If you think the refs should be allowed to participate in what happens on the pitch in football, watch this play from the Oregon/Washington game.
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Storage Sense is a handy utility baked into Windows 11 that takes both the guess work and the monotony out of managing available PC storage space. The feature can be configured to automatically clean up temporary system and app files in the background, and it can even clear your Recycle Bin at scheduled intervals for added convenience. To enable Storage Sense in Windows 11, navigate to Settings > System > Storage > Storage Sense, and then tick the Cleanup of temporary files checkbox. Additionally, you can switch on Automatic User content cleanup, and you can configure cleanup schedule frequencies from within this same settings page.
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If you have multiple Windows 11 computers signed in with your Microsoft Account, then you can enable a universal or cloud clipboard feature that makes cross-device copy and pasting a breeze. When turned on, the items found within your clipboard history panel (accessible via Windows key + period key) will synchronize to all your devices automatically. It's even possible to pin items to your cloud clipboard for quick access, which will reflect on all your PCs. Universal clipboard settings can be accessed by navigating to Settings > System > Clipboard > Clipboard history across your devices and toggling the feature on. From here, you can opt to have your clipboard automatically sync copied text, or, alternatively, you can configure it to require manual syncing of this data instead. In all events, turning the Clipboard on will allow you to bring up the Windows 11 clipboard (discussed in previous posts) pressing the Win and V keys.
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We have had a Cuisinart Convection (Air Fryer)/Toaster Oven for over a year. It's the most used appliance in our kitchen. You can see its multiple functions below. It's simple to learn to use and to use. In addition to baking, broiling, air frying, and toasting all kinds of things, it's various ways of reheating left-overs and keeping foods warm makes having everything come out hot together a snap. It has pretty much preempted using our wall oven and it consumes much less electricity.
PS: Wirecutter rates the Breville BOV900BSS Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and Convection Oven as the best. It costs under $300.
If water flossing is your thing, and you want to brush your teeth at the same time, consider the NEOS II (for $120 or NEOS II Ultra ($160) from Soccas. It's available at Amazon which, if necessary, might make for easier and faster returns.
In Her Place involves a popular writer who murders her lover, which captivates the shy secretary of the judge in charge of defending the accused. That tells you nothing, but trust me, the story is quite unusual. That it is based on a true story is what makes the movie so compelling. Also, it's really well done cinematographically, with strong acting. Watch it. You'll be glad you did. It's the kind of novel movie that gives cinema its good name.
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Champagne Problems tells the story of an executive who travels to France to secure the acquisition of a renowned champagne brand before Christmas, but her plans are upended when she falls into a whirlwind romance with a charming Parisian--only to discover he's the founder's son. Too predictable for anyone with any taste to watch for more than a few minutes.
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Once a promising enlightened Democrat political force, something happened to Kyrsten Sinema, as her senatorial tenure came to an end. With public service behind her, she has taken several steps to enrich herself which anyone can understand. But, as the Arizona Republic reports, she has now "endorsed RFK, Jr.'s agenda," while she "is publicly praising the Trump administration in the course of her efforts to advance the use of the psychedelic ibogaine as a mental health treatment option."
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One other advantage of YouTube TV (or any such streaming alternative to cable TV) is that, because you're running off the smart function of the TV, the only remote you need is the TV's remote, i.e., no need for a cable box remote.
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I saw how YouTube TV works. It deserves serious consideration by anyone wanting to cut the cord or otherwise dump their cable box or anyone wishing to save money, and you can try it for free without turning off your current service. It short, it saves money, includes features not included with cable box (e.g., split screen viewing), includes features not available with a cable without paying extra (e.g., DVR functionality, which allows one to skip ads), eliminates any box, has whole home coverage (i.e., all your TVs connect to it wirelessly), your phones and tablets can connect to it, and would allow you to cut your current internet service and change to a home internet service saving even more money. While the speed of channel changing is not as fast as a cable box, it's tolerable. Likewise, while the precision of ff, rew, ad-skipping is not as robust as a cable box, it's tolerable. As to cost, there are special introductory rates and you can bargain for a better rate, but even at the standard $90/month it's a great deal. And then, if you switch to home internet (from any of the three major cellphone carriers) which you can try for free for no risk and might be as low as $35/month (and should not be more than $50/month), you do the math compared to what you're paying.
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Even if it's a game in which the Eagles are playing, and even if they won, it's insufferable. Just some of things that make the experience miserable beyond words: no way to escape the ads; the ads are mindless, repetitive, and boring; no close captioning; amateurish camera work; director's choice of between play shots is sophomoric and boring; results in overeating (kitchen trips are the only ad-killers); unduly limits extended bathroom time to half-time; excessive devotion to head shots (of fans, coaches, random people, players not in the game, non-players and non-coaches, and others); and makes for a terrible game where the wrong team wins.
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Many punters kick the ball as far as they can. Others are more strategic. Here is a prime example of a strategic punt.
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Everyone has a robo vacuum but, inexplicably, some people apparently have yet to have a robo window cleaner in their arsenal. You can't go wrong with the Osmo (for under $150). With ultra-strong suction (up to 3200 Pa), intelligent edge detection, and AI path-planning to finish every inch without missing a corner, and dual-direction automatic spray to evenly mist and clean surfaces from floor to ceiling. Control it remotely, leave it on high-rise panes, enjoy streak-free shine without lifting a finger—effortless window cleaning made worry-free.
I can't tell you how often I'm called upon to diagnose clients' slow home internet. Here are the networking tools I use, and you can easily use them too: Ping (best one to use first); Speed Tests; Traceroute; and Ntopng. Each is explained in this XDA article.
