Starting to get back into the swing of things a bit after some life altering news of late. That said, the swing set here has been dormant for quite some time, so it will take a bit to knock the rust off. There's been so much water under so many bridges since I had to semi-retire from writing for this blog and others that if I tried to catch up, well, let's just say that would be as futile as a certain Virginia governor trying to salvage what is left of his career by giving back a Rolex.
So, we'll move on and pick up anew. That said, the headlines of today look pretty much the same. Only the names and circumstances change in the ridiculous rat race that we somehow still like to call human. But maybe that's the point. Human nature is what it is all about and human nature has more of an interest in the dark than the light.
So, this blog was always about culture, politics, things I found entertaining and a bit of tech. We'll try to get back to some of that in the days ahead. So, let's kick off by saying you won't find much talk about a certain idiot in New York City, who likes to send pictures of himself around to women, and then seems to think he can still run for mayor of that city. If nothing else, change your damn name. All you are doing is reducing the Internet to a level below its prepubescent preponderance for dick jokes and other puerile predilections. Actually, it isn't just the Internet. We long ago dismissed shame as something we would brandish on those who deserved it, in lieu of profiting on their stupidity for our own sakes. That, though, doesn't give you permission to jerk off in public, even if those looking for links will join in and make it a circle; or that voters in South Carolina and other places have proven that we don't care about the smarts of those we elect, have short memories, or just find the whole thing more entertaining than the latest failed movie blockbuster.
On to a bit of technology. Google has released Chromecast, a dongle that dangles out of an HDMI port and allows you to use mobile devices and computers to throw video to your big screen. Huzzah! Maybe the third time will be the charm for Google and TV because it has failed at least twice. The Chromecast concept at least looks like it has promise and the price ($35) is certainly right. That is until those who control the content start to do a little squeezing. Content providers and pipe purveyors certainly recognize Google's play here and gosh, golly gee, they don't want you to watch their stuff with somebody else's ads on it. They've lost the time shifting and place shifting battles and I don't think they want to loose the dongle dance that should lead to this technology being built into TVs down the road.
I may be wrong, but as exciting as Chromecast looks to be, I bet we see a backlash from the content providers that will affect all streaming services. Short memories easily forget how DRM schemes forced on computer manufacturers crippled computers (and in some cases still do). I mean let's get serious. The next time some dickhead politician pops his head up (or other things) and the ratings war games begin on that news, they want you tuning into their coverage today, not streaming it through your browser tomorrow. But then the term "breaking news" is a broken cliché and has as much currency as the stuff the content providers willingly let you stream on existing services.
And for those who might be offended at the headline of this post, keep in mind what the Urban Dictionary lists as its 15th definition of dongle.
