WARNING - Automatic Agreement to Web Site Terms

"Soon You May Not Even Have to Click on a Website Contract to Be Bound by Its Terms" by Ian MacDougall, ProPublica 5/20/2019

A private and influential legal group you’ve never heard of is about to vote on what critics call a fundamental rollback of consumer rights.

If you’re like most people, you’ve probably clicked “I agree” on many online contracts without ever reading them.  Soon you may be deemed to have agreed to a company’s terms without even knowing it.  A vote is occurring Tuesday that would make it easier for online businesses to dispense with that click and allow websites that you merely browse — anything from Amazon and AT&T to Yahoo and Zillow — to bind you to contract terms without your agreement or awareness.

As public outcry mounts over companies like Facebook collecting and selling user information, the new proposal would prime courts and legislatures to give businesses even more power to extract data from unwitting consumers.  If the proposal is approved, merely posting a link to a company’s terms of service on a homepage could be enough for the company to conclude that a user has agreed to its policies.  That includes everything from provisions that allow the sale of customer data or grant the right to track visitors to policies that limit consumers’ legal rights by barring them from suing in court or in class actions.  Some courts have already given their blessing to this practice.  But the proposal up for a vote Tuesday is set to make those kinds of business-friendly rulings all the more common.

The proposal has outraged consumer advocates, state attorneys general and other constituencies.  They see it as improperly tilting the scales in favor of business interests.  They argue that the solution is creating clearer, simpler contracts rather than lengthy, confusing ones that are harder to find.  The proposal’s authors counter that they have simply summarized trends in American law.

There’s been little discussion of the impending change in the general public.  That’s because the vote isn’t before Congress, the Supreme Court or a regulatory agency.  It’s before a private association virtually unknown outside legal circles: the more than 4,700 judges, legal scholars and practicing attorneys that constitute the American Law Institute [ALI].  The new proposal was drafted by three law professors affiliated with the organization.

Almost a century old, ALI is about as elite an institution as the United States has to offer.  It counts among its founders two chief justices of the U.S. Supreme Court — one of whom, William Howard Taft, was also the 27th president — and its membership is a who’s who of the American bar.  Speakers at ALI’s annual conclave in Washington this week include Chief Justice John Roberts and former Justice Anthony Kennedy.

For decades, ALI has exerted profound influence over American law and life through the publication of what it calls the “Restatements of the Law.”  The Restatements are, in essence, guidebooks to the common law.  That body of law — created by judicial opinions rather than statutes — plays a central role in governing everything from property rights to contract disputes to who’s liable when accidents happen.  But it’s a messy realm; courts in each state are free to create or put their own spin on common-law rules.  The point of the Restatements is to clarify the common law and impose order on it.

The reputation of the Restatements is such that for decades courts have treated them as something close to an authoritative explanation of what the law is and where it’s heading.  “The ALI is the unofficial College of Cardinals of the U.S. legal profession,” said Adam Levitin, a Georgetown University law professor and ALI member who has helped spearhead opposition to the new Restatement.  “Even though its members are not representatives of the public, once the ALI approves these Restatements, lawyers, arbitrators, judges and justices use them as a handy reference guide to what the law is and should be.”

At the heart of consumer advocates’ objections to the Restatement is a section that substantially weakens in the consumer context a core concept of contract law — that a contract requires a “meeting of the minds,” with each party assenting to its terms.  Instead, the Restatement requires businesses only to give customers notice of the contract terms and an opportunity to review them.

The Restatement provides examples of how little businesses need to do to bind consumers to their terms and conditions.  In one hypothetical, a user simply browsing a website becomes bound by its terms of use because the homepage contains a notice that links to the language and reads, “By continuing past this page, you agree to abide by the Terms of Use for this site.”  In another, a user becomes bound by the website’s terms merely by clicking a “Read More” button to access the full text of a webpage.  (Companies can continue using “I Agree” buttons if they prefer.)

The authors of the Restatement — three professors from Harvard Law School, NYU School of Law and the University of Chicago Law School — contend that courts have reasoned there’s no need for businesses to do more, because nobody reads these contract terms anyway.

