> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://numericcitizen.me/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Numeric Citizen Introspection Newsletter #21 - URL: https://numericcitizen.me/numeric-citizen-introspection-21/ - Published: 2022-04-30T12:23:05.000Z - Updated: 2022-04-30T12:23:05.000Z - Description: In this latest edition the Introspection #newsletter: while war is still raging in Ukraine, Elon Musk is helping keep the internet working, thanks to Starlink, and buys Twitter. #apple #photography #privacyprotection #climatechange - Author: JF Martin - Tags: Newsletter, Apple, photography, climate, privacy protection **🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 A special message to Ukrainians. 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 🇺🇦** *Last month, I gave 200 CAN$ of my money to* ***Red Cross*** *. I will give as much to someone in Rumania who helps her local community cope with the refugees coming from Ukraine.* ## HIGHLIGHTS Post ***highlights*** for the month of April are coming from [my Numeric Citizen Blog](https://numericcitizen.me/), my [microblog](https://numericcitizen.micro.blog/?ref=numericcitizen.me). `Taking a break of many things` [I took some vacation in April](https://numericcitizen.micro.blog/2022/04/12/taking-a-break.html?ref=numericcitizen.me), where I took a break from many things. It was a tremendous **slow week**. `Where Should The iPad Go From Here?` Regarding the iPad, [There are not that many low-hanging fruits anymore](https://numericcitizen.me/2022/04/23/where-should-the-ipad-go-from-here/). Better external display support is probably one. Other people are imagining what **iPadOS 16** could be, and [I found a few interesting ideas](https://numericcitizen.micro.blog/2022/04/26/interesting-ideas-for.html?ref=numericcitizen.me). `Questioning the iPad as a tool for everyone` I wrote a long link post about the ***iPad***: [Where does the iPad go from here](https://numericcitizen.me/2022/04/23/where-should-the-ipad-go-from-here/)? The question then became: [Is the iPad really for everyone](https://birchtree.me/blog/the-ipad-is-for-everyone/?ref=numericcitizen.me)? `Remembering My Story of Owning a Macintosh SE — 1987-1990` The ***Macintosh SE*** played an important role during my pre-university years. [Find out how](https://numericcitizen.me/2022/04/04/remembering-my-story-of-owning-a-macintosh-se-1987-1990/%0A). `Wondering About Returning to Podcasting` With a closed and dedicated office room at home, would that be enough to enable [a return to podcasting](https://numericcitizen.micro.blog/2022/04/23/wondering-about-returning.html?ref=numericcitizen.me)? I still have my podcast listed on iTunes or the Podcasts application. Look for “**Numeric Citizen Podcast**”. I bought an **Apple Studio Display** last month ([read about my experience with it](https://numericcitizen.me/2022/03/26/my-experience-with-the-apple-studio-display/)), the reviews are in, and the webcam sucks. A firmware update was expected to fix the issue, [but it appears it won’t be the case after all](https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/26/apples-studio-displays-poor-webcam-quality-is-not-a-software-bug-after-all/?ref=numericcitizen.me). Too bad. Ninety percent of the time, the webcam is just fine, in perfect condition with plenty of light. A while ago, I wrote this about the **iPad Magic Keyboard**: “[The iPad Magic Keyboard: The Magic Pivot of the iPad](https://medium.com/macoclock/the-ipad-magic-keyboard-the-magic-pivot-of-the-ipad-1f0b5105b4dc?ref=numericcitizen.me)” on Medium. **One more thing**: Apple made some money in the last quarter finishing on March 30th. [Great charts from MacStories.net](https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-q2-2022-results-97-28-billion-of-revenue/?ref=numericcitizen.me). ## APPLE TIDBITS ![Apple's headquarters - Source: Heena Ko, a former Apple employee](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/90/db90e17a-b0ed-4eb3-8db1-a5b434dbead1/content/images/2022/04/Apple-Headqurters.png) Apple's headquarters - Source: Heena Ko, a former Apple employee 1️⃣ Why is an Apple ***Thunderbolt 4 cable*** so expansive? Here’s the answer in [this YouTube video](https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/04/23/teardown-of-apples-new-long-thunderbolt-4-pro-cable-highlights-why-its-so-expensive?ref=numericcitizen.me). 