More Satellites

Last month I wrote about a handful of companies adding satellites for new internet and TV broadband services. LINK

Elon Musk is at it again. SpaceX has just filed for permission to add 30,000 more satellites to the 12,000 already approved. The company has deployed a few of the first 12,000 already and plans to have more deployed by the end of 2019.

There are strict international rules for deployment size, weight, height of orbit, wave length for transmitting signals, etc. Nonetheless, many "experts" (fearmongers) have complained that space is cluttered with too many satellites already and worry about accidents as they might bump into each other.

To add perspective, as of January 2019, about 8,950 satellites were placed into Earth orbit since 1957. About 5,000 of those were still in space, according to the European Space Agency. Only about 1,950 of those are still functioning.

As of 2019 here are 276 million cars and trucks on the roads in the United States alone. There are over 1.4 billion cars, trucks, and buses around the world. Neither figure includes off road vehicles. Since space is infinitely larger than earth, it seems unlikely mankind will be able to fill it up any time soon.

Happy Friday

Beauty may fade, but happiness endures.
I never fade from a Happy Friday!

Spam Amazon Invoice

There is another new spam. I received two identical invoices from what appeared to be Amazon with a price I did not recognize (clue 1). They were sent about half hour apart to an email that I do not use for Amazon (clue 2). There was no item description (clue3 ). It was from ar2-amazon@uni-bielefeld.de, weird email (clue 4). Tried to get me to open up PDF invoice (clue 5). The major number of spams ask to open a PDF, or other attachment. Always bad, as that is where they can take over your computer.
Checked Amazon and indeed, no items with that charge (clue 6).

I googled the email and the suffix was from a German college (clue 7).
Immediately deleted. Caveat Emptor!

More - One new scam tactic uses your bank's real phone number to encourage you to surrender your PIN. It starts with the scammers calling your phone claiming to be your bank. They explain that someone has attempted to use your card in a faraway location. When you tell them it was not you, they will claim to block the transaction and ask for your member number. They can use this number to reset your bank account password and trigger a verification code text that is sent to your cellphone, so you believe it is real.

Interesting Movie Facts

The dinosaur noises in the "Jurassic Park" movie were made from recordings of tortoise sex.

The word "mafia" is never mentioned in the film version of The Godfather, because the actual mafia demanded it.
The Horse Head used in the movie "The Godfather" was real.

The budget for the Movie "Titanic" was higher than the cost of the Titanic itself.

Movie theater popcorn costs more per ounce than filet mignon in the US.

A 2-hour movie plus 5 minutes of previews uses 2.1 miles (3.4 km) of 35mm film.

Kobe vs. Wagyu

Kobe must be born and processed in the Hyogo prefecture. Hyogo's capital city is Kobe, hence the name. Only nine restaurants in the entire US serve real Kobe beef. Kobe is a variety of Wagyu.

Wagyu is a Japanese breed that can be raised anywhere. Wagyu, loosely translated, means “Japanese cattle”. In the US, purebred Wagyu are crossed with traditional beef cattle breeds to create American Wagyu Beef. It must be at least 46.875% Wagyu DNA.


Every Kobe steak is Wagyu, but not all Wagyu steaks are Kobe.

BMI Facts

Seems to me that if the majority, 71.6% are overweight according to the arbitrary BMI number, then the number needs to be updated to reflect the new norm. According to BMI, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rock are obese.

Percent of adults aged 20 and over with overweight, including obesity: 71.6% (2015-2016) - latest from National Center for Health Statistics

The overall prevalence of obesity was higher among black and Hispanic adults than among non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic Asian adults.


Obesity is defined as the BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, rounded to one decimal place. Obesity in adults was defined as a BMI of greater than or equal to 30.

English Phrase Origins

The first recorded use of 'by hook or by crook' is from the fourteenth century. In medieval times, the peasantry was not allowed to cut down trees, but they were permitted to gather firewood from loose or dead branches using a hook (bill-hook) or a crook (a staff with a curved end like those used by shepherds). Some peasants exceeded the strict use of these tools, and so the term has evolved into its current usage, meaning to achieve something by whatever means possible.

The word 'deadline' was originally used literally. During the Civil War, prisoners at one camp were confined to a pen and surrounded by a “deadline”; so called because if a prisoner crossed it, he would be shot dead. Now it is a synonym for “due date” or “time limit,”

Chicago’s nickname was coined by 19th-century journalists who were referring to the fact that its residents were “windbags” and “full of hot air.”

8K TV Price Drops

Sharp’s first 8K TV went on sale for professional use in Japan during 2015 for $133,000.

