Sprint Loses $29.5 Billion Dollars In A Single Quarter [Failure]

I feel bad for Sprint, If it wasn't because of their crappy network, and even worst poor customer service they might have one of the best networks around. I had Sprint number for about one month.  Yeah it took me that long to figure out they were way to expensive, and when I called and bitched at them, they just didn't care.  So I canceled my line.  This ones years ago, but their Customer Service just got worse and worse.  I hope Dan Hess can bring the company around.     

Sprint has announced a fourth quarter loss of $29.5 billion, says the Chicago Tribune. The wireless carrier says it expects 1.2 million additional customers to leave this quarter, citing dropped calls and poor customer service as their reason for seeking less frustrating pastures.

Chief Executive Dan Hesse, who took over in December, said business is worse than he expected and is deteriorating.

"We need an articulated strategy of how he's going to turn around the business," said Michael Nelson, an analyst at Stanford Group Co. in New York. "I don't expect it to be a pretty picture."

Hesse knows he is facing a tough road.

"We will have a difficult 2008 as we turn this ship around," Hesse said on a conference call with analysts. "This turnaround will not happen for many quarters."

Sprint is trying to stop the hemorrhaging by offering an unlimited plan for $99.99 a month.

Sprint records $29.5 billion net loss [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo:diaper)

Thanks to the Consumerist.com fro the story

Google gives all San Francisco homeless free voicemail

 

This is pretty nice of Google.  I give Google 2 thumps up.

Google has just announced a pretty wonderful new program, offering free lifetime phone numbers and voice mail accounts to every homeless person in San Francisco. This is designed to help them get on their feet, giving them a point of contact to give to government offices and potential employers.

The voice mail accounts, which can be checked from any phone, will allow first and foremost for doctors to get in touch with patients to give them information such as test results. But you can clearly see the many benefits that having a phone number will give to the homeless, giving them a solid base to build towards getting out of their current situations. Good on you, Google.

Via MSNBC

Mary Poppins, the Liar

 

Whaaaat? Did Mary Poppins lie 40 years ago? Robert Krulwich of ABC World News with Charles Gibson’s Webcast investigates in this hard hitting piece:

[The mystery] involves the world’s most beloved nanny, Marry Poppins, and you may recall in the movie … that Mary teaches the worlds to say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Forward and backward. But did she really?

I smell a Peabody Award: Link - Thanks Zach!

The Purple Nurple Optical Illusion

 

WARNING: IF THE IMAGE BELOW MAKES YOU DIZZY, LEAVE THIS PAGE, SCROLL DOWN OR JUST LOOK AWAY.

The Purple Nurple Optical Illusion by Walter Anthony

Neatorama reader Walt Anthony shares with us his blog, geared to educate kids about optical illusions. Walt did a good job in explaining the illusions in the post:

Anomalous Motion Optical Illusion aka Peripheral Drift Optical Illusion is characterized by anomalous motion that can be observed in peripheral vision. […]

Keep in mind that this is a static image. It is not animated in any way. but as your vision moves back and forth the center area seems to be moving toward the center (contracting) and the outer edges seem to be moving away (expanding) from the center. Also worth noting is that if you fixate on a point in the center and don’t move your eyes this anomalous motion will stop.

I also applaud him for giving credit where credits are due - most optical illusion blogs rip off images without giving any clue as of the artist.

Link to more examples of Anomalous Motion Optical Illusion | Optical Illusion 4 Kids - Thanks Walt!

Thanks to Neatorama for the article

Dutch boffin calls RIAA expert 'borderline incompetent' - The INQUIRER

ONE OF THE WORLD'S top experts in the science of P2P file sharing has offered his harsh evaluation of the RIAA's so-called expert witness report.

With what can only be described as a good dose of Dutch courage, Delft University's Assistant Professor Johan Pouwelse, dealt a devastating thump on the head to the music industry when he labeled the RIAA's super expert, Dr Doug Jacobson's report as 'borderline incompetent'.

Prof. Pouwelse is the same bloke who stopped the Dutch equivalent of the RIAA dead in their tracks back in 2005. In the UMG v Lindor trial, the RIAA claimed it had carried out its analysis with sophisticatedly advanced equipment and software which, it assured everyone, was never, ever mistaken.

