might want to give up and start paying for extra storage. But we have good news: You can get back 15GB of free storage while keeping all of your old emails. All you need to do is create a second Gmail account to store all of your current messages. There's no restriction on the number of free Google accounts you can own, which means you can set one up as a dedicated archive account and then transfer all of your old emails to it. 

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Hawkeye Coming to NFL to Determine First Downs

As is being reported, this coming season, the NFL will be using the Hawkeye system to determine first downs. It's not perfect because humans get to spot where the ball ended up. But it's better than the present system and it will shorten the game ("measurements" will take less time).

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Reasons to Add Mesh Nodes or Access Points to Your Wi-Fi Network

Without replacing your existing router, you could wire some mesh nodes or several access points (APs) to your router and turn off its internal Wi-Fi radios. That would still enable you to use the existing router's firewall rules and DHCP routing, but the APs and/or mesh nodes would handle the wireless connectivity. It's the same system that enterprise networks use, and by decoupling Wi-Fi from your router, you gain some impressive benefits, including: more consistent coverage; elimination of dead zones; getting newer wi-fi features without having to get a new router; more devices are supported; easier installation; and scalability. This XDA article provides additional detail.

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Email Masks

An email masking service will create disposable email addresses that forward to your main account. Email masks differ from email aliases offered by Gmail and ProtonMail, which let you add additional text after your username (e.g., username+randomaddition@gmail.com). Those address variations, while helpful for filtering incoming messages, don’t give you true privacy. It’s easy to deduce what the real email address is. Free email masking sites exist—DuckDuckGo lets you create as many as you like while Firefox Relay offers five free masks. For paid options, Apple iCloud+ subscribers get access to the company’s Hide My Email feature while SimpleLogin offers a wider array of features (including integration with password managers like Bitwarden and ProtonPass). Select email providers like Fastmail also offer masked email as an integrated feature. Email masks make especial sense for your most sensitive accounts (financial, medical, etc).

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Smartphone Water Resistance Ratings

This cnet article reviews the various water resistance ratings applicable to smartphones (the so-called IP67, IP68 and IPX8 ratings) which could be of use in determining the possible harm and what might be done if your device gets wet.

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Two Reasons to Avoid AJ's (Phoenix Grocer)

Reason 1: The prices: By way of example, a single sandwich roll of the same quality as one can get at Sprout's for $.50 will cost you $1.79. I'm not kidding.

Reason 2: Customer Service: It is not easy to find a single sandwich roll without having to wait in line at the bakery counter (mid-afternoon on a Wednesday). But just try asking anyone who works there, to which you will get a response such as, "I don't know, I just work here." Again, not kidding.

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Chrome Extensions That Have Been Hacked

As reported in Tom's Guide, while all of the extensions listed below have been hacked and pose a danger if you use them. While they no longer appear in Google Play, you will still need to manually delete them if they’re currently installed in your browser:

Blipshot (one click full page screenshots)

Emojis - Emoji Keyboard

WAToolkit

Color Changer for YouTube

Video Effects for YouTube and Audio Enhancer

Themes for Chrome and YouTube™ Picture in Picture

Mike Adblock für Chrome | Chrome-Werbeblocker

Page Refresh

Wistia Video Downloader

Super Dark Mode

Emoji Keyboard Emojis for Chrome

Adblocker for Chrome - NoAds

Adblock for You

Adblock for Chrome

Nimble Capture

KProxy

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Demise of the Washington Post

Bezos has narrowed the topics covered by the Washington Post's opinion section to "defending personal liberties and the free market," a pivot away from its traditional broad focus and prompting the news outlet’s opinion editor to resign.  As Bezos explained, “viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.” Bezos cast the change as a modernization from the days when newspapers offered opinions on a broad range of topics. Now, he said, “the internet does that job.” Wow!

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White Lotus (Season 3 on HBO/Max)

Season 3 of White Lotus has begun to drop. I find the series too insane, sophomoric, and odious to watch. I've been told this newest season looks to cater in the same way to the same people who watched and liked the first two seasons.

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Cast Iron Cleaner

This uniquely designed chainmail is made of durable stainless steel that does not rust or scratch the surface of the cast iron, making it safe and effective for cleaning cast iron pans. Using a cast iron cleaner helps to remove food residue, buildup, and stains from your cast iron cookware without stripping the seasoning layer that has built-up on the pan over time. 8 by 6 inches scrubber doesn't take up much space in a drawer. It is easy to hang on a hook near your sink for its next use with ease. It is not only meet to note, but I would be skewered if I failed to note, that this was brought to our attention and highly recommended by a reader (perhaps in gratitude for our finding so many streaming shows for him to watch or perhaps out of kindness I suppose).

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Getting Real on Trump Protests

The Protest That Should Be: While we former subscribers to WaPo have done what we can to protest the Post's (Beso's) capitulation to Trump, the one group that could make a difference has declined to do what they could do. Specifically, if the top reporters and columnists (who in large part are making their living grousing about Trump) threatened to walk out, they could make a real difference. And the irony is that would be at relatively little risk or cost to themselves given their ability to land similar positions at top media outlets.

The Protest That Could Be Skipped: That the AP is banned from WH pressers (or even if all legitimate news sources were so banned) misapprehends that, beginning on day one with Sean Spicer and through ever Trump press secretary through the current one, WH pressers disseminate nothing but lies. They are covered by C-Span so everyone and every media outlet can see and hear them, and no one needs to be in the room. Put simply, the WH briefing room is not the place where the press does democracy much, if any, good.

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Unlock Your Phone at Home and at Other Safe Places

It makes sense to lock your Android phone with a fingerprint sensor, PIN, or facial identity sensor at work or in public. However, when you are at home or at a place you trust, keying in the PIN or putting your finger on the fingerprint sensor every time you use the phone is unnecessary. To avoid the hassle, use the Smart Lock feature to automatically unlock your phone when you are at home or in a trusted place. Here is how to set it up in no time: Open the Settings app, tap Security > Advanced Options > Smart Lock > Trusted Places, and select Add Trusted Place. You can add several locations manually or via a map.

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Autofill With Google on Phones

The Google Autofill feature enables you to automatically fill in data on online forms like usernames and passwords. It is similar to a password manager or iPhone Autofill, where previously saved details automatically populate when you want to log in to an account. Enabling the feature on your Android device is straightforward: Launch the Settings app, tap User & Accounts > Autofill service, and choose Autofill with Google. The precise method will depend on the phone’s type and Android version. After that, when you log in to any site or app for the first time, you get a prompt asking you to save the login details. Tap Save, and the Google Autofill service saves the details. The next time you access that site or app, the service automatically fills in the details with the details you saved. No need to re-enter the details afresh.

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Free Adobe Photoshop Mobile App

As this ZD article reports, there is now a free version of Adobe Photoshop for mobile devices. And as the article explains, it's features are useful, convenient, user-friendly, and robust.

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Apple Caves to Trump Again: Won't Call Him a Racist

Apple said it would fix a “bug” occurring on some iPhones in which its text-to-speech transcription software is sometimes replacing certain words with an “r” consonant— including “racist”—with “Trump.” The words “rampant” and “rampage” also at times appear to be replaced with “Trump.” Occasionally, the speech recognition models may begin showing words that have phonetic overlap, an Apple spokeswoman said. The spokeswoman didn’t respond to questions about what is causing the error. “We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” the spokeswoman said.

