"Waaaaahhhh. Apple won't let me exploit private user data on iPhones anymore!

Ham radio is certainly a fun hobby where people across the world can connect and communicate using a variety of modes, such as voice, Morse code, Slow-Scan TV, Radio Teletype, and many more. It's also a utility, especially in times of disaster relief. Many times ham radio has been the only means of communication. For example, during the major Mexican earthquake in the 1980s, the radio club I was in handled a large amount of traffic; passing messages from families in Mexico to relatives in the US and vice-versa. Ham radio is also a place for learning, research and experimentation. Sure, you can just easily put a pre-built station + antenna together, but many hams enjoy building their own equipment and antennas, or learning to use newer modes of communication. So, the answer to the question in the title is that ham radio is both of those things, but it encompasses much more than that, too.

Interestingly enough, some of the posts I see on Facebook claim that the investment in robots and AI is happening because of the increase in the minimum wage...and something, something illegal aliens. I hate my Facebook feed.

The only way I can see it happening is if it is a fully automated trip from point A to point B. Otherwise, the license requirements alone will make it nothing more than a novelty. Now, passenger airlines have tons of automation, and even single engine planes can have *some* automation, so it's not quite so farfetched to have automation combined with machine learning. BTW - you're 100% correct on the maintenance aspect. I'm a private pilot, and flying clubs (and training companies) will perform maintenance at least every 100 hours of flight time. So Uber would need to have quite the fleet of automated flying cars to keep enough of them in the air. Definitely more than 3 years away.

I dont think this happening within 3 years. For example, take a look at how long Terrafugia has been at it. It has taken them *years* to get to the point where they've been allowed by the FAA to self-certify their "flying cars" for weight and stall speed limits. They're finally allowed to self-certify as a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). So, now they expect to have a new prototype by 2018, and customer delivery by 2024! As for flying it, I'm guessing Uber is planning on self-flying craft (there's already a ton of automation for flying that has been in place for a long time). I'd love to see it happen, but I'm not counting on it within 3 years.

Back in 1987, the late SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia said, "There is nothing new in the realization that the Constitution sometimes insulates the criminality of a few in order to protect the privacy of us all." http://www.nytimes.com/1987/03... In today's world, he'd probably go on to say that decisions on privacy should not be decided by SCOTUS, but rather it should be up to the Legislative branch since the US Constitution doesn't ever mention the word privacy. It's a very frustrating world we live in.