Topic: Pluto

Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak open No Agenda episode 1071, discussing their recording schedule and Dvorak's recent trip to a listener meetup in Oakland. Dvorak describes learning about the "Pluto in Scorpio" kids, a micro-generation born between 1985 and 1995. These individuals are characterized as potential leaders for misguided younger generations.

The hosts discuss the availability of RT on streaming platforms like Pluto TV and Roku. They suspect that Viacom-owned Pluto TV will likely remove the channel following the broader trend of de-platforming Russian media. They also comment on the cluttered interface of modern streaming services.

A historical account of the 1518 Dancing Plague in Strasbourg is compared to modern events through the lens of astrological cycles. The alignment of Pluto and Saturn in 2020 mirrors the conditions of 1518, leading to discussions on mass hysteria and its physical symptoms.

A review of the $75 BLU X5 smartphone highlights that off-brand devices can perform nearly all the functions of $1,000 flagship phones, including running Android 9 and streaming Pluto TV. The user emphasizes the importance of digital discipline, keeping the phone turned off in a drawer when not in use to avoid constant tracking.

The British television tradition of reviewing the next day's newspapers late at night is praised for its engagement and promotional value. Programs on Sky News and the BBC feature editors and celebrities discussing upcoming headlines, a format that is less common in the United States. This practice is noted as a successful way to generate interest in print journalism through broadcast media.

Viacom purchased the free streaming service Pluto TV for $340 million. The discussion compares Pluto TV's superior engineering and instant channel loading to the "horrible" performance of Comcast's Xfinity streaming service. The acquisition is viewed as a move by Viacom to acquire reliable streaming technology that larger telecommunications giants have failed to master.

Pluto TV is recommended as a streaming service on Roku, featuring channels like Sky News and a dedicated Cat Channel. In contrast, the Xfinity streaming beta app is criticized for long load times and causing Roku devices to reboot. The discussion touches on the technical superiority of Pluto's interface compared to traditional cable provider apps.

A brief look at streaming services mentions Pluto TV's new "Gorilla Channel" on Roku. The conversation also touches on the "Pear Network," a service that provides access to various international and premium channels, though its legal status is questioned.

A listener email from "Producer Zach" analyzes the shortcomings of the Millennial generation, citing a lack of wisdom and an inability to take criticism. The hosts discuss how the "self-esteem movement" in education has created a generation that feels entitled to "likes" and cannot handle being wrong. They also touch on how digital communication has degraded audible speaking skills and the ability to defend positions.

Calculations regarding the New Horizons mission to Pluto suggest that transmitting 64 gigabytes of data at the reported slow speeds would take nearly a decade, rather than the 16 months claimed by NASA. This discrepancy leads to skepticism about the mission's technical transparency and funding motives.

NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto faces skepticism regarding the authenticity of its mission control and the quality of released images. Technical details of the spacecraft's 12-watt X-band transmitters reveal extremely slow downlink speeds, ranging from 6 bits to 100 kilobits per second. The delay in receiving high-resolution imagery is attributed to these bandwidth constraints and the vast distance of the probe from Earth.