tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75331332024-03-18T22:05:24.273-06:00Dubious QualityBill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comBlogger10425125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-14770344518822333762024-03-18T13:54:00.001-06:002024-03-18T13:54:15.168-06:00CandidatesHere are a few of the emails I received about Thursday's post on the earliest accrual of skills after death in games/books/films.<div><br /></div><div>First, games. From Dan S, and I still remember the greatness of Ultima Underworld:</div><div><div><i>I was a programmer and designer for the (first ever) first-person 3-D RPG Ultima Underworld (1992). In the game is a "silver sapling" that acts as a resurrection point when you die (although there is an experience point penalty). You can take a seed from the sapling and plant it anywhere you like to create a new resurrection point.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>I remember thinking it was a cool mechanic (it was another developer's idea, I think) but I don't remember how novel we thought it was. I'm sure other RPGs had some sort of non-perma-death that this was just a bit of an evolution from. It was meant mostly as a checkpointing convenience and the purpose wasn't really for it to be exploited in a strategic way, although by the time we released the game we knew that it could be, since one of our playtesters found ways to abuse it during speedruns (e.g., throwing it into an inaccessible area and then committing suicide). Anyway, I don't think it really meets the criterion of "fundamental part of the game design" but maybe it's interesting history.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>The Infocom game Enchanter (1983), which some of us had played, has a "survive unnatural death" spell that you need to use appropriately to win, if that counts. I doubt it was an explicit inspiration but it was in our backgrounds.</i></div></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>From Andrew S., and this is a book reference?</div><div><i>There was a 1986 book by a fellow named Ken Grimwood called "Replay." Rather than a day cycle, the protagonist (middle aged) "dies" from a heart attack and wakes up as a college student and gets to relive his life from that point multiple times. There are some twists to it, and he meets a woman who is going through the same thing. Not a bad book actually. I suspect it's out of print now, but it looks like ABEBooks has several copies of various editions for fairly cheap.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>From Daniel W., and it's a book reference from way back:</div><div><i>Your “A Question” post triggered a memory from deep in my past. This isn’t a video game, but predates Groundhog Day by over thirty years: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_Moon">Rogue Moon</a>. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>This section of the plot summary of Rogue Moon is particularly interesting: </div><div><i>Barker is the first to retain his sanity after dying in the artifact, but even he is deeply affected, exclaiming, "...it didn't care! I was nothing to it!" He returns again and again, advancing a little farther each time.</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to all who responded!</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-52333821983166248712024-03-14T22:03:00.048-06:002024-03-14T22:03:00.241-06:00Friday Links!<p>This is a stunning surgical achievement: <a href="https://boingboing.net/2024/03/07/delhi-painter-receives-rare-double-hand-transplant.html">Delhi painter receives rare double hand transplant</a>. </p><p>From Iditarod Correspondent Meg McReynolds, and it's a doozy: <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/snow-sports/the-iditarod-is-embroiled-in-a-controversy-over-moose-guts/">The Iditarod Is Embroiled in a Controversy Over Moose Guts</a>.</p><p>From John Harwood, in honor of Pi Day: <a href="https://www.askamathematician.com/2013/12/q-how-do-we-know-that-%CF%80-never-repeats-if-we-find-enough-digits-isnt-it-possible-that-it-will-eventually-start-repeating/">How do we know that π never repeats? If we find enough digits, isn’t it possible that it will eventually start repeating?</a></p><p>From John W., and impeccable McSweeney's: <a href="https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/gen-z-beowulf">Gen Z Beowulf</a>. This is genuinely incredible: <a href="https://kottke.org/24/03/beer-me-obi-wan">Beer Me, Obi-Wan!</a>. </p><p>From C. Lee, and oh, no: <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/microsoft-engineer-begs-ftc-to-stop-copilots-offensive-image-generator-our-tests-confirm-its-a-serious-problem">Microsoft engineer begs FTC to stop Copilot's offensive image generator – Our tests confirm it's a serious problem</a>. Another failing: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/03/hackers-exploited-windows-0-day-for-6-months-after-microsoft-knew-of-it/">Hackers exploited Windows 0-day for 6 months after Microsoft knew of it</a>. Ugh: <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/ai-worm-infects-users-via-ai-enabled-email-clients-morris-ii-generative-ai-worm-steals-confidential-data-as-it-spreads">AI worm infects users via AI-enabled email clients — Morris II generative AI worm steals confidential data as it spreads</a>. The hype isn't new: <a href="https://theconversation.com/weve-been-here-before-ai-promised-humanlike-machines-in-1958-222700">We’ve been here before: AI promised humanlike machines – in 1958</a>. I don't want to live in a world without cinnamon: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/03/dont-use-these-six-cinnamon-products-fda-warns-after-concerning-lead-tests/">Don’t use these six cinnamon products, FDA warns after concerning lead tests</a>. A fascinating bit of history: <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/world-war-ii-rumor-clinics-helped-america-battle-wild-gossip-180983883/">World War II ‘Rumor Clinics’ Helped America Battle Wild Gossip</a>. In America, this would just lead to an 8-day