All posts by Madison Santel

Straight outta Brooklyn, NY, Madison covers Ecology and Climate Issues along with Entertainment and Lifestyle.
Apps, D.I.Y., Lifestyle, Observation, Social Media, TikTok

The Whole “be real” thing is Hard if you spent years learning to be Professional First

Video

Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic

Who am I? I’m the person writing this.

But is it really necessary for you to know that I am female, love only cats (no dogs) and just got engaged?

No? Good, cause none of that is true. (Except the female part) That’s only one example of the odd twists that can come with the current trend of people going viral when they show “realness” and vulnerability.

Heard of acting? That’s what Meryl Streep does when she plays a person that never went to Yale and is not a rich famous actor, wink wink.

I suppose, as with so many online phenomena these days, it’s TikTok leading the way. No longer a place for young girls to dominate using only dancing, beauty and feminine wiles, it’s now a place where less objectively attractive people can blow up by showing, ostensibly, who they are.

Or by wearing a bear head as a hat.

https://www.tiktok.com/@madelin._.crochets/video/6983841654092352773

This trend towards realness has, based on informal research, also spilled over into places like LinkedIn, Medium and even Twitter.

On the whole, I think it’s a great thing. If Meryl Streep was only able to play herself, movies would be much less interesting, no doubt!

And maybe at least half of all the realness really is real. Just take it with a grain of salt if you see posts of someone getting engaged 3 times. In the same week.

All kidding aside this trend is part of a bigger, important evolution in digital communication

The evolution from journalistic norms, such as never referring to yourself directly but only as “your scribe”, “the writer”, “your correspondent” or just “one”, as in “one can only wonder…” to today’s norm of writing like the whole world wants to read your diary….

These journalistic conventions seem archaic and even ridiculous when the formerly forbidden “I” is commonplace and the authenticity of direct TikTok style casual presentation is already dominant and growing as a trend.

But the overall shift has more than just a style preference behind it, if you ask this writer (me).

It’s also far more than just the outgrowth of armies of non-journalists communicating spontaneously in every format and on every platform.

It’s really the early beginnings of what has become a common topic of late: the transition to the so-called Metaverse.

Not the Zuckerbergian Metaverse where people run around without legs and have joyless celebrations of themselves.

But rather, the real life cyber world where billions are on their phones communicating in various ways basically all the time. Even while jaywalking.

And as we do this more in every imaginable format, the desire to see “beautiful” landscape photos that have been photoshopped to death, instagram style, is eventually diminished to zero.

And what follows in a new hunger for the “real” or at least the honest seeming portrayal of the real (hi there Meryl!) and content that pushes an entirely different layer of psychological buttons.

As I mentioned above, dear reader, I love this! In spite of the fact that it leads to really scary TikToks (just check out the posts of some of the people that follow you on Tiktok (to see what I mean, the ones that follow 8753 people and get followed by like, 23 have nice videos…) where the frightening reality that’s out there (the banality of empirical unattractiveness you might call it) is already on full display, and how.

But that’s just the price to pay for a deeper and more authentic experience. And for the benefit of the real and valuable advice and knowledge you can get directly from “non-professional” actors who are not acting (presumably). We are reaping the profits of real life experiences, in exchange for nothing more than our attention, and clicks, likes and follows. And I say, Amen to that, bro.

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Books, Entertainment, Movies

Johnny Blaze is Back in new trailer for Marvel’s new Ghost Rider ‘Anniversary’ Series

Video

Photo / Marvel Comics

Ghost Rider just celebrated its 50th anniversary.  As a way to commemorate the date, Marvel Comics released a brand new on-going series from Benjamin Percy (responsible for works including Wolverine and X-Force) and artist Cory Smith (who has worked on Captain Marvel and Conan the Barbarian comics).  The first installment of there series is now available for purchase as of February 23, 2022. 

The date also coincides closely with the 15th anniversary and 10th anniversary of the theatrical releases of Ghost Rider and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance both played by actor Nicolas Cage. 

The first page insert of the comic teases “When innocent blood is spilled, a spirit of vengeance is born and JOHNNY BLAZE finds himself transformed!” An official trailer previewing the comic was also released for readers that includes plenty of violence, twisted demons and raring flames:

There have been rumors that the main character, Johnny Blaze, would make his MCU debut in the upcoming sequel of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Time will tell, as it is slated for a theatrical release in May 2022. 

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Elon Musk, LA Local, Tech

Tesla is Accepting Dogecoin at new LA Supercharger

Video

Drive-in and 50’s Diner still to come

A new Tesla Supercharger is now open in Santa Monica. Located at 1421-1425 Santa Monica Blvd., just blocks from the beach, it is the first location in Tesla’s Supercharger network to accept payments in Dogecoin.

The rumored plans for a Drive-in Theater and a 50’s style diner are no longer slated for this location, but will be added to an upcoming location which is planned for Hollywood.

The Santa Monica facility will have 26 total Supercharged one fully operational. Elon Musk confirmed that the Dogecoin payments are going to go live, which makes this the first in the growing network to take crypto as a payment method.

