Thursday, July 30, 2015
Saturday, April 18, 2015
I've lost interest in blogging
Mostly I'm dinking around on FaceBook. Reading much the same type of information, with breaks in the outrage to play stupid games that make me laugh.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
The "failed"drug war
Wow, this is a great article detailing some of the failures of the drug war. In detail. Bravo Rebecca Gordon.
What Do ISIS and Drug Cartels in Mexico Have in Common?
The failed drug war in the U.S. and the billion-dollar cartels have created an ISIS-like reality right across the border.
By Rebecca Gordon / TomDispatch
March 22, 2015
The fact is if the fat cats weren't getting fatter the war on drugs would end.
You see a whole lotta prosecutions for money laundering for the big drugs cartels in this list?
Yeah, me either.
What Do ISIS and Drug Cartels in Mexico Have in Common?
The failed drug war in the U.S. and the billion-dollar cartels have created an ISIS-like reality right across the border.
By Rebecca Gordon / TomDispatch
March 22, 2015
The fact is if the fat cats weren't getting fatter the war on drugs would end.
You see a whole lotta prosecutions for money laundering for the big drugs cartels in this list?
Yeah, me either.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Major media and scholars side with Taya Kyle against Jesse Ventura
Article by: RANDY FURST ,(Minneapolis?) Star Tribune Updated: March 10, 2015 - 10:00 PM
"Heavy hitters in U.S. media joined prominent First Amendment scholars to file two amicus briefs challenging last summer’s jury verdict that favored former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in his defamation trial in St. Paul.
The friend-of-the-court media brief, filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, characterizes the $1.3 million jury award to Ventura as unprecedented, with no basis in common law.
The scholars’ filing faults U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle’s instructions to the jury.
The briefs support Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, author of the bestselling memoir “American Sniper.”
Ventura’s lawyers convinced the jury in a 10-2 decision that he had been defamed by Chris Kyle, who wrote in the book that he punched Ventura and knocked him down in a California bar after Ventura made disparaging remarks about Navy SEALs and the U.S. government.
Ventura denied the incident happened.
He was awarded $1.8 million, including $500,000 for defamation and $1.3 million for Kyle’s unjust enrichment. Taya Kyle, who oversees her husband’s estate, has appealed the decision to the 8th Circuit.
The brief by 30 media organizations, filed Tuesday, is signed by Floyd Abrams, a well-known First Amendment attorney who represented the New York Times in the Pentagon Papers case.
They said they are concerned about the negative impact on media organizations of “unjustified and potentially crippling awards” such as this one.
The other brief, written on behalf of eight scholars and filed Monday, includes Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the School of Law at the University of California Irvine.
Joseph Daly, emeritus professor of law at Hamline University, who has followed the Ventura case, said that the amicus signers are “extremely impressive and without a doubt the Eighth Circuit judges will read these amicus briefs very, very carefully.”
Among the news organizations that signed the media brief are the New York Times, the Washington Post, the American Society of News Editors, National Public Radio, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Minnesota Newspaper Association.
In challenging the $1.3 million unjust enrichment award, Abrams contends it is unprecedented in a libel case for jurors to award a portion of the book profits to Ventura.
“An award of profits has nothing to do with the harm suffered by the plaintiff; it is punishment, plain and simple,” he wrote.
The media brief questions the assumptions in the verdict but does not challenge the $500,000 defamation award.
However, the scholars in their amicus brief, written by attorney Leonard Niehoff, urge the 8th Circuit to reverse the entire jury decision, contending that the threshold of defamation is very high and that Judge Kyle gave the jury improper instructions.
Niehoff wrote that to prove defamation, Ventura had to prove that Chris Kyle knew his account was false or had serious doubts about it, but recklessly wrote it anyway.
Niehoff said Judge Kyle did not adequately explain the issue, and when jurors submitted follow-up questions he did not properly answer them.
Court Anderson, one of Ventura’s lawyers, said he had not yet read the amicus briefs. But he added, “We’re confident the jury verdict will be upheld by the 8th Circuit. This case has never been a case of the media publishing an inaccurate statement. Instead this case is about a first-person account from Mr. [Chris] Kyle that the jury found to be a complete fabrication.”
Randy Furst • 612-673-4224
Twitter: @randyfurst"
Hmmm. So, supposedly there were witnesses in McP's that night.
I think Kyle was a liar based on my experience. I never met him, but I've certainly met the type to spout off "unfverifiable" stories.
Frankly, the fact that Chris Kyle's story is wildly popular irritates the fuck out of me. Foreign Policy Journal lays it out better than I could ever hope to.
"Heavy hitters in U.S. media joined prominent First Amendment scholars to file two amicus briefs challenging last summer’s jury verdict that favored former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura in his defamation trial in St. Paul.