workweek: <a href="https://www.messynessychic.com/2024/02/29/happy-new-year-its-the-year-230-according-to-the-french-republican-calendar/">How Does a 10 Day Week Sound? The French Tried It For 13 Years</a>. This is an excellent read: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68342135">The 'banned' Star Trek episode that promised a united Ireland</a>. </p><p><br /></p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-59144725807329615572024-03-14T14:49:00.002-06:002024-03-14T14:49:46.078-06:00A QuestionHall of Fame links provider C. Lee has an interesting question:<div><div><i>What was the first game to incorporate the Groundhog Day-like mechanic by which character deaths gradually let the player accrue experience/knowledge/powers that can be used in subsequent runs? I mean a game in which that mechanic of death and resurrection is explicitly </i><i>part of the game as opposed to just reloading a save.</i></div><div><br /></div></div><div>As a side note, I'm a big fan of this game mechanic.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Shiren the Wanderer </i>came out in 1995. That's the earliest example I know. He mentioned <i>Baroque </i>and <i>Planescape Torment </i>(1998 and 1999, respectively). </div><div><br /></div><div>He theorized that no games had the mechanic before the movie <i>Groundhog Day </i>(1993).</div><div><br /></div><div>In literature, there were certainly earlier examples. Perhaps the most well-known was Richard Lupoff's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12:01_P.M.">12:01 P.M.</a> (published in 1973).</div><div><br /></div><div>I've hit the wall on what I know about this, so if any of you have earlier examples, please weigh in. </div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-22922798422435024362024-03-13T09:46:00.004-06:002024-03-13T09:46:56.019-06:00'Tis the Season<p>I just drove past an inflatable leprechaun vomiting a rainbow into a plastic pool and I heartily approve. </p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-22318351121575084152024-03-12T10:48:00.000-06:002024-03-12T10:48:12.448-06:00Mom 94.0Mom was born in 1930.<div><br /></div><div>She grew up during the Great Depression. She watched Hitler rise to power (and the ex-president she says most resembles Hitler). She saw WWII. She saw the Korean War. She watched men walk on the moon. She saw the end of the Soviet Union. She saw the Berlin Wall crumble. She saw the computer revolution. She saw 9/11. She lived through the coronavirus pandemic. </div><div><br /></div><div>She raised two children(who both turned out okay), and got a Master's degree in English while she was doing so. She was a highly respected English teacher for over thirty years who had many loyal students. She has an unswerving sense of right and wrong, and never betrayed her principles. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>She is responsible for many of my good qualities, and none of my bad ones.</div></div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-58677376170073891222024-03-11T09:33:00.001-06:002024-03-11T09:33:19.200-06:00Yakuza: Like a DragonI play all the Grand Theft Auto games.<div><br /></div><div>Sure, they're violent and nihilistic, but the worldbuilding is superb, and the story is always interesting. I dig in hard for the first half, always enjoying myself, but at some point, the violence and incredibly cynical worldview wears me down. I get to 60-70% completion of the main story, then quit and watch the cut scenes on YouTube so I can find out what happened.</div><div><br /></div><div>A good experience, but conflicted.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Yakuza: Like a Dragon </i>is on Game Pass, so I downloaded it a few weeks ago. I've never played a Yakuza game. I don't know why, really, I just hadn't. I was interested in the representations of cities in Japan, though, and also the turn-based combat.</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't expect it to be a game that's superior to Grand Theft Auto in every way, but that's what I found.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two of the cities modeled were Tokyo and Osaka (prominent areas in each, not the full cities), and they were meticulously authentic. I recognized so many places. Traffic patterns were even authentic (much more vehicle traffic in Osaka than Tokyo, for example). Yokohama was the third city, but we didn't visit there, so I can't compare it to reality. It was beautiful, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>The worldbuilding is deep, and so is the story, which wouldn't have been out of place in a film. Character development is terrific. The side activities are tremendous. I ran a confections company. Played golf. Hit in batting cages. Raced go-carts. There are so many more it would take paragraphs to list them all.</div><div><br /></div><div>The combat is satisfying, and while it can get repetitive (your best moves are your best moves, generally), I still enjoyed it. Many of the enemies are wacky in the best possible way. Plus, almost no one is killed. Enemies get knocked out, then vow revenge. Only one character in my party even had a gun, and it was a special skill. Through the entire playthrough, only a handful of people died, and it was all in service of the story.</div><div><br /></div><div>Best of all, the nihilism of the GTA series was entirely absent. The main character is a decent, honorable person, and so are the people around him. It's funny (very funny, actually), and surprisingly gentle at times. It doesn't emotionally exhaust you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finishing the game took me about 70 hours, and I definitely wasn't in a hurry. There are plenty of post-game modes and activities, but I haven't started again. The end was so fulfilling that I'm not sure I want to go back.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-66244907504520331582024-03-07T23:02:00.060-06:002024-03-07T23:02:00.126-06:00Friday Links!