Consumer advocates and other critics acknowledge that nobody reads online contracts.  But they argue the proposed cure is worse than the disease.  They say it provides businesses an incentive to bury objectionable terms inside ever-longer and more impenetrable contracts — think Apple’s user agreements — instead of identifying better ways to alert consumers to significant or intrusive contract terms.

“Weakening the requirement of mutual assent is not only contrary to fundamental principles of contract law,” New York State Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a May 14 letter to ALI, “but will encourage a veritable race to the bottom, as market forces will drive businesses — which will know they can bind consumers to all but the most odious terms — to draft standard form contracts with egregiously self-serving terms.”  The letter was signed by 23 other state attorneys general and top consumer protection officials.  All but one are Democrats.

Worse still, critics claim, the proposed Restatement departs from the traditional role of Restatements — to synthesize the law as it is — and doesn’t accurately reflect the state of the law.  Opponents assert that the Restatement’s authors have relied on faulty empirical methods and cherry-picking from case law to reach their preferred rules.  “They’re being a little disingenuous,” Levitin said.  “They claim they’re following what courts are doing, and this is out of their hands.  Except that it all depends on some rather constrained readings of the cases.”

One lawyer who represents financial institutions offers a similar view.  “It’s not a good portrayal of the common law of contracts as it applies to consumers,” said Alan Kaplinsky, an ALI member and partner at the law firm Ballard Spahr.  (The firm has represented ProPublica in the past.)  “This is more of a document expressing the aspirations of the three reporters — what they would like the law to be rather than what the law actually is.”

ALI and the Restatement’s authors dispute these claims.  They have defended their methodology and say they have followed the traditional approach.  The Restatement doesn’t reflect personal opinion, noted one of the three authors.  “We are not partisans,” said University of Chicago law professor Omri Ben-Shahar.  “We are not anti-consumer or anti-business.  ALI entrusted us to identify patterns in the law as developed in the courts.  We did our best to identify what are the relevant precedents and rules.”  As Ben-Shahar put it, “The grounds for the opposition is that people don’t like the law and hope that either the ALI will try to change the law or not engrave into stone existing law, in the hope that maybe it would change in courts over time, since we’re talking about common law that’s developed by courts.”

Proponents of the Restatement argue that it hews to how courts have responded to the rise of e-commerce.  “The courts (and everyone else) recognize that most don’t read the contracts,” Steven Weise wrote in an email to ProPublica.  Weise is a partner at the law firm Proskauer Rose and a member of the ALI’s governing council.  “But that doesn’t mean that the law should give up — the courts have taken classic rules on contract law and applied them in the changing, online environment.”

The authors also contend that there’s a benefit for consumers: tools that make it easier to sue in court.

But consumer advocates see that as meaningless.  Most consumers don’t litigate contract issues because they can’t afford to, they say.  Consumer goods usually aren’t worth the legal fees, and contracts often include mandatory arbitration clauses or class-action waivers that further deter litigation.

The consumer advocates have found an unexpected ally among some in the business community, who oppose the proposed changes to the rules that apply to consumer lawsuits.  Some companies fear that the stronger legal tools will result in a flood of lawsuits and leave businesses unsure of how to conduct themselves to avoid liability.

The combination of consumer and business opposition has led to a groundswell of critical op-eds, law review articles, posts on legal blogs and letters.  Their goal is to stop the Restatement altogether and leave consumer contracts guidelines as they currently are.

The extent of the opposition makes Tuesday’s vote hard to predict, according to ALI members.

Proponents are confident.  Historically, the broader membership has followed the organization’s governing council, which in this case voted in favor of the Restatement.

Opponents seem pessimistic.  “My hope is they drop it altogether,” said Kaplinsky, who served on ALI’s board of advisers for the consumer contracts Restatement.  “The best the opponents can hope for is that it gets sent back” for revision to the authors and the governing council “and dies a slow death.”

PERSONAL PRIVACY - Microchipping Humans?!

WTF - We already have problem with our personal data and the internet, and now we are looking into a technology that may be abused by government and outlaws?

"Microchipping humans wields great promise, but does it pose greater risk?" PBS NewsHour 1/30/2019

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  An intense debate is underway over the benefits and drawbacks of using microchips, typically relied upon to identify ranch animals and pets, on humans.  Advantages include fast communication of critical patient data to medical teams, seamless payment, and automatically opened doors.  But skeptics warn of dire implications for privacy and ethics.  Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports.