The friend-of-the-court media brief, filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, characterizes the $1.3 million jury award to Ventura as unprecedented, with no basis in common law.
The scholars’ filing faults U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle’s instructions to the jury.
The briefs support Taya Kyle, widow of Chris Kyle, author of the bestselling memoir “American Sniper.”
Ventura’s lawyers convinced the jury in a 10-2 decision that he had been defamed by Chris Kyle, who wrote in the book that he punched Ventura and knocked him down in a California bar after Ventura made disparaging remarks about Navy SEALs and the U.S. government.
Ventura denied the incident happened.
He was awarded $1.8 million, including $500,000 for defamation and $1.3 million for Kyle’s unjust enrichment. Taya Kyle, who oversees her husband’s estate, has appealed the decision to the 8th Circuit.
The brief by 30 media organizations, filed Tuesday, is signed by Floyd Abrams, a well-known First Amendment attorney who represented the New York Times in the Pentagon Papers case.
They said they are concerned about the negative impact on media organizations of “unjustified and potentially crippling awards” such as this one.
The other brief, written on behalf of eight scholars and filed Monday, includes Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the School of Law at the University of California Irvine.
Joseph Daly, emeritus professor of law at Hamline University, who has followed the Ventura case, said that the amicus signers are “extremely impressive and without a doubt the Eighth Circuit judges will read these amicus briefs very, very carefully.”
Among the news organizations that signed the media brief are the New York Times, the Washington Post, the American Society of News Editors, National Public Radio, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Minnesota Newspaper Association.
In challenging the $1.3 million unjust enrichment award, Abrams contends it is unprecedented in a libel case for jurors to award a portion of the book profits to Ventura.
“An award of profits has nothing to do with the harm suffered by the plaintiff; it is punishment, plain and simple,” he wrote.
The media brief questions the assumptions in the verdict but does not challenge the $500,000 defamation award.
However, the scholars in their amicus brief, written by attorney Leonard Niehoff, urge the 8th Circuit to reverse the entire jury decision, contending that the threshold of defamation is very high and that Judge Kyle gave the jury improper instructions.
Niehoff wrote that to prove defamation, Ventura had to prove that Chris Kyle knew his account was false or had serious doubts about it, but recklessly wrote it anyway.
Niehoff said Judge Kyle did not adequately explain the issue, and when jurors submitted follow-up questions he did not properly answer them.
Court Anderson, one of Ventura’s lawyers, said he had not yet read the amicus briefs. But he added, “We’re confident the jury verdict will be upheld by the 8th Circuit. This case has never been a case of the media publishing an inaccurate statement. Instead this case is about a first-person account from Mr. [Chris] Kyle that the jury found to be a complete fabrication.”
Randy Furst • 612-673-4224
Twitter: @randyfurst"
Hmmm. So, supposedly there were witnesses in McP's that night.
I think Kyle was a liar based on my experience. I never met him, but I've certainly met the type to spout off "unfverifiable" stories.
Frankly, the fact that Chris Kyle's story is wildly popular irritates the fuck out of me. Foreign Policy Journal lays it out better than I could ever hope to.
Sunday, March 08, 2015
Attorney: 'American Sniper' defamation verdict should be thrown out
Vengeance is mine sayeth the Taya.
Man, this woman is getting comfortable in court rooms. Looks like she is trying to get the Ventura verdict thrown out on a technicality .
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Killer of 'American Sniper' Kyle sentenced to life in prison
Killer of 'American Sniper' Kyle sentenced to life in prisonB
BY JON HERSKOVITZ
STEPHENVILLE, Texas Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:17am EST
Well, that was predictable. He done kilt a boh-nah-fied Texas Hee-roh and betcha most Texans think he shoulda been shot or hung with no trial atalll!
Let me repeat; No wonder dad couldn't wait to get the fuck out of Texas. They do everthin' big there, including stupid. What kind of arrogant dumbass lets a guy who he texts is "straight up nuts" have a gun? An arrogant dumbass with a death wish, that's who.
I also predict that Taya Kyle beats feet out of Texas purty darn quick now. I just hope she doesn't come back here.
Now let me predict that Routh will not last 3 years in prison unless he's in protective custody, nor will he get the help he needs. The VA and the military recruiting procedures can continue being just as shitty as they are now.
Carry on, justice was served..(can ya hear the sarcasm dripping?)
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
My opinion of Routh trial
As far as I'm concerned if Eddie Ray Routh is convicted of capital murder during this trial, then the military recruiters and the VA are off the hook.
Not cool.
Not cool.