<div>Leading off this week, a fascinating read: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/03/de-extinction-company-manages-to-generate-first-elephant-stem-cells/">Company that plans to bring back the mammoth takes a key step</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>It will get better very, very quickly: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/03/googles-genie-model-creates-interactive-2d-worlds-from-a-single-image/">Google’s Genie game maker is what happens when AI watches 30K hrs of video games</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next, an outstanding article that was scrubbed soon after publication: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20240301170542/https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a46975496/behind-f1-velvet-curtain/">Behind F1's Velvet Curtain</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>From David Gloier, and it's a terrific read: <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/mh370-search-debris-barnacles.html">The Sea Creatures That Opened a New Mystery About MH370: Could freaky barnacles do what advanced technology couldn’t — find the missing plane?</a></div><div><br /></div><div>From Wally, an iconic gas station burrito: <a href="https://www.newmexicomagazine.org/blog/post/roswell-allsups-world-famous-burrito/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=03-01-2024&mc_cid=0276d20d70">The Cult of Allsup's</a>. NASA has a tabletop RPG (attention John H.): <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/multimedia/online-activities/the-lost-universe/">The Lost Universe</a>. This is an absolutely riveting read: <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/the-wizard-of-oz-over-the-rainbow-plagiarized-1235843128/">Scandal in Oz: Was “Over the Rainbow” Plagiarized?</a> Truly the heroes we need: <a href="https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/cat-photos-replace-library-fines">A Massachusetts Library System Will Let You Pay Fines With Cat Pictures</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>From C. Lee, and this is remarkable: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/25/is-the-100-year-old-tb-vaccine-a-new-secret-weapon-against-alzheimers-dementia-bcg">Is the 100-year old TB vaccine a new weapon against Alzheimer’s?</a> Keyless cars: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2024/feb/24/smart-keys-car-crime-thieves-hi-tech-arms-race">Gone in 20 seconds: how ‘smart keys’ have fuelled a new wave of car crime</a>. More: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/24/revealed-car-industry-was-warned-keyless-vehicles-vulnerable-to-theft-a-decade-ago">Revealed: car industry was warned keyless vehicles vulnerable to theft a decade ago</a>. Some of these are bizarre: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/02/its-no-accident-these-automotive-safety-features-flopped/">It’s no accident: These automotive safety features flopped</a>. Yup: <a href="https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task">Google reneged on the monopolistic bargain</a>. Even vibrators aren't safe anymore (from malware): <a href="https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/02/vibrator-virus-steals-your-personal-information">Vibrator virus steals your personal information</a>. This is fantastic: <a href="https://www.messynessychic.com/2019/12/20/moonlight-etchings-of-the-forgotten-artist-who-taught-edward-hopper/">Moonlight Etchings of the Forgotten Artist who Taught Edward Hopper</a>. Beautiful: <a href="https://www.spoon-tamago.com/minoru-nomata/">Evolving Themes of Absence and Presence in the Paintings of Minoru Nomata</a>. This artist reminds me of The Far Side: <a href="https://mattiasa.blogspot.com/">Matthias Adolfson</a>. </div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-37911362412632725552024-03-07T13:14:00.003-06:002024-03-07T13:14:50.850-06:00It's Just Happening Sooner Than We ExpectedRemember the white-hot outrage when teachers discovered their students were using Chat-GPT to write papers? <a href="https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/03/some-teachers-are-now-using-chatgpt-to-grade-papers/">Some teachers are now using ChatGPT to grade papers</a>.<div><br /></div><div>Ahem.</div><div><br /></div><div>Very soon, students will turn in assignments they didn't write to teachers who will give them a grade they didn't determine. AI will be given a grade by AI.</div><div><br /></div><div>People who actually take the time to learn how to think will become even more valuable.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-35882172483577625832024-03-06T13:49:00.001-06:002024-03-06T13:49:39.092-06:00In ProcessI've been thinking about writing a post about my dad, or rather, a trip I took with him that has become unexpectedly memorable in the last few weeks.<div><br /></div><div>Not in a good way, to be clear.</div><div><br /></div><div>The facts of this trip, as I know them, haven't changed since 1972, when all this happened. Over time, though, different versions have emerged. Different, but still me. My memories have become a personal Rashomon.</div><div><br /></div><div>Seven years of therapy will do that in terms of interpreting memories. It also helped me understand that while the facts don't change, my understanding of the consequences of those facts changes over time as I grow.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-52311644756717477562024-03-05T13:02:00.001-06:002024-03-05T13:02:08.327-06:00A Basketball Nerd PostPlenty of people are complaining that Caitlin Clark has the all-time NCAA scoring record now instead of Pete Maravich, because Clark is playing four years and Maravich only played three.<div><br /></div><div>Comparing players of different sexes across different era is dumb. It's only happening because it helps ESPN whip their hype machine into a frenzy. It's phony.</div><div><br /></div><div>Having said that, though, let's take it seriously.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's true, Maravich played only three years. It's also true that he was a once-in-generation, legendary players. