Computer News

VMware Workstation 15.5.1 Player
Download | Release Notes

Microsoft Office Updated
A few fixes and a few new minor features.
Release Info for 365 | Release info for standard version
See MS How-To: Install Office updates

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Google’s ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans
Paywalled
“The data involved in the initiative encompasses lab results, doctor diagnoses and hospitalization records, among other categories, and amounts to a complete health history, including patient names and dates of birth….At least 150 Google employees already have access to much of the data on tens of millions of patients, according to a person familiar with the matter and the documents…Some Ascension employees have raised questions about the way the data is being collected and shared, both from a technological and ethical perspective, according to the people familiar with the project. But privacy experts said it appeared to be permissible under federal law.”

9 Drinks That Help You Sleep
“A good night’s rest is often overlooked as an important component of health.
Experts recommend that adults aged 18–60 get at least 7–9 hours of sleep each night.
Too little or too much sleep is associated with an increased risk of depression, diabetes, heart disease, and even death.
But sleeping for at least 7 full hours each night does not always come easy.
Fortunately, a variety of sleep-inducing drinks can help you catch some z’s.
Here are 9 drinks that may improve your sleep naturally.”
I would pay real money for 6 hours of uninterrupted REM sleep.

Dating Deception: When Sex Is On Our Minds, Lying Comes Naturally
“New study reveals what most of us probably already know: People will say just about anything to get laid.”
I started swearing to my god and on my mother’s grave
That I would love you to the end of time
I swore, that I would love you to the end of time

Your DNA Profile is Private? A Florida Judge Just Said Otherwise
“Last week, however, a Florida detective announced at a police convention that he had obtained a warrant to penetrate GEDmatch and search its full database of nearly one million users. Legal experts said that this appeared to be the first time a judge had approved such a warrant, and that the development could have profound implications for genetic privacy.”
Grrrrrr…

Your hatred of heart-healthy veggies could be genetic
“If certain vegetables have always made you gag, you may be more than a picky eater. Instead, you might be what scientists call a “super-taster:” a person with a genetic predisposition to taste food differently.”
If my Mom was still alive I would print this out for her!
Mom: “You’re not leaving the table until you clean your plate.”
Me: “But Mom, I’m a super-taster!”

Microsoft PowerToys Updated
Bugfixes
Download & Info (You want the PowerToysSetup.msi file towards the bottom of the page.)

Google Chrome 78.0.3904.87
2 security fixes.
Download (64-bit en-US) | All Downloads | Release Info

CrystalDiskMark 7.0.0e
This is one of the 2 SSD/Disk benchmark tools I use. There is no reason to install this. Just extract the zip and run the appropriate exe. I always run it from a different disk that the one I am benchmarking.
Download & Info | I’ve got it on my server too

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

The Chive – ‘The Breakfast Club’ will never get old… ever. (31 Photos)

Mouth cancer rates reach record high: Is oral sex to blame?
“While most cancers are on the decrease, cases of mouth cancer continue to rise at an alarming rate…According to their report, HPV causes an estimated 73 percent of oropharyngeal mouth cancers….In the US, the five-year survival rate for cancer in the oral cavity is about 57 percent. Those who live through it could have to do so without a tongue or jaw.”
A buddy of mine had part of his tongue removed because of this. He’s good now fortunately.
See: Should I get the HPV vaccine?
“All people ages 9 to 45 can get the HPV vaccine to protect against genital warts and/or different types of HPV that can cause cancer. It’s recommended that children get the vaccine at age 11 or 12, so they’re fully protected years before they become sexually active.
But regardless of your age, talk with your nurse or doctor to find out if the HPV vaccine could benefit you.”

AmazonBasics Home Keypad Safe On Sale
I bought the 1.2 back in July. The 1.52 is the best deal right now.
1.2 Cubic Feet (16% off) | 1.52 Cubic Feet (21% off) | 1.8 Cubic Feet (15% off)

Firefox 70.0.1
-Fix for an issue that caused some websites or page elements using dynamic JavaScript to fail to load. (Bug 1592136)
-Update OpenH264 video plugin for macOS 10.15 users (Bug 1587543)
-Title bar no longer shows in full screen view (Bug 1588747)
-OpenH264 video codec version bump for macOS 10.15 users (Bug 1587543)
Download (64-bit en-US) | All Downloads | Release Notes

Macrium Reflect 7.2.4523
Several fixes. Most related to rescue media.
Download | Release Notes
Thanks Arthur!