Thursday, February 05, 2015
Jury selection for alleged American Sniper killer begins today
Jury selection in Routh trial begins today
Pretty tall order since Chris Kyle has been glorified since the movie American Sniper was released worldwide about 3 weeks ago and is quite popular. As is Kyle in Texas, where the killing took place and they are trying to pick jurors for the trial.
A Reporter at Large JUNE 3, 2013 ISSUE
In the Crosshairs
Chris Kyle, a decorated sniper, tried to help a troubled veteran. The result was tragic.
BY NICHOLAS SCHMIDLE
The New Yorker
I wonder if Kyle knew that Routh's family and friends had hidden firearms and ammunition from Routh because they knew he was a danger to himself and others the day he and Littlefield were killed on the rifle range? I wonder if that will come up in the trial?
I also wonder if the trial will shed light on the Veterans Administration (who paid this dinky, no hit blog a visit the day I posted my last post) and the indadequate treatment of PTSD. Does the VA need to take a different tack? You know, mabye get a clue from the fact that thatthe war on drugs is a complete fucking failure also?
Or will it all be swept under the rug and the Texas HEE-Rohs murderer be executed? They execute a lot of people in Texas. The biggest executers in the US, in fact. (Feb 7 prosecution not seeking death penalty)
Jebus, no wonder my dad couldn't wait to get the fuck out of there.
This case just brings up how goddamned stupid the whole Iraq war is for me. The bitterness I feel at watching a whole new generation of broken vets. Lives lost or wasted and the only people benefitting from this war are people who are part of the war machine.
That includes me, because I wouldn't have a roof over my head, food to eat and insurance to cover my counseling for my PTSD if not for my husband's service and current employment with a mil contractor. My counselor should have been able to help a shit ton more veterans, but the nature of the military beast is to hide it's wounds, lick them when they are alone, don't let it become part of the service jacket. To suck it up, Buttercup, to soldier on,to ride the waves of bu·reau·crat·ic indifference at the highest levels right down into the gutters of a freeway underpass.
Pretty tall order since Chris Kyle has been glorified since the movie American Sniper was released worldwide about 3 weeks ago and is quite popular. As is Kyle in Texas, where the killing took place and they are trying to pick jurors for the trial.
A Reporter at Large JUNE 3, 2013 ISSUE
In the Crosshairs
Chris Kyle, a decorated sniper, tried to help a troubled veteran. The result was tragic.
BY NICHOLAS SCHMIDLE
The New Yorker
I wonder if Kyle knew that Routh's family and friends had hidden firearms and ammunition from Routh because they knew he was a danger to himself and others the day he and Littlefield were killed on the rifle range? I wonder if that will come up in the trial?
I also wonder if the trial will shed light on the Veterans Administration (who paid this dinky, no hit blog a visit the day I posted my last post) and the indadequate treatment of PTSD. Does the VA need to take a different tack? You know, mabye get a clue from the fact that thatthe war on drugs is a complete fucking failure also?
Or will it all be swept under the rug and the Texas HEE-Rohs murderer be executed? They execute a lot of people in Texas. The biggest executers in the US, in fact. (Feb 7 prosecution not seeking death penalty)
Jebus, no wonder my dad couldn't wait to get the fuck out of there.
This case just brings up how goddamned stupid the whole Iraq war is for me. The bitterness I feel at watching a whole new generation of broken vets. Lives lost or wasted and the only people benefitting from this war are people who are part of the war machine.
That includes me, because I wouldn't have a roof over my head, food to eat and insurance to cover my counseling for my PTSD if not for my husband's service and current employment with a mil contractor. My counselor should have been able to help a shit ton more veterans, but the nature of the military beast is to hide it's wounds, lick them when they are alone, don't let it become part of the service jacket. To suck it up, Buttercup, to soldier on,to ride the waves of bu·reau·crat·ic indifference at the highest levels right down into the gutters of a freeway underpass.
Sunday, February 01, 2015
American Sniper
I read the book . I saw the movie. I've read a few articles and reviews online. I didn't really hate the book or the movie. What I hated was the fact that I've lived 45 out of my over 50 years in San Diego and I call bullshit. That's because I know of these guys and they bullshit a lot, and they back each other's bullshit up. I'm not doubting that Chris Kyle believed in all that jingoistic bullshit and I don't doubt that he killed a shitload of Iraqis. Or that he loved his wife and kids and Texas and the USA and blhah blah zipityfuckindoodah. The movie made me want to drink copious amounts of tequila.
Dude has been proven a liar in court. I also got the idea that his wife is the kind of Navy wife that turned me off to Navy wives forever.
