# Alexa?



## Betheweb (Jul 26, 2016)

Anybody bring a smart speaker to work? I think it would be handy when I'm covered with paint and don't want to get off the ladder. How do you set that up?

Sent from my SM-J337P using Tapatalk


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

I wouldn't let any of those 'smart' devices within 100ft of my house.


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## sayn3ver (Jan 9, 2010)

No truer words have been spoken. Nothing like paying to be spyed on, for both better marketing and possible government accessiblity if they request the data. 

No different then the law requesting tower pings for for cell phone and call and data logs, except now it's probably recorded voice audio, commands, and searches.


Plus I believe all of them require internet connection to be functional as they basically are all cloud based ai. 



cocomonkeynuts said:


> I wouldn't let any of those 'smart' devices within 100ft of my house.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

A women called into NPR radio station yesterday during a segment on technology like Alexa. She went on to say that while playing with Alexa to find out who a particular person was that her daughter was thinking about, Alexa asked if this particular person agreed with inoculations. The woman was shocked at the question and told her daughter not to answer Alexa's question. As a matter of fact, the woman told Alexa to mind her own business.

Apparently, Alexa is susceptible to outside influences that have access to the user's data.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

I got one for a Christmas gift a couple of years ago....sits in the closet unopened, and there it shall stay. The pickers will be drooling over it in 40 years.

I keep a piece of blue painters tape over the camera on my Chromebook!


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Betheweb said:


> Anybody bring a smart speaker to work? I think it would be handy when I'm covered with paint and don't want to get off the ladder. How do you set that up?
> 
> Sent from my SM-J337P using Tapatalk


What are you trying to control? Music, podcasts, recordings, text, etc..? most of that can be controlled by head sets or smart watches.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Uri Geller would have just used will power. We are getting too spoiled. Sometime the answer is just turn the knob. I have one that goes to 11.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Lightningboy65 said:


> Uri Geller would have just used will power. We are getting too spoiled. Sometime the answer is just turn the knob. I have one that goes to 11.


Or how about this. Instead of hanging from a ladder and yelling at Alexa to switch to the Classical Opera channel, have your helper Alex go up the ladder while you head back to your truck.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I got one for a Christmas gift a couple of years ago....sits in the closet unopened, and there it shall stay. The pickers will be drooling over it in 40 years.
> 
> I keep a piece of blue painters tape over the camera on my Chromebook!


People scoff at covering the camera but I saw an interview with Edward Snowden and he said if you can do something on your computer, someone else can too. Before I ever got on line myself, I was at my buddy's house- a painter- and he showed me a chat room he participated in. There was a guy he didn't like and he said: "Watch this" and he turned off the guy's camera. He could turn it on and off at will. If he explained how he did it, it was lost on me then- as it probably would be now. Nobody should have control like that over anyone. This was back in the oughts but the more recent stories of people easily hacking Smart TV's are very unnerving. Kept me from blowing an extra $100 bucks last time I upgraded. I'm happy with a Dumb TV where people can't see me nekkid.


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## Betheweb (Jul 26, 2016)

CApainter said:


> What are you trying to control? Music, podcasts, recordings, text, etc..? most of that can be controlled by head sets or smart watches.


Mostly music. Calls and texts. Ask what time it is. Set an alarm. Check the weather. 

Can you talk to a smart watch? I dunno. I think I'd get paint and caulk all over it and it wouldn't be better than a phone. 

Walking around with a headset doesn't appeal to me. I prefer to just talk to the air. 

Sent from my SM-J337P using Tapatalk


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Betheweb said:


> Mostly music. Calls and texts. Ask what time it is. Set an alarm. Check the weather.
> 
> Can you talk to a smart watch? I dunno. I think I'd get paint and caulk all over it and it wouldn't be better than a phone.
> 
> ...


The problem is that you'd need to either connect to the ho's wifi, asking for their password would be weird, or creating a Hotspot with your phone which kills the battery.

I use one of those LG headsets that go around you neck with retractable ear buds. It connects to your phone through Bluetooth and can control music, the volume, and ask either Siri or Google questions. Also you can talk on it, not sure about texting I've never tried that. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

I know a lot of you guys wear headphones, but in my mind that's just dangerous. I was a pretty easy guy to work for (as long as you did good work), but never allowed headphones on my jobs.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

lightningboy65 said:


> i know a lot of you guys wear headphones, but in my mind that's just dangerous. I was a pretty easy guy to work for (as long as you did good work), but never allowed headphones on my jobs.


*boo!*


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Betheweb said:


> Mostly music. Calls and texts. Ask what time it is. Set an alarm. Check the weather.
> 
> Can you talk to a smart watch? I dunno. I think I'd get paint and caulk all over it and it wouldn't be better than a phone.
> 
> ...


