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In a radio broadcast in Germany not long ago, the online security of banks was described to be the equivalent of putting the money in a carton box on the street (if you understand German: Here's a transcript as PDF).

After reading this story, I think the carton box would actually provide more safety.

It would. If you allow plastic bags, then the box could contain coffee grounds. This would be especially true if one has a few trial runs to convince the crooks that the box is worthless.

In a radio broadcast in Germany not long ago, the online security of banks was described to be the equivalent of putting the money in a carton box on the street (if you understand German: Here's a transcript as PDF).

After reading this story, I think the carton box would actually provide more safety.

Those vending machines a partly a publicity stunt for a internet gold trading company.

http://boerse.ard.de/content.jsp?key=dokument_358326 (german. apply babelfish as necessary)

And at Eur 31 it's rather an idea for a present than for investment.

Ard (http://sport.ard.de/spe/turin/news200602/10/video _livestream.jhtml) in germany has a similar service, but they only have one channel. But there is no DRM protection at all.
It also works in other countries.

GEZ is "Gebuehren-Einzugs-Zentrale" (Fee collection agency)

The fee is a tax on receivers, to finance state television and radio broadcasters, which offer extensive internet content (ARD, ZDF, WDR, EinsLive, BR and many more)

The main counterargument is that the state broadcasters are paid to provide "Grundversorgung mit Information" (primary information service). It is argued that their internet presence is beyond that mandate, so it should not be paid for by the public. There's also the problem that every internet _capable_ PC is subject to the fee, not just those PCs which are used to access the internet, let alone the public broadcasters' websites.

German state-controlled television "ARD" & "ZDF" which are also like the BBC with compulsory tv-fees spent USD 1.6 BILLION (!!!). If it's available on their servers ARD or ZDF be my guest, after all I had to pay for this shit and I don't even watch.