INTERESTING: I believe that ESP / PSI  —  parapsychology — exists

Monday, July 21, 2025

https://www.boredpanda.com/things-science-cant-explain/

Curiosities, Science & Technology
Jul 13, 2025
“Accurate Premonitions”: 35 Things That Still Stump Scientists Interview With Expert
Austeja Zokaite and Rugilė Žemaitytė

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Scientists have done a lot of good for our society that we should forever be grateful for, like generating enough knowledge to invent vaccines, electricity, the camera, and the Internet, among other things. They also help us answer important questions, such as who our ancestors were, why it rains, and how we can see colors. However, some things still baffle scientists, ranging from mundane ones like why we yawn to more complex ones like what’s inside a black hole. 

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In the simplest way possible, quantum entanglement is a kind of relationship between two particles that makes them connected even when they are separated by billions of light-years. A change in one instantly influences the other, no matter how far apart they are. Talk about one seriously long-distance relationship.

*** and ***

This odd connection seemingly breaks a fundamental law of the universe. Albert Einstein even famously called this phenomenon “spooky action at a distance.”

Not so long ago, in 2022, the Nobel Prize in physics recognized three scientists who made groundbreaking contributions in understanding this most mysterious natural phenomenon, quantum entanglement.

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I’ve heard “time” described as a river.  And, where it “bends” like a horseshoe, sometimes people can “see across the bend”.  

I believe that ESP / PSI  —  parapsychology  — exists.  (Faith = belief without evidence?)

Discipline concerned with investigating events that cannot be accounted for by natural law and knowledge that cannot have been obtained through the usual sensory abilities. Parapsychology studies the cognitive phenomena often called extrasensory perception, in which a person acquires knowledge of other people’s thoughts or of future events through channels apparently beyond the five senses. 

I believe this because my sainted wife Evlyn had some sort of gift / curse of clairvoyance, and precognition.  (1) When she was young, she was always very lucky at carnival games, especially if there was a ball or a wheel involved.  She played strange names or numbers with no rhyme, reason, or pattern. When she’d win against all reasonable expectations, she’d explain that “she just saw the winner”.  (2) When I was going to go o a business trip, she was very melancholy, which was very unlike her.  She was weeping, had no explanation why, and insisted that I go on this trip  — it was important to my career.  The next morning I was sent home because her father had passed away that night.  Sigh!  (3) She was incredibly intuitive with people and always drew them into “friendship” even when there was little in common,

As I read the list of “unexplained unexplanables” I felt there has to be a reason.


TECHNOLOGY: 16 Ways to Use Your AirTags

Sunday, July 20, 2025

https://www.makeuseof.com/genius-ways-to-use-airtags/?utm_source=MUO-NL

16 Genius Ways to Use Your AirTags (That Aren’t Just for Keys)
By Jack Mitchell
Published 2 days ago

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-07-10>>

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Track Mailed Items

If you’re sending a valuable item, sensitive documents, or something irreplaceable to friends or family, consider dropping an AirTag in the package (which they can return to you later). This way, you can track its journey to ensure it arrives at its destination, especially when delivering items overseas or sending gifts back and forth during the holidays.

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Not sure if that’s allowed due to the battery?

FWIW I use them extensively. 

  • Haven’t put them on remotes yet.
  • Nor have I “tagged” a pet; not “chipped” either. Argh!
  • Nor have used one for my wallet; should, but haven’t yet.  
  • Don’t have a drone.
  • Have them in cars, luggage, bags, and on my keys.
  • Battery replacement is easy.

And, I put their location (for example in the car) in the name (i.e., Rogue glove box 1/1/25) so i can find them when the battery needs replacing.

YMMV

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SURVIVAL: Children should ALWAYS have a way to communicate with their parents or guardians

Saturday, July 19, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/07/10/us-news/camp-mystic-cabins-were-in-known-flood-zone-despite-recent-5m-overhaul/?utm_source=sailthru

Almost 20 Camp Mystic cabins were in known flood zone — despite recent $5M overhaul of century-old site
By Anthony Blair
Published July 10, 2025, 4:05 p.m. ET

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In addition, many of the campers and counselors didn’t have their phones on them, as the children were not allowed access to any technology, camp counselor Nancy Clement, 18, told the Times.