2️⃣ It’s troubling that searching for some text within a single device like the Mac can produce unpredictable results, but searching the web seems to get a better outcome. Is **Apple Spotlight** broken? Since when? Will Apple fix it in macOS 13? [Frustrating](https://twitter.com/kocienda/status/1515015316408922112?s=21&t=ir5xX-aihrufdExIDT72mQ&ref=numericcitizen.me). 3️⃣ I would pay for a tour within ***Apple’s headquarters***. I would pay even more to bring back my deceased father, a professional architect and see it himself. Great [YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6fex9DzxWc&feature=youtu.be&ref=numericcitizen.me) about this architectural marvel. 4️⃣ [This article](https://mackuba.eu/2014/10/06/a-guide-to-nsbutton-styles/?ref=numericcitizen.me) shows Apple’s constant regression in the **user interface graphic design** of macOS. **Big Sur** is probably the lowest quality on the scale of all macOS iterations over the years. I wonder when the next “big visual update” will come. I’m not holding my breath. Speaking of bad user interface design, here’s another excellent [article](https://tidbits.com/2019/08/30/less-is-more-apples-inconsistent-ellipses-icons-inspire-user-confusion/?ref=numericcitizen.me), this time about the use of ellipses (…) all over the place. 5️⃣ Imagine **[an Apple App Store for Apple Watch faces](https://twitter.com/parkerortolani/status/1276545415614169090?s=12&ref=numericcitizen.me)** — so cool proof of concept. I wish Apple would create one like this. 6️⃣ [An upcoming update to iOS](https://www.macrumors.com/2022/03/24/apple-hardware-subscription-service/?ref=numericcitizen.me) presents a Visa logo on the Apple Card, which could indicate a larger rollout in the future. Maybe in Canada? Like the iPhone Upgrade Program, I don’t see that happening outside of the US. ## MUST SEE PHOTOGRAPHY STUFF Someone asked a good question on Reddit: [Has ***phone photography*** killed anyone else’s camera usage?](https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/r2cbx1/has%5Fphone%5Fphotography%5Fkilled%5Fanyone%5Felses%5Fcamera/?ref=numericcitizen.me) Yes. While walking on the street with my camera, here’s something I’d like to do: ***may I take a picture of you?*** [Here’s an approach to do so.](https://wesley.substack.com/p/process-035-how-to-ask-a-stranger%0A) I’m not good at photographing humans, though. According to this controversial [post on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/photography/comments/saz0we/the%5Fmirrorless%5Frevolution%5Fis%5Fhere%5Fthe%5Fduopoly%5Fand/?ref=numericcitizen.me), the only revolutions that came with DLSR are ***RAW images*** and ***digital storage***. I didn’t search for part 2 of the series. The first mirror-less and shutter-less camera? This thing is a beast. Not perfect and expansive: [the Nikon Z9](https://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/z/z9.htm%0A?ref=numericcitizen.me). I find it surprising to see Nikon launching such a high-end camera as there is a contraction of demand for non-smartphone cameras. I’m a big fan of ***Unsplash***, even though they were bought by Getty Images. I recently found out about a similar service named ***[Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/?ref=numericcitizen.me)***. Very similar to Unsplash both in its content and design. Pexels is a lot less known, though. If you don’t like where Unsplash has been going in recent years, consider looking at Pexels. Fascinating photos of human-made **trash** are now available **on Mars**. 😞 > We spy with our little eyes…rover landing gear! > During the [#MarsHelicopter](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarsHelicopter?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=numericcitizen.me)’s 26th flight, it took photos of the entry, descent, & landing gear [@NASAPersevere](https://twitter.com/NASAPersevere?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=numericcitizen.me) needed to safely land on Mars. You can see the protective backshell & massive dusty parachute. [https://t.co/1r5uoc5FyM](https://t.co/1r5uoc5FyM?ref=numericcitizen.me) [pic.twitter.com/ePlEASIrr0](https://t.co/ePlEASIrr0?ref=numericcitizen.me) > > — NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) [April 27, 2022](https://twitter.com/NASAJPL/status/1519401118152888321?