New FCC Broadband Rules

Via: The Washington Post and Digital Trends


The FCC has proposed redefining the term "Broadband".

Currently, ISP companies have to supply 4 Mps download and 1 Mps to meet that definition.  The FCC has proposed altering that to 10 Mps or even 25 Mps.


There are people rejoicing about this online because it will force ISP companies to spend money on infrastructure.

Think about that for a minute.  Do you really think it's a good idea for the Federal Government to have the ability to force American companies to spend billions of dollars?

And it gets worse when you realize that this is being done to benefit two companies: Google and Netflix.

The Government imposing a burden on one company in order to provide a beneficial result to another company is not what is supposed to happen in a free society.


Netflix and Google (through YouTube) combined account for up to 40% of current Internet companies.  They are the ones that need the additional bandwidth, but instead of paying for it themselves they have gone to the Government and apparently found a way to force other companies to pay for the infrastructure they need for their businesses.

Getting the Government to force other companies to pay for your business expenses is nice work, if you can get it.


It gets worse when you realize that Google is not just a content provider.  It is an ISP itself, and in direct competition with the companies hit by this regulation.  The new rules would not affect Google as an ISP provider largely due to the nature of its Internet Service.  It only provides service in a few small areas with high population densities.

Why does that matter?  Well as someone pointed out in the Washington Post comment section, there is a big difference to providing Internet service to an area with dense and sparse populations.

The average connection speed in South Korea is 50 Mps.  Roughly 5 times that in the U.S.  South Korea has a population on 20 Million people in an area the size of Wyoming. 

Wyoming's Population is just over 500,000.  When you break it down on a population basis, the Infrastructure needed to provide service to Wyoming is 40 times as expensive as it is to provide the same service to South Korea.

An ISP could provide 50 Mps service in Wyoming.  It would just have to charge 40 times as much as those in South Korea to do so.


This brings us back to Google and its "Internet Service".

Google Fiber is only available in 2 cities right now and one of those helped with financing.  The exact amount of aid from Kansas City is unknown, but it runs into the millions. 

Other ISPs have to pay 3%-5% of subscription revenues from customers.  Google got a waiver.  Other ISPs cannot put their wires on municipal utility poles.  Google was allowed to do so free of charge.  Kansas City also agreed to provide electricity and space for Google's equipment, free of charge.


Now Google has gone to the FCC and apparently gotten it to force other ISPs to pay for the Infrastructure Google wants to use as a content provider.  How much help do you think they will get from Government? 


Google has perfected getting someone else to pay for its business expenses.  When the Government is involved it's called "Corporate Welfare."

A Prosthetic Leg That's Just Too Cool For Words

I came across this while checking out my RSS feed today: a prosthetic leg design for rock climbing.  This isn't normally the type of subject I comment on but this one is in a class by itself.

Beyond the fact that it allows amputees the ability to engage in physical activity they wouldn't normally be able to participate it, it's just cool looking.

For some behind the scene information on its development, check out the project's design page on Behance.

A Look at Past Fashion Predictions

Brought to you by British Pathe, a look at what people in 1960 though fashion would look like in the year 2000.




The concept here is "The Past in Prolog".  It makes a certain amount of sense with fashion, but they missed the time period drawn from by at least century in this clip.

One of those outfits looks like it should have been worn at the battle of Waterloo.

Today's WTF Moment: Ethel Merman Disco Album

Hat Tip: Neatorama


Really?  Ethel Merman released a disco album?





The funny thing is,I can take Ethel doing disco better than those backup singers.  Ethel is just being Ethel with a disco beat.  Those backup singers are shrill.

Live Action Toy Story

Someone had too much time on their hands and did a live action version of Toy Story using real toys.  (It's gotten over 11 Million views at this time.)




The only potential problem here is a Copyright Infringement Notice. Google's DRM software doesn't always work well and parody works (like this one)can get hit. You have to give the film-makers credit on this. It's quite an undertaking. It shows what "amateur" producers are capable of with today's technology.

Amazon Deal on Marvel Blu-Ray Bundle

Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy

Amazon currently has a deal on a Marvel Blu-Ray Bundle


Get 10 Movies on Blu-Ray for $64.99.  That's a 68% savings on the original $199.99 price.


The bundle includes Daredevil, Electra, the two Fantastic Four movies and all the X-Men related movies (except the one currently in theaters).

The X-Kitties!

Source: The Pet Collective via Geekosystem

Warning!  Cute Overload.

More Movie Sins: The Wolverine

I admit it.  I'm hooked on these.