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lots of that legend was for the wrong reasons, though. </div><div><br /></div><div>He took 38 shots a game. He did score 44 points a game, but it was on 43% shooting. Those numbers were look strange in any generation, but the story behind it is even stranger. </div><div><br /></div><div>Press Maravich, Pete's dad, was the coach. He expressly built a team with no second star so there would be no dilution of his fame. Pete was the Harlem Globetrotter, and the rest of the team were the Washington Generals. </div><div><br /></div><div>In other words, the environment where Pete put up those numbers was entirely artificial. It wasn't about winning, it was about Pete getting as many shots as possible. </div><div><br /></div><div>His college film is stunning. Just to see him flying all over the court, taking ridiculous shots--plenty of which go in--is astonishing. He might have been the greatest dribbler in history. He wasn't playing as part of a team, though. He <i>was</i> the team.</div><div><br /></div><div>He was one of one, and so is Caitlin Clark. They're totally different, though. Clark has one of the quickest releases I've ever seen. She doesn't hog the ball, and she's remarkably efficient.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's an insult to both to compare them. They're both legendary and don't need to be compared to anyone.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-31694942322030870972024-03-05T12:50:00.002-06:002024-03-05T12:50:34.329-06:00It Must Be CloseThis is how I imagine Eli 22.7 wakes up every day: <a href="https://packaged-media.redd.it/vb3nawdr85mc1/pb/m2-res_452p.mp4?m=DASHPlaylist.mpd&v=1&e=1709499600&s=abaf4e90fd46e1ed74b4716a3ffe7647d19b7499#t=0">good morning.</a>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-15733926322758693962024-03-04T14:40:00.001-06:002024-03-04T14:40:00.134-06:00It Comes At You Fast<p>I talked to a realtor on Friday.</p><p>Eli 22.7 is ready to sell the house. It's not realistic to keep it, because even after he gets his doctorate, he won't be coming back to live here.</p><p>I've been winnowing down possessions for months, but I'm one person handling the stuff of three people. No matter how much progress I've made, it's still less than I wanted.</p><p>After an hour discussion with the realtor (who was excellent), we decided to list the house on April 29. She believes it will sell in less than two weeks (reasonable, for many reasons I won't list). Probably a thirty-day closing.</p><p>In other words, I'll need to be out of the house by early June.</p><p>I don't have any mixed feelings. I'll be very happy the day I lock the door and turn over the keys. It never felt quite right, and then it felt tragic after Gloria's death. </p><p>It will be a relief to leave.</p><p>There are an inconceivable number of tasks to complete between now and then, but I was going to have to do them all, anyway. This just gets it done sooner.</p><p><br /></p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-21424924774318672132024-03-01T06:42:00.003-06:002024-03-01T06:42:24.804-06:00Fixed<p> The Win 11 install link is fixed now. Sorry about that.</p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-65350210043990430342024-02-29T23:01:00.058-06:002024-03-01T06:41:55.222-06:00Friday Links!<p>Leading off this week, an excellent story about the Odysseus lander: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/02/it-turns-out-that-odysseus-landed-on-the-moon-without-any-altimetry-data/">It turns out that Odysseus landed on the Moon without any altimetry data</a>. </p><p>This is a fascinating approach: <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/google-artificial-intelligence-chess/">Google’s Chess Experiments Reveal How to Boost the Power of AI</a>. </p><p>This can come in handy: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/what-i-do-to-clean-up-a-clean-install-of-windows-11-23h2-and-edge/">Windows-as-a-nuisance: How I clean up a “clean install” of Windows 11 and Edge</a>. </p><p>From Wally, a story about publishing scams: <a href="https://writerunboxed.com/2024/02/23/coping-with-scams-suggestions-for-changing-your-mindset/">Coping With Scams: Suggestions for Changing Your Mindset</a>.</p><p>From David Gloier, and it's an amazing discovery: <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/02/22/1232694592/blinkerwall-stone-age-megastructure-hunting-underwater-baltic-sea">Scientists scanning the seafloor discover a long-lost Stone Age 'megastructure'</a> . </p><p>From C. Lee, and it's quite the oops: <a href="https://gizmodo.com/rat-dck-among-gibberish-ai-images-published-in-science-1851260727">'Rat Dck' Among Gibberish AI Images Published in Science Journal</a>. Good: <a href="https://bc.ctvnews.ca/air-canada-s-chatbot-gave-a-b-c-man-the-wrong-information-now-the-airline-has-to-pay-for-the-mistake-1.6769454">Air Canada's chatbot gave a B.C. man the wrong information. Now, the airline has to pay for the mistake</a>. Florida, retreating to the 19th century at a rapid clip: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/unvaccinated-florida-kids-exposed-to-measles-can-skip-quarantine-officials-say/">Unvaccinated Florida kids exposed to measles can skip quarantine, officials say</a>. This is also horrific: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/ala-hospital-halts-ivf-after-states-high-court-ruled-embryos-are-children/">Ala. hospital halts IVF after state’s high court ruled embryos are “children”</a>. Unusually bleak, but not without its merits: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/feb/17/no-focus-no-fights-and-a-bad-back-16-ways-technology-has-ruined-my-life-tim-dowling">No focus, no fights, and a bad back – 16 ways technology has ruined my life</a>. This is so bizarre: <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/man-just-want-dishwasher-job-110000427.html">‘Man I just want a dishwasher job’: Why are Olive Garden and FedEx forcing job applicants to endure a strange personality test that turns them into blue avatars?