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Ulajh (2024 Movie on Netflix)

Ulajh is an intelligence story of international intrigue full of twists and turns. It tells the story of the journey of a young IFS officer, belonging to a prominent family of patriots, who gets embroiled in a dangerous personal conspiracy while far from her home turf, at a career-defining post. It is riveting. That's not to say you'll be able to follow everything that's going on at every minute. But it will hold your attention, and when you do reach the end, you will have been glad you stuck with it. Janhvi Kapoor turns in a masterful performance, which is no surprise to anyone who has followed her career.

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Tip re Understanding Bollywood Films

As you continue to become engrossed with Bollywood films, and watching more of them, you will hear people referred to as aunt or aunty and uncle. That might confuse you if you think they are referring to a blood or even marital relationship. Oh, you silly people. In Indian culture, "uncle" and "aunty" (or "aunt") are not just terms for relatives. They are terms of respect and familiarity used to address older people, regardless of whether they are relatives or not. 

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Appealing a Health Insurance Claim Denial

This WSJ article walks you through the steps to take to challenge and escalate the denial of a health insurance claim.

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HDMI Switcher

If your TV doesn't have as many HDMI ports as you need for accessories, such as a soundbar, an HDMI switcher is a very inexpensive way to add HDMI ports. But wait. There's more. The really good news is that, if your TV does not have an HDMI ARC port, for under $30, you can get an HMDI switcher that does support HDMI ARC. Then, you don't need to use your soundbar's remote to change the volume ... any remote will do so.

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PS re Cancellation of WaPo Subscription

We cancelled our WaPo subscription because of the Post's refusal, with no explanation, to run the following paid ad by Common Cause:

I'm sure the Post (Besos) would have no objection to running this ad that is now up elsewhere:

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Eagles Have Reportedly Made the Right Decision

As this article reports, the Eagles apparently have made the right decision re visiting the White House as a result of their winning the Super Bowl. If you missed it, they blew out the Chiefs in a rout that no one can get over and everyone is still talking about.

PS: There's a movement afoot, led by the Packers, to ban the brotherly shove. Our response: Oh, please. Why don't you just put on your pads and try to beat us on the field.

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Dhoom Dhaam (2025 Movie on Netflix)

Dhoom Dhaam is Bollywood production that might be not liked by anyone but me, who found it quite entertaining. It's a totally escapist movie that is made by the two main characters who turn in stellar performances. Newlyweds, paired in an arranged marriage, find their wedding night disrupted when armed intruders storm their hotel room. The night becomes a test of their compatibility and resilience, culminating in a climactic showdown that ties together the film's many threads. In one sense, it's ridiculous scene after ridiculous scene. I don't recommend anyone watching it, but I'm glad I did. I especially appreciated the feminist themes that were weaved throughout, brought together masterfully by the acting and dialogue of the leads.

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Further Glimmers of Hope

[Prefatory Note: We understand that 25%-35% of the electorate will stick with Trump no matter what. Put another way, you can fool some of the people all the time. Even at his lowest point, after the press and country soured on his presidency and in particular his  foreign policy, W's approval rating was 25%. Until recently, the press was filled with whatever supposed thing Trump did or said. Now, there is scant space given to Trump initiatives, while the harm being done is starting to dominate the reportage. I know many readers are skeptics. But, like with W whose approval rating had risen to 92% post 9/11 (and no one was willing to criticize him about anything) only to fall to 25% post Iraq war and usher in the Obama presidency, we are starting to see glimmers of hope both in public disapproval of Trump (whose highest approval rating was 52% and now has dropped to 48% or lower) and in the press coverage. Illustratively, here are the headlines that ran in the Arizona Republic, NYT, and WSJ (I assume WaPo did the same but I no longer subscribe to or read WaPo) on Monday 2/24] 

Agencies Push Back Over Musk Ultimatums (Front Page)

How Trump Embraced Russia (Front Page)

How Federal Layoffs Tax the Job Market

Close Look at DOGE's Spending Cuts Show Savings Are Overstated

Troops Patrol a Quiet Border in Texas

Medicaid Cuts Snarl GOP Budget Plan

Trump Favors the Bad Neighbors

Firings Impact on Public Lands a Concern (Front Page)

Trump's DOGE Layoffs Hit USDA Office in Arizona (Front Page)

Arizona Republican Warns About Medicaid Cuts

Some Fired Federal Workers Asked Back

Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls, Hinting at Broader Backlash (Front Page)

Some Trump Officials Push Back Against Musk Ultimatum to Workers

Medicaid Cuts Cause Budget Conundrum for Republicans Nationwide

Wall Street Is Getting Antsy With Trump

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Salute to Women's Softball

As UCLA vs. Duke women's softball confirms: There are catches, and then, there are catches.

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Fixing Keyboard Chatter

Keyboard chattering is when a single press on a key registers multiple times. This XDA article has several suggestions of how to fix the problem, some of which make sense (like cleaning the keyboard) and others are silly (like changing keys and a software fix). It omits the most obvious: Buy a new keyboard. You can get a perfectly good wireless or bluetooth or combo one for under $20. Artek is our favorite brand.

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Some Helpful Things Gemini Can Do

There is no limit to what Gemini can do. If you can think of the task, Gemini can do it. By way of example, here are some things not everyone knows that Gemini can do: read handwriting and blurry text; detect if an image is AI generated; summarize cooking recipes; and suggest recipes based on ingredients. 

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Kadhalikka Neramillai (2025 Movie on Netflix)

Kadhalikka Neramillai was my second shot at a Bollywood production. It is the story of a young woman who desires a perfect life of love and children, but falls for a man who has no interest in marriage or a family makes her search difficult. I gave it more than a fair shot before giving up about 20  minutes in. It was boring and nonsensical with sub-par acting and poor dialogue, and characters that were impossible to give a rupee about.

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When Sports and Politics Collide

As readers of this blog know, we have sworn off politics and glommed onto sports in their place. As it turns out, to our great dismay, that worlds collide, leaving us in a quandary. The only golf we watch on TV is Tiger Woods to keep current on how badly he is playing. Now it would seem, thanks to Trump, we have to deprive ourselves of even that small pleasure, given this photo of the two of them during Trump's remarks at a reception for Black History Month in the White House:

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Keyword

 Keyword is a fun word game that takes just seconds to play each day and, for many of us, is a must-do morning thing. It's from the Washington Post and, of course, no one subscribes to the Post anymore, and why the so-called principled columnists and reporters don't go on strike or quit is beyond me. That said, here's the good news: You need not be a subscriber to the Post to play Keyword. Just sign up, and you can play and keep track of your scores. You should never take more than 6 guesses and should always finish in under a minute.

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QuickLook

QuickLook is a Windows feature where you can select any file inside Finder and hit the space bar to preview it. It's essentially a quick way of peeking into the contents of a file without opening it. The advantage of using QuickLook is that you don't have to wait for every single file to open its own app or software. If you're quickly perusing through a list of files to find a specific one, or you need to compare the contents of multiple files, the feature is an absolute godsend. This XDA article gives further detail and how to get QuickLook.

