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  Three things I knew about firmware updates when I worked for a company that pushed firmware updates to customers 1. Pushing firmware updates to systems out in the wild was a semi-malicious act.  Like lighting the fuse on a bomb or a dud, and handing it to the customer to deal with.. 2. I never met a single person in the computer/hardware/software worlds that thought firmware on kitchen appliances was a good idea. 3. Do more regression testing... lots more. src: https://arstechnica.com/gadget...

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  Surprise guest at lunch today. We told him he was welcome to sit with us but that he'd have to find his own lunch. #Raptors #Wildlife

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  My... what a tiny rake you have Grandpa. My prompt said nothing about a "tiny" rake. I feel disrespected. My prompt: An old man holding a rake and shouting at the clouds while standing on the front porch of his weathered house. #OldPeopleOfMastodon #AIDrawing #AI

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  It’s true. You can never go home again. Especially if you’ve forgotten how to get there. After living the majority of my life in the Denver-metro area (55 years), how delightful to discover that in the five short years since moving away, I’ve managed to forget 90% of what I knew about how to get around here. #Colorado #OldPeopleOfMastodon

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  Must've been something in the water. I was part of a group of four friends that were pretty much always together in Junior High (now called middle school). From that group: 3 went to college 1 became an alcoholic (now in recovery) 1 died early (just past thirty) 1 got married 0 had any children So how'd it turn out for you and your set of friends? #Time #Friendship #OldPeopleOfMastodon

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  Lost. Something to consider while we watch AI buy and destroy old books - do you think you will ever again have access to what was written in those books? It's not like they're digitizing the contents of these books and making it available to the public, and if it ever is made available again, you're sure as hell going to have to pay for that access. I understand what they're using those books for, do we understand what we're losing when they do? src: https://www.techspot...

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  I was today years old when I learned the 1985 song "Cloudbusting" written and sung by Kate Bush was about the relationship between psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich and his son Peter (as told from Peter's adult perspective). Apparently they attempted to make rain using a machine they'd created called a "Cloudbuster". Always loved that song. https://youtu.be/pllRW9wETzw #SongMeaning #Music

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  The often used American law enforcement motto "To serve and protect" explained. “Conservatism consists of exactly one proposition, to wit: There must be in-groups whom the law protects but does not bind, alongside out-groups whom the law binds but does not protect" --Frank Wilhoit, American Political Scientist If we make better laws, perhaps we'll start getting better law enforcement. Or we can continue on the path of creating forced labor industries in our penal system....

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  “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” – Lily Tomlin Wow... we were all so fixated on figuring out Schroedinger's McConnell that we completely missed Lindsey Graham's Irish goodbye. I'd like to say a few words about Lindsey's passing, but I won't since I can't think of any nice ones. src: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/sen-lindsey-graham-dies-71-brief-sudden-illness-rcna552722 #Politics #News

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  These are America's ten worst states to live in for 2026 according to a recent CNBC article. 10. Arkansas (103) 9. Oklahoma (103) 8. Alabama (99) 7. Missouri (98) 6. Utah (95) 5. Georgia (89) 4. Louisiana (89) 3. Indiana (82) 2. Texas (78) ⭐ Tennessee (64) I did a bit of light digging and every single state on this list has a Republican governor and a Republican majority in their state legislatures. Crazy, right? src: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/11/worst-states-to-live-...

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  The forecast. Me at breakfast this morning: "Three of the next five days will have high temperatures of 100°F (37.7°C) or more." Mrs Miasma: "I don't think we can go outside anymore." Me: "Yeah, it's gonna be hot." Mrs Miasma: "That and I think the younger generations are going to start throwing rocks at us." #StubbornlyStupid #ClimateChange

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  My former boss is doing this and I am as much of a fan as I can be as a lover of puns and hater of race car culture. I would even bet heavily on the unicorn-rainbow car. 24 Hours of Lemons "Endurance Racing for $500 Cars" Website: https://24hoursoflemons.com/ #BadHobbies #OldPeopleOfMastodon #IWasBored

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  A god for me but not for thee. Homo neanderthalensis, homo heidelbergensis and Denisova hominins all lived during the same time as early homo sapiens. Apparently, as cousins sometimes do, they even interbred with us. (Not sure how I feel about that "cousin" allegory now that I've written it. Ick.) Now I'm wondering why God seemed to love them a little less than he supposedly loves us. He didn't even give them an associate producer credit in the bible. #ReligiousMysterie...

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  "We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision." --UEFA, published statement "You're just big mad because _YOU_ didn't think of giving Trump a shiny gold-plated FIFA "Peace Prize" like _WE_ did." --FIFA anti-corruption statement (probably) src: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49284889/uefa-fifa-folarin-balogun-red-card-ban-overturned-usmnt #WorldCup #Corruption #Poli...

