Table of Contents

Welcome From The Chief Editor

Happy 21st Birthday, PCLinuxOS!

Inkscape Tutorial: Live Path Effects

PCLinuxOS Recipe Corner: Shrimp Scampi

ICYMI: Leak Confirms Our Phones Are Listening To Us

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Good Words, Good Deeds, Good News

Smileeb: PCLinuxOS & Me

Let Sherlock Show You Where Your Username Might Be In Use

Tip Top Tips: How To Install Man Pages In PCLinuxOS

PCLinuxOS Bonus Recipe Corner: Shrimp Curry

PCLinuxOS Puzzled Partitions

Screenshot Showcase

From The Chief Editor's Desk...

Before the kids came along, I couldn't care less about Halloween. To me, Halloween was for the kids. I didn't want to waste the money (that I didn't have in the first place) on costumes, nor waste the time creating one. Most of the “adults” that I knew that celebrated Halloween either had kids, or used it as an excuse for yet another stupid night of drinking (which I prefer to excuse myself from).

Then, once the kids did come along, my whole view of Halloween changed … a lot. Like, a complete 180° turn around.

I now “dress up” to take the kids out trick-or-treating. In the past, I've been Stuart from the Minions, Jack Skelington, and the Grim Reaper (last year). So, for this year, I've procured a costume that will be a hit with my kids. I'm going to be Beetlej… Hold it. I can't say it. I especially can't say it three times. Eeek!

Ryan, Dad & Lexi at the drive-in theater to watch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

My kids LOVE Halloween. In fact, it's their favorite “holiday” right after Christmas and Easter. They put a lot of thought into what they want their costumes to be. Over the years, Ryan has been (among other things) a lion, a firefighter, Chewbacca, Bendy, Jack Skelington, Iron Man, Bumblebee (Transformers), and the character from the Scream movies. Lexi has been Sally (from Nightmare Before Christmas), Wonder Woman, Jasmine (the Disney Princess), Elsa (from Frozen), and Wednesday Addams, among others.

This year, Ryan has a Titan Speakerman costume from Skibidi Toilet. Lexi wants to be an angel, and we still have to get pieces for that costume.

Seeing how excited the kids get for Halloween, and seeing the joy on their faces has completely changed how I view the annual autumn ritual. It has changed me from a “Halloween Scrooge” (I've always handed out candy to the Trick or Treaters … I wasn't THAT bad!) to someone who is almost as eager for Halloween to arrive as the kids are for it to arrive.

It's amazing how kids change your perspective on things.

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This month's cover image celebrates the Halloween season, and was created by Pixabay artist Gerd Altman.

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Until next month, I bid you peace, happiness, serenity, prosperity, and continued good health!

Happy 21st Birthday, PCLinuxOS!

by Paul Arnote (parnote)

Bing Image Creator, Powered by DALL-E 3

Happy 21st Birthday, PCLinuxOS!

At the young age of 21 years old, PCLinuxOS is a grandparent among Linux distributions. There are only a handful of surviving Linux distributions that have been around longer -- Red Hat, Slackware, Debian, Arch, Knoppix, Vector Linux, BLFS (Beyond Linux From Scratch) and Oracle Linux (plus a few localized versions of Linux built especially for residents of specific countries). PCLinuxOS has been around longer than Ubuntu, Mint, openSUSE, Android, Mageia, Fedora and CentOS. During the 21-year run of PCLinuxOS, many Linux distributions have come and gone. Some have seen the plug pulled, only to be reborn at a later date.

The many “flavors” of Linux is what's largely responsible for its broad appeal. Linux is about choice, and with so many distributions, there are a lot of choices for Linux users. Currently, Distrowatch.com lists and tracks page hits for 274 Linux distributions. For many new Linux users coming from “one-size-fits-all” commercial operating systems, the enormous number of choices can be very overwhelming.

What follows next will be a “repeat” or “rerun” for PCLinuxOS users who've been around for a while. If you're new to PCLinuxOS, you might be wondering about the origins of PCLinuxOS. Even if you're a PCLinuxOS veteran, few will tire of hearing this story again.

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It began on October 24, 2003. PCLinuxOS Preview .4 was released as a fork of Linux Mandrake (Mandriva) 9.2. Since that time, PCLinuxOS has matured into its own independent Linux distribution. Just uttering the all-still-too-common line that PCLinuxOS is still a fork of Mandriva may cause sparks to fly. While PCLinuxOS may have been originally forked from Mandriva, it also borrows from openSUSE, Fedora, Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mepis, Debian, Slackware, Arch and just about any/every other Linux distro around.

Unlike some other Linux distros, PCLinuxOS thrives as a community distribution. It doesn't have multimillionaires and/or billionaires funneling cash into its coffers, and it doesn't have the backing of any corporation. Rather, a dedicated group of volunteers keeps PCLinuxOS current by developing new programs unique to PCLinuxOS, packaging and updating the repositories, or by donating their services for various tasks that need to be done -- and that make PCLinuxOS truly unique among Linux distros.

What Is PCLinuxOS?

PCLinuxOS is a Linux distro, just like Ubuntu, openSUSE, Fedora, Mepis, Knoppix, Debian, Slackware, Arch and about 300 others. Probably the best way to describe PCLinuxOS is to provide a brief history from the founder of PCLinuxOS, Texstar -- a.k.a. Bill Reynolds (pictured below).

In the summer of 2003, I became interested in Live CD technology after looking at Knoppix and a fresh distribution from a fellow named Warren, called Mepis. I was interested in helping Warren with Mepis at the time, but I had no clue how to build DEB files. Coming from 5 years of packaging RPMS and not really wanting to learn a new packaging system, I happened to come across a South African fellow by the name of Jaco Greef. He was developing a script called mklivecd and porting it to Mandrake Linux. I, along with Buchanan Milne (Mandrake contributor) and a few others, began working with Jaco to help debug the scripts. I got an idea to make a livecd based on Mandrake Linux 9.2, along with all my customizations, just for fun. I had previously provided an unofficial 3rd party repository for the users of Mandrake for many years, but had since parted ways. Since Mandrake was a trademarked name, myself and others decided to name the Live CD after our news site and forum, pclinuxonline, thus PCLinuxOS.

Preview .3 was my first attempt to make a livecd. I distributed it initially to about 20 people to get their reaction and feedback. Everyone who tested it loved the livecd, but there was one thing missing. There wasn't a way to install the thing to the hard drive! srlinuxx from tuxmachines.org came up with a novel way to copy the livecd to the hard drive and posted it on our forums. Jaco utilized this information and inspiration from the Mepis installer and wrote a pyqt script to make the Live CD installable, thus the birth of a new distribution.