Samsung NVM Express Driver v3.2
“Enhanced security for installation”
Download & Info (I’ve got it here if you can’t get it from the download page)
The installer will not even launch on my Win10 1903 rig. So I guess the “security” is working.

Intel Wireless Bluetooth for Windows 10 v21.50.0
Several fixes including, “driver has been updated to include functional and security updates. Users should update to the latest version.”
Download | Release Notes

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Exclusive: Veterans want answers as new data shows rise in cancers over two decades of war
“Veterans saw a spike in urinary, prostate, liver and blood cancers during nearly two decades of war, and some military families now question whether their exposure to toxic environments is to blame, according to a McClatchy investigation.”
Well let’s see. I was in the Gulf War. The sky was black from burning oil wells the entire time I was there. For a month we had “burn pits” going every day. My shot record is a mile long including the anthrax vaccine and god knows what else what they actually injected us with. I remember when I was stationed in Germany we got alerted for possible emergency deployment to another continent. They lined us up and gave us 1/2 a dozen shots. Most were with the jetgun (vets you know what I’m talking about). I remember it vividly because our unit veterinarian also doubled as our medic (short on personnel because of budget cuts). At some point in the middle of this, this individual passed out face first into the gym floor. None of those shots ever made it into our shot records. Anyway, I digress.
If you’re a vet or love one you should read this.

Michigan man sentenced in toss of rock off overpass that killed vehicle passenger
I discussed this here: https://www.tweakhound.com/2017/10/24/rock-dropping-punks/
“A 19-year-old from Michigan — who was the oldest suspect in a group that threw a large rock off of an overpass, killing a man — was sentenced Tuesday to serve between 39 months and 20 years in prison, according to reports.
Kyle Anger pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after dropping a six-pound rock from an overpass in Vienna Township, about 80 miles north of Detroit, in October 2017.
Prosecutors said Anger threw the rock that smashed through a truck’s windshield and killed 32-year-old Kenneth White, who was a passenger in the car on his way home from work.”
WTF kinda sentence is that? The family of the victim is understandably upset.
“A young man was taken from a family, a loving, caring family and he was a loving, caring, compassionate person and now his son has to grow up, his daughter has to grow up…without him,” said Simpson. “Where is the fairness here? 39 months for murder…This is a great injustice. This is a slap in my face. This is a slap in my son’s face.”

The Link Between Diet, Exercise and Alzheimer’s
Paywalled
“Among healthy patients, people who made changes in nutrition and exercise showed cognitive improvements on average. People who were already experiencing some memory problems also showed cognitive improvement—if they followed at least 60% of the recommended changes.
It’s unclear whether the lifestyle changes can actually help prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease, or simply improve cognition
Here are some of the lifestyle changes that Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork Presbyterian, says might help improve your cognitive abilities, depending on your body type and medical profile. Patients should consult a doctor before taking any steps.
*Eat a half-cup of blueberries and strawberries two to three times a week.
*Eat two to three servings per week of wild fish, which are high in Omega-3 fatty acids.
*Add powdered cocoa flavanols to coffee, smoothies or skim milk.
*Practice good sleep hygiene: Sleep at least 7.5 hours a day, avoid caffeinated drinks after 1 p.m., go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, and avoid electronics, texting and email 30-45 minutes before bed.
*Exercise at least three times a week with a mix of aerobic and resistance/weight training.
*Have one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil daily.
*Cut back on sugar and carbohydrates and look for whole grains and foods with high amounts of fiber.
*Play a musical instrument.
*Learn something new, such as a foreign language.
*Minimize stress through activities like meditation.”

Microsoft PowerToys Updated
Added a batch rename utility called PowerRename.
Download & Info (You want the PowerToysSetup.msi file towards the bottom of the page.)

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 441.08
Adds support for 2 new video cards. Pretty meh release. I’m skipping it.
Download | Release Notes

Win10 Rumors
1909 on November 5th or 12th. Yep, that’s all I got.

Remove And Block GWX In Windows 7 UPDATED
A small fix.

AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.10.2 Optional
Support For CoD: Modern Warfare, The Outer Worlds, Chernobylite and a few fixed issues.
Download | Release Notes

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

The FCC is using streaming services as an excuse to raise cable rates
“The rise of streaming services could give cable companies an excuse to raise rates under a Federal Communications Commission order handed down on October 25th. The order, which comes in response to a petition by Charter, finds that AT&T’s TV Now streaming service qualifies as reasonable competition for conventional cable, opening the door to a massive deregulation in monopoly cable markets.”

Comcast Is Lobbying Against Encryption That Could Prevent it From Learning Your Browsing History
“Internet giant Comcast is lobbying U.S. lawmakers against plans to encrypt web traffic that would make it harder for internet service providers (ISPs) to determine your browsing history, according to a lobbying presentation obtained by Motherboard.
The plan, which Google intends to implement soon, would enforce the encryption of DNS data made using Chrome, meaning the sites you visit. Privacy activists have praised Google’s move. But ISPs are pushing back as part of a wider lobbying effort against encrypted DNS, according to the presentation. Technologists and activists say this encryption would make it harder for ISPs to leverage data for things such as targeted advertising, as well as block some forms of censorship by authoritarian regimes.”

Speaking Truth to Power: Reflections on My Career at Microsoft
“The future trajectory of Microsoft depends in large part on Satya’s actual commitment to his publicly professed desire to create a more diverse and humble company. One can make a case, citing the examples above, that Microsoft is making progress. But my former female colleagues who reviewed this document in advance of its publication are unconvinced. ”
Some interesting insights but using the phrase “Speaking Truth to Power” in this manner is an insult to the people and movements who actually have.
“Speaking truth to power is a non-violent political tactic, employed by dissidents against the received wisdom or propaganda of governments they regard as oppressive, authoritarian or an ideocracy. The phrase originated with a Pendle Hill pamphlet Speak Truth to Power: a Quaker Search for an Alternative to Violence, published in 1955. Speak Truth To Power is also the title of a global Human Rights initiative under the auspices of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. Practitioners who have campaigned for a more just and truthful world have included Vaclav Havel, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, the Dalai Lama and Elie Wiesel”

Alzheimer’s drug that failed early tests now dubbed effective, heads to FDA
“Those who received higher doses of aducanumab “experienced significant benefits on measures of cognition and function such as memory, orientation, and language,” the company reported. Those patients also saw benefits in daily activities, such as while they were managing their personal finances, cleaning, doing laundry, shopping, and traveling outside their homes.“

Google Chrome 78
“Chrome 78.0.3904.70 contains a number of fixes and improvements…This update includes 37 security fixes.”
Download (64-bit en-US) | All Downloads | Release Info
Chrome for Android updated too:
“stability and performance improvements…Dark theme for Chrome menus, settings, and surfaces. Find it in Settings > Themes”

Firefox 70
See: Latest Firefox Brings Privacy Protections Front and Center Letting You Track the Trackers
Download (64-bit en-US) | All Downloads | Release Notes
Related Downloads: Tails 4.0 | Tor Browser 9.0

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 440.97
Provides increased performance and the optimal gaming experience for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and The Outer Worlds.
Adds support for windowed G-SYNC for OpenGL and Vulkan-based applications
Download | Release Notes

Latest Linux Releases
MX Linux 19
Ubuntu 19.10 | Kubuntu 19.10 | Ubuntu MATE 19.10 | Xubuntu 19.10 | Ubuntu Budgie 19.10 | Lubuntu 19.10

Latest Downloads
EMDB v3.50
Intel Windows 10 Graphics DHC Drivers 26.20.100.7323
Mp3tag v2.99a

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Google Maps Just Introduced a Controversial New Feature That Drivers Will Probably Love (but Police Will Utterly Hate)
“But Waze, which is actually owned by Google, has one feature I greatly appreciate: It lets other drivers warn of the locations of road hazards and police speed traps…This week, however, Google announced the next best thing: Starting immediately, drivers will be able to report hazards, slowdowns, and speed traps right on Google Maps.”
The reason I use Waze over Google is specifically because of the fact it does tell you about speed traps and such. I’m not a speed demon and I’m not doing 100 miles an hour dodging through traffic. Anyone have a family member that used to have a police scanner at home? My Grandpa used to have one in the kitchen. He would sit there at night listening to it and drinking a PBR. I’m really tired of the Po-Po whining about this stuff.

