Computer News

Win10 1809 Updated
“This update includes quality improvements”
July 22, 2019—KB4505658 (OS Build 17763.652)

Intel Rapid Storage Technology (Intel RST) Driver
Version: 17.5.1.1021
Download | Release Notes

Nvidia Geforce Game Ready WHQL Driver 431.60
“Provides the optimal gaming experience for Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot, and Madden NFL 20
Adds support for GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GPUs
Adds support for new G-SYNC compatible monitors”
Download | Release Notes
Related: AMD exec: Nvidia fell for our double bluff
“According to Herkelman, this whole thing was a chess match, and Nvidia fell into his clever trap as planned. AMD initially bid the card high, Nvidia undercut it with the lowest price it could afford, and AMD then dropped the hammer on Nvidia with its own lowest price.”

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

Internet Explorer and Edge send the full URL of every page you visit to MS, plus your unique account ID
“It all has to do with the “SmartScreen Filter,” designed to keep you away from malicious sites.”
You three guys using those browsers should be very upset.

Never-Googlers: Web users take the ultimate step to guard their data
“Kelly is one of a hearty few who are taking the ultimate step to keep their files and online life safe from prying eyes: turning off Google entirely. That means eschewing some of the most popular services on the Web, including Gmail, Google search, Google Maps, the Chrome browser, Android mobile operating software and even YouTube…As a result, more consumers are taking measures to wrest greater control of their personal data, like deleting Facebook and its photo-sharing app Instagram. About 15 percent of U.S. households’ primary shoppers never shop on Amazon, according to Kantar ShopperScape data. Some Amazon Echo and Google voice-activated speakers have landed in the trash. And some consumers are saving photos and other personal documents to external hard drives, rather than on Google or Apple’s clouds.”
Fight the power brothers and sisters.

US attorney general William Barr says Americans should accept security risks of encryption backdoors
“The U.S. is far from alone in calling on tech companies to give law enforcement access.
Earlier this year U.K. authorities proposed a new backdoor mechanism, the so-called “ghost protocol,” which would give law enforcement access to encrypted communications as though they were part of a private conversation. Apple, Google, Microsoft and WhatsApp rejected the proposal.”
That’s a rather motley crew banding together there. They happen to be right too.

New Law Requires Children at Breweries to Remain on Leash at All Times
“Yes, your son or daughter is a superstar. He or she is indeed the king or queen of the universe,” Fredericks admitted. “But that doesn’t mean they can’t wreak havoc either. Leash laws help protect the public, the parents, and a lot of beer. It’s something we all need.”
Would it were true.

Firefox 68.0.1
Bugfixes
Download | Release Notes

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

Microsoft warns 10,000 customers they’re targeted by nation-sponsored hackers
“According to a post from Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Customer Security & Trust Tom Burt, about 84% of the attacks targeted customers that were large “enterprise” organizations such as corporations. The remaining 16% of attacks targeted consumer email accounts. Burt said some of the 10,000 customers were successfully compromised while others were only targeted, but he didn’t provide figures.
“This data demonstrates the significant extent to which nation-states continue to rely on cyberattacks as a tool to gain intelligence, influence geopolitics, or achieve other objectives,” Burt wrote.”
Gee, I wonder what “nation-states” they might be talking about?

Facebook and Google Trackers Are Showing Up on Porn Sites
“Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are always watching you — even when you’re browsing pornography websites in incognito mode.
Trackers from tech companies like Google and Facebook are logging your most personal browsing details, according to a forthcoming New Media & Society paper, which scanned 22,484 pornography websites. Where that data ultimately goes is not always clear.”
Don’t worry, they won’t tell your wife. Or will they?

Netflix subscriber drop hints at streaming service fatigue
“While people are willing to shell out for several services to meet their streaming needs, he said, they’re also willing to cancel if they’re not using it enough, just as they would with a gym membership or a subscription to the New Yorker magazine.”
Yup, whaddya do when you’ve watched all that’s worth watching?

Dropping F-Bomb Increases Pain Tolerance By A Third, Study Finds
“Can’t help but shout an expletive every time you stub your toe? Don’t feel too bad, you may actually be doing yourself a favor. A new study finds that swearing when injured has a measurable effect on pain tolerance. In fact, dropping the F-bomb specifically when in pain increases tolerance by up to 33%.”
Frackin’ A right it does.