New pricing - LG 88 inch OLED 8K $30,000 -  Sony Z9G 8K TV, at 85 inches, costs $13,000 - Samsung offers 55” and 65” versions of the Q900R for $3,500 and $4,000, respectively, - 8K larger screen like the $6,000 75” model or the $8,000 82” model - Samsung QN75 Q900R BFXZA Flat 75-Inch QLED 8K Q900 Series $4,497 - 65" Class Q900 QLED Smart 8K UHD TV (2019), $2,999. OK, all still way too expensive, but it looks like 8K is following 4K large price drops each year as production ramps up.

In November 2017, video-streaming site Vimeo added support for 8K, and it now has over 6,000 videos tagged as 8K. YouTube added 8K and it boasts thousands of 8K videos. Almost all are non-movie and non-TV shows, but at least there is content to test the new TVs. I will obviously be a few years before we see real 8K movie and TV content. Cheap and greedy broadcasters are still fighting upgrades to 4K, because of the impact it might have on the precious bottom line.

Incidentally, Samsung put two 85-inch TVs side by side, one playing 4K content in 4K, the other upscaling 4K content to 8K. The difference was apparent, with the upscaled 4K video playing on the 8K TV looking visibly superior.

Happy Friday

Being old does not diminish happiness, but happiness can diminish feeling old.
I feel very young, especially on a Happy Friday!

Champagne, vs. Prosecco

Champagne is a sparkling wine from France and Prosecco is from Italy. The difference in price is partially from the production method used to make each wine. Both have flavonoids that have antioxidant properties, just as with red wine.

Champagne is more time intensive to produce and enjoys better marketing, thus affecting higher price. Champagne is primarily Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes with higher acidity. Since carbonation develops under high pressure, Champagne has fine, persistent bubbles. Pairing champagne with potato chips or fried chicken may sound odd, but is very delicious.
Prosecco is made with primarily Glera grapes (formerly known as Prosecco).  Prosecco can be spumante ("sparkling wine"), frizzante ("semi-sparkling wine"), or tranquillo ("still wine"). Because it is aged in large tanks with less pressure, Prosecco has lighter, frothy bubbles that do not last as long. Prosecco is a bit sweeter than champagne.

Incidentally, in some countries, it is illegal to label any product Champagne unless it both comes from the Champagne region in France and is produced under the rules of the appellation. The United States has a grandfather clause stating that wineries which were operating and producing sparkling wine before the agreement was signed in 2005 are legally, according to US law, able to use the term “champagne” on their label. One company that does is Korbel.

New Logo NextGen TV

They came up with a new logo that will be shown on all new TVs and devices that can support the new ATSC 3 antenna TV that is in process of rolling out around the country. You might see the logo (and the new 8K logo) on TVs in stores beginning next year.


The new standard is being tested around the country now, but you will need to get a dongle for your TV to see or wait for the new TVs to come with it built in, as is with ATSC 1 on current TVs. Current antennas and cables will work for both.
The new standard should offer 4K over your current antenna as well as two-way communication, immersive Dolby audio, and more. It will provide local and national emergency alerts, even if the TV is turned off. The only downside is that it is two-way, meaning the TV companies can now check what we are watching and provide more direct ads to us.
Incidentally, broadcasters are required to provide the current service for five more years, so you can ignore NextGen TV for a while.
--------------

Screen Casting vs. Mirroring

Screen Casting vs. Mirroring - Screen Mirroring and Screen Casting are often used interchangeably, but they are different.
With Screen Mirroring, everything you see on your smartphone, including streaming services, apps, videos, web pages, and other content on your TV. In addition to content, the smartphone's menu bars and status icons appear on your TV.
Casting involves showing just the chosen content shows on to your TV screen, no phone menu bars or status icons. If a smartphone app is compatible with casting, such as YouTube or Netflix, the Cast Logo



will appear near the top of your smartphone screen of the app you want to cast.

As content plays, you can perform other tasks on your phone at the same time including finding other content to cast, make a phone call, or turn the phone off. The casted content will play on the TV until you change to another app, channel, or setting on the TV.

Alaska Facts

Alaska has more coastline than the rest of the United States combined at about 34,000 miles (54,563 km). Alaska has more inland water than any other state (20,171 square miles). It is the only state to have coastlines on three different seas: the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Bering Sea. New Hampshire has the shortest at 131 mi (211 km)

Opt Out Paper Mail

To reduce ads and mailers, create an account with the Direct Marketing Association You can cancel mailings from a few thousand organizations, individually or in bulk, as well as to stop many catalogs, promotional flyers, donation requests, and even “Current Resident” junk mail. For two dollars, you get a 10 year stoppage.

Catalog Choice is a similar option, and free, but it covers only catalogs, and you have to cancel mail from each brand individually. If your mailbox is regularly stuffed with coupons, the ubiquitous coupon slinger Valpak has its own opt-out form, and RetailMeNot, which sends mailers from many big brands, lets you cancel online. (If you actually like some coupons, remember this option stops all mailings.)