Smokers should try Nick-O-Dick

Forget e-cigs. Kick the nasty habit the cool way. Try Nick-O-Dick.

 

NSA double standard when spying on the world

The ex-National Security Agency contractor, Edward Snowden, who is currently taking advantage of an asylum in Russia, is still releasing stolen NSA documents to major newspapers (ex. UK Guardian) around the world.  In the latest wave of secrets revealed drama, the world dissevered that 35 of the close and not-so-close heads of states were under the NSA phone surveillance.

Angela Merkel expressed the most outrage since NSA listened to her cell phone conversations.  The White House, and President Obama, categorically denied that NSA is currently monitoring or will monitor Merkel's cell phone.  No explanation of the past sins.

Other presidents and prime ministers were also unhappy with the spying scandal.  However, the biggest question remains.  Why is the media outraged when a foreign politician's phone is tapped but when NSA infiltrates millions of private emails on Google and Yahoo, tracks all the cell phone conversation in US and billions around the world, the outrage dies out?

According to a top-secret accounting dated Jan. 9, 2013, the NSA’s acquisitions directorate sends millions of records every day from internal Yahoo and Google networks to data warehouses at the agency’s headquarters at Fort Meade, Md. In the preceding 30 days, the report said, field collectors had processed and sent back 181,280,466 new records — including “metadata,” which would indicate who sent or received e-mails and when, as well as content such as text, audio and video. - Washington Post 

Is simply a double standard for us, regular folks, versus the "all mighty" politicians, the "rulers" of the realm.  How does it feel to know that the laws you pass to control your population and spy on your own citizens somehow made a 360 turn and came back to ravage your privacy?  Doesn't feel right, does it?

And please, stop treating us like imbeciles.  The "metadata" is imbedded in the digital data.  Do you really think that NSA would go through all the trouble to collect all those records just strip them form the actual data?  It's like getting a popsicle and melting the ice to get the stick.

Will Angela Merkel or some other European country take action and end relationship with U.S.?  Highly unlikely.  With 46,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany, basically a lifeline to local economy, 11,000 in Italy, 10,000 in United Kingdom, and smaller deployments all over the Europe, U.S. is the only western country with enough power to run NATO and protect Europe and rest of the world.  The economic synergy between U.S. and Europe is also an essential part of the relationship.  So in short, Americans are free to do whatever they want under the umbrella of national security.

What we should worry about is the fact that privacy is long time gone.  With our lives revolving around webcams, smartphones, smart TVs, cable boxes with built in microphones, iPads, and laptops, hacking into any of those devices became a new surveillance standard.  I used to smirk at people who tape over their laptop webcams but now I consider them prophetic.  Thank you general brand blue painter's tape. Thank you for keeping my chiseled chest private.

Have a wonderful life

I would never imagine that one of my favorite songs from 1987 "Wonderful Life" by Black (Colin Vearncombe), would ever be in a place where the song's name is no longer recognized as "the song" from the eighties.
As of now, the English group "Hurts" (singer Theo Hutchcraft and synthesist Adam Anderson) is taking over the franchise for the title with their own iteration of "Wonderful Life".  Compare if you dare.

Black - Wonderful Life


Hurts - Wonderful Life

Lorde, Lorde look who's 17 and rocks the YouTube

The 17 year old Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996) aka Lorde, took over the airwaves and the web with the Royals awesomeness.  Below are the two versions of the song.  What I found interesting is how the US version sells, obviously cute, artist's image where the international version just tells the story.  Just a proof that cuteness sells.

The best cover of the Royals is performed by the Walk off the Earth group.  Very clever video and the presentation is interesting as well.  Doesn't that make you appreciate YouTube even more?  True artists can get out there and show what they can do.

Lorde - Royals (US Version)

Lorde - Royals (International Version)

Royals - Walk off the Earth

Dane Cook dished out a great stand-up in Chicago

If you like stand-up comedy, you already know comedian Dane Cook.  Ever since, I've watched his HBO special, I really wanted to see him performing life.  Guess what?  My wife surprised me with tickets to Chicago Theatre for one, and only Dane Cook show in Chicago, this past Sunday.

Dane Cook delivered!  He's new material called "Under Oath" was witty, funny, with great punch lines, and of course easily applicable in a relationship.  

I won't give up his jokes but one thing is certain,  he'll make a lot of people laugh.

After the show, Dane came out to sign autographs and take pictures.  There was about 100 people waiting for him and everyone got a chance to talk to him and have a great memento.

If you have a chance to see Dane Cook live, go for it, it's worth it.

Dane Cook with his fans

Yoann Lemoine aka Woodkid

Yes, I admit it, I've missed Gotye's hit song "Somebody That I Used To Know" by about a year.  Why?  Don't know. One thing I know is that Yoann Lemoine aka Woodkid won't escape my music taste.  Got hooked on "Run Boy Run". Woodkid is becoming bigger and bigger.  Check out the "Iron" also. Music reminds just rocks!

Speed cams in Chicago will soon grab your wallets?

Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, is finally getting his wish. Chicago is officially getting closer to installing the initial speed cameras at 50 locations by the end of 2013. According to Chicago Tribune, “state law allows Emanuel to install cameras at up to 300 locations in specially designated school and park zones” around Chicago.

The biggest surprise (not) is a recent test run by two competing vendors, ATS and Xerox State & Local Solutions, concluding the estimated revenue from the speeding tickets would exceed, wait for it, “well into the hundreds of millions of dollars in the program's first year”.

Emanuel's push for this huge revenue stream made everyone in the City Hall curious at first but now, everyone soaked their panties and some more. Reading about this cash grab, I sit there and wonder, why Chicagoans bend over and take it without a peep? Why not install a GPS systems in every car in Chicago and automatically withdraw weekly penalty from your checking accounts? It would be more cost effective.

What is wrong with you people? It's right there: revenue, cash stream, bring in, reap, millions of dollars. Nobody's taking about how many accidents will be avoided, how many kids will be saved, how many lives will be prolonged. Where are the pedestrian vs. car statistics? How will City Hall justify year after year of this new tax?

On the positive note, Emanuel's friends from Redflex Traffic Systems are persona-non-grata due to the bribery scandal with the red light camera program. I wonder who does the Mayor know at the ATS company?

You might call it a drive-through colonoscopy, but once again, Chicagoans got boned. This time with a camera tip light pole. And no, I'm not taking about a huge population of pale Poles in Chicago.