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Windows 11 can identify large files, unused apps, and system files that can be safely deleted. This is a good place to start when optimizing your disk space. To access these tools: Start/Settings/System/Storage/Cleanup recommendations. This will bring up temporary files in your Downloads folder and the Recycle Bin. Nuking these files can free up several GB of disk space. Before you do, ensure you don't need anything in your Downloads folder, as it could contain necessary files. Other recommendations for removal will appear on this screen, including large or unused files, which Windows will bring to your attention. Many of the large files it will suggest will be video clips or large image files, which you might want to review before deleting. At the bottom, Windows will identify apps you rarely (or have never used) to consider for deletion. If you don't need an app, you can remove it and reclaim the disk space.
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Anyone who reads this blog would know and remember that we recommended Game Night in a post here. So, you can imagine our shock,, chagrin, and confoundment when a reader who prides himself on finding and berating us about typos in this blog recommended this movie on Thanksgiving morning of 2025. That said, it's about to leave Netflix so, if you haven't seen it, now is the time to turn on and tune in to Game Night.
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The Logi for under $20 at Amazon is a compact and comfy Bluetooth mouse with up to 24-month battery life that comes in cool colors and features an emoji button: Press the colorful mouse's magic middle button to open a menu of emojis to use in your chats, or give it your own shortcut using Logi Options plus App.
Decluttering your Android phone can make it faster because it won't need to allocate resources to apps that are no longer in use. Uninstalling such APKs will lead to better resource management and thus, a faster phone. Go to Settings > Storage > Apps to see the list of installed apps and uninstall the ones you don't need anymore. On the app screen, you can also long-press on such forgotten apps and go to App Info > Uninstall.
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Windows S Mode and Windows 11 Home have limitations (signing on options, installing apps from various sources, remote access, stability of default settings) not found in Windows 11 Pro. You cannot reverse it once done, but you can change an W11 S Mode or Home computer to a W11 Pro. Go to Settings/System/Activation, and follow the prompts. I haven't tried it yet, so I don't know if there are any pitfalls, but, if I were to make the switch (I really would like to have Pro but everything is working fine on my laptop now), it's how I would do it even if there's a charge that would make third-party vendors' offerings attractive.
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We don't like buying computers (or TVs) on Amazon because of the restrictive return policy. But the HP 15.6" laptop on sale for $229 would be an exception. As explained in this Gizmodo article, its features are quite impressive, and its fine looking.
Ahoy Matey! The Woman in Cabin 10 is preposterous and insufferable. The story (a travel writer stumbles upon a gruesome secret while traveling aboard a luxury yacht), the characters, the acting, and the script deserve to be buried at sea. Which brings us to the only reason to watch the beginning: If you've never been on or seen what a billionaire's luxury yacht is like, this will give you a horrifying taste of what today's Gilded Age looks like.
[Disclaimer: I have no idea and could care less what, if anything, happened during the last 1 hour + of this 1.5 hour unseaworthy wreck of a movie. I'm off to hoist up the John B sail]
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When Nixon left office, he did so in disgrace. And, while they weren't enough to protect us from Trumpism, safeguards were erected to try to curb corrupt executive power and maintain the independence of the Justice Department. There will come a time when Trump will no longer be president. That in itself will be a relief--and the sooner the better. For the sake of this country and democracy, we can hope that Trump will leave office as a disgrace, and that stronger safeguards will be erected to curb corrupt executive power and maintain the independence of the Justice Department. In the Nixon era, the courts, including the Supreme Court, held as a bulwark to protect separation of powers, individual rights, and democracy. That said, it is easy to see how the corrupt decisions of Trump's Supreme Court could be vacated and reversed, but difficult to see how that can be done and at the same time restore the integrity of the Court.
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This insightful and informative piece on the investigations into Senator Kelley et al re their video on the UCMJ was written by a really nice and brilliant kid. After clerking for Justice O’Connor and then serving in the AZ legislature, he went on to be general counsel of both the Department of the Army under Clinton and Department of the Air Force under Obama. His real start though was at Brown & Bain (where some loyal readers practiced) and he was a member of Trinity Cathedral (where some loyal readers are members).
PS: Brown & Bain merged into Perkins Coie which became Obama's law firm and which successfully stood up to Trump as others folded. A few weeks ago, Perkins Coie merged with Ashurst to create a combined international firm of 3,000 lawyers with $2.7 billion in revenue.
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NewPipe is a free, safe alternative to the YouTube app that lets you access YouTube without Google. It has absolutely no ads, no For You page, and no Shorts feed. You can search the YouTube library without an algorithm pushing irrelevant videos in the results. You can subscribe to channels, create playlists, and browse comments. This app also lets you play videos in the background, download them in high quality, add videos to queues, and make playlists.
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This Gizmodo article raves about this Bose TV sound bar, which is on sale at Amazon for under $200 ("other soundbars with comparable audio quality sell for three to four times this much"). We have one and we agree with the plaudits. Here's what the article says: "This Soundbar Fixes Your TV Audio. Its to angled full-range drivers create a spacious audio presentation that feels wider than the physical size of the soundbar. Bose has angled the drivers rather than facing them straight, and the result is that sound bounces off your walls to fill the room naturally. You get a realistic soundstage that makes explosions feel immersive, and music seems to come from multiple directions. Enhanced dialogue mode is the feature you’ll use all the time once you find it: The soundbar pays extra attention to the vocal frequencies and pronunciation, which means you can finally understand what actors say without cranking the volume to neighbor-annoying levels. Background music and sound effects remain balanced while voices become clearer and more prominent." Finally, it's ARC-enabled so any remote will raise or lower the volume, it's compact at under 5' in width, and it's totally plug-and-play--no set up needed--just plug it in, and it will turn on/off when the TV turns on/off.
Android doesn’t natively support cutting off internet access for specific apps, but NetGuard is a free app that gives you total control over that. First, you can see a detailed log of any app’s internet activity and let that guide how you filter your phone’s internet traffic. The filters are highly selective, so you can decide exactly which apps are on the blocklist and how they’re being filtered. For example, you can give Wi-Fi access to one app while restricting data access to another. You can even set it up to only allow the app to access mobile data or Wi-Fi while the screen is on, thus keeping the app from phoning home in the background. Plus, there’s a ‘Lockdown Traffic’ button that automatically disables access to all apps except the ones you’ve added to the allow list.