You Can be in Latest Star Wars Movie

Hat Tip: Space.com

There is currently an Omaze Unicef fundraiser featuring a chance to win a spot in the Star War VII movie.

The number of entries depends on the amount pledged.  (You don't have to donate to enter, but you only get one entry)

The fundraiser also features premiums given to those that donate a certain amount.  Premiums include concept art, signed scripts, and limited edition collectibles.

Maybe the Best Article on Net Neutrality

CNET has an article on The Comcast/NetFlix deal and Net Neutrality that may be the best article on the subject.

It's a fairly dispassionate, balanced look at the subject without all the hype and emotional pleas you tend to get from other sites.  They apparently have taken a stance on the issue and have decided to act as advocates for one side or the other.  This results in bad journalism.  (Look out for phases like "holding consumers hostage."  Any article with that sort of emotional hyperbole is one written by a very biased source.  And, yes.  I have seen that phrase when the Comcast/Netflix deal or net neutrality is discussed.)


It's especially useful for those that don't truly understand how the Internet works.  The analogy of the highway system is one anyone can understand.


Since net neutrality seems to be one of the hottest news topics right now, anyone wanting a better grasp of the subject should go read the article.

Coming Summer 2015....

Hat Tip: Dark Horizons

Finally.  A Sequel (or is it prequel?) I may actually watch:

Movie Sins, the Mutant Version

Hat Tip: Geek Tyrant

Movie Sins has posted two new videos pointing out the sins of two of the X-Men related movies; X-Men: First Class and Origins: Wolverine.

They're particularly harsh on the latter.

Please, Don't Give Hollywood any Reboot Ideas

Neatorama has just posted an article on the failed 2001 pilot for an Electra Woman and Dyna Girl reboot.

For those of you too young to have had them inflicted on you, they were part of the 1970's Sid and Marty Croft show.  (Saturday Morning Cartoon/Children's Television shows were common at one time.)  I actually watched this as a child, and yes I realize I am dating myself with this confession.

I couldn't imagine watching this sort of show after reaching a certain age.  I also have a hard time seeing how a serious reboot would work, which is probably why the pilot failed to get any traction.


It might work as a tongue-in-cheek parody of the superhero genre, something along the lines of the 1960's Batman show.  (The current comic reboot trend just screams the need for a little parody.)

Watch the trailer and decide for yourself whether the show had any chance at succeeding, beyond starring Markie Post that is.

RiffTrax Godzilla Kickstarter Project Funded in 12 Hours

This goes to show the popularity of RiffTrax, and the disdain for the 1998 Matthew Broderick version of Godzilla.

The Riftrax Kickstarter drive to fund a live riff of the movie received $100,000 in funding the first day it was posted.  (Actually, it was less than 12 hours.)


The funding is still open, so you can get some of the goodies given out to backers.  Some of the best ones are already gone, though.  (You can no longer get the script used by one of the RiffTrax guys or the ability to right a riff for the live performance).

NBC Releases Trailer for New Constantine Series

Hat Tip: Digital Trends


This one combines two of the latest entertainment trends: comic book remakes and supernatural television series.



The trailer makes the series look interesting.  I might actually check this one out. (Unlike a great many of the other new television series that have been announced.)


I see two potential problems.

First, the market for supernatural television series may have reached a saturation point.  The general public may just be too bored with the genre for this series to work.

Second, the trailer shows some fairly impressive special effects.  These don't come cheap.  The production costs could prove to be a problem and could lead to the series being dropped quickly or the special effects being reduced in order to control costs.

The 100 "Best" B Movies

Paste Magazine has come up with a list of the 100 "Best" B Movies.


What exactly is a B Movie?

Originally, they were the second half of a double-feature.  Double -features largely disappeared in the 1950's and the term began to be applied to films that shared characteristics with those second feature films.

The main characteristics of a "B" film are low budget and fast production time, and are meant for general release.


The other characteristics associated with "B" movies are often a result of the constraints imposed by the budget and time limitations.  (Bad acting, pathetic special effects, lousy shot selection etc.)

B movies are largely a thing of the past when it comes to theater release.  They still exist to some extent with straight-to-video and made for t.v. movies.  (SyFy "originals" come to mind.)


The "Best" B Movie according the Paste?  The 1987 film Hard Ticket to Hawaii.

I have never heard of this film before the Paste list, let alone watched it.


Plan 9 From Outer Space wound up at #11.  Check the list for yourself to see if there are really 10 B films better (or worse depending on your perspective.)