Elon Musk has long championed both Bitcoin and Dogecoin, with each serving a different function. (add clip from Fridman interview here). The idea that the meme-coin can be great for daily transactions is catching on, with others such as Mark Cuban’s Dallas Mavericks already selling merchandise and souvenirs in exchange for Doge.

Though not widely known there are up two thousand companies that will accept Dogecoin as payment according to Cryptwerk. According to the site this include 1315 shops and markets. Much of the commerce revolves, not surprisingly, around online services and digital goods, but there are also tangible items such as food, clothing and travel.

“ In truth, the gold standard is already a barbarous relic”

John Maynard Keynes – 1924

In a kind of mind bending twist of logic you can even purchase gold bullion with your doge, in case you want to revert to the original, non-digital form of gold, once called a “barbarous relic” by John Maynard Keynes in 1924.

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Apple, Apple Watch

How to Unlock your iPhone (or Mac) Using an Apple Watch

Video

We’ve all been there. In a dark room or other less than ideal faceID environment and trying unsuccessfully to open an iPhone just by swiping up and looking. It can be frustrating, especially if it takes multiple tries and then you still have to type in a passcode. Which is not always possible if your hands are not free etc.

If I’m wearing a mask or it’s too dark in my bedroom and iPhone doesn’t recognize my Face, and won’t unlock right away, there is now an easy alternate option to open it with Apple Watch. Rather than having to type in my passcode, the watch will “magically” open unlock the phone!

In the video above you can see how you can save time and hassle when you need to unlock your phone (if FaceID doesn’t work for any reason). Apple first introduced this feature back with the iOS 14.5 and WatchOS 7.4 update earlier in 2021.

The great news is you don’t have to have the latest iPhone 13 or Apple Watch 7 to use this feature – all you need to have is the iPhone 6s or Apple Watch Series 3 or newer.

On your iPhone: Open up Settings, Scroll down until you see FaceID & Passcodes, You will be promoted to enter your passcode (or not!).

Scroll down to “Unlock with Apple Watch” and tap on the toggle to turn it on (will be green if on). Then a pop up will appear for you tp confirm you want to unlock your iPhone with your Apple Watch. Click Turn on.

If you have not yet set a passcode for your Apple Watch you will be required to create a simple 4 digit pin.

When you need to unlock your iPhone without your face (due to mask, low light etc) just swipe up.

If the passcode screen shows up or the phone doesn’t immediately open you can hold your Apple Watch near your iPhone to unlock.

You should get both haptic vibration on your wrist along with a prompt alerting you that your Apple Watch has unlocked your iPhone.

In multiple tests with various iPhone models / watches, we saw various results, sometimes the iPhone would just open by itself, other times it was necessary to swipe and then, in the rarest cases, we had to hold the watch near the phone.

It appears that the phone was “learning” to use the watch to open whenever needed. That is all you have to do, in the future when you go through the process of unlocking your phone and Face ID isn’t working.

Apple, Mac, macOS 12 Monterey, OS Software

How to Create Custom Icons in macOS 12 Monterey

Video

Create Custom Icons for Folders, Documents and Apps in macOS 12 Monterey

This trick is necessary for anyone with a lot of folders to locate every day

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It just got a lot easier to customize icons for your mac. Most useful of all is adding a custom icon for your most used and most important folders. The trick we will show you today also works for Documents and Apps.

The first step is to use the “get info” command to access the default icon storage. “get info” is a useful way to quickly access various info on a folder, file or app. It has data like the file size, type and date created, as well as other special data, including the icon.

To access the “get info” window use the keyboard shortcut [ command-i ]. You can also right-click and choose “get-info”, Once you select the file and hit [ command-i ] the info window will pop up. In it you will see the various data as described above, and, in the upper left a small box that contains the default icon, which for folders is…. a folder.

There is also a preview of the icon down below, slightly larger, but this is just to see the current icon, so our business is with the one above.

Next: choosing the best icon for your favorite folders

The beauty of this tip is that you can choose any photo as the source for your icon.

A great idea is to use something that relates to the contents of the folder and will help you to quickly identify it when searching through a bunch of folders on your desktop or nested inside another folder.

Warning: if you choose a photo that looks like, well, a photo, your eye and brain might get tricked into thinking that the folder with the new custom icon is actually an image file!

To avoid this choose or create a square image that is either an icon already (like a logo) or one that you will definitely associate with the folder contents!

So it’s a great idea to pick something eye-catching but logical. For example, if it is a folder full of video clips you want to upload to YouTube, then why not a YouTube logo image?

Quick-tips:

  1. Always use a square (or nearly square) image. wide or tall images make the arrangement of folders odd and messy. Squares work best.
  2. You can capture an image by opening a file you have, then selecting “copy”. Alternatively you can use [ command-shift-4 ] to select anything you see on your screen and shift-drag to select and screen-shot an image.
  3. Use images, like logos or simple, iconic easy to see photos in order to be able to quickly “get” the message telling you what the folder contains.

Several methods to capture an image to be pasted.

Image file method:

  1. Open a file in the preview app. Double clicking an image file will usually default open in the preview app, if not, you can right-click and choose preview from the “open with” menu that pops up.
  2. Once in the preview app, shift-drag to select a square section of the photo. If the file is already square and copped just as you want it to be, you can also just choose select-all.
  3. Use [ command – c ] to copy the selection.

