Google Be Evil?
A disturbing trend that has a lot to scare any free-information needing democracy..but is Google censoring speech it doesn’t agree with? Their motto is “don’t be evil“..explained as “culture prohibited conflicts of interest, and required objectivity and an absence of bias.”
The whole point of “don’t be evil” would be to allow free information to be found, regardless of the view of the gatekeeper..no censorship. We know that Google’s CEO campaigned for Obama and I’m a little surprised being in the unbiased information industry he’d even tell people who he supported. Update…Google wants more power?
The latest eye-brow raising case of google censorship is in their auto-results. If you begin to search, you’ve seen it recommend commonly searched phrases. Type in “Christianity is” and before you’re done you have a list of hot discussions on the topic (and ironically all negative)…or type in anything other terms to get the same. Well…just about any other terms.
Type in “Islam is” and get the below recommendations…err..no results? I did this myself and it happens just as this shows. Hmm…
A Google spokesman explained that the weird absence of results is just a software problem: “This is in fact a bug and we’re working to fix it as quickly as we can.” But the company would not respond to requests for clarification.
There are only two things that bring down a free people …. lack of responsibility and lack of free information. This is why the first amendment dealt with freedom of speech rather than hundreds of other things it could’ve.
It appears pretty likely this suppression of negative Islam searches, and in many other cases, that Google does have an agenda. Their search engine is fast, effective, and used by most people in the world. But if you have a conscience about such things, it may be time to take another look at Bing. This is the same Google that has all your emails, your history of everywhere you looked up on Google Maps, your GPS location, all your searches, and countless other pieces of information from their other software.
They say they won’t be evil with all that information on you. But who is watching the gatekeepers?
Climate Scientists or Your Lying Eyes?
I’ll say, this is one cold blip…but a blip Winter 2010 is according to Climate scientists.
3 decades cold snap fills up hospitals in .. Florida. Blip
Wind chill near zero in Canada. I mean Texas. Blip
Wind chills near -50 (your thermometer is doing it wrong). Blip
But indeed, this, and the past few years have been a blip on the grand scale of climate. Fair enough. They’ve got facts to back it up…climate data showing overall we’re warmer the past decade. I mean they don’t make those stats up right? It’s science. (John Stewart weighs in) It’s not like they’d get barred from the scientific community or lose their funding if they went against the established theory.
There was another one of these climate blips in the industrial age. Man made global cooling.
So bundle up and wait for the government to let us know what we can do to help. Wait long enough and they’ll change their mind.
Until then, your lying eyes.
Transparency Was the Change We Believed In. How Foolish.
It seems an odd thing that Obama had eye popping approval numbers and then shortly had the lowest approval numbers in year one of a presidency in history? How could that be? (Besides all you redneck racists changing your mind).
Very simple. It was the promise of transparency. Even a devout libertarian like myself had fleeting interest in Obama. The choice was between two big government types, he and McCain, so that was a wash. After 8 years of behind-closed-doors, I was somewhat inspired to hear all the promises of transparency. It was the only part of that change I kinda believed in.
If I had to have big government, at least I wanted to be able to keep an eye on them.
Unlike most of Obama’s vague, grandiose promises..he was pretty specific on transparency. Especially when it came to healthcare. I saw its passing as inevitable…but when you take over 1/6th of the economy I hoped the “other side” could at least kill a few of the freedom and economy killing provisions, and make it simply a big expansion of Medicaid or something.
There were many more promises of transparency that have come and disappeared into the black of government night just as Bush did, but this one has caught up to him. Back room deals, big insurance, 100 million dollar payoffs, secret meetings. Hats off to C-SPAN for having the guts to fight for open government when each penstroke behind closed doors moves around billions of our money. As we reach the final stages before the bill is passed, they’ve taken it behind doors so closed even other congress members don’t know what’s going on.
Here’s the history. In glorious video. Again, Al Gore, thank you for the internets. The last video shows what happens when you get called out on it.
The sad part, it was a great idea. Of the failures to date, this one will hurt the worst.
The promises of transparency. 8 separate times.
