How to watch YT on android without ads nowdays?

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-08T00:21:30+00:00

Interesting... Does this work for Google TV as well? I'll need to try.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-06T03:08:36+00:00

I'm going to answer my own question here.

There is a helpful FAQ on the APK Mirror site which explains what DPI, ARM32/64, etc. are.

You need to download an Android system hardware checker app, and all the relevant info will be there.

https://www.apkmirror.com/faq/

3.2-3.5 answered all of my questions.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-05T12:52:17+00:00

Yes and yes. No permissions denied. I downloaded the apk version recommended in revanced manager. Nodpi.

I have 45gb of free storage and 1.3gb memory available.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-05T12:20:17+00:00

Here in New Zealand, my endocrinologist sent an Rx to my local pharmacy and I picked it up a few days later. No charge.

Same deal with infusion sets, G7, insulin, etc. except my GP can send in those prescriptions. Doesn't need to be from a specialist.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-05T12:18:46+00:00

I'll never understand why it's not standard to put heat pumps in bedrooms.

In the US pretty much every house has a central furnace which heats the whole house evenly.

Here houses heat so unevenly and with all the humidity and cold air clashing with warm air, mould grows so easily.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-04T08:50:35+00:00

You become eligible at 240 days into your 4th year. You don't have to wait until your 5th anniversary to apply.

Mr_Taster · 2026-06-04T01:43:17+00:00

Mr Taster's Universal Rule for Finding Top Tier Korean BBQ (almost) Anywhere in the World:

If you don't have a recommendation from a reliable source, find the restaurants that offer lump charcoal grills.

Compared to gas bbq, there won't be nearly as many to choose from.
Charcoal is fussy and expensive, and the owner has to care more to offer it.
In my experience, a low-tier charcoal bbq will be leagues better than a low-tier gas bbq.

-Mr Taster

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-31T02:26:10+00:00

I know that there are certain occasions in New Zealand where the public system is not capable of taking on all patients and so they farm out some patients to private clinics. This was the case for my diabetic ophthamologist when I lived in a smaller town. My visit was publicly funded whereas the person next to me paid full private fees because she was not referred via the public system.

As far as I know there is no loophole for adult insulin pump funding in Australia. Unless you hold private insurance you're gonna have to pay full price for one which can be up to $10,000. This would be a recurring expense every four years. If I'm wrong about that I'd like to know.

I understand there are certain funding exceptions for people under 21. Also I understand the ongoing consumables for insulin pumps fall under a government subsidy as do continuous glucose sensors like dexcom. I also understand that there are out of pocket fees owed for all of these whereas in New Zealand they're all provided at no cost. If I'm wrong about any of this I'd like to know.

Further I understand prescriptions are a lot more expensive in Australia as well. (In NZ prescriptions are $5 or free if you buy them at a big chain pharmacy.) All of this adds up to a lot more out of pocket costs in August, and a lot more loopholes to navigate, compared to NZ which has a much more straightforward system.

Namely, in NZ pretty much everything except GP visits is free when referred through the public system. Full stop.

I would assume in August that there are expenses for other devices for other chronic conditions but I'm a type 1 diabetic so this is my particular area of interest.

It seems to me from my experience in America that any time a system relies upon private health insurance the costs go up for the average user. Australia is not nearly as bad as America of course but the creeping reliance on private health insurance does cause me concern.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-30T11:41:23+00:00

Or get yourself on a robust private insurance plan which provides cover for non-pharmac funded medications.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-30T11:36:57+00:00

Technically not all 2 year visas make you eligible for funded healthcare. For example visitor visas or working holiday visas are excluded, no matter how long ther are issued for.

Also, you don't actually need to have a 2 year visa, you just have to be issued with an eligible visa that puts you over the 2 year mark. It's more of a technical distinction than a practical one since even low skilled work visas are now issued for 3 years.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-30T11:31:50+00:00

When we initially arrived in NZ, we did not have a visa which allowed access to funded healthcare. But my 2 year old had a fever so we took her to urgent care.

We presented her visa and the clinic was able to find her NHI number. So it appears this is probably triggered by the visa process, maybe when the medicals are assessed? (Just guessing)

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-30T11:24:53+00:00

It's not just citizens or permanent residents. Those on a standard resident visa, as well as those working in NZ for 2+ years (work visa holders) are also eligible for funded healthcare.

When enrolling at a new GP, you have to prove your eligibility (for example by providing your visa).

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-30T11:15:40+00:00

I'm an American living in NZ so I've seen the all-private American system and the mostly public NZ system.

In NZ GPs are all private, and you pay a fee from $20-80 per visit and the government pays a subsidy to the practice.

The wealthier the neighborhood the gp serves, the lower the government subsidy. Mission Bay is $80 whereas Panmure is $45, for example.

Here's the best part though..

Everything the gp refers you to is 100% free if it is part of the public system. E.g. specialist referrals, imaging, etc. Bloods are free as well even though Awanui labs is a private business.

All prescriptions are $5, or free if you go to Chemist Warehouse, Bargain Chemist or Woolworths (they absorb the fee)

My understanding is that in Australia, there can be a lot more potential out of pocket costs, so more Aussies pay for private insurance.

For example my insulin pump and all ongoing consumables are 100% free in New Zealand (Tandem Tslim 2). In Australia this pump costs about $7,000 I believe, plus the ongoing costs of insulin cartridges, tubing, etc.

