Chit Chat - What's on your mind today?

[bigskygal]

Recently Montana became the first US state to ban TikTok. Interestingly all of a sudden the TV is inundated with ads for TikTok showing how much "good" it does. For example a donation drive for a new wheelchair for a veteran or a woman that started a business of her own...

The problem is it is a Chinese owned company and the fear is the ability of the company to do some "data mining" from members. Already the US government has banned its use on all government devices as has Montana. Montana is going one step further doing it statewide.

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/18/1176805559/montana-tiktok-ban

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restrictions_on_TikTok_in_the_United_States

I find this interesting and a bit scary that the opportunity is there for someone to get into a person's computer through a SM app. I personally am not on any social media apps just the 2 forums and I am very careful what I share both places. But so many people literally share everything and that could be a problem in the long run... I really don't know what the middle ground can be for all the different SM sites.

[bigskygal]

ETA: I do belong to one SM app after all. Nextdoor is an app that is neighborhood associated. I just saw a post someone in a town a few miles from me had someone bang on their door at 2AM. She asked had any others. Multiple replies of Yes! One guy said it is a TicTok challenge of some sort. Big whoop, wake people up in the middle of the night. However this is Montana TicTok people, you are just as likely to be met at the door by a guy with a gun and get blown away. It is still the Wild West for the most part here.

[skb]

India banned tiktok in 2020. Now the list has increased to 232 apps most of which were loan or betting apps. Yes the biggest fear was data mining.

[walkerwally1]

ETA: I do belong to one SM app after all. Nextdoor is an app that is neighborhood associated. I just saw a post someone in a town a few miles from me had someone bang on their door at 2AM. She asked had any others. Multiple replies of Yes! One guy said it is a TicTok challenge of some sort. Big whoop, wake people up in the middle of the night. However this is Montana TicTok people, you are just as likely to be met at the door by a guy with a gun and get blown away. It is still the Wild West for the most part here.

Yeah, this town is still mostly Wild West and at 2AM someone would be wise to expect to be met with a gun.  I know that is what would happen if someone knocked on my door at that hour! 

[skb]

August is not over yet, but it has been declared today as the driest August in 105 years with 33% less rain than normal. 

[bigskygal]

August is not over yet, but it has been declared today as the driest August in 105 years with 33% less rain than normal. 

Wow! sorry to hear that! Our August is probably going to be one of the wettest ones in a long time. In fact it is pouring right now!! 
Sad for the opposite reason...

[walkerwally1]

Yeah that is a surprise and not in a good way.  I know India depends on the monsoon season to bring the rain needed for the rest of the year.  We know what it means to be going through a drought and have been fortunate this year but still have to be conserving what we have.  I hope things get better SKB.

[bigskygal]

I was reading some articles yesterday talking about how our Aquifers were becoming depleted. this is not a good thing for anyone, agriculture, nature, any thing depending on water to survive. It is bad for those of us on well water especially where city water is not an option. Recently several wells near me have gone dry. That is a really scary thing! So far my area is OK but who knows for how long?

Here is one of the articles I read:

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/groundwater-decline-and-depletion

ETA: Internet is down, using phone to get this posted. Hope to be back online soon!

[bigskygal]

Internet still out and they say won't be back on until 2PM Thursday.

I can buy more data from AT&T 300MB for $20.00. I only get 1160 free a month or what ever. Will save what I have left to post tomorrow morning...

[skb]

Yes the biggest burden of population growth is going to be on water resources. Future wars will be fought over water, it is said.

[bigskygal]

Argggh! No they say internet won't be back on until 10PM today!! Sheesh, I've used all my free data (that sure went fast when I used it!) Now I am on the 300MB for $20. Not going online any more than necessary today!

[bigskygal]

Wally, plrease explain how this data works.I have already used all 300MB of the $20 added data and they want another $20 for 300MB more. How could zi have used it so fast? I will check bac later.going to post in Fasting then shutting down.

[bigskygal]

I'm BAAACK!! Internet came back around 5:45PM. Boy did I miss it. I am really puzzled and angry with AT&T. I can't believe 300MD data lasted me less than 1.5 hours!! My free 1160MB lasted through the last outage and just the beginning of this one. It is all confusing to me. Thank goodness for Wifi!

I may have slipped into the second 300MB/$20 before I turned everything off. I only pay $41 a month for my internet...granted the the fastest, but it works and the phone company charges me 1/2 maybe the same for just a couple hours??

[skb]

Wally, plrease explain how this data works.I have already used all 300MB of the $20 added data and they want another $20 for 300MB more. How could zi have used it so fast?

Depends on what you were doing. For just browsing through websites 300 MB is quite enough and should last for much more than 1.5 hours. Unless you were watching some videos.

[bigskygal]

Still no internet! Now. they say 11PM tonight!

That's what I thought Wally, all I was doing was posting here and. on another site, checking weather. No videos or anything like that. Imam now on the 2nd 300MB @ $20 and I am not happy to say the least. Will quickly post for today and then sign off.