Wayne O'Cohen / 上野公園

Hadn't heard of Lindy Li. Had to look her up. She's been in the US since she was 5? Speaking as a former HK'er, I'd say she loves mainland style. There's a difference that can be spotted a mile away. Will have to read more in the HK, Taiwan & S'pore media & ask HK friends. Might explain her ethics.

The Fake Tweets About Alex Pretti Reek of Desperation It's like you can't even trust the Facebook page

I recently subscribed to 2 B'sky tools that claim to be able to either warn of or outright block AI slop. Not 100% accurate, but enough to stem the tide. These got through. Meanwhile, I'm preoccupied w/ a different kind of fakery. Never used Xitter, so this is new to me: gizmodo.com/the-fake-twe...

If that's the case, then I was had. I admit it. I failed to dig deeper into what Miller is purported to have said 'cuz nothing he says surprises me anymore. And as much as I try to avoid memes, sometimes I can't look away. The Purity tool on FB, likely banned by now, offered the option to block 'em.

The Food Lab's Reading List, Day 12: Washoku This cookbook brings Kenji back to his childhood, and translates Japanese recipes for an English-speaking audience.

J. Kenji López-Alt has a soft spot for her 2005 book "Washoku": www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab...

Take a look, @robb-in-tokyo.bsky.social, if you haven't already heard via the JT. I'm reminded of 50-year+ Japan resident Elizabeth Andoh & all of her books that I haven't read. She's still teaching via her Taste of Culture program & newsletter. Might also interest Chris & Jane: tasteofculture.com

Thanks for the tip. Just started following Aeronaut. Stuck w/ Sonoma on the MacBook Air, so updates are few & far between. Compatibility might be an issue. But I'm running the latest iOS 26 on the phone, so we'll see once it's out of beta.

Startpage - Private Search Engine. No Tracking. No Search History. Search and browse the internet without being tracked or targeted. Startpage is the world's most private search engine. Use Startpage to protect your personal data.

Look at the EU-based StartPage search engine, too. www.startpage.com You can save your settings w/o cookies & choose to always use EU servers. Proton's free VPN assigns servers, so you can't choose from 1 of its EU countries. Luck of the draw. I live virtually in the EU. Learn about the GDPR.

Proton users are protected by Swiss privacy laws. I confirmed this w/ its responsive customer service staff. US cops must go to Geneva to obtain a warrant for anything. But since everything is encrypted onboard devices, there's little for Proton to hand over. What's on your device is another matter.

Proton: Privacy by default Over 100 million people use Proton to stay private and secure online. Get a free Proton account and take back your privacy.

Proton's free tier also lets email users create aliases, but access to all features has limitations. You can use VPN, Authenticator, Cloud, Password Manager & some new services, but you can't use all of their features. I just started my 3rd 2-year subscription. Not cheap, but worth it. proton.me

I prefer DDG's search engine w/ Apple's Safari browser on MacBook Air & iPhone, but I've got the browser on both. Don't care for DDG's bookmarks. But DDG's browser lets you set up anonymous, single-user DDG email aliases for use w/ online accounts. Like iCloud+ aliases, they can't be used for spam.

About DuckDuckGo We're setting the new standard of trust online, empowering people to take control of their personal information.

Signal has also legally converted itself into a nonprofit foundation. DuckDuckGo is for-profit, but its business model differs from Google's. Read more: start.duckduckgo.com/about Choose to install its browser or use its search engine + Privacy Essentials extension w/ your existing browser.

I'm 60. A lot of this stuff is free, easy to install and use. Whenever considering an app, look for the words "open-source" & "3rd-party vetted." That means the coding is freely available for disinterested parties to inspect. Proton meets both criteria. It's also now a foundation under Swiss law.

I'm no fan of AI or photo manipulation, but whoever created this image--& it's not clear it was the OP--was engaging in irony. That's Alex Pretti in the blue scrubs assisting 2 patients at a VA facility. When paired w/ Miller's bloviating, it becomes clear who the hero is. I'll let this image pass.

Remind me who the Secretary of Bad Taste is again. If he can unilaterally create a War Secretary, surely he can designate someone responsible for all of the hideous bric-a-brac & cheap tchotchkes he insists on displaying all over our White House. Proof positive that money can't buy class--or love.

A definite keeper. Gotta remember that and use it often.

