Cut the Cable

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, the co-founders of Apple, Inc, are responsible for our current communication condition. They had the vision and talent to redirect how we interact, how we relate.

A hundred and forty years ago, Bell started it with voice transmission. Countless improvements preceded Apple and ‘blue boxes’. Those stories are legion.

In September 2017 will be the Tenth Anniversary of the introduction of the SmartPhone, Apple’s iPhone. A device that began as a communication phone is now used for talk, games, video, TV and geo-location.

So much has this iPhone and its competitors evolved that it has changed life patterns for many people. The cell phone has become so important that the home phones are in decline.

The cell phone gives access to the Internet. That access gives the user connection to people, entertainment, directions, information and more.

The cell phone cut the home phone cable connection. It now threatens the TV broadcast and cable industries.

They will not go away, they will only see their business model morph to earn from the SmartPhones.

Greatest Generation

They were called the Greatest Generation. They fought in the "great war" and then we were born during the years following. 

Some of us made it to maturity to create music that our parents hated. Our expressions (English) survive in the shadow of Elvis Presley. [cool].

A superficial examination of the last half of the 20th century, the 'boomer generation' fostered tech explosion. Bill and the Apple Steves were the geeks that recognized an opportunity.

Gates, Jobs and Wozniak, from our generation, were the superstars of tech. Sadly there were others of the generation who moved another direction.

That direction was oriented toward personal aggrandizement in the political arena. 

You can pick your own political avatar. This link goes to the efforts of John Kerry:

  http://in-250.blogspot.com/2015/12/paris-climate-agreement.html

Climate Change Agreement

A hundred and ninety nations, including the United States, have accepted an agreement on climate change.

“The landmark Paris agreement on climate change will enter into force on Nov. 4, after a coalition of the world's largest polluters and small island nations threatened by rising seas pushed it past a key threshold on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama hailed the news as "a turning point for our planet," and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the agreement's strong international support a "testament for the urgency of action." Katharine Hayhoe, a climate scientist at Texas Tech, called it: "A moment of bright hope in the increasingly discouraging landscape of climate science.”  By MICHAEL ASTOR, ASSOCIATED PRESS UNITED NATIONS — Oct 5, 2016, 8:55 PM ET http://tinyurl.com/h9cttyq

As Hurricane Matthew moves northward along the east coast of the U.S., this announcement should give citizens a sense of relief. This international treaty will safeguard the country from horrendous and sudden climate change.

We, the citizens of the world, owe a great debt to the politicians. They know that their collective signatures -- ratifying this accord -- will keep hurricanes at bay and glaciers from receding and the oceans from rising.

Were it not for the previous climate change treaties, we could have witnessed more than this hurricane to hit the eastern coast. After all, we were lucky to avoid these storms since Katrina in 2005.

Sleep well, friends.

Sputnik October 4, 1957

The graduating class of 2020 starts its best four years of their collective lives. This fall they get the urge to reproduce and hate their parents. It's not unusual, I did it at fourteen. Seven years later, my parents learned alot.

October 4, 1957 was a seminal day in American history. That was the date when we heard that beep from space on shortwave radio. The Russians had launched a satellite in Earth orbit. The space-race was on.

The inventions and innovations from that date support the technological world of today. Most of the support structure for our life today is grounded in the work of those guys called the Greatest Generation. Their progeny is known as "boomers".

Among these boomers were Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, the best known of the tech heroes. Savor, if you will, the irony of the history of our collective tech achievement. A Russian satellite called Sputnik.

It's impossible to pay attention to history when you are living in it. History is, by definition, what happened -- and you forgot to notice.

