The Spontaneous Home of Alex Laird

SOPA Shelved

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:28:19 -0600

Woohoo! :)

So, sounds like the opposition to SOPA does matter after all, eh Lamar Smith?
http://www.digitaltrends.com/opinion/sopa-sponsor-rep-lamar-smith-to-sopa-opponents-you-dont-matter/

November marks the birthday of Charles Schulz, pioneer of...

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:56:00 -0500

November marks the birthday of Charles Schulz, pioneer of tongue awareness.

Today’s XKCD pays homage to Charles M. Schulz (Nov. 26, 1922 - Feb. 12, 2000), the comic genius behind Peanuts. In case you didn’t get that, I’ve included the original Peanuts comic as well.

- XKCD #972

That Is All

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:02:00 -0500

That Is All:

Everyone should buy this book. That Is All.

I hear in some places, you need one form of ID to buy a gun,...

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:28:00 -0500

I hear in some places, you need one form of ID to buy a gun, but two to pay for it by check. It’s interesting who has what incentives to care about what mistakes.

- XKCD #970

Knowledge is power. France is bacon.

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:26:42 -0500

Knowledge is power. France is bacon.

Urge Congress to Support Defense

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:46:00 -0500

Not sure what your stance is on this issue, but in the case that you lean toward cutting Entitlement Programs rather than National Security programs, please fill out the templated letter to our Congressman below. It literally takes less than fives minutes to fill out and read the pre-written letter, so if you agree with this, then exercise your right as an American to voice your opinion!

Second to None: Urge Congress to Support Defense

For a bit of background, Defense is almost always the first thing Congress looks to when trying to cut the budget (they’ve cut 460 billion from the Defense budget over the last ten years), presumably because the general public believes Defense does not directly affect them. Obviously this is not true, but regardless, the currently proposed cuts would have a severe impact on the protection and security of our country, as well as over one million jobs throughout the country. Obviously, jobs are affected either way: cut National Security, Defense jobs are affected; cut Entitlement Programs, those employed by those programs may be fired. But I would argue that you won’t have Entitlement Programs at all if you don’t maintain a defense of the country that’s promising them to you.

The current defense budget is about 4.9 percent of GDP—the lowest ever during wartime and well below the post-war average of 5.3%. In 1970, Defense took up almost 40 percent of the federal budget; today it makes up less than 16 percent of federal spending.

The thing that worries me most is that people talk about the defense budget as though that’s where the deficits and the debt have incurred. You could wipe out the entire defense budget and not solve the debt problem.

The first responsibility of government is to protect the American people. It’s important to have priorities and a strategy and know what you would like to do and then fund against those priorities and those strategies.

- Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld

Second to None: Urge Congress to Support Defense

Obama Ends Iraq War; Republicans Annoyed

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:10:48 -0500

Obama Ends Iraq War; Republicans Annoyed:

President Obama declared late last week that the U.S. Armed Forces would be pulling completely out of Iraq before the 2011 year-end. Naturally, this upset almost all of those outspoken Republican talk show hosts because, well, they are under contract to not agree with Obama on anything.

The funny thing is, those Republicans who are apparently so against Obama’s decision to end the Iraq War … actually aren’t. I mean, they may be now. But they weren’t. Or perhaps they’re forgetting the Republican mandated U.S.-Iraq Statues of Forces Agreement former President George W. Bush signed back in 2008. Strangely, all those extremely consistent Republicans were for such an agreement back then.

Check out the U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement on Wikipedia

Google Kills Buzz and Others

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:51:00 -0500

Google Kills Buzz and Others:

Google announced last Friday that it will be killing a few of its under-used apps in the weeks to come, first and foremost Buzz, which will be going offline any day now. The rest will be tanked in early January.

Most of the applications they’re dropping are ones that only a select minority audience actually uses, so this shouldn’t come as any big surprise. One item of clarity to add to this is that when Google says they’re closing “Google Code Search”, they are referring to the product, www.google.com/codesearch, which allows you to search all source code hosted on Google. My initial reaction was that they were taking the search bar at the top of my Google Code repository away, and I thought that would simply be silly.

Lately, Google has pulled the plug on many of its stand-alone search products like Google Code Search. I don’t think this is because those engines are useless now, I believe it’s because they’re trying to centralize their search tool. The Google.com search tool now is so customizable by itself in the new left column, that’s where most of these features are being condensed to.

So don’t fret. Google only kills one project to spring forth another, or to make another surge. Your favorite company will continue to Wow! you with new, awesome, and useful things.

The ‘controlled demolition’ theory was concocted by...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:28:00 -0500

The ‘controlled demolition’ theory was concocted by the government to distract us. ‘9/11 was an inside job’ was an inside job!

- XKCD #966

Happy Wednesday, everybody.

Ohio, here Jess and I come tomorrow!