PC GAMES - Dragon Quest XI

Dragon Quest XI

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square Enix.  An entry in the long-running Dragon Quest video game series, it was released in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 4 in July 2017, worldwide for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows in September 2018, and will be released for the Nintendo Switch at a later date.  Dragon Quest XI shipped over four million copies by November 2018.

Plot

The game is set in the world of Erdrea, and begins as the kingdom of Dundrasil is invaded and destroyed by an army of monsters.  The protagonist, an infant during the attack, is among those who attempt to escape, but becomes separated and ends up floating down a river and is found by an old man known as Chalky in the village of Cobblestone.  Being adopted by his daughter, Amber, the protagonist is then raised in the village.  Unaware of his adoptive status and living in the village until his teens, he eventually participates in a coming-of-age tradition by climbing the mountain Cobblestone Tor with his childhood friend Gemma.  During the trek, they are attacked by monsters, and upon reaching the summit, a large bird-like monster attacks and leaves Gemma hanging off the edge.  Noticing a mark on his hand glowing, the protagonist then summons lightning to attack it, killing it and saving Gemma.

Upon returning, Amber reveals the truth to him about his birth and adoption, and sends him to meet king Carnelian of Heliodor.  However, upon meeting him and his royal knights Sir Hendrik and Sir Jasper, the protagonist is thrown into the kingdom's dungeons under the accusation that he is the Darkspawn, a evil being predicted to destroy the world.  Once imprisoned, he meets a thief called Erik who recognizes the mark on his hand, calling him the Luminary, a legendary hero chosen by the world tree Yggdrasil to save Erdrea from evil, and says he was fated to meet up with him.  The pair then escape by using a tunnel Erik dug, and eventually are discovered by Hendrik and Jasper and escape to another kingdom by using a special item left behind by Chalky in a buried box they found during their travels.  In a town called Hotto, the pair meet two mages who hail from the city of Arboria: Veronica, who fell into a curse that transformed her body into that of a child's, and her twin sister Serena.  The two immediately recognize him as the Luminary and swear their allegiance to him, as is their sworn duty.  The four then set on a quest to reach Yggdrasil so that the Luminary can understand more about his destiny.  On the way, they gain three other companions: Sylvando, a traveling entertainer, Rab, former king of Dundrasil and the protagonist's grandfather, and Jade, exiled princess of Heliodor who helped the infant protagonist escape during the attack of Dundrasil.

The party eventually arrives at the heart of Yggdrasil, which contains the Sword of Light, the Luminary's destined weapon.  However, just as the Luminary is about to take it, he and the party are attacked by Jasper, who was following them, and are left unable to fight further.  With Carnelian and Hendrick in tow, it is then revealed that Carnelian was possessed the entire time by an evil being known as Mordegon, otherwise known as the Lord of Shadows, and that Jasper has been an agent of his.  The two then subdue Hendrik and the Luminary's party, with Mordegon taking and corrupting the Sword of Light and absorbing the heart of Yggdrasil for himself, destroying the tree and plunging the world into an age of darkness.  Separated from his companions, the Luminary is revealed to have been rescued by mermaids from the underwater kingdom of Nautica, where he learns that the fall of Yggdrasil happened months ago, with Mordegon sending his forces to terrorize Erdrea. - Wikipedia

Dragon Quest XI is features an automatic turn-based battle system where you can set Tactics.  I found Fight Wisely for everyone, works all the time, including Boss Battles.

The game play is mostly straight forward, but you can fine many 'Beginners Guides' that will give you nice hints on how to play, with one exception (for those who haven't played Dragon Quest before).  Automatic saves are done automatically at many points.  Manual saves are done via Churches or Sacred Statues using the Confession option.

The game is very lengthy, took me a Play Time of 58hrs (close to real time) to finish.

The plot is somewhat linear that follows a long and twisting plot.  This makes the game outstanding in my book.

My Rig:  Win7 Pro 64bit, 8gb DDR3 System Memory, 4tb Hard Drive with SSD, nVidia GeForce GTX 770 with 2gb on-board video memory

Definitely worth the play.

