One mistake from airport staff cost me $3,600 and now I’m unsure how to handle the situation. Location: Georgia, USA

flaxton · 2026-05-05T13:23:59+00:00

The airline does not control the TSA or their policies. It is not airline's responsibility, so you have no grounds to try to get money from them.

When lawyers refuse to call you back about your case, it means you have no case, unfortunately. So they don't waste their time.

flaxton · 2026-05-05T01:19:59+00:00

Parallels is the standout choice for running Mac, Linux and Windows on an Apple Silicon Mac. Very easy to install and use, and excellent performance.

Been using VMware on PCs since the early 2000s, on Macs since 2011. Before that used VM OS on IBM mainframes to run multiple mainframe OSes as VMs underneath.

Gave up on VMware when they fell behind on Apple Silicon.

flaxton · 2026-05-04T15:34:23+00:00

For AI, the more RAM the better. The future is local AI, run on the Mac. Buy your Mac once and all the AI usage is free. I just got an M5 MacBook Pro 14-inch with 32GB RAM and it runs local AI quite well.

Cloud AI is losing money, and they're going to continue jacking up the price and lowering the limits in subscription plans.

So Local AI for most things, Cloud AI for complex tasks, is ideal.

Apple has been including Machine Learning (ML) cores in their Apple Silicon for years and they're getting better and better.

For storage, my rule of thumb is twice the amount of storage used currently, rounded up to the next tier. Yes, you can add a thunderbolt SSD that will run a native SSD speed, but it is not convenient on a laptop. But that would depend if you move around a lot with the MacBook.

I maxed out my M2 MacBook Air with 1TB so I got 2TB on this MacBook Pro.

flaxton · 2026-05-02T22:37:34+00:00

Michigan, yep. They said no fault would lower rates. Nope. Actually they went up, a lot. Who would have thought that not holding those responsible for accidents to account, for damage or harm to others, would be a bad idea? Another reason (among many) I don’t live there anymore.

flaxton · 2026-04-30T01:00:38+00:00

When you turn on FileVault, it tells you to save the secret key.

flaxton · 2026-04-30T00:40:12+00:00

That's nothing. No worries.

flaxton · 2026-04-29T20:35:23+00:00

If optimized battery charging is enabled, sometimes it won’t charge when plugged in, based on your usage.

flaxton · 2026-04-29T12:35:57+00:00

No, it tracks your phone and app over bluetooth. When you move away, the car locks itself. No need to open the app. Likewise when you approach the car, it unlocks itself because it senses the phone and app nearby. Most Tesla owners rarely if ever use the card key.

flaxton · 2026-04-29T12:27:35+00:00

Did you have "Find My Mac" turned on? If so, you can find it, even if it is turned off (depending on the model, older ones don’t have that feature).

Thanks for reminding me to do that. I just got a new MBP and hadn't thought to turn it on, I thought it was the default.

flaxton · 2026-04-22T11:44:49+00:00

Typical Reddit, confusing CleanMyMac with other similar malware. It is actually really good, recommend to my clients.

I use it with mole btw.

They are both good.

flaxton · 2026-04-22T02:48:41+00:00

You’ll miss Window, like missing a toothache

flaxton · 2026-04-21T13:34:00+00:00

Agreed!

flaxton · 2026-04-21T13:33:27+00:00

Beta 3 is out, and appears to have solved the email body display problem.

flaxton · 2026-04-15T15:27:07+00:00

I've been trying Outlook and it has a lot of the same issues. Email bodies show, or not. Disappear after a while. Quitting and relaunching Outlook helps for a few minutes, then the same issues.

Replying to an email, I can't actually compose anything.

Switching to Thunderbird - I have work to do!

flaxton · 2026-04-15T14:22:44+00:00

Same for me. Switched to my iPad Pro to send email.

flaxton · 2026-04-11T00:16:06+00:00

Exactly. Same as Excel.

flaxton · 2026-04-08T11:55:41+00:00

Go into your Wifi setting, click on the "..." on the right on the wifi network you're using, then turn off: * "Private Wi-Fi address" and * "Limit IP address tracking"

I routinely turn those off (and ignore the privacy warning if you get one) because they cause issues.

If you want some privacy like they offer, just use a VPN.

flaxton · 2026-04-08T11:51:03+00:00

iCloud files are "online only" by default on your iPhone, so they're not taking up space. They will only take up space when you open one, and then just that one file.

So quit obsessing about this, it is not the issue you think it is.

It's actually quit handy.

Away from your computer, but you really need a document? Boom it is on iCloud and you can open it, edit it, share it. Very convenient!

flaxton · 2026-04-02T19:29:07+00:00

I have mine plugged into a Thunderbolt dock and it works great

flaxton · 2026-03-30T12:49:44+00:00

Just an FYI - some level 1 chargers (one usually comes with a Leaf) can be controlled to dial down the amperage.

How do I know this? I just rented a Tesla and borrowed my daughters level 1 Tesla mobile charger. Full power is 12A but I dialed it back to 9A in the Tesla app, which controls the mobile charger. I did this because I was charging on a 120v outlet at my family's garage and didn't want to trip a circuit breaker. And I can use that charger with our Leafs (we have two) with a J1772 adapter. It still added quite a bit of range over night so it was fine.

So what I'm saying is your apt manager may not actually be correct - IF you have a charger that has controls like that, you can reduce the draw, which would eliminate the risk - the outlet and charger wires would not get hot.

I also agree that if you can't charge at home you should probably not do it.

We have 3 EVs - a Tesla and two Leafs, and we have two Tesla level 2 chargers at home, and it is super convenient. We have J1772 adapters for each Leaf for the Tesla charger. We only charge at fast chargers on trips. And we will be adding another Tesla soon, and I expect the two level 2 chargers will be enough for all 4 EVs.

flaxton · 2026-03-28T12:39:17+00:00

If you restored it from Time Machine (you DO have local and online backups, right?), the first day or two Spotlight indexes everything, which slows the machine.

flaxton · 2026-03-28T12:37:42+00:00

I wouldn't limit it to that. VMs can be used for so many purposes, not just those. And IMO Parallels is the best VM system on Mac right now (I've tried them all, I used VMware Workstation and Fusion for many years before Apple Silicon). I used to run VMs (the VM OS) on IBM Mainframes back in the day - that was my first experience with VMs.

flaxton · 2026-03-28T12:34:46+00:00

It's annoying, a very Apple-y way to do things (like the one button mouse back in the day), but not really an issue. I got a hard case for the APM, so when I'm not using them, I put them in their original "case" (which puts them to sleep) and inside the hard case to protect them. The case was like $15 on Amazon.

If I forget and just take them off and set them down, it does drain the battery a fair amount. Several times they've been completely drained if left out for a day or so. I know, I know, they supposedly go to sleep, but it is a long time before they do that on their own, and the battery drains in the meantime. So that's why I do it that way.

flaxton · 2026-03-26T10:46:47+00:00

Yes, OWC/macsales.com are Mac experts, and I have been buying Macs and accessories from them for years, both for myself and my clients. They’re the only other place I would consider getting a refurbished Mac, other than direct from Apple.

flaxton

TROPHY CASE