I am a retired veteran's wife and I was born here in San Diego and have lived here for MOST of my life and was single for a long time. I know how full of crap many military guys are. I've seen and heard shit that wives don't see and hear. I've worked on a base, a couple in fact. I'm not a veteran and never thought that was a realistic goal for me. I have asked quite a few young, active military guys why they joined and very few spout the kind of uber-patriotic nonsense that oozes out of the book or the movie. Their girlfriend broke their heart or their girlfriend got pregnant or they timed out of foster care or they wanted to go to college on the GI bill or there just weren't any JOBS back home. Or my favorite- they wanted to be in the MPs so they could go be a cop back home when they got out.
Frankly, I'm a much bigger Michael Moore fan than I am a Clint Eastwood fan and Eastwood became just another asshole like Charleton Heston in my mind when we were reminded of the incident where he said he would shoot MM if MM ever came to his door.
Dude has been proven a liar in court. I also got the idea that his wife is the kind of Navy wife that turned me off to Navy wives forever.
I am a retired veteran's wife and I was born here in San Diego and have lived here for MOST of my life and was single for a long time. I know how full of crap many military guys are. I've seen and heard shit that wives don't see and hear. I've worked on a base, a couple in fact. I'm not a veteran and never thought that was a realistic goal for me. I have asked quite a few young, active military guys why they joined and very few spout the kind of uber-patriotic nonsense that oozes out of the book or the movie. Their girlfriend broke their heart or their girlfriend got pregnant or they timed out of foster care or they wanted to go to college on the GI bill or there just weren't any JOBS back home. Or my favorite- they wanted to be in the MPs so they could go be a cop back home when they got out.
Frankly, I'm a much bigger Michael Moore fan than I am a Clint Eastwood fan and Eastwood became just another asshole like Charleton Heston in my mind when we were reminded of the incident where he said he would shoot MM if MM ever came to his door.
And oh by the way, Fried Green Tomatoes is streaming on Netflix right now.
Saturday, November 08, 2014
uh huh
The $9 Billion Witness: Meet JPMorgan Chase's Worst Nightmare
Meet the woman JPMorgan Chase paid one of the largest fines in American history to keep from talking
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
You're only paranoid if they're not after you
A Valuable Reputation
After Tyrone Hayes said that a chemical was harmful, its maker pursued him.
BY RACHEL AVIV
Just read it. Then see if your reaction is like mine. Disgusted at yet another corporate campaign to discredit scientists who might get in the the way of their profits with Oh,, I dunno, sciency stuff that indicates that their products might cause physical harm to living things.
Corporate power and Zombie shows getting bigger, or is it just me?
Monday, October 13, 2014
Ho hum
Not much interested in blogging any more. I will do my civic duty and vote in a couple of weeks, but I'm not really interested in the rigged political system any more. Not when I see the people I care about struggle every day for survival and my survival is only easier because I subjugated idealism for pragmatic reasons.
And I'll read this and this to help me do my civic duty.
And I'll read this and this to help me do my civic duty.
Saturday, September 06, 2014
Barely Keeping up
With all of the technical gadgets that I bought in December. And I REALLY am sick of trying to help my husband learn. He's so resistant to change that he's kind of a fucking pain in my ass.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Yes, I'm still alive
My dad is now in a special memory care unit and I couldn't be more pleased. He likes it, I got him to laugh the last time I saw him and I haven't seen him laugh in a long time. They take good care of him, and the family couldn't do it anymore. Dude deserves some peace and quiet before he dies and he sure wasn't getting that at the Bickerson's
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Why the politickybitch has been burned out on political blogging
Hmm. Guess it's been obvious for a while that I am completely burned out on political blogging, yeah?
Why?
Because in order to take it to the next level and become a "real activist" as I see it, might make some people very dear to me vulnerable. Also, it's all I can do to avoid the idiocy so prevalent in the corporate funded mainstream media's attempts to dominate, control, anesthetize and profit from as many Americans as possible.
There are so many stupid people in this country that the corporate interests are winning big. Many Americans are just ignorant and I have no problem with ignorance. Stupidity, however, gets on my last fucking nerve. There is a difference.
The politicians for the most part are only about winning their next election and they need money to run in it and the corporate interests provide those funds.
The voters are apathetic because they look at the self-interested politicians and wonder why the politicians never do anything for them or theirs. There are a few national politicians that give me hope that the broken political system can occasionally work for the constituents (umm, thats us, if you're wondering.)
Frankly, I dunno what it's going to take for us Americans to change our fucked up political system but my biggest hope lies in the fact that there are so many more of us than there are of the selfish, greedy fucking fucks that control the system right now because they have more money than we do. I've known for years that money wouldn't change things for most of us. It's not money that we need to change this broken system, it's the confidence that we CAN do it, and standing together in order TO do it. Because the castles can be stormed and you can bet your asses that the 1% are scared shitless of that. As well they should be.