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=numericcitizen.me) Don't forget to look at [my Glass page](https://glass.photo/numericcitizen?ref=numericcitizen.me) for my latest photos. I’ve been more active on Glass than on [my Smugmug account](https://numericcitizen.smugmug.com/?ref=numericcitizen.me). ## CLIMATE CHANGE & CRISIS ![Image courtesy of Apple](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/90/db90e17a-b0ed-4eb3-8db1-a5b434dbead1/content/images/2022/04/Apple-renewable-energy-China-Sichuan.jpeg) Image courtesy of Apple [Impressive advances](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/04/apple-helps-suppliers-rapidly-accelerate-renewable-energy-use-around-the-world/?ref=numericcitizen.me) were highlighted by Apple and its suppliers in fighting to reduce its ***carbon footprint***. More details here on the [Environment](https://www.apple.com/environment/?ref=numericcitizen.me) mini-website. Reminder: my passion for Apple has roots in its stance on climate change fighting. Read all about my passion for Apple in this [article](https://numericcitizen.me/2022/02/05/the-roots-of-my-passion-for-apple/). See what is [happening](https://twitter.com/mashable/status/1490153271171772420?s=21&ref=numericcitizen.me) when ***permafrost*** is slowly melting in Siberia. Kaboom! Speaking of Siberia: ***forests there are burning*** at twice the pace this year compared to last year. Why? One of the reasons is that the army is usually called to help extinguish those fires. This year, the Russian army is fighting in Ukraine. You cannot have it all. What a bunch of motherfuckers. Think globally, act locally. The type of principle behind these new housing projects put growing our food under one roof. > A new gem in vertical gardening [pic.twitter.com/W81Yfp9109](https://t.co/W81Yfp9109?ref=numericcitizen.me) > > — Mashable (@mashable) [March 26, 2022](https://twitter.com/mashable/status/1507776394616528909?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=numericcitizen.me) ## PRIVACY PROTECTION Should we **trust government agencies** with cybersecurity? No. Not at all. [FBI is no exception](https://daringfireball.net/linked/2021/11/15/krebs-fbi-email-hoax?ref=numericcitizen.me). I worked for a local government for nearly twenty years, and I know what’s behind some curtains. A fascinating and worrisome [story](https://techcrunch.com/2022/02/22/stalkerware-network-spilling-data/?guccounter=1&ref=numericcitizen.me) about a **spyware**, or “**stalkerware**” application built to spy on a smartphone user. The application is built using frameworks and back-end infrastructures full of security holes. As you might expect, this spyware is mostly available for Android devices because, you know, sideloading applications is easy. There are no or fewer gatekeepers to bypass in that case. ***For surveillance, Apple is a gold mine.*** Apple is probably giving more information to law enforcement than they tell publicly. Facebook is probably giving much more than Apple and Google much more than Facebook. In any case, I don’t want to pay [Apple to be an instrument for government agencies or surveillance firms](https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2022/02/23/meet-the-secretive-surveillance-wizards-helping-the-fbi-and-ice-wiretap-facebook-and-google-users/?sh=11c963933f0f&ref=numericcitizen.me). ## NOTABLE QUOTES > “When two men always agree, one of them is unnecessary” — **One of my colleague at the office** > “Dependence on Russia for energy is now understood to be self-destructive but was convenient and economical at the time. Dependence on China for manufacturing will be understood as self-destructive but is convenient and economical today.” — **Horace Dediu** > “A photo is a time fragment that won’t come back” — **Martine Franck** > “User-friendly on the outside, developer-hostile on the inside.” — **Philip Elmer‑DeWitt** ## SOME LEFTOVERS 1️⃣ What are the most popular applications on the Russian App Store these days? **VPN clients**. Somehow, I find this comforting that some people in Russia are intelligent enough to try to see what’s behind the iron curtain imposed by the Russian government. Will it make a difference? The jury is still out. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/90/db90e17a-b0ed-4eb3-8db1-a5b434dbead1/content/images/2022/04/IMG_0751.jpeg) 2️⃣ [Barrack Obama thinks Putin has changed](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4bDuFJuriw&feature=youtu.be&ref=numericcitizen.me). Putin is getting old. Dementia can take many forms. 