On October 24, 2003, PCLinuxOS Preview .4 was released as a fork of Linux Mandrake (Mandriva) 9.2 utilizing mklivecd scripts from Jaco Greef, a multimedia kernel from Thomas Buckland (2.4.22-tmb) and a customized KDE (3.1.4-tex). Preview .5 through .93 were built upon on previous PCLinuxOS releases. After three years of updating one release from the other using the same gcc and glibc core library, we found too many programs would no longer compile or work properly against this aging code base.

In November 2006, we utilized a one time source code snapshot from our friends at Mandriva to pull in an updated glibc/gcc core and associated libraries. We spent the following 6 months rebuilding, debugging, customizing, patching and updating our new code base. We pulled in stuff from our old code base, utilized patches/code from Fedora, Gentoo and Debian just to name a few. This is why you will never see me distro bashing, as it would be hypocritical to do such a thing. We are still dependent in many areas on other distros development processes due to our limited but hard-working volunteer development team.

On May 20th, 2007, we felt we had reached a pretty stable base and released PCLinuxOS 2007. It utilized our own kernel from Oclient1, KDE built by MDE developer Ze, updated mklivecd scripts from IKerekes & Ejtr, a heavily patched Control Center, graphics from the PCLinuxOS beautification team, and many application updates from Thac and Neverstopdreaming. Development continues as work is being done for a Minime release and an international DVD. A future release of PCLinuxOS will feature an updated kernel, KDE 4, fresh Xorg server and all the latest applications. All in all, it has been a great ride, and we have made many friends along the way. Some have gone on to other distributions, and many are still here from our first release. As I've always said, we're just enjoying Linux technology and sharing it with friends who might like it too. We hope you have enjoyed the ride as well.

While the above was written several years ago, PCLinuxOS has continued to thrive and evolve. Shortly thereafter, MiniMe was released. MiniMe represented a bare-bones KDE installation (which now exists as Darkstar), with little else than the bare desktop and core Linux OS files. Designed for more advanced users, MiniMe allowed users to install only those applications that they want (just as Darkstar does today). Even though this distro uses the “rolling release” update method, new Live CDs were released every year (and recently, even more often) so a user wouldn't have to download a huge number of updates after installing to make sure they had the most up-to-date system available.

In 2009, several developers left PCLinuxOS to start their own distro. While this happens in many other distros, PCLinuxOS hasn't suffered from it, and is still one of the top distros. In the wake of their departure, others stepped up to fill the vacated developer roles. Several other users stepped up to create the various “flavors” of PCLinuxOS. Today, there are several “flavors” of PCLinuxOS available to users, each presenting PCLinuxOS users a choice of which desktop environment to use.

To this day, the KDE desktop is still employed in the “main” PCLinuxOS release. However, all of the other desktop versions utilize the exact same Linux core, as well as the same repositories.

Following the rolling release design, improvements are always being made, and things evolve. First Texstar, followed by the PCLinuxOS development team, expanded their focus a bit, and a much-wished-for 64-bit edition of PCLinuxOS has recently been offered. The 32-bit edition of PCLinuxOS was discontinued several years ago. Maintaining both a 64-bit version and 32-bit version of PCLinuxOS became too problematic for the small team of maintainers, and essentially doubled the packaging team’s workload. Since most modern CPUs are 64-bit processors, it made sense to eliminate the 32-bit version, which was tailored to run on much older CPUs.

This is a reprint of an article that originally ran in the October 2015 issue of The PCLinuxOS Magazine, updated to reflect PCLinuxOS's age and status.

Inkscape Tutorial: Live Path Effects

by Meemaw

In August, I did an article about bending text around a corner, which used a Live Path Effect from the Path menu in Inkscape. It occurred to me that we hadn't looked at very many of those path effects. In October of 2022, I did one about generating a certain pattern along a path.

If you draw a path, then choose Path > Live Path Effects, you get the following ‘menu'.

When you draw a path, which includes nearly any figure you can draw, you can affect that path with a Live Path Effect (LPE). The one I used in August was the Slice effect, and we sliced some text so we could arrange it on two or three sides of a box. You can use this effect on other items besides text, as shown in the image below.

When you choose this effect, you get a box which slices the object down the exact center, but you can change to the nodes tool and move the nodes to change the slicing line before you finish it.

Another effect that might be useful is Dashed Stroke, which turns your path into a dotted line. Settings include how many dashes you want between nodes, and how big you want the spaces in between.

Another effect is Knot, which takes a path and puts spaces into it where the lines cross. You can choose whether each crossing line has a gap or only one has.

In December of 2016, Khadis showed you how to use a path effect called Envelope Deformation which used text to fill a shape.

You can also use Power Stroke to give a little flair to your designs. Power Stroke widens your stroke while keeping the ends pointed or rounded, no matter what your line looks like.

Another one is Gears. This effect makes a group of gears out of a line. In the Inkscape User Guide, it states, “The effect uses the nodes of a path to determine how the gears are drawn. At least three nodes are needed to specify the first gear. Additional gears require one additional node each. Some nodes may be skipped if they would result in impractical gears.”

The gray line in the drawing is the path I used for the gears, but when you create the gears, the line disappears.

There is also an extension in Inkscape that you can use to generate gears. When you pull it up (Extensions > Render > Gear), you have to enter the number of teeth you want, how big you want them, and how big the center should be. When you click OK, you will get one gear, but you can duplicate and resize that one, or make more. It just shows that there is more than one way to do something, even in Inkscape.

I hope you will find some of these useful.

PCLinuxOS Recipe Corner: Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp Scampi

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
4 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3/4 lb uncooked deveined peeled medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, tail shells removed
1 medium green onion, thinly sliced (1 tablespoon)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or 3/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

In a 10-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add shrimp and remaining ingredients except cheese. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink. (DO NOT overcook shrimp, or they will become tough.) Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese.

TIPS: Sprinkle chopped green onions on top for a splash of color.

Linguine or angel hair pasta, tossed with grated Parmesan and a generous sprinkle of thinly sliced fresh basil, is a good nest for the juicy shrimp. Cooked rice is another way to serve the shrimp, it's great at soaking up the garlicky pan juices.

Serve with garlic toast and a green salad.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 180    Carbs: 2g    Sodium: 430mg    Fiber: 0g    Protein: 26g

ICYMI: Leak Confirms Our Phones Are Listening To Us

by Paul Arnote (parnote)

Image by Custom Images from Pixabay

Most people distrust their drinking water supply worldwide, with consequences for public health, the environment, and the economy, according to an article from Newsweek. An international survey found that 52.3 percent of those polled globally said they expected to be seriously harmed by their drinking water within the next two years. “If we think our water is unsafe, we will avoid using it,” said senior author Professor Sera Young, global health scientist at Northwestern University, in a statement. “When we mistrust our tap water, we buy packaged water, which is wildly expensive and hard on the environment; drink soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages, which is hard on the teeth and the waistline; and consume highly processed prepared foods or go to restaurants to avoid cooking at home, which is less healthy and more expensive.”