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Chrome Remote Desktop: Accessing Your Computer From Your Phone

Ever wanted to quickly check something on your PC while you're away? Or maybe grab that one file you forgot to transfer to your phone? I use Chrome Remote Desktop to seamlessly access my Windows PC from my Android phone, no matter where I am, all as explained in this article.

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Prime Target (2025 Mini-Series on Apple TV+)

Prime Target is the story of a post-graduate mathematics student who discovers an effort being made to destroy his work in finding a pattern in prime numbers that would allow him to access every computer in the world. It will suck you in with a good first episode or two, but then it starts to drag on and on, as it bores you to tears. That the plot might be a bit far-fetched is not a problem to begin with, but you end up not caring about it as stupid, unrealistic, predictable action sequences dominate. In essence, Prime Target is akin to the bad seed from which you should stay away.

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PS re Laapata Ladies (Netflix Movie)

We highly recommended Laapata Ladies. Since then, we have three (3) independent verifications that it really is a must-see gem.

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Backward Step for MLB

Major League Baseball is trying out at Spring training an appeal/review system for balls and strikes. It allows two (2) unsuccessful challenges per team per game. It's nuts because it adds about 40 seconds per challenge to the game, and the last thing baseball needs is to retreat on its salient moves to shorten the game. I know the arguments against going to robo-calls, but it's going to happen and it's going to be a good thing. One can argue about whether or not baseball is better now than it was a decade or a half century or a century ago. But one cannot argue that baseball has changed (fielders take their gloves with them to the dugout instead of leaving them in the field, fewer fans where coasts and ties to the games, some games are played at night, the starting pitcher finishing a game is nearing dinosaur status, the infield defensive shift (first deployed by Joey Martella's father) is banned, the bases are bigger, there's a pitch clock, extra-inning games are under a new rule, the designated hitter, and on and on).

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More Glimmers of Hope

We predicted some time ago that the incompetence and destruction of the Trump wave that's lashing against the country will sooner rather than later erode his support. The slippage in the polls where his approval rating now has gone from over 50 to under 50 is the first sign. Just a couple of weeks ago the news and op-ed sections of the Arizona Republic, NYT, and WSJ were dominated by story after story of Trump initiatives. More recently, these pages are dominated by the harm being inflicted on people and in various sectors (e.g., fighting forest fires, on the health front, food safety peril), problems with our allies, and even the disgruntlement with Republican legislators in heavily Republican districts and local governmental entities. I'm not saying we're anywhere near out of the woods, or that the Supreme Court or world events might not lead to irreversible devastating consequences. I'm just saying there are glimmers of hope.

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Rolling Back System Updates

As important as Windows updates are for security, it happens all too often that Microsoft pushes out a new update that causes some kind of issue. It usually won't stop you from booting into the operating system, but if it gets that far, the advanced startup options can help. By going into Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Uninstall updates, you can choose to remove the latest quality update (the cumulative updates that happen on the second Tuesday of every month) or the latest feature update (which only happen once a year). If you've noticed major issues after a specific Windows Update, these tools can help you come back from that situation. Generally, it may be better to try and roll back a quality update first, but if you know you received a feature update, you can also start there.

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How Not to Pay Your Medical Bill

As this WSJ article explains, there are categories of medical bills where a cordial tone seeking a negotiated lowering of the stated charges can result in a substantial savings.

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Healthiest Dog Breeds

Some dog breeds are predisposed to major health conditions. For instance, Bulldogs can suffer from respiratory disease, Daschunds can develop back issues, and Cocker Spaniels can endure reoccurring ear infections. While these pups are adorable, the price tag of dealing with back-to-back vet issues can add up quickly. While there's no guarantee that dogs will remain healthy forever, some breeds can thrive with minimal health issues and diseases. Some also have considerably long life spans and can live up to two decades. Here are the healthiest dog breeds: Poodle, Whippet, Beagle, Australian Cattle Dog, Greyhound, Old English Sheepdog, Havanese, Bichon Frise, Chihuahua, and Chinese Crested.

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Glimmer of Hope

As we have said here, as Trump's actions start to sink in and affect everyday people, his support is going to erode. Too early to declare victory for sure, but note the following: During the first month of his second term, Donald Trump’s popularity started out mildly positive but has slowly eroded, according to the FiveThirtyEight averages. As of January 24, his job-approval ratio was 49.7 percent positive and 41.5 percent negative. As of Friday, it’s 48.5 percent positive and 47.0 percent negative, which means his net approval has slipped from 8.2 percent to 1.5 percent. 

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Love Forever (2025 Movie on Netflix)

Billed as a comedy, we can understand why some would say that, but Love Forever really isn't. The supposed funny stuff is lame slapstick. It's a romance story with a weaving of French farce. There is no bigger fan of Swedish movies than we are (Ingmar Bergman is our favorite screenwriter and director), which is why our disappointment in this film ran so deep. Once we realized that Stockholmers would be going to Gotland for the wedding, bells went off and we should have stopped watching. We would have been spared watching a wedding devolve into chaos only (spoiler alert) to have love triumph at the end. We thought Kjell Bergqvist was badly cast and difficult to watch, but we were taken by and applaud the effervescent performance of Matilda Källström (who is known for Threesome (2021), Likea (2022) and Solsidan (2010)).

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Unitary Executive Theory

It is hard to know which action Trump is taking is the most harmful to democracy, but his latest executive order asserting his power under the supposed "unitary executive theory" to control what today are independent agencies is up there. These agencies include the SEC, FCC, FTC, FEC, CFTC, CFPB, FERC, FDIC, the Federal Reserve, and more. The only block that could stand in Trump's way is the Supreme Court. God save us if and when it misapplies Section 1 of Article II to uphold the "unitary executive theory." In so doing, the Court will have solidified its abdication to the president and stripped Congress of any power to regulate anything the president doesn't want regulated. Although I have little faith in the Supreme Court, there really is no basis to support a "unitary executive theory" under Section I of Article II, which reads, "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America." As the Framers saw it, that provision and its wording was to resolve the debate as to whether there should be one president or a panel/board of several persons making up the presidency. It was NOT the embodiment of, and had nothing to do with, any so-called made up "unitary executive theory." 

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Easiest Way to Set Up a New Windows Computer

Setting up a new computer is annoying, especially if that computer is running Windows. There are all kinds of frustrating things Microsoft adds to the operating system that you want to remove, and all kinds of apps that you actually want but need to install yourself.  WinUtil is a free and well regarded tool maintained by Chris Titus that does all of this at once. With it, you can install dozens of apps by checking a few boxes and run common tweaks, from uninstalling OneDrive to disabling privacy-invasive telemetry. There are two ways to get started. The free way is to run Windows PowerShell as an administrator. To do this, right-click the PowerShell in the Start menu and click "Run as administrator." After that, you need to copy and paste the launch command from the documentation into the shell. If you'd rather avoid that step you can buy an EXE file for $10, supporting the developer in the process. Either way, you will be presented with a window broken into five tabs (as seen below). The first lets you install a wide range of software in just a couple clicks. Simply check the applications you want and then click the Install/Upgrade Selected button. Now, all of the applications will install without prompting you. 

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Another Reason Not to Migrate from W10 to W11

Windows 11 is disliked by many, yet Microsoft is doing everything it can to push people to migrate to it from W10. One of those prods is the threatened end of free support and security updates for W10 in October 2025. Here though is a good reason to wait to migrate: While Windows 12 remains largely under wraps, the anticipated features paint a picture of a smarter, faster, and more interconnected operating system. If the predictions hold true, late 2025 could mark the beginning of a new era in personal computing — one where AI doesn’t just assist, but truly empowers users.