While I most assuredly agree w/ your advice about not promoting the NYPost in any way, Murdoch's tabloid rag did give me the guilty pleasure of reading a lede that began w/ "The maniac who allegedly attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar with a mystery liquid ...." Maniac, indeed! Glad she's OK.

To be kinda, sorta fair, MSNBC / MS Now anchor Jonathan Capehart has occasionally featured his Aunt Gloria on the shows he's hosted for short segments in which she delivers the wisdom of her years w/ Southern sass. Plus, Dokoupil has never quit the WaPo in disgust over Bezos after 18 yrs. there.

The tool I mentioned is Listifications. Unlike other tools I've told you about, it's not as intrusive. You're only notified if you're added to a list or blocked. For example, you're on my Asian / AAPI News & Views curation list. But if you subscribed to the tool & I added you now, you'd be notified.

I should add that I try to access the site using a VPN w/ servers within the EU. I thought that might be part of the problem. However, I was equally unsuccessful using servers based in Vietnam, the Philippines, Israel & elsewhere. Maybe I should disable the VPN & all content blockers. Not ideal.

Yes, I'm considering doing so more frequently. My list of followers is growing quickly since a guy who posts a lot about US politics added me to his Starter Packer. A tool that I added informed me of his action; it also told me that someone blocked me. But, yeah, maybe I can drum interest in Asia.

Why Are White Guys Still Wearing Shorts In The Winter? Across this beautiful country -- in our cities, our suburbs, our towns -- there lives a mysterious creature. He lies dormant during the summer and spring months, waiting for his season to arrive. When...

Various African American women I know have been confused & sometimes angered by this practice. Like, "Why don't you put some pants on, you idiot?" "Uh, 'cuz I don't feel like it." Photos may not load, but you'll get the, ahem, drift: www.elitedaily.com/humor/white-...

The Psychology of the Cold-Weather Shorts Guy Some people wear shorts in winter for attention, or to express their individuality. Others simply run hot.

That rarely happens. This year--er, this season, I didn't start wearing jeans until Christmas Eve. That's right: I was wearing shorts up until the day before Xmas. In HK, I wore shorts well into January. But I wore hoodies & sweaters. Not a statement, just my habit: time.com/6590927/wear...

No problem. As you can see, I'm prone to long-winded, cringe-inducing replies. There's so much I have to say, as I'm caught between 2 worlds. And I'm increasingly seeing both Japanese chauvinism & American redneckism. The latter gets weird 'cuz S. & E. Asians gravitate to it due to adjacency.

FBI orders domain registrar to reveal who runs mysterious Archive.is site Tucows subpoenaed in criminal probe for info on “customer behind archive.today."

I'm familiar with Archive Today, aka achive.ph., archive.is. archive.md & other names. I've not been able to access the site since iit came under FBI scrutiny moths ago. It was very useful for bypassing paywalls, but it's not clear that's why the FBI is interested: arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...

Yeah, the gift link doesn't work unless you subscribe. Bummer.

What's more, some states where Trump's support is the strongest are the biggest beneficiaries of federal largesse. In other words, for every dollar they put in to federal coffers, they get more back. Taxpayers in NJ, CA, NY, etc. get screwed because their benefits are less. Who's supporting who?

This'll prove interesting. As one commenter remarked, this graphic ought to be accompanied by one that measures educational achievement. I have little doubt that Trump support & lack of education go hand in hand. MAGA states' best & brightest go to NY, CA, etc. for opportunity & to escape ignorance.

Yet more: @ytsl.bsky.social: "Little do they realise that China Chinese won't think of them as fellow China Chinese."--Sums up Irish, Italian & German Americans in the US. They cling to outdated stereotypes associated w/ a certain region. Modern reality is quite different. Their Germany isn't mine.

More thoughts: @obyjingo.bsky.social: "tho she knows what the CCP stands for, she still can't help being "a little pleased that it's Chinese peoples time to shine"--This is what the white supremacist movement in the US is all about. Tell the world the mostly everything useful was created by whites.

Some thoughts: @niaocollective.bsky.social "... if a different regime came in & imposed (even more) repression" -- "Even more." Indeed. Why don't more SG'ers get that? I watch CNA daily, but I don't ever expect an open & honest report on the death penalty, medical marijuana, marriage equality, etc.