Or, when you are fourteen, there is that cute girl in English class...hmm

English Language Learning

There are always problems with learning a language. English is adoptive, that is, it will include almost any word or phrase that promotes an expression or meaning. Conjugation of simple verbs, double meanings, and to an extent, social standards also come into play. Here is a simple example of conjugation illiteracy: See and Drink I SEEN him on the boat. (SAW) and another I have DRANK that beer before. (DRUNK) and in vocabulary.
My best friend was not just cheap or miserly, he was NIGGARDLY. Ignorance prevents most American English speakers from the word has Nothing To Do with Color or Race. He could squeeze shit from the buffalo on a Nickel. That is NIGGARDLY. The social aspect can be observed in the discipline, as in the following rules, that is no longer taught. Teachers are far less able nor likely to correct errors, spoken or written, by their students. When the teachers do not know the language or they are internally restrained from correcting their charges by an artificial politically correct convention. Just wait TILL I get going on financial education.

The NARRATIVES OF THE DNC & RNC

A narrative is a story. It's simple and widely distributed. In the event that it 'becomes' truth, the majority of the populous will not question the outcome.

Each of the major political parties has its favorite story. The distribution channels are different. 

The RNC has control of 'conservative' radio, TV and newspapers fall into the 'liberal' camp. National Public Radio is the singular exception to the radio domination of the RNC. 

Both parties know the value of and use YouTube and Vimeo.

Donald Trump is dangerous: "Trump's Decline Is Seen As Threat To G.O.P. Control" (NY Times 8/18) See p.12-13 for more.

The DNC paid Kahn for the appearance at the convention.

http://www.snopes.com/search/?q=democrats%20paid%20khan%20for%20performance%20at%20dnc

Hillery Clinton has health issues.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC3LPO-KiSA 

Notice the lack of discussion of issues of state. The theme of the words and videos lean toward Ad Hominum attacks on the other side.

DNC Narrative: Trump scares the GOP and his support is in decline.

RNC Narrative: Clinton takes and gives bribes, lies, and is in ill health.

Connecting the Dots

​

​Here we are in 2016. The dots get closer together. 

Moving from one number to the next, a picture emerges. Not a picture that all would admit to recognize. 

None the less, the picture reveals pattern of ongoing assaults against many peoples.​ 

Islam/Muslims set out to conquer the world in 632. Nothing has changed and they're still fighting to conquer it. Either be aware and do what you can or choose to be a victim. And they are not kind to those they conquer.  

​

​​Here we are in 2016. The dots get closer together. 

Moving from one number to the next, a picture emerges. Not a picture that all would admit to recognize. 

We are shown the bodies. If it bleeds it leads. Now the narrative: Gun Control. Forget that each 'dot' represents a person who pulled the trigger. 

Not one of the guns has claimed responsibility on a 'social network'.

None the less, the picture reveals pattern of ongoing assaults against many peoples.​ 

Islam/Muslims set out to conquer the world in 632. Nothing has changed and they're still fighting to conquer it. Either be aware and do what you can or choose to be a victim. And they are not kind to those they conquer. 

   Ask any person, not your child between the ages of 18 and 25, if they ever heard of the Nuremburg Trials. 1 in 13 might say they have, but will not be able to tell you "what" was on trial (not who). Those same people will not be able to tell you the name of the Vice President. 84% of those who receive this will not read it completely, or at all. 10% will but will also chose not to forward it. The remaining 6% will forward it.

       The war started in the 7th century and lasted through the 17th century. I would contend it never stopped but historically the facts below are correct.
    This is why I choke when I hear someone say we will defeat or contain these Islamic terrorists in a few years or even 30 years as recently stated by Leon Panetta.

    If the latest batch of murders, beheadings, and killing of innocent Christians has shocked you, maybe you should read this compilation of historical facts about the hatred of Muslims.