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You can't listen to or read sports commentary (including PTI, Jason Gay, and Colin Cowherd who should know better) and be besieged with something like this: "The defending Super Bowl champs may be 8-3, still in charge atop the NFC East, all but surely playoff bound. Still, they know, you know, I know, the neighborhood dogs and cats know, and all those aggravated Eagles fans know—something is off." I now can sympathize viscerally with Trump supporters who are besieged with commentary from those infected by Trump Derangement Syndrome (or TDS). In short, we are tired and fed up with what everyone now knows, namely, that the fake sports commentary media is suffering from Eagles Derangement Syndrome (EDS). Frankly, they are the enemy of the people.
PS: We have decided not to submit this post as a letter to the failing NYT because they wouldn't print the truth if "butt-shoving birds" rubbed their faces in the truth.
PPS: Jason Gay's WSJ piece (from which the quotes in this post are taken) on the Eagles is a gem. As he notes, "Everyone’s got an opinion about the Philadelphia Eagles. Especially those laid back, famously easy-to- please Eagles fans. These butt-shoving birds are overrated. Or: They’re always underrated by the media snobs. They’re actually sneakily dangerous. No—they’re football tryptophan, a snoozy bore to watch. Watching the Eagles offense was like watching someone stop to eat a sandwich as they slowly repaired a sink."
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Tracking devices are little marvels that let you find things (e.g., luggage and keys) that otherwise might be lost forever. When it comes to wallets, tracker cards will do just that. We recommend the Pebblebee Card 5 | Rechargeable Bluetooth Wallet Tracker Card, which cost $35 at Amazon (a bargain for piece of mind). It's exceedingly thin (so you won't have this problem) and has an 18-month battery life, rechargeable using a Qi charging pad.
This ZDNet article explains why clearing the TV's cache will eliminate any lag you might be experiencing and how to do so for particular apps or the TV itself.
PS: To clear the cache on an LG C5, turn off the power, unplug the TV for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Cache will have been cleared.
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The Matic is the best robot vacuum that has ever been let loose on filthy floors. This quiet speedster builds a 3-D map of your home in minutes—identifying rooms, analyzing floor surfaces to decide whether to mop or vacuum, dodging obstacles, and learning exactly where your dog likes to abandon that one disgusting toy. Then it uses a vision system to glide around table legs and doors.
If you are tired of watching movies and such on your cellphone given its screen size, a screen magnifier is a good solution. They come in 10"-16" sizes, are under $30, and require no batteries.
[Prefatory Note: An earlier post covered this but, given the 30% price drop, with the holidays coming up that require gift giving, we thought highlighting these hearing glasses would be appreciated]
Nuance Audio hearing-aid glasses (which were $1,200 but now are $840) are a God-send for people who need an assist for both their eyes and ears, and are too vane to wear hearing aids that might be visible to others. Yeah, believe it or not, there are people, including old people who have no reason to be vane about anything, like that. Tiny speakers built into the frame’s temples deliver natural amplification in noisy environments. You can adjust the volume, directional sound amplification, and background noise suppression from the mobile app or a remote. The glasses come with basic no-prescription lenses but you can add your prescription for an extra fee. There are only a few styles to choose from but Nuance’s maker, eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica, says more are in the works.
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As featured in this blog, and as we can attest, the Moccamaster coffee maker is the best and best looking coffee maker in the world. The one drawback has been the price, which generally is $350 and rarely less than $300. It comes in variety of colors, and most of them just went on sale on Amazon for under $250. If they didn't have a 5-year warranty on the one I bought this past June, I'd buy a back-up now.
Based on Denis Johnson's beloved novella, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier, a logger and railroad worker who leads a life of unexpected depth and beauty in the rapidly-changing America of the early 20th Century. The first half hour is engrossing and a true pleasure to watch. I am told, at that point there are some events that might lead one not to want to watch it, which was the choice I made. Sorry I cannot be of more help on this film. It's gotten good reviews.
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Basketball has changed dramatically in recent years, with the domination of the 3-point shot and the size, speed, and strength of the participants. Whether the changes have been for the better or worse I have no clue because I don't understand much less follow basketball. Chris Paul has announced this is his last year. I mention it because, as this WSJ article explains, with his retirement, the era of the true point guard will come to a close.
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As we have noted in past posts, chat often is an effective way to obtain an accommodation from Amazon when they mess up an order or orders. Often, one has to escalate the chat by asking for, or if need be insisting on, chatting with a supervisor, because the lower level chat reps are constrained in making meaningful accommodations. The supervisors typically do not offer any accommodation, but are willing to consider doing so once the customer says they want an accommodation. The key moment is when the supervisor says, "What do you want by way of an accommodation. I will do my best to help you." Here is what often is an effective response: "I'm not here to bargain. I take you at your word that you will do your 'best.' Tell me, what is the limit on what you can do by way of an accommodation." Then, do not be surprised if, on a $40 order, you get a $50 accommodation, i.e., $50 added to your gift account.
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Windows has a built-in clipboard that you can see and access by pressing simultaneously on the Win and V keys. It refreshes when you restart your computer but you can designate items to stay permanently. Also note, it has built-in symbols, emojis, and other stuff that is always available to copy and paste.
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Microsoft Power Toys is a collection of very useful functions to streamline and improve many basic Windows functions, including: advanced copy and paste; bulk renaming; always on top; advanced power functions; capture on-screen colors; creating a cropped copy and lock; view more file formats; create fancy zones; and much much more.
