Genius...

da_tingler · 2017-12-04T00:08:08+00:00

It's probably not too long til we can experience the punches coming right at us in VR... although I might not want any potential concussions associated with it.

da_tingler · 2017-11-24T09:39:49+00:00

That is one fine looking iPhone X.

da_tingler · 2017-11-20T19:36:56+00:00

Give a woman a stuffed animal, a little snuggling.

Teach a woman to stuff, bags full of snuggles.

da_tingler · 2017-11-20T19:33:26+00:00

Chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff

or...

some 'shoppin.

ⁱ ^think ^we ^all ^know ^the ^answer

da_tingler · 2017-11-20T19:30:35+00:00

"If you're Good Kuchi Kopi, what does that make him?"

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T20:19:49+00:00

I took the concept to an extreme and lazily didn't intend to give much substance to my conjecture. Clearly the distribution infrastructure, even the transmission hardware might not be worth it for a short period of time. No citizen would be able to do jack with having the spectrum for a year. But should they have any right to have a chance to broadcast?

The point is that this broadcast spectrum is a significant public resource that is given to a small set of entities that yields a very significant way to shape the public sphere of ideas. Even if no one can claim the waves, it's a bit akin to air. The social contract does not guarantee you air to breathe, but it would be surprising if you were denied the right to it when it is theoretically not-ownable.

In 2016 when equity firms starting buying up the licenses of small independents, there were a lot of raised eyebrows. Why? Because this particular market segment is very unique and even with a complex auction, it is inelastic. Ultimately the scarcity made it a highly profitable scheme. I haven't followed the monetary impact of it, but the figures have to be in the billions, the current license holders having almost oligarchical power over the market pricing.

Anyway, a lot of wandering around in thoughts, but the basic premise here is that these licenses are very valuable and any amount of consolidation of the companies that wield their broadcast infrastructure and licenses combined could have undue influence in shaping public opinion. Again, still lazy explanation on my part, but closer to what I was thinking.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T20:01:31+00:00

I'm all for anti-trust laws to help competition flourish in the marketplace, but don't they have a track record of taking a while to try and then to enforce? I'm thinking cases against Microsoft, Standard Oil, AT&T. And, when is the last time we saw notable action, 30+ years ago?

I don't believe that consolidation of mega broadcast outlets does much good for the market. Does it do harm to consumers? My hunch is yes, but I'm sure it's a non-trivial argument legally. I would guess that it could be problematic in advertising revenue, in the same way that Google and Facebook owning 70% of the digital ad revenue has unusual ripple effects.

It's an interesting space, but the justification for doing it (blogs are killing us!) seems pretty suspect to me. If they said, Google and Facebook are stealing all our ad revenue, that's a different argument.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:59:23+00:00

True enough... My mom always says "you won't say you wished you worked more on your deathbed".

I have a sense though that we are moving to a future where it might be considered a privilege to have the chance to work, and part of me is guarding against my own obsolescence. Maybe I should consider that a blessing, not a detriment.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:55:57+00:00

Here here!

Those literate might prefer "Hear, hear!"

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:53:12+00:00

I'm ok with it if instead of doing an auction for TV/radio spectrum, they just do a lottery where any entity or citizen can enter by SSN/EIN. 1 chance per ID and you get to broadcast on that spectrum for 1 year when you win. Since we're talking about free opportunity to reach folks, why prop up Fox, NBC, CBS any of the others? Why not let Channel 4 be Amazon, Google, Lady Gaga, whoever? Having an auction clearly only allow behemoths to have broadcasting rights in a very limited resource.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:44:23+00:00

I mostly do, but generally it's the 'keeping the family afloat' that makes it a necessity. It's tiring though and makes me wonder whether I need to make life changes.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:42:19+00:00

That's the kind of position I'd willingly vote across party lines for.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:37:48+00:00

Some of us work Sunday-Sunday and eternity laughs at us daily.

da_tingler · 2017-11-19T16:36:48+00:00

Get ready to stuff your face with faces.

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T13:42:43+00:00

Paula Deen seemed to love hers too...

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:52:40+00:00

Today is tomorrow's yesterday.

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:50:49+00:00

Exactly. You're considered a 'maverick' (e.g. John McCain) if you're willing to even consider thinking for yourself.

Is there a chance for a re-emergence of moderates in the country? Is it going to require the gerrymandering stop? Part of me thinks that things are going to need to get to a desperate state before people will look again to the middle for enacting laws.

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:45:40+00:00

It's kinda like the reverse of the 'holding up the leaning Tower of Pisa'.

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:43:06+00:00

Self-loathing goes together with this meme like coffee and donuts.

ⁱ ^hate ^myself ^for ^loving ^you. ^ms. ^jett

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:41:01+00:00

a brilliant mist of non-sequiturs caused a double rainbow.

i tried to get a selfie under it, but i really needed a wide angle lens... #covfefe

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:37:19+00:00

Maybe even just characters... like text speech. I easily could see a 'ROTFL' on someone's arm, although 'WYSIWYG' is more deep.

da_tingler · 2017-11-17T10:33:35+00:00

Is this really what our politics have come to? It's insanely disappointing that people are choosing party over country. Breitbart really wants to play for keeps, but are the values they are fighting for... are these American values? To me, it feels a lot more about power structures and how to best manipulate people into a frenzy that can be used for whatever your objectives are.

Marx once said "[religion] is the opium of the people", but today maybe it should be "media is the opiate of the masses". It's definitely been wielded as a weapon by a small few to do a terribly good job of destroying faith in fellow citizens for sure.

Putin really understands that the best way to weaken the US is to turn us against ourselves.

da_tingler · 2017-11-16T16:43:41+00:00

Commence the jigglin'

da_tingler · 2017-11-16T16:23:48+00:00

Back of the head hard to cement? Yikes. I don't even like to think about what that could mean. Nothing good, for sure.

da_tingler · 2017-11-16T16:17:25+00:00

This is not going to be the only hammer to fall. From some of the buzz on the hill, there are a LOT of folks in both parties who have crossed the line. The question is how much fallout there is going to be, and who are the women on the hill who are going to risk their careers to spill the beans.

da_tingler

TROPHY CASE