Screen Shot method:

  1. Find an image, this can be online in Safari or basically anywhere that you see something you want to capture for your file folder icon. Once you have the image on your screen you can size it how you want.
  2. Next activate the screenshot selection tool by using [ command-shift-4 ]
  3. Drag with the selection tool to make a box around the area you want to use. When you release the screen shot will be created and sent to your desktop.
  4. Open the file in preview, as described above and select using [ command-a ]

Adding your new icon to a folder, file or app

  1. Once you’ve captured an icon image and copied it into your buffer memory using [ command-c ] go to the folder that you want to add that custom icon image to.
  2. Click on the folder and use the [ command-i ] keyboard shortcut to open the “get info” window.
  3. Tap on the folder icon storage area in the upper left and use [ command-v ] to paste your new custom image.

You will see the image both in the upper and lower preview windows and when you close the “get info” pop-up the folder will now have a custom icon! If you do this in your own preferred style it will be much easier to find and identify, reducing stress on your eyes and brain!

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Entertainment, Movies, Netflix, Streaming, Videos

Sandra Bullock is ex-convict for ‘The Unforgivable’ in Dramatic Turn

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You can see the new trailer starring Sandra Bullock in new role for “The Unforgivable” below. The film will be the first turn for the actress since 2018 when she played in the strange post-apocalyptic thriller “Bird Box” for Netflix, which was met with wild success. Bullock will both star and act as producer in this, her 2nd project with the streaming service.

Based on a viewing of the snippet from the trailer, this film looks to be on track as a top contender among the growing lineup of new fall and winter movies rolling out, which also include Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Power of the Dog” and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in “Don’t Look Up”.

The official synopsis from Netflix:

“Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past. Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind.”

The upcoming drama is scheduled for release in select U.S. theaters on Nov. 24 and drops to stream on the Netflix on Dec. 10th.

Check out the official trailer:

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Celebrities, Entertainment, Movies

Netflix breaks Own Record: ‘Red Notice’ now has Biggest streaming Debut in History

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According to the Smart TV measurement firm Samba TV, 4.2 Million US households watched Netflix’s “Red Notice” during its debut weekend. These numbers triggered a historical, record breaking amount of streams – a new all time high for the Netflix streaming service.

Although Rotten Tomatoes scored the action comedy as only 35% “tomatometer” the audience score ranked a whopping 91%.

Having watched the movie myself I can understand the scoring. The movie is kinda what you would expect with the typical humor of Ryan Reynolds and The Rock. It is the type of movie you can watch on autopilot and not really have to think about the overall plot. The film is enjoyable to watch considering the all-star cast, yet as some reviews have mentioned, the movie does follow the same contrived premise of previous action/heist flicks.

Yet – who cares?! Sometimes viewers just want a daily dose of escapism and that premise is proven with the record breaking weekend “Red Notice” received.

Above: Photo Credit: Netflix

Below Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds commented on the biggest opening day for the movie on their Twitter pages:

If you haven’t yet watched Netflix’s latest record breaking action/comedy movie, check out official trailer:

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Apps, Celebrities, Entertainment, Music, Social Media, Tech, TikTok, Videos

Billie Eilish Wows again on TikTok: Rehearsal “Slumber Party” (X)

Video

“we r hot” show dance rehearsal with commentary (hilarious sexy fun)

After her wild Ukulele post popped up on her crazy subterranean TikTok account and a couple of random posts since, today Billi Eilish posted what appears to be a impromptu reversal video with some hilarious commentary. Set to the song “Lost Cause” (very hot now).

The account which only has 14 videos since it first popped up and has 35.4 million followers (of course!) and 190.3 millions likes, and the video (below) got a whopping 3.2 million in the first hour and currently has accumulated 80 million views to date. The first full video on the account – other than the Ukulele post mentioned above. That one went live back on November 13, 2020.

watch now
watch video

It’s pretty clear from the humor, voice over and the attitude that Billie loves the vibe and spontaneity of TikTok and this video and her rogue account style fits right in!

LInk to Video on TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@billieeilish/video/6969705648401452293?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6967902097740793350&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

Even at the relatively elderly summit of 19 her sultry, dark style along with top of the world presence continues to command loyalty and love for her music and style. Her recent biographical photo book was also a hit and the new songs will likely continue at the top of our summer list. The documentary is great also.

Oh, and the WORLD TOUR 2022 starts in February! Kicking off in Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA, however, unfortunately tickets for that show has since been SOLD OUT!

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Breaking News, Climate Solutions, Observation, Politics

Greta Thunberg Endorses an Extremely Honest ‘Government’ Ad: Video

Video

In wake of what she calls “failed” Cop26 in Glasgow, a fitting gesture of truth

In the video above the real story of NetZero by 2050 is told, without window dressing and in total honesty. Frustration with government responses to global warming are on the rise, as well they should be. The video is a light hearted and yet deadly serious take on the situation and how it is going to affect all of us who live on this planet.

Though delivered in the trademark style of TheJuiceMedia the facts that are contained in the colorful and grimly entertaining clip are 100% accurate. And that is why it is so important to watch, like and retweet.

