Norms Bait and Tackle

BarbStAubrey · April 01, 2025, 08:00:42 PM

Yes I found on my windows 10 when I open the computer and on the desk top is a bar that immediately allows me to search the internet so that I have internet service immediately even if I have no intentions of using the internet and simply want to access one of my word documents. And yes, talking to the tech service guy, it is in this case Google who has a version of AI that is backed up by Microsoft's version of AI that makes changes to our computers - He did get rid of the bar and immediate connection to the internet for me - but according to Will, the tech, he says we will not be able to download 11 without a new computer - he does not sell computers - also the plan is not to service 10 past November

RAMMEL · April 01, 2025, 08:22:38 PM

Quote from: MarsGal on April 01, 2025, 07:52:45 PMTime to spend quality time with my kitties. Have a good evening everyone.

A very good choice

patricia19 · April 01, 2025, 08:48:03 PM

Re: Microsoft 11 and One Drive and Windows Defender. They are all wholly or part of Office 365 which W11 insists everyone have. I have DuckDuckGo as my one and only security conscious search engine, although you have to occasionally go back through as Google will try to put their system back as a default.

I strongly suggest when you first set up a computer or after a reprogramming, that you go through all of your settings. Put the apps you want in as default, and turn off or remove those you don't want. There are many that you do not have to use or have on your computer, even if you're using W11.

Also, be aware that the majority of security techs call Google spyware for good reason. While having a robust security system for keeping garbage off your system, it does record all your keystrokes and sells that information.

The main point is to be aware. Any program you want or think you should have for your system should be first read up on, and don't trust their company's accolades. Be self-aware. Study on reviews and performances on what you're putting on your system with your personal information.

Another point is I don't use any online storage systems, no videos, pictures or folders. I empty my downloads daily into offline systems, I'm able to then download and unplug from my system.

I have offline storage going back to 1998 that stay's secure. I have an offline drive that I can plug into any computer that immediately sets up my preferred system and notifies me of any adverse W11 systems.

I do not use Microsoft unless I have to. My default Browser is Firefox, I also use Firefox for any office needs such as PDFs. I do not use Microsoft's Copilot or and Google or other AI systems.

I was happy to see that the security I use blocks Microsoft notes, "improvements," and other sneaky add-ins because Microsoft uses an expired certificate.

Okay, rant over...

phyllis · April 02, 2025, 10:25:55 AM

I switch around a lot but, I don't use Microsoft anymore....ever. I have Android phone and pad and don't even open the desktop computer with Microsoft on it. I use Firefox until it annoys me then try something else. I think all of them have irritating features. I like Duck Duck Go most of the time but it isn't perfect either. And AI drives me up the wall!! It is almost always wrong. I prefer to find my own answers through old-fashioned research.

patricia19 · April 02, 2025, 01:58:45 PM

Opera has a nice browser and email system, but it doesn't have all the features that nowadays are expected. Linux was nice, but I haven't heard anything about in since perhaps 2017.

I don't trust AI.

patricia19 · April 02, 2025, 02:20:00 PM

Joanne posted today in the Soda Shop.

"Thank you, Patricia for noticing I had not been in here for awhile. My computer has gotten so hinky, I can barely log into my main email name and pay my bills.
However, I am doing well, just not able to get into anything that requires me to stay logged in for more than 30 minutes. It locks up and I have to go thru all sorts of permutations to even shut down. Thought I'd better come in here and see if all was well with everyone. I'll try to post a little bit every so often if this ancient piece of technology will hang in there for a bit. I was getting ready to buy a new one, but just got my Homeowner's Policy bill for over $3,000 so I guess I will drive this HP until it formally dies! Have missed reading all your missives. Keep on keeping on! Love, and hugs to all."

Marilyne · April 02, 2025, 03:30:44 PM

Patricia, thanks for letting us know that Tomereader/Joanne left a message in SS. I never thought to look there, thinking that she only posted here, and in "Library". Glad to know that she's okay, and hope she returns to S&F in the future.

