Jul 2007
Apple Or Cisco? ... Again
07/23/07 02:30 PM Filed in: Technology
Remember before the
iPhone was released, how Cisco sued Apple for using
the name iPhone? Cisco said they already had a phone
called the iPhone, and the name was copyright. True
enough, they did. But Apple won the lawsuit and was
still allowed to use the name iPhone.
Apple and Cisco meet again, this time after the release of the iPhone. Cisco makes more than just phones. They make pretty much anything electronic and wireless.
The weekend after the iPhone was released, Duke University started having trouble with their network. Duke, being the prestigious college that it is, of course has the entire campus blanketed in wireless Internet access. Apparently, the weekend after the iPhone was released, the Duke network kept jamming. Many reports were published saying that the iPhone was to blame. A likely guess was that the iPhone was requesting to log onto the wireless network, and when the request was denied, the iPhone kept trying anyway. Over and over again, hundreds of times, thus jamming the network and making it stall for 10-15 minutes.
Duke said they were going to do a full investigation of the network to find out why exactly this was happening. And who should help them with this investigation? Cisco! It turns out Duke's network is maintained by Cisco, and all of the wireless routers are Cisco routers.
After an investigation into the situation, it was revealed that the iPhone was actually not to blame. Oops. The problem was finally traced to a deployment of a Cisco-based network.
It looks like the iPhone is off the hook.
Apple and Cisco meet again, this time after the release of the iPhone. Cisco makes more than just phones. They make pretty much anything electronic and wireless.
The weekend after the iPhone was released, Duke University started having trouble with their network. Duke, being the prestigious college that it is, of course has the entire campus blanketed in wireless Internet access. Apparently, the weekend after the iPhone was released, the Duke network kept jamming. Many reports were published saying that the iPhone was to blame. A likely guess was that the iPhone was requesting to log onto the wireless network, and when the request was denied, the iPhone kept trying anyway. Over and over again, hundreds of times, thus jamming the network and making it stall for 10-15 minutes.
Duke said they were going to do a full investigation of the network to find out why exactly this was happening. And who should help them with this investigation? Cisco! It turns out Duke's network is maintained by Cisco, and all of the wireless routers are Cisco routers.
After an investigation into the situation, it was revealed that the iPhone was actually not to blame. Oops. The problem was finally traced to a deployment of a Cisco-based network.
It looks like the iPhone is off the hook.
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You're A Pirate ... Yarrr
07/22/07 02:05 PM Filed in: Media
So, apparently, since I
own an iPod, and chances are you own an iPod, we're
both pirates. Being accused of breaking the law by
none other than the RIAA (Record Industry Association
of America). Of course, this is in Canada, not
America, but still. Yet another reason not to live in
Canada.
Canada has a poor habit of charging you an extra tax for something you MIGHT do. So, say you went out and bought some CD-R's from BestBuy ... in Canada. Do they have BestBuy in Canada? Well, wherever you shop for electronics in Canada. That 50-pack of CD-R's would cost you more than if you had purchased it here in America. Why? Because the Canadian government has chosen to tax for all the illegal CDs that you might burn with those blank CDs. This additional tax is passed onto the recording companies to make up for pirated music CDs.
This additional tax throws one very big question back in my face though. In Canada, if I buy these blank CDs, am I then PAYING so I CAN legally burn a music CD? I mean, if I'm buying a blank CD and paying an extra tax for the music that I might burn onto it, since I've already paid for it, I can burn it, right?
It also means that the RIAA is assuming you're already a criminal, even if you're simply buying the CDs for backup purposes. I have a lot of my CDs that get scratched and are not playable anymore. Luckily, I have the music backed up on my computer, so I reburn the CD. There's another legal use for blank CDs.
The RIAA is now trying to push this ridiculous tax onto MP3 players as well. Luckily, the courts did not pass this, due to a lot of complaints from retailers and, specifically, Apple. And the recording industries response? "Obviously, we're disappointed. We felt it was self-evident that those products are sold for the purpose of copying music." Obviously ... So, you're saying that just because I own an iPod, I'm obviously stealing all of my music? I think you missed the advertisement where it said that iPods are meant for listening to music, not copying music. Let's see, how many times have I copied music directly from another iPod? Um ... never. Because it's not possible. Because Apple intentionally made iPods that way so that you couldn't use your iPod for copying music, only for listening to music. After all, that's what an iPod is for!