It has always been the case, sadly, that no Government will take action against the carbon emitting and producing infrastructure that they are beholden to, until that action is demanded by million upon millions of world citizens, in other words the people that are being affected most by the negative effects of climate change that are already surrounding us.

The underlying plea of both activists like Greta and TheJuiceMedia is that we all have to step up and get loud – now, as the plan for NetZero 2050 is more of the same blah blah blah that Governments have been spewing for more than 30 years.

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Apple, iOS 15, iPad, iPhone, iPhone 13 Pro, OS Software

Add Covid-Proof of Vaccination to your Apple Wallet App: a convenient way to prove status

Finally: the whole package – and a convenient way to prove vaccination status

Now that the iOS 15.1 update is available for the general public featuring the ability to add your proof of vaccination status to the Health app and then create a vaccination ID card in Apple Wallet.

Many businesses, venues, restaurants, and more are requiring proof of vaccination for entry. For example California is the first state where proof of COVID vaccination or negative test for indoor events over 1,000 people.

The new feature in iOS 15.1 is made possible by the support Smart Health Cards which are valid for California, Louisiana, New York, Virginia, Hawaii, and some Maryland counties, as do Walmart, Sam’s Club, and CVS Health.

Above: ID in iPhone Wallet

Therefore, using this system you would be able to to look up their information in state databases, if you are in any of the states listed above, but if you were vaccinated through at Walmart or CVS it will also be feasible to add your information to the Health and Wallet.

Once you have gone to the web site for your state, for example in California it would be found at https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov where you can type in personal information such as name and date of birth to get access to your records and status.

Though iOS 15 already had the ability to download the information to your Health app, and you could do that since the official launch of iOS 15, the last step, adding an ID to your wallet from the health app has not been possible until the new upgrade to iOS 15.1.

The record is locked to your name and can only be used by you. There will be a QR code that you will first download to your health app on the iPhone, then, once it is in the health app there will be a prompt to allow you to “add to wallet”. By clicking that link a vaccination ID car, with the QR code will be generated and added to your wallet.

iOS 15.1 is available under > General > software update in your phone’s Settings app starting today.

  1. Tap the download link on your iPhone or iPod touch.
  2. Tap Add to Health to add the record to the Health app.
  3. Tap Done.

Once the ID is in the health app a button / prompt appears “add to wallet”.

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Climate Solutions, D.I.Y., Lifestyle, Observation

How to Implement small yet Meaningful Changes towards Zero Waste

Above: Image by RikaC from Pixabay 

Cause and Effect of Convenience

We have all experienced how, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be very challenging to break away from convenience. When it comes to products and services, many large companies utilize fast, cheap, and easily disposable single-use containers made from plastic.

Sodas bottles are plastic, baristas serve coffee in plastic cups with plastic caps and straws, fast food restaurants prepare orders in single use wrappers with plastic containers for condiments, and the list can go on and on. These products are used and then discarded.

Single use plastic items, as the name indicates, are used only once, yet plastic breaks down extremely slow, with some forms taking hundreds of years to degrade as shown in the tweet below from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF):

Read More: Sustainable Energy is Now Essential to Rescue Economy and Planet: Earth Day 2020

Zero Waste Defined

Zero Waste as explained by Waste Management, is a philosophy that aims for resources to be reused, recycled or composted, in order to allow for very little to “zero” trash to be sent to landfills or spill into the ocean.

Clearly this issue is important, and getting more so, therefore should be considered a high priority – the reality is that huge amounts of plastic garbage does end up in the ocean and dumped in landfills. This dire state of affairs continues to jeopardize ocean and wildlife as well as our own health.

The organization Eco-Cycle Solutions urges the need for a complete change to our current system. With dwindling natural resources, a compromised ecosystem, and major changes in climate already evident today and with likely more on the way, there is no way the Earth can sustain for much longer and survive for future generations. 

The obvious need for large-scale changes at the corporate level, regarding plastic usage, is clear, but we also need to ask ourselves: what can be done on an individual scale?

Read More: “The Uninhabitable Earth”: an Apocalyptic Climate Study that Just might Shock you into Action

Small steps can lead to Big Change

Here are a few products that can be swapped-out and used instead of single and disposable use options:

  • Bamboo Toothbrush – both brush and bristles can be composted when time to replace
  • Lunchbox – making meals at home instead of eating out eliminates containers and can also be an opportunity to eat healthier
  • Water and Coffee Bottles (aluminum, glass or BPA free bottle) – can be refilled endlessly
  • Metal or Glass Straws – sturdier than the plastic counterpart and can be used over and over
  • Shopping Bags (canvas or other fabric) – can be used to carry groceries or any purchases
  • Cloth Napkins – for drying hands or wiping up around the house

“Using more sustainable products offers many benefits: saving money, eating healthier, all while creating a smaller ecological footprint in the world. While all are positive steps, most importantly, these small individual acts can ultimately help in the fight for the survival of future generations.”

While it may be impossible to free us of all waste, with effort and change, not necessarily perfection (decades of waste cannot be eliminated by a short term solution), small steps can lead to a better tomorrow.

