Geek Strand: Bits & Bytes
Nien to IE
If you haven’t heard, Windows and Internet Explorer have the worst security on the virtual planet. If it wasn’t for China’s cyber attack on Google, Microsoft would have never gotten around to fixing a 17-year-old hole in their Internet Explorer/Windows system—and this is a bug that still existed in even the newest Windows systems up until last month. And that was just a security hole that was hanging around; That’s not counting the backdoors put into the new Windows 7 for the NSA.
Well, it has gotten so bad, that the government of Germany has warned all their people off of the Microsoft Web browser.
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Super Bowl, Dull ads.
Go Saints! It might have been the most watched television event ever, and maybe one of the most exciting games to see ever, but the usually side show of million-dollar ads could be some of the worst ever.
The “Ad Bowl” was bad. How bad, you ask? Well, when the three of the best ads were promos for network shows—NCIS’s “Gibbs Head Slap”, NCIS/NCIS-LA’s “Pretty Woman-Are you following me” and Leno, Oprah and Letterman crammed on a couch to promote Late Night, that just tells you how dull the commercials were.
Bud left duds and McD’s attempt to recreate the Jordan/Byrd “Nothing But Net” nostalgia was stale. Furthermore, if you are that henpecked by your wife, Dodge, you sure as hell are not getting to drive a Charger (More like a Caravan; No, not even an SUV, soccer dad!)
However, the Doritos commercials did impress. “The Little Man of the House” was the best by nearly everyone’s standards, and the “Death by Throwing Dorito” had to be the funniest, laugh-out-loud.
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Not quite ready for The Next Generation
Well, it appears that the people are just not ready for the Star Trek-like iPad device. And unfortunately, nether is the iPad.
Last issue, the world awaited with baited breath to see the spectacular new Apple device. However, when finally released, the conservative abilities and lack of anything really cutting edge (not even a camera) threw cold water on Apple’s fire.
But, that is not to despair. Everything the critics are saying about the iPad now, they said about the iPod ten years ago.
And we know that iPads are in our future, because everyone has got one on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
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$5 fee if you want to overthrow the government.
South Carolina has passed a law that requires subversives, or anyone who contemplates the overthrow, manipulation or control of the government-federal or state, to file with the state and pay a $5 registration fee.
Interestingly enough, the way the bill is worded, every bureaucrat, lobbyist and politician will have to file.
“”Subversive organization” means every corporation, society, association, camp, group, bund, political party, assembly, body or organization, composed of two or more persons, which directly or indirectly advocates, advises, teaches or practices the duty, necessity or propriety of CONTROLLING, CONDUCTING, seizing or overthrowing the government of the United States…” Sounds like Al Gore, Nancy Pelosi and Rush Limbaugh now have something in common.
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Christopher Huff is a self-confessed and unrepentant geek who as been living, writing and playing on the Grand Strand for several years. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.piratejournalism.com. Comments can be sent to chris@alternatives.sc.
