Posts by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
(DIR) Post #AwDpsYWnfUWWGfZVOy by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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And remember, even if YOU have these invasive "smart features" turned off, if you communicate by Gmail with someone who has them turned on, your email will still be sucked into Gemini AI. Like I said, this should be ILLEGAL.
(DIR) Post #AwDpsbUmdRh1THeRAu by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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I believe I've found the new Gemini-centric "smart features" controls in Gmail, that also seem to include the "other apps" setting as well. If you click the gear, then All Settings, then scroll WAY DOWN in the General tab, there's a "Manage Workspace smart feature settings" bubble. If you click that, you'll see a pair of settings that appear to represent your choices during the forced dialogue modal popup I discussed in the original post on this thread. I can't be 100% sure, but that's how it appears to me currently. My recommendation: Make sure they are both OFF!
(DIR) Post #AwZCTOJyrF4kdbhg7E by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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BREAKING: Mathematician and Musical Satirist Tom Lehrer dies at 97. Peace. I've been dreading this day for years. It's impossible for me to fully explain how much his songs impacted my life growing up and right through to this day. I have much more to say about him but I won't right now, except to note the following references:New York Times obit:https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/27/arts/music/tom-lehrer-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Zk8.TYYp.gl4ekMMTpL1R&smid=url-shareTom's website where he placed his body of work (songs, etc.) in the public domain:https://tomlehrersongs.com/Live performances:Copenhagen:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHPmRJIoc2kOslo:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1IiVF6Ehw8L
(DIR) Post #AwZCTTgUux3fGtHEPI by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Nightmarish Sidenote: I actually performed several of Tom Lehrer's songs (without musical accompaniment as I now recall when thinking about it today) when I was at a gathering while I was away at a summer camp about 1000 years ago. I shudder even now to think of how my "singing abilities" treated those masterpieces. The last time I ever tried anything like that. I'm pretty certain that I've never mentioned this in public until now.
(DIR) Post #AwZFpQZtRpZPs0LVbs by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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And he was right of course, there were more to be discovered! - Tom Lehrer: "The Element Song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2cfju6GTNs&pp=ygUMZWxlbWVudCBzb25n
(DIR) Post #AwZG8PpWS8QP3Ji6sa by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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And just in case you figured Tom Lehrer's "Element Song" was a miracle of editing, let's watch him perform it live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcS3NOQnsQM
(DIR) Post #AxKq9ePcinjbyfDquu by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Apparently there are efforts to replace human 911 operators with LLM AIs to triage calls. What the bloody hell could go wrong?
(DIR) Post #AxPgojOp3ajjZAb64O by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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You're going to hear some people, quite sincerely, argue that the California redistricting plan should be rejected by voters, because "we have to play fair even if the other side doesn't".This is the kind of attitude that got millions of people shoved into ovens by Hitler.
(DIR) Post #AyIbriQxI3ANMazjGK by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Dear UK:KEEP HIM.Anywhere you want.
(DIR) Post #AyeM28oAlGAsGkvE4u by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Received voting materials for the November California special election. It has one item: Proposition 50, that would change redistricting to counter the Trump-demanded changes in Texas. Arnold is against it but that seems to be actually increasing support for it. The formal funding against it reportedly is coming mostly from one rich guy. No surprise there. Currently 51% support it, 34% oppose, 15% undecided. Those most likely to vote mostly support it. The proposition only requires a simple majority to pass. This is all good news.
(DIR) Post #AyeM47N94SdiOYDsWm by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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@karlauerbach I remember the original ILM buildings well in that nondescript strip.
(DIR) Post #AyeM48Qj8d6BfwuFkW by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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@karlauerbach What I remember most about visiting ILM in that industrial park was (in no particular order): A full Darth Vader costume hanging in a closet. A full 35mm print of "Star Wars" in its case in the entry of a restroom, and seeing the filming of the "Genesis Effect" sequence from "Wrath of Khan". This was being painted slowly frame by frame on a color graphics CRT (maybe a Genesco), taking maybe it seemed a minute (or significantly more!) per frame. A camera was set up in front of the monitor and would automatically snap a frame as each one completed, and then the monitor would begin painting the next frame. I like to joke that I stuck my hand in and that if you watch carefully frame by frame in the movie you can see my hand in that sequence. But nah, didn't do it. However, there IS a frame like that in "The Time Machine" (1960) where you can see someone's fingers holding a card in an effects sequence in ONE frame. I stumbled onto it long ago when repairing a broken print of the film, and I've been able to find it in every copy of the film I've seen since then, including film, video, DVD, streaming, etc. Amusing.
(DIR) Post #AzTNaUfd3GZlg8gpfM by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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So much hassle over quantum encryption when ordinary social engineering is still going to trivially undermine it.
(DIR) Post #B0NeHpOMMfFIW33NVA by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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BULLETIN: House passes Epstein files release with a single NO vote (from a GOP member).
(DIR) Post #B0RquRwbS6rvAc5pIW by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Basically, the CDC is now a garbage heap: CDC promotes false linkbetween vaccines and autism
(DIR) Post #B0zh1yWILH3I3tNII4 by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Saying "Screw You" to anyone not using electronic payments, Fed considering banning writing checkshttps://www.cnn.com/2025/12/05/economy/fed-considers-ending-paper-checkshttps://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20251204b.htm
(DIR) Post #B0zh25GxEhwN0LFdqq by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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Oh, and by the way, I don't give an F how other fascist countries like in the EU or UK or Oz are running their payment systems. I don't care if they no longer use checks, or have given up cash for full-time surveillance electronic payments and national identity cards -- I Just Don't Care -- and I don't think most Americans care what other countries are doing in these respects either. Those fascist countries can do what they want. What we're concerned about in this context is our OWN fascist country. Q.E.D.
(DIR) Post #B16A0zG2B1qngBPS2i by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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The most likely result of social media bans for young children and teens will be to drive them towards sinister and impossible to regulate recesses of the Net, of whose existence and vast extent most adults are totally ignorant. This will not end well.
(DIR) Post #B29q8M5J59r8BkUzjM by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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One of the currently rather strong signals for AI-voiceovers on #YouTube videos is unusual pacing and pauses in narrations.
(DIR) Post #B2QA6JptZue2FQxJLs by lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org
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DO NOT ASSUME YOUR GOOGLE DOCS DATA IS SAFE FROM TRUMP. Keep in mind that everything I've said about Gmail and no longer trusting Gmail applies to all Google services, including Docs. I've heard that some groups are using Docs to organize anti-Trump protests, ICE observations, etc. This is unwise. As I said, a single call from Trump to Sundar might be enough to send all your data to the Trump administration. Horrible to be in this place, isn't it?