Bard: Google launches ChatGPT rival

Bard is built on Google's existing large language model Lamda, which one engineer described as being so human-like in its responses that he believed it was sentient.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64546299

Suspicious Activity Related to Google Fi Accounts

It seems like there were some suspicious activities detected in a server that contains some Google Fi customer data. This affects users of the Google Fi mobile phone network. Droid Life suggests here that the "primary network provider" that Google Fi refers in their email is very likely to be T-Mobile. A subsidiary of the German telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom AG, T-Mobile has suffered several data breaches in recent times including these incidents. Follow this link for an actively updated list at Firewall Times:

1. January 2023: Affected 37 million T-Mobile customers
2. August 2021: Affected about 77 million T-Mobile customers
3. December 2020: Affected about 200,000 T-Mobile customers
4. March 2020: Affected about T-Mobile employees
5. November 2019: Affected about 1 million T-Mobile customers
6. August 2018: Affected about 2 million T-Mobile customers
7. October 2017: Affected about 70 million T-Mobile customers
8. October 2015: Affected about 15 million T-Mobile customers
9. November 2009: Affected millions T-Mobile customers

Google Fi does not possess its cellular network infrastructure; instead, it collaborates with T-Mobile and UScellular to deliver its services. Moreover, Google Fi operates independently from Google's mobile operating system, Android.

The full text of the email from Google Fi is below.

From: googlefi-noreply@google.com

Date: Jan 31, 2023, 7:32 AM

Subject: Important information about your Google Fi account

Dear Google Fi customer,

We’re writing to let you know that the primary network provider for Google Fi recently informed us there has been suspicious activity relating to a third party system that contains a limited amount of Google Fi customer data.

There is no action required by you at this time.

This system is used for Google Fi customer support purposes and contains limited data including when your account was activated, data about your mobile service plan, SIM card serial number, and active or inactive account status.

It does not contain your name, date of birth, email address, payment card information, social security number or tax IDs, driver’s license or other form of government ID, or financial account information, passwords or PINs that you may use for Google Fi, or the contents of any SMS messages or calls.

Our incident response team undertook an investigation and determined that unauthorized access occurred and have worked with our primary network provider to identify and implement measures to secure the data on that third party system and notify everyone potentially impacted. There was no access to Google's systems or any systems overseen by Google.

If you are an active Fi user, please note that your Google Fi service continues to work as usual and was not interrupted by this issue.

What does this mean for me?

The accessed information included your phone number and limited technical information. This includes information about when your account was activated, SIM card serial number, account status (for example, whether your plan is active or inactive), and limited details about the mobile service plan and options provided by your Google Fi service (such as unlimited SMS or international roaming).

For more information

As always, be alert for phishing attempts. For more about best practices, see our advice on how to avoid phishing.

Read more about keeping your Google Fi information safe.

We’re always here for our customers and available to offer support. If you have any questions or require assistance, please see this Help Center article for contact options and reference issue ID 267187948.

Sincerely,

Google Fi Team

Statue of Unity, Gujarat, India - Random Travel Instinct

This video captures moments from a visit to the Statue of Unity. The Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue, with a height of 182 metres (597 feet), located near Kevadia in the state of Gujarat, India. It depicts Indian statesman and independence activist Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), who was the first deputy prime minister and home minister of independent India and an adherent of Mahatma Gandhi. Patel is highly respected for his leadership in uniting 562 princely states of India to form the single Union of India. The statue is located in Gujarat on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the city of Vadodara.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/FG0458b8X_Y

Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan - Random Travel Instinct

The Holocaust Memorial Center (also the Zekelman Holocaust Center) in Farmington Hills, Michigan, near Detroit, is Michigan's largest Holocaust museum. This video is a slideshow of the artifacts on display at the museum.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/ReJ4I-6yxmU

Venice Beach Sights, Los Angeles, California - Random Travel Instinct

 Video of sights from the Venice Beach, (or simply Venice), in Los Angeles.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/DLce9y0L_xo

Music I am listening to in 2022

Lately I have been listening to music with focus to catch up with the oldies. Here is a quick log of the music albums that I have been listening to this year.

1. Judy at Carnegie Hall / Judy Garland
1. Catalog No: 72435-27876-2-3 Capitol Records
2. The Essential Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No: C2K 86740 Sony Music Entertainment
3. For the good times: a tribute to Ray Price / Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No.: 88985315522 Legacy Recordings
4. First rose of spring / Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No.: 19439736692 Legacy Recordings
5. Milk cow blues / Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No.: 314 542 517-2 Island Records
6. Outlaws and angels / Willie Nelson & friends
1. Catalog No: B0002794-02 Lost Highway
7. Songbird / Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No.: B0006939-02 Lost Highway
8. Songs / Willie Nelson
1. Catalog No.: B0002300-02 Lost Highway/Hip-O Records/UTV Records
9. The very best of Willie Nelson, live
1. Catalog No.: 88697 70270 2 RCA/Columbia/Legacy
10. Slow dancing with the moon / Dolly Parton
1. Catalog No.: CK 53199 Columbia
11. Playlist: the very best of Charley Pride
1. Catalog No.: 88697334702 RCA Nashville/Legacy
12. Greatest hits / Charley Pride
1. Catalog No.: 6917-2-R RCA
13. Pure & simple / Dolly Parton
1. Catalog No.: 88985-35123-2 RCA Nashville
14. Lesley Gore / Lesley Gore
1. Catalog No.: 314 548 077-2 Mercury
15. Best of Eydie Gorme
1. Catalog No.: D2-77413 Curb Records
16. Best of Vegas / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: CRE-32713 Concord Records
17. Come Fly with Me / Frank Sinatra, Billy May and His Orchestra
1. Catalog No.: CDP 7243 4 96087 2 6 Capitol Records
18. Sinatra '57 In Concert / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: ARZ-101-2 Artanis Entertainment Group
19. Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson
1. Catalog No.: BS 077 Bloodshot Records
20. The Concert Sinatra / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: 1009-2 Reprise Records
21. Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! And More / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: 724349475328 Capitol Records
22. Ultimate Sinatra / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: B0022437-02 Capitol Records
23. Playlist: The Very Best of Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: 88697375862 Columbia/Legacy
24. Live And Swingin': The Ultimate Rat Pack Collection / Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr.
1. Catalog No.: R2 73922 Reprise Records
25. My way / Frank Sinatra
1. Catalog No.: 1029-2 Reprise

Roychak Day Trip 2022 - West Bengal, India - Random Travel Instinct

This video is from a leisure trip that we friends took to Roychak. Roychak (or Raychak) is a village within the jurisdiction of the Diamond Harbour police station in the Diamond Harbour II CD block in the Diamond Harbour subdivision of the South 24 Parganas district in the Indian state of West Bengal. There is a nice view of the Hooghly River from this spot while we got stuck in the rain and a mild storm.

If you are unable to play the video directly from this page here is the direct link to YouTube, https://youtu.be/s5335XbaCnQ