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Apple, iOS 15, OS Software, Safari

Resetting the Safari Address Bar in iOS 15.1 and other stress reducing tips

Above: Photo / Apple / Lynxotic

The biggest iOS update in years comes with a learning curve to match

According to analytics company mixpanel, the adoption of iOS 15 is much slower than iOS 14 a year ago. Speculation in the media for the cause of the reluctance is a few “bugs” that they also widely reported.

The fear of bugs is a good reason to take a major iOS upgrade at a slower pace, and this is probably a large part of the reason, for most people. On the other hand, after our review of both iOS 15 and iOS 15.1 (beta version) it is also true that this year’s free upgrades have a steeper learning curve than in the past.

Paradoxically, this is due to the fact that both the sheer number of new features, along with the ground breaking and innovative nature they have, are responsible for the cost and the benefit of taking the plunge.

The big 2 year transition to Apple Silicon is driving the pace of software progress

While iOS, iPad OS and macOS gradually converge as they grow (along with the Peripherals like Apple TV, Apple Watch, etc) the new features and upgrades to existing apps and actions are in the midst of an explosion.

Although this is great news, and the productivity improvements are, in some cases remarkable, especially if you use your apple devices for work and business, with so many new features there’s bound to be some reluctance to fight through the brain fog that can come with having to learn new unfamiliar habits.

Perhaps the best known example of this so far is the famous “address bar relocation” backlash that happened as a result of the new feature allowing the address bar to be at the top of the safari page on iPhone, or at the bottom, closer to our thumbs.

Initially there was no opt-out and it was bottom only (while it was still in the beta testing stage) and due to a rumored backlash from users this was upgraded to the current system where this “radical” new design is an option, with the more familiar previous layout also available. (see video below for details on how to switch back to the “old” style).

In the grand scheme of things going backwards is rarely better

This example of resistance to UX change, even by the “elite” beta users is a telling example of just how all pervasive the new software features are in iOS 15, and how much we will all need to learn new “tricks” to get the most out of the changes and added functionality.

It is also a long standing Apple tradition to try to make things, in both hardware and software design, that “just work” and do not require an “owners manual” or how-to guide to figure out.

While this, in the best case, is miraculous and we “get” the new features in an intuitive metaphorical heartbeat, more often recently, there is a frustrated moment of near panic when we find ourselves in a software dead-end, with no obvious back button or option menu to select from.

For this reason, it appears that the usefulness and necessity of how-to videos and guides, the very ones that Apple is in the business of making unnecessary, are more important than ever.

How-To guides get a new lease on life, thanks to Apple

Thankfully, Lynxotic, and others are on the case and we are working overtime to provide the next generation of DIY documentation, both in video and article form for iOS 15.1, macOS 12 Monterey, iPad OS 15.1 and beyond.

It’s great to be able to absorb new features and design upgrades intuitively and without the need for a separate learning project to educate ourselves enough to use the devices we are already using.

However, with the massive and increasingly more powerful potential of the new Apple Silicon fueled software upgrades, proactive learning may be something that is not just a necessary evil.

It is looking, rather, like it will be semi-permanent and highly fruitful activity we will want to add, willingly, to our overburdened existences.

At least for a couple of years during the transition to a much better future in the life of the Apple device & software ecosystem.

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Hot-Lynx

Rolling Stone: Jan. 6 Protest Organizers Say They Participated in ‘Dozens’ of Planning Meetings With Members of Congress and White House Staff

Above: Collage by Lynxotic, from photos by various sources

Stunning allegations as revealed to Rolling Stone, including a promise of a “blanket pardon” from the Oval Office…

The Jan. 6th congressional investigations are beginning to yield more explosive results, according to statements made by some of the planners of the pro-Trump rallies, who have communicated with house investigators and have shared new details about the Jan. 6 attacks and what took place when the Trump supporting crowds stormed the U.S. Capitol.

Rolling Stone reports that two of the planners spoke with them extensively in recent weeks and that “explosive allegations” were detailed, stating that multiple members of Congress were “intimately involved” in planning both Trump’s efforts to overturn his election loss, as well as the violent events at the U.S. Captol on January 6th.

“Rolling Stone separately confirmed a third person involved in the main Jan. 6 rally in D.C. has communicated with the committee. This is the first report that the committee is hearing major new allegations from potential cooperating witnesses.”

Read More at:

Rolling Stone

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Apple, iOS 15, iPhone

Live Text in iOS 15 shocks people with its utility and power

Video

Master the ways you can use it and information gathering on iPhone will never be the same

We are all cyborgs now, to paraphrase Elon Musk when speaking about his neural network project, neuralink. The implication is that we rely so heavily on the iphone in our pocket that it has been come a literal extension on our minds and bodies, like a bionic arm.

With live text features and functions using iPhone (or iPad) in iOS 15 and 15.1 there is a new and very powerful addition to our already amazing arsenal of sensory extension. But the use of these new powers is not always obvious, and since the iPhone comes without a user manual, or rather an infinite number of them via YouTube and the web, learning just how far this feature can take you is a journey in itself.