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I think that children should ALWAYS have a way to communicate with their parents or guardians. Argh! I’m well aware of all the negatives of “having a cell phone” in screen-free “zones”, but I think the alternative — being out of touch with the world — is much worse.

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TECHNOLOGY: “Free” VPNs are too expensive

Friday, July 18, 2025

https://www.makeuseof.com/thread/how-do-you-feel-about-free-vpns/?utm_source=MUO-NL&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=MUO-202506290800&user=cmVpbmtlZmpAZ21haWwuY29t&lctg=7e6c3cd411d6a815afa18582d54bd455914c43c5f69df1448b8ec20ee4959f71

How Do You Feel About Free VPNs?
Ben Stegner

<< EDITOR ADDED DATE 2025-06-29>>

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Security-minded folks usually advise against using free VPNs, since they have few privacy guarantees, lack features, and are slower compared to paid VPNs. However, depending on your purpose for using one, a free VPN can be suitable. If you’re just trying to see what a website looks like from another country, get around a block, or test what using a VPN is like before committing, they can work OK.

How do you feel about free VPNs; do you use them or stay far away? I wouldn’t use one all the time, but as a quick way to test something or get around a blockage, I would be open to them.

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# – # – # – # – # 

If it’s “free”, “you” are the product. I pay for anything that’s “free”. Sometimes in money; other times in data. I think a VPN is important enough to spend money on.

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GOVERNACIDE: ‘Flash Flood Alley’ warning system was considered “too expensive”

Thursday, July 17, 2025

https://nypost.com/2025/07/07/us-news/texas-officials-scrapped-flash-flood-alley-warning-system-before-27-kids-killed-at-camp-mystic-because-it-was-too-expensive/

Texas officials scrapped ‘Flash Flood Alley’ warning system before 27 killed at Camp Mystic — because it was too expensive
By Anthony Blair
Published July 7, 2025, 8:45 a.m. ET

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But the county, which has an annual budget of around $67 million, lost out on a bid to secure a $1 million grant to fund the project in 2017, county commission meeting minutes show.

Instead, local officials relied on a word-of-mouth system to pass messages about raging floodwaters downriver from the camps upstream.

In a recent interview, Rob Kelly, the Kerr County judge and its most senior elected official, said residents were hesitant about the high cost of a warning system.

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Sure, blame it on “the residents”!  Argh!

I’d like to go line by line through that budget and see all the stuff that was NOT “too expensive”.

How about the cost of the “rescue and recovery”?  What do you think the parents of those children would think about “too expensive”.  Bet the Insurance Companies aren’t happy with that trade off either.

No consideration of “User Fees” or “Special Project Zone”.  

Argh!

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SOFTWARE: LastPass stops supporting their Mac desktop app 

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

https://support.lastpass.com/s/document-item?language=en_US&bundleId=lastpass&topicId=LastPass/lastpass_for_safari_extension_move.html&_LANG=enus

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Transition to LastPass for Safari: Replacing the legacy Mac desktop app 

We’re replacing the LastPass Password Manager (Mac desktop app) with LastPass for Safari, a modern, secure, and optimized solution for managing your passwords on Mac.

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FYI, I do NOT use Safari.

Argh!

I’ll be transitioning to BITWARDEN, which supports all platforms.

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NOTRECOMMENDED: Don’t buy “gift cards” throught zillionsgift offers on gift card racks in Walgreens

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Don’t buy “gift cards” throught zillionsgift offers on gift card racks in Walgreens.

They are counting on you to become frustrated trying to transform them into a useable gift card for so site you like.

My experience:

  • The fine print says the card can only be redeemed at their website
  • Took several tries to get to the website “zillionsgift.com”; the fine print isn’t easy to read; mistakes take you to cyber squatters waiting for you to fall into their trap
  • Getting the card info in and verifying your humanity took three tries
  • After getting thru that hurdle, you need to select values for your favorite destination site that work (i.e., 40$ gift card must be taken as two 20$ Amazon gift cards)
  • Then it says “tilt” and an obscure error message
  • Try that twice, then give up at call their 1-833 (?) number
  • After a brief hold, you get a call center fellow (Philippines?) who makes your repeat all your info and then tells you to try a mobile or another browser (Hey, I’m an IT pro. Already did that!  Argh!)
  • Then he graciously agrees to send you a paper check to your home address in 3 or 4 weeks
  • Argh!  I’m saving all the papers and card in an envelope with 8/15/25 on it

Feel free to check back for my update.  Argh!