I think the iwatch requires pushing some buttons


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

CApainter said:


> *boo!*


You were amongst those I was thinking of when I stated "I know many of you wear headphones...". You , of all people. Mr. By the Book!!! OSHA would frown upon it. smh :vs_smile:


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Lightningboy65 said:


> You were amongst those I was thinking of when I stated "I know many of you wear headphones...". You , of all people. Mr. By the Book!!! OSHA would frown upon it. smh :vs_smile:


Ha! You're right!

I've listened to radio talk shows since the late 70's through my residential painting career which basically ended in the mid Nineties. You would never see me without some sort of head set. No one ever bothered me about it.

It wasn't until I began my industrial career that I was informed of the serious disciplinary actions if found wearing headphones. I was bummed until I found a way around it. I basically always wore a spray hood which concealed my ear buds. But I wasn't all bad. I left one out so I could hear the plant emergency alarms, or my boss and co workers asking me something.

Actually, theses days hands free headphones are considered a safety device. Go figure.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

CApainter said:


> Ha! You're right!
> 
> I've listened to radio talk shows since the late 70's through my residential painting career which basically ended in the mid Nineties. You would never see me without some sort of head set. No one ever bothered me about it.


I have always been a talk radio junkie, and would occasionally tune the radio into Bruce Williams, Imus, Dr. Dean, or Rush in the late 80's/early 90's (when he was funny, before the partisanship). But it was always sans head gear! Of course most guys on the job sites hated talk radio, so I usually just let someone else pick a station. As long as it's not contemporary country!!!


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I know a lot of you guys wear headphones, but in my mind that's just dangerous. I was a pretty easy guy to work for (as long as you did good work), but never allowed headphones on my jobs.


I only keep it in one ear and very quiet, I can have a conversation with someone while it's on and not miss a word. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I have always been a talk radio junkie, and would occasionally tune the radio into Bruce Williams, Imus, Dr. Dean, or Rush in the late 80's/early 90's (when he was funny, before the partisanship). But it was always sans head gear! Of course most guys on the job sites hated talk radio, so I usually just let someone else pick a station. As long as it's not contemporary country!!!


For me, radio talk started with a night time work shift at a metal plating shop. They were playing classics like the Lone Ranger and Gun Smoke. It was great listening while I pinched a bunch of aluminum parts on a dipping tree. On the way home I listened to Larry King.

I also listened to Rush in the early days before he identified as a staunch conservative. Most of my talk show listening was pretty balanced. Even when it was all on one station.

I usually listen to heavier rock and metal when I'm approaching something difficult in order to psyche myself up. Classics like Crosby, Sills, and Nash I listen to when I'm tinkering around at home. I save the alternative stuff for when I'm stuck on a miserable job that's sucked the soul out of me. And speaking of Soul, I listen to that when I'm reminiscing.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I keep a piece of blue painters tape over the camera on my Chromebook!


In the interest of transparency, I've decided to go with Scotch tape.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Oh, and Art Bell...how did I ever forget Art Bell??? :walkman:


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Y'all must be doing some bad, weird $hit if you're worried about Alexa!!!


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah I have three alexa's in my house, they're great. You wanna listen to some tunes or check the weather, set a kitchen timer, all sorts of stuff.

Am I worried about it listening? Not really, if I were that concerned I'd have to ditch my smart phones, tablets, smart tvs, and whatever else. I don't really understand the worry about alexa in your home when you're walking around with a smart phone in your pocket 24/7.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Wife was watching a youtube video parents of some really little kid took. Kid was trying to get Alexa to play a certain song I can't remember the name of. Alexa responded "you want to play video of hardcore purn" and then started listing off all the tag words it decided to associate with said purn. Parents burst into laughter, but quickly jumped into telling Alexa not to play the video. Probably staged, but still it was pretty funny.


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## Eagle Cap Painter (Nov 14, 2016)

Rbriggs82 said:


> Yeah I have three alexa's in my house, they're great. You wanna listen to some tunes or check the weather, set a kitchen timer, all sorts of stuff.
> 
> Am I worried about it listening? Not really, if I were that concerned I'd have to ditch my smart phones, tablets, smart tvs, and whatever else. I don't really understand the worry about alexa in your home when you're walking around with a smart phone in your pocket 24/7.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


Alexa is ALWAYS recording (transcribing) you, what your TV is doing, etc. Even if you're not worried about being surveilled by the gubmint, how does that not creep you out? Mostly, they want to sell junk to individuals, so unless you think you're the one human on the planet who's immune to being marketed to, you should protect yourself from being robbed.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

