Unfortunate Advertising Coincidences

Posted on June 7, 2015 by The Old Wolf

I don’t have AdBlocker on my mobile device, so I see all sorts of garbage. On occasion, however, what I see is amusing enough that I’m not even mad. Below a capture from an article where Bernie Sanders proposes spending $5 Billion to provide jobs for youth instead of even more on law enforcement and incarceration:

The juxtaposition of the McDonald’s propaganda and the snippet from Sanders’ comments was enough to make me smile. But when I clicked on the ad, just to see what kind of disinformation MickeyD’s was disseminating, I had to capture the unfortunate choice of redirect URLs:

The full URL actually was longer than the full name of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch – I’ve never understood the mechanics behind these dynamically-generated addresses:

One thing is certain, though – neither the advertising concern nor McDonald’s could possibly be too happy about being labeled

BS Serving System

regardless of how true it may be.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

1935: Outside Water Supply in DC

Posted on June 3, 2015 by The Old Wolf

July 1935. “Outside water supply, Washington, D.C. Only source of water supply winter and summer for many houses in slum areas. In some places drainage is so poor that surplus water backs up in huge puddles.” These municipal water taps (or pumps — they have crank handles) appear in several photos from this series. I wonder if any survive. 35mm negative by Carl Mydans

Found at Shorpy

Movie Review: Tomorrowland. The best film I’ve seen so far in 2015.

Posted on June 1, 2015 by The Old Wolf

Caution: Mild spoilers ahead. I’ll try not to give too much away.

Here’s a review of “Tomorrowland” by some pretentious soul who holds himself or herself out as a film critic:

“An aggressively optimistic script admonishes the lazy and irresolute and urges humanity to end war and save the environment; the proselytizing burdens an already onerous plot.”

This is exactly the type of person that the film’s conceit addresses: nothing is wrong, all is well in Zion, and those who dare to dream are optimistic fools.

The plot of the movie revolves around a young girl who was taught by her father to feed the wolf inside her that stands for light and goodness, not darkness and evil. She is shown a vision of a future that could be, and encounters people who are dead set against allowing that future to happen. And she has to make some difficult choices along the way.

George Clooney stars, but the characters that swirl around him, notably Britt Robertson, Raffey Cassidy, Thomas Robinson, and the ever-curmudgeonly Hugh Laurie, turn in performances that carry the film along in a convincing and delightful manner.

The effects are stellar and imaginative. Not much more can be said.

And the message of the film is one that is desperately needed in the world today. We need more dreamers, people who are willing to step up to the plate and do something about the pressing issues that face our world. We need more Elon Musks, more inventive kids like the ones out there who are figuring out better ways to provide clean water and cheap power to impoverished areas, provide better lighting, clean up the plastic in the oceans, diagnosing diseases quickly and cheaply, and countless other wonderful things.

Instead, our own country is arming police departments like they were SWAT teams, killing people with abandon, taxing the poor in favor of the ultra-wealthy, allowing robber barons to get off scot-free, cutting science, arts and literacy programs in favor of standardized testing and cookie-cutter education, and generally doing everything it can to cut creativity off at the ankles.

The last movies that made me feel this good were The Peaceful Warrior and The Ultimate Gift. We need more messages like this in the world, despite what the self-appointed naysayers preach.

I recommend this movie wholeheartedly. Not a perfect show by any means, but I left the theatre with my heart singing.

Overall rating: Eight out of ten stars.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

New York, 1905

Posted on June 1, 2015 by The Old Wolf

WordPress is strange; I realized I had gotten the date wrong on this photo in my previous effort; I could update the post, but the URL stayed the same and included the wrong date, so I had to trash the original post and start again.

This photo was colorized by redditor /u/kibblenbits, one of the best colorizers out there. I love historical photos of New York – this one would have been taken 4 years before my father was born.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Keeping Welsh (and Bees) Alive.

Posted on May 31, 2015 by The Old Wolf

Note: This article was originally published at FT.com (Financial Times). It is copyright. They have indicated that these articles can be shared with their “sharing tools,” and added, “Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.”