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Lefter: The Story of Ordinarius is the true story of an aspiring footballer who defies his strict father to chase his dream, navigating challenges in family, love, and identity--all in the name of greatness, which is achieved. It drags a bit, the acting isn't great, and the dialogue is a stilted and forced, but it's not the worst movie ever made. There's a weaving in of the conflict between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus, some of the photography is gorgeous, and there's a twist at the end.
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Just think of NFL officiating as "rub of the green." It's a golf term. Golf was a sport that preceded football by centuries, did not inflict concussions on its participants, does not call for endless screaming and face-painting from its audience, and will outlive football.
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Turning clothes inside out before washing them helps protect colors from fading. Also, turning clothes like jeans inside out helps prevent irritation to other items with sensitive fabrics that can be damaged from rubbing up against zippers, buttons, and heavy materials. Washing clothes and turning them inside out will help protect the outer fabric from friction during washing, which is crucial for preserving their color and making clothes look new. It can also protect the clothes prints and embroidery, and it will thoroughly clean the interior garments because it removes sweat, body oils, and skin cells from the clothes. Although it’s technically impossible to completely prevent fading in fabrics, turning clothes inside out slows down the process.
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No matter how diligent you are about cleaning, kitchen sponges won't last forever. They need to be cleaned weekly, and shabby ones tossed every two to three weeks, depending on use. Fortunately, they are easy to clean: Mix 3/4 cup of bleach in one gallon of water, soak the sponge in the mixture for five minutes, then rinse – and that's it!
PS: Our recommendation for a kitchen sponge, available everywhere for about $8, is the Soft Touch Glassware Sponge.
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I know I can likely lower it by comparing rates to a competitor company, but I've been pushing off that phone call because I'm exhausted from dealing with automated systems, long call wait times, and automated voices that can't decipher what I'm saying when I beg to speak with a human. So, using a generative AI voice tool, I was able to turn myself into an agent. Eugenetic me was tasked with trying to get my internet price lowered and programmed to be short on patience. Its bossy tone made me cringe and feel sympathy for the human worker on the other side. My agent often restated some version of what the customer service rep told it, then said it was disappointed, and started hallucinating lower rates offered by competitor companies to compare prices. "I've been a loyal customer for a while now and I don't think it's fair that new customers get better deals," my agent snapped." Just as with movie reviews, I will not spoil the ending. But I will say: Give it a shot. You have nothing to lose but your chains.
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Pico de gallo is a great snacking food, especially for people who want to lose or control their weight. Keep a tub of it in the refrigerator, along with some celery stalks, and all day munching becomes a dream. Unfortunately, store-bought pico de gallo is either too watery (like Safeway's brand or Mexicana) or too expensive (like Casa Sanchez). Fortunately, it is simple to make, and home-made is as or more delicious than either of those brands, and looks better too. Just chop up and mix together tomatoes, white or green onions, cucumber, cilantro, and chile peppers or jalapeno, and spritz with fresh lime juice. Feel free to add or substitute any ingredients you want--avocado is a wonderful addition. You can cheat by buying a Mexicana tub, and using it for the peppers by first draining off the undue amount of liquid, and then mixing it in to your chopped veggies.
Optimistic Note 1: Trump's approval ratings have hit an all-time low, and there are no signs on the horizon that the slide will abate.
Optimistic Note 2: As bad off as the country is, and while overcoming the harm being inflicted by the Supreme Court will not be easy, countries have come back from living until totalitarian regimes, including one far worse than is unfolding here, to establish a flourishing democracy.
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If you see a Gemini button in the upper right corner of Chrome, and want to remove it, right click on it and click on "unpin." This removes the button--it does not disable or uninstall Gemini. To restore the button, right click on that space and click on "Pin Gemini."
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This XDA article will walk you through the steps to take (which are much easier than you might have thought) to back up your drivers and reinstall them if necessary.
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The so-called "discussion" that is ongoing about members of the military following illegal orders suggests that, if an illegal order is given, the member of the military "may" choose to not follow it. That's not the law. It is not a matter of discretion. Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, it is unlawful to follow an illegal order.
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If you're thinking about the Caribbean for a vacation this winter, take at look at this Caribbean Journal piece. It highlights 10 destinations that you likely never heard of, but should put on your destination list.
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Roasted lobster shells give Groix & Nature Lobster Oil, which is infused grapeseed oil from Brittany, France, delicate umami flavor and gorgeous color. A drizzle makes steamed fish or a simple pasta dish absolutely aahinducing. I won't eat almost anything without it, and my guests have no idea why what they are served is so delicious. It's a great stocking stuffer.
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When you want to be as careful as possible with the type of water you drink, the LARQ Self-Cleaning Water Bottle helps protect you at every airport. It also eliminates the need to buy, use, or dispose of plastic water bottles. The 17-ounce model goes for $99 on Amazon while the 25-ounce model goes for $109. Both products come in several colors. How this self-cleaning steel bottle works is you click the button on the top, wait a minute, and all the water inside is safe for you to drink. There's a built-in UV-C LED that breaks down the bacteria found in water. The bottle also automatically reactivates this UV light every two hours without requiring any user interaction. The make of the steel keeps the liquid insulated, maintaining a consistently cool or hot temperature for a full day. How it knows whether the liquid is hot or cold is one of the great unsolved mysteries of thermos technology.
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Upper-right front-page WSJ headline on 11/20: "Nvidia Posts 62% Sales Rise, Easing AI Fears"
Upper-right front-page WSJ headline on 11/21: "Nvidia’s Results Fail to Quell AI Worries"
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Price is no longer an impediment to getting a 98-inch LCD TV. TCL's Q55K carries a list price of $2500 but is available now for $1000 from Best Buy. TCL's Q55K is obviously a quite basic TV, but you still get 4K resolution, a 144Hz VA LCD panel, four HDMI 2.0 ports, Google TV, and built-in Google Cast and Apple AirPlay 2.
I can't say I gave Nouvelle Vague (a French film) a fair shake. I can say that the 5 minutes I watched were excruciatingly unfair to me.
