Jimmie Lightner

Technology, Truth, and Common Sense

Category: Quick Thoughts

  • My Tuned SQ8 vs the Q7 Loaner

    … one is a 690 horsepower, 5000 pound luxury monstrosity with warp capability… and no warranty. The other feels like a padded elevator with a steering wheel. I had to drop my SQ8 at the dealership this morning. Again. It was supposed to be a quick in and out, but they asked me to stay…

  • mkinitcpio 42 breaks LUKS auto-unlock using crypttab.initramfs

    Updated the Dell XPS 15 this morning using the latest Linux 7.2.6 and mkinitcpio 42 only to be repeatedly greeted by the LUKS unlock prompt. After some quick Kagi searching, I noted this little nugget in the release notes: If you’re using crypttab.initramfs take heed! Your shit’s gonna break! (Mine did!) No amount of re-enrolling…

  • Hi-Res Audio Surprise

    Just discovered my 2021 Audi SQ8 can play Hi-Res lossless audio! 24bit 192khz FLAC is apparently no big deal. WHO KNEW! I’ve got one of those 2TB SanDisk USB SSDs from Costco… yeah, that one. I don’t trust it for REAL work, but holding 600 gigs of FLAC and serving as my mobile jukebox? Yeahhhhh…

  • Uh-what-the-fuck

    https://daringfireball.net/linked/2026/08/05/uh-im-pretty-sure-people-would-know I… don’t know what the fuck I just read. But I nearly spat coffee all over my screen. 🤣

  • My Problem with OpenClaw

    Honestly at this point I’m about done with OpenClaw and their misguided Doctor nonsense. Doctor warnings are probably great for the beginner who doesn’t understand the ramifications of the runtime choices being made. I’ve investigated nearly every setting, read the docs front to back, and explicitly hand-chosen and curated the configuration of the setup I’m…

  • No AI Slop

    I’m really starting to get tired of the AI written garbage all over the internet. Where’s the original content gone? Why’s every thought have to be augmented by an agent that makes it all bland and sound the same. I used to love being able to tell the difference between writers – now they’re starting…

  • New Year, New Project

    For years, I’ve been… well, tinkering. And learning. And occasionally, saving myself a lot of frustration (and money!) by figuring things out for myself. I work in technology – specifically, at Microsoft – and that environment constantly fuels a desire to understand *how* things work, not just *that* they work. Over the years, friends and…

  • Transaction Data Sharing

    Anyone else feeling Absolutely. Tired. Of. This. nonsense? What do you mean PLEASE CHECK YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS REGULARLY? I set them to NO. If they changed, it’s not because I did it. I’ve explicitly directed you – and if you change my settings, we’re going to fight. You’re officially on notice and I’m watching for…

  • Cloud Screening

    It’s that time again! I got the dreaded email on the Sunday before a holiday (gee, thanks guys) that my biannual background check is coming due in the next 90 days. Do you think they’ll see my website when they go looking for my boogyman? Sometimes being openly opinionated has downsides… I’m hoping the investigator…

  • July 7th Garmin Connect Update 5.14.1

    If you use the Garmin Connect app in a Private Space or Work Profile, AVOID THIS UPDATE! It seems that the most recent update to Garmin Connect might prove problematic to those that use the Android app in any kind of profile. I’m running the latest GrapheneOS 2025070800 on a Pixel 9 Pro with the…