xjosh · Slashdot Mirror

BTDT on In Need of Repatriation Advice? · 2005-03-04 09:50 · Score: 1

IANAL but I've been through a similar situation.

If the wife attempts to enter the country, she is considered an "intending immigrant" due to the fact that she is married to a US citizen. We weren't aware of this when my wife left the country after we were married and returned. She (unintentionally) avoided disclosing the fact that she was married to a US citizen upon her re-entry. We didn't know of the rule at that time, and when we filed her paperwork, we had to file a special form and pay some some of fine/fee. Basically it was an admission of ignorance and an offering to the immigration gods. IIRC, the fine/fee was around $150. I'm not advising anyone to lie or conceal the truth relating to legal immigration matters, but if it did happen, it may make things easier for some people.

The poster that mention entering the country in a less busy region is also correct. I think the INS (whoever they are now) publishes average wait times for each office. Consider though that you may need to continue dealing with that office for interview, fingerprinting etc. Check it out before you make your decision on your destination.

Also, get an attorney. The paperwork is simpler than a typical tax return, but an honest mistake can cost you _years_ in waiting for a re-filed application. The attorney is worth it. I think we paid $2000 or so for the whole thing (tax, title, insurance, dealer fees, marketing adjustment, pinstripes, etc). Somewhere around $700-$900 of that is government fees.

If she enters the US, applies for PR status and needs to leave before status if granted, she can apply for "advance parole". Don't apply until it's needed.

The interview for us was a piece of cake. Took us about 15 minutes. As soon as the interview is complete, the officer stamps the passport with PR status (with an expiry date) and that's as good as a green card. The green card will show up in the next 12-24 months. Don't lose it. A replacement took us 14 months.

They really need to get the word out. on The Universal Off Button · 2004-10-20 09:42 · Score: 1

I never knew that there was actually such a week on the calendar.

Maybe they need a more effective way to reach people about this, like a TV commercial would be perfect.

Teletext in the US on Ceefax Turns 30 · 2004-09-23 02:44 · Score: 1

I think Teletext was done in the US for a short period several years ago. There was a national news service called Elektra that carried news content updated by the staff of WKRC TV in Cincinnati OH. There were TV's and set top boxes capable of receiving the service, I think made by RCA. I seem to remember seeing some of this stuff demo'ed at a World's Fair and Exposition, so it must have been in 1982 or 1984, because those are the only two I've ever attended. But, I was fairly young then, so my memory may be incorrect.

Re:Killer... App on XM Radio Plans Online Music Service · 2004-09-16 03:47 · Score: 1

XM and Sirius are both advertisers on howardstern.com.

Re:XM is the devil on XM Radio Pulls PC Hardware · 2004-08-31 01:15 · Score: 1

sayeth the poster:

XM is 60% owned by ClearChannel anyway. Why would you want to give your money to them?

Wrong. Not anymore.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=XMSR

libertarian revolution was The nation's gone crazy on Google to be Sued Over Name? · 2004-05-18 01:25 · Score: 1

At what point are people -- rational people-- going to get together and form a coalition to bring about a bloodless coup(?)

2020, unless the shrub retains office (note the absence of the word reelected). If he retains office, revolution will likely be accelerated.

imports are exports on Are You Reporting Your Internet Purchases? · 2004-04-12 07:39 · Score: 1

"No tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State."

Now, if the Articles are being imported, they have to have been exported from somewhere. If they are exported Articles, then no tax or Duty shall be laid on them.

If the citation was more like, "No tax or duty shall be laid on the export of articles from any state", then I'd agree with you.

Re:what about other drivers? on Stoplights to Mete Out Punishment? · 2004-04-09 06:52 · Score: 1, Funny

do we really need to give people another excuse to get mad at someone, blaming "that idiot speeder" for making them late?

Payback for all those times those slow fuckers made me late. I'd have been there on time if they'd taken their 140 km/h asses to the right lane.