That would be fine, if they didn’t use that accursed “complete a survey to read this full article” ploy. Or make you register (i.e. give them your information) to read “3 free articles per month.” Both of these are scummy tactics which serve no purpose other than to drive people away from a website; to Pluto with that. So, FT, get rid of the surveys and the paywall and I’ll be happy to link people directly to your site. Until then, hard lines.

Wil Griffiths set up an organisation that aims to save the bees and his native tongue

©Gareth Phillips

Wil Griffith: ‘When we started, other beekeepers thought we were racist’

Welsh has always lent itself to prose and poetry, to music and singing. But it has never been associated with scientific matters, and beekeeping is a science. If the language is to survive, it needs to expand into all aspects of everyday life.

I run the only Welsh-language beekeeping association in Wales. I set up Cymdeithas Gwenynwyr Cymraeg Ceredigion (the Ceredigion Welsh Beekeeping Association) at the end of the 1960s with two aims: survival of the bee and survival of the language.

Our Welsh beekeeping terms are not a pure translation of English terms because word-for-word translation is meaningless. For example, in a beehive, honey is stored in the very top of the hive, in the top box. The term in English is “super” — as in “superintendent”. It means “above”. But “above” would not be used that way in Welsh. The more usual Welsh word is “lloft” — meaning “upstairs”. So, in determining new terminology, we use everyday words that make sense to a Welsh ear. I wrote a book, Dyn Y Mel (The Honeyman) in which our Welsh terms are listed. In English, the term is “beekeeper” but, again, in Welsh, “dyn y mel” is more common.

I’m well over 80 now but I started beekeeping 60 years ago. At about that time modern hives were introduced. Before then, beekeepers had used closed straw skeps — but suddenly, for the first time, they were able to see what was taking place within the hive.

Modern terms were coined to reflect these changes, which flustered the older beekeepers. Very experienced beekeepers, who were first-language Welsh, were at a loss. The terminology involved was beyond them, particularly if it was in English.

Today our association has about 30 members and we even put on an annual show in a pub for our honey and mead. Finding enough bilingual judges is always a problem. As they are tasting, the judges must comment out loud in Welsh.

Beekeeping can be hazardous. A friend went to shift a hive late one evening and didn’t bother with protective clothing; a bee crawled into his ear. We tried to get it out but couldn’t. The only way was to drown it, and the only liquid we had to hand was a bottle of brown ale. So that was poured in and the bee floated out. But there’s no special term — in Welsh or English — for these beekeeping mishaps.

Our members do not have to speak Welsh — but we are true to our founding principles. At meetings, English speakers sit next to someone bilingual — most of us are — who will quietly translate for them. After a season or so, they have a good smattering of the language.

When we started other beekeepers thought we were racist. But what is wrong with studying in our native tongue? People would not be surprised if beekeeping associations in France or Germany discussed beekeeping in French or German. Why be surprised about Welsh?

The best way to keep a language alive is to place it at the centre of everyday life. In my county, Ceredigion, Welsh is a minority language. There has been a big fall in the number of native speakers in the past 30 years, and people are realising that we are in danger of losing one of the oldest languages in Europe.

Don’t Click That Ad

Posted on May 30, 2015 by The Old Wolf

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, clickbait ads are everywhere. They are the spam of the World Wide Web, unwanted intrusions into your browsing experience, and like spam, the vast majority of these ads are deceptive and lead to spurious or borderline criminal offers.

What’s that “New Rule?”

If you click that ad, you are taken to http://www.easy-autoquotes.com/, which looks like a respectable financial advice website:

And what’s that “one rule?”

“Don’t even think about getting insurance without first comparing discounted quotes from an unbiased source.”

The “unbiased source” they want you to visit is the Easy Auto Quotes™ official site, which deceptively redirects you to

"http://provide-savings.com,"

which turns out to be a scummy outfit which, like LowerMyBills will gather your information including sensitive personal data and sell it to anyone who waves money in their faces. You won’t get a quote from them, but you will be inundated by calls and emails not only from competing auto insurance agencies, and countless other disreputable marketers hawking everything under the sun. The only way you’ll be able to stem the tide is move, cancel your credit cards, change your email address, get a new phone number, and walk widdershins around a rotting stump at midnight while looking at the new moon over your left shoulder.