The best part is the li’l cubs li’l cries at the...

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:27:00 -0500

The best part is the li’l cubs li’l cries at the end. Poor guy. He just wants his mommy.

Netflix Abandons Qwikster Plans

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:29:00 -0500

Netflix Abandons Qwikster Plans:

It’s always so reassuring to see that companies in this day-and-age still listen to their customers. Netflix has received nothing but bad press (seriously, if you know of one positive article regarding the announcement, send it to me) since it’s announcement that it would split itself into two separate entities, meaning two accounts users would have to manage, two websites, two queues, two credit card files, two bills, two unsynchronized “favorites” lists, etc.

There was even a pretty decent SNL sketch mocking Netflix’s decision. Watch it here.

My opinion was that, in splitting the DVD rentals and online viewing into two separate entities, Netflix was losing its greatest leverage of competition over other DVD rental/streaming companies. And that was continuity and easy-of-use. Hastings said, “We underestimated the importance of the integration of the two services.” I don’t know how you underestimate your greatest asset and, in many respects, the only real thing that sets you apart from your competitors. But somehow you did.

Finally, it looks like they’re veering back in that direction. So buy now, because it looks like Netflix stock may finally start rising again as the millions of users they lost start returning to their doorstep.

Bank of America, Citibank, and others are planning institute...

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:08:09 -0500

Bank of America, Citibank, and others are planning institute fees if you do not meet a certain criteria for their checking accounts. Of course, US bank, the bank I use, already had these fees. I avoid the monthly fee by direct-depositing my paycheck into that account each month (and immediately transferring the money).

These recent fees (which have become something of a pattern in banks as of a late) bring back to light Louis C.K.’s old sketch on bank fees. Enjoy.

If you want to read more about the new bank fees, go here.

And Jesus can actually afford to do it too!

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:02:26 -0500

And Jesus can actually afford to do it too!

Disgruntled Netflix customers are welcome at Family Video.

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:58:00 -0500

Disgruntled Netflix customers are welcome at Family Video.

Netflix Sandwiches

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:09:00 -0500

Netflix Sandwiches:

Confused about the Netflix/Qwikster split and the ramifications it may have on you? This comic should clear things up.

Andrew sent me this article this morning, and there are two...

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:29:00 -0500

Andrew sent me this article this morning, and there are two things we’re wondering:

First, something seems fishy. It’s NASA forgot about the little guy (his name is UARS) up there until he ran out of fuel. All the while UARS was probably up there being like, “Uuum … guys? Getting kinda low up here!” But NASA was apparently too busy looking at the last Space Shuttle launch or something. At any rate, now he’s out of fuel, dead, and getting ready to fall like a meteor.

Now, in NASA’s defense, they usually don’t do things like this. It’s not normal for them to launch a satellite (or any other object) into space and expect it to come flaming back into the atmosphere like a missile, ready to smash into unsuspecting civilian land. Normally they have controlled deorbits, which would either cause the satellite to burn up on re-entry or to plunge into the Pacific. It’s just like … they forgot about this guy for some reason. Without any fuel, they can’t do a controled re-entry.

Second, what does FEMA have to do with it? Don’t they have, like, a hurricane or a tornado or, you know, a natural disaster to stick their noses into? I’m pretty sure wherever this satellite falls (American soil, American water, or otherwise), the problem is 100% NASA’s, and just like any other disaster NASA has had, they will take care of it completely.

Click here to read the full article.

Sony's "No-Sue" Policy

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 10:48:11 -0500

Sony's "No-Sue" Policy:

Sony release periodic software updates to PlayStation 3 users, and when it does so it usually prompts the user with updated Terms and Conditions of use. The average use will simply click “Agree” and continue using their PS3; after all, failure to agree will render your PS3 account temporarily suspended.

But in the wake of numerous lawsuits (which is sort of the story of Sony’s life), their latest Terms and Conditions require the gamer to agree to settle any and all disputes with Sony out of court. Essentially, Sony is saying that you agree to not sue Sony or you forfeit your right to play in the online PS3 environment.

Call me crazy, but this does ring a bit of blackmail. Read the full article at PCWorld.

And if you drive a typical car more than a mile out of your way...

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:56:00 -0500

And if you drive a typical car more than a mile out of your way for each penny you save on the per-gallon price, it doesn’t matter how worthless your time is to you—the gas to get you there and back costs more than you save.

- XKCD #951

Microsoft Unveils a Radically Redesigned Windows 8

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:52:51 -0500

Microsoft Unveils a Radically Redesigned Windows 8:

Interested in viewing the limited developer’s release for Windows 8? Download it tonight at 10pm (CST) from http://dev.windows.com.

Dilbert from a few days back. Related to my Tumble a few days...

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:52:00 -0500

Dilbert from a few days back. Related to my Tumble a few days back.