I thought the very purchase of Motorola Mobility was the patent trove. It would protect Android from attacks by Apple and the like.

So I wonder why they're selling to Lenovo now. It's kind of odd when you come right down to it.

When I'm in agreement with a Republican but it's pretty clear that Clapper did nothing but lie. And I find it amusing that congressmen in general are getting their underwear in a bunch because they found out the NSA is spying on them too. Oh well.

Was about the time the #5 Xbar system came about. It was the very first Common Control switching system. The way it works is fascinating. The crossbar elements too - a single crossbar frame could switch multiple calls due to holding magnets activated by the system.

Of course the era spans to about 1970 when the first electronic switches were put into place.

It's called the 4th Amendment! You know, Secure in your person, papers, things and places. That smart phone counts as thing that is PROTECTED from unwarranted search and seizure.

That it actually got all the way up to the USSC is appalling. It should have been vigorously quashed at the district level and affirmed by the appellate and that be the end of it.

I keep getting these notices from my gas provider telling me that they need to change out my meter and inspect for leaks. Thing is, I watched them dig up the streets about 3 years ago and put in new PVC for gas service. So it's not a leak. I just failed to tell them I heat with gas.

I failed to tell them because they want to charge extra on the customer charge and then the therm factor (Which in my thinking is a money grab and nothing more!) goes up significantly. To hell with them. And the language used in the letters - that my gas service COULD be discontinued - not that it will, but it something more nebulous that they COULD. I pay the bill every month. So what the hell do they care?

About how many signed the petition to the FCC to implement Common Carrier status on ISPs.

The last change if you will - and that's a good one, is that I-295 got raised to 65MPH. That's it.

And if you want to take your life in your hands I invite you to get on I-95 in Providence and try to do 55MPH.

The limits were set in the 1950's. Cars of that era were boats with drum brakes all around and no power steering, rear wheel drive, etc. Where I live speed limits only changed on the highways in the 1970's. Other roads haven't had their speed limits changed. Road I live near is four lanes wide and the speed limit is 25MPH. I dare you to find a car doing that speed.

I wasn't aware that the fines were according to income. Pretty cool! And yes, when I do speed I don't get on your bumper, I tend to leave a fair distance. So maybe if we changed drivers ed in this country to really stress that instead of adherence to speed limits our highways would be a little bit better.

I just get Gmail via IMAP in Thunderbird. So it ain't gonna work.

Is that they adjust speed limits accordingly. After all if Ford sees the 90th quintile regularly exceeding posted speed limits maybe they could put some pressure on the NHTSA and the Federal Government to stop dicking with speed limits on highways.

Many of our speed limits are set artificially low. The reasons for this are many, including of course ticket revenue and ostensibly 'safety'.

But cars today are a very far cry from cars that were around back then. Think for a moment, cars now have ABS, passive restraint, traction control, and many have semi-autonomous control of breaking and even steering. So by that argument speed limits should go up.

Add to this - I remember when speed limits in urban areas in the late 1960's and early 1970's were 70MPH.

Puzzle me this though - why is it in Germany where much of the Autobahn has now maximum speed limit the highway deaths are lower than in the United States where we have these artificially low speed limits? Could it be it costs around $2,000 in Germany to get a license?

And the liability will shift to the manufacturer of the autonomous vehicle more so than the person riding in it and owning it.

It's a shame. I would imagine that's all insured and such. But they're going to need cleanup supplies, etc. Just go hit their amazon page to donate those.

Same sentiment here. I'm pretty sure that Nye will handily defeat the arguments of Ham. But I can't wait to see this.

That my freshman reading list for high school included books such as:

Brave New World, Black Like Me, A Kiss Before Dying, 1984, Animal Farm, etc. Yes, a fairly subversive Catholic high school. Then of course during my years there we read the Greek Tragedies, one that stands out is Lysistrata, then of course The Hobbit, The Canterbury Tales, and Beowulf. Yes, read them.