When people have acted hysterically and you point that out, they get hysterical again. Case in point the recent Internet meltdown over the Bartender app where none of the predictions of evil have come true. Still can’t get folks to get off that ledge. Been fighting rando for two days over this.


After water, tea is the most popular beverage in the world and I do my best to to consume my share of it in a way much different than my fellow southerners.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cace7820e6.jpg https://louplummer.lol/my-passion-for-tea-a-journey-from-the-american-south-to-global-teas/


We use the phrase “Absolute Legend” so often it loses meaning. Well, here is a real legend, Grandma Gatewood, the first woman to solo hike the entire Appalachian Trail, at age 68 in 1955. Link
 https://linkage.lol/grandma-gatewood-the-first-woman-to-hike-the-appalachian-trail/


From my 100 Strangers project - Mose the artist, from Raleigh, NC. Although I prefer to do portraits in B&W, the colors in his artwork and clothing need to be seen to be appreciated. One day, I’ll hang a print of this one in my living room

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/moses.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Cryptomator, a free and open-source encryption tool designed to be used with cloud utilities like Google Drive, Dropbox and One Drive, it provides end to end 256-bit AES encryption. There are also versions for Windows and Linux and a paid version ($12.99) for iOS.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/split-screenshots.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/cryptomator-free-and-open-source-cloud-encryption


if I Could Only Install 20 Mac Applications https://amerpie.lol/2024/07/15/if-i-could.html


A riff on what it’s like being sick as an adult vs. being sick as a kid with a hat to tip some of my favorite care givers.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/anna.jpg https://louplummer.lol/in-sickness-and-in-health/


A while back I published My Rules for Me, my self-written guidelines for living. This guy has 100 rules and they are all worth reading.
 https://louplummer.lol/my-rules-for-me/ https://druriley.com/100-2/?ref=mattrutherford.co.uk


From my 100 Strangers Project - Irish Mike was walking the streets of Wilmington, NC appropriately clad in green to go with his red hair. He claimed to be a ‘feckin’ leprechaun" when we spoke. Also, he made have had a drink or two.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/irish-mikebw.jpg


Today on AppAddict - A look at text expansion choices for power users - ranging from the native macOS tool to Keyboard Maestro, Raycast/Alfred, Better Touch Tool and single purpose apps like my choice, Text Expander and Expanso.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-07-14-at-15.32.572x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/lots-of-choices-for-text-expansion


The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that 76% of 642 websites tested used so called “dark patterns”, deceptive practices that put your wallet and your privacy at risk.
 https://techcrunch.com/2024/07/10/ftc-study-finds-dark-patterns-used-by-a-majority-of-subscription-apps-and-websites/


Trump’s weaponized incompetence cost countless lives during the pandemic, his commitment to stripping health care from millions is murderous. His courting of war criminals is grotesque. How dare anyone accuse others of not being a good lefty for not handwringing over his near-death experience.


POSSE, Publish (on your) Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere, is a foundational tenet of the Indy Web. Do you do it? How? On cross posting
 https://louplummer.lol/on-cross-posting/


From my 100 Strangers project - Big Jim works for the rescue squad and they had been called out for some mysterious goings on at an old car wash in a rural area a few miles from Ft. Liberty. He would not tell me what was going on, but he let me take his picture, so it wasn’t a total wash.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/61a632bed7.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Step 2 Offers Two Factor Authentication in a Desktop App With parts of Authy deprecated and others hit by security breaches, you might be looking for a new solution.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/step2.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/step-2-offers-desktop-based-2fa


From my 100 Strangers project - Big Jim works for the rescue squad and they had been called out for some mysterious goings on at an old car wash in a rural area a few miles from Ft. Liberty. He would not tell me what was going on, but he let me take his picture, so it wasn’t a total wash.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/big-jim.jpg


"This landscape is our home, and we rarely stray long from it, or endure anywhere else for long before returning. This may seem like a lack of imagination or adventure, but I don’t care. I love this place; for me it is the beginning and the end of everything, and everywhere else feels like nowhere - James Rebanks, A Shepherd’s Life"

I love that quote about the Scottish Highlands from Rebanks book. It reminds me of my feelings for my own home on the coastal plain of NC in the remnants of the great Eastern pine forest.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sandhills.jpg


Cursing at computers 100% makes them run better and anyone who doesn’t know this need to up their troubleshooting game. I can make a recalcitrant hard drive mount with two motherfuckers and one asshole.


This Week's Bookmarks - Tools people use, Every streaming service price hike, 50 best movie soundtracks, 100 best books of the 21st century, 30 amazing images of the universe, Worl architecture forum award winners, how celebrity book clubs work https://amerpie.lol/2024/07/13/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


It’s Saturday and time to update my /now page with what I’ve been reading (and what I quit reading), watching, writing, buying and browsing. Lots of stuff!

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/nytimes.jpg https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


Mixtape Garden is a free service that crafts downloadable mixtapes crafted from the YouTube videos you specify

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mixtape-garden.jpg https://linkage.lol/making-mixtapes-at-mixtape-garden/


Time is What You Make of It - someone asked me when I had time for myself because I write a lot, but my writing time is my “me time”. It’s a privilege, not a chore.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/htajmgx7k0c-full.jpg https://louplummer.lol/time-is-what-you-make-of-it/


From my 100 Strangers Project - Susie was hanging out by the Cape Fear River down on the Wilmington waterfront when I caught her trying out her hula hoop.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/susiebw.jpg


Today on AppAddict - an old mac troubleshooting tool is back and I am feeling nostalgic. [Network Utility is available for download from Devonthink](apps.louplummer.lol/post/netw… totally free. It was part of the OS from the very first days of OS X up until Big Sur.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-07-12-at-09.14.582x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/network-utility-is-back-


"“We have, I fear, confused power with greatness.” - Stewart Udall"


Stranger In a Strange Land, Revisited - I’ve been reexamining Robert A. Heinlein lately. After nearly worshipping him as a young person, I later wrote him off as a militarist and a misogynist, but discussions with other progressives have me investigating him as man of his time.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/siasl.jpg https://linkage.lol/stranger-in-a-strange-land-revisited/


Today on App Addict - Disk Drill by Cleverfiles is data recovery software that comes with six free utilities including disk health monitor, Mac cleanup, duplicate finder, recovery drive, data protection and data backup.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/disk-drill.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/disk-drill-has-six-free-tools


Time Capsule Atlanta, 1997 A blog post from way back in the day after I spent my first overnight in a big city a year after it hosted the Olympics. My shock at prices and some of my language choices reflect the difference between then and now.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/1960weo3yva6tjpg.jpg https://louplummer.lol/time-capsule-atlanta-1997/


"“The function of freedom is to free someone else.” - Toni Morrison"

"“Nobody is free until everybody is free.” - Fannie Lou Hamer"

These two powerful quotes from two giants of our time, one literary and the other from the Civil Rights Movement capture something that I believe at the very core of who I am. It’s the essence of responsibility.


Today marks 100 consecutive days that I have posted a review on AppAddict, a little website that I started on a whim to be able to talk to other people who have a download addiction. It’s done pretty good, been quoted in Lifehacker and the Verge and some developers have been quite nice. I❤IndyWeb!

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/appaddict.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol


"I think you can figure out a lot about a person if you know what books have had the most impact on them. At one point or another, each of these books was my current favorite. They all had a lasting impact on me. I’d love to see your list. - @amerpie"

So far, five folks besides me have contributed their  list of the 15 books that have had the most impact on them. I’d love to see more people join in. It’s a good way to see what led to people being who they are today. @tracydurnell @alexandra@social.lol @werd.io @goofpunk@mastodon.social @realityframeworks@mastodon.social
 https://micro.blog/amerpie https://louplummer.lol/15-books-with-the-most-impact/ https://micro.blog/tracydurnell https://micro.blog/alexandra@social.lol http://werd.io https://micro.blog/goofpunk@mastodon.social https://micro.blog/realityframeworks@mastodon.social


[What the web looked like in 1994])linkage.lol/what-the-…)

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/woodstock-1994-the-well-via-alex-pasternack.jpeg https://linkage.lol/what-the-web-looked-like-in-1994/


Taking a Mental Health Day - After too many meetings and too few decisions at work, there was only one cure for the stress,

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/menyal-health-day.jpg https://louplummer.lol/taking-a-mental-health-day/


From My 100 Strangers project - I caught Vanessa and her large personality downtown on a Sunday afternoon watching her break-dancing friends perform.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/vanessa.jpg


Today on AppAddict - [GoodLinks])(https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/goodlinks) is a dual-purpose app with a lot going for it. It’s both a bookmark manager and a read-it-later app. It’s a one-time $9.99 purchase in the App Store.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/goodlinks.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/goodlinks


Facebook Purity a Browser Extension That Removes Some of the Evil - If you are on Facebook out of choice or through family obligations like me, this browser extension makes it somewhat bearable by disrupting the algorithm and hiding the gross parts.
 https://linkage.lol/facebook-purity-a-browser-extension-that-removes-some-of-the-evil/


True Confessions - My Life on the High Seas Back in the beginning days of the web, when Napster had 80 million users and torrents were a new thing, I might have downloaded some stuff.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/pirate.webp https://louplummer.lol/true-confessions-my-life-on-the-high-seas/


From my 100 Strangers project - William self-described himself as a reformed old drunk and said he has now dedicated his life to helping people.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/william2.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Mac Uninstallers - App Cleaner vs. Pear Cleaner one is more bare bones but thorough. The other has more features but occasionally misses a few files.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/pear-cleaner.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/app-cleaner-vs-pear-cleaner


"have to admit that it’s breaking my heart to watch a new generation of anxious parents think that they can address the struggles their kids are facing by eliminating technology from kids' lives. I’ve been banging my head against this wall for almost 20 years, not because I love technology but because I care so deeply about vulnerable youth. And about their mental health. And boy oh boy do I loathe moral panics. I realize they’re politically productive, but they cause so much harm and distraction."

