September 29, 2017

Wake Me Up When September Ends

September 29, 2017

The worst part is what he said AFTER the "big water" idiocy

He then goes on to say that the territorial and local governments are unfortunately unable to handle this on their own.

You know, the way Texas and Florida did.

September 28, 2017

Apple would prefer that people die, than lose streaming revenue

One of the things you notice when you travel internationally is that in most places, people can use their smartphones to listen to FM radio.

Why?

Because there is an FM radio receiver built into the chips that smartphones - including Apple IPhones - use.

Apple deliberately disables the FM radio receiver in the US market, because listening to the radio for free does not earn them money.

The FCC can actually require Apple to turn on the FM radio, but the FCC has historically decided not to do so.

What this means, on an island in which communication networks have been disabled by a hurricane, is that their phones are useless, and there is a perfectly fine radio which they already have, and which Apple has decided not to allow them to use:

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/28/fcc_chair_on_iphone_fm_chips/?mt=1506631910751

FCC boss Ajit Pai has publicly criticized Apple for not turning on the FM radio receivers in every iPhone – calling it a public safety issue.

"In recent years, I have repeatedly called on the wireless industry to activate the FM chips that are already installed in almost all smartphones sold in the United States," the US comms watchdog chairman said today. "And I've specifically pointed out the public safety benefits of doing so."

...

"When wireless networks go down during a natural disaster, smartphones with activated FM chips can allow Americans to get vital access to life-saving information," Pai noted. "I applaud those companies that have done the right thing by activating the FM chips in their phones."

He then specifically identifies Apple for criticism: "Apple is the one major phone manufacturer that has resisted doing so. But I hope the company will reconsider its position, given the devastation wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria."

September 25, 2017

The amusing thing about NASCAR and "patriotism"

...is that the origin of NASCAR races was originally among persons who were engaged in flagrant violation of the 18th Amendment of the Constitution.

September 23, 2017

Man who said the world is ending Saturday changed his mind

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/09/22/man-who-said-world-ending-saturday-said-isnt-actually-ending/692907001/

“The world is not ending, but the world as we know it is ending,” he told The Washington Post. “A major part of the world will not be the same the beginning of October.”

----

Well. Who could have predicted THAT would happen?

September 22, 2017

Boy Scouts in the 1960's

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thematic_apperception_test

Thematic apperception test (TAT) is a projective psychological test. Proponents of the technique assert that subjects' responses, in the narratives they make up about ambiguous pictures of people, reveal their underlying motives, concerns, and the way they see the social world.

September 19, 2017

And all the science I don't understand...

September 18, 2017

I don't mind obeying traffic signs...

...but this one has never made any sense to me.

September 13, 2017

Not a fanboy or hater, but am I the only one who sees the irony?

Apple "Big Brother" Commercial 1984:



Apple Launch Event 2017:



Is that really the image they were aiming for?

September 12, 2017

Ever ask "Yeah, but in Planet of the Apes, how did they manage to take over everything?"

...and then wake up to today's headlines....