Let the House Hunters International marathon start… now! 📺
The feeling I get when I pull out my identification in advance at Total Wine & More, when buying beer for mum, anticipating I will be asked for it, and when getting to the cashier she says “Oh, you are fine” after trying to show it to her. 😩
Kim laughed at me, of course.
I subscribe to the Areopagus, and if you like to learn about many different things, you should too. I have been meaning to mention their “Volume LIX”, and how much I liked it for some time and, well, here I am.
There is an old story about the King of Persia or, in some versions, the Sultan of Baghdad. In all cases it runs thusly; that this great lord, who was an enlightened ruler, wanted to know if there was anything he could say which would always be true, whenever and wherever it was spoken. So he gathered the wisest men in the land, calling poets and sages and philosophers from far and wide, to help him find an answer. They formed a great congregation and conferred for weeks on end until, eventually, they had agreed upon the solution to the king’s problem – they had a found a sentence which would always be true:
This too shall pass.
The entire volume is wholly filled with interesting stories revolving around that simple, yet everlasting, truth. It truly is worth reading.
You can tell I am feeling nostalgic. Maybe it is the rain, that falls constantly, and gently. Maybe it is the feeling that time is steadily slipping through my fingers.
My very first access to the Internet was via Prodigy. Then CompuServe, eWorld, and Holonet. Finally The Microsoft Network, AOL, and broadband providers (wich I use till today).
Went to mum’s to have coffee. I do this whenever I have time, because I like spending time with her, not so much for the coffee. That’s just a bonus. Of course, soon after I arrive I get this…
It never fails! Yes, I order it with extra whipped cream. And yes, it will never be enough of it. “Did you ask for extra whipped cream?” — “Yes, I did.” — “It doesn’t look like having anything extra at all!” 🤦♂️
“I can’t remember the name of the first girl I had a crush on in kindergarten. Can’t remember the name of my first love!”, I tell my partner. “Good, you should only remember me!”, she replies, half-kidding. “It’s not about the girl, silly Horse. It is about my memories fading away.”
Growing old isn’t fun. 😩
Where there is smoke, there is fire. Little sparks are starting to flare out on Clarence Thomas. There must be more transparency, Justices are not above the law.
“Justice Clarence Thomas disclosed Thursday that Republican megadonor Harlan Crow paid for private jet trips for Thomas in 2022 to attend a speech in Texas and a vacation at Crow’s luxurious New York estate, as ethics questions continue to rock the Supreme Court.”
But Clarence is not alone. Samuel Alito has also shed some light.
Having anyone from either side (Democrat, or Republican) covering expenses, or otherwise doing anything with the purpose of gaining favour, or swaying a Justice should be considered illegal, unethical, and disqualifying.
This dilemma came to mind. Should I enjoy an uninterrupted weekend (well, I still must fold clothes, but that’s unavoidable, unless I find a wish granting genie), or should I use tomorrow to mow the lawn, and forget about it for the entire next week?
If I were to find a wish granting genie, then I will ask more than having the clothes folded, but also to mow the lawn. If you are reading this, genie, don’t cross my path! You already know what awaits…
My weekend starts in around 45 minutes from now. Work closing for game day, taking tomorrow off, and then Saturday, Sunday, and Labour Day Monday! Ohhhh yeaaaah!
As someone with a few Indian friends, I have always been puzzled by the concept of caste that exists in India. My Indian friends, however, are not prone to talk about it. Yet, all of them are of a high caste, and none are Dalit or OBC. This prompted this note.
➝ Via Hacker News.
Barely a little rain, brought to us compliments of Idalia, and power goes off. Granted, only for a few minutes, but why?! What kind of third world country—or Banana Republic—is this state?
Update: 24 Jun 2025 @ 17:14:13
As if it heard me, now Idalia’s outer edge is giving us quite a show, downpouring with winds. It is kind of odd to see and hear a storm without any lighting. Thunderstorms are a brand around here, but rains brought by hurricanes come with few lightings, and thunders. Just more wind.
Sooo sleepy! Alarm set to 12:55, will power nap during lunch because I don’t know if I will, otherwise, be able to make it. Mental note, do not take allergies medicines after 18:00, but at noon instead.
This is quasi-horror story of a spouse the got a medical bill for her deceased husband, a year after she had paid the final bill—or so she thought. The takeaway:
“In the United States, medical bills and insurance statements create a burdensome puzzle for patients to sort through to determine what is actually owed. The first rule of thumb is: “Don’t pay the bill before you’ve gotten the EOB,” which is the insurer’s accounting of what you owe and what the insurer will pay.”
I found this phrase from Frank Herbert’s “Dune” posted on the Fediverse by MrBadger42 to be, perhaps, perennially true.
“Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.”
A co-worker of mine reply when I told him I disliked our current enterprise web font, Gotham (yes, I am into fonts this week; it won’t last, I promise!): “It is a matter of taste, and yours is undisputable.” :rolling_on_the_floor_laughing:
While on the topic of fonts, I have to say that the Open Sans Pro font is extremely legible. It truly makes it a pleasurable reading experience, on sites using it. It is also open sourced.
