Air Filter Weirdness
I bought 14x24 air filters since the old filter was labeled as 14x24. However, the new filter did not fit. I had ordered the 13 13/16 x 23 13/16" version and I needed the 13 1/2 x 23 1/2 version. Both are labeled as 14x24. One works, one does not. Who knew! Not me apparently.
Do not search "SET 15 minute timer" since that results in MANY results and a timer does not start automatically.
Here is a screen snip of the duckduckgo timer example.
Alarm Yourself:
Sharing that you can use google.com or duckduckgo.com to set a timer for yourself while @ your computer. For example, search "15 minute timer" to set AND start a 15 minute timer. I prefer duckduckgo for this since it sets an audible alarm in a single step.
I still print out physical calendars with old school write in cells for each day. I post the print outs near my computer desk. I like to post all 12 months of the year if I can. Here is my current favorite printable 12 page calendar source.
www.calendarlabs.com/templates/20...
I learned 2 things today. 1) The web cam I use for zoom meeting has an on-off switch and that is why it did not work when I joined a meeting. 2) Zoom has a test meeting that you can use to test your internet connection and how well your camera and microphone work. zoom.us/test
Where to Find a 14 Day Weather Forecast
Most weather apps only have 10 day forecasts. If you subscribe, you can get longer range forecasts.
OR, go to timeandate.com, select Weather, then select the 2-Week Forecast option.
Thank you National Weather Service and thank you timeanddate.com.
It was about the same age as a T60 and likely a similar CPU. It had a very old Nvidia chip, and I have had trouble with that in the past. So, I took a pass. T60s have awesome quality parts, so if you are running Linux on a T60, and it works well, then that is a fantastic thing you have done.
In summary, as support for Windows 10 fades away, I have found Linux Mint to be a great option.
The MacBook Air from 2011 works very, very well on Linux Mint. The display is truly awesome. It needed a new battery. Batteries are readily available and the on-line instructions made it easy.
It was a challenge giving away a Linux laptop computer for free on Craig's List. I got more than 24 responses in 12 hours. So I picked one, and they actually showed up.
Old Laptops - A story
A friend gave me 4 old laptops. I said I will convert them to Linux Mint. One was too old to convert to Linux so e-waste. One went to a young adult I know who needed it. One I gave away on Craig's List. And one was a 14 year old Macbook Air, which I will use myself.
Months ago, I printed on some large index cards. Around 4 index cards have been hiding in the paper path ever since.
And then, something changed, and toner light came on, and the printer stopped printing.
When I removed the index cards the toner light turned off.
#spendless
The toner light came on on my home printer. OK. Installed new cartridge. Not fixed. Made sure the cartridge was docked correctly. No luck. Checked the internet. No luck. Looked for a replacement. Learned that used printers are expensive. Looked inside the paper path AGAIN, and, found the problem.
All better. Purchase avoided.
To reuse the original threads, turn the screw counterclockwise until you hear and feel the click, then turn clockwise to install the screw.
Cleared out to paper bits and ready for reassembly. When reassembling self tapping screws (see the groove at the tip of the screw thread) it is important to reuse the threads formed in the plastic during the original assembly process.
Found a lot of small paper bit on the input side. Cleared it out. When reinstalling self tapping screws (see groove at the tip), it is important to first turn the screw counterclockwise until you hear and feel the click. That way you reuse the threads created during the original assembly process.
Maybe all this jammified paper bits stuck inside the sheet feeder input side was a problem.
So, this morning, rumor had it that the shredder would not shred. Bad shredder!
It is now 2+ months since we changed to VOIP for our legacy landline number. I easily added a custom voice message for unanswered calls. (All calls are unanswered in our case.) For any messages, the audio file is attached to an email. An upgrade compared to our old answering machine. Love it.
So, the thermal paste on the CPU was bubbled. Not good.
Replaced with new thermal paste. Reassembled. Rebooted computer. No more CPU crashes. Not permanently damaged. Kind of amazing that there was no permanent thermal damage.
Photos / video below.
A neighbor uses a cane & told me that their screen door pushes them too hard. It has a standard pneumatic closer. Falls are bad.
· Found this latch at the hardware store · Removed the pneumatic closer · Installed new latch · It works great.
Push to open. Push to close. It does not push you.
I recently tested this gifted PC and it crashed a lot.
After trying other solutions, eventually, I opened the case to have a look. Something seems not quite right.
Dear Frying Pan and Diced Tomatoes w/ Basel, Garlic & Oregano,
Frying pan, you are great at cooking spaghetti quickly with less water compared to a standard sauce pan.
Diced Tomatoes w/ Basel, Garlic & Oregano, you better than spaghetti sauce from a jar. Lots better.
A fast and flavorful combo.
Dear Live Chat,
I'm not sure you are actually alive.
I was using "Live Chat" to follow up on my internet installation. There were some long pauses, as happens.
And then, "Live Chat" said, "While we wait, do you want to tell me about your week?"
I said that I want to focus on the task at hand.
Just saw an AI video service ad proclaiming that one payment provides access forever. I have seen this type of marketing method before. Current customers are not really their focus. I don't need forever access to a potentially low quality product. Feels scammy even if it is not. So... NOPE.
I just started using LibreOffice as my primary word processor. (www.libreoffice.org) I used much earlier versions of this open source software and I am very impressed with the refinements added over time. Microsoft Word is great. LibreOffice is great. Maybe I do not need Word anymore.
My VOIP service for our legacy land line has been working for over a month. I like getting voice mail messages as an audio file via email. The cost has been around 1 US $ per month. I though I would add a physical phone connected to the VOIP service. It works well now, I will likely not do that.
Informative Canadian Broadcasting Corporation article. www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
My takeaways about US plans as shared with Canada: Slash US spending via DOGE. Use US tariffs as a revenue source. Cut US spending & taxes by trillions. Implement worldwide US tariffs by sector on April 2.