</a> This is promising: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/fda-approves-first-drug-to-lessen-food-allergies-before-accidental-eating/">New FDA-approved drug makes severe food allergies less life-threatening</a>. This is both shameful and stupid: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/science-fiction-authors-excluded-hugo-awards-china-rcna139134">Science fiction authors were excluded from awards for fear of offending China</a>. A thoughtful follow-up: <a href="https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/22/self-censorship/#hugos">Pluralistic: The majority of censorship is self-censorship</a>. A fascinating leak: <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15175131">An online dump of Chinese hacking documents offers a rare window into pervasive state surveillance</a>. A brilliant design: <a href="https://soranews24.com/2024/02/22/trying-out-the-revolutionary-adhesive-bandages-developed-by-a-10-year-old-japanese-girl/">Trying out the revolutionary adhesive bandages developed by a 10-year-old Japanese girl</a>. </p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-50034806702101412312024-02-29T13:12:00.000-06:002024-02-29T13:12:03.805-06:00EA and OriginalityEA put out a company-wide email yesterday to announce a 5% reduction in staff. EA also shared this email with the public, knowing it would get leaked anyway.<div><br /></div><div>In addition to the staff cuts, there was this jewel: </div><div><i>We are also sunsetting games and moving away from development of future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry. This greater focus allows us to drive creativity, accelerate innovation, and double down on our biggest opportunities — including our owned IP, sports, and massive online communities — to deliver the entertainment players want today and tomorrow. </i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>In other words, they won't continue developing new IP. Or, if they do, only rarely.</div><div><br /></div><div>What surprised me is I thought I was reading a press release from a decade ago. EA still developed original IP? Every "new" series is a retread from an old series, with the exception of Hogwarts Legacy. Outside of a handful of games they flog every year, they've been completely irrelevant to driving gaming forward for a long, long time.</div><div><br /></div><div>The enshittification of the gaming industry started when games began getting new versions as annual releases. Sports games started it, as always. Call of Duty feels like the prime mover, though. Then Bobby Kotick announced that they would just milk their main franchises. Now almost every large gaming company, particularly the publicly-held ones, operate this way. It's all annual franchises and games as a service (boy, what a misnomer).</div><div><br /></div><div>End stage capitalism: deliver as little as possible for as much as possible. Big companies in gaming are a perfect example of this now.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, it's this calcification at the top end that's allowed indie gaming to be better than ever. Even with sports games, where exclusive licenses have ruined the major players, there are games like <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2151290/Football_Coach_College_Dynasty/">Football Coach: College Dynasty</a>, which is a deep, rich experience (it's in Early Access, but is far deeper than anything else out there).</div><div><br /></div><div>EA abandoned us a long time ago, but we don't need them.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-32791559491716273812024-02-28T15:31:00.002-06:002024-02-28T15:31:32.178-06:00An All-timerI lived in Texas for many years, so I've seen crazy and downright bizarre weather on a regular basis. <div><br /></div><div>Today, though, I think I have weather's lifetime achievement award.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, it was 74F. I woke up this morning and it was 24 and snowing.</div><div><br /></div><div>50 degrees in 12 hours, roughly, plus snow and a wind chill below 10. It snowed all day, too, even though it didn't stick for more than a few hours because the ground was so warm.</div><div><br /></div><div>24 in February is far more normal up here than 74. Yesterday was the warmest day in February in 100 years.</div><div><br /></div><div>Eli 22.6 called me last week and wanted to have a short story writing contest. He said he needed to write more, and knowing I was writing one as well would make him sit down and carry it through. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know. I'm writing a book. I still work on it every day, even with a sudden side project.</div><div><br /></div><div>The story is short--only two pages--and I sent it to him today. Strong first and last lines. The rest could be much better. I'll go back after the second draft of the book is finished (in June, probably) and work on it.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-37037672608439620822024-02-27T13:20:00.001-06:002024-02-27T13:20:48.414-06:00Let's Talk About Bison<p>Not the headline you were expecting, probably.</p><p>Since I found out about my arterial blockage (still seemingly impossible, but true), I haven't eaten much red meat. I had a hamburger once that Eli made. I had pork in a dumpling in Tokyo. I had one hamburger taco in a restaurant.</p><p>That's been it for the last fifteen months. </p><p>I eat chicken sometimes, and turkey (far less convenient), but I get most of my protein from yogurt and protein shakes (and it took a long time to find a protein shake low in saturated fat).</p><p>It's an ugly hodgepodge. Extremely effective, but ugly.</p><p>I miss hamburgers, and spaghetti with meat sauce, and tacos with meat in them. Basically, it's hamburger I miss, not steak, because I ate so much of it when I was a kid.</p><p>I stumbled on a bison meat sale at the local grocery store on Sunday and took a quick look at the nutritional label. </p><p>My eyes lit up like a child in a holiday cartoon when they see Santa.</p><p>I knew bison meat was "healthy," but I had no idea how healthy. 