📺 Today’s Watchlist: Paramount+
🎬 Tracker – S1 Ep. 9 The Disciple ⭐⭐⭐ 🎬 Matlock – S1 Ep. 12 This is That Moment ⭐⭐⭐ 🎬 Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage – S1 Ep. 11 Working for the Enemy ⭐⭐⭐
Looking forward to finishing both!
#TV #Entertainment
Who would want to work for the federal government, especially at an independent agency that Congress has expressly legislated into existence, if the next President can whimsically cut it out by Executive Order (which is unconstitutional) and cut off its funding? Where is Congress?
Archie Bunker Changed—Some Never Will
All in the Family is one of my favorite TV shows. I watch it almost every night and own the entire series on DVD. Why am I telling you this? Because lately, as I’ve been watching it, I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s going on in this country politically. And you know what? Trump is like Archie Bunker—but worse.
The character of Archie Bunker and Trump have a lot in common.
Both are New Yorkers. Both have racist tendencies—though I believe
Archie’s stem from ignorance and learned behavior, while Trump's words
and actions often suggest a belief that people of different races are
lesser in intelligence and quality. Both refuse to admit when they don’t
know or understand something. Both lie to cover this up. Both rely
heavily on stereotypes. And both paint Republicans and politicians in a
bad light. (For the record, Archie was a Republican.)
The key difference? Archie had redeeming qualities. His ignorance
and intolerance were rooted in tradition and, more importantly, a lack
of education. He was a working-class, politically incorrect character
whose views were shaped by his upbringing and limited worldview, yet he
had moments of growth and self-reflection. Trump, on the other hand,
presents himself as an authoritative figure who rarely, if ever,
acknowledges mistakes or changes his stance. Unlike Archie, Trump isn’t
just a product of his environment—he has had education, wealth, and
access to knowledge, yet he still chooses ignorance.
Trump displays traits often associated with narcissism.
Narcissism, as defined by the Mayo Clinic:
"Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance. They need and seek too much attention and want people to admire them. People with this disorder may lack the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others. But behind this mask of extreme confidence, they are not sure of their self-worth and are easily upset by the slightest criticism."
Archie, by contrast, was simply uneducated and ignorant, not pathologically self-absorbed. A lot of Trump’s followers are similar—not necessarily bad people, but uneducated, just like Archie, believing things should work a certain way and struggling to see beyond their own logic. That said, education makes a difference. Some argue that Trump surrounds himself with “smart people,” but those individuals are often just looking out for themselves—focused on keeping the government out of their paychecks, bank accounts, and backroom deals.
Both Archie and Trump appeal to a certain nostalgia for a bygone era, but their approaches to race, politics, and personal responsibility are fundamentally different. Archie represented an older generation struggling to adapt to change, yet his story was one of potential growth—when confronted with new ideas, he could learn, even if reluctantly. Trump, however, doubles down on division and refuses to grow.
Archie also had Edith, who balanced him out with compassion. Trump doesn’t have that—he has only enablers. And even if he did, a narcissist can’t be wrong in their own mind. Archie had the one thing Trump will never have, and I don’t think it’s possible with a transactional narcissist like Trump: in the end, Archie had compassion and could see the other person’s point of view.
"This post reflects my personal opinions and interpretations. It is not intended as a statement of fact but as political and cultural commentary.
AI can be great! I just used it to analyze a file and confirm that it was a .jpg missing its extension. Then, it showed me exactly how to fix over 1,000 files. For newbie geeks like me, it's fantastic! 🚀
So glad it is Friday. Work was tiring this week. Got my 2024 taxes done. Figured I get them done before there is nobody left there to send me my refund 🏦. Also still have not gotten my glasses it has been 2 weeks. Supposedly next week.