Re:Weather related problems.. on Experiences with DirecWay Satellite Internet · 2004-01-26 06:35 · Score: 1

Everyone you know can't point a dish. Rain fade is rare if you get a good shot at the bird. Virtually non-existent if you use a 24" or bigger dish.

I quit. on Best Way To Beat A Caffeine Addiction? · 2004-01-01 12:04 · Score: 1

I quit consuming the stuff about 7 or 8 years ago. I just quit cold turkey and stuck it out with the headache (which tapered down to "mild" fairly quickly), and haven't missed it since. I took ibuprofen to help with the headache (which lasted about two weeks it seems).

For years after I drank clear soft drinks like SPrITe or 7-up, and sometimes CF Doctor Pepper (which I had to have shipped to me by friends since it wasn't available in my area), but I've recently gotten back to drinking filtered and spring water.

Re:missin the point. on The Cost of Distributed Client Computing? · 2003-10-15 06:01 · Score: 2, Interesting

the reason you donate cycles to seti/columb rulers/cancer research/whatever is you love science and the progress of humanity.

No. The reason I donate cycles is so that I can get free credits on easynews.com and download more pr0n.

How much CPU cycles are wasted on Pr0n, and how does this help society?

Doing it my way? All of them. And thanks to easynews, my pr0n DOES help society.

Taxes on interstate goods are illegal on States Push for Net Sales Taxes · 2003-09-26 15:30 · Score: 1

Another part of the oft-ignored constitution of the United States of America. From article 9, section 1:

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

There you go. If it's exported from any state, no tax.

Re:Proprietary Pish on RIM Loses NTP Case, To Pay $53 Million · 2003-08-06 01:34 · Score: 1

I run 2000 user (half mobile) enterprise email system and have 20+ Blackberry users over 2 continents so I have a little experience with mobile messaging and Blackberrys in particular.

They're actually not bad in an enterprise environment. The push email is much faster than polling, be it over GPRS or Mobitex. Your example of POP/IMAP with a 1 minute poll interval? Blackberry with BES is faster. Not cheaper, but faster.

Is it proprietary? Yes, much like the Exchange or Notes systems that most enterprises use anyway, like it or not. And the point of securing your email is not neccesarily securing internet email - my internal company email is secure all the way from handheld to handheld. I'm not concerned that someone can casually intercept private communications from my CEO's handheld that were intended for internal delivery.

Also, the Blackberry system with a BES is not like a standard POP setup. It's closer to IMAP but that's not even exact. The BES tracks the state of messages for registered users and allows for things like the forwarding of attachments that were never even downloaded to the handheld.

Getting a n00b user going with a Blackberry is incredibly easy. I have no problem handing my execs a handheld and knowing that they can use it very easily. On the other hand, I'd be crucified if I handed my CEO a P800 or similar device and expected them to use it successfully. Solutions such as your P800/POP combo may be fine for us propeller-heads (I use a T610 w/ PocketPC myself), but Blackberry works well for the typical enterprise luser.

Bing and Bong already do it. on Using Sling Shot Power to Hurl Into Orbit · 2003-06-20 01:05 · Score: 1

This is an old application. Bing and Bong of Tiny Planets are already using this technology to travel to other planets on their couch.

Re:Satellite != lost cause... on Satellite Radio in Fiscal Trouble · 2002-10-23 05:30 · Score: 1

I bought an indash MP3 player (Pioneer) with XM, so I got both at the same time. I find that I listen to XM every day and very rarely bother to burn MP3 CD's. I've got hundreds of gigs of MP3's to choose from, but I can just fire up XM and get news, comedy, music, whatever. To me, XM is easily worth $10 a month.

The only reason I listen to traditional broadcast radio is Howard Stern. Come to think of it, if XM or Sirius wanted to guarantee their future existence, they should look into getting Stern's show. Regardless of your opinion of Stern and his show, he brings listeners (and viewers, he carries E!). Of course Infinity would never let that happen because it would ding their own stations that currently carry Stern.