C-SPAN says those open debates did happen..to the tune of 1 total hour.
Background – The head of C-SPAN wrote a letter, asked Congress to — quote — “open all the important negotiations, including any conference committee meetings, to electronic media coverage”
Jack Cafferty Lays into Obama on FoxNews. Just kidding, CNN. via Hot Air.
President Obama hasn’t even made a token effort to keep his campaign promises of more openness and transparency in government. It was all just another lie that was told in order to get elected.
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs Bombs when Responding to Yet Another Reporter’s Calling Them Out.
When (he) was asked whether the administration would support televising the negotiations, he refused to answer, instead mumbling something about, well, I haven’t seen the letter. That wasn’t the question, Mr. Gibbs.
Fail?
Netflix to Stop Renting New Releases?
Is Netflix really going to stop renting out new releases? Well…actually yes and no.
I’m a huge fan of Netflix..they’ve gotten their delivery system down to a science, and with their on-demand movies it really is a bargain at 14.99 (16.99 with BluRay) a month.
So why the heck would they stop renting new release movies? What does that even mean?
Apparently that ability to get a new release the day it comes out in your mailbox isn’t sitting too well with the studios who want you to buy their new DVDs. Warner Bros. is the first to officially put a 28 day delay on their new releases. Unfortunately, the gates are open and it is expected that the rest of the studios will be finalizing a similar agreement shortly.
Is there any bright side? Well, there’s this…
In return for the concession, Netflix will get a discount on Warner Bros. discs. And it’ll be able to offer more of the studio’s movies and TV shows for subscribers to watch over the Internet.
With Redbox and those other sketchy DVD rental kiosks dealing with the same problem..is this the beginning of the end of cheap movie rentals?
Or will people just go back to downloading them for free?
Your Tax Dollars Paid for This Art
Just kidding. It’s not a religious picture covered or sitting in human waste, so it won’t qualify for NEA funds. Pick the right establishment targets or its on your own dime.
Incidentally, this is very timely since apparently this first whack of cold is just a free preview of the coldest winter in almost 3 decades. See the Weather Channel’s “Next Arctic Blast Colder and a Serious Threat.”
…In Alaska the “Frozen Gore” ice sculpture for display in front of a liquor store. This year’s version features Gore blowing smoke — but only when a truck exhaust is connected.
Your tax dollars DID pay for this hysterical little piece on PBS as reported this week though.
(video and summary of Learn to Speak Teabag at Hotair.com)
Movie Review: Avatar
Avatar (Rated PG-13)
Directed by James Cameron
Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
Runtime – 2 hours 32 minutes
Now on its way past $1 billion dollars worldwide, I finally caught Avatar 3D in a nearly packed theater on a Wednesday night. This is one of the few films that, more than 3 weeks into it, has barely seen a drop in attendance. Which means it’s all word of mouth.
So how was it? Worth the hype? If you’ve waited this long to see it, here’s the key points:
* Yes, you should see it in the theater.
* Don’t even consider not seeing it in 3D or IMAX unless it is unavailable
* It’s long…the plot moves fairly slowly…but it doesn’t seem like a 2.5 hour movie.
* The visuals and special effects alone make whatever the ticket price is fully worth it.
* It’s much better than the trailer implies.
* It’s probably not as good as your friend described it to you that saw it opening weekend. But almost.
I am not really the target for this movie. I rarely see 2+ hour movies in the theater, I don’t like movies with weird alien creatures unless it is called Star Wars, I really hate movies that are mostly CGI, and I don’t really appreciate left-wing “preachy movies.” And I liked it. But how??
Visually speaking, the film must be seen to be believed. The visuals are so amazing that they proved me wrong that CGI mixing with real was the death of movies. But it was obvious that 5 years of intense, and artistically brilliant, work was put into this…something George Lucas has no idea about. CGI causes a wild imagination to destroy a film because there are no boundaries…from Star Wars Episode I to countless others, impossible worlds with clone-like animations of millions of onscreen characters don’t interact with the real people. When a CGI character is onscreen, you know it.
