Ah nevermind, I got it. It's not terribly obvious though...

Look, I'm not picky or anything, and I know headlines are shortened, but what the hell does " Apple Said To Team With Visa, MasterCard On iPhone Wallet" mean?

Software monetization is basically just like anal sex. You keep on pushing until the person you're doing it to can't take it anymore. And then you keep pushing.

You seem to know a lot about monetizing anal sex...

That's how I feel too: they've turned Firefox into a cheap whore - albeit with an opt-out option.

Yet I realize they have to make money to keep bringing out new Firefox releases.

Yet... it sucks. Ads sucks. Ad-funded internet sucks.

I don't know what's worse: being blown out of the sky with explosives or having to stay in Phoenix.

I'm reminded of the old joke:
"What famous event happened in 1732?"
"George Washington was born."
"Very good. Now what famous event happened in 1743?'
"George Washington became 11 years old."

It must be an old joke alright, cuz I've never heard it, and it ain't funny.

Correct me if I'm wrong but... would you happen to be rooting for India by any chance?

The Internet of Things is a buzzword. Buzzwords don't need securing. Problem solved.

If there's one thing I've learned reading all kinds of award-winning books, is that more often than not, the award is a big warning that the book is shit, or pompous, or written specifically to woo often sophisticated, pedantic jury members into giving the award.

In short, I usually go for stuff that hasn't been awarded certain kinds of awards. The Hugo certainly seems overrated these days, and has been for many years.

By that logic, Germany is probably not a true friend of the US

Hardly any state is a true friend of the US these days - apart perhaps the UK, and even that is far from certain.

'Spying among friends is not at all acceptable,' Merkel said

And I doubt very much Turkey is a true friend of Germany: it's a economical, immigration and to a certain extent, religious threat to Germany - or at least perceived as such by a sizeable part of the German population. It's also a liability, as it's capable of singlehandedly dragging Germany into the huge Iraqi and middle-eastern quagmire if it starts to get involved and calls on NATO members to provide help.

Turkey just happens to be a member of NATO like Germany, is all. That doesn't make the two friends.

...nation states are always a bunch of hypocritical jerks.

Oh please, don't be disingenuous. It's been well known by everybody for decades that every state in the world spies on all the other statse, and that to a certain extent, every state spies on every one of its citizens too.

The real problem comes when a certain state is outed, and flat out lies about its domestic and international spying activities to the representants of its own people.

Reference?

None. The librarian is dead...

Well quite: I share plenty of DNA with the missus regularly, but there ain't much conversation involved.

[...] but given China's track record with censorship and privacy, the explanation rings hollow for some skeptics.[...]

Given the United State's track record, I think the skeptics should worry about data collection at home too.

Why always focus on China when it comes to human rights and privacy issues? Just look at your own navel for a change...