    WE, THE STUPID

    This is factually (and historically) correct - and verifiable:
    In 732 A.D. the Muslim Army, which was moving on Paris, was defeated and turned back at Tours, France, by Charles Martell.
    In 1571 A.D. the Muslim Army/Navy was defeated by the Italians and Austrians as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to attack southern Europe in the Battle of Lepanto.
    In 1683 A.D. the Turkish Muslim Army, attacking Eastern Europe, was finally defeated in the Battle of Vienna by German and Polish Christian Armies.
    This has been going on for 1,400 years and half of the politicians don't even know it.
    If these battles had not been won, we might be speaking Arabic and Christianity could be non-existent; Judaism certainly would not exist.
    Reflecting: A lot of Americans have become so insulated from reality that they imagine that America can suffer defeat without any inconvenience to themselves. Pause a moment and reflect back.
    These events are actual events from history. They really happened!
Do you remember?

    47 years since 1968 and this just keeps going on and on.
    1. In 1968, Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by a Muslim male.
    2. In 1972, at the Munich Olympics, Israeli athletes were kidnapped and massacred by Muslim males.
    3. In 1972, a Pan Am 747 was hijacked and eventually diverted to Cairo where a fuse was lit on final approach.   Shortly after landing it was blown up by Muslim males.
    4. In 1973, a Pan Am 707 was destroyed in Rome, with 33 people killed, when it was attacked with grenades by Muslim males.
    5. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by Muslim males.
    6. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by Muslim males.
    7. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by Muslim males.
    8. In 1985, the cruise ship Achilles Lauro was hijacked and a 70-year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by Muslim males.
    9. In 1985, TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by Muslim males.
    10. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by Muslim males.
    11. In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by Muslim males.
    12. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by Muslim males.
    13. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take down the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by Muslim males.
    14. In 2002, the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against Muslim males.
    15. In 2002, reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and beheaded by - you guessed it - a Muslim male. (Plus two other American journalists who were just recently beheaded).
    16. In 2013, the Boston Marathon Bombing resulted in 4 Innocent people, (including a child) being killed and 264 people injured by Muslim males.              
    No Obama, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you? So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people.
    So, ask yourself "Just how stupid are we???"

    Absolutely No Profiling! They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the Obama's security detail, 85-year-old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winner and former Governor Joe Foss, BUT........leave Muslim Males alone lest we be guilty of profiling.

    Ask yourself, "Just how stupid are we?" Have the American people completely lost their minds or just their Power of Reason???

    Let's send this to as many people as we can so that the Gloria Alred's and other stupid attorneys, along with Federal Justices, that want to thwart common sense, feel ashamed of themselves -- if they have any such sense.

    As the writer of the award winning story " Forrest Gump " so aptly put it, "Stupid Is As Stupid Does."

    WAKE UP AMERICA!!!

​PS: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_San_Bernardino_attack​

- 

PS: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_San_Bernardino_attack​ 

Malware - your computer has a virus

It has happened to me a couple of times. Bang! there is that warning on-screen and on audio. The most recent event was the most surprising. The website was more surprising.

There are several tech news services on my subscription list. One favorite, and trusted until now, is CNET (a CBS company). That's where it happened.

I'd just watched a couple items about photography products. Then came this clip from "Ellen", she was crying and saying 'this will be edited'. I swallowed the 'click-bait'. The warning appeared and could not be stopped. WARNING, YOU HAVE A VIRUS. DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER.

A solution for a Windows 10 machine, Chrome browser.

Ctrl-Alt-Delete to open the TASK MANAGER.
Close each of the open applications using TM
Shut down your machine.
Restart your machine.

A note to Chrome users; if you have the Settings Option set to "Continue where I left off ", unselect that Option. Restart Chrome and reset the Option.
Alternative: Use Microsoft Edge (Win10) to download another browser; Firefox, Safari or another browser.

Political Fundraising

Americans want their rights, claim their constitutional rights, lawyer-up for a traffic ticket. This is the quadrennial presidential election year.

There are 'rights' and 'obligations'. This is the year of the 'obligation'. It's the only obligation for which there is no penalty for non-compliance.

Americans are notorious for making fun of problems they know are beyond control. From tragedy to politics, no humor is off-limits.