In Avatar, the lush world of Pandora where the movie takes place feels like a real world. You’re excited to see where they go next. The non-human characters (the Na’vi tribe), which are fully CGI, actually pop out of the environment. The strange animals on the planet move like real animals. When there are 10 on screen, each one has depth to it and unique movements that were carefully crated individually..from veins, to muscle, to lighting. It wasn’t a copy and paste job.
What really impressed me was how the film’s 3D wasn’t a gimmick…it was actually necessary to put you into the action and shouldn’t be seen without it. It’s also the first 3D film I’ve ever seen that doesn’t use the “popping out at you” gimmick. While most 3D movies abuse the area closest to your eyes, Avatar uses what’s furthest away to give it depth. When you are soaring hundreds of feet into the air…you feel like you’re going too high. Still images do not do it justice.
But enough of the visuals (which I’ll get back to later) what about that other little thing …characters and plot?
To be quite honest, this unoriginal plot was Dances With Wolves part II almost frame by frame. It also preaches to the audience in no subtle terms about war, colonialism against the indians, the environment, and the evil of capitalism. On top of it, the mediocre characters aren’t developed, written, or acted all that well, the leftist message is very clunky and un-nuanced with a plot moves along fairly slowly.
The basic plot is that the humans are out of gasoline on earth in 2054, so they go to this planet where there’s an endless supply of some new type of fuel. The tribes that live there won’t leave their land, so we set up a base and plan to take it over ourselves. This is accomplished by mentally inserting the humans into “avatars” that look like the tribes so they can live among the native people. They really don’t explain how any of the science works 
Though I swear I saw an Apple Tablet on the ship.
But the very simple message is pounded without much attention to the complexity of different kinds of war. Is the Iraq war the same as the war against the indians? What about WWII? Terrorism against the Jews? Are all military people that bloodthirsty (according to the film they are)? There is a scene in the movie reminiscent of 9/11….was that on purpose and what were they trying to say? ..and then there’s always the whiteman condescension take.
Fortunately the visuals and a few key scenes at the right times lift the movie past the message into levels of epic adventure, action, and drama. Can a man fall in love with a large blue woman? I now, in fact, believe he can.
Though I can’t properly describe it, the world created on Pandora with CGI takes you there, and by doing that it does something that no movie I’ve seen really has done. By going into that world, you accept that world for 2.5 hours and are fully into it….nonsensical plot points and all. You may find yourself crying frequently, as a matter of fact. It’s that powerful a visual combo.
Is it as good as Titanic? No. Is it as good as The Dark Knight? Also, no. But it IS an experience unlike any other I’ve had at the movies. In the past you go for the plot, special effects, to laugh, or whatever. You base your like of the movie on what it was trying to do. Avatar is trying to give you a new experience unlike anything you’ve had at a theater before…and in that, it does. And it will stick with you for a long time to come.
3 stars out of 4
3 Different Takes from around the web
if you only see one film in a 3-D cinema this year, make it Avatar. - The Sydney Morning Herald
The narrative would be ho-hum without the spectacle. But what spectacle! – New York Movies
A movie whose effects are clearly revolutionary, a spectacle that millions will find adventure in. But it nevertheless feels unsatisfying and somehow lacks the pulse of a truly alive film. – AP Review
Is Google’s New Superphone an Iphone Killer?
The self-described “superphone” (as opposed to the so 2000′s “smartphone”) by Google (unconfirmed if it’s the official Google phone) has just hit the streets. It’s called the Nexus One. It is an Android phone designed by Google and HTC. So…is it really any good? And more importantly, after 3 years trying, has someone finally come up with something better than the iPhone?
First, a few answers to the basics since this thing was rumored a bit, but sorta just popped up out of nowhere. Early hands-on reviews later in the post.
1) Where can I buy it?
Google’s got a new online store to purchase directly. You can buy it today on T-Mobile for $180 with a 2-year contract. Or you can buy it unlocked, without any service, for $530.
2) T-Mobile? Don’t they suck? What about Verizon?