Phyllis, AI is wrong much of the time. For example, don't rely on Weather Underground for an accurate forecast! I read that WU uses AI now. I assume that before AI that they used regular meteorologists for predictions? The whole Tech World, here in Silicon Valley is changing. Knowing AI, and how to use it, is required now in many of the well known companies. "The Times They Are A-Changin'" . . . again.

Ciaobella · April 03, 2025, 11:38:19 AM

Good morning, all! The sun is shining and after horrible thunderstorms yesterday it feels good to see the sun.

Mars, and Rammel I too have found Microsoft consistently wanting me to upgrade to Windows 11, and it has also messed up my calendar. I just feel the updates are placing more and more invasive apps into our devices. I refuse to use the face id for my iPhone. It all can seem a bit intimidating and overwhelming.

Denver, I'm sure you will miss your grandchildren when you must return home but you will have your memories to bring with you.

Marilyne, yes, when you have a special attachment to a particular college March Madness is what we look forward to each year with the hopes our colleges will get a spot into the final picks. Michigan Wolverines are my home state college and Ohio State Buckeyes are my hubby's. Can you imagine what it's like in our family come football season. We are what they refer to as a house divided. Our two grown sons and their wives and kids are all Michigan fans, and my poor hubby is left with only our granddaughter's boyfriend to help him root on his team. It can get intense but, in the end, we congratulate the winner and say, next year!

Okay, must run...you all have a wonderful day!

CallieOK · April 03, 2025, 12:07:29 PM

Good Morning.

Marilyne and Bella, I'm a 2nd generation Oklahoma University Sooner. Husband went to small colleges in Texas and Missouri.
We moved back to Oklahoma when oldest son was a sophomore in high school. Most of his friends were going to Oklahoma State University so he decided to go there. Youngest son followed.
I didn't intend to turn them into fanatics but both married OSU girls. Grandchildren went there, too.
So there are a lot of family pictures with one red shirt in a sea of orange!

Ciaobella · April 04, 2025, 10:35:05 AM

Callie, that is so funny one red shirt in a sea of orange. lol I was born and raised in Michigan but did not attend the university of Michigan just became a fan once I began watching sports in my late teens. I married hubby who was born and raised in Ohio and since we live in Ohio just across the Michigan state line, I always tell him, "You can take the girl out of Michigan, but you can't take Michigan out of the girl." We do have lots of fun with it all.

Marilyne · April 04, 2025, 12:18:21 PM

Ciaobella, you would have enjoyed knowing Mary Ann, who posted here in B&T, until she passed away about three or four years ago? She was born in Grand Rapids, and had lived there all of her life. She was so interesting, and wrote multiple posts every day, here in Bait & Tackle. We all got to know her well, because she loved posting about her nephews and nieces, and her brother Norm, who originated this discussion . . . Norm's Bait and Tackle. I learned a lot about Michigan from her. I still miss her a lot, and would love to know about whatever happened to her various family members?

MarsGal · April 04, 2025, 06:10:18 PM

Marilyne you are not the only one that misses Mary Ann. I still think of her often when I am watching the Great Lakes shipping webcams.

I've been spending time looking at bedroom furniture on the net. I hope to actually go visit a couple of the local furniture stores this coming week.

patricia19 · April 04, 2025, 06:22:31 PM

MaryAnn was one of a very few Senior netters I actually got to meet in person. She and a friend were on a tour that stopped in Fairbanks. I had to work that day, cutting fabric, so they stopped in for a quick visit. She was so lovely and so tiny and definitely had her own opinions.

MaryPage · April 05, 2025, 11:38:42 AM

I remember Mary Ann very well, & Norm I knew. Norm & Dot.

Callie, my great granddaughter, Kiersten Smith, who lives in Yukon, Oklahoma, graduates from High School this Spring & goes off to the University of Oklahoma this fall. My granddaughter Kim, who owns several restaurants now, has already been to some sort of parents day at the university & reports the parents of the girls Kiersten will be rooming with were all great people.

