Episode 700

Yahoo and Microsoft bring Google, AOL, and News Corp. into the ring for a pretty awesome merger-mania that we sincerely hope involves the gratuitous use of Spandex. Sunday, Sunday, Sunday on Pay-per-view! That darned RSA conference continues to scare the sneezes out of us by demonstrating how taking down a national power grid is trivially easy. (Insert nervous giggle here.) We guess it's good to know? 
==Stories Covered==
Yahoo-Microsoft buyout brawl, one-two punch with a swift comeback punch
Experts hack power grid in less than a day
Computer viruses hit one million
IBM ships fastest CPU on Earth
Free music streams turn into increased music sales
Blockbuster eyes streaming to TVs
Microsoft introduces tool for avoiding traffic jams
FCC greenlights text message emergency alert system
Zune Guy’s name-change endeavor is back on
==From The Phones==
===Peter from Ontario===
How to stop Safari update.
===Brent===
How do you pay for a stolen credit card?
===Umberto from Brazil===
Some people can’t search.
==In the Forums==
==Emails==
===We have stupid legislators, too===
Hey T.M.J.,
If there is someone in the world that can’t envy you North Americans on the stupid legislators field, I can assure you that’s the Brazilian people.
And to prove that for the entire planet again (after blocking YouTube because of that Cicarelli’s video), they have decided to block the access to Wordpress.com because of one specific blog (priscilafonseca.wordpress.com) that posted an explicit video from YouTube that’s not even there anymore!
Again it evolves a sex video, a careless girl, and service from the Internet used by more then 1 million Brazilians. I mean, how deja vu is that?
So, suck it up! Our legislators are worse than yours!
–
Rafa
===My wife insisted that I e-mail===
Yesterday I listened to episode 689 where the caller ranted about the phrase “can’t have your cake and eat it too” (I know… I’m always behind… but I’ve listened to every podcast since around episode 100. Every episode… I OCD like that).
My wife and I have had multiple conversations about this phrase. She was really bothered by it… I didn’t really care. However, when I heard the explanation, I laughed and I laughed and played it for her later when I got home. She’s so grateful and insisted I e-mail to let you know how grateful she is… and I’m grateful we’ll no longer have this discussion!
Keep up the great work!
Kenny
===ISPs in U.K. against BBC===
You may have already talked about this, but I am still a day behind.
I read in the news yesterday that ISP’s in the U.K. are up in arms because the BBC iPlayer service (a service that allows U.K. residents who pay a BBC TV licence to watch a variety of BBC TV shows anytime up to 7 days after they air) is so popular it is using too much bandwidth. Isn’t this where TV is probably going? This is only one service.
As Hulu, YouTube, and others like them become increasingly popular can you guess what will happen here in the US ?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Geoff Johnson
===Possible cable cutters caught===
Saw this in my morning feeds and wanted to pass it along. The little animation of how the repairs were done is a nice touch:
Dubai Port Trust authorities have held two ships suspected for cutting the undersea fibre optic cables that disrupted Internet services across Middle East, Asia and North Africa.
The ships, MT Ann and MV Hounslow, were caught after Reliance Flag, which owns the cables, passed along satellite images of the two ships in the vicinity of the cables when the damage took place.
This may not be part of any “conspiracy” as the authorities believe that undersea cable were damaged because of jerks and force of the ship. Details on Hindu and ET.
If you are curious to know how ships detect and repair the damaged undersea cables, watch this video animation from Alcatel-Lucent via Bonnie.net.
http://www.labnol.org/internet/favorites/the-ships-that-cut-the-undersea-internet-cables/2904/
Keep up the great work!
Shane
===Apple sucks===
Hi guys,
So much for my two free songs, I got billed for them.
04/10/2008 C&C APL*ITUNES 866-71 $1.00
04/10/2008 C&C APL*ITUNES 866-71 $1.03
Take care.
Doug
===BOL cameo in Flickr Video===
Thanks as always for making my morning commute less painful every day. Just wanted to let you know that even though I didn’t rewind and relisten to the 51 seconds of Buzz Out Loud during which this sample Flickr video was made, I’m pretty sure I didn’t miss anything.
And, yes, I know I shouldn’t be videoblogging while twittering on my cell while listening to BOL as I crawl down the freeway, but hey… That’s just how I roll.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/revolute/2400749801/
http://laist.com/2008/04/09/flickr_video.php
Keep that buzz,
Andy
===Digital switch-over --obvious fix===
Sooo, why don't they just broadcast a message on the analog wavelengths for one month post the transition to Digital? The message can have both the phone number and Web site as to how to proceed from there. This would ensure that everyone gets the message–even the people who have been living under a rock for the past year.
It really isn't that difficult to figure out.
Brandon from Corona
===Nomoreweed.com===
Hey! Just thought I'd say when I typed nomoreweed.com into Firefox it came up with Google search for ‘is “Molly Wood” is smoking the weed?’ Don't know if it will be the same by the time you read this if you do, but was quite funny! Your ace!
From Seb 
:D
===Another thought on floor models===
How about this for an alternate look at the “floor model” controversy.
At my local Staples, all the chairs have a big sticker on the price tag that says “FREE ASSEMBLY”. So why on earth would they charge $5 for a floor model, when they’d assemble one out of a box for free?
Sounds like a manager with a Napoleon complex to me.
Keep up the good work!
Paul from Japancast.net
==Additional Notes==
==After The Credits==
Category:Episodes