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
Freedom of Speech is disappearing.
This isn't about left or right. I would scream about this no matter who is working to keep our voices silent. I despised the efforts years ago to censor music. I was against the censorship of a certain comedian who I found to be foul and obnoxious, as it made him more...
Domino’s buys 800 Chevrolet Bolt EVs as pizza delivery vehicles | Ars Technica
Your next Domino's pizza may be delivered by a company branded Chevy Bolt. They are using this as a vehicle to deliver a new message, that of their new goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 800 of these new EV Chevy's will be delivered by the end of next year....
Elon Musk says Twitter is done with layoffs and ready to hire again – The Verge
Admittedly, the entire story at Twitter is strange. Still, the entire media has no idea what to report on. Two reports at one source simultaneously reported layoffs and hiring at Twitter. They even admit in one article that the comments are conflicting. Whatever...
Bitcoin (BTC) hits 2-year low as FTX collapse contagion fears linger
When you start thinking about crypto, think again. The entire crypto market lost $1.4 Trillion in value this year. Depending on how you count it, this is roughly the GDP of Mexico. The equivalent of one of the top 20 economies in the world, just disappeared. FTX may...
Mercedes Makes Better Performance a $1,200 Subscription in Its EVs
In recent years, we have railed against the idea of subscription fees for features that are already built into your car. Heated seats that exist, but you have to may a monthly fee for. Driver assist features that disappear when a new owner buys the car. Now, Mercede's...
The leap second will be scrapped by 2035 – The Verge
The concept of the leap second has been around for nearly my whole life. It's like the leap day every 4 years, but it's an extra second every 21 months to sync up tech and UTC time with the actual time around the sun. It's created enough headaches with tech in the...
Amazon Alexa is a “colossal failure,” on pace to lose $10 billion this year | Ars Technica
The idea of a loss leader, a low or negative profit product that brings you in so that you'll buy more products, has been around for a while. Amazon's Alexa has been one of those products for a long time. The latest news from Amazon, however, is that they are losing...
Computer Talk Radio Broadcast 11-19-2022
Computer Talk Radio Broadcast 11-19-2022; Binance, FTX, Netflix, iPhone ; expensive tech; iPhone repair; lawn and garden tech; Secret Santa Scam; computers and phones; forced microchipping; neighbors freeloading wifi; employee monitoring; internet speeds
DoorDash couriers can now ditch abusive customers without penalty – The Verge
Be nice to your DoorDash driver. Of course, they must also be nice to you. They've expanded their safety toolkit to ensure that both sides are able to report concerns. It also goes a step further to ping drivers if they are running behind, and if a response is not...
iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via Satellite Rolling Out Today to Customers in the U.S. and Canada | MacRumors Forums
An item was announced during the September Apple event, and it's not hardware or software. Apple's new Emergency SOS feature is now available on all iPhone 14s running iOS 16.1 or later. There is a demo feature which walks you through the entire process without...
Majority of People Who Invest in Bitcoin Inevitably Lose Money
Simple stat: 73 to 81% of new crypto investors, inevitably lost money on their initial investment.A Bank for International Settlements working paper also notes that people dive into crypto not because of decentralized ideals, but because of rising prices. See full...