MaryPage · April 05, 2025, 11:47:09 AM

Well, I tried to post a photo of Kiersten in her prom dress, but it would not take. By the way, I am confused, which is pretty much a normal thing for me these days. I always think of me as going into Senior Net, but I notice some of you are calling it Seniors & Friends. Is it no longer Senior Net? If there was a switch over of some sort, I do not have a memory of that. But then again, I spent years being too busy in my life to come in here at all.

CallieOK · April 05, 2025, 12:16:18 PM

Quote from: MaryPage on April 05, 2025, 11:38:42 AM

Callie, my great granddaughter, Kiersten Smith, who lives in Yukon, Oklahoma, graduates from High School this Spring & goes off to the University of Oklahoma this fall. My granddaughter Kim, who owns several restaurants now, has already been to some sort of parents day at the university & reports the parents of the girls Kiersten will be rooming with were all great people.

Mary Page, yes, we "talked" about your granddaughter's restaurants in Yukon. I think she has at least one in Mustang ("next door" to Yukon)
My family - especially my granddaughter, Emily - have eaten in a couple of them. She said they were very nice and the food was good.
Emily earned her Doctorate of Chiropractic and now has her own clinic in Mustang. It's called Wild Lotus Chiropractic.

Congratulations to Kiersten. Hope she enjoys OU.

I also remember Mary Ann, Norm and Dot. Norm and I used to "discuss" the alligators in Florida and Oklahoma (yes, we do have them in the southeastern rivers).

Oklahoma is having much needed rain - and SNOW is predicted for overnight!!!! It's soggy and gloomy today.

Marilyne · April 05, 2025, 02:13:50 PM

Mary Page, Congratulations to Kiersten, on her graduation. Send her prom pictures to Bubble, and she'll post them for you. eeetsel@gmail.com

Callie, good to see your post. "Oklahoma is having much needed rain - and SNOW is predicted for overnight!!!! It's soggy and gloomy today." Sorry you're still getting Winter weather. just when you think Spring is finally here, a cold storm arrives. That's the way it is in NorCal as well. When I get up in the morning and look out the kitchen window to the East and see new snow on the mountains, I know that Winter is still lurking.

Mars, Yes, Mary Ann got us all interested in watching the ships on the Great Lakes. I followed "The Paul Tregurtha" (sp?) around the lakes for a couple of years. I loved to see and hear all the all the action when "he" would arrive at the canal in Duluth. I'll look at my cam today, and see if he's anywhere out there, and hope to see him?

MarsGal · April 05, 2025, 05:36:37 PM

I haven't been following the ships lately, partly because Marine Traffic was bought out and now you really can't use it if you are not a member. I haven't heard anything about the Paul, but Lee was one of the first out of the gate this season after winter lay-up. Okay, I found another ship tracking website. They have the Paul still sitting in Sturgeon Bay, right next to Mesabi Minor and Frontenac. So, it looks like they haven't started their season yet.

For those interested in the Great Lakes shipping season, there are at least three other ship tracking websites that are still open to casual browsers.

https://www.shiplocation.com/marine-traffic
https://www.myshiptracking.com/
https://www.vesselfinder.com/

the Ship Location site uses Marine traffic's map. I can get into it from there, but not directly from Marine Traffic. Vessel Finder is probably the second best known and used vessel tracker. My Ship Tracking has a more simple layout, but is decent and is free too.

MaryPage · April 06, 2025, 07:49:19 AM

Marilyne,
Bubble has posted Kiersten's prom photo. Where do I find it? I have no memory at all of ever having done this before.[/color][/size][/font][/i][/b]

RAMMEL · April 06, 2025, 08:16:32 AM

Mary Page,
I'm not Marilyne, but click on the link below.
https://www.seniorsandfriends.org/index.php?msg=261293

Marilyne · April 07, 2025, 10:52:46 AM

Mary Page, such a lovely photo of your great-granddaughter Kiersten. Keep us posted on her Summer plans, and when she starts U of Oklahoma in the Fall.