I refuse, ABSOLUTELY, to have any "smart" devices in my home! No camera on my PC, No "smart' cell phone, locks, cloths washers or dryers, TV, fridge, thermostats. Nope no WiFi enabled appliances if any kind! And as for "Personal Assistant" machines such as Alexa, well:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-alexa-echo-device-recorded-conversation-sent-to-contact/
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018...man-access-to-another-users-voice-recordings/
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/funny-accidental-amazon-alexa-ordering-stories/
https://www.theguardian.com/technol...n-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixing


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

jennifertemple said:


> I refuse, ABSOLUTELY, to have any "smart" devices in my home! No camera on my PC, No "smart' cell phone, locks, cloths washers or dryers, TV, fridge, thermostats. Nope no WiFi enabled appliances if any kind! And as for "Personal Assistant" machines such as Alexa, well:
> https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-alexa-echo-device-recorded-conversation-sent-to-contact/
> https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018...man-access-to-another-users-voice-recordings/
> https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/funny-accidental-amazon-alexa-ordering-stories/
> https://www.theguardian.com/technol...n-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixing


Do you still churn your own butter?


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Eagle Cap Painter said:


> Alexa is ALWAYS recording (transcribing) you, what your TV is doing, etc. Even if you're not worried about being surveilled by the gubmint, how does that not creep you out? Mostly, they want to sell junk to individuals, so unless you think you're the one human on the planet who's immune to being marketed to, you should protect yourself from being robbed.


Meh, so is your smart phone. If I say "hey Google" or "siri" it's going to turn on which means it's listening all the time and possibly recording as well. What Jennifer is doing is the way to go if you're concerned, but if you have a smart phone in your pocket but are worried about a home assistant I think you're chasing your own tail. People can do what they want, I don't have a vested interest either way. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

sayn3ver said:


> No truer words have been spoken. Nothing like paying to be spyed on, for both better marketing and possible government accessiblity if they request the data.
> 
> No different then the law requesting tower pings for for cell phone and call and data logs, except now it's probably recorded voice audio, commands, and searches.
> 
> ...


So you don't have a smartphone, computer, or wifi connection? We are all being surveilled whether we like or not, Google, Microsoft, Apple, the NSA are all collecting information 24/7, 365! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Agency


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Brushman4 said:


> Do you still churn your own butter?


Well, I do think I'm smart enough to deal with dumb appliances. I like digital door locks that are not WiFi assisted. I have a digital TV that will play off my PC and does DVDs, I can set the cycles on any appliance I own. For people that like cloud life, it's all good; I am just not one of them. I like to keep my life in house. I do no cloud storage back ups, either. I have multiple external drives that I use to back up daily and then disconnect them so I always have secure access to my files should I get hit by ransom ware.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

So when you're surfing the net on your PC you don't think any of that information is being collected?


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## Eagle Cap Painter (Nov 14, 2016)

Rbriggs82 said:


> Meh, so is your smart phone. If I say "hey Google" or "siri" it's going to turn on which means it's listening all the time and possibly recording as well. What Jennifer is doing is the way to go if you're concerned, but if you have a smart phone in your pocket but are worried about a home assistant I think you're chasing your own tail. People can do what they want, I don't have a vested interest either way.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


You can disable those features on a smartphone, including location data, etc. Inviting Jeff Bezos to learn how to better sell your child toys and digital garbage is completely different. There's a good reason that people have started ditching Chrome and using VPNs for everything at home.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Eagle Cap Painter said:


> You can disable those features on a smartphone, including location data, etc. Inviting Jeff Bezos to learn how to better sell your child toys and digital garbage is completely different. There's a good reason that people have started ditching Chrome and using VPNs for everything at home.


What your forgetting is that many VPNs do collect information on you, so how do you know yours doesn't?
A safe VPN service can connect you to the web securely, with no prying eyes peeking in on your personal data. A poor VPN, by contrast, gives a false sense of security – the worst services may even share your data with advertisers.


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

jennifertemple said:


> I refuse, ABSOLUTELY, to have any "smart" devices in my home! No camera on my PC, No "smart' cell phone, locks, cloths washers or dryers, TV, fridge, thermostats. Nope no WiFi enabled appliances if any kind! And as for "Personal Assistant" machines such as Alexa, well:
> https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-alexa-echo-device-recorded-conversation-sent-to-contact/
> https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2018...man-access-to-another-users-voice-recordings/
> https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/funny-accidental-amazon-alexa-ordering-stories/
> https://www.theguardian.com/technol...n-alexa-random-creepy-laughter-company-fixing


All these wifi things are interesting. This IS the 21st century and we were promised flying cars and didn't get them so, they tide us over with gimmicks and us North Americans love gimmicks and gadgets. They probably mean well, but if the companies or the gubment isn't abusing the info, someone else is. Some one is always doing some thing to get over on some body. It seems really neat to have cameras in your home to check on things while you're at work but, not cool if someone's using those same cameras to look at you while you're at play, at home. How would you know if they did?