4 oz. have only 1.5g of saturated fat, 55 mg of cholesterol, and 24g of protein.</p><p>Ground beef is roughly 7, 80, and 21 for the same quantity. That's a huge difference when I'm trying to keep saturated fat to under 10g a day. Plus, bison meat even has 50%+ less cholesterol than chicken (breast meat) and turkey.</p><p>I'm not really a "cooker," as you well know, but I decided to make a bison burger last night. And it was good! It had excellent flavor and texture, and I didn't notice the lack of fat (it's very lean meat) at all.</p><p>In many way, it's even healthier than plant-based meat because it's quite a bit lower in saturated fat. Just amazing, really.</p><p>Here's a picture of the burger:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIXsQtqNIuH9J-ghYbz-gIwG0Vet2SfeCOZr5pCxPsp2HhDWdU_KQQmjcsJ-VdbmrcNiCmwk5dX974r3fDjwhfiiuDOz7bM0UQzJd82Qcw16A3ns8iqmCwUWb8C5vjdiTz4men_EnXV7vKJ2VOUGJtKIVYga9fJKQoGpw_b8ySLHvIPYjfDWB/s4000/IMG20240226172803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIXsQtqNIuH9J-ghYbz-gIwG0Vet2SfeCOZr5pCxPsp2HhDWdU_KQQmjcsJ-VdbmrcNiCmwk5dX974r3fDjwhfiiuDOz7bM0UQzJd82Qcw16A3ns8iqmCwUWb8C5vjdiTz4men_EnXV7vKJ2VOUGJtKIVYga9fJKQoGpw_b8ySLHvIPYjfDWB/s320/IMG20240226172803.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Tonight it's Sloppy Joes, one of my favorite childhood comfort foods.</p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-84804849507026172182024-02-26T14:45:00.000-06:002024-02-26T14:45:15.701-06:00(Re)Invention<p>My mind was drifting today (to be fair, that's often its normal state), and I started thinking about artists who reinvented themselves. </p><p>Some of the biggest names in history did so, particularly in music. Elvis Presley was washed up. Nobody cared about Frank Sinatra. The Bee Gees couldn't sell a record. They'd all been hugely popular. Then, over time, crickets. </p><p>The Bee Gees, in particular, were astounding. Their 1975 album <i>Mr. Natural</i> can only be described as flaccid. Weak, full of overstuffed ballads, and lacking in originality, it limped into the top thirty in the UK (at #29), but barely broke the top 200 in the U.S. </p><p>It had been a six-year, steady decline in popularity. They were cooked. </p><p>Only thirteen months later, they release <i>Main Course. </i>It's barely exaggerating to say they sound like an entirely new band. The vocals are familiar, though far more passionate, but it's the addition of funk and soul rhythms that elevate everything (and in case you're wondering, the two big singles from that album were <i>Nights on Broadway </i>and <i>Jive Talkin'</i>). The <i>Saturday Night Fever</i> followed, which never would have happened if they hadn't radically reinvented their music. </p><p>I thought about all this because I can't imaging who would have the energy to reinvent themselves. Hell, I don't think I invented myself until about fifteen years ago, and it takes all my energy to maintain the original incarnation. Who could possibly do it again?</p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-27075661093397562712024-02-22T23:04:00.047-06:002024-02-22T23:04:00.128-06:00Friday Links!<p>This has to be the lead today. 26 feet! <a href="https://boingboing.net/2024/02/22/worlds-largest-sname.html">Video of the world's largest snake species newly discovered in the Amazon</a>. </p><p>This is an amazing story: <a href="https://boingboing.net/2024/02/22/newborn-gorilla-miracle-fort-worth-zoos-tiny-survivor-beats-the-odds.html">Newborn gorilla miracle: Fort Worth Zoo's tiny survivor beats the odds</a>. </p><p>From Wally, and it's an excellent read: <a href="https://www.luxeat.com/blog/confessions-of-a-michelin-inspector/">Confessions of a Michelin Inspector</a> . These pictures are stunning: <a href="https://downeast.com/features/smoke-on-the-water/">Sea Smoke: Maine’s Most Photogenic Winter Phenomenon</a>. A fascinating read: <a href="https://www.saveur.com/culture/anabaptist-sorghum-harvest/">The Anabaptist Community Taught Me Everything I Know About Sorghum Syrup</a>. </p><p>From C. Lee, and I'd never heard about this: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/24067997/robots-txt-ai-text-file-web-crawlers-spiders">The text file that runs the internet</a>. This is reprehensible, and it will never stop: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/24065145/ai-obituary-spam-generative-clickbait">The unsettling scourge of obituary spam</a>. Disturbing: <a href="https://gizmodo.com/your-ai-girlfriend-is-a-data-harvesting-horror-show-1851253284">Your AI Girlfriend Is a Data-Harvesting Horror Show</a>. We could use many more options to extend the life of what we buy: <a href="http://koreabizwire.com/seouls-seongdong-district-revives-tradition-with-popular-mobile-repair-service-for-knives-and-umbrellas/272418">Seoul’s Seongdong District Revives Tradition with Popular Mobile Repair Service for Knives and Umbrellas</a>. Delicate repairs: <a href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/2093055/">Doll Revival</a>. This was inevitable: <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/wi-fi-jamming-to-knock-out-cameras-suspected-in-nine-minnesota-burglaries-smart-security-systems-vulnerable-as-tech-becomes-cheaper-and-easier-to-acquire">Wi-Fi jamming to knock out cameras suspected in nine Minnesota burglaries -- smart security systems vulnerable as tech becomes cheaper and easier to acquire</a>. This is phenomenal: <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/first-viking-woman-america">The First Viking Woman to Sail to America Was a Legendary Traveler</a>. A legendary takedown (scroll down): <a href="https://mcmansionhell.com/">we’ve found it folks: mcmansion heaven</a>. I saw a guy in a full Evel Knievel outfit in the Nashville airport once: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Costco/comments/1an08ut/didnt_expect_to_run_into_elvis_at_costco_las_vegas/">Didn't expect to run into Elvis at Costco (Las Vegas)</a>. </p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-84291248398392933832024-02-22T15:58:00.001-06:002024-02-22T15:58:37.904-06:00RedditReddit disclosed some information in its IPO filing that blew my mind.