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Widget Launcher

I don't like widgets on my desktop, but I understand many people do. If you do, you should use Windows Launcher, which is a small Windows app that helps you add all sorts of customizable widgets to your desktop. Once you download and install Widget Launcher from the Microsoft Store, you can populate your desktop with helpful tools such as a currency converter, system monitoring, weather updates, and more. Here are some further reasons this app is a great widget launcher.

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Automatic Content Recognition

If you have recently bought a new television, it likely has a new content recognition setting that's collecting data on what you're watching. Called Automatic Content Recognition (ACR), the feature aims to streamline your experience by offering better recommendations on what to watch next, but it's secretly a data collection service. It's not just specifically tracking what you watch but how long you watch it and where you watch it, too. Why are TVs using this feature? To influence your viewing habits and even your buying decisions, as this data is most commonly sought after by both streaming services and advertisers. The setting is in different places in different televisions, but with a little digging, it can be found to turn off ACR.

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Lost Ladies (Original title: Laapataa Ladies 2023 Movie on Netflix)

We have had little interest Bollywood productions, but Laapataa Ladies might change that. While billed as a comedy based on the premise of two newlywed wives getting separated from their husbands and getting lost on the same train, it's really not at all a comedy. If you think the premise is far fetched, you do not understand or appreciate Indian culture among the not-so-wealthy and wedding customs, especially the obligatory veil. The film does an excellent job of painting a picture of Indian life and of Indian characters and just plain real people and an irrepressible police chief. It's more of a mystery story, laced with a love story and growing story, than anything else, and quite poignant and touching. A wonderful way to spend an evening in another world that in many ways is not that different than yours. I’m not kidding when I give this film the highest marks, and recommend it without reservations or qualifications. And for the record, I found this on my own. 

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Benefits of LED Bulbs (Saving Money and Much More)

In addition to saving you a lot of money, LED bulbs: help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants because they demand less overall energy consumption, leaving a much smaller environmental footprint; last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs; contain no hazardous chemicals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium found in conventional bulbs; and don't suddenly die like incandescent bulbs, but instead slowly dim until they fades out altogether, giving you a visual warning and more time to find a replacement. 

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New Lightweight Laptop: Asus Zenbook A14

Coming in at 2.18 lbs, the Asus Zenbook A14, which comes in two iterations--one at $900 and the other at $1,100--looks to beat the LG Gram Super Slim by 0.02 lbs as the lightest laptop now available. It has more ports than the LG, including an HDMI port, and opens more easily than any other laptop. If traveling light matters to you, and if it doesn't we are at sea as to why not, this Asus looks to be a worthy option, as described in this tech review.

PS: Asus was my laptop of choice several years ago, but switched to Acer because of reliability issues. Recent reviews of Asus would lead one to believe that those reliability issues have been put to rest.

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Simple, Fast Way to Clean a Microwave

The easiest way to clean a microwave without the use of harmful chemicals or cleaning products is to microwave vinegar and water in a microwave-safe bowl for two minutes. A tablespoon or two of white or distilled vinegar with a cup of water is enough. You'll just need to nuke it long enough to boil and steam. Once that's done, allow another two minutes before using a damp cloth to wipe down the interior of the microwave. It may take multiple passes but this is the most effective way to clean your microwave. The acid in the vinegar steam can break down and soften particles, making them easy to wipe away. Lemon juice or lemon rinds can also be used in this way for a fresher scent or for another take. The steam will still help to break down bits without the acid, and the essential oils will leave your kitchen with a pleasant smell.

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Forcing Customers to Not Use Phone Support

It might be a myth that GE had a lightbulb that would last forever but put it "on the shelf" to preserve its light bulb sales business, and the internet is strewn with conspiracy and other mythical theories. But, it has been discovered that HP has built-in a minimum 15-hold time for customer support phone calls in an effort to push customers to use digital self-help resources (aka bots). To date, HP is not doing this in the U.S. and no other companies have been found to do so. That said, you can expect "longer than usual hold times" to proliferate like cicadas in marsh lands.

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Here (2024 Movie on Netflix)

Here is thematically akin to Our Town. It tells the story of what happens on a given plot of land beginning in primordial times and then through various generations as a house was built on it and different families lived in it. It's not like any movie you've seen as the scenes appear in snippet form, dancing back and forth over time. The film is unequivocally ambitious both in terms of storytelling and cinematography, but sappiness and a little banality get in the way of its artistic daring. It stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, which is where it gets really weird: You get to see Tom Hanks as he appears today, how he will look in the future, and how he looked a few decades ago, and I'm not going to tell you how it was done. It's intriguing, and might give you an insight about, if not an appreciation for, a new technology everyone is talking about.

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PS Washington Post Cancellation and Tip re Renewal and PS re Other Long-Term Subscriptions

PS re WaPo Cancellation: When you cancel your Washington Post subscription, here is the sardonic message you get (emphasis added): "We hope you’ll reconsider the value of the necessary and important work our journalists do to keep citizens informed. Absolutely nothing has changed about that. In fact, it’s more important than ever." If you have a yearly subscription to the Washington Post, you can cancel it which will prevent renewal, but you will get no refund. 

Tip re WaPo Renewal: Shortly after you get the "sorry to see you go email," you will get a follow-up offering you a renewal at 50% off the standard price. It won't be a total "sticking it to the man," but no reason Besos should keep that discount money rather than your having it.

PS re Long-Term Subscriptions: Belatedly, and twisting in the knife as it pours salt in the wounds, this WSJ article appeared today which counsel caution about opting for life-time and per force long-term subscriptions shorter (e.g., monthly) ones. Sometimes the savings can be substantial (e.g., where the long-term price is no more than the cost for 2 months), but sometimes you take it in the shorts.

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Proposed Reform for Senate Confirmation Votes: Secret Ballots

As a loyal reader brought to my attention, Sen. Angus King told a reporter that, if there could have been a secret ballot on cabinet nominees, most would have not received even 20 votes.

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Caution re SixT Rental Cars

SixT car rentals has low rates and no shortage (at least when you make the reservation) of higher end cars. Unfortunately, their customer service gets terrible reviews across the board, and they seem to make an inordinate number of claims against customers for supposed damage to the rental car that never happened. Their website customer service and phone customer service are essentially non-existent. For the record, I did reserve a SixT car at one point, but alarm bells went off and I canceled the reservation, which itself was not an easy process.

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Laptop Prices Look to Be Going Up

As this ZD Net article reports, Acer (one of our three favorite laptops along with LG Gram Super Slim and Framework) has announced new price hikes for laptops in response to US tariffs - and other companies could follow suit. So, if you are looking to buy a new laptop, it might be wise not to dilly dally or lollygag.