Re:Hmmm.... on Duct Tape Can Remove Warts · 2002-10-15 03:22 · Score: 2, Interesting

sez the AC:

Strangely, most people call it "Gaffa Tape" in the UK...

That's because most British folks pronounce words that end in 'er' with the 'ah' sound (and vice-versa). (To go to the ocean, they will drive their Toyota Coroller to the watah).

They actually mean gaffer's tape, which is similar to duct tape, but typically more fabric-like and less plastic-like. It also typically has an adhesive that doesn't leave a residue when removed. It gets the name because it is commonly used by gaffers. Gaffers are the electricians and/or lighting technicians who work in film, and therefore need such a tape to secure the temporary wiring commonly required on sets.

Been thinking about this... on ADSL Bandwidth Aggregation w/ Multiple Accounts? · 2002-08-08 03:04 · Score: 1

I've thought that something like this may work out if you could get a place to terminate VPN pipes. Use some load balancing routing protocol to get to your term point over your two lines and you're there.

Re:I believe that it was Saturday Night Live... on Isn't it Time for Metric Time? · 2002-07-04 16:38 · Score: 1

You are correct. I remember it as well. It was from a 70's (or maybe very early 80's) SNL show.

Poor business. on Shocked, Shocked at Payola · 2002-06-25 08:49 · Score: 1

quote:

So when records go off like a bomb, and record companies sit there raking in the profits, don't forget that these profits go to pay for the other 90% of albums that didn't make any cash.

Sounds like the music industry needs to do a better job with market research. If I manufactured a product (and it *is* manufactured product) with only a 10% yield, I think I'd take a serious look at what I was doing wrong and change my strategy a bit.

xjosh

I have XM - here's my take on Satellite Radio - XM vs. Sirius? · 2002-06-11 08:30 · Score: 1

I wanted the Pioneer Premier DEHP-740MP indash MP3 player for my VW Corrado. The radio was XM capable, and I got a super good deal (buddy in the business) on the XM tuner module and Terk TRK-SR2 antenna. I figured I might as well go ahead and get the XM.

I could have spent a buttload of time researching my choice, but I didn't. XM was already launched in my market, I got the hardware cheap, and the programming selection was varied enough that I was sure to find something to make it worth my $10. And, as I said, the Pioneer receiver basically locked me into XM.

I've had it a few weeks and I've already found that I use the XM tuner more than MP3's (This coming from someone who has hundreds of gigs of MP3 files amassed). I find that many times I listen just for news.

I've found that sound quality is good. The voice compression leaves folks sounding a bit tinny, but music is OK (It's not as good as CD, but it beats the pants off FM). I've had only one "unexpected" drop-out. It happened in a HEAVY storm driving under tree cover. It lasted less than a second. I do lose signal when I go underground in my parking garage (same place I lose FM signal), but have found that I can still listen when under bridges and even while my car was in a repair garage about 50 feet from the only overhead door.

The commercials are a non-issue. Most channels have a very limited number of commercials compared to broadcast FM.

My #1 complaint: No Howard Stern. They need to devote a channel to simulcast WLXO from Lexington, KY.

I think that if satellite radio in general is something that you want, then you probably can't make a bad choice with either XM or Sirius. You'd probably be most happy with your audio system overall by picking the receiver model that fits your needs and wants most closely and going with the provider that the vendor is aligned with.

-x

Re:C&D letter from the MPAA on Time on "Pirates of Primetime" · 2002-02-21 04:51 · Score: 1

Giganews received the notification from the MPAA rep, and in turn notified me. They basically said, "Knock it off. Do it again and you're terminated." (I'm paraphrasing, of course)

C&D letter from the MPAA on Time on "Pirates of Primetime" · 2002-02-21 04:26 · Score: 4, Interesting

Here is a nice letter that someone from the MPAA sent to my news provider regarding the posting of a par file to a newsgroup. I'm still trying to get my head around how parity data for a part of a capture can be construed as copyrighted and infringing.

Perhaps instead of posting shows, 60-120 people should independantly review the shows and include a clip in their review.