Yes, T-Mobile sucks if you live anywhere you can’t see an 8 story building on the horizon. Verizon is getting one in a few months, so it’d be worth comparing to the Motorola Droid, their other Android phone, if you’re in the market. They are a bit different.
And you’ll be able to get it to use on AT&T. One minor issue though – it won’t work with their 3G signal, just the EDGE 2G. No biggie, my iPhone hardly works with 3G either most of the time.
Does it have a slide out keyboard like Motorola Droid? Please?!
Nope. And even though it’s all touch screen, it still doesn’t offer multi-touch.
So tell me a little about Android 2.1 WTF is .1 about it?
It’s like the operating system on the Moto Droid on Red Bull (not the sugar-free kind). From Gizmodo.
You have things like five screens for homescreen panels and Live Wallpapers, which are basically backgrounds you can interact with.
A 3D photogallery, which pulls visual tricks like having photos zoom out when you tap an album, and load on a 3D plane when you move the phone around. And, galleries are now background-synced to Picasa.
Voice is the key feature. Every text field is voice enabled, so you basically never have to type anything.
Other than that, the whole 3D framework is faster and fancier..better app launchers, backgrounds, faster games and most importantly — a lag-free performance.
Updated: Why is there a Trackball? Isn’t it touch screen?
When I first wrote this post, I couldn’t find anything on what the purpose of the trackball on this was. I recently found my answer, still doesn’t make a lot of sense.
The trackball is basically useless—you’ll only use it for its color-based notifications that tell you that you have a new email, text message or missed call without having to turn on the screen. As for using it as a scrolling device, the fact that scrolling around the OS or a webpage gives you inconsistent results depending on what “element” of the screen you land on means the ball is essentially useless for navigation. However, you will have to use it for text selection, because you can’t hold your finger down to move the cursor—you have to use the ball to navigate to exactly where you want.
Some specs please.
A very speedy 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (faster than iPhone), with a 3.7-inch, 480×800 AMOLED screen and a super-slim overall design. Slightly thinner and lighter than the iPhone. Not as smooth as the iPhone.
5 megapixel camera with an LED flash—it also shoots MPEG-4 video with one-click YouTube upload. Also has Wireless N Wi-Fi (that’s the faster one).
The trackball’s got a multicolor LED for different notifications, and of course it’s got a compass, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack, two mics for “active noise suppression,” light and proximity sensors, and an accelerometer onboard.
The 1400mAH battery promises 5 hours of 3G browsing and 7 hours of 3G talk time.
The Reviews
The Good (check out Gizmodo’s very positive hands-on review)
Check out Engadget’s mostly enthusiastic and overly long review here.
….the Nexus One is astonishingly faster than the Droid. The speed dominance was most evident when we compared the loading of webpages, but even when you’re just scrolling around, launching apps and moving about the OS, you could tell that there’s a beefier brain inside the N1.
….The 5-megapixel camera is nice, and the flash works well enough for a flash on a phone, but it’s not spectacular,
….There’s no multitouch in the browser or in the map, but I think at this point that’s more of a legal consideration than a technical one,
…..If Google’s planning on releasing this phone as their official Google phone, it’ll certify them as the premium Android phone brand out there right now. Even though it doesn’t have a hardware keyboard, it basically beats the hell out of the Droid in every single task that we threw at it.
More? Google and Adobe bringing Flash 10 to the Android. Here’s a demo.
The Bad (see the review over at Fox News hands on).
……Yet despite the hype, the Nexus One is hardly as ground-breaking as the iPhone. Apple’s entry in turned the the cell phone market on its ear, highlighting how intuitive and visually dynamic a cell phone can be. Apple later announced the App Store, transforming the cell phone from a communication device into a do-everything portable computer.
So is it an iPhone killer? Seems like every time this question is asked it’s an almost yes..but never does. Time will tell..but they better hurry because I am thinking this summer’s iPhone may kill whatever that ends up being.
24 Season 8 Gets Thumbs Up Pre-Review
Updated – preview video added.