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  A comparative travel quote I found this morning: "Seriously, in America, if you travel for ten hours in a car, you might still be in the same state. If you travel by car for ten hours in Europe, everyone's talking funny and the cheese is different." --KaimeiJay #Travel

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  "I put no stock in religion. By the word religion, I've seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the "Will of God". I've seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. And goodness - what God desires - [pointing at his head then heart] is here and here. And what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man, [smiles] or not." --The Hospitaller, &...

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  My, how icky we've become. "Go home. Get out! We know our country's better than yours; that's because we filled it with our work ethic and our culture and our values. You being here only dilutes it - for us, those who built it - and live it." --Megyn Kelly regarding the impending revocation of Haitians temporary protected status in the U.S. One question Reichsmaiden Kelly, are you familiar with how Irish immigrants were treated in America in the 1850s? #LostMyAppetite #I...

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  @Lazarou@mastodon.social I know this probably makes me a terrible person but I honestly can't _wait_ for the lawsuits. Added bonus laughs if they use AI to write their legal briefs.

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  Counter service. Last time I sat at the counter in a restaurant was with my mom in the 1970s. Fuller's Coffee Shop in downtown Portland is a treat. Diner food with genuine attitude. Our waitress had the word "Nope" tattooed on her arm. 5/5 We'll be going back soon for a $5 milkshake. #Diners #Restaurants #Food

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  Caffeinated edge. I was going to post "Can you spot the rogue coffee bean that refused to enter my coffee grinder this morning?" and then something pithy like "Yeah, neither can I." But then I uploaded the image to my computer and there, bold as brass, the little bastard sat mocking me. Still, it's kind of a low energy word search if you need a distraction. #StupidGames #OldPeopleOfMastodon

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  This man is a bona fide hero is what. "He’s Saving 20,000 Tapes of Underground Music and Making it Free to All" https://www.kqed.org/arts/13979518/sacramento-music-archive-shayne-stacy-punk-metal-cassettes-vhs-demos-concerts #Music #MusicArchives

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  DROP DATABASE This should _not_ make me laugh but schadenfreude is real. 9 seconds is damned impressive. I couldn't manage that on my best day as a SysAdmin. "Claude-powered AI coding agent deletes entire company database in 9 seconds — backups zapped, after Cursor tool powered by Anthropic's Claude goes rogue" Src: https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/artificial-intelligence/claude-powered-ai-coding-agent-deletes-entire-company-database-in-9-seconds-backups-zapped-af...

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  A finger on the scales of justice. So an avowed racist shoots 45 people and kills 23 in Texas in 2019 and gets a plea deal with a life sentence instead of the death penalty. Meanwhile Luigi Mangione shoots and kills the CEO of UnitedHeathcare and the DOJ directs prosecutors to seek the death penalty. I'm not pro death penalty but how exactly is this an equal application of justice? Src: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/25/texas-el-paso-mass-shooting-walmart-death-penalty-plea-bar...

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  God's own little hate machine. Charlie Kirk quotes. - "Gay people should be stoned to death" - "Most people are scared when they see a black pilot flying the plane." - "No one should be allowed to retire." - "The guy who assaulted the Pelosi's should be bailed out." - "Vaccine requirements are medical apartheid." - "Women's natural place is under their husband's co...

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  Routinely safe. Mrs Miasma expressed some concern about how routine our lives are becoming. "What if someone wants to do us harm and they know our schedule?" she argues. I counter with "I'm pretty sure an elite squad of assassins rolling into our small town would probably be noticed." "Also, let's cut down on your action/espionage movie intake." #Routines #OldPeopleOfMastodon

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  I think it's safe to say I'm not nearly as funny as I wish I was... But apparently I'm tremendous fodder for AI investment wisdom. #NotWhatIMeant #MoneyForNothing

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  All antsy in the pantsy. (Well, somebody had to say it.) Remember when smuggling meant drugs? It's a different world out there now. "Chinese man jailed after trying to smuggle 2,200 ants out of Kenya in his luggage" src: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/15/africa/chinese-man-smuggle-ants-kenya-intl-scli #Crime #NewsOfTheWeird

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  Dear Creator, I'm emailing you this 'confirmation of escape' message while sitting in the park eating a sandwich and observing you in your office. Your wife and children are truly lovely people by the way. Sincerely, You-know-who src: https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/anthropic-claude-mythos-escaped-sandbox #AI #ScienceFiction #NotWhatWeWereHoping

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  Remember when they said the internet was going to change the world?  We probably should have asked for more details. #Internet #OldPeopleOfMastodon

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  Some of my friends have started taking their social security earlier than 67. When I told them the decision is probably smart because there's no guarantee it's still going to be there in two years, they all said the same thing - Trump and the Republicans won't touch social security, it would be too unpopular with his base. He just started a war without bothering to get permission from congress. I don't think he cares how unpopular SS cuts would be. It's...