A new malware called NGate allows cybercriminals to steal near field communication data from Android phones via sophisticated social engineering, according to an article from TechRepublic. The data is relayed to the fraudsters before being used to steal cash. The cyberattack, based on both a complex social engineering scheme and the use of a new Android malware, is capable of stealing users' near field communication data to withdraw cash from NFC-enabled ATMs.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg says senior Biden administration officials pressured Facebook to “censor” some COVID-19 content during the pandemic and vowed that the social media giant would push back if it faced such demands again, according to an article from the Associated Press. In a letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Zuckerberg alleges that the officials, including those from the White House, “repeatedly pressured” Facebook for months to take down “certain COVID-19 content including humor and satire.” The officials “expressed a lot of frustration” when the company didn't agree, he said in the letter.

Image by Thomas Wolter from Pixabay

Millions of people have long suspected it, but now a leak suggests that our phones really are listening to us, according to an article from The Daily Mail. An apparent pitch deck from one of Facebook's alleged marketing partners appears to detail how the firm eavesdrops on users' conversations to create targeted ads. In a slideshow, Cox Media Group (CMG) claims that its 'Active-Listening' software uses AI to collect and analyze 'real-time intent data' by listening to what you say through your phone, laptop, or home assistant microphone.

The world's largest flight-tracking platform FlightAware has recently warned customers that their personal data has been exposed since 2021, because of a rare “configuration error,” according to an article from tech.co. According to FlightAware's written statement, the company only discovered the issue on July 25, and sensitive information could include email addresses and passwords, as well as personally identifiable information (PII) like full names, years of birth and Social Security Numbers. It's unknown whether the exposed data has been stolen or compromised, and how many users have been affected. Yet, with FlightAware having 12 million registered users, the extent of the incident could be pretty widespread.

On August 13, 2024, loads of Linux users — many running packages released as early as this year — started reporting their devices were failing to boot, according to an article from ArsTechnica. Instead, they received a cryptic error message that included the phrase: “Something has gone seriously wrong.” The cause: an update Microsoft issued as part of its monthly patch release. It was intended to close a 2-year-old vulnerability in GRUB, an open source bootloader used to start up many Linux devices. The vulnerability, with a severity rating of 8.6 out of 10, made it possible for hackers to bypass secure boot, the industry standard for ensuring that devices running Windows or other operating systems don't load malicious firmware or software during the bootup process. CVE-2022-2601 was discovered in 2022, but for unclear reasons, Microsoft patched it only on August 13.

Image from Pixabay

Now that Google has been found to operate an illegal monopoly, can you imagine what things might be like without Google? One of the very, very real possibilities is that the U.S. Department of Justice will order the breakup of Google, making room for other choices in the vacuum created by the void. That's the premise of an article from TechCrunch. This may be the fast track to reshaping the internet, and allowing other players to “set the tone” for the internet's future.

There was “another announcement” from Google, besides the release of their Pixel 9 line of phones, in late August. Perhaps hoping that the Pixel 9 line of phones would win over the headlines, the “other” announcement is a concerning vulnerability that was discovered in many of the Google Pixel phones. According to an article from Lifehacker, the issue, discovered by the “mobile threat hunting” company iVerify, stemmed from an app package called “Showcase.apk.” This app package's main purpose was to allow retailers like Verizon stores to switch in-store Pixel units into “demo” mode, which would alert the version of Android running on the phone. If you've ever used a demo phone in one of these retailers, you'll know it isn't running “typical” Android. Not only was Showcase.apk silently baked into all Pixel phones since at least 2017, but when active, it runs in a “highly privileged context,” which allows the app package to affect your phone's OS. iVerify found that, in the unlikely chance a bad actor had physical access to your device and activated the program, they'd be able to take over your phone, and install malware and spyware on the device. If you haven't yet updated your Pixel phone, you might want to do so posthaste.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) are releasing this joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) to warn network defenders that, as of August 2024, a group of Iran-based cyber actors continues to exploit U.S. and foreign organizations, according to a notice posted on the CISA website. This includes organizations across several sectors in the U.S. (including in the education, finance, healthcare, and defense sectors as well as local government entities) and other countries (including in Israel, Azerbaijan, and the United Arab Emirates). The FBI assesses a significant percentage of these threat actors' operations against US organizations are intended to obtain and develop network access to then collaborate with ransomware affiliate actors to deploy ransomware. The FBI further assesses these Iran-based cyber actors are associated with the Government of Iran (GOI) and—separate from the ransomware activity—conduct computer network exploitation activity in support of the GOI (such as intrusions enabling the theft of sensitive technical data against organizations in Israel and Azerbaijan).

Sierra Space

Sierra Space is putting the final pre-flight finishing touches on its new line of spacecraft, named the Dream Chaser. If you think it looks a lot like the retired Space Shuttle, you would be correct. The Space Shuttle began in the late 1960s using a “lifting body” design, which Sierra Space mimicked, but with technologies that have grown exponentially in the ensuing 60 years. The initial version will be an unmanned cargo space plane, with a manned version also planned. This initial iteration will be capable of carrying six tons of cargo to the ISS (International Space Station), which will be expanded to eight tons with the Shooting Star cargo module attached to the aft portion of the plane. The Dream Chaser space plane is approximately one-fourth the size of the former Space Shuttle. The first version of the unmanned space plane is called Tenacity. Sierra Space plans to build a whole fleet of both the manned and unmanned space planes, as well as planning a commercial space station for scientific research and space tourism. You can watch a video about the new space plane on YouTube.

The European Union's highest court delivered the 27-nation bloc a major victory on Tuesday in its years-long campaign to regulate the technology industry, ruling against Apple and Google in two landmark legal cases, according to an article from the New York Times. The decisions, issued by the Court of Justice of the European Union, were seen as an important test of efforts in Europe to clamp down on the world's largest technology companies. Apple and Google have been frequent targets for E.U. regulators, and the companies have battled the cases with appeals.

In what many deem the trial of the century for the digital media landscape, legal representatives from the Justice Department and Google yesterday appeared before Judge Leonie M. Brinkema in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, according to an article from DigiDay. The outcome of the proceedings could potentially result in the break-up of Google's empire, as officials from the Department of Justice appeal for divestiture of Google's sell-side ad tech tools. At issue is the government's investigation into whether Google's business practices and corporate culture have been skirting the rules of fair competition, namely whether it leveraged its dominant position in the display ad market. In its opening statement on Monday, the Justice Department sought to lay the groundwork in its attempt to show Google controlled the competition, controlled customers and controlled the rules.

ESA

The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has successfully completed its fourth of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury, capturing images of two special impact craters as it uses the little planet's gravity to steer itself on course to enter orbit around Mercury in November 2026, according to an article from the ESA (European Space Agency). The closest approach took place at 23:48 CEST (21:48 UTC) on 4 September 2024, with BepiColombo coming down to around 165 km above the planet's surface. For the first time, the spacecraft had a clear view of Mercury's south pole.

