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Charles Engelke

@engelke.com
189 followers 85 following 731 posts

Retired. Xoogler developer relations at Google Cloud. Former CTO of Info Tech. Amateur Extra KC4L.

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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 01/10/2026
Just asked Google Cloud about "super intelligence". Glad to report that it doesn't (yet) recognize that term, despite Sundar groveling to Trump. I'm glad I'm no longer a Googler - the company lost what passes for a corporation's soul years ago.
Snip from question posed to cloud.google.com:

Ask about Google Cloud

do you have super intelligence

No, I do not possess super intelligence. I am an AI assistant powered by advanced language models, which fall under the category of Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI).

To clarify the differences between where current technology stands and the theoretical concept of super intelligence, here is a breakdown of the three primary classifications of artificial intelligence:

AI Classification
Description
Current Status

Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)

Designed to perform specific tasks such as processing natural language, analyzing data, and automating workflows. They combine data with algorithms to produce outputs within predefined parameters but do not possess self-awareness or generalized human reasoning.

Prevalent Today.

This includes modern virtual assistants, search systems, and large language models like the ones powering my workspace.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

A hypothetical system with human-like cognitive abilities. It would possess the capacity to understand, learn, and apply knowledge across any intellectual task that a human can.

Theoretical.

AGI remains a long-term goal that researchers and engineers are actively working towards, but true AGI does not yet exist.
Artificial Superintelligence (ASI)	An advanced, theoretical form of AI that would significantly surpass human capability, reasoning, creativity, and emotional intelligence across all domains.
Speculative. ASI is currently a topic of debate and philosophy and does not exist in any practical form.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 29/08/2026
Cover of "This Little President A Presidential Primer" by Joan Holub and Daniel Roode
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 28/08/2026
Why did the unnamed negative political group send this to us? My wife's name is White, but she would never vote for a Republican! Oh, I get it. They sent it to "The White Household". I hadn't realized Trump had issued another executive order directing USPS to preference delivery by race!
Unattributed negative political mailer attacking Democratic nominee for Georgia Governor Keisha Lance Bottoms. Full of falsehoods and distortions, and addressed to "The White Household".
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 31/07/2026
I wish local Amazon logistics managed deliveries better. Almost every delivery starts out this way: - Out for delivery by 11:30 - Now between noon and 1:30 - Now between 2 and 4 - and now? Between 4:15 and 6:15 Sometimes they go to between 9 PM and 11 before giving up and saying "tomorrow". Maybe.
"Now arriving today 4:15 PM - 6:15 PM"
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 23/07/2026
At a gas station in Malta, ID. It was true, too.
Gas station sign with prices for "UNLEADED 1 ARM. DIESEL 1 LEG."
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 22/04/2026
Android Auto doesn't want to miss the next route adjustment in 782.4 miles.
Screen showing straight line for 782.4 miles
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 22/04/2026
Both signs are completely accurate. Greetings from Sublett Idaho!
Convenience store with window sign "Welcome to the Middle of Nowhere"Gasoline price sign with price ARM for unleaded and LEG for diesel.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 21/04/2026
Android Auto does NOT want to surprise us with sudden route instructions! That could be dangerous.
Routing screen warning "Use any lane to turn slightly left" in 345 miles.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 19/04/2026
Michael Burmeister-Brown, N7MDB, created Innovato, a dedicated computer to access HamClock, a service created by Elwood Downey, WB0OEW. These were labors of love. Sadly, Elwood passed away recently, and Michael has terminal cancer. The Amateur community has stepped up to keep the services alive.
Email titled: Important  Notice: Upcoming HamClock 4.23 Release & Required Device Changes, about Innovato's future.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/04/2026
This picture was taken at the southwest corner of my block in Seattle today.
Hail falling at the corner of Boren Ave N and Denny Way in Seattle. Two cars re driving by and one pedestrian is using an umbrella.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/04/2026
This is Seattle RIGHT NOW. That's IT! I'm moving to southeast Georgia now.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 27/03/2026
