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paul_f

1,559 karma · joined October 25, 2012

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paul_f··on Supreme Court takes up $8B phone and internet subsidy for rural areas
The issue is not if the fund is needed or not, it is that congress never specified how much the Universal Service Fund tax would be. The FCC keeps raising the tax rate. 10% of your mobile phone bill now goes to this fund that seems was decided by bureaucrats at the FCC and not by Congress. If the court strikes it down, then Congress will have to step in, which seems appropriate.
paul_f··on How many artists' careers did the Beatles kill?
Maybe in the US, but Britpop reached it's peak in the 90s. Oasis, Stone Roses, Blur, Happy Mondays and many others
paul_f··on Oxford study proves heat pumps triumph over fossil fuels in the cold
The COP for a heat pump drops as the temperature decreases. The climate should have a large impact on the choice of technology. Here in Florida it is a no brainer, everyone has a heat pump for the cool winter days. In Minnesota, it is a non starter.
paul_f··on Maker's schedule, Manager's schedule (2009)
We have no meetings at all, other than one weekly a 30-minute standing meeting. Email or slack and no expectation on response time. Been doing that for 5 years with no problems.
paul_f··on Apple Vision Pro: Apple’s first spatial computer
I don't think it was virtual. Looked like a real keyboard on the table
paul_f··on Apple Vision Pro: Apple’s first spatial computer
The running time of the CD-ROM was designed to play Beethoven's 9th symphony in its entirety. You would have thought Apple would plan the battery life to allow you to watch all of Avengers: Endgame, or maybe Oppenheimer, without pausing to swap the battery.
paul_f··on Apple Vision Pro: Apple’s first spatial computer
I have to wonder about a device that won't allow you to watch a 2-hour movie without running out of battery and having to plug it in. I guess Oppenheimer is a no-go.
paul_f··on Remembering GitHub's Office, a Monument to Tech Culture
OMG, those barstools with the flat bottoms. Painful after 10 minutes. Who does this? I see this in co-working spaces all the time. Whoever designed them does not actually do any deep work. I just want a great chair and 3 monitors.
paul_f··on A man sued Avianca Airline – his lawyer used ChatGPT
The lawyer should lose his license. Imagine they had turned in this brief and follow up and ChatGPT had not been involved. Instant disbarment. ChatGPT is not an excuse for a professional to produce nonsense in front of the court. Bye bye.
paul_f··on Americans have never been so unwilling to relocate for a new job
Good idea, but mortgages are bundled together. You cannot split one off.
paul_f··on In 1981, Intel released the iAPX 432
The Fairchild Clipper, released in 1986, was also a 3-chip solution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clipper_architecture
paul_f··on A college student made an app to detect AI-written text
AI-generated content can still be traced back to its source. Even though the content may be original, AI-generated works can be identified by their algorithmic patterns, which can be used to determine the source of the work.

ChatGPT wrote that, not me. How do we know we aren't simply reading ChatGPT arguing with itself?

paul_f··on Internal SW Airlines messaging offers in-depth look at mass flight cancellations
Turning it off and then back on again seems to solve so many problems.
paul_f··on “Blue Light” creating capacity for nothing (2007)
The story might not be a accurate, but the concept is certainly valid. I see this sort of thing all the time. This terrific story helps people to understand the core point, that busy does not equal productive.
paul_f··on Brooklyn Bar Menu Generator (2015)
I got: Free Range Salt :-)
paul_f··on China state CCTV avoids crowd close ups at the World Cup
This is nonsense. Omicron is quite mild compared to the original strain. Death rates from COVID in western countries is now minimal. Time to move on
paul_f··on Effect of Colonoscopy Screening on Risks of Colorectal Cancer and Related Death
Seems the only way to prove the test itself reduces deaths is to force unhealthy/irrresponsible people to get colonoscopies. Is there another approach?
paul_f··on Stripe has decided to nuke my entire business
Run a real card for a real amount and write a check to the person whose card you used. Do this multiple times with different types of cards.
paul_f··on Royal Caribbean to use SpaceX's Starlink to provide internet onboard their fleet
I think this greatly helps Royal Caribbean with younger customers who simply cannot be 100% disconnected. I have customers I need to be available for if something goes wrong. I won't even consider a 7-day cruise. But now I can. Looking forward to this new service.
paul_f··on We are all nerds: The literary works of Neal Stephenson
Seveneves did not have a third part. I have no idea what you are referring to :-)
paul_f··on Fishing gear accounts for an alarming amount of plastic in oceans (2021)
In my opinion, much of the farming in Southern California needs to end. Or at least we should revisit the now 100-year-old agreement on how the Colorado River water is used. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_Compact
paul_f··on Fishing gear accounts for an alarming amount of plastic in oceans (2021)
As an example of this, most trash on the side of roads comes from stuff falling off commercial trucks, sanitation trucks, work trucks. Not from people chunking junk out the window of their car. Yet all the guilt is placed on individuals.
paul_f··on A clip from Stray got me banned from Twitter
You are perpetuating a myth. Malcom Gladwell researched and presented this in his Podcast episode - The Foot Soldier of Birmingham. https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/the-foot...
paul_f··on Work from home and the office real estate apocalypse
I think the better question becomes, will cities remain as attractive, without the daily worker demand creating more shops/restaurants/entertainment? If just the locals, will those places continue to exist and thrive as they did pre-COVOD?
paul_f··on Work from home and the office real estate apocalypse
Great article on the problems of office to residential conversions. Essentially, good office buildings make bad residential, and vice-versa. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/real-estate/why-empty-offic...
paul_f··on High speed train between Paris and Berlin could start operating as soon as 2023
I took the train from Berlin to Paris in 2018. Was visiting Europe from the US with my son and we did it on a Sunday when nothing was open anyway. No problem with 7 hours on a train. Would have taken at least 5 hours to fly, getting to/from the airports, security, arriving early, etc. Cheaper and more enjoyable to take the train,
paul_f··on New Jersey bans paper bags
We reuse our plastic bags. As a trash can liner, or to collect dog poop. I am sure that was never considered when the ban was contemplated. Sometimes trying to "do good" gets ridiculous.
paul_f··on Twitter follower counts over the past 24-48 hours
Is this sarcasm? Because, if so, that's funny!
paul_f··on How to organize yourself as a solo founder
Having tried everything, nothing works better than 5x8 yellow pads. Write down everything you need to do. Draw a line thru when done. Every few days, rebuild the list. Everything has to be on one page, or there are too many to-do's, and you can delete ones that just don't make the cut.

No technology, just pen and paper.

paul_f··on Crazy Eddie: The popular electronics chain that scammed America
In New York, until 2006, liquor stores were closed on Sundays. Was quite common across the US
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