In typical Apple fashion, if there are 10 ways to use live text then there are 100

The first thing that is not immediately apparent but becomes clearer on repeated use is that you can extract text, including most handwriting, from any existing photo. It can be a photo you took to store some text (like a menu posted behind the deli counter or a for sale sign in front of the house you might want to bid on).

Less obvious is that you do not need to take a photo at all to activate the live text recognition options. You can just point the camera at the “thing” that has text on it that you want to extract. But taking this to it’s most extreme logical conclusion Apple has made it possible to access the camera from within various apps specifically to make it less of a hassle to get the text directly from that app you plan to store it in or send it from.

Examples in the video below include the Notes app, the Messages app (formerly iMessage) and the mail app.

It will also allow you to go directly to the phone app or Apple Maps to “act” on information that you gather, from any camera access node or from the camera app – such as extracting a phone number from a business card or a billboard and then just clicking call, or sending an address from either of those examples into Apple Maps and immediate get directions.

These are just a few of the “live” uses of the feature that come up amazingly often in real life. More detailed use cases will be in both the video below and in subsequent videos on this feature, already in the works.

iOS 15.1 is filled with features that have a myriad of use cases, almost too many to list or describe

Every year when a major upgrade is sent down from on high, there is adapting to do and bugs to avoid. Sometimes it seems like the effort to learn how to use the new features is nearly on par with the gains in productivity from the better performing software. Three steps forward and two steps back, as it were.

This is not the case with iOS 15 – it’s more like 10 steps forward and only four steps back! Seriously, there are so many new features that it is completely reasonable to want to slowly adapt to the improvements, no matter how exciting they may be.

But in the case of live text, as well as the extensive upgrades to nearly all the built in apps for iPhone, iPad and Macs, the future will reward those of us that proactively evolve with the software’s upgraded abilities.

For those that use iPhones and iPads with a mac laptop or desktop, the changes coming with iOS 15.1 and macOS 12 Monterey (scheduled to go public next week) are just the beginning of an intense evolution toward what we have been calling the “Apple OS ecosystem singularity”.

The added power from improved hardware in all Apple devices, along with the ever converging and evolving ability to interact with one another via software upgrades, is going to make the world feel like a very different (better?) place a year or two from now.

It’s only a question of if we, with our non-bionic brains and bodies, can adapt to the new powers that come our way fast enough to gain from them before the next wave of changes hits us with new challenges of adaptation.

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Books, Entertainment, HBO, Movies, Streaming, Videos

‘House of the Dragon’ first Trailer hints at Something Big

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Photo Credit / HBO

Prequel based on Game of Thrones: Fire will Reign, GOT fans will see the history of the Targaryens come to life 

During a panel for Television Critics’ Association, the HBO network confirmed that the GOT prequel is happening and will begin filming, starting in April. The prequel, “House of the Dragon” is co-created by George R.R. Martin and based off his book “Fire & Blood”. 

The series will have a total of 10 episodes and star Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen and will tell the story of the Targaryen war that happened 300 years before events in the series “Game of Thrones”. 

Other characters include Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen played by Emma D’Arcy, Queen Alicent Hightower played by Olivia Cooke, Viserys’ and Prince Daemon Targaryen played by Matt Smith.

Another character, Aegon II Targaryen, who is Princess Rhaenyra’s half-brother, also it appears, will be pivotal for the series.  The younger half sibling challenges her claim to the throne and is ultimately the cause of the civil war, however the actor that is to play the character has yet to be revealed.  

Filming is set to begin in April and based on current information will be slated for release sometime in 2022 on HBO and HBO Max.  

Check out the teaser trailer below:

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Entertainment, HBO, Movies, Netflix, Videos

October Must Watch coming to Netflix, HBO, Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime: The best picks

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Above: Photo Collage / Lynxotic

In any particular month, on any given streaming platform, besides the “endless” searching to find something you want to watch, there usually is one, or at best two, new incoming movies or TV shows “worthy” of watching.

This month may prove different, since, with the entertainment industry and movie production in full swing, there are buckets of better movies and shows to watch (and this state of affairs will potentially be the case for the remainder of the year).

We’ve broken down some Must Watch Movies and TV shows on each platform with and an overview:

Netflix

Whether its Jack Gyllenhall in the remake of the 2018 “The Guilty“, Andy McDowell is the limited series “Maid” or the prequel to Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” – “Army of Thieves” there is plenty of content to keep us nice and entertained this month. Netflix is the power hitter this month as far as watch-worthy streaming content.

Several widely popular Netflix shows also have new seasons coming our way. First is “On My Block” with, sadly the 4th and final season. And then “You” based on the YA novel and in my opinion is probably the best of the Netflix shows to grace the platform this month. Next is “Locke and Key” and “The Baby-Sitters Club” both coming in season 2.

The Guilty – October 1:

The Maid – October 1:

On My Block – Season 4 – October 4:

YOU -Season 3 – October 15:

https://youtu.be/xAN1ThhTWsE

Army of Thieves – October 29:

HBO

Streamers get to take advantage of all Warner Bros 2021 films that gives subscribers the chance to watch theatrical releases the same day (for up to 31 days) on their HBO Max accounts.

