[Steveknj]

While it's true that past fears about technology replacing humans haven't panned out, it'll be interesting to see if this time will be different. Will advances in AI finally get to the point where it'll be able to do many of the white collar jobs that exist today? Or will more advanced AI simply augment an employee so they can be more productive?

While AI has replaced a lot of the blue collar jobs, it's outsourcing that has been replacing the white collar jobs. And AI has replace SOME white collar jobs, such as call centers where there are automated scripts on how to fix certain things you are calling about, or can gather much of the information that used to be collected by an "operator" before you got to a real person. Can AI do manager or executive level work? Not YET.

 

[Steveknj]

I liked it. It was definitely more funny than informative, and that's fine every so often.

 

[Tony_T]

Here is is for anyone who didn't see it:

 

[DevdogAZ]

I agree that it wasn't as informative as many past segments. He kept mentioning how such calls COULD be made legally, and I kept expecting him to dive into the details of what is allowed and why most of the calls out there are not allowed. And then I expected him to provide consumers with some tools to identify illegal calls so they can be properly reported. But instead, he just went for the easy joke.

Although I have to admit I laughed out loud when the curtain dropped and the button push was just automating a much larger finger pushing a much larger button.

Also, do we really think the FCC doesn't have a way to filter out those types of calls? I seriously doubt any of those commissioners will ever even hear the call, unless they watch this segment.

 

[Steveknj]

I agree that it wasn't as informative as many past segments. He kept mentioning how such calls COULD be made legally, and I kept expecting him to dive into the details of what is allowed and why most of the calls out there are not allowed. And then I expected him to provide consumers with some tools to identify illegal calls so they can be properly reported. But instead, he just went for the easy joke.

Although I have to admit I laughed out loud when the curtain dropped and the button push was just automating a much larger finger pushing a much larger button.

Also, do we really think the FCC doesn't have a way to filter out those types of calls? I seriously doubt any of those commissioners will ever even hear the call, unless they watch this segment.

I think we forget sometimes that the show is really a comedy show more than a "news" show. There's plenty of places to watch the news, but I watch J.O. for the laughs. I don't care really if he gives us every detail about his weekly issue.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I agree that it wasn't as informative as many past segments. He kept mentioning how such calls COULD be made legally, and I kept expecting him to dive into the details of what is allowed and why most of the calls out there are not allowed. And then I expected him to provide consumers with some tools to identify illegal calls so they can be properly reported. But instead, he just went for the easy joke.

And I was REALLY hoping he'd go into the technology that could end most of these calls, and how the phone companies won't use it, and the FCC won't make them use it. He mentioned it in passing, but it should be a huge scandal, and while I can understand the network news being shallow and uninformed enough not to understand, Oliver really has no excuse.

I don't buy that this is a comedy show. It's a news show disguised as a comedy show. It goes deeper into its stories than just about any other show on American television.

 

[logic88]

I don't buy that this is a comedy show. It's a news show disguised as a comedy show. It goes deeper into its stories than just about any other show on American television.

Yeah, if it was a just a comedy show, I would have stopped watching awhile ago.

Though TBH, I've been liking Patriot Act more recently. The dives are just as deep and I find Minhaj's (or at least his writing staff) comedy funnier.

 

[mattack]

Those are ones than only the FCC can mandate be stopped by forcing phone companies to verify phone numbers aren't spoofed.

CAN you verify phone #s aren't spoofed, using the existing technology (from the consumer end, that is), also without having to replace MAJOR MAJOR parts of the telephone infrastructure (whether hardware or software)?

In other words, this ALMOST sounds like the "stop email spam by making SMTP servers authenticate everything", which basically breaks all existing email. (I didn't go google it, but there's a common email spam "solution" reply form like that, that has selections for replacing the entire infrastructure, etc..)

IOW, regular phone calls use Caller ID, which as we know is spoofable. 800(and other toll free) calls use ANI, which is a different technology and un-spoofable, presumably because the recipient of the call is paying for it.

I'm not saying I'm against it (either of them), but it's probably a way more complex problem than we think.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

I'm not saying I'm against it (either of them), but it's probably a way more complex problem than we think.

But no matter how complex it is, it has to happen. The status quo only benefits the scumbags (and the telephone companies the scumbags use). If things keep going the way they are, there's gonna be blood in the streets (metaphorically speaking).

 

[morac]

CAN you verify phone #s aren't spoofed, using the existing technology (from the consumer end, that is), also without having to replace MAJOR MAJOR parts of the telephone infrastructure (whether hardware or software)?

In other words, this ALMOST sounds like the "stop email spam by making SMTP servers authenticate everything", which basically breaks all existing email. (I didn't go google it, but there's a common email spam "solution" reply form like that, that has selections for replacing the entire infrastructure, etc..)

IOW, regular phone calls use Caller ID, which as we know is spoofable. 800(and other toll free) calls use ANI, which is a different technology and un-spoofable, presumably because the recipient of the call is paying for it.

I'm not saying I'm against it (either of them), but it's probably a way more complex problem than we think.

Actually there are a number of solutions to email spoofing that don't have to do with the SMTP servers authenticating everything.