There is a Trainer available.

PC GAMING - XCOM 2

My rig:  Win7 Pro 64bit Desktop

XCOM 2 is a turn-based tactics video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K Games for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux in February 2016, and for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2016.  The game is the sequel to 2012's reboot of the series, XCOM:  Enemy Unknown.  Taking place 20 years after the events of Enemy Unknown, it follows the continuity that XCOM, a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion, has lost the war, and is now a resistance force against their occupation of Earth.  The expansion XCOM 2:  War of the Chosen was released in 2017.
-Wikipedia

My Game Rating:  4 out of 10

XCOM 2 would be an excellent game IF it could actually be played Off Line.  You can't.

1. When you first launch XCOM 2 you must have Steam OnLine AND be connected to your network.
2. When you start you are forced to logon to the 2K "Social Club"
3. Only after creating you "Social Club" account, you can take Steam OffLine (this is how I normally play)
4. But to avoid problems you still have to play XCOM 2 connected to your network (I normally disable my network during gaming)
5. XCOM 2 has a Crash Dump interface.  To avoid problems caused I had to disable this function by renaming the crash-dump files (CrashDumpPermission.exe and CrashDumpWatcher.exe)
6. Another problem is with MODs you load via Steam, the game fails to see what MODs you have enabled on first launch.  I had to find a solution (see below).
7. Last and worst, when you exit the game on a crash, you will get the 'game already running' message on Steam Launch, even though there are no [Applications] or [Processes] for XCOM listed in Task Manager.  (see my solution below)

MOD Launch fix:

I created a MOD Launcher shortcut to ModLauncherWPF.exe in my game menu.

1. On first launch of XCOM 2 I start the game in Mod Launcher (I could have an error) I then use Task Manager to kill this version.
2. I restart the MOD Launcher and the MODs are listed, I check all and [Quit]
3. Now when I start my Steam XCOM 2 Launcher the MODs are listed (I ensure all are checked)

Post Crash Game Start Fix:

I simply use the MOD Launcher, count 10sec, then [Quit].  This allows your system to actually close XCOM 2.  You don't get the 'already running' notice.

XCOM 2 Console Cheats:  See XCOM 2 Console Commands
Shows how to enable the console and the cheat commands.

See:  13 Tips for Playing XCOM 2 for help.

As I said the game play is very good, if it wasn't having to have my network online.

XCOM 2 casts the player as the commander of the eponymous military organization, now reduced to a resistance force opposing the ongoing alien occupation of the planet.  Players take control of the Avenger, the new mobile base for XCOM.  Players are tasked to give commands to squad members in battles against aliens during missions, while commanding the engineering and research department of the base between missions to create and research improved and new gadgets, weapons and technologies to assist players in battle.  Soldiers can be recruited, with each soldier class having their own skill trees and abilities.  For example, the Grenadier class can gain access to explosives and grenade launchers, while the Ranger is equipped with melee weapons like swords.  Armor and weaponry can also be researched and upgraded by the player in the (randomly located) Avenger Base.  Each mission's environment is influenced by the world's state, while maps are procedurally-generated to create a wide variety of levels, in which every map features different terrain and buildings in each play-through.  Mods are also supported.  Campaign, class and enemy types can be created by users and can be shared through Steam Workshop.  A one-versus-one multiplayer mode also returns from Enemy Unknown.  New enemies are also featured, such as units from the new faction, ADVENT, and more alien types like the Viper.
-Wikipedia

My MODS:

• Free Camera Rotation

• Numeric Health Display

• Stop Wasting My time - Legacy

• New Countries

CYBERSECURITY - Offense & Defense

"Playing offense and defense in the face of cybersecurity threats" PBS NewsHour 8/22/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In the past 48 hours, findings have been released regarding attempts by hackers to influence the midterm elections.  Now, the Democratic National Committee has reportedly asked the FBI to investigate an attempt to infiltrate its voter database.  Nick Schifrin joins Amna Nawaz to discuss what groups might be responsible for hacking and what preventive measures are being deployed.

