Yes, as it basically is just foreign, untrustworthy Code executed on your own PC.
But total blocking will make most of the web unusable.
I use a selective Script blocker extension (Noscript), that lets you instead choose which domains are allowed to use Javascript.
Works great after the initial try-and-error setup phase.

Sure… a typical setup strictly for growing “lettuce”. Nothing else to see here…!

Not only the U.S. grid is weak compared to China’s… Strategically China seems to be outpacing the U.S. on many fronts, being much more stringent and focused on long term goals than the chaotic U.S. at the moment. I really don’t like the idea of living in a world with China as the leading nation, but it increasingly seems like the most probable development in the mid to long run. And transition will likely not be smooth…

That surprisingly wasn’t that hard, actually.

One side of the family already settled on Threema for communication years ago, the other side I had to first show Signal to and help with installing it, but now they are even using it in other contexts.

And apparently I live in a bubble that is quite open to Signal, so most of the people I know at least use it in parallel to WhatsApp. And for the rest there is still RCS.

The actual hard part are (since I became a parent) all the WhatsApp groups that exist for most kinds of organized child activity, including distributing much of the crucial information regarding school.
Also at my wife’s work WhatsApp is standard for coordinating with the colleagues.

For that purposes we use an old customized WhatsApp-only smartphone, that is used by the family like some old-fashioned fixed phone-terminal, only for messaging…

It’s not just weird hobbies here, but basically all that are somehow organized.
Also a lot of relevant school information is only shared within parent groups on WhatsApp.
My complete WhatsApp-boycott lasted exactly until the first of my childs entered school… :-(

No, in a very private part of the Cloud, so don’t be afraid!

Hey, didn’t you read? It uses “Meta’s Private Processing technology”!!1!

Also:

original message: “Please don’t leave dirty socks on the sofa.” The AI then offers “funny” rewrites, such as: “Please don’t make the sofa a sock graveyard,” “Breaking news: Socks found chilling on the couch. Please move them,” and “Hey, sock ninja, the laundry basket is that way!”

Am I the only one that thinks the “funny” ones in the given example are much more offensive than the original one?

Nice, another reason to not use WhatsApp…

Sure you do… BONK!

You mean Hannah Fry? No, I think this isn’t her.

I am pretty sure it is normal cat behaviour. Basically all cats that I have met or owned (with the exception of some very relaxed Persians) randomly behaved that way. Some more, some less.
Eyes go suddenly wide with hyperfocus, tail starts wiggling and you now have 2 seconds left to react to the sudden change of mood… Or play along for some serious pretend-fighting :-)

They are not that common here in Germany in general, but my city has in the past years put up a dozen or so, mainly in public parks.
They are maintained by our municipal utility service and are basically always in perfect condition.
At least during summer. Being outdoor installations they are shut down (actually completely removed) during the winter months.

Other than that I only had one in elementary school 30 years ago, which also worked and a lot of actual natural springs with drinking outlets that are often maintained by rural communities.

Our city also has one of those natural water drinking fountains, but as it is the (still maintained and monitored) remains of a thermal baths project from a hundred years ago, it is not so suitable for actually quenching your thirst. Full of crazy salts and minerals with a faintly sulfuric aroma on top - but supposed to be healthy :-)

So, in general: no complaints where I live.

Oh no, this is getting increasingly complicated… from a combinatorical perspective alone I now already see the potential of mortally insulting 3/4 of the people I will be meeting… 😯

Ok, this is bonkers. Although the risk of contamination with foreign insects via transit is real (we e.g. imported the Tiger Mosquito from the US via tire shipments from the U.S. into Europe some years ago…), using that as an excuse to search passenger cars is quite a stretch…

History of early natural sciences is crazy.
Leibniz, the guy who drew this reconstruction of a unicorn, was the same Leibniz that lay groundbreaking work in many scientific fields, including computer science and much of modern calculus, in parallel with his rival Issac Newton.
Speaking of Newton, besides single-handedly inventing a major part of modern physics, he was also a huge fan of alchemy, trying to create the Philosopher’s Stone…

It’s missing the part where they suddenly change mind, hiss at you and smack you.
At least our cat is that way. Loving it nonetheless. Stockholm Syndrome or so l guess…🤷‍♂️

California has done searchs for ‘bugs’ before but don’t know if the still do.

I guess that is not “Bugs” as in butterfly?

Just owning them or actually using them? What are the fines?

Ok, expected this to be covered legally somehow.
Also as I assume that freedom of movement would be a value you are regarding highly in the States.