But now, Ms Marie Lindor has decided to fight back with a report drafted by her very own internationally renowned expert witness. In his report, Pouwelse writes that certain procedures that should have been taken to ascertain that a particular computer had been uploading copyrighted works illegally, weren't taken.

And, taking no prisoners, Professor Pouwelse goes on to say that Jacobson, a director at the Iowa State University Information Assurance Center, lacked 'in-depth analysis', 'proper scientific scrutiny' and that his reports were 'factually erroneous' and frequently contradicted his own deposition testimony.

Going for the jugular, Powelse describes the systems and techniques used in the indictment of Ms Lindor as 'overly simplistic', Jacobson's investigative process as 'unprofessional' and his methods 'self-developed', 'unpublished' and unaccepted by the scientific community.

He concludes by giving his expert opinion that Jacobson has shown 'borderline incompetence'.

thanks to The Inquirer.net for the article.

Comcast Blocking: First the Internet — Now the Public

 

There was huge turnout at today’s public hearing in Boston on the future of the Internet. Hundreds of concerned citizens arrived to speak out on the importance of an open Internet. Many took the day off from work — standing outside in the Boston cold — to see the FCC Commissioners. But when they reach the door, they’re told they couldn’t come in.

The size of the crowd is evidence that many Americans don’t want giant corporations like Comcast and Verizon to decide what we can do and where we can go on the Internet.

Sleeping on Comcast’s dime

But will the FCC hear these voices? For many people who showed up on time for the hearing, apparently not.

Comcast — or someone who really, really likes Comcast — evidently bused in its own crowd. These seat-warmers, were paid to fill the room, a move that kept others from taking part.

They arrived en masse some 90 minutes before the hearing began and occupied almost every available seat, upon which many promptly fell asleep (picture above).

Seat warmers

One told us that he was “just getting paid to hold someone’s seat.”

>> Listen to the audio

He added that he had no idea what the meeting was about.

If he was holding someone else’s seat, he never gave it up.

Many of this early crowd had mysteriously matching yellow highlighters stuck in their lapels.

Comcast payoff

We also photographed them outside the venue being handed papers by an organizer who had been seen earlier talking with several of the Comcast people at the hearing.

Here’s why this is a problem. Comcast clearly paid disinterested people to fill seats. This barred interested citizens from entering.

More than 100 people who arrived at the appointed time for the hearing were turned away by campus police because the room was already full.

Barred: The interested public

The Cambridge hearing is part of the FCC’s ongoing investigation into Comcast’s blocking of Internet traffic. But there’s much more at stake. We are at a critical juncture, where it will be decided whether we have a closed Internet controlled by a small handful of giant corporations, or an open Internet controlled by the people who use it.

Comcast wants the former — to dictate which Web sites and services go fast, slow or don’t load at all. And they’re backed by the other would-be gatekeepers at AT&T, Verizon and Time Warner.

Tell the FCC to stop Comcast from blocking Internet traffic and to permanently protect Net Neutrality: http://www.savetheinternet.com/comcast.php

Woman Dies On AA Flight After Being Refused Help, Then Given Empty Oxygen Tanks [Airlines]

 

A 44-year-old Brooklyn woman was returning from vacation in Haiti when she began to have trouble breathing. According to her cousin who was on the flight with her, she was refused help twice by the flight attendant, then she was brought two oxygen tanks with masks—but both were empty. Her cousin requested an emergency landing, but before they could touch down in Miami she was dead, so the plane continued to JFK. The airline isn't commenting on why the emergency tanks were empty in the first place. "After the flight attendant refused to administer oxygen to Ms. Desir, she became distressed, pleading, 'Don't let me die,' Mr. Oliver recalled."

He said other passengers aboard Flight 896 became agitated over the situation, and the flight attendant, apparently after phone consultation with the cockpit, tried to administer oxygen from a portable tank and mask, but the tank was empty.

Mr. Oliver said two doctors and two nurses who were aboard tried to administer oxygen from a second tank, which was also empty.

Sonia Whitemon, a spokeswoman for American Airlines, would not comment on Mr. Oliver's claims of faulty medical equipment aboard the plane.

Ms. Desir was placed on the floor and a nurse tried to resuscitate her, but to no avail, Mr. Oliver said. "I cannot believe what is happening on the plane," he said, sobbing. "She cannot get up, and nothing on the plane works."