Defusing the moral panic
 https://linkage.lol/how-do-we-defuse-the-moral-panic-around-technology/


I wrote 50 more blogging prompts to round out my collection to an even 100. If you get stumped on a topic for a post, take a look at these.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mimi-thian-byglq32wjx8-unsplash.jpg https://louplummer.lol/50-more-blogging-prompts/


From my 100 Strangers - This is Disha, photographed with her mother’s blessing, at the NC India Festival held in the fall of the year at Dorton Arena in Raleigh. She was nervously waiting to participate in a dancing exhibition.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/girl.jpg


Today on AppAddict - An Unemotional Look at Clean My Mac X - I look at the controversial app without hyperbole or bias and point out its strong and weak points.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleam-my-mac.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/an-unemotional-look-at-clean-my-mac-x


If anyone wants to play along, make a list of the 15 books that have had the most impact on you and share it. 15 Books with the Most Impact

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/gow.jpg https://louplummer.lol/15-books-with-the-most-impact/


From my 100 Strangers Project - I met Bryan at the farmer’s market in the small coastal town of Beaufort, NC where people sell their goods under a huge canopy of live oak trees a couple of blocks from the waterfront. He was pretty taciturn and did not have a lot to say.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/bryan.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Downie - Video Downloader - Downie can download from more than 1000 sites with more being added on a bi-weekly basis. It can download 4K video and audio-only streams.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/downie-mini-2.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/downie-video-downloader


"Female hair is either long or political. Sexual orientation is either heterosexual or political. Gender identity is either cis or political. Clothing is either gender stereotyped and boring or political. City infrastructure is either car-focused or political. Energy is either fossil fuels or political. Education is either white Christian propaganda or political. Everything follows the same pattern, tech included."

Marko Vujnovic
 https://dice.camp/@dawngreeter/112732040678526067


I put my thinking cap on this afternoon and came up with 50 Ideas for Blog Posts. Hopefully, some of y’all will get some use from them.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/50-no-fluff-content-rich-blog-post-ideaselle--company.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/50-ideas-for-blog-posts/


Awesome Mac - Browse a Huge Selection of Mac Applications - I have 449 applications on my MacBook. After browsing this site, I’m about to have a few more.
 https://linkage.lol/awesome-mac-browse-a-huge-selection-of-mac-applications/


My Favorite Newsletter Subscriptions - A list of free and worthy reads on subjects ranging from tech to history to current events from writers like Heather Cox Richardson, Joan Westenberg, Ed Zeron.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/newsletter.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/worthy-free-newsletter-subscriptions/


"“There are moments when you cannot help but feel that your life is being controlled by some not-entirely-benevolent god. You skirt down a ridge only to climb it again; you climb a steep peak when there is an obvious route around it; you cross the same stream three times in the course of an hour, for no apparent reason, soaking your feet in the process. You do these things because someone, somewhere, decided that that’s where the trail must go.”"

The Essence of Hiking


Today on AppAddict - Clop - Copy Big, Paste Small, Send Fast - a utility that automatically resizes files simply by copying and pasting. Works on images, video and PDFs. Clop can also downscale images from 90% t0 10% of the original size.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/downscale-images.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/clop-copy-big-paste-small-send-fast


From my 100 Strangers Project - A rare color picture, to capture the multi-colored chalk on Danielle’s face after she and a friend had been to a Holi festival in lower Manhattan. I caught them heading for the subway.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/danielle.jpg


Updated my /subscriptions page with a couple of new entries - Paramount+ so I can watch Mayor of Kingstown ($60 for a year) and BearBlog ($5 a month) so I can be on every blogging platform I hear about.
 https://amerpie.lol/subscrptions


This Week's Bookmarks - Democracy and the church, Vietnamese chicken salad, 25 hikes, Life's Ant-Checklist, 50 ways to fuel a conversation, Life of a tennis player, Daily routines https://amerpie.lol/2024/07/06/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


Freckles, The Bull, The Bean, and Cajun - The story of the most memorable animals from my life, a Dalmation, a Black Angus Bull, a Dachshund and an Amazon Parrot

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mvc-001f.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/freckles-the-bull-the-bean-and-cajun/


It’s Saturday, the day I regularly update my /now page. This week I’m touting a great newsletter, Werd.io, four streaming shows, listing a week’s worth of blog posts and turning you on to a great cheap fine tipped ink pen. As always, there’s also the links I saved into my collection this week.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/61l5l6-krkl.-ac-.jpg https://amerpie/now


Today on App Addict - Day One is popular for a reason. I have five journals with 18K entries made over the past 10 years, many of them automated records from social media, weather reports, clipped news articles, RSS feeds of my blogs as well as pictures and video.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/day-one-premium-featured.webp https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/day-one-is-popular-for-a-reason


From my 100 Strangers Project - Jaleesa and Moniek were hanging out with their friends in front of the Art Center downtown for an impromptu, old school break-dancing sesh. #photography

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/jalieese-ansd-moniek.jpg


My daughter today walking through the lavender fields in the Luberon area of France.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/9f8e1bbae9.jpg


How to Create Maps of Content (MOC) in #Obsidian https://amerpie.lol/2024/07/05/how-to-create.html


Once upon a time, human beings bought their music at glorious record stores with knowledgeable, if slightly arrogant clerks, who could tell you about new releases and do the whole “If you like the Grateful Dead, you will probably like Phish” trip. Now we have Album Whale

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/album-whlae.jpg https://linkage.lol/album-whale/


I’ve been punching a clock for 44 years and I’ve had all kinds of bosses and coworkers during that time. I learned a while back to take my own inventory to see if I was causing problems, because sometimes it’s me. Sometimes, it’s not, however and this is how I dealt with that recently.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/tension.jpg https://louplummer.lol/people-ugh-what-can-you-do/


From my 100 Strangers project - Claire was straddling her bike on the east side of Zucotti Park in NYC. I commented on her jersey proclaiming, “Runs on Plants” and she told me that she is a vegan athlete who manages to participate in endurance sports while sticking to her consumption values.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/claire.jpg


Today on AppAddict - OnlySwitch is a free Mac menu bar app that offers instant access to numerous system settings like Dark Mode, Bluetooth, Mute Mic as well as mini-applications like keep awake, Internet Radio and hiding the notch on MacBooks.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/onlyswitch.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/onlyswitch-free-app-for-system-controls-more


The most tired I have ever been was not after 100-mile bike rides or backpacking over mountains. It was after a full day of farm work, especially during corn pulling season when I was a teenager.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/pulling-corn.jpg https://louplummer.lol/pulling-corn/


From My 100 Strangers Project - Alex - a super friendly guy from somewhere other than NC (Russia, actually) wearing a Duke shirt and reading a book about Vikings. I met him while he was sitting in a small Manhattan park with his book.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/alex.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Plus AI from MacPlus Software an AI app that lives in the background, works on selected text and can be used in any app, is a convenient and easy to use way to incorporate the parts of AI that don’t rip people off into your workflow.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-07-03-at-14.41.282x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/plus-ai-from-macplus-a-convenient-and-well-though-out-app


"Consider the quintessential traits often attributed to every younger generation - regardless of the era. Idealism. Technological savvy. A desire to challenge the status quo. An anti-authority bent. Flip through the pages of history, and you’ll find these same attributes ascribed to youth movements across the decades, even centuries."

Thoughts on Joan Westenberg’s piece Generational Labels Are BS
 https://linkage.lol/generational-labels-are-bs/


I wrote a whole lot more than normal yesterday so when it came time to update my non-technical blog I was about out of energy and feeling kind of low. Ny remedy for that was to make a quick list of things that make me happy. It includes:

Robert Duvall

People who tip wait staff well

Democracy

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/duvall.jpg https://louplummer.lol/make-a-list/


From my 100 Strangers project - I caught up with Roland near the Wall Street Bull down in the financial district at the southern tip of Manhattan. He was a British fellow, slightly amused by this forward American who wanted to take a street portrait. He wasn’t up for much gabbing.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/roland.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Stats is a free menu bar app that monitors various hardware components on your Mac, providing colorful, easy to read, configurable charts and graphs plus a way to terminate misbehaving apps.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-07-03-at-04.59.122x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/stats-is-a-free-alternative-to-istat-menus


A Free Tool That Lets You Follow Any RSS Feed via The Fediverse - Birb via RSS Parrot. Do you have any favorite bloggers who just aren’t interested in social media? I do, and I use this tool to follow them on Mastodon. I’m always too far behind on my RSS reader, but I can keep up with toots.
 https://linkage.lol/a-free-tool-that-lets-you-follow-any-rss-feed-via-the-fediverse/


IndyWeb Carnival - Tools, How #Obsidian Cured My Depressions, Saved my Job and Gave Me Purpose https://amerpie.lol/2024/07/02/indyweb-carnival-tools.html


I made folks laugh yesterday when I commented that I’m an almost 60-year-old man with grandchildren who now can’t cuss on my blog anymore because my mother found it and reads it every day. I thought I might explain the reasons why - When You Cuss in Front of Your Mama, You Can’t Take it back
 https://louplummer.lol/when-you-cuss-in-front-of-your-mama-you-cant-take-it-back/


From my 100 Strangers project - I met Jamie along with her friend Miranda at a street fair where the two of them were promoting their roller derby team, a sport I thought was long dead.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/jamie.jpg https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/09/from-my-strangers.html


Today on AppAddict - Trickster keeps track of recent files you’ve been using on your Mac and gives you super easy and lightning fast access to them.. For writers, developers, photographers and anyone else who works with files. Has a learning curve but worth the time investment.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/trickster.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/trickster-manage-your-files-like-a-pro


The New York Times Style Magazine assembled a group of editors to determine which 25 photos from 1955 until today are the defining images of the modern age. Some are of news events, and you’ve surely seen them. Other images in the collection were new to me, but still very powerful.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/linkage-1719776373.webp https://linkage.lol/25-photographs-that-define-the-modern-era/