For October there are 2 must watch movies, the highly anticipated “Dune” and “The Many Saints of Newark“. For TV Shows, the third season of the dysfunctional Roy family returns in “Succession“.

The Many Saints of Newark – October 1:

Dune – October 22:

Succession -Season 3 – October 17:

Apple TV+

This streaming platform is bringing us Sci-Fi and extraterrestrial extravaganza. The long awaiting adaption of Isaac Asimov in “Foundation” is available to watch. In addition. On October 22nd (when the first 3 episodes will be released), sci-fi fans can experience “Invasion” what it would be like to live through an alien invasion. Joy!

Foundation – Weekly Episodes – available now:

Invasion – Weekly episodes starting October 22:

Amazon Prime

Since October is obviously the month to bring on the season of spookiness, Amazon Prime has made it a priority is bringing some new horror content to the platform. The biggest original series that it will bring is the latest reboot to the classic ’97 slasher movie “I Know What you Did Last Summer”.

Also starting on October 1st – “Welcome to the Blumhouse” features a total of 4 horror features: “Bingo Hell” and “Black as Night” and then a week later on October 8, an additional two horror indies ” Madres” and “The Manor”.

If you aren’t in the mood for anything ‘scary’ and rather a music fan, specifically a Bieleber – his documentary is also available on Amazon Prime

I Know What You Did Last Summer (Reboot) – October 15:

Welcome to the Blumhouse: (Black as Night and Bingo Hell -October 1 & The Manor and Madres – October 8):

Justin Bieber: Our World- October 8:

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Entertainment, Movies, Netflix, Videos

The Guilty: For Fans of Danish Drama with a Side of Jake

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Above: Photo / Netflix

Remake of the Danish Award winning hit will surely translate to big-time US success

Back in 2018, during the Sundance film festival, Jack Gyllenhaal watched a Danish film “Den Skyldige” (The Guilty). Immediately after experiencing the psychological thriller he knew it could be a hit in English. 

The actor then quickly acquired the rights, and now he stars in the remake of “The Guilty“, which will get its premiere on Netflix October 1st, 2021. 

During the time that production was initially set to begin for the film, suddenly covid-19 happened, and, as we all know, that put a halt to productions across the entertainment industry.

Yet this film, if it follows the original, is almost uniquely perfect for filming during a pandemic. The movie is primarily centered around one man in one location (everyone else is mainly heard over the phone) – thus the movie was ultimately produced by way of social distance, FaceTime and zoom chats by director and producers. (which is not to say he, at least, phoned-it-in, by any means).

Gyllenhaal plays a demoted police office that now works as a 911 dispatch operator named Joe Bayler. He receives a call from someone in danger, but throughout the call, which takes place in a single morning, nothing is as it seems.

Check out the trailer for the original 2018 version with English sub-titles, of course. The 2021 version set for the Netflix streaming platform does not, as of yet, have a trailer available. Aside from Gyllenhall, additional cast will mainly be comprised of voice performances by the likes of: Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard, Riley Keough, Paul Dano, Byron Bowers, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, David Castaneda, Christina Vidal, Adrian Martinez. Bill Burr, Beau Knapp, and Edi Patterson.

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Entertainment, Movies, Netflix, Videos

Tonight’s the Last Chance for Austin Powers, Kung Fu Panda & Star Trek on Netflix

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Photo Collage / Lynxotic

Last Chance to watch on Netflix- Calling all Trekkies:

As what happens each and every month, the streaming platform needs more space for all the new incoming content and in order to do so Netflix needs to purge some titles out of its library. Midnight pacific time these titles will vanish.

The show Star Trek has been around for over 50 years. This might be some startling news if you have relied on Netflix to get your fix for the series. Three of the franchise series along with the 2009 movie are leaving. The TV show series had been streaming on the platform ever since 2011 and now, it seems its time on the platform has come to an end (possible forever).

Sci-Fi fans have all day today up until midnight to binge out on all things Star Trek: Star Trek the Movie,  Star Trek: Enterprise (Seasons 1-4), Star Trek (Seasons 1-3) and Star Trek: Voyager (Seasons 1-7).

Don’t fret, Paramount+ currently holds the full library for all the Star Trek so there is still an option to stream, however that means it is very unlikely the title will return to the Netflix platform.

Or rather, if you are feeling nostalgic, there are additional classics that will be gone including the “Austin Powers” series: Goldmember, International Man of Mystery, The Spy Who Shagged Me, and The Karate Kid I and II.

Strek Trek:

Star Trek -Enterprise:

https://youtu.be/mdxynXpRyBw

Star Trek – Voyager:

https://youtu.be/KPCCEyvLaOo

In addition to all the Star Trek series about to disappear there are film “sequel groups” such as Kung Fu Panda 1 & 2, three Austin Powers movies: Austin Powers in Goldmember, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Karate Kid and Karate Kid II & III as well as Movies like Boogie Nights and The Pianist ! Full list below.