Thus continues American Airlines' zero-tolerance rule to illness and health emergencies, and their devotion to creating unsafe environments for employees and passengers.

(Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)

"Woman, 44, Dies on Plane With 2 Empty Oxygen Tanks " [New York Times]

(Airplane photo: Adrian Pingstone)

Thanks to the Consumerist for the news

The Greatest Prank Call Ever

Meat Industry Wants "Unrecalled" Some Of That Potentially Tainted Beef [USDA]

 

The Wall Street Journal says that that beef industry representatives have been talking with federal food-safety regulators about possibly "narrowing the scope" of the recent record-breaking beef recall that stemmed from an undercover video showing slaughter house workers hitting sick cows with forklifts and forcing them into the slaughter box. Cows that can not stand are not allowed into the food supply because they pose an increased risk of "mad cow" disease.

From the WSJ:

In two conference calls this week, industry and USDA officials discussed the possibility of excluding from the recall Hallmark/Westland beef that was mixed with other suppliers' meat and sent to retail and wholesale customers, according to a memo written by an employee of Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC. The Washington law firm represents several food companies. The department appears to have since decided against narrowing the scope.

Most of the beef in question has already been eaten, though millions and millions of pounds are thought to be still in storage in various locations around the country.

Thanks to the Consumerist for the info.

Best Buy Overlaps Their Product Service Plans With Manufacturer's Warranty [Warranties]

 

Wiliam writes in to point out something he noticed in the fine print of Best Buy's Product Service Plan: it begins as soon as you purchase the item, and doesn't cover anything covered by the manufacturer's warranty. If you have a one-year manufacturer's warranty and a two-year PSP, you effectively get only one year of coverage out of the PSP.

I'm one of those consumers who always seems to end up with defective big ticket items. I've had a laptop, HDTV and Xbox360 all die just after a year of the initial purchase. Thanks to Product Service Plans and Extended Warranties I got all three items replaced which saved me close to $2,500.

While prepping to buy an Pod Touch I decided to read through Best Buy's Product Service Plan again to make sure I understood how it worked. The following two sections caught my attention immediately.

Coverage under this Plan expires one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) or five (5) years from the original product purchase date as stated on your purchase receipt.
[...]
Manufacturer's Responsibilities: Parts and services covered during the manufacturer's warranty period are the responsibility of the manufacturer and not covered under this Plan.

In the past I've been lucky (lucky?) enough to have the item die just after the manufacturer's warranty ended. I had assumed that buying a two year service plan from Best Buy would have guaranteed me two more years of service - turns out that's not true.

When Best Buy sells a 2 Year Product Service Plan it starts immediately and runs concurrently with the existing manufacturers warranty. I would call it double coverage on the product except for that second section.

I spoke to the folks at my local Best Buy (I'm lucky enough to live near a BB where the folks know the system pretty well) and they confirmed it to me - even though they call it a two year service plan they really only cover the second year of service because the manufacturer is responsible for the first year.

Is it me or is this clearly deceptive? When you walk into a Best Buy and purchase a 2 year Product Service Plan (which they regularly call an "Extended Warranty" at checkout) you expect it to kick in after the manufacturer's warranty ... right?

Thanks to the Consumerist for the info.

Karate Chop Slow Motion

New Wikileaks Address

Long leave freedom of speech on the Internet..

 

WIKILEAKS

President Signs Do Not Call Improvement Act

 

Never again will you have to worry about renewing your Do Not Call List registration thanks to Public Laws 110-187 and 110-188. The newest public laws provide a permanent stream of funding for the Do Not Call List and guarantee that registrations will never expire.

On Friday, February 15, 2008, the President signed into law:

H.R. 3541, the "Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007," which prohibits the automatic removal of telephone numbers registered on the Federal "do-not-call" registry; and

S. 781, the "Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007," which extends permanently the authority of the Federal Trade Commission to charge fees to telemarketers required to access the Federal "do-not-call" registry and specifies the fees to be charged.

Court Rejects ACLU Challenge to Wiretaps

 

Another deathly blow to civil rights and privacy

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court dealt a setback Tuesday to civil rights and privacy advocates who oppose the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program. The justices, without comment, turned down an appeal from the American Civil Liberties Union to let it pursue a lawsuit against the program that began shortly after the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Fidel Castro, Commander in Chief of Cuba, resigns

 

Here's his resignation statement in Spanish, here's a copy in English.