Do you know how to spot a spam email or phishing attempt? That's what an article from Lifehacker lays out for you. From the choice of words used, to other “low-key” nudges, the article reveals certain clues you should look for that should raise your hackles or set off red-flag alarms in your mind.

Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new type of electrochemical cell that can effectively convert a bicarbonate solution — a product derived from captured carbon — into a formate solution, which is a potent source of green fuel, according to an article from Interesting Engineering. It could be considered a major development in carbon capture and utilization technology. This innovation overcomes significant challenges in reactive carbon capture (RCC) and demonstrates performance levels similar to those of traditional gas-fed methods, which are usually more energy-intensive.

Image by TUREK90 from Pixabay

A Google executive boasted to co-workers the goal for the company's budding online advertising business in 2009 was to “crush” rivals in the digital ad market, according to evidence presented September 11, 2024 at the blockbuster federal antitrust trial targeting the tech titan, according to an article from the New York Post. The Justice Department highlighted remarks made by David Rosenblatt, Google's former president of display advertising, during the third day of the non-jury trial that alleges Google abused its control of digital market technology to siphon revenue from publishers and advertisers. “We'll be able to crush the other networks and that's our goal,” Rosenblatt said regarding Google's strategy at the time, according to documents reviewed in court.

Apple has been ordered to pay back €13 billion ($14.4 billion) worth of tax to Ireland by the European Court of Justice, according to an article from TechRepublic. Two of its subsidiaries illegally received tax benefits between 1991 and 2014, as these benefits were not available to other companies. Ireland issued tax rulings favouring Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe in 1991 and 2007, respectively. Both companies were incorporated in Ireland but were not tax residents. The rulings allowed them to calculate their taxable profits in the country based only on the activities of the Irish branches. However, because their head offices were outside Ireland and decisions related to the intellectual property licenses were made in the U.S., the rulings meant that profits generated by the companies' IP licenses were excluded from their tax base.

On September 12, 2024, Microsoft said it is cutting 650 roles at its Xbox gaming division, in the latest major round of layoffs to hit the video game industry, according to an article from CNBC. It marks the third series of redundancies in Microsoft's video game unit since the company's blockbuster acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the publisher behind the Call of Duty franchise, for $69 billion in cash. The U.S. tech giant confirmed to CNBC that it is cutting hundreds of roles at Xbox, in “mostly corporate and supporting functions.”

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

Federal civilian agencies across the U.S. government have until the end of the month to fix four key issues in Microsoft products after they were made public on September 10, 2024, according to an article from The Record. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the four vulnerabilities affect widely used Microsoft tools and are already being exploited by hackers. The four bugs — CVE-2024-38226, CVE-2024-43491, CVE-2024-38014 and CVE-2024-38217 — were part of the 79 vulnerabilities included in the monthly security release from Microsoft.

An article from Outkick asks THE question about the supposed “five-second rule”: Do you ever eat food that's fallen on the floor? Not in public, obviously; you'd have to be an uncivilized swine to do that. Can you just imagine how many germs would be on the ground of a grocery store or a supermarket? If you drop food there, you had better leave it. I'm talking about when you're at home, and some of the Goldfish that you just poured in your hand spill over your outstretched palm and crash to your tiled kitchen floor. Now you face a dilemma. Do you leave it for your dog, pick it up and throw it away, or do you eat it?

An article from MIT Technology Review takes a look at how to fix the internet. If we want online discourse to improve, we need to move beyond the big platforms. We're in a very strange moment for the internet. We all know it's broken. That's not news. But there's something in the air—a vibe shift, a sense that things are about to change. For the first time in years, it feels as though something truly new and different might be happening with the way we communicate online. The stranglehold that the big social platforms have had on us for the last decade is weakening. The question is: What do we want to come next?

NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/M. Ressler (JPL)

Astronomers pointed the powerful James Webb Space Telescope at a distant zone dubbed the “Extreme Outer Galaxy,” and zoomed in on dense cosmic clouds containing clusters of stars, according to an article from Mashable. In unprecedented resolution of this region, they spotted vibrant star formation, and potent jets of material ejecting from these hot objects. “What was fascinating and astounding to me from the Webb data is that there are multiple jets shooting out in all different directions from this cluster of stars,” NASA scientist Mike Ressler, who led observations, said in a statement. “It's a little bit like a firecracker, where you see things shooting this way and that.” The “Extreme Outer Galaxy” is located over 58,000 light-years (a light-year is almost 6 trillion miles) from the center of our galaxy. Earth, meanwhile, is some 26,000 light-years from the center.

Have you ever wondered what happens every minute of every day on the internet? That's exactly the question that an article from OpenText attempts to answer. You might be surprised by just how much data and internet interaction occurs in every minute of every day. Ninety percent of the data on the internet has been created since 2016, according to an IBM Marketing Cloud study cited in the article.

Starting in “late September” — so, by the time you read this — U.S. residents will be able to visit COVIDTests.gov and request a four-test package to be sent to your home, free of charge, according to an article from Lifehacker. These tests cover current variants, and will have expiration dates that are valid through at least the end of 2024. This is another round of offerings. You can get one four-test package per household, regardless of whether you have gotten free tests from the program before.

Image by Wolfgang Stemme from Pixabay

The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania will invest $1.6 billion to revive it, agreeing to sell all the output to Microsoft Corp. as the tech titan seeks carbon-free electricity for data centers to power the artificial intelligence boom, according to an article from Bloomberg. Constellation Energy Corp., the biggest US operator of reactors, expects Three Mile Island to go back into service in 2028, according to a statement Friday. While one of the site's two units permanently closed almost a half-century ago after the worst US nuclear accident, Constellation is planning to reopen the other reactor, which shut in 2019 because it couldn't compete economically.

As the AI race heats up, companies are doing whatever they can to feed their models more data — and many are using our data to do so, sometimes without asking for our explicit permission first. LinkedIn is the latest apparent perpetrator of this practice: It seems everyone's “favorite” career-focused social media platform has been using our data to train their AI models without asking for permission or disclosing the practice first, according to an article from Lifehacker. Joseph Cox from 404Media initially reported the story, but you don't need to be a journalist to investigate it for yourself. Just head to LinkedIn, click your profile and go to Settings & Privacy > Data privacy. Here, you'll notice an interesting field: Data for Generative AI Improvement. This setting asks, “Can LinkedIn and its affiliates use your personal data and content you create on LinkedIn to train generative AI models that create content?” Oh, what's this? It's set to On by default? Thanks for asking, LinkedIn.