Gym, eat, repeat: the shocking rise of muscle dysmorphia
“The idealised male body has become bigger, bulkier and harder to achieve. So what drives a generation of young men to the all-consuming, often dangerous pursuit of perfection?”
Women complain about unrealistic beauty standards and they often have a point. Guys don’t have it any easier. From the muscled up, no body fat having, hairless movie stars and athletes, to the freakishly sized, uber-muscled heroes in books, comics, and video games… First world problems I reckon.

Half of all men are ashamed of their body hair, survey suggests
“For example, nearly one-third of men surveyed (31 percent) said they’ve avoided swimming before out of embarrassment of their body hair, while another one in four (27 percent) said they’ve avoided the gym.
Startlingly, men are so unconfident in their body hair, nearly one in five feel it has had a negative impact on their sex life.”
See comment above.

Jon Stewart Ripped Into Rand Paul For Blocking A Bill To Compensate 9/11 First Responders For Their Sacrifice

Top Gun: Maverick – Official Trailer (2020)
Related: ‘Top Gun’ sequel, co-produced by China’s Tencent, appears to remove Japanese, Taiwanese flags

Star Trek: Picard | SDCC Trailer – Sir Patrick Stewart Returns

Some Win10 Versions Updated
All supported versions of Win10 updated EXCEPT 1903 and 1809.
Windows 10 Update History

AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.7.2 Optional
Support for Gear 5 Beta. A few fixes too.
Download | Release Notes

Software Updates
FinalCrypt 5.1.0
VirtualBox 6.0.10
Wireshark 3.0.3

AmazonBasics Security Safe Box, 0.5 Cubic Feet
List Price: $56.99
With Deal: $41.89
You Save: $15.10 (26%)

AmazonBasics Security Safe Box, 1.2 Cubic Feet
Was: $89.99
With Deal: $66.14 Free Shipping for Prime Members & FREE Returns
You Save: $23.85 (27%)

Google Chrome 75
Security fixes on the Desktop, “stability and performance improvements” on Android.
Download for Desktop: 32- bit or 64-bit | Download for Android

CCleaner 5.6
Falsh related updates, 2 bugfixes, and CCleaner Browser. Wait… there is a CCleaner browser…
I reckon so: Preview our faster, private and more secure browser! Hmmm…dunno…
Download (I use portable) | Release Announcement
See also: Blocking A Programs Internet Access Via The Windows Firewall

Teens Who Spend More Time on Social Media Have Increased Depression: Study
“Based on the upward social comparison, it may be that repeated exposure to idealized images lowers adolescents’ self-esteem, triggers depression, and enhances depression over time. Furthermore, heavier users of social media with depression appear to be more negatively affected by their time spent on social media, potentially by the nature of information that they select.”
#DeleteFacebook

Tomorrow Is National Hot Dog Day
Grill it, boil it, broil it. Burn it over a camp fire. Have one at the ball park or your favorite dive bar topped with canned chili.
Several food stores and truck stops are having specials. Might wanna check your local hot dog joint too.
Back when I lived in Michigan I ate Koegel brand a lot. These days I’ll do Nathans, Hebrew National, or Ball Park (beef).

Wise Disk Cleaner 10.2.3
Fixes and improvements.
Download (I use portable) | Release Notes

Mp3tag v2.97
Download | Release Notes

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

OK Google, are you listening? Tech giant’s smart speakers eavesdrop on private conversations, investigation finds
“Google’s smart speakers allow contractors for the tech giant to listen to excerpts of private conversations, including some with potentially sensitive information, according to a new investigation from a Belgian public broadcaster.”

DNA-testing service exposed thousands of customer records online
“DNA-testing service Vitagene Inc. left thousands of client health reports exposed online for years, the kind of incident that privacy advocates have warned about as gene testing has become increasingly popular.”

The FTC’s $5 billion fine for Facebook is so meaningless, it will likely leave Zuckerberg wondering what he can’t get away with
“They can fool themselves into thinking they’ve dealt sternly with Facebook, but everyone else knows better. More importantly, Zuckerberg knows better.”

Sports Teams Running out of Fans
“Each year, tens of millions of Americans pour into arenas, parks, rinks, and stadiums to see a professional sporting event in one of the four major American sports leagues — the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.
But fans are now less inclined to go to games in person. Each league saw a decline in total attendance from 2008 to 2018.”
They list the 12 teams across all major leagues with the highest drop in attendance. Not surprisingly, two of my favorite teams are in the list; the Detroit Tigers and the Washington Redskins who both suck.

Beer Has Medicinal Powers – Here Are 8 Healthy Reasons To Have A Pint Today
I’m gonna live forever!