ONLINE LIFE - $Streaming

"The highs and lows of being a professional online streamer" PBS NewsHour 7/12/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As more people consume video online, "streaming" is the internet's version of live TV, but with instant feedback from fans.  How have star streamers turned activities like taping themselves playing video games into profitable careers?  Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports from DreamHack, a gaming convention in Austin, Texas.

Editor's Note:  In this report on streaming, we point out police are sometimes called to a streamer’s house after a hoax call.  In some cases, SWAT teams arrive in response.  A previous version of this story mistakenly identified a man killed by police in one such case as a streamer.  In fact, the victim was not a streamer.  We regret the error.

INSIDE YOUR INBOX - Gmail

"If you have Gmail, here’s who’s scanning your inbox" PBS NewsHour 7/3/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A year ago, Google’s Gmail said it stopped its practice of scanning users’ inboxes to personalize ads.  But it still allows outside app developers to scan inboxes, according to a Wall Street Journal report.  John Yang talks with tech reporter Douglas MacMillan, who broke that story.

INTERNET PRIVACY - New EU Rules Help Americans

"How Europe’s new online privacy rules could benefit Americans" PBS NewsHour 5/21/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Long before the Cambridge Analytica scandal, new rules were being established by the European Union to give consumers greater control over their data.  Starting in May, every company, big or small, that keeps your information online or elsewhere must comply.  Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant reports.

INEQUALITY MEDIA - Why We Must Protect Net Neutrality

Why We Must Protect Net Neutrality
Inequality Media
Robert Reich

FACEBOOK - Can Be Fooled

"How Facebook’s news feed can be fooled into spreading misinformation" PBS NewsHour 4/25/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Facebook’s news feed algorithm learns in great detail what we like, and then strives to give us more of the same -- and it's that technology that can be taken advantage of to spread junk news like a virus.  Science correspondent Miles O'Brien begins a four-part series on Facebook’s battle against misinformation that began after the 2016 Presidential election.

CYBER SECURITY - Ransomware

"Why ransomware attacks target local governments like Atlanta" PBS NewsHour 3/30/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Nine days ago, a cyberattack brought Atlanta to a virtual standstill.  Now the city says it is slowly making progress restoring its computer network.  Officials have not said whether they paid a $51,000 ransom to a group known as SamSam, which is thought to be behind the hack.  Hari Sreenivasan learns more from Allan Liska of the security firm Recorded Future.

U.S. SUPREME COURT - Digital Privacy

"Can police use cellphone location data without a warrant? Supreme Court ruling could have wide impact" PBS NewsHour 11/29/2017

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A Supreme Court case centering around a piece of technology that most of us have in hand's reach has the potential to transform privacy law in the digital age.  John Yang sits down with Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal to explain the details and the potential effects of the case.

ROBOTS TODAY - What's New Atlas

I know you've seen a robot walk, but have you ever seen one do a backflip?

PC GAMING - Sniper Elite 4

Weeks ago I installed Sniper Elite:Italia and some DLCs (Steam) on my Win7 Pro 64bit desktop.

I also have Sniper Elite v2 and Sniper Elite 3.

This is the best of the series from Rebellion.

It has all the elements of Sniper Elite 3 and more.

What I like about this game series is using and improving my tactics to complete missions.

In addition to the Main Mission (several parts) operations in Italy, there are 4 DLC Missions.

• "Target Fuhrer" (one mission)
• "Deathstorm" (3 part mission)

And there's "Bullet Time where you watch your shot in slow-mo.

Below are some screenshots from the game:

Your target is one of Hitler's top henchman, and what he carries, in the mansion in the far background.

When you start a mission you can choose weapons and supplies.  Your primary is (of course) a sniper rifle, secondary is an SMG, and third is your pistol.

Example

Your Level changes weapons effects:

Those bullet drop and wind.  Of course you still have the "Hold Breath" option which puts a red target where your shot will hit.

As you play, at the start of each mission you can adjust your "Skill Tree" with the skills you earned during missions.

The yellow [i] means these have not been assigned, one you have not earned are grayed-out.

Then there's your "Service Record" (aka Stats):

I have played several rounds over the weeks and have reached the Level "Ghost" and am working on the Level "Elite" (2,481,370 out of 3,000,000 pts).  And I am Death Incarnate.