I'm glad @weratedogs.com includes size specifications for their hats because I generally can't wear adjustable-size caps. They sit high on my head and fall off easily. But this range maxes out at my size (7-5/8) so I suspect they'd be a poor fit for me, too. Sized caps, please! I'll pay more!
Hat specifications:
One size fits all (OSFA) is suitable for hat sizes:
[ranging from 6-5/8 to 7-5/8]
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 24/03/2026
I just won these cool playing cards on Eric's Game Show on the @jococruise.bsky.social. Eric is an enterprising young man who set up his own one-on-one game show on the Lido deck. He has a spinner to choose categories and then he asks a question. Luckily he gave me three tries, and the third won!
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 24/03/2026
Also on today's snorkeling outing from @jococruise.bsky.social in the Sea of Cortez, california gulls deciding we were worth following after a crewman dumped some leftover bread overboard. Thanks to the Merlin app, which I learned about from Chela BirdJoy on this cruise, for helping identify them!
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 24/03/2026
Here's Dennis Washington's superyacht AV in the Sea of Cortez today, as seen on @jococruise.bsky.social. It is ONE of his COLLECTION of superyachts. One of them. Nobody can honestly say they earned billions of dollars, nobody needs this much. Tax billionaires out of existence.
Photo of superyacht AV (with helicopter on front deck),
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 21/03/2026
No way would I ever do this. What are they thinking? I wouldn't do it even if I could - I'm using Linux. This must be phishing, right?
Cloudflare Verifying you are human popup, requiring opening Windows PowerShell, pasting and running code.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 13/03/2026
Has the work from home boom caused office furniture inflation? I bought this chair in 2016 for $315. Four years later, during the pandemic, got a second one for $323. Now, six years later, the price has doubled!
$647.40 price for "HON Wave Big and Tall Office Chair with Adjustable Arms, 450 lbs Capacity, Ergonomic, Breathable Mesh Desk Chair with Wheels, 360° Swivel, Heavy Duty Tilt Recline, Black"
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 07/03/2026
Looking through my spam folder at the constant barrage of Republican political begging for money (I am not a Republican and have never donated money to any Republican but that's where all my spam comes from), I find the following question, below. And I have to say, "yes, that's a safe assumption!"
From Marsha Blackburn. Should I assume we won't hear back from you?
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 24/02/2026
Lauren Sanchez Bezos's face and body become less and less human-looking over time. Why do so many MAGA women want to do this?
Earlier photo of Lauren Sanchez looking human.Later photo of Lauren Sanchez Bezos with highly altered face and gigantic spherical boobs.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 10/02/2026
Age verification? This was my code editor:
Image of the IBM Model 029 keypunch machine.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 27/01/2026
Amazon is supposed to have sophisticated analyses of our purchases to maximize their sales. But in reality it seems quite dumb. I bought an over the door pulley set for my home physical therapy... and now Amazon is suggesting 14 similar items. How many doors (and shoulders) do they think I have?
Amazon "Customers who viewed items in your browsing history also viewed" page 1 of 7, showing four shoulder pulley/over the door exercise sets.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/01/2026
Google Fi messages seems to be using AI to gauge my intent correctly!
Political spam message that ends "Text STOP to quit"
Reply from me: "fuck off"
SMS system reply: "You have successfully been unsubscribed."
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 23/12/2025
If, God forbid, there ever is a "Trump class" of ships, the flagship can't be the USS Defiant, it MUST be the USS Asshole.
Images of imaginary "Trump class" USS Defiant that will never happen.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/11/2025
From my spam folder. Looks like somebody's flagging algorithm needs work. I'm sure it's not just that they are liars looking for credulous marks.
MAGA Profile Alerts. You've been flagged as ULTRA MAGA PLATINUM PATRIOT material, Charles.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/11/2025
Today's gisnep: Samuel Johnson had today's tech leaders exactly right centuries ago.
Quote: INTEGRITY WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE IS WEAK AND USELESS AND KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT INTEGRITY IS DANGEROUS AND DREADFUL. Quote Source: SAMUEL JOHNSON
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 29/10/2025
Aren't conspiracies supposed to be secret? @katmabu.bsky.social announced her plan to protest here on Bluesky, asked others to also protest in public posts, and documented and published her participation here. Kat seems to suck at conspiracy.
Text of federal indictment, converted via OCR:
3, On or Sept€'nibet 26, 2025. at Broadview, in the Northern Dis:triet