Why?
Because in order to take it to the next level and become a "real activist" as I see it, might make some people very dear to me vulnerable. Also, it's all I can do to avoid the idiocy so prevalent in the corporate funded mainstream media's attempts to dominate, control, anesthetize and profit from as many Americans as possible.
There are so many stupid people in this country that the corporate interests are winning big. Many Americans are just ignorant and I have no problem with ignorance. Stupidity, however, gets on my last fucking nerve. There is a difference.
The politicians for the most part are only about winning their next election and they need money to run in it and the corporate interests provide those funds.
The voters are apathetic because they look at the self-interested politicians and wonder why the politicians never do anything for them or theirs. There are a few national politicians that give me hope that the broken political system can occasionally work for the constituents (umm, thats us, if you're wondering.)
Frankly, I dunno what it's going to take for us Americans to change our fucked up political system but my biggest hope lies in the fact that there are so many more of us than there are of the selfish, greedy fucking fucks that control the system right now because they have more money than we do. I've known for years that money wouldn't change things for most of us. It's not money that we need to change this broken system, it's the confidence that we CAN do it, and standing together in order TO do it. Because the castles can be stormed and you can bet your asses that the 1% are scared shitless of that. As well they should be.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Musing
You know you're playing way too much Scrabble and completely neglecting your political blog when you make up words like "Cogistan-- the place where Americans finally understand that they are sending their kids off to die so some rich fuck can get richer"
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Henry Giroux on Zombie Politics November 22, 2013
Watch here . Its fascinating and I"m sorry I missed it in November.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
got hung up on by AT&T for the 3rd time today
I am so furious with Sprint and AT&T right now and their customer service reps it is not funny. Customers are getiing screwed if they want to keep up with technology and customers are FORCED to make changes to keep up with the technology. I hope these carriers' shareholders are happy bankrupting the rest of us. Assholes.
I guess "It's always been like that" duncy twit ("it was wrote on here") didn't realize that the changes were made and customers were not informed of the change on their bills until there were data overages? I don't think so. I am getting screwed without so much as a kiss. The slick salesmen have no conscience but they are a bit smarter than the people paid to take the complaints and resolve issues (by hanging up on you).
I guess "It's always been like that" duncy twit ("it was wrote on here") didn't realize that the changes were made and customers were not informed of the change on their bills until there were data overages? I don't think so. I am getting screwed without so much as a kiss. The slick salesmen have no conscience but they are a bit smarter than the people paid to take the complaints and resolve issues (by hanging up on you).
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
AT&T sucks syphlitic donkey dick
I have always had unlimited data usage for high speed internet through At&T. I changed my service and the customer service rep neglected to tell me that that was no longer and option. Today I called and the idiotic twit I talked to couldn't even tell me how badly I am now getting fucked in the ass with razor blades on my internet bill.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
6 Scary Facts About California's Drought
6 Scary Facts About California's Drought
By Chris Mooney| Sat Jan. 18, 2014 3:00 AM GM
By Chris Mooney| Sat Jan. 18, 2014 3:00 AM GM
Monday, December 30, 2013
For Economic Stability, Follow the French
For Economic Stability, Follow the French
Monday, 30 December 2013 15:19
By The Daily Take, The Thom Hartmann Program | Op-Ed
Monday, 30 December 2013 15:19
By The Daily Take, The Thom Hartmann Program | Op-Ed
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas
yeah...
Haven't figured out my ridiculously expensive new cell phone and if I call you my husband's name will show up on your caller ID.
Haven't figured out my ridiculously expensive new cell phone and if I call you my husband's name will show up on your caller ID.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Is this possible?
So far I am both overwhelmed, and underwhelmed by the Samsung Galaxy S4. My eyes like that the screen is bigger than the iPhone, but I haven't figured out how not to use the battery very quickly. I'm not looking forward to trying to move my music from my 4 yr old workhorse iMac to the extra SD card I had installed before I even bought the thing.
update 22-21-13- returned it.
update 22-21-13- returned it.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
CDMA vs. GSM: What's the Difference?
CDMA vs. GSM: What's the Difference?
If you're shopping for a mobile phone, you're in for a lot of acronyms. Here's what you need to know about two basic, yet important, terms.
By Sascha Segan December 5, 2013 08:47am ES PC Magazine
Two basic technologies in mobile phones, CDMA and GSM represent a gap you can't cross. They're the reason you can't use AT&T phones on Verizon's network and vice versa. But what does CDMA vs. GSM really mean for you?
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobiles) are shorthand for the two major radio systems used in cell phones. Both acronyms tend to group together a bunch of technologies run by the same entities. In this story, I'll try to explain who uses which technology and what the real differences are.