Straight Old White Guy’s Guide to Talking About Race, Abortion, Feminism and LGBT issues - Straight Old White Guys (SOWG) need to be quiet, listen and learn, not pontificate on how great they are because they stopped being backwards.
 https://louplummer.lol/straight-old-white-guys-guide-to-talking-about-race-abortion-feminism-and-lgbt-issues/


Today on AppAddict - Amphetamine offers granular control to keep your Mac from sleeping while a certain app is running, for a period of time, until a certain time of day and more. It will keep your MacBook awake while the lid is closed or while a backup drive is attached.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/apmphitimine.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/amphetamine-ultimate-sleep-prevention-for-your-mac


From my 100 Strangers project - While taking Austin’s photo, I caught an unplanned selfie as the reflection in his sunglasses captures me leaning into him to get the shot.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/austin.jpg


I Have Some Strong Opinions on Privacy Freak Outs Yes, your privacy is under assault, but unless you are willing to take certain uncomfortable steps, quit making everyone miserable with performative hysterics.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cypfer-placeholder-card.webp https://louplummer.lol/i-have-some-strong-opinions-on-privacy-freak-outs/


The 23 Best Time Travel Novels - a collection dating from the 1950’s through today. Despite paradoxes, time travel is a fascinating concept and makes a great read.
 https://linkage.lol/the-23-best-time-travel-novels/


From my 100 Strangers project - Specialist Erroll was downtown for a performance of the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division Band where he played a mean trumpet. He was a gracious and friendly guy and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him between performances. #photography

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/specialist-erroll.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Text Sniper is an OCR app for your Mac that can read text from YouTube videos, PDFs, images, online courses, screencasts, presentations, webpages, video tutorials, photos. It has more features than the macOS built in Live Text and is a bargain at $7.99.
 https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/textsniper


Today for  #Junited2024 I am plugging {micro maique}, the wonderful photo blog of Maique, resident visual artist, role model and superstar of Micro.blog, Scribbles, Flickr and Instagram. I linked to some wonderful outdoor photos entitled, The River.
 https://louplummer.lol/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs/


For the 26th week in a row I’ve updated my /now page with a new to me blog discovery feed, four TV shows, the 16th blog posts I wrote, a new app to love and the links I added to my personal collection.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/now.page-logo-full.jpeg https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


This Week's Bookmarks - Movie Monster Sizes, Maximizing life, Best American towns to visit, Spending across generations, America's best pizza joints, Best Lake Towns, 50 True Things About Israel/Palestine https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/29/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


A good article by @jhpot@mastodon.social on the case for De-Googling and links to help you out. Lots of resources

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/hero-image.fill.size-1248x702.v1717767103.jpg https://micro.blog/jhpot@mastodon.social https://linkage.lol/do-you-want-to-de-google-your-life/


Today on AppAddict - I make the case for Microsoft Edge for a certain class of Mac users who also use Microsoft Office, Outlook and One Drive. I use it on both my Macs and my iPhone and love its speed, rock solid syncing and features like profiles, workspaces and collections plus extension support.
 https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/making-a-case-for-microsoft-edge


Today for  #Junited2024 I am plugging, And So it Goes,  the blog of Kerri Ann Krueger, one of my favorite Mastodon follows and Indy bloggers. The post I’m linking to is about failure and how to have a healthier relationship with it. @philomath@social.lol

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-29.png https://scribbles.page/j5g1kbym/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/philomath@social.lol


From my 100 Strangers project - Michelle is a member of a belly-dancing club that performs at street festivals. I ran into her before their performance, and she gave me the big smile you see here. The positive vibe I got from meeting her made the rest of night with my camera go well.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/michelle.jpg


A web site for baby bloggers or even experienced ones needing some fresh ideas, 32-Bit Cafe has plenty to explore. It has guides and tutorials, page ideas, website topics, art and graphic design, technical info and a massive resource list.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/320bit-cafe.jpg https://linkage.lol/32-bit-cafe-a-comprehensive-resource-for-bloggers-and-personal-websites/


Every once in a while, I just have to blog about the day that has been, with the good and the stuff that I wouldn’t describe that way. A Day in the Life. Today my boss acted like we were building an atomic bomb instead of the very low security environment in which we operate.
 https://louplummer.lol/post/anatomy-of-a-day


From my 100 Strangers project - Mark was at the Beaufort, NC Pirate Festival. In fact, I took this picture only a few hundred yards from where Blackbeard’s ship, Queen Anne’s Revenge went down in the harbor.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mark.jpg


Today fo  #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog of Molly White, one of the few “famous people” I follow on social media, mainly because she is smart, relatable and knows her stuff on things I’m curious about. This is a great piece on what can be done to improve OUR internet.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-28.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


Today on AppAddict - Pie Menu is a mouse + keyboard driven alternative to memorizing menu bar commands. It is a fully configurable tool for activating menu bar commands from a pop-up menu that follows your cursor. Looks interesting but there is a FOSS option available.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/pie-menu-01.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/pie-menu


I think I am in heaven. I just found an online gallery of portraits by renowned street photographer, Ryan Weideman. I’ve done street portraits for over a decade, including my 100 Strangers Project, but I have a long way to go to catch this guy. The portrait subject is poet, Alan Ginsberg.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/ginsberg.jpg https://brucesilverstein.com/artists/67-ryan-weideman/ https://amerpie.lol/photos/


Cool Tools is a web site which recommends the best/cheapest tools available. Tools are defined broadly as anything that can be useful. This includes hand tools, machines, books, software, gadgets, websites, maps, and even ideas.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cooltools.jpg https://linkage.lol/cool-tools-a-useful-internet-old-timer/


Debate? No. The only thing I’d watch Donald Trump do for two hours is burn at the stake.


Some really hot takes in this article on web design!

"Those who continue to host one on their own domain like this site tend to treat it as a “hire me!” billboard or fill it with boring think pieces. If this site weren’t proof enough, have a gander at what comes up when you browse the … Bearblog.dev index."

"It is because the only people making websites anymore are those that look to monetize it in some way. Personal websites are becoming a historical artifact rather than being part and parcel of the web itself."

 https://rafichaudhury.com/site/blog/Freehand-Web


"President Joe Biden will issue a proclamation giving mass clemency to US service members convicted of charges under a Cold War-era purge of gay and lesbian people, reversing a decades-long policy of discrimination that forced an estimated 100,000 people from the military."

Link
 https://archive.ph/HDi4A


I had a lot of fun writing a lookback at my most memorable TV moments from 1969 through today. I linked to many old shows, news events and sports. Hopefully you can identify with some of it! Me and the Box

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/apollo-11.webp https://louplummer.lol/post/me-and-the-box


Today for #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog of Parker Molloy, a well know blogger who writes about communication in our hyperconnected world. Her recent piece on Snopes shows how they missed the ball when they declared Trump didn’t refer to Nazis as very fine people.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/nazi.webp https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


From my 100 Strangers project - This great big smile belongs to Lawrie who was visiting the historical coastal town of Beaufort, NC with her friends.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/lawrie.jpg


Today on AppAddict - I list my favorite apps from SetApp with details about their purpose and what they would cost if stand alone. I also posted a list of all 40 (!!!) of the apps I’m using for the same low mothly price. It’s a real bargain for any Mac user.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/setapp.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/setapp-is-worth-it


Hitler Was Incompetent and Lazy and His Government Was an Absolute Clown Show - Lot’s of similarities to his orangeness and company, like it or not. It’s a valid comparison.
 https://linkage.lol/hitler-was-incompetent-and-lazyand-his-nazi-government-was-an-absolute-clown-show/


What do we look for in the people we meet online? - I’ve got to say that the people I meet online are a varied group, a lot more so than the folks around me IRL. It’s one of the things that makes blogging, social media and the IndyWeb ethos so attractive.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/camylla-battani-abve1cyt7hk-unsplash.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/on-the-people-we-meet-online


Today for  #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog of Manuel Moreale, famous in the IndyWeb community (and deservedly so) for his People and Blogs newsletter. Manuel is another blogger I choose to support each month for all he does to lift up others. His post is on how we communicate online.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/download.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


Today on AppAddict - [Sequel,](apps.louplummer.lol/post/sequ…] a unique player in the media database space, tracks TV shows, movies, books, audiobooks and video games. Well designed, configurable and powerful, it is a real joy to use.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sequel.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/sequel-entertainment-database


From my 100 Strangers Project - Jerry asked me if I knew that you could catch fish at the State Fair. I wasn’t interested in buying a second-hand bass, but he tried his best to talk me into it.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/jerry.jpg


There are too many cool people online to waste time with buttheads. I’ve gone on a little blocking spree today on a certain orange hued social network and honestly, it felt great. No patiently explaining to someone why they should be nice. Just click a button and they are gone forever.