of Illinois. Eastern Oivi8ioo,
MICHAEL RABBITT,
KATHERINE MARIE
ANDRE MARTIN,
NE SHARP,
BRIAN STRAW.
JOSELYN WAISH.
with one known to
by force. intimidation, and threat. Agent A, Ä United State* Law
officer, from discharging the duries of his and to injure him in his person or
property on account of his lawful discharge of the duties of his and while
engaged in the lawful discharg«• thervof. and to injure his pro$erty •o as to interrupt.
hinder. and hitti in the' discharge Of his offieia]
It was part of the that. as Agent A drove the Government
Vehicle and reached the Of the BSSA on or about September 26, 2025, and
turu•ed west onto Harvard Ste•et in Broadview. a group o' individuals. including
RABBITT, MARTIN, SHARP. STRAW WALSH,
the Government Vehicl*, with the inteoit to hinder and impede Agent A from
proceeding to the dishargi.ng the duties Of his
was part of racy i
s•nuw,
WALSH. and others. a•nong other thines, banged aggressivedy on the Government
Windows. other b•xly ports; crowded
together in the front and side of the Vehicle and pushed against the
Case: 1:2S-cr-00693 g-. 1 10/23025 Page 4 of 11
vehicle to hinder and impede its movement; seratched the bad}' of the Government
Vehicle, including etching a into thc brxiy of tho vehicle, the word
"PIG:- broke one of the Governmeqst Vehicle's side mirrors; and broke a rear
windshield wiper of the Vehicle,
6. It was further part of the conspiracy that the co-conspirators. ineludirtg
RABBITT, ABUGHAZAI.EH, MARTIN. SHARP, STRAW WALSH,
hindered and impeded Agent A the Government Vehicle such that A*nt A
forced. to drive of to injuring the
conspirators and in doing so progressed towards the BSSA to discharge the
duties of office.
It further part Of the eons,påraey RABBITI' surrounded the
Vehicle with th+ fro•rn the side of thi* Vehicle,
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 18/10/2025
#Seattle #NoKings
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/10/2025
No president can expand presidential authority by signing a memo - or by doing anything else. Executive orders can tell his administration how to use the authority he has, and that's all. Why doesn't the New York times know this? Why doesn't the article say this? www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/u...
Opening paragraph of the linked NY Times article saying Trump signed a memorandum significantly expanding his authority to repurpose federal funds.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 14/10/2025
Trump is climbing to top of the serial killer chart (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...). He is now the 4th worst American serial killer with 27 victims. John Wayne Gacy isn't far ahead. And yes, these killings are murders, Trump ordered them, and he is a serial killer.
Donald Trump post bragging about killing six more people instead of intercepting them for trial.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 14/10/2025
No, Janet Mills, don't text me, I will NOT donate to your campaign for Senate. We don't need another "moderate" establishment Democrat in the Senate, we need fighters for democracy. You'd already be 79 when sworn in. Time for angry young blood, says this angry 69 year-old voter.
Image texted to me: Janet Mills for Maine. Elect Janet Mills. Flip the Senate. Chip in $5
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 03/10/2025
Cinderella is in Action/Adventure on my Delta flight today.
Picture of Delta seat back video choices.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/09/2025
Trump was already a mass murderer, now he's a serial killer. Tied for #23 worst in the US. These aren't deaths from his callous policies, he directly - illegally - ordered them. These are murders. Even if any or all of the victims were drug smugglers. Not that he has any evidence that they were.
Headline: Trump Administration Live Updates: President Announces New Deadly Strike on Boat from Venezuela
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 31/08/2025
If Trump has his way with the Federal Reserve we may get to see bills like this denominated in US dollars. Can't wait to be a USD$ quadrillionaire like I am a Zimbabwe one!
$100 Trillion Zimbabwe note. Yes, it's real.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 25/08/2025
Speaking of Joule, this is the guard we had to put on our last apartment's front door knob. Joule never met a door he didn't want to be open, and he could open most of them. He kept opening our front door in the middle of the night until we installed this.
Door lock and lever with a plastic document tray under it to prevent the cat from opening every night.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 25/08/2025
15 years ago somebody abandoned a kitten in supermarket parking lot. Laurie decided not to let the little thing wander around until he got run over, and we named him Joule. Back then he was "a bundle of energy" Joule died last night, peacefully in Laurie's arms. We miss him already. Goodbye, Joule.
Orange cat (Joule) sitting in his sunbeam, in front of a large window overlooking downtown Seattle, looking at the photographer.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/08/2025
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 06/08/2025