Which Carries are CDMA? Which are GSM?
In the U.S., Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.
That means we're mostly a CDMA country. It also means we're not part of the norm, because most of the world is GSM. The global spread of GSM came about because in 1987, Europe mandated the technology by law, and because GSM comes from an industry consortium. What we call CDMA, by and large, is owned by chipmaker Qualcomm. This made it less expensive for third parties to build GSM equipment.
There are several variants and options carriers can choose, like toppings on their technological ice cream. In this story we'll be talking about U.S. networks.
What CDMA vs. GSM Means to You
For call quality, the technology you use is much less important than the way your carrier has built its network. There are good and bad CDMA and GSM networks, but there are key differences between the technologies. Here's what you, as a consumer, need to know.
It's much easier to swap phones on GSM networks, because GSM carriers put customer information on a removable SIM card. Take the card out, put it in a different phone, and the new phone now has your number. What's more, to be considered GSM, a carrier must accept any GSM-compliant phone. So the GSM carriers don't have total control of the phone you're using.
That's not the case with CDMA. In the U.S., CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch phones with your carrier's permission, and a carrier doesn't have to accept any particular phone onto its network. It could, but typically, U.S. carriers choose not to.
In other words, you can take an unlocked AT&T phone over to T-Mobile (although its 3G may not work well because the frequency bands are different). You can't take a Verizon phone over to Sprint, because Sprint's network rejects non-Sprint phones.
Many Sprint and Verizon phones now have SIM cards, but that isn't because of CDMA. The SIM cards are generally there for Sprint's and Verizon's 4G LTE networks, because the LTE standard also uses SIM cards. The phones may also have SIM slots to support foreign GSM networks as "world phones." But those carriers still use CDMA to authenticate their phones on their own home networks.
3G CDMA networks (known as "EV-DO" or "Evolution Data Optimized") also, generally, can't make voice calls and transmit data at the same time. Once more, that's an available option (known as "SV-DO" for "Simultaneous Voice and Data Optimization"), but one that U.S. carriers haven't adopted for their networks and phones.
On the other hand, all 3G GSM networks have simultaneous voice and data, because it's a required part of the spec. (3G GSM is also actually a type of CDMA. I'll explain that later.)
So why did so many U.S. carriers go with CDMA? Timing. When Verizon's predecessors and Sprint switched from analog to digital in 1995 and 1996, CDMA was the newest, hottest, fastest technology. It offered more capacity, better call quality and more potential than the GSM of the day. GSM caught up, but by then those carriers' paths were set.
It's possible to switch from CDMA to GSM. Bell and Telus in Canada have done it, to get access to the wider variety of off-the-shelf GSM phones. But Verizon and Sprint are big enough that they can get custom phones built for them, so they don't see the need to waste money switching 3G technologies when they could be building out their 4G networks.
The Technology Behind CDMA vs. GSM
CDMA and GSM are both multiple access technologies. They're ways for people to cram multiple phone calls or Internet connections into one radio channel.
GSM came first. It's a "time division" system. Calls take turns. Your voice is transformed into digital data, which is given a channel and a time slot, so three calls on one channel look like this: 123123123123. On the other end, the receiver listens only to the assigned time slot and pieces the call back together.
The pulsing of the time division signal created the notorious "GSM buzz," a buzzing sound whenever you put a GSM phone near a speaker. That's mostly gone now, because 3G GSM (as I explain later) isn't a time division technology.
CDMA required a bit more processing power. It's a "code division" system. Every call's data is encoded with a unique key, then the calls are all transmitted at once; if you have calls 1, 2, and 3 in a channel, the channel would just say 66666666. The receivers each have the unique key to "divide" the combined signal into its individual calls.
Code division turned out to be a more powerful and flexible technology, so "3G GSM" is actually a CDMA technology, called WCDMA (wideband CDMA) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System). WCDMA requires wider channels than older CDMA systems, as the name implies, but it has more data capacity.
Since its inception, GSM has had many more add-ons and evolutions than CDMA. As I mentioned above, WCDMA is considered the 3G version of GSM technology. To further speed things up, the 3GPP (the GSM governing body) released extensions called HSPA, which have sped GSM networks up to as fast as 42Mbps, at least in theory.
Our CDMA networks, meanwhile, are stuck at 3.6Mbps. While faster CDMA technologies exist, U.S. carriers chose not to install them and have instead turned to 4G LTE to be more compatible with global standards.
The Future is LTE
The CDMA vs. GSM gap will close eventually as everyone moves to 4G LTE, but that doesn't mean everyone's phones will be compatible. LTE, or "Long Term Evolution," is the new globally accepted 4G wireless standard. All of the U.S. carriers are turning it on. For more, see 3G vs. 4G: What's the Difference?.