The new COVID-19 variant XEC may overtake others in circulation to become dominant in the coming months, experts said, but will not prompt a meaningful change in symptoms or vaccine response, according to an article from MedPage Today. So far, the CDC's variant proportions tracker has not registered enough cases of XEC in the U.S. to report it. (The agency's projected estimates for the 2 weeks ending on September 14 currently show KP.3.1.1 and KP.2.3 as the leading variants, with 52.7% and 12.2% of national cases, respectively.) Another estimate using data from the variant tracker GISAID has XEC at 1.11% of U.S. cases as of September 15, with around 48 sequences reported. First detected in Germany in June, it's been found mostly in Central Europe, representing 10% of cases, according to the U.K.'s Science Media Centre. From an article in USA Today, the side effects of newly discovered COVID-19 strain XEC might not be as severe, but is part of the more contagious variant class, experts say.

October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Paul Arnote (parnote)

Breast cancer is an insidious disease that afflicts people from all walks of life, all lifestyles, and across all socioeconomic groups. Women make up the overwhelming majority of breast cancer diagnoses, but men can also get breast cancer. The rate of breast cancer in men, however, is less than 1% of that of women.

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, let's take a look at some statistics about breast cancer. These statistics come from the Susan G. Komen foundation, a leader among leaders in the fight against breast cancer. Please visit their “Breast Cancer Statistics” page to view all of the information available.

Overall Estimates of Breast Cancer in the U.S.: In 2024, it's estimated among women in the U.S. there will be 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer (This includes new cases of primary breast cancer, but not breast cancer recurrences.), 56,500 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive breast cancer, and 42,250 breast cancer deaths. In 2024, it's estimated among men in the U.S. there will be 2,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer (This includes new cases of primary breast cancers, but not breast cancer recurrences.), and 530 breast cancer deaths.

Time Trends of Breast Cancer Rates in the U.S.: In the 1980s and 1990s, the rate of breast cancer incidence rose, largely due to increased breast cancer screening with mammography. The rate of breast cancer incidence declined in the early 2000s. This decline appears to be related to the drop in menopausal hormone therapy use after it was shown to increase the risk of breast cancer. Mammography screening rates also fell somewhat in the early 2000s. However, studies show the decline in the rate of breast cancer incidence during this time was not likely due to the decline in screening rates. Since about 2005, breast cancer incidence rates have increased slightly (by less than 1% per year). This may be due, in part, to an increase in body weight and a decline in the number of births among women in the U.S. over time. Trends in incidence rates of breast cancer may be different among some groups of women.

Breast cancer mortality rates over time: From 1989 to 2022 (most recent data available), the breast cancer mortality rate in U.S. women decreased by 44% due to improved breast cancer treatment and early detection. Since 1989, about 490,500 breast cancer deaths in U.S. women have been avoided. The breast cancer mortality rate in women decreased by about 1.5% per year from 2018 to 2022. Different breast cancer mortality rate trends may have been seen in some groups of women.

Mammography and rates of early detection over time: During the 1980s and 1990s, diagnoses of early-stage breast cancer in the U.S., including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), increased greatly. This was likely due to the increased use of screening mammography during this time. Among women 50 and older, rates of DCIS increased from 7 cases per 100,000 women in 1980 to 73 cases per 100,000 women in 2000. From 2010 to 2019, rates of DCIS increased by less than 1% per year. From 2010 to 2019, among women 50 and older, rates of invasive breast cancer also increased by less than 1% per year. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of screening mammography declined in some groups.

Geographic Variation in U.S. Breast Cancer Rates: Rates of breast cancer incidence (new cases) and mortality (death) vary across the U.S. Hawaii, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire have the highest breast cancer incidence rates. Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico have the lowest incidence rates.

Breast cancer incidence (new cases) rates worldwide: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It's estimated more than 2 million new cases of breast cancer occurred worldwide in 2022 (most recent data available). In general, rates of breast cancer are higher in developed countries (such as the U.S., England and Australia) than in developing countries (such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Pakistan). Women who live in developed countries tend to have a higher lifetime risk of breast cancer than women who live in developing countries. Although we don't know all the reasons for these differences, lifestyle and reproductive factors likely play a large role. Low screening mammography rates and incomplete reporting can make rates of breast cancer in developing countries look lower than they truly are, and may also explain some of these differences.

Breast cancer mortality (death) rates worldwide: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality (death) among women in most countries in the world. It's estimated more than 660,000 breast cancer deaths occurred worldwide in 2022 (most recent data available).

Rates of breast cancer mortality vary around the world: Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer mortality among women in developing countries (such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Pakistan). Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer mortality (lung cancer is first) among women in developed countries (such as the U.S., England and Australia).

Breast cancer-specific survival rates: Disease-specific survival rates, such as breast cancer-specific survival, show the percentage of people who have not died from the disease over a certain period of time after diagnosis. Five-year breast cancer-specific survival shows the percentage of people who have not died from breast cancer five years after diagnosis. These rates vary by breast cancer stage. The five-year breast cancer-specific survival rates for those with Stage I breast cancer is 98-100%. For those with Stage II breast cancer, the survival rates are 90-99%. For those with Stage III breast cancer, the survival rates are 66-98%.

As with most cancers, early detection is key to increased survival rates. The earlier the cancer is detected, the better the outcome, and the better the survival rate. Probably the biggest keys to increased detection is the continued promotion of self breast exams, as well as improved access to diagnostic imaging resources to detect cancers in their early stages.

Good Words, Good Deeds, Good News

Compiled by Meemaw

Good Samaritan Rescues Man From Fire

In Seymour, Connecticut, firefighters were notified of a house fire. Two fire departments helped control the blaze.

A neighbor who spoke with reporters said he was relaxing on his porch when he saw a car come to a halt and a man got out. According to the neighbor, the man ran toward the burning home and pulled someone from the structure.

A 60-year-old man was pulled from the house, and taken to the hospital, but his condition was unknown.

Drone Used To Help Find Missing Child

In Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, authorities were notified that a three-year-old boy had wandered away from home and into a 100-acre corn field. It was night, and the corn was very tall, so searching would be more difficult.

Law enforcement used a thermal drone to locate the child's body heat, and he was found quickly, about a quarter of a mile away from home. Body cam footage shows them finding the child, who was not hurt.

“Instances like these highlight the importance of technology and collaboration amongst law enforcement in our community,” the agency noted. “Without the use of the thermal imaging drone, it would likely have taken deputies and other first responders hours to search the entire cornfield, and the outcome may have been different.”

Good Samaritan Returns Lost Wedding Ring

Kelsey was on a beach in Massachusetts when she lost her wedding ring in the tide. She and her mother both posted on Facebook in a desperate plea for someone to find her ring. She posted pictures of it, plus a description of the location where it was lost.

She posted, “It's a long shot if there ever was one… but if anyone finds this ring along the shore of Hampton beach, right across the street from the mini golf… I'm so heartbroken right now.”

A resident nearby named Arthur went to the beach with his metal detector and started searching (one of his favorite pastimes).