Have a look at the disclaimer at the very bottom of their page, which most people will never see, and which is hard to read even if you get there:

Here it is in plain text:

Disclaimer and Consumer Information.

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT AN ACTUAL NEWS ARTICLE, BLOG, OR CONSUMER PROTECTION UPDATE
THIS SITE GETS PAID FOR CLICKS OR SALES PRODUCED FROM CONTENT FOUND ON THIS SITE
*We are dedicated to bringing readers valuable information which can help them accomplish their financial and lifestyle goals. Our disclaimer is that this site does receive compensation for product reviews and referrals or purchases made through our links. This page is an advertisement/advertorial. The story depicted here is for demonstration purposes only and everyone’s results may vary. We hope you find our online resource informative and helpful.

This site is in no way affiliated with any news source.

Important information regarding the truthfulness of this article (For our site visitors and the FTC): There have been issues in the online marketing industry with fake advertorials to pitch certain products within the affiliate marketing industry. This site and the owners of this site have never participated in these false advertising practices. Here are a few clarifications points regarding this article: First, as stated at the top of this site, [NOTE: No, it only says “Advertisement’] this is an Advertisment/Advertorial. This site receives compensation for purchases made through our links.

*Clarification of the advertising headline “New Policy in your State”: Some of our website visitors may have visited our site after seeing an ad regarding “New Policy in your State.” This ad then clarifies that certain individuals may receive discounts of up to 50% off car insurance. The newest United States information and insurance tips for lowering your car insurance cost can be found at usa.gov (recently updated October of 2011). The United States federal governments and state governments are constantly looking out for consumers and have published new information on helping consumers lower their car insurance bills. Here’s a specific link regarding the newest usa.gov advice, tips in order to receive lower car insurance rates: http://www.usa.gov/topics/travel/cars/insurance.shtml. In addition to this information, each state and their respective state insurance commissions may have additional recent policy changes which may affect the insurance rates in your area. The specific new discount car insurance policies in your state which are currently helping individuals save up to 50% on car insurance is information that can be found through the insurance comparison site Provide InsuranceTM mentioned in this article. Upon visiting this site you will see the claim that individuals can save up to 50% in their respective states. This is information that we have found to be true. From the article mentioned from usa.gov, we see that the federal government has also given the advice and made the claims that “To get the best coverage at the best price, get several quotes from insurance companies. It may save you hundreds of dollars a year… You may be eligible for a discount based on the number of miles you drive; your age (turning 25 or 50); your good grades if you are a student, your driving record (no moving vehicle violations or accidents in three years); or if you’ve taken a safe-driving course. You might also be able to get discounts if you insure more than one vehicle, insure your vehicle and your home with the same company, have anti-theft devices or have safety features such as air bags or anti-lock brake system.”

*Clarification of the advertising headline “New Rule in (Your State)”. – Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “rule” as “a piece of advice about the best way to do something” (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rule). This article aims to advise the public that comparing rates is one of the best ways that you can save money on car insurance. No matter what city, state or zip code you live in you can compare rates and get free quotes. If you truly want to find the best rate and save on car insurance then follow our advice or “rule” to compare rates. Here are links to two surveys which demonstrate the importance of comparing rates and how applying this “rule” in any state, city or zip code may help drivers save 32%. A new survey found that the #1 reason people switch is because they found a cheaper rate. Click Here for Survey. A second survey which analyzed car insurance quotes for 1,000 zip codes across the U.S. found that within a given zip code, rates vary by 154% on average, allowing drivers to find an average of 32% in savings. Click Here For Survey.

This site is committed to protecting the privacy of our online visitors. If you join our mailing list, your information will not be shared with others. Anyone who wishes can choose to be removed from our mailing list at any time.

This site is in no way affiliated with any news source. As mentioned at the top of this web page, it is an advertisement.

This site contains affiliate and partner links, and as mentioned previously, this site is only an advertisement. The owners of this site receive compensation when sales are made.

This website and the company that owns it is not responsible for any typographical or photographic errors. If you do not agree to our terms and warnings, then leave this site immediately.