On iOS 17 Public Beta 5 right now. Each beta has been getting better, so I don’t expect this one to be any different. I am all for surprises, though! 😂
This world that we, the smartest animals in the kingdom, call ours will be inherited by all the lesser animals we mistreat (or, at the very least, ignore) today. Then, and only then, Earth will heal.
Avenir Next is such an easy to read font! I wish it was decently priced, available to use on the web, and not ridiculously expensive as it is today.
This blog post, “We’re All Just Temporarily Abled”, from Jim Nielsen, pairs suitably with my previous train of thought. The older I get, the more often I find myself philosophising.
From Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective:
“‘You see this goblet?’ asks Achaan Chaa, the Thai meditation master. ‘For me this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; I drink out of it. It holds my water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on the shelf and the wind knocks it over or my elbow brushes it off the table and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.’”
Also, from The Wise Heart:
“One day Ajahn Chah held up a beautiful Chinese tea cup, ‘To me this cup is already broken. Because I know its fate, I can enjoy it fully here and now. And when it’s gone, it’s gone.’ When we understand the truth of uncertainty and relax, we become free.”
And, from Marcus Aurelius, Meditations:
“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly.”
Naomi Wu is my new hero. This video converted me to her.
Life is a loop. The known universe is a loop. Everything is a do while loop. Thus, everything is a program in an enormously big computer.
We survived the weekend, alone, without the boy. Now onto the working week. Got to mow the wilderness that is our backyard, this week. Soon after I will have to do the same for the front. It never ends!
Chetan Kunte updated his page! Chetan’s site is one of the few I, almost religiously, check each day for new content.
This is the second, or third time I receive this email. It shows how to make it to my blocklist in one single step.
I’m afraid this is my last email to you about my suggestions for Data Flow (gasp!). I haven’t heard back from you yet and this must mean one of three things:
- You are happy with your current lead volume, CPL, and conversion rates.
- You’ve been too busy with deadlines/meetings/tap-dance classes but you’re interested (It’s not too late!)
- You’ve fallen and you can’t get up. Let me know if that’s the case, I’ll send help!
Please let me know - I’m worried!
Emails with a “friendly reminder” phrase in it irk me. Especially those requesting feedback—over, and over—for a service rendered. I know they are automated, but there is always a human behind them.
Boy is leaving for a week to the Keys before classes start again. Here comes a week of worries.
There has been eight 007s throughout the years. While going through my thoughts yesterday it struck weird that they all like it “shaken, not stirred”, are desired by women, are virtually un-killable, etc. Was that an MI6 requirement? 😂
The “Unknown unknowns”—things we don’t know we don’t know—have always fascinated me.
The former Attorney General is a discreet man.
“Discretion” is a complicated word. It can imply discernment, restraint and sober judgment, for example. It’s also a wonderful euphemism for covering up wrongdoing. And William Barr is a discreet man. — Bloomberg
After coming across “Vocal Fry: what it is, who does it, and why people hate it!” at Claud’s I cannot not notice it on just about any female newscaster.
➝ Via @claudrod.
Conduit is the easiest, fastest, leanest way to run a Matrix server. A single binary, and a small configuration file. Can’t beat that!
Update: 24 Jun 2025 @ 17:14:13
Or, as George pointed out, docker compose up.
Feeling rather meh. One of those things that happen after taking a long break, or after taking a short one. Or just simply meh.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has no problems selling you a Postal Money Order. It will take your cash—or debit card—gladly. Now, try cashing one in, and you will be stumped: they carry no money to exchange for the Money Order. To cash it in you will need to deposit it on your bank. In other words, avoid them. This isn’t fully accurate.
My four days long weekend is over. Where did the time go?! The relativity of time is truly annoying. 😩
My Personal Identifiable Information (PII) leaked (unauthorized third parties were likely able to access and download full names, Social Security numbers, policy/account numbers, dates of birth, and addresses, among other), again, compliments of SaaS. This time it was “MOVEit Transfer”, which Corebridge (one of my retirement accounts financial institutions) uses.
This CVE provides details of the vulnerability that was exploited. Links within that page explains it further.
Duuuuuuuck! 🤬 Initial fraud alert—1 year—placed on the three major credit bureaus.
Update: 24 Jun 2025 @ 17:14:13
Partner is also receiving the same notification I got, today. The impact of the breach goes beyond Corebridge. Maybe you are affected too!
“Well, birthdays are merely symbolic of how another year has gone by and how little we’ve grown. No matter how desperate we are that someday a better self will emerge, with each flicker of the candles on the cake, we know it’s not to be, that for the rest of our sad, wretched, pathetic lives, this is who we are to the bitter end. Inevitably, irrevocably; happy birthday? No such thing.”
Update: 24 Jun 2025 @ 17:14:13
The above from one of “Seinfeld” episodes.
Based on what I have seeing of the gameplay and the looks, I have absolutely no interest, nor desire to play, Baldur’s Gate 3. Almost died of boredom! I will pass, 100%.