Monday, July 13, 2015

The Tomaso Files: World Digitalization continues as Dog Days 'O Summer Approach...



As I've said a thousand times before, along with repeatedly scribblin' I-T here; where does A-L-L the FREAKIN' TIME GO! Does anybody really know what time it is, or care?


As Bully for Mwah, some would say,  as I've lamented before 'bout being on a virtual treadmill the past several months now; CRIKEYS! And simply need a vacation from my vacation; Hooah!

Ah, the life of a visually impaired 'Vurd Botcherer, or as Ralph Sheheen labeled us: "Keyboard Warriors," thanks Ralph, as DON'T let the Barn Door Hitz Yuhs U-know Where; Hooah!

And thus life's just continued getting stranger 'N stranger as the never ceasing shrinking of the world in favour of minute Digitalization leaves Mwah stymied at best!

As this never ending assault most recently reared its ugly head 'Wayback on May 1st, when I was rudely introduced to my local grocery store's "New & Improved;" NOT! Yep, Yuhs guessed I-T! Smaller and HARDER to use card reader at QFC - which is owned by some Midwest company named Kroger, the nation's largest grocery chain;  URGH!

As the A-L-L knowing Debit Card-reader machine's size shrunk and its touch screen button locations moved to somewheres' in 'Duh middle portion of the screen.

Therefore, I can NO longer "Cheat" by knowing they're located invisibly on lower & upper Right Hand corners of screen, which gave me NON-Tactile (finger touching) location finding ability, and instead,  now must depend upon the Checkers to finish my transaction by pressing the No (Cash back) and yes, complete transaction buttons for Mwah, which is a total load of Manure!

Even worse yet, is the fact that the new shrunken, shrouded keypad, for our "Protection" audibly clicks loudly when touching each keypad number for my Pin number, along with corresponding Enter button, yet alas, doesn't have a tactile,  touchable & audible Yes/No button located next to it!

As this is just one of the myriad of daily Problemas blind and visually impaired people are forced to endure in a never ending shrinking A-L-L Digital world! As I won't even begin about the aging Baby Boomer generation and its faltering eyesight...


Thus as Y'all may be painfully aware of? I recently had Ye 'Ol Cathode Ray tube TV give up thee Ghost  and have been without said device for a somewhat longish six weeks, hence not having watched; Err listened to any Formula 1 races on Zed Telie, - beginning with the Spanish GP, which really hasn't been that mucho a let-down since it's been a virtual repeat of "The Lewis & Nico Show!" As Ho-Hum, another race, another "Silver Arrows" (Mercedes) victory - mostly by thy young "Louise 'JAGUAR" Hamilton.

Yet feeling somewhat adrift in this F1 void, I decided to try checking out what I listen to Leigh "Crikeys Mates"" Diffey exclaim at us each 'N every race weekend when proclaiming Y'all can watch F1 (and IndyCar) live via Zed Internetz.

Without going down another "Rabbit Hole," as Speed Freaks Statmann Caruthers coos weekly, I like Leigh Diffey while missing Bob Varsha as lead announcer, yet I feel like it's a 'Wee bit 'O Deceptive Advertising Diffey's telling us. Since in order to access said live television coverage via NBC Sports  website; which just so happens to be owned by those money grubbing comca$t folks! You need to have a corresponding TV Provider's internet/email account; SHEISA!

As I knew something was up when it asked me for my (email) user name & password, which although I do have a current comca$t TB Basic Cable subscription, I detest comca$t and their monopolistic practices and hence do not wish to give them A-L-L of my business! Nor constantly badger them for access to the TV channels I desire, nee MAV TV and Fox Sports-2, neither of which I can watch currently on my overpriced cable television service!

Since I'd dearly LUV' to be able to listen to Ye 'Ol Windbag, nee Dave Despain on his new show on MAV TV, yet comca$t doesn't give a SHIT about what its customers want!

Therefore, NO live TV access on "Peacock-lite's" webpage for Mwah, which I was quite happy to discover before getting up at 4 FRIGGIN' 30AM Pacific to run into this Killjoy Buzz-saw when attempting to watch; Err listen to the Austrian GP Pre-amble.

As I reluctantly understand the push to all things hand held and can only surmise that the television networks are getting a higher advertising rate for funneling the Masses this direction; but! I do NOT wanna go this route and instead simply be able to access the race broadcast via the simple touch of a button.

Especially if you're blind or visually impaired and CANNOT S-E-E the Purdy' colour tile icons on a touch screen!

As say what I will 'bout IndyCar's IMS Radio Network Broadcast's, which certainly AIN'T perfect yet! As I'm still awaiting a Screen reader friendly working "Play" button in order to listen to said races.

But at least I can access IndyCar which is far more than I can say for F1 as Oh NO! We DON'T wanna give away one single cake crumbles, as most of the "Free World" Across thee Pond has to submit to the Pay TV Wall in order to view Formula 1 while Uncle Bernaughty piously Moans over the sport being CRAP and TV viewing numbers down; Yuhs Think? Earth to Bernie; Oh Never Mind!


Alas, in this never ending rant, I guess the point of it all was that media needs to continuously apply the KISS method to television access, which is Keep It Simple Stupid! Although not so much as Eddie & Scott do relentlessly during ABC's miniscule portion of the INSANELY Short IndyCar season - by telling us in school children tone: This is a Steering Wheel, you turn it left to make a circle...

OOPS! Gotta be careful here, don't wanna get the Hook from Mark "I've Got a Plan!" Miles for being Ahem, critical; ZOINKS! Lookie Thar Mark, I kept I-T all Rainbows & Bunnies for Yuhs. Since after all, we've got another 43-days of Indy Cars before they go quiet for another STUPENDOUSLY L-O-N-G 7-months, right?


While I've refrained from publishing my original thoughts on what I think about Mr. Miles Post-Fontana, as suffice it to say, the late esteemed 'Awntie Harriet would have called him a Fat Head! As how dare we critique the lack 'O positive leadership from Starship HC? I mean all they gotta do is follow the Boston Consulting Company's lead, right? As I don't think he really told us much in his National Teleconference...