Another 10 Random #Obsidian Tips https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/25/another-random-obsidian.html


Watching a Better Youtube - info and links to free YouTube resources: transcripts, summarizer, an online RSS service and an ad free, privacy first viewer and downloader.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/youtube.jpg https://linkage.lol/watching-a-better-youtube/


Are you still listening to the same songs you liked in high school (like me) or are you one of those brave souls who is always looking for something new? Music to My Ears

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/elvis.webp https://louplummer.lol/post/music-to-my-ears


Today on AppAddict - Unclutter - Three Utilities in One App - a clipboard manager, a file shelf and a floating notes interface. Free trial, one time purchase.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/unclutter.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/unclutter-clipboard-manager-file-shelf-floating-notes-all-in-one


Today for  #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog of Matt Langford, one of the superstars of Micro.blog, the designer of TinyTheme and one of a hand full of bloggers I contribute to financially each month. This post is his /carry slash page, with some good tips on gear. @matt@mattlangford.com on the Fediverse.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-25.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/matt@mattlangford.com


Loving The Outlaws, Season 3 on Amazon Prime Video

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/outlaws.jpg https://trakt.tv/shows/the-outlaws-2021/seasons/3


From my 100 Strangers Project - Arty had a concession at the state fairgrounds in Raleigh. He told me he was in the Central Highlands of Vietnam with the 4th Infantry division in 1970-71.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/arty.jpg


If anyone would like to contribute a post about their favorite food memories (grandma’s, mom’s, that $500 meal you had in Paris, basic training mess hall or whatever) I’m collecting links to them and will put up a page as soon as I get a few. Here’s mine
 https://louplummer.lol/post/food-memories-are-the-best


I want to encourage anyone who hasn’t done so to add your blog to Feedle, a search engine for blogs. It’s great resource if you are looking for blogs are podcasts that cover the same stuff you do. On the Fediverse at @feedle@mastodon.social
 https://linkage.lol/feedle-a-search-engine-for-blogs/ https://micro.blog/feedle@mastodon.social


I want to encourage anyone who hasn’t done so to add your blog to [Feedle, a search engine for blogs.])linkage.lol/feedle-a-…) It’s great resource if you are looking for blogs are podcasts that cover the same stuff you do. On the Fediverse at @feedle@mastodon.social
 https://linkage.lol/feedle-a-search-engine-for-blogs/ https://micro.blog/feedle@mastodon.social


YouTube Creator, Dann Berg who specializes in primarilt Obsidian and productivity apps, also has a monthly newsletter that is worth subscribing to.
 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9K0p3XV0NNIuqgPta29HlQ https://open.substack.com/pub/dannberg/p/june-2024?r=335dp8


What are your favorite food memories? Your grandmother’s cooking, dishes from childhood, your spouse’s specialty?  Here are mine.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/old-bay-steamed-shrimp-5-720x720.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/food-memories-are-the-best


Today for #Junited2024 I’m plugging the blog Beardy Guy Musings by @Denny. You never know what you’re going to get there. It might be tech (like today) or it might be a challenge to be a better citizen. Whatever it is, it will be genuine, honest and from the heart because that’s the way he rolls.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-24.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/Denny


Today on App Addict - Upscayl - a Free and Open-Source Image Enlarger and Enhancer - takes low resolution images from old phones and digital cameras and sharpens them while enlarging up to 4x.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/upscayl1.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/upscayl-a-free-and-open-source-image-enlarger


From my 100 Strangers project - I met Tim down at the bus station when I was down there one day taking pictures of travelers. He was super friendly but didn’t give up a lot of biographical detail other than his love of art.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/tim.jpg


"Lots of things that were wildly unpopular and sneered at in the past are now part of ordinary life:"

Abolition

Women’s suffrage

Access to birth control

Interracial marriage

Marriage equality

The 40 hour work-week

Don’t Let Them Tell You How to Think | Weird.io

 https://werd.io/2024/dont-let-them-tell-you-what-to-think


Today for #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog of Johnny Noble AKA Johnny Decimal, @johnnydecimal@hachyderm.io, truly one of the nicest people on the Internet and someone who walks the walk when it comes to his values as demonstrated by the way he prices his signature program.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/johnnydecimal@hachyderm.io


I’m extremely emotional over this and was up all night in tears. - How the sad case of a missing cat saved me from getting fired last week.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/missy-poster-02.jpg https://linkage.lol/im-extremely-emotional-over-this-and-was-up-all-night-in-tears/


Remember When They Called It Netiquette? - Once upon a time, we all had to figure out what constitutes manners in our online communities but over the past 30 years we’ve mostly built a culture where folks know how to act, mostly…

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/google.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/remember-when-they-called-it-netiquette


From my 100 Strangers project - Veronica - She had a table selling jewelry at a street fair. I noticed her because of the pink hair. I took my first shot from a distance but when she noticed me (laughing) I walked up and asked her to pose. She laughed through the whole thing except of this shot.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/veronica.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Spaces for macOS an app for opening everything you need for different task scenarios - writing, coding, editing photos. It sets up your display with a custom layout and opens/closes everything with a single click.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/spaces.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/spaces-for-macos


Me and my 3-year-old grandson.
Tracy - Why am I sticky?
Lou - Because you’re eating ice cream
Tracy - Why am I eating ice cream?
Lou - Because I got it for you
Tracy - Why did you get it for me?
Lou - Because you like it
Tracy - Why do I like it?
Lou - Because it’s good
Tracy - No, it’s VERY good

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2012-01-08-001.jpeg


12 Helpful iOS and macOS Shortcuts for #Obsidian https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/22/helpful-ios-and.html


Looks like today’s trend is people writing up and sharing their blogging journeys, here’s mine. Send yours to @birming@mastodon.world.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/amerpie.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/my-blogging-journey https://micro.blog/birming@mastodon.world


The poets were right. There is something especially poignant about an athlete dying young. Some of the best sports writing of the past decade - Steve Prefontaine’s Last Run

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/prefontaine-1.webp https://linkage.lol/steve-profontaines-last-run/


It’s Saturday, so I have updated my /now page - with info on ZEALOT: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Rasa Aslan, four TV shows, App Reviews and other blog posts, Samyang Buldak Hot Spicy Chicken Ramen Noodles - banned in Denmark for excessive spice and some hilarious links.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/ramen.jpg https://amerpie.lol/now


Will It Still Be Social? - what do you think about the proposal allowing people to turn off or limit replies on the Fediverse? Will it turn it into a place where the cool kids talk in front of but not to the plebes? Remove accountability? Become performative, not communicative? Why not just blog?
 https://louplummer.lol/post/will-it-still-be-social


This Week's Bookmarks - Cool art gallery, Leftist purity, Beautiful streets, Music covers, NY Sandwiches, Landmarks, Biggest Dog https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/22/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


Today for #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog, Life Is Such A Sweet Insanity by J.P. Wing, a guy with an interests list a mile long: flying, hiking, storm chasing, vintage computers, space, Linux, Apple and evidently writing because I enjoy the hell out of his prose. Take a look.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-22.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


From my 100 Strangers project - I was taking someone else’s portrait outside a bar in Wilmington when Charles looked at me and smiled. I couldn’t help but to take his photo too. The only interaction we had was me asking his name for my notes.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/charles.jpg


Today on AppAddict - a great single purpose app to create quote graphics. Text Shot by developer @chrishannah@mastodon.social. I saw @robb@social.lol mention it yesterday, so I bought a copy and used it multiple time already.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-21-at-17.00.352x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/text-shot https://micro.blog/chrishannah@mastodon.social https://micro.blog/robb@social.lol


Looks like I’ve missed the debate on being able to make Fediverse posts that no one is allowed to respond to. Anyone got a link to info on this. It would make me sad to lose the ability to interact with popular folks but I understand people who want to feel safe and free from harassment.


Hey, I’m soliciting any cool Mac apps you’d like to see on AppAddict, especially if you an indy dev looking for exposure. I just got permalinked at r/macapps on Reddit so there’s lots more eyeballs on what I’ve reviewed.
 https://apps.louplummer.lol https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/


I love it when someone interviews Bob Dylan and instead of asking him the same bullshit questions, he’s been asked a million times like “How did it feel to be the voice of a generation” they ask him questions about current events and music and his creative process. Bob Dylan’s Rough and Rowdy Ways

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/dylan.webp https://linkage.lol/finally-a-good-bob-dylan-interview/


Today for  #Junited2024 I am plugging the blog, Canned Dragons by Robert Rackley, @mineinmono@mastodon.world, yet another North Carolinian spreading good will on the IndyWeb. His piece on Connection vs. Isolation really resonated with me.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2024-06-21.jpeg https://scribbles.page/posts/pages https://micro.blog/mineinmono@mastodon.world


in 2024, it shouldn’t be too hard to talk about mental health issues, especially when it’s a success story. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 28 years ago, got ongoing treatment and have managed to live a pretty normal and drama free life with lots of good times. Talking About Mental Health
 https://louplummer.lol/post/talking-about-mental-health


From my 100 Strangers Project - Ed, a volunteer at the NC Zoo seemed completely baffled as to why I would want to get a photograph, but the camera equipment strapped all over my body probably made me look like a pro to him. One doesn’t often get a chance to see retired men in bunny ears.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/ed-smith.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Angry Ip Scanner - Ever had the sneaking suspicion that someone was using your Wi-Fi? This free and open-source, easy to use scanner will quickly tell you every device connected to your home network.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/ipscan.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/angry-ip-scanner


The Sopranos 25th Anniversary - an interview with the cast members from the iconic HBO show on the 25th anniversary of its premiere with a few surprising revelations.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sopranos.jpg https://linkage.lol/the-sopranos-25-years-later/


Today for #Junited2024 - Vocal Shortcuts Will Let You Create Voice Triggers For Any Command (Without Saying Siri) by @matthewcassinelli@mastodon.social. Matthew is the preeminent source for info on Apple Shortcuts.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/matthewcassinelli@mastodon.social


Today on AppAddict - I bought the disk cloning software SuperDuper! in 2004 and have been receiving updates ever since. It’s great for bootable full-disk backups, incremental backups and more.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-20-at-04.36.192x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/superduper-disk-cloner


The Case for Using #Obsidian Sync https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/19/the-case-for.html


Down With Southern Mythology, We’re Tired of It It sickens me that after the murder of George Floyd, across the south we managed to finally remove Confederate names from some schools and other public institutions, only to see MAGA loving right-wingers reinstitute them this year.
 https://linkage.lol/down-with-southern-mythology-were-tired-of-it/


Today for #Junited2024 I’d like to suggest a GTD post from the blog of Ariadne, Noisy Deadlines, a Brazilian living in Canada who loves winter. Her blog is a good mix of sci-fi, GTD and Internet culture - just the kind of non-pretentious stuff I enjoy. @noisydeadlines@writing.exchange on Mastodon.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/noisydeadlines@writing.exchange


From my 100 Strangers project - As is often the case, I started by taking a few pics of Sherry’s dog who wasn’t really much to look at and wouldn’t stand still. I kept taking pictures and talking before moving along. She was one of the friendly folks who sometimes thank me.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sherry.jpg


