Try to guess what is the title of the blog post that announces that Google+ is terminated?
In the best traditions of corporate doublespeak, Google middle-management titled it "Project Strobe: Protecting your data, improving our third-party APIs, and sunsetting consumer Google+.

The Corporate Doublespeak dictionary:
1) "Sunset" - is a corporate doublespeak for "we are ashamed to admit it, but need to terminate this project in order to cut the cost".
2) "Project Strobe" - The Grim Reaper for gravely ill projects. "Project Strobe" team detects and kills useless products that suck out corporate resources.


Discussion on Hacker news

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/160735.html

Excel tutorial by Joel Spolsky (former Excel Program Manager).

Funny and educational.

HN discussion (2016)

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/160455.html

"Skype" <alerts@email.skype.com> emailed to me today:
=========
Subject: A Skype update may be required
We are working to make Skype better for you. With Skype version 8, you’ll be able to record calls, have private conversations, make HD video calls, transfer files up to 300 MB, and more.

Your conversation history will still be available on your device after you update. Check system requirements to make sure you can use Skype version 8 on your device as the list of supported OS versions has changed. If your OS is no longer supported, you should export your history prior to updating. Visit our update FAQ to learn more.
=========

I am skeptical and will try to postpone this Skype upgrade [and if new Skype 8 still sucks too much - switch to Discourse or Slack].

Meanwhile, Microsoft froze the thread where users are asking to Stop Automatic Updates to Skype and deleted users comments.
---------
Does anyone know how I can stop automatic updates to the Skype app for desktop? I have found directions for doing so in older app versions, but not the current one. I'm running Skype version 8.22.0.2

Thank you in advance for the help!

This thread is locked. You can follow the question or vote as helpful, but you cannot reply to this thread.

---------

Fighting against Skype users - what a wonderful idea for a software business that is running Skype.

See also:
Skype discontinued
Annoying Skype update popup

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/160058.html

I am watching Maniac miniseries on Netflix.

Reviews are good (84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes).
First episodes are intriguing.

"Maniac" reminds me mixture of "Lost", "Mind Hunter", "Vanilla Sky" and some other movies.

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/159961.html

"To be blunt" means to make a direct and clear statement, without softening the message.

Being blunt may emotionally hurt people who do not like unpleasant truth.

I, usually, chose to be blunt, because:
1) It helps me to keep a clear mental model about our world.
2) Attracts people who like openness and clarity.
3) Pushes away people who have a hard time receiving honest feedback.

Quora

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/159600.html

Anthony's 2nd grade teacher - sent an email to all the parents in her class, but instead of putting email addresses into "BCC" field, she put email into "To" field.

So, alongside with the email I got 31 parent email addresses:
- 14 couples (with the same last name). I and Natasha are one such couple on that email list.
- 3 single parent emails.

Update (from Natasha):
1) There are 18 kids in the class.
That means one email address was missing.
2) That missing email address belongs to a parent who is, simultaneously, a teacher in a kindergarten class (our youngest daughter goes to that Kindergarten class). That kindergarten class teacher for some reason was not on the main list of emails with other parents.
3) At least half of "single email" moms - are not single. It is just their husband email is not on the list.

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/159402.html

I just watched Dr. Michael Greger: "How Not To Die".
He presented quite convincing case for switching to plant-based diet.

Some excerpts:
-------
https://youtu.be/7rNY7xKyGCQ?t=424
As soon as patients stop eating an artery-clogging diet, their bodies sewere able to start dissolving some of the plague away... Suggesting that their bodies wanted to be healthy all along, but were never given a chance.

https://youtu.be/7rNY7xKyGCQ?t=1478
Subjects were weighed every day. If they started to lose weight, they were made to eat more food.
In fact, so much more food, many of the subjects had problems eating it all, like "not another salad". But they eventually adapted.
So, no significant alterations in body weight, despite restricting meat, eggs, dairy, and junk.
So with zero weight loss, did a plant-based diet still help?
Overall, insulin requirements were cut about 60%. And half were able to get off of insulin all together, despite no change in weight.
How many years did this take?
No.
16 days, an average of 16 days later.
So we're talking diabetics, who have had diabetes for as long as 20 years, injecting 20 units of insulin a day, and then 13 days later, off all insulin.

https://youtu.be/7rNY7xKyGCQ?t=2068
The reason people have more bacteria from feces in their kitchen sink than on their toilet seat, is because people aren't rinsing their chickens in the toilet. They are rinsing them in the sink.
-------

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/159191.html

Today I learned that the Wachowski brothers that directed The Matrix -- both changed their gender.
===========
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wachowskis#Personal_life
Lana completed her transition after Speed Racer's release in 2008,[184] and by at least December 2010, trade magazines and newspapers referred to her as "Lana Wachowski",[174][185] and to the duo as "Andy and Lana Wachowski."[186]

In March 2016, Lilly Wachowski also came out as a transgender woman, issuing a statement to the Windy City Times after a visit from a reporter from the Daily Mail newspaper.[8][9][10][194] While on the red carpet of the 27th GLAAD Media Awards, Lilly commented she had been hiding she was transgender throughout her "whole life".[195]
===========

The Wachowski made sure that their real lives look as weird as their "The Matrix" fantasies.

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/158761.html

Microsoft downgraded red alert to blue alert:

Now Skype says: "This version of Skype will be discontinued soon. To continue using Skype in the future, update to the latest version today."

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/158480.html

Skype "welcomed" me today with "This version of Skype has been discontinued. To continue using Skype update to the latest version today":


Of course "latest Skype version" is missing several important features that my current Skype Classic 7.41.0.101" has.
But clueless Microsoft middle managers do not care and insist on killing this milk cow.


Previous: Annoying Skype update popup

Updates:
1) This turned out to be a false alarm. Microsoft downgraded red alert to blue alert.
2) Microsoft keeps trying to kill Skype Classic

Originally posted at: https://dennisgorelik.dreamwidth.org/158213.html