Product is not affiliated in any way with ABC, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, Consumer Reports, CBS, Wink News or USA Today. All trademarks, logos, and service marks (collectively the “Trademarks”) displayed are registered and/or unregistered Trademarks of their respective owners. Contents of this website are copyrighted property of the reviewer and/or this website.

Note that this disclaimer consists largely of weasel words which attempt to justify the deceptive nature of the advertisement; the worst example of this kind of humbuggery I have already shared over at the “Hall of Shame.”

It gets worse. When you visit Provide-Savings, they begin a process which will gather all sorts of PII (Personally-identifying information) which they claim they need to provide you with your requested quote. Take a gander at a selected portion of their “privacy policy.”

In order to provide you with insurance quotes, we collect your personal contact information including name, telephone number, mailing address, email address, gender, birthday and marital status. For home insurance quotes, we also collect details about your home and personal property. For auto insurance quotes, we collect information about your vehicles and drivers and may also collect information about your credit and your existing insurance coverage.

By submitting your e-mail address and/or phone number (as the case may be) via this Site, you authorize us to use that e-mail address and phone number to contact you periodically, via e-mail and manually-dialed and/or auto-dialed telephone calls, concerning (i) your quote requests, (ii) any administrative issue regarding the Site or our services and/or (iii) information or offers that we feel may be of interest to you. We may also send e-mails to you periodically regarding updated quotes. You may opt out of receiving e-mails from us at any time by unsubscribing as set forth in the applicable e-mail.

Additionally, by filling out information on this Site as part of your request for information about insurance policies and quotations, you authorize us to provide that information to various insurance companies, insurance agents and other related third parties that participate in our insurance quote network (collectively “Insurance Providers”). The Insurance Providers may provide your personal information to their insurance carriers, suppliers and other related vendors in order to generate price quotations and information relevant to insurance policies that you have requested

We may share your information with third parties with whom we have promotional or advertising relationships (provided that we are not otherwise restricted from this sharing of information). If you do not want us to share your personal information with these companies, contact us at compliance@adharmonics.com.
We may provide your PII to, or permit access to it by, our subsidiaries, affiliated companies, vendors and/or service providers, such as our ISP or infrastructure hosting companies, for the purpose of processing such information and/or contacting you on our behalf, or where such access is incidental to their providing assistance to us. In such cases, we expect these parties to process such information based on our instructions and in compliance with this privacy policy.

At some point, we may establish subsidiaries or other related companies, or merge with or be acquired by another company. Should that happen, then we may disclose your information to them, in which case we will request that they abide by this Policy. We may also disclose some information to a potential acquirer, although such disclosure would be subject to normal and customary requirements.
We reserve the right to disclose your PII as required by law or when we believe that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights and/or comply with a court order, legal process or judicial proceeding served on us.
We may work with third party data providers to obtain additional information about you, other drivers on your policy or in your household, and information about your car. By using these data providers, we are able to prefill your questionnaire and save you time. You will still be able to review and edit this information before you submit it.

The TL;DR¹ here is that they have essentially reserved the right to sell your personal information with anyone under the sun.

Ultimately, to be perfectly honest , the advert on the original referring page should look like this:

It goes without saying that you should not even be seeing ads like this. The easiest way to cut down on such things is to install a simple extension, Ad-Block Plus, which quietly and unobtrusively blocks ads like this from ever appearing on your page. It works with Chrome, Mozilla, IE, Opera, and many other browsers.

Be careful out there, and don’t give your information to scumbags.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

¹ Too long; didn’t read

Acc

1898: A Free Pound of Coffee with Every Pair of Shoes

Posted on May 29, 2015 by The Old Wolf

This interesting receipt showed up in some Georgia probate files. Prices back then were insane, compared to today’s – but one must also factor in wages and overall cost of living.

According to various inflation calculators, a dollar in 1898 was worth $27.08 in 2013, making a pair of shoes for ten bits the equivalent of $33.85. And that pound of coffee? 18¢, or about $4.87 in 2013 dollars.