Today on AppAddict - The venerable iA Writer, a well-designed Markdown editor, long a favorite of writers and bloggers, with built in checks for cliches, filler words and redundancies, publishing straight to Micro.blog and other platforms. Its hallmark is its focus mode and plain interface.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-18-at-13.06.392x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/ia-writer


For the past six weeks I’ve been on a manic tear, cranking out 16-17 blog posts a week – seven app reviews, seven personal, non-technical posts, a few technical articles on productivity and sharing a photograph from my 100 Strangers project each day. I also started a links blog. [Here’s my workflow] (https... amerpie.lol https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/18/for-the-past.html


The Voices in My Head - Supposedly some people don’t have an inner dialog. I don’t know what that would be like because the voices are always present in mine, and they have questions.
 https://louplummer.lol/post/questions-i-ponder


Today for #Junited2024, I am featuring an astute post by a blogger I just discovered yesterday, historian Mark Stoneman, @markstoneman@zirk.us, about the difference between broadcast media and social media in the post-Twitter world.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/markstoneman@zirk.us


My favorite book about the Vietnam War is Dispatches by Michael Herr based on the reporting he did for Esquire. This article from 1968 about the battle for Hue was the foundation for the book. Hell Sucks

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/helicopters.jpg https://linkage.lol/hell-sucks-by-michael-herr/


Today on AppAddict - HistoryHound by St. Clair Software is the ultimate search tool for your web history. It covers multiple browsers and RSS readers in a single database and indexes the entire page, not just the title. Compatible with most major browsers.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/browsers23.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/historyhound-a-must-have-research-tool-1


From my 100 Strangers project - Joseph let me photograph him after I explained the project in detail and gave him a card with the address of where he could view it online, but he never really believed that I didn’t work for the newspaper, although I told him repeatedly that I didn’t.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/f0801d7e50.jpg


Time to get more organized. I just wrote a detailed app review for my blog tomorrow, as I do, only to realize as I was setting it up that I already reviewed this app in April, so I got to see if experienced App Reviewer Lou did a better job than Newbie App Reviewer Lou.


Murder in Mississippi - the most powerful artwork I have ever seen in person. Many right-wingers refuse to believe this painting is by Norman Rockwell, but it is. It depicts the Mississippi Burning killing of three civil rights workers by the Klan in 1964.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/rockwell.webp https://linkage.lol/murder-in-mississippi-by-norman-rockwell/


Why I’m Still on Facebook - Yep, being fully aware of its awfulness, I’m still there for reasons.
 https://louplummer.lol/post/why-i-m-still-on-facebook


Today for #Junited2024 I’d like to recommend one of my favorite bloggers and all-around friend to the IndyWeb community, Alexandra Wolfe whose poignant post about the death of her father is as good as it gets.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://alexandrawolfe.ca/life-after-death/


Today on AppAddict - The Many Apps of Sindre Sorhus - Wunderkind, Sindre Sorhus is responsible for more apps on my Mac than any other developer. His mostly free apps include Velja, Hyperduck, Shareful, Aiko, One Thing and Actions.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sindre-sorhus.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/the-many-apps-of-sindre-sorhus


I’ve completed the /Slash Page Challenge and made as many as I could.

📸Photos
📘 Bookmarks
📰 Blogroll
 Interests
⚒ Colophon
📱 Defaults
💰Save
🌯 Chipotle
📡 Feeds
👎 Nope
📅 Someday

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/641501f87d.webp https://amerpie.lol/slash https://amerpie.lol/photos https://amerpie.lol/bookmarks https://amerpie.lol/blogroll https://amerpie.lol/interests https://amerpie.lol/colophon https://amerpie.lol/defaults https://amerpie.lol/save https://amerpie.lol/chipotle https://amerpie.lol/feeds https://amerpie.lol/nope https://amerpie.lol/someday


Today for #Junited2024 I am plugging James' Coffee Blog(https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs). James is a Scottish technical writer with some truly classic posts on things you can do with your personal website. Find him on Mastodon at @capjamesg@indieweb.social
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs) https://micro.blog/capjamesg@indieweb.social


This Week's Bookmarks - Receipe finder, Excellent advice, Quitting Google, Mullets!, Miss AI contest, Driving cities, Bookshelf creator https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/16/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


Today on AppAddict - PopClip is a must have in my productivity stack. It performs a variety of actions on any text I select with the cursor, including sending it to email, messages, Drafts, Obsidian, Google etc. It’s hard to work without it.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/popclip.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/popclip-a-must-have-productivity-app


Today for #Junited2024 I’m plugging @jhpot@mastodon.social, my favorite tech writer for sites like Lifehacker, WSJ, Wired and more. His recent blog posts resonates. Tech is Cool; Business is Boring
 https://micro.blog/jhpot@mastodon.social https://buttondown.email/justinpot/archive/tech-is-cool-business-is-boring/


All you have to do to bridge your Mastodon account to Blue sky is follow @bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy on Mastodon. That will automatically create a bridged account on BlueSky.
 https://micro.blog/bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy


Mac Menu Bar is a great resource for recently released apps. Here are the latest ones.
 https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/29-new-apps-added-at-mac-menu-bar


I’ve updated my /now page with info on the classic American novel I am re-reading (Lonesome Dove), the three TV shows I’m balancing, all the blog posts I’ve written and recommended, where I saved $$$ and the links I added to my personal bookmarks.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/lonesomedove.jpg https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


Today on AppAddict - BetterTouchTool Favorites - I go over the basics of BTT and list my favorite use cases.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/btt.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/better-touch-tool-favorite


From my 100 Strangers project - Alan was standing outside a fancy hotel smoking a cigarette. We talked about the weather for a minute. He told me he was from California. He took his glasses off before I made this portrait

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/alan.jpg


After about 15 seconds of internal debate, I decided to join the /nope page revolution, a @jbaty@social.lol idea.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/-85576423-thumbsdown.jpg https://amerpie.lol/nope/ https://micro.blog/jbaty@social.lol


After a lot of practice, I have been very happily married to the same person for over a decade! The Fourth Time Is a Charm

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2013-05-05-08.51.27.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/the-fourth-time-is-a-charm


Today for #Junited2024 I’m happy to plug HeyDingus, the blog of @jarrod and one that features a weekly links post with ongoing music recommendations, tech articles, a pen pal of the month, juicy Mac/iOS shortcuts and occasional podcasts transcripts from Clockwise.
 https://heydingus.net/blog/2024/6/7-things-this-week-145 https://micro.blog/jarrod


Today on AppAddict - Keep It Shot leverages AI to rename screenshots in bulk or as you take them and provides a private keyword-based search of your images.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/kis2.png https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/keep-it-shot


From my 100 Strangers project - When I asked Curtis if I could take his picture for my project he readily agreed and then struck this “gazing into the future” pose that was just perfect.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/curtis.jpeg


The Most Popular Apps I've Reviewed https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/13/the-most-popular.html


Shopping in America
Q- Can I get three boxes of Sudafed?
A - No, by law that’s too much
Q - OK, well, can I get three guns and a pallet of bullets?
A - Sure, coming right up.


War is such unpleasant business and the ones we had in the 21st century dragged on so long that people stopped paying attention long before the blood stopped flowing. In my family, though. the reminders are never far away. War and Peace

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/will.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/war-and-peace


Today for #Junited2024, all the way from the south of England, I bring you Barry Sampson’s post on adding a banner to his blog for Pride Month. It can be awkward for us 50-something cishet white guys to express our ally status as he explains.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


Today on AppAddict - Daisy Disk, the best in class disk space analyzer is still only $9.99. It’s the fastest app of its type and a three-time award winner on the app store.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-12-at-15.57.242x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/daisy-disk-best-in-its-class


From my 100 Strangers project - Esteban was in a city park in Columbia, SC taking a walk with his dog. The dog was not walking. He was. I didn’t get the dog’s name, but she was only two years old, so she and her owner hopefully had many more years together.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/etebanbw.jpg


10 Useful #Obsidian Plugins That Won't Affect Your Plain Text Data https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/12/useful-obsidian-plugins.html


"Our rights and liberties are not gifts from the state, but “the inheritance of a long history of struggles” by abolitionists, labor leaders, feminists and countless others whose “radical” beliefs in human freedom and dignity challenged an unjust system. - Eric Foner in The Nation"


Coffee Buying and Referral Linking is my take on how we aim to get a little back from our IndyWeb endeavors. There are lots of ways to support each other and if you want an occasional cup of Joe, I’m cool with that. I’d rather you check out the services I like if you want to do me a solid.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/weronika-karczewska-rdgbmoqv1zs-unsplash.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/coffee-buying-and-referal-linking


Today for #Junited2024 I want to shout out Marco @esamecar and his µ.blog. He writes great week notes, chock full of juicy software tips. I always look forward to them.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/esamecar https://mb.esamecar.net/


Today on AppAddict - If you have an older Mac and you’d like to run a new and unsupported version of macOS on it, you are in luck. Open Core Legacy Patcher will do the trick. Just don’t try it with the Sequoia beta. It is not patched for that yet.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/oclp-gui-main-menu.40fc1dad.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/open-core-legacy-patcher


From my 100 Strangers project - John, in the black fedora, looking every inch the jazz musician he is in real life. I caught him having a smoke and a coffee break from his usual busking downtown. I have had this photo hanging in my living room for a decade. I love it.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/john.jpeg


I don’t watch YouTube ads but the kids on Reddit do and I’ve found they have a belief that advertising there makes a company unethical. I use NordVPN, which evidently runs a lot of YouTube ads and the kids HATE it with a rabid passion. They go nuts if I bring it up. LOL Capitalism Sucks


My #Obsidian Wish List https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/11/my-obsidian-wish.html


Artificial Intelligence and Me, an Average Guy - how much has AI had an impact on me and my life as Lou the Computer Guy just living my life down here in NC? Not much actually. Folks can just calm down. The sky isn’t falling.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cows-on-a-baseball-field-.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/artificial-intelligence-and-me-an-average-guy


Today for #Junited2024, I’m giving a shout out to one of my favorite microbloggers @pratik. I appreciate his political perspectives, tv and movie choices, acerbic wit and overall friendliness. A Love Affair with Blogs
 https://micro.blog/pratik https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


Today on AppAddict - My first negative review. Yep, definitely not recommending MagicMenu from iBoysoft due to limited functionality, bait and switch pricing and lack of an advertised free trial. If you want to add to Finder’s right-click menu, there are better options.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/643x0w.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/magicmenu-from-iboysoft-not-recommended


From my 100 Strangers project - Teresa and Peter proved that people will accommodate you if you have a camera. The frame was not my prop, it just happened to be leaning against a table at the flea market where I was scouting for subjects. I handed it to them and asked them to pose and they did.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/teresa-and-peter.jpg


I did the IT onboarding for the technology director of our new medical school today. When it was time to set up 2FA, she handed me her phone and I commented that it was an Android. “I hate Apple” she says. She’s probably pretty cool but that was a BAD first impression.


