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[AnBr]

How to talk to people who are 50 years younger

[goldenvalley]

I'm sure you've all read about the tornado outbreak late Friday, early Saturday.  I just heard from a friend from my hometown in Central Illinois that there is a request out from the National Weather Service asking to be informed if bits of buildings or papers show up.  My home town is 65 miles away from the town where the Amazon Center was damaged (as the crow flies).  I guess this is part of figuring out the magnitude of the tornado.

[Bact PhD]

Dec 12, 2021 19:41:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

I'm sure you've all read about the tornado outbreak late Friday, early Saturday.  I just heard from a friend from my hometown in Central Illinois that there is a request out from the National Weather Service asking to be informed if bits of buildings or papers show up.  My home town is 65 miles away from the town where the Amazon Center was damaged (as the crow flies).  I guess this is part of figuring out the magnitude of the tornado.

I read/heard last night that a family photo from one of the Kentucky towns hit was found about 250 miles away; I don’t recall the exact location in Indiana.

[goldenvalley]

How dry was Sacramento in the last water year (Oct. 1, 2020 - Sept. 30, 2021)?

[LFC]

Admittedly I'm just not wired for either Disney or Star Wars but $5,000 for 2 nights for what sounds like a cheap looking, mediocre movie experience? What in the actual hell?

For years, Disney has been hyping up its mega-expensive, hyper-immersive Star Wars hotel in Walt Disney World. But now, as its opening date approaches, sneak peeks have fans concerned the luxury space resort is the latest Disney dud.

The Galactic Starcruiser is Disney's most ambitious hotel concept yet. Guests must book two nights — which will set you back nearly $5,000 for two people or $6,000 for a family of four — and will spend most of their time inside the spaceship resort, much like a cruise. There's an "excursion" into the Galaxy's Edge part of Disney World, while the remainder of the stay includes interactions with characters, lightsaber training (more on that later) and exclusive restaurants.

With the big price tag and big promises from Disney, Star Wars fans were expecting a mind-blowing, life-changing experience. As the March 1, 2022 opening day grows closer, however, glimpses of the finished product have been underwhelming. The look and feel of the hotel has been criticized as looking plastic and cheap, and reception to one sneak peek video was so bad, it has since disappeared from Disney's YouTube channel.

[pnwguy]

Dec 13, 2021 19:38:27 GMT LFC said:

Admittedly I'm just not wired for either Disney or Star Wars but $5,000 for 2 nights for what sounds like a cheap looking, mediocre movie experience? What in the actual hell?

I was at the Houston Space Center last week, which I only visited once, 35 years earlier. If you want some real experience with space, that's well worth the visit. It's been substantially upgraded with great exhibits and artifacts from the full era of NASA's existence. They have refurbished the original Apollo mission control room to everything that was in use for the 1969 Apollo 11 landing.

[LFC]

Dec 13, 2021 19:57:36 GMT pnwguy said:

They have refurbished the original Apollo mission control room to everything that was in use for the 1969 Apollo 11 landing.

You mean the cameras, lights, and the complete sound stage?

[pnwguy]

Dec 13, 2021 20:46:08 GMT LFC said:

Dec 13, 2021 19:57:36 GMT pnwguy said:

They have refurbished the original Apollo mission control room to everything that was in use for the 1969 Apollo 11 landing.

You mean the cameras, lights, and the complete sound stage?

They even showed the modules surgically implanted into each astronaut, with the radio transmitter and cyanide injector, that would terminate them if they began to discuss the hoax with anyone.  

[LFC]

I just want to run up to these so-called adults, shake them like a rat, and scream at the top of my lungs, "Harry Potter is fantasy! FAN...TA...SY!!!"

Two US quidditch leagues are set to choose a new name for the "Harry Potter"-inspired sport, due to trademark issues and concerns over the "anti-trans positions" of the series' author, J.K. Rowling.

US Quidditch (USQ) and Major League Quidditch (MLQ) have been researching a potential move for more than a year, and will carry out surveys in the next few months as part of the process of choosing a new name, according to a joint statement published December 15.

Real-life quidditch was first played in 2005 at Middlebury College in Vermont, inspired by the game in which wizards and witches in the "Harry Potter" series fly around on broomsticks.