As must of you know I was born in Cuba.  The news that Fidel Castro resign from power makes me very happy.  My parents live in Miami, but the rest of my family is in Cuba still.  But also makes me think who will take over him?  Fidel's brother Raul Castro is not the only candidate that could become the new Cuban President. Felipe Perez Roque, Carlos Lage, and Ricardo Alarcon come to mind.  I just hope our happiness is not short lived.

The Biggest Star Wars Collection in the Galaxy [Exclusive]

 

Holly shit...

Rob Foster has almost all the Star Wars figures and models known to mankind, Hutts and Bothans. He and his girlfriend share their home with an overwhelming army of Star Wars collectibles, from vintage 1977 figures to full battalions of the latest Storm Troopers and giant Ultimate Collector LEGO models, in and out their original boxes, in formation or reenacting movie scenes. Amazing 134-image gallery documenting every figure and angle, plus an exclusive interview with Rob after the jump.

It's Toy Fair 2008 and Rob Foster is looking what figures and models to get next. Every year, companies like Hasbro, LEGO or Gentle Giant release new products related to Rob's favorite toy franchise ever: Star Wars.

Thanks to Gizmodo for the news

$2,243 Burger King Bill Leaves Customer Overdrawn, Pissed Off [Fast Food]

 

That's allot of damn whoppers. 

A $22.43 sack of burgers turned into a huge pain in the ass when Burger King accidentally debited $2,243 from Bryan Sampson's bank account, leaving him overdrawn and unable to use his debit card lest the overdraft charges keep piling up. Burger King said the manager wasn't available to correct the mistake because it was a holiday weekend... but the local media was happy to answer the phone.

From KTVB:

Bryan Sampson's wife picked up food for the family Saturday - totaling $22.43. But a whopper of a mistake left the couple's account overdrawn. A clerk at the Burger King charged them $2,243.00 - with the decimal point in the wrong spot!

Bryan said he didn't notice the charge until Sunday - but now the mistake is causing big trouble for the family's finances.

"My bank account now is overdrawn $473, so anything that might come through at midnight is gonna be charged a $35 fee," Sampson said. "I know there's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 charges they're gonna charge me for at $35 bucks a pop

Sampson said the assistant manager told him they had canceled the transaction instead of crediting his account - and that the store manager would not be in until Tuesday - after the President's Day holiday to correct the mistake.

Burger King should really work on developing a system that will not allow cashiers to accidentally debit thousands of dollars. It isn't as if this has never happened before.
BurgerKing Charges $2243.00 For A Meal [KTVB] (Thanks, Dave!)

World's most complete recorded music collection on eBay

 

Are you missing some CD's in your collection that you can't find anywhere.  Here is the solution

Bidding starts at $3,000,000 for this huge collection of LPs and CDs, currently stored in a 16,000 square foot climate-controlled warehouse.

From Thomas Edison to American Idol, this is the complete history of the music that shaped and defined five generations. 3 million records and 300,000 CDs containing more than 6 million song titles. It's the undisputed largest collection of recorded music in the world.

Link

 

thanks to BoingBoing for the news

How Grandma Sees The Remote [Humor]

 

Yoko sues "Lennon"

Yoko I think you have better things to do than to Sue someone for the name Lennon.   

Yoko Ono, widow of former Beatles member John Lennon, is suing singer-songwriter (and Suicide Girl) Lennon Murphy for alleged "tarnishment" of John Lennon's name.

Ms.Murphy's band is called Lennon, and she is attempting to register that band name as a trademark.

Here's a PDF of the court papers, here's a snip from Lennon Murphy's response on her MySpace page.

Getting Sued by Yoko
Current mood: angry
Category: Music

Yesterday I received notice that Yoko Ono had filed a law suit against me, asking for a cancellation of the trademark that I own for the name "Lennon." This could very well mean the career that I have worked so hard at, the one you all have believed in, may come to an end. I wanted to address the situation to all my fans because without you I am nothing and it's not fair to everyone who has believed in my music not to be properly informed of this pure bullshit.

