Random thoughts

[jeffp]

Last year I upgraded from from an old cell phone to my 1st flip phone.

i don't think i'm going to be able to relate to a touch screen phone.
I was hoping to eventually upgrade to a new blackberry but sadly boostmobile no longer sells blackberry phones and i wonder why - surely there are plenty of lesser phones on their site so that can't really be the reason. Is it possible that it has to do something with the fact that blackberry uses its own operating system and user privacy has always been a selling point? Verizon sells the new blackberry priv but lo and behold it's powered by android.

 

[Vitolo]

I use Cricket....
Cricket still offers a "Basic" option for a low cost, and has two choices for the "Basic" plan.
A "huawei" phone......
or a "Flip"phone.

1. The downfall of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".
2. The Beauty of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".

Fuck touch screens and "smart technologies".
I choose the older style of phone for either reason.....
the strength OR.. the weakness!

 

[I'm Ron Burgundy?]

Humans are retarded.


The end.

 

[BD9]

Last week, upgraded from a flip phone to my first smart phone. Quite a learning curve.

Last year I upgraded from from an old cell phone to my 1st flip phone.

 

[Amoreena]

I can't disagree. But the future is where we're going, stupid or not, and upgrading was the best way to safeguard my numbers if the device is lost or damaged. It's not like I know most of them by heart or trust myself to keep pen/paper copies up to date. So they're stashed in a "cloud."

My daughter/sisters-in-law send me text messages and my husband likes being able to. For me, it was time to change.

 

[jeffp]

I use Cricket....
Cricket still offers a "Basic" option for a low cost, and has two choices for the "Basic" plan.
A "huawei" phone......
or a "Flip"phone.

1. The downfall of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".
2. The Beauty of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".

Fuck touch screens and "smart technologies".
I choose the older style of phone for either reason.....
the strength OR.. the weakness!

Exactly. Weak tracking is one thing but weak reception is another and in the case of the outer boroughs Cricket and T-Mobile is not happening, at least that's the case in the confines of my teenage room.
By the way do you know that today's "smart cars" can be controlled remotely?
And that's a precursor to tomorrow's self driving cars where every journey you take will be noted and which probably won't have windows but rather only a monitor so the outside world will only be depicted to you.
But i digress.
PS - anyone know where I can get a new TV that doesn't record you?

 

[His_Highness]

PS - anyone know where I can get a new TV that doesn't record you?

Ask Google's Alexa or Amazon's Echo

 

[grokit]

PS - anyone know where I can get a new TV that doesn't record you?

Anything that's not "smart" should be okay, and if it is don't connect it to the internet

 

[jeffp]

Anything that's not "smart" should be okay, and if it is don't connect it to the internet

I use my current TV with Roku and i don't recall having to agree to be careful what I say or do in front of the TV when setting it up. But with new Samsung TVs for instance, you do have to agree to be careful.

 

[grokit]

I use my current TV with Roku and i don't recall having to agree to be careful what I say or do in front of the TV when setting it up. But with new Samsung TVs for instance, you do have to agree to be careful.

With your setup it's the roku you would be concerned with.
Actually any streaming device that has voice search/command features

 

[t-dub]

Vizio TV's absolutely spy on you. They send data back to Vizio about everything you watch. How much the camera collects is anyone's guess but the technology involved makes it capable for Vizio, or anyone they let enter the system, to watch and listen to you through the built in camera and mic.

1984 is here, TruVu glasses and all.

 

[Enchantre]

I just thanked everyone on FB for reaching out and being my friend.
No one has.

Passive aggressive? oh, maybe... huh.. yup. I think I might be.

 

[jeffp]

Vizio TV's absolutely spy on you. They send data back to Vizio about everything you watch. How much the camera collects is anyone's guess but the technology involved makes it capable for Vizio, or anyone they let enter the system, to watch and listen to you through the built in camera and mic.

1984 is here, TruVu glasses and all.

With "the internet of things" your new smart refrigerator is also spying on you. Just glad that my Silver Surfer is not.

 

[Squiby]

Will wearing a tin foil hat protect me from being spied on by my appliances?
Is my bathroom the only safe room?
Is this how paranoia begins?