Paul Thurrott – Windows 10 Version 1909 Review
“From a review standpoint, there’s not much to say. You’ll notice very few changes when compared to the previous version of Windows 10.”
Like I said on the 15th, “There ain’t much there there.”

Friendly reminder: Biometrics are not the best way to secure your phone
“Samsung has spent millions on making its phones more secure, and on making sure customers know about it. You’d think all that money would be enough to fend off the threat of a $2 silicone case. Apparently not…The truth is, fingerprints and other biometric authentication methods are flawed. You shouldn’t rely on them if you actually care about mobile security. PINs and passwords are much more secure — if less convenient — methods of authentication.”

Why we should ban facial recognition technology everywhere
Article links to an article by two PhD’s: What Happens When Employers Can Read Your Facial Expressions?
“Facial recognition is truly a one-of-a-kind technology — and we should treat it as such. Our faces are central to our identities, online and off, and they are difficult to hide. People look to our faces for insight into our innermost feelings and dispositions. Our faces are also easier to capture than biometricsClose X like fingerprints and DNA, which require physical contact or samples. And facial recognition technology is easy to use and accessible, ready to plug into police body cameras and other systems.
We support a wide-ranging ban on this powerful technology. But even limited prohibitions on its use in police body cams, D.M.V. databases, public housing and schools would be an important start.”
I don’t disagree with the sentiment but that genie is out of the bottle. Too bad she doesn’t look like Barbara Eden.

Alexa and Google Home abused to eavesdrop and phish passwords
“By now, the privacy threats posed by Amazon Alexa and Google Home are common knowledge. Workers for both companies routinely listen to audio of users—recordings of which can be kept forever—and the sounds the devices capture can be used in criminal trials.
Now, there’s a new concern: malicious apps developed by third parties and hosted by Amazon or Google. The threat isn’t just theoretical.”
I don’t understand why folks are using these things?

Men Exercising Before Breakfast Burn Twice The Fat And Have ‘Profound Changes’ On Health Says Study
“New research finds that men who workout before breakfast burn twice as much fat as those who exercise after. Those who workout before breakfast also enjoyed “profound changes” on their health. However, the pre-breakfast exercise routine did not translate into more weight loss.”
Can I at least have my coffee first?

Anheuser-Busch InBev accuses rival of obtaining the secret recipe for Bud Light
“Anheuser-Busch InBev has accused rival brewer Miller Coors of obtaining the secret recipes for Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, the latest shot in a long running legal dispute.
The world’s largest brewer claimed Thursday in US court documents that Miller Coors, a subsidiary of Molson Coors, has obtained the “precise recipes” for some of its most popular beers, which it considers trade secrets.”
Why would you want the recipe for that horrible beer?

After Kaga, explorers zero in on second sunken Japanese carrier from Battle of Midway
“Deep-sea explorers scouring the world’s oceans for sunken World War II ships are focusing in on debris fields deep in the Pacific, in an area where one of the most decisive battles of the time took place.
Hundreds of miles off Midway Atoll, nearly halfway between the United States and Japan, a research vessel is launching underwater robots miles into the abyss to look for warships from the famed Battle of Midway.”

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Final Trailer
Bought my tickets yesterday!

CCleaner 5.63
“Users on versions v5.57 through to v5.62 have been automatically updated to the new version to take advantage of its enhanced security and improved performance. Users will not notice any change to any of their product settings and can continue to use it as normal. Minor UI changes and bug fixes”
Download (I use portable) | Release Announcement | Forum Announcement
See also: Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall

VirtualBox 6.0.14
“This is a maintenance release.”
Download | Changelog

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Humans will not ‘migrate’ to other planets, Nobel winner says
“Humans will never migrate to a planet outside of Earth’s solar system because it would take far too long to get there…”We are talking about hundreds of millions of days using the means we have available today. We must take care of our planet, it is very beautiful and still absolutely liveable.””
I feel like we already know that?

Taco Bell recalls 2.3 million pounds of seasoned beef from restaurants in 21 states
On Monday, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced some of Taco Bell’s seasoned beef products sent to restaurants nationwide have been recalled because they “may be contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically metal shavings.”
Ha! For it to be a risk they would have to put beef in their food first. The Taco Bell’s around here barely put a trace amount in the tacos.