The name "quidditch" is trademarked by Warner Bros., and the leagues believe this has limited the expansion of the sport, citing sponsorship and broadcast opportunities in particular. Warner Bros,, like CNN, is part of WarnerMedia.

Both leagues hope a new name "will allow for new and exciting developments," according to the statement.

"I believe quidditch is at a turning point. We can continue the status quo and stay relatively small, or we can make big moves and really propel this sport forward into its next phase," USQ Executive Director Mary Kimball said in the statement.

"Renaming the sport opens up so many more revenue opportunities for both organizations, which is crucial to expansion," she added.

I found this. I can't even.

[Deleted]

I thought for a moment they had sticks up their arses

[andydp]

I have a new PC !!  Life will return to normalcy at some point.

[AnBr]

I just built one myself. Cut a couple of corners, but figured those would make good upgrades later.

[LFC]

The region of orbit around our planet is getting crowded. It's ironic that China is bitching after they blew up one of their old satellites as a test of an anti-satellite missile which made that zone more dangerous for all satellites with the debris. (So did Russia.)

Earlier in December, the Chinese government filed a document with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at the United Nations. The body helps manage the terms of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, more commonly known as the Outer Space Treaty. In the document, China alleges that it had to move its space station twice this year due to potential collisions with Starlink satellites operated by SpaceX.

The document pointedly notes that signatories of the treaty, which include the US, are responsible for the actions of any nongovernmental activities based within their borders.

The document was filed back on December 6, but it only came to light recently when Chinese Internet users became aware of it and started flaming Elon Musk, head of SpaceX.

The document starts out with an impossibly formal 110-word-long sentence that notes the Outer Space Treaty obliges its signatories to inform other nations when they discover any phenomena in space that could pose a risk to astronauts. It then indicates that China has identified such a threat: Starlink satellites.

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite-based Internet service, which launched in beta earlier this year. To achieve decent coverage, the company has already put up a large number of small satellites, and has plans for many, many more. This has caused worries within the astronomy community, as the satellites can potentially photobomb astronomical observations, appearing as long streaks across lengthy exposures.

There have also been concerns about how the large constellations of satellites could worsen our space junk problem, although those were eclipsed when Russia blew up one of its satellites in November, creating a massive debris cloud.

[goldenvalley]

Dec 29, 2021 17:34:27 GMT LFC said:

The region of orbit around our planet is getting crowded. It's ironic that China is bitching after they blew up one of their old satellites as a test of an anti-satellite missile which made that zone more dangerous for all satellites with the debris. (So did Russia.)

Earlier in December, the Chinese government filed a document with the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space at the United Nations. The body helps manage the terms of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, more commonly known as the Outer Space Treaty. In the document, China alleges that it had to move its space station twice this year due to potential collisions with Starlink satellites operated by SpaceX.

The document pointedly notes that signatories of the treaty, which include the US, are responsible for the actions of any nongovernmental activities based within their borders.

The document was filed back on December 6, but it only came to light recently when Chinese Internet users became aware of it and started flaming Elon Musk, head of SpaceX.

The document starts out with an impossibly formal 110-word-long sentence that notes the Outer Space Treaty obliges its signatories to inform other nations when they discover any phenomena in space that could pose a risk to astronauts. It then indicates that China has identified such a threat: Starlink satellites.

Starlink is SpaceX's satellite-based Internet service, which launched in beta earlier this year. To achieve decent coverage, the company has already put up a large number of small satellites, and has plans for many, many more. This has caused worries within the astronomy community, as the satellites can potentially photobomb astronomical observations, appearing as long streaks across lengthy exposures.

There have also been concerns about how the large constellations of satellites could worsen our space junk problem, although those were eclipsed when Russia blew up one of its satellites in November, creating a massive debris cloud.

One of the things I resent in this world is that a technology is developed and deployed without considering the ramifications of it.  Whether it's space junk mucking up the operation of the operative satellites, alternative baby getting technology that never considered the impact on the actual children produced, or the open use of the internet...all have consequences that should be foreseeable but apparently weren't foreseen in the rush to use the technology.

[LFC]

This is wild. It is possible to timestamp some (not all) recordings with insane accuracy by analyzing the background hum caused by the alternating current electrical feed.