Not a bad Dreingabe¹; today’s coffee runs about $12 to $15 per pound, unless you want kopi luwak, which you can score for $350.00 online if you happen to like coffee beans that have been shat out by a civet.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

¹ German: bonus or give-away

Getting it All Together (Vocabulary Suicide)

Posted on May 29, 2015 by The Old Wolf

Getting It All Together

Everyone knows that a shirt has sleeves, pocket, tail, cuffs and collar. Fewer people recognize that an airplane has a fin, rudder, trim tab, and aileron. In each group of items below, choose from among the ones on the right and match them with their components. (In most cases, the things listed on the left represent only part of the components which make up the corresponding item.) Answers and rating after the quiz.

Here’s a freebie:

_____ 1. Penumbra, umbra
_____ 2. Hammer, anvil, stirrup
_____ 3. Choroid, sclera, conjunctiva
_____ 4. Pedicel, calyx, stigma
_____ 5. Terret, martingale, Crupper
_____ 6. Vena cava, myocardium
_____ 7. Coronet, pastern, fetlock
_____ 8. Visceral & parietal pleura, upper lobe
_____ 9. Spanker, fore-royal, main royal
_____ 10. Patella, humerus, tibia
_____ 11. Sphenoid, occipital, zygomatic
_____ 12. Scroll, neck, waist, tailpiece
_____ 13. Ileum, jejunum, duodenum
_____ 14. Spiracles, tympanum, cereus
_____ 15. Casemate, bailey, barbican
_____ 16. Newel skirt, comb, balustrade
_____ 17. Voussoir, spandrel, impost, skewback
_____ 18. Pedipalpi, pedicel, scopula
_____ 19. Flews, dewlap, withers
_____ 20. Jump line, weather ear, dingbat
_____ 21. Crossknot, wings
_____ 22. Welt, vamp, tongue
_____ 23. Stretcher, gore, ferrule, bullet
_____ 24. Staves, chime, hoop
_____ 25. Pommel, bell, button
_____ 26. Longeon, spar, bridle leg
_____ 27. Cantle, swell, gullet
_____ 28. La Hire, Judith, Charlemagne
_____ 29. Chanter, bass drone, mounts
_____ 30. Lams, heddles, whip roll
_____ 31. Gnomon, diagram, plate
_____ 32. Capillary tube, constriction, lens
_____ 33. Shackle, case, plug
_____ 34. Pintle, knuckles, leaf
_____ 35. Beaver, gorget, tace, tasset
_____ 36. Jacket, crimp, rim, primer
_____ 37. Dalmatic, chasuble, alb
_____ 38. Bridge, fishtail, drop, overlay
_____ 39. Straws, gour darn, flowstone
_____ 40. Scend, spindrift, curl

Arch
Bagpipe
Barrel/cask
Bow tie
Cardinal’s vestments
Cartridge (bullet)
Casket/coffin
Castle
Dog
Door hinge
Escalator
Flower
Foil (fencing)
Hand loom
Harness (horse)
Horse’s leg
Human ear
Human eye
Human heart
Human lungs
Human skeleton
Human skull
Insect
Intestines
Kite
Limestone cavern
Man’s shoe
Newspaper
Ocean wave
Padlock
Playing cards
Saddle
Sailing ship
Solar eclipse
Spider
Suit of armor
Sundial
Thermometer
Umbrella
Violin

Answers:

l = ah 6 = s 11 = v 16 = k 21 = d 26 = y 31 = ak 36 = f

2 = q 7 = p 12 = an 17 = a 22 = aa 27 = af 32 = al 37 = e

3 = r 8 = t 13 = x 18 = ai 23 = am 28 = ae 33 = ad 38 = g

4 = l 9 = ag 14 = w 19 = i 24 = c 29 = b 34 = j 39 = z

5 = o 10 = u 15 = h 20 = ab 25 = m 30 = n 35 = aj 40 = ac

Your Rating:

35-40 correct: You’ve got it all together. You have a high vocabulary, are well educated, a neat dresser, and like your caviar imported.

26-34 correct: Not bad. You are well read and move in active social circles. You pay attention to detail and remember things you hear.

19-25 correct: You are certainly above average intelligence and possess notable common sense. Your friends come to you for advice. You are as handy with facts as a handyman is with a hammer.