I'm going to go moon my fridge...have a look at this you spying bastard!

 

[t-dub]

Will wearing a tin foil hat protect me from being spied on by my appliances?

No . . . but you must be wearing a radio nucleotide protective cod piece if you wish to remain genetically autonomous.

 

[TeeJay1952]

I bought a roast for 21 bux, after "Loyalty Card" discount 1/3 price off. $7.50 off. What is so durn important about knowing what meat I buy? Looks to me like some sort of tax scam. Inflated prices leading to write offs.

 

[His_Highness]

So I finished the Cranberry Juice in the 'smart' fridge and a minute later got a text on my cell phone that Vodka was on sale at Win-Dixie......coincidence....I think not!

 

[Vitolo]

Electric Companies now have most meters switched over to "Smart" meters.
They can read this type of meter and do the billing from a distance, eliminating meter reader's having to approach houses.
The scary part now....
The readings can tell them just what appliances, and even the type of bulb you use... and the meter also tells of usage hours, and times.
They can tell if you have grow lights going and what cycle they are on..
They messed up locally and raided a house for a suspected grow, and found the resident an avid reptile breeder/keeper, and he had his lights (similar to grow lights) set to a night cycle.
Egg on their face for the bogus bust....
but a healthy warning to all of us that big brother is watching.

 

[CarolKing]

I downloaded a magnifying app for my cellphone. I was using it to look at my cannabis, checking for mold etc. Everytime I use it, at the bottom of the screen I see an add for scales - kinda weird. I may get rid of it.

 

[Silat]

I use Cricket....
Cricket still offers a "Basic" option for a low cost, and has two choices for the "Basic" plan.
A "huawei" phone......
or a "Flip"phone.

1. The downfall of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".
2. The Beauty of these is weak tracking by the "Powers that be".

Fuck touch screens and "smart technologies".
I choose the older style of phone for either reason.....
the strength OR.. the weakness!

You, Me and Wayne Gretzky love it old school.

 

[turk]

....no putting genie back in bottle...Orwell had no idea...what they were totally capable of....but still....they make mistakes...so there's that.

 

[jeffp]

I'm back to Oral-B. For a few months I'd been using "Natural Bamboo Toothbrush Individually Numbered - Eco Friendly - BPA Free Bristles" - figuring I'd treat myself to something special and I did enjoy these brushes. This morning while brushing my teeth in shower quite a few special bristles ended up in my mouth. Took a while of rinsing and focused swishing to get them all out but unfortunately I will not be using these toothbrushes again.

 

[t-dub]

What is so durn important about knowing what meat I buy?

Its very important. A large % of the meat produced in the USA is done feedlot style. These cows are fed silage, left over brewers grains, GMO corn, and other nastier stuff. So what most people are eating is meat that contains pharmaceuticals and glyphosate (Roundup) from the grains the cows ate. The corn, which causes acidosis in the cows when they are fed this diet all the time, makes them, and their meat, unhealthy.

Go to crowdcow.com to see what some people are eating and the standards that are maintained for a completely "clean" beef supply. Things like 100% grass fed and finished. Pasture to roam and shelter when they want it. In addition all the beef is dry aged for about 3 weeks, impossible to get in a grocery store.

 

[TeeJay1952]

@t-dub Those are reasons for me to know where my meat comes from. I was attempting to speculate what are the merchant's reasoning for taking less money. Loyalty isn't worth 1/3 off.There was no attempt to steer me to further purchase. No repeat pattern acknowledged. Just a "Oh it is you, Special Price!" I do not understand the fascination with my buying habits. I have heard that the profit margin is exceptionally thin at the retail level yet all stores want to monitor me. Hell Google is founded on tracking everything I do and visit online in order to SELL, SELL SELL.

 

[t-dub]

I have heard that the profit margin is exceptionally thin at the retail level yet all stores want to monitor me. Hell Google is founded on tracking everything I do and visit online in order to SELL, SELL SELL.

Right, by monitoring your habits, ads can be targeted to persuade you to consume more and to present you with new options that they think you might like. Its a volume game at this point. Sales like you describe are to dispose of excess inventory, especially items that have a short shelf life, and to help forge a following in the market.