Kagi is the best few bucks I spend each month.

I am sure of that too. Best I can do is try to avoid linking it to my name.

I am not, but no one seems to give a shit.

My solution so far is a bike rack that blocks my plate from view. Easy enough to feign ignorance and “correct it” in the moment. Flocks database no doubt has an entry for [color][make][model], but at least it’s not associated with me directly through motor vehicle bureau records.

I thought that O- has undesirable plasma.

Oh well, for me at least, I feel good about the donation for donation’s sake.

Donating has always been on my to-do list, but I just never made the time. I think I did it once 25 years ago in high school.

I finally made the time about a month ago, and they made it so easy I told them to keep a standing appointment every two months (the maximum.) Found out I’m O-, so I feel like I’m doing some real good.

Buy used. OP can probably pick up five used CDs a month and stay under budget.

Of course the artist isn’t paid here, so you might as well pirate at this point.

Maybe not specific to this price increase, but the service does in fact improve over time. They were the first to add lossless music (no cost increase at the time IIRC), the first to add atmos, and then they added Classical for free.

You should take a look at Apple Music Classical, it’s really good and actually the only reason I subscribe to Apple Music in the first place. Classical is what I pay for, the pop music is bonus.

I mean, if you were happy with the service at 10.99, is one dollar that much of a deal breaker?

If you didn’t already know, the subscription comes with Apple Music Classical for free. Maybe look at that as a mandatory $1 add-on.

Those are separate, but equally concerning, things. Connected features are what this article is about, but telemetry is a different issue. On a new vehicle, you might disable the modem but lose several “features,” perhaps ones that you effectively have to have.

On somewhat older vehicles that don’t rely on connectivity to the same degree, disabling the modem only prevents telemetry data being sent to wherever-it-is that that data goes. That seems to be the sweet spot for me.

I have my eye on a new (to me) vehicle in the next couple of years. I’d gone from planning on buying new but have now settled on the lowest mileage 2019 I can find. New enough to be nice and safe and have physical buttons, old enough not to have all these objectionable “features.”

I refer the newest style of vehicles as “spaceships.” Call me old fashioned and old guy yelling at clouds, but I want my next vehicle to be, you know, a vehicle.

It’s an electric truck. You don’t need remote start.

I presume you mean remote climate control.

Take the time to see if any of the “IMAX” screens in your area are showing it in full 70mm (not digital). Worth it if you are close to one (and there are only fewer than 30 in the world.) We had to see it at 10:15 on a weeknight to make it happen.

I actually appreciate the flash back. I do a quick flash to cars whose headlights are blinding me probably 2-3 times each time I drive at night, and probably 95% of the time I get nothing back. So I’m left wondering if those people just have a 2024 Santa Fe (or the like, with crazy bright standards) or if their brights are on and are simply unaware.

The flash back is good because at least I know.

You get my boy Edsel Ford’s name out yo mouth. Edsel Ford was one of my favorite historical figures from the 20th century.

But ya, the car the Edsel was a dud.

Have you met people? They don’t.

Auto headlights and auto-dimming headlights sound great on paper, but in my opinion have created a class of drivers who don’t use their headlights appropriately.

Well, it fixes it for you because you are a responsible adult who can drive.

For many other people, it means headlights is something they never think about, and that is part of the problem. The other part is that auto-dimming headlights don’t dim your headlights for pedestrians, and on behalf of pedestrians everywhere ‘fuck you!’ (Not you specifically, just in general)

Cool that they themed it to a Borg ship.

In my experience, while Tesla is a prime offender, it isn’t only Teslas headlight that are too bright. Honda Prologues are another specific model that blinds me all the time.

While we’re at it, I’m convinced auto-headlights and the general dumbing down of drivers mean a lot of people are simply driving around with their brights on all the time. Don’t know how to fix that one though.

California already taxes high earners more than any other state. I think the idea that a further wealth tax (which I wholeheartedly support) would be more easily avoidable at the state level.

I have no doubt Newsom is speaking from both sides of his mouth on a difficult political problem for him, but all else being equal a federal wealth tax is a better idea than a state one.