And now videos:

THE RUSSIA FILE - Hacked NSA Documents

"Report: Russia hacked NSA documents with aid from antivirus software" PBS NewsHour 10/5/2017

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The Wall Street Journal reported that Russia obtained classified information about how the U.S. military protects its computer networks and conducts electronic spying.  The breach occurred when data was stolen by an NSA contractor, then hacked by Russia.  Hari Sreenivasan speaks with The Wall Street Journal's Shane Harris.

SIMULATIONS - X-Plane Flight Sim (updated)

Finally done something I've been thinking about for years.  Got me a flight simulator and joystick.

Way, way back I did try Microsoft's flight sim but I had only keyboard-mouse.  Flight sims are almost impossible to use with keyboard-mouse.

So, finally, I got X-Plane 11 fight simulator and the Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Flight Stick.

X-Plane 11

Example Cockpit View

You can change your view from the cockpit including exterior like looking at the airport tower.

You can use your mouse to click on most controls and switches.  Like when starting engines, turning on lights, etc.

Where you chose your aircraft and customize for your flight

Usually the first screen you go to after launching X-Plane is to start [New Flight].  This gets to  the "Flight Configuration" window.  This is where you choose your aircraft and customize it, set weather conditions and Time of Day (includes a checkbox to use your system time).

The 'stock' aircraft:

• X-15
• Beechcraft Baron 58 
• Cessna Sky Hawk 
• McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender
• Boeing 747-800, 747-400, 747-100
• Boeing 737-80
• Stinson L-5, L-5G, L-5G Uurated Sentinel 
• ASK-21 glider 
• Boeing B-52G Stratofortress
• Skorsky S-76C  helicopter
• Beechcraft King Air C90B
• Lockheed SR-71
• Blackbird F-4 Phantom II
• Space Shuttle Orbiter
• Beechcraft Baron 58
• Cirrus Vision SF50
• Beechcraft King Air C90B
• Cessna 172SP
• McDonnell Douglas MD-82

You can buy/download more aircraft from X-Plane Org.


Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X

This version can be use for PC or PS3 via USB.  Features:

• Wide hand-rest for optimal comfort
• Programmable:  The 12 buttons and 5 axles are entirely programmable
• Dual-system aerodynamic control, by rotating handle (with integrated blocking system) or by progressive tilting lever
• Internal memory, to save all of your programming, even with the joystick disconnected
• High-precision joystick with adjustable resistance
• Programmable:  12 buttons and 5 axles are entirely programmable
• Detachable, real-size, ergonomically-designed throttle control
• Exclusive "MAPPING" button:  All functions may be instantly switched around between each other
• High-precision joystick with adjustable resistance
• Exclusive "PRESET" button to switch, while playing, instantly from one program to another
• Plug & Play for ultra-simple and fast installation with all functions pre-configured for immediate takeoff (without worrying about configuration)
• Trigger for brakes (civil flight) or for rapid fire (military flight)
• Multi-directional Hotas button to change views (panoramic view)
• Weighted base for greater stability

This is my setup

This pic was taken while going to "Flight School" sims included in X-Plane.  Note I have Thrustmaster 'detached' for easier use.


The things I learned while using X-Plane:

• This is a simulation, which means if you fly from San Diego International (aka Lindbergh Field) to Las Vegas and your route takes 2hrs, you spend 2hrs at the sim.
• To fly, you need a Flight Plan.  X-Plane comes with just one default Flight Plan.  You have to go to various WEB sites to get a flight plan:  Online Flight Planner , SkyVector (professional flight planer not for sims, but easy to get basic info, including airport charts and info), SimBrief (this is for sims, use it to actually produce a Flight Plan file for X-Plane)
• Flying ain't easy.  Really.  Especially landings.

So far, I've spent 3 consecutive days on X-Plane (Fri-Sun).  Now it's time to give it a rest.


FINALLY!

I made/published a Flight Plan via SimBrief from KSAN (San Diego International aka Lindbergh) to KSDM (Brown Field Municipal Airport) with routing.

I actually made it!  The full flight in a BeechCraft Baron 58 (twin prop).  OK, very sloppy landing but I didn't crash.  It only took me several weeks (only 'flying' weekends), with much frustration.