In this political year (2016), linked here are some observations about how politicians earn their wealth from our tax payments.

It is humor meant to misdirect your attention. Nevertheless, just like a myth or legend, there is always a grain of truth therein.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylomy1Aw9Hk

As Seen On TV

  Have you noticed the changes in characters in advertising and drama? 

  I just wonder why it has taken about 50 years for advertising and dramas to dare to look at the buyers (sic) as they are. 

 Few people recognize that the "dramas" are sold to the "advertiser". It's not the advertiser selling its product to the viewer.

The AD wants to be associated with a popular drama. The drama relates to the product.

A drama has to be inclusive, also. TV has been 'inclusive' for 50 years. Every race or language group. 

 A macho drama gets the gorgeous black actress explaining Viagra, the white guy, and well-tanned 'wife' on vacation to sell a Ford. 

Now every program must include some other subset of human life: blind, hearing impaired, crippled, missing limb, wheelchair-bound and the list goes on. 

Then there are the social differences.

 The AD that made me wonder. That was where the two Dads were explaining why their son should eat his veggies. 

I can't remember the product. I am an analyst. I see stuff. I comment. 

Windows 10

Windows 10 --- Nice with considerations

Win10 came into my old computer at my request at the end of September 2015. I figured the early problems had been resolved. That was in my older (‘09) Lenovo 32 bit (Win7, of course).

No problems, actually nice conversion...skipping 8 another Vista, Millennium. My Lenovo had a stable Win XP upgradable to Win7.

Last Saturday, Mar 19, 2016 I got a notice that WINDOWS 10 WILL BE INSTALLED ON YOUR MACHINE ON MARCH 21. I said wait. Wait a few days, I specified, Tuesday.

I must have angered the MS Maffia because the signal came down. SHUTDOWN. WINDOWS 10 WILL NOW BE INSTALLED ON YOUR MACHINE. Saturday, March 26 , as I was working, MS signaled my machine to upgrade to W10.

TILT!

---------------

(REMEMBERING THE ‘80s) There was a program called  ‘Push’ or like that. It was used, ostensibly for news feeds. This situation with Win10 reminds me of ‘One Step Beyond, Outer Limits’ et al.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CtjhWhw2I8

Of course, if you are on Linux, this is only reference...but you get the meaning. Win will not address your system.

-------------------

Reference: ==============

Win10    download updates    10 min

3 restarts  50 min

Then for the reading impaired, explanations of update computer activities, the 5 to 9 word on-screen explanations remained for a minute.

Leave it to MS to allow time for the user to lookup words in this string: “You , have, will, wait, restart”

=======================

The Wall

In this election year, we forget how prevalent a phrase or word can be. It keeps appearing in print or has attribution to public people. Most people recognize the great wall of China. An athlete continues until he hits the wall. Pink Floyd produced “The Wall” album.

Pink Floyd could never have anticipated how its 1979 album could be in the news. Two high profile names have referred to a wall. Each of them, Donald Trump and Pope Benedict, has referred to a wall in February this year.

Donald spoke of a wall to keep out illegal aliens from moving north into the USA. Pope Benedict recently criticized the statement about the wall on a southern border of the US as ‘unChristian’.

So here we are. A guy with a name that--in a card game--supersedes a previous play. He talks about a wall.

Then a Pope, whose name means ‘well said’  [bene dict] says that the a wall is unChristian.

The Vatican, the Pope’s hometown, is within the city of Rome.The Wall that surrounds it is about 39 feet.

The names and their associations mean nothing. You have to consider the more than the words that come from the mouths of the speaker.

Life is why?

The only time that a person is totally free is at birth. It is the only time. A person is unaware. And then...

Life gets in the way. We, speaking as a person, meet others.  It's life and then we try to figure it out.

Along the way, something happens. Somewhere between grade school and parenthood, we recognize mortality.

The question arises, 'why am I here?'