iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Week 3 of this. Will be so, so glad when it's behind us.

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I started this with my dog last fall, and it has completely changed how she interacts with the world!! Each walk is a true exploration now. It also really strengthened an already strong bond. Recommend as well!

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Also like how their network stack is redundant and simple: 2 routers, 3 switches, and an aux mobile backup for WAN.

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Garik @garik.codes · 02/08/2026

Yesterday, while driving out for a long run, I put on an episode of Kubernetes Bytes. I was pleased to learn that my setup of 3 NUCs with K3s running on them--from 2018 even--is the exact stack that Chick-fil-A uses on the edge at each of their ~3k stores 🤯

NUCs FTW

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3G4PFhdpv0cQB1XRXSfgkg?si=b73e32e4d6e742bd

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This is still a crazy accomplishment over the last decade even though China's progress is slowing down due to its continued reliance on coal.

Air pollution in China over the last decade

https://www.ft.com/content/7235e7c3-d185-4d74-b60c-2bd573491341?syn-25a6b1a6=1

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Garik @garik.codes · 01/08/2026

But, get this, on the website the error was instantly clear: they don't accept Discover. One of these experiences is way better than the other :)

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Garik @garik.codes · 01/08/2026

Today I was trying to sign up for a free trial with Strava when I got stuck in a loop. In the app I was in no man's land--I'd try to pay, get blocked because of some error, be told to activate, get blocked, and on and on.

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Garik @garik.codes · 27/07/2026

Post a perfect album from the 90s that isn't Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam or Alice In Chains. Two easy ones, in the same vein, I've had on the last little bit:

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Garik @garik.codes · 26/07/2026

Just a few more fires out there blowing up.

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By focusing on prevention and people instead of reacting to symptoms or literally trying to sweep the problem under the rug, real change can happen. 🧵 15/15

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Both Finland and the VA found that providing housing ended up being cheaper than shelling out for emergency services and the like. It's a win, win, win. Folks are more empowered, costs and crimes are reduced, and there seems to be less conflict at large. 🧵 14/15

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In the US, success can be found with the Veterans Affairs program mostly after the 2nd Iraq War. Veterans' homelessness rates have been halved by providing housing vouchers and access to social services. What a thought. 🧵 13/15

Vouchers and access to services halved veteran homelessness in the US

https://www.statista.com/chart/33457/number-of-homeless-veterans-in-the-us/

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Finland, on the other hand, tried something radical. Give homeless people homes. Full stop. And it's mostly worked. Down ~80% in 40 years. 🧵 12/15

Give people homes and support

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/homelessness-week-2025-learning-from-finland-tony-davies-b5knc/

"Studies have shown that offering dwellings for one long-term homeless person save approximately 15,000€ of public funds per year. For instance, in 2015, the city of Helsinki saved 1.5 million euros with work on housing guidance, and by ensuring a place to call home for hundreds of people."

https://www.focusingfuture.com/eco-city/the-fight-against-homelessness/

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There are a few examples of success stories, though. Japan and Finland are routinely mentioned. Japan culturally is so unique, and they also may be hiding cafe hoppers, so there's probably not a lot to easily emulate there. 🧵 11/15

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So. Clearly there's a problem. But what to do? It's a sticky, tough, tangled situation. There's mental health, economics, housing and zoning, societal values and meaning, politics, substance abuse, generational genocide and trauma, and many other topics all wrapped into this mess. 🧵 10/15

Here are complaints over the last few years as well as data on homelessness in King County. The unsheltered population has nearly tripled in the last decade, though a methodology change helped inflate numbers some. Seattle is 2nd behind LA in terms of total unsheltered population. 🧵 9/15

Complaints are on the rise, too

https://boltsmag.org/seattle-mayoral-race-tensions-over-homelessness-harrell-wilson/

Seattle's mayoral race last year prominently featured homelessness and sweeps as a policy measure. Incumbent Bruce Harrell ultimately lost out. 🧵 8/15

Sweeps in Seattle by mayor

https://gossipguy.net/seattle-swept-homeless-people-2-500-times-in-2024-marking-continued-record-levels-of-displacement/

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Homelessness dramatically lowers life expectancy, too. It basically lops off 25 years. For perspective, that was the life expectancy around 1900. 🧵 7/15

Life expectancy takes a major hit if you're homeless

https://www.usich.gov/guidance-reports-data/data-trends

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So that's geography. But what about demography? Sadly, and unsurprisingly, minority and marginalized populations have a tougher time. In particular, Pacific Islanders, LGBTIQ+, and those with disabilities face disproportionate hardships. 🧵 6/15

Hawaii skews Pacific Islanders but still

https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/

Those with disabilities face prolonged hardships

https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/

LGBTIQ+ youth are unsheltered at higher rates than other groups

https://endhomelessness.org/resources/sharable-graphics/data-snapshot-non-cisgender-homeless-individuals-face-higher-risk-of-being-unsheltered/

