#109 Please Listen?

This is both a rant and some positive thoughts. I just hope somebody listens.

I just finished doing a whirlwind trip to the hospital for my doctor to double check my wrist. The x-ray showed all is okay, my problems are probably from not using it enough. So, from now on will be pushing it a little bit every day. Found out, much to my satisfaction, as long as I use these push-up assistants (these pads that have handles so that doing push-ups is almost like doing them on your knuckles), I can do push-ups to my heart’s delight.

Dawn over Benjakitti Park - Bangkok

I saw today on the BBC that the world population will be about 10 billion by the year 2050. Assuming I am still alive, that means that the world population has more has more than tripled since I was born. Full disclosure. The article actually did say that the world’s population will be starting to stabilize if not go slightly downhill by then, however I doubt that will matter to me. The world is increasingly crowded and the overwhelming majority of these people seem to be rude gits with no consideration for others.

I am increasingly concerned about big tech. Facebook, Google, Amazon, Tencent, Huawei, etc. to be precise. These companies have global reach and seemingly are completely out of control. They are headed by people who have 100% control via dubious stock option methodologies and who conflate talent and wisdom with good fortune. They are convinced of the rightness that is them.

They are missing logos for the Chinese companies for some reason :-)

Google seems to think taking money from Saudi Arabia is ok (regardless of the fact that bin Salman murdered a journalist). God knows what stupidity has prevented Twitter from banning Trump. That moron Zuckerberg seems to think that PAID speech is the same as FREE speech. He is young, clearly inexperienced, and unfortunately, has the power and arrogance (bad combination) to ignore what people are saying. Gee. That sounds like Trump. The Chinese are building the largest police state in history. And Amazon doesn’t seem to care (check who they’re selling facial recognition technology to). Thank you Jeff Bezos.

ARRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Technology has been weaponized and is driving divisiveness and hate. But as long as they are making massive advertising revenue, nobody seems to care.

I can’t say this enough, even to my limited audience (even though I doubt you will pay attention). Delete your FaceBook accounts and be very cautious about using technology like Alexa or Siri. Regularly erase your browsing and google history everywhere. Use VPNs, tracking blockers, and ad-blockers. And tell your friends to do the same. Use SIGNAL for messaging. I’m trying to wean my close tribe off of WhatsApp and onto Signal but it has been an uphill struggle. 😊. WhatsApp is scheduled to put advertising on the platform next year and is, of course, for those who didn’t know, owned by FaceBook.

Use  STARTPAGE or DUCKDUCKGO for internet searches. Stop using Google.

If one is absolutely addicted to thinking that people want to know where one is and what one is doing … look at these alternates:

https://makeawebsitehub.com/facebook-alternatives/

STOP BEING THE PRODUCT.

I do realize that staying in touch is important for some people. But wouldn’t it be better to do it on a platform that has no advertising, doesn’t curate what you see, and doesn’t sell your private data for revenue?

Look at the alternates. Make the move.  Convince your friends and family. Yes – I agree it takes an effort. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.

I downloaded my information from my last FaceBook account before I deleted it (a friend created it for me so I could be kept notified but we keep in touch via Signal now). They have a section called “advertisers_who_uploaded_a_contact_list_with_your_information”. I have attached a copy of this for download here in the blog. This was from an account I used 2 – 3 times a year at most until I deleted it. If this doesn’t alarm you … I don’t know what would. You don’t really have to download it but spoiler alert – it is 53 pages of advertisers who uploaded my information.

How to download your data? Look here: https://www.facebook.com/help/1701730696756992

Just this week I tried to buy a hosting service on HostGator to house a SQL database for logistics. Been stymied at every turn by their fraud department. Very rude and intrusive questions. Automatically assumed it was fraud because I bought from the Philippines and then, even after I verified myself, assumed I was getting the domain for illegitimate purposes. They finally, after 4 days of crap, confirmed my account, but what a goat rope.

Living small in BC … I wish

I wish I had a large chunk of money so I could go get a micro house in the wilds of British Columbia (provided I could get a fast Internet connection 😊) and just turn into a hermit. The fact that I’m even thinking about a retreat in the wilderness is alarming to me.

I know this is a rather negative blog. I don’t apologize for it, however. I’m frustrated at the world’s stupidity and cupidity. The funny thing is, most of the people I talk to seem to agree with me, but we seem to be the minority by a long shot.

It is all very well for the Stoic philosophical ideal of ‘don’t worry about that which you cannot control’ but God bloody damn it! … It is hard to avoid the collateral damage caused by idiots such as Zuckerberg, Trump, Putin, Xi Jinping and the other megalomaniacal douche bags running around foisting their world views on everybody else. Not to mention the plethora of brain-dead people who take their medical, political, and other important news from social media instead of thinking for themselves. Along with the monumentally moronic people in Congress and the Senate of the United States, who are only worried about their power and know little if anything about the technology that runs the world today.

Mark Twain was right on target when he once wrote: “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.”

A nice hot shower in the lounge in Hong Kong, on a long layover between Bangkok and the Philippines, blissful though it was, has done little to improve my depression at the preponderance of morons running loose in the world.

I’m hanging out in Hong Kong for 5 hours waiting for my next flight because when all is said and done it is better than sitting stuck in Friday night rush hour traffic in Manila.

I’m finishing off the article Saturday morning. I picked the worst possible weekend to arrive in Manila. Took 3 hours to drive through 20 kilometers of road to the expressway north even at 3 in the morning. I will never fly out of Manila again until they get the expressway done right to the airport. I’ve only had about 2 hours of sleep 😊

THE POSITIVE SIDE.

Andrew Yang

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I listened to a podcast interview with a prospective presidential candidate called Andrew Yang. He is one of the rapidly diminishing field of Democratic candidates. But for the first time in my life, I felt energized by what I was hearing. This person really seems to have a grasp on reality.

He is the first person I have run across as a politician who actually made me feel like it might be worthwhile at some point, going back to the United States. Not only that, I actually made a contribution to his campaign, and I plan to actually vote for him. For the people who know me, that is probably quite surprising. But I think he is well worth listening to.

I first heard him on a Freakonomic’s podcast but he has several interviews out there. I listened to 3.

Click here for more information

In spite of being cranky … I wish everybody a happy holiday season and I mean that sincerely. I take it for what it is and that is a time for being with friends and gratuitous acts of kindness. Leave the consumerism behind and invest in close friendships. You’ll be happier and live longer. Truth! 😊