[Bact PhD]

An interesting set of comparisons:

www.vice.com/en/article/pkbxzg/american-cars-are-now-almost-as-big-as-the-tanks-that-won-wwii

… it can be hard to contextualize just how unusual it is for everyday people to be driving such huge vehicles. To many Americans, bigger vehicles almost feel natural, since the trend has been towards larger and larger models every year for the past three decades, even as some new vehicle owners struggle to fit their vehicles in their own garages.

This is why we've chosen to compare the size of these vehicles to World War II tanks. To be sure, there are many differences between World War II tanks and pickups. Shermans weighed approximately 10 times as much as your standard pickup, due in large part to its huge gun and thick armor. They also were not capable of accelerating anywhere near as quickly as modern pickups and SUVs, and World War II tanks could barely go faster than 30 miles per hour.

[snip]

As you can see, the most startling result is that there isn't a huge difference. Generally speaking, pickup trucks in the U.S. are about the same length as a Sherman tank, give or take a few inches, and less than two feet narrower. The biggest difference is in height. The Sherman was 108 inches tall, whereas trucks tend to have a cab height of about 76 inches. (Nearly all pickup trucks in the same class have virtually identical dimensions regardless of which company makes them.) The Panzer and T-34 were shorter than the Sherman both in length and height, but wider.

Perhaps more surprising is that large SUVs like the Chevy Suburban, Lincoln Navigator, and Ford Expedition, specifically marketed as family vehicles, are just as comparable to World War II tanks in size.

Then again, perhaps it's not surprising. "It's like driving a tank" is a phrase often used in reviews for these vehicles in a positive way.

I wonder whether those ginormous modern pickups & SUVs handle like tanks, as well. I have enough trouble maneuver my crossover SUV in certain garages and loop drives that were designed and built during the heyday of the subcompact car; I cannot fathom getting these behemoths around those places.

[LFC]

Theranos founder and top-level grifter Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on 4 counts.

Elizabeth Holmes was convicted today of three counts of criminal wire fraud and one count of criminal conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The jury delivered its verdict after six days of deliberation.

The government’s victory in the case is a rare rebuke for tech startups, which often pitch investors on their technological prowess and business acumen using wildly optimistic assumptions.

Theranos was, perhaps, an extreme example, raising over $900 million on the back of claims that its proprietary tests were better, cheaper, and less invasive than the competition. None of those claims was true, and unlike many other Silicon Valley startups, the health and safety of patients was on the line.

Holmes was found guilty of defrauding Lakeshore Capital Management (the family office of the DeVoses) of $100 million, PFM Healthcare (a hedge fund) of $38 million, and an LLC connected to Daniel Mosley (Henry Kissinger’s former estate attorney) of $6 million. She was also convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud against Theranos investors more generally. On three charges, all alleging wire fraud against investors, the jury returned no verdict. Holmes was acquitted of all other charges, including those that involved defrauding patients. She faces up to 20 years in prison.

With the guilty verdict, Holmes, the founder of the company, is the first Theranos executive to be held criminally responsible for her actions, though she may not be the last.

[goldenvalley]

Jan 4, 2022 15:38:28 GMT LFC said:

Theranos founder and top-level grifter Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on 4 counts.

Uhmm OK.  I've not been following this much so forgive me if I ask the stupid question...was Holmes the only person charged with anything related to this product/company?  I understand going after the most visible person in a company that is ripping people off, but I'd be surprised if she was acting alone.  Is this a lazy prosecution?

[LFC]

Jan 4, 2022 16:21:25 GMT goldenvalley said:

Jan 4, 2022 15:38:28 GMT LFC said:

Theranos founder and top-level grifter Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on 4 counts.

Uhmm OK.  I've not been following this much so forgive me if I ask the stupid question...was Holmes the only person charged with anything related to this product/company?  I understand going after the most visible person in a company that is ripping people off, but I'd be surprised if she was acting alone.  Is this a lazy prosecution?

Per the last paragraph I quoted:

With the guilty verdict, Holmes, the founder of the company, is the first Theranos executive to be held criminally responsible for her actions, though she may not be the last.

She's the founder and I can't see nailing the top dog first as a "lazy prosecution." I guess we'll see if she'll spill her guts to try to keep her sentence light. She's looking at real jail time because she made the big mistake of stealing money from a few rich people rather than a huge number of poor ones. That was Bernie Madoff's mistake as well.