Although I was a very reluctant and late starter, the miracle of Hulu and Netflix got me caught up for last season’s 24 and it quickly become one of my favorite shows of all time. Plenty of moral wrangling, action, and plot twists go great with Jack Bauer – definitely the greatest action TV character of my time. The gimicky real-time filming actually is what makes the show great.
An early look at the first 4 hours of 24 was posted up over at The Live Feed and it looks like this season is going to be a pleasant return to form for the show. If you don’t watch, check out the back-to-back season premieres on Fox later Sunday Jan, 17. If you do watch, you’ll want to keep doing so.
As always, the biggest trick with “24″ is presenting the familiar plotting and twists for an audience that’s been here many times before. Though this season’s assassination storyline is familiar, the execution is strong and grounded in realism juuuust enough — at least, so far.
Click here for the full Early Look at 24 Day 8.
Why is it so cold? Global Warming of course.
I like to present global warming as the new opiate of the masses because..well..it is. All the things the hardest left “warmers” hate about religion – the blind faith in the face of facts, the forcing of their beliefs on the unclean world, a fiery death if we don’t believe – describes them to a tee.
And much like the good ole’ preacher boys found in the back room smokin’ cigars and drinking whiskey after church service, you can always find a warming nut wherever there’s a private jet or armada of limos.
In the lengthy list in my previous post of stories on this mind (and body) numbing, once in 3 decades winter we’re in, I included a link to an article about how Peru’s mountain people face extinction because of the harsh cold. A reasonable person may or may not put this together with the rest of this decade’s facts and begin to question this global warming (now referred to as climate change) thing and say…slow down fellas on the back breaking regulations.
But only a true believer would hold this story of the soon to be frozen-solid Peru mountain people up as…evidence of global warming. Click link to see article.
This heart-wrenching story of how you’re killing them..makes absolutely no sense.
Climate change is bringing freezing temperatures to poor villages where families have long existed on the margins of survival. Now some must choose whether to save the animals that give them a living, or their children.
The few hundred people who live here are hardened to poverty and months of sub-zero temperatures during the long winter. But, for the fourth year running, the cold came early. First their animals and now their children are dying and in such escalating numbers that many fear that life in the village may be rapidly approaching an end. Click link to see full article.
Coldest. Winter. Ever.
Updated stories below. Perhaps not, but even the most religious Global Warming believer has gotta be having trouble holding their signs up in 18 degree temperatures. In the deep South. It’s the coldest stretch of winter (especially in late Dec./early Jan) I can recall in my lifetime. It’s getting so cold out there, you almost need to falsify climate data to keep the dream alive. Oh wait.
I wouldn’t care so much if a massive freedom-destroying and economic growth busting cap and trade bill wasn’t on the icy horizon. I guess they’re hoping we’re too busy shoveling our driveways to notice.
Only two possibilities occur in my mind. Either we need to do the lefty favorite of beginning to question the establishment thinking on global warming, or Obama is ahead of schedule in his promise to lower the rising seas and solve global warming.
Here’s just this week’s news from the weather front. (yes, that’s why global warming has now been called “climate change”..because colder or hotter, we’re causing it. You plastic bag using, meat eating, capitalist freak.)
But the best evidence..better than any news article, scientific study, or algore powerpoint presentation is to just (try) to go outside.
———-
Winter of 2010 could be the worst in 25 years in US. For reference, that’s back when Transformers was worth watching.
North Carolina is in the middle of the coldest winter snap in a generation.
Florida and the East have chills 20 degrees below normal (yes, that is different than “above normal” as we’ve been told to expect.) Hope you weren’t planning on buying oranges this year.
In the plains…20, 30, 40 degrees below zero. (that’s 30 degrees below normal) Whatever, just stop driving SUVs.
It’s been said that North America has an oddity in cold temperatures compared worldwide. Not this week.
Seoul buried in heaviest snowfall in 70 years.
Britain facing coldest winter in 100 years. Bloody cold.
Peru’s Mountain people face extinction due to frigid winter.
Coldest temperatures in Beijing, China in 40 years.
And India, Russia, Germany, and Austria. Yes, that India.
US Wind Chill Map