The problem is, they're turning it on in different frequency bands, with different 3G backup systems, and even, in the case of the new Sprint Spark network, using an LTE variant (TD-LTE) that doesn't work with any other U.S. carrier's phones.
Furthermore, it's not like the 2G and 3G networks are going away any time soon. Carriers have told us they're leaving their UMTS and EVDO networks live until at least 2020. So we will not enter a European-style paradise of interchangeable phones anytime soon.
So what does all of this mean for you? If you want to switch phones often, use your phone in Europe, or use imported phones, go with GSM. Otherwise, pick your carrier based on coverage and call quality in your area. Our Readers' Choice and Fastest Mobile Networks awards are a great place to start.
My head is spinning, but I'm determined to figure out how to change my communications situation. Just not today. I now have a throbbing headache from trying to learn about technology changes that I've attempted to ignore for the last 18 months. I AM tired of being the cash cow that allows my communications carriers to make changes that entice NEW subscribers.
If you're shopping for a mobile phone, you're in for a lot of acronyms. Here's what you need to know about two basic, yet important, terms.
By Sascha Segan December 5, 2013 08:47am ES PC Magazine
Two basic technologies in mobile phones, CDMA and GSM represent a gap you can't cross. They're the reason you can't use AT&T phones on Verizon's network and vice versa. But what does CDMA vs. GSM really mean for you?
CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) and GSM (Global System for Mobiles) are shorthand for the two major radio systems used in cell phones. Both acronyms tend to group together a bunch of technologies run by the same entities. In this story, I'll try to explain who uses which technology and what the real differences are.
Which Carries are CDMA? Which are GSM?
In the U.S., Sprint, Verizon and U.S. Cellular use CDMA. AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM.
That means we're mostly a CDMA country. It also means we're not part of the norm, because most of the world is GSM. The global spread of GSM came about because in 1987, Europe mandated the technology by law, and because GSM comes from an industry consortium. What we call CDMA, by and large, is owned by chipmaker Qualcomm. This made it less expensive for third parties to build GSM equipment.
There are several variants and options carriers can choose, like toppings on their technological ice cream. In this story we'll be talking about U.S. networks.
What CDMA vs. GSM Means to You
For call quality, the technology you use is much less important than the way your carrier has built its network. There are good and bad CDMA and GSM networks, but there are key differences between the technologies. Here's what you, as a consumer, need to know.
It's much easier to swap phones on GSM networks, because GSM carriers put customer information on a removable SIM card. Take the card out, put it in a different phone, and the new phone now has your number. What's more, to be considered GSM, a carrier must accept any GSM-compliant phone. So the GSM carriers don't have total control of the phone you're using.
That's not the case with CDMA. In the U.S., CDMA carriers use network-based white lists to verify their subscribers. That means you can only switch phones with your carrier's permission, and a carrier doesn't have to accept any particular phone onto its network. It could, but typically, U.S. carriers choose not to.
In other words, you can take an unlocked AT&T phone over to T-Mobile (although its 3G may not work well because the frequency bands are different). You can't take a Verizon phone over to Sprint, because Sprint's network rejects non-Sprint phones.
Many Sprint and Verizon phones now have SIM cards, but that isn't because of CDMA. The SIM cards are generally there for Sprint's and Verizon's 4G LTE networks, because the LTE standard also uses SIM cards. The phones may also have SIM slots to support foreign GSM networks as "world phones." But those carriers still use CDMA to authenticate their phones on their own home networks.
3G CDMA networks (known as "EV-DO" or "Evolution Data Optimized") also, generally, can't make voice calls and transmit data at the same time. Once more, that's an available option (known as "SV-DO" for "Simultaneous Voice and Data Optimization"), but one that U.S. carriers haven't adopted for their networks and phones.
On the other hand, all 3G GSM networks have simultaneous voice and data, because it's a required part of the spec. (3G GSM is also actually a type of CDMA. I'll explain that later.)
So why did so many U.S. carriers go with CDMA? Timing. When Verizon's predecessors and Sprint switched from analog to digital in 1995 and 1996, CDMA was the newest, hottest, fastest technology. It offered more capacity, better call quality and more potential than the GSM of the day. GSM caught up, but by then those carriers' paths were set.
It's possible to switch from CDMA to GSM. Bell and Telus in Canada have done it, to get access to the wider variety of off-the-shelf GSM phones. But Verizon and Sprint are big enough that they can get custom phones built for them, so they don't see the need to waste money switching 3G technologies when they could be building out their 4G networks.
The Technology Behind CDMA vs. GSM
CDMA and GSM are both multiple access technologies. They're ways for people to cram multiple phone calls or Internet connections into one radio channel.