Today I continue my 59-year streak of not installing beta software on my thousands of dollars' worth of Apple devices because I’m too goddamned impatient to wait until it’s ready for prime time.


The suppression of speech which criticizes Israel or puts forth a Palestinian point of view is antithetical to what are supposed to be the values of higher education in specific and America in general Columbia Law Review taken offline for publishing an article by a Palestinian Law Student
 https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2024/06/06/unprecedented-board-shutters-columbia-law-review#:~:text='Unprecedented%20Steps'%3A%20Board%20Pulls,editor%20describes%20how%20it%20happened.


I don’t start judging you until you get up to Untitled Folder (3) or Downloaded_File_3


The phenomena of Trail Magic on long distance hiking trails like the AT, PCT and Continental Divide Trail. 100DaysToOffload 10/100

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/img-1890-edit.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/trail-magic


"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. – Oscar Wilde"


Today for #Junited2024 I’m featuring the blog of Chicagoland’s own Jason Kratz and [his recent post on social media usage.](notebook.jasonkratz.me/thoughts-…] I love the gut level honesty that comes through on all of Jason’s posts.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/brooke-cagle-g1kr4ozfoac-unsplash.jpg https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://notebook.jasonkratz.me/thoughts-on-my-social-media-usage/


Today on AppAddict - I explore the world of keyboard driven application switchers featuring the FOSS app AltTab, a hidden Keyboard Maestro feature and more.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/alttab.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/what-is-your-alt-tab-solution-on-your-mac


From my 100 Strangers Project - Hippie Mike was hustling t-shirts at the flea market and had no problem having his portrait taken or giving me a free shirt so I could use it and the picture to remember the experience.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mike.jpeg


Working on my /slash page homework from @robb@social.lol - Today I’ve updated my /defaults. There have been some additions since I created this is January, but no deletions. I can never have enough software.
 https://micro.blog/robb@social.lol https://amerpie.lol/defaults/


My 10 Favorite Things About #Obsidian https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/09/my-favorite-things.html


Today for #Junited2024, I’m featuring a post by @petebrown@social.lol, Apologies and Forgiveness Are Not Transactional. Pete’s blog, Exploding Comma is full of acerbic wit, astute observations and lots of music recommendations. This is GenX at it’s finest.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/petebrown@social.lol


Today on AppAddict - Applite  is like an App Store for the entire Homebre Catalog. It downloads and updates apps. It’s free and open source.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/applite.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/applite-an-app-store-for-homebrew


In the 1970s, for two idyllic years, I lived in a small North Carolina town beside the Cape Fear River in at atmosphere reminiscent of Mayberry from the Andy Griffith show. It was a golden era

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/32-web.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/the-golden-era


From my 100 Strangers Project - Bethany was playing a Neil Young song I could hear before I saw her. She didn’t even have an open guitar case for people to throw money into. She was pretty good too.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/bethany.jpg


Saturday, the day I update my /now page - with info on a great book by Octavia Butler, three entertaining TV shows, all the stuff I wrote and reviewed this week, a shout-out to Apple Warranty Repair and the cool stuff I bookmarked.
 https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


This Weeks Bookmarks - Nickelback Hate, Kitchen Tips, Beach Reads, Best Sci-Fi books, Best Cities for Food, Most Expensive Paintings, 25 Era Defining Photos https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/08/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


Adults Making Friends - for some adult men, including this one, making new friends can be challenging - unless you are an IndyWeb blogger. Some reflections on the reality of online relationships.
 https://louplummer.lol/post/adults-making-friends


Today on AppAddict - EtreCheckPro, System Report on Steroids - a great free app for finding out more about your Mac. It’s often used in troubleshooting forums and Apple Support Communities to give the experts a peek into what might be causing you issues.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-07-at-19.58.332x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/etrecheckpro-system-report-on-steroids


From my 100 Strangers Project - Leon, the fish whisperer, taken on North Carolina’s Outer Banks in the fishing village of Buxton. I like to take pictures of people working as long as there is no need to hassle them to ask a couple of questions.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/leonbw.jpg


My Longest Day - On goal setting and the time I tried and failed to ride my bike 200 miles on the hottest day of the year, and lessons learned.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/goldsboro.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/my-longest-day


Today on AppAddict - Dropover, Best in Class - There are no shortage of shelf apps on the Mac, but Dropover rises to the top because of its feature set and affordability. Deeply integrated with cloud services, with Shortcuts and widgets it’s just a pleasure to use.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/dropover.png https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/dropover-best-in-class


From my 100 Strangers Project - Bobby from New Jersey (with the accent to prove it), who I met while he was in the city for the day on unspecified business. The backwards baseball cap is part of the Jersey Shore uniform.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/bobby.jpeg


Everyone, I hope, has memories of their favorite teacher from school. Mine was Chuck Stanton, my 11th grade English teacher. He was a prince among men and a credit to his profession. 11th Grade English
 https://louplummer.lol/post/11th-grade-english


Today on AppAddict - Apps to Enhance Apple Shortcuts - I have dozens of Shortcuts that I use every day, including ones designed to work with Micro.blog. Some of these require helper apps and these apps are featured in today’s post.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/toolbox-pro.png https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/enhance-apple-shortcuts-with-these-apps


From my 100 Strangers Project - Kenny, manager of a skateboard park, lover of haters

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/kennybw.jpg


Just heard from the Apple Repair Depot - they have fixed my broken MacBook Air display at no charge to me and have already shipped it back to me. There’s a tech at the depot is trying to do right by the customers. I’m lucky he pulled my ticket. I thought I’d be paying $598 for the repair!


Don't Be Afraid to Use the Linter Plugin in #Obsidian https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/05/dont-be-afraid.html


This year, more pictures will be taken than in the first 150 years of photography’s history. I wonder how people interact with their photos collection in the cell phone age Looking at Pictures

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/1970-little.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/looking-at-pictures


Today on AppAddict - Seasons Streaming Companion aims to help you figure out how to alternate what you watch. to allow you to turn off streaming services for periods of time to save money through its built-in algorithm. It also helps you find new show and movies while calculating the cost.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/img-7438.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/seasons-streaming-companion


From my 100 Strangers Project - This gentleman’s name is Thor. He repeatedly cautioned me to stay safe “out here”.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/thor.jpeg


Not to beat a dead horse any more than need be, but I feel like I should give a little background on why I am so offended by ESPN’s decision to waste time letting Lance Armstrong bask in public attention again. What’s the Matter with Lance?

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/armstrong.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/what-s-the-matter-with-lance-armstong


Who in their right mind is going to give over any more of their precious life’s minutes to watch this heartbreaking asshole soak up any more attention? GTFO

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-06-04-at-16.57.192x.jpg


I’m reminded today that the web is an ephemeral place and there is no promise that the people who are here today will be here tomorrow. It has always been that way, of course but it hurts more deeply when one is happy with the status quo. Those looking for a sense of permanence need look elsewhere.


I am 100% on Team Work to Live vs the other way around. Some ruminations on the meaning of work and where it fits in with the rest of life. On Work

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/paperboy.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/on-work


Save the web by being nice, my #Junited2024 entry

"There are different levels of Niceness but roughly from least to most effort:

Liking or upvoting a URL on a forum or social media that someone else posted.

Commenting on a URL somebody else posted saying how much you enjoyed the content.

Posting a URL on social media/discord server yourself, suggesting that others might also like to read it.

Dropping a quick note of appreciation to the author via email or DM.

Actually paying money for the content via Patreon, etc.

Junited, a love affair with blogs

 https://sheep.horse/2024/4/save_the_web_by_being_nice.html https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs


"A great description of professional athletes
“They exist for history, and we take joy from them because we accept that they are superior at an arbitrary assortment of skills that we have collectively decided have value.”"


Today on AppAddict - A Privacy and Security Toolkit featuring Nord VPN, Little Snitch Firewall, BlockBlock real time scanner and uBlock Origin for browser-based safety.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/lock.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/a-privacy-and-security-toolkit


What’s Your Super Power? - mine is the ability to sleep at any time in any place, one of the very usable skills that the Army taught me. All you have to do is enlist and they will teach you too.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/soldier.webp https://louplummer.lol/post/what-is-your-superpower


From my 100 Strangers Project - Doug, the old-time rock and roller. I took some pictures of him and his friends jamming at a local park (Steppenwolf covers were tops!) and then talked with him later. He’s been playing guitar for nearly 50 years. He looks the part.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/doug.jpg


Today’s share the love link for #Junited2024  is a recent one from @jsonbecker - Takes Spread Like Wildfire
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/jsonbecker https://json.blog/2024/05/21/takes-spread-like.html


Today on AppAddict - Have you heard all the nerds talking about Obsidian but you’re not sure what you can do with it? Today’s post is for you

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/oip.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/things-you-can-do-with-obsidian


Absolutely gutted - opened up my MacBook after returning home from a weekend trip to a broken display. Got no idea how it happened. Nearest Apple Store is 75 miles away. FML for real.