3️⃣ [Illustrating](https://twitter.com/LeviWesterveld/status/1506253203704356867?ref=numericcitizen.me) the war in Ukraine with evolving maps and iconography. Fascinating. As the war evolves, the need to communicate and explain the situation has to evolve accordingly, too. 4️⃣ The [truth may be paywalled](https://birchtree.me/blog/the-truth-is-paywalled/?ref=numericcitizen.me), but you won’t find it on the **Truth social network** funded by Trump and its followers (don’t expect me to put the link to their shit, though). The simple fact that this application is hosted on App Store makes me angry with Apple. 5️⃣ [How to solve the Rubik’s cube for beginners](https://kevq.uk/how-to-solve-3x3-rubiks-cube?ref=numericcitizen.me)? I used to do it in 1 minute 13 seconds when I was young. 6️⃣ According to this [article](http://om.co/2022/02/27/whos-reading-anyway/?ref=numericcitizen.me), ***focusing on higher density media*** and learning to canalize our attention to the best value for our time investment seems a wise decision. But, [people no longer read, apparently](https://write.as/numericcitizen/people-no-longer-read-apparently?pk%5Fcampaign=rss-feed&ref=numericcitizen.me). 7️⃣ In a [recent edition](https://numericcitizen.me/friday-notes-69-a-new-home-office/) of the **Friday Notes series**, I wrote about setting up my new home office. It’s been an ongoing tweaking process since the beginning. I’m slowly getting where I want it to be. Here’s the current status below. I’m missing curtains and an armchair for reading. The sound is not bad either. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/db/90/db90e17a-b0ed-4eb3-8db1-a5b434dbead1/content/images/2022/04/IMG_0926.jpeg) ## WHAT’S NEXT ***The supply chain disruption***: while Apple is shipping a boatload of iPhone, [everyone seems to be waiting for everything](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/10/america-is-choking-under-an-everything-shortage/620322/?ref=numericcitizen.me). **The Russian army** is committing **war crimes** every day in Ukraine. This [website](https://war.ukraine.ua/russia-war-crimes/?ref=numericcitizen.me) will show you many types of war crimes and the related articles or rules of the Hague Convention or the Geneva Convention being broken. Put the sound on while visiting this website for maximum effect. Chilling feelings guaranteed. Finally, don’t miss the photos section. Very educative. **Vanmoof** launched **new bikes**, the S5 and A5\. Not cheap. Better design. [Still not available in Canada](https://support.vanmoof.com/en/support/solutions/articles/44002326772-where-will-the-vanmoof-s5-a5-be-available-?ref=numericcitizen.me). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7\_lt1YcxWg8&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7%5Flt1YcxWg8&feature=youtu.be&ref=numericcitizen.me) Now that we know for sure that the **Apple Studio display webcam** is fundamentally **flawed**, no software fix will ever change that; the long-awaited Opal C1 camera could be a solution? At 300 US$, it’s an expansive solution and certainly [not a revolution](https://www.inputmag.com/design/opal-c1-review-revolution-webcams-need-disrupt-logitech?ref=numericcitizen.me). I’ll pass. For now. A review is below. That one is funny. Where is my bag? Here it is. A fascinating [story](https://twitter.com/aviosAdventurer/status/1517419980953989120?ref=numericcitizen.me) featuring PowerPoint, **AirTags** and a very astute but frustrated air traveller searching for his lost bag. **One last thing**: [***Elon Musk buys Twitter for 44 Billion US$***](https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/26/reactions-to-elon-musk-buying-twitter/?ref=numericcitizen.me). Yep. Then what? An edit button? More than 280 characters tweets? Or did [Musk just bought a pulpit](https://om.co/2022/04/25/why-elon-is-buying-twitter/?ref=numericcitizen.me)? [Employees aren't happy](https://9to5mac.com/2022/04/26/reactions-to-elon-musk-buying-twitter/?ref=numericcitizen.me). Will this change my relationship with Twitter? Not in the near future. Let’s see what’s going to happen first. --- This concludes the Numeric Citizen Introspection Newsletter #21 for April of 2022\. See you next month for the next edition! Building this edition of the newsletter took approximately three hours of work. If you enjoy my newsletter, show me your support through [PayPal](https://paypal.me/numericcitizen?locale.x=en%5FUS&ref=numericcitizen.me) or become a paid member here. Thanks a lot for your support. Sign up [here](https://numeric-citizen-introspection.ghost.io/?ref=numericcitizen.me#portal) 🙏🏻 > If you don’t want to support my work, it’s ok too, but only if you support Ukraine in their fight against Putin and its rather weak and criminal army. 💪🏻