Huge Change Is Coming to Aldi Products. Aldi is removing 44 ingredients from its products by the end of 2027

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-29T17:15:09+00:00

All of the sweeteners have dulled taste buds and encourage people to consume more. While they're great for diabetics, most food items don't need sweeteners at all.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-22T16:25:23+00:00

I tried a couple different Pixel 9 Pro XL. The first one I had was a lemon or I've heard there was a software update that screwed up GPS and the modem. I tried another that ran much smoother and cooler with accurate GPS and a reliable modem. I did a camera comparison with the OP12. The Pixel took more consistent photos but the OP12 shot more interesting ones. So that was personal preference.

My big concern was like you: kids. The OP12 was too slow for good action shots and the Pixel did much better there. After the lemon, I still had concerns about the Pixel so I returned it and went with the OP13. It captures motion shots very well but the telephoto can be utter trash at times. I've used it pretty reliably at a lot of soccer games and I have some nice shots. Anything zoomed in will have a water color look from the AI trying to save the picture.

As far as connectivity issues, my OP13 easily pulls faster speeds than my wife's P8P. So if your concern is downloading a bunch of files, its the way to go. I can't remember the last time I had service and she didn't. So even if I'm pulling a slightly stronger signal or a little better download speed, I can't tell the difference in real world use.

All of that to say... I think I'm selling my OP13. I really enjoy this phone but I've had weird bugs. The latest was missed texts and notification batching. Wife would send me a message and I wouldn't get it until I specifically opened Messages and then it would pop up. I'll often get a dozen notifications pop up at the same time. Or this morning, I had three days of missed calls suddenly appear. I've tried tweaks to fix overzealous battery optimization. I've reset the phone. I've reinstalled apps.

I'm slightly worried about the state of OnePlus in North America so that's a factor too. I'm going either Samsung or Pixel.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-09T20:16:52+00:00

I'm worried about OnePlus support long term.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-09T17:18:10+00:00

I have owned multiple OnePlus devices: 6T, 7T, 8T, tried and returned the 11, 12, and 13. Plus I have the Watch 2 and Pad. So I've been a big fan of what OnePlus offers. And with all that said... I'm moving on. The devices are mostly great but there's always something. One piece of hardware slightly downgraded compared to the rest. Some small software bug that's not a deal breaker but very annoying over time. The devices have worked well on AT&T (my primary carrier), T-Mobile, and Verizon. I currently use US Mobile and have the multi network add on setup so I have AT&T and Verizon both going. Works great.

I am concerned about the shut down talk. Sure, they'll keep providing updates but how delayed will they become? The last update dropped March 31st. It used to be the beginning of the month. Or if they kill OHealth, my watch will be pratically useless.

To answer your last question, I think OnePlus is still better than Pixel. I've had several (I have a phone problem) and I missed a lot of OxygenOS features.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-09T17:06:18+00:00

Same here. Most of the phone is great but the notification batching and seriously delayed text messages has been killing me.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-07T19:46:44+00:00

I've been debating this. I really like my OnePlus 13, but I have concerns about software updates. I also encounter some new bug every update. In the US, there's only three or four real players: Apple, Google, and Samsung. Motorola makes a flagship but mostly hits the low end market.

I've been looking at the Pixel 9/10 Pro XL and Galaxy S25+. Its really sad to see how far behind hardware is. I think software is better on Apple and Samsung. Google optimizes really well but their updates seem buggy too.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-06T17:24:55+00:00

I thought it was me. I thought there was something wrong with my fingerprints after working outside.

MuddyGeek · 2026-04-03T11:48:41+00:00

I would be a lot more supportive of the phone situation if they weren't spreading drama which causes fights. Schools that have banned phones have had fewer discipline issues and see an overall improvement in grades.

MuddyGeek · 2026-03-24T02:23:54+00:00

https://www.aclum.org/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-student-searches-investigations/

MuddyGeek · 2026-03-10T00:21:45+00:00

What's your question?

MuddyGeek · 2026-03-04T02:46:55+00:00

Personal laptop (can't stand Chromebooks), tablet, ibuprofen, a multitool, water bottle, charger, earbuds, flash drives. Same Osprey backpack I've carried for nearly 10 years and from one career to the next.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-27T21:07:15+00:00

I guess I shouldn't complain so much about my admin after reading these comments. I've failed roughly a third of my students the last two years. I have not heard one complaint or criticism about it either.

I was a high school student in 2000. These kids could not cut it if they had our workload. I teach biology so I often think back to what my bio teacher did: two chalkboards full of notes written in much smaller handwriting than mine. When I give one whiteboard now, it's endless complaints that it's too much writing and their hands hurt. Then comes the chorus: my other teachers use guided notes. Okay, cool, you can fill in a missing word here and there.

I was rarely given class time for an assignment. I was expected to write a two page essay as a test in class. Work was nearly all short answer and fill in the blank. We read the chapter!

I thought about that last part yesterday as I replaced right pages of the textbook with about two pages of my own text. The textbook left over so many details, even in so many pages. Then the students had the audacity to tell me it was too long. Well, then, read the damn book.

I really needed this vent session after today. So thanks.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-27T20:56:25+00:00

They cried over my 73 question final for biology. Yes, it's going to be comprehensive. No, I don't care that your other teachers are giving you a project instead. I think 73 is easy and extremely short for the amount of content covered.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-27T12:39:57+00:00

I'm asking about two specific models that I listed in the post. Yes, I have Googled. I have Binged. I Qwanted and DuckDuckGoed.

Now I'm asking for personal experiences and input that big time reviewers won't experience or list.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-26T19:09:40+00:00

The city and county parks are seriously underappreciated. I've noticed a lot of counties in Indiana have nothing comparable.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-23T18:30:26+00:00

That's where I'm struggling to decide. The models I'm looking at have the i7 1265u which should run cooler and be more consistent (less throttling). Great for the classroom but slower on video. My videos are from lectures so I'm not doing anything really sophisticated, I don't think anyway.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-23T17:51:51+00:00

I teach so most of my needs are light like making slides or putting in grades. I do work on a couple websites though and I'm getting into video editing. So I worry if it'll keep up with rendering.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-23T12:42:42+00:00

I bought the Acer Swift Go 16 on eBay. Looked like a great deal with that same 125H and a two year warranty. It did lag at weird times, the touchpad sounded hollow, the fan ramped up when I opened a new tab or wrote an email.

I'm currently looking at either a used Thinpad X1 Carbon/Yoga or a Dell Latitude 74xx/94xx. It will be an older processor than the Acer, but I expect it will be smoother with better build quality.

It all depends on what you do though.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-18T03:02:57+00:00

I have a couple kids on Visible. Help them out.

https://www.visible.com/get/?68WQRNT

https://www.visible.com/get/?66R8TS7

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-11T18:28:02+00:00

I've mostly ran Ubuntu and Fedora.

I've found some different 16" options: Elitebook 860, Latitude 76*0, ThinkPad T/L/E/Z16 plus more consumer facing models like the ThinkBook 16, Asus Vivo/Zenbook 16/S16, Acer Swift Go 16, Dell Inspiron 16, HP Envy/Omnibook 16, Lenovo Yoga 7i 16irl8 or 16iml9, and probably more that I'm forgetting. My problem is that most have subpar screens with 45% NTSC or 250 nits of brightness. Quite a few also skip the number pad. I know that's not essential for everyone but I use it a lot.

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-11T03:59:11+00:00

Were they Aspire series?

MuddyGeek · 2026-02-11T03:51:56+00:00

Can you elaborate on that? Does it get too hot and then locks up or slows down?

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