I also created the reverse Flight Plan, KSDM TO KSAN (same routing).

My next challenge is to figure out how to use the Baron's autopilot.


Found an outstanding site for Sim training videos:  WEH Videos
Provided many of the answers I had about Sim flying.

Today 8/20/2017, I completed a Flight Plan "Montgomery Field" to "Palm Springs International Airport" and landed without crashing.  Although I missed the designated runway.

CYBER WARS - Impact of Worldwide Attack

"Analyzing the impact of the worldwide cyber attack" PBS NewsHour 5/13/2017

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Nearly 100 countries around the world worked to restore services after a massive cyber attack on Friday.  The ransomware attack appeared to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows, which was identified by the U.S. National Security Agency and later leaked to the internet.  Former Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin joins Hari Sreenivasan for more on the attack.

MEDIA - Instagram

"How Instagram pictures the world" PBS NewsHour 5/1/2017

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A startup no longer, Instagram boasts 700 million monthly active users and counting.  As it grows, the free, photo-sharing mobile app is grappling with how to innovate and stay relevant, as well as how to foster a safe community.  But with 95 million uploads a day, monitoring is a tall order.  Judy Woodruff reports from California.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour):  The rapid rise of one of the world's biggest social media networks, Instagram.

It's building up steam, with 700 million people now using it each month, and it just took four months to pick up its latest 100 million new accounts.

But along the way, the company has faced concerns over how it can be used, and even some criticism for the way it essentially copied ideas from its rival, Snapchat.

Judy Woodruff recently got an inside look during her trip to Silicon Valley.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  One of the first things that greets you inside Instagram is, no surprise, a place to take pictures.  The free photo-sharing mobile app was born in 2010 with its first post, a foot in a flip-flop alongside a stray dog.

Turns out it was taken in Mexico by co-founder Kevin Systrom.

KEVIN SYSTROM, CEO and Co-Founder, Instagram:  It's a mixture of teams.  So, we have got design teams, we have got partnership teams, we have got a community team, and then a bunch of engineers.  We don't really have an organization.

JUDY WOODRUFF:  Systrom showed us around Instagram's new offices in Menlo Park, California, designed to accommodate an ever-expanding staff.

You moved here six months ago; is that right?

KEVIN SYSTROM:  Yes, six months ago, we moved from the original campus.  And we designed this entire experience inside here to be cleaner, and a little bit more Instagrammy.  So we have got the hip wood walls, and the polished concrete floors.  It's very start-uppy, but it's in an Instagram way.

JUDY WOODRUFF:  A start-up no longer, Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012 for a cool billion dollars.  Then, the company had 13 employees.  Now it has more than 600 to keep up with a rapidly growing user base, 700 million monthly active users and counting, 80 percent of them outside the United States.

How do you explain the phenomenal, rapid growth of this?

KEVIN SYSTROM:  On Instagram, very early on, you would post an image, and anyone anywhere in the world could see that image, and understand what you were trying to say without speaking your language.

So, we like to say that Instagram was one of the first truly international networks in the world.  And I think that's what's allowed it to scale to the hundreds of millions of people that use it every day today.

TRUMP AGENDA - Robber Barons of the Internet

"FCC chair Ajit Pai explains why he wants to scrap net neutrality" PBS NewsHour 4/27/2017

First, as a retired Computer and IT Technician I understand the internet.  I support 'NET Neutrality' because the internet delivery businesses WILL eventually give in to greed, to wanting bigger profits, at internet users expense.

Also, the Trump Administration LIES!

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Ajit Pai, President Trump's new FCC chairman, has plans to do away with net neutrality rules that have been in place for the last three years.  Pai argues the rules are too burdensome and that they stifle innovation and competition.  William Brangham discusses the changes in oversight with Pai.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  A political fight is brewing about access to the Internet.  The new head of the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, wants to clear away regulations about who controls and polices the flow of content on the Internet.

William Brangham has that.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM (NewsHour):  We're talking here about what's known as net neutrality, not the easiest concept to grasp, so bear with me.

