I first used XFCE on my old 700mhz processor Thinkpad back in the day. Back then, Gnome and especially KDE were known to use excessive resources on low-end machines so XFCE was preferred.

However, I actually quite liked the DE so I just switched to it permanently, even on my more capable machines. I’ve been running XFCE for around 15 years 😆

"Put yourself under the command of the United States, if it is still there"

JFC nuclear weapons are horrifying

Yes exactly. Before I got my current Pixel 7a I tried to flash a used Pixel 6a (Verizon variant) and ran into the problems above.

Without an unlocked bootloader the install process will fail at step two, Enabling OEM unlocking, of the install guide at https://grapheneos.org/install/web.

The OEM unlocking setting in developer options will be grayed out on all Verizon devices, even if you paid full price for an unlocked phone (not on a payment plan - some OEMs also lock phones while under contract so you can’t steal the phone and stop paying. Verizon just locks them all regardless).

There are numerous websites with dodgy software that claim they can bypass the restriction, but in my experience 100% of them are scams. Sometimes well meaning redditors will tell you they got theirs working, but they’re conflating OEM unlocking and carrier unlocking (which, so I’ve read, Verizon employees are specifically trained to conflate)

Unique to the Pixel line, you actually can re-lock the bootloader. So if you can manage ADB fastboot (that is, follow the install process) then I wouldn’t worry about the security risk in this case.

The GrapheneOS installation process is exceptionally easy to follow. It’s much faster and easier than the old Cyanogenmod days

The specific variant is usually listed by the seller. On Amazon if you’re buying it used I believe it would be listed near the condition information from the specific merchant.

You may also be able to message them to ask. The model number is printed on the outside of the original box, and is also available in the About Phone settings page, so it should be easy for the seller to find it.

The model number to avoid is G0DZQ.

GWKK I think is the ideal version, especially if you’re traveling overseas. This is the global version so it should have the most radio bands available.

GWKK3 (AT&T version) should work great in the US on a non-Verizon network.

I have the G82U8 version, which apparently was originally for the Japanese market, but it works great for me in the US. I’m using Mint Mobile with GrapheneOS.

(Source https://www.phonemore.com/models/google/pixel-7a/)

Stay away from any that are the “Verizon version”

Verizon deliberately conflates the term unlocked to mean not locked to a carrier (can use a non-Verizon SIM) instead of the bootloader being unlocked (can install a custom OS ROM such as GrapheneOS or LineageOS).

Their “unlocked” phones are all locked, so if you want a new OS that doesn’t have their closed-source spyware then F you for buying the Verizon version

Be careful with the declining part. I believe some companies, notably gym memberships, have ways to make your life difficult if your payment doesn’t go through

If I remember correctly, old timey glass kerosene lanterns also have backwards threads for some reason

I think I read once that was due to outdated standards related to low resolution television sets. If too much text was on screen at once you couldn’t make it out on a standard definition TV. They kept doing it that way for a while after HD became ubiquitous just because that’s how they always did it.

I share your frustration though

They rage in favor of the machine Rage Against the Machine rages against

One of our two parties wins more when more people vote.

Therefore, the other party must oppose voting by the largest groups, such as young people and people who live in cities.

The less popular party also has disproportionate control of government policy.

Which is to say, they oppose democracy itself. It is only a question of degree

For YouTube content I really like the Tubular app on Android. It has Sponsorblock built-in, which you mentioned, but it also has an option to skip silence.

I find it particularly nice for gaming content, or any point where the YouTuber is reading text aloud.

I must have skipped hundreds of hours of pointless silence by this point

Lmao one of my friends had just gotten a DVD player in his room around when that movie came out. His mom walked in the room when he was watching it, right at that scene, late on a school night. He scrambled to turn off the TV, but that made her think it was porn… Barbie doll/action figure porn.

She just slowly backed out of the room and wouldn’t let him explain

Does it not make tons of noise?

We have an ice machine in the freezer and often it is the loudest thing in the entire house. I also have a mini fridge in the office and the compressor on it runs every few minutes. It would be awful to try to sleep in there

The title for the sequel could be some kind of pun on how the film is faster and/or more furious than what would be reasonable under normal circumstances

I did something like that once. I noticed my sister’s wireless keyboard was still paired to her laptop, so every once in a while I’d hit the CAPS LOCK key.

I was suppressing laughter for about an hour until her temper boiled over and I had to come clean, as she was about to smash the laptop to bits!

Haha that reminds me of the time I helped my upstairs neighbors move. They were super annoying, always shouting over each other and leaving trash bags in the hot sun on their balcony, where the stink could waft into my open window.

I was very excited when I saw them packing their furniture, so I offed to help and we managed to finish it all in only one day. They didn’t catch on and just thought I was being nice! They even tried to pay me but I refused - being rid of them was payment enough

It’s the Swiss Army CHAINSAW!

Good news! RCV already solves that problem

If Bernie didn’t get enough votes to win, the votes for him go to the voters’ second choice candidate (Biden – few voters would want Bernie-Trump). If those combined votes are enough for him to win, then Biden wins in that state. In RCV, Trump would only win if people actually preferred him over Biden

[Borat voice: wife!] right now