<div><br /></div><div>Revenue in 2023 was $804 million, up 20 percent from 2022.</div><div><br /></div><div>The CEO and COO were paid $286 million combined.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've never heard of a company that pays 35% of its revenue to its top two executives.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone is salivating over this IPO. I'm on Reddit at least an hour a day, and certain groups are outstanding. Buying stock in the company was something I considered.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not after this, though. What a dumpster fire.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-50482509974319496242024-02-21T16:10:00.000-06:002024-02-21T16:10:23.647-06:00Pictures!I saw today that a few pictures I wanted to post from the infamous Mexico trip had somehow gotten lost in the shuffle. <div><br /></div><div>Here's a shirt I would have absolutely purchased if it had been available for anyone larger than a 10-year-old:<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8lrl7WcbeLdlU8ZYeYYHXSl73XIen-XsD8JcX3tui_VX5VXs9-7t16dIRAad87f2Rz_yDKwyvMYRmtauEpYYKQSusy8Cn03T0_IbsctnkoShJUvUUfxL7ekNO_iTTOF2eYlPNzwB9v3V6UQl9Zl-60SciWVNJGcK1KknrorFffD1-Z0uc93P/s4000/IMG20240126121011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8lrl7WcbeLdlU8ZYeYYHXSl73XIen-XsD8JcX3tui_VX5VXs9-7t16dIRAad87f2Rz_yDKwyvMYRmtauEpYYKQSusy8Cn03T0_IbsctnkoShJUvUUfxL7ekNO_iTTOF2eYlPNzwB9v3V6UQl9Zl-60SciWVNJGcK1KknrorFffD1-Z0uc93P/s320/IMG20240126121011.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A bullfighting ring was less than a mile away. If we'd stayed for the original duration, we could have gone to the bullfights the day before we left. I don't think I could have stomached it, though, even though seeing a bullfight was on my bucket list for years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcHKhJJmaA4W79ZREh2rubeuv8w5b4d6mhh1kXoiNkAh41HtKDodHpxjb6r0q0lPRhqQkhaoqmWHNOBYX8KiH9wMkxGhoc3l0fHGVsg2yDxhNT6bIfIBvz21LWL-JaFSc6SwesFRYY_970iuIem78_98FA9WPKtunToorfQah17zBYIY14Sc1/s4000/IMG20240126132843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcHKhJJmaA4W79ZREh2rubeuv8w5b4d6mhh1kXoiNkAh41HtKDodHpxjb6r0q0lPRhqQkhaoqmWHNOBYX8KiH9wMkxGhoc3l0fHGVsg2yDxhNT6bIfIBvz21LWL-JaFSc6SwesFRYY_970iuIem78_98FA9WPKtunToorfQah17zBYIY14Sc1/s320/IMG20240126132843.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To call this sewing machine venerable would be understating the case. It looks like it came from the 1950s, at the earliest, and possibly much sooner than then:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5XT4KzrKKNnV2ms3JTbObSKT9IyKZHH313lzqjZcbx_Yr5ZfdliJYwPiToj8N-KadjSM0Wmf-wdyEbjyJpfN_jjBNda6UdDX3H5uInhojug82MWzvsqs9cWYIo0hqmHZlp6QOeRk-HOTNqgA1Uxv1FTfTMOLDzsQrKnf29w7CphhwW9C45q1/s4000/IMG20240126173725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5XT4KzrKKNnV2ms3JTbObSKT9IyKZHH313lzqjZcbx_Yr5ZfdliJYwPiToj8N-KadjSM0Wmf-wdyEbjyJpfN_jjBNda6UdDX3H5uInhojug82MWzvsqs9cWYIo0hqmHZlp6QOeRk-HOTNqgA1Uxv1FTfTMOLDzsQrKnf29w7CphhwW9C45q1/s320/IMG20240126173725.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This was a mural on the wall of the restaurant where we spent our last evening. The food was only average, but the mural was exceptional:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7ad3ZPEQDPCcwBy6u4rVd4vidNmeVXC8WY1ZyYTKna-hbdTnEB-8q2_ssR6tTN22wDvXA0JMpQJ72TkKp0v55DGqkUs6tog5gKwBw73_NzOj7s7OxjN4UA2IhMtE4isNXCxU5aMbH_66D1IyDe_2kUH4amuIGzSG1dHy0K6V8rqif00cW3kR/s4000/IMG20240126181200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7ad3ZPEQDPCcwBy6u4rVd4vidNmeVXC8WY1ZyYTKna-hbdTnEB-8q2_ssR6tTN22wDvXA0JMpQJ72TkKp0v55DGqkUs6tog5gKwBw73_NzOj7s7OxjN4UA2IhMtE4isNXCxU5aMbH_66D1IyDe_2kUH4amuIGzSG1dHy0K6V8rqif00cW3kR/s320/IMG20240126181200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-46492557957694501082024-02-20T12:57:00.003-06:002024-02-20T12:57:50.650-06:00The Paranoid Style in American Politics<p>"The Paranoid Style in American Politics" is written by Richard Hofstadter and published in Harper's Magazine. It uncannily describes someone who must not be named: <br /><i>...the paranoid is a militant leader. He does not see social conflict as something to be mediated and compromised, in the manner of the working politician. Since what is at stake is always a conflict between absolute good and absolute evil, what is necessary is not compromise but the will to fight things out to a finish. Since the enemy is thought of as being totally evil and totally unappeasable, he must be totally eliminated—if not from the world, at least from the theatre of operations to which the paranoid directs his attention. </i></p><p><i>...Norman Cohn believed he found a persistent psychic complex that corresponds broadly with what I have been considering—a style made up of certain preoccupations and fantasies: “the megalomaniac view of oneself as the Elect, wholly good, abominably persecuted, yet assured of ultimate triumph; the attribution of gigantic and demonic powers to the adversary; the refusal to accept the ineluctable limitations and imperfections of human existence, such as transience, dissention, conflict, fallibility whether intellectual or moral; the obsession with inerrable prophecies . . . systematized misinterpretations, always gross and often grotesque.”</i></p><p>It would be hard to describe him more perfectly, and the entire article is a thoughtful historical tour through paranoia in American politics.</p><p>It was published in 1964.</p><p>In other words, this is nothing new. Worse, perhaps, but not new. The imaginary villains are replaced with others, but the style never changes.</p><p>Here's the article (it's considered a classic): <a href="https://harpers.org/archive/1964/11/the-paranoid-style-in-american-politics/">The Paranoid Style in American Politics</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-18696375136406311122024-02-19T17:18:00.001-06:002024-02-19T17:18:29.457-06:00KeyboardI wound up ordering a refurbished, genuine Microsoft Type Keyboard for my aging Surface Pro. It works like it should.