Almost all of us in America get our Internet access via one main provider.  These are the telecom and cable giants like Verizon, Comcast, Charter, Time Warner.  They provide the infrastructure that delivers the bounty of the Web to our homes and phones; sites and apps like Google, Netflix, Facebook, Instagram, you name it.

The telecoms build the highway.  The others guys are like the cars traveling that highway.

The idea of net neutrality is that the telecoms have to treat that highway as an open road.  They can't pick and choose which Web sites or services get to you faster or slower.  The fear is that, if they do have that power, they will be tempted to favor their content, their sites, their own videos over a competitor's.

But the telecoms argue that's not fair, they should be able to control that flow, and be able to charge more for faster access.

In 2014, the Federal Communications Commission under President Obama wanted to lock in these net neutrality rules, but it faced intense pushback by the industry.

The fight even spilled into pop culture, with this from HBO's John Oliver:

JOHN OLIVER, Host, “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”:  If we let cable companies offer two speeds of service, they won't be Usain Bolt and Usain Bolt on a motorbike.  They will be Usain Bolt, and Usain bolted to an anchor.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  But those net neutrality rules did pass and have been in place for the last three years.

But Ajit Pai, President Trump's new FCC chairman, now wants to get rid of those rules, arguing they're too burdensome.  And this week, he began the process of rolling them back.

And FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai joins me now.

Welcome to the NewsHour.

AJIT PAI, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission:  Thank you for having me.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  So, you, I understand, are not a fan of these net neutrality rules from a few years ago.  What is your principal concern?

AJIT PAI:  Well, I favor a free and open Internet, as I think most consumers do.

My concern is with the particular regulations that the FCC adopted two years ago.  They are what is called Title II regulations developed in the 1930s to regulate the Ma Bell telephone monopoly.

And my concern is that, by imposing those heavy-handed economic regulations on Internet service providers big and small, we could end up disincentivizing companies from wanting to build out Internet access to a lot of parts of the country, in low-income, urban and rural areas, for example.

And that, I think, is something that nobody would benefit from.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM:  Is there evidence, though, that these rules have disincentivized those companies?  There are — businesses are doing very, very well.  They're spending billions on the spectrum.

AJIT PAI:  There is significant evidence that investment in infrastructure has gone down since the adoption of these rules.

For example, there is a study by a highly respected economist that says that among the top 12 Internet service providers in terms of size, investment is down by 5.6 percent, or several billion dollars, over the last two years.

And amongst smaller providers as well, just literally this week, 22 Internet service providers with 1,000 customers or less told us that these Title II regulations have kept them from getting the financing that they need to build out their networks.  And, as they put it, these net neutrality regulations hang like a black cloud over our businesses.

And so what we're trying to do going forward is figure out a way that we can preserve that free and open Internet that consumers want and need and preserve that incentive to invest in the network that will ultimately benefit even more consumers going forward.

GAMING - No Man's Sky

"No Man's Sky is an action-adventure survival video game developed and published by the indie studio Hello Games for PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows.  The game was released worldwide in August 2016.

The gameplay of No Man's Sky is built on four pillars: exploration, survival, combat, and trading.  Players are free to perform within the entirety of a procedurally generated deterministic open universe, which includes over 18 quintillion (1.8×1019) planets, many with their own sets of flora and fauna." - Wikipedia

The above is an understatement.  It is also an open universe and open world.  It also plays somewhat real time, like how long it takes you to fly to a planet even with your 'Pulse Engine' aka Hyperdrive (as-in Star Trek).  Also, as you approach a planet you encounter asteroids that have to be avoided or destroyed with ship weapons.  Then there's the enemy starships.

They just released Pathfinder Update v1.20:  "The Path Finder update introduces planetary vehicles, Base Sharing, PS4 Pro support, ship/weapon specialization, permadeath mode, and much more.  It shows the path for the future."

Base Sharing:  "Bases can now be shared online, allowing other players to discover and explore your outpost."



The play goes like this:

• You start with your starship crashed on a planet

• You have to repair your starship so you can take off, which means....

• You have to salvage parts, gather minerals and ores, etc, needed to do ship repairs and upgrades to your environmental suit and 'weapon'

All the while avoiding getting killed by the 'natives.'

I am really having fun playing it.