A Journey to and Review of Micro.blog
A Little History
I started blogging back in 2001, beginning with Blogger—probably like many others at the time. I remained on Blogger even after Google acquired the platform in 2003. However, I wasn’t a prolific blogger back then. Instead, I focused on maintaining a personal website where I frequently updated content, mainly pictures. At the time, I used my ISP’s residential web hosting service, which was included in my package, and built my site with Microsoft FrontPage. I became very proficient with FrontPage and really miss it—but I digress.
When Microsoft FrontPage was discontinued and ISP-provided web hosting started disappearing, Blogger remained. So, I began using it more and more. I also started using Microsoft Live Writer—another great tool that unfortunately disappeared.
For many years, I stuck with Blogger. Later, I experimented with WordPress, but I found it difficult to use and wasn’t impressed. Then came all the hullabaloo surrounding one of WordPress’s creators/owners. After dealing with the chaos at Twitter under Elon Musk, I was eager to find alternatives.
I considered sticking with my Blogger account and began posting there again, alongside using my self-hosted Mastodon instance, which I had set up to replace Twitter. But it just wasn’t the same.
After researching Write.as and Micro.blog, I debated whether to just stay with Blogger. In the end, I decided to do all of them.
First, I signed up for Write.as. Then, a few days later, I joined Micro.blog. I subscribed to the paid plans on both platforms to explore their full features. (Write.as will be the subject of a separate post soon.)
Discovering Micro.blog
As I started digging into Micro.blog and figuring out all its features, I was really impressed. I like how it seamlessly combines blogging, social media, and web hosting.
That said, the platform leans heavily towards the Apple ecosystem (macOS and iOS). There’s a web editor, a macOS app, mobile apps for iOS and Android, and even a Firefox extension for bookmarking sites—but no Windows app.
I’ve structured my Micro.blog site to resemble the layout I once had on my FrontPage-built site (with one key exception, the photo gallery ). At its core, I now have a fully integrated blog. Federation handles the social media aspect.
Micro.blog not only federates with Mastodon, Pixelfed, and Bluesky, but it also connects with Meta properties (like Threads) and Automattic services (like Tumblr). Additionally, you can import content into your blog via RSS feeds, turning various sources into blog posts automatically.
Since I use a custom domain with Cloudflare, I was happy to see that Micro.blog works well with Cloudflare DNS. Setting up a custom domain with Micro.blog was seamless, and Cloudflare’s security features provide an extra layer of protection.
User Experience & Mobile Apps
Micro.blog is built on Hugo, users who are comfortable with Hugo’s templating system can deeply customize their sites. While the default theming is simple, those familiar with Hugo can modify templates, tweak layouts, and enhance functionality. For those who aren’t as comfortable with coding, Micro.blog’s built-in themes and plugins offer plenty of flexibility.
Micro.blog has a vibrant plugin community. There are a lot of third-party themes from Matt Langford and Jim Mitchell (not related, as far as I know). You can host podcasts with Micro.blog and send newsletters.
For mobile users, there are apps for both iOS and Android. Since I primarily use Android, I can’t speak much about the iOS apps, but the Micro.blog Android app feels feature-rich.
Micro.blog also offers companion apps, such as:
- Epilogue (for book tracking)
- Strata (for notes)
There’s also Sunlit, a photo-sharing app for iOS, and an Android version is expected in the future.
We aren’t planning to develop a Windows app for Micro.blog, but I would like to have an Android app for Sunlit one day. 1 Ideally, all of our mobile apps would be available for both iOS and Android.
If you find a good standards-based app for Windows that works with Micro.blog, let us know! We can link to it from Micro.blog so more people know about it.
Micro.blog’s federation features have made me reconsider whether I really need to maintain my own Mastodon instance. While I still appreciate some of Mastodon’s features, like boosting or favoriting posts, the managed hosting I have through Masto.host has been fantastic.
I have already imported my Mastodon following list to Micro.blog, which would make a transition smoother in the future if I decide to shut down my Mastodon instance. One of Micro.blog’s biggest advantages is POSSE (Publish Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere), allowing me to post on my own platform while automatically syndicating content to other networks. This makes my decision about whether to keep my Mastodon instance an interesting one for the future.