When I first started playing music at 14, I was known for the most part as "The Lennon Murphy Band". Not a name I was very fond of, no one could ever agree on anything so it made sense. A few months later some of the shows started being marketed using my full name as well as some that just using "Lennon." There was never really any consistency but there was well enough to justify stating that "Lennon" had been used in fact since 1997. When I signed with Arista Records in 2000 at the age of 18, a marketing decision was made to continue being known just as Lennon. In all honesty, I didn't care. I was just happy to sign a record deal, make an album, and pay my bills.

Lennon is my first name by birth and I am regularly asked if I was named after the Beatle, having always replied no. My mother named me after "John Lennon that wrote songs, painted, and baked bread with his son". She named me for the man, not the pop star.

Coverage links: TMZ, Fox, NME.

Julian Lennon, who is the son of John Lennon (and the former Beatle's first wife, Cynthia) also responded to the situation on his MySpace page. He's totally cool with the singer using her name, which also happens to be his father’s name, and says "She has My full support."

Senate Gives Telcos Free Pass On Warrantless Domestic Spying Program [Spying]

Ok.. Its official lets kick our privacy goodbye 

Joel at BBG writes in five precise words what it means that the Senate has just granted retroactive immunity to telcos (AT&T, Verizon and others) for participating in the government's warrantless wiretapping program that spied on American citizens: "We Lost. The Telcos Won."

Worse, they even knocked down two proposed amendments that would have at least paid lip service to holding them responsible for their actions. Now we'll never know just how it deep went, how thoroughly they violated any number of things that just shouldn't be fucked with—rights, laws, etc. [NYT]

P.S. How'd our potential prezzes vote? Unsurprisingly, Obama voted against immunity, Hillary didn't vote (too busy crying) and McCain doesn't like anything with wires, so he okayed the spying.

Woman Sues Best Buy For $54 Million Over Lost Laptop [Complaints]

My new Hero!!!!! 

Raelyn Campbell is suing Best Buy for $54 million for losing her laptop and lying to her for months about it. She bought a laptop from Best Buy with an extended warranty, it broke, she sent it in for repairs, months later she didn't have her laptop and after getting the runaround the store finally said it had lost her laptop and offered her a $900 gift card. She paid over $1,100 for the laptop, she paid for software on it, and it had irreplaceable photos, music, and personal information, including her tax returns. She freely admits she chose the high figure to attract media attention. She tells the Red Tape Chronicles "I can't help but wonder how many other people have had their computer stolen (or) lost by Best Buy and then been bullied into accepting lowball compensation offers for replacement expenses and no compensation for identity theft protection expenses." She also has a blog.

A Lost Laptop, A $54 Million Lawsuit [Red Tape Chronicles]

Nice Shot!!!!

Damn this chicken can play better pool than me and must people I know.

Billiard Lesson From The Chicken - video powered by Metacafe

Room in a box

 

This design idea is fantastic and actually won the "Abraham & David Roentgen Award" last year for being so great

Worst food in America: Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing

Ohhh..  crap this sucks, I love Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries.

Men's Health has awarded the Outback Steakhouse with the Worst Food in America, for its "Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing."

2,900calories
182 g fat, 240 g carbs

Even if you split this "starter" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before your entree arrives. Follow this up with a steak, sides, and a dessert and you could easily break the 3,500 calorie barrier.

Link (Thanks, Collin!)

Thanks to Boingboing for the bad news

Legally Blind Woman Sues Fast Food Restaurants For Rudeness [ADA]

 

A legally blind New York woman sued several fast food restaurants for ridiculing her when she asked for help reading their menus, but a federal judge threw out the suit on the grounds that "ADA laws don't regulate 'rudeness or insensitivity' of workers." Last week, however, an appeals court overturned that ruling and now the suit—" believed to be the first of its kind—could go before a jury this year."

Camarillo said annoyed workers served other customers before reading her just a partial list of their offerings. Camarillo can read large print when she holds it close, but can't make out most menus.

During a visit to Burger King, employees "laughed and stared" and pointed her in the direction of the men's room when she asked for a bathroom, she claims.

At Taco Bell, a cashier told her to wait until the rest of the customers had ordered.

Here's what the appeals court had to say about the matter:

"Put simply, Camarillo cannot experience full and equal enjoyment of defendants' services if she is unable to access the list of the services available to her," the appeals court said.

