“The View From the Phlipside” is a media commentary program airing on WRFA-LP, Jamestown NY, Monday through Friday around 7:30 AM. The following are scripts which may not exactly match the aired version of the program. Mostly because the host may suddenly add or subtract words at a moment’s notice. WRFA-LP is not responsible for any such silliness or the opinions expressed. You can listen to a live stream of WRFA or find a podcast of this program at wrfalp.com. Copyright 2013-18 by Jay Phillippi. All Rights Reserved. You like what you see and hear? Drop me a line and we can talk.
Programs from the week ofFebruary 2, 2019
This Week’s Podcast
My name is Jay Phillippi and I’ve spent my life in and around the media. TV, radio, the movies and more. I love them, and I hate them and I always have an opinion. Call this the View from the Phlipside.
And “POOF!”, It’s Gone
Once
upon a time, the internet was all about information. Engineering
date, programming information. It was a technical space. Slowly it
grew, becoming a space for more personal past times. Simple games
became more complex, pictures and music began to dominate, and we
began to use it transfer personal information, right down to love
letters and flame wars.
upon a time, the internet was all about information. Engineering
date, programming information. It was a technical space. Slowly it
grew, becoming a space for more personal past times. Simple games
became more complex, pictures and music began to dominate, and we
began to use it transfer personal information, right down to love
letters and flame wars.
After
that there was a growth in the business side. Business in this case
meaning products and services available for the average user to
purchase. It was inevitable that a digital currency would evolve as
well. That day came in ten years ago when Satoshi Nakamoto, whoever
that really is, launched Bitcoin. Now there was a kind of money that
only existed as digital data, the perfect expression of our digital
world.
that there was a growth in the business side. Business in this case
meaning products and services available for the average user to
purchase. It was inevitable that a digital currency would evolve as
well. That day came in ten years ago when Satoshi Nakamoto, whoever
that really is, launched Bitcoin. Now there was a kind of money that
only existed as digital data, the perfect expression of our digital
world.
The
only problem is that when there is money, of any kind, there are
going to be people making bad decisions. Outside of certain intimate
activities, I don’t think there’s another area of our lives where
we make bad decisions more often. Spend when w should save, save
when we should spend. And a biggie for today’s story, trust when
it isn’t advised.
only problem is that when there is money, of any kind, there are
going to be people making bad decisions. Outside of certain intimate
activities, I don’t think there’s another area of our lives where
we make bad decisions more often. Spend when w should save, save
when we should spend. And a biggie for today’s story, trust when
it isn’t advised.
There
are dozens, if not hundreds of these digital currencies, called
‘cryptocurrencies’ in the world. A Canadian company launched a
cryptocurrency exchange called ‘QuadrigaCX’. An exchange is
exactly what it sounds like. It’s a marketplace where traders can
exchange their cryptocurrencies for other cryptocurrencies or even
cold, hard cash sometimes. QuadrigaCX was the most popular exchange
in Canada. Then early this year, a problem developed.
are dozens, if not hundreds of these digital currencies, called
‘cryptocurrencies’ in the world. A Canadian company launched a
cryptocurrency exchange called ‘QuadrigaCX’. An exchange is
exactly what it sounds like. It’s a marketplace where traders can
exchange their cryptocurrencies for other cryptocurrencies or even
cold, hard cash sometimes. QuadrigaCX was the most popular exchange
in Canada. Then early this year, a problem developed.
I
need to dive a little deeper into cryptocurrencies for a moment.
This kind of money has no physical aspect. It is data, held in
something called a blockchain. Like any data if it’s not protected
it can be hacked. So the founder of QuadrigaCX did the one thing
that keeps bad people from accessing the money on his exchange. He
put it in a ‘cold wallet’, in simplest terms, an external hard
drive that is never connected to the internet. Easy as that,
security! It can’t be hacked.
need to dive a little deeper into cryptocurrencies for a moment.
This kind of money has no physical aspect. It is data, held in
something called a blockchain. Like any data if it’s not protected
it can be hacked. So the founder of QuadrigaCX did the one thing
that keeps bad people from accessing the money on his exchange. He
put it in a ‘cold wallet’, in simplest terms, an external hard
drive that is never connected to the internet. Easy as that,
security! It can’t be hacked.
Here’s
where the problem arises. Gerald Cotten, the founder, died in India.
To access the files in the ‘cold wallet’ you have to have an
access code. The only person, the only person, in the world with it?