Win10 1809 And Under Updated
“This non-security update includes quality improvements. Key changes include:” a whole bunch of “Addresses an issue”

Win10 1909
Windows nerds parroted a guess that 1909 would be released this month. Nope, November. It’s is a boring update and I am 100% fine with that. There is a new feature that sounds interesting, “Favored CPU Core Optimization.”
I wouldn’t be in a hurry for this y’all. There ain’t much there there.
Microsoft: What’s new in Windows 10, version 1909

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Updated
“Adobe has released security updates for Adobe Acrobat and Reader for Windows and macOS. These updates address critical and  important vulnerabilities.  Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.”
Download (US) | All Downloads | Security Bulletin

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

Internet Archive releases 2,500 MS-DOS games so you can relive the ’90s
“This will be our biggest update yet, ranging from tiny recent independent productions to long-forgotten big-name releases from decades ago,”
Have at it ya old Geeks!

Deepfake videos ‘will cause worldwide chaos and pull society apart’ expert warns
“Deepfake videos are becoming increasingly easy to make, and harder than ever to detect, experts warn.
As fake videos are used to spread misinformation quickly around the world, there are fears that more effort is going into developing deepfake-generating tools than into detection.”

Readers Beware: AI Has Learned to Create Fake News Stories
“What deepfakes did for video—producing clips of famous people appearing to say and do things they never said or did—these tools could do for news, tricking people into thinking the earth is flat, global warming is a hoax or a political candidate committed a crime when he or she didn’t. While false articles are nothing new, these AI tools allow them to be generated in seconds by computer.”

Jeff Bezos’s Master Plan
“What the Amazon founder and CEO wants for his empire and himself, and what that means for the rest of us.”
Long article that is worth the read. Why? Lot’s of reason but you can start with this:
Amazon – Our Positions

Chinese anger over Hong Kong ensnared 3 big US businesses this week — and critics say they bent to Beijing
China’s business bullying jumps to new heights over tweet by NBA Rockets GM
Opinion: LeBron James undermines values he’s espoused in most disgraceful moment of career

Alzheimer’s: Scientists find the cause of evening agitation
“A new study has uncovered a biological clock circuit that may explain why people with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia can become more agitated or aggressive in the early evening.
The researchers hope that their findings will lead to new treatments that help to calm the aggressiveness and agitation that individuals with Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases commonly experience as part of a condition known as “sundowning.”
Too late to help my Dad. I hope they do find anything to actually help soon.

Former Apple employees are making a deadbolt that you unlock with your phone, and it’s backed by Walmart
Walmart. There’s a name that screams “quality”.

The Best and Worst Drivers By City
My area (Richmond) came in 10th worst. No argument there. But Detroit is the best? There is freaking no one there. In the several times I’ve been back recently the only place I see any traffic is on the highways (74/94/96) at what would be “rush hour” for them. It’s only light traffic for most of the Eastern / North Eastern seaboard.

Google Chrome 77.0.3865.120
“This update includes 8 security fixes.”
Download desktop version 32-bit or 64-bit
Chrome for Android 77.0.3865.116 was released 2 days ago.

Firefox 69.0.3
Couple of fixes.
Download 32-bit or 64-bit

Latest Drivers
AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.10.1 Optional
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers Version 21.40.2: Windows 7 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 10
Intel Wireless Bluetooth Drivers Version 21.20.0/21.40.2: Windows 7 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 10
Intel RST Drivers Version 17.7.0.1006

Stuff I bookmarked recently. Some off topic, some not:

I just saw Ghacks was sold. Lots of folks are unhappy about it.

Cambridge Analytica whistleblower: US heading in ‘same direction as China’ with online privacy
“Just because it’s not the state doesn’t mean that there isn’t harmful impacts that could come if you have one or two large companies monitoring or tracking everything you do,” he said…While Cambridge Analytica has since shut down, Wylie said the tactics it used could be deployed elsewhere, and that is why data privacy regulation needs to be dramatically enhanced. “Even if the company has dissolved, the capabilities of the company haven’t,” he said. “My real concern is what happens if China becomes the next Cambridge Analytica, what happens if North Korea becomes the next Cambridge Analytica?”

Amazon Workers May Be Watching Your Cloud Cam Home Footage
“Dozens of Amazon workers based in India and Romania review select clips captured by Cloud Cam, according to five people who have worked on the program or have direct knowledge of it.“