“While I was in the water, I did find a pair of sunglasses, a quarter, a penny, so it's not like I wasn't finding anything,” he recounted.

As he exited the beach on his way to his car, his metal detector beeped, and he saw a ring in the sand. “So, as soon as I saw it, I go, ‘That's the ring.' I had seen a picture, so I knew that was it,” he recalled.

He didn't stop there, however; he took the ring to Cambridge, New York, to deliver it to Kelsey. “I am just speechless at how selfless and kind Arthur is! I wish there were more people like him! God is good!” the relieved woman wrote.

Good Samaritan Saves Motorist From Flooded Vehicle

Hurricane Francine was raging and news reporter Jonah Gilmore was covering it, when he saw a truck go around the barriers on a flooded street and proceed into the deep water. Gilmore alerted a police officer, but then saw Miles Crawford run to help the driver. Crawford had gone to his nearby home to get a tool to break the truck's window, and after taking his boots off to wade into the chest-deep water, he pulled the driver out of the truck. The driver slipped at one point, but Crawford caught him and continued to help him out of the water.

When asked why he performed such a dangerous rescue, Crawford told Gilmore, “I just had to go down there and do it. I'm a nurse. Gotta save lives, right?”

Golden Retriever Saves Owner After Fall

Emergency personnel near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were alerted to an injured man who had fallen down a 20-foot hillside and injured his hip. His Golden Retriever had alerted neighbors about his location, and they had called EMS. The dog refused to leave until his master's injuries were taken care of, and he was transported up and out of the ravine, and to the hospital.

The EMS thanked the local police and fire departments for their help, and then added, “But a special thank you to this patient's dog who alerted neighbors that help was needed. The pup refused to leave the scene until the patient was safely topside and transported. He was rewarded with some treats and [a] big bowl of water on this hot day!”

Smileeb: PCLinuxOS & Me

by Smileeb

Editor's Note: With his vision continuing to deteriorate, Smilee Burnett reached out to the magazine staff with this article that he wanted to share with his PCLinuxOS family. Over the years, smileeb has been a loyal and faithful PCLinuxOS user, and a contributor to The PCLinuxOS Magazine. For several years, smileeb took care of the PCLinuxOS Forum Friends & Family column that you sometimes see in The PCLinuxOS Magazine. Smileeb was previously featured in that column in the January 2014 issue.

This article could be placed in a few spots on the forum. I chose this one because age, time and when were mentioned. I'm 89 years old, and a long time user, living in Rochester, New York. [I started] when PCLinuxOS came as a 32-bit CD attached to a computer magazine. I installed it on a desktop 32-bit computer given to my daughter when the company [she worked for] went out of business.

I later bought and got for Christmas a 64-bit desktop and laptop, which both ran the blue screen of death. Both posted one morning that they could not find the operating system. I fixed that problem and have never [again] seen that notice of not being able to find the system.

My avatar on the forum took me quite a while to do when my eyes were fairly good. I would not be able to do that now. I did do some of the Member's Corner articles in the magazine. You would have to go back a few years to see them. Like I always told Old-Polack, I'm not the brightest crayon in the box.

There are many smart and brilliant members on this forum, and feel grateful that they took time to help me. I used to chat with BaldBrick, and wished I got the address of the husband and wife who kayaked and fished in the Carolinas (Ed. Note: that would be Rudge and JRex). When we visited the Outer Banks, I was not sure if it was in their Carolina. I like to fish from a canoe.

I'm not sure if there is an article on the use of apps and the users of PCLinuxOS in the magazine on how they laid down some music and about eight or nine musicians with different instruments added to it and I believe lyrics. (Ed. Note: There was an article.)

The VA has given me loads of help. [They have provided me] keyboard stickers, [featuring] yellow background and large black letters. They also gave me two Patriot machines. In one of the pictures, I am wearing it. I wish it stayed charged longer and was usable while charging like some of our other equipment.

The other Patriot comes in a case like a laptop and is heavy. It has been very helpful for me, allowing me to read small books that come with new products in four or five languages. I can twist a knob and raise the fonts to 74 which makes it easier to read.

With only one eye and not great vision, [it] gives me poor depth vision and I hit the wrong letter [frequently] and [it] keeps the spell checker very busy.

The talent and experts that are members of the forum is amazing. Look at the magazine, which could get some kind of award for the amateurs who produce it. The magazine has a person who is an expert in GIMP. Speaking of experts, let's not forget Texstar, the founder of this great OS.

Linux has many great flavors, and many of you members have come from them to this OS and agree more people should use it. I'm not sure how much longer I will see with my last eye.

It has been a great experience and fun. Please do not send me emails – it took me all day to write this. Keep making PCLinuxOS the best OS out there.

Let Sherlock Show You Where Your Username Might Be In Use

by Paul Arnote (parnote)

I am, literally, all over the internet in search of items for the magazine, every single month. So, when I found this article on the Lifehacker website, I was bound and determined to see if there was a way to bring this script to PCLinuxOS users.

The Sherlock Project is a Python script that runs from the command line (in a terminal session) that will search 407 (the count at the time of this article's writing) “social media” sites (excluding Facebook and X) for the specified username. This might be handy to help rediscover accounts you might have forgotten about. Or, this may be handy to help you figure out if the username you want to use on a site has already been taken, should you decide to create an account there. Or, this may be handy to merely help satisfy your curiosity.

One line in the article caught my attention (besides the topic focusing on the script). Here it is:

“Things are easier if you're a Linux user: Sherlock is likely already offered by your package manager.”

So, I searched the PCLinuxOS repository, and found that Sherlock is NOT in the PCLinuxOS repository. That was the first problem I encountered.

Just a brief note here is required, before we go any further. While the “standard rule” around PCLinuxOS is to ONLY install programs from the official PCLinuxOS repository, installation of this particular Python script is safe, and will cause NO damage to your PCLinuxOS installation. So, proceed at your own risk (but rest assured that there is virtually no risk here).

Fortunately, the Sherlock Project maintains its latest version on GitHub. Off I went to GitHub to download the source code for the project. Once you have the source code downloaded, extract the ZIP file to its own directory. I downloaded the ZIP file to my “Downloads” directory, and then extracted the source code to a subdirectory there. In my terminal session, I traversed to that subdirectory. Once you get there, resist the urge to drill down into the directory structure in that subdirectory. You will need to remain in that top-level directory. I kept the name of that directory, sherlock-master, which is the same name as the ZIP file I downloaded from GitHub.

I then went to the Sherlock Project's homepage. Under the installation section, it recommended using pipx to install the python script to my computer. Back to the PCLinuxOS repository, I went to look for pipx. Again, that was NOT in the PCLinuxOS repository, either (If it is/was, I wasn't able to find it).

To see just what was installed on my computer, I typed “pip” in at a command line prompt, and I hit the tab key. All of the programs starting with “pip” popped up. The installation page stated that it was possible to use pip to install Sherlock. It was installed on my computer, but that didn't work either.