"While restaurants are not necessarily required to have on hand large print menus that Camarillo would be able to read, they are required to ensure that their menu options are effectively communicated to individuals who, like Camarillo, are legally blind," the judges wrote.

(Thanksto Jim!)

"Fast food employees mocked a blind woman who needed help reading menu" [Daily News]
(Photo:_e.t)

Rest In Peace Roy Scheider

 

This weekend at age 75 Roy Shreider past away after fighting Cancer.  Must of us know Roy Shreider from the "Jaws" movie trilogy.  Other movies he was in include The French Connection, 2010, Outbreak, Blue Thunder, The Punisher, and Marathon Man.  He was a great actor and he will be missed.  My thought are with his family. 

Class Action Targets Ticket Resellers [Lawsuits]

 

 

Remember RMG Technologies, the horrible little company that made five-year-olds cry by snatching up all the Hannah Montana tickets? Boaz Lissauer, a New Jesery plastic surgeon, recently sued them and other ticket resellers after paying $195 for nosebleed seats worth $63 to see the Police in Madison Square Garden. Lissauer is now asking a Pittsburgh court for class action status.

Ticketmaster won an injunction in October barring RMG from accessing their services, but RMG is countersuing, claiming that Ticketmaster is an illegal monopoly. We're torn because Ticketmaster is an illegal monopoly, but $195 is way too much to pay for tickets to the Police.

Man claims agency helps scalpers horde tickets for Hannah, Police, sports

[AP]
(Photo:AFP/Getty Images)
PREVIOUSLY: Why Do Ticketmaster Events Sell Out Instantly?

Maloney Introduces Credit Card Bill Of Rights; Lending Institutions Smirk [Government]

 

This is a great law

The Credit Card Bill Of Rights Act, which was introduced on Thursday in the U.S. House of Representatives, would limit interest rate hikes and late fee penalties that credit card companies use to unfairly squeeze profits from customers. The bill is sponsored by House Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subcommittee Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA).

Among the key provisions of the "Credit Card Bill of Rights Act" are prohibitions on:

• Bait-and-switch interest rate and fee hikes for any or no reason at all during the life of the card;
• Assessing hidden and unfair interest rate charges by charging interest on balances already paid off;
• Unjustifiably maximizing interest charges by requiring consumers to pay off balances with lower interest rates before those with higher rates;
• Charging late fees when consumers mail their payments seven days in advance of the due date; and
• Applying certain unfair interest rate hikes retroactively to balances incurred under the old rate.

The bill has the support of several consumer advocacy groups, including Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America, and the Center for Responsible Lending. The supporters point out, however, that the bill doesn't address some of the industry's worst practices like universal default or over-limit fees for transactions that are approved by the lender.

"Maloney Bill Targets Credit Card Abuses" [Consumer Federation of America]
"Credit card bill of rights?" [SeattlePI]
(Photo:Getty)

Funny Commercial

 

This is one of the funniest commercial I've seen ever....

Fight For Kisses //// www.ffk-wilkinson.com
envoyé par killafather

Giving recognition to where I get my articles

 

I am really bad at putting a direct link to where I got the articles I put on my blog.  I am trying to teach my self to make sure I post the originating link before I put them up.  I am sorry for the ones I have forgotten, and will  forget. 

Verizon Says F-U To Hollywood Piracy Snitching [Content Filtering]

 

Good for Verizon...  Don't help Hollywood police the Internet.

Hollywood wants ISPs such as Verizon to help filter and block the illegal transfer of copyrighted content. Unlike AT&T, Verizon is telling Hollywood to kiss its ass. Verizon EVP of Public Affairs Tom Tauke says they won't consider Hollywood's call to action for three reasons.

First, it opens the door for other organizations to make demands as to what should and shouldn't be allowed. Verizon doesn't feel the Internet should be excessively policed. Second, it sets a precedent that would make networks and service providers liable for future cases where they fail to block content. Third, Verizon sees content filtering as an invasion of privacy, and they try to balance the wishes of customers with the necessity for content protection. Amen. [NY Times]

 

Thanks to Gizmodo for the article

The Walk Along Glider

 

This Walkalong glider is controlled by the air your body moves, but at first it looks just like magic! It was invented by Tyler MacCready, who was 10 years old at the time.

Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse “In Color”

We are all familiar with the first Tacoma Narrows Bridge a.k.a. “The galloping Gertie”, a long suspension bridges in the U.S. state of Washington, which spans across the Tacoma Narrows between Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula. We also know of its demise when on November 7, 1940, at approximately 11:00 AM it became famous for its wind-induced structural collapse that was caught on motion picture film. What is least known about the collapse is that it was also captured in “color”.

 

10 Confessions Of A Circuit City FireDog Technician [Confessions]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A FireDog Technician writes in with the following confessions. Who is the mysterious dog— and why, oh why, is he on fire?

10. The hiring process doesn't actually have any qualifications required beyond you saying you know what you're doing. Most tech's that are hired know little more than the basics, and learn as they go. You can't really have an experienced tech work on your machine, because once you leave, it may sit there for a few days, and who knows who will work on it then. I was required to take my Microsoft Certified Professional exam, but when I failed the first time, that was okay too. I never went back to take it again, and no one said a word.

9. "FD COURTESYCHECK" isn't a real SKU, it means the customer was good looking, and the tech should check to see if they have any "personal" pictures worth keeping. One customer was a professional nude model, over 2,000 images got backed up on to the tech work machine.

8.Nothing they will offer you for installation is worth it. The standard package includes Norton Internet Security, Webroot Spysweeper, and Microsoft Office Home and Student as well as the creation of recovery DVDs and an "optimization". Norton isn't as good as AVG Anti-Virus, available for free. Webroot isn't as good as Spybot Search and Destroy, which is also available for free. The recovery DVDs are made in a few clicks, and could be done by a three year old. Optimization consists of uninstalling some junk programs, and deleting icons off of your desktop. All of this takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and could be done just as easily by you, at home.

7.Protection plans don't always cover anything special. Batteries, for example, are covered by most manufacturers warranties, but are often used as part of the sales pitch when buying a laptop. "If your battery goes out, we cover that too - all you need to do is bring it in and we will replace it free of charge." Often times, this process can take a month and is generally faster to just order it through the manufacturer.

6.Your computer may well sit around for days without anyone looking at it. If we were low on computers to work on, we would often drag repairs out for days past when they should be done, just so we looked busy. If we weren't working on a machine, we would have to go help out on the sales floor. I've seen machines sit for as long as three weeks because of a lack of customers

5.Don't always expect a new part if you try to rush them on a repair. Sometimes, when we had a customer that kept bugging us because a part on his computer was taking forever to come in, we would just swap the part out with one off of a display computer to "expedite things". When the new part would come in, we would just return it as used.

4.Don't expect a call back. The techs don't care about your repair, and it's rare that they will call you for much of anything but to pick it up when it's done. If you want status updates or anything else, even if they tell you they will call, they more than likely won't. Call the store and ask for the tech on duty, you don't need to talk to the one that you turned it in to - they won't necessarily work on it anyway. Also, it's company policy to have a tech on duty, so if someone tells you that they aren't there, chances are they're lying.

3.99% of all software repairs can be completed in a day. There is next to no reason that your repair will take a week, and if you ask for it to get it rushed, they will charge you an extra $20 or more, and put it in line with everything else. Unless you demand same day service, you won't see any special treatment. Even then, it's unlikely to be done the same day.

2.The salesmen know absolutely jack about the computers they sell. Most of them are just high school or college kids that may or may not have any interest in computers at all. A few of they may not even own a machine. The sales training that Circuit City requires everyone to take is 100% about how to pitch things, and 0% how things work or what they do. Do all your homework before you make your purchase, and don't listen to anything they have to say. Many of them will say anything they have to to get you to buy whatever it is they want you to buy. One of the worst I ever heard is that if one woman didn't buy the protection plan the salesman was offering, she wouldn't be able to get any updates for her software. Another man didn't want to buy our anti- virus software, and the salesman told him that he would contract a virus as soon as he plugged it in to the Internet if he didn't install one first.

1.Circuit City takes no responsibility for your data. If somehow a tech magically wipes your entire harddrive, the waiver that you sign when you check it in clears them of any wrongdoing. They could quite literally just reformat for the fun of it, give it back to you, and there is nothing you could do about it. Always back up your data before taking it in.

(Photo:wingless girl)

Thanks to the Consumerist.com for the article