PS re Netflix Recommendations: That Netflix put this on the list of "movies I would love based on what I had watched and rated approvingly" tells me that Netflix's algorithm is as askew as the words that come out of Trump's mouth.
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The headlines are apoplectic in their derision that DOJ admits the full grand jury never saw the final Comey indictment. Unless DOJ is lying (which certainly is possible), here's the facts: Three counts were presented to the grand jury; the grand jury declined to indict on the first count, but agreed to indict on the second and third counts; the indictment as DOJ presented it in court removed what had been the first count and renumbered the other two. The "big admission" of DOJ is that only the foreperson and one other grand juror saw the re-typed indictment, which but for the omission of what had been first count and the renumbering of the remaining two counts was identical to what all the grand jurors saw and approved.
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It is common knowledge that the bull market seen in the S&P 500 this year was the result of the performance of the Mag 7 (short for Magnificent Seven) made up of Apple, Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla. Ahem. Confirming once again the wisdom of this blog which has consistently warned that common knowledge is almost always wrong, the Mag 7 was not the driver. It was the Mag 3--four of the Mag 7 underperformed the S&P 500.
Those who owned Bitcoin licked their chops as it zoomed from $90K to $126K over the recent past, while those who didn't felt left behind. In the past couple weeks, those who owned Bitcoin have had a sickening feeling as Bitcoin broke back under $90K. Why the outsize moves? As this WSJ article explains, it's all about leverage. The rally in crypto prices this year was boosted by a large heap of debt, with traders using leverage to amplify their gains. Now, after a punishing selloff in the past two weeks, the dangers of those bets are becoming apparent. Investors have never had more ways to place complex wagers on crypto. In some cases, people can put down $1 of their own money to gain exposure to $100 of bitcoin. It is a strategy that can produce windfall profits—when the market breaks the borrower’s way. If it goes in the wrong direction, traders can be on the hook for big losses and can see their holdings liquidated if they don’t post sufficient funds.
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Putting aside his conman abilities, everyone thinks Trump's IQ (as a measure of his ability to understand) and his knowledge (actually and accurately understanding facts and concepts) is the equivalent of, if not lower than, a box of rocks. There's also no doubt that Trump is feared and for good reason--he is skilled at debasing and ruining people, putting them in harm's way, and ending political careers. With all that, here is my question: While Trump understands that people fear him, and that many people loathe him, what does Trump think other people think of him when it comes to intelligence, i.e., how dumb or smart he is. Yes, Trump is delusional for sure and far along on the dementia scale. But does he actually think he's smart and does he actually think those around him think he is smart? Or does he know what others really think?
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Modern smartphones are smart enough to cut off the power once they're fully charged, so leaving your iPhone or Android plugged in overnight isn't going to destroy the battery. Just because it's safe doesn't mean it's optimal. While you can't technically overcharge the battery, keeping a lithium-ion cell pinned at 100% creates voltage stress, and the heat generated from sitting on a charger is the real enemy of longevity. It's not about immediate damage; it's about how fast your battery ages over time. Understanding the difference between what won't break your phone and what will actually help it last is key. This cnet article explains what Samsung, Apple, and other phone makers recommend. In short, the best practice, and most phones have a setting for it, is to cap the charging level at 80% or 85%.
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While not a perfect movie given some scenes handled with ham-handed bluntness when subtlety and nuance were called for, Tic Tic ... Boom tells a story with music that holds your attention from beginning to end. It's the true story of a theater composer, Jonathan Larson--his work, his relationships, and his music. Because you might not know the story, I shall say no more for fear of spoiling it, other than to say that the story, music, and staging are all compelling. It's directed and produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda.
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Many people eschew the idea of paying for a credit card and don't consider paying the several hundred dollar fee for a premium card. Putting aside the access to airport lounges, as this WSJ article explains, there are other benefits that just might make the premium card's annual fee a bargain and even save you money. For example, some cards offer extensions on existing warranties on purchases, or will reimburse certain transactions if stores won’t accept a return. Several premium cards offer trip cancellation insurance, covering up to $10,000 in reimbursement per trip, for nonrefundable expenses on purchases made with the card. So, if you buy some things that are not cheap or travel with any frequency, a premium credit card might be right for you.
PS re the Annual Fee: Just as with print delivery of newspapers and cable services, it never hurts to ask to reduce or waive what they want to charge you. So, if you do sign up for a premium credit card, when the anniversary comes up, be sure to ask for a waiver of the annual fee, and when doing so, it wouldn't hurt to note that you are considering a rival card.
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The congressional act just passed requiring release of the Epstein files carves out an exception for matters that would interfere with or impede an ongoing investigation. Any guess why Trump a few days ago and AG Bondi immediately agreed to investigate Clinton, Summers, and others' involvement with Epstein.
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The FTC charged Meta with being an illegal monopoly re social media. In a memorandum opinion, the district court judge wrote that the FTC had not demonstrated that Meta holds a monopoly in social media. Notably, he wrote that "the world of what was once called "personal social networking" has changed — giving rise to new competitors and seeing YouTube become a more dominant force. Believing that the only constant in the world was change, the Greek philosopher Heraclitus posited that no man can ever step into the same river twice. In the online world of social media, the current runs fast, too." We've been saying the same thing since the mid 1990s and actually a decade before. Our position has been vindicated at every turn. We admire federal and state antitrust enforcers. We just wish they would get a little smarter about the real world and how things change so fast. As Andy Grove, one of Intel's founders said, "only the paranoid survive." And Intel has not been doing so great of late.
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The Breakaway Rodeo in Scottsdale pays $1M (as in million) to the female champion. Why female athletes are trying to make it as golfer on the LPGA is a mystery. As I've always said, let your daughters grow up to be cowgirls instead of golfers.