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Business Class Can Be Cheaper Than Premium Economy

This Island article, borrowing from suggestions made in this blog, confirms that the more luxurious business class could actually be cheaper than premium economy — kind of like when you book an open-jaw flight instead of a roundtrip. In 2024, one Redditor found that when booking a flight from England to Japan for the following year, business class was around $450 cheaper than premium economy ... and this isn't the first instance that's happened. It isn't a coincidence but rather a common (and lucky) occurrence. You'll find the more exclusive class at its most affordable state based on your itinerary and the airline's supply and demand for that flight. Finding business class at a cheaper rate than premium economy is never guaranteed. It depends widely on consumer spending behaviors and the size of the airplane. Another important piece to the puzzle is seat availability. For example, if too many people are buying the premium economy seats but not so many are purchasing business class, the airline might adjust the latter's prices to a lower rate to be more enticing for the customer. Thus, more people will purchase a higher-priced seat rather than just securing coach. If you aren't lucky enough to find this deal, there are ways to secure a business class seat for less money than advertised. After buying a normal coach ticket, you can often upgrade your seat to business class for cheaper than the original price when checking in for your flight. 

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Cancellation of Our WaPo Subscription and a PS

[Prefatory Note: This was supposed to be the lead post yesterday, but our mail service failed to include it. So, we're leading with it today while it also will appear as the last post below in this email and twice on the blogsite. We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this might have caused]

Without even giving a reason, the Washington Post is refusing to run an ad — one of two ads purchased for $115,000 by Common Cause and the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund that were slated to run on Tuesday — which shows the White House superimposed over Musk with a bright red backdrop and the caption, “Who’s running this country: Donald Trump or Elon Musk?” The wrap adds that Musk has “created chaos and confusion” and “is accountable to no one by himself.” “The Constitution only allows for one president at a time,” the wrap notes. We were appalled by Bezos' "explanation" of why WaPo refused to endorse a presidential candidate. But, that was a newspaper declining to say what it thought, compared to this refusal, which is a newspaper declining to allow others to say, and pay for their right to say, what they think. We have canceled our WaPo subscription.

PS: We have some sympathy for the Post's employees who might suffer as a result of cancelled subscriptions. But what we don't understand is why its top columnists and reporters, whom the NYT and WSJ would hire in a nanosecond, don't walk out in protest, which might bring Besos to his knees.

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Better Way to Do the Proposed No-Shopping Boycott and a PS

There is a movement afoot, to send a protest message by showing the power of the people to shut down the economy, that, on February 28, no one buy anything online or in a store or from any place. I don't get it. This kind of time-shifting for purchases would do little harm to the Amazons of the world who have capitulated to Trump, but could be devastating for innocent mom-and-pop businesses. Here's a better idea: Stop all shopping from Amazon except say on Sundays. This would put a serious wrench into Amazon's business by substantially disrupting its inventory and delivery systems and cratering its stock price. While it would not shut it down, it would have a decent chance of convincing Bezos that the harm Trump might inflict on him for not toeing the line would be trivial compared to what his customers and shareholders can inflict on him. 

PS: This post was submitted in slightly different form to the NYT as a letter. Just as we canceled our subscription to the Washington Post for not publishing legitimate speech critical of government policy, we likely will cancel our subscription to the NYT if it doesn't publish that letter.

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Everything: A Better Search Tool

Everything from Voidtools is a lightweight, simple desktop search alternative to the Windows search and is faster. When you search by name, it finds the file and folder name queried, but it also looks inside documents for your queried name. You can bypass searching in File Explorer or the Start menu to find files that reside on other connected drives than your local C: drive. Everything takes a few seconds to install, and is compatible with Windows 10 and 11. 

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Measles Outbreak in U.S. and a PS for Older People

In 2000, measles was declared eliminated from the U.S., meaning 12 months with no continuous spread. Immunization has saved millions of lives around the world since the vaccine became available in 1963. The peril isn’t small. “About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles is hospitalized,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die.” As this WSJ editorial put it, "The tragedy is that this doesn’t have to keep happening." This "is courting heartache that parents used to face routinely but that modern medicine has made unthinkable for most. We are on record as skeptical of RFK Jr.’s nomination. The Senate confirmed him. Now the best-case scenario would be for Mr. Kennedy to internalize that he is no longer an activist outsider who needs to take provocative potshots to get attention. He’s the nation’s health secretary, and there are children in the hospital with measles who shouldn’t have to be there."

PS for older people: If you received one measles shot as a youngster, and none since, you might ask your doctor whether a booster would be appropriate and recommended for you.

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Economics of Space Heaters

According to this cnet article, turning down your thermostat and using a space heater can be a big money-saver this winter. An even better money saver is to live in Phoenix.

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Two Phone Charging TIps

Tip 1: Do not use your phone while charging as this generates excessive heat and promotes chemical degradation.

Tip 2: While it’s tempting to buy a charger advertised as a super-fast charger, using them can often be detrimental to battery life — and you’re best sticking with the charger recommended by your phone’s manufacturer. While fast charging offers convenience, frequent use can be detrimental.Very cheap non-standard chargers should be avoided as they may deliver unstable current or voltage and pose an overheating risk.

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Microsoft Power Toys

Microsoft PowerToys is a set of freeware that allow users to add or change features to maximize productivity or add more customization. If you click on the link, you will see the list of what these utilities can do, and it is quite breathtaking. You might wonder how you lived without them.

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USB Port Colors

You undoubtedly have noticed that USB ports come in different colors. These color variations aren't just for aesthetics; they serve a functional purpose, helping users quickly identify a port's capabilities and intended use. While you might be familiar with blue (USB 3.0), black (USB 2.0), or even orange (high-power charging) USB ports, purple USB ports are less common. A purple USB port typically indicates support for USB 3.1 technology, offering faster data transfer speeds and improved power delivery compared to older USB versions. USB 3.1 can reach speeds of up to 10 Gbps, making it significantly faster than USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) and even USB 3.0 (5 Gbps). This high-speed capability makes purple USB ports ideal for tasks such as transferring large files, streaming high-resolution videos, and charging devices quickly.

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What to Do If You Are Downgraded on a Flight

You arrive at the airport, and you’re told that you won’t get the airplane seat you paid for. Unfortunately, you’ve been downgraded. While uncommon, it happens more often than you might think. You book a premium economy, business-class or first-class ticket, but when it comes time to fly, you’re bumped to a lower class. It can be especially frustrating when you’ve booked a lie-flat seat on a transatlantic flight and were expecting elevated dining options and a restful night’s sleep. This article tells you why it happens and what you should do when it does.

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Keep Connect Automatic Router Rebooter

The Keep Connect Automatic Router Rebooter acts like any other smart plug, giving you the ability to remotely control power to whatever is plugged into it, but its neatest trick is to monitor your connection and trigger a power cycle when it detects a connection loss. It does this by regularly polling servers online and listening for a response to make sure that it is connected to the internet. If no response returns, it automatically shuts power off for a predetermined time before turning the power back on and checking again for connectivity. It costs just $50. Setup was rather straightforward and familiar: plug in the Keep Connect, connect to its Wi-Fi, and enter your home Wi-Fi credentials in the configuration page that pops up. From there, there is a slew of settings you can tweak to best match your network's needs, but for the most part, I stuck with the defaults. My ISP recommends waiting a full minute after cutting power before powering the modem back up, so I changed the power-off time from its 30-second default and that's about it. Once set up, no further interactions were needed in my case, but you may want to tune some of the many settings available to suit the idiosyncrasies of your network. There are multiple ways to configure Keep Connect to be more or less sensitive to network events in case it triggers too often or doesn't respond to an outage. You can even schedule recurring power cycles to "refresh" your device once a month or a frequency of your choice. Since putting in my Keep Connect, I experienced a couple of automatic reboots (one of which happened while I was away from home) after my cable modem choked on a glitch. Thanks to this little smart home addition, it all happened without me noticing or having to physically intervene. It has worked so well that I even bought a second one to do the same for my wireless router and subscribed to their Cloud Services—$24.99 annually—so that I can manage my plugs remotely and get real-time notifications in case a power cycle is triggered. With more than one Automatic Router Rebooter, you can designate one as the main and the other as a "follower" so they work in tandem when cycling power. It's too bad that my cable modem can't maintain consistent uptime indefinitely without the occasional reboot but thanks to the Keep Connect, a complete disruption has been reduced to a minor 3-5 minute annoyance.