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TECHNOLOGY: Amazon has “sunset” Freevee — like the Google Graveyard

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

https://www.androidauthority.com/amazon-freevee-app-shut-down-august-3573688/

Amazon’s Freevee app gets an expiry date, but here’s how to keep watching for free

Prime Video is the new home for all of Freevee’s ad-supported content.

By Pranob Mehrotra

July 3, 2025

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  •     Amazon confirmed plans to sunset its free streaming service, Freevee, late last year.
  •     The company has now notified users that the Freevee app will be shut down in August 2025.
  •     Freevee’s extensive library of movies, TV shows, and live TV will be available through Prime Video.

After announcing plans to wind down its free video streaming service late last year, Amazon has now confirmed that the Freevee app will finally be shut down in August. But there’s some good news for those who enjoy Freevee’s vast library of TV shows, movies, and live TV.

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Remember if it’s “free”, then you are the product!

Now like the Google Graveyard, we have an “Amazon sunset”!

Amazon’s Dash buttons are no more. Remember the “Tide button”, and other product buttons to make reordering easy?  I don’t remember Amazon “sunseting” other things.  And certainly not as frequently as Google does.

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MEME: Find the value of Pi serial number

Monday, July 14, 2025

# – # – # – # – # 

Great, now when I check my U$D FRBies aka Federal Reserve Notes  —  The Federal Reserve Bank is a misnomer. IT ain’t “federal”. It reserves nothing. And, it ain’t a “bank”. It is a private cartel of the elite banks run for their benefit and that of the entrenched politicians.  —  I can find the value of Pi serial number an have a million dollar winner!

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QUOTE: “Time is money. It’s not. Money is time.”

Sunday, July 13, 2025

https://cdn.mc-weblink.sg-mktg.com/weblink/MTc1MTYyNzA3MXxPQ2hPUVk1WDZUbkdFYXE5YUxweHVFTTRSTkpCajJma1luQ3VDUkxLX3ZlU040ZWx6c09NQ0V0ckNOb0l5Z2pSaVJKUV9HQ0NiUThPLTk5d3ZubGtsOVZNbFdDN3llbmp3YnVyNXhac2NocVJoMWVJVG90cHc1cGtIX1hiRHFUemZhc2k1b0ZzWkZuQ0dkNlRtajNZLTZfZEt4QnYtQzBLR0Y4dVFtRG1iSWdScGRvTmYzNFB2Y2swRS1uWXE3S2swWEhaY1dlOHRLTlZndnF4eC1PYVB4LWgySm9NeWN2b2tFUEVlRk40S1BQRjU0YnVkUnhhRmtWeFFpSGJwZmVWVkcwRnRDTVo0dVp3NGlCeHgyZktLSk1UMUIzMXcwVGRGRmdNM0U5QkpKeW96b2NaTWFkVW55YV9CR0s5X3hXLXlBcTV4R0FLWUJ3WnyFkln0K7DtJNrVDqe32ibFpvq8W0mvh7o1a4Cvuqaj3Q==?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nautilus-newsletter

From “Nautilus”

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In your book, Time Smart, you write, “Nothing less than our health and our happiness depends on reversing the nearly innate notion that time is money. It’s not. Money is time.” What do you mean by that?

Behavioral scientist Ashley Whillans: We’re indoctrinated with this idea that money and productivity are the path to greater happiness and success. My data speaks to the fact that this is not necessarily the best way by which to measure the satisfaction, productivity, and meaningfulness of your life. If anything, focusing on money is a path to unhappiness as opposed to satisfaction. My colleagues and I find consistent evidence that people who feel time-affluent, and in control of their schedules, report greater happiness, less stress, better health. They’re less likely to get divorced. They’re more likely to choose jobs that are satisfying. Time is not money, but happiness.

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“Time is money. It’s not. Money is time.” — Behavioral scientist Ashley Whillans

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Also I like:

“Not to live as if you had endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you’re alive and able — be good.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 

and

“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” – Bertrand Russell

FWIW (For What It’s worth)

TANSTAAFL (“There Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch” From Robert Heinlein’s classic) 

faiwwypfi (Free Advice Is Worth What You Pay For It! ?zero?)

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