Begin message:
----------------
From: MPAA@copyright.org
To: dmca@giganews.com
Subject: [DMCA #1604] Unauthorized Distribution of Copyrighted Motion Pictures (Reference#: XXXXXX)
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 18:23:00 (GMT)
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MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC.
15503 VENTURA BOULEVARD
ENCINO, CALIFORNIA 91436

UNITED STATES
Anti-Piracy Operations
PHONE: (818) 728 - 8127
Email: MPAA@copyright.org

Tuesday, February 19, 2002

Name: dmca@giganews.com
E-mail: dmca@giganews.com
ISP: Giganews

Via Fax/Email

RE: Unauthorized Distribution of Copyrighted Motion Pictures
Site/URL: usenet://xjosh@GigaNews.Com/ATTN Mike - Need anyall of 24 12AM-1AM - 24.1x03.2AM - 3AM.SVCD.HawgSmacker.p02
Reference#: XXXXXX

Date of Infringement: 2/15/2002 4:32:43 PM GMT

Dear dmca@giganews.com:

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) represents the following motion picture production and distribution companies:

Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.
Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
Paramount Pictures Corporation
TriStar Pictures, Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
United Artists Pictures, Inc.
United Artists Corporation
Universal City Studios, Inc.
Warner Bros., a Division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P.

We have received information that you are offering Internet access service to the above referenced account holder, who has utilized your services to post downloads to Usenet newsgroups of copyrighted motion picture(s) including such title(s) as:

24 (TV)

The distribution of unauthorized copies of copyrighted motion pictures constitutes copyright infringement under the Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 106(3). This conduct may also violate the laws of other countries, international law, and/or treaty obligations.

We request that you immediately do the following:

1) Take appropriate action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms of Service Agreement; and
2) Disable access from your own servers to the particular posting(s) identified above. (See also header information attached below.)

By copy of this letter, the owner of the above referenced Internet site and/or email account is hereby directed to cease and desist from the conduct complained of herein.

On behalf of the respective owners of the exclusive rights to the copyrighted material at issue in this notice, we hereby state, pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17 United States Code Section 512, that we have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owners, their respective agents, or the law.

Also pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, we hereby state, under penalty of perjury, under the laws of the State of California and under the laws of the United States, that the information in this notification is accurate and that we are authorized to act on behalf of the owners of the exclusive rights being infringed as set forth in this notification.

Please contact us at the above listed address or by replying to this email should you have any questions. Kindly include the above noted Reference # in the subject line of all email correspondence.

We thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Your prompt response is requested.

Respectfully,

Hemanshu Nigam
Vice President and Director
Worldwide Internet Enforcement
Usenet Incident Summary

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WRC on Speedvision on New Years Marathons · 2001-12-31 04:56 · Score: 1

I've got the TiVo cocked, locked, and ready to rock for the 2001 World Rally Championship season on Speedvision.

Guess I better enjoy it now - Next year will probably be a Nascar talk show marathon.

djbdns has NO license on Securing DNS From The Roots Up · 2001-11-14 03:31 · Score: 2, Informative

djbdns (and qmail, etc) are NOT under a restrictive license as you like to argue. In fact, they are under no license. DJB simply doesn't believe that software licenses are valid, so he doesn't grant one. His "license" page that you refer to simply reiterates his right of first distribution, as well as waiving some of his right to first distribution under certain circumstances. Read this for more background on why DJB doesn't issue licenses.

The only appearance of the word license on that page is in a quote from a RedHat employee, not DJB. It would seem impossible to me to grant a license without specifically stating that you are granting a license.

The inability to change pathnames is a bunch of hooey. I've seen packages included with a major distribution that could have been modified to use paths that make more sense, but have been packaged with the author's defaults instead.

xjosh

Re:Road Runner on Broadband Crackdown · 2001-08-08 16:56 · Score: 1

Road Runner in my neck of the woods (Cincinnati OH) will periodically do open relay checks on mail servers sitting on a residential connection. They obviously don't mind servers.

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