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She Walks in Darkness tells the story of a young Spanish civil guard who goes undercover within ETA, the Basque separatist group, spending over a decade locating their hideouts in the South of France. It is intense, gripping, well-acted and written, and thrilling. If you like the genre, you'll like this. The only shortcoming is the lack of dialogue. It's not like there's undue action. It's just that the people in this movie are parsimonious with words.
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Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is a free Microsoft tool designed to scan for and remove malware from Windows computers. It’s not a replacement for a fully-fledged antivirus program but a supplementary tool designed to remove specific known threats that are widespread. MRT.exe is updated monthly through Windows update. It works in the background of Windows to find threats, but you can run it manually as follows: Press the Windows Key + R to open the run dialog box; type mrt and press Enter; click Yes on the User Account Control (UAC) prompt and the MSRT window will appear; click Next to begin, and choose a scan type (quick scan, full scan, or customized scan) and click Next to start the scan. When complete, the tool will display the results, indicating if any malware was detected and removed.
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If the president agrees that more investigative materials in the Epstein case should be released, why is he waiting for the passage of the so-called discharge petition to do so? Why doesn’t he immediately order Attorney General Pam Bondi to make the documents public? The fact is that, if Mr. Trump chooses to, he can indeed order more files released — with or without legislation — much as he did in other cases of intense public interest, including the killings of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy.
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If you didn't watch the Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice documentary on Prime that was recommended to us by a certain someone who always demands credit for such recommendations, you might want to seek help because it was really good. If you did watch it, you got some appreciation for Emmy Lou Harris. I have since cued my Pandora to do Emmy Lou Harris and her music is terrific, whether doing solos or combos.
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Sometimes, after you go through the online steps to do a return/refund, you decide you want to keep the product or give it away or throw it away instead of schlepping it to do the return/refund. In that event, click on Return Status/Edit and cancel the return/refund on the website. You don't want to be scored by Amazon for a return/refund you didn't end up doing, and don't kid yourself, Amazon keeps score.
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Everyone is right. Based on EP 1, Death by Lightning is really really good.
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Activate the “Show file extensions” option in Windows File Explorer. This makes it easier to recognize suspicious files and provides simple protection against phishing and malware. To do this, open File Explorer, click on View in the menu bar, and tick the “File name extensions” box so that a checkmark appears.
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One week ago, Sirianni called a pass play near the end of the game which stopped the clock and gave the Packers a chance to win that otherwise they would not have had. This week, with 3 minutes to go, instead of punting on 4th down from their own 30 when the Eagles were up by a touchdown and field goal, he went for the first down, and missed, assuring the Lions of a quick field goal. We have emailed Jeffrey Lurie and Howie Roseman with clear instructions that, from now on, unless the game is iced in the closing minutes, they need to take Sirianni to the locker room without any way to communicate to the field.
PS: There's a lot of hoopla about a late defensive pass interference call on the Lions. The bottom line is the Eagles have the best defense in the NFL. Stop blaming referees for losses by Eagles' opponents.
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I trust everyone knows that there's only one explanation for what's happened with the Epstein files: They've been taken to the wood chipper by Pam Bondi.
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Here's what just happened in the latest chapter in the evolution of a 1-person law firm that opened in Phoenix in 1960 with high hopes under the name, "Law Office of Jack E. Brown": Ashurt/Perkins Coie.
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If you don't like the cable clutter accompanying your TV set up, you can get rid of it with an AV receiver. An AV receiver is a box that will serve as a hub for all the peripheral devices (cable box, speakers, etc.) and connect wirelessly to your TV. The problem is they are not cheap. For example, even the middle-range Denon AVR-X1700H 7.2 Channel AV Receiver runs $600. So, I have no more to say on the topic. I can't see any of the cables running to or from my TV, which is good enough. Out of sight, out of mind.
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While a recent post accurately related what appeared in a legitimate article, it appears that article, and hence this blog, were wrong about $2,000 checks being sent this month. I apologize if anyone's expectations were unduly raised, and trust no one spent the money before they got it.
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Having finished Slow Horses (where the final EP is one of the best EPs of this or any series and the trailer for next season, with the 5 Fs, is a hoot), and everyone else watching and applauding Death by Lightning, we decided to give Pluribus a shot. The first EP has mixed reviews. It's an intriguing premise for a dystopian, post-apocalyptic sci-fi afficionado (in a world overtaken by a mysterious wave of forced happiness, Carol Sturka, the only person immune, must uncover what's really going on - and save humanity from its own bliss). But it's a bit disjointed and confusing, and doesn't have the kind of feel we would expect from Vince Gilligan, the creator, who created, wrote, and directed Breaking Bad. Some of us might plow on, but others of us will first switch to Death by Lightning.
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Colin Cowherd's 2-hour televised podcast is the overall most informative sports commentary. Outside of Steve Young's appearance for 5 good minutes on PTI (thank you, Steve, always a pleasure), Colin's Monday interview with Tim Hasselback, starting at about 11:05 am (AZ time) on Cox Channel 31 (FS1), is the best 5 minutes of sports discussion. It's worth setting your DVR to record it. Caution: You might find yourself watching more of the show on Monday's (starting at 10 am) which focuses primarily on the weekend of football.
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A post yesterday listed 5 apps that will enable you to turn your cellphone into a burner phone. While those apps will give you a different number that will display on the receiver's phone when you call them, we did not realize, until we were alerted by a semi-reader and oft-time critic of this blog, you don't need any such app to conceal your number. We didn't realize that, just as with landlines, if you dial *67 before dialing the number you want to call, "No Caller ID" or "Unknown Name" or "Private Number" will show up on their phone. We are very grateful to have learned this and apologize for any needless effort anyone went through as a result of our being ignorant of this feature.
