Wise Guys on WHO Radio - May 7, 2016
Please note: These show notes may be in various stages of completion -- ranging from brainstormed notes through to well-polished monologues. Please excuse anything that may seem rough around the edges, as it may only be a first draft of a thought and not be fully representative of what was said on the air.
In the news this week
Netflix mobile app to permit more user control over data use
A good step
Free Windows 10 upgrades to cease at end of July
The company says Windows 10 is now running on 300 million devices, and that the free upgrade offer for Windows 7 and 8 users will expire on July 29th -- after which, upgrades will cost $119. Still not a terribly high price, but why pay if you have the option to get it free?
Tampa becomes a one-paper town
The economics of the newspaper business have never favored anything other than natural monopoly, anyway -- but high production and distribution costs in a time of digital media are enough to topple almost any duopolies that remain
Street-smart social media
Beware self-promoting hacks on social media
There are plenty of people willing to sensationalize and exaggerate in the interest of getting more followers
Listener questions
From Bruce in Indianola:
I don't know if you are familiar with Windows Defender Offline. I used it every once in awhile for almost a year. Recently, this Microsoft product is not working and nothing regarding this problem can be found except for a group of people who are not getting a response from MS. The reports can be found here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_defender-protect_updating/windows-defender-offline-definitions-out-of-date/1502d0d1-dd89-4cbe-9c66-3566ed759e98
I looks like we are all having the same problem and I agree with the assessment that there is a problem on the MS end.
Do you know anything about it? I liked it because it functioned offline. No more I guess.
From "A Faithful Listener":
On your April 30th broadcast, you said Safari for Windows had not been supported since 2012. I searched Google and found links to download Safari for Windows 2016. Who is supporting Safari for Windows now? Are they reliable people/companies? Were you aware of this?
My answer: The links I found to a program calling itself "Safari for Windows 2016" were from totally unreliable websites that are almost certainly trying to get you to download a program with some sort of virus or other malware attached. DO NOT download anything purporting to be "Safari for Windows 2016" -- it is NOT FROM APPLE and is almost certainly unsafe for use!
Also in the news this week
Counterfeit products get some Senate attention
Lots of copying disincentivizes innovation
They're going to finish in sections so battery production can begin before the building is complete
The USGS takes renewed interest in Mount St. Helens
"There is absolutely no sign that it will erupt anytime soon, but the data we collect tells us that the volcano is still very much alive [...] Over the last 8 weeks, there have been over 130 earthquakes formally located by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and many more earthquakes too small to be located. Earthquake rates have been steadily increasing since March..."
Stunning videos from the Fort McMurray fires
People leaving the city in a panic and driving convoys right through the fires. The damage toll could be in the range of $10 billion.
Americans seem not to really want the self-driving car
That's why it won't happen wholesale -- the self-driving car will arrive one piece at a time. But it will arrive eventually.
Even newspaper-friendly UK can't sustain a new paper
A well-backed startup lasted just nine weeks
If the endowment gets bigger, why don't tuition rates get smaller?
Warren Buffett obliquely criticizes Grinnell College for its endowment largesse (largely a result of his own work as a trustee) but its failure to make college more affordable with that wealth. The core problem in college costs isn't necessarily funding -- it's the management and administration of higher education. What other industry could behave with such disregard for efficiency?
Russia and China close the "weapons gap" with the United States
Their military weapons are improving, and it's hard not to suspect that cyber-espionage against the US defense sector has played a role
Mark Zuckerberg enlarges his domain over Facebook
Investors who care about voting control might need to pay attention
Listen again on-demand
- Podcast of this episode - segment 1 (We are not dumber than people who lived 30 years ago, no matter what your Facebook news feed says)
- Podcast of this episode - segment 2 (Increased specialization affects us all)
- Podcast of this episode - segment 3 (Windows 10 upgrades will only be free until this summer)
- Podcast of this episode - segment 4 (Block the self-promoting bozos from your social media feeds)