Computer News

Macrium Reflect Updated
Macrium Reflect v7.2.4859 for everything except Windows XP. v7.2.4861 for that.
Download | Release Notes

Off Topic

Amazon tech workers are calling out sick in protest over COVID-19 response
“The protest is in part a result of Amazon’s aggressive response to worker organizing. In recent weeks, Amazon has fired six workers who have called for better safety precautions during the pandemic…”No company is benefiting more than Amazon right now, the stock is hitting an all-time high, and they could have also been the hero in people’s hearts, they could have set the bar high for how you treat essential workers in the time of COVID,” she says. “I really was trying to make Amazon a better company, for my kids, and for the company I worked for for 15 years.”
I want to personally thank all the Amazon employees for their exceptionally hard work during this. Y’all have come through for me, mine, and this entire country.

The Offspring – Here Kitty Kitty
Apparently this has something to do with Tiger King which I know little about. Not sure I want to. Very cool to see The Offspring doing country though. For those who don’t know, The Offspring are a punk band that rose to popularity during the mid-90’s. They’ve a number of hits but I would say my fav is “Gone Away” followed by “The Kids Aren’t Alright” (yeah, that’s a play on The Who song). Many punkers (including several old friends of mine) take to country music. “Same three chords on a different guitar at a different speed” a buddy once said to me. “Three Chords and the Truth” brother. Anywho, I digress…

The Offspring – Gone Away

The Offspring – The Kids Aren’t Alright

The Who – The Kids Are Alright

Win10 Updated
Optional, non-security, cumulative updates for all currently supported versions. Over 2 dozen “addresses an issue” type stuff.
1903 & 1909 – April 21, 2020—KB4550945 (OS Builds 18362.815 and 18363.815)
1809 – April 21, 2020—KB4550969 (OS Build 17763.1192)

Wise Disk Cleaner 10.2.8
Meh
– Improved the function of detecting browser saved passwords and browser cookies before cleaning.
– Support NeroBurningROM2020, NeroBackItUp2020 and RealPlayer18 cleanup.
– Updated various translations.
Nero? You’re kidding right? They still make that?
Download (I use the portable version) | Release Notes

Off Topic

Ya know, I thought I had some Canadian friends out there but it turns out y’all have been holding out on me. Here I am looking for something to binge-watch and keep coming up empty. Then I hear about this TV series out of the Great White North called Letterkenny. My wife and I watched 10 episodes last night. Friggin’ hysterical. You Canucks owe me a case of Puppers Premium Lager!
Letterkenny Home Page
Wikipedia – Letterkenny (TV series)
Video contains adult language and is probably NSFW.

Win10 v2004 (May Update)
I’ve read a few reviews. IMHO it’s pretty much a yawner despite what most tech sites seem to be saying. They want the page hits ya know. Neowin has a good overview without blowing smoke:
Windows 10 version 2004 is coming – here’s what you need to know about it

Bleachbit 4
“enhancements, bug fixes, and major changes “under the hood.”
My default cleaner for Linux and one of my ancillary cleaners under Windows. Like every other cleaning app there is no reason to install this in Windows. Use the portable version.
Download & Info

Off Topic

Bored during this shut down I broke out an oldie but goodie…
My Wii. Still fun to play. I bought Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12: The Masters and I’ll go to work on that soon. Anyone else dig some of your old games out of the closet?

Ticketmaster Preparing Refund Plan for Thousands of Postponed Shows
Some people are gonna get refunds for some shows. Ticketmaster is full of excuses for delays. There has been no word on whether or not the show I have tickets for will happen.

Watch Battlestar Galactica For Free!
One of the best series you’ll ever watch. So say we all.

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Drivers 445.87
“The new Game Ready Driver provides the latest performance optimizations, profiles, and bug fixes for the Minecraft with RTX Beta. In addition, this release also provides optimal support for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered, Saints Row: The Third Remastered, and SnowRunner.”
Download | Release Notes

Intel Memory and Storage Tool
Version: 1.0.5 (Latest) Date: 4/9/2020
“The Intel Memory and Storage Tool is drive management software with a Graphical User Interface for Windows* that allows you to view current drive information, perform firmware updates, and run full diagnostic scans.”
Download & Info

VirtualBox 6.1.6
“This is a maintenance release.”
Download | Changelog

Off Topic

Ticketmaster Quietly Changes Its Refund Policy (TL;DR: You’re Screwed)
“Ticketmaster is facing ample fan scrutiny and criticism after quietly changing its refund policy to exclusively cover canceled events, instead of those that have been postponed or rescheduled.”
I’d root for someone to sue the crap out of them but would just cost me more in ticket fees in the future. Can’t someone bust this monopoly?

VLC Media Player 3.0.9.2
Fixes and improvements
Downloads: 64-bit | 32-bit | Other OS

Tor Browser 9.0.9
“This release updates Firefox to 68.7.0esr, NoScript to 11.0.23, and OpenSSL to 1.1.1f. Also, this release features important security updates to Firefox.”
Download | Release Notes

Off Topic
My German friends. I used to get schnitzel (pork) at a little place in Kirchheimbolanden. It was the size of a plate and had this fantastic gravy on it (without mushrooms). Anyone got a good recipe?

Got my record player back out

 
Combining Film Scores And Pop Rock, Wall Of Voodoo Was Not Just A One-Hit Wonder
“Fans of MTV in its earliest days might remember “Mexican Radio,” which became an underground hit in 1983 for being one of the first music videos played in heavy rotation…I think “Mexican Radio” is one of the most compelling, memorable sing-alongs ever. It is just such a wonderfully weird song.”
Agreed!

