Where would life be without fascinations? Where would life be without exploring the different aspects of our world through laughter, amazement, curiosity, and that childlike glee when we see something anew for the first time? I only wish that I could somehow bring many of the different treats that arrive on my web doorstep to your attention. Of course, through the magic of the Internet, there are few constraints to this excitement.
On the last workday of the week (usually Friday), we will bring you something at 12:00 noon Pacific Time (that’s late afternoon on the East Coast, so you have something before leaving the office). It’s here to tickle your fancy, entice you to learn, entertain you, or simply explore your funny bone. It may not always be humor, but it should never be boring. It will be clean, safe for work and the family, and will be related to our core topics at Computer Talk Radio, that’s computers and technology, and occasionally just plain nerdy.
Further, like many of the other things around here, if you submit something that we use in our Friday Fascinations, I’ll also send you something from the grab box(es).
Benjamin Rockwell
Bose is closing down all of its US and European stores | Engadget
The blame is on online shopping. More comments at the close of this weeks broadcast of Computer Talk Radio. Popular audio brand Bose has announced it is closing a significant number of its stores. The Verge reports that the company made the decision due to the...
Spotify launches playlists for dogs left home alone
What to make of this? I'm not a pet owner, but I never considered playing music for animals as being a thing. Apparently I'm in the minority, however, as 74% of UK pet owners play tunes for their terriers. Additional parts of the playlist include various voice items...
Walmart Expands Its Robotic Workforce to 650 Additional Stores
Seeing one of these robots in person makes you concerned about the jobs that may be going away. I know that others are created to make the machines. I know about efficiency and accuracy. It's all part of a sadder future. Take this as a goal, be better than an...
‘Smile with your eyes’: How to beat South Korea’s AI hiring …
A few months ago, I was interviewed by an AI robot. The cold experience of the company was as one could imagine. It's something that we will eventually all have to deal with, as various employers determine the right stuff. It's unfortunate, as dealing with a real...
Robots out of work as automated businesses close in Bay Area
A few weeks back, an announcement about a new robot pizza making wonder, and now another set of robots are out of business. Other robots in the automated market are also having problems. If you're on the unemployment line, and you see one of these metal machines,...
Forget What You Think You Know About Blue Light and Sleep | Time
The latest news is that the blue light from our devices may not disrupt sleep any more than any other light. It's something that may have been based upon the major amounts of blue light from our sun, instead of actual evidence. Mice tested had no problems, but there's...
Microsoft is patching a major Windows 10 flaw discovered by the NSA (updated) | Engadget
The NSA now has so many backdoors into Windows that they've started passing along suggested fixes to Microsoft? Amazing, but perhaps we've arrived at a point where they realize that problems with Windows endanger all of us. Even more amazing was that this was in a...
Firefox attacks: Homeland Security urges all users to update browsers
While one of the lower used browsers on the market, at 8.66% in the US according to StatCounter, Firefox is still a backup browser for many people. The fact that our government is currently urging us all to update, means this is something to be acutely aware of. Jump...
Quickly Upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10 for Free With This PowerShell Script
Are you running Windows 7 (or 8), and want to run Windows 10? The instructions will help you get to the new version. Check your minimum requirements first, but Microsoft has worked hard to make this run on almost anything that's been sold in the last 7 or so years. If...
TESS Discovers Its 1st Planet Orbiting 2 Stars | NASA
Serious kudos and praise to Wolf, a year old intern at NASA, who discovered a planet. He studied some data pertaining to a binary star system and determined that additional information indicated something more than just two stars. After being double checked and more,...