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Trump was asked why he had an MRI as part of his recent medical exam: "Because it's part of my physical. Getting an MRI is very standard. What, you think I shouldn't have it? Other people get them," Trump said. The reporter asked if his doctors specifically wanted imagery of his brain or heart, to which an increasingly frustrated Trump replied: "Here's what your story is: I had an MRI, the doctor said it was the best result he has ever seen as a doctor. That's it ... The result was outstanding. I have no idea what they analyzed, but whatever they analyzed they analyzed it well and they said I had as good of a result as they'd ever seen."
PS: If the physician/patient privilege is waivable by the patient just as the attorney/client privilege is by the client, if the Dems flip the house, we can look forward to an investigation of the President's health and testimony from his doctors.
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This FORSÅ classic style work lamp in steel from IKEA will brighten up your day not just because of how good looking it is, but that it cost just $40. The arm and shade are adjustable which makes it a great lamp for reading by the desk, bed, or sofa.
Pico de Gallo (scooped with a celery stalk) is a great snacking food, particularly for keeping one's weight down. The best (Casa Sanchez) is from Sprout's but a tub costs $7.49 and often it's not stocked. Fry's doesn't carry it. Safeway carries its own brand and Mexicana. The bad news is that neither is as good as Sprout's, but the good news, indeed the compelling news, is that they cost $2 less and their tubs are bigger.
Why I watched Ballad of a Small Player I don't know. Yes, I do ... it's because it stars Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton. That said, I wish I hadn't watched it. The story revolves around a high-stakes gambling addict. When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, he encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation. Or not. Not to give away anything, given the cinematography and backdrops, it makes other addiction movies like Days of Wine and Roses or Clean and Sober look like light comedies.
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Smart travelers can’t imagine flying without Flighty. The elegantly designed app pulls all kinds of data to forecast exactly how much time you’re going to spend on the ground or trapped inside a metal tube. It predicts flight delays—and explains why flights are delayed. For updates and cancellation alerts, Flighty is so fast that it often beats the airlines. The result is that people who try it become obsessed with it. There is a free version and pay versions.
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If you need or simply want to hide your cellphone number for any reason, you can buy a burner phone. Or, instead, there are free apps that give you burner phone numbers. These five free apps, which act as digital burner phones, are your best option for hiding your phone number without buying a new phone or new plan: Hushed; Burner; Call.com; Second Number; and Text Me.
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While Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, the courts, the Congress, and the so-called Democrats have all failed to stop Trump, what a hoot it would be if it turns out that a right-wing conspiratorialist from a rural town in Georgia known as MTG is the person responsible for toppling Trump. All I can say is: Go MTG!!!
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Guests rave over my potato latkes, saying they're the best they've ever tasted. I don't have the heart to tell them, I don't make them. They are from Russ & Daughters, which ship them to me and, will ship them to loyal readers as well. They are a treat for every occasion (they are a staple on my Thanksgiving menu) or for no occasion at all.
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It is impossible now to continue watching what's happening in America. The Founding Fathers would be throwing up, as would the great presidents and military heroes who preserved, protected, and defended the constitution, which Trump, enabled by the Supreme Court and unchecked by Congress, has trashed. At the same time, there are two highly acclaimed historical looks at America running now: Death by Lightning (4 EP Series on Netflix) (which dramatizes the stranger-than-fiction true story of 20th U.S. President James Garfield, and admirer Charles Guiteau, who assassinated him); and The American Revolution (6 (2H-oy) EP Series on PBS Sunday Nights) (which chronicles how 13 British colonies fought for independence and formed a new nation, through the experiences of soldiers, leaders, Loyalists, Native Americans, and African Americans).
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Besides price, one of the great benefits of buying from Amazon is the ease of returns and refunds. Amazon's prices for large TVs are as good or better than Costco or BestBuy or anyone else. But, before opting for Amazon, be sure to read carefully the return policy. Unless the item arrives DOA, and perhaps even if it does, special conditions and fees might apply given the size and weight of the item (resulting in a return shipping fee) and if the sale is through a third-party. Costco has the longest free-return period, and it's a no-question return-for-any-or-no-reason policy. BestBuy's return period is shorter than Costco's but might be otherwise okay. Some local outlets might not provide for free returns unless the item is DOA.
PS: Even smaller electronics like Apple iPads have different return/refund policies at Amazon than its every day products. Again, Costco is unbeatable on that front.
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Given its extended time to return it for any or no reason, and the pricing, you cannot go wrong buying a laptop from Costco. That said, if there are features and specs that matter to you, the selection from BestBuy and the ability to filter for brands, models, features, and specs at BestBuy is far more robust and user friendly. And while BestBuy's return for any or no reason is not nearly as long as Costco's, it at least has that safety net.
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This article explains who qualifies for the $2,000 checks (mostly by direct deposit) going out this month, when they will see them, and how to track the status of them. These payments were part of the reconciliation budget package that just passed out of Congress and signed by the President, so don't tell me Trump and the Reps don't care about people like me. Seriously, explain to me why households making $150,000 are getting these payments as the Dems folded on healthcare for the most vulnerable.
PS: On a related note that Trump is looking out for people like me, he just rolled back the tariffs on coffee, bananas, tomatoes, avocadoes, and other staples on my shopping list. I guess two adages are ringing true: elections do have consequences and it's the economy, stupid. The tragedy is that it's not so easy to rollback the damage being done to democracy by the immunity and other decisions of the Supreme Court.
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When you go online at American Airlines (and perhaps at other airlines' websites as well) to make a reservation, or check to see if the fare has been reduced on a flight you want, it might be noted that there are just "2 seats left." Do not believe that. It might actually be the case that not a single seat has yet been sold for the class of service you are looking to be in, and you can have your choice of any seat(s) in that section. The only explanation I can hypothesize is that what "seats left" means is "left at the stated price," But given that I just bought 2 tickets in any empty cabin and the site continues to say "2 seats left," that hypothesis does not seem to hold water.