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Brushman4 said:


> So when you're surfing the net on your PC you don't think any of that information is being collected?


No, I do not think that but my search engine is not Microsucks or Google. PT and Caste Iron Collector the only "social" sites I use. I refuse to use Amazon, PayPal or E-Bay. I use privacy badger and 2 ad blockers. EVEN SO! I have no delusions about my privacy; I knew the day I purchased a new PC and suddenly could not set it up or use as an in house only machine that any hope of privacy had come to an end! The powers that be want to know who and where you are as soon as you purchase a computer and will not allow you to operate one with out hooking up to the internet. Though, once set up a body could still unplug from the router and work in house. It was the loss of choice that angered me! I like the net and YouTube as much as the next person, so I am exposed. I just try to keep exposure to a minimum. Google, when I looked, had next to nothing on me other than I exist and where. I'd like to keep it that way.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

jennifertemple said:


> No, I do not think that but my search engine is not Microsucks or Google. PT and Caste Iron Collector the only "social" sites I use. I refuse to use Amazon, PayPal or E-Bay. I use privacy badger and 2 ad blockers. EVEN SO! I have no delusions about my privacy; I knew the day I purchased a new PC and suddenly could not set it up or use as an in house only machine that any hope of privacy had come to an end! The powers that be want to know who and where you are as soon as you purchase a computer and will not allow you to operate one with out hooking up to the internet. Though, once set up a body could still unplug from the router and work in house. It was the loss of choice that angered me! I like the net and YouTube as much as the next person, so I am exposed. I just try to keep exposure to a minimum. Google, when I looked, had next to nothing on me other than I exist and where. I'd like to keep it that way.


It's just like the guy under the seats, he's always there watching you!


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Eagle Cap Painter said:


> You can disable those features on a smartphone, including location data, etc. Inviting Jeff Bezos to learn how to better sell your child toys and digital garbage is completely different. There's a good reason that people have started ditching Chrome and using VPNs for everything at home.


 Your phone tacks you even when you do disable those features, heck, it tracks you when "powered off". If you use it, they know you and what you are about and where you go. There is no avoiding it. Worse, we are teaching our children to accept and love spy ware with such things as "Elf On A Shelf"! So many shades of Orwell's 1984 with the exception that we love it and invite them in. 

https://execsecurity.com/news/surveillance-alert-elf-on-a-shelf-and-a-santa-spy-cam/


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Brushman4 said:


> Y'all must be doing some bad, weird $hit if you're worried about Alexa!!!


Are you nuts, it's all about the principals involved! I would be the most boring person on the planet to keep tabs on. I just don't like the idea of my life as data for corporate consumption. THEY DON'T PAY ME for it even though companies do pay, big time, to purchase data about me. If they ever offer comparable payment to me, I'll freely share. (Maybe!):wink:


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

They could keep all the interesting data about me and what I do on a punch card. Maybe a 5.25" disk, but that's even pushing it.


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## CApainter (Jun 29, 2007)

I imagine my digital foot print is far more interesting than I am. And, I'm likely noticed far more in the digital milieu than I am as a mobile meat pod navigating the physical plain of reality. So I say have at it.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Wildbill7145 said:


> They could keep all the interesting data about me and what I do on a punch card. Maybe a 5.25" disk, but that's even pushing it.


Same here, whoever's buying my info has to be very disappointed. 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

jennifertemple said:


> Are you nuts, it's all about the principals involved! I would be the most boring person on the planet to keep tabs on. I just don't like the idea of my life as data for corporate consumption. THEY DON'T PAY ME for it even thought companies do pay, big time, to purchase data about me. If they ever offer comparable payment to me, I'll freely share. (Maybe!):wink:


That picture on the wall behind you- could you straighten it? It's been bugging me for weeks!


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Actually, 2 companies pay me enough to share data freely with them: PC Optimum's Loyalty card & American Express cash card both pay what I consider a fair price to follow me. I own and use both.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Fman said:


> That picture on the wall behind you- could you straighten it? It's been bugging me for weeks!


Sorry, wrong address. No picture on the wall behind me!:biggrin:


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

Why? I can sing better than anyone on the "radio" or whatever it's called now.


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## Rbriggs82 (Jul 9, 2012)

Who needs a radio when we have our voices? 

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

I just wear my aluminum foil hat while online...all problems solved!:blink:


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## PPD (Mar 19, 2018)

You could but you’d need access to wifi or a mobile hotspot (would kill ur phone & eat up a ton of data)...


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Lightningboy65 said:


> I just wear my aluminum foil hat while online...all problems solved!:blink:


Everyone else has upgraded to titanium!


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