The Downsides
While I’ve found plenty of positives, there are a few negatives—though I really had to dig for them.
The writer/editor is not What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG). From what I can tell, it’s a mix of HTML and Markdown. Since I’m not well-versed in either, there has been a bit of a learning curve. The editor is especially difficult to navigate when adding pictures. You can’t place them inline, which makes it challenging (at least for me) to determine where the images will end up in the final post.
To work around this, I’ve started composing longer posts in Obsidian (a Markdown editor) and using the online writer/editor for shorter posts. Currently, I am using Typora (I recently bought it). I think, as far as writer/editors go, Scribbles has the best I have ever seen—it is extremely user-friendly.
The Android apps seem to be full-featured, and the only negative I’ve noticed is with Strata. I can edit notes created on the web and create notebooks, but I can’t create new notes from the Android app. I’ve reported this, as I believe it’s a bug.
Improvements
What could make this platform better, or what features would I like to see? Honestly, not much. But a few things come to mind:
- A better web writer
- A Windows app on par with the macOS app (my dream)
- A way to sort people I follow by platform (i.e., Micro.blog, Mastodon, Bluesky, or others)
- An easy way to create a photo gallery that isn’t tied to a blog post and can be added to navigation
- A way to hide the default photo page (this might just be something I need to learn how to do)
- A Mastodon-style share extension plugin for Firefox
- Easier category management (editing, renaming, and reorganizing)
- Support for tags to better organize posts
- Hashtag support for social media cross-posting (so hashtags in a Micro.blog post properly transfer to Mastodon, Bluesky, etc.)
- Ensure images display consistently across different post layouts, avoiding issues where images appear off to the side in two-line view but display correctly in three-line view (similar to what I experienced with Scribbles, which was reported).
Some of these features may already be supported, and I just need to learn where they are and how to use them. If so, I welcome any pointers from the community!
Verdict
For my needs and wants, Micro.blog is an 8 out of 10. Like Masto.host, this is an independently owned service with a beautiful array of features, constant development, and refinement. One of the things I appreciate about Micro.blog is its strong integration with IndieWeb principles, including support for Webmentions and POSSE. This keeps my content under my control while still allowing me to engage across the web.
Manton Reece, the owner and creator, seems committed to fostering a positive community. The pricing is reasonable:
- $1/month (Micro.one)
- $5/month (Micro.blog)
- $10/month (Micro.blog Premium) (With yearly plans available.)
The community is very engaged, and Manton isn’t just involved in the product but also the community.
It amazes me how one person can manage improvements, upgrades, support (though he now has help), community engagement, and keep up with the ever-evolving IndieWeb and social media landscape.
Unless Manton lets this platform wither—or worse, turns into another entitled owner (like Matt Mullenweg, Elon Musk, or Mark Zuckerberg)—and as long as I have the income, I can see this being my permanent home.
I wish Microsoft Windows 11 Phone Link allowed you to delete text messages from the app on Windows. You can do almost everything else—so why not that? Another decision I just don’t understand.
#Microsoft #Windows
📺 Today’s Watchlist:
- Night Agent (Season 2, Ep. 1) – Really liked it.
- The Recruit (Ep. 1, Netflix) – Even better!
Looking forward to finishing both. 🎬
I just love these 2 trees across the street from my house. The colors are strikingly beautiful.
Cats being lazy this Saturday in the front yard. It was funny they were on the opposite sides of the yard.
One of my favorite poems.
I have been trying to catch up on my podcast listening, but I keep falling behind. I curate my queue to include only the programs I truly enjoy, then refine it further by prioritizing from that list. Yet, I still find myself 25 hours behind!
Drowning in Spam
I've had a Hotmail account for nearly three decades, and for most of that time, I’ve also maintained a paid Exchange-hosted email tied to one of my domains. That Exchange service is set to expire in a couple of years, and honestly? I won’t be renewing it.
Why? Spam!