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LocalSend makes transferring large pieces of data from one device to another over a Wi-Fi network a breeze. It’s perfect for family gatherings, easily recognizes other devices on the network, and works swiftly. I use it to bounce files from my phone to my PC or other devices every day. LocalSend needs to be set up on the user’s device, but after everything is in place, sending files to them will be as easy as “Open LocalSend, and tap Accept.”
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We recently advised Waymo of a instance we saw where one its cars had failed to use the appropriate turn lane. Here is what we just heard from them: "Thanks again for your feedback submission on November 5, 2025. The trust and safety of the communities in which we drive is paramount to us, and we want to assure you that we take your concerns seriously. After using the information you provided to further investigate, we looked into this case further and contacted the appropriate Waymo team members as necessary. Waymo is committed to improving mobility and road safety, and we appreciate your feedback as we work to build a safer driver. If you see something else you’d like to report, please don’t hesitate to share it with us at our website." And we believe they would treat feedback from anyone, and not just from me because I am a designated "Trusted Waymo Tester," with the same appreciation and courtesy.
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If there’s a time and a place to use compression packing cubes, it’s when you’re going carry-on-only and packing lots of layers or thicker fabrics. Not only do these BAGSMART Compression Cubes aid in organization, but the compression technology works wonders to cut down on bulk. And less bulk equals more suitcase real estate. Available from Amazon for $30.
PS: The Wirecutter's first choice for carry-on luggage is the Briggs & Riley Baseline Essential 22″ Carry-On Expandable Spinner, which has a built-in compression system. The downside is it costs $729, compared to excellent carry-on bags that cost a small fraction of that amount.
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Except for Caitlin Clark, I don't follow basketball. I never played and don't understand it. I realize the athleticism might be higher than it is in any other sport (and I don't agree with those who say golf is a close second on that score). I don't like contests where nothing often matters until there are 3 minutes to go, and then all the rules change and the way the game is played changes. Okay, that explains why you don't see NBA stuff here. But the NBA's new round-robin format with shortened periods of 2 American teams and 1 international team for their All-Star game begs for comment because it is beyond nuts. No one is going to watch or care who wins. In sharp contrast, by having a 10-man American team play a 10-man international team might not reach Ryder Cup proportions, but it would be watched and, if the players showed they cared, be watched intently and talked about incessantly. When it comes to promoting its sport, the NBA has joined the WNBA (when it left Caitlin Clark off the US Olympic team) as being tied for the title of dumbest professional sport marketeers.
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From time to time, you might come across an image, video, audio file, or a document that’s in a less popular format. That usually isn’t a problem, but when you need to upload that file, share it, or use it in an app, you could run into compatibility issues. In such instances, having a file converter app installed on your PC can be incredibly useful. And that’s exactly what the File Converter app is. It supports a wide variety of file types, so whether you want to shrink a bulky video for easy sharing, convert audio into a format your phone can play, or turn a PDF into an image, it has you covered. Once installed, you can convert files easily from the right-click context menu. It supports almost every common image, audio, video, and document format, and it even handles bulk conversions with ease. It's fast, completely free, and works entirely offline, so you don't have to rely on sketchy online tools ever again. Beyond format changes, File Converter can also help compress files on your PC. If you're working with images or videos, you'll see options like Scale 75% and Scale 25% in the right-click menu. For videos, the menu will also show Scale 720p and Scale 1080p. From there, you can select your preferred file format to convert and compress the file.
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This Life Hacker article explains what split view is on Chrome is (pretty much you can guess what it is) and how to enable it.
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Old-school advice leans on adding vinegar or lemon juice to the bucket of water for mopping the floor. They cut grease, but their acidity can dull marble, travertine, and some tile finishes. Sealants on wood and laminate can suffer too. The smell hangs around, and not in a cosy way. A gentler route uses essential oils—concentrated plant extracts such as lavender, orange, eucalyptus or bergamot—diluted in a bucket of warm water. Two to ten drops diffuse a soft scent as you mop and leave a light trace that holds for days. For further details, see this Hisgardenmaintenance article.
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1. Led by generals and a government who understood the importance of democracy, the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation were born by soldiers (many of whom paid the ultimate price) and citizens who understood what mattered. The 8 Democrats who just caved in the face of adversity and pain (of others) don't have a clue. Democracy-loving people wanted their elected representatives to stand up to Trump. Whether the Democratic Party can recover remains in serious doubt.
2. The post-cave rationale that, once the ACA enrollees see the enormous premium increases they will face, the Dems will "win" the "affordability" war and clean up in the mid-term elections. Well, then, besides being cowards, it proves the Dems were idiots because they didn't need to shut down the government and confront Trump in a losing battle to have that happen.
3. The idea that Trump can say or do anything that would bring him down is pure fantasy. He has two groups of supporters: The MAGA cultists who approve of everything he says and does; and the rest of his supporters who don't listen to and couldn't care less about anything he says or does.
4. Democrats have just taught Trump (and anyone watching) that they will fold under pressure. That’s the kind of lesson he (and anyone watching) remember.
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This article explains the four things to consider when choosing an HDMI cable: length; durability; speed; and brand.
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Waymo has now rolled out rides on Phoenix area freeways. Waymo says freeway rides will be an option in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay area. By way of an update to a previous post which noted that you could not be sure the Waymo you reserved would opt for the freeway route, the app will now show you before you opt for the ride that it will be by freeway. If you want to know when Waymo-freeway-service will be available in your area, go to the Waymo app and join the interest list.
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Sometimes a new restaurant comes along that really is different, and Mister Pio is just such a horse of a different color. Actually, it's not a horse at all, it's a bird. Its only main dish is Peruvian rotisserie chicken that’s slow-roasted over charcoal in a Josper grill after a two-day, 22-spice brine, and it does only 15 a day, so it's best to call and reserve one. They are no relation to what you get for $10 at the grocery store. This is not a bargain shopping event (e.g., $54 for a whole chicken).