Gerald Cotten. So at the moment, there may be as much as $190
million dollars that is permanently irretrievable. Cotten trusted
no one. Now the people who trusted him may be out a lot of money.
where the problem arises. Gerald Cotten, the founder, died in India.
To access the files in the ‘cold wallet’ you have to have an
access code. The only person, the only person, in the world with it?
Gerald Cotten. So at the moment, there may be as much as $190
million dollars that is permanently irretrievable. Cotten trusted
no one. Now the people who trusted him may be out a lot of money.
The
internet remains a tough neighborhood. Let’s be careful out there.
internet remains a tough neighborhood. Let’s be careful out there.
“New” Salinger?
If you are a book fan, there
are few things more exciting than the announcement of a new book in a
series or from your favorite author. It is exciting enough when the
book comes in the normal passage of time. When the gap between books
falls in the George R.R. Martin ‘Game of Thrones’ category the
tension for a reader is almost too much to bear. But all of it pales
when a new trove of writing is discovered by an author who has passed
away. For fans of that writer now there are new stories, stories
they have never experienced before. They believed the book had been
closed (you should pardon the expression) on that collection, only to
be told that there are new wonders awaiting.
are few things more exciting than the announcement of a new book in a
series or from your favorite author. It is exciting enough when the
book comes in the normal passage of time. When the gap between books
falls in the George R.R. Martin ‘Game of Thrones’ category the
tension for a reader is almost too much to bear. But all of it pales
when a new trove of writing is discovered by an author who has passed
away. For fans of that writer now there are new stories, stories
they have never experienced before. They believed the book had been
closed (you should pardon the expression) on that collection, only to
be told that there are new wonders awaiting.
The
only problem is that many times, there is a reason those items were
never published.
only problem is that many times, there is a reason those items were
never published.
Here’s
the first thing you need to know about writers. They produce massive
volumes of material. First drafts, second, third or fourth drafts.
Ideas that don’t work out. Stories that are started but not
finished. Stories that are finished but don’t meet that writer’s
standard of polish. Bits and pieces of all kinds of things. They
are stored in files, piles, notebooks and scraps of paper. There’s
even a term for them. Authors call them ‘W-I-P’s, Works In
Progress. As a writer myself I can tell you, most WIPs, except those
almost finished, are fairly awful. Writing is a long process of
pruning, refining and rewriting. There are times when the process
seems endless. So I approach announcements that new works from
deceased authors with a certain trepidation.
the first thing you need to know about writers. They produce massive
volumes of material. First drafts, second, third or fourth drafts.
Ideas that don’t work out. Stories that are started but not
finished. Stories that are finished but don’t meet that writer’s
standard of polish. Bits and pieces of all kinds of things. They
are stored in files, piles, notebooks and scraps of paper. There’s
even a term for them. Authors call them ‘W-I-P’s, Works In
Progress. As a writer myself I can tell you, most WIPs, except those
almost finished, are fairly awful. Writing is a long process of
pruning, refining and rewriting. There are times when the process
seems endless. So I approach announcements that new works from
deceased authors with a certain trepidation.
The
most recent one is from the family J. D. Salinger, best known for the
angst-y teenage story “The Catcher In The Rye”. I am a fan of
the book and not afraid to say that in public. Salinger’s total
output was not large. His legend says he was very particular about
his writing, and nothing was published till he thought it was done.
Plus he disliked the fame that came with popularity of his work.
most recent one is from the family J. D. Salinger, best known for the
angst-y teenage story “The Catcher In The Rye”. I am a fan of
the book and not afraid to say that in public. Salinger’s total
output was not large. His legend says he was very particular about
his writing, and nothing was published till he thought it was done.
Plus he disliked the fame that came with popularity of his work.
So
it’s possible that there is a trove of perfected writing waiting to
see the light of day. Salinger’s son and widow are working their
way through a large volume of material. They have announced that all
of his work will be made public eventually.
it’s possible that there is a trove of perfected writing waiting to
see the light of day. Salinger’s son and widow are working their
way through a large volume of material. They have announced that all
of his work will be made public eventually.
What
worries me is that we will get another ‘Go Set A Watchman’, the
earlier version of her classic ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. That
book disappointed her fans and was unnecessary to publish.
worries me is that we will get another ‘Go Set A Watchman’, the
earlier version of her classic ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’. That
book disappointed her fans and was unnecessary to publish.