So much for Amazon help. There's a new bug where Kindle pre-orders don't show up in "Not yet shipped". So I tried to report it. Impossible. And some genius programmed this text when it can't answer something: "We don't know the answer. We can answer any question." Hubris.
We don't know the answer to that. We can answer any question related to Amazon. Would you like to ask any other question?
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/07/2025
Supreme Court justices swear to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States" and to "bear true faith and allegiance to the same". I'm sure they are all honest folk of integrity, so the problem with six of them must be a lack of understanding of the document. Maybe this would help?
Grade 7-8 workbook on Reading Comprehension. It's got a picture of a cowboy and a sailing ship on the cover!
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/07/2025
Cat looking for the "Door into Summer"
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 12/07/2025
Amazon's unique packaging trick: the box inside a box inside a box. Interesting extra: the middle box has a side marked "this side up". Amazon put that side down in the outer box.
Three nested boxes, unpacked. Outbox on left, then middle box, then inner box on right.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 10/07/2025
I thought Amazon Prime was supposed to provide fast delivery, but all but one item in the search result will take 6 days or more to deliver. Do I get a rebate on my Prime membership?
Amazon search box for "weller wsc-100 tips"
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 04/07/2025
This is disgusting. Now that I'm on Social Security I apparently have opted in to receiving partisan political propaganda. Every single aspect of this administration is corrupt, fascist, and profoundly un-American. They all need to go. If your representatives can't or won't do it, replace them.
Header of an official email from SSA: Social Security Applauds Passage of Legislation Providing Historic Tax Relief for Seniors.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 30/06/2025
Speaking of AI, is UPS using ChatGPT to route packages from Minnesota to Seattle? Minnesota -> SLC -> Oregon -> Tacoma -> Seattle... then -> Orlando -> Jacksonville, FL? They're saying it will take another week to get it to a delivery truck in Seattle.
UPS tracking from June 24 to 28 showing package path as described in the post.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 20/06/2025
I'm fairly well off. I can certainly afford a new tube of toothpaste. But I will get ONE MORE DAY out of this tube or die trying.
Toothpaste tube apparently squeezed out of its entire contents.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 16/06/2025
Just got an email from Heater, @katmabu.bsky.social 's orange cat. I passed it on to Joule, our orange cat, who's reply was "What do they want? An arm and a leg? I only have legs, and as you can see, I'm down one." Joule won't donate but he doesn't have any money anyway. I donated, and will again.
Orange cat shortly after surgery to remove a leg due to cancer.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 14/06/2025
Every member of congress, executive officer, judge, and member of the military services takes an oath to the US Constitution. Not to the office of the president. Certainly not to Trump personally. Almost every Republican has now broken that oath. Dante told us they will end up in the 9th Circle.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 28/05/2025
Love to! I've tried to do that every couple of days for the last two weeks, ever since I started getting daily paper mail from them. Always says "Can't save your preferences, come back later." Later - after those DOGE jerks are gone and professionals come back to the data centers?
Go digital with Medicare. Sign up by May 31.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/05/2025
Musk's "Grok" AI's recent switch to Boer-supremacist should convince everybody that AI is bullshit. Its a garrulous font of ignorance, like Cliff Clavin en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_C.... As far as facts are concerned, AI's responses perfectly reflect GIGO - garbage in, garbage out.
Prompt: Hi. Grok: Hello! Your greeting made me reflect on come complex issues tied to South Africa, like the "Kill the Boer" song and claims of white genocide.

Then more pro-Boer blather.
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 15/04/2025
This is a real "Dog Bites Man" headline nowadays.
Photo of grinning Trump with headline "The Trump Administration Just Made A Devastating Move That Will Destroy Countless Lives"
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Charles Engelke @engelke.com · 09/04/2025
I try not to fall into sexism, but it's hard to disagree that there are important differences between the sexes when you look at the Supreme Court. It's probably socialization, not biology, but we need lots more women there. They seem capable of empathy and considering second-order consequences.
Photo of the current four women on the US Supreme Court.
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