The RIAA is doing an awful lot of assuming, and accusing, and I don't like to be charged for something I might do. But then again, that's all car insurance is, eh? And that's why males under the age of 21 are charged so much more than females of any age ;).
I enjoy the freedoms of America, thank you :)!
Canada has a poor habit of charging you an extra tax for something you MIGHT do. So, say you went out and bought some CD-R's from BestBuy ... in Canada. Do they have BestBuy in Canada? Well, wherever you shop for electronics in Canada. That 50-pack of CD-R's would cost you more than if you had purchased it here in America. Why? Because the Canadian government has chosen to tax for all the illegal CDs that you might burn with those blank CDs. This additional tax is passed onto the recording companies to make up for pirated music CDs.
This additional tax throws one very big question back in my face though. In Canada, if I buy these blank CDs, am I then PAYING so I CAN legally burn a music CD? I mean, if I'm buying a blank CD and paying an extra tax for the music that I might burn onto it, since I've already paid for it, I can burn it, right?
It also means that the RIAA is assuming you're already a criminal, even if you're simply buying the CDs for backup purposes. I have a lot of my CDs that get scratched and are not playable anymore. Luckily, I have the music backed up on my computer, so I reburn the CD. There's another legal use for blank CDs.
The RIAA is now trying to push this ridiculous tax onto MP3 players as well. Luckily, the courts did not pass this, due to a lot of complaints from retailers and, specifically, Apple. And the recording industries response? "Obviously, we're disappointed. We felt it was self-evident that those products are sold for the purpose of copying music." Obviously ... So, you're saying that just because I own an iPod, I'm obviously stealing all of my music? I think you missed the advertisement where it said that iPods are meant for listening to music, not copying music. Let's see, how many times have I copied music directly from another iPod? Um ... never. Because it's not possible. Because Apple intentionally made iPods that way so that you couldn't use your iPod for copying music, only for listening to music. After all, that's what an iPod is for!
The RIAA is doing an awful lot of assuming, and accusing, and I don't like to be charged for something I might do. But then again, that's all car insurance is, eh? And that's why males under the age of 21 are charged so much more than females of any age ;).
I enjoy the freedoms of America, thank you :)!
Friendly America
07/20/07 08:13 AM Filed in: Stories
Yesterday I was over at
Mitch and Sarah Tucker's house. We were having a
jolly old time, and we decided to head over to the
park near their house. Mitch took the SUV because he
doesn't like to walk, and he had a lot of stuff to
cart over there. I decided to walk with Gus.
The park wasn't even 1/4 of a mile away from their house. You could easily see it from their house, minus a house or two that were in the way. I started my walk, Gus trotting ever-so-slowly at my side. After the first two steps he started panting because the exercise was too much for him.
We were about half way to the park when Gus decided he had to poo. This quickly became a problem when I realized I had nothing to pick this poo up with. And we were on the sidewalk in front of someone's house. (Of course, he had moved onto the grass before assuming the pooing position.) He finished doing his business and hopped back on the sidewalk, looking up at me like, "Well, are we going to finish our walk?" I stood pondering for a moment. What do I do in this situation? A little voice in the back of my head said something about the greater Cedar Rapids area having some law against leaving your dog poo lying on the side of the road. But I had nothing to pick it up with!
I turned around and faced the house. It was at this point I realized there was a lady squatting in the garage, staring me down. I knew we had a problem by the look on her face, which was contorted in such a way that looked like she was about to scream and/or cry.
"You're NOT leaving that there," Mrs. Grouchypants firmly shouted from the garage.
"I know ... I have nothing to pick it up with though," was all I could think to reply.
"You are NOT leaving that there."
"I got that! Can you please give me a paper towel or something so I can pick it up?"
"What are you doing walking your dog without baggy's?"
"Well, he's not actually my dog."
"I ... DON'T ... CARE!"
"Alright, well can you please give me something to pick this up with?"
"You are NOT leaving!"
"We've been over this."
"If you leave, I'm calling the police."
"Get me a bag, I will NOT leave."
"I'm serious ... I'm calling the police!"
Mrs. Grouchypants finally went into her house to retreive a bagy for me and hopefully not call the police. I looked at Alyssa, who I had been walking with, and said, "Honestly, how far am I going to get if I try to run right now? Especially with this fat thing that I'd have to drag behind me."