Hat Tip: Neatorama

12 Principles of Animation from the Disney Animators

This actually goes back decades.  Two of the main Disney animators wrote a book in 1981, The Illusion Of Life: Disney Animation, which detailed the principles used by the Disney animators

New York artist Vincenzo Lodigiani has posted a short film on Vimeo ilustrating those principles.



This is useful information for any modern animator to keep in mind, and they apply no matter what method of animation is utilized.

Check out the author's Vimeo page for more animations.


Hat Tip: AV Club

Trailer For A Million Ways to Die in The West Released. You Can't Watch it Here.

Today say the release of the trailer for Seth MacFarlane's A Million Ways to Die in The West.


It's exactly what you'd expect from the person who gave the world Ted, a raunch-fest filled with infantile sex humor (This time he's decided to add explicit gore to the mix as well.)

The trailer is so bad that it has an R rating.


That's the trailer's rating, not the film's.

The trailer is so bad that it can't possibly be shown on broadcast television, at least no during primetime.  That should give you an idea of what the film is going to be like.

There is No Hope for Hollywood

According to Geekosystem, Hollywood has decided to create a new Power Rangers Movie.


Do I need to add anything to that headline?


It's almost to the point where the Hollywood studios seem determined to get their movies featured on Joel Hodgson's MST3K reboot.  How could he possibly resist something like this?

Now This is How You Capitalize on a Bad Movie

The SyFy Channel has jst found a new way to make money off of bad made for t.v. movies.

Merchandising!

This June,you can purchase your very own Sharknado!


Hat Tip: Geeks are Sexy


P.S.  I just can't wait until the viral videos featuring that thing show up on YouTube.  Maybe a contest for the most creative method used to destroy it?

5th Grade Boy's "Synchonized Swimming" Team

The 5th Grade Talent Show at W.A. Porter Elementary School in Hurst, Texas featured a group of "Synchronized Swimmers".

Just watch the video, no words needed.

Hollywood Remake Craze Hits Rock Bottom

It's official.  The Hollywood remake craze has hit rock bottom. 


There's a plan in the works to make a film version of Green Acres.


Really, Hollywood?

That's the best you can come up with right now?  Green Acres? 

What's next?  My Mother the Car?

Another remake of My Favorite Martian?


Hollywood right now reminds me of an addict that has run out of money and is looking for cheaper and cheaper fixes.  Green Acres is Hollywood's version of Sterno.


Time for an intervention to wean Hollywood off its remake addiction.

Comic Book Adaption Craze Strikes T.V.

Television show comic book adaptations were inevitable given the success of film franchises like Captain America and Spider-man. 

The SyFy Channel has officially been hit with the Comic Book Adaptation mania, announcing three series in the works based on various comic books. 



Pax Romana and Ronin will both be produced as mini-series.

Letter 44 will apparently get a full series.


Let's just hope the results are better than Sharknado.

Google Glass: Just More Proof That There's a Sucker Born Every Minute

Hat Tip: Wall Street Journal, Digits Column

The initial results from the Google Glass teardown are in.

The product that Google is currently charging $1,500 for (when they are actually selling it.) contains under $100 in electronic components.  (The actual number the analysis came up with was $79.78)

That is a shockingly low number given the $1,500 initial price tag.


Granted, there are price factors beyond the electronic components.

Google spend a great deal of money on research and development.  The company will certainly want to recoup those costs.  That increases the cost of the product, at least until those costs are recovered.

The size and shape of the product may also increase manufacturing costs.  Putting those components in a fairly large, rectangular object (like a typical point-and-shoot camera) isn't nearly as difficult as squeezing them into an object small enough to fit on a pair of glasses.

The biggest technological break through seems to be the display.  Google manages to squeeze 640x360 pixel resolution out of a component that fits on a dime.   Google incorporates the technique used by projection t.v.s to make the output seem much larger.

One problem facing Google when it comes to Google Glass is the technological break through that hasn't happened: batteries.  The form factor forces Google to use an underpowered battery leading to short battery life.


To put the Google Glass in perspective, look at the GoPro3.

Same 5MP resolution in a camera mall enough to be used as a helmet cam.  It sells for $200.


That is what Google will have to compete with if it wants Google Glass to succeed.  The form factor that allows Google Glass to be worn on glasses may be worth a premium.  $1,300 is just too much.


And Google really needs to be careful when trying to charge that much.  If they get any interest, other companies will be quick to introduce competing products.  And the fact that Google Glass is made with ordinary components or existing technology means they have little ability to stop other companies from doing so, and those companies will have little difficulty in producing competing products.

 (Work on Google Glass started in 2011.  It won't even take competitors the three years it took Google given an existing product to work with.)

They may even be able to pull off something better.

At a lower price.