Mars, Thanks for bringing me up-to-date on the Marine Traffic websites. I guess that's why my old site is missing from my desktop . . . . It's no longer free, and now I have to join to see it? I tried all three of the links you posted, and found them hard to manage. My Ship Tracking, was the easiest to follow, so I'll work on that one.

jane · April 07, 2025, 02:24:43 PM

MaryPage...IF my memory is correct, SeniorNet was taken over by a guy who disrupted the entire site...and did away with our discussions. Consequently, Ginny Anderson started SeniorLearn for indepth book discussions and her Latin classes and Pat Scott started this site for a variety of discussions. Jeanne also came here and helped Pat and Joan Pearson led a lot of book discussions with Ginny at SL.

SeniorNet, the last time I tried to find it, seemed to be devoted to local Learning Centers for computer beginners.

Others here who have better memories than mine can correct my "remindering" and add to it.

jane

MarsGal · April 07, 2025, 02:40:12 PM

Marilyne, I meant to ask if you heard about the Holland Discovery breaking her moorings at its San Francisco pier the other day. I am not able to find the clip of that event just now because the website seems a bit wonky right now.

Jane, that sounds about right. Jane from Iowa is the site administrator for SeniorLearn.

MaryPage · April 07, 2025, 08:04:00 PM

Thank you so much, Jane. I do not remember any of that at all. I probably left Senior Net during the time just before all that started & then came back when it was Seniors & Friends and just have lost memory of that time. I remember the book sharing, as books are my favorite thing. Always have been. Now that I am going blind, I have to use hand held magnifying glasses, & do not get nearly as much read as I would like. I listen to The Great Courses on DVDs.

BarbStAubrey · April 07, 2025, 09:52:33 PM

Yes Jane, agree as you remember - seems he had a small group that were from D.C. and wanted the site to be devoted to learning how to use the computer and the internet and for Ginny and Joan Pearson and others to become more involved in politics - I thought Joan Pearson stayed with the new SeniorLearn in that she had an in, I think she volunteered at the Washington Library because she had seen and had access to the Shakespeare First Folio and we got into discussing more Shakespeare - I noticed she left and don't know if she does any online book discussions - there was someone from California also whose name I have forgotten who helped run the site - Wasn't it Pat Westerdale who did what you, Jane are doing now on SeniorLearn.

Many a contributor to our great discussions who have now passed - only a few of us left - I think it was our time in the history of utilizing computers and the early years of the internet - the younger generation does not show interest in group discussions of a book or film - they do socialize but more as quick bites using the text message type of communication and more informally without sites they visit daily to catch up with a small group.

MaryPage · April 07, 2025, 10:30:44 PM

I would love to have technology come easily, but it has not. So I have, instead, all of these little geniuses in my great grandchildren. & they insist they are eager to solve my problems. Will (for Willem, age 16,) told me when he was much younger, that I could call him for ANYthing, & he would look at his phone, & if it was me, he would pick up right away! That young man has never let me down! I liked Senior Net just as it was, & would have very much resented one person coming along & trying to change it. So I am glad I missed that episode!

RAMMEL · April 07, 2025, 10:33:19 PM

Quote from: BarbStAubrey on April 07, 2025, 09:52:33 PMthere was someone from California also whose name I have forgotten who helped run the site -

How about MARCIE?

BarbStAubrey · April 08, 2025, 12:39:44 AM

Yes, Yes Marcie - thanks Rammel

MarsGal · April 08, 2025, 05:38:10 AM

Does anyone know why Pearson stopped posting? I never heard. She is among those I still miss. Sadly, that list keeps growing.

What is also sad is that we don't seem to attract many, if any, new members.

RAMMEL · April 08, 2025, 09:37:24 AM

Quote from: MarsGal on April 08, 2025, 05:38:10 AMWhat is also sad is that we don't seem to attract many, if any, new members.

I don't think this is he type of site people stumble across. I think it is one that requires our promoting it to our senior and friend acquaintances. We also (sadly) have a higher attrition rate than other sites.

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