<div><br />I returned the knock-off. It did many things well, but as with many knock-offs, there was an Uncanny Valley effect where it was so close to being authentic that the few differences were jarring. Needing to charge it, for one. The slightly greater effort needed to press the keys. It was slightly louder, and ever-so-slightly wider, and two functions were on different keys. </div><div><br /></div><div>For most things, the knock-off that's 40% cheaper is fine. For what really matters, though, knock-offs just remind you of what you don't have.</div><div><br /></div><div>People can be like this, too, but that's another subject for another day.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-64967910549019417602024-02-15T23:05:00.049-06:002024-02-15T23:05:00.125-06:00Friday Links!Leading off this week, a fascinating read: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/a-new-look-at-our-linguistic-roots/">A new look at our linguistic roots</a>. <div><br /></div><div>From Meg McReynolds, and as I can't eat cheese anymore, I'm less concerned: <a href="https://www.vox.com/down-to-earth/2024/2/10/24065277/cheese-extinction-camembert-brie-mold">Beware: A cheese crisis looms</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>From Wally, and it's quite the read: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/12/us/king-cakes-mardi-gras-new-orleans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.U00.KkFS.43Ns1GoAlCEx&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare">It’s Mardi Gras. Welcome to The King Cake Drive-Thru.</a> A deep dive: <a href="https://darkworldsquarterly.gwthomas.org/bronze-age-robots-1970s/">Bronze Age Robots! 1970s</a>. A very cool cartoon: <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416137-tom-gauld-on-the-journey-to-a-magma-chamber/">Tom Gauld on the journey to a magma chamber</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>From C. Lee, and a true legend, the creator of the Suikoden series, passed away this week: <a href="https://www.gematsu.com/2024/02/suikoden-creator-yoshitaka-murayama-dies">Suikoden creator Yoshitaka Murayama dies</a>. Unbelievable: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/02/cable-tv-companies-tell-fcc-early-termination-fees-are-good-actually/">Cable TV companies tell FCC: Early termination fees are good, actually</a>. Amazing detective work: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/02/we-may-now-know-whos-behind-the-lead-tainted-cinnamon-in-toddler-fruit-pouches/">We may now know who’s behind the lead-tainted cinnamon in toddler fruit pouches</a>. Uh-oh: <a href="https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/youtuber-breaks-bitlocker-encryption-in-less-than-43-seconds-with-sub-dollar10-raspberry-pi-pico">BitLocker encryption broken in 43 seconds with sub-$10 Raspberry Pi Pico — key can be sniffed when using an external TPM</a>. This is uncommon: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/02/critical-vulnerability-affecting-most-linux-distros-allows-for-bootkits/">Critical vulnerability affecting most Linux distros allows for bootkits</a>. Seems reasonable: <a href="https://www.twz.com/military-flight-instructors-most-important-lesson-student-pilots-will-try-to-kill-you">Military Flight Instructor’s Most Important Lesson: Student Pilots Will Try To Kill You</a>. An excellent read: <a href="https://www.twz.com/water-filled-missiles-silo-problems-behind-china-purge-report">Water-Filled Missiles, Silo Problems Behind China Purge: Report</a>. Terrifying: <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Yang-Hengjun-s-death-sentence-shows-power-of-China-s-secret-service">Yang Hengjun's death sentence shows power of China's secret service</a>. A fascinating bit of history: <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/millennia-after-leonidas-made-his-last-stand-at-thermopylae-a-ragtag-band-of-saboteurs-thwarted-the-axis-powers-in-the-same-narrow-pass-180983705/">Millennia After Leonidas Made His Last Stand at Thermopylae, a Ragtag Band of Saboteurs Thwarted the Axis Powers in the Same Narrow Pass</a>. A deep dive into watches: <a href="https://sabukaru.online/articles/smartwatches-before-the-smartwatch">SMARTWATCHES BEFORE THE SMARTWATCH - HOW JAPAN REDEFINED THE WRISTWATCH</a>. </div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7533133.post-29451488114890036262024-02-15T19:40:00.003-06:002024-02-15T19:40:26.343-06:00Keyboard (2109-2024)I have an ancient Microsoft Surface Pro that I use for editing. It's what I always use for editing, and it's seen me through year after year work. <div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, the "n" key on the detachable keyboard stopped working.</div><div><br /></div><div>Understandable, really. The Type Cover keyboard on the Surface Pro is quite flimsy, but it feels fantastic, it's not loud, and can I can type at high speed, so it's perfect for me.</div><div><br /></div><div>You'd think replacing a detachable keyboard would be easy. I just hopped onto Amazon, found a compatible model, and ordered it for delivery today.</div><div><br /></div><div>EXCEPT</div><div><br /></div><div>With every product now, Amazon has dozens of knock-offs listed as well. Most of them work, but it's often different enough to screw you up. In this case, I have to charge this new keyboard for reasons unknown before I can actually attach it to the Surface Pro. </div><div><br /></div><div>The old keyboard didn't need charging, so I'm baffled. I only discovered it needed charging after a long, stupid troubleshooting process, because the instruction page was wedged into the packaging and I didn't see it until a few minutes ago. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a long-winded way of explaining why I'm not talking about cemeteries in San Cristobal today, or the 5" of snow we got out of nowhere this morning, or anything else, either.</div>Bill Harrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16384657369531759581noreply@blogger.com