I started writing a note on my thoughts about “wisdom”, prompted by this submission on Hacker News. It became too long to be a note, so it made it to my blog instead. It is short, just not short enough.
philosophy thoughtsA thought came to me this morning about how would secular people from past history communicated with each other. By secular I mean the common people, not the decent-to-filthy rich kind. Did they scribbled notes? Did they even know how to scribble? Would they keep journals and, if so, what ever happened to them? Were they simply discarded, thrown into the bin? I know I kept journals at various stages of childhood. None of them survived. Nor did the many notes, and letters I wrote, and received.
Come to think, after all, all things in life truly are ephemeral.
life thoughtsThe six (the foundation, at least, as there could be more) components of an apology. The bottom line? Very few people know how to genuinely apologise.
The original article is well worth reading. I found it to be excellent.
➝ Via Kottke.
life philosophy viaMy first web browser was Mosaic, then Netscape, then Mozilla which became Firefox. Firefox became my default go-to web browser for many years. If Microsoft Windows was my OS platform of choice it would probably still be. Ever since I completely, and absolutely, moved to macOS/iOS/iPadOS, the choice has been Safari. I had had no reason to look elsewhere.
apple life techThis blog post is everlasting. Since 2018, when it was written, things have gotten worse. I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon.
tech thoughts unixWe put virtual machines inside Linux, and then we put Docker inside virtual machines, simply because nobody was able to clean up the mess that most programs, languages and their environment produce. We cover shit with blankets just not to deal with it. “Single binary” is still a HUGE selling point for Go, for example. No mess == success.
Sound on and up, please. I really liked this version of “Ozymandias”. The text is the same, it wouldn’t be “Ozymandias” otherwise. It is the spoken voice, the beat, the emphasis and cadence behind it, that drives it.
Incidentally, “Breaking Bad” (★★★★★) is really good. If you haven’t watched it yet, I strongly recommend you do.
series videos youtubeI feel bad when I come to mum’s and she offers me a beer. I buy beer for her, and by drinking one or two, it makes me feel guilty. In such case, if I gave her a 24 bottles case I, indeed, only gave her 23, or 22.
mum
Watched both “Dune” movies last night. The one from 1984 (★★★☆☆) , because it is leaving Netflix, and the one from 2021 (★★★★★) . I can’t wait for part 2 (second movie), scheduled to be released sometime on 2024.
movies“Android works to keep you safe and protect your privacy when you use apps.” That, from Google’s Android Help made me chuckle. When I think of Android many things come to mind, but “keep you safe”, and “protect your privacy”. Ha!
google rants techI am not a prude; I am far from it. Yet, I found “Foundation’s” amorous relationship scenes developing too early, too fast, and too often. Especially involving someone who is supposed to come from a planet with a repressive religious society. I mean, really?
If this isn’t toned down a little it will lose a star, or will not gain one. I mustn’t write in haste, perhaps, as I am only on the second episode.
appletv series thoughtsWatched the first episode of “Foundation” (★★★★☆) last night, on Apple TV+, and regardless the public reviews that has gotten I liked it very, very much. It gets almost five stars from me so far. If that changes, I will come, and amend.
I also re-watched “Interstellar” (★★★☆☆) which I have always found too slow, and not enough “science fictiony”, for my liking. But kid wanted to watch it, and I am a good buddy, so… yeah.
movies seriesMy cravings for Jajangmyeon were fulfilled at Korea House in Colonial. That I know of, that’s the only restaurant in the surrounding area the serves them. I am good for a week, or two. 😂
foodSmall pet peeve. People sending emails from their mobile devices, and having a signature that reads, more or less, “Sent from phone, please excuse typos and brevity”. If you are going to send, or reply to, an email, do it right. A mobile device isn’t an excuse for not paying a little bit of attention to what you are doing.
rants thoughtsWe are definitely different from the bad people in history.
The immoral fools tricked by Hitler into saluting the iron cross and casting their votes in favour of genocide, the spiritually corrupt slave traders of the colonies in Africa, the Europeans pillaging and raping (culturally and literally) the indigenous people of the “new worlds” of America, Australia, etc; the brilliant geniuses talked into developing the atom bomb, the monsters who then dropped those bombs over Japan in the name of peace.
We are definitely different from them.
The most efficient systematic slaughter of sentient beings the planet has ever seen, the complete indifference to the ecocide required for our day-to-day lives, the endless belief in infinite growth on a finite planet, the quantification of all that is sacred into mere resources and business opportunities, the utter carelessness toward the world our children will inherit. All this we manage to stand for in the name of progress and humankind’s superiority over all others.