So, I did notice in my terminal session that pip3 was already installed on my computer. With basically nothing to lose, I retried the installation command using pip3. Here is the command:

pip3 install --user sherlock-project

To my surprise, it worked. Below is the output from my terminal session from using pip3 to install Sherlock to my computer. The --user switch tells Python to install it for the current user.

[parnote@localhost sherlock-master]$ pip3 install --user sherlock-project
Collecting sherlock-project
   Downloading sherlock_project-0.15.0-py3-none-any.whl (35 kB)
Requirement already satisfied: certifi>=2019.6.16 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from sherlock-project) (2021.10.8)
Collecting Coloma<0.5.0,>=0.4.1
   Downloading colorama-0.4.6-py2.py3-none-any.whl (25 kB)
Requirement already satisfied: requests<3.0.0,>=2.22.0 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from sherlock-project) (2.27.1)
Collecting openpyxl<4.0.0,>=3.0.10
   Downloading openpyxl-3.1.5-py2.py3-none-any.whl (250 kB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 250.9/250.9 kB 1.6 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Collecting requests-futures<2.0.0,>=1.0.0
   Downloading requests_futures-1.0.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl (7.6 kB)
Collecting stem<2.0.0,>=1.8.0
   Downloading stem-1.8.2.tar.gz (2.9 MB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 2.9/2.9 MB 3.2 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Preparing metadata (setup.py) ... done
Collecting pandas<3.0.0,>=1.0.0
   Downloading pandas-2.2.2-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl (13.0 MB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 13.0/13.0 MB 10.8 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Requirement already satisfied: PySocks<2.0.0,>=1.7.0 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from sherlock-project) (1.7.1)
Collecting et-xmlfile
   Downloading et_xmlfile-1.1.0-py3-none-any.whl (4.7 kB)
Collecting python-dateutil>=2.8.2
   Downloading python_dateutil-2.9.0.post0-py2.py3-none-any.whl (229 kB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 229.9/229.9 kB 7.4 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Collecting numpy>=1.22.4
   Downloading numpy-2.1.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl (16.3 MB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 16.3/16.3 MB 17.3 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Collecting tzdata>=2022.7
   Downloading tzdata-2024.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl (345 kB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 345.4/345.4 kB 10.9 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Collecting pytz>=2020.1
   Downloading pytz-2024.2-py2.py3-none-any.whl (508 kB)
      ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 508.0/508.0 kB 9.3 MB/s eta 0:00:00
Requirement already satisfied: urllib3<1.27 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from requests<3.0.0,>=2.22.0->sherlock-project) (1.26.9)
Requirement already satisfied: charset_normalizer~=2.0.0 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from requests<3.0.0,>=2.22.0->sherlock-project) (2.0.12)
Requirement already satisfied: idna>=3 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from requests<3.0.0,>=2.22.0->sherlock-project) (3.3)
Requirement already satisfied: six>=1.5 in /usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages (from python-dateutil>=2.8.2->pandas<3.0.0,>=1.0.0->sherlock-project) (1.16.0)
Using legacy 'setup.py install' for stem, since package 'wheel' is not installed.
Installing collected packages: stem, pytz, tzdata, python-dateutil, numpy, et-xmlfile, colorama, requests-futures, pandas, openpyxl, sherlock-project
   Running setup.py install for stem ... done
   WARNING: The scripts f2py and numpy-config are installed in '/home/parnote/.local/bin' which is not on PATH.
   Consider adding this directory to PATH or, if you prefer to suppress this warning, use --no-warn-script-location.
   WARNING: The script sherlock is installed in '/home/parnote/.local/bin' which is not on PATH.
   Consider adding this directory to PATH or, if you prefer to suppress this warning, use --no-warn-script-location.
Successfully installed colorama-0.4.6 et-xmlfile-1.1.0 numpy-2.1.1 openpyxl-3.1.5 pandas-2.2.2 python-dateutil-2.9.0.post0 pytz-2024.2 requests-futures-1.0.1 sherlock-project-0.15.0 stem-1.8.2 tzdata-2024.1

By default, the program is installed to your ~/.local/bin directory. Since that directory is NOT in my path statement, I would have to switch to that directory just to run Sherlock every time I wanted/needed to run it. As you can see from the output that follows, it runs very well.

If Sherlock is installed in a directory that is NOT in your path, you will need to switch to that directory, and type ./sherlock [username] at a command line prompt. You can replace “[username]” with the username you want to search for, of course. In the example below, I typed ./sherlock parnote to search for my usual username.

I “fixed” the hassle of having to switch to the ~/.local/bin directory every time I run the command simply by copying the sherlock script file to my ~/bin directory, which is in my path. Now, just typing sherlock [username] at a command prompt launches the Sherlock script without the aerobics of switching to the installation directory, and without having to precede the script name with ./ to make it launch. For what it's worth, you could also create a soft link to the sherlock script file in a directory that is in your path. I didn't see the need to do that, since the sherlock script (at least the part that launches the sherlock program) is a very small file, only 224 bytes in size.

[parnote@localhost bin]$ ./sherlock parnote
[∗] Checking username parnote on:

[+] 8tracks: https://8tracks.com/parnote
[+] AllMyLinks: https://allmylinks.com/parnote
[+] Amino: https://aminoapps.com/u/parnote
[+] Codeberg: https://codeberg.org/parnote
[+] DailyMotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/parnote
[+] Dealabs: https://www.dealabs.com/profile/parnote
[+] Disqus: https://disqus.com/parnote
[+] Fiverr: https://www.fiverr.com/parnote
[+] Freesound: https://freesound.org/people/parnote/
[+] GitHub: https://www.github.com/parnote
[+] Gitee: https://gitee.com/parnote
[+] HackTheBox: https://forum.hackthebox.eu/profile/parnote
[+] HackenProof (Hackers): https://hackenproof.com/hackers/parnote
[+] HackerEarth: https://hackerearth.com/@parnote
[+] HudsonRock: https://cavalier.hudsonrock.com/api/json/v2/osint-tools/search-by-username?
username=parnote
[+] Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/member/parnote
[+] Issuu: https://issuu.com/parnote
[+] Kick: https://kick.com/parnote
[+] Launchpad: https://launchpad.net/~parnote
[+] LibraryThing: https://www.librarything.com/profile/parnote
[+] Lichess: https://lichess.org/@/parnote
[+] NitroType: https://www.nitrotype.com/racer/parnote
[+] Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/u/parnote
[+] ProductHunt: https://www.producthunt.com/@parnote
[+] Roblox: https://www.roblox.com/user.aspx?username=parnote
[+] Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/parnote
[+] Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/parnote
[+] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/parnote
[+] Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/parnote
[+] TLDR Legal: https://tldrlegal.com/users/parnote/
[+] Telegram: https://t.me/parnote
[+] Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/parnote
[+] Vero: https://vero.co/parnote
[+] Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAuth/parnote?uselang=qqx
[+] WordPress: https://parnote.wordpress.com/
[+] Xbox Gamertag: https://xboxgamertag.com/search/parnote
[+] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parnote
[+] last.fm: https://last.fm/user/parnote

[*] Search completed with 38 results

Sherlock will only display the positive results it receives. Among those results, I have absolutely NO idea what some of those sites are, and I have no recollection of having ever visited those sites. Ever. On others, I do recognize them, and some of them are legitimately my accounts. And, for a few, I do know who the accounts belong to, even though they aren't mine. For example, I absolutely DO NOT have a Venmo account. But it lists a user named parnote. Opening the link shows that it is my aunt, and her username there is parnote. I also don't have a Snapchat account. It belongs to someone else that I do not know.