Mr. and Mrs. Grouchypants both emerged from their house, Mr. Grouchypants holding a ziplock baggy. Mrs. Grouchypants stopped just inside the garage and glared at me while Mr. Grouchypants brought me the bag. He thrust out his hand, holding the plastic baggy, and avoided eye contact with.
"Next time, bring a bag."
"Next time, I probably will."
"You wouldn't want me doing that in your lawn, would you?"
"Stranger things have happened."
I leaned down and picked up the poo with the baggy while Mr. Grouchypants joined his wife in the garage. They both stared as Alyssa and I walked off towards the park.
Honestly, what happened to friendly neighbors in America? Is it really so hard to just walk into your house and get me a plastic baggy? I was doing my best to be polite to the woman ... after all, the dog I was walking HAD just fertilized her lawn. But after about the third time of her snapping, "You are NOT leaving," I had just about had it.
We made it to the end of the block and had about 200 yards to go until we reached the park. We started crossing the street, and in the middle of the street, Gus decided he had had enough. He sat down. I pulled and tugged on the leash, but to no avail. He wouldn't budge.
"Oh my gosh ... Alyssa, pick him up."
So we had to carry him the rest of the way to the park. Gus, you're such a hassle!
The park wasn't even 1/4 of a mile away from their house. You could easily see it from their house, minus a house or two that were in the way. I started my walk, Gus trotting ever-so-slowly at my side. After the first two steps he started panting because the exercise was too much for him.
We were about half way to the park when Gus decided he had to poo. This quickly became a problem when I realized I had nothing to pick this poo up with. And we were on the sidewalk in front of someone's house. (Of course, he had moved onto the grass before assuming the pooing position.) He finished doing his business and hopped back on the sidewalk, looking up at me like, "Well, are we going to finish our walk?" I stood pondering for a moment. What do I do in this situation? A little voice in the back of my head said something about the greater Cedar Rapids area having some law against leaving your dog poo lying on the side of the road. But I had nothing to pick it up with!
I turned around and faced the house. It was at this point I realized there was a lady squatting in the garage, staring me down. I knew we had a problem by the look on her face, which was contorted in such a way that looked like she was about to scream and/or cry.
"You're NOT leaving that there," Mrs. Grouchypants firmly shouted from the garage.
"I know ... I have nothing to pick it up with though," was all I could think to reply.
"You are NOT leaving that there."
"I got that! Can you please give me a paper towel or something so I can pick it up?"
"What are you doing walking your dog without baggy's?"
"Well, he's not actually my dog."
"I ... DON'T ... CARE!"
"Alright, well can you please give me something to pick this up with?"
"You are NOT leaving!"
"We've been over this."
"If you leave, I'm calling the police."
"Get me a bag, I will NOT leave."
"I'm serious ... I'm calling the police!"
Mrs. Grouchypants finally went into her house to retreive a bagy for me and hopefully not call the police. I looked at Alyssa, who I had been walking with, and said, "Honestly, how far am I going to get if I try to run right now? Especially with this fat thing that I'd have to drag behind me."
Mr. and Mrs. Grouchypants both emerged from their house, Mr. Grouchypants holding a ziplock baggy. Mrs. Grouchypants stopped just inside the garage and glared at me while Mr. Grouchypants brought me the bag. He thrust out his hand, holding the plastic baggy, and avoided eye contact with.
"Next time, bring a bag."
"Next time, I probably will."
"You wouldn't want me doing that in your lawn, would you?"
"Stranger things have happened."
I leaned down and picked up the poo with the baggy while Mr. Grouchypants joined his wife in the garage. They both stared as Alyssa and I walked off towards the park.
Honestly, what happened to friendly neighbors in America? Is it really so hard to just walk into your house and get me a plastic baggy? I was doing my best to be polite to the woman ... after all, the dog I was walking HAD just fertilized her lawn. But after about the third time of her snapping, "You are NOT leaving," I had just about had it.
We made it to the end of the block and had about 200 yards to go until we reached the park. We started crossing the street, and in the middle of the street, Gus decided he had had enough. He sat down. I pulled and tugged on the leash, but to no avail. He wouldn't budge.
"Oh my gosh ... Alyssa, pick him up."
So we had to carry him the rest of the way to the park. Gus, you're such a hassle!