Sunday, August 23, 2026
Monday, August 17, 2026
Life Long Learners
If you're looking for college-level online courses for
lifelong learners, these are among the best options:
For Adults 50+ (Discussion-Based, Non-Credit)
UT Austin Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
College-level lectures and seminars taught by university
and community experts.
Online, on-campus, and recorded options.
Designed specifically for adults 50+.
LLI Austin
Non-credit courses covering history, science, literature,
current events, and more.
Affordable and community-oriented.
Some courses may be offered online depending on the
semester.
University-Level Online Courses
edX
Courses from Harvard, MIT, UT System schools, and many
other universities.
Audit many courses for free; pay only if you want a
certificate.
Subjects include AI, computer science, art history,
economics, philosophy, and more.
Coursera
University courses from institutions such as Stanford,
Yale, Duke, and the University of Michigan.
Offers individual courses, certificates, and degree
programs.
Technology Courses
AI and Generative AI
Data Science
Cybersecurity
Programming (Python, JavaScript)
Cloud Computing
Available through:
https://continue.austincc.edu/lifelong-learning
Arts and Humanities Courses
Art History
Drawing and Painting
Photography
Music Appreciation
Literature and Creative Writing
Available through:
https://programs.austincc.edu/arts-digital-media-and-communications/art/
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Friday, May 8, 2026
Millions of student & educators personal data solen Instructure the company that runs Canvas learning management systems
Canvas is used by 7000+ universities, K-12 school districts world wide. The parent company Instructure disclosed the data breach May 5, 2026. Data included names, email addresses, student ID numbers and private messages between users.
The criminal extorsion group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the attack. The private messages could contain medical and mental health information to advisors.
Google Chrome 4GB AI LLM file
Many stories on the Internet concerning Google Chrome downloading a large file to support AI with a local LLM model. This can improve security and privacy.
If you are low on disk space and want to remove this file AND disable Google from reloading it:
✅ Step 1: Check if the AI file is even on your computer
First, don’t assume it’s there.
On Windows
Press Windows + R
Paste this and hit Enter: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Google\Chrome\User Data
Look for a folder named something like:
OptimizationGuideModelStore
OptGuideOnDeviceModel
Inside those folders, look for a large file:
Often named weights.bin
✅ If you see it and it’s several GB → that’s the AI model
❌ If you don’t see it → nothing to worry about
On Mac
Open Finder
Press Command + Shift + G
Paste: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/Chrome
Look for the same folders mentioned above
✅ Step 2: Turn OFF Chrome AI features (very important)
Do this FIRST—otherwise the file may come back.
In Chrome:
Go to: chrome://settings
Search for**“AI” or “Gemini”**
Turn OFF:
Gemini / AI assistant
Writing help (“Help me write”)
Page content sharing
👉 These features are what trigger the model download
Also remove the AI sidebar/button
If you see a Gemini icon:
Right‑click → Unpin
Or go to: chrome://settings/ai/gemini → turn everything OFF
✅ Step 3: Disable AI Mode (search/chat button)
In Chrome, open: chrome://flags
Search for: ai mode
Set these to Disabled:
AI Mode Omnibox entrypoint
Omnibox Allow AI Mode Matches
Restart Chrome
👉 This prevents Chrome pushing AI features again
✅ Step 4: Delete the AI file (if present)
Once AI features are OFF:
Go back to the folder from Step 1
Delete:
weights.bin
Or the entire AI model folder
👉 If AI is disabled, Chrome should not re-download it
✅ Step 5: (Optional) Verify it stays gone
Restart your computer
Reopen Chrome
Check if the folder/file is gone
⚠️ Important notes
Chrome may try to reinstall the file if:
AI features get re-enabled
Chrome updates reset settings
“chrome://flags” settings are temporary and may revert after updates [oilprice.com]
🧠Simple summary
You’re doing 3 things:
Turn OFF AI features ✅
Disable hidden AI switches ✅
Delete the file ✅
✔ After this, Chrome should:
Stop using AI features
Stop downloading the large model
Free up that storage space
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)