There are a few ways to check out the sites that Sherlock returns. Probably the hardest way is to type each address manually in your browser. That might take a while, depending on how many results it returns. The easier way is to right-click your mouse on each site, and select “Open Link” from the context menu. That should open the link in your default web browser. The third way is to highlight the results in your terminal window, and select “Copy as HTML” from the context menu. Paste that selection into a plain text editor (something like Kate, Mousepad, Leafpad, Geany, etc. DO NOT use LibreOffice Writer for this), and then save the file as an HTML file. You can then load that basic HTML file into your favorite web browser (File > Open File…), and then have all of the links right there in your web browser, without having to switch between your web browser and your terminal window.

Do you need to search multiple usernames? Fortunately, Sherlock allows you to list multiple usernames as command line arguments. For example, if I wanted to search for sites that have parnote and someotheruser as usernames, I'd enter sherlock parnote someotheruser at the command line prompt. While you can list several usernames as command line arguments, I prefer to check each username one at a time.

Also, just because Sherlock returns usernames it finds, it doesn't mean that those accounts are yours. It just means it found the specified usernames on those sites. Sherlock doesn't know you from Adam (or Eve).

There are no restrictions on the usernames you enter as command line arguments. You can use any username you want to search for. For example, I typed “sherlock Texstar” in on the command line, and it came back with 66 positive results. Typing in “sherlock meemaw” returned 134 positive results.

Sherlock works very well, and it also works very fast. In most cases, Sherlock returns its results in less than two minutes, and often in under one minute. While this may not be a tool you use all that often, its functionality is unique and should help find accounts you forgot you even had (that happened for me … I found some accounts I had forgotten about).

Tip Top Tips: How To Install Man Pages In PCLinuxOS

Editor's Note: Tip Top Tips is a semi-monthly column in The PCLinuxOS Magazine. Periodically, we will feature – and possibly even expand upon – one tip from the PCLinuxOS forum. The magazine will not accept independent tip submissions specifically intended for inclusion in the Tip Top Tips column. Rather, if you have a tip, share it in the PCLinuxOS forum's “Tips & Tricks” section. Occasionally, we may run a “tip” posted elsewhere in the PCLinuxOS forum. Either way, share your tip in the forum, and it just may be selected for publication in The PCLinuxOS Magazine.

This month's tip comes from our PCLinuxOS founder and overlord, Texstar.

Are you unfamiliar with man pages? They are accessed from the command line, by typing man <name-of-program>. They differ from the “help” information accessed by typing the name of the program, followed by either -- help, -h, or -?. Linux man pages are much more comprehensive, and cover the options of a program in much greater depth and detail. You wouldn't be remiss to think of Linux man pages as a comprehensive help file, available from the command line.

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Under PCLinuxOS, Linux man pages are no longer packaged for installation from Synaptic. The packagers have many more important things to focus on.

Linux man pages are accessible online from a variety of sources. One of my favorites is from die.net. However, Texstar's tip allows users who want to access man pages on their computer locally the ability to do so, without having to go out onto the internet.

So, below are the steps that Texstar outlined.

Step One: install git from Synaptic.

Step Two: Open a terminal session.

Step Three: Type git clone http://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/docs/man-pages/man-pages at a command line prompt.

Step Four: Type cd man-pages at the command line prompt, and press the Enter key.

Step Five: Switch to the root user.

Step Six: Type make install at the command line prompt.

Now, sit back and wait for the last step to finish.

Your Linux man pages will now be available on your computer, without having to go out onto the internet to read. Not only can this be a time saver, but it can also be a vital “lifeline” should you be unable to get out onto the internet to access the online Linux man pages.

PCLinuxOS Bonus Recipe Corner: Shrimp Curry

Shrimp Curry

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound large shrimp/prawns
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons peanut oil; divided or, other high temperature oil.
1/2 cup finely chopped red onions
3 shallots; finely chopped
1–1 inch piece of ginger root; peeled and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic; minced
1 TBSP Red or Green curry pasta*
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp Curry powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut cream*
2 TBSP Tomato paste
2 TBSP fish sauce*
2 tsp light brown sugar
fresh cilantro; chopped for garnish
Lime wedges for serving.

* Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets.

DIRECTIONS:

Shell the shrimp and butterfly. Place in a bowl and add a teaspoon of salt and a few tablespoons of water. Mix well and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Then rinse a few times with running water to wash off all the salt. Drain well and set aside.

While the shrimp soaks in brine, prepare your favorite rice (white or brown) according to package directions.

While rice is cooking, measure out and prepare other ingredients as indicated. Place onions, shallots and ginger together in a small bowl. Have minced garlic in a separate small bowl, or whole garlic in a garlic press. In another small bowl, mix together curry paste, coriander, curry powder and cumin, until well combined, set aside. In another small bowl, mix together coconut milk, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of the fish sauce (or to taste) and brown sugar, until well combined, set aside.

If making optional mushrooms: For fresh mushrooms, heat wok or large heavy skillet over high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, toss in mushrooms and stir-fry until they begin to change color. Sprinkle in a little fish sauce to salt and cook until mushrooms have just softened. Remove from wok, and reserve.

Lower heat to medium-high and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil is hot, add onions, shallots and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, and stir-fry until soft and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Increase heat to high, add shrimp, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the bowl of curry paste, coriander, curry powder and cumin, stirring to coat, until the shrimp are just slightly pink, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the bowl with the coconut cream, tomato paste, fish sauce and brown sugar. Lower heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes until sauce thickens and shrimp are done but not overcooked. If adding mushrooms, only cook shrimp until nearly done. Then, drain the pre-cooked mushrooms from their juices and toss them or the drained, canned straw mushrooms into the wok. Stir well to reheat and mix in with the curry sauce. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish top with a few sprigs of cilantro. Serve hot with plain steamed jasmine rice, and passing lime wedges separately.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 669    Carbs: 14g    Sodium: 530mg    Fiber: 4g    Protein: 14g

PCLinuxOS Puzzled Partitions

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