I have been poor in my life. I grew up in a variety of family situations between my parents' marriages and remarriages and time spent living with other relatives.  I wore hand me down clothes from my cousins and was glad that my grandmother could sew for my sister Y’all, They Lied

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/theylied.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/y-all-they-lied


Today on AppAddict - Apps that do one thing well - Three apps that haven’t succumbed to bloat and can’t order you an Uber - Mission Control Plus, QuitAll and One Thing.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/missioncontrol.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/apps-that-do-one-thing-well


From my 100 Strangers Project - Larry - This is the difference you can make in someone’s attitude in just a few seconds if you smile at them, say “thank you” and give them a thumbs up. Shortly after I took this is when I started talking first and photographing second.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/larry.jpg


I have updated my #Junited2024 page with a link to a great post from Brent Simmons entitled Corporations Are Note to Be Loved. @brentsimmons
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/brentsimmons


10 More Random #Obsidian Tips https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/01/more-random-obsidian.html


There is the perception that it is full of 18-year old GIs with shaved heads and belligerent attitudes, that prostitution is rife and that the standard of living is low - none of which is accurate. Our crime metrics are lower than that of Durham, the home of Duke University or Charlotte, the state’s largest city and an international banking center. People also look down on Jacksonville, NC home of Camp Lejeune, the Marine base.


Folks from elsewhere call it Fayette-nam and make a joke out of the thought of ever living here.


This Weeks Bookmarks - 50 things to know, Weird roadside attractions, Summer movies, Toxic reality TV, Recipes, YouTube games, Free money https://amerpie.lol/2024/06/01/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


It’s Saturday and for the 22nd week in a row, I’ve updated my /now page with info on some very good blogs, TV shows, what I wrote this week, some killer sandals and the web sites that made their way into my personal bookmarks.
 https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


From my 100 Strangers Project - Brandon gladly pulled off his headphones to talk when I asked him what he was listening to (The Fugees) on a Charlotte side street. He was surprised that I knew them, and I was surprised he was listening to something that old. We agreed that Lauryn Hill is a genius.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/brandon.jpeg


With apologies to REM, my new post Stand in the Place Where You Live examines the paradox wherein everyone professes to support the troops but no one wants to live near them. Life in a military town.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/hay.jpg https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/yadkin.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/stand-in-the-place-where-you-live


My Junited2024 page is up, with the first entry by @tracydurnell who wrote a classic piece last year on crafting a blog post.
 https://louplummer.lol/page/junited-a-love-affair-with-blogs https://micro.blog/tracydurnell


Today on AppAddict - Play: Save Videos, Watch Later is a $2.99 app in the App Store that lets you add videos to your watch later list that can then be tagged or sorted by any criteria. A universal app, Play can be curated on your Mac and then watched on your AppleTV. A great app.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-05-31-at-19.08.552x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/play-save-videos-watch-later


Looking forward, sometimes it’s OK not to live in the moment but instead to revel in what’s coming. For WeblogPoMo2024, the last entry.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/6be8e0f789.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/looking-forward


Today on AppAddict - Default Folder X an OG App for Mac Power Users. It’s used to streamline and enhance finding, opening, saving and moving files and folders.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-05-30-at-15.44.492x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/default-folder-x-an-og-app-for-mac-power-users


What do you hate the most about Windows and why is it printing? (After a single user’s computer started demanding driver updates to a 10-year-old printer that hasn’t even had an update in years)


I like your blog if… - my criteria for adding blogs to my RSS feed. I’m not too picky. You’re probably in there already. For WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/purpose-of-blogging.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/i-like-your-blog-if


Today on AppAddict - Two free apps from Objective-See, BlocKBlock and KnockKnock, both designed to alert you to the installation of persistent apps on your Mac. If you keep your Mac up to date and only install apps from the app store, you are probably OK. If you install from elsewhere, get these.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/canstockphoto26807912.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/blockblock-and-knockknock-from-objective-see


From my 100 strangers project - Tonya from Raleigh was in the coastal town of Beaufort, NC to attend the annual Pirate Festival held there because it’s the final resting place of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, his ship.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/tonya.jpg


For all of you who have ever done tech support, here’s what happened when an entire company changed their email signatures to a 9,000x14,000 12MB Photoshop generated PDF. The Horror
 https://www.reddit.com/r/talesfromtechsupport/comments/1d2zi9q/12mb_email_signatures_why_is_outlook_running_so/


Dont’t worry about it was my grandpa’s solution for anxiety. We know it isn’t quite that simple, but please folks, there’s a difference between a cell phone and cocaine. Today for WeblogPoMo2024.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/102453603-johnnie-walker-bottle.webp https://louplummer.lol/post/don-t-worry-about-it


Today on AppAddict - AnyList is my choice for recipes, groceries and general list management for things like packing and planning camping trips. I tried other apps like Paprika and Mela, but AnyList just hits the sweet spot.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/nathalia-rosa-rwmibqmoxry-unsplash.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/anylist-for-recipes-shopping-and-more


From my 100 Strangers Project - Al was starting to feel a little anxious. He’d gotten separated from his wife at the flea market and was getting ready to go look for her. He declined my offer to help and told me that he was sorry for not smiling.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/al.jpg


We watched the series finale of The Good Doctor tonight, after having watched all seven seasons of it as they happened. It was a good show celebrating neurodiversity in specific and diversity in general.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/166224-6473-h-2024-2.webp https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6470478/


Do you use the Internet the way you want to? I don’t. In order for me to do that, I’d need an extra few hours every day and i wouldn’t be 7,000 RSS articles behind. How I Internet for WeblogPomo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/internet.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/how-i-internet


I have referred to my wife, the ultra-running grandma, as Wonder Woman for years. Today a gift from a random Internet stranger arrived in the mail. Things like this chase the toxic away.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/0dd52a97ca.jpg


Today on AppAddict - Homebrew for Mac, a command line package manager offers a wide variety of tools that may look scary to non-CLI users but are actually easy to use and quite helpful. My five favorites

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/1200px-homebrew-logo.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/five-homebrew-favorites


I enjoy writing an app review every day and I have gotten so much positive feedback but all it takes is one asshole to go negative at me and I start to question myself. I’ve been on the Internet way too long for stuff like that to bother me, yet it still does sometimes.


I will always believe we should honor fallen troops by doing everything we can to make sure no one ever dies in dubious future wars. When we sacrifice our young people, it should mean something lasting. This is my grandmother’s brother, Gratton McFadyen, who died fighting fascists in Italy.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/d52d0c48dc.jpg


The Mayor of Kingstown, one of the the best TV shows of the past few years is back this week for season 3.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/b7f9d5212f.jpg https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11712058/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk


That time in the 90s when I went to a gun show in a Clinton-Gore t-shirt just to screw with the crazies, whose level of insanity I severely underestimated.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/d2d62d64bd.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/an-undercover-liberal-at-a-gunshow


Today on AppAddict - I did a comparison of file finding apps before settling on Houdah Spot as my top pick for its customizable templates and huge selection of search criteria. The runner up was Tembo for quick searches for a single item.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mag-glass.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/file-finding-apps


From my 100 Strangers Project - Eric and Lisa were hanging out with the other Drama Club kids outside the Arts Center downtown when I asked them to pose, which they did in totally appropriate fashion.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/drama-kids.jpg


Tomorrow for #WeblogPoMp2024 I’m posting the story of what happened when I wore a Clinton-Gore t-shirt to a gun show in the South the same year of the Oklahoma City bombing.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/gun-show.webp


My favorite man - without a doubt, it’s my son Drew, relentlessly upbeat, funny, an autodidact and all-around good guy and role model. For WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/drew-2.webp https://scribbles.page/write/4686


Today on AppAddict - Lingon X, a tool for examining everything running in the background on your Mac and for scheduling your own events (app launches, scripts, file moves, emails, reminders tec.)

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/lingon.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/lingon-x-finds-all-the-junk


From my 100 Strangers Project - Her name is Isabella. She is from Ghana in West Africa. I had a bowl of spicy peanut butter soup she prepared and brought to me in her restaurant.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/isabella.jpg


10 Random But Helpful #Obsidian Tips https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/25/random-but-helpful.html


People who use nothing but the terminal are different than the people who flex by telling you they use nothing but the terminal.


This Week's Bookmarks- Learning guides, free transcription, A better Google, income info, YouTube transcripts, communication secrets, Apple's Top !00 albums https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/25/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


I’ve updated my /now page with details on a classic book, a new TV series, links to lots of writing and app reviews, info on a great place in NC to visit and the various bookmarks I collected this week. Amerpie.lol/now

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/morganton.jpg https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


My riff on minimalism and how it’s not for me for WeblogPoMO2024. Despite driving a 2005 Camry, wearing basically the same thing every day and not moving house once in 30 years, I am not a minimalist. I don’t go for expensive things but rather the things I like in great cluttered numbers.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/books.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/not-a-minimalist


Today on AppAddict - Keka triples the types of compressed files you can open vs. what is built into macOS. It also increases the types of compressed files you can create and adds 256-bit encryption with it’s simple drag and drop interface.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cleanshot-2024-05-24-at-18.37.132x.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/why-haven-t-you-installed-keka-yet


From my 100 Strangers Project - Sarah, a history teacher, dressed in antebellum clothing

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2015-01-17-ft.-fisher-009bandw.jpg


Robert Birming is organizing a June blogging activity for folks who enjoyed the April Micro.blog photo challenge and this month’s WeblogPoMO2024 writing and posting exercise. You can contact me or [Robert](birming.com/posts/jun… for more info.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/june.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/junited-an-invitation https://birming.com/posts/junited-a-blog-love-letter


I was 14 when the Greensboro Massacre occurred. Despite being recorded on videotape, the KKK and Nazis were able to gun down left-wing labor organizers and escape conviction in multiple trials. As an adult I met and worked with some of the survivors. Today for WeblogPoMo2024  The Greensboro Massacre

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/greensboro-massacre-new.webp https://louplummer.lol/post/the-greensboro-massacre