Both accounts are bombarded with spam, and it seems to come in waves. Some days, things are fine. Other days, my inbox looks like a dumping ground for phishing attempts, fake invoices, and outright scams. It’s as if Microsoft takes a vacation from spam filtering every so often, just to remind us what email would be like without safeguards.
I don’t get it.
Meanwhile, I have a Gmail account that’s nearly as old, and guess what? It gets almost no spam. Maybe three junk emails a week, if that. Google clearly has figured this out. Why hasn’t Microsoft?
This is a big reason why I’ve moved most of my personal domains to a private shared email host, and the difference is night and day. At most, I might get one spam email a week.
So, Microsoft, if you're listening: Do better!
Have you noticed the same problem? Let me know your experiences in the comments!
Writing Into the Void
You ever feel like you're talking to a wall, like nobody is listening? I do—all the time. I feel the same way about writing and blogging. It often feels like I’m just writing for catharsis because no one seems to be reading or interacting.
But maybe, someday, a future generation will stumble upon my writings and think, I can relate, or I know how he felt, or even That’s not a bad idea.
Just thinking out loud again. 🙂
It seems Trump is pardoning all the corrupt politicians. I just saw that he pardoned Rod Blagojevich, the previously convicted former governor of Illinois. I wonder how much that netted Trump—and which position he’ll fill in the administration?
I haven’t used Twitter in a while, but I downloaded my data one last time before deactivating my account. I was really hoping that Elon would get tired of it and sell, but at this point, he’s ruined it beyond usefulness—who would even buy it?
WordPress is gone. Twitter is gone. What’s next?
Start of a new week. I am exhausted it was an usually busy day at work. I will probably sleep pretty good tonight.
My Cousin Cindy
My mother told me today that my cousin, Cindy Shaw Rounds, passed away in her sleep in Jacksonville at the age of 63, either last night or this morning. I will miss her greatly. I often saw and spoke with her at funerals for my great-aunts, uncles, grandparents, and at family reunions. I also have fond memories of staying with her and my other cousins in Jacksonville for about two weeks when I was a preteen while my dad was working there. I will cherish the memories I had of her.
Gadgets, Data, and Doubt
Technology can be amazing and frustrating at the same time. It kind of reminds me of the media—hold on, you’ll see where I’m going with this comparison. I have a Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 and an Oura Ring 3. I wear both to track my sleep and heart health because I have sleep apnea and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
The problem? Both devices give me different sleep data almost every night. Take last night as an example:
-
Samsung Health reported a sleep score of 94 (Excellent). A detailed breakdown is below.
-
Oura Ring 3 reported a sleep score of 74 (Good) with a sleep efficiency of 88%. Further breakdown is below.
So, which do I believe? While both ultimately say I slept well (and I did—I can feel it), their numbers don’t match. I tend to stay up late on Friday nights to decompress from the past week, catching up on TV, PC gaming, emails, bills, and other things. Still, I slept great. But which device is more accurate?
I wear both because I’m in the Samsung ecosystem, and I already had the Oura Ring before the Samsung Ring was released. (I’m waiting for version 2 or 3 of the Samsung Ring before I jump in, so they can work out the bugs.)
This brings me to my comparison with the media. I watch Fox News for local updates and ABC News for world and U.S. news. I also check in on Newsmax here and there—mainly to keep up with my parents, who now have it on 24/7 (something I’ve warned them about). Just like my watch and ring, each news outlet presents similar information differently—sometimes slightly, sometimes drastically.
So, which do you believe? I’ve realized that, just like with my sleep trackers, you have to compare the data and come to your own conclusions.
Here’s what I’ve concluded: I don’t know which device is more accurate, but both agree that I slept well. This is further confirmed by my CPAP machine, which recorded zero AHI events (apnea episodes). In the end, I feel rested, and that’s what really matters.
Likewise, I don’t trust any single news source completely. I listen to all sides, recognize the kernel of truth in each, and make my own informed decisions.
#SleepTracking #WearableTech #HealthTech #TechPerspective