[goldenvalley]

Jan 4, 2022 17:14:50 GMT LFC said:

She's looking at real jail time because she made the big mistake of stealing money from a few rich people rather than a huge number of poor ones. That was Bernie Madoff's mistake as well.

Good point.  

[andydp]

General observation on flying in the COVID era.

People are accepting the mask mandate. If there's anything that will chill your protest, its the thought of fines and jail time.

Despite major holiday crowding, TSA line in Denver moved quickly.  I guess it helped they had a lot of people on duty.

Alcohol is no longer served on planes.  In fact, you can't even drink your own stuff.  You also have to finish it before getting on.

There were major delays on the East Coast due to the storm.  Fortunately, our connection to Albany in Midway was delayed so we made our connection even after running/hustling all the way down a corridor.  For dinner, we partook of a double decker Moon Pie.  (I asked the young lady at the counter if she had a six pack of RC Cola. She didn't get it).  

While in Denver, I was gifted a bottle of Leopold Brothers, American small batch whiskey. I purchased a Bottle of "Old Elk Bourbon" aged in Armagnac barrels.  They also have Sherry aged bourbon.  An in-depth analysis of these medicinal elixirs will be posted in the Booze thread.

[Bact PhD]

Jan 4, 2022 16:21:25 GMT goldenvalley said:

Jan 4, 2022 15:38:28 GMT LFC said:

Theranos founder and top-level grifter Elizabeth Holmes found guilty on 4 counts.

Uhmm OK.  I've not been following this much so forgive me if I ask the stupid question...was Holmes the only person charged with anything related to this product/company?  I understand going after the most visible person in a company that is ripping people off, but I'd be surprised if she was acting alone.  Is this a lazy prosecution?

In one of the accounts (?WaPo?) I read last night, there’s shit going down with her #2, and some back-and-forth legal wrangling between the two.

[goldenvalley]

Jan 4, 2022 19:39:43 GMT andydp said:

For dinner, we partook of a double decker Moon Pie.  (I asked the young lady at the counter if she had a six pack of RC Cola. She didn't get it).  

Sad to say that even in Nashville you probably wouldn't get an RC Cola and no one would recognize the combination.  You would have to go to Bell Buckle TN a tiny town that still stages an RC Moonpie festival.

Last October my husband said he was a bit disappointed that no one was duct taped to the seat on any of our flights...were you also disappointed?

[andydp]

Jan 5, 2022 1:33:49 GMT goldenvalley said:

Jan 4, 2022 19:39:43 GMT andydp said:

For dinner, we partook of a double decker Moon Pie.  (I asked the young lady at the counter if she had a six pack of RC Cola. She didn't get it).  

Sad to say that even in Nashville you probably wouldn't get an RC Cola and no one would recognize the combination.  You would have to go to Bell Buckle TN a tiny town that still stages an RC Moonpie festival.

Last October my husband said he was a bit disappointed that no one was duct taped to the seat on any of our flights...were you also disappointed?

I enjoy drama less situations. Besides it would have disrupted my crossword puzzle work.

[LFC]

BMW has a concept car that allows you to change its color (black, white, or a mix so you can choose racing strips if you want) on demand. All I can think about is the repair bill for a fender bender.

Choosing a car color isn’t just about personal preference; there are other, more practical factors that come into play. Dirt stands out on a light-colored car, while a vehicle painted a darker shade can become extremely hot inside as it absorbs sunlight on a warm summer day. BMW imagines a future where no one has to choose—changing the color of your car can happen in an instant by leveraging the same low-power screen technology that ebook readers use.

Calling the customized BMW iX Flow the company revealed at CES 2022 today a giant rolling Amazon Kindle isn’t entirely accurate. For starters, it doesn’t have access to the Amazon online ebook store, nor does it have a soft glowing backlight making the vehicle stand out in a crowded parking lot at night. It does, however, feature an outer wrap made from E Ink’s electronic paper display technology, which uses tiny microcapsules of colored ink that rise or sink to change their visibility and produce specific colors, as well as complicated patterns and designs, almost instantly. If you want to know more about the unique display technology, check out our detailed explainer of E Ink here.