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We Have Canceled Our WaPo Subscription

Without even giving a reason, the Washington Post is refusing to run an ad — one of two ads purchased for $115,000 by Common Cause and the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund that were slated to run on Tuesday — which shows the White House superimposed over Musk with a bright red backdrop and the caption “Who’s running this country: Donald Trump or Elon Musk?” The wrap adds that Musk has “created chaos and confusion” and “is accountable to no one by himself.” “The Constitution only allows for one president at a time,” the wrap notes. We were appalled by Bezos' "explanation" of why WaPo refused to endorse a presidential candidate. But, that was a newspaper declining to say what it thought, compared to this refusal which is a newspaper declining to allow others to say, and pay for their right to say, what they think. We have canceled our WaPo subscription.

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The Killer (2023 Movie on Netflix)

The Killer is the perfect title for this movie. It is the story of a solitary and cold assassin, who is methodical and unencumbered by scruples or regrets. Put another way, it is a brutal, bloody, and stylish noir story of a professional assassin lost in a world without a moral compass. Put another way, it's riveting and very good, which is no surprise given it features Michael Fassbender and has a cameo appearance by  Tilda Swinton. And for those of you who are not familiar with what it takes to be a good assassin, it's educational. As an fyi and cautionary note, which might not surprise you if you are familiar with the assassin genre, there's no overage of dialogue and no shortage of violence.

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Why DOGE Is Doomed to Fail

There is no question DOGE is going to do inestimable harm in terms of stifling medical research and readiness for the next pathogen and in terms of delivering services across the spectrum of the American economy and American landscape and in other ways. Federal employees whose jobs have been axed face obvious difficulties. Farmers are already suffering, and schools, states, and local governments are beginning to feel the pinch. And once the tipping point is reached, and it will be reached, the road to recovery will be slow and arduous. But, at the same time, DOGE is going to have a de minimis impact on the size of the government budget, and effectively no impact on the federal deficit or debt. The math is simple and unequivocal: The federal government's expenditures are in the trillions of dollars; 2/3 of those trillions of dollars are spent on entitlement programs such as social security and medicare along with paying the interest on the national debt, and the single biggest discretionary program by far is the defense budget (dwarfing all the others combined), and none of those are going to be touched by DOGE in any meaningful way. Yeah, a few or even tens of billions of dollars is real money in some senses. But in terms of shrinking the federal budget, we're talking chicken feed. In short, DOGE is a blunt instrument destined to do much harm and produce no benefit. Sooner than you might think, you will hear the deafening sound of the chorus of its critics and silence from its defenders, as Musk slinks away on his own or becomes the scapegoat for a failed undertaking.

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Signs That Your Computer Has Been Hacked and What To Do If It Has Been

This XDA article lists the signs that your computer might be hacked, including: running slower than usual; unusual battery drain; strange pop-ups and ads; browser changes; fake security alerts; unknown software installed; random mouse pointer movements; webcam or microphone turns on by itself; and frequent crashes or bsod episodes. The article then explains what to try in each instance to remediate the problem.

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Smart Displays

Smart Displays , such as Amazon Echos and Google Nests, range in price from under $100 to about $400. They have become must-have devices for any home given their usefulness, which goes far beyond being just a pretty screen. Here are just a few of the things we do with ours: control our thermostat; bring up recipes in the kitchen; setting multiple timers; catching a live game while cooking; keeping an eye on the kids; creating a sleep timer and night-light show; and looking up movie details. 

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Anora (2024 Movie on Amazon Rental)

I was told by one person that Anora was not for me and by another how disappointed he was in me for abiding that advice. Both of them liked the movie very much, as does the Academy which nominated it for a slew of Oscars. Putting aside how these two people described the movie, here is why, as was explained to me, it would be worth paying the $5.99 rental fee: "It is excellent. Well acted. Not trite. Interesting characters and a twisty, albeit a little predictable, plot." Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. This parallels a true story of the daughter of Stavros Niarchos (the other Greek shipping magnate and business rival of Aristotle Onassis). She was studying Greek at Radcliffe (at the time, one of only two Classics majors at Radcliffe) and fell in love with a bank teller. Her family swept in to explain that going through with her announced intention to marry him would mean her kissing goodbye any claim on the family fortune. As we have warned here often, don't ever go against the family.

Cautionary Note: Other reviewers might give warnings about certain aspects of the film. We will refrain from doing so for fear of having some people not watch the movie for the wrong reasons and for fear of having other people watch the movie for the wrong reasons.

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Fighting Back Against the Gambling Sites

We have long railed against the infusion of sports gambling apps/sites and the corruptive potential they pose. We also are mindful of the destructive harm they inflict on those addicted to gambling and those whom they addict to gambling, as they do everything they can to foster that addiction (e.g.., by giving those who continue to gamble and lose more "free tokens" to induce more gambling). We are pleased to see the proliferation of lawsuits against these enterprises under various theories, including: consumer fraud; negligence; conversion; attractive nuisance; unconscionability; the prima facie tort; intentional infliction of emotional distress; fraud and deceptive marketing (by handing out supposedly "risk free" bets); and others. We hope and expect that these lawsuits will prevail, just as similar actions did against other enterprises that preyed on peoples' weaknesses, such as the tobacco industry and the opioid manufacturers and pushers.

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What "Usually Fully Booked" Means re STRs

Websites such as airbnb often note that a particular listing is "usually fully booked." You might think that means that the place is, as one might say, usually fully booked. In reality, it doesn't mean anything. There is no standard or criterion that needs to be met or policing of the issue. It's just realty-speak, and you know how off-the-wall realty-speak can be. I know of one STR that is listed as "usually fully booked" when, in actuality, it is usually sitting there as empty as Satan's heart or as an idiot's mind.

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Where Trump Is Taking the Himself (the Good News) and the Country (Maybe Not Such Good News)

The Good News: It is now obvious to anyone that is watching that, as racist and ugly and vengeful and corrupt as it is, the hallmark of the Trump administration is that incompetence is emerging as its ruling force at every level, domestic and international. How bad things will get on every front I don't know. But everyone's ox is getting gored. Given that he is on a course that is "delivering" everything promised in his campaign and in Project 2025, that Trump's 52% approval rating should be much higher. More importantly, once it slips below 50%, and it will sooner than anyone but me expects, there will be no stopping the decline, because the incompetence cannot be remedied and a course correction cannot and will not be made. In short, Trump's presidency will be mired in an inescapable downward-spiraling cesspool of making everyone's life worse and their future more uncertain.