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In fact, 7 or 8 of the top 10 unsheltered populations are in California alone. All are above 50% unsheltered. The other 2 are Portland and Seattle. The West coast dominates unsheltered homelessness. Climate and culture undoubtedly are major factors. 🧵 5/15

Sheltered vs. unsheltered populations vary widely across SW and NE geographies in the US

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-cities-in-the-us-have-the-most-homelessness/

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However, it does not affect people or places equally. For example, New York is highest in the US in terms of gross and per capita rates. But, most people, especially in winter, are temporarily housed or sheltered. For NYC, it's basically 95%. For LA, that is significantly lower at 35%. 🧵 4/15

Homeless populations in the US

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-cities-in-the-us-have-the-most-homelessness/

Homelessness rates in the US

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-highest-and-lowest-rates-of-homelessness/

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Homelessness basically boils down to housing availability/affordability issues and problems accessing proper/pertinent medical care and social services. 🧵 3/15

Rent vs. homelessness

https://endhomelessness.org/state-of-homelessness/

Another perspective on rent graphed with homelessness showing a similar relationship

https://usafacts.org/articles/which-states-have-the-highest-and-lowest-rates-of-homelessness/

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So I decided to look at some stats and graphs because that's just who I am. Here's what I've learned. 🧵 2/15

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Last week I was visiting Seattle, and of course homelessness popped up--from being confronted with it head on, to having conversations about it with a date, or calling my brother in Singapore and hearing how his daughter doesn't like LA, SF, or Seattle because of the issue :/ 🧵 1/15

Garik @garik.codes · 24/07/2026

Well this'll impact my ultra training for the next bit :/

Mapping is one of technology's best niches

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Garik @garik.codes · 24/07/2026

"You could potentially radically drop the cost of healthcare." The possibility is there, for sure, but sadly the pessimist/realist in me has a hard time swallowing it. And don't even get me started on the digital democracy bs at the end.

Not a bad video, but also so much work left to be done.

https://youtu.be/D0DUzZItVyI?si=tUkfDwsbmhxrcCpl&t=2828

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Garik @garik.codes · 23/07/2026

This is also true just going from 24H2 to 25H2 👀

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Garik @garik.codes · 23/07/2026

It's a lot of clicking and running back and forth. More than half the time the process hangs on install, so I have to reboot and run it all again. Microsoft, you have got to do better.

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Garik @garik.codes · 23/07/2026

Getting to Windows 11 is a pain. Even though updates are on and group policies allow updates, nothing happens. I have to download and run the installation assistant. Then, since that doesn't fully do its job, I have to install and execute the PC health check setup.

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Garik @garik.codes · 22/07/2026

Going from a 28-port PoE managed behemoth next to my desk down to two separate 8-port PoE+ fanless switches has been amazing. So much peace and quiet!

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Garik @garik.codes · 22/07/2026

This is a sure sign you are at a great coffee shop.

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Garik @garik.codes · 18/07/2026

Real talk: why are we still doing QR code menus? Hard pass.

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Garik @garik.codes · 18/07/2026

Found on the job. It's the little things.

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Garik @garik.codes · 14/07/2026

To clarify since I worded that poorly, it's an option at Burgerville itself, not a standalone spot. I know their beef is used in the sweet onion burger, maybe elsewhere.

Garik @garik.codes · 14/07/2026

Hahaha, love it! M. Crow in Lostine makes the cut :) Also headed to Seattle for my bday in a few days so will have to check out the only legendary burger on there as of now!

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Garik @garik.codes · 14/07/2026

Have you had the Carman Ranch burger? It's from a pretty cool operation just down the road from me--it might taste better? I haven't had it, though, so can't say for sure.

Garik @garik.codes · 13/07/2026

Once I abandoned the need to have everything in its right place and linked from the jump, it was much easier to just take notes now, sort and relate them later. It's a multi-step process.

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Garik @garik.codes · 13/07/2026

A week into my zettelkasten experiment, I can tell that my perfectionism got the best of me--the biggest help was recognizing that fleeting notes are your friends. I wanted to make any note a main note right away. This was too much like trying to write and edit at the same time.

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Gotcha, so it's likely just faster and lighter compile times during dev/build?

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Do you know if you went from TS 6 to TS 7 there'd be any performance gains?

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After my mistake last week of wiping my Ventoy, I found out that you can't install it from Mac. That is unless you use Mactoy! Pretty nice project that worked for my use case at least. github.com/cashcon57/ma...

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Just a small reminder about the importance of network monitoring and alerting: we had a site where the AC adapter for an eight-port dumb switch was unintentionally unplugged. There was not any security footage for 6 days because alerting was not fully set up 👀

Make sure your alerting is set properly!