Today on AppAddict - Just Press Record is the OG of audio recording and transcription apps. It’s a $4.99 purchase in the app store and unlike some of the free apps out there, it does zero data collection.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/jpr2.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/just-press-record


Cheer up Texans and Floridians, maybe you don’t line in the most backwards states after all. Here is NC, our legislature is close to banning all masks in public even for cancer patients.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/ghows-gallery-nc-601009988-7bc4afba.webp https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/05/16/north-carolina-mask-ban-bill-passes-state-senate/73716924007/


I made a Colophon at https://amerpie.lol/colophon if anyone can be arsed to take a look and see if I did it right. 24 hours ago, I didn’t even know what that word meant.  Thanks to Robb Knight and his /Slash page site for the inspiration.
 https://amerpie.lol/colophon https://slashpages.net/


Our grandson Connor is kind of stoic and not given to big expressions of emotion, but last night when he found we’d been able to get a car for him that can be outfitted with the hand controls he needs because of mobility issues, he was all smiles. I can’t tell you how much I love this picture.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/img-9689.jpeg


My rules for me - A few years back, I wrote my own secular version of the 10 Commandments (actually 12), a set of principals I wanted to try and live by. I’m not batting 1.000 but most days I come pretty close. For WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/gavel.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/my-rules-for-me


Today on AppAddict - Lockdown Privacy Desktop[apps.louplummer.lol/post/lock…) - A simple free open-source firewall with pre-configured rules, a good choice if you are setting up a Mac for less advanced users or want no hassle protection.
 https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/lockdown-privacy-desktop


From my 100 Strangers Project - Lydia - The very first street portrait I ever took. It was totally spontaneous. This woman walked by my wife and I on the sidewalk with our cameras and spoke to us. I instantly asked he if she let me take her photo. She told me she’d modeled some before tattoos.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/numberone.jpg


When my kids were little my wife went on a trip and my daughter made a list to give her when she got home of “Mean Things Dad Did While You Were Gone”. There was one thing on the list. Allegedly, I had not only slammed a pot pie on her plate, but I had made it touch the rice already there. That’s it


Apple’s Top 10 Albums are a joke, designed 100% to pander to the demographic their market study said would be most likely to subscribe after seeing it. Aretha > Beyonce. Al Green > Fran Ocean. Where are the Stones, Led Zeppelin, REM, The Clash, Van Morrison? GTFO

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/led-zeppelinled-zeppelin-iv.jpg


Brushes With Celebrity - Celebrity culture is weird. Even if we reject it, there is still a certain feeling when a brush with it happens to us. Reflections on the feeling and an invitation to share yours today for WeblogPoMo2024.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/brooks.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/brushes-with-celebrity


Today on AppAddict - MusicBox is a read-it-later service, except it’s for music, not text. If you find a song or album from Spotify, Apple Music or Tidal but don’t have time to listen, add it to MusicBox where you can see it’s metadata or use shortcuts to automate things.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mb.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/musicbox-read-it-later-for-music


From my 100 Strangers Project - I didn’t even ask Bob and Sherry about the beer cans they were wearing around their necks. I’ve always loved the fun look in her eyes in this photo though.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/bob-and-sheree.jpg


Using #Obsidian as as Life Record https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/21/using-obsidian-as.html


One of my favorite things about Micro.blog and the IndyWeb in general is the international flavor. Putting the World in the WWW - for WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/clay-banks-ljqarjajotc-unsplash.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/putting-the-world-in-the-www


Today on AppAddict - Omnivore - a free, open source read-it-later universal app that supports highlights and notes, has RSS and newsletter subscriptions, and imports into Obsidian, Logseq and Notion.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/omnivore.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/omnivore-a-free-open-source-read-it-later-app


From my 100 Strangers Project - Daniel was a Civil War re-enactor for the winning (Union) side at the Battle of Ft. Fisher near Wilmington, NC.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/2015-01-17-ft.-fisher-021.jpg


My favorite story from 30 years in IT

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/us-robotics-00026802-144k-sportster-external-modem-v32-w-v42-bis-1865398405.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/30-years-in-it-my-favorite-story


If you set www.google.com/search%s&udm=14 as your default search engine in your browser, you can use Google minus the ads, sponsored content and fluff. Details
 https://www.google.com/search?q= https://tedium.co/2024/05/17/google-web-search-make-default/


Reminiscing about The Great Satanic Scare of the 80s, when everything from the rock group KISS to the kid’s TV show The Smurfs was supposedly under the control of the Dark lord.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/satan.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/the-great-satanic-scare


Today on AppAddict - Bebop Quick Notes is a new app designed for the quick capture of text notes. Its killer feature is the ability to save notes in Markdown format directly into an Obsidian vault, but it can save in other formats to other locations, like Dropbox, too.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/bebop-screenshots-1.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/bebop-quick-notes


From my 100 Strangers Project - Rusty was at the West Columbia Riverwalk Park in Columbia, SC walking his dog when I asked if I could get his picture. Despite his punk rock appearance, he was a seemingly shy, soft-spoken man with a very friendly labrador for a companion.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/rusty2.jpg


"Charles Babbage’s Analytic Engine was never fully designed because he had to keep tinkering with the Difference Engine (a more limited version) which he could never finish (nowadays several computer history museums have working models from his original specs) because the printer would never work properly. We commemorate this early milestone in computing today by having our printers never work also."

Small Robot Army


My obsessive pursuit of 10,000 cycling miles in a calendar year, what it took and what it cost - The 10,000th Mile for WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/10k.jpeg https://louplummer.lol/post/the-10-000-mile


Today on AppAddict - Two recommendations for File Sync Utilities Free File Sync and Sync Folders Pro. They’ll meet all your needs including scheduled syncs and full disk bootable clones.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/freefilesync-icon.png https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/sync-folders-pro-icon-512x512.png https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/two-recommendations-for-syncing-utilities


From my 100 Strangers Project - DJ was fishing off the pier at Sunset Beach in Brunswick County, NC during the annual blue fish run when I interrupted him long enough to take this portrait.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/dj.jpg


Just a slice of life, a road trip with Wonder Woman. My WeblogPoMo2024 post for Saturday.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/waho-mobile2x.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/road-trip


This Week's Bookmarks - Your musical taste, Habits, Reverse Dictionary, Floppy Disks, Random entertainment, No car vacations, Subplots cut from movies https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/18/this-weeks-bookmarks.html


Saturday and time for an update to my /now page, featuring a great novel/audiobook, three TV shows, links to 16 blog posts, the best work pants and the crazy websites I added to my personal bookmarks this week. Enjoy!

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/pod.jpg https://amerpie.omg.lol/now


Today on AppAddict - Velja Browser Picker - a free and open-source app that opens URLS in the correct app (Discord, App Store Teams, Zoom etc.) or in the browser of your choice. Easy to configure and use.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/velja.png https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/velja-browser-picker-by-sindre-sorhus


From my 100 Strangers Project - Meg was sitting at a table on the sidewalk outside a bar, doing a little day drinking and having a smoke on a crisp December afternoon. Her comment when I explained my project - “How fun!”. And, she said it with a big smile. I love the reflection in the window.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/meg.jpg


What's Your Browser Setup? Hundreds of Tabs? Multiple Windows? Something in Between? https://amerpie.lol/2024/05/17/whats-your-browser.html


Taken at the FiveBoroBikeTour in NYC, this cyclist was channeling his inner Elton John #photography

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/cyclists.jpg


I wrote an old fashioned #FollowFriday post but I gave some reasons why these 10 people from Mastodon are worthy of being added to your list. The Fediverse has been such a positive experience!

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/mastodon.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/follow-friday-with-reasons


Today on AppAddict - Zavala, a free, open source, minimalist outliner with iCloud syncing. It’s a universal app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with some features (like font selection) that even the big boys lack.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/zavala.jpg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/zavala-free-open-source-outliner-for-mac-iphone-ipad


From my 100 Strangers Project - I met Shawn and Erica at a demonstration jump by the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team who are stationed at Ft. Liberty adjacent to the town where we live. Erica was happy to pose for me. Shawn was a little reticent and reserved, but a good sport, nonetheless.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/shawn-erica.jpg


"BREAKING: Gov Abbot pardons Daniel Perry despite Perry’s plan to kill Muslims & Black people—then succeeding in killing a BLM protestor (who was a Veteran). “All lives matter” crowd proudly celebrates killing Muslims & Black people."

"A reminder once more that a system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect."

Qasim Rashid


The phone’s of normal people do not look like your phone and the needs of normal people do not match the wants of the content generation conglomerate. The masses aren’t outraged, and they really don’t want things to change. For WeblogPoMo2024

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/normal.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/the-phones-of-normal-people


From my 100 Strangers Project - Stone (his name) manages this tattoo business. A few days after I shot this, I saw him again and we had a conversation. Turns out he is a photographer too. We talked about it for a while. He looked me up on Facebook and we’ve now been friends for 10 years.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/stone.jpg


Today on AppAddict - MarsEdit which makes writing and publishing to Micro.blog and other platforms a breeze. Not a subscription, thankfully, and also available on Setapp. @danielpunkass

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/marsediticon.jpeg https://apps.louplummer.lol/post/marsedit-making-blogging-easier https://micro.blog/danielpunkass


If Apple makes macOS for the iPad, how will the bleeding Edge 1% crowd show us how to “really be productive” with our tablets? When my school district bought an iPad Pro for every HS teacher, they all started using Chromebooks to get work done. Normies don’t want what the 1% wants - ever.


I just found out that as a member of my favorite community of software junkies, AppRaven, I have the ability to create web pages with collections from the app store. Here’s the first one - Mac Apps I Own and Recommend
 https://appraven.net/collection/76172474


The story of the biggest prison escape I ever worked on, the day three prisoners went through a fence while under fire and I had to go after them in the woods with the bloodhound handler. Also known as one of the reasons why I switched careers.

 https://amerpie.lol/uploads/2024/prison.jpg https://louplummer.lol/post/prison-break