The Maybe Not Such Good News: As uplifting as the above prognosis is, the sobering reality is that our democracy might not survive. We're not going to be facing a Nazi-Germany or Stalinesque country, and some of our hallowed institutions such as NIH, CDC, FAA, and FDA, and the forest service, should be able to recover. But, whether our justice system (including DOJ and the courts) and our foreign alliances will recover are at best open questions. And the big wild card is what the Supreme Court does when it "adjudicates" and perhaps again capitulates on the issue of the power and immunity of the presidency.

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Traditional Medicare vs Medicare Advantage

While we have a preference in this dog fight, based in large part based on professional advice we've been given and learning about satisfaction rates of subscribers in each, we understand that reasonable people might differ as to whether to opt for traditional Medicare coverage (purchasing a Medigap and a drug policy) or Medicare Advantage. We note also there is much TV advertising pushing Medicare Advantage plans and none pushing against them. In that context, this NYT article appears to be a good starting point for anyone looking to decide which course to follow.

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River Cruises

Many people have no interest in large ocean liner cruises, but don't know much about river cruises. This article has a nice overview on the them, including: where you can take one (almost anywhere); when you should take one; what there is to do on the craft and off; who offers them; and what they cost.

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Buffaloed (2019 Movie on MAX)

Buffaloed is an escapist movie set in the world of debt-collecting, where homegrown hustler Peg Dahl will do anything to escape Buffalo, NY. Zoe Deutch, who plays Peg, is no newcomer to the screen and, while her performance is not terrible, it could have been toned down which would have elevated her character and the film. It's not the worst movie ever but it's a shame it's not better. It's apparently not based on a true story, and many of the scenes defy reality.  A bonus for watching is finding out the difference between a prostitute and a debt collector.

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TIPs As an Inflation Hedge

The consensus could be wrong and inflation might not be a looming problem. But it could be. Some look to gold as an inflation hedge while others look to cryptocurrency. As this WSJ article explains, TIPs as an inflation hedge has the benefit that, unlike gold and cryptocurrency, they pay a dividend while you are waiting to see what happens. Buying them directly has never been easier, and is arguably better than buying them through a mutual fund or ETF because you are assured of the return of principal upon maturity. That is not to say TIPs are immune from volatility while you hold them, but then, neither is gold or cryptocurrency. Finally, it likely makes sense to buy them in a tax deferred account to avoid any problem of taxation on phantom income.

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Peacock

[Prefatory Note: I could be wrong about this but it's what appears to be the situation]

I had a free Peacock account which I rarely watched because of the ads. I was told that there is a must-see show on Peacock now, to-wit: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy . I tried to watch it but, from what I can tell, Peacock is no longer free (at least for some releases such as this one). They are running a purported special where a $79.99 yearly subscription is available for $29.99 or $7.99/month, but that includes ads in what you watch. The ad-free subscription price is $139.99/year or $13.99/month. Going on a monthly plan allows you to cancel any time.

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LIfespan of a USB Flash Drive

A good quality USB flash drive should last 10 years or longer. Cheap flash drives not so long. And there are other factors (e.g., heat, excessive use) that can reduce their lifespan, all as explained in this PC World article.

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Removing Bloat from a New Install of Windows 11

Talon is a free utility that allows you to debloat your freshly installed Windows 11 system in two clicks. Unlike other similar utilities like ChrisTitusTech's WinUtil or Raphi's Win11Debloater, Talon focuses on user friendliness for non tech savvy users. No PowerShell, no check boxes. Just run, two clicks, then done. A word of warning though: The Talon team says you should only run it on a fresh install of Windows 11, as using it “on an already in-use system, or any older versions of Windows, is not guaranteed to work and can cause some apps to stop working properly and system corruption.”

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Death Before the Wedding (2025 Movie on Netflix)

If you're looking for a Polish movie that, instead of making jokes, tries to combine Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with All in the Family with New to Town, this might be the movie for you. Unfortunately, though, it's not a parody of any of them. It just takes the worst elements of each and throws them up onto the screen without any apparent overarching theme or point. Its co-stars, Tomasz Konecki (who also co-directed) and Iwona Ogonowska-Konecka, turn in creditable performances if you don't mind a bit of over-acting. Gamou Fall is no Sidney Poitier or Meathead and Natalia Iwanska (whom we did find enchanting) is no Katharine Houghton or Sally Struthers, but, even if they had been, it wouldn't have saved this movie.

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Using Google Maps to Avoid Being Late

Just because you know the route, even perhaps taking it every day to work or the gym, using Google Maps will avoid the horror of showing up late because you did not realize there was road construction or an accident that delayed your arrival. Even more sophisticated, as explained in this tom's guide article, is how to use Google Maps to alert you to the best route based on current traffic conditions.

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DEI Medical Research and Application

The assault on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) by the Trump administration is not limited to hiring and other "admittance" and "employment retention" issues. It is posing a full-scale racial attack across the board. By way of example, much medical research and the deployment of medical resources focus on the those who are in positions of inequity--often as a result or by-product of their minority status (e.g., sickle-cell anemia). We can hope that the grant writers seeking NIH funding for their research will find a new rubric so as to not set off the DEI-police. But as incompetent as  much of  the administration seems to be, when it comes to flying their jingoistic flag, that might not be much comfort.

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Guide to Picking a Streaming Device

Streaming devices are a Godsend, especially those of us with relatively old TVs that still have great pictures but whose smart (streaming) functions do not provide the functionality of streaming devices (e.g., Firestick, Roku, etc.). This Android Police article will take you through what features to look for in deciding which streaming device to get, including: video and audio quality; stick or box; compatibility with existing platforms; compatibility of the interface; content availability; and connectivity and network.

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Apps That Could Be Slowing Down Windows

As this XDA article outlines, your Windows performance could be slowing down as a result of the apps you are using. It identifies several such culprits, including: startup apps; web browsers; antivirus software; widgets; and browser extensions. You can check their CPU and memory usage with the Task Manager (right click on the Task Bar to bring up the Task Manager).

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NotiAlarm for Androids

NotiAlarm is a free app that is an easy-as-can-be way to amplify especially important notifications and make sure you always see ’em right away. It does that primarily by creating a custom alarm of sorts for your highest-priority notifications — those coming from specific apps and/or with specific keywords in their bodies. When those conditions are met, the system vibrates your phone continuously until you acknowledge it and optionally makes an ongoing sound, too. That way, there’s zero chance you’ll overlook it. You can even get incredibly nuanced with how and when those actions happen, if you want, and have the alarm active only during certain days and times. If you’re really feeling saucy, you can also have the app read certain notifications aloud when they come in as another way to ensure they catch your attention.

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Easy Fixes for Some Common Refrigerator Problems

This cnet article could save you big time by explaining the easy fixes that might solve some common refrigerator problems, including: constant running; failure to make ice; and leaking water.

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What To Do When a PC Does Not Start

This PC World article explains the various reasons a PC might not start, and what to do about it when that happens. It's not an easy issue to deal with, so there's no summary here. This post is just to bookmark the matter for ready reference in the event it happens.

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Foch Cafe & Bistro (Tempe Restaurant)

It's a shame Foch Cafe & Bistro is in Tempe, because it looks to be great for breakfast and fabulous for lunch. I hope I get to try it. In the meantime, here is a link to watch and hear what people who have eaten there think about it: Link to Foch on Check Please! Arizona.

