1) The death of Windows XP will impact 95 percent of the world’s ATMs (The Verge) - Microsoft is sunsetting a bunch of stuff this year, but the two big ones are Windows XP and Exchange Server 2003 (which handles a ridiculous amount of email traffic to this day). How far does this move the needle on the "Oh Shit!" meter? 95% of the ATM machines in the world run on a Windows XP backbone. While the machines won't all crash on April 8th, they will be infinitely more vulnerable to hacking after that date.
2) DOJ accuses firm that vetted Snowden of faking 665,000 background checks (NBC News) - When I read this article my first thought was, "If you're the DOJ, and you have access to arguably the world's largest and most sophisticated investigative apparatus, why the hell are you outsourcing Top Secret background checks???". But of course, since it's the government, not a single person will lose their job over this.
3) N.Y. 8-year-old saved 6 in fire, died trying to save 7th (USA Today) - This is an unspeakable tragedy on so many levels, but my God did this kid ever go out a hero. It breaks my heart to think that kids in America still live in conditions like this. Nine people living in a single-wide trailer? Are you kidding me???
4) How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses (Wired) - It's pretty simple when you think about it: the delivery system for knowlege has undergone a species-altering upgrade over the past 20 years, so it stands to reason that the old methods of teaching should be a thing of the past. I won't be the least bit surprised to see the median IQ of the world rise significantly over the next fifty years.
5) The final Confessions of a Silk Road kingpin (The Daily Dot) - Remember lo those many months ago when no one had even heard of BitCoin yet? It was already the de facto currency of the Weirder Web, and its largest marketplace was the Silk Road - where you could (allegedly) buy everything from drugs to sex to contract murders. Here's the story of one of the Silk Road's biggest drug dealers, and if you only read one thing this week, make it this.
6) What Is Meow Meow, the Drug That Made a Teen Cut Off His Genitals? (Rolling Stone) - While we're on the topic of drugs, how's this for WTF? I'd almost rather shoot Krokodil into my crank.
7) Southwest Air, others, pressured to break ties with SeaWorld (CNBC) - If you haven't seen Blackfish yet, I dare you to go watch it and then ever set foot in SeaWorld again. The movie has had a huge impact on SeaWorld's stock price, and now major corporate partners are being pressured by consumers to distance themselves. As an animal rights advocate of sorts, I have to say I'm pretty pleased to see it.
8) Drugs, Death, Neglect: Behind the Scenes at Animal Planet (Mother Jones) - Yet another example of animal exploitation for human amusement. Pretty shocking.
9) BEST FILMS NEVER MADE #3 – NEILL BLOMKAMP’S HALO; "It was a clusterfuck from Day One." (One Room with a View) - Okay, so this never happened, but how bad ass would it have been if it did? Imagine the director of District 9 taking a stab at the Halo narrative. I'd line up to see that.
10) Quentin Tarantino Shelves ‘The Hateful Eight’ After Betrayal Results In Script Leak (Deadline) - Speaking of movies we might never get to see, some scumbag Hollywood agent leaked the script for Tarantino's next movie, and he's so pissed off he's decided not to make it now. Hollywood is such a sewer.
Video of the Week:
I have high hopes for augmented reality over the coming decades. I think things like Google Glass will revolutionize the way we interact with our world. That said, the following hype video for augmented reality start-up Infinity AR is just over the top. So far over the top it's laughable, in fact. The company is proposing that their augmented reality product (built on the Glass backbone) will turn you into a fashion plate pool hustler who is unstoppable with the ladies. I don't know what's funnier: how ham-fisted the production of this thing is, or the notion that it might actually work and turn guys all over the world into creepy real-time cyber stalkers. You guys tell me:
That's it for this week, monkeys. Have a fantastic weekend, and let me know what you think about this week's Bananas in the comments!
I didn't know that about an ATM. That's cool yet scary.
Video of the Week:
Seems like they got their idea from this video
//
It's unfortunate what happened with Tarantino's script, but calling all of Hollywood a sewer is a little ridiculous. If this was Wall Street there would not only be betrayal but probably dollars and cents involved as well. And for the record, while I enjoyed Pulp Fiction and Django I don't think Tarantino is THAT good.
If it were Wall Street he would still be correct lol
Ha, I kind of have a hunch that the OP is not going to come out and admit that directly especially since he's paid by an entity that has the words wall street in its title.
Are you a Gemini? That's your opener ...
RE #3) Everyone else in the states has such a weird conception of "New Yorkers" as big city sophisticates. Go drive around upstate a little and you'll think you're in backwoods Kentucky.
Sometimes I suspect that even parts of the city are like that but then again I don't go farther north than 96th st or deep in the seedy underbellies of the outer boroughs, so I wouldn't really know.
Yeah, anything above 86th even is on the downhill IMO.
Just moved from below 86th to above it and now take express to/from 86 up/down.... it sucks.
I'm actually thinking about doing a whole post on Ludes next week. Finally got around to seeing WOWS and God did it bring back some memories.
Haha! You def should do that.
That video hurt my head.
Halo movie....preach.
From the video, that infinity glass seems to be the useless stupidest product I've ever seen in my life! It's probably shaped like the word LOSER.
It's really hard to discern what's the worst thing about it, but I gotta give it to attempting to turn the real world into GTA. Yeah, that will be very safe. And how would I know to break before running into a truck without all those colorful graphs?
Cheating on pool? Voice analyzer? How about a magic X-ray to see underpants?
And they probably think they're changing the world.
Damn she rejected his friend request poor him
Great BB this week! Enjoyed all the stories.
6) Seriously, what is wrong with regular old drugs?
7) I was looking at Seaworlds website & they are launching a PR onslaught to try and give their remaining fans a voice to show how great seaworld is. What a shitty company.
Video) What no sex scene? That would be the most useful part for a guy who uses "Are you a Gemini?" as a pick up line.
Speaking of train fights, would someone getting shot on camera kill the trend the way it did kids punching random people? I mean, that fad popped up and then when a few people got cut down it immediately stopped...and well it should. In a global city and have no concept of who it is you're dealing with at any given time....why would anyone initiate a brawl???
@ufoinsider that guy in the video made it look so easy to pick up a bartender, wtf?
Don't sell yourself short, bro. I think you had a legitimate shot with Byron.
ha i never did tell you the rest of that story did I
Sed sint ullam voluptatem impedit qui dolor. Nostrum commodi laborum sequi voluptatem optio pariatur.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Repudiandae quidem aut dolorem. Maiores deleniti rerum tempora ea. Maiores consequatur ut velit soluta. Exercitationem aut ex sed dolore autem eligendi.
Ut asperiores id perferendis esse necessitatibus ducimus ipsum. Reprehenderit maiores aut et voluptatum. Beatae odit nobis voluptatem eveniet. Sed consectetur deleniti quia minima aut enim minus rerum. Molestiae molestiae voluptatem et repudiandae quae molestiae quibusdam.