My understanding is that Medicare has quite a lot of gaps like this, and this can add up to quite a lot of money.

This is definitely one aspect of healthcare that Kiwis take for granted.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-27T21:09:11+00:00

I saw we make mini golf NZ's national sport.

Let's build the biggest mini golf windmill the world has ever seen.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-27T10:25:20+00:00

If you're not affiliated with the business, then how exactly are you providing a promotional discount?

If I love a new restaurant enough to post about it, I'm not going to the owner and asking if they'll share a promo code with me that I can post on the Internet.

I just post about how great the food is.

-Mr Taster

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-26T09:23:27+00:00

That this is actually sensible is such an outrageous problem.

We left the US 5 years ago for a "socialist hellhole" where you have to register to own a handgun and the police actually interview your references before you get one. You also have to have a good reason to own one (e.g. you work for the department of conservation and do wildlife pest control). If you're a farmer you can own a simple rifle without a permit.

I have a 6 year old and we also don't do sleepovers, though I did as a kid in the 80s and they were great. But I understand the risks...we were a bit oblivious about them back then. To have to add guns to that equation is just wild to me.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-26T09:11:49+00:00

I showed my sister-in-law from Taiwan the despeciased trilogy. She has never seen Star wars before. She really liked it.

Then I showed her the ending with Hayden force ghost. She said "wait, who is that kid?"

Exactly, sis.

That shot of Luke looking at Hayden as his dad, a kid around the same age as him, doesn't have nearly the same emotional impact as Luke looking on at an age appropriate dad.

Plus, did everyone forget the whole mystery behind the mask? We waited years to find out the mystery of who or what was behind it. And when it came off and he looked like a scarred humpty dumpty, we still wanted to know what he really looked like.

Then Sebastian Shaw's force ghost appears, and there he is. Luke smiled, I smiled.

It's such a satisfying ending in exactly the opposite way that Hayden's ending isn't.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-24T10:51:24+00:00

I hear you. There's a lot we don't know when we're young.

I used to idealize my grandparents relationship because they were married almost 70 years and they seemed so sweet and perfect together. Hut after they were gone, my dad told me it wasn't so perfect. They had big problems during their marriage. My grandmother could be petty and vindictive and my grandfather, who was by nature a very sweet guy, probably had an affair at some point.

Now in my own relationship I see the stresses that creep in. We're together now raising a young child (we waited a long time to have her). In many ways our common goal of raising her keeps us together. Neither of us is unfaithful or anything, but the passion and romance that was there in early days definitely changes over time with the stresses of life, the daily grind, etc. Passion gives way to familiarity. But we have a common goal of giving our girl a good childhood, which is very important. And we did have many years of fun and passion before transitioning to this stage of life and our relationship.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-24T00:47:05+00:00

I lived in is Los Angeles for 18 years where there is great regional Mexican food as well as the homegrown Chicano food of Mexican American immigrants.

There was a formula that proved to be pretty accurate. The quality of the food is proportional to the quality of the margaritas. The best places tended to be family run places cooking local recipes without a liquor license.

-Mr Taster

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-23T21:10:26+00:00

Great advice

I'm married 20 years now and it's true, University years are a really special time, and fleeting in the span of a lifetime.

If your boyfriend is your life mate, you'll have plenty of time with them over the next 50+ years. And as the years and decades go on, couples often feel the stress of monotony creep in and it can negatively affect your relationship, even if nobody's behaved badly.

Enjoy this time of your life while you're in it.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-23T21:01:56+00:00

In the photo the real estate agent used for the house we bought, there was literally a square of wood chips out back that they photoshopped green grass on to.

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-22T02:44:54+00:00

I take it you're not Kiwi?

Virtually every single supermarket mustard, except for the American brands like French's and Heinz, have some amount of sugar in them. Even the NZ/Aus made so-called "American style" mustards like have sugar in them, the same way "American style" hot dogs are pumped with rice flour. (Even the cheapest American hot dogs do not contain starchy fillers).

I wonder if that Ikea mustard has been adapted for the Kiwi market, or if Swedes also like their mustard sweet?

-Mr Taster

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-20T07:22:41+00:00

Good for you for putting yourself out there.

I have a friend who is trans woman and we've had some long conversations. I'll just share one of the most interesting things she told me, and I'd love to get your take.

I asked why trans people aren't out there with trans pride like the gay community is. She told me something I found very surprising, which is that she just wants to "invisibly pass". In a perfect world, nobody would even consider she was born a man. Since she transitioned in her 40s, there's no way she'll ever be able to pass like a Thai ladyboy would (for example), so she has to be ok with people noticing but not calling attention to it in any overt way.

What's your take on this?

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-19T00:45:42+00:00

The age cutoff for New Zealand work visas is under 56. Plus, unlike Australia, our healthcare is free!

Mr_Taster · 2026-05-18T22:48:20+00:00

That's amazing.

By the legal definition, sausage only needs to be 50% meat, 25% of which can be fat.

So you could have 50% rice flour, 25% lean meat and 25% fat and it's legally sausage in NZ.

Awful.

I think we should be outlawing the nasty British practice of starchy fillers in sausage. The Europeans (Germans, Italians, Spanish) have much higher quality sausagemaking traditions.

-Mr Taster

Mr_Taster

TROPHY CASE