A number of years back, the big email providers (kind of) agreed to two standards: SPF and DKIM. SPF are DNS records which indicate to receiving servers which SMTP servers are authorized to send email from a domain. DKIM is a way of digitally signing emails with a public key to prove they were sent from a specific SMTP server.

Originally some providers backed SPF and others backed DKIM, but now they are used in conjunction. Combining the two means the receiving server has a way of verifying that the SMTP server used to send the email is authorized to do so and that the email headers weren't spoofed.

Usage of these aren't mandated and they won't stop spam, but they can stop spoofed emails if your email provider checks these, which most big ones do (at least for major senders like banks, etc). That's why you may get fake emails from "Google" that are from [email protected], but not from [email protected].

See 3 DNS Records Every Email Marketer Must Know

There is a similar standard created that can sign caller ID records to verify that the number is coming from the phone network it should be coming from. Nearly all spoofed phone numbers originate from VOIP numbers where the VOIP simply reports a fake originating number in the caller ID. What this standard will do indicate that a phone call supposedly from say a T-Mobile phone number actually originated from T-Mobile and not an overseas VOIP. Once usage of this becomes widespread unsigned numbers can simply be blocked. Until then, they can indicate when a phone number is verified.

See https://www.howtogeek.com/402141/how-phone-companies-are-finally-verifying-caller-id-numbers/

 

[DevdogAZ]

But no matter how complex it is, it has to happen. The status quo only benefits the scumbags (and the telephone companies the scumbags use). If things keep going the way they are, there's gonna be blood in the streets (metaphorically speaking).

If things keep going the way they are, then nothing will change for me, because I don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognize. If it's an important call, they can leave a VM and I'll call them back. Otherwise, send me a text or email. So I could get 100 robocalls a day and it wouldn't matter, because I wouldn't answer any of them, and as soon as I get a VM from a robot, I add it to my contacts and block it.

 

[Rob Helmerichs]

If things keep going the way they are, then nothing will change for me, because I don't answer calls from numbers I don't recognize. If it's an important call, they can leave a VM and I'll call them back. Otherwise, send me a text or email. So I could get 100 robocalls a day and it wouldn't matter, because I wouldn't answer any of them, and as soon as I get a VM from a robot, I add it to my contacts and block it.

So if your phone rings 120 times per hour, that wouldn't affect you at all? You won't mind when you can't use your phone for incoming calls at all?

I know the time will come when robocalls will literally put me out of business if something isn't done, because most of what I do is over the phone. And the more calls I don't answer, the more I risk losing business (it already happens). The only reason I can get away with it now is because the rental market is so tight I can afford to lose potential renters because they call on their out-of-state cell phones. Not to mention the problem of every robocall blocking the phone line for a minute or two from legitimate callers.

 

[cheesesteak]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: to Monica Lewinsky

 

[Steveknj]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup: to Monica Lewinsky

Considering all she's gone through, it really feels like she's got it together.

 

[Anubys]

I noticed no wedding ring. I thought she was married and with kids. Her eyes are very striking and she has grown into a very thoughtful and articulate woman. Calling him Alvin at the end was just perfect.

 

[cheesesteak]

Good on John Oliver for taking on Vince McMahon and the WWE. I don't follow rasslin' any more but definitely grew up watching it and was aware of it for many years. It'll be interesting to see if his request for signs and chants will be heeded although I expect any critical signs will be confiscated at the upcoming Wrestlemania and other events.

 

[Steveknj]

Good on John Oliver for taking on Vince McMahon and the WWE. I don't follow rasslin' any more but definitely grew up watching it and was aware of it for many years. It'll be interesting to see if his request for signs and chants will be heeded although I expect any critical signs will be confiscated at the upcoming Wrestlemania and other events.

Agree. It's been well known for years that they abuse their wrestlers. On the other hand some of them have become pretty big stars and very wealthy. But McMahan has always been a jerk, not just one he plays on TV. Watching those clips (entirely out of context of course) made me laugh uncontrollably. There is one I will see in my nightmares that involves Vince and a HUGE male butt in a singlet....It might take therapy to lose that one from my mind!

 

[logic88]

I've heard the same about the UFC. All of the riches go to a few fighters and everyone else fights for scraps.

But I'm still kinda meh about this week's topic and the season so far in general. I guess when you have that many episodes in the can, the well can start to run dry.

 

[mattack]

I think wrestling is stupid (though I'm now interested in hearing if a few of the Giant Bomb podcast members who are/were into wrestling comment on this), but I also think it's really stupid that that world wildlife fund sued to make them change their name. Yes I know it happened a long time ago now, but last night's episode mentioned it.

 

[morac]

I think wrestling is stupid (though I'm now interested in hearing if a few of the Giant Bomb podcast members who are/were into wrestling comment on this), but I also think it's really stupid that that world wildlife fund sued to make them change their name. Yes I know it happened a long time ago now, but last night's episode mentioned it.

If I recall correctly the world wildlife fund and the world wrestling federation originally had a deal where the later could use the WWF logo, but had to say their full name when they used it. Instead they pretty much always said WWF. It was at that point that the world wildlife fund sued.

Just looked it up and that's basically it.

World Wide Fund for Nature - Wikipedia