List of Titles Leaving Netflix this Thursday at Midnight:

Air Force One
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Boogie Nights
Cradle 2 the Grave
Evil, Season 1
Fools Rush In
Insidious
The Karate Kid
The Karate Kid Part II
The Karate Kid Part III
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda 2
No Strings Attached
The Pianist
Prom Night
The Queen
Star Trek
Star Trek: Enterprise, Seasons 1-4
Star Trek, Seasons 1-3
Star Trek: Voyager, Seasons 1-7
The Unicorn, Season 1
Why Do Fools Fall in Love

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Entertainment, Lifestyle, Movies, Netflix, Videos

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawerence Try to Save the World in ‘Don’t Look Up’

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Major cast bodes well for Netflix drama

Looking at the cast alone, is likely to turn out to be a must watch. With the writers and directors behind “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers” the film can’t not turn out to be hilarious!

The premise is a trending theme: doom and hopeless dystopian futures; this time there is a comet that will collide with Earth. Two astronomers (Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo Di Caprio) discover the problem, but the twist is, no one actually believes the news. Sound familiar? Just ask the Climate deniers and antivaxxers out there…

The impressive cast boasts a gaggle of untra-high-profile names including: Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Ron Perlman, Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Kid Cudi, Cate Blanchett, and Tyler Perry.

The comedy will have a theatrical release on December 10th and quickly be available to stream on Netflix starting on December 24th ( as a little Christmas eve gift for the rest of us, apparently).

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Hot-Lynx

Trump Sues His Niece Mary And ‘The New York Times’ Over Tax Return Stories

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Shocking. DTJ sues his own niece, Mary Trump along with The New York Times and several reporters (Suzanne Craig, David Barstow and Russ Buettner) for obtaining his tax documents used to investigate his finances.

The 2018 article which won a Pulitzer Prize which showcased how the former president “participated in dubious tax schemes during the 1990’s including instances of outright fraud, that greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents”.

The report reveal confidential tax returns and financial records, highlight that Trump received at least $413 million from his father’s real estate empire, although he always touted himself as a “self-proclaimed” billionaire.

Above – :Bob Woodward’s new book: Peril – out and available now!

Mary Trump did confirm she had been a source of the documents to The Times as described in her book about her uncle “Too Much and never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man”.

Trump had previously glossed over tax claims, including that he only paid $750 in federal income taxes the year he was elected, as “fake news”

Trump has made legal threats to The New York Times in the past, however this marks the first time he sued the paper using his name.

He is seeking damages in the amount of $100 million.

In a statement, Mary Trump said of her uncle,

“I think he is a loser, and he is going to throw anything against the wall he can. It’s desperation. The walls are closing in and he is throwing anything against the wall that he thinks will stick. As is always the case with Donald, he’ll try and change the subject.”

Read More at:

NPR

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Facebook Execs ‘Shocked’ by Zuckerberg Plan to Artificially Boost Flattering News Stories, Says Report

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Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is said to be working on a rebranding plan. According to The New York Times, the plan which has come to be known internally as “Project Amplify” was signed off by the CEO and included a boost of pro-Facebook stories (written by the Facebook Team) onto its billions of users.

An internal meeting back in January hatched the initiative to showcase “positive” stories about the social network platform on its largest digital real estate, the News Feed.

Based on the report from the Times, some executives present at the meeting were “shocked” by the proposal.

Project Amplify also made strong attempts for the Facebook platform to distance itself from any scandals (i.e. minimizing access to negative reports) relating to Zuckerberg, while simultaneously, ramping up new stories that provided a more flattering spin on the social network.

Read More:

New York Times

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Apple, Apple TV+, HBO, Movies, Videos

Apple TV+ Kicks off ‘Foundation’ series early: tonight at 6PM Pacific

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Enter the Galactic Empire – Foundation:

Apple’s tweet, presumably, to avoid a collision course with the iPhone 13 arrival day (big!) says it all. A sudden, last minute escalation of the time frame for this highly anticipated new series:

From @Foundation_’s epic debut to @TedLasso’s Emmy-winning antics, watch the latest episodes from Apple TV+ three hours earlier this week. Streaming begins Thursday at 9pm EST/6pm PST.

Apple TV tweet

Perhaps a planned sudden breaking news update to the years long scheduling for this big sci-fi event? Hard to say – maybe the iPhone 13 arriving in stores and for some folks arriving by UPS is more of a distraction than expected, in the eyes of the Apple TV+ big-wigs?

Of course, that’d be a good thing since it would mean that the futuristic phone has just too much juice for the venerated classic book series come-to-life as a streaming series on Apple TV+. Hooray for both, I suppose. If you are starting to become enamored with Apple TV+ shows after having fun with Ted Lasso or other recent hits (really a hit, seems so according to the Emmys ) that are perhaps the early beginnings of a trend…

And last, but definitely not least, is the long-awaited sci-fi adaptation of the timeless classic “Foundation” by Isaac Asimov.

click to see “Foundation”
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and independent bookstores.
Also available on Amazon.

The first 3 episodes of Apple TV’s “Foundation” will be live tonight (!) and will ultimately have a total of 10 episodes in total when all is said and done.

https://video-lynxotic.akamaized.net/Foundation.MOV

We Aren’t Alone – Invasion: 

That’s not all. Apple TV+ is also bringing us an extraterrestrial extravaganza. On October 22nd (when the first 3 episodes will be released), sci-fi fans can experience what it would be like to live through an alien invasion. Joy!

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