### Issue 2223 - Monday 25th November, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- Disinformation bill craps out because nobody except the ALP wants it
- Plan to ban kids under 16 from social media weakens the closer it comes to a vote
- Plex has a new app in the works
- I will never pray to an AI Jesus
- Cheap Anbernic console, LEGO, Optus Sport, Sony camera, TB3 SSD enclosure, AirPods Pro, NZBGeek, Sonos Arc, HDMI cables, Pixel Wach, Overcooked 2, WiiM music streamer, Logitech peripheralss, Ryzen CPU, Elgato teleprompter, Binge, Joycons, DJI drones, Sennheiser earbuds

## The News

### Disinformation bill craps out because nobody except the ALP wants it

The federal government's naive plan to regulate misinformation and disinformation has shit the bed as nobody in the Senate agrees with them about how this issue should be tackled. If you're unaware, the ALP's idea was to "put legal obligations on social media platforms to address false, misleading or deceptive content, or content reasonably likely to cause serious harm, as well as equip the Australian Communications and Media Authority to regulate such content" but everyone with half a brain realised it's a bad idea for governments to decide what individuals can and can't say on the internet, including the Australian Human Rights Commission who reckon despite multiple revisions, "freedom of expression is not sufficiently protected" under the law.

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### Plan to ban kids under 16 from social media weakens the closer it comes to a vote

Liberal senators are getting wobbly on banning kids under 16 from social media as Matt Canavan and Alex Antic are rightfully upset at the idea of everyone having to give their ID to use social media. A good reminder to give your federal senator a call to tell them this law sucks - the more people that annoy the senator's teams (particularly non-ALP ones) the more likely they are to vote against it this week as the ALP does not have a majority in the senate and needs other senators to help them turn the proposal into law. 15,000 people/groups managed to submit feedback on the bill during the government's pathetic 24 hour feedback period on Friday - which is very impressive considering the short time frame. If you feel like melting your brain, the entire 4 hour senate inquiry that took place this morning is on YouTube.

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### Plex has a new app in the works

Plex released preview of a "newly reimagined Plex experience" for their Android and iOS apps. According to The Verge, "the new app is redesigned navigation that more clearly delineates between media you might have on your Plex server and the company's streaming and on-demand offerings". Plex also re-wrote the apps to have a shared codebase that'll create a "more consistent experience" across different platforms. The app currently doesn't have a lot of features the current one does, but they're working on weekly preview updates until the new app is launched in early 2025. I don't really use the smartphone apps for Plex, but I hope they don't do a Sonos and shoot themselves in the foot, or worse, give their shit-tier streaming content priority over a user's own library.

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### I will never pray to an AI Jesus

In another episode of "your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should", we have a church offering up an AI Jesus to parishioners. The catholic church in Lucerne, Switzerland (absolutely stunning city btw) installed Deus in Machina in a confessional booth. Visitors were "invited to pose questions to a long-haired image of Jesus beamed through a latticework screen. He responded in real time, offering up answers generated through artificial intelligence". Out of the 1,000 people that had a chat to his virtual holiness, "230 users suggested two-thirds of them had found it to be a spiritual experience". Some of you heathen atheists reading this might say talking to an AI Jesus is no different to a real Jesus, but that's why you're all gonna burn in hell.

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## Bargains

- Anbernic RG556 handheld gaming console & 256GB microSD card - $257.83 from Anbernic's eBay store
- LEGO 42158 Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance - $95.99 from Myer
- LEGO 42182 Technic NASA Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle - $209.99 from Myer
- 50% off 12 months of Optus Sport - $149 via Optus
- Sony Alpha 7C II camera body - $2092 after Sony cashback via Sony's eBay store
- Acasis TBU405 Air 40gbps Thunderbolt 3 M.2 NVMe enclosure - $79 from Acasis
- Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) with MagSafe Case - $288 from Officeworks
- NZBGeek lifetime subscription - US$60 from NZBGeek
- Sonos Arc soundbar - $980 from Qantas Marketplace
- Anker HDMI 2.1 48gbps 2m cable - $19.99 from Amazon
- Google Pixel Watch 2 LTE - $223.30 from Mobileciti's eBay store
- Overcooked 2 - $7.73 on the PlayStation store
- WiiM Ultra Music Streamer - $479.20 from Amazon
- Logitech MX Keys, Master 3S mouse and palm rest - $219 from Amazon
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU - $213 from Aliexpress
- Elgato Prompter Teleprompter with Screen - $305 from Amazon
- Binge Basic with ads - $4.99/m for 12 months via Binge
- Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Pair - $99 at Big W
- DJI Neo Fly More Combo - $508 from JB Hi-Fi
- DJI Mini 4 Pro with DJI RC-N2 Controller - $939 from Catch
- Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 in-ear headphones - $248.82 from Sennheiser's eBay store

## Image Of The Day

Upgrade, 2003, Brian ALFRED, synthetic polymer paint on canvas (National Gallery of Victoria)

## The End

📻 King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Shanghai

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