Hear is a fantastic punk-ish cover. Authority Zero – Mexican Radio

Tuesday? It’s only Tuesday? I’m not sure anymore…

Chrome Updated
“The Chrome team is delighted to announce the promotion of Chrome 81 to the stable channel for Windows, Mac and Linux…Chrome 81.0.4044.92 contains a number of fixes and improvements…This update includes 32 security fixes.”
Download | Release Info
Chrome for Android 81
“stability and performance improvements”
Download | Release Info

Firefox 75
“With today’s release, a number of improvements will help you search smarter, faster…Various security fixes”
Download | Release Notes

Start10 1.91
1/2 dozen fixes
Download | Release History

Microsoft PowerToys 0.16.1
“This is patch release to fix a few items for 0.16.”
Download & Info

Off Topic

Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers legend, dies at age 85
“One of the most distinguished and decorated players in the history of baseball, ‘Mr. Tiger’ was one of the greatest to ever wear the Olde English ‘D’,’ ” the Tigers said in a statement Monday. “The Hall of Famer has been a pillar of our organization for 67 years…In 22 seasons with the Tigers, most of them as a marvelous right fielder, Kaline played in more games and hit more homers than anyone else in club history, and he compiled a batting résumé second only to Ty Cobb’s. But while Cobb was widely reviled for his bitterness and meanness, Kaline was eminently respected for his on-field elegance and off-field graciousness.”
I don’t remember if I ever saw him play. My first memory of him was as the color commentator for the Tigers on TV. I stood behind Kalin’s Corner before a game once (in Tiger Stadium, not Comerica Park). He was widely loved and respected in Michigan. We was to all us Tigers fans, “Mr. Tiger”.
Fox Sports Detroit will have a thing at 6pm tonight for those who are able to get it.

Weekend? I dunno, my weekend seems just like the rest of my week anymore.
Watched lately:
Community on Hulu
Stephen King’s The Stand again
Tried to watch The Pillars of the Earth but lost interest despite a great cast.

Chrome & Firefox Updated
Chrome = bugfixes
Firefox = “Security fixes”

Off topic:

Adam Schlesinger, Fountains of Wayne co-founder, dead at 52 from Covid-19
“Adam Schlesinger, the co-founder of pop-rock band Fountains of Wayne and an Oscar-nominated songwriter, has died from complications related to coronavirus. He was 52.”
I was driving home and heard the news on NPR. I didn’t know anything about him except he wrote the title song for the movie That Thing You Do. I loved that movie (it didn’t hurt that Liv Tyler was at her most adorable). I love that song.
MP3 audio:

Microsoft PowerToys 0.16
“FancyZone improvements, New Utilities! Fixed over 100 issues!”
The Image Resizer tool looks cool.
Download & Info

Off Topic:

Updated “About Me” Pages
My DVD Collection
My CD Collection
My Digital Music Collection

Tucker Carlson: We understand there’s a shortage of medical masks. Stop lying to us and tell the truth
“So look, we understand there’s a shortage of masks. We understand only certain people should get them because it’s a triage moment. We get it. But stop lying to us. It makes us cynical. It divides the country. Tell the truth. We can handle it.”

RIP Joe Diffie
“Fix me up with a mannequin just remember I like blondes”
“Is it cold in here, Or is it just you”
Fantastic country artist. His hits are like a walk through the 90’s for me.
Joe Diffie made you turn up the volume
If you want his greatest hits get this one: Joe Diffie – 16 Biggest Hits. There is a newer one but they are rerecorded stuff.
Joe Diffie Wiki | Discography
So here’s to all the soldiers
Who have ever died in vain
The insane locked up in themselves
The homeless down on Main
To those who stand on empty shores
And spit against the wind
And those who wait forever
For ships that don’t come in.

My State Governor has issued a “Stay At Home ” order because too many twat-waffles either cannot understand the concept of social distancing or they don’t care about anyone but themselves.

Had a nice bike ride yesterday on the Virginia Capital Trail. Folks were out and about and staying the appropriate distances. Bathrooms along the way were closed as they should be. A couple of pics at the bottom of this article.

EMDB 3.56
Freeware movie database software. 2 updates this month
Download

MP3tag 3.01
Fixes, support for .webm
Download

Bosses Panic-Buy Spy Software to Keep Tabs on Remote Workers
“We’re watching you, it told Axos Financial Inc. employees working from home. We’re capturing your keystrokes. We’re logging the websites you visit. Every 10 minutes or so, we’re taking a screen shot.
So get to work — or face the consequences…
Employers so worried about workers’ every moves might have a bigger issue to deal with, said Sutton of software maker Teramind.
“It’s not about spying on the user,” Sutton said. “If you hired them, you should trust them. If you don’t, they have no reason to be part of the organization.””

Alcohol will not help with managing stress of self isolation, World Health Organization warns
I have Buffalo Trace and Makers Mark bourbons on my kitchen counter right now. I have in the fridge right now a 1/2 dozen high octane stouts and 5 times that many in my hutch.
WHO can go f*** itself. Perhaps if it was made in China they would be OK with it.

Pics From My Ride
Spotted a Bad Eagle (sorry for the bad quality). I’ve seen lots of animals on the trail. Almost hit a deer when I came around a corner once. He just stared at me like I had lost my mind and strutted away.

Chickahominy Riverfront Park Bridge, a rare selfie