I spent yesterday morning downloading ALL my (~2400) Kindle books using the command line utility from https://github.com/yihong0618/Kindle_download_helper

In case anyone else needs to do something similar: Log in to your Amazon account > Manage Your Content and Devices

Copy the cookie and save it to a file ('cookie.txt'): https://github.com/yihong0618/Kindle_download_helper?tab=rea...

Execute the Python utility (this example accesses amazon.co.uk):

  python kindle.py --cookie-file cookie.txt --uk -o DOWNLOADS --device_sn [Your Kindle serial no.] --mode all

You can also download a JSON list containing details of all your Kindle books:

  python kindle.py --cookie-file cookie.txt --uk --list --device_sn [Your Kindle serial no.]

There are other methods outlined in the README, but this worked best for me.

I also extracted a list of cover URLs from the JSON file using a basic Python script (with output redirected to a file 'covers.txt'):

  import json
  with open('book-list.json') as f:
    json_data = json.load(f)

  for i in range(len(json_data)):
    print(json_data[i]['productImage'])

And then I used wget to download them all too:

  wget --wait=3 --random-wait --input-file=covers.txt

Of course, the books are still DRM'd, but it's trivial to DeDRM them later. The crucial thing was to get the files before it's too late!

In the long run I think realizations like the authors are healthy ones.

PG is not a hero. He's just a guy. A guy who entered into business transactions with a number of people, many of whom benefitted greatly (as did Paul himself). I'm not saying any of that as a negative! Just that we have a habit of attributing superhuman characteristics to folks (Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize comes to mind) and ending up disappointed.

I'm not an affected group by any means but I still share the disappointment in the world we see today vs the possibilities I felt tech would allow when I was younger. The tech CEOs I previously viewed as visionaries now just look like a new generation of socially regressive robber barons. I wanted to be one of those CEOs, these days I'm still not quite sure what I want to be. My only consolation is knowing that I'm seeing the world more accurately than I once did.

My main question is why observability data needs (or benefits from) a tailor-made database instead of a general purpose one. In 2025, anyone working on observability who told me they have to build their own database, I would be very suspicious!

Anyone who's a whistleblower should compile key docs and put it in a "dead man's switch" service that releases your testimony/docs to multiple news agencies in the event of your untimely demise. The company you're whistle blowing against and their major shareholders should know this exists. Also, regularly post public video attesting to you current mental state.

The argument of more compute power for this plan can be true, but this is also a pricing tactic known as the decoy effect or anchoring. Here's how it works:

1. A company introduces a high-priced option (the "decoy"), often not intended to be the best value for most customers.

2. This premium option makes the other plans seem like better deals in comparison, nudging customers toward the one the company actually wants to sell.

In this case for Chat GPT is:

Option A: Basic Plan - Free

Option B: Plus Plan - $20/month

Option C: Pro Plan - $200/month

Even if the company has no intention of selling the Pro Plan, its presence makes the Plus Plan seem more reasonably priced and valuable.

While not inherently unethical, the decoy effect can be seen as manipulative if it exploits customers’ biases or lacks transparency about the true value of each plan.

You can't use Qt?

The iTEAR 100 is not generally reimbursed by insurance. If you have an HSA or FSA, you might be able to get it through that. This whole medical device lifetime thing is because it’s regulated for its medical claims by FDA. Given some of the side effects noted here https://itear100.com/clinical-data.html, and how it changes the kind of tears that the user produces, I think it’s reasonable on its face to require a medical professional to review whether it’s working and needs more time with you every month.

SFPD, per stats, basically stopped enforcing traffic laws during Covid/BLM.

This leads to an overall rise in crime, as traffic stops catch way more than speeders. Criminals tend to break many laws habitually, so it is a wide net. The car bippers tend to speed off (with the famous car flying down a ramp last year as an example).

The whole chain is broken though, Brooke Jenkins as the DA is running into massive issues with SF judges who simply won't prosecute.

Big chance this will end up in another example of anarcho-tyranny. Lots of citizens will pay their fines, but the worst offenders will simple ignore the various letters - and nothing will be enforced.

Let's see.