As
a Salinger fan, I want to believe. But we won’t know till the
first new story arrives.
a Salinger fan, I want to believe. But we won’t know till the
first new story arrives.
Facebook Fact Check
Well,
I managed to avoid the first ‘Facebook Dumpster Fire’ story till
February of 2019. The problem is that this story shows that despite
all the trials and tribulations of 2018, it doesn’t appear that the
social media giant has learned much of anything.
I managed to avoid the first ‘Facebook Dumpster Fire’ story till
February of 2019. The problem is that this story shows that despite
all the trials and tribulations of 2018, it doesn’t appear that the
social media giant has learned much of anything.
Following
the issues surrounding fake news and Russian influence on the last
Presidential election, Facebook made noises about finding a way to
better clear away the bad stuff on its site. It reached out to some
of the top fact-checking organizations, including journalists, to
work towards that goal. As with so many things in the last couple
years, that isn’t turning out so well.
the issues surrounding fake news and Russian influence on the last
Presidential election, Facebook made noises about finding a way to
better clear away the bad stuff on its site. It reached out to some
of the top fact-checking organizations, including journalists, to
work towards that goal. As with so many things in the last couple
years, that isn’t turning out so well.
Two
of its fact-check partners have announced that they have stepped away
from the program. Snopes.com and the Associated Press announced that
as of the end of last year they were no longer working with Facebook.
Some of what is emerging from those stories is disturbing.
of its fact-check partners have announced that they have stepped away
from the program. Snopes.com and the Associated Press announced that
as of the end of last year they were no longer working with Facebook.
Some of what is emerging from those stories is disturbing.
The
first thing that struck me is that Facebook paid Snopes.com just 100
thousand dollars for their work in 2017. That’s AFTER Snopes and
some other fact-checkers volunteered to work for free. Even with
more than 30 partners world wide, that price strikes me as absurdly
low. With 2.27 billion active users as of the third quarter of last
year, the volume of posts that would need to be checked is mind
boggling. The idea that you can achieve something useful for that
kind of small corporate change staggers the imagination. You have to
question whether Facebook is really serious if it’s spending that
kind of pocket change from a company that showed a $6.9 billion
profit just in the fourth quarter of last year.
first thing that struck me is that Facebook paid Snopes.com just 100
thousand dollars for their work in 2017. That’s AFTER Snopes and
some other fact-checkers volunteered to work for free. Even with
more than 30 partners world wide, that price strikes me as absurdly
low. With 2.27 billion active users as of the third quarter of last
year, the volume of posts that would need to be checked is mind
boggling. The idea that you can achieve something useful for that
kind of small corporate change staggers the imagination. You have to
question whether Facebook is really serious if it’s spending that
kind of pocket change from a company that showed a $6.9 billion
profit just in the fourth quarter of last year.
The
other disturbing charge at Facebook is that it may not be interested
in what the fact-checkers have to say. A lack of transparency, a
resistant to creating a more efficient way of dealing with the crush
of material to be covered, and the impression that the fact-check
partners are there for window dressing reinforces what I’ve
surmised for a couple years now. Facebook is all bark and now bite
when it comes to these kinds of questions. With 4.75 billion pieces
of content being shared daily, the challenge is enormous. The
response doesn’t seem to be in proportion.
other disturbing charge at Facebook is that it may not be interested
in what the fact-checkers have to say. A lack of transparency, a
resistant to creating a more efficient way of dealing with the crush
of material to be covered, and the impression that the fact-check
partners are there for window dressing reinforces what I’ve
surmised for a couple years now. Facebook is all bark and now bite
when it comes to these kinds of questions. With 4.75 billion pieces
of content being shared daily, the challenge is enormous. The
response doesn’t seem to be in proportion.
AP
and Snopes have both acknowledged that they could return to the
partnership in the future. At the moment, the work in the U.S. falls
on the two remaining American partners, Politifact, and
FactCheck.org. Under any circumstances, the social media giant has
to get a better grip on the issue before the next election cycle
begins.
and Snopes have both acknowledged that they could return to the
partnership in the future. At the moment, the work in the U.S. falls
on the two remaining American partners, Politifact, and
FactCheck.org. Under any circumstances, the social media giant has
to get a better grip on the issue before the next election cycle
begins.
Call that the View From the Phlipside
Copyright Jay Phillippi, 2018
Theme music for “The View From the Phlipside” and “TVFTP – Podcast” is “Hustle”
Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
Stories Are My Life 
Leave a comment