Steve Holden's Blog

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  • Tip = Recomendo Email Newsletter

    January 26, 2025

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    I enjoy this weekly email newsletter in my inbox on Sunday mornings called Recomendo.

    Here is a link to the most recent version:

    • https://www.recomendo.com/p/calling-out-room-dynamicsteeny-phone

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    + Ideas, Tip

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  • Free New Public Domain Books

    January 24, 2025

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    Google Books has made available the following books that recently went into the public domain available for free:

    1. "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
    2. "All Quiet On The Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque
    3. "God's Man: A Novel In Woodcuts" by Lynd Ward
    4. "Toad of Toal Hall" by Alan Alexander Milne

    I have read and recommend #1 and #2.

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    + Books, History, Ideas, Personal, Tip

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  • Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Change

    January 22, 2025

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    On November 15, 2024, I posted This Is Going To Be Interesting To Watch.

    Change of plans:

    •    Vivek Ramaswamy Exits DOGE, Plans Run for Ohio (OH) Governor

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    + Current Affairs, History, Politics

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  • Surprise! President Trump Didn’t Follow My Jan. 6 Reflections

    January 21, 2025

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    January-6-Documentary

    On Jan. 6, I posted my January 6 Reflections In 2025 (which has gotten me canceled and applauded).

    On Jan. 20, President Trump issued pardons:

    • GRANTING PARDONS AND COMMUTATION OF SENTENCES FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES RELATING TO THE EVENTS AT OR NEAR THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6, 2021
    • Washington Post article "Trump pardons almost all involved in Jan. 6 riot, commutes remaining 14 sentences: Trump ordered those still incarcerated to be released immediately from federal prison." #national_security
    • Trump Pardons Nearly All January 6 Convicts (AllSides)

    Unfortunately, these "mass pardons amount to an endorsement of election denialism and the use of violence for political gain."

    And it does significant harm to the law enforcement heroes who had to endure the violence of these insurrectionists during the January 6, 2021, Capital Riot.

    Only the brave should watch the documentary "Four Hours At The Capital" (YouTube, HBO) to see what these fine Americans were subjected to.

    Updated (1/22/2025):

    • The GOP’s stunning response to Trump pardoning those who assaulted police (Washington Post)
    • Pardons from Biden and Trump flout the rule of law (Washington Post)
    • Clemency for Oath Keepers, Proud Boys fuels extremism threat, experts say (Washington Post)
    • What Are the Implications of Biden's Preemptive Pardons? (AllSides)

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    + Current Affairs, History, Personal, Politics

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  • Election Results 2024 + Non-Voting Precentage

    January 21, 2025

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    TRUMP got 77,302,580 votes (49.8%). And HARRIS got 75,017,613 votes (48.3%) out of ~245 million eligible American voters.

    So, ~89.3 million Americans didn't vote (36%).

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    + Current Affairs, Politics

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  • Legacy SCR3310 USB Smart Card Reader Driver Issue With Windows 11

    January 21, 2025

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    During a recent upgrade to the latest version of Windows 11, the SCR3310 USB Smart Card Reader I was using stopped working due to security issues with Microsoft's Device Security related to Core Isolation (Memory Integrity, Local Security Authority Protection), and the Security Processor.

    The fix was to go into Device Manager and uninstall the SCR3310 USB Smart Card Reader.

    Then, unplug the card reader and put it back in a USB port.

    This should load the new Microsoft Usbccid Smartcard Reader (WUDF) drive, and the SCR3310 should be ready.

     

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    + Microsoft, Technology, Windows 11

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  • Presidential Remarks, Briefings & Statements, Actions, & Articles

    January 21, 2025

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    Lots of things on the WhiteHouse.gov site change when Presidents change, but this is where you can directly track what is going on versus going out to news outlets or social media:

    • Remarks
    • Briefings & Statements
    • Presidential Actions
    • News

    Update (1/24/2024): You can also follow along on Wikipedia's "List of Executive Orders in the Second Presidency of Donald Trump."

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  • Refugee Resettlement Suspension Endangers Afghans

    January 21, 2025

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    Two articles from RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty are worth being aware of:

    • 'Lives Are In Danger': Afghans Devastated By Trump's Refugee Resettlement Suspension
    • Afghans Cleared For U.S. Evacuation Fear Trump Reversal Could Allow Taliban To 'Kill Us'

    Hopefully this type of reporting will continue, but you never know:

    RFE/RL, Inc. is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded by the U.S. Congress through a grant from the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM), an independent federal government agency that oversees all U.S. civilian international media, including Voice of America, Radio and TV Marti, and the non-profit corporations that are grantees: RFE/RL, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks. USAGM also oversees the Open Technology Fund, which finances the development and distribution of cutting-edge technologies and techniques to counter efforts by repressive regimes and closed societies to block access to objective news and information. 

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  • Recommendation – Burning Beard Brewery

    January 20, 2025

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    I highly recommend Burning Beard Brewery in El Cajon, CA. Outstanding crafts beers and excellent food:

    IMG_3471-COLLAGE

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    + Craft Beer, El Cajon, Personal, San Diego

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  • Two Devotions I Need More Of In My Walk

    January 20, 2025

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    These two devotions came back to back. The first was on January 18 (Saturday):

    Jan 18

    And the second was from January 19 (Sunday):

    Jan 19

    These are from "You Can Count On God: 365 Devotions" by Max Lucado.

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    + Current Affairs, Faith, Ideas, Personal

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