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To Catch a Killer (2023 Movie on Hulu)

To Catch a Killer revolves around the story of an intuitive, but troubled, police officer who is recruited by an FBI expert to stop a relentless shooter who is terrorizing Baltimore. But it's not the storyline that makes this such a watchable movie, it's the characters. There's nothing hokey about any of them, or how they do stuff or talk. You like some, you don't like others, but they are all real. The film grabs you from the opening scene and does not let go. There's violence to be sure, but it's done tastefully.

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Vizio Sound Bar Recommendation and a PS re HDMI ARC

When our sound bar stopped working right (e.g., not going to high enough volume on streaming services), we first thought the problem was a setting. But after fiddling with every sound bar and TV and cable box audio setting, we thought perhaps the problem was that the sound bar itself was at fault, and decided to try a new soundbar. Wanting a built-in (not a separate subwoofer), we rejected similarly high rated sound bars from Sony and TCL, and settled on the VIZIO V-Series All-in-One 2.1 Home Theater Sound Bar. It cost about $100, and we could not be more pleased. It took under a minute to set up (all that needed to be done was plug in the power cord and HDMI cable), which immediately confirmed that the problem had been with the old sound bar and not with any setting. Its sound is crystal clear, and it's really sleek looking and nestles perfectly under the TV. 

PS: With HDMI ARC, you don't need to use the sound bar's remote to control the volume. The TV, cable box, and streaming remotes will do it. So, be sure that any TV you have has an HDMI ARC port (most new TVs and even many older ones do) and that any sound bar you get is HDMI ARC compatible.

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Watch the Change of Messaging From the White House

After immigration, Trump's major campaign plank was inflation. Four things are emerging on the inflation front: there is no sign of improvement on the inflation front since Trump was elected; Trump's policies, actions, and plans are seen as inflationary; the concern about inflation is spreading at the consumer level and at the business level; and the White House has gone silent on the matter (except to continue the idiotic statements such as calling for the Fed to cut interest rates). We don't know how big the inflation bubble will get or whether it will reach a tipping point and explode in the White House's face, but we also don't see anything on the horizon to curb inflation, and we will watch keenly to see how Trump's pivot to ignore inflation will work for him. He has proven that he can sell lots of lies to lots of people, but you can't fool people forever as to what it's costing them to put food on the table, or to buy or rent a house or apartment, or to insure their homes or cars, or buy a car (and let's not even talk about medical and higher education costs).

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It Might Pay to Appeal Denied Medical Claims

As this WSJ article reports, few people appeal denied medical claims, but those who do are often successful.

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Merging Your Cloud Storage Services

Cloud storage is a great way to keep files synced and accessible across different devices. But with so many hardware manufacturers and companies offering their own cloud services, you may find that your online storage is scattered across different accounts. This XDA article discusses 4 tools (OneDrive, Multicloud, Aircluster, and Cloudmounter) that will merge all your cloud storage services.

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New Outlook App on Windows 10

The latest W10 update installed a new Outlook app without telling you. All the reviews pan it. Like any other app, uninstalling it is just a click away.

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Tax Treatment of Cryptocurrencies

The law treats cryptocurrencies as property, not currencies, and views them as investments similar to stock or real estate. If cryptocurrency is held in a taxable account rather than a retirement account, then profits from sales are typically taxed as long- or short-term capital gains, and losses can be used to offset gains. The use of cryptocurrency to make a purchase can also trigger a taxable event that must be reported. Example: Robert acquired cryptocurrency for $50,000, and its value has risen to $90,000. If Robert uses $90,000 of the crypto to buy a boat, the crypto transfer is taxable and he owes tax on $40,000 of gain. The IRS includes a question on the front-page 1040 form as reminder of taxes due on cryptocurrencies. For 2024 returns, the form says, “At any time during 2024, did you: (a) receive (as a reward, award, or payment for property or services); or (b) sell, exchange, or otherwise dispose of a digital asset (or a financial interest in a digital asset)?”

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Upload Speeds

As this cnet article explains, while most focus of ISPs and users is on download speeds, upload speeds matter as well. The article covers the upload speed needed for various functions (e.g., participating in video meetings) and provides links to see your upload speed.

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Current State of Knowledge re Bird Flu

This WSJ article reports that the risks to the public from bird flu are low, but that public officials advise caution. In short, bird flu’s risk for the general public is still low, with no signs of person-to-person transmission, researchers said. People are still safe to eat cooked eggs and poultry and drink pasteurized milk, they said, since heating milk and other animal products to high temperatures kills the virus. The chance of infected poultry or eggs entering the commercial market is also low, health officials said. But health officials and researchers do advise people to be cautious: Avoid interacting with wild birds or sick animals, don’t consume raw milk or cheese, and properly cook and handle poultry.

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Heist 88 (2023 Movie on Hulu)

I certainly enjoyed watching Heist 88, in large part because I am a sucker for smartly-conceived and innovative bank robberies pulled off by excellent actors, especially where, as here, the film events are based on a true story. Here, a criminal mastermind recruits a group of young bank employees to steal 80 million dollars in one of the largest bank heists in US history. The problem is I cannot recommend it unequivocally and cannot say why not without spoiling it. So, I'll leave it at that except to say and note for the record here, so there is no attempted re-writing of history as has been happening of late, I discovered this movie on my own.

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Unpacking Some Confusions as to Markets and Autocracies

Re Markets: Healthy markets are characterized by sensible risk-taking. Entrepreneurs take risks on creating new goods and services. While many fail, some succeed and wealth is created and bestowed not only on them, but also on those who have taken the risk to invest in them, and on the buyers, sellers, and users who have reaped the benefits of a changed world. In short, risk is a good thing, and an invaluable element of economic and social well-being and expansion. In sharp contrast to risk is uncertainty, which is the feeling of having no clue what's going on or what might happen. Unlike moving forward and taking chances and making investments in the face of risk, uncertainty causes paralysis. Put simply, when one has no idea and no way to settle on an informed view about what's going to happen with the economy or with the market or with  prices, the natural and understandable tendency is to freeze, to do nothing, and especially to avoid taking risks and making investments. At the moment, there is a struggle going on out there whether we are in a risk-on environment or an uncertainty-environment. But the trend is clear: Risk-on spiked as Trump's chances for winning increased and continued for a while after he won, but every indicator that uncertainty is on the rise is flashing red signals. This WSJ article notes some anecdotal confirming evidence.

Re Autocracies: Trump sees himself as an autocrat, and congress is ceding him that position. The only check at the moment is the lower courts. If the Supreme Court capitulates on the scope of executive power and separation of powers as it did with its presidential immunity decision, Trump will have achieved autocratic status. The good news is autocrats ultimately go away. They die or they are overthrown or they lose their mandate if the world they've created falls apart. And if they are, as Trump is, fundamentally a cult figure, there is no apparent successor. Trumpism likely dies with Trump's death or ouster. Notwithstanding this optimistic view, whether American democracy survives Trump and Trumpism is a wholly different matter. Autocracies, even ones that fail, are democracy-killers. Sometimes a democracy will rise in the ashes of a failed autocracy, but more often, another autocracy will ascend. In short, Trump undoubtedly will go down as the worst  and most destructive American president, but possibly also as the most transformative.

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