13-18 Correct: You played around in schoo1, but still came out well because of natural ability. You love to read the back of cereal boxes. You are good at remembering most facts, but sometimes miss an important one (which ends up costing you). You’re admired and liked by those who are less with it than you are.

8-11 correct: You know what it takes to get around socially, and enjoy talking. What other people think you know is important to you. You once finished reading a book in the same month you started it. You have a hard time remembering things you’ve seen or heard unless they are in color and you are eating popcorn. In the long run, you will probably outshine those who seem to have the edge.

4-7 correct: You sometimes bore your friends by telling them facts you don’t possess. You may have been sued for advice malpractice. You have a keen sense of humor, but your jokes are mostly borrowed. You like comic books, bubblegum wrapper ads, and recipes. A half hour of reading cage signs at the zoo tires you mentally.

1-3 correct: You sneaked across the boarder and have just arrived in this country. You do not speak English, except to make your basic needs known. Your goal is to be a brain surgeon or a millionaire, whichever comes first. You will soon learn to spell your name correctly.

0 correct: Sorry. Vegetables were not supposed to be allowed to take this test.

Every day is April Fool’s in nutrition.

Posted on May 28, 2015 by The Old Wolf

“People who are desperate for reliable information face a bewildering array of diet guidance—salt is bad, salt is good, protein is good, protein is bad, fat is bad, fat is good—that changes like the weather. But science will figure it out, right? Now that we’re calling obesity an epidemic, funding will flow to the best scientists and all of this noise will die down, leaving us with clear answers to the causes and treatments.

Or maybe not.”

From a recent article at io9 by John Bohannon:

I Fooled Millions Into Thinking Chocolate Helps Weight Loss. Here’s How.

With a poorly-crafted study that used a small sample and ignored how big the measured results actually were, a team of journalists managed to punk the nutrition-news circuit into publishing their study.

“A team of German researchers had found that people on a low-carb diet lost weight 10 percent faster if they ate a chocolate bar every day. It made the front page of Bild, Europe’s largest daily newspaper, just beneath their update about the Germanwings crash. From there, it ricocheted around the internet and beyond, making news in more than 20 countries and half a dozen languages. It was discussed on television news shows. It appeared in glossy print, most recently in the June issue of Shape magazine.”

But it was all a crock of dung. And sadly, I can guarantee that many people will continue to believe the lie, simply because it appeared in journals as “prestigious” as Prevention, regardless of this exposé or any further evidence to the contrary. Like the entire anti-Vax movement, nothing can kill a good excuse for mouth-foaming outrage, not even repeatedly-confirmed facts.

Read the article. It’s worth your time, if you’re interested in having accurate information on which to base your decisions.

A big part of the problem with modern “scientific” studies is the concept of “p-value.” It’s more complex than most people care about, but William Rozeboom wrote, “The use of P values and null hypothesis testing is ‘surely the most bone-headedly misguided procedure ever institutionalized in the rote training of science students.’ “

P value calculations tell you only the probability of seeing a result at least as big as what you saw if there is no real effect. (In other words, the P value calculation assumes the null hypothesis is true.) A small P value — low probability of the data you measured — might mean the null hypothesis is wrong, or it might mean that you just saw some unusual data. You don’t know which. And if there is a real effect, your calculation of a P value is rendered meaningless, because that calculation assumed that there wasn’t a real effect.

(ScienceNews – “P value ban: small step for a journal, giant leap for science”)

And if Randall Munroe pillories something, you have a pretty good idea that there are legitimate questions about its validity.

The takeaway: don’t be excited just because one study says something, and I’ve written about this elsewhere. Look at the study, determine the size of the sample used, and see if you can ferret out how big the measured differences were. There’s a lot more digging you could do, but this is a good place to start.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

Playing in the World Game

As One

Author Archives: The Old Wolf

Unfortunate Advertising Coincidences

1935: Outside Water Supply in DC

New York, 1905

Keeping Welsh (and Bees) Alive.

Wil Griffiths set up an organisation that aims to save the bees and his native tongue

Don’t Click That Ad

1898: A Free Pound of Coffee with Every Pair of Shoes

Getting it All Together (Vocabulary Suicide)