No, we are definitely different.
We are worse.
This, from the Punkist, summarises how we—humankind—are no different at all, in the various stages of what’s considered, more or less, modern times. I slightly formatted it for legibility.
humans thoughtsDieter Rams’ good design principles are so on-point, so beautiful, so simple, so everlasting. According to Rams, good design:
How many of those Apple follows? It isn’t a trick question, think about it.
design interestingSponsoring a child is investing in humankind’s future. It can mean saving a child from abuse, neglect, or worse. For less than a tank of petrol per month one can make a big difference in a child’s life!
Children growing up in poverty begin life with acute disadvantage and face uncertain futures. Your monthly gift of $39 will give your sponsored child life-changing interventions, such as access to medical care, educational support, life skills and job training before graduation.
Please consider sponsoring a child today through Children International, a secular nonprofit.
help humans
Seven hours from now will get us to the beginning of Autumn. In Florida that doesn’t mean much. Hopefully, hopefully, temperatures will tone down a degree, or two, if we are lucky. One can only wish, and hope, right? Happy Autumnal Equinox!
interesting weatherApple new devices (iPhones 15, and Watches 9) worldwide arrival news announcement makes me happy. Beautiful people from around the world, smiles, and feelings of overall happiness make me happy.
apple techFound myself questioning, smiling, chuckling, and nodding in agreement to Joshua’s list of 100 opinions that he holds.
interesting thoughtsAs a sign that I wasn’t kidding when I said I would move from 1Password to iOS Passwords, I have now done so. This weekend I will dedicate some time, and clean my list, making sure all important stuff works and, once that’s achived, I will get rid of 1Password, and cancel my subscription.
apple cryptography techLast month’s utility (water) bill was over $200. It was $222.13, to be exact. It went up because rains had stopped, and we had to turn on the schedule for the sprinklers.
If it continues this way the decision will be whether the lawn survives, or we do. We will have to make a choice then. Poor lawn, we barely knew you!
finances lawn weather“Your NFT are actually—finally—totally worthless”, RollingStone. Don’t you say! Just one more to add to the Human Stupidity museum, right?
rants techJust as I am in love with the Japanese woodblock prints, I also love the simplicity and beauty of Japanese (and Chinese, and Korean) Sumi-e (ink wash painting).
This one above is a relatively big mural. If you look at a bigger, fuller, version (really big image!) you will see the strokes, made with a—probably huge—straw brush.
art japan“What’s going on with the WiFi? I can’t connect the iPad to it.” — “Nothing that I know off. Do you think the boy would be so happy playing a video game with friends, if there was a problem?” — “It isn’t working!” A minute later, “never mind”.
If at first you don’t succeed, you mustn’t quit! LOL.
family life techDaylight “Savings” Time sucks, and it should be abolished. For the last five days I have noticed my mornings getting darker, to the point of having to turn on the light to start the working day. It hasn’t been an easy in at all but, I would say, rather dramatic. Then early November, bam! Back one hour. Ugh!
Just LEAVE THE CLOCK ALONE!
life rantsFilm director Rian Johnson has lifted the lid on a secret in the world of product placement – Apple will not allow its kit to be used by a villainous character on screen.
“Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but – and this is very pivotal – if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera,” Johnson, whose credits include Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Looper and Knives Out, revealed in a video recorded for Vanity Fair.
Thank you, George, for spoiling a few shows and movies for me. This is something I hadn’t correlated, but now cannot miss. Ha!
apple friends george interestingIn my experience, the easiest and most difficult people to work with are those on a short countdown to retirement. Easiest because they become really agreeable, or disagreeable—but they don’t masquerade it. Difficult because they become almost impossible to get a hold of—they stop giving a duck about things.
thoughts workIt is past 22:00, and I am still awake. For reasons I can’t explain, I don’t feel sleepy at all—which is odd for a weekday. I am going to pay for this tomorrow, I am sure.
Meanwhile I have been following links up and down at wonger.dev, especially these. Lots of interesting stuff there!
random tubesI was having a weird issue in which blue heart next to the timestamp would appear off place, and quickly jump into place on page load/refresh. Took the problem over IRC (Libera.Chat) #css channel and, sure enough, hassoon and DPA found the issue, and provided a solution, in no time.
Suffice it to say, very, very grateful.
css socialI have decided to move from 1Password (for which I pay a yearly subscription) to iOS native Passwords before the year is over. The ability to share passwords with family tilted me over. I will not wait for Passwords to become an app of its own—though I am sure that’s coming—because I don’t think that should hold me back now.
apple cryptography