GSM came first. It's a "time division" system. Calls take turns. Your voice is transformed into digital data, which is given a channel and a time slot, so three calls on one channel look like this: 123123123123. On the other end, the receiver listens only to the assigned time slot and pieces the call back together.
The pulsing of the time division signal created the notorious "GSM buzz," a buzzing sound whenever you put a GSM phone near a speaker. That's mostly gone now, because 3G GSM (as I explain later) isn't a time division technology.
CDMA required a bit more processing power. It's a "code division" system. Every call's data is encoded with a unique key, then the calls are all transmitted at once; if you have calls 1, 2, and 3 in a channel, the channel would just say 66666666. The receivers each have the unique key to "divide" the combined signal into its individual calls.
Code division turned out to be a more powerful and flexible technology, so "3G GSM" is actually a CDMA technology, called WCDMA (wideband CDMA) or UMTS (Universal Mobile Telephone System). WCDMA requires wider channels than older CDMA systems, as the name implies, but it has more data capacity.
Since its inception, GSM has had many more add-ons and evolutions than CDMA. As I mentioned above, WCDMA is considered the 3G version of GSM technology. To further speed things up, the 3GPP (the GSM governing body) released extensions called HSPA, which have sped GSM networks up to as fast as 42Mbps, at least in theory.
Our CDMA networks, meanwhile, are stuck at 3.6Mbps. While faster CDMA technologies exist, U.S. carriers chose not to install them and have instead turned to 4G LTE to be more compatible with global standards.
The Future is LTE
The CDMA vs. GSM gap will close eventually as everyone moves to 4G LTE, but that doesn't mean everyone's phones will be compatible. LTE, or "Long Term Evolution," is the new globally accepted 4G wireless standard. All of the U.S. carriers are turning it on. For more, see 3G vs. 4G: What's the Difference?.
The problem is, they're turning it on in different frequency bands, with different 3G backup systems, and even, in the case of the new Sprint Spark network, using an LTE variant (TD-LTE) that doesn't work with any other U.S. carrier's phones.
Furthermore, it's not like the 2G and 3G networks are going away any time soon. Carriers have told us they're leaving their UMTS and EVDO networks live until at least 2020. So we will not enter a European-style paradise of interchangeable phones anytime soon.
So what does all of this mean for you? If you want to switch phones often, use your phone in Europe, or use imported phones, go with GSM. Otherwise, pick your carrier based on coverage and call quality in your area. Our Readers' Choice and Fastest Mobile Networks awards are a great place to start.
My head is spinning, but I'm determined to figure out how to change my communications situation. Just not today. I now have a throbbing headache from trying to learn about technology changes that I've attempted to ignore for the last 18 months. I AM tired of being the cash cow that allows my communications carriers to make changes that entice NEW subscribers.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Sunday, December 01, 2013
I am pissed
These greedy assholes raised my rent for the second time in 6 months. Between watching my neighbor's dog shit while I have my morning coffee, the cheap disgusting carpet they put in after 14 years of needing new carpet and paint, and the freeway noise, I've had it. There is no pool, no dishwasher, no ac, no parking, a filthy disgusting laundry room with cold water only, and the smell of garbage wafting over the rotten assy smell of fish sauce covered garlic in asian food cooking, I'm done.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Dog Pound
Dog Pound (2010)
91 min - Drama - 23 June 2010 (France)
Reviews: 29 user | 42 critic | 8 from Metacritic.com
Three juvenile delinquents arrive at a correctional center and are put under the care of an experienced guard.
I watched this a couple of days ago and it is still a bit disturbing to me. Not only because it brings back terrible memories for me, but because the normal evolution (developement)? necessary in the main character to make a good movie is thwarted. What is treated superficially in the movie is how these boys came to be where they are and just how few good role models they have had in their lives.
I was never in juvenile hall, but I certainly was stuck in a few places where kids who had been were. None of the places I was were same sex and I imagine the violence level with a bunch of teenaged male offenders was much higher than what I experienced. I was threatened a few times and I suppose I threatened the staff a couple times as I was restrained and isolated. What did come across is how few staff or offenders will understand or take responsibility for their own actions. The Bleakness might have been a better title for this example of how truly fucked up the "justice system" is in this country.
The Hunger Games Catching Fire
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
146 min - Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi - 22 November 2013 (USA)
Since I read the books I knew exactly what was going to happen, but I enjoyed the movie. I normally refuse to plunk down 9 bucks for a matinee, but I loved it. The series is quite timely.
146 min - Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi - 22 November 2013 (USA)
Since I read the books I knew exactly what was going to happen, but I enjoyed the movie. I normally refuse to plunk down 9 bucks for a matinee, but I loved it. The series is quite timely.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
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