American Red Cross Emergency NOAA Weather Radio with USB Smartphone Charger, LED Flashlight & Red Beacon
I’ve owned this for almost 3 years. It’s never let me down.
Crank Power & Solar Power / Phone Charger / AM/FM/Weather Band / Alarm Clock / Flashlight
LIMITED TIME DEAL Was: $49.99 With Deal: $37.63 You Save: $12.36 (25%)

Ultimate Windows Tweaker 4.6
Download & Info

AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.7.1 Optional
Support for 5700 Series, AMD Radeon Anti-Lag, Settings Snapshot. A few improvements too.
Download | Release Notes

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

Steve Wozniak: Get Off Facebook!!! Privacy Concerns Scare Me
“You should figure out a way to get off Facebook.”
The great and powerful Woz has spoken.
Related: Bill Gates praises Steve Jobs ability to ‘cast spells’ on people

FBI, ICE find state driver’s license photos are a gold mine for facial-recognition searches
“Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have turned state driver’s license databases into a facial-recognition gold mine, scanning through millions of Americans’ photos without their knowledge or consent, newly released documents show.”

Top VPNs secretly owned by Chinese firm
“Nearly a third of top VPNs are secretly owned by Chinese companies, while other owners are based in countries with weak or no privacy laws, potentially putting users at risk, security researchers warn…Big Brother Watch recommends that free VPNs should be avoided because they may not be secure and could track users.
“If you want to be sure your online activity stays private, make sure you choose a VPN which does not log your internet activity and online traffic,” the guidance says. “Not all VPNs are the same. Make sure you do your research before choosing a VPN.””

Weightlifting better at reducing heart fat than aerobic exercise
“In the small study, researchers determined that a certain type of heart fat, pericardial adipose tissue, was reduced in patients who did weight lifting, but not in those who worked on increasing their endurance with aerobic exercise”

New Intel Wi-Fi Drivers
Version: 21.20.0 Date: 7/2/2019
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows 7
Intel PROSet/Wireless Software and Drivers for Windows 8.1
Windows 10 Wi-Fi Drivers for Intel Wireless Adapters

How to stop your emails from being tracked
“A single tracking pixel is embedded into the email, usually (but not always) hidden within an image or a link. When the email is opened, code within the pixel sends the info back to the company’s server…There is also a simple basic step you can take to avoid trackers: stop your email from automatically loading images since images are where the majority of these pixels hide.”
You should already be doing this.

Midway (2019 Movie) Teaser Trailer

New Intel Network Adapter Drivers
Version: 24.1 Date: 6/27/2019
Windows 7 | Windows 8.1 | Windows 10 | Complete Driver Pack

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

Win10 1909 will be a Service Pack: Good news, but many unanswered questions
“Yesterday, Microsoft promised that its second version of Windows for 1909, code-named 19H2, but more consistently known as version 1909, will be a traditional Win10 1903 Service Pack 1. Hooray! What’s next?”
I’m still concentrating on 1903.

House to vote on $15 minimum wage by August
“The House will vote on the first federal minimum wage increase in over a decade this July, The Hill has confirmed
The legislation to be considered is the Raise the Wage Act backed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC). It would more than double the $7.25 minimum wage to $15 by 2024. The current minimum wage has been in place since July of 2009.
Congress actually passed that wage hike in 2007.”
“I’m strong to the finish, ’cause I eats me spinach, I’m Popeye the sailor man!”

Spinach chemical should be put on doping ban list, say researchers
“Cartoon character Popeye is known for munching endless cans of spinach to boost his strength, and new scientific research suggests he might have been onto something.”
See also: Popeye and the Great Spinach Myth

THE CULT Announces ‘Sonic Temple’ 30th-Anniversary Reissues With Bonus Tracks
The Cult – Sonic Temple 30th Anniversary 5xCD boxset
Pre-order Price: $37.49
The best album of a really good band. I’ve only got to see them live once (2008 or 2009).
30 Years Ago Today, The Cult Worshipped At The ‘Sonic Temple’
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cult
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_Temple

Sysinternals Freeware Updates
Autoruns, Process Explorer, RAMMap, and Sysmon all updated.

AMD Radeon Adrenalin 2019 Edition 19.6.3 Optional
Support for F1 2019, 1/2 dozen fixes.
Download | Release Notes

Other Software Updates
FinalCrypt 5.0.2
Mp3tag v2.96

Apple Moves Mac Pro Production to China
The $6,000 desktop computer had been the company’s only major device assembled in the U.S.
Just one more reason not to deal with that company. You suck Apple.